• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.553-561
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• 2018

Icariside II (ICA II) is used in erectile dysfunction treatment. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are efficient at improving erectile function. This study aimed to explore the action mechanism of ADSCs in improving erectile function. ADSCs were isolated from the adipose tissues of rats. Cell proliferation was determined using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The expressions of mRNA and protein were determined separately through qRT-PCR and western blot. The endogenous expressions of related genes were regulated using recombinant plasmids and cell transfection. A Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay was performed to determine the interaction between miR-34a and STAT3. Rat models with bilateral cavernous nerve injuries (BCNIs) were used to assess erectile function through the detection of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and intracavernosal pressure (ICP). ICA II promoted ADSCs' proliferation and differentiation to Schwann cells (SCs) through the inhibition of miR-34a. Suppressed miR-34a promoted the differentiation of ADSCs to SCs by upregulating STAT3. ICA II promoted the differentiation of ADSCs to SCs through the miR-34a/STAT3 pathway. The combination of ICA II and ADSCs preserved the erectile function of the BCNI model rats. ADSCs treated with ICA II markedly preserved the erectile function of the BCNI model rats, which was reversed through miR-34a overexpression. ICA II promotes the differentiation of ADSCs to SCs through the miR34a/STAT3 pathway, contributing to erectile function preservation after the occurrence of a cavernous nerve injury.

• Proceedings of the Korea Institutes of Information Security and Cryptology Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.251-257
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• 2006

The performance of face recognition methods using subspace projection is directly related to the characteristics of their basis images, especially in the cases of local distortion or partial occlusion. In order for a subspace projection method to be robust to local distortion and partial occlusion, the basis images generated by the method should exhibit a part-based local representation. We propose an effective part-based local representation method named locally salient ICA (LS-ICA) method for face recognition that is robust to local distortion and partial occlusion. The LS-ICA method only employs locally salient information from important facial parts in order to maximize the benefit of applying the idea of 'recognition by parts.' It creates part-based local basis images by imposing additional localization constraint in the process of computing ICA architecture I basis images. We have contrasted the LS-ICA method with other part-based representations such as LNMF (Localized Non-negative Matrix Factorization)and LFA (Local Feature Analysis). Experimental results show that the LS-ICA method performs better than PCA, ICA architecture I, ICA architecture II, LFA, and LNMF methods, especially in the cases of partial occlusions and local distortion

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.481-488
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• 2006

The performance of face recognition methods using subspace projection is directly related to the characteristics of their basis images, especially in the cases of local distortion or partial occlusion. In order for a subspace projection method to be robust to local distortion and partial occlusion, the basis images generated by the method should exhibit a part-based local representation. We propose an effective part-based local representation method named locally salient ICA (LS-ICA) method for face recognition that is robust to local distortion and partial occlusion. The LS-ICA method only employs locally salient information from important facial parts in order to maximize the benefit of applying the idea of 'recognition by parts.' It creates part-based local basis images by imposing additional localization constraint in the process of computing ICA architecture I basis images. We have contrasted the LS-ICA method with other part-based representations such as LNMF (Localized Non-negative Matrix Factorization) and LFA (Local Feature Analysis). Experimental results show that the LS-ICA method performs better than PCA, ICA architecture I, ICA architectureII, LFA, and LNMF methods, especially in the cases of partial occlusions and local distortions.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2006

Objective : Young neurosurgeons need to focus on the mortality and morbidity of aneurysmal neck clipping to develop a personal experience with an initial series. Methods : Total 88 aneurysms from 75 patients who underwent neck clipping by the same operator from 2001 to 2004 were reviewed. Patients were divided into three groups : first year [Group I], second year [Group II], and third year [Group III] in each group. Location of aneurysm, age, Fisher grade, Hunter-Hess grade [H-H grade], postoperative Glasgow outcome scale [GOS], and complications related to surgical procedures were evaluated with Chi-square and logistic regression analyses. Results : Fourteen patients had complications related to surgery [18.7%]. The major causes of mortality and morbidity related to surgery were cerebral infarction, hemorrhage and brain swelling due to intraoperative rupture, brain retraction and vasospasm. Among the 4 cases of mortality were 2 patients in Group I, 1 patient in Group II and 1 patient in Group III, and location of aneurysms were 2 internal carotid artery[ICA] and 2 posterior communicating artery[PCoA] aneurysms. There were 4 morbidity and new neurological deficits in Group I, 4 in Group II and 2 in Group III. Although mortality and morbidity during the learning curve had a statistical significance in H-H grade, age [>60 years old], and aneurysm location [especially ICA aneurysm] as variables, mortality mainly occurred in ICA and PCoA aneurysms. Conclusion : Experienced supervision or endovascular approach should be considered for the treatment of ICA and PCoA aneurysms during the learning curve.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.44 no.2 s.314
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• pp.10-17
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• 2007

The echo signal on ultrasonic transducer is a mixed signal from tissues, blood vessel walls, blood cells and noise. In this mixed-signal, the signal reflected from tissues and blood vessel walls is called clutter. It is necessary to extract pure blood signal from this mixed-signal, when measuring blood flow velocity with medical ultrasonic system The quality of measured blood flow velocity is highly dependent on sufficient attenuation of the clutter signals. In this paper, we suggest a clutter rejection method using ICA For simulation, the echo signals are generated by Field n ultrasonic simulation program In this echo signals, independent signals are separated by using ICA Then the blood signal is obtained from the separated signals. Blood flow velocity is measured by 2D autocorrelation method. We compare ICA clutter rejection method with PCA-based eigen filter method using both measured blood flow velocity profiles by 2D autocorrelation. In simulation results, ICA clutter rejection method can be better applied measuring blood flow velocity in noisy echo signals.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.329-335
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• 2005

Objective: Acute spontaneous subdural hematoma(SDH) secondary to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm is a rare event. The authors present nine cases with aneurysmal SDH. Methods: We analyzed nine cases of aneurysmal SDH from 337 patients who underwent treatment for a ruptured aneurysm between January 1998 and May 2004. Clinical and radiological characteristics and postoperative course were evaluated by reviewing medical records, surgical charts and intraoperative videos. Results: The nine patients comprised four males and five females with a mean age of 53years (range 15-67years). The World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grades on admission were I in one patient, II in two patients, III in five patients and V in one patient. With respect to location, there were four internal carotid-posterior communicating artery(ICA-Pcom) aneurysms, one distal anterior cerebral artery(DACA) aneurysm, one anterior communicating artery and three middle cerebral artery aneurysms. CT scans obtained from the four patients with ICA-Pcom aneurysms revealed SDH over the convexity and along the tentorium, and two of these patients presented with pure SDH without subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH). In three patients with ICA-Pcom aneurysm, the ruptured aneurysm domes adhered to the petroclinoid fold. In the patient with the DACA aneurysm, the domes adhered tightiy to the pia mater and the falx. Conclusion: Ruptured intracranial aneurysm may cause SDH with or without SAH. In the absence of trauma, the possibility of aneurysmal SDH should be considered.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2004

Purpose : To evaluate changes in total cerebral blood flow (tCBF) with aging, parenchymal volume changes and vascular abnormalities, using 2 dimensional (D) phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC MRI). Materials and Methods : Routine brain MRI including T2 weighted image, time-of-flight (TOF) MR Angiography (MRA) and 2D PC MRI were performed in 73 individuals, including 12 volunteers. Normal subjects (12 volunteers, and 21 individuals with normal MRI and normal MRA) were classified into groups according to age (18-29, 30-49 and 50-66 years). For the group with abnormalities in brain MRIs, cerebral parenchymal volume changes were scored according to the T2 weighted images, and atherosclerotic changes were scored according to the MRA findings. Abnormal groups were classified into 4 groups: (i) mild reduction in volume, (ii) marked reduction in volume by parenchymal volume and atherosclerotic changes, and (iii) increased volume and (iv) Moya-moya disease. Volumetric flow was measured at the internal carotid artery (ICA) and vertebral artery bilaterally using the velocity-flow diagrams from PC MRI, and combined 4 vessel flows and tCBF were compared among all the groups. Results : The age-specific distribution of tCBFs in normal subjects were as follows: $12.0{\pm}2.1ml/sec$ in 18-29 years group, $11.8{\pm}1.9ml/sec$ in 30-49 years group, $10.9{\pm}2.2ml/sec$ in 50-66 years group. The distribution of tCBFs in the different subsets of the abnormal population were as follows: $9.5{\pm}2.5ml/sec$ in the group with mild reduction in volume, $7.6{\pm}2.0ml/sec$ in the group with marked reduction in volume, and $7.3{\pm}1.2ml/sec$ and $7.0{\pm}1.1ml/sec$ in the increased parenchymal volume and Moya-moya disease groups respectively. Conclusion : Total cerebral blood flow decreases with increasing age with a concomitant reduction in parenchymal volumes and increasing atherosclerotic changes. It is also reduced in the presence of increased parenchymal volume and Moya-moya disease.2D PC MRI can be used as a tool to evaluate tCBF with aging and in the presence of various conditions that can affect parenchymal volume and cerebral vasculature.