Uhwang Chungsim Won decreases blood oxygen level-dependent fMRI signal response to a motor stimulation task / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To evaluate the effect of Uhwang Chungsim Won [UC, Niuhuang Qingxin Pill ()] on the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signal response to a motor stimulation task using a hand grasping paradigm.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ten healthy right-handed male volunteers were recruited. Their BOLD fMRI signal characteristics during hand grasping were determined before and 1 h after consuming UC.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>With the administration of UC, BOLD responses to the right hand motor task showed a decrease in both hemispheres including the right cerebellar culmen, right and left medial frontal gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus, right and left sublobar insula, right and left posterior cingulate, left precuneus, and right precentral gyrus. Decreased BOLD responses to the left hand motor task were shown in the right lingual gyrus, right cerebellar culmen, left superior temporal gyrus, right and left middle frontal gyrus, and right precentral gyrus after UC administration. Increased BOLD responses to the left hand motor task were shown in the left and right posterior cingulate, while there was no increased response to the right hand motor task after UC administration.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>UC administration significantly decreased fMRI BOLD signal responses to hand grasping in most of the brain areas including the primary motor cortex, but it is not clear whether these decreased responses were caused by a decrease in neuronal activities or by an increase in cerebral blood flow due to the cerebral vasodilatory effects of UC. Further studies using positron emission tomography or single photon emission computed tomography are needed to fully elucidate these findings.</p>

Neuroprotective effect of Chunghyuldan (Qing Xue Dan) on hypoxia-reoxygenation induced damage of neuroblastoma 2a cell lines / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>Chunghyuldan (CHD), a combinatorial drug that has anti-hyperlipidemic and antiinflammatory activities, has been shown to reduce infarct volume in a focal ischemia-reperfusion rat model. To explore the molecular basis of CHD's neuroprotective effect, we examined whether CHD shows a cell-protective activity and has a regulatory effect on Bax and/or B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expression in mouse neuroblastoma 2a (N2a) cells subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In order to evaluate the effects of CHD on the cytotoxicity induced from hypoxia or H/R condition, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay was performed. To explore whether the suppression of neural damage when pre-treated with CHD is associated with its anti-apoptotic effect, the CHD effect on the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was analyzed by Western blotting analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Cytotoxicity of N2a cell line was slightly increased in 42 h hypoxia condition and dramatically increased under the H/R condition. CHD treatment markedly decreased the cytotoxicity in both conditions (P<0.01, P<0.05). H/R markedly increased the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein, Bax, but slightly increased the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, compared with the normoxia or hypoxia group. CHD significantly decreased Bax expression (P<0.01) and slightly decreased Bcl-2 expression (P>0.05), resulted in a reduction of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in N2a cells subjected to H/R.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CHD has neuroprotective effect in N2a cells subjected to H/R, which might be derived at least in part from its ability to decrease the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein, Bax.</p>

Brain activity associated with memory and cognitive function during jaw-tapping movement in healthy subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine whether jaw-tapping movement, a classically described as an indication of personal well-being and mental health, stimulates the memory and the cognitive regions of the brain and is associated with improved brain performance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve healthy right-handed female subjects completed the study. Each patient performed a jaw-tapping task and an n-back task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The subjects were trained to carry out the jaw-tapping movement at home twice a day for 4 weeks. The fMRI was repeated when they returned.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>During the first and second jaw-tapping session, both sides of precentral gyrus and the right middle frontal gyrus (BA 6) were activated. And during the second session of the jaw-tapping task, parts of frontal lobe and temporal lobe related to memory function were more activated. In addition, the total percent task accuracy in n-back task significantly increased after 4 weeks of jawtapping movement. After jaw-tapping training for 4 weeks, brain areas related to memory showed significantly increased blood oxygen level dependent signals.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Jaw-tapping movement might be a useful exercise for stimulating the memory and cognitive regions of the brain.</p>

A comparison of brain activity between healthy subjects and stroke patients on fMRI by acupuncture stimulation / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate brain activity patterns during acupuncture in stroke patients, and to compare the result with normal subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 11 stroke patients with motor weakness and 10 healthy subjects were studied. fMRI was performed during acupuncture on the left side at points Quchi (LI11) and Zusanli (ST36). Data were analyzed using statistical parametric maps of brain activation induced by acupuncture stimulation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results showed that stimulation of both LI11 and ST36 produced significantly different brain activation patterns between the two groups. The normal group showed a greater overall activation than the stroke group. In the normal group, parts of the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, sub-lobar, cerebellum and midbrain regions were activated by acupuncture at the left LI11. On the other hand, only the right side of the inferior parietal lobule region was activated in the stroke patients. When the left ST36 was stimulated in the normal group, both sides of the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and sub-lobar, and the left side of occipital lobe, and the right side of cerebellum and midbrain regions were activated. For the same stimulation in the stroke group, only both sides of the inferior parietal lobule and cerebellum regions were activated (P<0.05, cluster level). Deactivation pattern was not noted during any acupuncture stimulation in both groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Brain signal activations during the same acupuncture were different between the healthy and the stroke patients, and the effects showed a correlation of different acupuncture points.</p>

Design of a Teleradiology System / 대한의료정보학회지

In clinical surgery, there are frequent needs for communication between the house staff and the attending physician in an emergency situation. It's often insufficient for the house staff to make a decision through the information which is delivered in the form of only voice through the telephone line. To overcome the limitation of voice communication, we have designed an emergency teleradiology system which can be used for emergency surgical and medical decision making. The system can transmit the high quality images of CT, MRI, and other X-ray data using a PC attached to a modem through the conventional telephone line. Progressive transmission adopted in the system enables us to efficiently utilize the band-width of telephone line which is typically very low. The iterative residual coding/decoding algorithm compresses various medical images effectively, and thus fast-transmission of images date helps the house staff to perceive the status of emergent patient and make a fast and correct decision about the patient. The system also satisfies design requirements such as low-cost, ease of operation and interactive image communication including voice. 'Teleradiology system' proposed in this paper has been installed and operated in the emergency care unit of Severance Hospital, and as a result, it is effective in the emergency situations.