• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.174-180
• /
• 2006

We examine the effect of Geiji-Bokryung-Hwan(GBH) on erectile function in a rat model of hypercholesterolemic erectile dysfunction. GBH, a drug preparation consisting of five herbs of Cinnamomi Ramulus (Geiji), Poria Cocos (Bokryun), Mountan Cortex Radicis (Mokdanpi), Paeoniae Radix (Jakyak), and Persicae Semen (Doin) is a traditional Korean herbal medicine that is widely used in the treatment of atherosclerosis-related disorders. In this study, 3-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The 6 rats control animals were fed a normal diet and the other 18 rats were fed 1% cholesterol diet for 3 months. After 1 months, GBH was added to the drinking water of the treatment group of 12 rats but not the cholesterol only group of 6 rats. Of the 12 rats 6 received 30 mg/kg per day (group 1) and 6 received 60 mg/kg per day (group 2) of GBH. At 3 months erectile function was evaluated with cavernous nerve electrostimulation in all animals. Penile tissues were collected for electron microscopy, and to perform Western blot for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and caveolin-1. Systemic arterial pressure was not significantly different between the animals that were fed the 1% cholesterol diet and the controls. Conversely erectile function was not impaired in the herbal medicine treated rats. Electron microscopy showed many caveolae with fingerlike processes in the cavernous smooth muscle and endothelial cell membranes in control and treated rats but not in the cholesterol only group of rats. Western blot showed differences among groups in protein expression for eNOS, nNOS, caveolin-1 and bFGF protein expression in penile tissue. Increased eNOS and nNOS protein expressions dy high cholesterol diet were significantly decreased in group 1 and group 2. Interestingly, caveolin-1 and bFGF protein expression was significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 than in the cholesterol only and control groups.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.701-724
• /
• 2022

In this study, the Nature of Science (NOS) instrument for elementary school students in the form of open questionnaires was developed specifically to reveal elementary school students' perceptions of the NOS, and its validity and effectiveness were investigated. To develop a NOS instrument for elementary school students, problems that may occur when applying the existing NOS instruments to elementary school students were analyzed and based on this, the development direction of the NOS instrument was established. In addition, after selecting seven NOS types suitable for the level of elementary school students, the preliminary instrument was produced by modifying and supplementing the items in the existing instruments for each type or by developing new items. Finally, the NOS instrument consisting of eight questions was developed by adding one question asking for a comprehensive understanding of science to seven questions related to each type of NOS after a content validity test of the science education expert group. To verify the practical effect of the developed instrument, pre- and post-tests were conducted on 50 students in two classes of sixth grade at two elementary schools in Seoul: 'existing instrument → development instrument' in one class, and 'development instrument → existing instrument' in the other class. The collected data were then compared and evaluated through summary content analysis and analyzed by executing the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. As a result of comparing and analyzing students' responses to the existing NOS instrument and the developed NOS instrument, students' perspectives on the NOS were more diverse when using the developed instrument, and the level of error in the response caused by misinterpreting the intention of the question was reduced. In addition, when using the developed instrument, the responses of the majority of students at a statistically significant level changed more specifically. In this study, the implications for the development of NOS instruments suitable for elementary school students were discussed based on these results.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.29
• /
• pp.10.1-10.6
• /
• 2014

Objectives Cigarette smoking had been recorded as the main cause of impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation in smokers by reducing nitric oxide (NO), a production of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). However, the mechanism of NO impairment via eNOS activity is unclear until now. In this study, cell passage is suggested to be a relevant factor to eNOS expression under cigarette smoking stress. Methods Bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) were chosen as the research subject with passages ranking from 6 to 9 (6P to 9P). After exposure of cigarette smoking extract (CSE) solution, MTT assay and Western blot method were performed to check the cell viability as well as eNOS protein concentration. In these experiments, four concentrations of CSE at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4% were selected for treatment. Results Our results showed that cells almost died at 4% of CSE. Besides, eNOS protein mass had a linear decrease under the increase of CSE concentration. In addition, the effect of CSE on eNOS expression was dissimilar between different passages. Conclusions This study indicated that CSE had effect on both cell viability and eNOS expression. Besides, a reduction in protein mass was matched with the decrease of cell viability due to CSE tress. Last but not least, the response of eNOS protein to different concentration of CSE at different passages was disparate, making the hypothesis about cell passage related inhibition of eNOS caused by CSE solution.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.265-271
• /
• 2009

Nitric oxide (NO) has both neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects depending on its concentration and the experimental model. We tested the effects of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nonselective nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, and aminoguanidine, a selective inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitor, on kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures and hippocampal CA3 neuronal death. L-NAME (50 mg/kg, i.p.) and/or aminoguanidine (200 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered 1 h prior to the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of KA. Pretreatment with L-NAME significantly increased KA-induced CA3 neuronal death, iNOS expression, and activation of microglia. However, pretreatment with aminoguanidine significantly suppressed both the KA-induced and L-NAME-aggravated hippocampal CA3 neuronal death with concomitant decreases in iNOS expression and microglial activation. The protective effect of aminoguanidine was maintained for up to 2 weeks. Furthermore, iNOS knockout mice ($iNOS^{-1-}$) were resistant to KA-induced neuronal death. The present study demonstrates that aminoguanidine attenuates KA-induced neuronal death, whereas L-NAME aggravates neuronal death, in the CA3 region of the hippocampus, suggesting that NOS isoforms play different roles in KA-induced excitotoxicity.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 2004

Objective : This study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on NADPH-diaphorase and nNOS in the brain stem and cerebellum of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Methods : The experimental groups were divided into four groups : Normal, Choksamni(ST36), Kokchi(LI11), arbitrary group. Thereafter we evaluated changes in NADPH-diaphorase positive neurons histochemically and changes in nNOS neurons immunohistochemically. Results : 1. The optical densities of NADPH-diaphorase positive neurons of all the Choksamni & Kokchi groups were significantly different in SuG, DLPAG, IP, Pr, Gi areas of brain stem and cerebellum as compared to normal & arbitrary groups. In PPTg only Choksamni group was significantly different as compared to normal and arbitrary groups. 2. The optical densities of nNOS-positive neurons of Choksamni & Kokchi groups were significantly different in SuG, DLPAG areas of brain stem as compared to normal group. In IP, Pr only Kokchi group was significantly different as compared to normal group. The optical densities of nNOS-positive neurons of Choksamni & Kokchi groups were significantly different in SuG, DLPAG, PPTg, Pr, Gi areas of brain stem as compared to arbitrary group. In IP, Pr only Kokchi group was significantly different as compared to arbitrary group. 3. The optical densities of nNOS-positive neurons of all the Choksamni & Kokchi groups were not significantly different in cerebellum as compared to normal & arbitrary groups. Conclusions : We found out that acupuncture have effects on NADPH-diaphorase and nNOS in the brain stem and cerebellum of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.1 s.37
• /
• pp.151-160
• /
• 1999

Nitric oxide(NO) is synthesized via the oxidation of L-arginine by a family of nitric oxide synthases(NOS), which are either constitutive(cNOS) or inducible(iNOS). The induction of iNOS in tissues can lead to the sustained production of high concentrations of NO which may exert pro-inflammatory effects including vasodilation. edema, cyototoxicity, and its activity can be mediated by various pro-inflammatory cytokine, including interferon ${\gamma}(INF-{\gamma})$. tumor necrosis factor, IL- 1 and IL-6. The enzyme, iNOS, became a new target for pharmacologcal research with the aim to find new substances for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders. Murine macrophages produce large amounts of NO when activated with $TFN-{\gamma}$ plus LPS. The murine macrophage-like cell line, RAW 264.7, is a suitable cell model on which to perform vitro studies regarding the iNOS system. Semen jugrandis is a fatty walnut seed found in Korea. The walnut have been used in foik medicine to improve virility, to relieved asthma, and to relieve constipation. Sesquiterpenelactones were isolated from this plant. In the course of screening for NO inhibitory activity from medicnial plants, the aqueous extract of this plant was found to have a significant activity. The result are summarized as followings. 1. The viability of cells incubated in the presence of semen jugrandis increased mare than non incubated cells. 2. Semen jugrandis suppressed the production of NO in tissues dependent on density. 3. Semen jugrandis suppressed the induction of iNOS in tissues dependent on density can lead to reduced production of NO. 4. Semen jugrandis suppressed the production of superoxide in tissue depend on density. According to the above mentioned results, semen jugrandis could be applied production of NO and superoxide can lead to reduction of chronic inflammatary. And as a depence matter come into a virus of microbe and tumor cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.143-147
• /
• 2000

The present study was aimed at investigating whether there are changes in the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in relation with the unclipping-induced fall of blood pressure in two-kidney, one clip (2K1C) hypertension. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were made 2K1C hypertensive by clipping the left renal artery for four weeks. Sham-clipped rats served as control. The expression of endothelial constitutive (ec) NOS proteins and tissue levels of NO metabolites were determined in the kidney. Systolic blood pressure was significantly increased in clipped rats compared with that in the control. The development of hypertension was associated with decreases in the expression of ecNOS proteins and tissue levels of NO metabolites in the clipped kidney. The blood pressure at twenty-four hours after removal of the renal arterial clip fell to the control level. Accordingly, in the unclipped kidney, the expression of ecNOS proteins and tissue contents of NO metabolites were increased to the control level. The contralateral kidney was not affected by the development or reversal of hypertension. It is suggested that an enhanced expression of ecNOS in the unclipped kidney is an important component in the reversal of renovascular hypertension.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.99-103
• /
• 2009

The in-vitro immunomodulatory function of murine natural-killer (NK) cells induced by red-ginseng acidic polysaccharide (RGAP) in ovariectomized (OVX) rats was examined in this study. The IL-2-induced NK cell activity was significantly decreased in the OVX rats compared to the sham groups, but the normally induced NK cell activity was not. RGAP, however, increased the NK cell activity in both groups, and this effect involved iNOS expression. The inhibition of iNOS activity did not increase the NK cell cytotoxicity by RGAP in the OVX rats. The data that were obtained also demonstrated that the expression of iNOS was increased in the spleen of the OVX rats. These results indicate that RGAP increases the tumoricidal activity of the NK cell in the OVX rats, which is a primed or activated state of innate immune cells resulting from the changes in cytokine production induced by estrogen-deficient stress. Therefore, RGAP has a synergistic effect on the NK cell activities, which are regulated by the iNOS signals in OVX rats. This suggests that RGAP is useful for potential therapeutic strategies as a nutrient in regulating the NK cells in OVX rats.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.7
• /
• pp.2929-2937
• /
• 2015

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS or NOS3) produces nitric oxide and genetic polymorphisms of NOS3 gene play significant roles in various processes of carcinogenesis. The results from published studies on the association between NOS3 G894T and NOS3 intron 4 (4a/b) polymorphisms and cancer risk are conflicting and inconclusive. However, i n order to assess this relationship more precisely, a meta-analysis was performed with PubMed (Medline), EMBASE and Google web searches until February 2014 to select all published case-control and cohort studies. Genotype distribution data were collected to calculate the pooled odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the strength of association. A total of 10,546 cancer cases and 10,550 controls were included from twenty four case-control studies for the NOS3 G894T polymorphism. The results indicated no significant association with cancer risk as observed in allelic (T vs G: OR=1.024, 95%CI=0.954 to 1.099, p=0.508), homozygous (TT vs GG: OR=1.137, 95%CI=0.944 to 1.370, p=0.176), heterozygous (GT vs GG: OR=0.993, 95%CI=0.932 to 1.059, p=0.835), recessive (TT vs GG+GT: OR=1.100, 95%CI=0.936 to 1.293, p=0.249) and dominant (TT+GT vs GG: OR=1.012, 95%CI=0.927 to 1.105, p=0.789) genetic models. Similarly, a total of 3,449 cancer cases and 3,691 controls were recruited from fourteen case-control studies for NOS3 4a/b polymorphism. Pooled results indicated no significant association under allelic (A vs B: OR=0.981, 95%CI=0.725 to 1.329, p=0.902), homozygous (AA vs BB: OR=1.166, 95%CI=0.524 to 2.593, p=0.707), heterozygous (BA vs BB: OR=1.129, 95%CI=0.896 to 1.422, p=0.305), dominant (AA+BA vs BB: OR=1.046, 95%CI=0.779 to 1.405, p=0.763) and recessive (AA vs BB+BA: OR=1.196, 95%CI=0.587 to 2.439, p=0.622) genetic contrast models. This meta-analysis suggests that G894T and 4a/b polymorphisms of NOS3 gene are not associated with increased or decreased risk of overall cancer.

• Journal of Science Education
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.207-226
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate how fusion science program for undergraduate general education influences the understanding of Nature of Science (NOS) and STEAM Literacy of students majoring in science and engineering in college. The students participated in the pre/post NOS survey(Lee, 2013) and the STEAM literacy survey(Choi et al., 2013) in the program. The results of this study are as follows. First, the fusion program was effective in understanding the NOS because there is a statistically significant difference between the pre/post tests.(p < 0.01). Second, while there were no significant differences between genders, however, there is a significant difference in students' majors in NOS understanding(p < 0.05). Third, it showed that improvement in STEAM Literacy in Convergence and Creativity domains is significant(p < 0.01). By contrast, the Caring domain of STEAM Literacy was decreased statically significant(p < 0.01). In the end, there is no difference in STEAM Literacy between genders as well as among students' major(p < 0.05).