• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.110-113
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• 2005

Patients of chronic alcoholism may show many kinds of complications such as myopathy, nutritional problems, peripheral neuropathy, withdrawal seizure and encephalopathies. We report an unusual case of alcoholic myopathy diagnosed with typical laboratory and pathological findings initially manifested as acute reversible encephalopathy showing transient abnormalities on brain MRI.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.502-506
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• 1996

Protein X is one of the subunits of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. The biological role of this protein has not been fully elucidated, mainly because of the difficulty in its dissociation from the tightly bound dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase-protein X subcomplex. We have found that the detachment of protein X from acetyltransferase subunit can be easily accomplished by the cycles of freezing and thawing proces. Several lines of evidence including sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis and acetylation with $[2^{14}C]$ pyruvate confirmed that the purified protein is protein X. The purified intact form of protein X was acetylated by $[2^{14}C]$ pyruvate in the presence of py-ruvate dehydrogenase subunit.The acetylation efficiency of this protein was lower than that of acetyltransferase and was not affected by the presence of acetyltransferase.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2011

Multiple symmetrical lipomatosis (MSL), also called Madelung's disease, is a rare disorder of unknown etiology and characterized by abnormal accumulation of large subcutaneous fatty masses in neck, shoulder, and upper trunk. MSL has known to predominantly affect middle-aged men with a history of alcoholism. Although the clinical course of MSL is considered to be slowly progressive, in advanced stage, fatty masses in the neck may compress the upper aerodigestive tract, resulting in dyspnea and dysphagia. The treatment of MSL is surgical resection, but radical excision is very difficult and recurrence after surgery is frequent. We report the case of 55-year-old man with long lasting MSL, which caused severe airway obstruction. This patient was admitted with progressive dyspnea and massive accumulation of fat around the vocal cord that was detected on a neck CT scan. This abnormal fatty infiltration in supraglottic region caused upper airway obstruction.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.194-205
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• 2018

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate and elucidate actual experiences of alcoholics' spouses using familial social gatherings. Methods: A total of nine women whose alcoholic husbands were attending Al-Anon meetings held in Y Cathedral in S District of Seoul were included in this study. Data collection of this study was conducted through in-depth interviews with participants from September 24 to November 30, 2015. Data analysis was conducted at the same time as the data collection, and analysis was performed according to the method suggested by Colaizzi(1978). Results: We categorized the participants' experiences into five themes including 'Trapped in a Deep Dark Tunnel', 'Life of Walking in an Endless Tunnel', 'Reaching a Dead End', 'Walking towards a Ray of Light', 'Finding Oneself on a Strange Path'. Conclusion: The results of this study provide an understanding of the essential structure of the life experiences of alcoholic spouses using familial social gatherings.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.209-212
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• 2011

Korean folk medicine 'ORiNaMu' has been used mainly to cure toothache and alcoholism. With regard to the botanical origin of 'ORiNaMu', it has been considered to designate the branch of Alnus species (Betulaceae), but there was no pharmacognostical confirmation on it. To clarify the botanical origin of 'ORiNaMu', the anatomical characteristics of the branch of Alnus firma, A. hirsuta, A. japonica and A. maximowiczii were studied. As a result, it was found the morphological criteria for the four Alnus species that could discriminate them the number of cork cell layer, fiber, stone cell and diameter of vessel. According to there criteria, it was clarified that the commercial folk medicine 'ORiNaMu' was the branch of Alnus firma.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.34 no.3 s.134
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• pp.233-236
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• 2003

An extract of Alnus japonica (Betulaceae) cortex has been traditionally used for purifying blood, and curing feces containing blood, enteritis, diarrhea, alcoholism and cut wounds. Alnus japonica cortex extract significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced paw edema at 1, 2 and 3 hrs after oral administration by 32.8, 24.4, and 46.9%. It also inhibited acetic acid-induced vascular permeability in mice by 15.3 and 28.0% at oral doses of 500 and 1,000 mg/kg, and it significantly reduced the volume of hindpaw of adjuvant-induced arthritis rats at the day 6 and 10 by 22.5 and 18.7% after the sample administration. Alnus japonica cortex extract increased threshold on inflamed paw (Randall-Selitto assay) at 3 hr by 137.5% compared to the control group. It also reduced the number of writhing syndrome dose- dependently.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.195-199
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• 2008

Alcoholism has been associated with folate deficiency in humans and laboratory animals. Previous study showed that ethanol feeding reduces the dehydrogenase and hydrolase activity of 10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (FDH) in rat liver. Hepatic ethanol metabolism generates acetaldehyde and acetate. The mechanisms by which ethanol and its metabolites produce toxicity within the liver cells are unknown. We purified FDH from rat liver and investigated the effect of ethanol, acetaldehyde and acetate on the enzyme in vitro. Hepatic FDH activity was not reduced by ethanol or acetate directly. However, acetaldehyde was observed to reduce the dehydrogenase activity of FDH in a dose- and time-dependent manner with an apparent $IC_{50}$ of 4 mM, while the hydrolase activity of FDH was not affected by acetaldehyde in vitro. These results suggest that the inhibition of hepatic FDH dehydrogenase activity induced by acetadehyde may play a role in ethanol toxicity.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1070-1078
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• 2018

Vibrio vulnificus is a gram-negative bacterium that can cause serious, potentially fatal infections. V. vulnificus causes three distinct syndromes: an overwhelming primary septicemia caused by consuming contaminated seafood, wound infections acquired when an open wound is exposed to contaminated warm seawater, and gastrointestinal tract-limited infections. Case-fatality rates are higher than 50% for primary septicemia, and death typically occurs within 72 hours of hospitalization. Risk factors for V. vulnificus infection include chronic liver disease, alcoholism, and hematological disorders. When V. vulnificus infection is suspected, appropriate antibiotic treatment and surgical interventions should be performed immediately. Third-generation cephalosporin with doxycycline, or quinolone with or without third-generation cephalosporin, may be potential treatment options for patients with V. vulnificus infection.

• Journal of Preventive Veterinary Medicine
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.177-181
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• 2018

Disulfiram is a drug used to treat alcohol dependence. Recent studies have shown that disulfiram also has anti-cancer effects. Considering that many anti-cancer agents have side effects, including immunosuppression, it is important to check if disulfiram has some cytotoxicity to immune cells. In this study, mouse spleen cells were treated with disulfiram and the metabolic activity was measured. Disulfiram increased the cell death of spleen cells according to annexin V-FITC/PI staining analysis. In addition, disulfiram decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential of spleen cells. The toxicity of disulfiram was concentration dependent. Interestingly, disulfiram affected the population of lymphocytes and the subset of spleen cells was altered. This study provides clinicians and researchers with valuable information regarding the toxicity of disulfiram to mouse spleen cells, particularly lymphocytes.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.255.2-255.2
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• 2003

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is flavin-containing enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of variety of amine-containing neurotransmitters such as catecholamines and serotonin to yield the corresponding aldehyde. Thus, MAO activity might play important roles in some pathological states of central nervous system diseases such as depression, alcoholism, and schizophrenia. (omitted)