• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2013

Purpose : This study was to identify the effect of cognitive reaction following inactive electrode placement when applying anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the primary motor cortex. Methods : For this study a total of 28 stroke patients participated. Before applying transcranial direct current stimulation, cognitive reaction was measured (P300 of event related potential, cognitive reaction time), and subjects were randomly assigned to two group. Transcranial direct current stimulation was applied to the scalp with an intensity of $0.04mA/cm^2$ for 15 minutes. All subjects were given an anode transcranial direct current stimulation over the primary motor area and inactive electrodes over the deltoid muscle (group I) and supra-orbital area (group II). Cognitive reactions were measured after applying transcranial direct current stimulation. Results : For this study a total of 28 stroke patients participated. Before applying transcranial direct current stimulation, cognitive reaction was measured (P300 of event related potential, cognitive reaction time), and subjects were randomly assigned to two group. Transcranial direct current stimulation was applied to the scalp with an intensity of $0.04mA/cm^2$ for 15 minutes. All subjects were given an anode transcranial direct current stimulation over the primary motor area and inactive electrodes over the deltoid muscle (group I) and supra-orbital area (group II). Cognitive reactions were measured after applying transcranial direct current stimulation. Conclusion : Thus transcranial direct current stimulation on the primary motor area may help cognitive reaction regardless of inactive electrode placement.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.76-85
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• 2015

Objectives: Radix Ginseng has been traditionally used as an adaptogen that acts on the adrenal cortex and stimulates or relaxes the nervous system to restore emotional and physical balance and to improve well-being in cases of degenerative disease and/or old age. Radix Ginseng has been used for a long time, but the safety of ginseng pharmacopuncture needs testing. This study was done to analyze the single-dose toxicity of water- soluble ginseng pharmacopuncture (GP) intramuscular injections in rats. Methods: All experiments were performed at Biotoxtech, an institution authorized to perform non clinical studies under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). Each group contained 10 Sprague-Dawley rats, 5 males and 5 females. GP was prepared in a sterile room at the Korean Pharmacopuncture Institute under regulations of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). GP dosages were 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mL for the experimental groups; normal saline was administered to the control group. The animals general condition was examined daily for 14 days, and the rats were weighed on the starting day and at 3, 7 and 14 days after administration of the pharmacopuncture. Hematological and biochemistry tests and autopsies were done to test the toxicological effect of GP after 14 days. This study was performed with approval from the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee of Biotextech. Results: No deaths were found in this single-dose toxicity test of intramuscular injections of GP, and no significant changes in the general conditions, body weights, hematological and biochemistry tests, and autopsies were observed. The local injection site showed no changes. Based on these results, the lethal dose was assumed to be over 1.0 mL/animal in both sexes. Conclusion: These results suggest that GP is relatively safe. Further studies, including a repeated toxicity test, are needed to provide more concrete evidence for the safety of GP.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.540-545
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• 2022

Betulin is a triterpenoid natural product contained in several medicinal plants including Betulae Cortex. These medicinal plants have been used for controlling diverse inflammatory diseases in folk medicine and betulin showed anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anticancer activities. In this study, we tried to examine whether betulin exerts a regulative effect on the gene expression of MUC5AC mucin under the status simulating a pulmonary inflammation, in human airway epithelial cells. Confluent NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with betulin for 30 min and then stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 24 h or the indicated periods. The MUC5AC mucin mRNA expression and mucin glycoprotein production were measured by reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. To elucidate the action mechanism of betulin, effect of betulin on PMA-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) signaling pathway was also investigated by western blot analysis. The results were as follows: 1) Betulin significantly suppressed the production of MUC5AC mucin glycoprotein and down-regulated MUC5AC mRNA expression induced by PMA in NCI-H292 cells. 2) Betulin inhibited NF-κB activation stimulated by PMA. Suppression of inhibitory kappa B kinase (IKK) by betulin led to the inhibition of the phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitory kappa B alpha (IκBα), and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. This, in turn, led to the down-regulation of MUC5AC glycoprotein production in NCI-H292 cells. These results suggest betulin inhibits the gene expression of mucin through regulation of NF-kB signaling pathway, in human airway epithelial cells.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.490-496
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• 1998

Purpose: We evaluated brain perfusion SPECT findings of MELAS syndrome and mitochondrial myopathy in correlation with MR imaging in search of specific imaging features. Materials and Methods: Subjects were five patients (four females and one male; age range, 1 to 25 year) who presented with repeated stroke-like episodes, seizures or developmental delay or asymptomatic but had elevated lactic acid in CSF and serum. Conventional non-contrast MR imaging and Tc-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) brain perfusion SPECT were Performed and imaging features were analyzed. Results: MRI demonstrated increased T2 signal intensities in the affected areas of gray and white matters mainly in the parietal (4/5) and occipital lobes (4/5) and in the basal ganglia (1/5), which were not restricted to a specific vascular territory. SPECT demonstrated decreased perfusion in the corresponding regions of MRI lesions. In addition, there were perfusion defects in parietal (1 patient), temporal (2), and frontal (1) lobes and basal ganglia (1) and thalami (2). In a patient with mitochondrial myopathy who had normal MRI, decreased perfusion was noted in left parietal area and bilateral thalami. Conclusion: Tc-99m ECD SPECT imaging in patients with MELAS syndrome and mitochondrial myopathy showed hypoperfusion of parieto-occipital cortex, basal ganglia, thalamus and temporal cortex, which were not restricted to a specific vascular territory. There were no specific imaging features on SPECT. The significance of abnormal perfusion on SPECT without corresponding MR abnormalities needs to be evaluated further in larger number of patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.9
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• pp.1257-1262
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• 2010

This study investigated the anti-diabetic effects of the mixed water extract (JDG 100) composed of Lycii Cortex, Acanthopanax senticosus and Cordyceps militaris on glucose-regulating key enzymes such as glucokinase (GK), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). In the current study, HepG2 cells were exposed to pathological condition such as hyperglycemic condition (4.5 g glucose/L) with JDG 100 and then experiments such as RT-PCR and Western blotting were carried out. JDG 100 treated cells increased to $168{\pm}0.04%$ and $182.4{\pm}0.03%$ in GK mRNA and protein expressions, respectively, compared to control. Treatment of the JDG 100 up-regulated ACC mRNA ($127.3{\pm}0.02%$) and protein ($126.7{\pm}0.24%$) of HepG2 cells in the high glucose media. These observations suggest that JDG 100 mixed water extract may have a potential as an anti-diabetic agent in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.219-236
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• 1988

Bensulfuron concentrations of $10^{-7}$, $10^{-6}$, $10^{-5}$ and $10^{-4}M$ were applied to agar medium on susceptible (cv. KH 17854 and cv. IR 1846) and tolerant (cv. Chinsurah Boro II and IR 14252) rice cultivars were grown for microscopic inspection. Susceptible cultivars showed the decrease in shoot and root growth at the concentration of $10^{-5}M$ while ones showed no difference. Such a tendency was also observed from microscopic inspection in the elongation zone of shoot meristematic tissue. Seedlings grown in soil for 10 days were transfered to distilled water containing only bensulfuron solutions. There were significant differences between cultivars in terms of supression of shoot meristematic activity and swelling of cell volume. Observations of those cells made it clear that especially susceptible cultivars showed the irregular cell layering, vacuolation, cell swelling and partial damage in membrane of shoot tissue. The major response of root tips of susceptible cultivars showed the disorganization of cortex, rupture and contraction of membrane, inhibition of cell division, swelling and emergence of lateral root while tolerant ones showed no such responses.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.353-359
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• 2000

${\alpha}_2$-Adrenoceptor antagonists, which can enhance synaptic norepinephrine levels by blocking feedback inhibition processes, are potentially useful in the treatment of disease states such. as depression, memory impairment, impotence and sexual dysfunction. (10bS)-1,2,3,5,6,10b-Hexahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline oxalate (YSL-3S) was evaluated in several in vitro biological tests to establish its pharmacological profile of activities as an ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor antagonist. Saturation binding assay revealed that$^{3}[H]$rauwolscine bound to the $\alpha$$_2$-adrenoceptors with a Kd value of 6.3$\pm$0.5 nM and a Bmax value of 25l$\pm$39 fmol/mg protein in rat cortical synaptic membranes. Competitive binding assay showed that YSL-3S inhibited the binding of$^3[H]$rauwolscine (1 nM) in a concentration-dependent manner with a Ki value of 98.2$\pm$12.1 nM while it did not inhibit the binding of [$^3$H]cytisine (1.25 nM) to neuronal nicotinic cholinergic receptors. The Ki values of yohimbine, clonidine and norepinephrine for $^3[H]$rauwolscine binding were 15.8$\pm$1.0, 40.1$\pm$5.9 and 40.0$\pm$11.5 nM, respectively. In addition, the binding affinity of YSL-3S for ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptors was higher than that of its antipode and the racemic mixture. The functional activity of YSL-3S at the presynaptic ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptors was assessed using the prostatic portion of the rat vas deferens. Clonidine inhibited field-stimulated contractions of the vas deference in a dose-dependent manner. The presence of YSL-3S or yohimbine caused a parallel, rightward the dose-response curve of clonidine in a dose-dependent manner, indicating an antagonistic action at the presynaptic ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptors. The $pA_2$values of yohimbine and YSL-3S were 7.66$\pm$0.13 and 6.64$\pm$0.18, respectively. The results indicate that YSL-3S acts as a competitive antagonist at presynaptic ${\alpha}_2$ -adrenoceptors with a potency approximately ten times lower than yohimbine, but is devoid of binding affinity for neuronal nicotinic cholinergic receptors.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.575-580
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• 2004

In this work, a method is presented to find an anatomical site of a current source crudely in a standard brain using grand average of MEG data. Minimum norm estimation algorithm and truncated singular value decomposition were applied to calculate the distributed sources that can reproduce the measured signals. Grand average over all subjects was obtained from the transformed signals, which would be detected in a standard sensor plane by the obtained distributed current sources. In the simulation study, it was shown that the localized dipole using the grand average is consistent with the mean location of localized dipoles of all subjects within several mm even with large inter-individual differences of sensor positions. This result suggests that the mean location of low level signal source can be estimated as a dipole source in grand average and it was confirmed in the localization of the current source of N100m. when the localized dipole is registered on a standard brain. This result also suggests that the activity region obtained from grand average can be crudely estimated on a standard brain using the source location of the N100m as a reference point.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2012

Oxygen is the final acceptor of electron transport from fat and carbohydrate oxidation, which is the rate-limiting factor for cellular ATP production. Under altitude hypoxia condition, energy reliance on anaerobic glycolysis increases to compensate for the shortfall caused by reduced fatty acid oxidation [1]. Therefore, training at altitude is expected to strongly influence the human metabolic system, and has the potential to be designed as a non-pharmacological or recreational intervention regimen for correcting diabetes or related metabolic problems. However, most people cannot accommodate high altitude exposure above 4500 M due to acute mountain sickness (AMS) and insulin resistance corresponding to a increased levels of the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamine [2]. Thus, less stringent conditions were evaluated to determine whether glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity could be improved by moderate altitude exposure (below 4000 M). In 2003, we and another group in Austria reported that short-term moderate altitude exposure plus endurance-related physical activity significantly improves glucose tolerance (not fasting glucose) in humans [3,4], which is associated with the improvement in the whole-body insulin sensitivity [5]. With daily hiking at an altitude of approximately 4000 M, glucose tolerance can still be improved but fasting glucose was slightly elevated. Individuals vary widely in their response to altitude challenge. In particular, the improvement in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity by prolonged altitude hiking activity is not apparent in those individuals with low baseline DHEA-S concentration [6]. In addition, hematopoietic adaptation against altitude hypoxia can also be impaired in individuals with low DHEA-S. In short-lived mammals like rodents, the DHEA-S level is barely detectable since their adrenal cortex does not appear to produce this steroid [7]. In this model, exercise training recovery under prolonged hypoxia exposure (14-15% oxygen, 8 h per day for 6 weeks) can still improve insulin sensitivity, secondary to an effective suppression of adiposity [8]. Genetically obese rats exhibit hyperinsulinemia (sign of insulin resistance) with up-regulated baseline levels of AMP-activated protein kinase and AS160 phosphorylation in skeletal muscle compared to lean rats. After prolonged hypoxia training, this abnormality can be reversed concomitant with an approximately 50% increase in GLUT4 protein expression. Additionally, prolonged moderate hypoxia training results in decreased diffusion distance of muscle fiber (reduced cross-sectional area) without affecting muscle weight. In humans, moderate hypoxia increases postprandial blood distribution towards skeletal muscle during a training recovery. This physiological response plays a role in the redistribution of fuel storage among important energy storage sites and may explain its potent effect on changing body composition. Conclusion: Prolonged moderate altitude hypoxia (rangingfrom 1700 to 2400 M), but not acute high attitude hypoxia (above 4000 M), can effectively improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance for humans and antagonizes the obese phenotype in animals with a genetic defect. In humans, the magnitude of the improvementvaries widely and correlates with baseline plasma DHEA-S levels. Compared to training at sea-level, training at altitude effectively decreases fat mass in parallel with increased muscle mass. This change may be associated with increased perfusion of insulin and fuel towards skeletal muscle that favors muscle competing postprandial fuel in circulation against adipose tissues.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.435-447
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• 2011

This study was investigated to determine the contents of sulfur dioxide residues in medicinal herbs in Seoul Yang Nyoung Shi in 2010 (1,522 samples of 189 kinds). Samples were measured by modified Monier-Williams method. of the total samples, 618 samples (84 kinds) were domestic, and 904 samples (158 kinds) were imported. The content of sulfur dioxide in the domestics showed the range of 0.0 to 1,298.0 mg/kg (average 12.7 mg/kg), while those in imported samples were the range of 0.0 to 3,982.2 mg/kg (average 42.4 mg/kg). The average (mg/kg) amount of sulfur dioxide by parts in medicinal herbs was as follows; Tuber 122.3, Radix 69.3, Rhizoma 37.4, Cortex 33.3, Fructus 8.8, Ramulus 4.9, Semen 4.6, Folium 3.4, Flos 2.7, Perithecium 1.4. of the total samples (1,522), 52 samples (3.4%) were violated the KFDA regulatory guidance of sulfur dioxide. Among these 52 unsuitable samples, 16 samples (7 kinds) were domestic, and 36 samples (23 kinds) were imported. Approximately 88.1% of the total samples was less than 10 mg/kg of sulfur dioxide and 6.3% of the total samples showed more than 30 mg/kg of sulfur dioxide.