• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.163-168
• /
• 2014

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are known to play an important role in the repair of damaged blood vessels. We used an endothelial progenitor cell colony-forming assay (EPC-CFA) to determine whether EPC numbers could be increased in healthy individuals through regular exercise training. The number of functional EPCs obtained from human peripheral blood-derived AC133 stem cells was measured after a 28-day regular exercise training program. The number of total endothelial progenitor cell colony-forming units (EPC-CFU) was significantly increased compared to that in the control group (p=0.02, n=5). In addition, we observed a significant decrease in homocysteine levels followed by an increase in the number of EPC-CFUs (p=0.04, n=5), indicating that the 28-day regular exercise training could increase the number of EPC colonies and decrease homocysteine levels. Moreover, an inverse correlation was observed between small-endothelial progenitor cell colony-forming units (small-EPC-CFUs) and plasma homocysteine levels in healthy men (r=-0.8125, p=0.047). We found that regular exercise training could increase the number of EPC-CFUs and decrease homocysteine levels, thus decreasing the cardiovascular disease risk in men.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.607-613
• /
• 2014

In a previous study, we have shown that mulberry leaves (Mori Folium) extract MFE) and its compounds have the antioxidant effect in human red blood cells. However, the possible effect of MFE and its compounds on improvement of blood flow were not reported. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of MFE and its compounds on improvement of blood flow in a rat model of topical ferric chloride ($FeCl_3$)-induced carotid artery damage. The $FeCl_3$ treatment seriously damaged the carotid artery: the walls of the artery, blood flow rate, blood vessel diameter, blood vessel area and blood flow amount. However, administration of MFE or its compound has ameliorated the blood flow and suppressed thrombus in blood vessels. Moreover, the concentrations of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol in the MET and its compound groups were remarkably reduced in comparison to the control group, and HDL cholesterol concentration was higher in the MET and its compound groups than in the control group. These results suggest that MFE and its compounds ameliorate the thrombosis against blood vessel damage.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.474-480
• /
• 2018

Most angiogenesis assays are performed using endothelial cells. However, blood vessels are composed of two cell types: endothelial cells and pericytes. Thus, co-culture of two vascular cells should be employed to evaluate angiogenic properties. Here, we developed an in vitro 3-dimensional angiogenesis assay system using spheroids formed by two human vascular precursors: endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). ECFCs, MSCs, or ECFCs+MSCs were cultured to form spheroids. Sprout formation from each spheroid was observed for 24 h by real-time cell recorder. Sprout number and length were higher in ECFC+MSC spheroids than ECFC-only spheroids. No sprouts were observed in MSC-only spheroids. Sprout formation by ECFC spheroids was increased by treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or combination of VEGF and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). Interestingly, there was no further increase in sprout formation by ECFC+MSC spheroids in response to VEGF or VEGF+FGF-2, suggesting that MSCs stimulate sprout formation by ECFCs. Immuno-fluorescent labeling technique revealed that MSCs surrounded ECFC-mediated sprout structures. We tested vatalanib, VEGF inhibitor, using ECFC and ECFC+MSC spheroids. Vatalanib significantly inhibited sprout formation in both spheroids. Of note, the $IC_{50}$ of vatalanib in ECFC+MSC spheroids at 24 h was $4.0{\pm}0.40{\mu}M$, which are more correlated with the data of previous animal studies when compared with ECFC spheroids ($0.2{\pm}0.03{\mu}M$). These results suggest that ECFC+MSC spheroids generate physiologically relevant sprout structures composed of two types of vascular cells, and will be an effective pre-clinical in vitro assay model to evaluate pro- or anti-angiogenic property.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.43 no.6
• /
• pp.539-550
• /
• 2020

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a fatal malignant tumor that is characterized by diffusive growth of tumor cells into the surrounding brain parenchyma. However, the diffusive nature of GBM and its relationship with the tumor microenvironment (TME) is still unknown. Here, we investigated the interactions of GBM with the surrounding microenvironment in orthotopic xenograft animal models using two human glioma cell lines, U87 and LN229. The GBM cells in our model showed different features on the aspects of cell growth rate during their development, dispersive nature of glioma tumor cells along blood vessels, and invasion into the brain parenchyma. Our results indicated that these differences in the two models are in part due to differences in the expression of CXCR4 and STAT3, both of which play an important role in tumor progression. In addition, the GBM shows considerable accumulation of resident microglia and peripheral macrophages, but polarizes differently into tumor-supporting cells. These results suggest that the intrinsic factors of GBM and their interaction with the TME determine the diffusive nature and probably the responsiveness to non-cancer cells in the TME.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.8-13
• /
• 2020

To develop cardiovascular simulator capable of implementing pulse waves similar to the human body, accurate information about reflection wave is required. However, the conclusion is still not clear and various discussions are underway. In this study, the pulse wave velocity of the tube used in the experiment was first determined by measuring the pressure waves at two points in a single tube system with the experimental device to implement the pulse wave transmission of blood vessels, and the superposition time and characteristics of the reflection wave were confirmed. After that, an air chamber was set at the reflection site, and the effect of the change of air volume on the reflection wave was investigated. Finally, the effect of the number of branches connected to a single tube on the reflection wave was investigated. The superposition time of the reflection wave can be controlled by the air volume of the air chamber, and the magnitude of the reflection wave is influenced by the number of reflection sites that generate the reflection wave. The results of this study may be of practical assistance to simulator researchers who want to implement pulse wave similar to clinical data. It is expected that the more results similar to clinical are provided, the greater the scope of the simulator's contribution to clinical cardiovascular research.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.28 no.11
• /
• pp.1270-1274
• /
• 2005

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a key role in angiogenesis, which is a process where new blood vessels develop from the endothelium of a pre-existing vasculature. VEGF exerts its activity by binding to its receptor tyrosine kinase, KDR/Flk-1, which is expressed on the surface of endothelial cells. A methanol extract and organic solvent (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, aqueous) fractions from Rubus coreanus were examined for their inhibitory effects on VEGF binding to the VEGF receptor. The methanol extract from the crude drug were found to significantly inhibit VEGF binding to the VEGF receptor ($IC_{50}$$\thickapprox$27 $\mu$g/mL). Among the fractions examined, the aqueous fraction from the medicinal plant showed potent inhibitory effects against the binding of KDR/Flk-1-Fc to immobilized $VEGF_{165}$ in a dose­dependent manner ($IC_{50}$$\thickapprox$11 $\mu$g/mL). Sanguiin H-6 was isolated as an active principle from the aqueous fraction, and inhibited the binding of KDR/Flk-1-Fc to immobilized $VEGF_{165}$ in a dose­dependent manner ($IC_{50}$$\thickapprox$0.3 $\mu$g/mL). In addition, sanguiin H-6 efficiently blocked the VEGF­induced HUVEC proliferation in a dose-dependent manner ($IC_{50}$$\thickapprox$7.4 $\mu$g/mL) but had no effect on the growth of HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. This suggests that sanguiin H-6 might be a potential anti-angiogenic agent.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.503-510
• /
• 2013

This study aims to propose safety culture design to ease to find out and control behavior characteristics of Korean seafarers. By empirical research of 377 Korean seafarers, the result revealed that significant characteristic of Korean seafarers was "affection to others" and custom of Confucianism affected Korean maritime society prevalently. But there were no significant differences between groups, such as rank, age, gender and sailing route with vessel type except educational background. Furthermore, this study concluded that positive reinforcement was more useful than negative reinforcement to promote safety operation of vessels. Regarding the vessel's safety management, the fact that means for vessel's safety management are linked only to the levels of educational background suggests that the efficiency of vessel's safety operation would be achieved by introducing suitable safety management system depending on the level of educational background.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.179-185
• /
• 2000

Generally vascular grafts with a relatively large inner diameter (> 5 mm) have been successfully employed for replacement in the human body. However, the use of small diameter grafts is limited, because these grafts rapidly occlude due to the thrombosis. The ideal blood-contacting surface of a prosthesis would be an endothelial cell (EC) lining, because the confluent monolayer of healthy ECs that culture natural blood vessels represents the ideal nonthrombogenic surface. For vascular graft application, the stable EC adhesion on surface under How conditions is very important. In this study, the adhesive strength of ECs attached on polymer surfaces coated with collagen type IV (Col IV), fibronectin (Fn), laminin (Ln), and treated with corona was investigated onto polyurethane (PU) films. The EC-attached PU surfaces were mounted on parallel-plate flow chambers in a How system prepared for cell adhesiveness test. Three different shear stresses (100, 150, and 200 dyne/㎠) were applied to the How chambers and each shear stress was maintained for 120 min to investigate the effect of shear stress and surface treatment condition on the EC adhesion strength. It was observed that the EC adhesion strength on the surface-modified PU films was in the order of Ln≡Fn > Col IV > corona 》 control. More than 70% of the adhered cells were remained on surface-modified PU surface after applying the shear stress,200 dyne/㎠ for 2 hrs, whereas the cells were completely detached on the control PU surface within 10 min after applying the same shear stress. It seems that the type of adsorbed proteins and hydrophilicitv onto the PU surfaces play very important roles for cell adhesion strength.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.484-493
• /
• 2012

Since the 1980s, there have been many research activities devoted to quantitatively characterizing and imaging human tissues based on sound speed, attenuation coefficient, density, nonlinear B/A parameter, etc., but those efforts have not yet reached the stage of commercialization. However, a new imaging technology termed elastography, which was proposed in the early 1980s, has recently been implemented in commercial clinical ultrasound scanners, and is now being used to diagnose prostates, breasts, thyroids, livers, blood vessels, etc., more quantitatively as a complementary adjunct modality to the conventional B-mode imaging. The purpose of this article is to introduce and review various elastographic algorithms for use in quasistatic or static compression type elasticity imaging modes. Most of the algorithms are based on the crosscorrelation or autocorrelation function methods, and the fundamental difference is that the time shift is estimated by changing the lag variable in the former, while it is directly obtained from the phase shift at a fixed lag in the latter.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.62-70
• /
• 2007

Marine casualties of vessel are serious problems on social and national aspects, because it results in sacrifice of lives, a great lose of properties and marine pollution. According to recent statistics of marine casualties of vessel, fishing boats are more likely to be ended in the casualty, and especially, small fishing boats cause much more accidents than any other big vessels. Most of marine casualties were caused by the human factors such as poor watch keeping, inadequate manoeuvering and negligent action for engine, etc. This study is intended to provide navigator of small fishing boat with a specific information of necessary to assist both the manoeuvering and the avoidance of capsizing. The manoeuvering characteristics of ship can be adequately judged by the results of typical ship trials manoeuvres. For this purpose, the author measured the roll responses of a small fishing boat in waves using the real sea experimental measuring system, and analyzed the experimental data by the statistical and spectral analyzing methods to get the characteristics of the roll motion responses of the small boat through the wave directions and the ship's speed.