• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.16 no.1_2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2000

The visceral ganglion and the right parietal ganglion of the African giant snail, Achatina fulica, consists of two hemispheres, each in left and right side, respectively, like a butterfly. The surface of cortex and medulla in the two ganglions are crowded with nerve cells, but nerve fibers form a network at the middle portion. The nerve cells in the cortex and medulla of the visceral ganglion and the right parietal ganglion are classified into the following four classes according to their sizes: giant (above 200 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, in diameter), large (60-70 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, in diameter), middle (30-40 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, in diameter) and small (10-15 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, in diameter) nerve cells, respectively. The giant and large nerve cells are rarely found(20-22 eas. in total) while the middle and small nerve cells are found in large quantities (middle: 400-500 eas., small: 700-800 eas.). In the AB/AY double staining, the giant nerve cell is identified as light yellow cells (LYC), while large and middle none cells as dark green cells (DGC) or yellow green cells (YGC), and small nerve cells as yellow cells (YC) or blue cells (BC), The DGC, which reacts positively to somatostatin immunostain reaction, inhibits the secretion of the growth control hormone. The giant and large nerve cells are identified to do the functions of phagocytosis as well as neurosecretion.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.101-108
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• 2001

Five kinds of neurosecretory cells (type-A, B, C, D and E) and neuropiles surrounding them were observed in the visceral ganglion and the right parietal ganglion of the African giant snail, Achatina fulica, by transmission electron microscopy. Type-A cells (diameter, $35{\mu}m$) are the most popular cells in the cortex of the two ganglions, which are of triangular or irregular forms. In their cytoplasm, there are found large granules of 1 fm in diameters and small round granules of about $0.1{\mu}m$ in diameters. Small granules are classified into the ones of high electron density and the others of middle electron density. Type-B cells (diameter, $19\times12{\mu}m$) are evenly distributed over various portions of cortex and medulla of the two ganglions. They are similar to type-A cells in shapes. The cytoplasm of type-B cells is crowded with high electron dense granules of about $0.1{\mu}m$. Round granules of about $0.7{\mu}m$ in diameters are also found but rarely. Type-C cells are the smallest cells whose sizes are about $8\times6{\mu}m$. Each of them contains a large nucleus of about $6\times5{\mu}m$. Its cytoplasm is full of electron dense granules of about $0.23{\mu}m$, each of which is artually an assembly of tiny granules of about $0.03{\mu}m$. Type-D cells are middle-size cells of about $28\times20{\mu}m$, which take ellipsoidal or irregular forms. They are found in the cortex more than in the medulla. Their cytoplasm looks dark due to the high electron density and, in it, two kinds of round granules whose sizes are $1.6{\mu}m$fm and $0.6{\mu}m$, respectively, are observed. Type-E cells are large cells of about $100\times50{\mu}m$, which are rarely found in the upper and middle portions of the two ganglions. The nucleus of the cell, which is very large $(70\times30{\mu}m)$ for the cytoplasm, contains electron dense round granules of diverse sizes (diameters, $1\sim0.2{\mu}m$). The surface of the cell protrudes filopodia of various forms and phagocytizes decrepit cells. Neuropiles are surrounding the neurosecretory cells. In nerve fibers, synaptic vesicles are observed, which are classified into six classes according to their electron densities , sizes and shapes.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 2010

Chronic perineal pain is an often encountered problem, which produces a great degree of functional impairment and frustration to the patient and a challenge to the treating physician. The reason for this problem is that the region contains diverse anatomic structures with mixed somatic, visceral and autonomic innervations affecting bladder and bowel control and sexual function. A blockade of nociceptive and sympathetic supply to the perineal region, supplied through the ganglion impar has been shown to benefit patients with chronic perineal pain. Several options to this block have been described that chemical neurolysis, radiofrequency ablation etc. Although the analgesic effect of Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) has long been considered secondary to its action for muscle relaxation, BoNT-A also affects the release of the neurotransmitters that are involved in pain perception. We describe a patient who was successfully given ganglion impar block with BoNT-A.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 1988

It is well known that the celiac plexus block is specially useful for relieve intractable upper abdominal pain caused by upper abdominal visceral malignancy or upper abdominal metastasis from distant organs. But in cases of lower abdominal or pelvic metastasis from upper abdominal malignancy, the lower abdominal intractable pain is remained after the successful celiac plexus block. We have reported 7 cases of celiac plexus block combined with lumbar sympathetic ganglion block, among the 305 cases of the celiac plexus block from 1968 to Nov. 1987, performed in patients with lower abdominal or back pain due to carcinomatosis of lower abdominal metastatic malignancy, that their results were excellent for pain relief.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.238-241
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• 1999

Intractable pain arising from disorders of the viscera and somatic structures within the pelvis and perineum often poses difficult problems for the pain pratitioner. The reason for this difficulty is that the region contains diverse anatomic structures with mixed somatic, visceral, and autonomic innervation affecting bladder and bowel control and sexual function. Clinically, sympathetic pain in the perineum has a distinctly vague, burning, and poorly localized quality and is frequently associated with the sensation of urgency. Although various approaches have been proposed for the management of intractable perineal pain, their efficacy and applications are limited. Historically, neurolytic blockade in this region has been focused mainly on somatic rather than sympathetic components. The efficacy of neurolytic ganglion impar block has been demonstrated in treating perineal pain without significant somatovisceral dysfunctions for patient with advanced cancer in 1990. The introduction of superior hypogastric plexus block in 1990 demonstrated its effectiveness in patients with cancer related pelvic pain. In our report, five patients had advanced cancer (rectal caner 3; cervix cancer 1; metastases to sacral portion of renal cell cancer 1). Localized perineal pain was present in all cases and was characterized as burning and urgent with 9~10/10 pain intensity. After neurolytic block of ganglion impar, patients experiened incomplete pain reduction (7~8/10), as determined by the VAS (visual analogue scale), and change in pain site. We then treated with superior hypogastric plexus block, which produced satisfactory pain relief (to less than 4/10), without complication.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 2002

Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is usually diagnosed in the newborn period and early infancy. The common presentation of HD in newborns consists of a history of delayed passage of meconium within the first 48 hours of life. The differential diagnosis in newborns is one of the clinical challenges of this disorder. A number of medical conditions which cause functional obstruction of the intestines are easily excluded. Neonates with meconium ileus, meconium plug syndrome, distal ileal atresia and low imperforate anus often present in a manner similar to those with HD in the first few days of life. Abdominal radiographs may help to diagnose complete obstruction such as intestinal atresia. Microcolon on contrast enema can be shown in cases with total colonic aganglionosis, ileal atresia or meconium ileus. Suction rectal biopsy or frozen section biopsy at operation is essential for differential diagnosis in such cases. HD is also considered in any child who has a history of constipation regardless of age. Older children with functional constipation may have symptoms that resemble those of HD and contrast enema is usually diagnostic. However, children with other motility disorders generally referred to as chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudoobstruction present with very similar symptoms and radiographic findings. These disorders are classified according to their histologic characteristics.; visceral myopathy, visceral neuropathy, intestinal neuronal dysplasia (IND), hypoganglionosis, immature ganglia, internal sphincter achalasia. Therefore, the workup for motility disorders should include rectal biopsy not only to confirm the presence of ganglion cells but also evaluate the other pathologic conditions.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.37-40
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• 2002

Ascidians are lower chordates, and their tadpole-like larvae share a basic body plan with vertebrates. To study photoreceptive systems in ascidians, we have isolated and characterized cDNA clones for three opsins, five G protein ${\alpha}$ subunits (G${\alpha}$), catalytic and regulatory subunits of cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE), and arrestin from the ascidian Ciona intestinalis tadpole larva. Ci-opsin1 and Ci-opsin2 are vertebrate-type opsins, while Ci-opsin3 is a retinal photoisomerase similar to retinochrome and mammalian RGR. Both Ci-opsin1 and arrestin are specifically localized in the photoreceptor cells of the ocellus, whereas Ci -opsin2 is not expressed in the photoreceptors, but is co-localized in another population of neurons in the brain with PDE (Ci-PDE9 and Ci-PDE$\delta$). Ci-opsin3 is present in the entire region of the brain. Though five different cDNAs encoding Ga have been cloned, no transducin-type G protein has been found yet. Interestingly, one of G${\alpha}$i isoform is conspicuously expressed in the entire region of the brain. The Ci-opsin3 gene expression was observed in a broad area of the brain vesicle as well as in the visceral ganglion. Genes encoding ascidian homologs of CRALBP and ${\beta}$-CD, whose function is required for the mammalian visual cycle, are co-expressed with Ci-opsin3 in the brain vesicle and visceral ganglion. Localization of Ci-opsin3, CRALBP, and ${\beta}$-CD in a broad area of the brain suggests that the brain of the ascidian larva has a visual cycle system similar to that of the vertebrate RPE. Based on these data, we discuss the evolution of vertebrate visual systems.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.23-33
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• 2008

The Zic family is a group of genes encoding zinc finger proteins that are highly expressed in the mammalian cerebellum. Zic genes are the vertebrate homologue of Drosophila pair-rule gene, odd-paired(opa), which plays important roles in the parasegmental subdivision as well as in the visceral mesoderm development of Drosophila embryos. Recent studies on human, mouse, frog, fish and ascidian Zic homologues support that Zic genes are involved in a variety of developmental processes, including neurogenesis, myogenesis, skeletal patterning, and left-right axis establishment. In an effort to explore possible functions of Zic proteins during vertebrate embryogenesis, we initially examined more detailed expression pattern of zebrafish homologue of zic3(zic3z). zic3z transcripts are detected in the neuroectoderm, neural plate, dorsal neural tube, and brain regions including eye field during early embryonic development. Marker DNA studies found that zic3z transcription is modulated by BMP, Wnt, and Nodal signals particularly in the dorsal and vegetal neuroectoderm at gastrula. Interfering with zic3z translation with zic3z-specific morpholino causes abnormal brain formation and expansion of the optic stalk cells. Retinal ganglion cells(RGCs) undergo abnormal neuronal differentiation. These findings suggest that zic3z defines the dorsal and vegetal neuroectoderm to specify brain formation and retinal neurogenesis during early embryonic development.