• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.207-214
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• 1996

The study was designed to find out the effect of exam stress and vitamin B complex on hormones such as plasma ACTH, cortisol and prolactin. 21 medical students completed the whole period of the study. Global assessment of recent stress(GARS) scale and SCL-90-R were used to measure stress perception and psychopathology. Radioimmunoassay was used to assess plasma ACTH, cortisol and prolactin. Plasma ACTH level was significantly higher 2 weeks prior to examination and exam period, respectively, than 4 weeks prior to the exam. However, there were no significant differences in plasma cortisol and prolactin level among the three periods. No significant differences were also found in plasma ACTH, cortisol and prolactin level between vitamin and non-vitamin groups during each period. Scores of stress perception in economic area significantly had a positive correlation with plasma ACTH and prolactin level, respectively, 2 weeks prior to the exam. In psychopathology, scores of hostility subscale significantly had a Positive correlation with plasma ACTH level. There were no significant differences in change of each of the hormones over time as well as between vitamin and non-vitamin groups. In conclusion, it was found that ACTH was more sensitive to exam stress than cortisol or prolactin, and that vitamin B complex had no significant influence on ACTH, cortisol and prolactin level.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.37-45
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• 1981

The importance of thyroid hormones for the survival of rats in the cold is along-established fact. Hypothyroid animals are unable to survive in a cold environment. It was also reported that acute exposure of rats, guinea pigs and rabbits to cold produced an increased secretion of TSH and thereby thyroid hormone secretion within 10 to 30 min, but this increase of thyroid activity disappeared quite rapidly during warming. However, in human study no significant difference was found in the concentration of $T_4$, TSH and cortisol between summer and winter. But plasma $T_3$ concentration was increased significantly in winter in 56 adult men. On the other hand, it has been also known that catecholamines are important in the maintenance of body temperature of rat exposured to cold. Abundant evidences suggest that the sympathetic nervous system is involved in the activation of nonshivering thermogenesis and that thyroid hormone metabolism and secretion are influenced by catecholamines and consequently by the activity of the sympatheticadrenal system. Many of the metabolic effects of catecholamines are associated with an increase in the level of cAMP mediated through activation of adenylate cyclase which converts ATP to cAMP. Other studies have shown that thyroid hormones affect the amount of adenylate cyclase present in the adipose tissue. On the other hand. it was also reported that a particulate cAMP phosphodiesterase activity in fat cells was modulated by the action of thyroid hormones. The objective of the present study was to determine the interaction between thyroid activity and cyclic nucleotides during acute exposure to cold. Albino rats weighing around 200 g were used as the experimental animal. The room temperature group was kept at $25^{\circ}C$ and the cold-exposured group was kept at $4^{\circ}C$ for 1 week or 2 weeks. Each group was subdivided into three subgroups; control, KI, and MTU group. At the end of experiment the animals were etherized and blood was taken from abdominal aorta for $T_4,\;T_3$ and cyclic nucleotides. The determinations of $T_3,\;T_4$ and cyclic nucleotides were carried out with a radioimmunoassay(RIA) method. The results were summerized as followings. 1) A significant increase of thyroid weight was observed in rats exposured to cold for 2 weeks. Furthermore, in rats administered MTU while to exposure to cold the thyroid weight was also increased significantly. 2) After 2 weeks $T_3$ concentration in the plasma of cold-exposured rats was significantly increased in KI group and MTU group as well as in control group. On the contrary, after 2 weeks of cold exposure $T_4$ level was decreased in control group. 3) In the case of cyclic nucleotides, plasma cAMP was increased in the control group after 1 or 2 weeks of cold exposure. However, cAMP level in plasma was rather significantly decreased in KI group and MTU group as well as in control group.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.8 no.3_4
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• pp.87-92
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• 2001

Intramolecular excimer formation of 1,3-di(1-pyrenyl)propane (Py-3-Py) and fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) were used to investigate the effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on the bulk bilayer fluidity of the plasma membrane vesicles isolated from cultured osteoblasts (OB-PMV). In a dose-dependent manner, rat PTH-(1-34) [rPTH-(1-34)] increased the excimer to monomer fluorescence intensity ratio (I'/I) of Py-3-Py and decreased the anisotropy (r) of DPH in OB-PMV. This indicates that PTH increased both the lateral and rotational diffusion of the probes in OB-PMY. Selective quenching of DPH fluorescence by trinitrophenyl groups was utilized to examine the transbilayer fluidity asymmetry of OB-PMV. The anisotropy, limiting anisotropy, and order parameter of DPH in the inner monolayer were 0.024, 0.032, and 0.062 greater than calculated for the outer monolayer of OB-PMY. Selective quenching of DPH fluorescence by trinitrophenyl groups was also utilized to examine the transbilayer effects of PTH on the fluidity of OB-PMV. rPTH-(1-34) had a greater fluidizing effect on the outer monolayer as compared to the inner monolayer of OB-PMV. Thus, it has been proven that PTH exhibits a selective rather than nonselective fluidizing effect within transbilayer domains of OB-PMV.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.5-17
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• 2000

To evaluate the possible therapeutic effects of growth hormone and vitamin C on multiorgan failure, a rat model was developed for LPS-induced sepsis. Using this model, the effects of growth hormone and vitamin C on tissue damages, catalase and i-NOS activities, and MDA levels were examined in the lung and liver. The level of TNF- in plasm was also examined. Male, Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with LPS intraperitoneally then divided into 3 groups : positive controls injected with LPS only, the ones injected with growth hormone or vitamin C immediately after the LPS injections. The lung and the liver were then isolated, blood samples were collected at 24 or 48 hours after the LPS injection, then examined for histopathological and biochemical changes. The results obtained were as follows. 1. LPS induced sinusoid vasodilation and mild destruction of lobular structure in the liver. In the lung, alveolar structure appeared to be thickened and interstitial edema was observed. The levels of MDA in the liver and the lung was increased by LPS, while the activity of catalase was decreased. The activity of i-NOS of those tissues was also increased, which was more pronounced at 24 hr. The level of TNF- in plasm was increased by LPS 2. In the lung, vitamin C suppressed lymphocyte and neutrophil infiltration, alveolar wall thickening and interstitial edema. In the liver, vitamin C protected against the destruction of the lobular structure. The activity of catalase reduced by LPS was reversed partly by vitamin C. The activity of i-NOS enhanced by LPS was also reversed by vitamin C. The level of TNF- in plasm reduced in some animals by vitamin C, which however was not significant statistically(p<0.05). 3. Growth hormone showed similar protective effects against inflammation and damages in the liver and lung tissues. Growth hormone reversed partly the LPS effects on the level of MDA, the activity of catalase and i-NOS induction in the liver and the lung. Growth hormone reduced plasma level of TNF-${\alpha}$ substantially, which contrasted from vitamin C. Besides this, overall protective effects of growth hormone against LPS-induced experimental sepsis were similar to those of vitamin C. From this results, the mechanism of growth hormone on suppression of LPS-induced tissue damage might be associated with production of antioxidative enzyme and suppression of plasma TNF- level.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.757-766
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• 2002

Growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2, also named KP102) is a new hexapeptide of a series of synthetic growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs) which stimulates the secretion of growth hormone (GH) in vitro and in vivo in several species including calf, sheep and pig. The GH-releasing activity of GHRP-2 is two to three times more effective than that of the original GHRP-6, and GHRP-1 in the rats and humans. To date, GHRP-2 seems to be the most potent member of the family of GHRPs. Since the GHRPs are short peptides (5-7 amino acid residues), they are synthesized easily and are not as readily degraded in plasma as GHreleasing hormone (GHRH). These features ameliorate their potential on domestic animals because of their chemical nature the GHRPs are efficacious when administered i.v. orally or orally. However, studies in cow, pig and sheep do not indicate such a close relationship between GHRH, somatostatin (SS) and GH, calling into question the general applicability of the human and rat models. Perhaps there is an important role for an endogenous GHRP in the regulation of GH secretion in domestic animals. This review provides an overview on the current knowledge of physiological role of GHRP-2 in domestic animals.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.160-160
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• 2003

Plasma melatonin in the seasonal light-period is circadian rhythmically secreted. Maximal secretion showed at 14 o'clock in summer- and winter-like period, but minimal secretion showed at 5 o'clock in summer-like period and at 8 in winter-like period. These times of minimal secretions were at the beginning of light period. Plasma melatonin in the light period is secreted 62.5% more than in the dark period in summer-like period and 45.9% more in winter-like period. Total plasma melatonin in winter-like period is secreted 56.5% more than in summer-like period. The weights of testis(-20.8%) and body(-7.1%) were reduced in the winter-like period. By the increase of plasma melatonin in mice, body- and testis-weights are decreased, on the contrary by the decrease of plasma melatonin in mice, body and testis weights are increased. In view of the results so far achieved melatonin changes on the body weight and reproductive organ in mice. It is presumed that melatonin effects on the metabolism and sex hormone.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2003

Plasma melatonin in the seasonal light-period is circadian rhythmically secreted. Maximal secretion showed at 14 o'clock in summer- and winter-like period, but minimal secretion showed at 5 o'clock in summer-like period and at 8 in winter-like period. These times of minimal secretions were at the beginning of light period. Plasma melatonin in the light period is secreted 62.5％ more than in the dark period in summer- like period and 45.9％ more in winter- like period. Total plasma melatonin in winter-like period is secreted 56.5％ more than in summer-like period. The weights of testis (-20.8％) and body (-7.1％) were reduced in the winter-like period. By the increase of plasma melatonin in mice, body - and testis -weights are decreased, on the contrary by the decrease of plasma melatonin in mice, body and testis weights are increased. In view of the results so far achieved melatonin changes on the body weight and reproductive organ in mice. It is presumed that melatonin effects on the metabolism and sex hormone.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.147-148
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.224-225
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• 1989

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 1977

In the previous study of the release, excretion, and plasma concentration of aldosterone in normal Koreans, the author found that urinary aldosterone excretion and aldosterone secretion rate of the Korean who usually take high amount of salt are significantly lower, in compared to Americans, although the plasma concentration is only tended to be low. The control of plasma aldosterone level depends on the secretion rate and the metabolic clearance of the hormone. In this experiments, the metabolic clearance rate of aldosterone was determined in normotensive korean and the effects of adrenal stimulations on the rates were also studied in the same subjects. The metabolic clearance rate of the normal Korean was not significantly different from those of the American, and shown a little increase in response to sodium restriction. These results indicate that the decrease in secretion rate rather than the increase in metabolic clearance Tate is the major factor maintaining lower plasma aldosterone level. After furosemide diuresis, on the contrary, the removal of aldosterone showed significant the decrease despite slight increase of secretion rate. This suggest that the reduction in metabolic clearance rate of the hormone during volume depletion found to be major cause of high plasma concentration. Additional potassium supply produced detectable decrease of metabolic clearance rate, but the changes were smaller than that of secretion rate, which suggested that the higher secretion rate could account for elevated plasma concentration of aldosterone rather than metabolic clearance. Above results also support author's previous evidences that the normal Korean who already adapted to a high sodium diet have ability to produce adequate aldosterone activity without producing detectable changes on the metabolic clearance rate under the condition of sodium restriction with approp riate potassium intake.