• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.288-292
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• 2011

Objective : Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially MMP-2 and MMP-9 have been known to play an important role in secondary inflammatory reaction after spinal cord injury (SCI). The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and to determine their relationship with disruption of endothelial blood-barrier after photochemically induced SCI in rats. Methods : Female Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing between 250 and 300 g (aged 8 weeks) received focal spinal cord ischemia by photothrombosis using Rose Bengal. Expressions and activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were assessed by Western blot and gelatin zymography at various times from 6 h to 7 days. Endothelial blood-barrier integrity was assessed indirectly using spinal cord water content. Results : Zymography and Western blot analysis demonstrated rapid up-regulation of MMP-9 protein levels in spinal cord after ischemic onset. Expressions and activities of MMP-9 showed a significant increased at 6 h after the photothrombotic ischemic event, and reached a maximum level at 24 h after the insult. By contrast, activated MMP-2 was not detected at any time point in either the experimental or the control groups. When compared with the control group, a significant increase in spinal cord water content was detected in rats at 24 h after photothrombotic SCI. Conclusion : Early up-regulation of MMP-9 might be correlated with increased water content in the spinal cord at 24 h after SCI in rats. Results of this study suggest that MMP-9 is the key factor involved in disruption of the endothelial blood-barrier of the spinal cord and subsequent secondary damage after photothrombotic SCI in rats.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.71-90
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• 1996

There is considerable current interest in the effect of regular vigorous exercise and in particular endurance-running as a possible measure in improving myocardial function. Some data indicate that the aging heart may actually suffer from vigorous endurance exercise. On the contrary appropriate exercise in aged animals improves myocardial function and aerobic energy metabolism. So far there is relatively little data to indicate that endurance exercise is in fact beneficial in improving myocardial function or damaging to heart of aged animals. The present investigation aimed to study the possible effect of a long range treadmill training program on the heart in aging rats. Male rats aged 3, 10, and 20 months were divided at random into a control (sedentary) and an exercise group. The training group was exercised for 5 days a week on an automated treadmill for 20minutes at 18m/min over a period of 5 months. The exercise regimen of our experiments did not cause any significant changes in the tissues and ultrastructural as com-pared with sedentary age-matched control. Tissues and ultrastructures of myocardial cells in trained group aged 8 months are intact and well organized as well as sedentary control group. Age associated tissue and ultrastructural changes of trained group aged 15 months included : an increase in transformed mitochondria, vacuoles, lysosomes, lipid droplets and early lipofuscin. But the trained heart did not show significant difference in tissue and ultrastructural properties from those of sedentary controls. Endurance-trained group aged 25 months showed significant qualitative tissue and ultrastructural difference as compared with age-matched controls. In addition to those found in 25 months control group, focal necrosis, myofibril fraying, hypercontraction band, seperation of intercalated discs, degenerating nucleus and infiltration of collagenous fiber into myocyte were noted in trained 25 months group. The stereological examination of the mi-crographs disclosed no significant difference in the myoflbril, mitochondrion, sarcotubule and in-terstitium volume density and surface density of mitochondrial cristae and numerical density of mitochondria between trained and control group aged 8 and 15 months. In the trained 25 months group, significant increase in volume density of interstitium, lipofucsin granule were shown as compared to untrained age-matched control. On the other hand, significant decrease in mitochondrion volume density was shown. The myofibril volume density did not differ between trained and control group although trained group showed slight increase. From the data obtained a reduced mitochondria/myofibrils ratio was found in trained rat heart aged 25 months and there was no difference between trained and control rat aged 15 months. But a slight but not significant increase was found in the trained group aged 8 months as compared with same age control group. Such increase in the ratio in young animals is considered to be of great importance to cardiac pumping and adaptability. Whereas such adaptations don't seem to occur in aged heart muscle. This study proposed that repeated endurance exercise do not cause any significant qualitative and quantitative ultrastructural change of heart muscle in young(3months) and adult (10months) suggesting that the heart is able to adapt to the exercise. On the contrary, the repeated endurance exercise stress may actually induce degenerative changes in the aged heart muscle(20months).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.316-323
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• 1998

To study e(feces of Korean Binseng (Parfax ginseff C. A. hfeyer) total saponin fraction on spermidine and spermine metabolism in rat reproductive systems, we administrated the saponin fractation to rats for 2 years. Then, we determined the activities of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), the quantitation of the enzyme protein and the amounts of spermidine and spermine contents In prostate and testis. In young sexually immature stage, administration of Korean ginseng saponin fraction showed no effect on SAMDC activities. The stimulatory effect on the activities of SAMDC gradually increased and reached maximal activities in test groups of prostate and testis at sexually mature stage. The amounts of SAMDC protein in test groups were paralleled by the changes of SAMDC activities in test groups, indicating that all of the increased activity occurring in administration of ginseng saponin fraction was not due to the activation of SAMDC activity but to the Increase in enzyme protein. However, the spermidine and spermine contents of test groups showed small increase in compared to that of control groups. From these results, we suggest that administration of ginseng saponin fraction alter the spermidine and spermine metabolism in sexually mature and aged reproductive systems in rats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.119-124
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• 1994

Experiments were performed to determine age-associated changes in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene and Ha-ras cellular oncogene expression in tissues of female rats. In the kidney, ODC mRNA levels did not show age-associated changes, while ODC enzyme activities were decreased with advancing age from 3 to 10 months. These results suggest that post-transcriptional mechanism (s) are involved in the age-dependent decrease in renal ODC enzyme activity. In addition, we found no correlation between testosterone-induced renal ODC expression and DNA methylation pattern. Ha-ras mRNA levels in brain decreased as animals aged from 3 to 6 months, while renal Ha-ras mRNA levels were not influenced by age. Results demonstrate the age-dependent expression of Ha-ras in a tissue-specific manner.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2008

Purpose: Osteoporosis that occurred after menopause is one of the most common metabolic disease. and it is that bone mass significant decrease in comparison with normal people. Its symptoms are fracture, decrease of height, etc. The purpose of this study is to examine what are the effects of the Gamisoyosan on the aged ovariectomized rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Methods: 24 female rats were ovariectomized and divided into normal group(normal), ovariectomized group(control), and treated with Gamisoyosan group(treated). During 8 weeks we dosed D.W to sham and control group, and dosed Gamisoyosan(105 mg/100 g) to experimental group. After 8 weeks we sacrificed rats and measured the body weight, albumin, P, Calcium, ALP, total cholesterol, triglyceride, AST, ALT, T4, estradiol, the femur weight, the tibia ash weight, trabecular bone area, trabecular thickness, osteoclast number. Results: The level of serum albumin, calcium, AST, ALT, estradiol in Gamisoyosan group showed significant increase in comparison with control group. The level of serum triglyceride in Gamisoyosan group showed significant decrease in comparison with control group. Trabecular bone area and osteoclast number in Gamisoyosan group showed significant increase in comparison with control group. Conclusions: Reviewing these experimental results, Gamisoyosan has shown to activate osteogenesis and prevent bone resorption, and it should show efficacy on prevention and improvement of osteoporosis after menopause.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.21-26
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• 1996

In our previous studies, we reported that lead intoxicated nerve cell by inhibition of the Na$^{+}$-K$^{+}$ ATPase activity and reduction of myo-inositol in nerve cell. As the second series of experiments, in order to understand toxic mechanism of lead for nerve cell, the characteristics of myo-inositol transport system and the effect of lead on its system have been studied in the sciatic nerves of control and lead-treated rats. A lead intoxicated animal model was induced by feeding diet containing lead to Sprague-Dawley rat for two weeks. Four weeks aged Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three group : normal control group, 10ppm-lead treated group, 100ppm-lead treated group. All rats were sacrified at the end of two weeks. The rate o myo-inositol transport by sciatic nerve isolated from lead-treated rat was significantly decreased compared with that of control rat. This deficit results from that myo-inositol transport system which is carrier mediated and sodium-potassium dependent was inhibited by the lead treatment (both 10ppm and 100ppm) due to increase of the Km value without affecting Vmax value for myo-inositol carrier. These observations suggest that the toxic mechanism of lead on nerve myo-inositol transport system might be a change of affinity without change of maximum transport velocity for carrier.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.343-348
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• 1993

Growth of suture line and anastomosis is required for long-term success after the tracheal and bronchial surgery in infant and pediatric patient. We used various suture materials in these cases, but the results were differ. To select the adequate suture material in tracheal surgery, we tried next. Tracheal anastomoses were performed in 150 Sprague Dawley rats, aged 4 to 8 [mean 5.8] weeks and weight 62 to 106[mean 83.6] gram, to compare polydioxanone[PDS] 7-0, polyglactin 910[Vicryl]7-0, and polypropylene [prolene] 8-0 suture materials. In 150 rats, only 29[20%] were lived over 300 days, and the weight was 250 to 320[mean 289.5]gram. Cross sectional area of the anastomoses and two or three tracheal rings below anastomosis site were measured under microscope, and calculated and compared as Hsieh`s equition. Cross-sectional area,anastomosis site/normal site 100, were 89.4 $\pm$ 5.34% in PDS group[n=9], 75.7 $\pm$ 6.06% in Vicrylgroup [n = 10], and 80.8$\pm$ 4.06% in Prolene group[n = 10]. Histopathologic studies were done for all autopsies or put in death around 300 days postoperatively. PDS absorblion was not seen 16 weeks after suture but disappeared over 24 weeks slide. Vicryl absorbtion was noted postoperative 8 to 16 weeks, with marked tissue reaction. Prolene showed least tissue reaction, but the suture material was persisted with regional fibrotic capsule.Causes of death were respiratory failure in 76 cases, tracheal rupture in 22 cases, hemorrhage, biting, starvation and etc. in 23 cases. With the brief review of literatures, we report the results.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2008

This study examined the mechanisms underlying the effects of the vasorelaxation active substance(VAS), dimethyladenosine-5'-L-arabinose, and its partial purification fraction on nitric oxide synthase in improving erectile dysfunction with particular focus on the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP pathways. Two rat models, 9-month-old SD rats and 11-month-old SD rats, were given VAS(40 mg/kg per day) for 4 days, The aqueous fraction of silworm male pupae extract; semi-purified VAS(100 mg/kg per day) for 10 days, respectively. The NOS activities of the following three enzymes were examined: neuronal NO synthase(nNOS), inducible NOS(iNOS), endothelial NOS(eNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor on endothelial cells(VEGF) and anti-inflammation effect of Tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$. The results showed increases in the nitric oxide synthase activities. Western blotting of the tissue homogenate showed an increase in the nNOS level in the brain and tongue, and an increase in the endothelial NO synthase(eNOS) level in penis. However, there was little association with VEGF production in HUVEC endothelial cells and no relationship with TNF-$\alpha$ which showed low levels.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1576-1580
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• 2007

Aralia cordata Thunb. (Araliaceae, ACT) is an remarkable herbal plant that has been widely used in traditional oriental medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and cardiovascular disorders. In this study, we have established a vascular aging model in rats by orally administrating excessive vitamin $D_2$ (500,000 IU/kg/day) for 4 days followed by feeding high cholesterol diet for 16 weeks and then rats were randomly divided into control group, high cholesterol diet (HCD) group, HCD+ACT (30 mg/kg) and HCD+ACT (60 mg/kg) group. ACT (30, 60) significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC) content compared with HCD, but no significant differences in the serum lipids. Secondly, we measured the serum levels of Oxidized Low-dencity Lipoprotein (OxLDL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in order to further investigate the anti-vascular aging mechanism of ACT. The results, ACT (30, 60) treatments decreased OxLDL, MDA　content　and increased Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activity compared with HCD treatments. The results suggested that ACT inhibited OxLDL production rather than serum lipids lowering and that ACT could be used as potential anti-atherosclerotic agent in aged cells.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.505-513
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• 1995

Seventy wild rats were caught from Seoul city, Kyonggi, Kangwon, Honam, and yongnam provinces. All of them were in same species, Rattus norvegicus, except two R rattus from Kyonggi province. Seventy sera from wild rats were studied by immunofluorescent antibody assay for evidence of infection by spotted fever group rickettsia. The antidody prevalance was 37.14%(26/70) for spotted fever group rickettsia. The sero-prevalence rates for spotted fever group rickettsia antibody was the hightest in Kyonggi province with 55.56%(10/18), yongnam province with 50.00%(10/20), Kangwon province with 25.00%(2/8), Seoul city with 18.75%(3/16), and Honam province with 12.50%(1/8). The sero-positive rates difference between sexes were higher in female with 46.15%(12/26) than in male with 31.81%(14/44) for spotted fever group rickettsia. Twenty six of 68 Rattus norvegicus with antibody for spotted fever group rickettsia were in subadult with 50.00%(6/12), young adult with 38.89%(7/18), middle-aged adult with 35.29%(6/17), and old adult with 33.33%(7/21). No antibody was detected from R rattus.