• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1 s.37
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• pp.142-150
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• 1999

In order to elucidate toxic the mechanism of myocardial damage and the protective effect of herbal extract, Sophorae Radix(SR) against myocardiotoxicity, the cytotoxic effect of adriamycin and cardioprotective effect of SR were examined by MTT assay, LDH activity, heart beat rate and light microscopy after cultured myocardial cells derived from neonatal mouse were treated with various concentrations of adriamycin, an inducer of myocardiotoxicity. Adriamycin induced a decrease of cell viability, an increase in the amount of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), and a decrease in the heart beat rate and a decrease in the number of cells, when administered to cultures myocardial cells in a dose-dependent manner. In cardioprotective effect of SR. SR showed the decrease of amount of LDH, and an increase of heart beating rate and cells in number on cultured myocardial cells damaged by adriamycin. From the above results, it is suggested that adriamycin shows toxic effect in cultured myocardial cells derived from a neonatal mouse, and herbal extract such as SR is very effective in the prevention of adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.989-995
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• 2003

Purpose : Dexamethasone is frequently administered to prevent or treat chronic lung disease in human neonates who are also prone to hypoxic-ischemic(HI) insults. Recently, meta-analysis of the follow-up studies reveals a significantly increased odd ratio for the occurrence of cerebral palsy or an abnormal neurologic outcome, and there is conflicting evidence regarding the impact of dexamethasone exposure on HI brain injury. This study was conducted to explore the effect of post-HI dexamethasone administration on neuronal injury in neonatal rats. Methods : HI was produced in seven-day-old rats by right carotid artery ligation followed by two hours of 8% oxygen exposure. At the end of HI, the animals were injected intraperitoneally either with dexamethasone(0.5 mg/kg) or saline. Neuronal injury was assessed seven days after the HI by the area of infarction, TUNEL reactivity, Bcl-2 and Bax expression in brain. Results : Post-insult dexamethasone administration resulted in reduction of weight gain and a higher mortality rate during seven days after HI. Dexamethasone treatment revealed no effect on the size of brain infarction induced by HI. Bax protein expression increased in dexamethasone treated brain but Bcl-2 protein expression and TUNEL reactivity revealed no significant differences between dexamethasone treated and non treated brain. Increased Bax protein expression suggest upregulation of the apoptosis by dexamethasone. Conclusion : The result suggests the adverse role of Post-HI administration of dexamethasone in neonatal HI.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.221-233
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• 2009

Purpose: Erythropoietin (EPO) has neuroprotective effects in many animal models of brain injury, including hypoxic-ischemic (HI) encephalopathy, trauma, and excitotoxicity. Current studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of EPO, but limited data are available for the neonatal periods. Here in we investigated whether recombinant human EPO (rHuEPO) can protect the developing rat brain from HI injury via modulation of NMDA receptors. Methods: In an in vitro model, embryonic cortical neuronal cell cultures from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at 19-days gestation were established. The cultured cells were divided into five groups: normoxia (N), hypoxia (H), and 1, 10, and 100 IU/mL rHuEPO-treated (H+E1, H+ E10, and H+E100) groups. To estimate cell viability and growth, a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was done. In an in vivo model, left carotid artery ligation was performed on 7-day-old SD rat pups. The animals were divided into six groups; normoxia control (NC), normoxia Sham-operated (NS), hypoxia-ischemia only (H), hypoxia-ischemia+vehicle (HV), hypoxia-ischemia+rHuEPO before a HI injury (HE-B), and hypoxia-ischemia+rHuEPO after a HI injury (HE-A). The morphologic changes following brain injuries were noted using hematoxylin and eosin (H/E) staining. Real-time PCR using primers of subunits of NMDA receptors (NR1, NR2A, NR2B, NR2C and NR2D) mRNA were performed. Results: Cell viability in the H group was decreased to less than 60% of that in the N group. In the H+E1 and H+E10 groups, cell viability was increased to >80% of the N group, but cell viability in the H+E100 group did not recover. The percentage of the left hemisphere area compared the to the right hemisphere area were 98.9% in the NC group, 99.1% in the NS group, 57.1% in the H group, 57.0% in the HV group, 87.6% in the HE-B group, and 91.6% in the HE-A group. Real-time PCR analysis of the expressions of subunits of NMDA receptors mRNAs in the in vitro and in vivo neonatal HI brain injuries generally revealed that the expression in the H group was decreased compared to the N group and the expressions in the rHuEPO-treated groups was increased compared to the H group. Conclusion: rHuEPO has neuroprotective property in perinatal HI brain injury via modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.452-458
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• 2008

The effect of fermented soybean culture of Bacillus subtilis MORI mixed with mulberry leaves on the lowering the levels of blood glucose and cholesterol was examined using neonatal streptozotocin-induced diabetic (n-STZ) rats. B. subtilis MORI produces 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), an $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitor. The content of DNJ of soybean fermented culture mixed with mulberry was higher (4.1$\pm$0.0 mg/g dry base) than that (1.5$\pm$0.0 mg/g) of mulberry. The concentration of 50% inhibition (IC50) against rat intestinal $\alpha$-glucosidase of soybean fermented culture mixed with mulberry was $5.6{\pm}0.1{\mu}g$/mL and that of mulberry was $17.0{\pm}0.5{\mu}g$/mL. Experimental groups of diabetic rats were randomly assigned to normal control group (NC group), diabetic control group (DC group) and three diabetic groups fed with DNJ food product. One of the three diabetic groups was M group (60 mg DNJ food product/kg) (DNJ food product containing 30% mulberry) and the other two were MM-60 group (60 mg/kg) and MM-120 group (120 mg/kg) (DNJ-fortified food product containing 30% fermented soybean culture mixed with mulberry leaves). The glucose in serum was significantly decreased in the MM-60 and MM-120 groups fed with DNJ-fortified food product for 4 weeks, compared with DC group. Total cholesterol and triglyceride in serum were also lower in MM-60 and MM-120 groups than the DC group. These results support that the fermented soybean culture of B. subtilis MORI mixed with mulberry leaves improved the metabolism of blood glucose and lipid in the n-STZ rat model.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2003

To test the protective effect of Radix Curcumae Aromaticae (RCA) on the damage of cardiac endothelial cells by xanthine oxidase (XO)/hypoxanthine (HX)-induced oxygen free radical, Neutral Red (NR), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TSARS), and DNA synthesis assay were used in the presence of RCA extract. The results of these experiments were obtained as follows ; Cardiac endothelial cells treated with XO/HX showed the cytotoxicity such as decreases in viability and DNA synthesis, a increase in lipid peroxidation. Cardiac endothelial cells pretreated with RCA extract protected the increase of lipid peroxidation by XO/HX. Cardiac endothelial cells pretreated with RCA extract inhibited the decrease of DNA synthesis by XO/HX. These results show that XO/HX elicits toxic effects in cultured cardiac endothelial cells derived from neonatal rat, and suggest that RCA extract is very effective in the prevention of XO/HX-induced toxicity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.220-224
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• 2003

To test the protective effect of Sophorae Radix (SR) on the damage of cardiac endothelial cells by xanthine oxidase (XO)/hypoxanthine (HX)-induced oxygen tree radical, Neutral Red (NR), lactate dyhydrogenase (LDH), and c-fos immunopositive cells assay were used in the presence of SR extract. The results of these experiments were obtained as follows ; Cardiac endothelial cells treated with XO/HX showed the cytotoxicity such as a decrease in viability, and increases in LDH activity and c-fos immunopositive cells. Cardiac endothelial cells pretreated with SR extract protected the increase of LDH activity. Alos, cardiac endothelial cells pretreated with SR extract inhibited the increase of c-fos immunopositive cells. These results show that XO/HX induces toxic effects in cultured cardiac endothelial cells derived from neonatal rat, and suggest that SR extract is very effective in the prevention of XO/HX-induced toxicity.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.96-116
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• 1991

The authors studied the morphological distinctions of each of the epidermal layers and the time of appearance of the keratohyalin granules and tonofilaments by the processing of development. The skins were obtained from fetal rats at the age of 14th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th day of gestation, of 1st and 3rd day of neonatal life and of 4th week after birth. The specimens were staind with uranyl acetate and lead citrate. The results obtained were as follows. 1. On the 16th-gestation day, the intermediate layer which contained numerous ${\alpha}-and\;{\beta}$-glycogen particles was appeared, and hemidesmosomes and desmosome were observed as well. 2. Tonofilaments were first observed on the 17th gestation day. 3. Above-mentioned intermediate layer was differentiated into the granular layer and the spinous layer on the 18th-gestation day. Keratohyaline granules were appeared in association with the ribosomes and the tonofilaments and the compound granules were lipoid granules which were surrounded by ribosomes at the periphery. 4. Ultimately, keratinization began to take place from the 20th-gestation day. At the age of 4th week, the thickeness of epidermis and the amount of keratohyaline granule and tonofibrils were decreased. It is consequently suggested that in the differentiation process of the rat epidermis, keratinization begins after formation of hemidesmosomes and desmosomes, from which the tonofilaments are formed and after keratohyaline granules are formed. Therefore appearance of the keratohyaline granules and formation of the tonofilament appears to have a close relations with the keratinization process of the rat epidermis.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.317-325
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• 2017

Direct communication between neighboring cells through connexin (Cx)-based gap junction is a crucial biological manner to regulate functions of a tissue consisting of multi-cell types. The present research evaluated expressional changes of Cx isoforms in the caput epididymis of adult rat exposed to estradiol benzoate (EB) or flutamide (Flu) at the early postnatal age. A single subcutaneous administration of EB at a low-dose [$0.015{\mu}g/kg$ body weight (BW)] or a high-dose ($1.5{\mu}g/kg\;BW$) or Flu at a low-dose ($500{\mu}g/kg\;BW$) or a high-dose (5 mg/kg BW) was performed to an animal at 1 week of age. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis was employed to determine expressional changes of Cx isoforms. The transcript levels of Cxs30.3 and 37 were decreased by a low-dose EB treatment, while decreases of Cxs31, 31.1, 32, 40, and 45 transcript levels were observed with a low-dose EB treatment. The treatment of a high-dose EB resulted in expressional reduction of Cxs30.3, 31, 31.1, 37, 40, 43, and 45. The Flu treatment at a low dose caused increases of Cxs26, 37, and 40 transcript levels but decreases of Cxs31.1, 43, and 45 transcript levels. Increases of Cxs30.3, 31, 37, and 40 mRNA amounts were induced by a high-dose Flu treatment. However, exposure to a high-dose Flu produced expressional decreases of Cxs31.1, 32, and 43 in the adult caput epididymis. These observations suggest that exposure to EB or Flu at the neonatal period could lead to aberrant expression of Cx isoforms in the adult caput epididymis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.352-355
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• 2003

To investigate the protective effect of Gamdu-tang(GDT) and its constituents. Radix Glycyrrhizae(RG) and Semen Glycine(SG) on the damage of cardiac endothelial cells by xanthine oxidase (XO)/hypoxanthine (HX)-induced oxygen free radical, Neutral Red (NR) and DNA synthesis assay were used. The results were obtained as follows ; Cardiac endothelial cells treated with XO/HX showed the cytotoxicity such as decreases in viability and DNA synthesis. Cardiac endothelial cells pretreated with GDT extracts were not showed the decrease of DNA synthesis by XO/HX, These results show that XO/HX elicits toxic effects in cultured cardiac endothelial cells derived from neonatal rat, and suggest that GDT extract is very effective in the prevention of XO/HX-induced toxicity.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.50-58
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to test that motor skill training enhance motor function and cerebellar development. Using an animal model of fetal alcohol syndrome-which equates peak blood alcohol concentrations across developmental period-critifical periods for the effect of alcohol on body and cerebellar weigh was examined. The effect of motor skill training on motor function and cerebellar development of rat exposed alcohol on postnatal days 4 through 10 were studied. Newborn rats were assigned to one of two groups: (1) Control group (CG), via artificial rearing to milk formula and (2) experimental groups (EG), via 4.5g/kg/day of ethanol in a milk solution. After completion of the treatments, the pups were fostered back to lactating dams, and wearing they were raised in standard caged until they were postnatal 48 days. Rats from experimental group of postnatal treatment then spent 10 days in one of two groups: Experimental group II (EGII) was had got motor skill training (training traverse a set of 6 elevated obstacles) for 4 weeks. Experimental group I (EGI) was not trained. Before sacrificing, the rat got examined two behavioral test, body weigh and cerebellar weigh, then coronal sections were processed. The section was investigated the Purkije cell in the cerebellum using light microscope. The results of this study were as follows. 1. In body weight test, the outcome of alcohol groups were significantly lower than the normal group. 2. In cerebellar weight test, the outcome of EGI were significantly lower than CG and EGII. 3. In motor behavioral test, the outcome of EGI was significantly lower than NG and EGII. 4. In Purkinje cells counting test, the outcome of EGI was significantly lower than the NG and EGII. These result suggest that improved motor function induced by motor skill training after postnatal exposure is associated with dynamically altered expression of Purkinje cells and that is related with cerebellar function. Also, these data can potentially serve as a model for therapeutic intervention.