• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.402-417
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• 2023

Objective: Liver fibrosis is a highly conserved wound-healing response and the final common pathway of chronic inflammatory injury. This study aimed to evaluate the potential anti-fibrotic effect of the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma water extract (RW) and silymarin in a thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis model. Methods: The liver fibrosis mouse model was established through the intraperitoneal injection of TAA (1 week 100 mg/kg, 2-3 weeks 200 mg/kg, 4-8 weeks 400 mg/kg) three times per week for eight weeks. Animal experiments were conducted in five groups; Normal, Control (TAA-induced liver fibrosis mice), Sily (silymarin 50 mg/kg), RSL (RW 50 mg/kg+silymarin 50 mg/kg), and RSH (RW 100 mg/kg+silymarin 50 mg/kg). Biochemical analyses were measured in serum, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and ammonia levels. Liver inflammatory cytokines and fibrous biomarkers were measured by Western blot analysis, and liver histopathology was evaluated through tissue staining. Results: A significant decrease in the liver function markers AST and ALT and a reduction in ammonia and total bilirubin were observed in the group treated with RSL and RSH. Measurement of reactive oxygen species and MDA revealed a significant decrease in the RSL and RSH administration group compared to the TAA induction group. The expression of extracellular matrix-related proteins, such as transforming growth factor β1, α-smooth muscle actin, and collagen type I alpha 1, was likewise significantly decreased. All drug-administered groups had increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 but a decreasing tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1. RSL and RSH exerted a significant upregulation of NADPH oxidase 2, p22^phox, and p47^phox, which are oxidative stress-related factors. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory proteins such as cyclooxygenase 2 and interleukin-1β were markedly suppressed through the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B activation. Conclusions: The administration of RW and silymarin suppressed the NADPH oxidase factor protein level and showed a tendency to reduce inflammation-related enzymes. These results suggest that the combined administration of RW and silymarin improves acute liver injury induced by TAA.

• Exercise Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.289-298
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• 2012

In the present study, we investigated the effect of treadmill exercise on apoptotic neuronal cell death in the retinas of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. The animals were divided into four groups(n = 7 in each group):(1) control group, (2) exercise group, (3) diabetes-induced group, (4) diabetes-induced and exercise group. Diabetes mellitus(DM) was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The rats in the exercise groups were forced to run on the treadmill for 30 minutes once a day, five times per a week, during 12 weeks. In this study, a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) assay and western blot for the expressions of caspase-3, cytochrome c, Bax, and Bcl-2 in the retinas were conducted for the detection of apoptotic retinal cell death. The present results showed that the number of TUNEL-positive cells was increased in the retinas of the diabetic rats, whereas treadmill exercise suppressed this number. The expressions of pro-apoptotic factors caspase-3, cytochrome c, and Bax were enhanced and the expressions of anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 was decreased in the retinas of the diabetic rats. In contrast, treadmill exercise suppressed the expressions of caspase-3, cytochrome c, and Bax and increased the expression of Bcl-2. The present study demonstrated that treadmill exercise suppressed diabetes-induced apoptotic neuronal cell death in the retinas. Based on the present results, treadmill exercise may be effective therapeutic strategy for the alleviating complications of diabetes patients.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2009

It has been shown that both caloric restriction and exercise, enhances glucose uptake through translocation of GLUT-4 protein. It remains unclear how exercise and caloric restriction affect the changes in VAMP (vesicle-associated membrane protein) in skeletal muscle and GLUT-2 in liver. This study investigated the effects of exercise training and caloric restriction on the expressions of glucose transport relating proteins in muscle and liver tissues in diabetic rats. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats (250±10 g; 8 week in age) were assigned equally to four different groups; control (C), exercise only (E), dietary restriction only (D) and dietary restriction and exercise (DE). Daily food consumption was monitored to establish baseline intake. Both C and E groups consumed baseline food intake while D and DE groups were provided with only 60% of baseline total food intake. Forty-eight hours after intraperitoneal injection of STZ (50 mg/kg), diabetes was confirmed (8-hr fasting blood glucose levels ≥300 mg/dl). Rats in the E and DE groups exercised on a motorized treadmill for 30 min/d, 5 days/week for 4 weeks (5 min running at 3 m/min, 0% grade; 8 m/min for the next 5min, and then 15 m/min for 20 min). Rats were sacrificed 48 hrs after the last bout of exercise. Soleus muscle and liver were extracted to analyze for GLUT-4, VAMP-2, and GLUT-2, respectively. All variables were analyzed using the Western Blotting technique. All values were expressed as optical volume measured by optical density. A Two-way ANOVA was used to examine the difference between groups and applied Duncan's test for post-hoc. No significant differences in GLUT-2 expression were found among groups. However, E (280133±13228 arbitrary units{AU}) and DE (268833±14424 AU) groups showed significantly higher (p<.001) levels of GLUT-4 as compared with C (34461±2099 AU) and D groups (27847±703 AU). VAMP-2 protein expression increased (p<.001) in E (184137±7803 AU) and DE (189800±10856 AU) groups as compared to C (74201±8296AU) and D (72967±863 AU) groups. These results suggest that either exercise with or without caloric restriction increases the up-regulation of GLUT-4 and VAMP-2 in skeletal muscle of diabetic rats. However, GLUT-2 protein in liver was not affected by either exercise or exercise with caloric restriction.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1067-1077
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• 2022

Objective: To determine whether Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasound (SZUS) was noninferior to SonoVue-enhanced ultrasound (SVUS) in diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using the same diagnostic criteria. Materials and Methods: This prospective, single-center, noninferiority study (NCT04847726) enrolled 105 at-risk participants (71 male; mean age ± standard deviation, 63 ± 11 years; range, 26-86 years) with treatment-naïve solid hepatic nodules (≥ 1 cm). All participants underwent same-day SZUS (experimental method) and SVUS (control method) for one representative nodule per participant. Images were interpreted by three readers (the operator and two independent readers). All malignancies were diagnosed histopathologically, while the benignity of other lesions was confirmed by follow-up stability or pathology. The primary endpoint was per-lesion diagnostic accuracy for HCC pooled across three readers using the conventional contrast-enhanced ultrasound diagnostic criteria, including arterial phase hyperenhancement followed by mild (assessed within 2 minutes after contrast injection) and late (≥ 60 seconds with a delay of 5 minutes) washout. The noninferiority delta was -10%p. Furthermore, different time delays were compared as washout criteria in SZUS, including delays of 2, 5, and > 10 minutes. Results: A total of 105 lesions (HCCs [n = 61], non-HCC malignancies [n = 19], and benign [n = 25]) were evaluated. Using the 5-minutes washout criterion, per-lesion accuracy of SZUS pooled across the three readers (72.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 64.1%-79.3%) was noninferior to that of SVUS (71.4%; 95% CI, 63.1%-78.6%), meeting the statistical criterion for non-inferiority (difference of 0.95%p; 95% CI, -3.8%p-5.7%p). The arterial phase hyperenhancement combined with the 5-minutes washout criterion showed the same sensitivity as that of the > 10-minutes criterion (59.0% vs. 59.0%, p = 0.989), and the specificities were not significantly different (90.9% vs. 86.4%, p = 0.072). Conclusion: SZUS was noninferior to SVUS for diagnosing HCC in at-risk patients using the same diagnostic criteria. No significant improvement in HCC diagnosis was observed by extending the washout time delay from 5 to 10 minutes.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.726-735
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• 2020

Objective: Recent innovations in biology are boosting gene and cell therapy, but monitoring the response to these treatments is difficult. The purpose of this study was to find an MRI-reporter gene that can be used to monitor gene or cell therapy and that can be delivered without a viral vector, as viral vector delivery methods can result in long-term complications. Materials and Methods: CMV promoter-human organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B3 (CMV-hOATP1B3) cDNA or CMV-blank DNA (control) was transfected into HEK293 cells using Lipofectamine. OATP1B3 expression was confirmed by western blotting and confocal microscopy. In vitro cell phantoms were made using transfected HEK293 cells cultured in various concentrations of gadoxetic acid for 24 hours, and images of the phantoms were made with a 9.4T micro-MRI. In vivo xenograft tumors were made by implanting HEK293 cells transfected with CMV-hOATP1B3 (n = 4) or CMV-blank (n = 4) in 8-week-old male nude mice, and MRI was performed before and after intravenous injection of gadoxetic acid (1.2 µL/g). Results: Western blot and confocal microscopy after immunofluorescence staining revealed that only CMV-hOATP1B3-transfected HEK293 cells produced abundant OATP1B3, which localized at the cell membrane. OATP1B3 expression levels remained high through the 25th subculture cycle, but decreased substantially by the 50th subculture cycle. MRI of cell phantoms showed that only the CMV-hOATP1B3-transfected cells produced a significant contrast enhancement effect. In vivo MRI of xenograft tumors revealed that only CMV-hOATP1B3-transfected HEK293 tumors demonstrated a T1 contrast effect, which lasted for at least 5 hours. Conclusion: The human endogenous OATP1B3 gene can be non-virally delivered into cells to induce transient OATP1B3 expression, leading to gadoxetic acid-mediated enhancement on MRI. These results indicate that hOATP1B3 can serve as an MRI-reporter gene while minimizing the risk of long-term complications.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.239-247
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• 2024

When a fire occurs on a naval vessel, rapid suppression and control are essential to mitigate potential human and material losses. Due to the nature of naval vessels, the risk of fuel fires is significant, making the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) crucial for effective fire suppression. Additionally, the possibility of fires occurring within compartments on the vessel must also be considered. Understanding the trajectory and application range of AFFF in such environments is vital, necessitating the design of firefighting systems tailored to compartmental conditions. In this study, an analysis was conducted to investigate the feasibility of applying spray height and angle for AFFF using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology as a validation tool. Based on these findings, CFD analysis results applicable to compartment environments on naval vessels were obtained. These results will serve as the foundation for the development of firefighting systems capable of promptly responding to fuel fires within naval vessel compartments.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.697-708
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• 1999

Background : Leukotriene (LT) $C_4$, $D_4$, and $E_4$, the main components of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A), have been suggested to play an important role in bronchial asthma such as antigen-induced bronchoconstriction, airway hyperreactivity, and pulmonary eosinophil accumulation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of treatment with the cysteinyl-LTs (cys-LTs) antagonist, pranlukast on allergen-induced guinea pig asthma model. Methods : Guinea pigs of treatment and placebo groups were sensitized by subcutaneous injection of ovalbumin(OVA) and challenged by inhalation of aerosolized OVA (1% weight/volume OVA). Normal control group did not sensitize with OVA. Oral ingestion of pranlukast and normal saline to the treatment and placebo groups was performed. In the treatment and placebo groups, airway resistance was measured before and after oral ingestion. Serum $LTC_4$ and eosinophilic infiltration of the bronchiolar and peribronchiolar tissues were measured after ingestion in the treatment and placebo groups. Results : Allergen-induced airway constriction developed in 20 (8 in treatment group, 12 in placebo group) among 35 guinea pigs. Airway resistance was significantly decreased at 3 and 6 minutes after OVA challenge in the pranlukast treatment group. In the placebo group, there was no difference of airway resistance between before and after saline ingestion. Serum $LTC_4$ levels showed 348.4 pg/ml in the treatment group, 373.9 pg/ml in the placebo group, and 364.4 pg/ml in the control group. There were no statistically significant difference between treatment and placebo group (p=0.232), and treatment and control group (p=0.501). Eosinophilic infiltrations in the peribronchiolar region per one-microscopic field ($\times$400 high power fields) demonstrated 7.06 in the treatment group, 19.2 in the placebo group, and 4.50 in the control group. There was significant decrement of eosinophilic infiltration in the treatment group which was compared with placebo group (p=0.001). Conclusion : These results demonstrate that pranlukast, a cys-LTs receptor antagonist, can attenuate allergen induced early-phase bronchoconstriction and eosinophilic infiltration in the bronchiolar tissues.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.349-359
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• 1997

Background : The signal pathways and their precise roles for acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by endotoxin (ETX) has not been established. Since there has been several in vitro experiments suggesting that activation of protein kinase C (PKC) pathway may be responsible for endotoxin-induced inflammatory reaction, we performed in vivo experiments in the rats with the hypothesis that PKC-inhibition can effectively prevent endotoxin-induced acute lung injury. Methods : We studied the role of PKC in ETX-induced ALI using PKC inhibitor (staurosporine, STP) in the rat Specific pathogen free male Sprague-Dawley weighted from 165 to 270g were used for the study. Animals were divided into the normal control (NC)-, vehicle control (VC)-, ETX-, PMA (phorbolmyristateacetate)-, STP+PMA-, and STP+ETX-group. PMA (50mg/kg) or ETX (7mg/kg) was instilled through polyethylen catheter after aseptic tracheostomy with and without STP (0.2mg/kg)-pretreatment STP was injected via tail vein 30min before intratracheal injection (IT) of PMA or ETX. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was done 3-or 6-hrs after IT of PMA or ETX respectively, to measure protein concentration, total and differential cell counts. Results : The results were as follows. The protein concentrations in BALF in the PMA- and ETX-group were very higher than that of VC-group (p<0.001). When animals were pretreated with STP, the %reduction of the protein concentration in BALF was $64.8{\pm}8.5$ and $30.4{\pm}2.5%$ in the STP+PMA- and STP+ETX-group, respectively (p = 0.028). There was no difference in the total cell counts between the PMA-and VC-group (p = 0.26). However the ETX-group showed markedly increased total cell counts as compared to the VC- (p = 0.003) and PMA-group (p = 0.0027), respectively. The total cell counts in BALF were not changed after pretreatment with STP compared to the PMA- (p = 0.22) and ETX-group (p = 0.46). The percentage of PMN, but not alveolar macrophage, was significantly elevated in the PMA-, and ETX-group. Especially in the ETX-group, the percentage of PMN was 17 times higher than that of PMA (p < 0.001). The differential cell counts was not different between the PMA and STP+PMA On the contrary the STP+ETX-group showed decreased percentage of PMN (p = 0.016). There was no significant relationship between the protein concentration and the total or differential cell counts in each group. Conclusion : Pretreatment with PKC-inhibitor (staurosporine) partially but significantly inhibited ETX-induced ALI.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1415-1421
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of an L-arginine supplementation and regular exercise training on NF-${\kappa}B$, TNF-${\alpha}$, iNOS, Cav-1, eNOS and Ang II in the aortas of D-galactose (D-gal) induced aging rats. The male Strague-Dawley rats were treated with a D-galactose aging inducing agent; the D-gal injection (50 mg/kg) was given intraperitoneally for 12 wk. Experimental groups were divided into five groups: (1) Young control group (Y-Con, n=8), (2) Aging control group (A-Con, n=8), (3) Aging exercise group (A-Ex, n=8), (4) Aging exercise group with L-arginine supplementation group (A-Ex+A, n=8), and (5) Aging with L-arginine supplementation group (A-A, n=8). The exercise consisted of running on a treadmill for 60 min/day at 20 m/min for 6 day/wk, at 0% gradient for 12 wk. The L-arginine supplementation was given orally at a dose of 150 mg/kg/day for 12 wk. The findings of this study were as follows: 1. NF-${\kappa}B$, TNF-${\alpha}$, iNOS, Cav-1 and Ang II proteins in the aortas of D-gal induced rats were significantly increased, however, L-arginine supplementation and regular exercise resulted in a significant inhibition in the expression of NF-${\kappa}B$, TNF-${\alpha}$, iNOS, Cav-1 and Ang II proteins. 2. eNOS protein in the aortas of D-gal induced rats was significantly decreased, however, L-arginine supplementation and regular exercise resulted in a significant increase in the expression of eNOS proteins. In conclusion, the findings of the present study reveal that L-arginine supplementation alone or regular exercise alone or in combination with L-arginine supplementation for 12 wk increases anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing NF-${\kappa}B$, TNF-${\alpha}$, and iNOS protein expressions within the aortic tissue. In addition, L-arginine supplementation alone or regular exercise alone or in combination with L-arginine supplementation may prevent endothelial function by up-regulation of eNOS protein in the aortas of D-gal induced aging rats.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.483-509
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• 1999

Biodegradable barrier membrane has been demonstrated to have guided bone regeneration capacity on the animal study. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of cultured calvarial cell inoculated on the biodegradable barrier membrane for the regeneration of the artificial bone defect. In this experiment 35 Sprague-Dawley male rats(mean BW 150gm) were used. 30 rats were divided into 3 groups. In group I, defects were covered periosteum without membrane. In group II, defects were repaired using biodegradable barrier membrane. In group III, the defects were repaired using biodegradable barrier membrane seeded with cultured calvarial cell. Every surgical procedure were performed under the general anesthesia by using with intravenous injection of Pentobarbital sodium(30mg/Kg). After anesthesia, 5 rats were sacrificed by decapitation to obtain the calvaria for bone cell culture. Calvarial cells were cultured with Dulbecco's Modified Essential Medium contained with 10% Fetal Bovine Serum under the conventional conditions. The number of cell inoculated on the membrane were $1{\times}10^6$ Cells/ml. The membrane were inserted on the artificial bone defect after 3 days of culture. A single 3-mm diameter full-thickness artificial calvarial defect was made in each animal by using with bone trephine drill. After the every surgical intervention of animal, all of the animals were sacrificed at 1, 2, 3 weeks after surgery by using of perfusion technique. For obtaining histological section, tissues were fixed in 2.5% Glutaraldehyde (0.1M cacodylate buffer, pH 7.2) and Karnovsky's fixative solution, and decalcified with 0.1M disodium ethylene diaminetetraacetate for 3 weeks. Tissue embeding was performed in paraffin and cut parallel to the surface of calvaria. Section in 7${\mu}m$ thickness of tissue was done and stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin. All the specimens were observed under the light microscopy. The following results were obtained. 1 . During the whole period of experiment, fibrous connective tissue was revealed at 1week after surgery which meant rapid soft tissue recovery. The healing rate of defected area into new bone formation of the test group was observed more rapid tendency than other two groups. 2 . The sequence of healing rate of bone defected area was as follows ； test group, positive control, negative control group. 3 . During the experiment, an osteoclastic cell around preexisted bone was not found. New bone formation was originated from the periphery of the remaing bone wall, and gradually extended into central portion of the bone defect. 4 . The biodegradable barrier membrane was observed favorable biocompatibility during this experimental period without any other noticeable foreign body reaction. And mineralization in the newly formed osteoid tissue revealed relatively more rapid than other group since early stage of the healing process. Conclusively, the cultured bone cell inoculated onto the biodegradable barrier membrane may have an important role of regeneration of artificial bone defects of alveolar bone. This study thus demonstrates a tissue-engineering the approach to the repair of bone defects, which may have clinical applications in clinical fields of the dentistry including periodontics.