• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.439-444
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• 2014

A 5-year-old, 2.7 kg female maltese dog was presented a local veterinary clinic with one week history of hindlimb lameness associated with patellar luxation. Reduction of bilateral medial patellar luxation was operated using trochlear resection and lateral reinforcement technique. Three weeks after the surgery, the dog showed bending spine with pain in thoracic and lumbar region, continuous ataxia and intermittent convulsion. Magnetic resonance imaging scanning revealed a hyperintense mass in right frontal lobe of brain and abnormal cavitation from cervical cord to third lumbar cord. Histopathologically, neoplasm in brain composed of meningothelial cells showed loosely reticular or lace-like morphology with numerous extracellular cystic spaces of variable size and shape. Neoplastic cells were positive for vimentin and negative for neuron specific enolase and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Irregular shaped enlarge central canal-like cavity was existed in cervical and lumbar cords. In our best knowledge, this report described the clinical findings, imaging and histopathologic characteristics of unusual intracranial microcystic meningioma with secondary syringomyelia in a dog.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2018

Purpose: To investigate positional uncertainty and its correlation with clinical parameters in spine stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using thermoplastic mask (TM) immobilization. Materials and Methods: A total of 21 patients who underwent spine SBRT for cervical or upper thoracic spinal lesions were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated with image guidance using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and 4 degrees-of-freedom (DoF) positional correction. Initial, pre-treatment, and post-treatment CBCTs were analyzed. Setup error (SE), pre-treatment residual error (preRE), post-treatment residual error (postRE), intrafraction motion before treatment (IM1), and intrafraction motion during treatment (IM2) were determined from 6 DoF manual rigid registration. Results: The three-dimensional (3D) magnitudes of translational uncertainties (mean ${\pm}$ 2 standard deviation) were $3.7{\pm}3.5mm$ (SE), $0.9{\pm}0.9mm$ (preRE), $1.2{\pm}1.5mm$ (postRE), $1.4{\pm}2.4mm$ (IM1), and $0.9{\pm}1.0mm$ (IM2), and average angular differences were $1.1^{\circ}{\pm}1.2^{\circ}$ (SE), $0.9^{\circ}{\pm}1.1^{\circ}$ (preRE), $0.9^{\circ}{\pm}1.1^{\circ}$ (postRE), $0.6^{\circ}{\pm}0.9^{\circ}$ (IM1), and $0.5^{\circ}{\pm}0.5^{\circ}$ (IM2). The 3D magnitude of SE, preRE, postRE, IM1, and IM2 exceeded 2 mm in 18, 0, 3, 3, and 1 patients, respectively. No association were found between all positional uncertainties and body mass index, pain score, and treatment location (p > 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). There was a tendency of intrafraction motion to increase with overall treatment time; however, the correlation was not statistically significant (p > 0.05, Spearman rank correlation test). Conclusion: In spine SBRT using TM immobilization, CBCT and 4 DoF alignment correction, a minimum residual translational uncertainty was 2 mm. Shortening overall treatment time and 6 DoF positional correction may further reduce positional uncertainties.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2020

Background: A typical plank exercise (PE) strengthens the core muscles, stabilizes the spinal column, and provides stability around the pelvis and trunk when the trunk is aligned. However, because PE require that the hip joint be kept straight, they can activate the hamstring (HAM). Excessive HAM activation can induce tightness, which may cause low back pain. Therefore, it is necessary to explore PE methods that can minimize HAM activity while maximizing core muscle activity. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: This study included 30 healthy adults as subjects. We measured the activity of the HAM and the erector spinae (ES), rectus abdominis (RA), and external oblique (EO) muscles using surface electromyography during three PEs (typical PE, PE with balance pad, and PE with sling). Results: The RA, EO, and ES showed the highest muscular activity during PE with balance pad and the lowest during PE with sling; however, the differences were not significant. The HAM showed lower activity during PE with sling than during the other two PEs; however, these differences were also not significant. Conclusion: Although HAM activation was not significantly difference among PE positions, we should recognize altering activation of core and hamstring muscle according to PE postures.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.227-231
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• 2005

We examined the effect of the subcutaneous (s.c.) pretreatment of formalin into both hind paws of mice on the antinociception induced by the intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) or intrathecally (i.t.) administration of ${\beta}$-endorphin using the tail-flick test. Pretreatment with formalin ($5\%$) for 5 h had no affect on the i.c.v. administered ${\beta}$-endorphin-induced tail-flick response. However, pretreatment with formalin for 40 h attenuated the tail-flick inhibition induced by i.c.v. administered ${\beta}$-endorphin. This antinociceptive tolerance to i.c.v. ${\beta}$-endorphin continued up to 1 week, but to a lesser extent. Pretreatment with formalin for 5 and 40 h significantly reduced the i.t. ${\beta}$-endorphin-induced inhibition of the tail-flick response, which continued up to 1 week. The s.c. formalin treatment increased the hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA level at 2 h, but this returned to the basal level after 40 h. Our results suggest that the increase in the POMC mRNA level in the hypothalamus appears to be involved in the supraspinal or spinal ${\beta}$-endorphin-induced antinociceptive tolerance in formalin-induced inflammatory pain.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.413-421
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• 2012

Few studies address the use of manual muscle stretching to improve spinal active range of motion(AROM). There is evidence that' Hold-Relax'(HR) is effective for increasing ROM in the extremities, which leads the researchers to anticipate similar benefits in the spine. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of HR(trunk flexors) and active thoracic flexion and extension on thoracic mobility, specifically flexion and extension in healthy individuals. A convenience sample of 30 physical therapy students(22-38 years) were randomly assigned to intervention sequence 'A-B' or 'B-A', with at least 7 days between interventions. Intervention' A' consisted of HR of the ventral trunk musculature while 'B' consisted of thoracic flexion-extension AROM. Thoracic flexion and extension AROM were measured before and after each intervention using the double inclinometer method. Paired t-tests were used to compare AROM pre and post-intervention for both groups, and to test for carry-over and learning effects. There was a statistically significant increase(mean=$3^{\circ}$ ; p=0.006) in thoracic extension following HR of the trunk flexors. There were no significant changes in thoracic flexion following HR, or in flexion or extension following the AROM intervention. No carryover or learning effects were identified. HR may be an effective tool for improving AROM in the thoracic spine in pain free individuals. Further investigation is warranted with symptomatic populations and to define the minimal clinical difference(MCD) for thoracic spine mobility.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.107-114
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze actual status of foreign patients who visited hospital of Korean medicine and suggest developmental direction of korean medical tourism. Methods : This study includes 675 foreign patients who visited spine-specialized hospital of Korean medicine from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Based on computerized medical records, patients' age, gender, country, date of initial and last visit, chief complaint, treatment period and species of treatment were collected. These data were used for analyzation of actual condition of medical tourism at hospital of Korean medicine. Results : A total of 675 foreign patients visited spine-specialized hospital of Korean medicine. 395 patients(59 %) were female and the forties was the most common by ages. Patients from Japan were the most common followed by Russia and United States of America. Patients visited hospital 5.1 times during 27.4 days in average. There were 526 cases of spinal pain and only 52 cases were non-musculoskeletal disease. The most frequently performed treatment was general acupuncture treatment while moxibustion and bee venom acupuncture were remarkably infrequently treated. Conclusions : The result of this study suggests potential possibility of development of Korean medical tourism focused on disease cure as well as current trend of beauty and Korean medical experience at the Korean medical tourism field.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2011

Substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons receive synaptic inputs from primary afferent $A{\delta}$- and C-fibers, where nociceptive information is integrated and modulated by numerous neurotransmitters or neuromodulators. A number of studies were dedicated to the molecular mechanism underlying the modulation of excitability or synaptic plasticity in SG neurons and revealed that second messengers, such as cAMP and cGMP, play an important role. Recently, cAMP and cGMP were shown to downregulate each other in heart muscle cells. However, involvement of the crosstalk between cAMP and cGMP in neurons is yet to be addressed. Therefore, we investigated whether interaction between cAMP and cGMP modulates synaptic plasticity in SG neurons using slice patchclamp recording from rats. Synaptic activity was measured by excitatory post-synaptic currents (EPSCs) elicited by stimulation onto dorsal root entry zone. Application of 1 mM of 8-bromoadenosine 3,5-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP) or 8-bromoguanosine 3,5-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cGMP) for 15 minutes increased EPSCs, which were maintained for 30 minutes. However, simultaneous application of 8-BrcAMP and 8-Br-cGMP failed to increase EPSCs, which suggested antagonistic cross-talk between two second messengers. Application of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) that prevents degradation of cAMP and cGMP by blocking phosphodiesterase (PDE) increased EPSCs. Co-application of cAMP/cGMP along with IBMX induced additional increase in EPSCs. These results suggest that second messengers, cAMP and cGMP, might contribute to development of chronic pain through the mutual regulation of the signal transduction.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.155-160
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• 2018

There exists very little information on the ultrastructure of substance P immunopositive (+) fibers in the human dental pulp, which may help in understanding the mechanism for substance P associated pulpal inflammatory pain. To address this issue, we investigated the presence of substance P+ fibers in the human dental pulp by light- and electron-microscopic immunohistochemistry. Light microscopy revealed that substance P+ fibers ran within neurovascular bundles in the radicular pulp and in the core of coronal pulp. They were also frequently present in the peripheral pulp. Substance P+ fibers showed beads like swellings interconnected by thin axonal strand, in a manner similar to bouton en passants and interconnecting axonal strand in the spinal cord. Electron microscopy revealed that almost all the substance P+ axons were unmyelinated. The axonal swellings of the substance P+ contained numerous clear round vesicles (40-50 nm in diameter) and many large dense-cored vesicles (80-110 nm in diameter) as well as many mitochondria. The vesicles and mitochondria were rarely observed in the thin axonal strand interconnecting the swellings. Intimate interrelationship or synaptic structure between the swellings of substance P+ axon and nearby pulpal cells or axons was not found. These findings suggest co-release of substance P and glutamate from the substance P+ pulpal axons and its action on nearby structures in a paracrine manner.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.237-243
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• 2006

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neuromodulator of nociceptive responses in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord. BDNF synthesis increases in response to nerve growth factor (NGF) in trkA-expressing small and medium-sized DRG neurons after inflammation. Previously we demonstrated differential activation of multiple BDNF promoters in the DRG following peripheral nerve injury and inflammation. Using reporter constructs containing individual promoter regions, we investigated the effect of NGF on the multiple BDNF promoters, and the signaling pathway by which NGF activates these promoters in PC12 cells. Although all the promoters were activated 2.4-7.1-fold by NGF treatment, promoter IV gave the greatest induction. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor, SB203580, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K) inhibitor, LY294003, protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, H89, and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, chelerythrine, had no effect on activation of promoter IV by NGF. However, activation was completely abolished by the MAPK kinase (MEK) inhibitors, U0126 and PD98059. In addition, these inhibitors blocked NGF-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1/2. Taken together, these results suggest that the ERK1/2 pathway activates BDNF promoter IV in response to NGF independently of NGF-activated signaling pathways involving PKA and PKC.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.78-82
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• 2007

Schwannoma represents approximately 40% of neurogenic tumors arising in the mediastinum, and develops along the sympathetic or parasympathetic chain, intercostals nerve, and spinal ganglia. It is usually asymptomatic, and is confronted accidentally but can produce chest pain, cough and dyspnea. However, dyspnea with pleural effusion is rare in patients with benign schwannoma. We encountered two cases of benign schwannoma with pleural effusion. Both cases had similar initial symptoms and the characteristics of a mass but the characteristics of pleural effusion analysis were different. The benign schwannoma was confirmed in two cases using VATS (video-assisted tharawswpic surgery).