Sappanchalcone, a biologically active compound isolated from Caesalpinia sappan L., is reported to exert a variety of biological activities, such as neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory actions and inhibitory effect on antigen-induced beta hexosaminidase release. However, the vascular protective effects of this compound are not fully understood. The present study examined the effects of sappanchalcone in suppressing cell adhesion molecules expression in high glucose stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Sappanchalcone significantly decreased 25 mM high glucose-induced vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression in a dose-dependent manner. Sappanchalcone also significantly inhibited the formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, we found that the vascular protective effects of sappanchalcone were linked to the up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 expression in HUVEC. The effects of sappanchalcone on the high glucose-induced expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 were partially reversed by treatment of the cells with an inhibitor of HO-1, tin protoporphyrin IX (SnPP). Based on these results, these findings suggest that sappanchalcone-induced HO-1 expression plays a key role in the vascular protective effects of sappanchalcone in HUVEC.

This study was carried out to clarify the response of butterfly communities on forest degradation in the Gwangneung Forest, Korea. We monitored butterfly communities with varying degrees of human activities by conducting line transect twice a month in 2011. A total of 70 species and 4,676 individuals butterflies were observed in four sites: natural forest, plantation forests, and Korean National Arboretum. Species richness increased with increasing open land. The result on niche breadth and habitat type of butterfly was consistent with our predictions; specialist species and forest interior species were abundant in natural forest, whereas generalist species and grassland species were abundant in Korea National Arboretum, the most modified area. Also, habitat breadth of butterflies clearly indicated the difference on the degree of forest degradation. Butterfly diversity associated with landscape patterns based on aerial photographs supported mosaic concept which indicates that species diversity increases as habitat heterogeneity and variability increase. Forest management plan that maintains various habitats and ensures grasslands is necessary to increase butterfly diversity in forest.

본 연구에서는 azoxymethane (AOM)과 dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)로 유도된 대장 발암과정에 대한 셀레늄의 방어 효과를 조사하였다. 셀레늄 결핍(0.02 ppm Se), 정상(0.1 ppm Se), 과다(0.5 ppm Se)사료를 12주간 식이로 급여하여 혈액검사와 대장암 발생의 초기단계인 aberrant crypt foci (ACF)수를 측정했으며, 암 발생율을 조사하였다. ICP-AES 를 사용하여 간의 셀레늄 농도를 측정하였으며, 또한 셀레늄포함 항산화효소인 glutathione peroxidase (GPx) 활성을 알아보았다. 또한 TUNEL assay와 PCNA, β-catenin에 대한 면역조직 염색을 수행하였다. ACF 수 및 종양 발생률에 있어서, 셀레늄과다사료를 급여한 군이 정상셀레늄사료를 급여한 군보다 낮았으며, 셀레늄결핍사료를 급여한 군은 오히려 ACF 수 및 종양 발생률이 높았다. GPx 활성은 셀레늄의 섭취가 과다한 군에서 높게 나타났으며, 이 때, TUNEL 에서 apoptotic positive cell이 증가하는 것을 확인했다. 또 한 셀레늄의 섭취가 과다한 군에서 PCNA와 β-catenin의 발현이 감소됨을 볼 수 있었다. 본 마우스 모델실험에서 셀레늄은 여러 기전에 의해 대장암 발생을 억제할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

[n order to obtain the trlle expected DNA prod uct from PCR and RT-PCR using genornic DNA or cDNA reversely transcribed from mRNA. the PCR should be done in an appropriated condition. Sometimes the PCR was repeatedly fail ed. and cventllally the PCR product was turned out to be nonspecific and rudimentary . And more‘ t he PCR prodllctwas not reproducible even though careflll repeat of experiments. As the PCR was based on the exact primel hybridization. the condition of primer hybridization should be properly controlled by a nnealing temperatllre. But the selection of primer seqllences for targeting a specific gene is mostly important. A new method of primer eval uation is now available llsing DNA base pair polarity program. This study presents an example of PCR targeting to human Bax gene using genomic DNA. The DNA base pair polarity theory can di vide the genetic cord into propel DNA segments and calclllaLe their DNA base pair hybridization energy. Thus. mathematically the degree 0(' exact primer hybridization can be expected for the t r1l8 targeting of PCR. However, the DNA base pair polal'ityanalysis demonstrates that the more frequent number of DNA segment incl'eased the specificity of PCR. but decreased its sensitivity . While the greater polarity of DNA segment composed of increased nllmber of polarized DNA base pairs showed increased sensitivi ty 0 1' PCR. bllt relati vely decreased specificity of PCR. With the mllltiple analysis of PCR. especially for PCR cloning from the gDNA and cDNA, we found that the primers themselves showed secondary strllcture of partial hybridization between sameprimers or each pair primers. The DNA base pail‘ polarity signal can directly demonstrated symmetric sequences 0 1' each primer. and also can distinguish the dimmer formation from each pair primers. At least the symmetric seqllence of fOlll‘ base pairs dramatically showed the dimrner formation. On the other hand. in addi tion Lo the statlls of DNA base pair polarity the three-dimensional strllctllre of DNA dOllble helix targeted by the primer seqllences may affect the sensitivity and specificity of PCR detection. The present study introduced a new method of primer evalllation and selection in order to obtain abundant and exacL! y-trlle DNA product for genomic ffilltation analysis and gene expression profï le

The present study investigated the effects of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) on the nuclear maturation of canine oocytes. Oocytes were recovered from mongrel female ovaries in various reproductive states; follicular, luteal or anestrous stage. Oocytes were cultured in serum-free tissue culture medium (TCM)-199 supplemented with various concentrations of FSH (Exp. 1: 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 10 IU) or hCG (Exp. 2: 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 10 IU) or both (Exp. 3: 1 IU FSH + 1 IU hCG) for 72 hr to determine the effective concentration of these hormones, and to examine their combined effect. After maturation culture, oocytes were denuded in PBS containing 0.1% (w/v) hyaluronidase by gentle pipetting. The denuded oocytes were stained with 1.9 μM. Hoechst 33342 in glycerol and the nuclear state of oocytes was evaluated under UV light. More (p<0.05) oocytes matured to MII stage when follicular stage oocytes were supplemented with 1 IU FSH (6.2%) compared with the control, 0.1 or 10.0 IU FSH (0 to 1.2%). Significantly higher (p<0.05) maturation rate to MII stage was observed in follicular stage oocytes supplemented with 1.0 IU hCG (7.2%) compared with the control or other hCG supplemented groups (0 to 1.5%). However, the combination of FSH and hCG did not improve the nuclear maturation rate of canine oocyte (2.4 %) compared with FSH (6.2%) and hCG alone (7.2%). In conclusion, FSH or hCG alone significantly increased the maturation of canine oocytes to MII stage.

고관절 시행에서 식립각도는 추후 환자의 운동범위나 힘의 분배조건에 따라 폴리에틸렌 라이너의 마모에도 영향을 미친다. 인공관절요소로부터 마모입자는 골괴사나 다른 생화학적으로 많은 합병증을 일으킨다. 이런 점에서 인공고관절에서 마모와 정렬각도를 수술 후 추시를 통해 측정하는 것은 중요하다. 특히 관절면의 마모를 측정하는 것은 그 량이 크지 않아 상당한 정밀도를 요구한다. 현재 널리 쓰이는 상용 소프트웨어는 재현성과 측정방법의 표준화가 되어 있지 않아 사용에 많은 어려움이 있다. 본 논문에서는 일반 병원의 방사선촬영 환경에서 CAD만 추가로 구비하면 행할 수 있는 인공관절면 마모와 식립각 측정법을 제시한다. 인공관절만의 X-ray영상을 이용한 본 방법의 정확도와 정밀도 평가를 수행하였다. 또한 실제 인공고관절환자의 X-ray영상을 가지고 2년추시에 따른 마모와 식립각을 측정하였다. 본 연구에서 제시한 CAD를 이용한 방법은 마모측정에서 정확도 0.06 mm, 정밀도 0.05 mm, 식립각은 0.27°의 정밀도를 갖는다.

Background : Undulatum Rhubarb, commonly produced in domestic, is rhizome of Rheum undulatum L. that belongs to the family Polygonaceae. It also can be used as a substitute of R. palmatum L., R. tanguticum Maximowicz ex Balf., and R. officinale Baillon which completely depend on import system. However, there should be clear clarification among Undulatum Rhubarb and Rhubarb, because Undulatum Rhubarb contains rhaponticin as marker compound that is not indicated at Rhubarb. Some of the recently imported Undulatum Rhubarbs have been found to be Rhubarb. Also, it is known that only Undulatum Rhubarb is cultivated at domestic environment. But some plant origins of Rhubarb are grown in Korea, too. Further study are needed to clarify clear origin between Undulatum Rhubarb and Rhubarb. Thus, we collected some domestically cultivated samples and identified them. Methods and Reseults : Rheum undulatum L., Rhubarb, Rheum tanguticum Maximowicz ex Balf. which were cultivated in Gangwondo Agricultural Research and Extension Services in Cheorwon were collected and anayzed the DNA sequences. We also compared DNA sequences in Rhubarb collected from England and R. rhabarbarum L., R. undulatum L., and R. franzenbachii on NCBI. As a result, two kinds of rhubarb cultivated in the test plantation were identified as R. rhabarbarum and R. officinale. In addition, R. undulatum (plant origin of Undulatum Rhubarb) was identified as Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) in England with 99 - 100% identical in nuclear ITS gene region. Conclusion : R. undulatum, plant origin of Undulatum Rhubarb, is reported as synonym of R. rhabarbarum, R. franzenbachii. Rheum speices which are cultivated as tester in Gangwondo Agricultural Research and Extension Services in Cheorwon are estimated as R. undulatum and R. officinale. Therefore, not only Undulatum Rhubarb but Rhubarb could be grown in Korea.

To overcome the risk of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in patients have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and to prepare emergency fertility preservation in patients undergoing anticancer treatment, several researchers have reported IVM of oocytes retrieved from ovaries exposed by only hCG priming. However, the maturation rate and the developmental potential of embryos from IVM oocytes are significantly lower than those of oocytes matured in vivo. Here, we investigated the optimal time point for immature oocyte collection at post hCG only injection for in vitro maturation, in vitro fertilization and blastocyst formation. Immature GV oocytes were collected from 25 days old B6D2F1 female mouse at 12 hr, 14 hr, 16 hr or 24 hr post hCG injection. Oocytes were collected from antral or late secondary follicle by puncturing with 26 G needle. Collected oocytes were cultured in G2 medium with 10% FBS, FSH, estradiol, and hCG for 16 hr in vitro and subjected in vitro fertilization and further embryonic development. To examine follicular maturation, we estimated the numbers of primordial, primary, secondary follicle and antral follicle on ovaries of each time point post hCG. To confirm the optimal time point post hCG injection for collecting immature oocytes, we recovered the oocytes from each time point. There is no difference in the number of oocytes per mice. Oocytes collected at 14 hr post hCG injection were shown higher maturation rate to MII stage and blastocyst formation compare to other three groups (p<0.01). However, there is no difference in the maturation rate on the other three groups. Also, apoptotic signal with TUNEL assay or anti-PARP staining was not change in ovaries from all experimental groups. Granulosa cell proliferation test with anti Ki-67 or anti AMH was not show any difference. According to these results, there are no significant differences in four different time points at 12 hr, 14 hr, 16 hr or 24 hr of collection of immature oocytes in hCG primed mouse. However, oocytes from 14 hr post hCG injection showed higher percentages of maturation rate, in vitro fertilization rate, blastocyst formation.