• Applied Microscopy
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2011

Known as a female hormone, estrogen, has an effect on the male reproductive organs. The estrogen has to combine with the estrogen receptor to communicate a signal. Propyl pyrazole triol (PPT) is an estrogen receptor alpha selective agonist with a 410-, or 1,000-fold relative binding affinity for estrogen receptor alpha versus estrogen receptor beta. In this study, adult male mice were treated weekly with subcutaneously injections of PPT (0.01 mg, 0.1 mg, 1mg and 4 mg) suspended in castor oil (as control) for 8 weeks and observed histologically changes in testis, efferent ductule and epididymis. In the high concentrations of PPT 4 mg treatment group, a remarkable reduction was observed in the weight of the body, testis and epididymis. Microscopic examination revealed a reduction in seminiferous tubular diameter of the testis, and epithelial cell height of the epididymis in treated group during the experiment. In addition, as the diameter of the efferent ductule increased gradually, the height of epithelial cells was decreased. PPT 4 mg treatment group caused inhibition of spermatogenesis due to atrophied germinal epithelium in the testis, and decrease of adipocyte size attached to the epididymis. Sperm was not observed in the caudal epididymis of PPT 4 mg treated group. In conclusion, the injection of high concentrations of PPT into adult male mice induced physiological changes, such as an inhibition of spermatogenesis, and also histological changes within the reproductive organs.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.147-155
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• 1991

Enterotoxigenic E. coli is one of the major causative agents of the infantile diarrhea and traveler's diarrhea. The heat-stable enterotoxin(ST) is thought to be a virulence factor in the pathogenesis of the diarrhea and to be a maker for identification of the enterotoxingeic E. coli from non pathogenic E. coli. The isolate of enterotoxigenlc E. coli was isolated from swine during 1989 year(from 5 to 10 month) in the Kyong-gi and Chung-Cheong provinces, and three strains(KM-4, KM-7 and KM-12) was selected from 189 isolates of ST producing E. coli. The detection of a ST produced of the isolated E. coli was performed by the infant mouse assay(IMA). This study was designed to know optimal conditions for the production of the ST and the molecular properties of plasmids of the enterotoxigenic E. coli. Amount of ST produced were the most at initial pH 8.5~9.0 of succinate salts medium culture. The cultural time of the same medium was accumulated the highest level of ST was at the 14 to 16 hours, and then stationary phase was at the 20 hours. From this experiment the KM-7 strain was selected among ST producing strains by IMA. Partial plasmid-curing experiment was done to select plasmid encoding for ST among other plasmids and then comparing the plasmid pattern of ST producing strain(KM-7) with those of other ST non-producing strains, it is found that ST gene exists on the about 80 Kbp plasmid. Each fragment of this plasmid digested with EcoRl was ligated to vector pBR 322 and transformed into E. coli K-12. A clone producing ST(eKT 53) was selected by IMA. The EcoRl digestion pattern of the isolated plasmid(pKD 37) from the ST producing clone it is indicated that the size of the inserted fragment in eKT 53 strain is 16 Kbp. The cultured supernatant of eKT 53 strain was positive result of ST production in IMA.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.269-275
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• 1996

Biosynthesis and secretion of anterior pituitary hormones are under the control of specific hypothalamic stimulatory and inhibitory factors. Among them, Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) is the major stimulator of pituitary somatotrophs activating GH gene expression and secretion. Human GHRH is a polypeptide of 44 amino acids initially isolated from pancreatic tumors, and the gene for the hypothalamic form of GHRH is organized into 5 exons spanning over 10 kilobases (kb) on genomic DNA and encodes a messenger RNA of 700-750 nucleotides. Several neuropeptides classically associated with the hypothalamus have been found in the extrahypothalamic regions, suggesting the existence of novel sources, targets and functions. GHRH-like immunoreactivity has been found in several peripheral sites, including placenta, testis, and ovary, indicating that GHRH may also have regulatory roles in peripheral reproductive organs. Furthermore, higher molecular weight forms of the GHRH transcripts were identified from these organs (1.75 kb in testis; 1.75 and >3 kb in ovary). These tissue-specific expression of GHRH gene suggest the existence of unique regulatory mechanism of GHRH expression and function in these organs. In fact, placenta-specific and testis-specific promoters for GHRH transcripts which are located in about 10 kb upstream region of hypothalamic promoter were reported. The use of unique promoters in extrahypothalamic sites could be refered in a different control of GHRH gene and different functions of the translated products in these tissues. Somatotrophs and lactotrophs have been thought to be derived from a common bipotential progenitor, the somatolactotrophs, which give origins to either phenotypes. Although the precise mechanism responsible for the lactotroph differentiation in the anterior pituitary gland has not been yet clalified, there are several candidators for the generation of lactotrophs. In human, the presence of GHRH peptides with different size from authentic hypothalamic form in the normal anterior pituitary and several types of adenoma were demonstrated. Recently our group found the existence of immunoreactive GHRH and its transcript from the normal rat anterior pituitary (gonadotroph> somatotroph> lactotroph), and the GHRH treatment evoked the increased proliferation rate of anterior pituitary cells in vitro. The transgenic mouse models clearly shown that GHRH or NGF overexpression by anterior pituitary cells induced development of pituitary hyperplasia and adenomas particularly GH-oma and prolactinoma. Taken together, we hypothesize that the pituitary GHRH could serve not only as a modulator of hormone secretion but as a paracrine or autocrine regulator of anterior pituitary cell proliferation and differentiation. Interestingly enough, the expression of Pit-1 homeobox gene (the POU class transcription factor) was confined to somatotrophs, lactotrophs and somatolactotrophs in which GHRH receptors are expressed commonly. Concerning the mechanism of somatolactotroph and lactotroph differentiation in the anterior pituitary, we have focused following two possibilities; (1) changes in the relative levels or interactions of both hypothalamic and intrapituitary factors such as dopamine, VIP, somatostatin, NGF and GHRH; (2) alterations of GHRH-GHRH receptor signaling and Pit-1 activity may be the cause of lactotroph differentiation or pituitary hyperplasia and adenoma formation. Extensive further studies will be necessary to solve these complicated questions.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.234-250
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• 1998

Bujeonghangamtang(扶正抗癌湯) has been used for cure of tumor as a traditional medicine without any experimental evidence to support the rational basis for its clinical use. This study was carroed out to evaluate the possible therapeutic or antitumoral effects of Bujeonghangamtang extract against tumor, and to carry out some mechanisms responsible for its effect. Some kinds of tumor were induced by .the typical application of 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA) or by the implantation(s.c) of malignant tumor cells such as leukemia cells(3LL cells) or sarcoma cells(Sl80 cells). Treatment of the Bujeonghangamtang water-extract (dailly 1mg/mouse, i. p.) was continued for 7 days prior to tumor induction and after that the treatment was lasted for 20 days. Against squamous cell carcinoma induced by MCA, Bujeonghangamtang decreased not only the frequency of tumor production but also the number and the weight of tumors per tumor bearing mice (TBM). Bujeongmngamtang also significantly suppressed the development of 3LL cell and S180 cell-implanted tumors in occurence-frequency and their size, and some developed tumors were regressed by the continuous treatment of Bujeonghangamtang extract into TBM. In vitro, treatment of Bujeonghangamtang extract had no effect on the growth of some kinds of cell line such as FsaII, A431 strain but significantly inhibited the proliferation of 3LL, S180 cells and augmented the DNA synthesis of mitogen-activated lymphocytes. Bujeonghangamtang also stimulated the migrative ability of leukocyte, the MIF and IL-2 production of T lymphocytes, but not IL 6 production of B cells. Bujeonghangamtang-administration to mice enhanced NK cells attivities. These results demonstrated that Bujeonghangamtang extract exhibited a significant prophylactic benefits against tumors and its antitumor activity was manifested depending on the type of tumor cells. And these results also suggested that effect of Bujeonghangamtang might be chiefly due to nonspecific enhancement of NK cell activities and cell-mediated immune responses.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2005

GroE that is a heat shock protein composed of GroEL and GroES is known as an immunodominant target of both the humoral and cellular immune responses in bovine brucellosis. This study was carried out to characterize groE gene encoding heat shock proteins of B. abortus isolated in Korea and to evaluate the immunogenicity of the GroE protein expressed in E. coli system. In PCR the specific signals with the size of 2,077 bp were detected in five strains isolated from the mammary lymphnodes of the dairy cattle that were serologically positive and the reference strains. In comparison of the sequences of nucleotides and amino acids among the strains, GroES showed 100% identity in both sequences. GroEL was evaluated 99.0~99.9% in nucleotides and 98.0~100% homology in amino acids. The groE gene including groES and groEL was inserted into pET29a vector and constructed pET29a-GroE recombinant plasmids. The inserted groE was confirmed by digestion with Nco1 and EcoR1 endonucleases and nucleotide sequencing. E. coli BL (DE3) was transformed with pET29a-GroE, named as E. coli BL (DE3)/pET29a-GroE. In SDS-PAGE, it was evident that the recombinant plasmid effectively expressed the polypeptides for GroES (10 kDa) and GroEL (60 kDa) in 0.5, 1 and 2 hours after IPTG induction. The immuno-reactivity of the expressed proteins were proved in mouse inoculation and Western blot analysis.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.51-65
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• 2008

Objectives : In order to investigate the effects of Soongijeseub-bang(Shunqichushi-fang)(here in after referred to SJB) on the obese gene and obese inhibitory, on C57BL/6 mice were induced by high fat diet. Methods : C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups(normal, high fat diet with control, high fat diet with SJB extract) and fed for 15 weeks. And observed that, body weight change, final increase of body weight, the weight change of the adipocytes, the level change of ALT, AST, creatinine, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, NEFA, glucose, the expression of ${\beta}3AR$, leptin, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ gene in primary adipocytes and adipocytes tissue. Results : The following results were obtained in this study. 1. SJB 500 mg/kg extract group showed considerable decrease in weight, the final increase of weight and the amount of adipocyte in weight. 2. All experimental group showed that the amount of ALT, AST, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and NEFA were decreased considerably. SJB 500 mg/kg extract group showed the amount of HDL-cholesterol and leptin were increased considerably. 3. All experimental group showed that the revelation of ${\beta}3AR$ in primary adipose cell and 3T3-L1 cell were increased considerably, and that the revelation of leptin in primary adipose cell and 3T3-L1 cell were decreased considerably. SJB $100{\mu}{\ell}/m{\ell}$ extract group showed that the revelation of $TNF-{\alpha}$ were decreased considerably. 4. SJB 500 mg/kg extract group showed that the size of adipocyte in adipocytes tissue were decreased. 5. All experimental group showed that the adipose vacuoles in liver tissue were decreased considerably. Conclusions : Comparison of the results for this study showed that SJB is effective on obesity care and has obese-inhibitory effects in obese mouse induced by high fat diet. So it is respected that the clinical application of SJB can help the treatment of obesity.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.753-759
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• 2011

Protected crop production has been popular in Korea as well as in other countries. Intensive and continuous monitoring and control of the environment, which is labor- and time-consuming, is critical for stable crop productivity and profitability, otherwise damage could be happened due to unfavorable ambient and soil conditions. In the study, potential utilization of smartphone and remote access application in protected crop production environment was investigated. Tested available remote access applications provided functions of mouse click (left and right buttons), zooming in and out, and screen size and color resolution control. Wi-Fi data communication speeds were affected by signal intensity and user place. Data speeds at high (> -55 dBm), medium (-70~-56 dBm), and low (< -71 dBm) signal intensity levels were statistically different (${\alpha}=0.05$). Means of data communication speed were 6.642, 4.923, and 2.906 Mbps at hot spot, home, and office, respectively, and the differences were significant at a 0.05 level. Smart phone and remote access application were applied successfully to remote monitoring (inside temperature and humidity, and outside precipitation, temperature, and humidity) and control (window and light on/off) of green house environment. Response times for monitoring and control were less than 1 s at all places for high signal intensity (> -55 dBm), but they were increased to 1 ~ 10 s at home and office and to 10 ~ 30 s at hot spot for low signal intensity (< -71 dBm) for Wi-Fi. Results of the study would provide useful information for farmers to apply these techniques for their crop production.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-23
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was investigated the improvement effects of Pakistani Ephedra herba-containing Gangji-hwan-1, 2, 3 (Di-fatty; DF-1, 2, 3), Chinese Ephedra herba-containing Gangjihwan-4 (DF-4) and combination of DF-1 and Gamisoche-hwan (GSH) on obesity in a high fat diet-fed obese mouse model. Methods: Eight-week-old C57BL/6N mice were divided into seven groups: a normal lean group given a standard diet, an obese control group given a high fat diet, and DF-1, 2, 3, 4, and DF-1+GSH groups given a high fat diet with DF-1, 2, 3, 4 (40, 80, 160, 80 mg/kg), and DF-1+ GSH (80 mg/kg), respectively. After 8 weeks of treatment, body weight gain, feeding efficiency ratio (FER), blood lipid markers, liver histology, and fat weight and histology were examined. Results: Body weight gain was significantly decreased in DF and DF-1+GSH groups compared with control. The extent of decreases was eminent in DF-1+GSH group. FER and circulating concentration of leptin were decreased in DF and DF-1+GSH groups compared with control. Circulating concentrations of triglyceride, glucose and insulin were decreased in DF and DF-1+GSH groups compared with control. The size of adipocytes were decreased by DF and DF-1+GSH groups compared with control, whereas the adipocyte number per unit area was increased by them, suggesting that DF and DF-1+GSH groups decreased the number of large adipocytes. Conclusions: In conclusion, these results suggest that DF and DF-1+GSH groups decrease FER, plasma leptin concentration, blood anti-obesity biomarkers and fat mass, improves body weight gain. In addition, these effects were more effective in DF-1+GSH combination group than in DF-1, 2, 3, 4 groups.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.179-204
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• 2007

Objectives & Methods : The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of Angelicae Radix Pharmacopuncture(AR-P) at Joksamni(ST36) on collagen II induced arthritis in DBA/1J mice. The authors evaluated arthritis index, arthritis incidence and joint edema, and measured body weight, spleen size and stenosis rate, serum cytokine level, serum antibody level, immune cell populations In spleen, lymph node, and knee joint, and performed histological analysis of CIA mouse joint. Results : In the AR-P group, arthritis index, arthritis incidence and joint edema were decreased, and the enlargement, malformation and stenosis of spleen and the malformation of joint appeared milder than the control group. In AR-P group, the levels of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IFN-{\gamma}$ in serum were significantly decreased. And the level of anti-collagen II in serum was maintained lower in AR-P group than in the control group. In AR-P group, the level of $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-10, and $IFN-{\gamma}/IL-4$ ratio were significantly decreased, and the ratios of $CD3e^+$ cells to $CD45^+$ cells, $CD4^+$ cells to $CD8^+$ cells in spleen were similarly maintained as those of the normal group. In the AR-P group, the populations of $CD4^+/CD25^+$ cells in spleen and lymph nodes, $CD45R^+/CD69^+$ cells in lymph nodes, $CD3^+/CD69^+$ cells and $CD11b^+/Gr-1^+$ cells in knee joint were decreased. In the histological analysis, the cartilage destruction, synovial cell proliferation and the collagen fiber destruction were decreased in the AR-P group Conclusions : The results suggest that AR-P at right ST36 has a therapeutic effect on collagen-induced arthritis in mice.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.382-390
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• 2004

One of the significant natural bioactive materials is demineralized bone particle (DBP) whose has a powerful induce. of new bone growth. In this study, we developed the DBP loaded poly-lactide (PLA) and poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) scaffolds for the possibility of the application of the tissue engineered bone. PLA/DBP and PLGA/DBP scaffolds were prepared by solvent casting/salt leaching method and were characterized by porosimeter, scanning electron microscopy. BMSCs were stimulated by osteogenic medium and characterized by histological stained Wright-Giemsa, Alizarin red, von Kossa, and alkaline phosphate activity (ALP). DBP impregnated scaffolds with BMSCs were implanted into the back of athymic nude mouse to observe the effect of DBP on the osteoinduction compared with control scaffolds. It can be observed that the porosity was above $90.2\%$ and the pore size was above 69.1$\mu$m. BMSCs could be differentiated into osteoprogenitor cells as result of wright-giemsa, alizarin red, von Kossa and ALP staining. In in vivo study, we could observed calcification region in PLA/DBP and PLGA/DBP groups, but calcification did not occur almost in control scaffolds. From these results, it seems that DBP as well as BMSCs play an important role for bone induction in PLA/DBP and PLGA/DBP scaffolds.