• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.257-264
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• 2009

A neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) has been widely used to create animal model for Parkinson's disease (PD) due to its specific toxicity against dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Since DA signals modulate a broad spectrum of CNS physiology, one can expect profound alterations in neuroendocrine activities of both PD patients and 6-OHDA treated animals. Limited applications of 6-OHDA injection model, however, have been made on the studies of hypothalamuspituitary neuroendocrine circuits. The present study was performed to examine whether blockade of brain catecholamine (CA) biosynthesis with 6-OHDA can make any alteration in the transcriptional activities of hypothalamus-pituitary hormone genes in adult male rats. Three-month-old male rats (SD strain) were received 6-OHDA ($200{\mu}g$ in $10{\mu}\ell$ of saline/animal) by intracerebroventricular (icv) injection, and sacrificed after two weeks. To determine the mRNA levels of hypothalamuspituitary hormone genes, total RNAs were extracted and applied to the semi-quantitative RT-PCRs. The mRNA levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme for the catecholamine biosynthesis, were significantly lower than those from the control group (control:6-OHDA=1:0.72${\pm}$0.02AU, p<0.001), confirming the efficacy of 6-OHDA injection. The mRNA levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) in the hypothalami from 6-OHDA group were significantly lower than those from the control group (GnRH, control:6-OHDA=1:0.39${\pm}$0.03AU, p<0.001; CRH, control:6-OHDA=1:0.76${\pm}$0.07AU, p<0.01). There were significant decreases in the mRNA levels of common alpha subunit of glycoprotein homones (Cg$\alpha$), LH beta subunit (LH-$\beta$), and FSH beta subunit (FSH-$\beta$) in pituitaries from 6-OHDA group compared to control values (Cg$\alpha$, control:6-OHDA=1:0.81${\pm}$0.02AU, p<0.001; LH-$\beta$, control:6-OHDA=1:0.68${\pm}$0.04AU, p<0.001; FSH-$\beta$, control:6-OHDA=1:0.84${\pm}$0.05AU, p<0.001). Similarly, the level of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) transcripts from 6-OHDA group was significantly lower than that from the control group (control: 6-OHDA=1:0.86${\pm}$0.04AU, p<0.01). The present study demonstrated that centrally injected DA neurotoxin could downregulate the transcriptional activities of the two hypothalamus-pituitary neuroendocrine circuits, i.e., GnRH-gonadotropins and CRH-ACTH systems. These results suggested that hypothalamic CA input might affect on the activities of gonad and adrenal through modulation of hypothalamus-pituitary function, providing plausible explanation for frequent occurrence of sexual dysfunction and poor stress-response in PD patients.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.52-72
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• 1984

This study was performed to obtain the basic data which can be applied to the use of epoxy resin mortars. The data was based on the properties of epoxy resin mortars depending upon various mixing ratios to compare those of cement mortar. The resin which was used at this experiment was Epi-Bis type epoxy resin which is extensively being used as concrete structures. In the case of epoxy resin mortar, mixing ratios of resin to fine aggregate were 1: 2, 1: 4, 1: 6, 1: 8, 1:10, 1 :12 and 1:14, but the ratio of cement to fine aggregate in cement mortar was 1 : 2.5. The results obtained are summarized as follows; 1.When the mixing ratio was 1: 6, the highest density was 2.01 g/cm$^3$, being lower than 2.13 g/cm$^3$ of that of cement mortar. 2.According to the water absorption and water permeability test, the watertightness was shown very high at the mixing ratios of 1: 2, 1: 4 and 1: 6. But then the mixing ratio was less than 1 : 6, the watertightness considerably decreased. By this result, it was regarded that optimum mixing ratio of epoxy resin mortar for watertight structures should be richer mixing ratio than 1: 6. 3.The hardening shrinkage was large as the mixing ratio became leaner, but the values were remarkably small as compared with cement mortar. And the influence of dryness and moisture was exerted little at richer mixing ratio than 1: 6, but its effect was obvious at the lean mixing ratio, 1: 8, 1:10,1:12 and 1:14. It was confirmed that the optimum mixing ratio for concrete structures which would be influenced by the repeated dryness and moisture should be rich mixing ratio higher than 1: 6. 4.The compressive, bending and splitting tensile strenghs were observed very high, even the value at the mixing ratio of 1:14 was higher than that of cement mortar. It showed that epoxy resin mortar especially was to have high strength in bending and splitting tensile strength. Also, the initial strength within 24 hours gave rise to high value. Thus it was clear that epoxy resin was rapid hardening material. The multiple regression equations of strength were computed depending on a function of mixing ratios and curing times. 5.The elastic moduli derived from the compressive stress-strain curve were slightly smaller than the value of cement mortar, and the toughness of epoxy resin mortar was larger than that of cement mortar. 6.The impact resistance was strong compared with cement mortar at all mixing ratios. Especially, bending impact strength by the square pillar specimens was higher than the impact resistance of flat specimens or cylinderic specimens. 7.The Brinell hardness was relatively larger than that of cement mortar, but it gradually decreased with the decline of mixing ratio, and Brinell hardness at mixing ratio of 1 :14 was much the same as cement mortar. 8.The abrasion rate of epoxy resin mortar at all mixing ratio, when Losangeles abation testing machine revolved 500 times, was very low. Even mixing ratio of 1 :14 was no more than 31.41%, which was less than critical abrasion rate 40% of coarse aggregate for cement concrete. Consequently, the abrasion rate of epoxy resin mortar was superior to cement mortar, and the relation between abrasion rate and Brinell hardness was highly significant as exponential curve. 9.The highest bond strength of epoxy resin mortar was 12.9 kg/cm$^2$ at the mixing ratio of 1:2. The failure of bonded flat steel specimens occurred on the part of epoxy resin mortar at the mixing ratio of 1: 2 and 1: 4, and that of bonded cement concrete specimens was fond on the part of combained concrete at the mixing ratio of 1 : 2 ,1: 4 and 1: 6. It was confirmed that the optimum mixing ratio for bonding of steel plate, and of cement concrete should be rich mixing ratio above 1 : 4 and 1 : 6 respectively. 10.The variations of color tone by heating began to take place at about 60˚C, and the ultimate change occurred at 120˚C. The compressive, bending and splitting tensile strengths increased with rising temperature up to 80˚ C, but these rapidly decreased when temperature was above 800 C. Accordingly, it was evident that the resistance temperature of epoxy resin mortar was about 80˚C which was generally considered lower than that of the other concrete materials. But it is likely that there is no problem in epoxy resin mortar when used for unnecessary materials of high temperature resistance. The multiple regression equations of strength were computed depending on a function of mixing ratios and heating temperatures. 11.The susceptibility to chemical attack of cement mortar was easily affected by inorganic and organic acid. and that of epoxy resin mortar with mixing ratio of 1: 4 was of great resistance. On the other hand, when mixing ratio was lower than 1 : 8 epoxy resin mortar had very poor resistance, especially being poor resistant to organicacid. Therefore, for the structures requiring chemical resistance optimum mixing of epoxy resin mortar should be rich mixing ratio higher than 1: 4.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 2024

In this paper, we present a DIP-MLS testing method that combines digital image processing with a rigid body-based MLS differencing approach to measure mechanical variables and analyze the impact of target location and image resolution. This method assesses the displacement of the target attached to the sample through digital image processing and allocates this displacement to the node displacement of the MLS differencing method, which solely employs nodes to calculate mechanical variables such as stress and strain of the studied object. We propose an effective method to measure the displacement of the target's center of gravity using digital image processing. The calculation of mechanical variables through the MLS differencing method, incorporating image-based target displacement, facilitates easy computation of mechanical variables at arbitrary positions without constraints from meshes or grids. This is achieved by acquiring the accurate displacement history of the test specimen and utilizing the displacement of tracking points with low rigidity. The developed testing method was validated by comparing the measurement results of the sensor with those of the DIP-MLS testing method in a three-point bending test of a rubber beam. Additionally, numerical analysis results simulated only by the MLS differencing method were compared, confirming that the developed method accurately reproduces the actual test and shows good agreement with numerical analysis results before significant deformation. Furthermore, we analyzed the effects of boundary points by applying 46 tracking points, including corner points, to the DIP-MLS testing method. This was compared with using only the internal points of the target, determining the optimal image resolution for this testing method. Through this, we demonstrated that the developed method efficiently addresses the limitations of direct experiments or existing mesh-based simulations. It also suggests that digitalization of the experimental-simulation process is achievable to a considerable extent.