• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.225-230
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• 2016

Inflammation from chronic and acute infections of distal organs and tissues such as periodontitis is a risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular processes. Recently, a new model of atherosclerosis with vascular pathologies was developed in the Mongolian gerbil. In this study, we attempted to develop a model of ligature-induced periodontitis in gerbils and compared the characteristics of that periodontitis model with that in rats and mice. Each gerbil, rat, and mouse was randomly assigned to groups of control and periodontitis. A thread was placed around the cervix of the right and left first molars in the mandible with knots placed on the mesial side of each molar. At day 14 after the ligation, the animals were sacrificed and their mandibles were dissected. To measure alveolar bone loss along with inflammation, histopathological and micro-CT analyses were carried out. Gerbils showed tooth characteristics of deeper gingival crevice, longer cusp, longer root trunk and shorter root than those of rats and mice. The increased CEJ-ABC distance in distal and PDL area in furcation was also observed in ligated gerbils. An inflammatory response in the connective tissue under the junctional epithelium was also shown in all the animals. As a result, we confirmed the induction of periodontitis by ligature in the gerbils. We therefore consider the gerbil to be a useful model for investigating relationship between periodontitis and vascular disease in the same animal.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.230-234
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• 2007

In anti-cancer therapies, radiotherapy and chemotherapy show a superior inhibition effect on cancer cell growth, but those are very toxic to normal tissues and organs. Particularly, drugs for neutropenia, one of chemotherapy agents, which suppress the function of bone marrow, are needed to be controlled in terms of their dosage and therapy period because of their side effect. Phellinus linteus polysaccharide (PL) has been reported to increase the number of splenocytes and bone marrow cells. PL has been shown to decrease the side effects of cyclophosphamide (CYC) treatment to the cancer patients. PL showed no effects in semisolid clonogenic assay, suggesting that PL doesn't contain substantial compounds to substitute for colony stimulating factors (CSFs). On the other hand, PL increased the expression of SCF, IL-3, GM-CSF, TPO genes. These results indicate that PL may promote the growth and proliferation of splenocytes and bone marrow cells through indirect or CSFs-dependent pathway, which may lead to a hematopoiesis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.161-165
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• 2008

Many neurotoxigenic clostridia are found in soil. Among animals, birds are especially susceptible to botulism, perhaps because they feed on insects, invertebrate carcasses, and decayed feeds contaminated with spores of Clostridium (C.) botulinum. C. botulinum type C is mainly involved in avian botulism. In the summer of 2005, death of a mute swan (cygnus olor) living in the pond of large bird cage was found in Seoul Grand Park Zoo. The birds presented presumptive clinical signs of botulism, such as ruffled hackle feathers, abnormal posture of the head, weakness, and flaccid paralysis. At that time, pond water in the breeding facilities was drained for 7 days, but there were still remained water containing sediment of feed and feces. Therefore, botulism was suspected and an experimentation were made to detect C. botulinum in the dead mute swan. Gross post-mortem findings of a mute swan showed jelly-like hemorrhagic contents in the intestine, sands and vegetations in the stomach. C. botulinum was isolated from the liver, small intestine and large intestine samples. Botulism was also confirmed by mouse inoculation test with the organ samples. With PCR, a gene encoding C. botulinum type C toxin was detected for the several organs of the mute swan died. These results suggested that death of mute swan was caused by C. botulinum type C.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.57-60
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• 2015

To investigate kinetics of free $^{177}Lu$ and $^{177}Lu$-labeled thermally cross-linked superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (TCL-SPION), suspensions were intravenously injected into the tail vein of mice at a dose of $5{\mu}Ci$/mouse or 15 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Free $^{177}Lu$ radioactivity levels were highest in kidney followed by liver and lung 1 day post-injection. $^{177}Lu$-labeled TCL-SPION radioactivity in liver and spleen was significantly higher compared to that of other organs throughout the experimental period (p < 0.05). Radioactivity in blood, brain, and epididymis rapidly declined until 28 days. Based on these results, TCL-SPION could be a safe carrier of therapeutics.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.510-518
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• 2005

In this study, we investigated whether PLGA microspheres in combination with hyaluronic acid (HA) gel have appropriate properties as a bulking agent for urologic injection therapies and whether the implantation of PLGA microspheres and HA gel induces angiogenesis in the newly formed tissues. In order to investigate whether this bulking agent is injectable, this material was injected through 24-gauge needles into the subcutaneous dorsum of the mouse. The bulking agent was easily injected without needle obstruction. Histological analyses of the hybrid tissues at 2 weeks showed that host cells at the surrounding tissues migrated into the spaces between the implanted PLGA microspheres and formed tissue-like structures. An inflammatory response to the implants was mild at 2 weeks and diminished at 8 weeks. Importantly, extensive ingrowth of blood vessels was observed in the hybrid tissues formed by the injection of PLGA microspheres and HA, whereas blood vessels rarely formed in the hybrid tissues formed by the injection of PLGA microspheres only. The implant volume was conserved for almost the entire implantation period. Histological analyses of the distant organs of the bulking agent-implanted animals, such as the lungs, liver, heart, brain, kidney, and spleen, showed no evidence of the injected microsphere migration. These results show that PLGA microspheres in combination with HA possess the appropriate characteristics for a bulking agent for urologic injection therapies and induce extensive blood vessel formation in the hybrid tissues.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.241-247
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• 2020

Ulmus davidiana Nakai (UDN) has been traditionally used as a herbal medicine in Korea. In the present study, we investigated the anti-ecotoxic potential of a 116 kDa glycoprotein isolated from UDN (UDN glycoprot ein) in regulating fecal malodor and feed efficiency in mice. We found that UDN glycoprotein (200 μg/ml) has an inhibitory effect on the cell death induced by an ecotoxicological endocrine disrupting chemical, bisphenol A, in colon epithelial HT-29 cells. UDN glycoprotein did not show significant differences regarding the weight of ecotoxicity-related organs (liver, heart, kidneys, and spleen) and the levels of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase in mice for 2 weeks, compared to the control. Additionally, UDN glycoprotein reduced the levels of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia as markers of fecal malodor in mice. Interestingly, UDN glycoprotein can improve the mouse feed efficiency. In conclusion, our data indicate that anti-ecotoxicological UDN glycoprotein has the ability to increase the feed efficiency and reduce the fecal malodor by maintaining the viability of colonic epithelial cells in mice.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.247-253
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• 2007

Leishmania (L.) tropica is a causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis, and occasionally of visceral or viscerotropic leishmaniasis in humans. Murine models of Leishmania infection have been proven to be useful for elucidation of mechanisms for pathogenesis and immunity in leishmaniasis. The aim of this study was to establish a murine model for human viscerotropic leishmaniasis, and the growth pattern of L. tropica was studied in different tissues of BALB/c mice in order to find out whether the parasite visceralizes in this murine model. L. major was used as a control as this species is known to cause a progressive infection in BALB/c mice. L. tropica or L. major was injected into the footpad of mice, and thickness of footpad, parasite loads in different tissues, and the weight of the spleen and lymph node were determined at different intervals. Results showed that L. tropica visceralizes to the spleen and grows there while its growth is controlled in footpad tissues. Dissemination of L. tropica to visceral organs in BALB/c mice was similar to the growth patterns of this parasite in human viscerotropic leishmaniasis. The BALB/c model of L. tropica infection may be considered as a good experimental model for human diseases.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2022

As a herbal supplement, Dioscorea batatas Decne (DBD) presents potent antioxidant activity and diverse health benefits. In the present study, functions of a 30 kDa glycoprotein isolated from DBD (hereafter, DBD glycoprotein) in the regulation of feed efficiency and fecal malodor in mice were explored. DBD glycoprotein produced protective effect against cytotoxicity induced by the ecotoxicological endocrine-disrupting substance bisphenol A in gastrointestinal epithelial HT-29 cells. To investigate its potential roles in the regulation of feed efficiency and fecal malodor, mice were administered an oral injection of DBD glycoprotein for 2 weeks. Compared with the control values, the weight of internal organs (liver, heart, kidney, and spleen) and levels of glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, and lactic dehydrogenase were not significantly changed during DBD glycoprotein administration for 2 weeks. Interestingly, DBD glycoprotein improved feed efficiency and reduced hydrogen sulfide concentration without altering the ammonia level in mouse feces. Collectively, these results indicate that DBD glycoprotein is a functional agent that exerts gastrointestinal protective effects against ecotoxicological substances, improves feed efficiency, and reduces fecal malodor.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.8
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• pp.1105-1113
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• 2015

Bokbunja (Rubus coreanus) is a Korean fruit and wild black raspberry that has antioxidant, anticancer, and beauty effects due to its abundant polyphenols and anthocyanins. The purpose of this study was to investigate the blood flow improvement effect of Bokbunja seed oil (BSO) in a high-fat diet-fed mouse model. We examined improvement of blood flow and its related biomarkers in vivo. Mice were divided into four groups; Control, high fat diet control (negative control, HFD), salmon oil control (positive control, HFD+commercial n-3 fatty acid), and BSO experiment groups (HFD+2 g/2,000 kcal, HFD+4 g/2,000 kcal). After the mice were sacrificed, plasma triglyceride, cholesterol, and blood flow-related biomarkers (coagulation factor 7, 12, serotonin, TXB2, PT, and aPTT) were measured in mouse blood and organs. BSO reduced blood viscosity through improvement of blood lipids (cholesterol and plasma triglycerides) as well as levels of blood coagulation factors and blood platelet activity. BSO also delayed blood coagulation time. Thus, we confirmed that BSO inhibits excessive blood clotting of blood vessels and improves blood flow. Taken together, these results suggest that BSO decreases plasma triglycerides and cholesterol and improves blood flow by regulating biomarkers.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2009

The toxicity of two species of puffer fish, Takifugu poecilonotus (Heuinjeombok) and T. vermicularis (Gukmaeribok) collected from the coastal regions of Korea was determined using a mouse bioassay. In the T. poecilonotus collected in Jeju and Tongyeong, the proportion of toxic specimens containing ${\ge}10$ mouse units (MU) per gram exceeded 95% for the skin, liver, ovary, and fin, and approximately 30% for the testis and muscles. In each of the organs, the highest toxin levels were 79 MU/g in the muscle, hundreds (158-365) of MU per gram in the fin, intestine, testis, and gallbladder, but thousands (1,147-2,406) of MU per gram in the skin, liver, and ovary. In T. vermicularis collected from Incheon and Gunsan, the proportions of toxic specimens were 100% for the gallbladder, and 56-68% for the skin, fin, liver, and intestine however, no toxic muscle specimens were noted. The highest toxin scores were below 10 mouse units (MU) per gram in the muscle, 20-94 MU/g in the skin and fin, 319 MU/g in the intestine, and thousands (1,548-4,624) of MU per gram in the liver, gonad, and gallbladder. The toxicity in the muscle of T. vermicularis was deemed acceptable for human consumption, whereas the toxicities in the muscle of T. poecilonotus and the skin of both species of puffer fish were significantly high, such that special attention may be required when the fish is intended for human consumption.