• Journal of the Korean neurological association
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.302-309
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• 2018

Background: Although orthostatic hypotension (OH) and cognitive impairment (CI) are common non- motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), the relationship between OH and CI remains to be clarified. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between OH and CI in PD. Methods: We recruited 192 patients who were diagnosed as PD based on the UK Brain Bank diagnostic criteria. The Hoehn & Yahr stages were ranged I to III and patients underwent extensive clinical evaluation, including brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for cerebral white matter hyperintensity (WMH), tilt table test, the Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessments and the Korean version of Mini-Mental Status Examination in one month from the first clinic visit. The participants were divided into two groups according to the presence of OH (OH+ vs. OH-) and cognitive function (cognitive normal, CN vs. CI), respectively. Results: Significant relationship between OH and cognitive function (p=0.04) was found in our patients. The patients with OH+ had higher risk of CI by 2.6 times than that of OH- patients. Maximum heart rate change during tilt table test was correlated with cognitive function and white matter changes, whereas blood pressure change during tilt table test showed no correlation with those parameters. Conclusions: There was significant relationship between OH and CI in PD. Therefore, PD patients with either symptom may need periodic evaluation and proper management for OH and cognitive functions.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.263-273
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• 2023

This study aimed to investigate effect of scalp acupuncture (SA) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) intervention on neuromotor function in photothrombotic cerebral infarction (PCI) rat model. Sixty male SD rats were used. PCI was induced on M1 cortex of right frontal lobe. SA was performed at the Qianding (GV21), Xuanli (GB6) acupoints of ipsilesional M1. Low-frequency rTMS was delivered to contralesional M1. All rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: group A, normal (n, 15); group B, PCI without any stimulation intervention (n, 15); group C, PCI with SA (n, 15); group D, PCI with rTMS (n, 15). Rota-rod test and Ladder rung walking test (LWT) were done weekly for 8 weeks after PCI. SA or rTMS was started from post-PCI 4^th day as protocol for 8 weeks. H/E stain and IHC were done. Western blot and qRT-PCR study were performed for MAP2 and BDNF from ipsilesional M1 peri-infarction tissue. Brain MRI study was conducted to quantify the volume of cerebral infarction. As a result, left forelimb and hindlimb function significantly improved more in group C and D than control group, with expressed more BDNF and MAP2. And brain MRI showed focal infarction of right M1 after PCI, and infarction volume progressively decreased in group C and D than group B from post-PCI 5^th to 8^th week. SA or rTMS was more effective than no intervention group on neuromotor function of PCI rat model. The functional recovery was associated with stimulation intervention-related neurogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 2003

Objective:The differences of various neurocognitive functions, including attention, memory, motor function, and higher cognitive function were compared between PTSD patients and normal control subjects. Also, correlation with PTSD symptom severity and neurocognitive functions were evaluated between PTSD patients and normal control subjects. Method:We assessed the neurocognitive functions by computerized neurocognitive test(CNT) batteries. The visual continuous performance test(CPT) and digit span test, finger tapping test and Wisconsin card sorting test(WCST) were executed. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised(IES-R) was used in the evaluation of the severity of PTSD. Result:The PTSD patients showed significantly impaired neurocognitive performance in all of the items, compared with normal control subjects. The relation between impairment in neurocognitive functions and symptom severity showed significant correlations. Conclusion:These results imply that PTSD patients have impaired neurocognitive functions concerning with specific brain areas, especially the frontal area. For the thorough evaluation of further neurocognitive functions, more detailed evaluation items of neurocognitive functions and brain imaging studies are necessary in the future study.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.328-332
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• 2018

Background: Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) can be applied in brain-dead donors for organ perfusion before donation, thereby expanding the donor pool. The aim of this study was to examine the benefits and early clinical outcomes of ECLS for organ preservation. Methods: Between June 2012 and April 2017, 9 patients received ECLS with therapeutic intent or for organ preservation. The following data were collected: demographics, purpose and duration of ECLS, cause of death, dose of vasoactive drugs, and need for temporary dialysis before organ retrieval. The early clinical outcomes of recipients were studied, as well as survival and graft function at 1 month. Results: ECLS was initiated for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 5 patients. The other patients needed ECLS due to hemodynamic deterioration during the assessment of brain death. We successfully retrieved 18 kidneys, 7 livers, and 1 heart from 9 donors. All organs were transplanted and none were discarded. Only 1 case of delayed kidney graft function was noted, and all 26 recipients were discharged without any significant complications. Conclusion: The benefits of protecting the vital organs of donors is significant, and ECLS for organ preservation can be widely used in the transplantation field.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.138-147
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• 2000

Objectives and Method : In this study, I have investigated what kind of primary factors detennine the apoplexy prognosis, and the method of the function assessment about the apoplexy by inquiry into the literature on this subject Results and Conclusions : 1. The primary factors to have an effect upon the appoplexy are : the location of Pungsa; whether five organs ki is existent or not; pulse feeling; tongue condition; whether or not the patient produces stool or urine; for males, the left side; for females, the right side ; whether or not the patient sweats; consciousness; vital signs; and the region and size of disease and brain hernia. 2. MBI is often used because it is considered to be objective, simple, and highly reliable. But its absence of a legal recognition assessment is a major incongruence. 3. Inclusive and standard assessment are key points in the reinforecement by AM of legal recognition assessment, but it takes a lot of time and is not endowed with adding an extra weight and is vague to the division between the communication and social recognition grade. 4. AI is useful and easy to evaluate the mental ability, the capacity for locomotion and the daily activities inclusively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 1991

The analgesic effect of morphine was antagonized in mice pretreated with ginseng total saponin intraperitoneally, intracerebrally and intrathecally. The antagonized effects of morphine analgesia were reversed predominantly by treatment with L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in the tail pinch test and 5-hydroxytryptophan in the tail flick test respectively. These indicate that the antagonistic action of ginseng total saponin might be due to their inhibitions of the activation of descending ihibitory systems at the cerebral site as well as spinal. In addition, any appreciable changes of brain biogenic monoamine levels were not observed in mice pretreated with ginseng total saponin at various time intervals. These results obtained suggest that a newly equilibrated state of neurologic function could be found in mice pretreated with ginseng total saponin, and modification of neurologic function in the mechanism for the antagonism of morphine analgesia by ginseng total saponin was more important than the changes of brain biogenic monoamine levels.

• Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.391-397
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• 2018

Objective: Meditation can elicit trait-like changes in psychological and social styles, as well as enhancement of emotional regulatory capacity. We investigated the relation between personality traits and emotional intelligence in meditation practitioners. Methods: Seventy-two long-term practitioners of mind-body training (MBT) and 62 healthy comparative individuals participated in the study. The participants completed emotional intelligence questionnaires and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Results: The MBT group revealed higher scores on all five emotional intelligence factors than did those in the control group, such as emotional awareness and expression, empathy, emotional thinking, emotional application, and emotional regulation (all $p{\leq}0.001$). MBT practitioners also had higher scores on the intuition of perceiving function (t=-2.635, p=0.010) and on the feeling of the judging function (t=-3.340, p=0.001) of the MBTI compared with those in the control group. Only the MBT group showed a robust relationship with every factor of emotional intelligence and MBTI-defined intuitive styles, indicating that higher scores of emotional intelligence were related to higher scores for intuition. Conclusion: Emotional intelligence of meditation practitioners showed notable relationships with some features of personality trait. In-depth associations between emotional intelligence and personality traits would help to foster psychological functions in meditation practitioners.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.497-505
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• 1997

Dopamine plays diverse roles in the fetal brain development and differentiation. However, the development of the dopaminergic neurons and its receptors has not been fully understood. In our studies, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical methods were used to investigate the ontogeny of dopaminergic neurons and its receptor subtypes during the fetal development of the rat. In situ hybridization data showed that dopamine $D_1$ and $D_2$ receptor mRNAs were expressed in the ventricular and subventricular zones of ganglionic eminence, thalamus, hypothalamus, and cortical neuroepithelium on gestational day 13. Expression of dopamine $D_1$ and $D_2$ receptors during gestational days 17 and 19 reached the same or similar level of that in the adult brain. Expression of $D_1$ receptor mRNA preceded that of $D_2$ receptor mRNA in the early developmental stage, although this pattern was reversed with the sharp increase of $D_2$ receptor mRNA soon after. $D_2$ receptor mRNA was expressed in substantia nigra of mesencephalon of the fetal rat brain. However, $D_1$ receptor mRNA was not detected in substantia nigra. Our results indicate that dopamine might function in the fetal brain during the early gestational period.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.5-8
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• 2002

Photoperiodism is an important adaptive phenomenon in various physiological parameters including reproduction to cope with seasonal changes. Involvement of extraretinal photoreceptors in the photoperiodism in non-mammalian vertebrates has been well established. In addition, circadian clock system is known to be involved in the photoperiodic time measurement. The pathway consists of light-input system, time measurement system (circadian clock), gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) production in the hypothalamus, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) production in the pituitary, and final gonadal development. Recently, several laboratories reported photopigments newly cloned in the pineal, eyes and deep brain in addition to already known visual pigments in the retina. These are pinopsin, parapinopsin, VA-opsin, melanopsin, etc. All these photopigments belong to the opsin family having retinal as the chromophore. However, the function of these photopigments remains unknown. I reviewed the studies on the location of the photopigments by immunocytochemistry. I also discussed the results on the action spectra for induction of gonadal development in relation with the location of the photoreceptors. Various physiologically active substances distribute in the vertebrate brain. Such substances are GnRH, GnIH, neuropeptide Y, vasoactive intestinal peptide, c-Fos, galanin, neurosteroids, etc. I summarized the immunhistochemical studies on the distribution and the photoperiodic changes of these substances and discussed the route from the deep brain photoreceptor to GnRH cells.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.299-305
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• 1999

Protein carboxyl O-methyltransferase (PCMT) catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from Sadenosyl-L-methionine to free carboxyl groups of methyl-accepting substrate proteins. Two isozymes were separated by DEAE-Sephacel chromatography from porcine brain cytosol and designated PCMT I and II. Isozymes I and II were further purified by adenosyl homocysteine-Sepharose 4B and Superose HR 12 chromatography. The molecular weights of the purified PCMT I and II were determined by mass spectrometry to be 20,138 Da and 25,574 Da, respectively. The two enzymes displayed different isoelectric points; 7.9 for PCMT I and 5.3 for PCMT II. Isozymes I and II exhibited similar substrate specificities when tested with various methyl-accepting proteins. Myelin basic protein, a component of myelinated neurons, was found to be an excellent methyl-accepting substrate for both PCMT isozymes with different $K_m$ values, $21.1\;{\mu}M$ for PCMT I and $10.6\;{\mu}M$ for PCMT II. The PCMT activity and methyl-accepting capacity displayed similar distribution in the various brain regions with an exception of the lower values in the cerebellum. The overall distribution may relate to a general function of protein repair by PCMT in the brain.