• Applied Microscopy
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.275-285
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• 2001

The pulmonary alveolar macrophage is thought to play an important role in the mediation of acute inflammatory lung injury by secretory products including degraded enzymes, cytokines, and reactive oxygen metabolites . This study was conceived to understand the role of alveolar macrophage in oxidative stress induced acute lung injury. To examine the alveolar macrophages and xanthine oxidase (XO) activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), time-dependent changes of numbers of alveolar macrophages, monocytes and neutrophils in alveolar cavity were counted in association with ultrastructural and cytochemical observations of lung tissue and alveolar cells. The number of monocytes was increased (p<0.001) at 1h after IL-1 treatment compared with that of sham. At 2h after instillation of IL-1, the number of alveolar macrophages was the highest, XO activity in BALF was elevated at 2h after IL-1 instillation and the activity was markedly elevated(p<0.05) at 3h after IL-1 treatment. On the basis of these experimental results, it is suggested that, during early phase of acute lung injury induced by IL-1, alveolar macrophage-derived XO contributes to lung injury earlier than the neutrophilic respiratory burst.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2001

In order to investigate a pathogenesis of liver damage induced by skin burn, thermal injury was induced by scald burn on entirely dorsal surface in rats (total burn surface area $20\sim25\%$) except for inhalated injury. At 5 and 24 h after scald burn, biochemical assay and morphological changes in serum and liver tissue were examined. Skin burn increased liver weight (% of body weight, p<0.05) and the activity of serum aniline amino-transferase (ALT, p<0.05), in addition, the activity of xanthine oxidase (XO), an enzyme of oxygen free radical generating system, was elevated (p<0.01) in serum, but not in skin and in liver. Postburn treatment of allopurinol intraperitoneally decreased liver weight, serum ALT activity and serum XO activity. Scald burn induced ultrastructurally swelling of endoplasmic reticulum, ribosome detachment, accumulation of lipid, dilatation of bile canaliculi and intercellular space, neutrophil infiltration, activation of Kupffer's cells and degeneration of hepatocytic microvilli. Futhermore , thermal injury decreased not only the protein concentration in plasma but also the number of intravascular leukocytes, that indicates induction of edema formation with protein exudation and inflammation by neutrophil infiltration into the internal organs. However allopurinol injection after burn inhibited post burn ultrastructural changes. These data suggest that acute dermal scald burn injury leads to liver damage, that is related to elevation of xanthine oxidase activity in serum. Xanthine oxidase may be a key role in the pathogenesis of liver damage induced by skin burn.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.27-40
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• 2009

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), also known as an acute inflammatory lung disease is developed by various factors that is originated from the destruction of alveolar-capillary barrier, and neutrophils plays an important role in the destruction. The study intended to confirm, the anti-inflammatory effect of germanium, whether a lung injury has been mitigated with the reduction of injury in alveolar-capillary barrier resulting from inhibition of neutrophils migration in lung tissue. Test groups were divided in saline administered CON, 5 hours of endotoxin administered LPS and 5 hours of endotoxin administered Ge+LPS following 1 hours of pre-processed germanium. $100{\mu}g$ endotoxin was melted in 0.5 mL saline and sprayed into airway and 26 mg germanium per 100 g weight was administered into abdominal cavity. The endotoxin group which induced an acute lung injury with administered endotoxin showed dramatic increase of pulmonary edema (p<0.001), protein contents in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, BALF (p<0.05) and neutrophils of infiltration in BALF (p<0.001) comparing with a control group, while a pre-treated germanium group showed significant decrease in all categories comparing to the endotoxin administerd group. In the result of a microscopic observation, the structure of alveolar-capillary barrier which is constructed with basal lamina, alveolar type I cells and endothelial cell were preserved of the pre-treated germanium group relatively well compare to the endotoxin administered group. And the construction of lamellar body, microvilli and basal lamina of alveolar type II cells were also preserved relatively well. Hence, germanium activates as an anti-Inflammatory mediator in other words, it interfered neutrophils migration into lung tissue, thereby reduced injury of alveolar-capillary barrier from toxic substances of activated neutrophils. Consequently, the study has determined that the acute lung injury induced by endotoxin has been decreased by the pre-treated germanium.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.293-306
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• 2008

The essential factor of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), an acute lung injury accompanied commonly by sepsis syndrome is accumulation of neutrophils in lung tissue. The study attempted to confirm whether a lung injury would be decreased with the anti-inflammatory effect of germanium by the treated germanium prior to the development of ARDS and whether nitric oxide influence in suppressing a lung injury. Test groups were divided in the following structure for experiment; CON that has been administered with sodium chloride to airway, LPS administered with endotoxin for 5 hours in the same amount and 5 hours of endotoxin administered Ge+LPS following 1 hours of pre-treated germanium. The result of a test using experimental animals, infilteration of neutrophils (p<0.001) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was significantly decreased, the structure of lung tissue was preserved relatively well, and much neutrophils with distinct positive were observed on tunel staining which showed increase of apoptotic neutrophils in the pre-treated germanium group compare to the endotoxin administrated group. In observation of ultrastructural changes of cell in BALF, phagocytic alveolar macrophage was increased in alveolar space, the nucleus of most engulfed neutrophils were condensed, and some apoptosis neutrophils appears to be DNA fragmentation and effacement of cellular organelles were found in intercellular matrix in the pre-treated germanium group. However, the nitric oxide showed increase in all the groups excluding CON, and the nitric oxide effect such as degranulation diminishing of mast cells and apoptosis increase of neutrophils in the pre-treated group only. The situation appears that there was change in internal environment of the experimental animal by the pre-treated germanium before the nitric oxide is produced and the anti-inflammatory effect activated the pre-processed germanium by nitric oxide which activated following the change. Therefore, the nitric oxide created from macrophage in accordance with the pre-treated germanium appears to influence in alleviating a lung injury. Accordingly, acute lung injury is alleviated by the anti-inflammatory effect of germanium such as inhibition of neutrophils migration, induction of neutrophil apoptosis and increase of phagocytic function of phagocyte, and the nitric oxide produced from activated macrophage by germanium would influence in suppressing a lung injury.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2009

This study was performed using animals to confirm the effect of tourmaline-ionized water (TIW) the properties of which were changed by tourmaline energy and electric discharge. In the ICR mice fed high-fat diet, body weight increasing rate of the TIW-treated group (Exp) was generally decreased and moreover exhibited significance at 11th week (P<0.05) compared with the control (Con) group fed distilled water, although water intake of the Exp group was lower than that of the Con group. In the ICR mice with $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity, AST and ALT activities of the Exp group were not significant but showed some decreasing trend, and histological damage of liver was less compared with thatof the Con group. On the study of ethanol-induced hangovers in Sprague-Dawley rat, blood alcohol concentration was significantly decreased (P<0.01), activity of GST, antioxidant enzyme related to the alcohol metabolism, was increased in liver tissue (P<0.05), and AST and ALT show a tendency to be decreasedin the Exp group. These results suggest that drinking TIWhas not only some obesity preventing effect but also an alcohol detoxification effect and liver protecting effect in vivo. It is supposed due to a structural change of water cluster and a property which maintains the changed structure through tourmaline energy and electric discharge. Therefore, TIW has a potentiality to be developed as functional water with several beneficial effects as well as for daily drinking, but further study on the mechanism related with efficacy will be necessary.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.252-263
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• 2013

Objectives : Skin color deformation by cupping has been widely used as a diagnostic parameter in Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM). Skin color deformation such as ecchymoses and purpura is induced by local vacuum in a suction cup. Since existing studies have relied on a visual diagnostic method, there is a need to use the quantitative measurement method. Methods : We conducted an analysis of cross-polarization photographic images to assess the changes in skin color deformation. The skin color variation was analyzed using $L^*a^*b^*$ space and the skin erythema index(E.I.). The meridian theory in TKM indicates that the condition of primary internal organs is closely related to the skin color deformation at special acupoints. Before conducting these studies, it is necessary to evaluate whether or not skin color deformation is influenced by muscle condition. Hence, we applied cupping at BL13, BL15, BL18, BL20 and BL23 at Bladder Meridian(BL) and measured blood lactate at every acupoint. Results : We confirmed the high system measurement accuracy, and observed the diverse skin color deformations. Moreover, we confirmed that the $L^*$, $a^*$ and E.I. had not changed after 40 minutes(p>0.05). The distribution of blood lactate levels at each part was observed differently. Blood lactate level and skin color deformation at each part was independent of each other. Conclusions : The negative pressure produced by the suction cup induces a reduction in the volumetric fraction of melanosomes and subsequent reduction in epidermal thickness. The relationship between variations of tissue and skin properties and skin color deformation degree must be investigated prior to considering the relationship between internal organ dysfunction and skin color deformation.