• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.192-199
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• 2019

Objectives: KCHO-1(Mecasin), also called Gamijakyakgamchobuja-tang originally, is a combination of some traditional herbal medicines in East Asia. This medicine has been used mainly for alleviating neuropathic pains for centuries in Korean traditional medicine. KCHO-1 was developed to treat pain, joint contracture and muscular weakness in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This study was carried out to investigate the chronic toxicity of KCHO-1 oral administration in rats for 26 weeks. Methods: Sprague-Dawely rats were divided into four groups and 10 rats were placed in the control group and the high-dose group, respectively. Group 1 was the control group and the remaining groups were the experimental groups. In the oral toxicity study, 500 mg/kg, 1,000 mg/kg, and 2,000 mg/kg of KCHO-1 were administered to the experimental group, and 10 ml/kg of sterile distilled water was administered to the control group. Survival rate, body weight, feed intake, clinical signs, and visual findings were examined. Urinalysis, ophthalmologic examination, necropsy, organ weight, hematologic examination, blood chemical examination and histopathologic examination were performed. Results: Mortality and toxicological lesions associated with the administration of test substance were not observed in all groups. Conclusion: NOAEL(No observed adverse effect level) of KCHO-1 is higher than 2000 mg/kg/day. And, the above findings suggest that treatment with KCHO-1 is relatively safe.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2019

Background: In Korean medicine, carpal tunnel syndrome is treated by stimulating the acupoints around the wrist. Although a deep understanding of anatomy and guidance is needed to stimulate these acupoints to avoid undesirable side-effects, currently there are no published guidelines for acupotomy treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of fluoroscopy-guided acupotomy compared with conventional acupotomy treatment. Methods: This is a randomized, patient-assessor, patient blind, parallel clinical trial. A total of 30 patients will be enrolled at Wonkwang University Gwangju Hospital, and will be allocated to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group will be treated using fluoroscopy-guided acupotomy and the control group will be treated using the conventional acupotomy method. Results: The primary outcome measure will be identification of a cross-section area of the median nerve measured by ultrasonography, and the secondary outcome measure will be the alleviation of pain measured by the Visual Analogue Scale, improvement in the Nerve Conduction Study, Tinel test, Phalen's test, EuroQol 5-dimension scale, and Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire score. Safety components will be measured by monitoring vital signs, electrocardiographs, blood tests, general chemical tests, urine tests and pregnancy tests. In addition, observations for adverse effects will be performed during the trial. Conclusion: This study will provide a more effective, and less harmful way of treating carpal tunnel syndrome compared with conventional acupotomy. Fluoroscopy-guided acupotomy will help practitioners to be accurate in direction and depth of the needle for treating carpal tunnel syndrome.

• Yonsei Medical Journal
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.1079-1087
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• 2018

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are independent risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and their coexistence is known as overlap syndrome (OS). Endothelial dysfunction is the initial stage of CVD; however, underlying mechanisms linking OS and CVD are not well understood. The aim of this study was to explore whether OS can lead to more severe inflammation and endothelial apoptosis by promoting endothelial dysfunction, and to assess the intervention effects of antioxidant tempol. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats (n=66) were exposed to normal oxygen [normal control (NC) group], intermittent hypoxia (IH group), cigarette smoke (CH group), as well as cigarette smoke and IH (OS group). Tempol intervention was assessed in OS group treated with tempol (OST group) or NaCl (OSN group). After an 8-week challenge, lung tissues, serum, and fresh blood were harvested for analysis of endothelial markers and apoptosis. Results: The levels of intracellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1, and apoptosis in circulating epithelial cells were the highest in OS group and the lowest in NC group. These levels were all greater in IH group than in CH group, and were lower in OST group than in OS and OSN groups (all p<0.001). Conclusion: Synergistic effects of IH with cigarette smoke-induced emphysema produce a greater inflammatory status and endothelial apoptosis. OS-related inflammation and endothelial cell apoptosis may play important roles in promoting cardiovascular dysfunction, and antioxidant tempol could achieve a partial protective effect.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.192-201
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• 2021

Dangguisu-san (DGSS) is widely known traditional herbal medicinal formula in Korea for treatment of traumatic injury by traffic accident, ecchymosis, abdominal distension and anti-thrombosis of blood. This study was conducted to develop the simultaneous analyze method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and examine the effect of anti-inflammatory activity of DGSS-dry extract (DGSS-DE) and DGSS-mix extract powder (DGSS-MEP). Physicochemical characteristics of DGSS-DE and DGSS-MEP showed that there is no significant difference in pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solid content and browning degree except for color value (L, a, b). 15 functional constituents of DGSS were identified and the correlation coefficient values of DGSS-DE and DGSS-MEP were conformed 0.950. Also, DGSS-DE and DGSS-MEP significantly decreased the secretion of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) through inhibited expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. From these result, DGSS-MEP showed similar chemical composition and anti-inflammatory effect to DGSS-DE. Therefore, DGSS-DE and DGSS-MEP may be useful as potential source of drug to prevent inflammation.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.389-397
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• 2022

Carcass vascular rinsing and chilling involves infusing a chilled isotonic solution (98.5% water and a blend of mono- and di-saccharides and phosphates) into the vasculature immediately upon exsanguination. Primary purposes of carcass vascular rinsing are to (1) effectively remove residual blood from the carcass; (2) lower internal muscle temperature rapidly; and (3) optimize pH decline by effective delivery of glycolytic substrates in the rinse solution. Previous studies have revealed that the beef carcass vascular rinsing early postmortem positively affects meat quality, product shelflife, and food safety. Thus, the objective of this review is to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the physical and biochemical mechanisms associated with beef carcass vascular rinsing, focusing on the relationship between quality attributes (CIE L^*, a^*, b^*; chemical states of myoglobin; oxygen consumption and sarcomere length) and muscle metabolic response to various substrate solutions (Rinse & Chill^®, fructose, sodium phosphate, and dipotassium phosphate) that stimulate or inhibit the rate of glycolysis early postmortem. In addition, this review discusses the absence of metabolite residues (phosphorus, sodium, and glucose) related to the application of the chilled isotonic solution. This review primarily focuses on beef and as such extending the understanding of the mechanisms and meat quality effects discussed to other species associated with vascular rinsing, in particular pork, may be limited.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2021

Background and Objectives Ocular alkali burns cause severe damage to the ocular tissues and vision loss. Solcoseryl is a standardized calf blood extract that normalizes the metabolic disturbance and aids in maintaining the chemical and hormonal balance and has been used to treat burns in various tissues. This study examined the effects of Solcoseryl on a rat corneal alkali burn model. Materials and Methods Twenty rats were assigned randomly to four equal groups, including alkali burn, hyaluronic acid, Solcoseryl eyedrop, and Solcoseryl gel. A corneal alkali burn was induced by a NaOH-soaked paper disc. The treatments were given twice a day, every day. The wound area was measured after 24 and 48 hours, and the degree of neovascularization and corneal opacity were scored every week. The rats were sacrificed after three weeks for immunohistochemistry (IHC) to compare the level of inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. The thickness of the retinal layers was compared to observe any changes in the retina. Results The use of Solcoseryl on corneal alkali burn accelerated wound healing with less neovascularization, greater opacity, and less cataract. IHC showed that the inflammation of the cornea was controlled by both the hyaluronic acid and Solcoseryl treatments. On the other hand, the inflammation had spread to the retina. When the dosage forms were compared, eyedrops were more effective on corneal inflammation, while the gel-type had a greater effect on retinal inflammation. Conclusion Solcoseryl was effective in accelerating the wound healing rate on a corneal alkali burn but could not prevent the spread of inflammation from the cornea to the retina. Eyedrops were more effective on inflammation in the cornea, and the gel was more effective in the retina.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.81.1-81.10
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• 2020

Background: Although previous in vivo studies explored urinary microRNA (miRNA), there is no agreement on nephrotoxicity-specific miRNA biomarkers. Objectives: In this study, we assessed whether urinary miRNAs could be employed as biomarkers for nephrotoxicity. Methods: For this, literature-based candidate miRNAs were identified by reviewing the previous studies. Female Sprague-Dawley rats received subcutaneous injections of a single dose or repeated doses (3 consecutive days) of gentamicin (GEN; 137 or 412 mg/kg). The expression of miRNAs was analyzed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 16 h pooled urine from GEN-treated rats. Results: GEN-induced acute kidney injury was confirmed by the presence of tubular necrosis. We identified let-7g-5p, miR-21-3p, 26b-3p, 192-5p, and 378a-3p significantly upregulated in the urine of GEN-treated rats with the appearance of the necrosis in proximal tubules. Specifically, miR-26-3p, 192-5p, and 378a-3p with highly expressed levels in urine of rats with GEN-induced acute tubular injury were considered to have sensitivities comparable to clinical biomarkers, such as blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and urinary kidney injury molecule protein. Conclusions: These results indicated the potential involvement of urinary miRNAs in chemical-induced nephrotoxicity, suggesting that certain miRNAs could serve as biomarkers for acute nephrotoxicity.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.18.1-18.11
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• 2023

Immunologists have activated T cells in vitro using various stimulation methods, including phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)/ionomycin and αCD3/αCD28 agonistic antibodies. PMA stimulates protein kinase C, activating nuclear factor-κB, and ionomycin increases intracellular calcium levels, resulting in activation of nuclear factor of activated T cell. In contrast, αCD3/αCD28 agonistic antibodies activate T cells through ZAP-70, which phosphorylates linker for activation of T cell and SH2-domain-containing leukocyte protein of 76 kD. However, despite the use of these two different in vitro T cell activation methods for decades, the differential effects of chemical-based and antibody-based activation of primary human T cells have not yet been comprehensively described. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies to analyze gene expression unbiasedly at the single-cell level, we compared the transcriptomic profiles of the non-physiological and physiological activation methods on human peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived T cells from four independent donors. Remarkable transcriptomic differences in the expression of cytokines and their respective receptors were identified. We also identified activated CD4 T cell subsets (CD55⁺) enriched specifically by PMA/ionomycin activation. We believe this activated human T cell transcriptome atlas derived from two different activation methods will enhance our understanding, highlight the optimal use of these two in vitro T cell activation assays, and be applied as a reference standard when analyzing activated specific disease-originated T cells through scRNA-seq.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.314-328
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• 2024

The mechanism for the elimination of xenobiotics undergoes three different phases of reactions in organisms. Among these, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are classified as phase II detoxification enzymes, catalyzing the conjugation of electrophilic substrates to glutathione or reduced hydroperoxides. This study aimed to investigate the molecular characteristics, detoxification functions, and immune responses of GST omega (LhGSTO1) and kappa (LhGSTK1) in redlip mullet. The open reading frames of LhGSTO1 (720 bp) and LhGSTK1 (687 bp) encoded proteins of 239 and 228 amino acids, respectively. Sequence analysis revealed that LhGSTO1 and LhGSTK1 possessed GSH-binding sites in their N-terminal domains. Substrate-binding sites in the C-terminal domain were exclusively identified in LhGSTO1. In the tissue-specific transcription profile analysis, both LhGSTO1 and LhGSTK1 were ubiquitously expressed in all tissues of healthy mullets. Temporal expression analysis of LhGSTO1 and LhGSTK1 in the blood showed that their expression was significantly modulated by polyinosinic:polycytidylic (poly I:C), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and Lactococcus garvieae. Different chemical and cellular assays were performed to assess the detoxification and cellular protective abilities of the two proteins. A substrate specificity test using the recombinant proteins revealed that both proteins possessed specific activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB). In the disk diffusion assay, the smallest clearance zones were observed for LhGSTO1 and LGSTK1 against CdCl₂. In the cell protection assay, both LhGSTO1 and LhGSTK1 showed significant Cd detoxification ability compared to the control. Collectively, these results demonstrate that GST omega and kappa are involved in host defense against immune stimulants and xenobiotics in redlip mullet.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.185-197
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• 2009

For utilizing Cattail pollen as a raw material for functional foods, the nutrients such as free sugar, free amino acid, fatty acid composition, flavonoid content, and the biological activity within Cattail pollen were measured. The results of proximate analysis within Cattail pollen included the following readings: 12.7-13.2% of moisture, 15.7-17.8% of crude protein, 1.3% of crude fat, 7.5-7.7% of free sugar, 13.7-18.6% of crude fiber, 3.4-4.9% of ash, and 49.7-55.9% of nitrogen free extracts. The composition of free amino acids consisted of 1.923% of T. orientalis, 0.907% of T. angustata, and 0.333% of T. latifolia, which were measurements that varied significantly among different species. However, all species showed considerable portions of GABA alanine, glutamic acid, and proline. Specifically, it was shown that the GABA composition, which is known for increasing immunity while simultaneously lowering blood pressure, exceeded 50%. Therefore, this result implies that Cattail pollens have potential as a powerful utilization for functional foods. The composition of the fatty acids mainly consisted of linoeic, palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid, and didn't show many variances across different species. Also, the total contents of unsaturated fatty acid were particularly high with a measured ratio of 67.2-76.0% value. Mineral in Cattail pollen was composed of 0.354-0.492% of K, 0.0516-0.0546% of Mg, 0.045-0.0486% of Ca, and 0.0101-0.0204% of Na. Among the Cattail pollens known as anti-oxidants, flavonoid contains 0.169-0.186% of quercetin, and therefore is the largest constituent followed by rutin making up a measurement of 0.0094-0.0147%. For the purpose of the study, the Cattail pollen and its extracts were fed to SC class rats for a span of 4 weeks. Then, the DPPH radical scavenging activity was measured from the tested rats'serums and the results showed significant variances. Also, the results indicated that the cholesterol and glucose levels in the blood were decreased which in turn led to the conclusion that the cattail pollen can help hyperlipidemia and diabetic treatments.