• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.190-196
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• 2018

Obesity has been reported to be a cluster of risk factors in the pathological ecology, In particular, there is increasing evidence that inflammation-related factors are associated with diabetes. This study examined the relationship between the hs-CRP level and FBG, fructosamine, and $HbA_1c$ in 4,734 non-diabetic adults aged 20 years or older, who were approved by the National Health and Nutrition Survey in 2015. The results showed that the FBG, fructosamine, and $HbA_1c$ levels increased with increasing BMI; the hs-CRP levels were the highest in the obese group, and HOMA-IR, an index of insulin resistance, was also significantly higher in the obese group. The hs-CRP level was the highest in obese adults. The levels of FBG, fructosamine. and $HbA_1c$, which are involved in blood glucose control, increased with increasing hs-CRP level. The FBG, fructosamine, and $HbA_1c$ levels increased significantly with increasing hs-CRP level after adjusting for various related variables. These results suggest that the obesity-induced increase in hs-CRP is a risk factor for diabetes mellitus in non-diabetic adults. Therefore, proper dietary habits and regular exercise should prevent diabetes by preventing obesity in non-diabetic adults.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.180-185
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• 2003

Rats(Sprague-Dawley) were randomly assigned to the following four groups, control, exercise only, exercise and the intake of DNA, exercise, and the intake of DNA plus crude catechin. 0.4% of DNA from salmon egg and 0.1% crude catechins from Puerariae thunbergiana roots were fed to the rats. The exercise group was exercised in a treadmill at 20 m/min speed for 6 wks. Body weight and body fat weight of 4 groups were investigated, and the body fat composition and antioxidant activity were evaluated by measuring the weight of organs and biochemical test. After 6 wks, body weight did not show any significant differences among those 4 groups, but body fat weight in exercised groups was significantly decreased. The weight of liver, epididymal adipose tissue(E.A.T) and perirenal adipose tissue(P.A.T) were significantly decreased in groups of exercise only, exercise and the intake of DNA, exercise and the intake of DNA plus crude catechin(p<0.05). Phospholipid, cholesterol and triglyceride levels of serum were decreased by exercise, but HDL-cholesterol level of serum was significantly increased(p<0.05). GOT, GPT and glucose levels in serum were slightly decreased by crude catechin, but serum NEFA levels were significantly increased by crude catechin(p<0.05). Results indicated that excercise with the intake of crude catechin would be helpful for the functional development of the compositions in blood lipid.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementation with Opuntia humifusa on the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-delta (PPAR-${\delta}$), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-${\gamma}$) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-$1{\alpha}$) in the skeletal muscle of rats fed a high-fat diet. Sixteen Sprague-Dawley male rats at 6 weeks of age were randomly divided into 2 groups: a control diet group (CG, n=8) and an experimental diet group (EG, n=8). The rats were fed a high-fat diet (CG) or a high-fat diet supplemented with 5% O. humifusa (EG) for 8 weeks. The results showed that the abdominal fat pad and epididymal fat pad weights were significantly lower in the EG than in the CG (p<0.01). In the blood, serum glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol in the EG group were lower than in the CG (p<0.01). The expression of PPAR-${\gamma}$ and PGC-$1{\alpha}$ protein in the skeletal muscle of the EG was increased compared with that of the CG (p<0.05). These results indicate that 8 weeks of O. humifusa supplementation lowers serum glucose and triglyceride levels and suppresses weight gain by reducing fat weight through an increase in the expression of PPAR-${\gamma}$ and PGC-$1{\alpha}$ in the muscle tissue of rats.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1376-1380
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• 2017

This study examined how the daily administration of dried CP roots affects body-weight gains of mice. An aqueous CP extract (1 g/kg of CP-W) was orally administered to mice on a daily basis for ten weeks, and the mice's body weights and food intakes were measured throughout the period. At the end of the ten-week treatment, murine blood samples were taken and hematological and serum biochemical parameters were examined. The mice's intra-abdominal organs were weighed at necropsy. The treatment of CP-W significantly suppressed the mice's body-weight gain by about 10%. There were no changes to the food intakes of and no observable abnormal clinical signs in any of the animals throughout the experimental period. There were no significant differences between the control and CP-W mice in regards to the hematological and serum biochemical parameters and the organ weights at necropsy. The results demonstrated that the daily administration of CP-W for ten weeks suppresses body-weight gain in mice and does not change mice's food intake or cause any noticeable toxic effects.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.51-64
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• 2003

Objective : This study investigated the alteration of neural activity and effect of Yanggyuksanhwa-tang (Lianggesanhuo-tang) on cerebral ischemia of rats. Methods : Considering age-related impact on cerebral ischemia, aged rats (18 months old) were used for this study. Ischemic damage was induced by the transient occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (BCAO) with hypotension. Yanggyuksanhwa-tang (Lianggesanhuo-tang) was administered twice a day orally. Then alterations of neural activities in the brain of aged BCAO rats were measured by the [$^{14}C$]2-deoxyglucose autoradiography method. Results : The BCAO in aged rats led to significant decrease of neural activity in the whole brain. Treatment with Yanggyuksanhwa-tang (Lianggesanhuo-tang) significantly attenuated the decrease of neural activity in the whole brain following BCAO ischemia. Treatment significantly attenuated the decrease of neural activity in the CA1, CA2, CA3, dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, activated barrel, barrel cortex, somatosensory cortex, cingulate cortex, caudate putamen, and medial septal nucleus following BCAO in aged rats. Treatment with Yanggyuksanhwa-tang (Lianggesanhuo-tang) also significantly attenuated the decrease of neural activity in the anteroventral thalamic nucleus, ventral anterior thalamic nucleus, arcuate nucleus, posterior hypothalamic area, medial mammillary nucleus, lateral periaqueductal gray, dorsal raphe nucleus, interpeduncular nucleus, median raphe nucleus, and medial pontine nucleus. Conclusion : It can be suggested that Yanggyuksanhwa-tang (Lianggesanhuo-tang) has a neuroprotecuve effect on cerebral ischemia through the control of glucose metabolic rate and cerebral blood flow.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.95-107
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical nurses' knowledge of DM and diabetes patient education aptitude so as to provide a basis for clinical nurse training with respect to diabetes patient education program. The data has been collected through the questionnaires of 42 items from the Knowledge on DM and each 16 item from the Importance on the elements of diabetes patient and the Recognition for clinical nurses, respectfully. 166 nurses from a general hospital who had participated in clinical nurse training in Sep. 28 and Oct. 4, 2001 were subject to respond the questionnaires. Analysis has been done by using statistical method such as percentage, average, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test and Pearson correlation coefficients. The findings are as follows: 1. Clinical nurses' knowledge levels of diabetes 1) The average level of nurses' knowledge about diabetes is 29.37 (right answer- finding rate: 70%), which is intermediate. 2) Amongst the nurses classified by their knowledge levels about diabetes, the group with less than one year career and that with more than 5 year careers are found to have higher knowledge levels. The item with the highest right answer-finding rate was 'Please find the wrong out of the following examples about foot care'. Meanwhile, the item with highest incorrect answer-finding rate was 'what does blood sugar control aims for amongst gestational diabetes?'. 2. Clinical nurses' importance and perception levels of educational training about diabetes 1) There were no differences amongst nurses' importance level about diabetes. 2) Nurses usually had high scores(4.30) in terms of the items related to the importances about educational training. 3) There were quite high recognitions of general characteristics and symptoms about diabetes, amongst the nurse cohorts working more than one year and less than 5 years, and over 5 years, the group belonging to the internal department, that having the previous experiences of dealing with diabetes, and that having their diabetic relatives and other close people. Meanwhile, strangely, the group who identified themselves as 'not good at treating diabetes' had a high recognition level of educational training about diabetes. 3. Relationship between knowledge levels and importance & perception levels of diabetes 1) The higher knowledge about diabetes nurses had, the more importance they recognized. 2) It is found that there was no relationship between knowledge and perception of diabetes. 3) The more importance about diabetes nurses had, the higher perception they obtained. In conclusion, there is an urgent need for systematic educational programs about diabetes including technical aspects, in order to upgrade and improve nurses knowledge levels. In addition, re-educational training should be provided at regular intervals. Further, we believe the nurses with high knowledge about diabetes and interests in the provision of educations for patients can be far more confident, and in return, patients can have better self-management about diabetes obtained through educations. Based on the above-mentioned findings, we would like to make the suggestion: re-evaluation about nurses' knowledge and cognition levels should be carried out after job training programs about diabetes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.1006-1012
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• 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate effects of zinc (Zn) bearing palygorskite (ZnPal) supplementation on growth performance, hepatic mineral content, and antioxidant status of broilers at early age. Methods: A total of 240 1-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were allocated into 5 treatments with 6 replicates of 8 chicks each. Birds in 5 treatments were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0 (Control group; Analyzed Zn content: 81 mg/kg), 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg/kg Zn as ZnPal for 21 days, respectively. Blood, liver and intestinal mucosa were collected at 21 days of age. Results: Treatments did not affect growth performance of broilers during the 21-day study (p>0.05). The contents of hepatic Zn and magnesium (Mg) were linearly increased (p<0.001) by ZnPal supplementation. ZnPal inclusion linearly (p = 0.007) reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in serum. The activity of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in liver increased linearly (p = 0.001) with concentration of ZnPal in diet. ZnPal inclusion linearly (p = 0.036) and quadratically (p = 0.005) increased T-SOD activity, and linearly (p = 0.012) increased copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) activity in jejunal mucosa. The maximum responses of hepatic and jejunal antioxidant enzymes activities (T-SOD and Cu/Zn SOD) were found when supplementing the basal diet with 60 mg/kg Zn as ZnPal. Furthermore, ZnPal supplementation quadratically (p = 0.001) increased Cu/Zn SOD activity in ileal mucosa, and its maximum activity was observed in the diet supplemented with 20 mg/kg Zn as ZnPal. Conclusion: ZnPal supplementation did not alter growth performance of broilers. Dietary ZnPal inclusion could increase concentrations of hepatic trace minerals (Zn and Mg) and inhibit lipid peroxidation by reducing serum MDA accumulation, with the optimal dosage of Zn from ZnPal being 80 mg/kg diet (analyzed Zn content in the diet: 165 mg/kg), and 60 mg/kg Zn as ZnPal (analyzed Zn content in the diet: 148 mg/kg) was the optimum dosage for broilers to achieve maximum antioxidant enzyme activities.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.216-230
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• 2005

Although the field of study in immune enhancing compounds is relatively new, natural products from plants represent a rich and promising source of novel molecules with immunomodulating properties, Microglial cells, the main immune effector cells of the brain, usually display a ramified morphology and low expression levels of immunologically relevant antigens such as MHC class I and class II. Since any compound which participates in activation of phagocytic cells contributes to the production of potentially toxic factors, the search for convenient in vitro test-systems and study of mechanisms of action of these agents are of great interest. Human blood polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells and primary microglial cells isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats were used as cellular screening tests for study of phagocytosis-stimulating action of immunomodulating agents. Numbers of phagocytic activity were evaluated by the phagocyte ingestion of yeast cells and NO-synthase activity, nitrite production, and nitroblue tetrazolium test were determined after phagocyte stimulation. It was possible to demonstrate that indexes of phagocytic activity can be used as quantitative indicators for measurement immunomodulating activity. As a positive control, Zymosan A-induced phagocytosis in both PMN cells and primary microglial cells was used. $IFN-{\gamma}$ (0.1 -1 U/ml) stimulated phagocytosis in PMN cells 1.2 times after 2 - 3 h incubation, although at higher concentrations (10 - 100 U/ml) it strongly inhibited phagocytosis. In a similar way, at higher concentrations, $IFN-{\gamma}$ (100 - 500 U/ml) suppressed phagocytosis in zymosan-A stimulated microglial cells. When Polypodium leucotomus, cambricum and vulgare extracts were tested alone, increased levels of phagocytosis were observed in PMN. In addition, microglial cells showed both increased phagocytosis and MHC class-II antigen expressions. Surprisingly, when PMN and microglia were treated with a combination of Polypodium and $IFN-{\gamma}$, phagocytosis was not inhibited. We did not find changes in NO-synthase activity and nitrite production in both microglia and PMN cells activated by different immunomodulating agents. These results indicate that primary microglial cell cultures as well as human PMN cells can provide reproducible quantitative results in screening phagocytic activity of different immunoactive compounds. Furthermore, both inhibitory or activation mechanisms might be studied using these in vitro experimental approaches.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2006

Objective: To investigate whether polymorphism of Catechol-O-methyltransferase(COMT) gene is associated with the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in Korean women. Methods: One hundred and thirty-six PCOS patients and eighty four controls were enrolled. Blood samples were collected from the patients diagnosed according to the 2003 revised criteria of the Rotterdam ESHRE/ASRM-sponsored PCOS consensus workshop group. Age matched women with regular menstruation from same geographic region were recruited as control subject. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of PCR products were done to determine all individuals' genotype. Results: In women with $COMT^{LL}$ genotype, there was decreased PCOS risk and this difference was statistically significant (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.11~0.51). Conclusion: The results suggest that the $COMT^{LL}$ genetic polymorphism might be associated with PCOS risk in Korean women.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2006

This study was carried out to investigate the protective effect of crude saponin from red ginseng efflux (RGE-CS) on biochemical parameters in male rats acutely exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-$\rho$-dioxin (TCDD). Forty male rats ($200{\pm}20g$) were divided into 4 groups. Normal control group (NC) received vehicle and saline; only TCDD-treated group (TT) received TCDD ($5{\mu}g/kg$, single dose) intrperitoneally; RGE-CS 20 received 20 mg/kg of crude saponin i.p. for 4 weeks from 1 week before TCDD-exposure; RGE-CS 40 also received 40 mg/kg of crude saponin i.p. for 4 weeks from 1 week before TCDD-exposure. Body weight of TT group was significantly decreased after TCDD-exposure. However, body weight of crude saponin groups increased throughout the experimental period, although the increasing rate was slower than that of NC group. Decrease in body weight was not observed during the experimental period in RGE-CS 40. Increases in triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), AST, ALT and $Fe^{2+}$ levels by TCDD intoxication were significantly attenuated by the RGE-CS treatment. Decrease in glucose, amylase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatinine kinase (CK) by TCDD also were inhibited by the RGE-CS. These results suggest that saponin from red-ginseng efflux might be a useful protective agent against TCDD, an endocrine disrupter.