• Applied Microscopy
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.53-64
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• 2010

Glutamate receptors may play a critical role in the refinement of developing synapses. The lateral superior olivary nucleus (LSO)-medial nucleus of trapezoid body (MNTB) synaptic transmission in the mammalian auditory brain stem mediate many excitatory transmitters such as glutamate, which is a useful model to study excitatory synaptic development. Hearing deficits are often accompanied by changes in the synaptic organization such as excitatory or inhibitory circuits as well as anatomical changes. Owing to this, circling mouse whose cochlea degenerates spontaneously after birth, is an excellent animal model to study deafness pathophysiology. However, little is known about the development regulation of the subunits composing these receptors in circling mouse. Thus, we used immunohistochemical method to compare the N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA receptor) NR1, NR2A, NR2B distribution in the LSO which project glutamergic excitatory input into the auditory brainstem, in circling mouse of postnatal (p) 7 and 16, which have spontaneous mutation in the inner ear, with wild-type mouse. The relative NMDAR1 immunoreactive density of the LSO in circling mouse p7 was $128.67\pm8.87$ in wild-type, $111.06\pm8.04$ in heterozygote, and $108.09\pm5.94$ in homozygote. The density of p16 circling mouse was $43.83\pm10.49$ in wild-type, $40\pm13.88$ in heterozygote, and $55.96\pm17.35$ in homozygote. The relative NMDAR2A immunoreactive density of LSO in circling mouse p7 was $97.97\pm9.71$ in wild-type, $102.87\pm9.30$ in heterozygote, and $106.85\pm5.79$ in homozygote. The density of LSO in p16 circling was $47.4\pm20.6$ in wild-type, $43.9\pm17.5$ in heterozygote, and $49.2\pm20.1$ in homozygote. The relative NMDAR2B immunoreactive density of LSO in circling mouse p7 was $109.04\pm6.77$ in wild-type, $106.43\pm10.24$ in heterozygote, and $105.98\pm4.10$ in homozygote. the density of LSO in p16 circling mouse was $101.47\pm11.5$ in wild-type, $91.47\pm14.81$ in heterozygote, and $93.93\pm15.71$ in homozygote. These results reveal alteration of NMDAR immunoreactivity in LSO of p7 and p16 circling mouse. The results of the present study are likely to be relevant to understand the central change underlying human hereditary deafness.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.256-263
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• 2014

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is known to have antianxiety properties. This study was conducted to investigate the anxiolytic effects of KRG extract (KRGE) during ethanol withdrawal (EW) and the involvement of the mesoamygdaloid dopamine (DA) system in it. Methods: Rats were treated with 3 g/kg/d of ethanol for 28 d, and subjected to 3 d of withdrawal. During EW, KRGE (20 mg/kg/d or 60 mg/kg/d, p.o.) was given to rats once/d for 3 d. Thirty min after the final dose of KRGE, anxiety-like behavior was evaluated in an elevated plus maze (EPM), and plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels were determined by a radioimmunoassay (RIA). In addition, concentrations of DA and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) were also measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: The EPM test and RIA revealed KRGE inhibited anxiety-like behavior and the over secretion of plasma CORT during EW. Furthermore, the behavioral effect was blocked by a selective DA D2 receptor (D2R) antagonist (eticlopride) but not by a selective DA D1 receptor (D1R) antagonist (SCH23390). HPLC analyses showed KRGE reversed EW-induced decreases of DA and DOPAC in a dose-dependent way. Additionally, Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays showed that KRGE prevented the EW-induced reductions in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein expression in the CeA and TH mRNA expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Conclusion: These results suggest that KRGE has anxiolytic effects during EW by improving the mesoamygdaloid DA system.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2018

Background: Angelica gigas, A. sinensis, and A. acutiloba are commercially important in the herbal medicine market, and among them, A. gigas has the highest economic value and price. However, their similar morphological traits are often used for fraud. Despite their importance in herbal medicine, recognition of the differences between Angelica species is currently inadequate. Methods and Results: A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed for direct detection and identification of A. gigas, A. sinensis, and A. acutiloba. The gene for the distinction of species was targeted at ITS in the nucleus and trnC-petN gene in chloroplasts. The optimized multiplex PCR in the present study utilized each Angelica species-specific primer pairs. Each primer pair yielded products of 229 base pairs (bp) for A. gigas, 53 bp for A. sinensis, 170 bp for A. acutiloba. Additionally non-specific PCR products were not detected in similar species by species-specific primers. Conclusions: In the present study, a multiplex-PCR assay, successfully assessed the authenticity of Angelica species (A. gigas, A. sinensis, and A. acutiloba). and whole genome amplification (WGA) was performed after DNA extraction to identify, the species in the product. The detection method of raw materials developed in the present study could be applied to herbal medicine and health functional food management.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.76-84
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• 2020

Background: Determination of inter-method differences between clinically available volumetry methods are essential for the clinical application of brain volumetry in a wider context. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the inter-method reliability and differences between the Siemens morphometry (SM) software and the NeuroQuant (NQ) software. Materials and Methods: MR images of 86 subjects with subjective or objective cognitive impairment were included in this retrospective study. For this study, 3D T1 volume images were obtained in all subjects using a 3T MR scanner (Skyra 3T, Siemens). Volumetric analysis of the 3D T1 volume images was performed using SM and NQ. To analyze the inter-method difference, correlation, and reliability, we used the paired t-test, Bland-Altman plot, Pearson's correlation coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and effect size (ES) using the MedCalc and SPSS software. Results: SM and NQ showed excellent reliability for cortical gray matter, cerebral white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid; and good reliability for intracranial volume, whole brain volume, both thalami, and both hippocampi. In contrast, poor reliability was observed for both basal ganglia including the caudate nucleus, putamen, and pallidum. Paired comparison revealed that while the mean volume of the right hippocampus was not different between the two software, the mean difference in the left hippocampus volume between the two methods was 0.17 ml (P < 0.001). The other brain regions showed significant differences in terms of measured volumes between the two software. Conclusion: SM and NQ provided good-to-excellent reliability in evaluating most brain structures, except for the basal ganglia in patients with cognitive impairment. Researchers and clinicians should be aware of the potential differences in the measured volumes when using these two different software interchangeably.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.614-622
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• 1999

Recent studies have implicated that more rostral components of the trigeminal spinal nucleus including subnucleus oralis (Vo) in orofacial nociceptive mechanisms. Since there is only limited electrophysiological evidence, the present study was initiated to characterize the receptive field and response properties of malls nociceptive neurons in chloralose/urethan-anesthetized rats. Single neuronal activity was recorded in right subnucleus oralis, and types of nociceptive neurons classified wide dynamic range (WDR), NS (nociceptive specific) and deep nociceptive (D) and the mechanoreceptive field (RF) and response properties were determined. A total of 34 nociceptive neurons could be subdivided into 17WDR neurons, 12NS neurons and 5D neurons. Vo nociceptive neurons had RF involving maxillary and/or mandibular divisions mainly located in the intraoral and/or perioral regions. Majority of Vo nociceptive neurons showed spontaneous activity less than 1Hz. The NS and D neurons activated only by heavy pressure and/or pinch stimuli had high mechanical thresholds compared to WDR neurons activated also by tactile stimuli. Vo nociceptive neurons showed a progressive increase of response to the graded mechanical stimuli. 39% of Vo nociceptive neurons received C-fiber electrical input as well as A-fiber electrical input from their RF, and 45% of them responded to electrical stimulation of the right maxillary first molar. 41% of Vo nociceptive neurons responded to noxious heat applied to their RF, and 18% of them showed an immediate burst of discharges following MO application to the right maxillary first molar pulp. These results indicate that Vo is involved in the transmission of nociceptive information mainly coming from intraoral or perioral region including tooth pulp.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.40.2-41
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• 2016

To understand the observed kinematics in the narrow-line region (NLR) of type 2 AGNs, we construct a model of 3-D biconical outflow combined with a thin dust plane. The model consists of two identical cones whose apex is located at the nucleus, and the cones are axisymmetric with respect to the bicone axis. After we define the properties of the bicone and the dust plane, we calculate a spatially integrated velocity and velocity dispersion along the line-of-sight using various physical parameters. As we test the effect of model parameters, we find three key parameters determining the integrated kinematics: intrinsic outflow velocity, bicone inclination, and the amount of dust extinction. The velocity dispersion increases as the intrinsic outflow velocity or the bicone inclination increases, while the velocity shift increases as the amount of dust extinction increases. We confirm that the integrated velocity dispersion can be a good indicator of the intrinsic outflow velocity unless dust extinction is not very strong (>~80%), while the effect of dust extinction can be alleviated by combining the integrated velocity and the velocity dispersion. Based on the simulated velocity distributions using the 3-D models, the variety of the observed [O $_{III}$] line profiles of type 2 AGNs can be well reproduced. In addition, we perform Monte Carlo simulations based on the different sets of model parameters. By comparing the model results with the observed [O $_{III}$] kinematics of ~39,000 SDSS type 2 AGNs (Woo et al. 2016), we find that the observed [O $_{III}$] velocity-velocity dispersion distribution is well reproduced by the biconical outflow model, enabling us to constrain the intrinsic physical parameters of outflows.

• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• v.73 no.9
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• pp.1263-1268
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• 2018

Three different ice core samples from Antarctica were analyzed to identify activity concentrations of radioactive isotopes. Tracking migration of radioactive isotopes to Antarctica can provide a key clue to understand global environmental changes caused by radiation exposures because the Antarctic ice cores can preserve unique characteristics of various environmental conditions. We are particularly interested in the $^{137}Cs$ nucleus, because it is closely related to radiation exposure from nuclear power plant accidents and nuclear bomb tests. With its half life of $30.17{\pm}0.03$ years, $^{137}Cs$ can also be used to assess the age of sedimentation occurring after around the year 1945. We selected three ice core samples, called Tarn8, Styx27, and H25, from different time periods; the Tarn8 sample is known to be from earlier than ~ 1000 AD, the Styx27 sample is approximately from the year 1945, and the H25 sample is from the year 2012. Radioactive isotope measurements of the ice core samples were performed using a 100% HPGe detector at Cheongpyeong Underground Radiation Laboratory (CURL). We measured the activity of $^{137}Cs$ in the H25 sample to be $0.98{\pm}0.82mBq/kg$. Although the activity has a large uncertainty mainly due to the limited sample quantity, the $^{137}Cs$ isotopes in the Antarctic ice core were measured for the first time in Korea.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.147-155
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• 2022

Background: Methamphetamine (METH) is the most widely used psychostimulant and has been known to exhibit reinforcing effects even after long abstinence. We showed the inhibitory effect of Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) on METH-induced addictive behaviors in animal models mimicking the human drug-use pattern. Methods: We first investigated the effect of RGE on the acquisition of METH-induced dependence using self-administration and conditioned place preference (CPP) tests. Additionally, further experiments such as METH-induced motivational behavior and seeking behavior were conducted. To study the underlying mechanism, dopamine receptor, dopamine transporter, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor were assessed through Western blot analysis. Results: Treatment with RGE significantly reduced METH-induced self-administration on a fixed-ratio 1 schedule of reinforcement. It could be also decreased a progressive ratio schedule, and inhibited METH-primed reinstatement. In CPP, RGE significantly prevented the development of METH-induced CPP. Moreover, RGE not only shortened the withdrawal period clearly, but also prevented the reinstatement of CPP. RGE treatment also reversed METH-induced overexpression of dopamine transporter, dopamine receptor D1, and NMDA receptor in the nucleus accumbens. Conclusion: Our findings reflect that RGE has therapeutic potential to suppress METH-induced addictive behaviors by regulating dopaminergic and NMDAergic system.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.321-347
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• 1994

Muscle spindle afferents from masseter muscle were labelled by the intra-axonal HRP injection and were processed for light microscopic reconstruction. Regions containing terminal arbors scattered in the central portion of the masseteric motor neuron pool (type I a) and those restricted to 2-3 small portion of it (type II) were selected and processed for electronmicroscopic analysis with serial sections. The shape of the labelled boutons was dome or elongated shape. Scalloped or glomerulus shape with peripherial indentation containing pre or postsynaptic neuronal propiles, which is occasionally found in the trigeminal main sensory nucleus and spinal dorsal horn, was not observed. Both type Ia and type II boutons had pale axoplasm and contained clear, spherical vesicles of uniform size(dia : 49-52nm) and occasionally large dense cored vesicles(dia : 87-118nm). The synaptic vesicles were evenly distributed throughout the boutons although there was a slight tendency of vesicles to accumulate at the presynaptic site. The average of short and long diameter(short D. + long D./2) of type I a bouton was smaller than that of type II bouton. All the labelled boutons, which showed prominent postsynaptic density, large synaptic area and multiple synaptic contact, made asymmetrical synaptic contact with postsynaptic neuronal propiles. Most of the type Ia and type II boutons made synaptic contact with only one neuronal propile and boutons which shows synaptic contact or more neuronal propiles was not observed. Most of the type Ia boutons(87.2%) were presynaptic to the soma or proximal dendrite and a few remainder(12.8%) made synaptic contact with dendritic shaft or distal dendrite. In contrast, majority of type II boutons showed synaptic contact with dendritic shaft and remainder with soma or proximal dendrite. In conclusion, terminal boutons which participate in the excitatory monosynaptic jaw jerk reflex made synaptic contact with more proximal region of the neuron, and showed very simple synaptic connection, compared with those from the primary afferenst in the other region of the central nervous system such as spinal dorsal horn and trigeminal main sensory nucleus which assumed to be responsible for the mediating pain, tactile sensation, sensory processing or sensory discrimination.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.255-259
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• 1996

A study was carried out to investigate the action of central L-pheylalanine (Phe) and L-tyrosine (Tyr) on food intake of the chicken. In the first trial, Phe ($200{\mu}g/10{\mu}l$) or saline was acutely administered into the right lateral ventricle (i.c.v.) of chickens (5 birds per each group). Birds (4 birds per each group) were administered with the i.c.v. Tyr ($200{\mu}g/10{\mu}l$) or saline in the second trial. The brains of the birds were removed for catecholamine assy 30 min postadministration. Catecholamine concentrations were measured at specific sites of the brain (LH: lateral hypothalamus, PVN: paraventricular nucleus, and VMH: ventromedial hypothalamus). No significant effect of amino acids on the concentration of norepinephrine of brain sites investigated was detected. Food intake and rectal body temperature were also monitored for 6 h after central administrations of Phe, Tyr or saline (5 birds per each group). Both Phe and Tyr, up to $1mg/10{\mu}l$, failed to modulate food intake or rectal body temperature.