• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.353-359
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• 2005

Objectives: Dysphagia is a common in stroke patients. Dysphagia often affects the rehabilitation of stroke patients by increasing the risk of nutritional deficits and aspiration pneumonia. Despite the proliferation of physical therapies including swallowing training, much controversy remains regarding the application and benefit of them. Therefore, in this study, the clinical effect of moxibustion at Chonjung(CV17, Shanzhong) on post-stroke dysphagia were assessed using Swallowing Provocation Test(SPT). Methods: Dysphagia subjects were selected by Dysphagia Screening Test. Swallowing function was tested by Swallowing Provocation Test(sec). Direct moxibustion was applied to the acupoint, Chonjung, five times and Swallowing Provocation Test was performed before and after 30 minute. The Latency Time of Swallowing Reflex (LTSR) was checked by SPT. To find factors related with improving swallowing function, Cold-Heat and Excess-Deficiency Diagnosis were considered. Results: A total of 42 patient were included, but two of them were excluded due to severe coughing. Overall, the swallowing reflex improved significantly. In subgroup analysis on brain lesion, non-brain stem lesion patients significantly improved. Moxibustion was more effective in the cold group than in the heat group, but there were no differences between the Excess and the Deficiency groups. Conclusions: The result of this clinical study suggest that moxibustion at Chonjung(CV17, Shanzhong) is an effective treatment for the dysphagia patients after stroke, especially in non-brain stem lesion and the cold diagnosed patients.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.235-248
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• 2018

Ursolic acid (UA) is a natural triterpene compound found in various fruits and vegetables. There is a growing interest in UA because of its beneficial effects, which include anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-carcinogenic effects. It exerts these effects in various tissues and organs: by suppressing nuclear factor-kappa B signaling in cancer cells, improving insulin signaling in adipose tissues, reducing the expression of markers of cardiac damage in the heart, decreasing inflammation and increasing the level of anti-oxidants in the brain, reducing apoptotic signaling and the level of oxidants in the liver, and reducing atrophy and increasing the expression levels of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and irisin in skeletal muscles. Moreover, UA can be used as an alternative medicine for the treatment and prevention of cancer, obesity/diabetes, cardiovascular disease, brain disease, liver disease, and muscle wasting (sarcopenia). In this review, we have summarized recent data on the beneficial effects and possible uses of UA in health and disease managements.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.47-67
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• 2007

Objectives : This study was aimed to investigated the warning signs and its relationship with the other characteristics in acute stroke patients. Methods : 225 acute stroke patients were recruited at the Department of Cardiovascular and Neurologic Diseases (Stroke Center) of Kyung Hee University Oriental Hospital from October 2005 to September 2006. We evaluated their stroke type with brain MRI, their warning signs, and general characteristics such as age, sex, past history, risk factors, etc. Results : 225 subjects were included in the final analysis. In the subjects' general characteristics, the most common etiology of stroke was small vessel occlusion. In the assessment of the subjects' warning signs, the frequency of tension felt at the cervical area was highest followed by blepharospasm, sensory dysfunction (one side of numbness, tingling sensation, dead sensation), one side paralysis or weakness, etc. After analyzing etiology, cerebral hemorrhage had more facial spasm sign and hypertension than cerebral infarction. On the other hand, cerebral infarction had more diabetes and sensory dysfunction (one side of numbness, tingling sensation, dead sensation) than cerebral hemorrhage. Among stroke locations, subjects with their brain lesion in the cortex had more warning sings of motor dysfunction such as one side paralysis, or weakness. Multiple lesions showed a close relationship with smoking habit and were more common in males than in females. The under 65 years old group were more commonly associated with alcohol consumption, accidental mental stress and blepharospam than the over 65 years old group. In the group of under 65 years old, males more commonly had lesions in occipital lobe, alcohol consumption and smoking habit than females. Otherwise, females more commonly had vision dysfunction and blepharospasm than males. In the group of over 65 years old, males more commonly had cortex lesion than females. On the other hand, Females more commonly had accidental mental stress than males. Conclusions : We observed various warning signs and their distribution in acute stroke patients. The subjects' brainlesions and their etiology seemed to affect the features of the warning signs. Hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia were also related to etiology of stroke and some habitual problems such as smoking and drinking seemed to reduce the age of stroke ictus. Although a concrete conclusion can hardly be drawn from this study, it reminds physicians of the importance of warning signs which appear among their patients.

• 대한핵의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.32.2-32.2
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• 1998

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.256-259
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• 2011

We report a rare case of Williams syndrome accompanying moyamoya disease in whom postoperative global cerebral infarction occurred unpredictably. Williams syndrome is an uncommon hereditary disorder associated with the connective tissue abnormalities and cardiovascular disease. To our knowledge, our case report is the second case of Williams syndrome accompanying moyamoya disease. A 9-year-old boy was presented with right hemiparesis after second operation for coarctation of aorta. He was diagnosed as having Williams syndrome at the age of 1 year. Brain MRI showed left cerebral cortical infarction, and angiography showed severe stenosis of bilateral internal carotid arteries and moyamoya vessels. To reduce the risk of furthermore cerebral infarction, we performed indirect anastomosis successfully. Postoperatively, the patient recovered well, but at postoperative third day, without any unusual predictive abnormal findings the patient's pupils were suddenly dilated. Brain CT showed the global cerebral infarction. Despite of vigorous treatment, the patient was not recovered and fell in brain death one week later. We suggest that in this kind of labile patient with Williams syndrome accompanying moyamoya disease, postoperative sedation should be done with more thorough strict patient monitoring than usual moyamoya patients. Also, we should decide the revascularization surgery more cautiously than usual moyamoya disease. The possibility of unpredictable postoperative ischemic complication should be kept in mind.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.410-414
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• 2018

Primary pulmonary meningioma is a rare disease, and chordoid meningioma is an uncommon variant of meningioma in the central nervous system (CNS) with a high recurrence rate. We report a case of primary pulmonary chordoid meningioma that presented as a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN). The SPN was resected by thoracoscopic wedge resection and was revealed to have characteristics of chordoid meningioma. After confirming the absence of a meningioma in the CNS by brain imaging, the nodule was diagnosed as a primary pulmonary chordoid meningioma. The patient remained disease-free after 26 months postoperatively. To our knowledge, this is the third case of primary pulmonary chordoid meningioma to be reported.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2007

The measurement of pathologically low levels of tissue $pO_2$ is an important diagnostic goal for determining the prognosis of many clinically important diseases including cardiovascular insufficiency, stroke and cancer. The target tissues nowaday have mostly been tumors or the myocardium, with less attention centered on the brain. Radiolabelled nitroimidazole or derivatives may be useful in identifying the hypoxic cells in cerebrovascular disease or traumatic brain injury, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. In acute stroke, the target of therapy is the severely hypoxic but salvageable tissue. $^{18}F-MISO$ PET and $^{99}mTc-EC-metronidazole$ SPECT in patients with acute ischemic stroke identified hypoxic tissues and ischemic penumbra, and predicted its outcome. A study using $^{123}I-IAZA$ in patient with closed head injury detected the hypoxic tissues after head injury. Up till now these radiopharmaceuticals have drawbacks due to its relatively low concentration with hypoxic tissues associated with/without low blood-brain barrier permeability and the necessity to wait a long time to achieve acceptable target to background ratios for imaging in acute ischemic stroke. It is needed to develop new hypoxic marker exhibiting more rapid localization in the hypoxic region in the brain. And then, the hypoxic brain imaging with imidazoles or non-imidazoles may be very useful in detecting the hypoxic tissues, determining therapeutic strategies and developing therapeutic drugs in several neurological disease, especially, in acute ischemic stroke.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.151-156
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• 2016

Background: Survival of children experiencing cardiac arrest refractory to conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is very poor. We sought to examine current era outcomes of extracorporeal CPR (ECPR) support for refractory arrest. Methods: Patients who were <18 years and underwent ECPR between November 2013 and January 2016 were including in this study. We retrospectively investigated patient medical records. Results: Twelve children, median age 6.6 months (range, 1 day to 11.7 years), required ECPR. patients' diseases spanned several categories: congenital heart disease (n=5), myocarditis (n=2), respiratory failure (n=2), septic shock (n=1), trauma (n=1), and post-cardiotomy arrest (n=1). Cannulation sites included the neck (n=8), chest (n=3), and neck to chest conversion (n=1). Median duration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was five days (range, 0 to 14 days). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was successfully discontinued in 10 (83.3%) patients. Nine patients (75%) survived more than seven days after support discontinuation and four patients (33.3%) survived and were discharged. Causes of death included ischemic brain injury (n=4), sepsis (n=3), and gastrointestinal bleeding (n=1). Conclusion: ECPR plays a valuable role in children experiencing refractory cardiac arrest. The weaning rate is acceptable; however, survival is related to other organ dysfunction and the severity of ischemic brain injury. ECPR prior to the emergence of end-organ injury and prevention of neurologic injury might enhance survival.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.342-348
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• 2019

Panax ginseng Meyer (P. ginseng; Korean ginseng) is well known for its medicinal properties. It can alleviate pathological symptoms, promote health, and prevent potential diseases via its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, homeostatic, and other positive effects on biological metabolism. Although many studies have determined effects of P. ginseng on various diseases, such as cardiovascular, neurological, and immunological diseases, little is known about the effect of P. ginseng on autoimmune diseases. Here, we review a few reports about effects of P. ginseng on autoimmune diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, atopic dermatitis, and rheumatoid arthritis) and suggest the possibility of P. ginseng as a candidate herbal medicine to prevent and treat autoimmune diseases as well as the need to study it.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.135-154
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• 2011

The great discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) has revolutionized current cell biology and medical science. miRNAs are small conserved non-coding RNA molecules that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by targeting the 3' untranslated region of specific messenger RNAs for degradation or translational repression. New members of the miRNA family are being discovered on a daily basis and emerging evidence has demonstrated that miRNAs play a major role in a wide range of developmental process including cell proliferation, cell cycle, cell differentiation, metabolism, apoptosis, developmental timing, neuronal cell fate, neuronal gene expression, brain morphogenesis, muscle differentiation and stem cell division. Moreover, a large number of studies have reported links between alterations of miRNA homeostasis and pathological conditions such as cancer, psychiatric and neurological diseases, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disease. Interestingly, in addition, miRNA deficiencies or excesses have been correlated with a number of clinically important diseases ranging from cancer to myocardial infarction. miRNAs can repress the gene translation of hundreds of their targets and are therefore well-positioned to target a multitude of cellular mechanisms. As a consequence of extensive participation in normal functions, it is quite logical to ask the question if abnormalities in miRNAs should have importance in human diseases. Great discoveries and rapid progress in the past few years on miRNAs provide the hope that miRNAs will in the near future have a great potential in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. Currently, an explosive literature has focussed on the role of miRNA in human cancer and cardiovascular disease. In this review, I briefly summarize the explosive current studies about involvement of miRNA in various human cancers and cardiovascular disease.