• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.279-286
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• 2016

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), derived from honeybee hives, is a bioactive compound with strong antioxidant activity. This study was designed to test the neuroprotective effect of CAPE in 3-nitropropionic acid (3NP)-induced striatal neurotoxicity, a chemical model of Huntington's disease (HD). Initially, to test CAPE's antioxidant activity, a 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) antioxidant assay was employed, and CAPE showed a strong direct radical-scavenging effect. In addition, CAPE provided protection from 3NP-induced neuronal cell death in cultured striatal neurons. Based on these observations, the in vivo therapeutic potential of CAPE in 3NP-induced HD was tested. For this purpose, male C57BL/6 mice were repeatedly given 3NP to induce HD-like pathogenesis, and 30 mg/kg of CAPE or vehicle (5% dimethyl sulfoxide and 95% peanut oil) was administered daily. CAPE did not cause changes in body weight, but it reduced mortality by 29%. In addition, compared to the vehicle-treated group, robustly reduced striatal damage was observed in the CAPE-treated animals, and the 3NP-induced behavioral deficits on the rotarod test were significantly rescued after the CAPE treatment. Furthermore, immunohistochemical data showed that immunoreactivity to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and CD45, markers for astrocyte and microglia activation, respectively, were strikingly reduced. Combined, these data unequivocally indicate that CAPE has a strong antioxidant effect and can be used as a potential therapeutic agent against HD.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.493-506
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• 2022

The study presents the results of the research of heat and heat exchange processes on the heat-stressed elements of the structure of an advanced TsAGI descent vehicle. The studies were carried out using a mathematical model based on solving discrete analogs of continuum mechanics equations. Conclusions were drawn about the correctness of the model and the dependence of the intensity of heat and mass transfer processes on the most heat-stressed sections of the apparatus surface on its geometry and the catalytic activity of the surface.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.37-43
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• 2013

Cynomorium songaricum (CS) has been used in traditional Korean medicine in treating male impotence and sexual dysfunction. We investigated the effects of aqueous CS extract on the reproductive activity of golden hamsters whose spermatogenetic capacity is active in summer and inactive in winter. The animals were divided into 5 groups: long photoperiod (LP) control, short photoperiod (SP) control, and SP animals treated with low, middle, or high concentrations of CS. The animals were orally ingested with low (0.5 g/kg), middle (1.0 g/kg), or high (2.5 g/kg) concentrations of the aqueous extracts for 8 weeks on the daily basis. The control animals received the vehicle. As results, the LP control animals showed active testicular function but SP control animals displayed remarkably reduced testicular weights. The outcomes of the reproductive activity from low and middle concentrations of CS treatments were identical and marked as low dose. The consequences were a partial blocking of regressing activity by SP. On the other hand, the animals treated with high dose of CS extract showed remarkable significance in comparison to the SP control, indicative of a complete blocking effect of the CS on the regressing testes by SP. There were a dose-dependent effects of the CS on the sexual function. These results suggest that the CS extract promotes the male fertility by strengthening the spermatogenesis in the golden hamsters.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.117-124
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• 2000

The objective of this experiment is to investigate neurobehavioral and developmental effects of fumonisin B1 (FB1) after prenatal FB1 administration in rats. FB1 (0.8 or 1.6 mg/kg) was orally exposed to pregnant rats during gestational days 13 to 20, whereas the vehicle alone was administered to control group. Maternal and offspring body weights, physical landmarks of incisor eruption, eye opening, testes descending and vaginal opening, open field activity, running wheel activity, and complex maze performance were included as endpoints for developmental and neurobehavioral measurement. Maternal body weights were not signfficantly altered after FB1 exposure. Percentage of maternal weight gain difference between control and 1.6 mg/kg FBI groups was about 4%. Pre- and post-weanling weight of offsprings after prenatal exposure to FB1 was not signfficantly changed, suggesting that FB1 at 0.8 or 1.6 kg/kg doses may not cross the placenta. Significant gender difference in running wheel activity on postnatal days 57 to 63 and complex maze performance on postnatal days 75 to 78 was observed.

• 한국버섯학회지
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.93-101
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• 2022

Cordyceps militaris mycelium extracts containing high amounts of cordycepin were evaluated in vitro for their anti-inflammatory and tumor cell growth-inhibitory activities. All extracts dose dependently inhibited the increased production of inflammatory mediators including reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and 𝛽-hexosaminidase in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated inflammatory cells. All extracts were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity against normal RBL-2H3 cells and diverse types of cancer cell lines, including HCT, MC5-7, U-87MG, AGS, and A549 cells. The extract showed the strongest growth inhibition (IC₅₀ = 28.13 ㎍/mL) relative to vehicle-treated control cells against fibrosarcoma (MC5-7). We have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity of C. militaris via inhibition of NO, ROS production, and 𝛽-hexosaminidase release in activated cells. C. militaris mycelium extract was also evaluated mechanistically and found to exert six types of anti-cancer activity, confirming its pharmacological potential. Our study suggests C. militaris use as a potential source of anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents. C. militaris may also be considered a functional food.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.144-148
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• 2017

Sulfites are used as food preservatives and excessive sulfite might disturb the body systems including the brain. Curcumin shows protective effects on the nervous system toxicity. The present study aimed to evaluate the protective role of curcumin in sulfite-induced anxiety in rats. Male rats were divided into five groups. The rats in groups I to V received distilled water (vehicle of sulfite, 1 mL/d), olive oil (vehicle of curcumin, 1 mL/d), curcumin (100 mg/kg/d), sulfite (25 mg/kg/d), and sulfite+curcumin, respectively, by daily gastric gavage for 8 weeks. At the end of 8 weeks the rats were tested in the elevated plus-maze for anxiety. The results showed that concomitant treatment of curcumin during sulfite consumption prevented the reduction of the time spent in the open arm and entrance to the open arm (the indexes of anxiety). Besides, an increase was found in motor activity of the rats in the sulfite+curcumin group compared to the sulfite-treated animals. Exposure of sulfite in rats can induce anxiety, and curcumin can act as an anti-anxiety agent.

• 한국컴퓨터그래픽스학회논문지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.101-111
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• 2022

조건부 자율주행 차량은 주행 상황에 따라 운전자에게 제어권을 인계해야 한다. 그러나 운전자가 비운전 과제에 몰입해 있다면, 상황에 맞는 의사결정을 하지 못할 수 있다. 선행연구에서는 주행 방향정보를 제공하는 단서 자극 (Cue)이 제어권 전환 성능을 높인다는 것을 확인했으나, 이러한 방법론이 실제 운전자의 뇌 활성도에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구는 매우 제한적이다. 따라서 본 연구는 조건부 자율주행에서 제어권 전환 시, Cue에 따른 운전자의 뇌 활동을 평가한다. 총 25명의 피험자가 운전 시뮬레이터를 활용한 제어권 전환 성능에 평가를 수행하였다. 뇌 활동의 평가를 위해서는 혈액 내 산화 헤모글로빈 농도 변화를 통해 뇌 활성화를 측정하는 기능적 근적외 분광법이 사용되었으며 뇌 영역 중 전전두피질 (Prefrontal Cortex; PFC)의 활성화를 평가했다. 실험결과, Cue가 존재하는 경우 운전자의 PFC가 활성화되어 안정적인 제어권 전환 성능이 형성됨을 확인하였다. 본 연구는 Cue가 운전자의 뇌 활성도에 미치는 영향을 정량적으로 확인하였다는 점에서, 향후 조건부 자율주행에서 생체반응을 활용한 제어권 전환 성능 평가 연구에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 예상된다.

• 산업경영시스템학회지
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• 제22권52호
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• pp.203-210
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• 1999

We report on some of the preliminary results of the physiological responses resulting from vehicular speed changes. Healthy human subjects (n=5) were studied for the experiments. We measured the physiological responses of the subjects such as Heart Rate Variability (HRV), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), and skin temperature for day and night vehicular speed change experiments, respectively. Before and after the tasks, we carried out a self-report for acquiring correlation with experiment results. Mean heart rate variability (HRV) and amplitude of GSR and skin temperature were calculated for 3 minutes duration in each state. The analysis of the physiological measures of ANS activity revealed that vehicle speed change-based affective state evoked arousal response pattern featured by HR acceleration, decrease of skin temperature, and increase of GSR amplitude. The obtained results show that despite some differences observed between each state, overall physiological responses show that the activity of the sympathetic nervous system increases as a result of the increase of speed.

• Integrative Medicine Research
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.67-73
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• 2014

Background: The transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3)is constitutively activated in many human cancers. It promotes tumor cell proliferation,inhibits apoptosis, induces angiogenesis and metastasis, and suppresses antitumor hostimmune responses. Therefore, Stat3 has emerged as a promising molecular target for cancertherapies. In this study, we evaluated the Stat3-suppressive activity of 38 herbal medicinestraditionally used in Korea.Methods: Medicinal herb extracts in 70% ethanol were screened for their ability to suppressStat3 in the A549 human lung cancer cell line. A Stat3-responsive reporter assay system wasused to detect intracellular Stat3 activity in extract-treated cells, and Western blot analyseswere performed to measure the expression profiles of Stat3-regulated proteins.Results: Fifty percent of the 38 extracts possessed at least mild Stat3-suppressive activities(i.e., activity less than 75% of the vehicle control). Ethanol extracts of Bupleurum falcatumL., Taraxacum officinale Weber, Solanum nigrum L., Ulmus macrocarpa Hance, Euonymus alatusSieb., Artemisia capillaris Thunb., and Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Baill inhibited up to 75% of thevehicle control Stat3 activity level. A549 cells treated with these extracts also had reducedBcl-xL, Survivin, c-Myc, and Mcl-1 expression.Conclusion: Many medicinal herbs traditionally used in Korea contain Stat3 activity-suppressing substances. Because of the therapeutic impact of Stat3 inhibition, these resultscould be useful when developing novel cancer therapeutics from medicinal herbs.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.79-88
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• 1999

In order to investigate pharmacological properties of New Wonbang Woohwangchungsimwon Liquid(NSCL) and Wonbang Woohwangchungsimwon Liquid(SCL), the effects of NSCL and SCL on cerebral ischemia and central nervous system were compared. Cerebral ischemia insult was performed using unilateral carotid artery occlusion in mongolian gerbils. The histological observations showed a preventive effect of NSCL and SCL treatments with ischemia-induced brain damage. The ATP in brain tissue was decreased in vehicle-treated ischemic gerbils. This decrease was prevented by NSCL and SCL treatment. In contrast to what was seen with ATP, lipid peroxide were elevated in vehicle-treated ischemic gerbils. This elevation was inhibited by NSCL and SCL treatments. While NSCL and SCL had no effects on the hexobarbital-induced sleeping time, they showed sedative effect in rotarod and spontaneous activity test. NSCL and SCL prevented the seizures induced by electric shock and strychnine, but the effect of NSCL was less than that of SCL. Furthermore, NSCL and SCL showed anti-stress effect. Our findings suggest that the pharmacological profiles of NSCL on cerebral ischemia and central nervous system are similar to those of SCL.