A study on age- and gender-dependent differences in distance and angle between the internal carotid artery and basilar artery.

BACKGROUND: Variations or malformation of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and basilar artery (BA) can be risk factors during simple surgery. So medically the focus has been on information about the positional relationship between the blood vessels based on the distance and angle between the ICA and BA. OBJECTIVE: This study measured the distance and angle between the ICA and BA in 188 healthy Korean male and female subjects in their 20s and 40s and analyzed the differences in terms of age and gender. METHODS: Magnetic resonance images were obtained; the distance between the right ICA and BA was defined as R1 [cm], the distance between the left ICA and BA was defined as L2 [cm], and the distance between the right ICA and left ICA was defined as M3 [cm]. The angles between the right and left ICA and BA were defined as AR1 [degree] and AR2 [degree], respectively. RESULTS: With increasing age, R1 and M3 became shorter in both men and women, and L2 became shorter only in women. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide data on the average distance and angle between the ICA and BA of healthy Korean men and women in their 20s and 40s, which may later be used to support the diagnosis of relevant brain diseases and simple routine surgical procedures.

Differences in and correlations between cognitive abilities and brain volumes in healthy control, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer disease groups.

The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in and correlations between cognitive abilities and brain volumes in healthy control (HC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) groups. The Korean Version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K), which is used to diagnose AD, was used to measure the cognitive abilities of the study subjects, and the volumes of typical brain components related to AD diagnosis-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), gray matter (GM), and white matter (WM)-were acquired. Of the CERAD-K subtests, the Boston Naming Test distinguished significantly among the HC, MCI, and AD groups. GM and WM volumes differed significantly among the three groups. There was a significant positive correlation between Boston Naming Test scores and GM and WM volumes. In conclusion, the Boston Naming Test and GM and WM brain volumes differentiated the three tested groups accurately, and there were strong correlations between Boston Naming Test scores and GM and WM volumes. These results will help to establish a test method that differentiates the three groups accurately and is economically feasible.

Cerebral activation and lateralization due to the cognition of a various driving speed difference: an fMRI study.

This study investigated the changes of cerebral activation and lateralization due to the cognition of three driving speeds in comparison to a reference driving speed using functional magnetic resonance imaging fMRI. A driving video as a visual stimulation source was recorded with four different driving speeds in a real driving situation. The experiment consisted of three blocks and each block included a one-minute control phase and a one-minute stimulation phase. The activation area and the lateralization index were analyzed by subtracting high speed data from low speed data. Such areas as occipital, parietal and frontal lobes, which is related to visual cognition, high order visual and spatial attention (or vigilance), were activated due to the cognition of various driving speed differences. As the driving speed difference increased, the activation area increased in the areas related to spatial attention (or vigilance), such as the frontal lobe, however, changes of neuronal activation in the occipital and parietal lobes were inconsistent. As the driving speed difference increased, the absolute value of cerebral lateralization decreased. These results may provide some basic data for elucidating the brain-function mechanism related to the cognition of a various driving speed difference based on a realistic visual stimulation.

Comparative analyses of influenza virus receptor distribution in the human and mouse brains.

Accumulating evidence suggests a potential link between influenza A virus infection and the occurrence of influenza-associated neurological disorders. As influenza infection is mediated by specific receptors on the host cell surface, it is important to understand the distribution patterns of influenza receptors in target organs. We carried out comprehensive experiments to localize influenza receptors in the brains of two different mouse strains and the human brain for comparison using lectin histochemistry. We further compared the brain regions in which influenza receptors were expressed and the regions in which experimental influenza infection was observed. Our results show that the expression patterns for influenza receptors in mouse and human brains are different. In the mouse brain, human influenza virus receptors (HuIV-R) were expressed in part of brainstem and cerebellar white matter while avian influenza virus receptors (AIV-R) were expressed in the cerebellar Purkinje neurons. In contrast, in the human brain, many neurons and glia in widespread regions, including the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, brainstem, and cerebellum, express both AIV-R and HuIV-R. Importantly, vascular endothelial cells, choroid plexus epithelial cells and ependymal cells in both mouse and human brains express high levels of HuIV-R and AIV-R. The regional reciprocity was not observed when comparing regions with influenza receptor expression and the regions of influenza infection within the mouse brain. Our results demonstrate a differential influenza receptor expression pattern in mouse and human brains, and a disparity between influenza receptor distribution and regions with actual influenza infection.

A study on orbital volume of Korean people in their 20s or 40s.

AIMS: To measure the orbital volume of normal Korean people in two different age groups (subjects were in their 20s or 40s), and analyze the differences of orbital volume with respect to age and gender. In addition, to analyze correlation between body parameters (height and weight) and the orbital volume. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were acquired for a total of 143 subjects, consisting of 71 subjects in their 20s (32 males and 39 females) and 72 subjects in their 40s (30 males and 42 females). Two-way ANOVA was used to analyze how orbital volume changes with respect to gender and age. A multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate the correlation between body parameters and the orbital volume. RESULTS: The orbital volume of subjects in their 20s was larger than that of subjects in their 40s, and the volume was larger in men than in women. As age increased, the decrease in the orbital volume of women was greater than that of men. While weight and height showed positive correlations with orbital volume in male and female subjects in their 20s, respectively, weight showed a positive correlation with orbital volume in male and female subjects in their 40s. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide basic information about the effect of age, gender, and body parameters on orbital volume of Korean people in their 20s or 40s.

Effects of gender and age on anterior commissure volume.

The purpose of this study was to measure the average anterior commissure (AC) volume of normal subjects in their 20s or 40s and to determine the effects of gender and age on AC volume. Magnetic resonance brain images were obtained for 93 people in their 20s (46 men, 47 women) and 87 in their 40s (36 men, 51 women). To investigate the effect of gender and age on AC volume, two-way analysis of variance, which used gender (two levels) and age (two levels) as independent variables, was employed. For subjects in their 20s, there was no difference in AC volume between genders, but for those in their 40s, the AC volume of males was less than that of females. There was no difference in AC volume between females in their 20s or 40s; however, the AC volume of men in their 40s was less than that for those in their 20s. There were gender-influenced differences in AC volume changes related to aging.

Difference between smokers and non-smokers in the corpus callosum volume.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of smoking on corpus callosum volume. In addition, the relationships between smoking duration, smoking frequency, and corpus callosum volume were analyzed. Magnetic resonance brain images were acquired for 58 normal Korean men (30 smokers (age 32.82±14.12 years) and 28 non-smokers (age 35.49±13.11 years)). The corpus callosum volume was measured using Brain Voyager 2000S/W and was normalized by intracranical volume, which was calculated using cerebral sizes. The corpus callosum volume for smokers was significantly smaller than that for non-smokers. Also, there was a negative correlation between corpus callosum volume and smoking duration. The change of white matter volume (e.g., corpus callosum) might be a primary factor for characterizing the effects of smoking.

A volumetric study of the corpus callosum in 20s and 40s Korean people.

The purpose of this study was to measure the average corpus callosum volume of normal Koreans (aged in their 20s or 40s) and to analyze the effects of gender, age, and body parameters, such as height and weight on corpus callosum size. Magnetic resonance brain images were recorded for 68 people in their 20s (29 men, 39 women) and 91 in their 40s (36 men, 55 women). Intracranial volume was calculated using cerebral size and corpus callosum volume was normalized by covariance method. To investigate the effect of gender and age on corpus callosum volume, two-way analysis of variance, which used gender (two levels) and age (two levels) as independent variables, was employed. Multiple regression analysis was carried out to investigate the effect of body parameters, such as height and weight, according to the age and gender on the changes in corpus callosum volume. The average corpus callosum volume of Korean men (11.09 cm(3)) was larger than that of Korean women (9.61 cm(3)). There was no significant difference in corpus callosum volume between 20s (10.43 cm(3)) and 40s (10.12 cm(3)). There was a positive relationship between body weight and corpus callosum volume for 20s, but not for 40s.

Inhibition of proliferation and migration by piceatannol in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Piceatannol (3,5,3',4'-tetrahydroxy- trans-stilbene), a resveratrol analogue, is a polyphenol present in the skins of grapes and in wine and other foods. The present study aimed to investigate for the first time the cardioprotective effects of piceatannol on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The treatment of cells with piceatannol inhibited cell proliferation by reducing extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and JNK activity in cultured VSMC in the presence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). These inhibitory effects were also associated with G1 cell cycle arrest, and resulted in a decrease in cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclins. Piceatannol treatment strongly induced the expression of p21WAF1 via independence of p27KIP and p53 expression. The effect of piceatannol was not restricted to cell proliferation, as TNF-alpha-induced invasion and migration was also suppressed in VSMC. Moreover, piceatannol treatment strongly decreased matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression and promoter activity in a dose-dependent manner in response to TNF-alpha. It was further demonstrated that piceatannol abrogated the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), an important nuclear transcription factor involved in MMP-9 expression. Overall, these results demonstrate that piceatannol inhibits proliferation and migration of VSMC treated with TNF-alpha. Therefore, piceatannol may be an effective therapeutic approach to treat atherosclerosis.

A study on the effects of 40% oxygen on addition task performance in three levels of difficulty and physiological signals.

This study investigated the effect of 40% oxygen administration on addition task performance in three levels of difficulty and physiological signals, such as blood oxygen saturation and heart rate. The accuracy rates of the addition tasks were enhanced with 40% oxygen administration compared to 21% oxygen. As the difficulty level increased, the difference in the accuracy rate between 40% and 21% oxygen administration increased. When 40% concentration oxygen was supplied, blood oxygen saturation was increased and heart rate was decreased compared to that with 21% oxygen administration. A positive correlation was found between task performance and oxygen saturation level during the Task3 phase. This result suggests that 40% oxygen administration would lead to increases in addition task performance.

Sanguinarine-induced G1-phase arrest of the cell cycle results from increased p27KIP1 expression mediated via activation of the Ras/ERK signaling pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells.

The present study identified a novel mechanism for the effects of sanguinarine in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Sanguinarine treatment of VSMC resulted in significant growth inhibition as a result of G1-phase cell-cycle arrest mediated by induction of p27KIP1 expression, and resulted in a down-regulation of the expression of cyclins and CDKs in VSMC. Moreover, sanguinarine-induced inhibition of cell growth appeared to be linked to activation of Ras/ERK through p27KIP1-mediated G1-phase cell-cycle arrest. Overall, the unexpected effects of sanguinarine treatment in VSMC provide a theoretical basis for clinical use of therapeutic agents in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Downregulation of neurotrophic factors in the brain of a mouse model of Gaucher disease; implications for neuronal loss in Gaucher disease.

Gaucher disease is a glycosphingolipid storage disease caused by deficiency of glucocerebrosidase, resulting in the accumulation of glucosylceramide in lysosomes. The neuronopathic forms of this disease are associated with neuronal loss and neurodegeneration. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to prenatal and neonatal death remain uncharacterized. To investigate brain dysfunction in Gaucher disease, we studied the effects of neurotrophic factors during development in a mouse model of Gaucher disease. The expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor was reduced in the cerebral cortex, brainstem, and cerebellum of Gaucher mice, compared with that in wild-type mice. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 expression was downregulated in neurons from Gaucher mice and correlated with a decreased number of neurons. These results suggest that a reduction in neurotrophic factors could be involved in neuronal loss in Gaucher disease.

Honokiol causes the p21WAF1-mediated G(1)-phase arrest of the cell cycle through inducing p38 mitogen activated protein kinase in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Honokiol, an active component in extracts of Magnolia officinalis, has been proposed to play a role in anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity, anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor activity. Although honokiol has a variety of pharmacological effects on certain cell types, its effects on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) are unclear. This issue was investigated in the present study, honokiol was found to inhibit cell viability and DNA synthesis in cultured VSMC. These inhibitory effects were associated with G1 cell cycle arrest. Treatment with honokiol blocks the cell cycle in the G1 phase, down-regulates the expression of cyclins and CDKs and up-regulates the expression of p21WAF1, a CDK inhibitor. While honokiol did not up-regulate p27, it caused an increase in the promoter activity of the p21WAF1 gene. Immunoblot and deletion analysis of the p21WAF1 promoter showed that honokiol induced the expression of p21WAF1 and that this expression was independent of the p53 pathway. Furthermore, the honokiol-mediated signaling pathway involved in VSMC growth inhibition was examined. Among the relevant pathways, honokiol induced a marked activation of p38 MAP kinase and JNK. The expression of dominant negative p38 MAP kinase and SB203580, a p38 MAP kinase specific inhibitor, blocked the expression of honokiol-dependent p38 MAP kinase and p21WAF1. Consistently, blockade of p38 MAPK kinase function reversed honokiol-induced VSMC proliferation and cell cycle proteins. These data demonstrate that the p38 MAP kinase pathway participates in p21WAF1 induction, subsequently leading to a decrease in the levels of cyclin D1/CDK4 and cyclin E/CDK2 complexes and honokiol-dependent VSMC growth inhibition. In conclusion, these findings concerning the molecular mechanisms of honokiol in VSMC provides a theoretical basis for clinical approaches to the use therapeutic agents in treating atherosclerosis.

Effects of gender, age, and body parameters on the ventricular volume of Korean people.

The purpose of this study was to measure the average ventricular volume of normal Koreans (aged in their 20s or 40s) and to analyze the effects of gender, age, and body parameters, such as height and weight on ventricle size. Magnetic resonance brain images were recorded for 118 people in their 20s (58 men, 60 women) and 100 in their 40s (41 men, 59 women). Using automatic and manual segmentation techniques, the volumes of the lateral and the third and fourth ventricles were calculated. To investigate the different and interactive effects of gender and age on ventricular volume, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with gender and age as independent variables was carried out. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the effect of body parameters, such as height and weight according to gender on changes in ventricular volume. The average ventricular volume for people in their 20s was 16.2 cm3, and that for people in their 40s was 24.9 cm3. The average ventricular volume for men and women was 22.9 and 18.1 cm3, respectively. The average ventricular volume for men was greater than that for women, and that for people in their 40s was greater than that in their 20s. Enlargement of the ventricles on aging was more markedly observed in men than in women. There was a positive relationship between the body height and ventricular volume for men but not for women. There was no relationship between weight and ventricular volume for either men or women.

Resveratrol inhibits TNF-alpha-induced proliferation and matrix metalloproteinase expression in human vascular smooth muscle cells.

Resveratrol (RV), a polyphenolic substance found in grape skin, was suggested to play a role in preventing the development of atherosclerotic disease. Although RV has antiatherogenic effects on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), the molecular mechanisms associated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-induced VSMC are unclear. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of RV on the modulation of cell proliferation, cell-cycle regulation, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression in TNF-alpha-induced human VSMC. RV treatment inhibited DNA synthesis in cultured VSMC in the presence of TNF-alpha. These inhibitory effects were associated with reduced levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 activity and G(1) cell-cycle arrest. Treatment with RV, which blocks the cell cycle in the G(1) phase, downregulated the expression of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and upregulated the expression of p21/WAF1, a CDK inhibitor. RV did not upregulate p27. Moreover, RV increased the promoter activity of the p21/WAF1 gene. Immunoblot and deletion analysis of the p21/WAF1 promoter showed that RV induced the expression of p21/WAF1 and that this expression was independent of the p53 pathway. Furthermore, zymographic and immunoblot analyses showed that RV dose dependently suppressed the TNF-alpha-induced expression of MMP-9. This inhibition was characterized by the downregulation of MMP-9, which was transcriptionally regulated at the activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) sites in the MMP-9 promoter. Collectively, these results suggest that RV inhibits cell proliferation, G(1) to S phase cell-cycle progress, and MMP-9 expression through the transcription factors NF-kappaB and AP-1 in TNF-alpha-induced VSMC.

Ras/ERK signaling pathway mediates activation of the p21WAF1 gene promoter in vascular smooth muscle cells by platelet-derived growth factor.

We previously demonstrated that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) induces the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21/WAF1 promoter in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) via activation of a Sp1 site in VSMC. In this report, the role and relevance of the signaling pathway in the transcriptional regulation of p21WAF1 in VSMC was examined. PDGF stimulated the expression of p21WAF1 in VSMC, as evidenced by Immunoblot and Northern blot analyses. Treatment with PD98059, a specific MEK inhibitor, and the transient expression of VSMC with DN-MEK1 plasmid effectively down-regulated PDGF-induced p21WAF1 expression and promoter activity, respectively. Furthermore, the transactivation of PDGF-stimulated Sp1 was inhibited by treatment with PD98059 and the transient expression of VSMC with the DN-MEK1 plasmid. Finally, the transient transfection of VSMC with a dominant negative Ras (RasN17) suppressed PDGF-induced ERK activity, p21WAF1 expression, and promoter activity. The overexpression of RasN17 also abolished PDGF-stimulated Sp1 activity. In conclusion, the findings herein presented indicate that the activation of the Ras/ERK pathway contributes to the induction of p21WAF1 expression in VSMC. In addition, the transcription factor Sp1 that is involved in the Ras/ERK-mediated control of p21WAF1 regulation in VSMC in response to PDGF has now been identified.

Effect of Korean oriental medicine extract on bone mass as compared with alendronate in ovariectomized rats.

A number of alternative medicines (AMs) have often been used as traditional therapies for various diseases without scientific or clinical evidence supporting their use. The present study examined the pharmaceutical effects of an AM extract with a long history of use as a traditional medicine for various bone diseases. To evaluate it as a potential candidate for use as an anti-osteoporotic drug, we investigated the effects of the AM extract on the progression of bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) rats fed a calcium (Ca)-deficient diet for 4 or 12 weeks. We also compared the AM extract with alendronate, an anti-resorptive drug. The AM extract did not influence bone turnover as indicated by biochemical markers [i.e., deoxypyridinoline (DPD)]. In contrast, alendronate treatment seemed to reduce bone turnover via inhibition of bone resorption as evidenced by reduced urinary DPD concentrations accompanied by a tendency for decreased serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase. Administration of alendronate or AM extracts did not significantly affect bone density, although both tended to increase bone mineral density (BMD) and bone strength of the femur. Although both treatments did not affect vertebral BMD and bone strength, histological analysis of vertebrae showed well-developed trabecular networking in OVX rats treated with alendronate or AM extract, in contrast to the thin and disconnected trabecule in OVX rats. In conclusion, the AM extract produced a very weak effect on the prevention of bone loss induced by OVX and Ca deficiency in rats, but was similar to the results observed with alendronate. Further verification is necessary to justify the use of the AM extract as a treatment for osteoporosis.

Effects of age, gender, and weight on the cerebellar volume of Korean people.

The average cerebellar volume of Korean men (135.19 cm3) is larger than that of Korean women (123.06 cm3), and that of subjects in their twenties (134.28 cm3) is larger than that of subjects in their forties (121.83 cm3). Atrophy of the cerebellum is more markedly observed in men than in women. There is a relation between body weight and cerebellar volume for men, but not for women.

A variation of the musculocutaneous nerve absent.

A variation of the brachial plexus, characterized by the absence of the musculocutaneous nerve on the left arm, was found during the dissection of a 28-year old male cadaver. The whole lateral cord was joined to the median nerve, which it met in two points. One was a typical junction of both roots of the median nerve at the level of the coracoid process. The other was a junction of the remaining lateral cord and the median nerve, which was 92 mm away from the typical junction. This case provided some evidence about the absence of the musculocutaneous nerve, rather than a complete fusion of the median and musculocutaneous nerves. As the nerves are named due to their course or innervation, and not from their origin, it is reasonable to assume that the combined nerve was actually the median nerve, and that the musculocutaneous nerve did not exist.