• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1031-1043
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to develop the brain compatibility index equation for the brain-based analysis method of science teaching-learning program. To develop the index equation, one sample unit in middle school science programs was selected and analyzed by the brain-based analysis frame (CORE Brain Map). Then, the index equation was derived by the CORE Brain Map. In addition, four sample units in elementary science programs were selected to validate the brain compatibleness index equation. From the random network theory of Erdos and Renyi, this study derived the brain compatibility index equation; (BCI=$\frac{L_o}{11(N_o-1)}{\cdot}{\sum}\limits_{i=1}^4l_iw_i$) for quantitative analysis of science teaching-learning program. With this equation, this study could find the quantitative difference among the teaching-learning programs through the unit and curriculum. Brain-based analysis methods for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of science teaching-learning program, which was developed in this study is expected, to be a useful application to analyze and diagnose various science teaching-learning programs.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.100-113
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• 2011

Objectives: Brain edema is brain swelling that occurs due to the accumulation of excess water in the brain parenchyma. AQP4 and AQP9 are water-channel proteins expressed strongly in the brain and control water fluxes into and out of the brain parenchyma. This study was conducted to evaluate effect of Hwangnyeonhaedok-tang on brain edema and intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods: Intracerebral hemorrhage was induced by intrastriatal injection of type IV collagenase(0.23 U/${\mu}l$, 0.1 ${\mu}l$/min) into Sprague-Dawley rat brains. Hwangnyeonhaedok-tang water extract(1,000 mg/kg) was administered orally three times every 20 hours from 4 hours after ICH operation. Then hematoma volume, brain edema percentage, and water content of brain tissue were measured. Immuno-histochemistry was performed for AQP4 and AQP9 expressions in the brain sections and area % of immuno-labeling was analyzed with image analyzing system. Results: 1. Water extract of Hwangnyeonhaedok-tang reduced hematoma volume of ICH induced rat. 2. Water extract of Hwangnyeonhaedok-tang reduced MPO positive neutrophils in the perihematoma of the ICH induced rat. 3. Water extract of Hwangnyeonhaedok-tang reduced brain edema percentage and water content of brain tissue of ICH induced rat. 4. Water extract of Hwangnyeonhaedok-tang reduced AQP4 immuno-positive cells in the perihematoma of the ICH induced rat. 5. Water extract of Hwangnyeonhaedok-tang reduced AQP9 immuno-positive cells in the perihematoma of the ICH induced rat. Conclusions: These results suggest that Hwangnyeonhaedok-tang decreases intracerebral hemorrhage and brain edema by means of downregulating AQP4 and AQP9 expressions in the brain.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.9
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• pp.645-653
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• 2016

Morphine is the most potent analgesic for chronic pain, but its clinical use has been limited by the opiate's innate tendency to produce tolerance, severe withdrawal symptoms and rewarding properties with a high risk of relapse. To understand the addictive properties of morphine, past studies have focused on relevant molecular and cellular changes in the brain, highlighting the functional roles of reward-related brain regions. Given the accumulated findings, a recent, emerging trend in morphine research is that of examining the dynamics of neuronal interactions in brain reward circuits under the influence of morphine action. In this review, we highlight recent findings on the roles of several reward circuits involved in morphine addiction based on pharmacological, molecular and physiological evidences.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.119-125
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• 2006

The rat is an accepted model for studying human psychiatric/neurological disorders. We provide a protocol for total soluble protein extraction using trichloroacetic acid/acetone (TCA/A) from rat (female) whole brain, 10 brain regions and the pituitary gland, and show that two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DGE) using precast immobilized pH (4-7) gradient (IPG) strip gels (13 cm) in the first dimension yields clean silver nitrate stained protein profiles. Though TCA/A precipitation may not be "ideal", the important choice here is the selection of an appropriate lysis buffer (LB) for solubilizing precipitated proteins. Our results reveal enrichment of protein spots by use of individual brain regions rather than whole brain, as well as the presence of differentially expressed spots in their proteomes. Thus individual brain regions provide improved protein coverage and are better suited for differential protein detection. Moreover, using a phosphoprotein-specific dye, ingel detection of phosphoproteins was demonstrated. Representative high-resolution silver nitrate stained proteome profiles of rat whole brain total soluble protein are presented. Shortcomings apart (failure to separate membrane proteins), gel-based proteomics remains a viable option, and 2-DGE is the method of choice for generating high-resolution proteome maps of rat brain and brain regions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.52.1-52.1
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• 2008

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.60-74
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a brain-based science teaching and learning model on the science related attitudes, scientific inquiry skills and science knowledge of the 2nd graders in Intelligent Life course. For this study, 117 elementary students from four classes of the 2nd grade in Seoul were selected. In the comparison group, traditional instruction was implemented and in the experimental group, instruction according to brain-based science teaching and learning model was implemented for four weeks. The results of this study were as follows : There were little differences between the comparison and experimental groups in terms of the science related attitudes except for the sub-domains of interest and curiosity. And brain-based science teaching and learning model programs improved a few scientific inquiry skills, especially observation and classification. In addition, the experimental groups showed a positive effect on science knowledge. In conclusion, brain-based science teaching and learning model programs were more effective in improvement of the science related attitudes, scientific inquiry skills and science knowledge of elementary students.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1590-1598
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• 2008

Cell proliferation and differentiation are critical processes in a developing fetal rat brain, during which programmed cell death (PCD) also plays an important role. One of the decisive factors for PCD is Bcl-2 family proteins, where Bax induces cell death, whereas Bcl-2 acts as an inhibitor of PCD. As maternal drinking is known to cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or malformation of the fetal brain during pregnancy, the objective of the present study was to investigate whether maternal ethanol exposure alters the PCD-related Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression during fetal brain development. Pregnant female rats were orally treated with 10% ethanol and the subsequent expressions of the Bax and Bcl-2 proteins examined in the fetal brain, including the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain, from gestational day (GD) 15.5 to GD 19.5, using Western blots, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. With regard to the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax proteins (Bcl-2/Bax), the Bax protein was dominant in the forebrain and midbrain of the control GD 15.5 fetuses, except for the hindbrain, when compared with the respective ethanol-treated groups. Moreover, Bcl-2 became dominant in the midbrain of the control GD 17.5 fetuses when compared with the ethanol-treated group, representing an alternation of the natural PCD process by ethanol. Furthermore, a differential expression of the Bcl-2 and Bax proteins was found in the differentiating and migrating zones of the cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and cerebellum. Thus, when taken together, the present results suggest that ethanol affects PCD in the cell differentiation and migration zones of the prenatal rat brain by modulating Bax and Bcl-2 expression in an age- and area-dependent manner. Therefore, this is the first evidence that ethanol may alter FAS-associated embryonic brain development through the alteration of Bax and Bc1-2 expression.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.739-746
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• 2019

Significant knowledge about the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been gained in the last century; however, the understanding of its causes of onset remains limited. Late-onset AD is observed in about 95% of patients, and APOE4-encoding apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) is strongly associated with these cases. As an apolipoprotein, the function of ApoE in brain cholesterol transport has been extensively studied and widely appreciated. Development of new technologies such as human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing tools have enabled us to develop human brain model systems in vitro and readily manipulate genomic information. In the context of these advances, recent studies provide strong evidence that abnormal cholesterol metabolism by ApoE4 could be linked to AD-associated pathology. In this review, we discuss novel discoveries in brain cholesterol dysregulation by ApoE4. We further elaborate cell type-specific roles in cholesterol regulation of four major brain cell types, neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes, and how its dysregulation can be linked to AD pathology.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.8-12
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• 2006

Neuron-derived orphan receptor (NOR-1) is a member of the thyroid/steroid receptor superfamily that was originally identified in forebrain neuronal cells undergoing apoptosis. In addition to apoptotic stimuli, activation of several signal transduction pathways including direct neuronal depolarization regulates the expression of NOR-1. In this study we tested whether the expression of NOR-1 is changed following transient ischemic injury in the adult rat brain. NOR-1 mRNA increased rapidly in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation and piriform cortex 3 h after transient global ischemia and returned to basal level at 6 h. On the other hand, oxygen-glucose deprivation of cultured cerebral cortical neurons did not alter the expression of NOR-1. These results suggest that expression of NOR-1 is differentially regulated in different brain regions in response to globally applied brain ischemia, but that hypoxia is not sufficient to induce its expression.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.55.1-55.1
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• 2008