• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.498-504
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• 2014

Mammalian hyaluronidases (HAase, EC 3.2.1.35) are a family of enzymes that hydrolyse N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (1-4) glycosidic bonds in hyaluronic acid, which is found in skin, cartilage, and the vitreous body. Although HAase is generally present in an inactive form within subcellular lysosomes, it is released in an active form in some types of inflammation and tissue injuries, thereby contributing to the inflammatory response. The HAase inhibitory activity of 500 methanolic extracts of 500 species from medicinal plants was screened using a Morgan microplate assay. The viscosity of the hyaluronic acid was measured with an Ubbelohde viscometer. Three MeOH extracts inhibited more than 50% of HAase activity at a concentration of 2 mg/ml. HAase inhibitory rates (%) of three species of medicinal plant extracts, Styrax japonica, Deutzia coreana, and Osmanthus insularis were 57.28%, 53.50%, and 53.19%, respectively. The rate of HAase inhibition of the extracts was dose dependent. In the HAase inhibitory assay using the Ubbelohde viscometer, the results were in good agreement with the results from the Morgan assay. The results suggest that HAase inhibitory compounds extracted from the stem of S. japonica, D. coreana, and O. insularis might be multifunctional and prevent the degradation of hyaluronic acid and the induction of allergic reactions and inflammation.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.233-237
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• 2003

Calcifying aponeurotic fibroma is a benign, aggressive fibrous tumor seen in childhood or adolescence that most commonly affects the palm. We report our experience in treating calcifying aponeurotic fibroma in the hand of fifteen-year-old boy. He was presented with a recurrent mass in hypothenar area of his left hand. He had a history of local excision of the mass 7 years ago in local clinic. The palpable mass was hard, tender and movable. The simple X-ray revealed multifocally scattered microcalcifications in the mass. The excised mass showed the features of dense fibrotic soft tissue tumor with multiple small whitish calcifications. The microscopic sections showed a lobulated and a poorly circumscribed proliferation of dense fibrous tissue, containing islands of metaplastic chondroid differentiation with prominent calcification. The recommended treatment of this lesion is wide excision allowing for sparing of functional or vital structures, but high recurrence rate as this case has been reported to be more than 50 percent.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.148-152
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• 2008

Purpose : To find the MR findings and evaluate the usefulness of MR in flexor hallucis longus(FHL) dysfunction. Materials and Methods : From 1992 to 2003, fourty patients were found to have surgically confirmed FHL dysfunction. 24 cases of 22 patients who had performed MR were included in this study. We analyzed the signal intensity of FHL tendon and muscle, tendon sheath, sheath effusion, and bone lesions, retrospectively. Results : Non-specific, increased sheath effusion of FHL tendon was seen in 12 cases (50%). Large amount of sheath effusion(grade 3) was observed in 5 cases (21%). The signal intensity of FHL tendon was normal in all cases. High signal intensity at the FHL muscle, proximal to musculotendinous junction was seen in 1 case (4%). One case (4%) of marrow edema of the talus and another one case (4%) of osteochondritis dissecans of the talus was seen. Conclusion : Non-specific, increased sheath effusion of FHL tendon was observed on MR in FHL dysfunction patients. Therefore, MR has a limited role in diagnosis of FHL dysfunction and is useful to exclude other bone and tendon diseases causing medial ankle pain.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.251-254
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• 2015

A 3-year-old castrated male Spitz dog (8.4 kg) was referred for hindlimb lameness. The dog had undergone corrective surgery for bilateral medial patellar luxation 6 weeks prior to presentation. Intermittent lameness of both hind limbs was evident on general inspection. Physical examination revealed moderate pain and crepitus upon flexion and extension of the stifle joints. Radiography revealed features consistent with distal deviation of the cartilage flaps and effusion in both stifle joints. Detachment and deviation of both osteochondral blocks were suspected based on the physical and radiographic findings. Arthroscopy confirmed failed osteochondral blocks (right $1.5cm{\times}0.9cm{\times}0.2cm$, left $1.3cm{\times}0.9cm{\times}0.1cm$), which were removed. After removal of the osteochondral blocks, the stepped trochlear grooves were located and debrided using an arthroscopic burr, to prevent patellar tracking disorder. The dog resumed normal ambulation without medial patellar luxation 2 weeks postoperatively, and there were no complications. Arthroscopy is an effective surgical modality for the diagnosis and treatment of canine joint disorders. It offers a magnified view of the joint, which allows accurate evaluation of intra-articular structures. In addition, arthroscopic surgery can reduce the postoperative complications associated with surgical wound.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.183-188
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• 2008

Osteoporosis is one of the major health problem affecting postmenopausal women. Estrogen deficiency results in an increase in bone turnover, lead to bone resorption and an increase risk of fracture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Platycodon grandiflorum A. extract (PG) in bone metabolism in ovariectomized estrogen-deficient rats. Two groups were surgically ovariectomized (OVX). The third group was sham operated. Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly assigned to the following groups : sham-operated rats (Sham), ovariectomized control rats (OVX-control), ovariectomized rats supplemented with PG at 50mg/kg body wt (OVX-PG50) The Platycodon grandiflorum extracts were orally administrated at 1mL per day. The ovariectomy caused a decreasing in the levels of collagen content in bone, cartilage and skin tissues. However PG group, supplementation with Platycodon grandiflorum extract, were increased the level of collagen content in bone, cartilage and skin tissues than OVX-control group. PG group had a higher content of pyridinoline in collagen than OVX-control group. Alkaline phosphatase activity on serum were decreased after supplemented with the PG extract. These results might be expected that Platycodon grandiflorum is believed to be possible protective effects in postmenopausal bone loss.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.1769-1775
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• 2010

Menopause is often associated with the incidence of several chronic diseases including osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. The purpose of this study was designed to evaluate the possibility of osteoporosis prevention in postmenopausal women. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ecklonia stolonifera (ES) extracts on bone turnover markers in ovariectomized rats. For this study, the following four groups of 9-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were evaluated over 6 weeks: normal rats (SHAM), ovariectomized rats (OVX-CON) and ovariectomized rats that were treated with ES extracts. We measured the osteocalcin and C-telopeptide of collagen cross-links (CTx) content, enzyme ALP activity in serum and collagen content in the cartilage, bone, skin and lungs. We found that the levels of indicators of bone metabolism such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin and CTx were lower in rats in the ES extract group than the OVX-CON group. In addition, the collagen contents in the bone, cartilage, skin and lungs decreased in response to ovariectomy, but the levels of collagen were greater in the bone of rats that were treated with ES extract than in the bone of rats in the OVX-CON group. These results suggest that the ES may be an effective functional food to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.167-177
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• 2007

In the present study, we isolated three human adult stem cells including adipose tissue-derived stem cells(HAD), umbilical cord-derived stem cells(HUC), and amnion-derived stem cells(HAM) and analysed their characteristics. And we examined whether HAD could be used as therapeutical cells for the heart diseases. Both HAM and HUC appeared very similar morphology but HAD was different. Doubling time of HUC was most fast, but total doubling numbers of HUC was same with HAM. Total doubling numbers of HAD was much more than others. Expression patterns of genes and proteins of three human adult stem cells were very similar. Also they were differentiated into adipocytes, osteocytes, and chondrocytes. In addition, they expressed many cardiomyocyte-related genes. But expression pattern of genes is a little different. When HAD were cultivated in the presence or absence of various combinations of BMP and FGF after 5-azacytidine expose for 24 h, expression of Cmlc-1, and ${\alpha}1c$ genes was significantly increased. However, expression of troponin T, troponin I and Kv4.3 genes was not changed. Based on these observations, it is suggested that HAD, HUC, and HAM might be used as potentially therapeutical cells for clinical application.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2011

Owing to the risk of fetal loss associated with prenatal diagnostic procedures (amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling), noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) is ultimate goal of prenatal diagnosis. The discovery of circulating cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal plasma in 1997 has opened up new probabilities for NIPD by Dr. Lo et al. The last decade has seen great development in NIPD. Fetal sex and fetal RhD status determination by cffDNA analysis is already in clinical use in certain countries. For routine use, this test is limited by the amount of cell-free maternal DNA in blood sample, the lack of universal fetal markers, and appropriate reference materials. To improve the accuracy of detection of fetal specific sequences in maternal plasma, internal positive controls to confirm to presence of fetal DNA should be analyzed. We have developed strategies for noninvasive determination of fetal gender, and fetal RhD genotyping using cffDNA in maternal plasma, using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) including RASSF1A epigenetic fetal DNA marker (gender-independent) as internal positive controls, which is to be first successful study of this kind in Korea. In our study, accurate detection of fetal gender through gestational age, and fetal RhD genotyping in RhD-negative pregnant women was achieved. In this assay, we show that the assay is sensitive, easy, fast, and reliable. These developments improve the reliability of the applications of circulating fetal DNA when used in clinical practice to manage sex-linked disorders (e.g., hemophilia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), RhD incompatibility, and the other noninvasive pregnant diagnostic tests on the coming soon. The study was the first successful case in Korea using cffDNA in maternal plasma, which has created a new avenue for clinical applications of NIPD.