• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.247-254
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• 2022

Vincristine (VCR) is a chemotherapeutic agent widely used in treatment of malignancies. However, VCR has a limitation in use since it commonly causes a painful neuropathy (VCR-induced peripheral neuropathy, VIPN). Inflammatory cytokines secreted by immune cells such as macrophages can exacerbate allodynia and hyperalgesia, because inhibiting the inflammatory response is a treatment target for VIPN. In this study, we investigated whether Trichinella spiralis, a widely studied helminth for its immunomodulatory abilities, can alleviate VCR-induced allodynia. Von Frey test showed that T. spiralis infection improved mechanical allodynia at 10 days after VCR injection. We further observed whether the difference was due to mitigated axon degeneration, but no significant difference between the groups in axonal degeneration in sciatic nerves and intra-epidermal nerve fibers was found. Conversely, we observed that number of infiltrated macrophages was decreased in the sciatic nerves of the T. spiralis infected mice. Moreover, treatment of T. spiralis excretory-secretory products caused peritoneal macrophages to secrete decreased level of IL-1β. This study suggests that T. spiralis can relieve VCR-induced mechanical allodynia by suppressing neuroinflammation and that application of controllable degree of helminth may prove beneficial for VIPN treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.353-359
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• 2014

Background: Epidural steroid injections are an accepted procedure for the conservative management of chronic backache caused by lumbar disc pathology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the epidurographic findings for the midline, transforaminal and parasagittal approaches in lumbar epidural steroid injections, and correlating them with the clinical improvement. Methods: Sixty chronic lower back pain patients with unilateral radiculitis from a herniated/degenerated disc were enrolled. After screening the patients according to the exclusion criteria and randomly allocating them to 3 groups of 20 patients, fluoroscopic contrast enhanced epidural steroids were injected via midline (group 1), transforaminal (group 2) and parasagittal interlaminar (group 3) approaches at the level of the pathology. The fluoroscopic patterns of the three groups were studied and correlated with the clinical improvement measured by the VAS over the next 3 months; any incidences of complications were recorded. Results: The transforaminal group presented better results in terms of VAS reduction than the midline and parasagittal approach groups (P < 0.05). The epidurography showed a better ventral spread for both the transforaminal (P < 0.001) and the paramedian approaches (P < 0.05), as compared to the midline approach. The nerve root filling was greater in the transforaminal group (P < 0.001) than in the other two groups. The ventral spread of the contrast agent was associated with improvement in the VAS score and this difference was statistically significant in group 1 (P < 0.05), and highly significant in groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.001). In all the groups, any complications observed were transient and minor. Conclusions: The midline and paramedian approaches are technically easier and statistically comparable, but clinically less efficacious than the transforaminal approach. The incidence of ventral spread and nerve root delineation show a definite correlation with clinical improvement. However, an longer follow-up period is advisable for a better evaluation of the actual outcom.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.521-528
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• 2017

Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the leading causes of many neurological diseases, such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease, and many efforts are under way to solve them. Red ginseng is known to enhance neuronal survival, inhibit apoptosis, and promote nerve regeneration of nerve cells. This study examined whether Rg3-enriched Korean red ginseng extract (KRG) inhibits the apoptosis of PC12 cells caused by alcohol-induced neurotoxicity and how KRG regulates several factors related to the caspase mediated pathway. In this way, the cell survival rate and apoptosis rate of PC12 cells were measured using an EZ-Cytox cell viability assay kit and flow cytometry, respectively. The expression of the apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2, Bid, Bax and caspase-3) were analyzed by western blotting, and the significance of the measured results was confirmed using the ANOVA method. As a result, KRG increased the expression of Bcl-2; inhibited the expression of Bid, Bax, and caspase-3; and inhibited the apoptosis of alcohol-induced PC12 cells. These results mean that the KRG-induced increase in Bcl-2 expression and down-regulation of Bid and Bax expression down-regulate caspase-3 expression, which in turn inhibits the mitochondrial apoptotic pathways. This study suggests that KRG is worth developing as a neuroprotective agent candidate.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.286-291
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• 1996

Phenolic compounds are prevalent as toxins or environmental pollutants, but they are also widely used as drugs for various purpose including anticancer agent. A novel biphenolic compound, bis(2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5-methylphenyl)methane (GERI-BPO02-A) was isolated from the fermentation broth of Aspergillus fumigatus F93 previously, and it has revealed cytotoxicity against human solid tumor cells. Its effective doses that cause 50% inhibition of cell growth in vitro against non-small cell lung cancer cell A549, ovarian cancer cell SK-OV-3, skin cancer cell SK-MEL-2 and central nerve system cancer cell XF498 were 8.24, 10.60, 8.83, $9.85\mug/ml$ respectively. GERI-BPO02-A has also revealed cytotoxicity against P-glycoproteinexpressed human colon cancer cell HCT15 and its multidrug-resistant subline HCT15/CL02, and its cytotoxicity was not affected by P-glycoprotein. We have also tested cytotoxicities of structurally related compounds of GERI-BPO02-A such as diphenylmethane, 1,1-bis(3,4dimethylphenyl)ethane, 2,2-diphenylpropane, 2-benzylpyridine, 3-benzylpyridine, $4,4^I-di-tert-butylphenyl$, bibenzyl, $2,2^I-dimethylbibenzyl$, cis-stilbene, trans-stilbene, 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-5-methylphenyisulfide, sulfadiazine and sulfisomidine for studying of structure and activity relationship, and from these data we could suppose that hydroxyl group of GERI-BPO02A conducted important role in its cytotoxicity.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2010

Cu(II)-organic complexes were synthesized with Lewis base organic ligands including diamine, aminothiol, and dithiol to determine the reactivity for DFP hydrolysis. Results show that the aminothiol catalyst enhances the hydrolysis of DFP in three folds compared to diamine type because aminothiol has higher basicity than diamine. Due to low solubility of Cu(II)(1,2-ethane dithiol)$(NO_3)_2$, it is impossible to compare directly the rates in homogeneous condition. However, the rate of dithol complex is even 1.6 times faster than that of the diamine type. The reactivity of zeolite for DFP hydrolysis is also evaluated. NaY type does not promote the hydrolysis, but RuNaY shows relatively lower reactivity than those of Cu(II)-organic ligands complexes.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.35 no.2 s.137
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• pp.164-170
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• 2004

The flavonoids are a very large and important group of polyphenolic natural products, which are united by their derivatization from the heterocycle, flavone. They are distributed in higher plants and occur widely in the fruits and vegetables that make up the human diet. They exhibit a wide range of biological properties, including antitumor, antiinflammatory, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, insecticidal and estrogenic activities. They are also major components of many plant drugs and it is possible that they contribute to the curative properties. For the purpose of developing anticancer agent of natural origin, we have evaluated forty four kinds of naturally occurring flavonoids for the inhibitory activity upon the proliferation of cultured human tumor cells such as A549 (non small cell lung), SK-OV-3 (ovary), SK-MEL-2 (melanoma), XF498 (central nerve system) and HCT-15 (colon) in vitro.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.323-328
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• 2004

N-type semi-conducting oxides such as $SnO_{2}$, ZnO, and $ZrO_{2}$ have been known for the detecting materials of inflammable or toxic gases. Of those materials, $SnO_{2}$-based sensors are well known as high sensitive materials to detect toxic gases. And the sensitivity is improved if catalysts are added. Detecting toxic gases, especially DMMP (di-methyl-methyl-phosphonate) and DPGME (Dipropylene glycol methyl ether), was performed by a mixture of Tin oxide ($SnO_{2}$) and Zirconia ($ZrO_{2}$). The films consist of each three different mass% of Zr (from 1 mass% to 5 mass%), and they were tested by XRD, SEM, TEM, BET. Nano-structure, pore and particle size was controlled to verify the sensor's sensing mechanism. The sensors was evaluated at five different degrees (from $200^{\circ}C$ to $400^{\circ}C$) and three different concentrations (from 500 ppb to 1500 ppb). The sensors had good sensitivity of both simulants, and high selectivity of DMMP.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.10
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• pp.2985-2989
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• 2009

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of ceramic sheet on concentration of students studies. To demonstrate the improvement in the concentration of study, we obtained functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which has superior time resolution and measures brain noninvasively by using intrinsic contrast agent. As a result of Brainwave measurement, we could verify the blood flow's activate in the nearby frontal lobe related to memory process and noticeable ratio change in absolute alpha wave and beta wave after the analysis of Brainwave measurement. fMRI ascertains the physiological function of the brain and is being used to prevent the trouble medically that can be caused before and after the operation. For the visibility of cranial nerve network, many researches will be carried out to develope the product which is related to brain like concentration of study.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.117-123
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• 2008

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are toxic agents that may be involved in various neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies indicate that ROS can act as modulators of neuronal activity, and are critically involved in persistent pain primarily through spinal mechanisms. In the present study, whole cell patch clamp recordings were carried out to investigate the effects of tert-buthyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH), an ROS, on neuronal excitability and the mechanisms underlying changes of membrane excitability. In current clamp condition, application of t-BuOOH caused a reversible membrane depolarization and firing activity in substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons. When slices were pretreated with phenyl-N-tert-buthylnitrone (PBN) and ascorbate, ROS scavengers, t-BuOOH failed to induce membrane depolarization. However, isoascorbate did not prevent t-BuOOH-induced depolarization, suggesting that the site of ROS action is intracellular. The t-BuOOH-induced depolarization was not blocked by pretreatment with dithiothreitol (DTT), a sulfhydryl-reducing agent. The membrane-impermeant thiol oxidant 5,5-dithiobis 2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) failed to induce membrane depolarization, suggesting that the changes of neuronal excitability by t-BuOOH are not caused by the modification of extrathiol group. The t-BuOOH-induced depolarization was suppressed by the phospholipase C (PLC) blocker U-73122 and inositol triphosphate ($IP_3$) receptor antagonist 2-aminoethoxydiphenylbolate (APB), and after depletion of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ pool by thapsigargin. These data suggest that ROS generated by peripheral nerve injury can induce central sensitization in spinal cord, and t-BuOOH-induced depolarization may be regulated by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ store mainly via $PLC-IP_3$ pathway.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.46-64
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• 2003

Therapeutic angiogenesis is the controlled induction or stimulation of new blood vessel formation to reduce unfavourable tissue effects caused by local hypoxia and to enhance tissue repair. Therapeutic ultrasound can be considered as a physical agent to deliver therapeutic angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of therapeutic ultrasound after muscle contusion injury by observed immunoreactivity of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) that plays an important role in angiogenesis and substance-P in pain transmission. Ultrasound irradiation(1MHz, $1W/cm^2$, continuous mode, treatment time 5 min) was applied through water submersion technique to 1 limb daily by kept off 5cm from muscle belly of gastrocnemius. The result of this study were as follows. 1. In morphological observation, there were no significant changes excepts of 7 days. At 7 days, granular tissue viewed abundantly in control group. In other groups, general feature were increased interspace of muscle fiber; centronucleated muscle fiber; collapsed of muscle and nerve tissue; appeared inflammatory cell. 2. The VEGF was expressed in interspace of muscle fiber. Especially, at 7 days in experimental group, VEGF was showed in connective tissue surrounding gastrocnemius muscle. 3. The VEGF was higher expressed in experimental group at 2 and 3 days, but in control group at 7 days. These data suggest therapeutic ultrasound enhanced production of VEGF in the early day relatively, therefore stimulated angiogenesis in the skeletal muscle induced contusion injury. Also therapeutic ultrasound may stimulate pain relief by diminish of substance-P in dorsal horn of spinal cord.