• Title/Summary/Keyword: disease ecology

Search Result 282, Processing Time 0.026 seconds

Therapeutic Effects of Hovenia Dulcis Thunb Extract on $CCl_4$ Induced Liver and Kidney Damage in Rats (Carbon Tetrachloride로 유발된 Rat의 간장과 신장 손상시 헛개나무 추출액의 치료효과)

  • Kim, Hong-Tae;Kim, Dae-Dong;Ku, Sae-Kwang;Kim, Ju-Wan;Lim, Mee-Kyung;Oh, Tae-Ho;Lee, Keun-Woo
    • Journal of Veterinary Clinics
    • /
    • v.28 no.1
    • /
    • pp.20-27
    • /
    • 2011
  • Hovenia dulcis Thunb (HDT) has been known folk medicine and has been used as therapeutic drug in the treatment of liver disease. Also it has been used as a detoxifying agents for alcoholic poisoning and promoting diuresis. However, there has not been any study on therapeutic effect of Hovenia dulcis extract on $CCl_4$ induced liver and kidney damage in rats. In this study, we report on therapeutic effects of Hovenia dulcis extract on $CCl_4$ induced liver and kidney damage in rats. Rats were divided into four groups of eighteen animals. Control group (DW) was administrated with distilled water 2.5 mL/kg per peritonial administration and then $CCl_4$ group (CCl) was administrated $CCl_4$ 2.5 mL/kg per peritonial administration, $CCl_4$+HDT extract group ($CCl_4$+HDT) was administrated HDT extrat (100 mg/kg) after $CCl_4$ 2.5 mL/kg administration, $CCl_4$+Silymarin group ($CCl_4$+Sily) was administrated Silymarin (50 mg/kg) after $CCl_4$ 2.5 mL/kg administration. The complete blood cell (CBC) count of RBC, WBC, PCV, Hb, MCH, MCV, MCHC and blood chemistry profile of AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, Total choloesterol, Tryglyceride, Total bilirubin, Amylase, Glucose, BUN, Creatinine, Lipase and pathologic changes were observed for 7 days after administration of D.W., $CCl_4$, $CCl_4$+HDT extract, $CCl_4$+Silymarin. The results are as follows : 1. RBC and PCV were significantly (p < 0.01) increased in all groups compared to D.W. but hemoglobin, MCH, MCV and MCHC were not showed significant difference during experimental periods. 2. AST, ALT, T-cholesterol, T-bilirubin, TG were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in all groups on day 3 compared to D.W. and were normal on day 7. 3. ALP was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in $CCl_4$+HDT group on day 3 but Amylase was not showed significant difference during experimental periods. 4. BUN was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in $CCl_4$ group on day 7, but $CCl_4$+HDT group and $CCl_4$+Sily group were normal. Creatninie was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in $CCl_4$ group on day 3 and normal on day 7 but $CCl_4$+HDT group and $CCl_4$+Sily group were not showed significant difference during experimental periods.

Effects of Artemisia capillaris Methanol Extract on CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and TNF-${\alpha}+$ Splenic Cells in Tumor Cells Inoculated Mice (종양 유발 마우스의 CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ 및 TNF-${\alpha}+$ 비장세포에 인진쑥 methanol 추출물이 미치는 영향)

  • Kim, Hong-Tae;Ku, Sae-Kwang;Kim, Ju-Wan;Jin, Tae-Won;Lim, Mee-Kyung;Kim, Ji-Eun;Do, Yoon-Jung;Yeo, Sang-Geon;Jang, Kwang-Ho;Oh, Tae-Ho;Lee, Keun-Woo
    • Journal of Veterinary Clinics
    • /
    • v.26 no.1
    • /
    • pp.1-7
    • /
    • 2009
  • The Artemisia capillaris THUNB is a perennial herb that belongs to the family Compositae spp and probably the most common plant among the various herbal folk remedies being used in the treatment of abdominal pain, hepatitis, chronic liver disease, jaundice and coughing in Korea. Recently the biological and pharmacological actions of herb have been studied well such as antibacterial, antidiabetic and antitumor activities. This experiment was conducted to investigate antitumor and immunomodulatory effects of Artemisia capillaris extracts against Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180 cancer cells in in vivo experimental tests. In in vivo experimental tests using 210 ICR mice, based on flow cytometry, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and TNF-${\alpha}+$ splenocytes were significantly (p<0.05) reduced in the Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180 inoculated vehicle controls, HP and SP, compared to those of the intact vehicle control on both the $28^{th}$ day and the $42^{nd}$ day, respectively. These decreases of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and TNF-${\alpha}+$ cells induced by tumor inoculations were significantly (p<0.05) inhibited by mACH treatment regardless of the type of experiments and tumor cells inoculated. The results suggest that Artemisia capillaris methanol extracts have prominent antitumor effects on the cancer cell lines Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180.

Atmospheric Acid Deposition : Nitrogen Saturation of Forests (대기 산성 강하물 : 삼림의 질소 포화)

  • Kim, Joon-Ho
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.29 no.3
    • /
    • pp.305-321
    • /
    • 2006
  • Atmospheric Acid Deposition: Nitrogen Saturation of Forests: Volume weighted annual average wet deposition of nitroge at 33 sites in Korea during 1999-2004 ranged 7.28 to $21.05kgN{\cdot}ha^{-1}{\cdot}yr^{-1}$ with average $12.78kgN{\cdot}ha^{-1}{\cdot}yr^{-1}$, which values are similar level with nitrogen deposition of Europe and North America. The temperate forests that suffered long-term high atmospheric nitrogen deposition are gradually saturated with nitrogen. Such nitrogen saturated forest watersheds usually leach nitrate ion ($NO_3^-$) in stream water and soil solution. It may be likely that Korean forest ecosystems are saturated by much nitrogen deposition. In leaves with nitrogen saturation ratios of N/P, N/K and N/Mg are so enhanced that mineral nutrient system is disturbed, suffered easily frost damage and blight disease, reduced fine-root vitality and mycorrhizal activity. Consequently nitrogen saturated forests decrease primary productivity and finally become forest decline. Futhermore understory species are replaced the nitrophobous species by the nitrophilous one. In soil with nitrogen saturation uptake of methane ($CH_4$) is reduced and emission of nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrous oxide ($N_{2}O$) are increased, which gases are greenhouse gas accelerating global warming.

U.S. Forest Service Research : Its Administration and Management

  • Krugman, Stanley L.
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
    • /
    • v.76 no.3
    • /
    • pp.243-248
    • /
    • 1987
  • The U.S. Forest Service administers the world's largest forestry research organization. From its modest beginning in 1876, some 30 years before the United States national forest system was established, the research branch has devoted its effort to meet current and future information needs of the forestry community of the United States, not just for the U.S. Forest Service. The research branch is one of three major administrative units of the U.S. Forest Service. The others being the National Forest System and State and Private Forestry. Currently the National Forest System comprises 155 national forests, 19 national grasslands, and 18 utilization projects located in 44 states. Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The National Forest System manages these areas for a large array of uses and benefits including timber, water, forage, wildlife, recreation, minerals, and wilderness. It is through the State and Private Forestry branch that the U.S. Forest Service cooperates and coordinates forestry activities and programs with state and local governments, forest industries, and private landowners. These activities include financial and technical assistance in disease, insect, and fire protection ; plan forestry programs ; improve harvesting and marketing practices ; and transfer forestry research results to user groups. Forestry research is carried out through eight regional Forest Experiment Stations and the Forest Product Laboratory. Studies are maintained at 70 administrative sites, and at 115 experimental forest and grasslands. All of the current sciences that composed modern forestry are included in the research program. These range from forest biology (i. e. silviculture, ecology, physiology, and genetics) to the physical, mathematical, engineering, managerial, and social sciences. The levels of research range from application, developmental, and basic research. Research planning and priority identification is an ongoing process with elements of the research program changing to meet short-term critical information needs(i. e. protection research) to long-term opportunities(i. e. biotechnology). Research planning and priority setting is done in cooperation with National Forest Systems, forest industries, universities, and individual groups such as environmental, wilderness, or wildlife organizations. There is an ongoing review process of research administration, organization, and science content to maintain quality of research. In the U.S. Forest Service the research responsibility is not completed until the new information is being applied by the various user group : I. e. technology transfer program. Research planning and development in the U.S. Forest Service is a dynamic activity. Porgrams for the year 2000 and beyond are now in the planning stage.

  • PDF

Induction of Apoptosis by Hwangheuk-san in AGS Human Gastric Carcinoma Cells through the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species and Activation of Caspases (AGS 인체 위암세포에서 황흑산에 의한 ROS 생성 및 caspase 활성 의존적 apoptosis 유발)

  • Hong, Su Hyun;Park, Cheol;Kim, Kyoung Min;Choi, Yung Hyun
    • Journal of Life Science
    • /
    • v.25 no.11
    • /
    • pp.1235-1243
    • /
    • 2015
  • Hwangheuk-san (HHS) is a Korean multi-herb formula comprising four medicinal herbs. HHS, which was recorded in “Dongeuibogam,” has been used to treat patients with inflammation syndromes and digestive tract cancer for hundreds of years. However, little is known about its anti-tumor efficacy. The present study investigated the pro-apoptotic effect and mode of action of HHS against AGS human gastric carcinoma cells. HHS inhibited the cell growth of AGS cells in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death, as evidenced by the formation of apoptotic bodies, chromatin condensation, and an accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 phase. HHS-induced apoptotic cell death was associated with the up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax protein expression, down-regulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein, and the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to the cytosol. The treatment of AGS cells with HHS significantly elevated the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, apoptosis-inducing concentrations of HHS induced the activation of both caspase-9 and -8, initiator caspases of the mitochondrial-mediated intrinsic and death receptor-mediated extrinsic pathways, respectively, and caspase-3, accompanied by proteolytic degradation of poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase. However, ROS scavenger and pan-caspases inhibitor significantly blocked HHS-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis. Taken together, these findings suggest that HHS induces apoptosis through ROS- and caspase-dependent mechanisms and that HHS may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the control of human gastric cancer.

Characteristics of an Entomopathogenic Fungus Infecting Corythucha ciliata (Hemiptera: Tingidae) (버즘나무방패벌레 기생성 곰팡이의 특성 구명)

  • Koo, Chang-Duck;Lee, Seung-Kyu;Kim, Seong Hwan
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
    • /
    • v.96 no.1
    • /
    • pp.58-64
    • /
    • 2007
  • Overwintering adults of sycamore lace bug (Corythucha ciliata) infected by an unidentified pathogenic fungus were found on the stems of street trees of sycamore in Cheongju city. The objective of this study was to describe this entomopathogenic fungus infecting overwintering sycamore lace bug adults. This unidentified fungus colonized the insect adult body and formed white colony with subglobose clusters of conidiocarps. The size of conidiocarps was 300 to $400{\mu}m$ and each conidium was 15 to $20{\mu}m$. The conidiospore was globus and 2.5 to $3.0{\mu}m$ in diameter, and the hyphae were 1 to $5{\mu}m$ thick. This fungus was successfully isolated and cultivated on potato dextrose agar medium (PDA). The fungal colony was white and then became light yellow. When conidia from this pure culture were inoculated into the overwintering adults, the fungus formed conidiocarps with the same morphology on the insect body and the lethal rate by the fungus was $88{\pm}16%$. This fungus has over 99% homology with Cordyceps bassiana (imperfect fungal name is Beauveria bassiana) in ITS-5.8s rDNA base sequence. The fungal ecology and the infection process of the fungus into its host need to be clarified before using this fungus as a biological control agent.

Effects of Artemisia capillaris Methanol Extract on the Amounts of Splenocytes-derived Cytokines in Tumor Cells Inoculated Mice (인진쑥 Methanol 추출물이 암이 유발된 마우스의 비장세포 유래 Cytokine 함량에 미치는 영향)

  • Kim, Hong-Tae;Ku, Sae-Kwang;Kim, Ju-Wan;Jin, Tae-Won;Koo, Sung-Wook;Lim, Mee-Kyung;Do, Yoon-Jung;Jang, Kwang-Ho;Oh, Tae-Ho;Lee, Keun-Woo
    • Journal of Veterinary Clinics
    • /
    • v.26 no.5
    • /
    • pp.408-412
    • /
    • 2009
  • The Artemisia capillaris THUNB is a perennial herb that belongs to the family Compositae spp. and probably the most common plant among the various herbal folk remedies being used in the treatment of abdominal pain, hepatitis, chronic liver disease, jaundice and coughing in Korea. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Artemisia capillaris extracts on the amounts of splenocytes-derived cytokine ($TNF-{\alpha},\;IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-10). In in vivo experimental tests using 210 ICR mice with Hepa-1c1c7 or sarcoma 180 cancer line, splenocytes derived cytokine contents were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180 inoculated vehicle controls, HP and SP, compared to those of the intact vehicle control on both the $28^{th}$ day and the $42^{nd}$ day, respectively. However, these decreases of $TNF-{\alpha},\;IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-10 levels induced by tumor inoculations were significantly (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) inhibited by mACH (Artemisia capillaris methanol extracts) treatment regardless of the type of experiments and tumor cells inoculated. The results suggest that Artemisia capillaris methanol extracts have prominent anti-inflammation effects on the cancer cell lines Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180.

A study on wearing practice and improvement of personal protective equipment for participant handling livestock carcass infected with virulent avian infectious agents (가금류 악성 전염병 감염축 처리자의 보호 장비 착용실태 조사 및 개선에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Hyeyeoun;Lim, Ui-Hyoung;Kim, Jong Won;Kim, Won-Il;Kang, A-Rum;Lim, Chae Woong;Hong, Chul Un;Han, Jihyeon;Kang, Seog-Jin;Kim, Bumseok
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
    • /
    • v.38 no.4
    • /
    • pp.241-248
    • /
    • 2015
  • This study was aimed to investigate factors that affected the status of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) for handling poultry carcasses with potential exposure to virulent avian infectious agents. A large outbreak of high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) occurred in South Korea in 2014. Many public officers participated for euthanizing and handling livestock carcass. However, several safety issues with using PPE were revealed. Therefore, a questionnaire survey was conducted for 340 people who participated euthanasia and carcass disposal in the place where HPAI mainly occurred in 2014. It was found that 31.8% of the respondents had ever taken off their protective equipment during operations because of its inconvenience. The most inconvenient PPE was goggles (54.6%), followed by mask (20.2%), latex gloves (11.6%), shoe covers (5.9%) and protective clothing (5.3%). The main complaints about this individual PPE was unclear sight, damp emitted toward eye, sweating, tearing easily and sweating, respectively. Considering such problems of PPE, new possible directions for improvement of gloves and goggles were suggested. With newly developed rubber coating fabric gloves and conventionally using latex and fabric gloves, H3N2 influenza virus transmission experiment was conducted. Rubber coating fabric gloves showed similar efficiency for blocking virus transmission with latex laboratory gloves and were not easily torn by sharp claws of chicken. In addition, air flow control safety eyewear was suggested to minimize moisture formation. The air flow control system efficiently suppressed moisture formation inside the goggles. Therefore our study will provide more specific directions about new PPE development for safety protection of actual wearers.

Antimicrobial synergism of Camellia sinensis-isolated five phenol compounds and R-(-)-carvone against mutans streptococci (다엽의 5가지 페놀성분과 R-(-)-carvone의 치아우식균 Mutans Streptococci에 대한 항균력 상승효과)

  • Song, Ok-Hee;Kang, Ok-Hua;Mun, Su-Hyun;Kim, Min-Chul;Han, Young-Sun;Choi, Sung-Hoon;Lee, Young-Seob;Kwon, Dong-Yeul
    • The Korea Journal of Herbology
    • /
    • v.31 no.5
    • /
    • pp.7-13
    • /
    • 2016
  • Objectives : Camellia sinensis (Theaceae) possesses a various beneficial effects such as free radical-scavenging, inactivation of urokinase in cancer cell proliferation, antibacterial, and hypotensive. Dental caries is one of the most common oral infectious disease in a human. Oral microorganisms play a significant role in the etiology of dental caries. An aberration to this ecology due to dietary habits, improper oral hygiene or systemic factors lead to an increase in cariogenic microorganisms. Cariogenic microorganisms like Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus encourage the accumulation and adherence of plaque biofilm by metabolizing sucrose into glucans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of phenolic compounds of Camellia sinensis and R-carvone, monoterpenes, is can be found naturally in numerous essential oils, on Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus .Methods : The antimicrobial activity of these compounds was determined by the broth microdilution method and checkerboard dilution assay to investigate the potential synergistic effects of each five compounds of Camellia sinensis (C. sinensis) and R-carvone.Results : C. sinensis-isolated compounds and R-carvone were determined with MIC of more than 1,000 ㎍/mL. However, the combination test showed significant synergism against S. mutans and S. sobrinus, implicated in the lowered MICs.Conclusions : These results suggest that combinatory application of phenolic five compounds (theophyllin, l-theanine, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, and caffeine) from C. sinensis and R-carvone has a potential synergistic effect and thus may be useful as a mouthrinse in helping control cariogenic microorganism.

Associations between Exposure to Unhealthy Food Outlets Within Residential District and Obesity: Using Data from 2013 Census on Establishments and 2013-2014 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (거주지 주변의 식품환경과 비만의 관련성 연구: 2013 전국사업체조사와 2013-2014 국민건강영양조사 자료를 이용하여)

  • Kim, Yoonjung;Han, Sung Nim
    • Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
    • /
    • v.21 no.5
    • /
    • pp.463-476
    • /
    • 2016
  • Objectives: Environmental, social and personal factors influence eating patterns. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between unhealthy food outlets within a residential area and obesity using nationally representative Korean survey data and data from the Census on Establishments. Methods: Data on the food intakes and socioeconomic variables of a total of 9,978 adults aged ${\geq}19$ years were obtained from the 2013-2014 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Geographic locations of restaurants were obtained from the 2013 Census on Establishments in Korea. Administrative area was categorized into tertiles of count of unhealthy food outlets based on the distribution of number of unhealthy food outlets among all urban (Dong) and rural (Eup or Myun) administrative districts in Korea. Multilevel logistic regressions model were used to assess the association between the number of unhealthy food outlets and obesity. Results: People living in the district with the highest count of unhealthy food outlets had higher intakes of fat (45.8 vs. 44.4 g/day), sodium (4,142.6 vs. 3,949.8 mg/day), and vitamin A (753.7 vs. $631.6 {\mu}gRE/day$) compared to those living in the district with the lowest count of unhealthy food outlets. A higher count of unhealthy food outlets was positively associated with frequent consumption of instant noodles, pizza, hamburgers and sandwiches, sweets and sour pork or pork cutlets, fried chicken, snacks, and cookies. Higher exposure to unhealthy food outlets was associated with increased odds of obesity (1st vs. 3rd tertile; OR 1.689; 95% CI 1.098-2.599). Conclusions: A high count of unhealthy food outlets within a residential area is positively associated with the prevalence of obesity in Korea. The results suggest that food environmental factors affects the health outcomes and interventions aiming to restrict the availability of unhealthy food outlets in local neighborhoods may be a useful obesity prevention strategy.