• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.317-326
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• 1999

Background: Neural control of airway function is through parasympathetic, sympathetic and non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic mechanisms. The autonomic nervous system controls the airway smooth muscle tone, mucociliary system, permeability and blood flow in the bronchial circulation and release of mediators from the mast cells and other inflammatory cells. The cardiovascular and respiratory autonomic efferent fibers have a common central origin, so altered cardiovascular autonomic reflexes could reflect the altered respiratory autonomic status. Therefore, we performed this study to assess the autonomic abnormality and determine the correlating factors of severity of autonomic neuropathy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) using easily reproducible cardiovascular autonomic reflex function test. Method: The study included 20 patients with COPD and 20 healthy persons obtained on Health Promotion Center in Yeungnam university hospital. All the patients had history and clinical features of COPD as defined by the American Thoracic Society. Any patients with myocardial ischemia, cardiac arrythmia, hypertension, central or peripheral nervous system disease, diabetes mellitus, or any other diseases known to produce autonomic neuropathy, has excluded. The autonomic nervous system function tests included three tests evaluating the parasympathetic system and two tests evaluating the sympathetic system. And also all subjects were subjected to pulmonary function test and arterial blood gas analysis. Results: Autonomic dysfunction was more commonly associated with patients with COPD than healthy person The parasympathetic dysfunction was frequent in patient with COPD, but sympathetic dysfunction seemed preserved. The severity of parasympathetic dysfunction in patients with COPD was correlated with the degree of duration of disease, smoking, reductions in the value of $FEV_1$ and FVC, and arterial hypoxemia but no such correlation existed for age, type of COPD, $FEV_1$/FVC, or $PaCO_s$. Conclusion: There is high frequency of parasympathetic dysfunction associated with COPD and the parasympathetic abnormality in COPD is increased in proportion to severity of airway disease. In COPD, parasympathetic dysfunction probably does not the cause of disease, but it may be an effect of disease progression.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.395-401
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• 2019

Phthalate is a chemical endocrine disrupter and interfere with the action of hormones, estrogens, androgens and thyroid hormones. It also affect cardiovascular, metabolic, immune and reproductive system in the human and animals. Curcumin is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activity and -cancer properties in the human. We studied whether phthalates damage viability, mitochondrial activity and membrane integrity of sperm in boar semen. We also treated curcumin with/without phthalates in the boar semen. Fresh boar semen was treated with phthalates and/or curcumin for examining sperm characteristics. Sperm characteristics, sperm motility, viability, mitochondrial activity, and membrane integrity were determined during storage of boar semen. Sperm motility and viability in dose-dependent manner decreased by di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP, p<0.05). Phthalates also decreased mitochondrial activity and membrane integrity of sperm (p<0.05). However, sperm motility and viability were higher than untreated-curcumin when DBP, MBP and DEHP treated with a curcumin in boar semen (p<0.05). Mitochondrial activity and membrane integrity of sperm were higher in DBP- and MBP-treated semen with curcumin (p<0.05). In conclusion, phthalates can damage sperm viability and quality during the boar semen storage, and curcumin may protect the boar sperms from phthalates during storage term.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.161-174
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• 1997

Omega-3 fatty acids have been major research interests in medical and nutritional science relating to life sciences since after the epidemiologic data on Green3and Eskimos reported by several researchers clearly showed fewer per capita deaths from heart diseases and a lower incidence of adult diseases. Linolenic acid(LNA) is an essential fatty acid for human beings as well as linoleic acid(LA) due to the fact that vertebrates lack an enzyme required to incorporate a double bond beyond carbon 9 in the chain. In addition the ratio of omega-6 and 3 fatty acids seems to be important in terms of alleviation of heart diseases since LA and LNA competes for the metabolic pathways of eicosanoids synthesis. High consumption of omega-3 fatty acids in seafoods may control heart diseases by reducing blood cholesterol, triglyceride, VLDL, LDL and increasing HDL and by inhibiting plaque development through the formation of antiaggregatory substances like PGI$_2$, PGI$_3$ and TXA$_3$ metabolized from LNA. Omega 3 fatty acids also play an important role in neuronal developments and visual functioning, in turn influence learning behaviors. Current dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids are limited mostly to seafoods, leafy vegetables, marine and some seed oils and the most appropriate way to provide omega-3 fatty acids is as a part of the normal dietary regimen. The efforts to enhance the intake of omega-3 fatty acids due to several beneficial effects have been made nowadays by way of food processing technology. Two different ways can be applied: one is add Purified and concentrated omega-3 fatty acids into foods and the other is to produce foods with high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids by raising animals with specially formulated feed best for the transfer of omega-3 fatty acids. Recently, items of manufactured and marketed omega-3 fatty acids fortified foodstuffs are pork, milk, cheese, egg, formula milk and ham. In domestic food market, many of them are distributed already, but problem is that nutritional informations on the amounts of omega-3 fatty acids are not presented on the labeling, which might cause distrust of consumers on those products, result in lower sales volumes. It would be very much wise if we consume natural products, result in lower sales volumes. It would be very much wise if we consume natural products high in omega-3 fatty acids to Promote health related to many types of adult diseases rather than processed foods fortified with omega-3 fatty acids.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.430-440
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• 2022

Selenium is an important trace mineral that plays an essential role in maintaining the body's immunity with oxidative stress defense and antioxidant activity, immunity, thyroid hormone control, defense against drug or heavy metal harm, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. A selenium deficiency increases the risk of various chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological disease, osteoarthritis, muscle necrosis and weakness, thyroid disease, and inflammatory diseases. This paper explains the criteria for establishing and revising selenium in the 2020 Dietary Reference Intake for Koreans (KDRIs) and reviews the current status of the selenium database and suggestions for setting the 2025 KDRIs in the future. In the 2020 KDRIs, the selenium intake with the maximum plasma selenoprotein P level was used as the criteria. The weight and coefficient of the variation were applied to the Chinese' reported values. Compared to 2015 KDRIs, there were some revisions in the selenium dietary reference intakes by gender and age according to the change in reference weight. To improve and revise selenium dietary reference intakes in the future, a selenium intervention study is needed to determine the maximum level of plasma selenoprotein P in Koreans. In addition, a revision of the selenium database of the nutritional assessment program (CAN-Pro 5.0) is needed. An analysis of the selenium content of foods should be expanded to assess the selenium intake accurately. In addition, research on the relationship between selenium intake and the biological indicators in the body is required for healthy people and subjects of special environments, such as patients and athletes with various oxidative stress.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.390-397
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• 2005

Background & Object: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of degree of fatigue and gastric motility, measured by EGG, with skin sympathetic tone or cardiovascular reactivity in patients with functional dyspepsia. Methods: Subjects were 56 patients with Functional dyspepsia and eight healthy people. Degree of fatigue was assessed by questionnaires consisting of subjective complaints of fatigue. Skin sympathetic tone was measured by Ryodoraku Score and Cardiovascular Reactivity was checked by Pulse diagnostic apparatus. Gastric motility was estimated by EGG. First, all patients were divided into two groups by Ryodoraku Score $40{\mu}A$(below and above). Second, they were subdivided into two groups by Cardiovascular Reactivity(decreased and increased or not decreased). Estimates were made on the extent differences of degree of fatigue or state of gastric motility in each group. Results: 1. Fatigue scores was significantly higher in females and in the Ryodoraku-Score-below-$40{\mu}A$ group. It was higher in the decreased cardiovascular reactivity group than the increased group, but to no significanct extent. Also, gastric motility was better in the Ryodoraku-Score-above-$40{\mu}A$, group than in the below group. Conclusions: These results suggest that degree of fatigue and gastric motility are associated with skin sympathetic tone, but not associated with cardiovascular reactivity, and that $40{\mu}A$ is a useful cutoff point in Ryodoraku Score for assessing degree of fatigue in functional dyspepsia patients.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.187-194
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• 2009

Two pyranocoumarin constituents have been isolated from Angelica gigas and were identified as decursinol angelate (1) and decursin (2) by means of NMR analysis, respectively. Human acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (hACAT) inhibitory activity of decursinol angelate (1) and decursin (2) was evaluated. Decursin (2) showed significantly inhibitory activity against hACAT1 and hACAT2 with $IC_{50}$ value of 137 and $168\;{\mu}M$, respectively, whereas decursinol angelate (1) exhibited weak ACAT inhibitory activity. These results suggested that decusin from A. gigas might be effective for the prevention and the treatment of hypercholesterolemia or atherosclerosis by inhibitory effect on hACAT. The contents of decursinol angelate (1) and decursin (2) were analyzed in various parts of A. gigas including flower, seed, leaf and root using LC/MS/MS (ESI, positive ion mode, MRM mode). The content of decursinol angelate was increased in order of flower, seed, leaf, and root and decursin content was increased in order of flower, seed, leaf, and root. It was expected that unused parts including leaf and flower of A. gigas might be useful as new functional sources by their high contents of decursin and decursinol angelate.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.162-172
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the improvement effect of 5% mung bean (phaseolus aureus L.) on the blood glucose and lipid metabolism function of streptozotocin (STZ, 45 mg/kg body weight)-induced diabetic rats. Seven-week-old male rats were divided into four groups (n=6), and fed experimental diets containing mung bean meal [basal diet+5% mung bean (BM), basal diet+STZ+5% mung bean (SM)], and control (BD), BS groups (basal diet+STZ). The results of this study, mung bean diet groups (BM, SM) in lipid composition evidenced the significantly reduction of serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol), atherosclerotic index (AI), cardiac risk factor (CRF), triglyceride (TG), phospholipid (PL), free cholesterol, cholesteryl ester, uric acid, blood glucose, non esterified fatty acid (NEFA), and elevation of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol). The serum albumin/globulin ratio (A/G ratio) was increased in mung bean supplementation diet than STZ-induced diabetic rats (p<0.05). Concentrations of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) in sera were lower in the mung bean diet than diabetic group. Total calcium (T-Ca), phosphorus (Pi) and potassium (K) concentrations in sera were higher in the BM, SM and BD groups than BS group. In vivo experiments with Sprague-Dawley rats showed that ingestion of mung bean (phaseolus aureus L.) were effective in blood glucose and lipid composition.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1299-1305
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• 2010

Cardiac troponin-I (cTnI), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and C-reactive protein (CRP) are routine cardiac markers for the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. Recently, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) has garnered attention as a marker of heart failure. This study was retrospectively designed to investigate the relationships between preoperative BNP, other cardiac markers levels and perioperative parameters in seventy-four adult patients that underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) and to assess its usefulness for predicting postoperative outcomes. Preoperative levels of BNP, cTnI, CK-MB, and CRP had significantly positive or negative correlations with echocadiographic parameters. There were significantly positive relationships between BNP, cTnI, CK-MB, and CRP concentration. Postoperative mechanical ventilation time had a positive correlation to preoperative levels of cTnI, CK-MB, and CRP, while ICU-staying period had a positive correlation with BNP, cTnI and CK-MB. These results reveal that a preoperative level of BNP is a good predictor and that its combination with cTnI, CK-MB, and CRP might be useful for diagnosis and comprehensive risk stratification of patients with coronary heart diseases, as well as prognosis of perioperative outcomes in OPCAB patients.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.77-85
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• 1987

This study was carried out to determine the role of cholinoceptors in the ventrolateral medulla on central control of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). In rats anesthetized with urethane and paralyzed, microinjections of the neuroexcitatory amino acid L-glutamate (300 ng/site) were performed to functionally identity the vasopressor area (VLPA) and the vasodepressor area (VLDA) in the ventrolateral medulla oblongata. 1. The bilateral microinjection of carbachol (300 ng/site) into the VLPA produced significantly an increase in BP and HR which was not blocked by bilateral pretreatment of hexamethoium ($4\;{\mu}g/site$). 2. The bilateral microinjection of physostigmine (200 ng/site) and oxotremorine (300 ng/site) into the VLPA produced significantly an increase in BP respectively. 3. The bilateral microinjection of atropine ($4\;{\mu}g/site$) into the VLPA produced significantly a decrease in BP and HR. 4. The bilateral micro injection of acetylcholine (500 ng/site) and dimethylphenylpiperazinium (500 ng/site) into the VLDA produced significantly a decrease in BP and HR respectively. 5. The depressor and bradycardiac responses elicited by the bilateral microinjection of acetylcholine (500 ng/site) into the VLDA were blocked by bilateral pretreatment of hexamethonium ($4\;{\mu}g/site$). The results suggest that the activation of cholinoceptors in VLPA produce hypertensive and tachycardiac responses which may be mediated by muscarinic receptors, and the activation of cholinoceptors in VLDA produce hypotensive and bradycardiac responses which may be mediated by nicotinic receptors.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 2020

As the elderly population increases, it is becoming important to prevent and treat muscle loss caused by aging or disease. Steroidal androgen in the protein assimilation steroid (AAS) system is mainly used to induce muscle improvement, but it is well known that long-term or excessive doses of AAS result in various side effects, although they are prescribed for various muscle and weight loss treatments. Research is therefore underway to explore natural substances that promote muscle renewal with relatively few side effects. However, despite many studies on the improvement of skeletal muscle and the reduction of muscle disease using natural products, there is still a lack of significant clinical results and mechanism studies. The promotion of muscle regeneration through treatment with natural substances typically involves three mechanisms: positive control of the muscle modulating factor (MRF), activation of the protein synthesis mechanism, and inhibition of the protein breakdown mechanism. A study of plant extracts that are known to have muscle neoplasmic stimulation effects, such as black ginseng, plum, and nutmeg, as well as single substances derived from natural products, such as creatine, catechin, and several fatty acids, is therefore described. We also summarize the mechanisms that have been identified so far through which each of these extracts or single materials facilitates muscle regeneration and the signaling pathways that they mediate.