• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.20 no.10
• /
• pp.1450-1456
• /
• 2010

Accurate and rapid diagnosis of Pandemic Influenza A/H1N1 2009 virus (H1N1 2009) infection is important for the prevention and control of influenza epidemics and the timely initiation of antiviral treatment. This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of several diagnostic tools for the detection of H1N1 2009. Flocked nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 254 outpatients of suspected H1N1 2009 during October 2009. This study analyzed the performances of the RealTime Ready Inf A/H1N1 Detection Set (Roche), Influenza A (H1N1) Real-Time Detection Kit (Bionote), Seeplex Influenza A/B OneStep Typing Set [Seeplex Reverse Transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR)], BinaxNow Influenza A & B Test Kit [Binax Rapid Antigen Test (RAT)], and SD BIOLINE Influenza Ag kit (SD RAT). Roche and Bionote real-time RT-PCR showed identical results for the H1N1 2009 hemagglutinin gene. Compared with real-time RT-PCR, the sensitivities and specificities were 83.7% and 100% for Seeplex RT-PCR, 64.5% and 94.7% for Binax RAT, and 69.5% and 100% for SD RAT. The sensitivities of Seeplex RT-PCR, Binax RAT, and SD RAT in patients aged over 21 years were 73.7%, 47.4%, and 57.9%, respectively. The sensitivities of Seeplex RT-PCR, Binax RAT, and SD RAT on the day of initial symptoms were mostly lower (68.8%, 56.3%, and 31.3%, respectively). In conclusion, multiplex RT-PCR and RAT for the detection of H1N1 2009 were significantly less sensitive than real-time RT-PCR. Moreover, a negative RAT may require more sensitive confirmatory assays, because it cannot be ruled out from influenza infection.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.14-21
• /
• 2001

The effects of sodium molybdate(Mo) on phospholipid metabolism in sciatic nerve isolated from lead-intoxicated rat were investigated. Four weeks aged albino rats were divided into four groups : normal control group, lead(10 ppm)-treated group, Mo(1 mg/kg)-treated group, lead and Mo-treated group. As a result of the study, Mo significantly increased the rate of incorporation of $2-[^3H]$myo-inositol into polyphosphinositides in lead-intoxicated rat. Mo also increased the rate of phosphatidylcholine metabolism in normal and lead-intoxicated rats. However, Mo did not affect the metabolism of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanola-mine in normal and lead-intoxicated status. These results suggest that Mo might improve lead-intoxicated status by principally enhancing the metabolism of myo-inositol-related phospholipids and by partly phosphatidylcholine in sciatic nerve.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.259-264
• /
• 2010

This study was designed to investigate the effects of nitric oxide on the neuronal activity of rat cerebellar Purkinje cells. Sprague-Dawley rats aged 14 to 16 days were decapitated under ether anesthesia. After treatment with pronase and thermolysin, the dissociated Purkinje cells were transferred into a chamber on an inverted microscope. Spontaneous action potentials and potassium current were recorded by standard patch-clamp techniques under current and voltage-clamp modes respectively. 15 Purkinje cells revealed excitatory responses to $20\;{\mu}M$ of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and 4 neurons (20%) did not respond to SNP. Whole potassium currents of Purkinje cells were decreased by SNP (n=10). Whole potassium currents of Purkinje cells were also decreased by L-arginine, substrate of nitric oxide (n=10). These experimental results suggest that nitric oxide increases the neuronal activity of Purkinje cells by altering the resting membrane potential and after hyperpolarization.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.45-55
• /
• 1995

This study was carried out to elucidate the toxic mechanism of cadmium in peripheral nerve. An animal model of cadmium neuropathy was induced by feeding diet containing cadmium to Sprague- Dawley rat (or two weeks. Four weeks aged Sprague- Dawley rats were divided into four groups : normal control group, 10ppm- cadmium treated group, 100ppm- cadmium treated group, 1000ppm- cadmium treated group, reference drug- treated group. All rats were sacrificed at the end of two weeks for assessing the development of cadmium neuropathy, These results obtained were summarized as follows : 1. Cadmium reduced peripheral flow of both acetylcholinesterase and cholinesterase in rat sciatic nerve. 2. The toxic mechanism of cadmium might be the result of an reduction of myo-inositol concentration in peripheral nervous system 3. Reduction in myo-inositol content of peripheral nerve resulted from the inhibition of sodium- Potassium ATPase activity, which is responsible for myo-inositol transport, by cadmium 4. Oral administration of myo-inositol improved the flow of both acetylcholinesterase and cholinesterasenerve in cadmium intoxicated rat. These results suggest that mild cadmium neuropathy might be diagnosed by checking nervous myo-inositol content and oral administraion of myo-inositol might prevent the development of severe cadmium neuropathy with special reference to detective axonal transport.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.29 no.7
• /
• pp.821-829
• /
• 1996

Gastric cancer was inducedd by N-nethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG) in Fisher 344 male rats. Freeze dried typical Koran feeds, aged kimchi, soybean paste and maejoo, and partially scorched barbecued bulgokee were fed to the rat in the diet, which were composing 10% of the total diet. Experimental desing was as follows ; (1) group C : Control, (2) group M : MNNG with control diet, (3) group MK : MNNG with 10% of kimchi, (4) group MS : MNNG with 10% of soybean paste and maejoo, (5) group MB : MNNG with 10% of barbecued bulagokee, (6) group MKSB ; MNNG with 10% of the mixture of kimchi, soybean paste and maejoo, and barbecued bulgokee. Each group was fed with isocaloric diet for 26 weeks. Comparing to control, the growth rate of the experimental group was decreased after administration of MNNG and experimental diet. The mortality rate of group MB was increased by 17% than the control group along with a significant decrease of body weight. The protein efficiency ratio and the food efficiency ratio of group MB were lower than the control. The incidence of gastric cancer in rats fed kimchi and barbecued bulgokee were 73% and 75%, respectively, while that of group M which fed MNNG remained only 56%. On the contrary, soybean paste and maejoo showed an inhibitory effect on the burden of gastric tumor. However, the combination of kimchi, soybean paste and maejoo, and barbecued bulogokee showed a synergistic effect of increasing tumorigenesis in rats. Pathological observations of the rat stomach represent that squamous cell type tumors occupied in most frequencies.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.284-291
• /
• 2018

The role of androgens in the development of cardiovascular diseases remains controversial. The current study therefore sought to determine the changes in the histomorphology of the common carotid artery of the male rat in orchidectomy-induced hypogonadism. Twenty-two Rattus norvegicus male rats aged 2 months were used. The rats were randomly assigned into baseline (n=4), experimental (n=9), and control (n=9) groups. Hypogonadism was surgically induced in the experimental group by bilateral orchiectomy under local anesthesia. At experiment weeks 3, 6, and 9, three rats from each group (experimental and control) were euthanized, their common carotid artery harvested, and routine processing was done for paraffin embedding, sectioning, and staining. The photomicrographs were taken using a digital photomicroscope for morphometric analysis. Orchidectomy resulted in the development of vascular fibrosis, with a significant increase in collagen fiber density and decrease in smooth muscle and elastic fiber density. Moreover, there was development of intimal hyperplasia, with fragmentation of medial elastic lamellae in the common carotid artery of the castrated rats. Orchidectomy induces adverse changes in structure of the common carotid artery of the male rat. These changes may impair vascular function, therefore constituting a possible structural basis for the higher incidences of cardiovascular diseases observed in hypogonadism.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.21 no.10
• /
• pp.1355-1363
• /
• 2011

Many clinical trials have demonstrated the beneficial effects of garlic (Allium sativum) on general cardiovascular health. Aged garlic extract (AGE) is known to display diverse biological activities such as in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. However, few studies have been directed on the effect of AGE on cardiovascular function. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of AGE and its components on platelet activation, a key contributor in thrombotic diseases. In freshly isolated rat platelets, AGE and its components have shown inhibitory activities on thrombin-induced platelet aggregation. These in vitro results were further confirmed in an in vivo platelet aggregation measurement where tail vein injection of garlic oil and S-Allylmercapto-cysteine (SAMC) significantly reduced thrombin and ADP-induced platelet aggregation. Potential active components for antiplatelet effects of AGE were identified to be SAMC and diallyl sulphide through agonist-induced platelet aggregation assay. These results indicate that aged garlic extract can be a novel dietary supplement for the prevention of cardiovascular risks and the improvement of blood circulation.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.127-133
• /
• 2006

Recently, we have reported that the environmental pollutant 2-bromopropane (2-BP) induces a significant embryo-fetal developmental toxicity in rats. However, the cause of developmental toxicity and the relationship between maternal and developmental toxicities could not be elucidated because the developmental toxicity of 2-BP was observed only in the presence of maternal toxicity The in vitro teratogenicity study using whole embryo culture was carried out to understand the teratogenic properties and the possible mechanism of teratogenicity induced by 2-BP in rats. Rat embryos aged 9.5 days were cultured in vitro for 48 hrs at medium concentrations of 0, 1, 3, or 10 mg/ml of 2-BP. Embryos were evaluated for growth, differentiation, and morphological alterations at the end of the culture period. At 10 mg/ml, 2-BP caused a delay in the growth and differentiation of embryos and an increase in the incidence of morphological alterations, including altered yolk sac circulation, abnormal axial rotation, craniofacial hypoplasia, open neuropore, absent optic vesicle and kinked somites. At 3 mg/ml, only a delay in the growth and differentiation of embryos was observed. There were no adverse effects on embryonic growth and development at the concentration of 1 mg/ml. The results showed that the exposure of 2-BP to rat embryos results in a developmental delay and morphological alterations at dose levels of 3 mg/ml culture media or higher and that 2-BP can induce a direct developmental toxicity in rat embryos.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.297-303
• /
• 1994

The effect of radiation on the steroidogenesis of rat ovary was investigated. For this purpose, female rats aged 7-8 weeks were exposed to a single dose of ${\gamma}$ radiation(320 rad or 800 rad) by the cobalt-60. At fourth(day of the first estrus) and eighth(day of the second estrus) days after irradiation, the concentrations of serum steroid hormones were determined by radioimmunoassays (RIA). The correlation between survival rate(Y) and radiation dose(X) was Y=-0.06X+100(r=0.89, n=10). Lethal dose$(LD)_{50(30)}$ and $LD_{20(30)}$ were 833.33rad and 333.33rad respectively. The weights of body and ovary was decreased significantly by the $LD_{50(30)}$ irradiation during the 4 days, but both weights were recovered at day 8. The serum levels of 17a-hydroxyprogesterone(170HP) and estradiol($E_2$) in the irradiated rats were not generally different from those of control. However, the levels of testosterone(T) and 19-norterstosterone(19NT) in the irradiated rat at $LD_{50(30)}$ and $LD_{20(30)}$ radiation doses were decreased, while progesterone levels in serum of the irradiated rats were slightly increased. These results suggest that irradiation may inhibit the first step of steroidogenesis, especially the conversion of P to T, in the rat ovary.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.791-797
• /
• 2003

This study investigated the effect of Yanggyuksanhwa-tang on cerebral ischemia of the rats. Considering age-related impact on cerebral ischemia, aged rats (18 months old) were used for this study. Ischemic damage was induced by the transient occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (BCAO) under the hypotension. Yanggyuksanhwa-tang was administered twice orally. Then changes of pyramidal neurons and heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) expressions in ischemic damaged hippocampus were of observed. The BCAO in aged rats led significant decrease of pyramidal neurons in CA1 hippocampus. While the treatment of Yanggyuksanhwa-tang significantly attenuated the reduction of pyramidal neurons in CA1 hippocampus following BCAO ischemia. The BCAO in aged rats led significant increase of HSP72 expression in CA1 and mild in CA3 hippocampus. While the treatment of Yanggyuksanhwa-tang significantly attenuated the increase of HSP72 expression in CA1 hippocampus following BCAO ischemia. The extent of HSP72 expression in CA2 and DG of hippocampus was not different between the sham operated group, the BCAO ischemia control group, and the group of Yanggyuksanhwa-tang administration after BCAO ischemia. The treatment of Yanggyuksanhwa-tang significantly attenuated the increase of normalized optical density depending on HSP72 expression in CA1 hippocampus following BCAO ischemia.