• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.121-134
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• 2006

Purpose : Cuscuta chinensis Lam. is utilized extensively as important medicines for threatened abortion habitual abortion. However, objective data related to an embryo is not existed until now. Therefore, this study is focused to find out stability of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. about an embryo during pregnancy based on data related to stability of nerve cell and antioxydative effect by using neural cell line, PC 12 cell. Methods : Experimentation concerns cytotoxic effects and antioxydative effect through methods such as MTT ssay, western botting after abstracting an undiluted solution from domestic Cuscuta chinensis Lam. Results : 1. As a result of experimentation on MTT assay according to each magnification from Cuscuta chinensis Lam. extraction solution with different abstraction methods, cytotoxic effect is not observed to all extract except an undiluted solution which is abstracted from MeOH stiring. Also, an undiluted solution in stiring with MeOH could not confirm whether come from Cuscuta chinensis Lam. or not. 2. As a result of revelation of Bax and GSK-3${\beta}$ which is responsive to the first stage from general stress in order to observe antioxydative effects of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. revelation of Bax by Cuscuta chinensis Lam. appeared to decrease. Conclusion : Cytotoxic effects with Cuscuta chinensis Lam. about PC12 cell is not discovered and it assume that it would be anti apoptotic effect by ROS as Bax and GSK-3${\beta}$ inviable effect. In the future, this study could be used as basic data for additional research on Cuscuta chinensis Lam. and effect and stability of complicated prescriptions for keeping pregnancy.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 1988

The authors observed histochemical and ultrastructural characters on the osphradium of Rapana venosa Valenciennes using light microscope, scanning and transmission electron microscpes. The results were as follows:1)The basic structure of osphradium was bipectinated shape, which consisted of a septum situating in the center of osphradium and numerous osphradial leaflets. On the other hand, Epidermis of ospradial leaflets formed the structure of pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium which was composed of an epithelial cell layer, a basal cel layer and a neuropile. 2) Ciliated dpithelial cells:A large number of these cells were observed on the lateral and ventral regions but a small number of them were observed on the dorsal region. These cells had cylindrical microvilli, slender mitochondria and serve fibers.3) Supporting cells: These cells had cylindrical microvilli, spongy layer, electron dense granules, mitochondria and nerve fibers4) Four types secretory epothelial cells: Four distinct types of secretory epithelial cells were recognized and were arbitrily designated as Type I, Type II, Type III and Type IV.cell type I: These cells contained electron denwe granules(diameter, 0.94-1.56${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$), well developed Golgi apparatus and rough endoplasmic reticula, cell type II: These cills contained two types of granules of the different electron density. One was high electron density granules which were 0.4-1.0${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in diameter, The other was low electron density granules which were 0.75-1.2${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in diameter.cell type III:These cells had fibrous secretory materials and exhibited strongly positive reaction with Toluidine blue.cell type IV:A large number of this type of cells were observed on the ventral region of ospgradial leaflets and positively reacted with periodic acid Schiff reagent. 5)Dark cells contained several electron dense cillaty rootlets and unmerous granules but cellular organelles were not observed.6) Four types basal cells: Four distinci types of basal cells were recognized and arbitrarily designated as Type I, Type II, Type III and Type IV.Cell type I(light cell): These cells exhibited low electuon density and contained short smooth endoplasmic reticula, several vacuoles and granules.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.189-202
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• 2002

Objective : This study is designed to investigate the effects of bee venom and melittin on cell death in neuroblastoma cell line after pretreatment with NG(nerve growth inhibitory substance) Methods : It was evaluated by using MTT assay, morphological method, DNA fragmenation, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry analysis, RT-PCR and Western blot. Results : The MTT assay demonstrated that neuroblastoma cell viability was significantly inhibited dose-dependently by treatment with bee venom and melittin after pretreatment with NG in comparison awith control. The morphological study and fow cytometry demonstrated that neuroblastoma cell showed apoptosis. DNA fragmenation showed DNA ladder below 1 Kbp. Immunocytochemistry assay demonstrated that Fos and MAPK were down-regulated. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that Fos and MAPK was down-regulated. Western blot demonstrated that Fos and MAPK were down-regulated from $1{\mu}g/ml$ bee venom in neuroblastoma cell pretreated with NG. Conclusion : These result suggests that bee venom and melittin after NG treatment have significant anti-cancer effect and further study is needed in vivo.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2019

Numerous studies have reported that enteric neurons involved in controlling neurotransmitter secretion and motility in the gut critically contribute to the progression of gut inflammation. Clostridium difficile toxins, which cause severe colonic inflammation, are also known to affect enteric neurons. Our previous study showed that C. difficile toxin A directly induces neural cell toxicities, such as viability loss and apoptosis. In the current study, we attempted to identify a potent inhibitor of toxin A-induced neural cell toxicity that may aid in managing toxin A-induced gut inflammation. In our recent study, we found that the Korea dung beetle-derived antimicrobial peptide CopA3 completely blocked neural cell apoptosis caused by okadaic acid or 6-OHDA. Here, we examined whether the antimicrobial peptide CopA3 inhibited toxin A-induced neural cell damage. In neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, CopA3 treatment protected against both apoptosis and viability loss caused by toxin A. CopA3 also completely inhibited activation of the pro-apoptotic factor, caspase-3. Additionally, CopA3 rescued toxin A-induced downregulation of neural cell proliferation. However, CopA3 had no effect on signaling through ROS/p38 $MAPK/p27^{kip1}$, suggesting that CopA3 inhibits toxin A-induced neural cell toxicity independent of this well-characterized toxin A pathway. Our data further suggest that ability of CopA3 to rescue toxin A-induced neural cell damage may also ameliorate the gut inflammation caused by toxin A.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.32 no.4 s.127
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• pp.338-343
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• 2001

The extract and fractions of Rumex acetosa (Polygonaceae), a Korean medicinal plant, were examined for their cytotoxicities against five cultured human tumor cell lines, i.e. A549 (non-small cell lung), SK-OV-3 (ovary), SK-MEL-2 (melanoma), XF498 (central nerve system) and HCY15 (colon), using the SRB (sulforhodamine-B) method in vitro and antimutagenic activities by Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 and SOS chromotest with E. coli PQ37. Among the tested samples, the methylene chloride fraction strongly inhibited the proliferation of each examined tumor cell line with $IC_{50}$ values ranged from 13.2 to $18.7\;{\mu}g/ml$ and showed potent antimutagenic activities with 96.1% and 96.7% at the concentration of 1 mg/plate against the mutagens, NPD and sodium azide, respectively. Its antigenotoxic activity was also very effective at the final concentration of $10\;{\mu}g/reaction$ tube against the mutagens, MNNG and NQO by SOS chromotest.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.494-496
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• 2014

The granular cell tumor (GCT) occurs extremely rarely in the mediastinum. Few mediastinal GCT cases have been reported in Japan or other countries. Here, we report a case of a 24-year-old man with superior mediastinal GCT. The mass was located just above the aortic arch. It was firm, oval in shape, and well encapsulated. The tumor was removed completely with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, but we had to resect the vagus nerve, which was already included in the tumor, along with the tumor. After the operation, the patient recovered without any specific complications except for a mild degree of hoarseness.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.44-47
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• 2004

Loranthus tanakae Fr. et Sav. (Loranthaceae) is a species of mistletoe, a semiparasitic plant growing on the branches of Quercus and Betula species as host trees. In our ongoing search for bioactive compounds from endemic species in Korea, we have investigated to isolate the chemical constituents responsible for the antitumor effect of the MeOH extract of L. tanakae. The ethyl acetate soluble part of the MeOH extract demonstrated a marginal inhibition on the proliferation of the tumor cell lines such as A549 (non small cell lung), SK-OV-3 (ovary), SK-MEL-2 (melanoma), XF498 (central nerve system), and HCT-15 (colon) in vitro. Thus, the activity-guided isolation procedure upon the ethyl acetate soluble part of the extract has been carried out and finally four flavonoid rhamnopyranosides (1-4) were isolated as active principle. The structures of 1-4 were elucidated by the physicochemical and spectral data as rhamnetin 3-O-$\alpha$-L-rhamnoside (1), quercetin 3-O-$\alpha$-L-rhamnoside (2), rhamnocitrin 3-O-$\alpha$rhamnoside (3), and kaempferol 3-O-$\alpha$-L-rhamnoside (4).

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.596-603
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• 1998

Lambert Eaton myasthenic syndrome(LEMS) is a paraneoplastic syndrome caused by defects in the secretion of acetylcholine from the presynaptic membrane of nerve terminals and is strongly associated with small cell lung carcinoma. The pathogenesis of LEMS is the destruction of voltage gated calcium channels by an autoimmune process resulting in clinical manifestations consisting of lower extremity weakness. decreased deep tendon reflexes and autonomic dysfunctions. The diagnosis can be confirmed by the characteristic clinical features and repetitive nerve stimulation. The neurological symptoms and signs of LEMS may manifest themselves months before the clinical manifestation of the underlying malignancy. Therefore early diagnosis and treatment of the primary malignancy may become possible through the diagnosis of this rare paraneoplastic syndrome. We report a case of a patient diagnosed with LEMS who upon further evaluation for an underlying malignancy was found to have a 0.2 cm sized nodular and infiltrative mass lesion at the bifurcation of the left apicoposterior segmental and anterior segmental bronchi by bronchoscopy. Although repeated bronchoscopic biopsies of the lesion was not able to disclose malignancy, under strong clinical suspicion left upper lobectomy was performed and subsequently the diagnosis of small cell carcinoma of the lung was confirmed. Muscle weakness began to improve starting from a week after the surgery, then reached a plateau 2 weeks later. Muscle weakness improved further after the trial of anticancer chemotherapy.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.183-191
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• 2008

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are common constituents of cleaning and degreasing agents, paints, pesticides, personal care products, gasoline and solvents. And VOCs are evaporated at room temperature and most of them exhibit acute and chronic toxicity to human. Benzene is the most widely used prototypical VOC and the toxic mechanisms of them are still unclear. The multi-step process of toxic mechanism can be more fully understood by characterizing gene expression changes induced in cells by toxicants. In this study, DNA microarray was used to monitor the expression levels of genes in HepG2 cells and HL-60 cells exposed to the benzene on IC20 and IC50 dose respectively. In the clustering analysis of gene expression profiles, although clusters of HepG2 and HL-60 cells by benzene were divided differently, expression pattern of many genes observed similarly. We identified 916 up-regulated genes and 1,144 down-regulated genes in HepG2 cells and also 1,002 up-regulated genes and 919 down-regulated genes in HL-60 cells. The gene ontology analysis on genes expressed by benzene in HepG2 and HL-60 cells, respectively, was performed. Thus, we found some principal pathways, such as, focal adhesion, gap junction and signaling pathway in HepG2 cells and toll-like receptor signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction in HL-60 cells. And we also found 16 up-regulated and 14 down-regulated commonly expressed total 30 genes that belong in the same biological process like inflammatory response, cell cycle arrest, cell migration, transmission of nerve impulse and cell motility in two cell lines. In conclusion, we suggest that this study is meaningful because these genes regarded as strong potential biomarkers of benzene independent of cell type.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.922-929
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• 1994

This research represents an attempt to study the postoperative results among 32 patients who underwent complete resections of primary lung and involved mediastinal lymph nodes between January 1988 and June 1993. Ages ranged from 34 to 73 years with a mean age of 51.31 $\pm$ 8.17 years. There were 29 male patients[90.6%]. Left lung cancers were more frequent than right lung cancers. There were 19 cases of left lung cancers accounting for 59.4% of the total lung cancers. The difference, however, was insignificant. There was no T1 lesion. T2 and T3 lesions were 21[65.6%] and 11 cases[34.4%], respectively. As for cell type, squamous cell carcinomas were reported in 25 cases making up 78.1% of the cell types. Pneumonectomy was conducted on 20[62.5%] cases. Lobectomy and sleeve lobectomy were conducted on 12[37.5%] cases respectively. Mediastinal lymph node involvemednts were most frequent in subcarinal lymph node[9/13] among right lung cancers, while subaortic lymph noce[12/19] was most frequent among left lung cancers. Postoperative complications were reported in 18.9% of the total cases, including 2 cases each of paralysis of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and 1 case each of chylothorax and pyothorax. They were more frequent among patients who underwent pneumonectomy. The operative mortality stood at 3.1% with 1 patient who underwent pneumonectomy dying of pulmonary edema. The 1-year and 5-year survival rates were 50.8% and 30.1%, respectively. Patients treated with squamous cell carcinoma, involvement of single level mediastinal lymph node and lobectomy showed a higher level of survival. These fidings suggest that a long-term survival can be expected of a considerable number of N2 non-small cell lung cancer patients with a selective complete surgical resection of primary lung cancers involved mediastinal lymph nodes.