• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.349-355
• /
• 2008

To determine the peripheral mechanisms involved in thermal sweating during the hot summers in July before acclimatization and after acclimatization in September, we evaluated the sweating response of healthy subjects (n=10) to acetylcholine (ACh), a primary neurotransmitter involved in peripheral sudomotor sensitivity. The quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART) measures sympathetic C fiber function after iontophoresed ACh evokes a measurable reliable sweat response. The QSART, at 2 mA for 5 min with 10% ACh, was applied to determine the directly activated (DIR) and axon reflex-mediated (AXR) sweating responses during ACh iontophoresis. The AXR sweat onset-time by the axon reflex was $1.50{\pm}0.32$ min and $1.84{\pm}0.46$ min before acclimatization in July and after acclimatization in September, respectively (p<0.01). The sweat volume of the AXR(l) [during 5 min 10% iontophoresis] by the axon reflex was $1.45{\pm}0.53\;mg/cm^2$ and $0.98{\pm}0.24\;mg/cm^2$ before acclimatization in July and after acclimatization in September, respectively (p<0.001). The sweat volume of the AXR(2) [during 5 min post-iontophoresis] by the axon reflex was $2.06{\pm}0.24\;mg/cm^2$ and $1.39{\pm}0.32\;mg/cm^2$ before and after acclimatization in July and September, respectively (p<0.001). The sweat volume of the DIR was $5.88{\pm}1.33\;mg/cm^2$ and $4.98{\pm}0.94\;mg/cm^2$ before and after acclimatization in July and September, respectively (p<0.01). These findings suggest that lower peripheral sudomotor responses of the ACh receptors are indicative of a blunted sympathetic nerve response to ACh during exposure to hot summer weather conditions.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.285-292
• /
• 2013

Ginseng is a well-known traditional medicine used in Asian countries for several thousand years, and it is currently applied to medicine, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements due to its many healing and energygiving properties. It is well demonstrated that ginsenosides, the main ingredient of ginseng, produce a variety of pharmacological and therapeutic effects on central nerve system (CNS) disorders, cardiovascular disease, endocrine secretions, aging, and immune function. Korean red ginseng extract is a dietary supplement containing ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside Rg1 extracted from Panax ginseng. While the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of the extract have been well established, its toxicological properties remain obscure. Thus, four-week oral toxicity studies in rats were conducted to investigate whether Korean red ginseng extract could have a potential toxicity to humans. The test article was administered once daily by oral gavage to four groups of male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at dose levels of 0, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg/day for four weeks. Neither deaths nor clinical symptoms were observed in any group during the experiment. Furthermore, no abnormalities in body weight, food consumption, ophthalmology, urinalysis, hematology, serum biochemistry, gross findings, organ weights, or histopathology were revealed related to the administration of the test article in either sex of any dosed group. Therefore, a target organ was not determined in this study, and the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of Korean red ginseng extract was established to be 2,000 mg/kg/day.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.40 no.10
• /
• pp.731-736
• /
• 2017

Taste sensitivity to sugars plays an essential role in the initiation of feeding behavior. In Drosophila melanogaster, recent studies have identified several gustatory receptor (Gr) genes required for sensing sweet compounds. However, it is as yet undetermined how these GRs function as taste receptors tuned to a wide range of sugars. Among sugars, fructose has been suggested to be detected by a distinct receptor from other sugars. While GR43A has been reported to sense fructose in the brain, it is not expressed in labellar gustatory receptor neurons that show taste response to fructose. In contrast, the Gr64a-Gr64f gene cluster was recently shown to be associated with fructose sensitivity. Here we sought to decipher the genes required for fructose response among Gr64a-Gr64f genes. Unexpectedly, the qPCR analyses for these genes show that labellar expression levels of Gr64d and Gr64e are higher in fructose low-sensitivity flies than in high-sensitivity flies. Moreover, gustatory nerve responses to fructose in labellar sensilla are higher in Gr64d and Gr64f mutant lines than in mutant flies of the other Gr64a-Gr64f genes. These data suggest the possibility that deletion of GR64D or GR64F may indirectly induce enhanced fructose sensitivity in the labellum. Finally, we conclude that response to fructose cannot be explained by a single one of the Gr64a-Gr64f genes.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.66-70
• /
• 2014

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a uncommon metabolic disorder which derived by peroxismal ${\beta}$-oxidation and elevation of serum very long chain fatty acid (VLCFA). VLCFA is mainly accumulated in the myelin of the central nervous system and adrenal cortex, by which the expressed symptoms of this disease are mainly neurologic and endocrinologic (such as adrenal insufficiency). The mutations in the ABCD1 gene causes X-linked ALD, nevertheless its phenotypes and genotypes are poorly coordinated. We report the case of a 12-year-old boy with X-linked ALD who developed vomiting, fatigue and poor oral intake. Severe dehydration and hyponatremia were found in initial physical examination and laboratory test, but his motor/sensory nerve function and mental status were completely normal. We diagnosed ALD with diffuse high-intensity signal in both parietotemporal cerebellar white matter in brain MRI and elevated serum VLCFA. Later, we confirmed a novel c.1635-1G>A (IVS6-1G>A) mutations of the ABCD1 gene. With the discrepancy between its phenotypes and genotypes, various phenotypes could be seen in X-ALD patient. Careful examination and further studies for these patients will be needed.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.67-72
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The hand is frequently affected area in high voltage electrical burn injury as an input or output sites. Electrical burn affecting the hand may produce full thickness necrosis of the skin and damage deep structures beneath the eschar, affecting the tendon, nerve, vessel, even bone which result in serious dysfunction of the hand. As promising methods for the reconstruction of the hand defects in electrical burn patients, we have used the peroneal perforator free flaps. Methods: From March 2005 to June 2006, we applied peroneal perforator free flap to five patients with high tension electrical burn in the hand. Vascular pedicle ranged from 4cm to 5cm and flap size was from $4{\times}2.5cm$ to $7{\times}4cm$. Donor site was closed primarily.Results: All flaps survived completely. There was no need to sacrifice any main artery in the lower leg, and there was minimal morbidity at donor site. During the follow-ups, we got satisfactory results both in hand function and in aesthetic aspects.Conclusion: The peroneal perforator flap is a very thin, pliable flap with minimal donor site morbidity and is suitable for the reconstruction of small and medium sized wound defect, especially hand with electrical burn injury.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 1992

Parenchyma of the cat pineal body consisted of pinealocytes and glial cells. The pinealocyte, predominant cell type, was characterized by having large mitochondria with pale matrix, abundant polyribosomes, moderately-developed Golgi apparatus, centrioles and occasional cilia. The pinealocyte had one thick and long cytoplasmic process at the one pole of the cell, and slender and shorter processes at the other pole, and in addition occasional short processes from the cell body. These processes contained longitudinally arranged microtubules, and a few mitochondria. Thick processes teminated as bulgings either in the intercellular process-rich area, or in the perivascular border which was formed by glial cell processes. These endings of pinealocyte processes had many small vesicles, mitochondria, and occasional dense bodies. Glial cells with abundant filaments of intermediate type and clear cytoplasmic matrix were fibrous astrocyte. Perikarya of the astrocytes had small and dense mitochondria, moderately developed Golgi apparatus, dense bodies and variable amount of intermediate filaments. Glial cell processes run through the intercellular spaces among the pinealocyte processes. Glial cell of protoplasmic type had no or a few filaments, but it had well-organized rough endoplasmic reticulum, dense mitochondria, well developed Golgi apparatus and many dense granules. Intercellular canaliculi formed by adjacent pinealocytes and glial cell processes were often noted. Within the parenchyma, sympathetic and parasympathetic axons and their endings were noted. These endings were present mostly in the intercellular spaces without having membrane specialization, however, in rare instances, ending with small clear and dense cored vesicles, and large dense cored vesicles formed specialized synapse with a pinealocyte process. Within the perivascular spaces nerve fibers and endings, Schwann cells and pericyte were noted. In rare case pinealocyte process penetrated into the perivascular space through the interuptions of glial border. These results suggest that pinealocyte of the cat has less significance in secretory function and is rather neural type of cell.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.38 no.11
• /
• pp.1013-1021
• /
• 2015

Most of the axons in the vertebrate nervous system are surrounded by a lipid-rich membrane called myelin, which promotes rapid conduction of nerve impulses and protects the axon from being damaged. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the CNS characterized by infiltration of immune cells and progressive damage to myelin and axons. One potential way to treat MS is to enhance the endogenous remyelination process, but at present there are no available treatments to promote remyelination in patients with demyelinating diseases. Sulfasalazine is an anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating drug that is used in rheumatology and inflammatory bowel disease. Its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties prompted us to test the ability of sulfasalazine to promote remyelination. In this study, we found that sulfasalazine promotes remyelination in the CNS of a transgenic zebrafish model of NTR/MTZ-induced demyelination. We also found that sulfasalazine treatment reduced the number of macrophages/microglia in the CNS of demyelinated zebrafish larvae, suggesting that the acceleration of remyelination is mediated by the immunomodulatory function of sulfasalazine. Our data suggest that temporal modulation of the immune response by sulfasalazine can be used to overcome MS by enhancing myelin repair and remyelination in the CNS.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.392-409
• /
• 1998

The present experiment was designed to examine the effects of Jeongjihwan on carecholamines, serotonin, amino acids, lipid peroxide, free radical scavenging activity, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activity in senile brain. It was performed by administering Jeongjihwan extracts of a variety of concentration to senile rats to experimentally determine effects of Jeongjihwan on biochemical changes in senile brain and examine protective effects against neurotoxin. To examine survival rate, the rat's spinal cord sensory ganglion cell pretreated in Jeongjihwan extracts was cultured in oxygen free radical. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Jeongjihwan significantly increased noradrenaline in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of the brain tissue of senile rats, and even though Jeongjihwan increased noradrenaline also in other brain tissue, there was no significance. 2. Jeongjihwan had no effects on dopamine changes in all brain tissue of senile rats. 3. Jeongjihwan significantly increased serotonin, but decreased in other brain tissue. 4. Jeongjihwan increased amino acid in the brain tissue of senile rats. 5. Jeongjihwan significantly decreased lipid peroxide and free radical in the brain tissue of senile rats. 6. Jeongjihwan significantly increased survival rate of nerve cell exposed to oxygen free radical. According to the above results, Jeongjihwan is assumed to improve brain function by reacting on biochemical changes of the senile brain and carries effects of protecting against neurocytotoxicity, and that Jeongjihwan can be used to treat regressive brain disease carrying symptoms of psychoactive disorders.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.173-187
• /
• 1985

Renal compensatory adaptation caused by ablation of a part of renal mass has long been known in the field of the compensatory renal hypertrophy or hyperplasia. Many reports were found on the chronic mechanisms on the compensatory renal hyperfunction after exclusion of the contralateral kidney. However the mechanism(s) of the acute compensatory hyperfunction after contralateral exclusion has not yet been clarified. In the present experiment, we have tried to prove the possibility of the involvement of the renin-angiotensin system and/or prostaglandin system in the control mechanism of the acute compensatory renal hyperfunction after contralateral kidney exclusion. There were found different responses of the renal hyperfunction by contralateral renal pedicle or ureteral occlusion. Contralateral renal pedicle or ureteral occlusion caused a sustained increases of the urinary volume, sodium and potassium excretion, while the magnitude of the changes was different quantitatively by the maneuvers. Blood collection affected on the acute compensatory renal responses after ureteral as well as renal pedicle occlusion. Plasma prostaglandin $E_2$ level was not changed by the contralateral renal pedicle or ureteral occlusion. Urinary excretion of Prostaglandin $E_2$, the indices of renal prostaglandin biosynthesis, was not changed by the contralateral renal pedicle occlusion, but increased without significance by the contralateral ureteral occlusion. Acute renal compensatory responses after contralateral renal pedicle occlusion were blocked by the pretreatment of indomethacin. Plasma renin activity increased after contralateral ureteral occlusion, but the pattern of the increases was the same as in the time-control group. Plasma renin activity after contralateral renal pedicle occlusion did not change by the time sequence. SQ 20,881, an angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor, blunted the contralateral renal responses after the renal pedicle occlusion. Bilateral renal denervation abolished the contralateral renal responses after the renal pedicle occlusion. The above data suggest that there is no direct evidence to support the involvement of the renin-angiotensin system and/or prostaglandin system for the acute compensatory renal hyperfunction after contralateral kidney exclusion, and that the functional changes of the intact kidney may be caused by a humoral substances, or other mechanisms by afferent renal nerve activity originating from the treated kidney.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fashion and Beauty
• /
• v.2 no.1 s.1
• /
• pp.5-13
• /
• 2004

This study was analyzed on relationship of blood vessel pressure massage and skin and management method on blood vessel pressure for skin care with Yin-yang 5 factors theory, Yin-yang 5 factors theory of blood vessel pressure massage with related Korean medicine is essential for descriptions of the physiology of human body and disease. Six elements(wind, heat, fire, dryness, wetness, and cold) and seven emotions(anger, happiness, thought, worry, sadness, surprise, and fear) effected on skin care and the five viscera and the six stomach. Blood vessel pressure massage related with skin consists of the five viscera and the six stomach and is improved blood circulation and is retarded aging of skin by controls of hormone and free nerve system. Blood vessel pressure massage for skin care improved in the intestine system and blood circulation and got healthy. The blood vessel pressure massage treatment of beauty art can aid the function of bio-rhythm of a human body and make our body health by healing the problems of the five viscera organs and the six stomach. It also help circulate of the blood flow and vigor. The study expects the related researches to improve the various treatments through this treatment. The researcher encountered many problems with the lack of concerned materials and former studies but expects this study to be a study to retard aging the skin and prevent the diseases through the study of the blood vessel pressure massage.