• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.408-418
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• 2020

The sinus node (SN) is located at the apex of the cardiac conduction system, and SN dysfunction (SND)-characterized by electrical remodeling-is generally attributed to idiopathic fibrosis or ischemic injuries in the SN. SND is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, including syncope, heart failure, and atrial arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation. One of the histological SND hallmarks is degenerative atrial remodeling that is associated with conduction abnormalities and increased right atrial refractoriness. Although SND is frequently accompanied by increased fibrosis in the right atrium (RA), its molecular basis still remains elusive. Therefore, we investigated whether SND can induce significant molecular changes that account for the structural remodeling of RA. Towards this, we employed a rabbit model of experimental SND, and then compared the genome-wide RNA expression profiles in RA between SND-induced rabbits and sham-operated controls to identify the differentially expressed transcripts. The accompanying gene enrichment analysis revealed extensive pro-fibrotic changes within 7 days after the SN ablation, including activation of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling and alterations in the levels of extracellular matrix components and their regulators. Importantly, our findings suggest that periostin, a matricellular factor that regulates the development of cardiac tissue, might play a key role in mediating TGF-β-signaling-induced aberrant atrial remodeling. In conclusion, the present study provides valuable information regarding the molecular signatures underlying SND-induced atrial remodeling, and indicates that periostin can be potentially used in the diagnosis of fibroproliferative cardiac dysfunctions.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2003

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the arthroscopic findings of the transplanted human allogenic meniscus including MRI changes at follow up. Materials and Methods : From Oct. 1999 to Jun. 2002, nine patients underwent arthroscopic evaluation at follow-up. We used nonirradiated cryopreserved meniscus allograft for 6 cases and fresh-frozen for 3 cases. We used bone-plug method for medial meniscus and bone-bridge method for lateral meniscus to fix the transplanted meniscus. The average follow-up time was 13 months. We evaluated the result by lysholm score, MRI and second-look arthroscopic finding. Results : The second-look arthroscopy after allogenic meniscal transplantation revealed that grafts were well incorporated with surrounding capsular tissue. But one case showed wear on the post horn and the other case which was operated at other local clinic showed tear of the anterior hem due to non-anatomic placement of bone bridge. There was improvement of average Lysholm score form 64 to 87. Conclusion : Second-look arthroscopy revealed excellent incorporation of the allograft with firm attachment and early clinical results are satisfactory. But further studies are necessary to assess whether meniscal transplantation can prevent progressive degenerative changes.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.225-234
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• 1997

Vincristine, a kind of anticancerous drugs, interferes with development of microtubles and synthesis of nucleic acid and proteins in cells, and destructs cytoplasmic membrane so that mitosis of cancer cells is inhibited. Unfortunately these anticancerous effects by vioneristime are not limited to specific cancer cells, so several side effects are produced. This study was performed to explore the effects of vincristine on the fine structure of cytoplasmic organelles and cartilagenous matrix in proximal epiphyseal plate of the tibia in rat. The results were as follows: 1. Cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) were fragmented and sacculated, and membrane-bound ribocomes of RER were detached at 3 and 6 hours after vincristine treatment. Severely dilated, fagmented and sacculated cisternae of RER were found at 12 hours after vincristine treatment, and at 24 hours after vincristine treatment a few cisternae were framented and sacculated. At 72 hours after vincristine treatment cisternae of RER were parallely well arraged. 2. Golgi complex was atrophied at 3, 6, and 12 hours after vincristine treatment, while at 72 hours after vincristine treatment the cisternae of Golgi complex were made of 5-6 layers. 3. Mitochondria with disorganized mitochondrial cristae and outer membrane-losed mitochondria were found at 3 hours after vincristine treatment. At 6 and 12 hours after vincristine treatment mitochondria had possessed disorganized cristae, and a few mitochondria with disorganized cristae were. observed at 24 hours after vincristine treatment. While at 72 hours after vincristine treatment mitochondria were shown distinct cristae and double membranes. 4. Phagosome were begun to observe at 3 hourse after vincristine treatment, and at 24 hourse after vincristine treatment many phagosomes were found, while at 72 hours after vincristine treatment a few phagosomes were observed. 5. In the cartilagenous matrix large-sized matrix granules were decreased and collagen fibrils were dispersed at 3, 6, and 12 hours after vincristine treatment, while at 72 hours after vincristine treatment many large-sized matrix granules and numerous matrix it is suggested that although vincristine may induce the degenerative changes of the chondrocyte, resulting in changes of components of the cartilagenous matirx, these toxic effects may be regressed with time.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.433-452
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• 1997

Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) has been as an animal model for studing the neurological diseases such as stroke and epilepsy because of the congenital incompleteries in Willis circle, as well as the investigation of water metabolism because of the long time-survival in the condition of water-deprived desert condition, compared with other species animals. In order to accomplish the this research, first of all another divided the laboratory animals 5 groups of which each group include the 5 animals. In this study were investigated the histological structure in the kidney, measured the plasma osmolalities at the time of sacrifice of indivisual animals, and the body weights every day during water-deprived. The results obtained in this study were summarized as followings: 1. The body weights and decreasing rates of the body weight in water-deprived mongolian gerbil groups were continuosly decreased. 2. The plasma osmolalities were increased from the 5th water-deprived day, after then the gradually increasing reached nearly its equilibrium state at the 10th water-deprived day. 3. The urine volumes were abruptly decreased from the 2th water-deprived day, after then the gradually decreasing patterns were reached nearly its equilibrium state at the 10th day, and stopped the 11th day. 4. In the light microscopical observation of the kidney, glomerular capillary loop thickening, mesangial matrix increasing, sclerosis, glomerular cystic atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, tubular dilatation, mononuclear interstitial inflammation, interstitial mineralization, and hyperplasia of the collecting duct epithelium in the cortex area, were observed from the 10th water deprived day, and the lesions were gradually severe changed as the time lapse. 5. In the electron microscopical findings of the kidney, the degenerative changes of endothelial cell, podocyte and mesangial cell in glomeruli were initially observed on the 10th water-deprived day as well as the degeneration of microvilli and intracellular organelle in the renal tubules.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.58-71
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• 2008

1. Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the anti-aging effect of oral administration with Nocyongdaebo-tang (NYD) decoction in aged rats. 2. Methods The SD rats used in this experiment were 6, 18 and 36 weeks old. A part of the 36weeks was grown to 52 and 68 weeks at labarotary. Each age group was again divided into three groups. These 15 groups consisted of 6 rats each. One group was given no treatment, another group was dosed 200 ${\mu}l$ of normal saline daily, and the last group was dosed 200 ${\mu}l$ of 1% Nocyongdaebo-tang(NYD) and saline mixture. At the conclusion of the experiment, the age groups were relabelled accordingly(10w, 22w, 40w, 52w and 68w). After 4 weeks, the tissue of liver, heart, spleen, lung, kidney and brain was biopsied in order to measure the SOD, GSH, MDA. 3. Results and Conclusions (1) The levels of GSH in the liver were significantly increased in the w-NYD(n=40) and w-NYD(n=68) groups compared with those of the normal groups. The activity of catalase in the liver was also much higher in the w-NYD (n=68) group compared with that of the saline groups. However, the levels of MDA in the liver were significantly decreased in the w-NYD(n=68) group compared with those of the normal and saline groups. (2) The levels of GSH in the spleen were significantly increased in the w-NYD(n=52) and w-NYD(n=68) groups compared with those of the normal and saline groups. (3) The levels of GSH in the lung were significantly increased in the w-NYD(n=40) and w-NYD(n=52) groups compared with those of the normal groups. (4) The levels of GSH in the kidney were higher in the w-NYD(n=40) compared with those of the normal groups and those were also higher in the w-NYD(n=52) groups compared with those of the saline groups, respectively. (5) The levels of GSH in the brain were higher in the w-NYD(n=40) compared with those of the normal groups and those were also higher in the w-NYD(n=52) groups compared with those of the normal and saline groups. (6) Degenerative changes of the brain were decreased in the w-NYD(n=68) group compared with those of the normal and saline groups. These results suggest that oral administration of Nocyongdaebo-tang decoction might have an important role to prevent age-related changes of various organs in aged rats.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2000

The morphological changes in normal and weathering hair shafts of the human scalp were investigated by using the transmission and scanning electron microscopes. The hair shaft composed of cuticular layer, cortex and medula. The surface of normal hairs are smooth and covered by imbricated cuticular scales. The cuticular layer consists of five to seven cuticle cells. These cells, which are flat and thin, measuring about $100{\mu}m$ long and $0.4{\mu}m$ thick, appears intercellular membrane complex in diameter 25 nm. The cortex composed of melanin granules and cornified cells, which multicomponent concentric microfibrils in diameter about 8 nm give rise to macrofibrils in diameter $0.5{\mu}m$ to $0.8{\mu}m$ encased in limiting membrane. The melanin granules are spherical shaped about $0.5{\mu}m$ in size and scattered between macrofibrils. The medulla in the normal hairs are $16{\mu}m$ in diameter centrally region of cortex. Normal hair shafts undergo progressive degenerative changes due to a variety of environmental insults. In the initial weathering process of hair, the cuticular scales became irregularly raised and broken, and then cuticle cells formed cytoplasmic vacuolation, following dissociated intercellular membrane complex, ultimately entirely lost and nuded cortex. Occasionally, transverse fissures were seen at hair shafts indicating that the hairs were deteriorated. Complete removal of the cuticular layer in the heavily damaged cortex portions appeared splitting of the cortical cell into its macrofibrils and scattering of melanin granules.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.9-20
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• 1991

The present study intended to evaluate the influences of MetagonimMi yokogawai on the activities of brush border membrane bound enzymes of the small intestine. Mice were infected with 500 metacercariae respectively, and the worm recovery, morphological changes and enzyme activities were observed chronologically. A part of them were followed after the treatment. Recovered worms decreased in number continuously after the infection, and they were less than 10% after 2 weeks and almost Bero after 28 weeks. Villous atrophy and stromal inflammation were found at two locations of the proximal jejunum from 2 weeks to 4 weeks after the infection. The enzymes, alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase and disaccharidases (sucrase, lactase, maltase, and trehalase), showed lowered activities in the duodenum and proximal jejunum of the infected mice but they increased in the distal jejunum for the first two weeks. From three weeks after the infection, the activities were gradually recovered. In one week treated mice, they recovered the activities at 2 weeks from the treatment, but there found no differences of the activities between the 3 week treated group and infected controls. The present data reveal that M. yckogawai infection induces degenerative changes of the host's intestinal mucosa not only morphologically but functionally during the initial phase of infection. The lowered enzyme activities in acute metagonimiasis should be associated with malabsorption and diarrhea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.397-406
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• 1988

The changes in the dietary pattern of Koreans during the last one century and its consequences are summarized as follows; 1. Until the beginning of 20th century, Koreans used variety of cereals, vegetables and fruits for their staple food, but the variety has been largely reduced by the agricultural development and urbanized life style. 2. The well balanced traditional dietary pattern of Korean had been deeply deteriorated by the food shortage during the Japanese occupation and Korean war. 3. The deteriorated nutritional condition of Korean was not remedied by the restoration of traditional dietary pattern, but attempted to overcome it by the adoption of Western food habit. 4. The people were trained to eat milk and flour-meals during the starvation of Korean war, and it was continued after Korean war through the animal husbandry promotion policy. 5. The importation of food and feed cereals has been increased rapidly during the economic growth in 1970's and the food self-sufficiency droped below 50%. 6. In 1970's, the food supply pattern of Korean was restored to the level of early 1900, but the consumption of lipid increased extraordinarily. 7. The overconsumption of animal food and lipid continues in 1980's, and it coincides with the rapid increase in the occurence of food related degenerative deseases. 8. The establishment of Korean dietary goal which is based on the traditional dietary pattern is needed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.577-583
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• 2017

Objective : Laminoplasty is an effective surgical method for treating cervical degenerative disease. However, postoperative complications such as kyphosis, restriction of neck motion, and instability are often reported. Despite sufficient preoperative lordosis, this procedure often aggravates the lordotic curve of the cervical spine and straightens cervical alignment. Hence, it is important to examine preoperative risk factors associated with postoperative kyphotic alignment changes. Our study aimed to investigate preoperative radiologic parameters associated with kyphotic deformity post laminoplasty. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 49 patients who underwent open door laminoplasty for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) at Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital between January 2011 and December 2015. Inclusion criteria were as follows : 1) preoperative diagnosis of OPLL or CSM, 2) no previous history of cervical spinal surgery, cervical trauma, tumor, or infection, 3) minimum of one-year follow-up post laminoplasty with proper radiologic examinations performed in outpatient clinics, and 4) cases showing C7 and T1 vertebral body in the preoperative cervical sagittal plane. The radiologic parameters examined included C2-C7 Cobb angles, T1 slope, C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA), range of motion (ROM) from C2-C7, segmental instability, and T2 signal change observed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Clinical factors examined included preoperative modified Japanese Orthopedic Association scores, disease classification, duration of symptoms, and the range of operation levels. Results : Mean preoperative sagittal alignment was $13.01^{\circ}$ lordotic; $6.94^{\circ}$ lordotic postoperatively. Percentage of postoperative kyphosis was 80%. Patients were subdivided into two groups according to postoperative Cobb angle change; a control group (n=22) and kyphotic group (n=27). The kyphotic group consisted of patients with more than $5^{\circ}$ kyphotic angle change postoperatively. There were no differences in age, sex, C2-C7 Cobb angle, T1 slope, C2-C7 SVA, ROM from C2-C7, segmental instability, or T2 signal change. Multiple regression analysis revealed T1 slope had a strong relationship with postoperative cervical kyphosis. Likewise, correlation analysis revealed there was a statistical significance between T1 slope and postoperative Cobb angle change (p=0.035), and that there was a statistically significant relationship between T1 slope and C2-C7 SVA (p=0.001). Patients with higher preoperative T1 slope demonstrated loss of lordotic curvature postoperatively. Conclusion : Laminoplasty has a high probability of aggravating sagittal balance of the cervical spine. T1 slope is a good predictor of postoperative kyphotic changes of the cervical spine. Similarly, T1 slope is strongly correlated with C2-C7 SVA.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.422-431
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• 2019

Objective : In an aging society, the number of patients with symptomatic degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) is increasing and there is an emerging need for fusion surgery. However, few studies have compared transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) for the treatment of patients with DS. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and radiological outcomes between TLIF and LLIF in DS. Methods : We enrolled patients with symptomatic DS at L4-5 who underwent TLIF with open pedicle screw fixation (TLIF group, n=41) or minimally invasive LLIF with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (LLIF group, n=39) and were followed-up for more than one year. Clinical (visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index) and radiological outcomes (spondylolisthesis rate, segmental sagittal angle [SSA], mean disc height [MDH], intervertebral foramen height [FH], cage subsidence, and fusion rate) were assessed. And we assessed the changes in radiological parameters between the postoperative and the last follow-up periods. Results : Preoperative radiological parameters were not significantly different between the two groups. LLIF was significantly superior to TLIF in immediate postoperative radiological results, including reduction of spondylolisthesis rate (3.8% and 7.2%), increase in MDH (13.9 mm and 10.3 mm) and FH (21.9 mm and 19.4 mm), and correction of SSA ($18.9^{\circ}$ and $15.6^{\circ}$) (p<0.01), and the changes were more stable from the postoperative period to the last follow-up (p<0.01). Cage subsidence was observed significantly less in LLIF (n=6) than TLIF (n=21). Fusion rate was not different between the two groups. The clinical outcomes did not differ significantly at any time point between the two groups. Complications were not statistically significant. However, TLIF showed chronic mechanical problems with screw loosening in four patients and LLIF showed temporary symptoms associated with the surgical approach, such as psoas and ileus muscle symptoms in three and two cases, respectively. Conclusion : LLIF was more effective than TLIF for spondylolisthesis reduction, likely due to the higher profile cage and ligamentotactic effect. In addition, LLIF showed mechanical stability of the reduction level by using a cage with a larger footprint. Therefore, LLIF should be considered a surgical option before TLIF for patients with unstable DS.