• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.311-316
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• 2021

Ethanol often causes critical health problems by altering the neuronal activities of the central and peripheral nerve systems. One of the cellular targets of ethanol is the plasma membrane proteins including ion channels and receptors. Recently, we reported that ethanol elevates membrane excitability in sympathetic neurons by inhibiting Kv7.2/7.3 channels in a cell type-specific manner. Even though our studies revealed that the inhibitory effects of ethanol on the Kv7.2/7.3 channel was diminished by the increase of plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P₂), the molecular mechanism of ethanol on Kv7.2/7.3 channel inhibition remains unclear. By investigating the kinetics of Kv7.2/7.3 current in high K⁺ solution, we found that ethanol inhibited Kv7.2/7.3 channels through a mechanism distinct from that of tetraethylammonium (TEA) which enters into the pore and blocks the gate of the channels. Using a non-stationary noise analysis (NSNA), we demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of ethanol is the result of reduction of open probability (P_O) of the Kv7.2/7.3 channel, but not of a single channel current (i) or channel number (N). Finally, ethanol selectively facilitated the kinetics of Kv7.2 current suppression by voltage-sensing phosphatase (VSP)-induced PI(4,5)P₂ depletion, while it slowed down Kv7.2 current recovery from the VSP-induced inhibition. Together our results suggest that ethanol regulates neuronal activity through the reduction of open probability and PI(4,5)P₂ sensitivity of Kv7.2/7.3 channels.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2021

We report a case of neurolymphomatosis of lumbosacral plexus. A 63-year-old man, who had no past history except for diabetes mellitus, complained of severe pain and weakness on left lower extremity. Idiopathic lumbosacral plexopathy was diagnosed by electromyography. There were no abnormal findings except for FDG-PET/CT and MRI. They showed high uptake and thickening lesion in sciatic nerve and sacral plexus. However, about 7 months later, mass like lesion in left thigh was detected by FDG-PET/CT and MRI. Also, multiple hypermetabolic lesions were found in brain. Through brain biopsy, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was confirmed. When a patient with idiopathic lumbosacral plexopathy complains of severe pain, it is necessary to consider FDG-PET/CT and MRI to differentiate neurolymphomatosis, even in patients who have no past history of lymphoma before. Especially, if FDG-PET/CT and MRI show sciatic and/or lumbosacral plexus lesion, neurolymphomatosis of lumbosacral plexus should be considered.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2023

The brain-machine interface(BMI) is a next-generation interface that controls the device by decoding brain waves(also called Electroencephalogram, EEG), EEG is a electrical signal of nerve cell generated when the BMI user thinks of a command. The brain-machine interface can be applied to various smart devices, but complex computational process is required to decode the brain wave signal. Therefore, it is difficult to implement a brain-machine interface in an embedded system implemented in the form of an edge device. In this study, we proposed a new type of brain-machine interface system using IoT technology that only measures EEG at the edge device and stores and analyzes EEG data in the cloud computing. This system successfully performed quantitative EEG analysis for the brain-machine interface, and the whole data transmission time also showed a capable level of real-time processing.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.37-51
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• 2010

A mushroom as a functional food material is being increasingly used in these days. It has been that about 1,500 species of mushrooms grow naturally in Asia. Among them about 700 species are edible, but about 30-50 species are poisonous. Even a poisonous mushroom is a very interesting subject for the dietary life research from biochemical viewpoint due to the fact that any mushroom can be the physiological active material. Not a few identified poisonous materials are being used as research reagents thus far. It is suggested that more useful materials could be obtained by progresses in future researches. The identification of the poisonous ingredient can open up a route for mushroom intoxication cure. It is known that cell destruction and troubles on skin, liver, and kidney troubles can be occurred from mushroom intoxication. Recently the author reported as a collection of treatises regarding anti-tumor substances of mushroom (2005), antibiotic substances of mushroom (2006), living-body functional and control substance (2007), and medicinal mushroom commonly used in Korean herbal medicines (2008). In this sequel, published research data on protoplasm, nerve, stomach and intestines, malodor, and acute pain poison of mushroom are collected and reported.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2024

Background: Mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are complex and the current knowledge cannot explain. Growth and regeneration of dendrites together with synaptic formation are the most important parameters for evaluating the cellular protective effects of various molecules. The effect of ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) on the growth of retinal ganglion cell processes has been poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on the neurite growth of RGCs. Methods: Expression of proteins and mRNA were detected by Western blot and qPCR. cAMP levels were determined by ELISA. In vivo effects of Rg1 on RGCs were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin, and immunohistochemistry staining. Results: This study found that Rg1 promoted the growth and synaptic plasticity of RGCs neurite by activating the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathways. Meanwhile, Rg1 upregulated the expression of GAP43, Rac1 and PAX6, which are closely related to the growth of neurons. Meantime, H89, an antagonist of PKA, could block this effect of Rg1. In addition, we preliminarily explored the effect of Rg1 on enhancing the glycolysis of RGCs, which could be one of the mechanisms for its neuroprotective effects. Conclusion: Rg1 promoted neurite growth of RGCs through cAMP/PKA/CREB pathways. This study may lay a foundation for its clinical use of optic nerve diseases in the future.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.22.1-22.15
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• 2024

Background: Achilles tendon is composed of dense connective tissue and is one of the largest tendons in the body. In veterinary medicine, acute ruptures are associated with impact injury or sharp trauma. Healing of the ruptured tendon is challenging because of poor blood and nerve supply as well as the residual cell population. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains numerous bioactive agents and growth factors and has been utilized to promote healing in bone, soft tissue, and tendons. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the healing effect of PRP injected into the surrounding fascia of the Achilles tendon after allograft in rabbits. Methods: Donor rabbits (n = 8) were anesthetized and 16 lateral gastrocnemius tendons were fully transected bilaterally. Transected tendons were decellularized and stored at -80℃ prior to allograft. The allograft was placed on the partially transected medial gastrocnemius tendon in the left hindlimb of 16 rabbits. The allograft PRP group (n = 8) had 0.3 mL of PRP administered in the tendon and the allograft control group (n = 8) did not receive any treatment. After 8 weeks, rabbits were euthanatized and allograft tendons were transected for macroscopic, biomechanical, and histological assessment. Results: The allograft PRP group exhibited superior macroscopic assessment scores, greater tensile strength, and a histologically enhanced healing process compared to those in the allograft control group. Conclusions: Our results suggest administration of PRP on an allograft tendon has a positive effect on the healing process in a ruptured Achilles tendon.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.229-237
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• 2024

The infiltration of the interspace between the popliteal artery and the capsule of the posterior knee (IPACK) block, is a novel ultrasound-guided technique used for postoperative pain management of the knee. The success of the block is attributed to the spread of injectate between the capsule of the knee and the popliteal artery. This novel technique is believed to target the articular branches of the tibial, common fibular (peroneal) and obturator nerves. However, the extent of the spread in a paediatric population is unknown. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the spread of the IPACK block. Using ultrasound guidance, the IPACK block was replicated bilaterally in neonatal cadavers. Methylene blue dye (0.3 ml/kg) was injected proximally and distally. Subsequently, cadavers were dissected to determine the injectate spread. Proximal injections resulted in staining of some of the articular branches, while the distal injections resulted in staining of all four articular branches. Additional staining of the superior lateral and medial genicular nerves was noted irrespective of the technique. Overall, both injections resulted in posterior, anterolateral spread with limited medial spread. Results from this study reveal preservation of the main nerve trunks following the proximal technique, while the distal technique displayed greater staining of the articular branches. We believe that the block can be seen as a more holistic and viable alternative to lower limb blocks for the paediatric population, as it allows for a wider spread in the posterior and medial-lateral compartments of the knee.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.143-146
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• 2024

The current cadaveric report describes an unusual morphology of the sartorius muscle (SM), the biceps-bicaudatus variant. The SM had two (lateral and medial) heads, with distinct tendinous origins from the anterior superior iliac spine. The lateral head was further split into a lateral and a medial bundle. The anterior cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve emerged between the origins of the lateral and medial heads. SM morphological variants are exceedingly uncommon, with only a few documented cases in the literature, and several terms used for their description. Although their rare occurrence, they may play an important role in the differential diagnosis of entrapment syndromes, in cases of neural compressions, such as meralgia paresthetica, while careful dissection during the superficial inter-nervous plane of the direct anterior hip approach is of utmost importance, to avoid adverse effects due to the altered SM morphology.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.251-258
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• 1998

Purpose : This study was performed to analyze the factors affecting local control in malignant tumors of the parotid gland treated with surgery and postoperative radiation. Materials and methods : Twenty-six patients were treated for malignant tumors of the parotid gland from 1986 to 1995 at Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Chonnam University Hospital. Age of the patients ranged from 14 to 72 years (median : 55 years). Histologically 10 patients of mucoepidermoid carcinoma, 7 of squamous cell carcinoma, 4 of acinic cell carcinoma, 4 of adenoid cystic carcinoma and 1 of adenocarcinoma were treated. Total parotidectomy was performd in 15 of 26 patients, superficial in 7, subtotal in 4. Facial nerve was sacrificed in 5 patients. Postoperatively 4 patients had residual disease, 4 had positive resection margin. Radiation was delivered through an ipsilateral wedged pair of photon in 11 patients. High energy electron beam was mixed with photon in 15 patients. Electron beam dose ranged from 900 cGy to 3800 cGy (median 1700 cGy). Total radiation dose ranged from 5000 cGy to 7560 cGy (median : 6020 cGy). Minimum follow-up period was 2 years. Local control and survival rate were calculated using Kaplan-Meier method. Generalized Wilcoxon test and Cox proportional hazard model were used to test factors affecting local control. Results : Five (19$\%$) of 26 patients had local recurrence. Five year local control rate was 77$\%$. Overall five year survival rate was 70$\%$. Sex, age, tumor size, surgical involvement of cervical lymph node, involvement of resection margin, surgical invasion of nerve, and total dose were analyzed as suggested factors affecting local control rate. Among them patients with tumor size less than 4 cm (p=0.002) and negative resection margin (p=0.011) were associated with better local control rates in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed only tumor size factor is associated with local control rate (p=0.022). Conclusion : This study suggested that tumor size is important in local control of malignant tumors of parotid gland.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 1986

The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphology and intercellular junctions of the odontoblast of dental pulp in the rat incisor by means of the freeze fracture electron microscopy. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing $150{\sim}200g$ were used. After being anesthetized by an intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 ml sodium pentobarbital per kg in body weight(60 mg/ml) the animals were perfused with 2.5% glutaraldehyde-2% paraformaldehyde fixative in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer, pH 7.2 through the ascending aorta for one hour. The incisors were carefully extracted from the jaws and demineralized by suspending them in 0.1 M EDTA in 3% glutaraldehyde (pH 7.2) for two weeks. After demineralization, the specimens were obtained from the portion divided into five equal parts. For freeze-fracture replication, demineralized tissues were infiltrated for several hours with 10%, 25% glycerol in 0.1M cacodylate buffer as a cryoprotectant and then frozen in liquid Freon 22 and stored in liquid nitrogen. Fracturing and replication were done in Balzers BAF 400D high-vacuum freeze-fracture apparatus at $-120^{\circ}C$ under routine $5X10^{-7}$ Torr vacuum. The tissue was immediately replicated with platinum unidirectionally at $45^{\circ}$ angle and reinforced with carbon at $90^{\circ}$ angle unidirectionally or by using a rotary stage. The replication process was monitored by a quartz-crystal device. The replicas were immersed in 100% methanol overnight. The tissue was then digested from the replica by clorox (laundry bleach), placed into 5% EDTA, and washed repeatedly with distilled water. The replicas were picked up on 0.3% formvar-coated 75 mesh grids and examined in the JEOL 100B electron microscope. The results were as follows; 1. Both in thin sections and freeze-fracture replicas, three types of intercellular junctions were recognizable in the plasma membrane of odontoblast: gap junction, tight junction and desmosome-like junction. 2. The nuclear pores were evenly distributed over the nuclear envelope. The pore complex formed a ring about 70 nm in diameter. 3. Gap junctions were found between odontoblasts as well as odontoblasts and neighbouring pulp cells (fibroblast, subodontoblastic cell process, nerve-like fibre). Gap junctions, which were round, ellipsoid and pear-shaped and 600 nm in diameter, were observed in the odontoblast. 4. Numerous round and ellipsoid gap junctions could be frequently seen on the plasma membranes in cell body and apical part of the odontoblasts. On the P face, the junctions were recognized as a cluster of closely packed particles, measuring about 9 nm in diameter, and on the E face, the junctions were recognized as a shallow grooves.