• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.55-73
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• 1989

The effect of tryptophan or serotonin on the early stage of chick brain development has been morphologically investigated using an electron microscope. The electron micrographs of neural plate cells of 1-day chick embryo treated with tryptophan or serotonin showed irregularity, evagination and disruption of nuclear membrane and nuclear chromatin condenstation, nucleolar margination and segregation. Hypertrophy of stalks, vesicles and vaculoes were seen and dilated and disrupted rough endoplasmic reticulum and underdeveloped neurotubules were also observed. In mesenchyme cells of tryptophan or serotonin administered 18 hr embryo, irregular nuclear membrane, swollen mitochondria, dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum and very large yolk granules were observed. Furthermore, DNA, RNA and protein contents of the embryos treated with typtophan or serotonin were considerably lower than those of control group. The amount of tubulin of the experimental groups was also greatly lower than that of control, suggesting that the impairment of microtubule formation occurred. Tryptophan or serotonin administration might depress the biosynthesis, of nucleic acid and protein including some enzymes tested. It seems that the serotonin formed from exogeneous tryptophan might inhibit the degradation of yolk granule by feedback regulation mechanism so as to impair microtububle and microvilli formation followed by a malformation of chick embryos.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.18 no.1 s.25
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• pp.189-207
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• 1988

In almost all biologic systems, mechanically induced electric charge separation is a fundamental phenomenon. Since the hypothesis was established that the generation of electric potentials in bone by mechanical stress including muscular force might control the activity in bone by mechanical stress including muscular force might control the activity of osseous cells and their biopolymeric byproduct, the concept of electrically mediate growth mechanism, which involves biological growth and bone remodeling by any means, in living systems has been applied clinically and experimentally to orthopedic fracture repair, the regulation of orthodontic tooth movement, epiphyseal cartilage regeneration, etc. On the other hand, recent numerous research data available show apparently that the mandibular condyle has the characteristics of growth center as well as growth site. In addition, there exists a considerable difference of opinion as to the role of external pterygoid muscle in condylar growth. In view of these evidences, this. experiment was performed to investigate the effect of the galavic current on the growth of the mandible and condyle for elucidating the nature of condylar growth. The bimetallic device was composed of silver and platinum electrode connected with resistor (3.9 Mohm), which was expected to produce galvanic current of 23.6 nA according to the galvanic principle. The 25 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two group, 2 week group comprising 8 animals exposed to satanic current for 2 weeks and 3 control animals not exposed for 2 weeks, 4 week group comprising 10 animals in experimental group and 4 animals in control group applied for 4 weeks respectively. The experimental rats were subjected to application of the galvanic current invasively to codylar head surface and the control groups with sham electrode. On the basis of anatomic and histologic data from the mandibular condyle of experimental and control group, the following results were obtained. 1. After 2 weeks, there was no increase of mandibular size in experimental group over that of the control group. 2. After 4 weeks, the size of the condylar head was larger in experimental group than that of the control. 3. In 2 week group, the thickness of the mitotic compartment and hypertrophic chondroblastic layer was increased in experimental group. 4. In 4 week group, the number and the size of the hypertrophic chondroblasts were increased significantly on experimental group over that of the control group. 5. The application of the satanic current caused an increase in chondrocytic hypertrophy and intercellular matrix in both groups.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.97-114
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• 2011

Objectives : The object of this study is to observe the favorable anti arthritic effects of Sowhalrack-dan($Xi\check{a}ohu\acute{o}lu\grave{o}-d\bar{a}n$)(SWRD), which has been traditionally used in Korean medicine to treat rheumatoid arthritis on Freund's complete adjuvant(FCA) induced arthritic Wistar rats. Methods : Rheumatoid arthritis was induced by intradermal injection of FCA(10 mg in 1 ml paraffin oil 0.1 ml/rats). Each of 8 rats showing regular ankle circumferences per group were selected in 14 days after FCA treatment to confirm the induction of rheumatoid arthritis. 300, 150 or 75 mg/kg of SWRD was orally administered once a day for 14 days from 14 days after FCA treatments. Dexamethasone was intraperitoneally administered 15 mg/kg, once a day for 14 days from 14 days after FCA treatments. Rats were sacrificed after 14 days of continuous oral treatment of SWRD or intraperitoneal administration of dexamethasone, and changes were observed; the body weight, knee circumferences, gross arthritis score, inflammatory tissue $prostaglandin(PG)E_2$ levels and cartilage collagen, glucosaminoglycans compositions - chondroitin sulphate, heparin sulphate and hyaluronic acid in the present study. Results : As results of FCA treatment, classic rheumatoid arthritis featuring dramatical decreases on the body weights, cartilage collagen contents and bone glucosaminoglycans - chondroitin sulphate, heparin sulphate and hyaluronic acid contents. Also, it increases the knee circumferences, gross arthritis scores and inflammatory tissue $PGE_2$ levels. However, these changes from FCA induced rheumatoid arthritis were clearly reduced due to the dexamethasone and both two different dosages of SWRD, 300 and 150 mg/kg in the present study. Although FCA induced arthritis were more favorably inhibited by treatment of dexamethasone 15 mg/kg compared to SWRD 300 mg/kg, marked decreases of body weights were detected in dexamethasone 15 mg/kg treated rats. Conclusions : The results obtained in this study suggest that over 150 mg/kg of SWRD showed favorable anti-arthritic effects on the FCA induced arthritis mediated by suppression of $PGE_2$. However, detailed mechanism studies are needed with the screening of the biological active compounds in SWRD. Although FCA induced arthritis were more favorably inhibited by treatment of dexamethasone 15 mg/kg compared to SWRD 300 mg/kg, marked decreases of body weights were detected in dexamethasone 15 mg/kg treated rats, in the present study.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.146-150
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• 2017

Length and weight relationship (LWR) for dominant Antarctic fishes was determined in two species of the family Nototheniidae; black rockcod (Notothenia coriiceps) and marbled rockcod (Notothenia rossii). Samples were caught in the offshore sea around King Sejong station located on King George Island, Antarctica in January, 2017. A total of 30 N. coriiceps and 7 N. rossii were caught by fishing rod and hook. Average total length was 266.0 mm for N. coriiceps and 275.4 mm for N. rossii. Average total weight was 283.1g for N. coriiceps and 290 g for N. rossii. In terms of LWR and b value, the results showed that both two species had positive allometries (b>3) in good health. This size information of two dominant Antarctic fishes would be useful for future physiological studies to understand of adaptation mechanism and biological pathway of Antarctic marine organisms.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.122-126
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• 2002

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the 37-hour sleep deprivation on visual discrimination using the Cybernetic Flicker Fusion Analyzer (FLIMK) and to see the correlation between this finding and various subjective scale scores. Methods: Twenty six subjects (20 men 6 women, $24.50{\pm}1.45$ years of age) participated in this study. Subjects remained awake for 37 hours under continuous surveillance. In the morning and evening of two study days, the FLIMK and the self-reporting scale of sleepiness, fatigue, anxiety and mood states were instituted. Results: In FLIMK, the flicker fusion threshold was significantly decreased after sleep deprivation (F=7.66, p=0.01). The number of trials (responses) before reaching fusion frequency threshold was significantly increased after sleep deprivation (F=13.16, p=0.001). The reduction of fusion frequency was correlated with the increase of sleepiness and fatigue (p<0.05), and the number of the trials was correlated with the scores of negative mood, anxiety, and fatigue (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that 37 hour total sleep deprivation cause the decrement in visual discrimination. The decrease of the fusion frequency after sleep deprivation was correlated with sleepiness and fatigue. Further study is needed to enlighten the biological mechanism of the decrement in visual function after sleep deprivation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 2002

Pregnancy is a physiological state accompained by a high energy demand of many bodily functions and an increased oxygen requirement. Because of the increased intake and utilization of oxygen, increased levels of oxidative stress would be expected. So we observed the activities of the hepatic antioxidant enzymes from rat treated with total saponin from the red ginseng against free raicals produced in pregnant rats. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the control group was slightly decreased during pregnancy, and SOD activity in total saponin treated group was not observed any siginificant change compared with the control group. The activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GRD) and catalase in the control group have shown the decreasing tendency during pregnancy, whereas the activities of GRD and catalase in total saponin treated group showed significant increased tendency compared with the control group. GPX activity in total saponin treated group was slightly decreased tendnency compared with the control group. The activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in the control group was increased to keep the state of homaeostasis tendency in pregnant rats. On the other hand, the activity of GST after total saponin treatment was increased than control group. Activity of all enzymes in the control group and total saponin treated group recovered the normal level after delivery of rats. In spite of the physiological changes in vivo, the inflaunce of total saponin on activaties of hepatic antioxidant enzyme in pregnant rats seems to be regulated the biological homeostatic adaptation mechanism which protects the maternal liver aganist oxygen induced toxicity

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.105-114
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• 2020

Background: Exploring the pharmacokinetic (PK) changes of various active components of single herbs and their combinations is necessary to elucidate the compatibility mechanism. However, the lack of chemical standards and low concentrations of multiple active ingredients in the biological matrix restrict PK studies. Methods: A putative multiple reaction monitoring strategy based on liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was developed to extend the PK scopes of quantification without resorting to the use of chemical standards. First, the compounds studied, including components with available reference standard (ARS) and components lacking reference standard (LRS), were preclassified to several groups according to their chemical structures. Herb decoctions were then subjected to ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis with appropriate collision energy (CE) in MS² mode. Finally, multiple reaction monitoring transitions transformed from MS² of ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry were used for ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry to obtain the mass responses of LRS components. LRS components quantification was further performed by developing an assistive group-dependent semiquantitative method. Results: The developed method was exemplified by the comparative PK process of single herbs Radix Ginseng (RG), Radix Polygala (RP), and their combinations (RG-RP). Significant changes in PK parameters were observed before and after combination. Conclusion: Results indicated that Traditional Chinese Medicine combinations can produce synergistic effects and diminish possible toxic effects, thereby reflecting the advantages of compatibility. The proposed strategy can solve the quantitative problem of LRS and extend the scopes of PK studies.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.441-449
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• 2015

Endlicheria anomala, a neotropical plant, is found in northern South America and the Amazon region. It is traditionally used to remove poisons and cure gangrene. According to recent data, this plant has diverse biological properties such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-melanogenic properties. However, the anti-cancer effect of E. anomala and its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we examined the anti-cancer effect and the active mechanism of methanol extract of E. anomala (MEEA) in human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549) and human liver cancer cells (HepG2). Our data revealed that MEEA showed cytotoxic activity in a dose-dependent manner and induced apoptosis both in A549 and HepG2 cells. We verified evidences of apoptosis via formation of chromatin condensation, apoptotic body and accumulation of cells in the subG1 phase. Following observed apoptosis-related phenomena, we found that the induction of apoptosis by MEEA was associated with the increase of tumor suppressor p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (WAF1/CIP1) expression. Furthermore, MEEA-induced apoptosis was characterized with proteolytic activation of caspase-3, degradation of poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP), and up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax expression. Taken together, these findings indicate that MEEA may have potential cancer therapeutic utility in A549 and HepG2 cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.1428-1433
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• 2012

Longevity is an exciting but difficult subject to study because it is determined by complex processes that require the coordinated action of several genetic factors as well as physiological and environmental influences. Genetic approaches have been applied to animal models to identify the molecular mechanism responsible for longevity. Several experimental model organisms obtained over the last decades suggest that the complete deletion of a single gene by gene targeting has proven to be an invaluable tool for the discovery of the mechanisms underlying longevity. The first discovery of long-lived mutants came from Caenorhabditis elegans research, which identified the insulin/IGF-1 pathway as responsible for longevity in this worm. IGF-1 is a multifunctional polypeptide that has sequence similarity to insulin and is involved in normal growth and development of cells. Several factors in the IGF-1 system have since been studied by gene targeting in the control of longevity in lower species, including nematode and fruit fly. In addition, significant progress has been made using mice models to extend the lifespan by targeted mutations that interfere with growth hormone/IGF-1 and IGF-1 signaling cascades. A recent finding that IGF-1 is involved in aging in mice was achieved by using liver-specific knockout mutant mice, and this clearly demonstrated that the IGF-1 signal pathway can extend the lifespan in both invertebrates and vertebrate models. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms for the control of longevity are not fully understood, it is widely accepted that reduced IGF-1 signaling plays an important role in the control of aging and longevity. Several genes involved in the IGF-1 signaling system are reviewed in relation to longevity in genetically modified mice models.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.466-475
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• 2017

Dietary supplements have exhibited myriads of positive health effects on human health conditions and with the advent of new technological advances, including in the fields of proteomics, genomics, and metabolomics, biological and pharmacological activities of dietary supplements are being evaluated for their ameliorative effects in human ailments. Recent interests in understanding and discovering the molecular targets of phytochemical-gene-protein-metabolite dynamics resulted in discovery of a few protein signature candidates that could potentially be used to assess the effects of dietary supplements on human health. Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is a folk medicine, commonly used as dietary supplement in China, Japan, and South Korea, owing to its different beneficial health effects including anti-diabetic implications. However, neither mechanism of action nor molecular biomarkers have been discovered that could either validate or be used to evaluate effects of persimmon on human health. In present study, Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic studies were accomplished to discover proteomic molecular signatures that could be used to understand therapeutic potentials of persimmon leaf extract (PLE) in diabetes amelioration. Saliva, serum, and urine samples were analyzed and we propose that salivary proteins can be used for evaluating treatment effectiveness and in improving patient compliance. The present discovery proteomics study demonstrates that salivary proteomic profile changes were found as a result of PLE treatment in prediabetic subjects that could specifically be used as potential protein signature candidates.