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Protective Effects of Radiation-induced Blackberry Mutant Extract on Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced Liver Injury in Sprague-Dawley Rats (방사선 돌연변이 블랙베리 추출물의 사염화탄소(Carbon Tetrachloride, CCl4) 투여에 의한 흰쥐의 간 손상에 대한 보호 효과)

  • Cho, Byoung Ok;Lee, Chang-Wook;So, Yangkang;Jin, Chang-Hyun;Yook, Hong-Sun;Byun, Myung-Woo;Jeong, Yong-Wook;Park, Jong Chun;Jeong, Il-Yun
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.43 no.6
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    • pp.807-813
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    • 2014
  • The objective of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of anthocyanin-enriched extract from radiation-induced blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) mutant (${\gamma}$-B201) against carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced liver injury in Spargue-Dawley (SD) rats. The in vivo results show that ${\gamma}$-B201 attenuated the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and liver lipid peroxidation in $CCl_4$-treated SD rats. Histopathological examination of rat livers showed that ${\gamma}$-B201 reduced the incidence of liver lesions induced by $CCl_4$. Moreover, ${\gamma}$-B201 prevented DNA damage in $CCl_4$-treated SD rats. Furthermore, administration of ${\gamma}$-B201 significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR), in $CCl_4$-treated rat livers. In conclusion, the present study suggests that ${\gamma}$-B201 blackberry extract protects the liver from $CCl_4$-induced hepatic damage through an antioxidant mechanism. Therefore, ${\gamma}$-B201 blackberry may be functional food material for human health.

A Low-Dose High-Resolution SPECT System with CdTe for Small-Animal Imaging Applications: A GATE Simulation Study (GATE 시뮬레이션을 통한 고해상도 저선량용 소동물 영상화를 위한 CdTe 검출기 기반의 SPECT 기기 연구)

  • Park, Su-Jin;Yu, A Ram;Kim, Yeseul;Lee, Young-Jin;Kim, Hee-Joung
    • Progress in Medical Physics
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    • v.24 no.3
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    • pp.162-170
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    • 2013
  • Dedicated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) systems based on pixelated semiconductors are being developed for studying small animal models of human disease. To clarify the possibility of using a SPECT system with CdTe for a high resolution low-dose small animal imaging, we compared the quality of reconstructed images from pixelated CdTe detector to those from a small SPECT system with NaI(Tl). The CdTe detector was $44.8{\times}44.8$ mm and the pixels were $0.35{\times}0.35{\times}5$ mm. The intrinsic resolution of the detector was 0.35 mm, which is equal to the pixel size. GATE simulations were performed to assess the image quality of both SPECT systems. The spatial resolutions and sensitivities for both systems were evaluated using a 10 MBq $^{99m}Tc$ point source. The quantitative comparison with different injected dose was performed using a voxelized MOBY phantom, and the absorbed doses for each organ were evaluated. The spatial resolution of the SPECT with NaI(Tl) was about 1.54 mm FWHM, while that of the SPECT with a CdTe detector was about 1.32 mm FWHM at 30 mm. The sensitivity of NaI(Tl) based SPECT was 83 cps/MBq, while that of the CdTe detector based SPECT was 116 cps/MBq at 30 mm. The image statistics were evaluated by calculating the CNR of the image from both systems. When the injected activity for the striatum in the mouse brain was 160 Bq/voxel, the CNR of CdTe based SPECT was 2.30 while that of NaI(Tl) based SPECT was 1.85. The CNR of SPECT with CdTe was overall higher than that of the NaI(Tl) based SPECT. In addition, the absorbed dose was higher from SPECT with CdTe than those from NaI(Tl) based SPECT to acquire the same quantitative values. Our simulation results indicated that the SPECT with CdTe detector showed overall high performance compared to the SPECT with NaI(Tl). Even though the validation study is needed, the SPECT system with CdTe detector appeared to be feasible for high resolution low-dose small animal imaging.

Comparison of Retinal Ganglion Cell Responses to Different Voltage Stimulation Parameters in Normal and rd1 Mouse Retina (정상망막과 변성망막에서 전압자극 파라미터 변화에 따른 망막신경절세포의 반응 비교)

  • Ye, Jang-Hee;Ryu, Sang-Baek;Kim, Kyung-Hwan;Goo, Yong-Sook
    • Progress in Medical Physics
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.209-217
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    • 2010
  • Retinal prostheses are being developed to restore vision for the blind with retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Since retinal prostheses depend upon electrical stimulation to control neural activity, optimal stimulation parameters for successful encoding of visual information are one of the most important requirements to enable visual perception. Therefore, in this paper, we focused on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) responses to different voltage stimulation parameters and compared threshold charge densities in normal and rd1 mice. For this purpose, we used in vitro preparation for the retina of normal and rd1 mice on micro-electrode arrays. When the neural network of rd1 mouse retinas is stimulated with voltage-controlled pulses, RGCs in degenerated retina also respond to voltage amplitude or voltage duration modulation as well in wild-type RGCs. But the temporal pattern of RGCs response is very different; in wild-type RGCs, single peak within 100 ms appears while in RGCs in degenerated retina multiple peaks (~4 peaks) with ~10 Hz rhythm within 400 ms appear. The thresholds for electrical activation of RGCs are overall more elevated in rd1 mouse retinas compared to wild-type mouse retinas: The thresholds for activation of RGCs in rd1 mouse retinas were on average two times higher ($70.50{\sim}99.87\;{\mu}C/cm^2$ vs. $37.23{\sim}61.65\;{\mu}C/cm^2$) in the experiment of voltage amplitude modulation and five times higher ($120.5{\sim}170.6\;{\mu}C/cm^2$ vs. $22.69{\sim}37.57\;{\mu}C/cm^2$) in the experiment of voltage duration modulation than those in wild-type mouse retinas. This is compatible with the findings from human studies that the currents required for evoking visual percepts in RP patients is much higher than those needed in healthy individuals. These results will be used as a guideline for optimal stimulation parameters for upcoming Korean-type retinal prosthesis.

Clinical effects of combination anorganic bovine-derived hydroxyapatite matrix(ABM)/cell binding peptide (P-15) in periodontal intrabony defects (치주 골내낭에서 anorganic bovine-derived hydroxyapatite matrix(ABM)/cell binding peptide(P-15)의 임상적효과)

  • Won, Mi-Sook;Paik, Jeong-Won;Kim, Chang-Sung;Cho, Kyoo-Sung;Chai, Jung-Kiu;Kim, Chong-Kwan;Choi, Seong-Ho
    • Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.565-576
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    • 2002
  • The ultimate goal of periodontal therapy is the regeneration of periodontal tissue which has been lost due to destructive periodontal disease. To achieve periodontal regeneration, various kinds of methods have been investigated and developed, including guided tissue regeneration and bone graft. Bone graft can be catagorized into autografts, allografts, xenografts, bone substitutes. And materials of all types have different biological activity and the capacity for periodontal regeneration, but ideal graft material has not been developed that fits all the requirement of ideal bone graft material. Intensive research is underway to identity, purify, synthesize a variety biologic modulators that may enhance wound healing and regeneration of lost tissues in periodontal therapy. The present study evaluates the effects of ABM/P-15 on the periodontal regeneration in intrabony defects of human. We used thirty four 2-wall or 3-wall osseous defects in premolars and molars of chronic peridontitis patient that have more than 5mm pockets and more than 3mm in intrabony defect. 12 negative control group underwent flap procedure only, 11 positive control group received DFDBA graft with flap procedure, and 11 experimental group received ABM/P-15 graft with flap procedure. The changes of probing pocket depth, loss of attachment and bone probing depth following 6months after treatment revealed the following results: 1. The changes of probing pocket depth showed a statistically significant decrease between after scaling and 6months after treatment in negative control(2.0${\pm}$0.9mm), positive control(3.0${\pm}$0.9mm), and experimental group (3.4${\pm}$1.5mm) (P<0.01). Significantly more reduction was seen in experimental group compared to negative control group (P<0.05). 2. The changes of loss of attachment showed a statistically significant decrease between after scaling and 6months after treatment in positive control(2.0${\pm}$0.6mm), and experimental group (2.2${\pm}$l.0mm) except negative control group(0.1${\pm}$0.7mm) (P<0.01). Significantly more reduction was seen in both experimental and positive control group compared to negative control group(P<0.05). 3. The changes of bone probing depth showed a statistically significant decrease between after scaling and 6months after treatment in positive control(2.7${\pm}$l.0mm), and experimental group (3.4${\pm}$1.3mm) except negative control(0.l${\pm}$0.9mm) (9<0.01). Significantly more reduction was seen in both experimental and positive control group compared to negative control group (P<0.05). The results suggest that the use of ABM/P-15 in the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects can reduce loss of attachment and bone probing depth more than flap operation only. It suggests that ABM/P-15 may be an effective bone graft material for the regeneration of periodontal tissue in intrabony defects.

The effect of dexamethasone on the gene expression of the bone matrix protein in the periodontal ligament cells (치주인대세포의 골기질 단백질 유전자 발현에 대한 Dexamethasone의 영향)

  • Chung, Ha-Bong;Park, Jin-Woo;Suh, Jo-Young
    • Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.445-456
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    • 2002
  • The purpose of this study were to determine that dexamethasone(Dex) induces differentiation of periodontal ligament(PDL) cells to osteoblastic cells and to investigate expression of matrix Gla protein(MGP), which is one of bone matrix protein. The isolated human PDL cells and gingival fibroblasts were prepared and cultured. The fourth or sixth sub-passage cells were used in this experiments. control group, ascorbic acid and ${\beta}$-glycerophosphate treated group, ascorbic acid, ${\beta}$-glycerophosphate and l00nM Dex treated group, ascorbic acid, ${\beta}$-glycerophosphate, and 5 ${\mu}M$ Dex treated group were made for study. The results were as follows: Cellular morphological change of PDL cells according to time was investigated. At first, the cells exhibited confluent monolayer of spindle or polygonal appearance. The multilayer of cells were seen after 7 days of treatment. After 14 days, the cells lost polarity and were densely packed. The mineralized nodule formation was seen at 21 days in the only Dex treated PDL cell groups. In the gingival fibroblast groups and no Dex treated PDL cell groups, the mineralized nodule was not seen. The mineralized nodule formation of 5 ${\mu}M$ Dex treated group was higher than 100 nM Dex treated group. Alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activity was higher in the Dex treated PDL cell groups of 14 and 21 days than 0 and 7 days. MGP was expressed in the control and all experimental groups and the expression was constant at 0,7,14,21 day. The above results confirm that Dex is affected to differentiation of the PDL cells to osteoblastic or cementoblastic cells and has dose-dependent effect for mineralization. And, MGP is expressed in the PDL cells and is not affected to mineralization of PDL cells.

A Study about the Direction and Responsibility of the National Intelligence Agency to the Cyber Security Issues (사이버 안보에 대한 국가정보기구의 책무와 방향성에 대한 고찰)

  • Han, Hee-Won
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.39
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    • pp.319-353
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    • 2014
  • Cyber-based technologies are now ubiquitous around the glob and are emerging as an "instrument of power" in societies, and are becoming more available to a country's opponents, who may use it to attack, degrade, and disrupt communications and the flow of information. The globe-spanning range of cyberspace and no national borders will challenge legal systems and complicate a nation's ability to deter threats and respond to contingencies. Through cyberspace, competitive powers will target industry, academia, government, as well as the military in the air, land, maritime, and space domains of our nations. Enemies in cyberspace will include both states and non-states and will range from the unsophisticated amateur to highly trained professional hackers. In much the same way that airpower transformed the battlefield of World War II, cyberspace has fractured the physical barriers that shield a nation from attacks on its commerce and communication. Cyberthreats to the infrastructure and other assets are a growing concern to policymakers. In 2013 Cyberwarfare was, for the first time, considered a larger threat than Al Qaeda or terrorism, by many U.S. intelligence officials. The new United States military strategy makes explicit that a cyberattack is casus belli just as a traditional act of war. The Economist describes cyberspace as "the fifth domain of warfare and writes that China, Russia, Israel and North Korea. Iran are boasting of having the world's second-largest cyber-army. Entities posing a significant threat to the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure assets include cyberterrorists, cyberspies, cyberthieves, cyberwarriors, and cyberhacktivists. These malefactors may access cyber-based technologies in order to deny service, steal or manipulate data, or use a device to launch an attack against itself or another piece of equipment. However because the Internet offers near-total anonymity, it is difficult to discern the identity, the motives, and the location of an intruder. The scope and enormity of the threats are not just focused to private industry but also to the country's heavily networked critical infrastructure. There are many ongoing efforts in government and industry that focus on making computers, the Internet, and related technologies more secure. As the national intelligence institution's effort, cyber counter-intelligence is measures to identify, penetrate, or neutralize foreign operations that use cyber means as the primary tradecraft methodology, as well as foreign intelligence service collection efforts that use traditional methods to gauge cyber capabilities and intentions. However one of the hardest issues in cyber counterintelligence is the problem of "Attribution". Unlike conventional warfare, figuring out who is behind an attack can be very difficult, even though the Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has claimed that the United States has the capability to trace attacks back to their sources and hold the attackers "accountable". Considering all these cyber security problems, this paper examines closely cyber security issues through the lessons from that of U.S experience. For that purpose I review the arising cyber security issues considering changing global security environments in the 21st century and their implications to the reshaping the government system. For that purpose this study mainly deals with and emphasis the cyber security issues as one of the growing national security threats. This article also reviews what our intelligence and security Agencies should do among the transforming cyber space. At any rate, despite of all hot debates about the various legality and human rights issues derived from the cyber space and intelligence service activity, the national security should be secured. Therefore, this paper suggests that one of the most important and immediate step is to understanding the legal ideology of national security and national intelligence.

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Functional Brain Mapping Using $H_2^{15}O$ Positron Emission Tomography ( I ): Statistical Parametric Mapping Method ($H_2^{15}O$ 양전자단층촬영술을 이용한 뇌기능 지도 작성(I): 통계적 파라메터 지도작성법)

  • Lee, Dong-Soo;Lee, Jae-Sung;Kim, Kyeong-Min;Chung, June-Key;Lee, Myung-Chul
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.225-237
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    • 1998
  • Purpose: We investigated the statistical methods to compose the functional brain map of human working memory and the principal factors that have an effect on the methods for localization. Materials and Methods: Repeated PET scans with successive four tasks, which consist of one control and three different activation tasks, were performed on six right-handed normal volunteers for 2 minutes after bolus injections of 925 MBq $H_2^{15}O$ at the intervals of 30 minutes. Image data were analyzed using SPM96 (Statistical Parametric Mapping) implemented with Matlab (Mathworks Inc., U.S.A.). Images from the same subject were spatially registered and were normalized using linear and nonlinear transformation methods. Significant difference between control and each activation state was estimated at every voxel based on the general linear model. Differences of global counts were removed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with global activity as covariate. Using the mean and variance for each condition which was adjusted using ANCOVA, t-statistics was performed on every voxel To interpret the results more easily, t-values were transformed to the standard Gaussian distribution (Z-score). Results: All the subjects carried out the activation and control tests successfully. Average rate of correct answers was 95%. The numbers of activated blobs were 4 for verbal memory I, 9 for verbal memory II, 9 for visual memory, and 6 for conjunctive activation of these three tasks. The verbal working memory activates predominantly left-sided structures, and the visual memory activates the right hemisphere. Conclusion: We conclude that rCBF PET imaging and statistical parametric mapping method were useful in the localization of the brain regions for verbal and visual working memory.

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Inhibitory Effects of Asparagus cochinchinensis in LPS-Stimulated BV-2 Microglial Cells through Regulation of Neuroinflammatory Mediators, the MAP Kinase Pathway, and the Cell Cycle (Lipopolysaccharide로 자극된 BV-2 미세교세포에서 신경염증 매개체, MAP kinase경로, 세포주기의 조절에 의한 천문동(Asparagus cochinchinensis)의 저해효과)

  • Lee, Hyun Ah;Kim, Ji Eun;Choi, Jun Young;Sung, Ji Eun;Youn, Woo Bin;Son, Hong Joo;Lee, Hee Seob;Kang, Hyun-Gu;Hwang, Dae Youn
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.331-342
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    • 2020
  • The suppression of neuroinflammatory responses in microglial cells can be considered a key target for improving the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD). Asparagus cochinchinensis has traditionally been used as a medicine to treat fever, cough, kidney disease, breast cancer, inflammatory diseases, and brain diseases. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective mechanism of an aqueous extract from A. cochinchinensis root (AEAC), particularly its anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV-2 microglial cells. BV-2 cells were treated with four different concentrations of AEAC. No significant toxicity was detected in BV-2 cells treated with AEAC. Nitric oxide (NO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA levels were 21% lower in the AEAC+LPS group than in the Vehicle+LPS group. Lower proinflammatory (TNF-α and IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6 and IL-10) levels were also detected in the AEAC+LPS group than in the Vehicle+LPS group, albeit at varying rates. Moreover, the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) members after LPS treatment was significantly recovered in the AEAC-pretreated group compared to the Vehicle+LPS group, enhancement of the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) members after LPS treatment was significantly recovered in the AEAC-pretreated group, while cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase caused by LPS treatment was less severe in the AEAC+LPS group. The increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation induced by LPS treatment was also lower in the AEAC-pretreated group than in the Vehicle+LPS group. This is the first study to show that AEAC exerts anti-neuroinflammatory activity against LPS stimulation by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway, the cell cycle, and ROS production.

Up-regulation of CD11c Expression on Human Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Cells by Flt-3 Ligand (인간 골수성 백혈병 세포에서 Flt-3 수용체 리간드에 의한 CD11c 발현의 증가)

  • Xu, Qi;Kwak, Jong-Young
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.19 no.12
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    • pp.1690-1697
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    • 2009
  • CD11c and costimulatory molecules such as CD80 and CD86 express mainly in dendritic cells (DCs). In this study, we investigated the biologic effects of recombinant Fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 (Flt-3) ligand on the expression of DC surface markers, including CD11c in leukemia cell lines, such as KG-1, HL-60, NB4, and THP-1 cells. The expression of the Flt-3 receptor was found in NB4 and HL-60 cells, as well as KG-1 cells, but not in THP-1 cells. When KG-1 cells were cultured in a medium containing Flt-3 ligand or granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) plus tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$, cell proliferation was inhibited and the expression levels of CD11c, major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-I, and MHC-II were increased in the cells. Flt-3 ligand also increased the expression level of CD11c on HL-60 and NB4 cells, but not on THP-1 cells. In comparison with CD11c expression, the expression level of CD11b on KG-1 cells, but not on NB4 and HL-60 cells, was slightly increased by Flt-3 ligand. Flt-3 ligand induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK-1/2) and p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38-MAPK) in KG-1 cells, and the up-regulation of CD11c expression by Flt-3 ligand in the cells was abrogated by PD98059, an inhibitor of MEK. The results suggest that Flt-3 ligand up-regulates DC surface markers on $CD34^+$ myelomonocytic KG-1 cells, as well as promyelocytic leukemia cells, and that the differentiation of the leukemia cells into DC-like cells by Flt-3 ligand is mediated by ERK-1/2 activity.

Cloning and Characterization of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase γ cDNA from Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) (넙치에서 분리된 phosphoinositide 3-kinase γ 유전자의 클로닝 및 특성 연구)

  • Jeong, Tae Hyug;Youn, Joo Yeon;Ji, Keunho;Seo, Yong Bae;Kim, Young Tae
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.343-351
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    • 2014
  • Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) plays a central role in cell signaling and leads to cell proliferation, survival, motility, exocytosis, and cytoskeletal rearrangements, as well as specialized cell responses, superoxide production, and cardiac myocyte growth. PI3K is divided into three classes; type I PI3K is preferentially expressed in leukocytes and activated by ${\beta}{\gamma}$ subunits of heterotrimeric G-proteins. In this study, the cDNAs encoding the $PI3K{\gamma}$ gene were isolated from a brain cDNA library constructed using the flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). The sequence of the isolated $PI3K{\gamma}$ was 1341 bp, encoding 447 amino acids. The nucleotide sequence of the $PI3K{\gamma}$ gene was analyzed with that of other species, including Oreochromis niloticus and Danio rerio, and it turned out to be well conserved during evolution. The $PI3K{\gamma}$ gene was subcloned into the expression vector pET-44a(+), and expressed in the E. coli BL21 (DE3) codon plus cell. The resulting protein was expressed as a fusion protein of approximately 49 kDa containing a C-terminal six-histidine extension that was derived from the expression vector. The expressed protein was purified to homogeneity by His-tag affinity chromatography and showed enzymatic activity corresponding to $PI3K{\gamma}$. The binding of wortmannin to $PI3K{\gamma}$, as detected by anti-wortmannin antisera, closely followed the inhibition of the kinase activities. The results obtained from this study will provide a wider base of knowledge on the primary structure and characterization of the $PI3K{\gamma}$ at the molecular level.