• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.131-143
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• 2011

Objectives: This study is to develop a web-based prevention program of alcohol-related problem among university students and to examine its efficacy in changing drinking behaviors and reducing harms associated with alcohol use. Methods: An hour-length program was developed containing news paper articles, pictures, stories and questionnaires in a multimedia format such as flash, animation, and text. Survey data were analyzed to examine program efficacy from a convenient sample of 1,080 freshmen enrolled in a participating university. Results: Participation in the program has resulted in statistically significant changes in drinking behavior between pretest and follow-up, including reduction of frequency of drinking, heavy drinking, and intoxication, typical amount of drinking per occasion, and subjective norm of heavy drinking. Repeated ANOVA revealed significant increases in knowledge on alcohol related facts, including recommended drinking unit by WHO with substantial level of effect size and in making negative alcohol expectancy with very low effect size. Further studies are guaranteed with randomized controlled trial for the program effectiveness. Conclusions: A web-based prevention program of alcohol-related problems in this study was efficacious in changing drinking behavior, knowledge on alcohol-related fact, alcohol expectancy and subjective drinking norm.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.139-144
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• 2015

Background: The work force in industries are at risk of developing unduly high rates of health and behaviour related problems including abuse of alcohol, betel nut and cigarette (alcohol, betel nut and cigarette consumption). This study describes the relationships between alcohol, betel nut and cigarette consumption and health promoting behaviour among industrial workers. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted on workers in various industries of Ghaziabad city with concerned authority permission. A sample size of 732 workers was calculated based on pilot study. Through Simple random sampling 732 workers in 20 to 50 years age group with informed consent were interviewed through structured, pretested, validated questionnaire in vernacular language by one calibrated investigator. Data on socio demography, alcohol, betel nut and cigarette consumption pattern and health behaviour were collected. The association between health promoting behaviour and alcohol, betel nut and cigarette consumption was analysed by Logistic regression and Chi-square test through SPSS 16 at p<0.05 and 95%CI as significant. Results: Total prevalence of alcohol, betel nut and cigarette consumption in study population was 88%. The prevalence of individual alcohol, betel nut and cigarette consumption were 82%, 68% and 79% respectively. Combined alcohol, betel nut and cigarette prevalence in study population was 58%. Alcohol and cigarette users were significantly higher (p<0.001) in 30 to 40 years age group with lower level of education having poor attitude towards health promoting behaviour, poor oral hygiene practices and rare indulgence in regular physical exercise. Conclusions: This study stimulate further research on exploring methods to prevent initiation of health risk behaviour and promote healthy behaviour with cessation help for the current alcohol, betel nut and cigarette users.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.18-22
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• 2002

Background and Objectives : It has been pointed out that alcohol intake in human beings induces changes in voice register and maximum phonation time. These changes supposedly result from injection of the vibratory vocal folds. The purpose of this study was to clarify the voice changes associated with alcohol intake and the changes of laryngeal mucosa. Materials and Methods : The subjects included 29 volunteers, including 20 men and 9 women ranging in age from 22 to 31 years. Alcohol intake was accomplished by oral administration of 23% soju 1 bottle (255cc). Serum alcohol concentration levels were evaluated hourly for 3 h after ingestion of alcohol. Seven measurements were performed at pre-alcohol intake and post-alcohol intake hourly : fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio as the acoustic analysis, maximal phonation time, mean flow rate, and subglottal pressure as the aerodynamic analysis. The changes of laryngeal mucosa were evaluated by flexible laryngoscope at each measurement. Results : By comparing the acoustic and aerodynamic data and laryngeal mucosa before and after alcohol intake, there were not remarkable changes (p>0.05). Conclusion : The voice and laryngeal mucosa have not remarkably changed according to alcohol concentration in this study. Furthermore studies on the voice change induced by multiple alcohol concentrations are required.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 2006

Objectives : Biochemical markers can provide an objective evidence of heavy alcohol drinking. The purpose of this study was to compare and evaluate the usefulness of biological markers detecting alcohol dependence, such as mean corpuscular volume(MCV), gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT), and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin(CDT) in the patients of an alcohol counseling center. Methods : This study was done with 64 patients with alcohol dependence and 36 healthy subjects. Relative values(%) of CDT were determined in their sera with turbidimetric immunoassay(Bio-Rad %CDT assay, Axis-Shield ASA, Oslo, Norway), and were compared with conventional markers of alcohol consumption, GGT and MCV. Results : Among the patients with alcohol dependence, 78.1% showed abnormal %CDT levels compared with GGT(61.9%) and MCV(20.7%). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves(95% confidence interval) for %CDT, GGT, and MCV were 0.934(0.866-0.973), 0.871(0.789-0.930), and 0.575 (0.472-0.673), respectively. Conclusion : %CDT seems to be the most reliable biological marker for the detection and monitoring of alcohol consumption in the patients with alcohol dependence of the alcohol counseling center.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.161-166
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• 2007

Objectives:Recent studies have raised the possibility that nerve growth factor(NGF) is abnormally regulated in the central nervous system(CNS) of animal models with alcohol dependence. The possible alteration of NGF by prolonged alcohol intake may play an important role in alcohol-induced neurotoxicity. Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin(CDT) is regarded as a reliable biological marker of alcohol dependence. The goal of this study was to estimate the changes of %CDT and serum NGF level according to the duration of alcohol abstinence, and to identify whether %CDT level is associated with the serum NGF level in the patients with alcohol dependence. Methods:The subjects were 24 patients with alcohol dependence. We used the Axis-Shield ASA to measure the %CDT level and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) to measure the serum NGF level. %CDT and NGF levels were measured immediately after the admission and at 2 weeks after the admission. Results:Decreased %CDT were observed during the period of 2 weeks after the admission. NGF level was not significantly different after 2 weeks. The NGF levels were not correlated with %CDT. The possibility of %CDT as a predictor of alcohol-induced neurotoxicity was not confirmed. Conclusion:Serum NGF levels is not a reliable indicator of abstinence state in the patients with alcohol dependence. Further studies are needed to evaluate the relation between two indicators in regard to hematological and neurological changes in alcohol dependence.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.12 no.1 s.24
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• pp.39-45
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• 2006

Based on the previous studies on alcohol effects on human behaviour and performance in transportation system such as air-plane and car driving, the alcohol exposure before and on watch of a ship has a great influence on subsequent behaviour. In this paper, to examine the drinking status of officers on board multiple choice questionnaires are circularized under instruction and surveyed for 118 officers. According to the results of the questionnaire survey on alcohol dependency (Alcoholism) that was invented by WHO, over 27 % of those surveyed represented alcohol abuse symptoms. In addition to that, the existing state and awareness for on-board-drinking was summarized to make a scenario of drink-operation with a ship handling simulator to investigate the effect of alcohol (0.08 g% blood alcohol concentrations) on ship operational performance. A main effect for alcohol was found indicating that ship operational performance was comparatively impaired by this alcohol relative to performance in the non-alcohol condition The results of this research can be applied to minimize marine accidents as basic data.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.190-197
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• 2012

Depression is one of the most prevalent diseases of alcohol abuse. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a critical role in cell survival in the hippocampus. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) is induced by BDNF, and it regulates cell proliferation and differentiation in the brain. We investigated the effects of alcohol intake on depression-like behavior, cell proliferation, expressions of BDNF and its downstream molecules in the hippocampus using Mongolian gerbils. The gerbils were divided into four groups: control group, 0.5 g/kg alcohol-treated group, 1 g/kg alcohol-treated group, 2 g/kg alcohol-treated group. Each dose of alcohol was orally administered for 3 weeks. The present results demonstrated that alcohol intake induced depression-like behavior. Both 5-hydroxytryptamine synthesis and its synthesizing enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase expression in the dorsal raphe and cell proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus were decreased by alcohol intake. Alcohol intake suppressed BDNF expression, and resulted in the decrease of its downstream molecules, pERK1/2 and Bcl-2, in the hippocampus. We showed that alcohol intake may lead to a depressed-like state with reduced hippocampal cell proliferation through inhibition of the BDNF-ERK signaling pathway.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 2009

Although alcohol drinking may cause fatty liver to induce hepatocytic injury, other factors lead to it. We designed this study to investigate the differences in serum iron, cardiac, and biochemical indices in men with fatty liver and the difference between alcohol drinkers (Alcohol group) and non-drinkers (Non-alcohol group). The alcohol group had higher body indices than the non-alcohol group. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), and right and left intraocular pressure in the alcohol group were higher than those in the non-alcohol group. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and monocyte counts were higher in the alcohol group than in the non-alcohol group. Alanine aminotransferase, ${\gamma}$-glutamyltranspeptidase, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, creatinine, uric acid, iron, total iron binding capacity, and ferritin levels in the alcohol group were greater than those in the non-alcohol group. The present data reveals that alcohol-induced fatty liver has more elevated level of iron indices than in non-alcohol fatty liver as well as biochemical and cardiac indices, indicating that alcohol- induced fatty liver may cause possibility of adult diseases including cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.176-188
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• 1999

Objective : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of alcohol on neurocognitive function, psychomotor performance and subjective response in healthy Korean adults with different ALDH2 genotypes. Method : A total of 24 males, half with active $ALDH2^*1/2^*1$ and the other with inactive $ALDH2^*1/2^*2$, was selected through genotyping using restriction fragment length polymorphism. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design, each subject consumed 0.5g/kg dose of alcohol, given as a mixture of 40% vodka and orange juice, and placebo(orange juice) on two separate occasions on an average of weekly intervals. The blood alcohol concentrations(BACs) were measured using a breath analyzer at baseline and at 30, 60 minutes after drinking. P300s were measured at baseline and at 30 minutes after alcohol and placebo intake. Vital signs and psychomotor performance[Critical Flicker Fusion Threshold(CFFT), Choice Reaction Time (CRT), Digit Symbol Substitution(DSS)] were measured at baseline and at 60 minutes after alcohol and placebo intake. Subjective responses were measured at the end of the study. The statistical analysis focused on whether there were any differences between groups with different ALDH2 genotypes. Results : The major results are as follows. 1) BACs in the inactive group were overall equivalent to those in the active group. Only in terms of time, BACs were significantly higher overall at 30 minutes than at 60 minutes after alcohol intake. 2) Pulse rates were significantly increased after alcohol intake compared with placebo, and the increase was greater in the inactive than in the active group. 3) P300 latencies in leads Fz(frontal), Cz(cental) and Pz(parietal) were significantly increased after alcohol intake compared to placebo, and the increase was greater in the inactive than in the active group. P300 amplitudes in leads Cz and Pz were significantly decreased overall after alcohol intake compared to placebo. 4) Compared with placebo, alcohol produced significant effect on the psychomotor performance : impairment in the inactive group, improvement in the active group. 5) Compared with placebo, alcohol significantly induced a negative or an intense effect on the subjective responses in the inactive group, but little negative and even a somewhat positive effect in the active group. Conclusions : These results suggest that ALDH isozyme variance might be an important factor to determine the effects of acute dose of alcohol on the various psychobehavioural functions and also to determine the alcohol use pattern and to predict the future development of alcohol overuse and/or abuse.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.435-443
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• 1989

The regulation of the synthesis of alcohol-oxidase(E. C. 1. 1. 3. 13) was investigated in the methanol-utilizing yeasts during growth on different carbon sources. For this experiment, Pichia pastoris CBS 2612 and Pichia pastoris CBM 10 were cultured in mineral salt medium by changing its carbon sources. The production of alcohol-oxidase was varied by the carbon sources. For example, alcohol-oxidase was undetectable in all strains submitted to the test in the medium with glucose, but its production was rapidely increased when the carbon source was changed from glucose to methanol after 48hrs of incubation. Moreover, this enzyme was not synthesized during growth on the primary aliphatic alcohols alone(ethanol, propanol, butanol or pentanol) or on the mixed substrates(0.5% methanol+0.5% primary aliphatic alcohols). When cells were grown on the various carbon sources(glucose, xylose, lactose, glycerol, galactose, saccharose, sorbose, lactic acid or acetic acid), The alcohol-oxidase activity was detected a very little amounts. These carbon sources together with methnol yieled far better synthesis of alcohol-oxidase than in case of carbon sources alone. Especially, the alcohol-oxidase activity of the cells grown on sorbose, lactose or lactic acid together with methanol was far better or similar than that of cells grown on methanol alone. The apparent Km values for the methanol of Pichia pastoris CBS 2612 and Pichia pastoris CBM 10 enzymes were 1.92 and 210 mM, respectively. It is also active towards alcohols of shorter alkyl-chain length than $C_7$, insaturated alcohols(allylalcohol, crotyl-alcohol) and secondary alcohols (iso-amylacohol, iso-butylalcohol). The affinity of alcohol-oxidase for this alcohols decreased with the increasing length of the alkyl-chain.