• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.477-483
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• 2015

Characteristics of snake reproductive organs that are relatively less affected by external environmental conditions can be used as an important means of classification; additionally, such characteristics can provide useful information on a species' reproductive system. In this study, we compared the testis weights, hemipenis lengths and retractor muscle lengths of male Oocatochus rufodorsatus and Rhabdophis tigrinus in Colubridae and Gloydius saxatilis, G. brevicaudus and G. ussuriensis in Viperidae. The snake snout-vent lengths (SVLs) were positively related to the three reproductive organ sizes, but the body weight only exhibited a positive relationship with the testis weight. The three organs did not significantly differ on the left and right sides. The relative testis weights and retractor muscle lengths (divided by the body weight and SVL, respectively) of the Colubridae snakes were greater than for the Viperidae snakes, but the relative hemipenis lengths (divided by SVL) did not differ between the two groups. The relative testis weight of G. saxatilis and the relative retractor muscle lengths of the Viperidae snakes were smaller compared with the Colubridae snakes. The relative hemipenis length of O. rufodorsatus was greater than for R. tigrinus, G. saxatilis and G. brevicaudus. Additional comparisons were not significant. Our results may facilitate further studies on hemipenial morphology and mating competition in Korean snakes. This is the first study on Korean snake reproductive organs.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.227-231
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• 2016

Deep sea water (DSW) is located 100 to 500 m below the sea surface. DSW is widely used in various fields, and is an important source of minerals that can be used to treat mineral deficiency. In the present study, the oral toxicity of DSW-mineral extracts was determined using single-dose and 14-day repeated dose oral toxicity tests in ICR mice. For the single-dose oral toxicity tests, mineral extracts of magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) at doses of 0, 6, 270, 810, and 1,350 mg/kg, respectively, were orally administered to mice once at the beginning of the experiment, and the mice were observed for 14 days. For the 14-day repeated dose oral toxicity tests, Mg and Ca mineral extracts at doses of 0, 3, 135, 405, 675 mg/kg, respectively, were orally administered to mice daily, and the mice were observed for 14 days. Various tests were performed including visual observation; analysis of relative organ weight, food intake, and organ weight; biochemical analysis, and histopathology. The results indicated that mortality and changes in appearance were not observed among differentially administered groups of male and female ICR mice during the experimental period. Differences in body weight gain, food intake, organ weight, and histopathology parameters were not significant between the control and mineral-administered groups. Some results of the biochemical analyses were significantly different, but showed no specific tendencies. Overall, no evidence of toxicity was observed from the oral administration of DSW extracts of Ca and Mg in ICR mice.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2 s.62
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• pp.32-51
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• 2005

Objectives: To study the effect of Artemisiae Capillaris Herba extracts, that have been used as oriental medicine to treat liver disease, on the perinatal and lactational n;)productive toxicity of SD rats when administered by oral lavage. Methods: Female SD rats were dosed from 6 days of gestation to 3 weeks postpartum. This was conducted in accordance with the recommendations of the KFDA Guidelines for Detection of Toxicity to Reproduction for Medicinal Products. Results: No Artemisiae Capillaris Herba extracts treatment-related changes in clinical signs, mortalities, implantation number, dead fetus number, loss rate of fetus, number of live young, survival rate of fetus, sex ratio of live young, external anomalies, pregnancy periods, viability index, lactational index, survival rate of litters at 4 days after birth or delivery index were demonstrated in any dosed levels in this study. However, the body weight and gains, food consumption and absolute organ weights of brain, adrenal glands, liver, spleen, kidney, ovaries and heart were significantly increased in 2000 or 1000mg/kg-dosing groups and the relative organ Weights of adrenal glands were significantly increased in 2,000mg/kg-dosing groups. Therefore, it was concluded that this increase was natural according to growth. Also, no changes of gross findings, clinical signs, mortalities, body weight and gains, physical development results, necropsy findings, organ weight, faculty test, open filed test and water-filled simple T-maze test, copulation, fertility, pregnancy indices, body weight and gains during gestation periods, necropsy findings, corpora lutea number, implantation number, implantation rate, dead fetus number, post-implantation loss rate, live young, post-implantation survival rate, sex ratio of live young, external anomalies and individual body weights of live young were demonstrated in any dosed levels in this study. Conclusions: It is considered that the NOAEL (No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level) for perinatal and lactational reproductive toxicity of Artemisiae Capillaris Herba extracts was up to 2000mg/kg/day because no changes of other perinatal and lactational reproductive indices were demonstrated.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.444-452
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• 2022

Objective: An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of crude protein (CP) and two rearing systems (cage and floor), on blood parameters and digestive and reproductive organ development of brown laying hens. Methods: A total of 400 Hisex Brown laying hens between 30 and 45 weeks of age were distributed in a completely randomized design and a 2×4 factorial arrangement, with main effects including two rearing systems (cage and floor) and levels of CP (140, 150, 160, and 180 g/kg), in a total of eight treatments and five replicates of 10 birds each with initial body weight of 1,877 g (laying hen in cage) and 1,866 g (laying hens in floor). The parameters evaluated were plasma total protein, albumin, uric acid, total cholesterol, relative weights of oviduct, abdominal fat, liver, gizzard, crest and dewlap, length of small intestine and oviduct. Results: The blood parameters were similar in birds reared in cage and floor systems. The birds reared on the floor showed greater small intestine and oviduct weight (%) and lower liver and pancreas weight (%). A significant interaction was observed between factors for the relative gizzard, crest and dewlap weight, serum protein, uric acid, and total cholesterol (p<0.05). The diets with 140 g/kg CP resulted in lower serum protein and lower cholesterol in birds reared in floor system, while birds reared in cage system showed no effect of CP on both parameters. Birds reared in cage and fed with 140 and 150 g/kg CP presented lower uric acid. The group of birds reared in floor system fed 180 g/kg had greater uric acid. Conclusion: The dietary protein level can be reduced up to 140 g/kg for Hisex Brown hens (30 to 45 weeks of age) without an important effect on metabolic profile and organ development in both rearing systems.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 1998

This study was designed to examine how dietary protein levels affect organ growth and protein metabolism in early and normally weaned rats. Early and normally weaned rats separated fro the dam on the 15th and 121st day postpartum, respectively. were fed diets containing three levels of protein : low(10%) , normal (20%),and high(40%) . On the 35th day, the weight and DNA, RNA and protein contents in brain , liver, and kidney were determined to ascertain organ and cellular growth. Furthermore, serum total protein , albumin , $\alpha$-amino N and creatine and urinary urea N, and creatinine were determined in order to ascertain protein metabolism and renal functions. Dietary protein levels were not observed to significantly affect total DNA content, which may represent an index of cell number in the liver, brain and kidney. Fresh weight and protein/DNA ratio, which may represent indices of cell size, significantly increased in proportion to dietary protein in the kidney. As for the early weaned rats , the liver cell size significantly decreased. Dietary protein levels and weaning periods did not affect serum total protein and albumin . However, serum urea-N significantly increased in proportion to dietary protein levels whereas serum $\alpha$-amino N was decreased by early weaning . Nitrogen retention was lower in early weaned rats fed low or high levels of protein than in normally weaned rats. The results demonstrate that low or high levels of dietary protein have less desirable effects on protein metabolism in prematurely weaned rats.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.261-267
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• 2011

Artemisia iwayomogi, a member of the Compositae, is a perennial herb easily found in Korea and used as a traditional medicine to treat liver disease. AIP1, a water-soluble carbohydrate fraction from Artemisia iwayomogi, showed anti-tumor and immuno-modulating activities in animal studies. A subacute toxicological evaluation of AIP1 was performed for 4 weeks in ICR mice. After administration of AIP1 (0, 20, 100, 500 mg/kg/day), the clinical signs, mortalities, body weight changes, hematology, blood clinical biochemistry, urinalysis, organ histopathology, organ weights and gross finding were examined. The results showed that there were no significant differences in body weight changes, food intakes, water consumptions, or organ weights among different dose groups. Also we observed no death and abnormal clinical signs during the experimental period. Between the groups orally treated with AIP1 and the control group, there was no statistical significance in hematological test or serum biochemical values. Histopathological examination showed no abnormal changes in AIP1 groups. These results suggest that no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of the oral administration of AIP1 for 4 weeks was considered to be more than 500 mg/kg/day in mice under the condition investigated in current study.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.463-469
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• 1994

For better understanding of population dynamics of Symplocarpus renifolius, some aspects of seed production were studied in natural populations for 3 years. The rate of reproducing plants (RP) was 8.06% among the whole studied. The RPs were 0.0% in leaf size class under 500cm2 per individual, and 3.6% in 500~1,000cm2, and 44.3% in over 3,000cm2. The resource allocated to sexual organ was 11.6% of total biomass at the end of growing season, and that to belowground was about 80% regradless of presence or absence of sexual organ. In the previous and the next years of seed production, the energy allocated to sexual organ didn't affect the changes of leaf size, year by year. After flowing season. Especially, a large number of sex organ were degraded in April, a period of pollination and fertilization. The number of seeds per individual was degraded in April, a period of pollination and fertilization. The number of seeds per individual was 13~22 and didn't relate to leaf size. But the weight per seed increased along leaf size per individual. Therefore, in S.renifolius population, large individual produced large seeds rather than many seeds.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 1999

The effect of fat supplementation of high calcium (Ca) diets on the performance, intestinal pH, body composition and size and weight of organs in growing chickens were investigated in two experiments. Growing chickens tolerated a high dietary level of Ca (22.5 vs 12.1 g/kg) in the presence of 6.3 g/kg of available phosphorus without any significant effect on performance. Intestinal pH was significantly increased by the addition of excess Ca and fat which probably created the right pH for the formation of insoluble Ca soaps. Excess dietary Ca increased carcass linoleic acid concentration at the expense of palmitic and stearic acid contents, whilst the addition of sunflower oil (80 g/kg diet) to the diet increased carcass linoleic acid concentration at the expense of palmitic acid content of the carcass. Intestinal and visceral organ size and weight were not influenced by excess Ca or fat. However, there was a non significant increase in the intestinal dry weight per unit of length caused by excess dietary Ca. It was concluded that excess dietary Ca of 22.5 g/kg did not significantly influence the performance of meat chickens. However, excess Ca increased intestinal pH and altered carcass fatty acid composition. Fat supplementation did not alter intestinal pH with high Ca diets. Excess dietary fat altered carcass fatty acid composition and reduced protein content. Intestinal and visceral organ size and weights were not influenced by excess dietary levels of Ca of fat.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.543-548
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of rice germ oil supplement on the lipid metabolism of insulin-dependent diabetic mice. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice were fed three kinds of experimental diets with 20% lipid, composed of 20% lard (L) : 10% lard and 10% rice germ oil (LRGO) ; and 20% rice germ oil (RBO), respectively, for 7 weeks. Diet intake, body weight, organ weight and lipid levels of serum, liver and feces were measured. There was no significant difference in diet intake, body weight and organ weight among the experimental groups. But the concentrations of serum triglyceride in the LRGO and RGO groups, and of serum total cholesterol in the RGO group, were significantly lower than those of the L group fed the 20% lard diet. The levels of hepatic total lipid of the RGO group, and of hepatic total cholesterol of the LRGO and RGO groups were significantly lower than those of the L group. The contents of total lipid and total cholesterol excreted in the feces of the LRGO and RGO groups were higher than those of the L group. These results suggest that rice germ oil can reduce the levels of total cholesterol concentrations in the serum or livers of insulin-dependent diabetic mice, and that the hypolipidemic effect of rice germ oil may be due to increasing fecal lipid excretion and decreasing lipid absorptivity.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.151-162
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the anti-allergic effect in vivo, and to observe single toxicity in mice of Armeniacae Semen herbal acupuncture solution (ASHA). Methods : We investigated anti DNP IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in rodents and compound 48/80-induced active systemic anaphylatic shock in mice after treatment at both BL13 with ASHA of 25 ${\mu}{\ell}$(mice) or 50 ${\mu}{\ell}$(rats) 3 times for 5 days. To ascertain safety and toxicity of ASHA, we examined single toxicity test. In single test, three groups were treated with different dosages of ASHA (ASHA250, ASHA500 and ASHA1000) according to on Korean Food and Drug Administration, respectively. We observed attentively motality, abnormal clinical sign, body weight change, and organ weight of mice after ASHA treatment. Results : ASHA inhibited passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and active systemic anaphylatic shock by oral administration. During toxicity experiment period, there was no difference in body weight change, and organ weight among different dose groups. Death were not found in single test i.p. group. (ASHA250, ASHA500 and ASHA1000). Several individuals of single test i.p. group were observed yellow brown discharge around anus in early period after administration. Conclusions : These results indicate that ASHA have inhibition effects on passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and active systemic anaphylatic shock, and suggest that has some toxicity in high dosage.