• Applied Microscopy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.1-14
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• 1992

This experiment was performed to study the morphological responses of the parafollicular cells of rat following X-ray irradiation. Male rats were divided into normal and experimental groups. The head and neck region of the rat, under sodium thiopental anesthesia, was exposed to 3,000 rads or 6,000 rads of radiation in a single dose, respectively. The source was a Mitsubishi Linear Accelerator ML-4MV. The target to skin distance was 80 cm, and the dose rate was 200 rads/min. The rate of experimental groups were sacrificed on the 6th hour, 2nd and 6th day after X-ray irradiation. Pieces of the tissue taken from the thyroid gland were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde-1.5% paraformaldehyde (0.1M Millonig's phosphate buffer, pH 7.3), and in 1% osmium tetroxide (0.1M Millonig's phosphate buffer, pH 7.3), and embedded in araldite mixture. The ultrathin sections stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate were observed with JEM 100 CX-II electron microscope. The results were as follow; 1. Two types of the parafollicular cells, according to their electron densities, were found, i. e., light cells and dark cells. 2. Three types of the parafollicular cells, according to their sizes of secretory granules were found, i.e., small granule cells ($85nm{\pm}20.1;64{\sim}102nm$), medium granule cells ($120nm{\pm}26.5;77{\sim}179nm$), and large granule cells ($165nm{\pm}25.7;128{\sim}189nm$). 3. The differential ultrastructural changes of the cells according to their cell types, i.e., dark and light cell, or small, medium and large granule cells, were hardly observed in the time and dose range covered by this study. 4. The morphological changes of the parafollicular cells were not pronounced after exposure to 3,000 rads of X-ray. 5. Swollen cisternae of the granular endoplasmic reticulum and partial cytolysis were observed after exposure to 6,000 rads of X-ray. 6. Above results suggest that the parafollicular cells showed the alterations of mitochondrial and granular endoplasmic reticular swelling, and partial cytolysis, but only in doses of 6,000 rads.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.387-392
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• 2000

Objectives: 1) To compare the efficacy of urofollitropin (Follimon) to that of recombinant human FSH (rhFSH) on the growth and maturation of mouse early preantral follicles in vitro, and 2) effect of vitrification on the growth and maturation of preantral follicles and oocytes . Methods: Isolated early preantra1 follicles (100-130 ${\mu}m$ diameter) were cultured for 12 days in 20 ${\mu}l$ ${\alpha}$-MEM media drop under the mineral oil. Follimon or rhFSH was added to the culture medium at various concentrations (0, 10, 100, and 1000 mIU/ml). Results: With Follimon, the dose of 10 mIU/ml showed the best follicle survival, growth, and MIl rate of oocyte than the other concentrations. Whereas the optimal dose of rhFSH was 100 mIU/ml. Despite the different optimal doses, the efficacy of two different FSHs on the follicle growth and maturation was similar. Isolated mouse preantral follicles were cryopreserved by vitrification and cultured in vitro for 12 days with 100 mIU/ml rhFSH. Despite the decreased follicular survival rate after thawing, the follicular growth and maturation rate of its oocyte were comparable to those of the fresh follicle. Conclusion: Results from the present study revealed that 1) the optimal doses of Follimon and rhFSH for in-vitro culture of mouse follicles are different, and 2) the frozen-thawed follicles develop normally after vitrification.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 1995

The effects and interactions of $4{\beta}-phorbol$ 12,13-dibutyrate(PDB) and polymyxin B(PMB) with adenosine on the electrically-evoked norepinephrine (NE) release were studied in the rat hippocampus. Slices from the rat hippocampus were equilibrated with $^3H-noradrenaline$ and the release of the labelled product, $^3H-NE$, which evoked by electrical stimulation$(3\;Hz,\;2\;ms,\;5\;VCm^{-1},\;rectangular\;pulses)$ was measured. PDB$(0.3{\sim}10\;{\mu}M)$, a selective protein kinase C(PKC) activator, increased the evoked NE release in a dose related fashion while increasing the basal rate of release. And the effects of $1\;{\mu}M$ PDB were significantly inhibited by $0.3\;{\mu}M$ tetrodotoxin(TTX) pretreatment or $Ca^{++}-free$ medium. $PMB(0.03{\sim}1\;mg)$, a specific PKC inhibitor, decreased the NE release in a dose dependent manner while increasing the basal rate of release. Adenosine $(1{\sim}10\;{\mu}M)$ decreased the NE release without changing the basal rate of release, and this effect was significantly inhibited by 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine$(2\;{\mu}M)$, a selective $A_1-receptor$ antagonist, treatment. Also, adenosine effects were significantly inhibited by PDB-and PMB-pretreatment. These results suggest that the PKC plays a role in the NE release in the rat hippocampus and might be participated in a post-receptor mechanism of the $A_1-adenosine$ receptor.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.103-112
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• 2001

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of performing nuclear medicine quality control in korea and to test selected protocols of quality control of nuclear medicine counting system and gamma camera. Materials and Methods: Fifty three hospitals were included to investigate the current status of nuclear medicine quality control in korea. The precision of dose calibrator and thyroid uptake system was measured with Tc-99m 35.52 MBq for 2 minuets and Tc-99m 5.14 MBq for 10 sec every one minute, respectively. The sensitivity of CeraSPECT$^{TM}$ with low energy high resolution parallel hole collimator was measured using two cylindrical phantoms with 15 cm in diameter and 12 cm and 30 cm in heights containing Tc-99m. The correction factor for sensitivity of CeraSPECT$^{TM}$ was calculated using phantom data. The system planar sensitivity, uniformity, count rate and spatial resolution were measured for Varicam gamma camera with low energy high resolution parallel hole collimator using 140 keV centered 20% energy window, 256$\times$256 or 512$\times$512 matrix sizes. Results: The quality control of dose calibrator and well counter were showed poor performance status. On the other hand, The quality control of gamma camera and other systems were showed relatively good performance status. The results of precision of dose calibrator and thyroid uptake system was $\pm$1.4%(<$\pm$5%) and chi^2=29.7(>16.92), respectively. It showed that the sensitivity of CeraSPECT$^{TM}$ was higher in center slices compared with the edge slices. After correction of nonuniform sensitivities for patient data, it showed better results compare with prior to correction. System planar sensitivity of Varicam gamma camera was 4.39 CPM/MBq. The observed count rate at 20% loss was 102,407 counts/sec (head 1), 113,427 counts/sec (head 2), when input count rate was 81,926 counts/sec (head 1), 90,741 counts/sec (head 2). The spatial resolution without scatter medium were 8.16 mm of FWHM and 14.85 mm of FWTM. The spatial resolution with scatter medium were 8.87 mm of FWHM and 18.87 mm of FWTM. Conclusion: It is necessary to understand the importance of quality control and to perform quality control of nuclear medicine devices.vices.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 1972

Many studies on the mechanism of the inotropic action of cardiac glycosides have shown the possible intimate relationship between the mobilization of intracellular calcium and inotropic effect. Evidence obtained from recent studies suggests that cardiac glycosides may increase the intracellular $Ca^{++}$ concentration through the release of this ion from cellular or intracellular membrane. It seemed imperative to study the effect of ouabain on the interaction between mitochondria and $Ca^{++}$, because mitochondria are known to have a rather powerful $Ca^{++}$ pump mechanism which may have an important role on the regulation of intracellular $Ca^{++}$ concentration. The present investigations was made into the effect of ouabain on $Ca^{++}$ untake of mitochondria in the presence of ATP and its dependence on $K^+$ and $Na^+$ in the medium. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The rate of rise in the turbidity of superprecipitation was solely influenced by ionic strength of the medium, not by the species of ion, i.e. $Na^+$ or $K^+$. The higher ionic strength suppressed and the lower enhanced the rate of superprecipitation respectively. 2. No effect of ouabain was found on the rate of superprecipitation. 3. Mitochondria depressed the rate of superpretipitation, and the depressed rate of superprecipitation by mitochondria was reversed by ouabain, and the degree of this reversal was almost identical in $Na^+$ and $K^+$ medium. 4. $Ca^{++}$ uptake of mitochondria was inhibited by ouabain in the presence of ATP and the degree of inhibition showed the dose-response manner in terms of concentration of ouabain. 5. In the absence of ATP, mitochondria took or the $Ca^{++}$ in initial period but released it later. Such uptake and release of $Ca^{++}$ was not influenced by ouabain. 6. It is suggested that intracellular calcium mobilization by ouabain through the action upon the mitochondria was due to inhibition on ATP-dependent $Ca^{++}$ uptake by this agent, not to the action upon so called binding.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.718-722
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• 1998

Scopoletin (7-hydroxy-6-methoxycoumarin), a coumarin, was isolated from the aerial part of Solanum lyratum Thunb. by the activity-guided fractionation employing carbon te trachloride-intoxicated primary cultured rat hepatocytes as a screening system. Its hepatoprotective activity was first evaluated by measuring the release of glutamic pyruvic transaminase and sorbitol dehydrogenase from carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated rat hepatocytes into the culture medium. Scopoletin significantly reduced the releases of glutamic pyruvic transaminase and sorbitol dehydrogenase from the carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated primary cultured rat hepatocytes by 53% and 58%, respectively, from the toxicity in a dose-dependent manner over concentration ranges of 1mcM to 50mcM. Further studies revealed that at the concentration of 10mcM, scopoletin significantly preserved glutathione content by 50% and the activity of superoxide dismutase by 36% and also inhibited the production of malondialdehyde to the degree as seen in the control.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 1983

The stoichiometry between the consumption of CO and $O_2$ and the production of $CO_2(2CO+O_2{\rightarrow}2CO_2)$) showed that Pseudomonas carboxydohydrogena grows as a typical aerobic CO oxidizer with CO. The optimal concentration of CO for growth was found to be 30% in gas mixture with air. The initial buffer concentration of the culture medium did not affect the growth of this bacterium. P. carboxydohydrogena is an obligate aerobe and dose not use nitrate as a terminal electron acceptor. The CO dehydrogenase is an inducible and soluble enzyme. The reaction rate and stability were maximal at pH7.5, and the Arrhenius plot revealed an activation energy of 37.7kJ/mol (9.0 Kcal/mol). The crude enzyme used methylene blue, thionin, and toluylene blue as electron acceptors for the oxidation of CO to $Co_2$ under anaerobic conditions. It was found that water must be the source of the second oxygen atom for CO oxidation.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.373-390
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• 1992

To assay the fertilizing capacity of domestic animal spermatozoa by hamster test, semen were collected from 13 boars(Duroc. Landrace and Yorkshire) which had been proved to be fertile in the past. then, were preserved in BWW medium or in raw state at 18$^{\circ}C$ or at room temperature. The preserved semen were given each different treatment according to the experimental design and coincubated with zona-free hamster ova for 5 hours. The ova were stained by lacmoid and examined under phase contrast microscope to investigate the rates of ova bound with sperm(sperm binding). ova penetrated by sperm(penetration) and formation of a male pronucleus(pronucleus formation) and also numbers of both bound and penetrated sperm per ovum. Between BWW and TBM medium for boar sperm. no difference in the results of hamster test was obtained. The boar spermatozoa in BWW medium, BWW with caffeine, BWW with heparin, and BWW with both caffeine and heparin showed no difference in the results of hamster test. The boar spermatozoa in BWW medium containing both calcium and RSA showed considerably higher rates of sperm binding, penetration and pronucleus formation as well as higher numbers of both bound and penetrated sperm than those not containing calcium with or without BSA( p<0.01) and also the same results higher than that containing calcium without BSA( p< 0.05). The boar spermatozoa irradiated by X-ray(70 KVP, 20mA) for 3 seconds. then, maintained at 18$^{\circ}C$ for 18 hours showed considerably lower rate of sperm binding than all the other groups including the control and X-ray groups irradiated by smaller dose or maintained for shorter period(p<0.01), and also showed lower number of bound sperm than the other groups(p<0.01, p<0.05). All the control groups of both raw and diluted sperm in BWM medium showed higher rates of sperm binding, penetration and pronucleus formation as well as higher number of penetrated sperm than all the X-ray groups irradiated for 3 seconds(70KVP, 20mA) and maintained for either 3 or 18 hours (p<0.01, p<0.05). At the same time the control groups of diluted sperm showed considerably higher rates of sperm penetration and pronucleus formation than the control group of raw sperm( p<0.01). These results indicates that fertile boar sperm showed considerably lower rates In the results of hamster test, when incubated in the medium without calcium and irradiated by X-ray than when incubated in the medium with calcium and not irradiated by X-ray, respectively, to prove consequently that hamster test would be of great value in assaying the fertilizing capacity of boar spermatozoa.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.5 s.86
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• pp.411-414
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• 2005

Clean Natural is a new disinfectant of which main components are propolis and wood vinegar from Quercus mongolica. The mutagenicity of Clean Natural was studied by a micronucleus test in male ICR mice. The maximally tolerated dose (MTI) of Clean Natural was determined to >2.0 g/kg body weight. Therefore, the doses adopted for the micronucleus test was 2.0 g/kg as a high dose, 1.0 g/kg as a medium and 0.5 g/kg as a low of dose, respectively. Each of group was consisted of three doses of Clean Natural, positive control 2 mg/kg of mitomycin C and negative control 20 ml/kg of saline. A slide preparation was made at 24 hours following administration. No significant induction of micronuclei was observed in any of the three doses of Clean Natural orally administered. No cytotoxicity such as inhibition of hemopoiesis was observed in any group of test agent as the rate of polychromatic erythrocytes to total erythrocytes was over 40%. These results indicate that Clean Natural is not capable of inducing micronuclei in vivo mouse cells and thus has no genotoxicity in micronucleus test.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2023

Background: Aptamers are currently being used in various fields including medical treatments due to their characteristics of selectively binding to specific molecules. Due to their special characteristics, the aptamers are expected to be used to remove radionuclides from a large amount of liquid radioactive waste generated during the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. The radiological effects on the aptamers should be evaluated to ensure their integrity for the application of a radionuclide removal technique. Materials and Methods: In this study, Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code version 6 (MCNP6) and Monte Carlo damage simulation (MCDS) codes were employed to evaluate the radiological effects on the aptamers. MCNP6 was used to evaluate the secondary electron spectrum and the absorbed dose in a medium. MCDS was used to calculate the DNA damage by using the secondary electron spectrum and the absorbed dose. Binding experiments were conducted to indirectly verify the results derived by MCNP6 and MCDS calculations. Results and Discussion: Damage yields of about 5.00×10^-4 were calculated for 100 bp aptamer due to the radiation dose of 1 Gy. In experiments with radioactive materials, the results that the removal rate of the radioactive ⁶⁰Co by the aptamer is the same with the non-radioactive ⁵⁹Co prove the accuracy of the previous DNA damage calculation. Conclusion: The evaluation results suggest that only very small fraction of significant number of the aptamers will be damaged by the radioactive materials in the liquid radioactive waste.