• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2009

Background: The blind sacroiliac joint (SIJ) block cannot always be performed accurately; it is commonly performed in the office based setting because intraarticular and periarticular injections are effective for SIJ pain. However, knowledge on the surface anatomy of the SIJ is lacking. The purpose of this study was to analyze the surface anatomical location of the posterior-inferior margin of the SIJ. Methods: After informed consent was obtained, fifty patients undergoing SIJ block in the prone position were examined. The oblique angles where the anterior-inferior margin and the posterior-inferior margin of the SIJ overlap on X-ray were evaluated. In addition, the surface anatomical relationships between the posterior-inferior margin of the SIJ on X-ray and the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) and sacral hiatus by palpation were assessed. Results: The oblique angle was $5.4{\pm}2.9^{\circ}$. The vertical and transverse distance between the posterior-inferior margin of the SIJ and PSIS were $3.8{\pm}0.8cm$ and $0.9{\pm}0.6cm$, respectively. The vertical and transverse distance between the posterior-inferior margin of the SIJ and the midpoint of the sacral hiatus were $3.4{\pm}0.7cm$ and $3.9{\pm}0.6cm$, respectively. Only the vertical distance between the posterior-inferior margin of the SIJ and PSIS showed significant difference between the male and the female groups (P = 0.0016). Conclusions: The measurements in this study can be used as a reference standards for the blind SIJ block.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 1996

The protective effect of 'ischemic preconditioning (IP)'on ischemia-reperfusion injury of heart has been reported in various animal species, but the mechanism is unclear. In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of IP, we examined the effects of blockers against adenosine and protein kinase C in preconditioned heart of rat. The hearts perfused with oxygen-saturated Krebs-Henseleit solution by Langendorff method were exposed to 30 min global ischemia followed by 20 min reperfusion. IP was performed with three episodes of 5 min ischcmia and 5 min reperfusion just before ischemia-reperfusion. IP prevented the depression of contractile function and the myocardial contracture in the ischemic-reperfused heart and reduced the release of lactate dehydrogenase during the reperfusion period. Polymyxin B, chelerythrine and colchicine, PKC inhibitors, attenuated almost completely the anti-ischemic effect of IP, while adenosine receptor antagonists did not. These results indicate that PKC may be a crucial intracellular mediator in anti-ischemic action of IP in ischemic-reperfused rat heart, while adenosine may not be involved in the mechanism of IP.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2006

Fluoxetine, widely used for the treatment of depression, is known to be a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), however, there are also reports that fluoxetine has direct effects on several receptors. Employing whole-cell patch clamp techniques in rat brain slice, we studied the effects of fluoxetine on corticostriatal synaptic transmission by measuring the change in spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSC). Acute treatment of rat brain slice with fluoxetine ($10{\mu}M$) significantly decreased the amplitude of sEPSC ($8.1{\pm}3.3$%, n=7), but did not alter its frequency ($99.1{\pm}4.7$%, n=7). Serotonin ($10{\mu}M$) also significantly decreased the amplitude ($81.2{\pm}3.9$%, n=4) of sEPSC, but did not affect its frequency ($105.8{\pm}8.0$, n=4). The effect of fluoxetine was found to have the same trend as that of serotonin. We also found that the inhibitory effect of fluoxetine on sEPSC amplitude ($93.0{\pm}1.9$%, n=8) was significantly blocked, but not serotonin ($84.3{\pm}1.6$%, n=4), when the brain slice was incubated with p-chloroamphetamine ($10{\mu}M$), which depletes serotonin from the axon terminals and blocks its reuptake. These results suggest that fluoxetine inhibits corticostriatal synaptic transmission through postsynaptic, and that these effects are exerted through both serotonin dependent and independent mechanism.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.298-304
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was undertaken to investigate the osteogenic induction potential of PGA & FBS mixture on a calvarial defect in the rabbit. Methods: Twenty New zealand white rabbit, weighing from 3.5-4kg were allocated into each of the three groups. Four 8 mm sized bone defects were made on the parietal bone by drilling. In group I, the bony defects were implanted with $50{\mu}m$ thickness film containing mixture of PGA and FBS. In group II, with PGA only film, & in group III, the bony defects were left with no implants. Results were evaluated by using morphologic change, radiographic study, biochemical study and histologic examination at 1 week (group I n=7, group II n=7, group III n=14), 2 weeks (group I n=6, group II n=6, group III n=12) and 3 weeks (group I n=7, group II n=7, group III n=14) following implantation. Results: In the morphologic & radiographic study, the formation and corticalization of callus were observed earlier in group I than in groups II and III (p < 0.05). In histological examination, group I showed more abundant and faster new bone formation than in group II and III. In biochemical analysis, group I displayed more activity than in group II and III. Group I also showed more abundant osteopontin, osteocalcin than groups II and III. Conclusion: In conclusion, the results demonstrate that the mixture of PGA and FBS has an effect on osteoblastic formation in the rabbit model. It is considered that further evaluation of long term results on resorption, immunologic tissue reaction and response of applied mixture in the human model will be needed.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.183-189
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of fucoidan on the phagocytic capapcity and oxidative burst activity (OBA) of canine peripheral blood polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs). The phagocytic capacity and OBA of PMNs were evaluated simultaneously by using a flow cytometer. Fucoidan itself did not cause any direct effect on the phagocytic capacity and OBA of PMNs. However, the phagocytic capacity and OBA of PMNs were enhanced by the culture supernatant from PBMCs treated with fucoidan. The phagocytic capacity and OBA of PMNs were also increased by treatment with recombinant canine (rc) tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$. The ability of the culture supernatant from fucoidan-treated PBMCs to stimulate the phagocytic capacity and OBA of PMNs was inhibited by addition of anti-rc TNF-${\alpha}$ polyclonal antibody (PAb) prior to the culture. The amount of TNF-${\alpha}$ in the culture supematant from PBMCs was shown to increase upon treatment of fucoidan as compared with that of vehicle-treated PBMCs culture supematant. The level of TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA expression in PBMCs was also up-regulated by the fucoidan treatment. These results suggest that fucoidan has an immunoenhancing effect on the phagocytic capacity and OBA of canine PMNs, which is mainly mediated by TNF-${\alpha}$ released from fucoidan-stimulated PBMCs.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.547-552
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• 2002

To investigate an efficacy of mixed extract with Ginseng radix, Puerariae lobata, Puerariae radix, Rubi pructus, Gomi pructus, Hoelen, Dried orange peel and Parvum comus cervi etc., on the hangover elimination, 12 hr-fasted male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150-200 g were given mixed extract (5 mL/kg, p.o.) and administered ethanol at a dose of 3 g/kg bw (25% in distilled water) orally 30 min postdosing. Blood was collected from caudal artery at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12hr and then the animals were sacrificed at 24hr after the ethanol treatment. In these experiments, liver function indices, such as alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, showed unaltered results in all treated groups compared with the normal group. The pharmacokinetics of ethanol after oral administration of mixed extract were also evaluated. From 0 min to 12hr, the administration of mixed extract showed 14% reduction of the area under the serum concentrations-versus-time curves (AUC) compared with the control group. The activities of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase measured at 24hr postdosing were also not altered by the administration of mixed extract compared with the control group. These studies demonstrate that oral administration of mixed extract, prepared by traditional prescription, decreases the ethanol concentration in serum and reduces AUC, suggesting that the mixed extract is effective for elimination of ethanol-induced hangover.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.36 no.2 s.141
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• pp.109-115
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• 2005

The herb of Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum (Liliaceae) has been used as an edible wild herb and to treat heart failure and gastritis. We have already reported antihyperlipidemic anti-tumor effects of this plant. To enlarge the commercial availability of this food, it was investigated whether the extracts of A. victorialis var. platyphyllum reduce hyperlipidemia and obesity or not. The plants tested in this experiment were collected from two eco-types of Is. Ullung and Mt. Odae cultivated at Pyongchang. Extracts were prepared by extracting the fresh leaves and those dried at $36^{\circ}C$ and $90^{\circ}C$, respectively. Pretreatment with the ethanolic extracts for two weeks(p.o.) reduced serum triglyceride-, total cholesterol- and LDL-cholesterol contents in rats induced by Triton WR-1339, respectively. Furthermore, oral administration of the extracts also inhibited the hyperlipidemia induced with oral diet of 30% corn oil. In the other attempt to find to alleviate the obesity, the model rats with obesity were induced by the high fat-diet for six weeks. Post-treatment with the extracts for two weeks significantly reduced the hyperlipidemia. Retroperitoneal-, epidymal- and total abdominal fat pad weights were considerably reduced at 100 mg/kg oral administration of the extracts. Increased feces lipid contents were also found in the rat treated with the extracts. The extract may lead to the higher activity in treatment of hyperlipidemia and obesity than of the dried one.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.86-90
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• 2003

Bulla is an air-filled space within the lung parenchyma resulting from deterioration of the alveolar tissue. Molecular mechanism of the formation of the bulla is not well described. Fibroblast growth factor(FGF)-7, bone morphogenetic protein(BMP) receptor, and transforming growth factor(TGF)-$\beta$ receptor are known to have a stimulatory or inhibitory role in the lung formation. We investigated to see if these growth factor or cytokine receptors are involved in the bulla formation by immunohistochemical staining of bullous lung tissues from patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Material and Method: Bullous lung tissues were obtained from 31 patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax, including 30 males and 1 female from 15 to 39 years old. The bullous tissues were obtained by video-thoracoscopic surgery and/or mini-thoracotomy and fixed in formalin. Blocks of the specimens were embedded with paraffin and cut into 5-6 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ thick slices. The sections were deparaffinized and hydrated and then incubated with primary antibodies against FGF-7, BMP-RII, or TGF-RII. Result: Of the 31 patients, 24 were TGF-RII positive including 18 strong and 6 weak positives. Observation with high magnification showed that strong immunostaining was detected in the boundary region between bullous and normal lung tissues. In contrast, all of the sections were negative with FGF-7 or BMP-RII antibodies. Conclusion: These results suggest that overexpression of TGF- P RII may be involved in the formation of bulla, although further molecular studies are needed to find out more detailed molecular mechanisms.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 1993

Differences in competitive characteristics for mineral nutrition were compared with rice and weeds according to rice planting types like the traditional hand transplanting, machine transplanting of young(10days old) and mature(30days old) seedling, flood direct seeding of germinated seeds and dry direct seeding of dry seeds. There was a slight competition for such nutrients as N, P, K, Ca, and Mg by E. crus-galli and E. kuroguwai in transplanting cultivations. However, nutrient uptake by rice in direct-seedings was severely inhibited throughout the whole growth period by the two weeds including annual weeds such as S. Juncoides and C. difformis. The competition for nutrients at different cultivation types was mainly governed by the dominant weeds.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.103-113
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• 2003

The chemical properties of oak tree wood vinegar and the effect of wood vinegar on the tomato seedling were investigated to apply wood vinegar efficiently to the organic - and natural farming system. On the basis of the results from chemical properties of the oak tree wood vinegar, mineral nutrient contents of wood vinegar was low. Therefore, wood vinegar could not be a suitable nutrient source for the plant growth at 500∼1000 times dilution level. which commonly used in the farming, if only wood vinegar is supplied for the nutrient source for the plant growth. The application of wood vinegar increased root growth up the 500 times dilution level while decreased shoot growth. Furthermore. the anion concentrations such as nitrate and phosphate of the plant were decreased by the application of wood vinegar while cation concentrations such as K. Ca. and Mg were increased. Phenolic compounds of wood vinegar such as chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid enhanced the root growth. Interestingly the application of ferulic acid increased both root and shoot growth at the level of 10$^{-4}$ M concentration. It indicated that the effect of wood vinegar on the production of healthy plant seedling may be due to the beneficial root growth by phenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acid and/or ferulic acid of the wood vinegar. However. the effect of the wood vinegar on the plant growth could be influenced by synergism or antagonism of different phenolic compounds in wood vinegar used. In addition. drench in the soil of wood vinegar may be more beneficial compared to foliar application for the improvement of root activity and plant growth.