Anti-anger Effects of Herbal Medicine: A Mini-Review of Rat Studies / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the available data on the anti-anger effects of herbal medicines (HMs) as well as their underlying mechanisms in rat models.@*METHODS@#From 6 electronic databases [PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), and Research Information Sharing Service (RISS)], relevant animal experiments were searched by using "anger," "rats," and "animal" as search keywords. The last search was conducted on November 22, 2019, and all experiments involving rat models of anger and treatment using HMs published until the date of the search were considered.@*RESULTS@#A total of 24 studies with 16 kinds of HMs were included. Most studies have used the "tail irritating method" and "social isolation and resident intruder" method to establish anger models. According to the included studies, the therapeutic mechanisms of HMs for anger regulation and important herbs by their frequency and/or preclinical evidence mainly incladed regulation of hemorheology (Bupleuri Radix, Paeoniae Radix Alba, and Glycyrrhizae Radix), regulation of sex hormones (Bupleuri Radix, Cyperi Rhizoma, and Paeoniae Radix Alba), regulation of neurotransmitters (Cyperi Rhizoma), regulation of anger-related genes (Bupleuri Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix, and Paeoniae Radix Alba), and other effects. Overall, Liver (Gan) qi-smoothing herbs including Bupleuri Radix and Cyperi Rhizoma were the most frequently used.@*CONCLUSIONS@#This review found the frequent methods to establish an anger model, and major mechanisms of anti-anger effects of HMs. Interestingly, some Liver qi-smoothing herbs have been frequently used to investigate the anti-anger effects of HM. These findings provide insight into the role and relevance of HMs in the field of anger management.

Changes in the Long-term Prognosis of Crohn’s Disease between 1986 and 2015: The Population-Based Songpa-Kangdong Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort Study

Background/Aims@#The long-term course of Crohn’s disease (CD) has never been evaluated in non-Caucasian population-based cohorts. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the longterm prognosis of Korean CD patients in the well-defined population-based Songpa-Kangdong inflammatory bowel disease cohort. @*Methods@#Outcomes of disease and their predictors were evaluated for 418 patients diagnosed with CD between 1986 and 2015. @*Results@#During a median of 123 months, systemic corticosteroids, thiopurines, and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents were administered to 58.6%, 81.3%, and 37.1% of patients, respectively. Over time, the cumulative probability of starting corticosteroids significantly decreased (p=0.001), whereas that of starting thiopurines and anti-TNFs significantly increased (both p<0.001). The cumulative probability of behavioral progression was 54.5% at 20 years, and it significantly decreased during the anti-TNF era. Intestinal resection was required for 113 patients (27.0%). The cumulative probabilities of intestinal resection at 1, 5, 10, 20, and 25 years after CD diagnosis were 12.7%, 16.5%, 23.8%, 45.1%, and 51.2%, respectively. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified stricturing behavior at diagnosis (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.55 to 4.71), penetrating behavior at diagnosis (aHR, 11.15; 95% CI, 6.91 to 17.97), and diagnosis of CD during the anti-TNF era (aHR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.76) as independently associated with intestinal resection. The standardized mortality ratio among CD patients was 1.36 (95% CI, 0.59 to 2.68). @*Conclusions@#The long-term prognosis of Korean patients with CD is at least as good as that of Western CD patients, as indicated by the low intestinal resection rate. Moreover, behavioral progression and intestinal resection rates have decreased over the past 3 decades.

Clinical Characteristics and Long-term Prognosis of Elderly-Onset Ulcerative Colitis in a Population-Based Cohort in the SongpaKangdong District of Seoul, Korea

Background/Aims@#We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of elderly-onset ulcerative colitis (EOUC) in Korean patients over a 30-year period using a wellestablished population-based cohort in the Songpa-Kangdong district of Seoul, Korea. @*Methods@#Clinical characteristics and prognosis were compared between two groups: EOUC,defined as UC diagnosed in individuals aged ≥60 years and non-EOUC (N-EOUC), defined asUC diagnosed in individuals aged 18 to 59 years. @*Results@#We identified 99 patients with EOUC (10.3%) and 866 patients with N-EOUC (89.7%) between 1986 and 2015. During the median follow-up of 104.5 months, the overall exposure tomedications was comparable between patients with EOUC and N-EOUC (p=0.091 for corticosteroids, p=0.794 for thiopurines, and p=0.095 for anti-tumor necrosis factor agents). The cumula-tive risks of disease outcomes were also comparable between patients with EOUC and N-EOUC (22.4% vs 30.4% for proximal disease extension [p=0.351], 11.9% vs 18.1% for hospitalization [p=0.240], and 2.3% vs 1.8% for colectomy [p=0.977]) at 10 years after diagnosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that corticosteroid use at diagnosis was an independent predic-tor of proximal disease extension (hazard ratio [HR], 6.216; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.314 to 28.826) and hospitalization (HR, 11.241; 95% CI, 3.027 to 41.742) in patients with EOUC. @*Conclusions@#In this population-based study from Korea, the pattern of medication use seemed comparable between the EOUC and N-EOUC groups. Moreover, patients with EOUC and those with N-EOUC have a similar disease course in terms of proximal disease extension, hospitaliza-tion, and colectomy.

Clinical Characteristics and Long-term Prognosis of Elderly-Onset Ulcerative Colitis in a Population-Based Cohort in the SongpaKangdong District of Seoul, Korea

Background/Aims@#We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of elderly-onset ulcerative colitis (EOUC) in Korean patients over a 30-year period using a wellestablished population-based cohort in the Songpa-Kangdong district of Seoul, Korea. @*Methods@#Clinical characteristics and prognosis were compared between two groups: EOUC,defined as UC diagnosed in individuals aged ≥60 years and non-EOUC (N-EOUC), defined asUC diagnosed in individuals aged 18 to 59 years. @*Results@#We identified 99 patients with EOUC (10.3%) and 866 patients with N-EOUC (89.7%) between 1986 and 2015. During the median follow-up of 104.5 months, the overall exposure tomedications was comparable between patients with EOUC and N-EOUC (p=0.091 for corticosteroids, p=0.794 for thiopurines, and p=0.095 for anti-tumor necrosis factor agents). The cumula-tive risks of disease outcomes were also comparable between patients with EOUC and N-EOUC (22.4% vs 30.4% for proximal disease extension [p=0.351], 11.9% vs 18.1% for hospitalization [p=0.240], and 2.3% vs 1.8% for colectomy [p=0.977]) at 10 years after diagnosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that corticosteroid use at diagnosis was an independent predic-tor of proximal disease extension (hazard ratio [HR], 6.216; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.314 to 28.826) and hospitalization (HR, 11.241; 95% CI, 3.027 to 41.742) in patients with EOUC. @*Conclusions@#In this population-based study from Korea, the pattern of medication use seemed comparable between the EOUC and N-EOUC groups. Moreover, patients with EOUC and those with N-EOUC have a similar disease course in terms of proximal disease extension, hospitaliza-tion, and colectomy.

Connecting the dots between SHP2 and glutamate receptors

SHP2 is an unusual protein phosphatase that functions as an activator for several signaling pathways, including the RAS pathway, while most other phosphatases suppress their downstream signaling cascades. The physiological and pathophysiological roles of SHP2 have been extensively studied in the field of cancer research. Mutations in the PTPN11 gene which encodes SHP2 are also highly associated with developmental disorders, such as Noonan syndrome (NS), and cognitive deficits including learning disabilities are common among NS patients. However, the molecular and cellular mechanism by which SHP2 is involved in cognitive functions is not well understood. Recent studies using SHP2 mutant mice or pharmacological inhibitors have shown that SHP2 plays critical role in learning and memory and synaptic plasticity. Here, we review the recent studies demonstrating that SHP2 is involved in synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory, by the regulation of the expression and/or function of glutamate receptors. We suggest that each cell type may have distinct paths connecting the dots between SHP2 and glutamate receptors, and these paths may also change with aging.

Connecting the dots between SHP2 and glutamate receptors

SHP2 is an unusual protein phosphatase that functions as an activator for several signaling pathways, including the RAS pathway, while most other phosphatases suppress their downstream signaling cascades. The physiological and pathophysiological roles of SHP2 have been extensively studied in the field of cancer research. Mutations in the PTPN11 gene which encodes SHP2 are also highly associated with developmental disorders, such as Noonan syndrome (NS), and cognitive deficits including learning disabilities are common among NS patients. However, the molecular and cellular mechanism by which SHP2 is involved in cognitive functions is not well understood. Recent studies using SHP2 mutant mice or pharmacological inhibitors have shown that SHP2 plays critical role in learning and memory and synaptic plasticity. Here, we review the recent studies demonstrating that SHP2 is involved in synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory, by the regulation of the expression and/or function of glutamate receptors. We suggest that each cell type may have distinct paths connecting the dots between SHP2 and glutamate receptors, and these paths may also change with aging.

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Miniscalpel-Needle Treatment for Tension-Type Headache: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of miniscalpel-needle (MSN) treatment for tension-type headache (TTH).@*METHOD@#Seven medical databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect and safety of MSN treatment. All articles published up to November 15, 2018 were retrieved. A meta-analysis was conducted for the included studies, and the risk of bias was assessed. Primary outcomes were visual analogue scale (VAS) or numeric rating scale (NRS) score. Secondary outcomes were clinical effective rates including total effective rate (TER), markedly effective rate (MER), and totally cured rate (TCR) determined by improvement in clinical symptoms or VAS scores, the frequency of adverse events (AEs) that occurred during the study, and participant quality of life (QOL).@*RESULTS@#Seven RCTs involving 724 participants were included. MSN treatment showed significantly higher MER and TCR [relative risk (RR) 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01 to 1.61; RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.57, respectively], but not TER (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.10) compared to acupuncture. MSN treatment plus conventional treatment showed significant lower VAS and higher TER, MER, and TCR (mean difference -3.54, 95% CI -3.80 to -3.28; RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.23; RR 2.31, 95% CI 1.50 to 3.58; RR 3.01, 95% CI 2.25 to 4.02, respectively) compared to conventional treatment.@*CONCLUSIONS@#According to current evidence, MSN treatment as a monotherapy or as an adjunctive treatment to other existing treatments might have benefits on treating TTH. However, since the number and the sample size of studies included were both small and the methodological quality was poor, the findings of this review should be interpreted with great caution, and our confidence in the results is low. A high quality RCT using objective outcomes should be performed on this topic.

Full mouth rehabilitation with vertical increase in patient with severe tooth wear using monolithic zirconia prosthetic restoration / 대한치과보철학회지

Gradual teeth wear is normal physiological progress, severe tooth wear can causes dysfunction, occlusal plane disharmony and esthetic problems. If additional space is needed for prosthetic restoration due to severe attrition, full mouth rehabilitation with increase of occlusal vertical dimension may be considered. In this case, 72 year old male patient with severe worn dentition, irregular gingival zenith and deep anterior bite was treated by full mouth rehabilitation for regaining the space for restoration, improving relationship and esthetic of anterior teeth. Provisional restoration obtained by systemic analysis, diagnosis and re-evaluation for a sufficient time was replicated to final restorations through double scanning technique using monolithic zirconia blocks. Satisfactory functional and esthetic outcomes were obtained.

The effect of regions-of-interest and elasticity modulus selection on differentiating benign and malignant cervical lymph nodes with shear wave elastography

OBJECTIVE: Imaging diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy has conventionally used ultrasonography. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a recent ultrasound technological advancement that has shown promise in the important medical problem of differentiating between benign and malignant cervical lymph nodes based on quantitative measurements of elasticity modulus. However, widely varying elasticity modulus metrics and regions-of-interest (ROIs) were used in existing studies, leading to inconsistent findings and results that are hard to compare with each other. METHODS: Using a large dataset of 264 cervical lymph nodes from 200 patients, we designed a study comparing three elasticity modulus metrics (Emax, Emean, and standard deviation-SD) with three different ROIs to evaluate the effect of such selections. The metric values were compared between the benign and malignant node groups. The different ROI and metric selections were also compared through receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. RESULTS: For all ROIs, all metric values were significantly different between the two groups, indicting their diagnostic potential. This was confirmed by the ≥0.80 area under the curve (AUC) values achieved with these metrics. Different ROIs had no effect on Emax, whereas all ROIs achieved high performance at 0.88 AUC. For Emean, the smallest ROI focusing on the area of the highest elasticity achieved the best diagnostic performance. In contrast, the larger ROIs achieved higher performances for SD. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrated the effect of elasticity modulus and ROI selection on the diagnostic performance of SWE on cervical lymphadenopathy. These new findings help guide relevant future studies and clinical applications of this important quantitative imaging modality.

Relationship of Peer- and Self Assessments in the Anatomy Laboratory and Academic Performance of Gross Anatomy / 체질인류학회지

Gross anatomy, with cadaver laboratory dissection, is in a unique position to preside over a rich number of activities such as the team work, integrity, active learning, communication in the small group-all aspects of professional conduct. The purposes of this study are to investigate the correlation of professionalism with academic performance and the characteristics of groups of students in the performance variables. First-year Pusan National University School of Medicine students (n=108) from the Class of 2015 taking the gross anatomy course were required to do the self- and peer assessment about the professional behaviors of each of the six members of their dissecting group. The students were classified into one of four subgroups based on their deviation from the self- and peer assessment medians, such as high peer/high self (HP/HS), high peer/low self (HP/LS), low peer/high self (LP/HS), low peer/low self (LP/LS). There were significant higher scores in the high peer groups (HP/HS, HP/LS) in comparison with low peer groups (LP/HS, LP/LS) in the academic performance of end-of-term (F=3.24), credit (F=3.54), pre-Lab (F=3.94), practical examination (F=3.60) scores. Significant correlations among academic performance variables were observed generally. There were some differences in the correlation in the practical examination and other variables. The relatively high correlation between practical examination and other variables is HP/HS, followed by LP/LS, LP/HS and then HP/LS. In conclusion, peer- and self assessment subgroups showed a significant differences in the academic performance. This assignment would be available to evaluate work habits of professionalism in the gross anatomy laboratory. It is suggested that HP/HS group was more adaptable in the contextual leaning the gross anatomy course.

The Effects of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Whabyung: A Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Whabyung is a Korean cultural disorder characterized by a combination of emotional stress and physical symptoms. Acupuncture, herbal medicines and other complementary medicinal treatments are used to treat the symptoms of whabyung. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of acupuncture treatment and herbal medicine treatments on anger, anxiety and depression of whabyung. METHODS: Using PubMed, CENTRAL, AMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cnii, CNKI, J-SATGE, PsycArticles, KISS, KoreaMed, kmbase, NDSL, RISS, OASIS and Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, articles published by March 2017 for whabyung or whabyung-related syndrome were searched. The quality of selected articles was evaluated using RoB and RoBANS. The effects of acupuncture and herbal medicines on anger, anxiety, and depression levels of whabyung patients were considered for meta-analyses. RESULTS: Of the total 2408 articles retrieved from the database, 11 were finally selected and 4 articles were used for meta-analyses. Acupuncture reduced whabyung patients' anger and anxiety. Especially, the state anxiety was significantly reduced (effect size= −0.676, p= .026). Herbal medicine had effects on reducing anxiety and state anger while trait anger was increased without statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The present study showed the effectiveness of acupuncture and herbal medicines for whabyung patients in general. However, considering the limited availability of articles and the heterogeneity between them included for the meta-analysis, the results should be generalized with caution. In the future, more studies within the structure of evidence-based medicine need to be conducted to generate objective and valid evidences of korean medicine.

Sedative Effect of Sophora flavescens and Matrine

The present study investigated the sedative effects of Sophora flavescens (SF) and its bioactive compound, matrine through performing locomotor activity test and the electroencephalography (EEG) analysis in the rat. The underlying neural mechanism of their beneficial effects was determined by assessing c-Fos immunoreactivity and serotonin (5-HT) in the brain utilizing immunohistochemical method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that SF and matrine administration had an effect on normalization of caffeine-induced hyperactivity and promoting a shift toward non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. c-Fos-immunoreactivity and 5-HT level in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO), a sleep promoting region, were increased in the both SF and matrine-injected groups. In conclusion, SF and its bioactive compound, matrine alleviated caffeine-induced hyperactivity and promoted NREM sleep by activating VLPO neurons and modulating serotonergic transmission. It is suggested that SF might be a useful natural alternatives for hypnotic medicine.

Sedative Effect of Sophora flavescens and Matrine

The present study investigated the sedative effects of Sophora flavescens (SF) and its bioactive compound, matrine through performing locomotor activity test and the electroencephalography (EEG) analysis in the rat. The underlying neural mechanism of their beneficial effects was determined by assessing c-Fos immunoreactivity and serotonin (5-HT) in the brain utilizing immunohistochemical method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that SF and matrine administration had an effect on normalization of caffeine-induced hyperactivity and promoting a shift toward non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. c-Fos-immunoreactivity and 5-HT level in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO), a sleep promoting region, were increased in the both SF and matrine-injected groups. In conclusion, SF and its bioactive compound, matrine alleviated caffeine-induced hyperactivity and promoted NREM sleep by activating VLPO neurons and modulating serotonergic transmission. It is suggested that SF might be a useful natural alternatives for hypnotic medicine.

Structured Assessment to Evaluate a Family Medicine Clerkship Program / 의학교육논단

This correction is being published to revise the acknowledgements of the above article.

Structured Assessment to Evaluate a Family Medicine Clerkship Program / 의학교육논단

This study was conducted to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a 3-week family medicine clerkship program based on the results of an online survey taken by the students (N=127) and a structured interview with a focus group (n=10), aimed to improve the quality of the clerkship program. The online survey contained questions pertaining to goals, schedule, contents, arrangement, atmosphere, environment, evaluation, and satisfaction regarding the clerkship. The focus group interview addressed the schedule and achievements of the program. Scores were reported on a 5-point Likert scale. Most students were highly satisfied with the overall quality of the clerkship. The structured interview results showed that 97.6% of the clerkship program was executed according to the schedule. The focus group reported a perfect score of 5 points on several measures including: accomplishment of the educational goals of the family medicine clerkship, providing many chances to obtain medical histories and perform physical examinations on real patients, experience with various symptoms and diseases, positive attitudes of faculty members when teaching, notification of the guidelines for evaluation beforehand, well-constructed and effective clerkship schedule, and reflection of student feedback. However, the focus group gave low scores on: support for health accidents of students, access to patient information, enough opportunities to practice clinical skills, appropriate rest facilities for students, and fairness of clerkship evaluation process. In conclusion, the structured evaluation performed after the 3-week clerkship program motivated students and helped them ensure an efficient clerkship. This structured evaluation also suggested basic data to make the professor who is subject of the assessment. This study shows that structured assessment is an effective method which can be used to improve the quality of clerkships.

Morphometric Analysis of Distances between Sacral Hiatus and Conus Medullaris Using Magnetic Resonance Image in Korean Adult / 체질인류학회지

The purpose of this study was to provide basic biometric data on Korean adults through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based measurements of the distances between the apex of sacral hiatus (SH) and the termination of dural sac (DS), and between SH and conus medullaris (CM) because they are critical to the performance of epidural neuroplasty. A total of 200 patients (88 males and 112 females) with back pain, who had no spine fracture, significant spinal deformity, and spondyloisthesis were selected for this study. The subjects were of mean age 54.3 (20~84) years and mean height 161.3 cm (135~187). T2-weighted MRI images were used for correlation analysis to evaluate the relationships between the distances, and variables such as sex and height. In all patients, the mean distance between SH and DS was 62.8±9.4 mm and the mean distance between SH and CM was 232.2±21.8 mm. The minimum distance and the maximum distance between SH and DS were 34.8 mm and 93.9 mm respectively, and the minimum distance and the maximum distance between SH and CM were 155.0 mm and 284.0 mm respectively. In female patients, both the distances between the SH and DS, and between SH and CM were shorter when compared to those of the male patients (p<0.05). Both the distances between SH and DS and between SH and CM showed a significant correlation with height (p<0.01). The results of this study will provide a useful biometric data on the distances between SH and DS and between SH and CM in Korean in ensuring clinical safety and in the development of more effective catheterization techniques for epidural neuroplasty in Korean.

Differentiating Carotid Terminus Occlusions into Two Distinct Populations Based on Willisian Collateral Status / 대한뇌졸중학회지

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The outcomes of acute internal carotid artery (ICA) terminus occlusions are poor. We classified ICA terminus occlusions into 2 groups according to the occlusion pattern of the circle of Willis and hypothesized that clinical outcomes would significantly differ between them. METHODS: Consecutive patients with acute ICA terminus occlusions evaluated by baseline computed tomographic angiography were enrolled. We investigated the occlusion patterns in the circle of Willis, retrospectively classified patients into simple ICA terminus occlusion (STO; with good Willisian collaterals from neighboring cerebral circulation) and complex ICA terminus occlusion (CTO; with one or more of A2 anterior cerebral artery, fetal posterior cerebral artery occlusion, or hypoplastic/absent contralateral A1; or with poor collaterals from anterior communicating artery) groups, and compared their baseline characteristics and outcomes. RESULTS: The STO group (n=58) showed smaller infarct volumes at 72 hours than the CTO group (n=34) (median, 81 mL [interquartile range, 38-192] vs. 414 mL [193-540], P<0.001) and more favorable outcomes (3-month modified Rankin Scale 0-3, 44.8% vs. 8.8%, P<0.001; 3-month mortality, 24.1% vs. 67.6%, P<0.001). In multivariable analyses, STO remained an independent predictor for favorable outcomes (odds ratio 6.1, P=0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Favorable outcomes in STO group suggested that the outcomes of acute ICA terminus occlusions depend on Willisian collateral status. Documenting the subtypes on computed tomographic angiography would help predict patient outcome.

Primary stent retrieval for acute intracranial large artery occlusion due to atherosclerotic disease / 대한뇌졸중학회지

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The goal of stent retriever-based thrombectomy is removal of embolic clots in patients with intracranial large artery occlusion. However, outcomes of stent retrieval may differ between acute arterial occlusions due to intracranial atherosclerotic disease (IAD) and those due to embolism. This case series describes the outcomes of stent retriever-based thrombectomy and rescue treatments in 9 patients with IAD-related occlusion. METHODS: Among patients who underwent endovascular treatment for acute intracranial large artery occlusion, those in whom stent retrieval was attempted as first-line treatment were included in this review. IAD was defined as significant fixed focal stenosis at the occlusion site, which was evident on final angiographic assessment or observed during endovascular treatment. RESULTS: Median number of stent retriever passes was 2 (range, 1-3), and temporary bypass was seen in all patients. Immediate partial recanalization (arterial occlusive lesion grade 2-3) was observed in 7 patients. Immediate modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade 2b-3 was seen in 6 patients, but the lesions often required rescue treatment due to reocclusion or flow insufficiency. In terms of rescue treatments, angioplasty and intra-arterial tirofiban infusion seemed to be effective. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that stent retrieval can effectively remove thrombi from stenotic lesions and achieve partial recanalization despite the tendency toward reocclusion in most patients with IAD-related occlusion. Further research into the use of rescue treatments, such as tirofiban infusion and angioplasty, is warranted.

Primary stent retrieval for acute intracranial large artery occlusion due to atherosclerotic disease / 대한뇌졸중학회지

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The goal of stent retriever-based thrombectomy is removal of embolic clots in patients with intracranial large artery occlusion. However, outcomes of stent retrieval may differ between acute arterial occlusions due to intracranial atherosclerotic disease (IAD) and those due to embolism. This case series describes the outcomes of stent retriever-based thrombectomy and rescue treatments in 9 patients with IAD-related occlusion. METHODS: Among patients who underwent endovascular treatment for acute intracranial large artery occlusion, those in whom stent retrieval was attempted as first-line treatment were included in this review. IAD was defined as significant fixed focal stenosis at the occlusion site, which was evident on final angiographic assessment or observed during endovascular treatment. RESULTS: Median number of stent retriever passes was 2 (range, 1-3), and temporary bypass was seen in all patients. Immediate partial recanalization (arterial occlusive lesion grade 2-3) was observed in 7 patients. Immediate modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade 2b-3 was seen in 6 patients, but the lesions often required rescue treatment due to reocclusion or flow insufficiency. In terms of rescue treatments, angioplasty and intra-arterial tirofiban infusion seemed to be effective. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that stent retrieval can effectively remove thrombi from stenotic lesions and achieve partial recanalization despite the tendency toward reocclusion in most patients with IAD-related occlusion. Further research into the use of rescue treatments, such as tirofiban infusion and angioplasty, is warranted.

Effects of Leached Amylose and Amylopectin in Rice Cooking Liquidon Texture and Structure of Cooked Rice

ABSTRACT Effects of leached amylose (AM) and amylopectin (AP) on textural and morphological properties of cooked rice were investigated separately by replacing cooking liquid with AM and AP separated from pouring cooking liquid. The pouring of cooking water reduced the hardness (from 28.45 to 19.42N) and stickiness (from 1.74 to 1.19N·s) significantly. However, the addition of AM and AP enhanced the hardness (27.63N) and stickiness (1.71N·s).Scanning electron microscopy show that the leached short-chain AM entered the surface hollows in the cooked rice after water evaporation. Meanwhile, the Long-chain AM cross-linked to formed a three-dimensional network structures, which covered on the filled hollows. This distribution led to a harder texture of cooked rice. The leached AP absorbed water and swelledto form masses. Atthe gelatinization temperature,theAPmassesagglomeratedtoformafilmlayer,whichcoveredtheunevenstructure, the thicker and smoother film contributed to the sticky texture.