• Title/Summary/Keyword: combined actions

Search Result 154, Processing Time 0.028 seconds

Effect of Manganese Exposure on the Reproductive Organs in Immature Female Rats

  • Kim, Soo In;Jang, Yeon Seok;Han, Seung Hee;Choi, Myeong Jin;Go, Eun Hye;Cheon, Yong-Pil;Lee, Jung Sick;Lee, Sung-Ho
    • Development and Reproduction
    • /
    • v.16 no.4
    • /
    • pp.295-300
    • /
    • 2012
  • Manganese ($Mn^{2+}$) is a trace element that is essential for normal physiology, and is predominantly obtained from food. Several lines of evidence, however, demonstrated that overexposure to $MnCl_2$ exerts serious neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity and developmental toxicity, particularly in male. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of 0, 1.0, 3.3, and 10 mg/kg/day doses of $MnCl_2$ on the reproductive organs in the immature female rats. Rats (PND 22; S.D. strain) were exposed to $MnCl_2$ ($MnCl_2{\cdot}4H_2O$) dissolved in drinking water for 2 weeks. The animals were sacrificed on PND 35, then the tissues were immediately removed and weighed. Histological studies were performed using the uteri tissue samples. Serum LH and FSH levels were measured with the specific ELISA kits. Body weights of the experimental group animals were not significantly different from those of control group animals. However, ovarian tissue weights in 1 mg and 3.3 mg $MnCl_2$ dose groups were significantly lower than those of control animals (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Uterine tissue weights of 3.3 mg dose $MnCl_2$ groups were significantly lower than those of control animals (p<0.01), while the 1 mg $MnCl_2$ dose and 10 mg $MnCl_2$ dose failed to induce any change in uterine weight. Similarly, only 3.3 mg $MnCl_2$ dose could induce the significant decrease in the oviduct weight compared to the control group (p<0.05). Non-reproductive tissues such as adrenal and kidney failed to respond to all doses of $MnCl_2$ exposure. The uterine histology revealed that the $MnCl_2$ exposure could affect the myometrial cell proliferation particularly in 3.3 mg dose and 10mg dose group. Serum FSH levels were significantly decreased in 1mg $MnCl_2$ dose and 10 $MnCl_2$ mg groups (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). In contrast, treatment with 1 mg $MnCl_2$ dose induced a significant increment of serum LH level (p<0.05). The present study demonstrated that $MnCl_2$ exposure is capable of inducing abnormal development of reproductive tissues, at least to some extent, and altered gonadotropin secretions in immature female rats. Combined with the well-defined actions of this metal on GnRH and prolactin secretion, one can suggest the $Mn^{2+}$ might be a potential environmental mediator which is involved in the female pubertal process.

Fenofibrate decreases radiation sensitivity via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\alpha}$-mediated superoxide dismutase induction in HeLa cells

  • Liu, Xianguang;Jang, Seong-Soon;An, Zhengzhe;Song, Hye-Jin;Kim, Won-Dong;Yu, Jae-Ran;Park, Woo-Yoon
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
    • /
    • v.30 no.2
    • /
    • pp.88-95
    • /
    • 2012
  • Purpose: The fibrates are ligands for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ${\alpha}$ and used clinically as hypolipidemic drugs. The fibrates are known to cause peroxisome proliferation, enhance superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression and catalase activity. The antioxidant actions of the fibrates may modify radiation sensitivity. Here, we investigated the change of the radiation sensitivity in two cervix cancer cell lines in combination with fenofibrate (FF). Materials and Methods: Activity and protein expression of SOD were measured according to the concentration of FF. The mRNA expressions were measured by using real time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Combined cytotoxic effect of FF and radiation was measured by using clonogenic assay. Results: In HeLa cells total SOD activity was increased with increasing FF doses up to 30 ${\mu}M$. In the other hand, the catalase activity was increased a little. As with activity the protein expression of SOD1 and SOD2 was increased with increasing doses of FF. The mRNAs of SOD1, SOD2, $PPAR{\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\gamma}$ were increased with increasing doses of FF. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by radiation was decreased by preincubation with FF. The surviving fractions (SF) by combining FF and radiation was higher than those of radiation alone. In Me180 cells SOD and catalase activity were not increased with FF. Also, the mRNAs of SOD1, SOD2, and $PPAR{\alpha}$ were not increased with FF. However, the mRNA of $PPAR{\gamma}$ was increased with FF. Conclusion: FF can reduce radiation sensitivity by ROS scavenging via SOD induction in HeLa. SOD induction by FF is related with $PPAR{\alpha}$.

Interactivity and Rhizomatic Art Systems: Focusing on the Digital Images (상호작용성(Interactivity)과 리좀(Rhizome)적 작품체계: 디지털 이미지를 중심으로)

  • Park, Yeon-Sook
    • The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
    • /
    • no.9
    • /
    • pp.33-57
    • /
    • 2010
  • Focused on the performance of interactivity in the appreciation of media art, this study is associated with the continually changed art texts and a participator's physical reactions to savor the art. Digital works of art emphasizing interactivity usually decentralize and disperse the responsibility and the central role for creating and producing the art works. Proper procedure of the work is generated by actions such as clicking the mouse, controlling the joy stick or actual movement of anticipators' bodies. The art works are influenced by participators' interactivity, which makes the leading roles and the responsibility for creating art scattered and divided. These features are similar with those of the 'Rhizome' which Gilles Deleuze(1925~1995) and Felix Guattari(1930~1992) have discussed. In their argument, 'Rhizome' is an interval or being 'between', which keeps changing. 'Rhizome' is a state in which the individual and the work of art never reach the conclusion, only a phenomenon of eternally altering. Like 'Rhizome', this sort of art work has the decentralized system, opens for several directions, and activates the system which is changeable as linked items increased or decreased. These works stimulate the individual to perform and act while appreciating the art piece. In terms of processing and preceeding, interactivity is the important equipment and catalyzer. Through these procedures, the pieces can be the 'floating work of art' combined and condensed with the whole participators' reactions. The 'floating work of art' is neither the expression of an individual nor that of one particular group. Multidimensional influence of the web is the web which is constantly reorganizing and producing in its connective state. This connective state is activated by interactivity. The Rhizomatic system embodies the floating work of art process. Due to each individual perceiving art in individualistic terms, there is no dominating powers or central points. I regard this art works possessing above traits as the work of art with Rhizomatic system. The work of art with the Rhizomatic system is embodied through interactivity and because physical action activates the process of appreciation, a participator can actually experience and practice the philosophy. Ultimately the Rhizomatic speculation occurs during the interactivity of appreciating the Rhizomatic art pieces. The Rhizomatic system penetrates into the intuitive area beyond our recognition and thoughts, as we are engaged in the connective process. With the methods and manners of interactive art, we can possibly reconsider the system as a tool in which the participator is directly able to link experience and theory to the philosophies of Deleuze and Guattari.

  • PDF

Risperidone as a Janus in Mood Disorder (기분장애에서 risperidone의 양면성)

  • Yoon, Doh Joon
    • Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
    • /
    • v.4 no.2
    • /
    • pp.198-210
    • /
    • 1997
  • To examine the double-faced thymoleptic(antidepressant and antimanic) effects of risperidone in mood disorders, this article reviews the psychotropic-induced mania, thymoleptic effects of antipsychotics, therapeutic effects of risperidone and risperidone(RIS)-induced mania(RIM) in mood disorders, risk factors of RIM, possible neurochemical mechanism of these thymoleptic effects, pathophysiological and clinical significance of thymoleptic effects, and suggestive clinical guideline of RIS in mood disorders. RIS appeared effective for bipolar disorder at a lower dose than that recommended for schizophrenia, especially in the cases of maintenance of mood stabilizers, and gradual titration from low doses. Manic induction/exacerbation can occur by chance during RIS treatment in mood disorders, schizoaffective disorders, and schizophrenias. The possible risk factors for RIM are refractory mood disorder, especially in bipolar I disorder with poor initial response ; refractory schizoaffective disorders, especially in bipolar type with poor initial response ; refractory chronic schizophrenias, especially with initial responses ; psychotic features ; higher initial doses ; rapid titration ; combined therapy with antidepressants in refractory depression ; and RIS monotherapy in mania/hypomania. RIS is a drug that preferentially block 5-HT2 receptors. The effects of low dose are due mainly to the blockade of 5-HT2 receptors. There are more gradual increase in D2 blockade with increasing dose and this D2 blocking properties become apparent at higher doses. This may be related to a modulation of dopaminergic transmission by 5-HT2 antagonism at lower doses with the direct action of RIS on DA receptors coming into play at higher dose. The serotonergic antagonistic effect may be important for its effects on depressive symptoms. This, together with adequate blo-ckade of D2 receptors, may not necessarily lead to destabilization of mood disorder, but rather to more therapeutic effects. Therefore, this dose-receptor affinity relationship with both antidepressant and antimanic effects according to treatment duration can explain a continuum of antidepressant effect, antimanic effect, behavioral stimulation, and manic/hypomanic induction/exacerbation. It was the recognition of a useful psychiatric side effects by a thoughtful observer with fertile minds that led to their ultimate utilization as psychotropic drugs, i.e., phenothiazine, MAOI, TCA, and lithium. And, in vivo pharmacological challenge by novel psychotropics, as a neurochemical probe, with more specific actions is a useful tool to select pharmacologically homogeneous subgroup of the same phenotypical(clinical) condition, to further study the unknown underlying pathogenesis of various mental illnesses. Finally, RIS may be a useful alternative or adjunctive drug for patients with mood disorders without psychotic features or refractory to treatment with standard antipsychotic drugs. The more conservative doses(tirated slowly from 1-3 mg/d) of RIS, and maintenance of mood stabilizer in the cases with risk factors of RIM are recommended in mood disorder.

  • PDF

A Visualization Method of High Definition Weather Radar Information for various GIS Platforms (다양한 GIS 플랫폼을 위한 고해상도 기상레이더 정보 시각화 기법)

  • Jang, Bong-Joo;Lim, Sanghun;Lee, Suk-Hwan;Moon, Kwang-Seok;Chandrasekar, V.;Kwon, Ki-Ryong
    • Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
    • /
    • v.16 no.11
    • /
    • pp.1239-1249
    • /
    • 2013
  • According to development of weather radar, researches about observation, analysis or forecast of weather phenomena such as tornado, flash-flood etc. were encouraged by reducing frequency interferences, transmission noises, attenuations of radar signal. In contrast, there is a growing interest in the visualization and expression methods for weather radar data but weather radar manufacturers or the organs of government for weather are just busy interpreting expressed weather images projected on GIS. We propose an effective high definition weather radar information visualization method able to apply various GIS platforms to observe and take actions against rapid local weather changes effectively. In this paper, first we change information acquired from weather radar to raster or vector type high definition data structures using specific algorithms. And then, we quadrate our processed raster/vector type weather data with various GIS platforms accurately to make observers can recognize and check weather situations over exact geographical positions and elevations intuitively. Experimental results verify that our method make observers can recognize and analyze weather changes, tornados, local downpours or flash floods accurately by analyzing high definition weather radar data combined with GIS platform including detailed target locations and elevations.

A Study of 'uplift yang-qi to raise sinking' efficacy in Radix Bupleuri (시호(柴胡)의 승약작용에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Pil-Sang;Kang, Ok-Hwa;Lee, Go-Hoon;Lee, Kye-Suk;Ko, Ho-Yeon;Kwon, Dong-Yeul
    • The Korea Journal of Herbology
    • /
    • v.21 no.4
    • /
    • pp.213-218
    • /
    • 2006
  • Objectives : Radix Bupleuri is from the dried root of the herb of the Perennial herbaceous plant, Bulpleurum falcatum L. or Bulpleurum chinense DC. or Bulpleurum. scorzonerifolium Willd., family Umbelliferae. Medicinal Properties are bitter and pungent in flavor, slightly cold in nature and attributed to the liver and gallbladder meridians. Actions in modern Materia Medica are regulate the functional relation of internal organs to relieve fever, disperse the stagnated liver-qi and uplift yang-qi to raise sinking. The ‘uplift yang-qi to raise sinking’ efficacy, out of three efficacies (regulate the functional relation of internal organs to relieve fever, disperse the stagnated liver-qi and uplift yang-qi to raise sinking), has been disputed in the medical profession for a long period. Hereupon, this study ascertained the reason why it has been disputed. Methods : With respect to this medicinal herb, the efficacies of regulate the functional relation of internal organs to relieve fever, disperse the stagnated liver-qi and uplift yang-qi to raise sinking were described as to what was written in ‘Shen Nong's Herbal’ from Chin and Han dynasties until Jin and Yuan dynasties. Results : The beginning of Jin and Yuan dynasties, it began to deal with the ‘uplift yang-qi to raise sinking’ efficacy and so it has been carried on modern textbooks and medical books. The reason why it was added is that it was influenced by the theory of ‘Raise Sinking’ advocated by Zhang jieku who lived in the period of Jin and Yuan dynasties. Since then, the properties of ‘Radix Bupleuri’ have been wrongly known to the public. Additionally, ‘Radix Stellariae Seu Gypsophilae’, which was begun to be introduced from the Four Cities since the Five Dynasties, has been combined with the best stuffs of ‘Radix Bupleuri’ produced from Yin Zhou. Consequently, its original properties were remarkably disordered. Likewise, respective medical schools’ theories were changed by the influence of ‘Bulpleurum. scorzonerifolium Willd’ begun to be used since Tang dynasty. Conclusion : it is considered that the current ‘Raise Sinking’ efficacy of Radix Bupleuri is unreasonable to be applied to the efficacy of the whole Radix Bupleuri because it is limited to certain species.

  • PDF

A Study on the Management of the Indian Ocean Tuna Fishing Grounds (인도양 다랭이어업의 어장관리에 관한 연구)

  • Gong, Yeong;Park, Yeong-Chull;Yang, Won-Seok;Lee, Je-Hu
    • The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
    • /
    • v.18 no.1
    • /
    • pp.59-97
    • /
    • 1987
  • Tuna and tuna fishing extend over most of the tropical waters of the world oceans, especially, this study of the Indian Ocean and the fish and the fishing vessels are highly mobile. No country can deal in isolation with the problems of its tuna fishery and of any tuna fishery in its waters, without collaborating with other countries. This cooperation is often best established through some formal international mechanism. The essential requirements are for information-on the resources, the fishery, the trade-and to identify where management actions are needed to consore the resources or to maintain the economic or social function of the fishery. These will also usually require some form of international mechanism. With the changes in the Law of the Sea, the siuuation in respect of management of tuna-considered among the highly migratory species, requirng special treatment-has also changed. At present there are both uncertainty regarding tuna management and political arguments as to how such management can be best implemented. Bearing this in mind, together with the fact that only few tuna stocks have shown clear evidence of serious depletion through over-exploitation, present emphasis will be placed on information requirements. This study included compiling the data necessary to review the state of stoks in the Indian Ocean tuna fishing grounds. Information on the resources-where the fish are, their quantity, their movements, etc. is important, whether in planning development of new fisheries, or considering the need for collaboration with other countries (in ascertaining to what extent their catches may affect catches of the natoinal fleet) or for conservation measures. A major source of information is the statistics of for conservation measures. A major source of information is the statistics of catch and fishing effort from existing commercial vessels. These need to be assembled for all fisheries on the same stock on an oceanwide basis. The statistical data also need to be analysed and intepreted, and combined with biological data(e.g., on growth, mortality and migration rates) to provide information that is intelligible and useful for administrators and other decision-makers. This must also be undertaken on a resource-wide or ocean-wide basis. Finally, because of the world-wide similarities in the methods of datching, processing and marketing fish, there is a particular tut not exclusive need in those countries just beginning to develop their tuna fisheries-to have ready access to a syntheis of information on tuna, tuna biology and tuna fisheries and tuna fisheries economics and management on the Indian Ocean.

  • PDF

Projection of Cancer Incident Cases for India - Till 2026

  • Dsouza, Neevan D.R.;Murthy, N.S.;Aras, R.Y.
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
    • /
    • v.14 no.7
    • /
    • pp.4379-4386
    • /
    • 2013
  • Projection of cancer incidence is essential for planning cancer control actions, health care and allocation of resources. Here we project the cancer burden at the National and State level to understand the magnitude of cancer problem for the various calendar years from 2011 to 2026 at 5-yearly intervals. The age, sex and site-wise cancer incidence data along with populations covered by the registries were obtained from the report of National Cancer Registry Programme published by Indian Council of Medical Research for the period 2001-2004. Pooled age sex specific cancer incidence rates were obtained by taking weighted averages of these seventeen registries with respective registry populations as weights. The pooled incidence rates were assumed to represent the country's incidence rates. Populations of the country according to age and sex exposed to the risk of development of cancer in different calendar years were obtained from the report of Registrar General of India providing population projections for the country for the years from 2001 to 2026. Population forecasts were combined with the pooled incidence rates to estimate the projected number of cancer cases by age, sex and site of cancer at various 5-yearly periods Viz. 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2026. The projections were carried out for the various leading sites as well as for 'all sites' of cancer. In India, in 2011, nearly 1,193,000 new cancer cases were estimated; a higher load among females (603,500) than males (589,800) was noted. It is estimated that the total number of new cases in males will increased from 0.589 million in 2011 to 0.934 million by the year 2026. In females the new cases of cancer increased from 0.603 to 0.935 million. Three top most occurring cancers namely those of tobacco related cancers in both sexes, breast and cervical cancers in women account for over 50 to 60 percent of all cancers. When adjustments for increasing tobacco habits and increasing trends in many cancers are made, the estimates may further increase. The leading sites of cancers in males are lung, oesophagus, larynx, mouth, tongue and in females breast and cervix uteri. The main factors contributing to high burden of cancer over the years are increase in the population size as well as increase in proportion of elderly population, urbanization, and globalization. The cancer incidence results show an urgent need for strengthening and augmenting the existing diagnostic/treatment facilities, which are inadequate even to tackle the present load.

Ubiquitous u-Health System using RFID & ZigBee (RFID와 ZigBee를 이용한 유비쿼터스 u-Health 시스템 구현)

  • Kim Jin-Tai;Kwon Youngmi
    • Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea TC
    • /
    • v.43 no.1 s.343
    • /
    • pp.79-88
    • /
    • 2006
  • In this paper, we designed and implemented ubiquitous u-Health system using RFE and ZigBee. We made a wireless protocol Kit which combines RFE Tag recognition and ZigBee data communication capability. The software is designed and developed on the TinyOS. Wireless communication technologies which hold multi-protocol stacks with RFID and result in the wireless ubiquitous world could be Bluetooth, ZigBee, 802.11x WLAN and so on. The environments that the suggested u-Health system may be used is un-manned nursing, which would be utilized in dense sensor networks such as a hospital. The the size of devices with RFID and ZigBee will be so smaller and smaller as a bracelet, a wrist watch and a ring. The combined wireless RFID-ZigBee system could be applied to applications which requires some actions corresponding to the collected (or sensed) information in WBAN(Wireless Body Area Network) and/or WPAN(Wireless Person Area Network). The proposed ubiquitous u-Health system displays some text-type alert message on LCD which is attached to the system or gives voice alert message to the adequate node users. RFE will be used as various combinations with other wireless technologies for some application-specific purposes.

Development of System Dynamics model for Electric Power Plant Construction in a Competitive Market (경쟁체제 하에서의 발전소 건설 시스템 다이내믹스 모델 개발)

  • 안남성
    • Korean System Dynamics Review
    • /
    • v.2 no.2
    • /
    • pp.25-40
    • /
    • 2001
  • This paper describes the forecast of power plant construction in a competitive korean electricity market. In Korea, KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation, fully controlled by government) was responsible for from the production of the electricity to the sale of electricity to customer. However, the generation part is separated from KEPCO and six generation companies were established for whole sale competition from April 1st, 2001. The generation companies consist of five fossil power companies and one nuclear power company in Korea at present time. Fossil power companies are scheduled to be sold to private companies including foreign investors. Nuclear power company is owned and controlled by government. The competition in generation market will start from 2003. ISO (Independence System Operator will purchase the electricity from the power exchange market. The market price is determined by the SMP(System Marginal Price) which is decided by the balance between demand and supply of electricity in power exchange market. Under this uncertain circumstance, the energy policy planners such as government are interested to the construction of the power plant in the future. These interests are accelerated due to the recent shortage of electricity supply in California. In the competitive market, investors are no longer interested in the investment for the capital intensive, long lead time generating technologies such as nuclear and coal plants. Large unclear and coal plants were no longer the top choices. Instead, investors in the competitive market are interested in smaller, more efficient, cheaper, cleaner technologies such as CCGT(Combined Cycle Gas Turbine). Electricity is treated as commodity in the competitive market. The investors behavior in the commodity market shows that the new investment decision is made when the market price exceeds the sum of capital cost and variable cost of the new facility and the existing facility utilization depends on the marginal cost of the facility. This investors behavior can be applied to the new investments for the power plant. Under these postulations, there is the potential for power plant construction to appear in waves causing alternating periods of over and under supply of electricity like commodity production or real estate production. A computer model was developed to sturdy the possibility that construction will appear in waves of boom and bust in Korean electricity market. This model was constructed using System Dynamics method pioneered by Forrester(MIT, 1961) and explained in recent text by Sternman (Business Dynamics, MIT, 2000) and the recent work by Andrew Ford(Energy Policy, 1999). This model was designed based on the Energy Policy results(Ford, 1999) with parameters for loads and resources in Korea. This Korea Market Model was developed and tested in a small scale project to demonstrate the usefulness of the System Dynamics approach. Korea electricity market is isolated and not allowed to import electricity from outsides. In this model, the base load such as unclear and large coal power plant are assumed to be user specified investment and only CCGT is selected for new investment by investors in the market. This model may be used to learn if government investment in new unclear plants could compensate for the unstable actions of private developers. This model can be used to test the policy focused on the role of unclear investments over time. This model also can be used to test whether the future power plant construction can meet the government targets for the mix of generating resources and to test whether to maintain stable price in the spot market.

  • PDF