• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.417-425
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• 2019

Cadmium (Cd) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), which in turn cause the apoptosis of various cell types including developing germ cells in rodent testis. Ascorbic acids (AA), one of the ROS scavengers, had been reported to protect against Cd-induced apoptosis. N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), another ROS scavenger, is known to remove ROS and alleviate the Cd-induced apoptosis in various cell types. In this study we tried to elucidate how NAC affected on Cd-induced cell apoptosis in rat testis. Rats were administered with NAC before and after Cd treatment and then testicular cell apoptosis was examined. NAC treatment resulted in the reduction of Cd-induced chromosomal DNA fragmentation in agarose gel electrophoresis. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay showed that treatment of NAC reduced the Cd-induced apoptosis of germ cells. The administration of NAC showed that the translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) from mitochondria to nucleus was prevented, which indicated that the mechanism of Cd-induced testicular apoptosis is mediated through the release of AIF in caspase-independent manner. Taken together, the NAC may remove Cd-induced ROS and protect ROS-induced cell apoptosis in rat testis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.317-325
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• 2006

Purpose : This study was carried out to elucidate the effects of nitric oxide synthase(NOS) inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA) and nitric oxide precursor, L-arginine(L-Arg) on cerebral hemodynamics and energy metabolism during reoxygenation-reperfusion(RR) after hypoxia-ischemia(HI) in newborn piglets. Methods : Twenty-eight newborn piglets were divided into 4 groups; Sham normal control(NC), experimental control(EC), L-NMMA(HI & RR with L-NMMA), and L-Arg(HI & RR with L-Arg) groups. HI was induced by occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries and simultaneously breathing with 8 percent oxygen for 30 mins, and followed RR by release of carotid occlusion and normoxic ventilation for one hour. All groups were monitored with cerebral hemodynamics and cytochrome $aa_3$ (Cyt $aa_3$) using near infrared spectroscopy(NIRS). $Na^+$, $K^+$-ATPase activity, lipid peroxidation products, and tissue high energy phosphate levels were determined biochemically in the cerebral cortex. Results : In experimental groups, mean arterial blood pressure, $PaO_2$, and pH decreased, and base excess and blood lactate level increased after HI compared to NC group(P<0.05). These variables subsequently returned to baseline after RR except pH. There were no differences among the experimental groups. In NIRS, oxidized hemoglobin($HbO_2$) decreased and hemoglobin(Hb) increased during HI(P<0.05) but returned to base line immediately after RR; 40 min after RR, the $HbO_2$ had decreased significantly compared to NC group(P<0.05). Changes of Cyt $aa_3$ decreased significantly compared to NC after HI and recovered at the end of the experiment. Significantly reduced cerebral cortical cell membrane $Na^+$, $K^+$-ATPase activity and increased lipid peroxidation products(P<0.05) were not improved with L-NMMA or L-Arg. Conclusion : These findings suggest that NO is not involved in the mechanism of HI and RR brain damage during the early acute phase of RR.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2000

BN films composed of c-BN(70%) and h-BN(30%) phases have been synthesized by the ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) process and stabilized by post-annealing. Boron was e-beam evaporated at 1.2 $\AA$/sec and nitrogen was ionized and accelerated at about 100 eV by the end-hall type ion gun. Substrates were negatively biased by DC 400 and 500 V, respectively, and heated at $700^{\circ}C$. Synthesized BN films were in-situ post-annealed at 700 or $800^{\circ}C$, respectively, for 1 hr without breaking vacuum. BN films without post-annealing were peeled off from substrates immediately when they were exposed to the air while those with post-annealing at $800^{\circ}C$ were stabilized. Post annealing reduced the film stress from 4.9 GPa to 3.4 GPa, but no considerable stress release in the c-BN phase was observed, contrary to previous reports that the stress relaxation in the c-BN phase is the main mechanism for the stabilization. Structural and chemical relaxation of non c-BN phase is supposed to be responsible for the film stress reduction and, in turn, stabilization, especially when the c-Bn content of the film is not high.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.183-194
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• 2002

Biotite and its weathering Products in the weathering Profile of Andong granite were examined using X-ray diffraction, chemical analysis, and electron microscopy. Major weathering product of biotite was oxidized biotite, which is decomposed into kaolinite in the upper part. Discrete vermiculite or hydrobiotite was not detected although minor vermiculite (5%) was randomly interstratified with oxidized biotite. Excess positive charge induced by iron oxidation was balanced by release of Fe (16%) and Mg (12%) from octahedral site and K (13%) from interlayer site. After slight chemical and structural modification induced by iron oxidation, oxidized biotite persists through the weathering profiles with partial decomposition in the upper part of the profile. Formation environments and dissolution experiments of oxidized biotite highly resistant to weathering are required to understand the elemental behavior in the surface environments on the biotite-bearing bedrocks.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.12-21
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• 2010

Purpose: This work aimed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effect of pegmatite in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Author evaluated the suppressive effects of pegmatite on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 release in the RAW 264.7 murinemacrophages. Results: Treatment of RAW 264.7 cells with pegmatite significantly reduced LPS-stimulated NO production and inflammatory cytokine such as TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. Also pegmatite showed topical anti-inflammatory activity in the arachidonic acid (AA)-induced ear edema and acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability assessment in mice. It was also found that pegmatite (10 mg per ear in DW) inhibited arachidonic acid induced edema at 24 h more profoundly than 1 h by topical application. Furthermore, the vascular permeability increase induced by acetic acid was significantly reduced in mice that received pegmatite in 50 mg per mouse. Conclusion: Therefore the results of the present study suggest that pegmatite is a potent inhibitor of the LPS-induced NO and inflammatory cytokine in RAW 264.7 macrophages and showed anti-inflammatory activities in vivo animal model.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2008

Panax ginseng C. A. MEYER is one of the most widely used herbal medicines in the Asian countries and has diverse functions including anti-diabetic action. The dysfunctions of mesangial cells in hyperglycemic conditions are implicated in the development of diabetic nephropathy. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are also associated with the onset of diabetic nephropathy. Thus, we examined the effect of ginsenosides against high glucose-induced dysfunction of primary cultured rat mesangial cells. In the present study, high glucose increased IGF-I and IGF-II secretion in mesangial cells. Ginsenoside total saponin (GTS) prevented high glucose-induced increase of IGF-I and IGF-II secretion in mesangial cells. In addition, GTS prevented high glucose-induced increase of lipid peroxide formation and decrease of GSH contents. GTS also ameliorates high glucose-induced increase of arachidonic acid release and decrease of prostaglandin $E_2$. In conclusion, GTS prevented high glucose-induced dysfunction of mesangial cells via inhibition of oxidative stress and arachidonic acid pathways.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.135-146
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• 2001

Background : One of the important mechanisms responsible for a tumor escaping the immune response is an absence of the tumor associated antigen (TAA) on the cancer cell surface. To overcome this, combination gene therapy using a herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HSTK) gene, prototype of drug sensitizing gene, was conducted to enhance T AA release by cell destruction, as well as the cytokine genes for immune cell attraction. Methods : We investigated whether or not transduction with the adenovirus-HSTK (Ad-HSTK) enhanced the sensitivity of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) to ganciclovir (GCV) and induced a bystander effect. A Tumor vaccine trial was performed using LLC with ad-HSTK$\pm$ad-GM-CSF$\pm$ad-IL-2 to determine if they exhibit some antitumor effect on established lung cancer xenografts. Results : LLC with ad-HSTK revealed a much higher sensitivity to ganciclovir (GCV). LLC transduced with ad-HSTK and/or ad-IL-2, ad-GM-CSF showed a lower in vivo tumorigenicity. In the treatment experiment, vaccination with LLC transduced with ad-HSTK, ad-IL-2, or ad-GM-CSF alone modestly suppressed the growth of an established tumor. Combined transduction with HSTK and GM-CSF induced stronger growth suppression of a established lung cancer, while HSTK and IL-2 combination transduction did not have any antitumor effect on individual transduction. Vaccination with LLC-HSTK-GM-CSF increased the infiltration of dendritic cells in the spleen. Conclusion : It was concluded that a tumor vaccine transduced with HSTK and GM-CSF induces strong antitumor immunity by activating the dendritic cells.