• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.101-132
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• 2007

Objective : This research investigates the effect of the NogYongDaeBoTang,(NYDBT) on Alzheimer's disease. Method : The effects of the NYDBT extract on (1) $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA of PC-12 cells treated with LPS; (2) acetylcholinesterase(AChE), amyloid precursor proteins(APP), and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) mRNA the AChE activity and the APP production of PC-12 cell treated with CT-105; (3) the behavior; (4) expression of $IL-1{\beta}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, MDA, $IL-1{\beta}$ mRNA, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA; (5) the infarction area of the hippocampus, and brain tissue injury in Alzheimer‘s diseased mice induced with ${\beta}A$ were investigated. Results : 1. The NYDBT extract suppressed the expression of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA in BV2 microglia cell line treated with LPS. 2. The NYDBT extract suppressed the expression of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ protein production in BV2 microglia cell line treated with LPS. 3. For the NYDBT extract group a significant inhibitory effect on the memory deficit was shown for the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by $A{\beta}$ in the Morris water maze experiment, which measured stop-through latency, and distance movement-through latency. 4. The NYDBT extract suppressed the over-expression of $IL-1{\beta}$ protein, $TNF-{\alpha}$ protein, MDA, and CD68/CD11b, in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by $A{\beta}$. 5. The NYDBT extract reduced the infarction area of hippocampus, and controlled the injury of brain tissue in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by $A{\beta}$. 6. The NYDBT extract reduced the Tau protein, GFAP protein, and presenilin1/2 protein (immunohistochemistry) of hippocampus in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by $A{\beta}$. Conclusions : These results suggest that the NYDBT extract may be effective for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1077-1084
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• 2012

This study investigated the effects of Origanum majorana essential aroma therapy on electrical activity in the brain as evaluated by an electroencephalogram (EEG). The subjects were 29 healthy female young adults, and their sleep quality was assessed by using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. EEG electrodes were attached at the frontal, temporal, occipital, and parietal lobes according to the international 10-20 system. Subjects were exposed to organic Origanum majorana essential aroma (50 ${\mu}l$) for a period of 3 minutes each before, during, and after aromatherapy. Subjects with good sleep quality showed that Origanum majorana essential aroma increased the theta power at the frontal and temporal lobes of both cerebral hemispheres, the left parietal lobe, and the right occipital lobe. Furthermore, Origanum majorana essential aroma decreased the alpha power at the left occipital lobe and the beta power at the right temporal lobe. On the other hand, subjects with poor sleep quality showed an increase in the theta power at the temporal lobe of both cerebral hemispheres and a decrease in the alpha power at the left parietal lobe by Origanum majorana essential aroma therapy. It is concluded that Origanum majorana essential aroma therapy diminishes the state of wakefulness in the brain; alpha and beta powers were both decreased in the subjects with good sleep quality, but only alpha power was decreased in the subjects with poor sleep quality. Moreover, Origanum majorana essential aroma therapy has a sleep-inducing effect in both subjects with good sleep quality and poor sleep quality.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2013

Gaucher disease is a lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency of glucocerebrosidase (GBA). This condition is characterized by accumulation of glucocerebrosidase in liver, spleen, lung, skeletal system, and central nervous system. Gaucher disease is the prototype of disease in which efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy has been established. However, because recombinant enzyme is not able to enter the central nervous system, its efficacy is limited to the non-neurological manifestations of Gaucher disease. Importantly, approximately a half of Korean patients with Gaucher disease suffer from neurological manifestations. In addition, Korean Gaucher disease patients exhibit distinct mutation spectrum from those in other populations. Common mutations in Korean patients with Gaucher disease are also associated with neurological phenotype. Therefore, therapeutic strategies tailored to Korean patients were necessary. Interestingly, a chemical chaperone, ambroxol, has been known to increase residual enzymatic activities of the select mutant GBAs encoded by mutations prevalent in Korean patients. One promising aspect of this drug is that it can cross blood-brain barrier, and enhance the enzyme activity in the brain. In vitro study suggested this chemical chaperone as one of new therapeutic agents in Gaucher disease, and a well-designed human trial is required to confirm its efficacy.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2011

Sonic branding is defined as creation and management of brand value by using sounds. Among various methods of sonic branding, sonic logo, i.e., brand’s acoustic identification element, is the most widely used form and usually combined with visual logo. Although sonic branding has become an increasingly important tool for marketers, little academic research has been done on this topic. The current study investigates neural responses to sonic branding using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). Brain activity of 15 right-handed participants was monitored with 3T MRI machine, while they viewed sequentially presented pictures of brand logos (20 visual logos usually accompanied by sonic logos and 20 visual logos unaccompanied by sonic logos) without sound. Results showed that brain areas known to be associated with auditory imagery (including superior temporal gyrus, STG), showed greater activation for the visual logos usually accompanied by sonic logos compared to visual logos unaccompanied by sonic logos, although actual sound was not presented during scanning. The degree of familiarity participants have with the brand and its advertisements was correlated positively with signal strength in these areas.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.5
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• pp.47-60
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• 1998

This study was done to identify basic information in classifying nursing diagnoses and nursing interventions needed for the further development of computerized nursing care plans. Data were collected by reviewing charts of 123 home care clients who had active disease, for whom at least one nursing diagnosis was on the chart, and who had been discharged. Data included demographics, medical orders, nursing diagnoses and nursing interventions. The results of the study, which found the most frequent medical diagnoses to be cancer (40.7%) and brain injury (26.8%), showed that 'Impaired Skin Integrity'(18.3%), 'Risk for Infection'(15.0%), 'Altered Nutrition, Less than Body Requirements'(13.8%), and 'Risk for Impaired Skin Integ rity'(9.9%) were the most frequent nursing diagnoses. 'Pressure Ulcer Care'(28.4%) was the most frequent intervention for 'Impaired Skin Integrity', 'Infection Protection'(16.0%) for 'Risk of Infection', 'Nutrition Counseling'(26.8%) for 'Altered Nutrition' and 'Positioning'(22.0%) for 'Risk for Skin Integrity Impairment', Comparison of interventions with the Nursing Intervention Classification(NIC) showed that the most frequent interventions were in the domain 'Basic Physiological' (33.94%), followed by 'Behavioral'(27.8%), and 'Complex Physiological' (22.6%). Interventions related to teaching family to give care at home could not be classified in the NIC scheme. Examination of the frequency of NIC interventions showed that for the domain 'Activity & Exercise Management', 75% of the interventions were used, but for seven domains, none were used. For the domain 'Immobility Management', 93% of the times that an intervention was used, it was 'Positioning', for the domain 'Tissue Perfusion Management', 'IV Therapy' (59.1%) and for the domain 'Elimination Management', 'Tube Care: Urinary'(54.0%). The nursing diagnoses 'Altered Urinary Elimination' and 'Im paired Physical Mobility' were both used with these clients, but neither 'Fluid Volume Deficit' nor 'Risk of Fluid Volume Deficit' were used rather 'IV Therapy' was an intervention for 'Altered Nutrition, Less than Body Requirements', A comparison of clients with cancer and those with brain injury showed that interventions for the nursing diagnosis 'Impaired Skin Integrity' were more frequent for the clients with cancer, interventions for 'Risk of Infection' were similar for the two groups but for clients with cancer there were more interventions for' Altered Nutrition'. Examination of the nursing diagnoses leading to the intervention 'Positioning' showed that for both groups, it was either 'Impaired Skin Integrity' or 'Risk for Skin Integrity Impairment'. This study identified a need for further refinement in the classification of nursing interventions to include those unique to home care and that for the purposes of computerization identification of the nursing activities to be included in each intervention needs to be done.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate clinical effects on cognition, visual perception, depression, anxiety, and activities of daily living by applying the N-BACK program, a brain stimulated training program, which is used for the clinical purpose. To prove this, subjects suspected of cognitive impairment with 18-23 points in a Korean version of mental status examination (MMSE-K) were recruited among the population who had been diagnosed with stroke duration and suffered from it for six months of duration, and 10 of the subjects were selected into the experimental group and the control group, respectively. A total of 20 sessions were carried out for 30 minutes per day 5 times for 4 weeks. As a result, the experimental group who has been applied the N-BACK program showed positive results in the improvement of cognition, visual perception, depression, anxiety, and daily living skills. The results obtained from this study expect us that applying the N-BACK program for the improvement of cognition, visual perception, depression, and anxiety to stroke patients has a positive effect on the rehabilitation of patients and will lead them to improve daily living activities more independently.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.315-324
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• 2005

Pain is an unpleasant sensation experienced when tissues are damaged. Thus, pain sensation in some way protects body from imminent threat or injury. Peripheral sensory nerves innervated to peripheral tissues initially respond to multiple forms of noxious or strong stimuli, such as heat, mechanical and chemical stimuli. In response to these stimuli, electrical signals for conducting the nociceptive neural signals through axons are generated. These action potentials are then conveyed to specific areas in the spinal cord and in the brain. Sensory afferent fibers are heterogeneous in many aspects. For example, sensory nerves are classified as $A{\alpha}$, $-{\beta}$, $-{\delta}$ and C-fibers according to their diameter and degree of myelination. It is widely accepted that small sensory fibers tend to respond to vigorous or noxious stimuli and related to nociception. Thus these fibers are specifically called nociceptors. Most of nociceptors respond to noxious mechanical stimuli and heat. In addition, these sensory fibers also respond to chemical stimuli [Davis et al. (1993)] such as capsaicin. Thus, nociceptors are considered polymodal. Recent advance in research on ion channels in sensory neurons reveals molecular mechanisms underlying how various types of stimuli can be transduced to neural signals transmitted to the brain for pain perception. In particular, electrophysiological studies on ion channels characterize biophysical properties of ion channels in sensory neurons. Furthermore, molecular biology leads to identification of genetic structures as well as molecular properties of ion channels in sensory neurons. These ion channels are expressed in axon terminals as well as in cell soma. When these channels are activated, inward currents or outward currents are generated, which will lead to depolarization or hyperpolarization of the membrane causing increased or decreased excitability of sensory neurons. In order to depolarize the membrane of nerve terminals, either inward currents should be generated or outward currents should be inhibited. So far, many cationic channels that are responsible for the excitation of sensory neurons are introduced recently. Activation of these channels in sensory neurons is evidently critical to the generation of nociceptive signals. The main channels responsible for inward membrane currents in nociceptors are voltage-activated sodium and calcium channels, while outward current is carried mainly by potassium ions. In addition, activation of non-selective cation channels is also responsible for the excitation of sensory neurons. Thus, excitability of neurons can be controlled by regulating expression or by modulating activity of these channels.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.137-142
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• 2005

We showed recently that ginsenosides inhibit the activity of various types of ion channel. Here we have investigated the role of the carbohydrate component of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ in the inhibition of $Na^+$ channels. The channels were expressed in Xenopus oocytes by injecting cRNAs encoding rat brain Nav1.2 ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}1$ subunits, and analyzed by the two-electrode voltage clamp technique. Treatment with $Rg_3$ reversibly inhibited the inward $Na^+$ peak current ($I_{Na}$) with an $IC_{50}$ of $32.2{\pm}4.5{\mu}M$, and the inhibition was voltage-dependent. To examine the role of the sugar moiety, we prepared a straight chain form of the second glucose and a conjugate of this glucose with 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionic acid hydrazide (HPPH). Neither derivative inhibited $I_{Na}$. Treatment with the carbohydrate portion of ginsenoside $Rg_3$, sophorose [${\beta}-D-glucopyranosyl$ ($1{\rightarrow}2$)-${\beta}-glucopyranoside$], or the aglycone (protopanaxadiol), on their own or in combination had no effect on $I_{Na}$. These observations indicate that the carbohydrate portion of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ plays an important role in its effect on the $Na^+$ channel.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.168-177
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• 2020

Background: Ginseng has been widely used as a health-promoting tonic. Gintonin present in ginseng acts as a lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand that activates six LPA receptor subtypes. The LPA6 subtype plays a key role in normal hair growth, and mutations in the LPA6 receptor impair normal human hair growth. Currently, human hair loss and alopecia are concerning issues that affect peoples' social and day-to-day lives. Objective: We investigated the in vitro and in vivo effects of a gintonin-enriched fraction (GEF) on mouse hair growth. Methods: Human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) and six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were used. The mice were divided into the four groups: control, 1% minoxidil, 0.75% GEF, and 1.5% GEF. The dorsal hair was removed to synchronize the telogen phase. Each group was treated topically, once a day, for 15 days. We analyzed hair growth activity and histological changes. Results: GEF induced transient [Ca²⁺]_i, which stimulated HFDPC proliferation and caused 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation in a concentration-dependent manner. GEF-mediated HFDPC proliferation was blocked by the LPA receptor antagonist and Ca²⁺ chelator. HFDPC treatment with GEF stimulated vascular endothelial growth factor release. Topical application of GEF and minoxidil promoted hair growth in a dose-dependent manner. Histological analysis showed that GEF and minoxidil increased the number of hair follicles and hair weight. Conclusion: Topical application of GEF promotes mouse hair growth through HFDPC proliferation. GEF could be one of the main components of ginseng that promote hair growth and could be used to treat human alopecia.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2007

Background: Ginseng has been used to manage various types of pain in folk medicine. This study characterized the effect of treatment with intrathecal ginsenosides, the active components of ginseng in a postoperative pain model. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with lumbar intrathecal catheters. An incision was made in the plantar surface of the hindpaw. Withdrawal thresholds following the application of a von Frey filament to the wound site were measured. To determine the role of the opioid or GABA receptors following treatment with the ginsenosides, naloxone, bicuculline (a $GABA_A$ receptor antagonist), and saclofen (a $GABA_B$ receptor antagonist) were administered intrathecally 10 min before the delivery of the ginsenosides and the changes of the withdrawal thresholds after application of the von Frey filament were Observed. Results: Treatment with the intrathecal ginsenosides increased the withdrawal threshold in a dose dependent manner. Pre-treatment with intrathecal naloxone reversed the antinociceptive effect of the ginsenosides. However, pre-treatment with intrathecal bicuculline and saclofen failed to have an effect on the activity of the ginsenosides. Conclusions: These results suggest that ginsenosides are effective to alleviate the postoperative pain evoked by paw incision. The opioid receptor, but not GABA receptors, may be involved in the antinociceptive action of the ginsenosides at the spinal level.