• Integrative Medicine Research
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.204-210
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• 2014

The aim of this review was to understand the effects of ${\beta}$-adrenergic stimulation on oxidative stress, structural remodeling, and functional alterations in the heart and cerebral artery. Diverse stimuli activate the sympathetic nervous system, leading to increased levels of catecholamines. Long-term overstimulation of the ${\beta}$-adrenergic receptor (${\beta}AR$) in response to catecholamines causes cardiovascular diseases, including cardiac hypertrophy, stroke, coronary artery disease, and heartfailure. Although catecholamines have identical sites of action in the heart and cerebral artery, the structural and functional modifications differentially activate intracellular signaling cascades. ${\beta}AR$-stimulation can increase oxidative stress in the heart and cerebral artery, but has also been shown to induce different cytoskeletal and functional modifications by modulating various components of the ${\beta}AR$ signal transduction pathways. Stimulation of ${\beta}AR$ leads to cardiac dysfunction due to an overload of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in cardiomyocytes. However, this stimulation induces vascular dysfunction through disruption of actin cytoskeleton in vascular smooth muscle cells. Many studies have shown that excessive concentrations of catecholamines during stressful conditions can produce coronary spasms or arrhythmias by inducing $Ca^{2+}$-handling abnormalities and impairing energy production in mitochondria, In this article, we highlight the different fates caused by excessive oxidative stress and disruptions in the cytoskeletal proteome network in the heart and the cerebral artery in responsed to prolonged ${\beta}AR$-stimulation.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.751-757
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• 2007

Objectives : The aim of this study was to provide basic background information on stroke by evaluating various etiological factors on the basis that the onset time of cerebral infarction varies according to its cause. Methods : We studied hospitalized patients within 4 weeks after their ictus who were admitted at Kyunghee OMC, Kyungwon OMC, or Donguk Ilsan OMC from [month] $1^{st}$, 2005 to June $30^{th}$, 2007. We compared the general characteristics of acute stroke patients according to onset time. Results : Regardless of the onset time, the distribution of cerebral infarction patterns showed high SVO. The onset time did not show significant difference for average age, height, weight, BMI, waist measurement, hip measurement, or waist/hip ratio between onset during sleep and awakening. Patients whose stroke occurred while awake were more likely to have a past history of HTN, DM, ischemic heart disease, or atrial fibrillation but did not show significant difference according to their onset time. Conclusions : The above results show that the overall tendency of acute stage cerebral infarction patients varies according to their onset time. This study was carried out on the basis of previous findings that cerebral infarctions that occurred during sleep were more likely to have been caused by cerebral thrombosis, and strokes that occurred while awake were more likely to have been caused by cerebral embolism. However, there were no statistically relevant results, so a larger study group is needed to research the tendency of stroke patients.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.299-304
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• 2005

Cardiac hypertrophy contributes an increased risk to major cerebrovascular events. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying cerebrovascular dysfunction during cardiac hypertrophy have not yet been characterized. In the present study, we examined the molecular mechanism of isoproterenol (ISO)-evoked activation of Ras/Raf/MAPK pathways as well as PKA activity in cerebral artery of rabbits, and we also studied whether the activations of these signaling pathways were altered in cerebral artery, during ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy compared to heart itself. The results show that the mRNA level of c-fos (not c-jun and c-myc) in heart and these genes in cerebral artery were considerably increased during cardiac hypertrophy. These results that the PKA activity and activations of Ras/Raf/ERK cascade as well as c-fos expression in rabbit heart during cardiac hypertrophy were consistent with previous reports. Interestingly, however, we also showed a novel finding that the decreased PKA activity might have differential effects on Ras and Raf expression in cerebral artery during cardiac hypertrophy. In conclusion, there are differences in molecular mechanisms between heart and cerebral artery during cardiac hypertrophy when stimulated with β2 adrenoreceptor (AR), suggesting a possible mechanism underlying cerebrovascular dysfunction during cardiac hypertrophy.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.52-62
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• 2012

Object : The aim of this study was to examine the differences of symptom improvement between different diagnosis classification groups in acute cerebral infarction patients. Methods : We studied inpatients within a month after the onset of cerebral infarction who were admitted at Kyunghee University Oriental Medical Center from May 2011 to October 2012. We compared the improvement of Motricity Index and Scandinavian Stroke Scale score between Fire-heat group(n=20), Yin deficiency group(n=31), Dampness-phlegm group(n=30), and Qi deficiency group(n=13). Results : Yin deficiency group patients with cerebral infarction showed the most improvement in MI and SSS scores, and patients in Fire-heat group showed the poorest improvement in MI and SSS scores. There was a significant difference between the two groups, but there were no significant differences between all four diagnosis classification groups. Conclusions : This study provides evidence that diagnosis classification could be considered as an important factor in predicting the prognosis of acute cerebral infarction.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.428-437
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of this study was to examine if there is a significant correlation between the changes of Fire- and Heat- related symptoms and motor function recovery in acute cerebral infarction patients. Methods : We studied inpatients within a month after the onset of cerebral infarction who were admitted at Kyunghee University Medical Center from May 2011 to January 2013. We executed correlation analysis between Fire-heat pattern score and motricity index score at visit 1 and visit 2, and checked if there was a significant correlation between the changes of Fire-heat pattern score and changes of motricity index score. Also, we compared the changes of both scores in patients taking Fire-heat and non Fire-heat pattern prescriptions. Results : There was a significant correlation between the Fire-heat pattern score and Motricity index score at visit 1 and visit 2, and changes of Fire-heat pattern score showed significant correlation with changes of motricity index score. Patients taking Fire-heat pattern prescriptions showed significant change in Fire-heat pattern score after herb-medication treatment while patients taking non-Fire-heat prescriptions showed insignificant change in Fire-heat pattern score. Conclusions : This study provides evidence that taking a Fire-heat pattern prescription could be considered as a first line herb-medication treatment in acute cerebral infarction patients.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2012

Object : The aim of this study was to assess the clinical indicators related to Pattern-Identification(PI) in acute cerebral infarction patients. Methods : We studied hospitalized patients within 30days after ictus, who admitted at Korean Medicine Center of Kyung-Hee University from January 2010 to October 2012.(n=290) Two Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM) physicians evaluated the patients independently and diagnosed PI. Inter-rater reliability was measured using simple percentage agreement and the Cohen's kappa(κ) coefficient. To assess the clinical indicators closely related to each PI, we analysed average score of each indicator in each group. Results : Simple percentage agreement of PI between raters was 64.83% and Cohen's kappa(κ) coefficient was 0.526(95% CI: 0.451-0.600). Inter-rater reliability level was fair to good. We analysed the clinical indicators in each group. Significant indicators for Fire-Heat Pattern(FHP) were reddened complexion and strong pulse power, and meaningful indicators for FHP were halitosis and thick tongue fur. Significant indicator for Dampness-Phlegm Pattern(DPP) was overweight and there was no meaningful indicator. Significant indicator for Yin-Deficiency Pattern(YDP) was dry tongue fur and meaningful indicator for YDP was thirst. There was no significant indicator for Qi-Deficiency Pattern(QDP) and pale complexion and faint low voice were meaningful indicators for QDP. Conclusions : This study reveals the significant and meaningful clinical indicators related to each Pattern-Identification in acute cerebral infarction patients. It will contribute to standardization of Korean Medical Diagnosis and Treatment in acute cerebral infarction patients.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.606-612
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• 2005

This study was performed to provide basic data that predict the application of Saengmaegsan(SMS) as medicinal food. SMS has been used in oriental medicine for many years as a therapeutic agent for cerebral disease. We examined the effects of SMS on physiological function in isolated abdominal aorta and femoral artery from rabbit and measured the changes of regional cerebral hood flow(rCBF), which was continually monitored by laser-doppler flowmeter and pressure transducer in anesthetized adult Spargue-Dawley rats through the data acquisition system composed of MacLab and Macintosh computer. The contraction forces by injection of norephinephrine in isolated abdominal aorta and femoral artery were significantly decreased in each concentration of SMS treatment compared with control. rCBF was increased by SMS in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that SMS causes a diverse response of rCBF and arterial diameter. These mechanism in rCBF increase may be mediated by prostaglandis, cyclic GMP and adrenergic $\beta-receptor$. Also mechanism in artery contraction decrease is also mediated by prostaglandis and cyclic GMP. These results indicate that SMS can be nsed as a safe and clinically applicable as a supplementation of diet therapy for cerebral cardiovascular disease patients.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.61-72
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• 2010

Judgment of cerebral and cardiovascular diseases arising out of duty follows the legal judgment method for the purpose of investigation of medical causes based on the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, with the characteristics of the occurrence as personal factors etc. act as risk factors while work-related ones as triggers, in the case of disease due to occupational cases, as whether it arose out of duty must be judged including even the individual's personal risk factors, there are limitations securing fairness even with existing laws, regulations and guidelines. This study was carried out to suggest basic data for the preparation of standardized guidances for diseases arising out of duty by reviewing the standards for the acknowledgment of cerebral and cardiovascular diseases due to occupational cases, and it has a significance in that it suggests target diseases that may be judged as cerebral and cardiovascular diseases, legal criteria for the acknowledgment and standards for the judgment of cerebral and cardiovascular diseases arising out of duty.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.245-249
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• 1987

Cardiovascular disease is at present the leading cause of deth in the United States and other in dustrilized countries. A major contributing factor of cardiovascular disease is essential hypertension. Untreated, essential hypertension is considered a risk factor for sudden death due to myocardial infarctions, as well as a risk factor for cerebral vascular disease, renal failure and congestive heart failure. During the last decade, significant progress has been made in the basic knowledge of the pathogenesis of hypertension as well as in the development of new antihypertensive drugs.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.47-67
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• 2007

Objectives : This study was aimed to investigated the warning signs and its relationship with the other characteristics in acute stroke patients. Methods : 225 acute stroke patients were recruited at the Department of Cardiovascular and Neurologic Diseases (Stroke Center) of Kyung Hee University Oriental Hospital from October 2005 to September 2006. We evaluated their stroke type with brain MRI, their warning signs, and general characteristics such as age, sex, past history, risk factors, etc. Results : 225 subjects were included in the final analysis. In the subjects' general characteristics, the most common etiology of stroke was small vessel occlusion. In the assessment of the subjects' warning signs, the frequency of tension felt at the cervical area was highest followed by blepharospasm, sensory dysfunction (one side of numbness, tingling sensation, dead sensation), one side paralysis or weakness, etc. After analyzing etiology, cerebral hemorrhage had more facial spasm sign and hypertension than cerebral infarction. On the other hand, cerebral infarction had more diabetes and sensory dysfunction (one side of numbness, tingling sensation, dead sensation) than cerebral hemorrhage. Among stroke locations, subjects with their brain lesion in the cortex had more warning sings of motor dysfunction such as one side paralysis, or weakness. Multiple lesions showed a close relationship with smoking habit and were more common in males than in females. The under 65 years old group were more commonly associated with alcohol consumption, accidental mental stress and blepharospam than the over 65 years old group. In the group of under 65 years old, males more commonly had lesions in occipital lobe, alcohol consumption and smoking habit than females. Otherwise, females more commonly had vision dysfunction and blepharospasm than males. In the group of over 65 years old, males more commonly had cortex lesion than females. On the other hand, Females more commonly had accidental mental stress than males. Conclusions : We observed various warning signs and their distribution in acute stroke patients. The subjects' brainlesions and their etiology seemed to affect the features of the warning signs. Hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia were also related to etiology of stroke and some habitual problems such as smoking and drinking seemed to reduce the age of stroke ictus. Although a concrete conclusion can hardly be drawn from this study, it reminds physicians of the importance of warning signs which appear among their patients.