• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.323-330
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• 2013

Objective : To develop a simple, reproducible model of disc degeneration in rabbits through percutaneous annular puncture and to confirm the degree of degeneration over time. Methods : Fifteen New Zealand white rabbits (4 to 5 months old and weighing approximately 3 to 3.5 kg each) underwent annular puncture of the L2-L3, L3-L4, and L4-L5 discs. Rabbits were sacrificed at 4, 8, or 20 weeks after puncture. For a longitudinal study to assess changes in disc height over time, serial X-rays were performed at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 20 weeks for rabbits in the 20-week group. Upon sacrifice, the whole spinal column and discs were extracted and analyzed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and histological staining. Results : The X-rays showed a slow, progressive decrease in disc height over time. Significant disc space narrowing compared to preoperative disc height was observed during the time period (p<0.001). The MRI grade, aggrecan, and matrix metalloprotease-13 mRNA expression and hematoxylin and eosin/safranin O/anti-collagen II staining were consistently indicative of degeneration, supporting the results of the X-ray data. Conclusion : Percutaneous annular puncture resulted in slow, reproducible disc degeneration that was confirmed by radiology, biochemistry, and histology. This in vivo model can be used to study and evaluate the safety and efficacy of biologic treatments for degenerative disc disease.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.871-882
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• 2010

In animal tumorigenicity data, the occurrence time of tumor is not observed because the existence of a tumor is examined only at either time of natural death or time of sacrifice for the animal. A three-state model (Health-Tumor onset-Death) is widely used to model the incomplete data. In this paper, we employed a frailty effect into the three-state model to incorporate the dependency of death on tumor occurrence when the time of natural death works as an informative censoring against the tumor onset time. For the inference of parameters, then the EM algorithm is considered in order to deal with missing quantities of tumor onset time and random frailty. The proposed method is applied to the bladder tumor data taken from Lindsey and Ryan (1993, 1994) and a simulation study is performed to show the behavior of the proposed estimators.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2015

The aim of the present study was to compare the non-invasive methods for the diagnosis of H. felis with HpSA kit-based detection method and H. felis-specific PCR assay with dog's stool samples without sacrifice. Male Beagle dogs (n=6) were infected with H. felis ATCC 49179 ($1.0{\times}10^9CFU/dog$) by intra-gastric inoculation two times at 3-day intervals, and the stool specimens of dogs were collected 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 days after infection to submit to HpSA test and H. felis-specific PCR. As the results, the sensitivity of the HpSA and the PCR analysis was 50.0%, 83.3% respectively. Although HpSA test is less sensitive, it could be used for rapid, cheap and easy screening assay for H. felis infection in dog and cats. We suggest that the H. pylori stool antigen kit, HpSA, is useful and effective for monitoring H. felis infection. If HpSA test would be made with H. felis antibodies in the future, its sensitivity could be increased. Also, PCR assay could be successfully used to detect the H. felis in stools. Applying the H. pylori stool antigen kit and PCR assay may be the recommended non-invasive strategy to identify H. felis in dog and cats.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2021

Background and Objectives Hypothyroidism is the most common endocrine disease. On the other hand, there is no treatment that can improve the thyroid function. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can improve the cellular activity. The effect of hypothyroidism is not obvious. This study examined the effects of LLLT on the thyroid gland function of a propylthiouracil (PTU)-induced hypothyroidism mouse model. Materials and Methods Twenty-five male ICR mice were distributed into five groups of five animals each: Negative control (none PTU animal) and positive control (PTU animal) of unirradiated animals, and three experimental groups with LLLT (3J, 6J, and 12J). Each mouse was exposed to a distinct dose of a 632-nm laser once a week for three rounds. The positive control group and three LLLT groups were induced into a hypothyroidism state by PTU administration. The animals' thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroxine levels were measured using an ELISA kit, and their thyroid tissue was harvested and analyzed after sacrifice at the end of the experiment. The hormone level and morphological changes in the tissue of the five groups were compared. Results The thyroid hormone levels in the control group and LLLT groups were similar. On the other hand, the thyroid tissue of the LLLT groups showed some morphological changes that were similar to those of iodine deficiency thyroid. Conclusion LLLT did not affect the thyroid gland function in PTU-induced hypothyroidism mice.

• Journal of Popular Narrative
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.429-462
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• 2019

This paper argues how the concept of melodrama can be articulated with the Affect Theory and Posthumanism in relation to animal or environment representation which have emerged as the new topics of the recent era. The argument will be made through the discussion of Agustin Zarzosa's book, Refiguring Melodrama in Film and Television: Captitve Affects, Elastic Sufferings, Vicarious Objects. Using a genealogical approach, the book revisits the notion of mode, affect, suffering (hysteria), and excess which have been dealt with in the existing studies of melodrama. In chapter one, he broadens the concept of melodrama as a mode into the means of redistribution of suffering across the whole society in the mechanism of the duo of evil and virtue. It is the opposition of Brooks's argument in which melodrama functions as the means of proving the distinction between evil and virtue. Chapter two focuses on the fact that melodrama is an elastic system of specification rather than a system of signification, with the perspective of Deleuzian metaphysics. Through the analysis of Home from the Hill (Vincente Minnelli, 1959), this chapter pays attention to an 'affect' generated by the encounters between the bodies and the Mise-en-Scène as a flow not of a meaning but of an affect. Chapter three argues that melodrama should reveal an unloved (woman's) suffering, opposing the discussion on the role of melodrama as the recovery of moral order. Safe (Todd Haynes, 1995), dealing with female suffering caused by the industrial and social environment, elaborates on the arguments on melodrama in relation to female hysteria with ecocritical standpoints. The rest of the two chapters discusses the role of melodrama for the limitation and extension of the notion of the human through 'animal' and 'posthuman' melodrama. It argues that the concept of melodrama as 'excess' and 'sacrifice' blurs the boundary between human and inhuman. In summary, although the author Zarzosa partly agrees with Peter Brook's notion of mode, affect and sufferings,he elaborates the concept of melodrama, by articulating philosophical arguments such as Deleuzianism, feminism, and posthumanism (Akira Lippit and Carry Wolf) with the melodrama. Thefore, Zarzosa challenges the concepts of melodrama led by Brooks, which had been canonical in the field.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.297-303
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• 2008

Naringin, major citrus flavonoids, has been identified to exert antioxidative, antidiabetic, and lipid lowering effects. In this study, we examined the effect of 0.2 g/kg, 0.5 g/kg naringin supplementation for 3 times/week for 5 weeks on lipid metabolism and antithrombotic capacity in rat. Eighteen five week-old Sprague Dawley(SD) female rats, which had initial body weights of $246{\pm}9g$, were randomly divided into three groups: Control (non naringin group); Low (0.2 g/kg naringin-supplemented group); High (0.5 g/kg naringin-supplemented group). Three groups of rats were supplemented with three experimental diets for 5 weeks and we investigated antithrombotic capacity before sacrifice. Naringin did not significantly alter the body weight gain, relative organ weight. However, the level of serum triglyceride, serum free fatty acid, serum total lipid and serum glucose levels were significantly lowered compared to those of control. The high group (0.5 g/kg naringin-supplemented group) was showed significantly increased bleeding time compared to control group. These results suggest that naringin supplemental diets reduces the level of hypertension, glycosuria and fatness on the female SD rats, when orally administered below the dosage 0.5 g/kg for 5 weeks.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.95-107
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• 2004

Objective : The inappropriate or excessive apoptosis has been known to be associated with neurodegenerative disorders including intracranial hemorrhage(ICH). Paeoniae radix, in traditional Korean medicine, has played its role as blood­nourisher and yin-astringent. In the present study, the effect of Paeoniae radix on the inhibition of neurodegeneration in the brain of rats after artificial ICH and on the resulting apoptosis was investigated. Methods : 30 rats were divided into 6 equal groups ; the sham-operation group, the hemorrhage-induction group, the hemorrhage-induction with 10, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg Paeoniae radix-treated group, respectively. Stereotactic surgery was performed and collagenase was infused to induce ICH in the region of CA1 of hippocampus of rats. The sham group took only saline infusion. For 7 days after the surgery, 4 testing groups had intraperitoneal injections of Paeoniae radix extract. The step-down inhibitory avoidance task, measurement of neurodegeneration degree in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, and detection of caspase-3 and newly generated cells in the dentate gyrus were done after animal sacrifice. Results : Rats receiving Paeoniae radix extract showed increased latency time in the inhibitory avoidance task. The extension of neuron-deprived areas in the CA1 region was significantly suppressed in the Paeonia treated groups. Also expressions of caspase-3 in the CA1 region and cortex were significantly inhibited in the Paeonia treated groups. The cell proliferation was evaluated by means of BrdU methods and proved to be decreased in the Paeonia treated groups. Conclusion : These results suggest that Paeoniae radix has potential to suppress short-tenn memory loss after devastating neurologic accidents. Also it was proved that Paeoniae radix has a neuroprotective effect and alleviates central nervous complications following intracerebral hemorrhage. Furthermore, it may imply that this medicinal plant can be widely used for vascular dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.93-106
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• 1998

This study was designed to find out the effects on the lipid metabolism of two herbs used in folk treatment in Korea The two herbs were A: Equisetum arvense L. (Seddugi), B: Eunymus alatus Siebold (Hwasalnamoo). The experiment was performed with the male rats of Sprague-Dawley which fed on high calorie and animal fat supplemented diets from which 30% of the total calories can from lard. Experimental groups were divided into standard (ST) and two other(A, B) groups for the each herb. Each of the two experimental groups consisted of three subgroups (I, II, III) according to the three different doses of the folk remedy used, which were five times and ten times the dose commonly used in a folk remedy. During the experimental period, total food intake and body weight gains were measured, and FER, CER, PER were calculated at the same times. Serum levels of triglyceride, total lipid, ttal cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and total lipid as well as cholesterol contents of the liver were measured at the time of sacrifice. Epididymal fat pads were weighted and an indes was calculated. The results of the effects on the lipid metabolism were as follows : 1.Total food intake and body weight gains increased in group A & B. 2. The serum levels of the total lipid and triglyceride decreased in AIII, BI and BIII.3. The serum level of cholesterol decreased in group B, while level of HDL-Cholesterol were increased in all groups and most effectively in group B. 4. The contents of total liver lipid increased in groups A&B. cholesterol decreased in groups A&B. In conclusion, effects on the lipid metabolism associated with the kinds of herbs a diet were the increase of body weighta and the decrease of total lipid and cholesterol levels in serum and liver.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2011

Objective : Minocycline, a second-generation tetracycline-class antibiotic, has been well established to exert a neuroprotective effect in animal models and neurodegenerative disease through the inhibition of microglia. Here, we investigated the effects of minocycline on motor recovery and neuropathic pain in a rat model of spinal cord injury. Methods : To simulate spinal cord injury, the rats' spinal cords were hemisected at the 10th thoracic level (T10). Minocycline was injected intraperitoneally, and was administered 30 minutes prior surgery and every second postoperative day until sacrifice 28 days after surgery. Motor recovery was assessed via the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan test Mechanical hyperalgesia was measured throughout the 28-day post -operative course via the von Frey test Microglial and astrocyte activation was assessed by immunohistochemical staining for ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (lba1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) at two sites: at the level of hemisection and at the 5th lumbar level (L5). Results : In rats, spinal cord hemisection reduced locomotor function and induced a mechanical hyperalgesia of the ipsilateral hind limb. The expression of lba1 and GFAP was also increased in the dorsal and ventral horns of the spinal cord at the site of hemisection and at the L5 level. Intraperitoneal injection of minocycline facilitated overall motor recovery and attenuated mechanical hyperalgesia. The expression of lba1 and GFAP in the spinal cord was also reduced in rats treated with minocycline. Conclusion : By inhibiting microglia and astrocyte activation, minocycline may facilitate motor recovery and attenuate mechanical hyperalgesia in individuals with spinal cord injuries.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.282-292
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• 2003

Several agents are in use to promote new bone formation during bone graft procedures in maxillofacial region. Among them, we have used crude BMP, PRP, and P-15 for experimentally created defects with accompanying graft materials in the rabbit model. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of above mentioned agents on bone formation using histologic and histomorphometrical methods, thus to provide experimental support for clinical application of these agents. Six rabbits were used as experimental animals. Four surgical defects were created on the distal femoral heads of each animal using trephine drill. The defects were filled with each agents with accompaning graft materials as experimental groups and particulate corti-co-cancellous autogenous graft as control. For histomorphometric analysis, fluorescent dye was injected at 2week and 1week before sacrifice. Then, the animals were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 8weeks after surgery and histologic and histomorphometric examinations were achieved. At two weeks after bone graft, bone formation and active remodeling process were examined in all experimental groups and the control. But the intensity of such activities of the experiments were somewhat weaker than that of the control. In BMP group, the amount of newly formed osteoid was increased constantly and the amount was preserved constantly in PRP group. But in P-15 group, the amount of newly formed osteoid was decreased with time to 8week after surgery. Histologic findings showed superior bony quantity and quality in PRP group than that of P-15 group. MAR(Mineralization Apposition Rate) of all experimental groups were slower than that of control group. In P-15 group, constant foreign body reaction was observed at all periods and the graft material showed inwardly destroyed characteristics rather to mature. The data from this study provide the basis for future studies for evaluating the long-term remodeling process and foreign body reactions observed in P-15 group and clinical study for predictable use of these agents.