• International Journal of Vascular Biomedical Engineering
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2003

Backgrounds: The present study in angulated coronary stenosis was to evaluate the influence of velocity and wall shear stress (WSS) on coronary atherosclerosis, the changes of hemodynamic indices following coronary stenting, as well as their effect of evolving in-stent restenosis using human in vivo hemodynamic parameters and computed simulation quantitatively and qualitatively. Methods: Initial and follow-up coronary angiographies in the patients with angulated coronary stenosis were performed (n=80). Optimal coronary stenting in angulated coronary stenosis had two models: < 50 % angle changed(model 1, n=43), > 50% angle changed group (model 2, n=37) according to percent change of vascular angle between pre- and post-intracoronary stenting. Flow-velocity wave obtained from in vivo intracoronary Doppler study data was used for in vitro numerical simulation. Spatial and temporal patterns of velocity vector and recirculation area were drawn throughout the selected segment of coronary models. WSS of pre/post-intracoronary stenting were calculated from three-dimensional computer simulation. Results: Follow-up coronary angiogram demonstrated significant difference in the percent of diameter stenosis between two groups (group 1: $40.3{\pm}30.2$ vs. group 2: $25.5{\pm}22.5%$, p<0.05). Negative WSS area on 3D simulation, which is consistent with re-circulation area of velocity vector, was noted on the inner wall of post-stenotic area before stenting. The negative WSS was disappeared after stenting. High spatial and temporal WSS before stenting fell into within physiologic WSS after stenting. This finding was prominent in Model 2 (p<0.01) Conclusions: The present study suggests that hemodynamic forces exerted by pulsatile coronary circulation termed as WSS might affect on the evolution of atherosclerosis within the angulated vascular curvature. Moreover, geometric change, such as angular difference between pre / post-intracoronary stenting might give proper information of optimal hemodynamic charateristics for vascular repair after stenting.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.130-134
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• 2013

Purpose: Anthracyclines have been utilized in the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Recent studies have shown that anthracyclines may induce toxicity in the vascular endothelium. This study was performed using brachial artery reactivity (BAR) to evaluate vascular endothelial function in ALL patients who were treated with anthracycline chemotherapy. Methods: We included 21 children with ALL who received anthracycline chemotherapy and 20 healthy children. The cumulative dose of anthracyclines in the ALL patients was $142.5{\pm}18.2/m^2$. The last anthracycline dose was administered to the patients 2 to 85 months prior to their examination using BAR. The diameter of the brachial artery was measured in both groups using echocardiography, and BAR was calculated as the percentage change in the arterial diameter after release of the cuff relative to the baseline vessel diameter. Results: In the anthracycline-treated group, BAR was observed to be $3.4%{\pm}3.9%$, which was significantly lower than that observed in the control group ($12.1%{\pm}8.0%$, P<0.05). The time elapsed after the last anthracycline treatment and the age at the time of treatment did not affect the change in BAR (P =0.06 and P =0.13, respectively). Conclusion: These results provided evidence that treatment of ALL patients with anthracycline results in endothelial dysfunction. A larger cohort study and a longer follow-up period will be required to clarify the relationship between endothelial dysfunction resulting from anthracycline treatment for childhood ALL and occurrence of cardiovascular diseases later in life.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2008

Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), a metabolite of membrane phospholipids by phospholipase $A_2$, has been considered responsible for the development of abnormal vascular reactivity during atherosclerosis. $Ca^{2+}$ influx was shown to be augmented in atherosclerotic artery which might be responsible for abnormal vascular reactivity. However, the mechanism underlying $Ca^{2+}$ influx change in atherosclerotic artery remains undetermined. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of LPC on L-type $Ca^{2+}$ current $(I_{Ca(L)})$ activity and to elucidate the mechanism of LPC-induced change of $I_{Ca(L)}$ in rabbit portal vein smooth muscle cells using whole cell patch clamp. Extracellular application of LPC increased $I_{Ca(L)}$ through whole test potentials, and this effect was readily reversed by washout. Steady state voltage dependency of activation or inactivation properties of $I_{Ca(L)}$ was not significantly changed by LPC. Staurosporine (100 nM) or chelerythrine $(3{\mu}M)$, which is a potent inhibitor of PKC, significantly decreased basal $I_{Ca(L)}$, and LPC-induced increase of $I_{Ca(L)}$ was significantly suppressed in the presence of PKC inhibitors. On the other hand, application of PMA, an activator of PKC, increased basal $I_{Ca(L)}$ significantly, and LPC-induced enhancement of $I_{Ca(L)}$ was abolished by pretreatment of the cells with PMA. These findings suggest that LPC increased $I_{Ca(L)}$ in vascular smooth muscle cells by a pathway that involves PKC, and that LPC-induced increase of $I_{Ca(L)}$ might be, at least in part, responsible for increased $Ca^{2+}$ influx in atherosclerotic artery.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.98-102
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• 2018

Background and Objectives : Detection of vascular abnormalities in vocal cord (VC) leukoplakia is important for the diagnosis of neoplastic change of the mucosa. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of i-scan in the differential diagnosis of VC leukoplakia based on visualization of abnormal vascular features. Material and Methods : Fifty-two patients with leukoplakia were enrolled in the study. Images of their larynx obtained using conventional white light endoscopy and an i-scan-enhanced endoscopy (Pentax DEFINA EPK-3000 Video Processors, with Pentax VNLJ10) were reviewed. The microvascular features of the lesions and vascular changes were analyzed and the results were compared with the histopathologic diagnosis. Results : Among the 52 leukoplakia patients, 7 (13.5%) patients had squamous hyperplasia, 10 (19.3%) mild dysplasia, 2 (3.8%) moderate dysplasia, 14 (26.9%) severe dysplasia, 4 (7.7%) carcinoma in situ, and 15 (28.8%) invasive squamous cell carcinoma on histopathologic examination. Using i-scan-enhanced endoscopy, abnormal vascular change with neoplastic neoangiogenesis was detected in most cases of malignant VC lesion [severe dysplasia : 9/14 (64.3%), carcinoma in situ: 2/4 (50.0%), and invasive squamous cell carcinoma : 11/15 (73.4%)]. Conclusion : i-scan-enhanced endoscopy is a useful optical technique for the diagnosis of VC leukoplakia. Our results suggest that i-scan may be a promising diagnostic tool in the early detection of laryngeal cancer.

• 순환기질환의공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.40-41
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• 2006

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.169-179
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• 1994

The effect of extracellular and intracellular pH on vascular tone and $^{45}Ca$ uptake were investigated in aortic strips and dispersed single aortic smooth muscle cells of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and aged-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). The contraction produced by a change of extracellular pH (pHo) in the range of $6.5{\sim}8.3$ was estimated by comparison with the level of vascular tone at pH 7.4. Contraction was induced below pHo 6.5 in WKY, pHo 7.1 in SHR, and over pHo 8.0 on both strains. The amplitude of contraction induced by high pHo (over pHo 7.7) was similar in SHR and WKY, but that induced by low pHo (below pHo 7.1) in SHR was greater than that in WKY. Either high pHo- or low pHo-induced contractions in WKY and SHR were not induced in the Ca-free Tyrode's solution and were induced by the addition of Ca. $^{45}Ca$ uptake increased progressively as pHo was increased from 6.8 to 8.1 in the single aortic smooth muscle cells of WKY and SHR. $NH_4Cl$ induced a gradually developing contraction in a dose-dependent manner $(5\;mM{\sim}30\;mM)$ and the removal of $NH_4Cl$ induced transient contraction was followed by profound relaxation in the aortic rings of both strains. The contractions induced by $NH_4Cl$ or by the removal of $NH_4Cl$ in SHR were significantly greater than that in WKY. These contractions were not induced in Ca-free Tyrode's solution. $^{45}Ca$ uptake was increased by $NH_4Cl$ (20 mM) and was not changed by the removal of $NH_4Cl$ (20 mM) in the aortic strips of WKY and SHR. As a summary of above results, the vascular tone of SHR was more sensitive to the change pHi and pHo than that of WKY. The contractions induced by change of extracellular or intracellular pH depended on extracellular Ca in the aorta of SHR nnd WKY. However, the Ca uptake was in accord with the changes of contraction but increase in contraction by low pH was not accompanied by an increase in Ca uptake in both strains.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.24 no.1 s.44
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• pp.37-62
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• 1994

This study was undertaken to investigate the three dimensional vascular changes of periodontal ligament following orthodontic tooth movement. Experimental tooth movement was carried out in 96 Sprague-Dawley rats with the weight of 250g. They were divided into four experimental groups (each 24 rats). The left maxillary first molar was moved mesially with 25g force in group I, and with 75g force in group II. Each three animals were sacrificed after 1, 6, 12, 24 hours, and 3, 7, 14, 21 days. In group III, 25g mesial force was applied for 3 days, and in group IV, 75g mesial force was applied for 3 days. Then the appliances were removed, and each three animals were sacrificed after 1, 6, 12, 24 hours, and 3, 7, 14, 21 days from removal of appliance. The contralateral molars were used for control group. Casting media was injected via left ventricle and polymerized in warm water. After corrosion of surrounding soft tissue, three dimensional vascular changes were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The findings of this study were as follows: 1. Pressure side of group I and II showed degenerative vascular changes such as vascular compression, reduction of vasculature, leakage of casting media. But, regenerative changes were dominant after 7 days of tooth movement. Although the degenerative vascular changes were more severe in group II, which was exposed to heavy force, the timing of these changes was not different between two groups. 2. Periodontal vasculature was reestablished by the growth of new capillaries and their differentiation and union from the remaining periodontal vessels and vessels of alveolar bone marrow. Although vascular regeneration was more rapid in group I, which was exposed to light force, the vasculature was not fully normalized in both groups even after 21 days. 3. There was no remarkable changes in tension side of group I and II, but looping of capillary, new capillary growth, dilation of vessels, redirection of vessels in the direction of tensile force were occurred. 4. In pressure side of group III and IV, in which appliance was removed after 3 days of orthodontic force, bone resorption was continued even after removal of appliance. Regeneration of vasculature was initiated after 1-6 hours, and it was more rapid in group III than group IV. In both groups, the vasculature was not fully normalized even after 21 days. 5. After removal of appliance, tension side of group III and IV showed vascular compression and loss of vasculature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.339-345
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• 1984

Thirty four patients with a ventricular septal defect, aged 2 months to 24 years [median 2.33 years], had lung biopsies during open heart procedures to assess the degree of pulmonary vascular disease. The patients were divided into two groups according to their age; group 1 - under 2 years of age [15 patients], and group 2- over 2 years of age [19 patients]. The, pathologic change of the pulmonary arterioles was correlated with pre-operative hemodynamic data in 34 patients. There was no significant correlation between the severity of pulmonary vascular disease according to Heath-Edwards classification and the patients age [X2=1.8381, P=0.1751 ]. There was a significant correlation between degree of medial wall thickness and arteriolar diameter and the level of preoperative peak pulmonary artery pressure and peak systemic artery pressure [Pp/Ps]. Also, there was a good correlation between the preoperative pulmonary vascular resistance and systemic vascular resistance [Rp/Rs]. There was no significant correlation between wall thickness and Pp/Ps, and Rp/Rs below the age of 2 years. We conclude that, in patients over 2 years of age, there was a significant correlation between the medial wall thickness of the pulmonary arteriole and elevation of Pp/Ps and Rp/Rs. This is not true in patients under 2 years of age.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.363-366
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• 2014

Zinc is considered to be involved in maintaining healthy vascular condition. Atherosclerotic calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) occurs via the mechanism of cell death; therefore, cell viability is a critical factor for preventing VSMC calcification. In this study, we tested whether zinc affected VSMC viability under both normal physiological non-calcifying (0 mM P) and atherosclerotic calcifying conditions (3 and 5 mM P), since VSMC physiological characters change during the VSMC calcification process. The study results showed that an optimal zinc level ($15{\mu}M$) restored the decreased VSMC viability which was induced under low zinc levels (0 and $1{\mu}M$) and calcifying conditions (3 and 5 mM P) at 9 and 15 days culture. This zinc-protecting effect for VSMC viability is more prominent under atherosclerotic calcifying condition (3 and 5 mM P) than normal condition (0 mM P). Also, the increased VSMC viability was consistent with the decreased Ca and P accumulation in VSMC cell layers. The results suggested that zinc could be an effective biomineral for preventing VSMC calcification under atherosclerotic calcifying conditions.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 2003

Purpose : Pulmonary vascular hypertension is a common problem in congenital heart disease, the most common cardiac condition in childhood. However, the mechanisms responsible for this pathologic change, treatment, and prevention are poorly understood. Therefore, we studied the gene expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) by using a hypoxic model of the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Methods : The main pulmonary artery and its proximal branches of a 6 wk old Fischer rat were excised. They were cut into multiple small pieces and suspended in DMEM medium supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum and incubated in 5% $CO_2$-95% air atmosphere. The smooth muscle cells were confirmed by immunostaining with smooth muscle myosin and ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin antibodies. The VEGF gene expression in the hypoxic group was compared with the one in control the group as well as the one in the starved group by RT-PCR and Northern blot hybridization. Results : There was no statistically significant difference among the control, hypoxic and starved groups. Conclusion : There are few studies of pulmonary vascular hypertension at the molecular level in Korea. Therefore, we studied the expression of VEGF gene in hypoxic pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells. Further studies will be needed to find the difference between newly born and adult rats, or human and rat pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells in gene expression. We hope that the study will lead to a better understanding of pulmonary vascular hypertension.