• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1151-1156
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• 2002

This research was done to make the effective prescription and cope with various senile dementia. Sprague-Dawley rats were injured by ibotenic acid to make a damage on learning and memory functions of model rats. At first acquisition test and retention rest were done in the Morris water maze. And to evaluate the effects of the sample drug(GSD) on choline acetyltranferase and acetylcholine esterase, immunoreactive measurement and enzymatic activity measuring were carried out. The ibotenic acid were injected to hippocampus CA1 and CA3 area. Conclusion : GSD improved the learning ability in the acquisition test and memory function in the retention test significantly. And GSD increased the level of ChAT which is synthesizing acetylcholine in CA1 area, and at the same time it increased the level of AChE which is resolving acetylcholine. These results show that GSD improved the cholinergic catabolism and anabolism, and the increment of metabolic activity of cholinergic system. In other words, it contributes to the recovery of damaged learning and memory function by ibotenic acid. So it can be concluded that GSD will be helpful to cholinergic brain damage induced by primary or senile reduction of acetylcholine secretive activity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.417-424
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• 2011

Ketoconazole (KET) is an antifungal drug with a broad spectrum of activity that also induces reproductive toxicity in humans and animals. KET inhibits C17-20 lyase which blocks the conversion of 17 ${\alpha}$-hydroxyprogesterone to androstenedione. The effect of Cuscutae semen(CS) extract against KET-induced testicular damage was evaluated in male rats. CS extract was administered orally (100 and 200 mg/kg) for 26 days. Three weeks after CS extract administration, KET was CS-administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 100 mg/kg once a day for 5 days. KET-induced reproductive toxicity was associated with clear reductions of the weights of testes and epididymides, sperm indices and serum testosterone levels. In addition, marked oxidative damage to testicular lipids and alterations of natural antioxidant enzymes were reported in association with KET toxicity. Most of the KET-induced effects were greatly decreased with the concomitant application of CS extract. This study suggests a protective role of Cuscutae semen extract that could be attributed to its antioxidant properties.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.228-234
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• 2005

Caenorhabditis elegans him-6 mutants, which show a high incidence of males and partial embryonic lethality, are defective in the orthologue of human Bloom's syndrome protein (BLM). When strain him-6(e1104) containing a missense him-6 mutation was irradiated with ${\gamma}$-rays during germ cell development or embryogenesis, embryonic lethality was higher than in the wild type, suggesting a critical function of the wild type gene in mitotic and pachytene stage germ cells as well as in early embryos. Even in the absence of ${\gamma}$-irradiation, apoptosis was elevated in the germ cells of the him-6 strain and this increase was dependent on a functional p53 homologue (CEP-1), suggesting that spontaneous DNA damage accumulates due to him-6 deficiency. However, induction of germline apoptosis by ionizing radiation was not significantly affected by the deficiency, indicating that HIM-6 has no role in the induction of apoptosis by exogenous DNA damage. We conclude that the C. elegans BLM orthologue is involved in DNA repair in promeiotic cells undergoing homologous recombination, as well as in actively dividing germline and somatic cells.

• Journal of Multimedia Information System
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2020

We have developed a device for recording biological data by inserting three electrodes and a needle with an angular velocity sensor into the moth for the purpose of measuring the electromyogram of the flapping and the corresponding lift force. With this measurement, it is possible to evaluate the moth-physiological function of moths, and the amount of pesticides that insects are exposed to (currently LD50-based standards), especially the amount of chronic low-concentration exposure, can be reduced the dose. We measured and recorded 2-channel electromyography (EMG) and angular velocity corresponding to pitch angle (pitch-like angle) associated with wing flapping for 100 sweet potato hawkmoths (50 females and 50 males) with the animals suspended and constrained in air. Overall, the angular velocity and amplitude of EMG signals demonstrated high correlation, with a correlation coefficient of R = 0.792. In contrast, the results of analysis performed on the peak-to-peak (PP) EMG intervals, which correspond to the RR intervals of ECG signals, indicated a correlation between ΔF fluctuation and angular velocity of R = 0.379. Thus, the accuracy of the regression curve was relatively poor. Using a DC amplification circuit without capacitive coupling as the EMG amplification circuit, we confirmed that the baseline changes at the gear change point of wing flapping. The following formula gives the lift provided by the wing: angular velocity × thoracic weight - air resistance - (eddy resistance due to turbulence). In future studies, we plan to attach a micro radio transmitter to the moths to gather data on potential energy, kinetic energy, and displacement during free flight for analysis. Such physiological functional evaluations of moths may alleviate damage to insect health due to repeated exposure to multiple agrochemicals and may lead to significant changes in the toxicity standards, which are currently based on LD50 values.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.329-336
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• 2012

This study evaluated ecological health, using various biomarkers and bioindicators, of pale chub (Zacco platypus) as a sentinel species, in Daejeon Stream, South Korea, during AprilMay 2011. The biomarkers and bioindicators were compared among three sites of control: Reference ($C_z$), transition ($T_z$), and the urban zones ($U_z$); and the 7-Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, DNA damage, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and vitellogenin (VTG) concentrations were more significantly increased in the $U_z$ than in the $C_z$. Also, physiological markers such as condition factor, liver somatic index, visceral somatic index, and gonad somatic index were significantly increased in the $U_z$ than in the $C_z$. For the health assessments, three categorized parameters of blood chemistry, molecular biomarkers, and physiological bioindicators were standardized and calculated as a star-plot, representing values of Integrated Health Response (IHR). Values of IHR had more significant (P<0.05) increases in the $U_z$ than any other zones, indicating an impairment of ecological health by organic matter, nutrients (N, P), and toxic chemicals. This study is based on low levels of biological organization approach of molecular and physiological biomarkers and bioindicators, so further study of high-levels of biological organization approach such as community and population is required for overall range of health assessments. The approach of IHR values, however, may be useful in providing early warning of future impacts on ecological health.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.483-492
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• 2014

DNA damage such as genotoxicity was identified with comet assay, which blood cell of a marine parrot fish (Oplegnathus fasciatus) was exposed to an acidified seawater, lowered pH gradient making of $CO_2$ gas. The gradient of pH were 8.22, 8.03, 7.81, 7.55 with control as HBSS solution with pH 7.4. DNA tail moment of fish blood cell was $0.548{\pm}0.071$ exposed seawater of pH 8.22 condition, on the other hand, DNA tail moment $1.601{\pm}0.197$ exposed acidified seawater of pH 7.55 lowest condition. The approximate difference with level of DNA damage was 2.9 times between highest and lowest of pH. DNA damage with decreasing pH was significantly increased with DNA tail moment on blood cell of marine fish (ANOVA, p < 0.001). Ocean acidification, especially inducing the leakage of sequestered $CO_2$ in geological structure is a consequence from the burning of fossil fuels, and long term effects on marine habitats and organisms are not fully investigated. The physiological effects on adult fish species are even less known. This result shown that the potential of dissolved $CO_2$ in seawater was revealed to induce the toxic effect on genotoxicity such as DNA breakage.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.93.1-93
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• 2003

A growth chamber fumigation was conducted to evaluate the ozone (O3) on the physiology of three hot pepper, Capsicum annuum L. cultivars, 'dabotab', 'buchon' and 'pochungchun'. Thirty-day old plants were exposed to O3 of 120 nl 1-1 in the chambers for 8 h d-1 for 3 days. Foliar damage due to O3 was different from the varieties, 'dabotab'was most sensitive to O3, 'pochungchun' was medium, and 'buchon' was resistant. Ozone symptom on the leaves was bifacial necorsis. Photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were decreased due to O3 treatment, but they were not much different from the variety. Decreases of net photosynthesis by O3 were 56％, 40％ and 35％ on 'dabotab', 'buchon' and 'pochungchun', respectively Decreases of stomatal conductance by O3 were 66％, 63％, and 50％ on each varieties. Ozone closed the stomata and decrease net photosynthesis on hot peppers regardless of the variety. Light curves on the three varieties were showing similar patterns that O3 damage on net photosynthesis were started at the low levels of light with or without the visible injury, Assimilation-internal CO2 concentration curves of the three cultivars were not different due to the treatment. It means there was not significant biochemical damage Inside the leaves by O3. In conclusion, ozone closed the stomata and damaged light capturing system of the pepper leaves with or without the visible damage. Although visible damage of the leaves could be a good indicator of O3 resistance, the ecophysiological change by O3 were not proportional to the amout of visible injuries

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.245-256
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• 2002

This studt was investigated to prove the effect of SPBST on the hypertension, the thrombosis and the brain damage. The results were as follows; 1. SPBST affected the htpertension as adepressant, but insignificant. 2. SPBST decreased significantly dopamine, aldosterone but ineffective on the epinephrine, norepinephrine and renin activity. 3. SPBST increased the NO product but insignificant. 4. SPBST had a death suppression effect by 50% in pulmonary thrombosis inducement experiment and activated slightly on the fibrinolytic activity. 5. SPBST suppressed significantly platelet diminution and prolonged insignificantly PT and APTT. 6. On the measure of the blood flow rate induced by the thrombus, in vivo SPBST accelerated the blood flow rate, in vitro insignificant. 7. SPBST had no toxicity on the PC12 cell and B103 cell induced by amyloid β protein (-35) and a protective effect, in proportion to the density. 8. SPBST decreased significantly coma duration time in a Infatal dose of KCN and showed 50% of survival rate in a fatal dose. 9. SPBST decreased significantly ischemic area and edema incited by the MCA blood flow block. These results indicate that SPBST can be used in hypertension, the thrombosis, the brain damage, the ischemic cerebral infarction and the acute stage of the brain damage. Further study will be needed about the functional mechanism and etc.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.586-595
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• 2004

Kamidojuk-San (KDJS) is known to be effective for treating cardiovascular diseases such hypertension, and clinically applied for the treatment of cerebral palsy or stoke patients. Yet, the overall mechanisms underlying its activity at the cellular levels are not known. Using experimental animal system, we investigated whether KDJS has protective effects on cells in cardiovascular and nervous systems. KDJS was found to rescue death of cultured primary neurons induced by AMPA, NMDA and kainate as well as BSO and Fe/sup 2+/ treatments. Moreover, KDJS treatment promoted animal's recovery from coma induced by a lethal dose of KCN treatment, and improved survival in animals exposed to lethal dose of KCN. Neurological examinations further showed that KDJS reduced the time which is required for animals to respond in terms of forelimb and hindlimb movements. To examine its physiological effects on cardiovascular and nervous systems, we induced ischemic injury in hippocampal neurons and cerebral neurons by middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. Histological examination revealed that KDJS significantly protected neurons from ischemic damage. Thus, the present data suggest that KDJS may play an important role in protecting cells of cardiovascular and nervous systems from external noxious stimulations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.9-21
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• 2015

Cancer, a serious public health problem in worldwide, results from an excessive and uncontrolled proliferation of the body cells without obvious physiological demands of organs. The gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach and intestine, is a unique organ system. It has the highest cancer incidence and cancer-related mortality in the body and is influenceed by both genetic and environmental factors. Among the various chemical elements recognized in the nature, some of them including zinc, iron, cobalt, and copper have essential roles in the various biochemical and physiological processes, but only at low levels and others such as cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic, and nickel are considered as threats for human health especially with chronic exposure at high levels. Cadmium, an environment contaminant, cannot be destroyed in nature. Through impairment of vitamin D metabolism in the kidney it causes nephrotoxicity and subsequently bone metabolism impairment and fragility. The major mechanisms involved in cadmium carcinogenesis could be related to the suppression of gene expression, inhibition of DNA damage repair, inhibition of apoptosis, and induction of oxidative stress. In addition, cadmium may act through aberrant DNA methylation. Cadmium affects multiple cellular processes, including signal transduction pathways, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Down-regulation of methyltransferases enzymes and reduction of DNA methylation have been stated as epigenetic effects of cadmium. Furthermore, increasing intracellular free calcium ion levels induces neuronal apoptosis in addition to other deleterious influence on the stability of the genome.