• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.211-218
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• 2012

Objectives Body image distortion is found in eating disorder and obesity and there are some evidence that schizophrenia is associated with body image distortion. This study sought to find whether schizophrenic patients report more body image distortion than healthy individuals and whether it is related with symptomatology. Methods A total of 88 inpatients with schizophrenia and 88 healthy controls were recruited. Weight, height, and body image accuracy were assessed in all participants, and assessment of mood, psychotic symptom severity and self-esteem, and personal and social performance scale were conducted. Results The patients with schizophrenia had higher Body Mass Index (p < 0. 001) and underestimated their body size more than controls (26.14% vs. 5.13%, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that lower depressive symptoms and higher scores of general psychopathology predicted underestimation of body size. Conclusion Weight gain and metabolic syndrome are common adverse events of pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia. Thus, underestimation of body size among patients with schizophrenia may interfere with effort to lose weight or seek weight reduction programs. Clinicians need to consider possible unterestimation of underestimation of body size in patients whose general symptomatology is severe.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.269-276
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• 2020

Fibrosis is characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components. The fibrotic process ultimately leads to organ dysfunction and failure in chronic inflammatory and metabolic diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, advanced kidney disease, and liver cirrhosis. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a common form of progressive and chronic interstitial lung disease of unknown etiology. Pathophysiologically, the parenchyma of the lung alveoli, interstitium, and capillary endothelium becomes scarred and stiff, which makes breathing difficult because the lungs have to work harder to transfer oxygen and carbon dioxide between the alveolar space and bloodstream. The transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and scarring of the lung tissue. Recent clinical trials focused on the development of pharmacological agents that either directly or indirectly target kinases for the treatment of IPF. Therefore, to develop therapeutic targets for pulmonary fibrosis, it is essential to understand the key factors involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and the underlying signaling pathway. The objective of this review is to discuss the role of kinase signaling cascades in the regulation of either TGF-β-dependent or other signaling pathways, including Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase, c-jun N-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5, and p90 ribosomal S6 kinase pathways, and potential therapeutic targets in IPF.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.137-143
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• 2007

Objectives : Catalpa ovata G. Don (Bignoniaceae) has been shown to possess a variety of pharmacological activities. However, the effect of Catalpa ovata G. Don on endothelial adhesion molecule expression has not been reported. Methods : To examine the effect of Catalpa ovata G. Don on the expression of adhesion molecules in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), we used various methods such as Western blot analysis, reverse tranascription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and luciferase activity assay. Results : 1. The extract of Catalpa ovata G. Don inhibited the expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in HUVECs stimulated with TNF-${\alpha}$. 2. The extract of Catalpa ovata G. Don reduced TNF-${\alpha}$-induced adhesion of leukocytes to HUVECs. 3. In addition, The extract of Catalpa ovata G. Don inhibited the promoter activities of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. Conclusions : These results that Catalpa ovata G. Don may be beneficial in the treatment of inflammatory such as atherosclerosis.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.142-146
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• 2006

Oral administration of chloral hydrate with hydroxyzine, nitrous oxide inhalation and intramuscular or intranasal administration of midazolam is the most commonly used pharmacological behavior management methods for the children in pre-cooperative stage or show negative behavior in pediatric dentistry. For oral administration of chloral hydrate with hydroxyzine, it is hard to apply to the patient refused to intake and with overweighted or elderly children and the effect of the drug decrease. Nitrous oxide and midazolam is anxiolytic agents and have limitation for properly managing the behavior of the children refuse to dental treatment. These occasions, deep sedation or general anesthesia can be considered. Although intravenous sedation with midazolam has many advantages such as, rapid onset and recovery, possible to titration and few side effect, no rebound effect by metabolites, the reports for, intravenous sedation with midazolam is insufficient in pediatric dentistry. We report the case in pre-cooperative stage. He is treated successfully under intravenous sedation with midazolam.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2005

Purpose:In an attempt to predict the interpersonal differences of therapeutic response to antipsychotic drugs on pharmaco-genetic bases, this study was designed to investigate the relationship between the therapeutic response to antipsychotic drugs and Taq I A dopamine $D_2$ receptor polymorphism in schizophrenic patients. Methods:The subjects were 158 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia(DSM-IV). The therapeutic response to antipsychotic drugs was evaluated using the Treatment Response Scale(TRS) retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups, dopamine receptor antagonist responders, and serotonin-dopamine antagonist responders. The patients' Taq I A dopamine $D_2$ receptor polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP). Results:The dopamine receptor antagonist responders had the A1 allele in significantly higher incidences (${\chi}^2$(1)=4.875, p=0.027, two-tailed). No significant difference was found among the serotonin-dopamine antagonist responders between those with or without the A1 allele. Conclusions:The patients with the A1 allele responded better to dopamine receptor antagonists than those with no A1 allele. Based on these results, it is suggested that the pharmacological effect of dopamine receptor antagonists can be predicted depending on the presence of the A1 allele in schizophrenic patients.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.76-79
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• 1999

The most significant factor in pathogenesis of vascular headaches like migraine and cluster headache is dynamic changes of diameters of the cerebral arteries. TCD is a valuable noninvasive tool to assess the cerebral hemodynamic status by measuring the flow velocities of the intracranial cerebral arteries around the circle of Willis. TCD can evaluate flow velocities and vasoreactivity of the patients with a vascular headache during the ictal phase as well as during intericatal phase. Distribution of the changes recorded differ between types of headaches and also between the major ictal symptoms. The changes suggest the presence of prolonged vasospasm interictally and more marked relaxation of the cerebral arteries. TCD can be used to monitor the long-term clinical course of patients with vascular headache by correlation the symptomatic improvement and TCD data before and after long-term pharmacological prophylactic treatments. During the ictal phases large intervention. The results may be used in selecting and evaluating the agents for abortive therapy for acute attacks. In conclusion TCD can quantitatively evaluate vascular headaches when making diagnosis and classification and can provide guidelines to choose more individualized therapeutic options for both acute and long-term treatment.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.205-212
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• 2017

Rice endosperm, the portion that remains after milling, is the part of the rice seed that is primarily consumed as a source of nutrients. There have been many studies on polysaccharides, such as hemicellulose, cellulose, and pectins, derived from the cell walls of various plant groups. It has been reported that the acidic polysaccharide fractions, which contain water-soluble pectins that have been shown to have pharmacological effects in vivo and in vitro, have common chemical structures that include galacturonic acid polymers, rhamnose, arabinose, and galactose. However, few studies have been conducted on the acidic polysaccharides contained in the endosperm of rice. In this study, we quantitatively compared the differences in the acidic polysaccharide contents from samples from two of the main varieties of rice consumed as staple foods, japonica and indica, using a colorimetric method. Rice samples were collected from 39 different regions in Korea, China, Thailand and Vietnam. Acidic polysaccharide fractions were obtained by precipitation of the alcohol-insoluble residue (AIR) and enzyme treatment of each sample. The total amount of carbohydrates and uronic acid in each acidic polysaccharide fraction were measured using the phenol-sulfuric acid method and the carbazole-sulfuric acid method, respectively. The differences in the total polysaccharide contents in the acidic polysaccharide fractions were not statistically significant (p = 0.07), but the uronic acid contents were significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.04).

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2000

Ginseng (the root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, Araliaceae) has been used for traditional medicine in China, Korea, Japan and other Asian countries. It is most often used as a general tonic, and it involves a wide range of pharmacological actions, such as antiaging, adaptogen-like effect to foreign deleterious infringement, immunoenhancement, antistress, antitumor, and antioxidant actions. Red ginseng showed anticarcinogenic activity against various chemical carcinogens in mouse and cancer-preventive effect of human being as on mice in experimental and epidemiological studies. In the present study, we have found the protective properties of red ginseng against vinyl carbamate (VC) which is the proximate carcinogen of ethyl carbamate and its ultimate carcinogenic epoxides. Red ginseng exhibited dose-dependent inhibition on the mutagenci activities of boty VC in the presence of S9 mix and vinyl carbamate epoxide (VCO) without metabolic activation in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535. Formation of DNA adducts from VCO was also attenuated in the presence of red ginseng. Oral administration of red ginseng prior to the topical application of each of the above carcinogens and TPA treatment resulted in significant reduction in both incidence and multiplicity of skin tumors in mice. These results indicate that red ginseng possesses a strong chemopreventive effect against mouse skin carcinogenesis induced by VC or VCO.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.14-18
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• 2006

The effect(s) of the volatile oil (VO) of Nigella sativa and its two components, ${\alpha}-pinene$ and ${\rho}-cymene$ on body temperature of male and female conscious mice were studied. Further investigations to delineate the mechanism(s) of action of the observed effect(s) by using various blockers involved in the central regulation of body temperature were made. VO and ${\alpha}-pinene$ caused significant reductions in rectal body temperature at is and 30 minute after treatment. ${\rho}-cymene$ had negligible effect on body temperature of mice. Cyproheptadine inhibited VO and ${\alpha}-pinene-induced$ hypothermia significantly. Nalbuphine inhibited ${\alpha}-pinene-induced$ hypothermia significantly but did not affect VO-induced hypothermia. Droperidol potentiated VO and ${\alpha}-pinene-induced$ hypothermia to a non-significant level; whereas atropine potentiated VO-induced hypothermia non-significantly. The study confirms further the role of serotoninergic receptors in the mechanism(s) of the observed pharmacological effects of the VO of Nigella sativa. It also indicated a possible role of opioid receptors in ${\alpha}-pinene-induced$ hypothermia.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.272-276
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• 2019

Corylopsis gotoana has been widely used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of lots of disease including cold, edema and vomiting. However pharmacological and phytochemical studies on the C. gotoana are extremely limited. Here in this study, the author investigated the anti-nociceptive effects of the methanolic extract of Corylopsis gotoana (MCG) using various pain models. In the present study, MCG exhibited strong and dose-dependent anti-nociceptive activities on various experimental pain models including thermal nociception and chemical nociception, compared to positive control such as tramadol and indomethacin. In addition, the result from combination test using naloxone, analgesic activity of MCG was slightly reduced, indicating that MCG acts as a partial opioid receptor agonist. These results demonstrated that MCG has potent analgesic potential and thus it may be possibly used as a valuable anti-nociceptive agent.