Avian Influenza (AI) is an avian disease that break out by AI virus (AIV). As Hemagglutinin (HA) that is a main antigen surface protein of influenza virus that causes these influenza infection changes continuously, HA escapes bond of guided antibody by host"s immunity system. Specification region (HA91-261) of HA molecule that reconize receptor (sialic acid) of host cell is well-preserved without changing relatively, but is gotten buried on inside of trimer structure in natural conditions, is reported that development of effective vaccine or cure for HA protein is difficult because is not exposed to immunity system. Aptamer is relatively small strand DNA or RNA, and has high affinity to specific proteins. In this study, new aptamer DNAs were screened which can specifically bind to the receptor binding region of HA H9 protein.

We tested the effects of roasted and non-roasted Zizyphi Spinosi Semen (ZSS) hot water extracts on pentobarbital-induced sleeping behavior, pentylentetrazole-induced convulsions, and locomotor activity in mice. Both ZSS extracts decreased locomotor activity and pentylentetrazole-induced convulsions. Both extracts alos dose-dependently shortened the sleep onset and prolonged the sleep time induced by pentobarbital, with roasted extract being more potent. In addition, chemical constituents in HPLC also were different. Thus, both roasted and non-roasted ZSS extracts potentiate the sleep onset and the sleeping time induced by pentobarbital, decrease locomotor activity, and reduce pentylentetrazole-induced convulsions, with roasting improving extract potency.

The acricidal potency of some essential oils can be applied to the control of house dust mites. But it is more effective keeping the house dust mites away than killing them because they remain as allergens even after death. The most efficient repellent concentration of lavender and tea tree in 10㎕ against house dust mites (Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus) were experimented by direct contact bioassay method at various doses ; 2.5, 1.25, 0.625, and 0.3125% and at vairous exposure times ; 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes. The most effective dose of essential oils (lavender and tea tree) against house dust were 0.625% and the repellent effectiveness at the mowt effective dose of 0.625% were 95.6% for lavander and 96.2% for tea tree, respectively. These results suggest that lavender and tee tree can be effectively used in the control of house dust mites.

Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPC), known an autosomal recessive disorder, is characterized by abnormal accumulation of cholesterol and glycolipid in late endosome/lysosome. The 95% case in NPC patients are caused by mutation of NPC1 gene, whose gene product is 13 transmembrane-domains and a sterol-sensing domain. The compensation of NPC1 by transgene expression in NPC1-deficient mouse recovered life span and sterility, but neurological correction incompletely, suggesting a possibility of gene therapy. Thus, in order to develop virial expression system for gene therapy of NPC, we isolated NPC1 cDNA and constructed Sindbis viral expression system for verification. NPC1 expression by Sindbis viral expression reduced the accumulation of cholesterol induced by treatment of U18666A and progesterone in both baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells and cultured hippocampal neurons. In addition, NPC1 expression increased the immunoreactivities of post-synaptic density protein 95kDa (PSD-95) in dendrites. On the basis of these results, we constructed a lentiviral vector for NPC1 expression and examined its expression in hippocampal cultured neurons.

The acute and subacute toxicities of trichlorfon were evaluated in blacktetras (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi). Dipping of fishes for acute toxicity was performed for a period of 24 hrs, and TLm_24h value (median tolerance limit=LC₅₀) was 12 ppm. Severe damages were observed in various organs and among them, edema and hyperplasia of gill lamellas, and epithelial edema of renal tubules were relatively prominent. The most significant change was mild epithelial deema of renal tubules in subacute toxicity test which fishes were exposed to 1.2ppm of trichlorfon for 1 week.

Anti-wrinkle effect of herbal extracts was investigated on the skin of in a model of animal irradiated by ultraviolet rey B (UVB). The female albino hairless mice (HR/ICR) were randomly allocated to the normal control group (NC-non irradiated-vechicle), positive control group (PC, UVB irradiated vehicle) and herbal extract (HE) group. The herbal extract included the mixture of water and alcohol extract from Pleuropterus multflorus, Lonicera japonica Thunbert, Phellinus linteus, and Phaseolus radiatus. The herbal extract was treated dorsally with 0.2 ml per mouse five times a week for 12 weeks. At fifth week of the treatment, the animals were exposed to UVB irradiation for subsequent eight weeks three times a week. The intensity of irradiation was gradually increased from 30 mJ/㎠ to 240 mJ/㎠ (1MED: 60 mJ/㎠). Dorsal skins were obtained and stained with H&E to examine histological changes and epidermal/dermal thckness. The collagen fiber was also observed in Masson-Trichrome staining. Hydroxyproline assay and western blot analysis were also carried out to detect the change of collagen amount and to investigate MMP-1 expression, respectively. The HE group showed a better appearance and weak wrinkling, compared to PC group, The treatment of herbal extract significantly increased the thickness of dermis and the amount of collagen fibers compared to PC group (p＜0.05). The treatment of HE significantly increased the hydroxyproline amount compared to PC group (p＜0.05). The chronic UVB irradiation to hairless mice skin increased expression of MMP-1 but the treatment of HE decreased the expression of MMP-1. These results indicate that the herbal extract used in this study have a preventive effect on the UVB-induced wrinkle in a hairless mice model, partly due to the reduction of MMP-1 expression and increment of collagen amount.

The aim of this study was to examine the promoting effect of herbal extracts on hair regrowth in C3H/HeJ mice. The herbal extracts were obtained from the Damo-cosmetics Inc. There were four experimental groups including distilled water (D. W., negative control), 20% ethanol (EtOH, vehicle control), 3% minoxidil (MXD, positive control), and herbal extract (Ext). The herbal extract included the mixture of water and alcohol extract from Pleuropterus multflorus, Lonicera japonica Thunberg, Phellinus linteus, and Phaseolus radiatus. Test compounds were applied to the shaved dorsal skin of mice mouse for 3 weeks. The photograph of hair regrowth was taken at day 0, 4, 7, 10, 14, 17, and 21. The herbal extract group showed faster hair regrowth than negative control group or 20% EtOH groups after 10 and 14 days of treatments. The elongation of hair follicles in MXD and the herbal extract groups were observed. The activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase were sfanificantly (γ-GT) increased in MXD and herbal extract groups compared with negative control group (p＜0.05). The expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were also sfanificantly hfaher in MXD and herbal extract group than negative control group (p＜0.05), althouah there were no sfanificant differences amoularhe groups of 20% EtOH, MXD, and herbal extract. These results suagest that the herbal extract used in this study may have grpromoting effect on hair regrowth by increasing activities of ALP and γ-GT and expression of EGF and VEGF.