• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.651-662
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• 2006

Phthalate esters that are used as plasticizers and also found at low levels in foods such as dairy products are often mentioned as suspected endocrine disrupters. The purpose of the present study is to elucidate whether perinatal exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate(DBP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and di-2-ethylhexyl adipate (DEHA) affects several aspects of reproductive function in rats especially sexual differentiation of the brain. To this end, the dams were provided with pulverized soy-free diet containing 20, 200, 2,000 and 10,000 ppm of DBP, 40, 400, 4,000 and 20,000 ppm of DINP, or 480, 2,400 and 12,000 ppm of DEHA from gestational day (GD) 15 to postnatal day (PDN) 21, the day of weaning, and serum sex steroid hormone, gonadotropin levels and sexual behaviors after maturation were assessed. At Postnatal week (PNW) 20-21, serum levels of sex steroids and gonadotropins in both male and female rats, as well as estrous cyclicity in females, were not changed by perinatal exposure to DBP, DINP and DEHA, indicating that these chemicals did not affect sexual differentiation of the brain controlling the endocrine system of hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. On the other hand, inhibitory influences on sexual behaviors, especially on ejaculation in males and lordosis in females, were observed by perinatal exposure to these chemicals. These results suggest that these chemicals may act directly on discrete regions of the hypothalamus regulating sexual behaviors, but not regulating gonadotropin secretion, thereby affect sexual differentiation of the brain with a resultant decrease in sex-specific behaviors in adulthood.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.181-191
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• 2008

Objective: Environmental chemicals alter reproduction, growth, and survival by changing the normal function of the endocrine system. Bisphenol A (BPA), one of the endocrine disruptors, is known to be an estrogen receptor agonist. Therefore, we hypothesized that BPA may affect male reproduction including spermatogenesis in the mouse testis. Methods: We used 7-week-old ICR mice. The first experiment group received BPA in sesame oil (vehicle, 1 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg) by i.p. injection and mice were sacrificed 24 hr later. The second experiment group received BPA (vehicle, 10 ${\mu}g/kg$, 1 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg) daily for 14 days by subcutaneous injection. Expression of cell type-specific marker genes in the testis was evaluated by RT-PCR. Histological analysis, immunofluorescence staining, and TUNEL staining were also performed. Results: RT-PCR analyses showed that expression of luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), a marker gene for the Leydig cell, was notably decreased in the testes of high dose-exposed mice. No obvious difference in the histology of testes was noted among treatment groups. Immunostaining of LHR in the first experiment group did not show noticeable difference in LHR protein expression in Leydig cells. Immunohistochemistry also revealed heightened expression of the immunoreactive Bax in the treatment group, and this was accompanied by positive TUNEL staining in the interstitial area within testis where Leydig cells reside. Conclusions: Our result suggests that BPA affects Leydig cell functions by altering gene expression and by increasing apoptosis in the mouse testis.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2008

Milk from dairy cows has long provided a high quality source of protein and selected micronutrients as calcuim to most populations. Recently, a relationship between disease risk and consumption of specific bovine ${\beta}$-casein fraction either A1 or A2 genetic variants has identified. Populations, which consume milk contain high containing high levels of ${\beta}$-casein A2 variants, have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, consumption of milk with the A2 variants may be associated with less severe symptoms of autism and schizophrenia. The mechanism of action focuses on ${\beta}$-casein A1 and related forms preferentially that are able to produce a bioactive opioid peptide, ${\beta}$-casomorphin-7(${\beta}$-CM-7) during digestion. Infants may absorb ${\beta}$-CM-7 due to an immature gastrointestinal tract. Adult, on the other hand, appear to reap the biological activity locally on the intestinal brush boarder. ${\beta}$-CM-7 can potentially affect numerous opioid receptors in the nervous, endocrine, and immune system. Whether there is a definite health benefit to milk containing the A2 genetic variant is unknown and requires further investigation.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2000

Phthalate esters are used extensively as a plasticizer in the manufacture of plastic products such as PVC bags and medical devices. Recently, phthalate esters have been shown to induce endocrine system mediated responses. However. only a Jew studies have been conducted for estrogenic activity of phthalate esters. In this study estrogenic activities of seven phthalate esters. butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butylphthalate (DBP), diethylphthalate (DEP), di-n-pentylphthalate (DPP), di-n-propylphthalate (DPrP) and dicyclohexylphthalate (DCHP), were examined in vitro using E-screen assay and competitive binding assay. From the E-screen assay, BBP. DEHP. DBP and DEP showed weak estrogenic activity at the concentration of 5 $\mu\textrm{M}$. The relative proliferative effect (RPE) and the relative proliferative potency (RPP) were 50~70% and 0.01%. respectively, when compared with 500 pM of 17$\beta$-estradiol (E2). In competitive binding assay with the rat uterine estrogen receptor (ER), BBP and DEP showed weak binding potency ［(l/$10^4$~1/$10^5$ of E2］ while DEHP and DBP scarcely bound to ER. These results suggest that some phthalate esters have weak estrogenic activities in vitro.

• Journal of The Association for Neo Medicine
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.15-30
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• 1996

In the study about the logical basis and interpreting methods of animal experiments using rats in traditional medicine, several conclusions are obtained and summarized as following. 1. The logical basis of the animal experiments in traditional medicine is the essential homogeneity between human and rat defined as various transformation of one Qi(一氣) packed the cosmos. 2. Morphologically, the rat has abundant Yin(陰) and less Yang(陽) in most of anatomical characteristics. 3. Physiologically, the rat has unstable heart and mild temper with good fertility, which shows the features of Yin animal. 4. Pathologically, the rat shows the pathology of injury of viscera by stresses(氣激傷臟) and pathological transformations of internal water(痰飮水濕) mainly. 5. Constitutionally, the rat is alike to water type man(水形人) or Soeumin(小陰人) out of Yin Ren(陰人). 6. So, the rat is the proper experimental animal for diseases of sputum and water, emotional stimulations, endocrine system, heart, kidney, Yin syndrome(陰證) etc..

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.87-91
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• 2000

Neurofibromatosis type I or Von Recklinghausen's disease can occur at any site in the body. It is characterized by multiple $c\'{a}fe\;\'{a}u\;l\'{a}it$ spots on the skin-more than six spots greater than 1.5cm-, neurofibromas of the peripheral and centarl nervous system, and variety of other dysplastic abnormalities of the skin, bones, endocrine organs, nervous systems, and blood vessels. It is an autosomal dominant trait disease with a frequency of 1 of 3000. Neurofibromatosis is known to be complicated by malignancies. Neurofibromatosis is progressive disease and shows a marked variations in expression in affected individuals. In this report we describe a male patient with neurofibromatosis type I developed in the parapharyngeal space. The patient had huge mass at left parapharyngeal space and inguinal area. We successfully treated the patient with surgery without complication.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.289-298
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• 2013

The purposes of this article are understanding the meaning of yin deficiency interpreted with a perspective of Traditional Korean Medicine and a modern perspective a study and assigning modern diseases to yin deficiency pattern types. Clinical papers were searched in China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI) from 1995 to 2013. Results are as follows. First, yin deficiency written in the "Neijing" has been understood in many ways. It is translated such as deficiency of yin qi, inner qi, essence, cubit pulse, yin meridians qi, viscera yin and kidney. Second, yin deficiency pattern are related with disorders of the endocrine system, immunity, energy metabolism, blood circulation, cytokine, microelements, lipid metabolism and capability of getting rid of oxygen free radicals. Third, from pattern types, diverse diseases classified in types involving the heat from yin deficiency, which reflects pathologic conditions of deficiency heat which is distinct characteristics of yin deficiency pattern. Various diseases classified in types related with liver or kidney are reported, which reflects two viscera are more related with yin deficiency than other viscera. Fourth, levels of pattern types surveyed are more specific than Korean Standard Classification of Diseases(KCD) and specific enough to be applied clinically. This article surveyed the categories of modern diseases yin deficiency pattern types is assigned to but the detailed relation between them will be necessary to be studied in the future.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.162-162
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• 2002

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.175-185
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• 2008

Accumulating evidence has suggested the existence of reciprocal communication between immune, endocrine, and neurotransmitter system. Cytokine hypothesis of depression implies that increased pro-inflammatory cytokine such as -1, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IFN-${\gamma}$ in major depression, acting neuromodulators, play a key role in the mediation of behavioral, neuroendocrine, and neurochemical disturbances in depression. Concerning the relation between cytokines and serotonin metabolism, pro-inflammatory cytokines have profound effects on the metabolism of brain serotonin through the enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase(IDO) that metabolizes tryptophan, the precursor of 5-HT to neurodegenerative quinolinate and neuroprotective kynurenate. The neurodegeneration process is reinforced by the neurotoxic effect of the hypercortisolemia during depression. From this perspective, it is possible that efficacy of antidepressants in the treatment of depression may, at least in part, rely on downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine synthesis. So, the use of cytokine synthesis inhibitors or cytokine antagonists may be a new treatment approach in depression. However, at present the question whether cytokines play a causal role in the onset of depression or are mere epiphenomena sustaining depressive symptoms remains to be elucidated. Nevertheless, cytokine hypothesis has created new perspectives in the study of psychological and pathophysiological mechanism that are associated with major depression, as well as the prospect for developing a new generation antidepressants.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.319-321
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• 2001

Taihu Lake is a major water source for part of Yangtze Delta, which is one of the most urbanized and economically prosperous areas in China. In last couple of decades, some parts of the lake were highly polluted due to eutrophication. This study analyzed dioxin-like potential and mutagenic potential in surface water samples from Taihu Lake. The samples were prepared by XAD-2 resin procedure. A batch of biological assays, including dioxin-like potential microassay with the rat hepatocyte cell line H411E, and Ames test was employed in the research. Results showed that jour water samples have high content of dioxin-like biological potential, the highest activity TEQ to 2,3,7,8-TCDD was 48 pg/ι in sample 1. The mutagenic effect with reading-frame shifting mechanism was confirmed in 3 of 4 samples. The effective sewage treatment facilities and reliable monitoring surveillance system are urgently needed for this area.