A small beam or slit of light focused at the pupillary margin will induce regular, persistent oscillations of the pupil. The period of these cycles is the pupil cycle time that can be easily measured and expressed in milliseconds. When the efferent part of the light reflex of the pupil is normal, determination of the period of these cycles in milliseconds provides a number which may be correlated with conduction time in the anterior visual pathway. Cox and Drews reoorded pupillary response to alternating half-field visual stimuli and found that stimulation of the temporal visual field (nasal retina) caused more pupillary constriction than did equivalent stimulation of the nasal field(temporal retina). These findings imply an asymmertric decussation of pupillomotor pathways in the midbrain in humans as well as greater sensitivity of the nasal retina. We measured nasal and temporal pupil cycle time on 200 normal eyes of Koreans by half-field stimulation of the nasal and temporal retina. And we found that: 1. The mean temporal pupil cycle time was 1071 +/- 92m sec, in right eye and 1068 +/- 81m sec, in left eye. The mean nasal pupil cycle time was 894 +/- 63m sec, in right eye and 899 +/- 57m sec, in left eye. Difference between nasal and temporal pupil cycle time was 177 +/- 73m sec, in right eye and 169 +/- 64m sec, in left eye. 2. The difference of pupil cycle time between the right and left eyes was 3 +/- 84m sec, in temporal retina and 5 +/- 61m sec, in nasal retina. The difference of pupil cycle time between the two eyes was not significant statistically. 3. The mean temporal pupil cycle time of the two eyes was 1069 +/- 85m sec, and the mean nasal pupil cycle time was 897 +/- 62m sec. Difference between nasal and temporal pupil cycle time was 172 +/- 74m sec. In 95% of normal population, the discrepancy between temporal and nasal pupil cycle time was shorter than 253m sec. 4. The mean temporal pupil cycle time was 1066 +/- 86m sec, in male and 1072 +/- 83m sec, in female. The mean nasal pupil cycle time 901 +/- 63m sec, in male and 894 +/- 59m sec, in female. The difference of pupil cycle time between the male and female was not significant statistically.
Constriction ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mesencephalon ; Pupil* ; Reflex ; Retina ; Visual Fields ; Visual Pathways

Based on the rDNA ITS sequences data, specific primer set for PCR detection of wood-decaying fungus Phellinus linteus was designed. The length of PCR products using designed primer set(SHF and SHR) was about 540 bp. Among 11 species, 17 isolates of Phellinus spp. including Phellinus linteus, P. pomaceus, P. spiculosus, P. baumi, P. pini, P. igniarius, P. gilvus, P. biscuspidatus, P. weirii, P. johnsonianus, P. robutus, and P. igniarius, seven isolates of Phellinus linteus showed about 540 bp-sized single band. This molecular technique could offer a useful tool for detecting and identifying Phellinus linteus.
DNA, Ribosomal* ; Fungi* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Molecular mechanism of nuclear factor-kappaB(NF-kappaB) in the atherosclerosis has been unclear. Recently, NF-kappaB activating function of tissue transglutaminase (tTGase), multifunctional calcium-dependent transamidation enzyme, have been reported in the various tissues like neuroglia. In this report, we investigated the immunoreactivity of tTGase at the human atherosclerotic coronary artery, and examined the effect of tTGase on the well-known proatherogenic NF-kappaB pathway using tTGase-overexpressed cells. Immunohistochemical studies on autopsy samples showed that immunoreactivity of tTGase was markedly elevated in the neointimal tissues of atherosclerotic coronary arteries with progression of disease. Immunohistochemical staining also demonstrated that phosphorylated I-kappaB was activated in the atherosclerotic vessel wall. In vitro study using rat cardiomyoblast (H9c2) and tTGase-overexpressed H9c2 showed that activated tTGase enhanced the phosphorylation of I-kappaB, and this activation was inhibited by tTGase specific inhibitors. These findings suggest that cytosolic tTGase may serve as an activator of NF-kappaB.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; Autopsy ; Coronary Vessels* ; Cytosol ; Humans ; Neuroglia ; NF-kappa B* ; Phosphorylation ; Rats

This study was carried out to develop specific primers for PCR detection of Phellinus linteus. Diverse genomes of 15 Phellinus spp. including five Phellinus linteus isolates were fingerprinted by Primer Universal rice primer (URP)1F. The URP-PCR pattern differentiated P. linteus isolates from other phellinus spp. A polymorphic band (2.8 kb), which is unique for P. linteus isolates, was isolated and sequenced. Twenty four-oligonucleotide primer pairs were designed based on information of DNA sequence. The primer set (PLSPF2/PLSPR1) amplified single band (2.2 kb) of expected size with genomic DNA from seven Phellinus linteus, but not with that of other Phellinus species tested. The primers could be used identically in both DNA samples from mycelium and fruit bodies. This specific primers could offer a useful tool for detecting and identifying P. linteus rapidly.
Base Sequence ; Dermatoglyphics ; DNA ; Fruit ; Genome ; Mycelium ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

Paraffin sections of atherosclerotic vessels were classified into initial lesion, preatheroma and complicated severe lesion by classification method from American Heart Association. Activation of NF-kappaB was hardly detectable in the initial atherosclerotic lesion. In the preatheroma, activated NF-kappaB was enhanced in the neointimal smooth muscle cells and macrophages in the lipid core. In contrast, activated NF-kappaB increased markedly in the neointimal and medial smooth muscle cells in the severe atherosclerotic vessel wall. However, in the severe lesion, NF-kappaB activation was diminished in the macrophages of lipid core. Our findings show that NF-kappaB was activated in the smooth muscle cells with the progression of atherosclerosis in the human coronary artery.
American Heart Association ; Atherosclerosis ; Classification ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans* ; Macrophages ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; NF-kappa B ; Paraffin

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Rubus Coreanus Miquel (RCM), used as a traditional Korean medicine, reduces chronic inflammatory diseases such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. However, its mechanism has not been elucidated. In this study, we examine the anti-inflammatory effects of RCM and their possible mechanisms using RAW 264.7 cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: Unripe RCM ethanol extract (UE), unripe RCM water extract (UH), ripe RCM ethanol extract (RE), and ripe RCM water extract (RH) were prepared. Inflammatory response was induced with LPS treatment, and expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (iNOS, COX-2, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6) and NO and PGE2 productions were assessed. To determine the anti-inflammatory mechanism of RCM, we measured NF-kappaB and MAPK activities. RESULTS: UE and UH treatment significantly reduced NF-kappaB activation and JNK and p38 phosphorylation and reduced transcriptional activities decreased iNOS, COX-2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines expressions, and NO and PGE2 productions. RE and RH treatments reduced IL-1beta and IL-6 expressions through suppressions of JNK and p38 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we showed that RCM had anti-inflammatory effects by suppression of pro-inflammatory mediator expressions. Especially, unripe RCM showed strong anti-inflammatory effects through suppression of NF-kappaB and MAPK activation. These findings suggest that unripe RCM might be used as a potential functional material to reduce chronic inflammatory responses.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Cytokines ; Dinoprostone ; Ethanol ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; NF-kappa B* ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Water

PURPOSE: This study examined the relationship of the nutrition of rice and the positive evaluation of the rice-based meal with the food consumption habits, physical and emotional health status, and learning efficacy of 601 middle and high school students in Jeonju area. METHODS: The participants were divided into two groups using cluster analysis in that the participants belonging to the upper groups had a center score of 46.86 (n = 348), while the people belonging to the lower group had a center score of 36.89 (n = 253). Statistical differences were tested for all the relationships between the physical and emotional healths symptoms and learning efficacy between the groups at the α = 0.05 level. RESULTS: Significant differences in the physical self-evaluated symptoms were observed in all five items in each cluster (p < 0.05). In the case of the emotional health status, nine out of 10 items showed significant differences between the groups. Similarly, significant differences in all five items in learning efficacy questionnaire were noted (p < 0.05). Positive attitudes of the parents toward having breakfast also showed significant differences among the groups. CONCLUSION: The nutrition of rice and a positive evaluation of the rice-based meals significantly affect the physical and emotional health status and learning efficacy of juveniles. These findings can be used as baseline information for promoting nutrition education, particularly rice-based breakfast.
Adolescent ; Breakfast ; Education ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Learning ; Meals ; Parents

The original version of this article contained errors in authorship and funding acknowledgment.