• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.483-497
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• 2017

Background : Behavioral stress has been suggested as one of the significant factors that is able to disrupt physiological systems and cause depression as well as changes in various body systems. The stressful events can alter cognition, learning, memory and emotional responses, resulting in mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. Results : We used a restraint stress model to evaluate the alteration of behavior and stress-related blood parameter. The animals were randomly divided into two groups of five animals each group. Furthermore, we assessed the change of body weight to evaluate the locomotor activity as well as status of emotional and anxiety in mice. After 7 days of restraint stress, the body weight had significantly decreased in the restraint stress group compared with the control group. We also observed stress-associated behavioral alterations, as there was a significant decrease in open field and forced swim test, whereas the immobilization time was significantly increased in the stress group compared to the control group. We observed the morphological changes of neuronal death and microglia by immunohistochemistry and western blot. In our study restraint stress did not cause change in neuronal cell density in the frontal cortex and CA1 hippocampus region, but there was a trend for an increased COX-2 and iNOS protein expression and microglia (CD11b) in brain, which is restraint stress. Conclusion : Our study, there were significant alterations observed in the behavioral studies. We found that mice undergoing restraint stress changed behavior, confirming the increased expression of inflammatory factors in the brain.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.77-84
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• 2006

The objective of this research is to evaluate various reclamation methods of sewage sludge cake after treating with microwave under optimum conditions. In this study the sewage sludge cakes used from S and N wastewater treatment plants in the P city. Microwave with an induced electricity heating way was employed for dehydration of sewage sludge cake. Microwave operation conditions is 2,450 MHz of frequency and the power with 1 to 4 kW. This sewage sludge cake had a moisture content of 70%. The moisture content of the sludge decreased notable up to 2%(wt) resulted in breaking of cell wall. When the treated sewage sludge cake mixed with soils could be applied to use midterm and last cover material soils. Moreover, the adsorption ability of heavy metals such as copper, lead, chromium and cadmium was greatly enhanced by treated sewage sludge cake. Within 30 minutes, 1ppm of copper, chromium and cadmium and 10ppm of lead with 1g of the treated sewage sludge cake in $100m{\ell}$ were below detection. It was possible to use the treated sewage sludge cake as an absorbent for absorption of toxic heavy metals. Results from this research indicated that using of microwave radiation was an effective method for treating sewage sludge cake economically and environmental. A point of view of reclamation, the treated sewage sludge cake appeared to be feasible with an adsorption of heavy metals in steady of using expensive yellow earth.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.91-122
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• 2006

Objective : This research investigates the effect of the Jangwon-Dan,(JWD) on Alzheimer's disease. Method : The effects of the JWN extract on (1) $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA of PC-12 cells treated with LPS; (2) amyloid precursor proteins(APP), acetylcholinesterase(AChE), and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) mRNA, the AChE activity and the APP production of PC-12 cell treated with CT-105; (3) the behavior; (4) expression of $IL-1{\beta}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, MDA, $IL-1{\beta}$ mRNA, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA, (5) the infarction area of the hippocampus, and brain tissue injury in Alzheimer's diseased mice induced with ${\beta}A$ were investigated. Result : 1. The JWN extract suppressed the expression of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA in THP-1 cells treated with LPS. 2. The JWN extract suppressed the expression of APP, AChE, and GFAP mRNA in PC-12 cells treated with CT-105. 3. The JWN extract suppressed the AChE activity, and the production of APP significantly in PC-12 cells treated with CT-105. 4. For the JWN extract group a significant inhibitory effect on the memory deficit was shown for the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$ in the Morris water maze experiment, which measured stop-through latency, and distance movement-through latency. 5. The JWN extract suppressed the over-expression of $IL-1{\beta}$ protein, $TNF-{\alpha}$ protein, MDA, $IL-1{\beta}$ mRNA, $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA, and CD68/GFAP, in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$. 6. The JWN extract reduced the infarction area of hippocampus, and controlled the injury of brain tissue in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$. Conclusion : These results suggest that the JWN extract may be effective for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Investigation into the clinical use of the JWN extract for Alzheimer's disease is suggested for future research.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.271-281
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• 1999

The nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used to determine the sequences of reverse transcriptase (RT) codons 41, 67, 70, 210, 215 and 219 of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) pol gene. Template DNA was obtained from uncultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 27 Korean HIV-1 infected patients treated with ZDV and Korean red ginseng. The second PCRs were done for 2 separated regions (RT codons $13{\sim}98$ and $152{\sim}259$) with $5\;{\mu}l$ of the first PCR productNucleotide sequences were determined by direct sequencing. In the 27 patients, CD4+ cell count decreased from $230{\pm}117/{\mu}l$ to $152{\pm}162/{\mu}l$ for $46{\pm}26$ months (Mo), and actual duration of ZDV intake was $72{\pm}16$ Mo. In the 16 patients who had been treated with ZDV therapy ${\ge}25$ Mo, the incidences of 70R, 215F/Y, and 41L were 61%, 28% and 22%, respectively and those of 67N, 210W and 219Q were 17%. The incidences of 215F/Y were 6.7% for group ${\le}12$ Mo treatment, 22.7% for group with 13 to 24 Mo, and 27.8% for group ${\ge}25$ Mo. There was no mutation in 9 patients. It might be associated with the interruption of ZDV therapy for more than 6 months in 6 patients. This study shows that the detection of mutation could be useful prognostic marker with other clinical and virological data, and very low mutation rate is dectected compared to overseas reports.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.347-351
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• 2003

II-Ⅵ ZnO compound semiconductor thin films were grown on $\alpha$-Al$_2$O$_3$(0001) single crystal substrate by radical beam assisted molecular beam epitaxy and the optical properties were investigated. Zn(6N) was evaporated using Knudsen cell and O radical was assisted at the partial pressure of 1$\times$10$^{4}$ Torr and radical beam source of 250-450 W RF power. In $\theta$-2$\theta$ x-ray diffraction analysis, ZnO thin film with 500 nm thickness showed only ZnO(0002)and ZnO(0004) peaks is believed to be well grown along c-axis orientation. Photoluminescence (PL) measurement using He-Cd ($\lambda$=325 nm) laser is obtained in the temperature range of 9 K-300 K. At 9 K and 300 K, only near band edge (NBE) is observed and the FWHM's of PL peak of the ZnO deposited at 450 RF power are 45 meV and 145 meV respectively. From no observation of any weak deep level peak even at room temperature PL, the ZnO grains are regarded to contain very low defect density and impurity to cause the deep-level defects. The peak position of free exciton showed slightly red-shift as temperature was increased, and from this result the binding energy of free exciton can be experimentally determined as much as $58\pm$0.5 meV, which is very closed to that of ZnO bulk. By van der Pauw 4-point probe measurement, the grown ZnO is proved to be n-type with the electron concentration($n_{e}$ ) $1.69$\times$10^{18}$$cm^3$, mobility($\mu$) $-12.3\textrm{cm}^2$/Vㆍs, and resistivity($\rho$) 0.30 $\Omega$$\cdot$cm.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.147-166
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• 2008

Objectives : Crohn's disease (CD) is characterized by a chronic relapsing inflammation of the bowel in which proinflammatory cytokines play an important perpetuating role. Methods : Mice (preventive animal model of gliotoxin) were treated with 5 % 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) at day 1 and day 7. To investigate preventive effects of acupuncture with Gujin at $LI_{11}$, acupuncture was carried out at day -1, day 1, day 3. And, to investigate therapeutic effects, acupuncture with Gujin was carried out at day 3, day 5, day 7. For the data analysis, we checked weight and width of colon, diarrhea, edema, survival rate, changes of body weight, and myeloperoxygenase (MPO) activity. For analysing protein expression, we carried out immunohistochemical staining and Western blot and we analyzed mRNA expression by RT-PCR. Results : Colon of TNBS treated mice was erosive and shortening compared with the colon of control mice and induced damages of colon epithelial cell layer and induced infiltration of immune cells in all layer of colon. Acupuncture of gujin at $LI_{11}$ in preventive mode suppressed macorscopic damages such as erosive and shortening of colon by TNBS and damages of intestinal epithelial cells and infiltration of immune cells in the colon. The average weight of 5 cm distal colon was increased in TNBS treated mice (758${\mu}g$) compared with in control mice (112${\mu}g$) and width of distal colon was also increased in TNBS treated mice (4.9mm) compared with in control mice (1.3mm). Acupuncture with Gujin at $LI_{11}$ in preventive and therapeutic mode suppressed increase of colon weight and width by TNBS. TNBS induced edema of colon and diarrhea and Acupunctured with Gujin at $LI_{11}$ in preventive and therapeutic mode ameliorated these symptom by TNBS. In preventive and therapeutic mode, the effects of acupuncture with Gujin at $LI_{11}$ were increasing the motility, suppressing body weight decreasing, suppressing MPO activity, reducing expressing of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-1b, and ICAM-1 in colon compared with that by TNBS Conclusions : This study demonstrates that acupuncture with Gujin at $LI_{11}$ represents a potential therapeutic method of Crohn's disease.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.269-281
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• 2017

Background: Small particles increase airway inflammation upon reaching the alveoli. Here, we investigated the protective or therapeutic effects of Salvia plebeia R. Br. (SP_R) extracts on airway inflammation. Methods and Results: To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of SP_R extracts, we measured their inhibitory effect on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) expression of inflammatory mediators, and immune cell infiltration in MH-S alveolar macrophage cells and in the ambient particulate matter (APM)-exposed airway inflammation mice model. The SP_R extracts inhibited the production of ROS and expression of IL-4, IL-10, IL-15, and IL-17A mRNA in APM-stimulated MH-S cells. Oral administration of SP_R extracts suppressed APM-induced inflammatory symptoms, such as high alveolar wall thickness, excess collagen fibers, decreased mRNA expression of chemokines (Ccr9, Ccl5, Ccr3), inflammatory cytokines (IL-15, TNF-${\alpha}$), and IL-4 Th2 cytokine in the lung. The SP_R extracts also inhibited ROS production, granulocyte ($CD11b^+Gr-1^+$) infiltration, IL-17A, TNF-${\alpha}$, macrophage inflammatory protein (Mip-2), and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (Cxcl-1) production in the airway. The specific compounds in the SR-R extracts that mediate the anti-inflammatory effects were identified. Conclusions: In this study, SP_R extracts effectively inhibited airway inflammatory responses, such as ROS production and granulocyte infiltration into the airway, by regulating the expression of chemokines and inflammatory cytokines.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.97-117
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• 2005

This research investigates the effect of the Chaenomelis fructus(CMF) on Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, the effects of the CMF extract on (1) >$IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA of PC-12 cells treated with LPS; (2) amyloid precursor proteins(APP), acetylcholinesterase(AChE), and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) mRNA of PC-12 cells treated with CT-105; (3) the AChE activity and the APP production of PC-12 cell treated with CT-105; (4) the behavior of AD mice with ${\beta}A$; (5) expression of $IL-1{\beta}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, MDA, $IL-1{\beta}$ mRNA, $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA, and ROS; (6) the infarction area of the hippocampus, and brain tissue injury in Alzheimer's diseased mice induced with ${\beta}A$ were investigated. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The CMF extract suppressed the expression of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA in THP-1 cells treated with LPS. 2. The CMF extract suppressed the expression of APP, AChE, and GFAP mRNA in PC-12 cells treated with CT-105. 3. The CMF extract suppressed the AChE activity, and the production of APP significantly in PC-12 cells treated with CT-105. 4. A significant inhibitory effect on the memory deficit was shown on the CMF extract group of the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$ in the Morris water maze experiment, which measured stop-through latency, and distance movement-through latency. 5. The CMF extract suppressed the over-expression of $IL-1{\beta}$ protein, $TNF-{\alpha}$ protein, MDA, $IL-1{\beta}$ protein, mRNA, $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA, CD68/GFAP, and ROS in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$. 6. The CMF extract reduced the infarction area of hippocampus, and controlled the injury of brain tissue in the mice with Alzheimer’s disease induced by ${\beta}A$. These results suggest that the CMF extract may be effective for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Investigation into the clinical use of the CMF extract for Alzheimer's disease is suggested for future research.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.379-391
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• 2018

Through the development of organic synthetic skill, chemicals that mimic signaling mediators such as steroid hormones have been exposed to the environment. Recently, it has become apparent that this circumstance should be further studied in the field of physiology. Estrogenic action of chronic low-dose nonylphenol (NP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in mouse uterus was assessed in this study. Ten to twelve-week-old female mice (CD-1) were fed drinking water containing NP (50 or $500{\mu}g/L$) or DEHP (133 or $1,330{\mu}g/L$) for 10 weeks. Uterine diameter, the thickness of myometrium and endometrium, and the height of luminal epithelial cells were measured and the number of glands were counted. The expression levels of the known $17{\beta}$-estradiol ($E_2$)-regulated genes were evaluated with real-time RT-PCR methodology. The ration of uterine weight to body weight increased in $133{\mu}g/L$ DEHP. Endometrial and myometrial thickness increased in 133 and $1,330{\mu}g/L$ DEHP treated groups, and in 50, $500{\mu}g/L$ NP and $133{\mu}g/L$ DEHP, respectively. The height of luminal epithelial cell decreased in NP groups. The numbers of luminal epithelial gland were decreased in NP groups but increased in $50{\mu}g/L$ DEHP group. The histological characters of glands were not different between groups. The mRNA expression profiles of the known $17{\beta}$-estradiol ($E_2$) downstream genes, Esr1, Esr2, Pgr, Lox, and Muc1, were also different between NP and DEHP groups. The expression levels dramatically increased in some genes by the NP or DEHP. Based on these results, it is suggested that the chronic low-dose NP or DEHP works as estrogen-like messengers in uterus with their own specific gene expression-regulation patterns.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.7-16
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• 2013

Objectives : Brassica campestris var narinosa (BCN), Canavalia gladiata DC semen (CGD) and their combinational prescription (BCN+CGD) have been use to demonstrate to regulate hematopoiesis. In the current study, we investigated whether Brassica campestris var narinosa, Canavalia gladiata DC semen and their combinational prescription is related to hemato-potentiating function using Sca-$1^+$ hematopoietic stem cells (Sca-$1^+HSCs$) as a testing system. Methods : Sca-$1^+HSCs$ isolated from femur in C57bl/6 mice with leukopenia and thrombocytopenia induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX). Then, Real-time PCR was performed to measure the mRNA expression, ELISA and haematopoiesis-related gene (EPO, TPO, IL-3, SCF, c-kit, GM-CSF), the phosphorylation of JAK2, GATA-1 and STAT-5a/b were observed by western blot, and the numbers of $CD117^+/Sca-1^+$ cell and the number of granulocyte erythrocyte monocyte macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GEMM) and erythroid burst forming units (BFU-E), semisolid clonogenic assay was performed. Result : When Sca-$1^+HSCs$ were treated with Brassica campestris var narinosa, Canavalia gladiata DC semen and their combinational prescription with rIL-3/rSCF, the expression of haematopoiesis-related (EPO, TPO, IL-3, SCF, c-kit, and GM-CSF) were significantly increased at the levels of mRNA as well as production in Sca-$1^+HSCs$. Additionally, CGS enhanced phosphorylation of JAK2, GATA-1, and signal transducer and activator of transcription-5a/b (STAT-5a/b) in Sca-$1^+HSCs$. Furthermore, their combinational prescription (BCN+CGD) significantly enhanced the growth rate of granulocyte erythrocyte monocyte macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GEMM) and erythroid burst forming units (BFU-E) in vitro. Conclusion : These result suggest that Brassica campestris var narinosa (BCN) and Canavalia gladiata DC have hematopoietic enhancement via hematopoietic cytokine-mediated JAK2/GATA-1/STAT-5a/b pathway, and their combinational prescription (BCN+CGD) has superior hematopoietic enhancement to those of individual extracts.