• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.417-425
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to confirm that regular physical exercise habit and calcium intake play a role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly to confirm that regular exercise is important in reducing serum lipid levels in postmenopausal women. Subjects were classified into regular exercise group(more than 3 times/wk, more than 30 min per exercise) and non-regular exercise group. A convenient frequency method was used to assess the nutritional intake of subjects. Anthropometric measurement such as body weight and height, and blood pressure were measured. There was no significant difference between non-regular exercise group and regular exercise group in energy intake and calcium intake. The total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in non-regular exercise group were significantly higher than those in regular exercise group. There were no significant correlations between age or weight with blood lipids and blood pressure in regular exercise group, while there were significant positive correlations between age or weight with blood lipids and blood pressure in non-regular exercise group. The levels of serum cholesterol, triglyceride, blood pressure and atherogenic index increased with age in non-regular exercise women. The blood pressure in low total Ca intake/plant Ca intake ratio group was significantly higher than that in high total Ca intake/plant Ca intake ratio group. There was a highly significant positive correlation between Ca intake and HDL-cholesterol in non-regular exercise women. And, there was a highly significant negative correlation between Ca intake and blood pressure in regular exercise women. The results suggest that increased habitual physical activity and calcium intake should be recommended by way of decreasing blood lipids and blood pressure in postmenopausal women. (Korean J Nutrition 34(4) : 417∼425, 2001)

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.173-179
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• 2004

Amyloid ${\beta}-peptide\;(A{\beta})$ contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), causing neuronal death through apoptosis. In this study, the neuroprotective role of BF-7, extracted form sericultural product, was examined against $A{\beta}-induced$ toxicity in cultured human neuronal cell SKN-SH. In order to know if the BF-7 has positive role on the cognition and memory in human, the mixture of BF-7, DHA and EPA (BDE) was examined using Rey Kim and K-WAIS test with 50 healthy high school student. We report here that BDE significantly attenuated $A{\beta}-induced$ apoptosis through the reduction of ROS accumulation, and diminished caspase-like protease activity. Moreover, the memory index and memory preservation, and attentative concentration of BDE treated group for 1 month were significantly improved, in contrast to the case of placebo control treated with DHA and EPA. This result represent that the BF-7 play significant positive role on learning memory. Taken together, our result suggested the natural product BF-7 is a good substance for the brain functionally and physiologically.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.70-73
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• 2014

Sexual dysfunction (SD) is a health problem which occurs during any phase of the sexual response cycle that keeps the individual or couple from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual activity. SD covers a wide variety of symptoms like in men, erectile dysfunction and premature or delayed ejaculation, in women, spasms of the vagina and pain with sexual intercourse, in both sexes, sexual desire and response. And pharmacopuncture, i.e. injection of subclinical doses of drugs, mostly herb medicine, in acupoints, has been adopted with successful results. This case report showed the effect of bee venom on SD. A 51-year-old male patient with SD, who had a past history of taking Western medication to treat his SD and who had previously undergone surgery on his lower back due to a herniated disc, received treatments using pharmacopuncture of sweet bee venom (SBV) at Gwanwon (CV4), Hoeeum (CV1), Sinsu (BL23), and Gihaesu (BL24) for 20 days. Objectively, the patient showed improvement on most items on the International Index for Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF) like 28 to 29 out of perfect score 30 for erectile function, 10 to 10 out of perfect score 10 for orgasmic function, 6 to 8 out of perfect score 10 for sexual desire, 10 to 13 out of perfect score 15 for satisfaction with intercourse, and 6 to 8 out of perfect score 10 for overall satisfaction; subjectively, his words, the tone of his voice and the look of confidence in his eyes all indicated improvement. Among the variety of effects of SBV pharmacopuncture, urogenital problems such as SD may be health problems that pharmacopuncture can treat effectively.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.62-67
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• 2014

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether there was a correlation between catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphism, which is believed to play a role in the etiology of psychotic disorders, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Methods: Fifty-three women with regular menstrual cycles, aged between 18 and 46 years and diagnosed with PMS according to the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology criteria were included in this study as the study group, and 53 healthy women having no health problems were selected as the controls. Venous blood was collected from all patients included in the study and kept at $-18^{\circ}C$ prior to analysis. Results: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of demographic features such as age, body mass index, number of pregnancies, parity, and number of children. No statistically significant difference was observed in terms of COMT gene polymorphism (p=0.61) between women in the PMS and the control groups. However, a significant difference was found between arthralgia, which is an indicator of PMS, and low-enzyme activity COMT gene (Met/Met) polymorphism (p=0.04). Conclusion: These results suggested that there was no significant relationship between PMS and COMT gene polymorphism. Since we could not find a direct correlation between the COMT gene polymorphism and PMS, further studies including alternative neurotransmitter pathways are needed to find an effective treatment for this disease.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.531-540
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• 2017

Objectives: This study discusses the effects of constitution therapy on adolescent ulcerative colitis. Methods: A 12-year-old male patient was treated with western medication for six months and herbal medicine for one year and six years; however, his abdominal pain, mucousy stool, bloody stool, and diarrhea persisted. He was diagnosed as having Taeumin according to Sasang constitution classification and treated with Sasang constitutional medicine (i.e., Yeuldahanso-tang and food restrictions based on constitutional medicine theory). Before the first treatment, his Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI) score was 35, but this score decreased to 15 within six months and was maintained at 10 by 18 months of treatment. He took the herbal medication for 38 months, and his PUCAI score was 0 at the end of treatment. His liver functioned normally despite long-term drug use, and a follow-up colonoscopy showed no ulcerative colitis except melanosis, which was presumed to be caused by the herbal medicine. Ulcerative colitis in pediatric adolescents requires treatment with pharmacotherapy and dietary control based on constitutional medicine to maintain disease remission. Conclusions: Constitutional therapy is effective for treating adolescent ulcerative colitis. More clinical data are needed for patients with ulcerative colitis.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.283-294
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of cardiovascular risk factors of type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: Diabetic patients (N=160) were interviewed from November, 2003 to June, 2004. The 24 hour dietary recall, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale for patient with Type 2 diabetes, the Revised Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities Measure Scale and Parma Cardiovascular Risk Index were used to measure the predictors. Data were analyzed by descriptive analyses, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression using the SPSS WIN 10.0. Results: Mean dietary intakes of the participants were protein(P) of 64.5g, carbohydrate(C) of 280.74g, fat(F) of 30g, and calcium of 511.45mg. The ratio of CPF was 75:17:8. About 45% of the participants didn't exercise on a regular basis. The levels of self-efficacy, self-care, and cardiovascular risk factors of the participants were moderate. Self-efficacy was the most important predictor of cardiovascular risk factors along with self-care, exercising for more than 6 months, carbohydrate intakes and levels of physical activities. Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that intervention programs increasing self-efficacy on diabetic management would be more beneficial than the fractional approach focusing only on diet or physical activities.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.67-79
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• 2014

In order to investigate the efficacy of BJBB on atopic dermatitis, various immune related factors were studied. The results and conclusions are as follows. Atopic dermatitis symptoms were improved in BJBB treated group and significant decrease in dermatitis index were observed in 13 weeks. ALT, AST and BUN, Cr levels were all with in the normal ranges in BJBB treated group, indicating no induced toxicity. BJBB treated group showed significant decrease in CD4+, CD11b+/Gr-1+ immune cell ratio in dorsal skin by 33% and 62% respectively. BJBB treated group showed significant decrease in the expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and histamine by 83%, 62%, 53% and 61% respectively. Also the group showed decrease in the transcription of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 mRNA in spleen by 41%, 52% and 50% respectively. BJBB treated group showed decrease in the expression of IgE by 57% respectively. The results above indicated that treatment of BJBB improved atopic dermatitis symptoms by immune modulation activity a clinical evidence. thus, BJBB has a potential use as a composition of medicinal plants for treatment against inflammation related disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.5669-5673
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent kind of cancer among women in Iran. Regarding the importance of cancer prevention and considerable variation of breast cancer incidence in different parts of the country, it is necessary to recognize regions with high incidence of breast cancer and evaluate the role of potential risk factors by use of advanced statistical models. The present study focussed on incidence of breast cancer in Iran at the province level and also explored the impact of some prominent covariates using Bayesian models. Materials and Methods: All patients diagnosed with breast cancer in Iran from 2005 to 2008 were included in the study. Smoking, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, obesity and the Human Development Index (HDI), measured at the province level, were considered as potential modulating factors. Gamma-Poisson, log normal and BYM models were used to estimate the relative risk of breast cancer in this ecological investigation with and without adjustment for the covariates. Results: The unadjusted BYM model had the best fit among applied models. Without adjustment, Isfahan, Yazd, and Tehran had the highest incidences and Sistan- Baluchestan and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari had the lowest. With the adjusted model, Khorasan-Razavi, Lorestan and Hamedan had the highest and Ardebil and Kohgiluyeh-Boyerahmad the lowest incidences. A significantly direct association was found between breast cancer incidence and HDI. Conclusions: BYM model has better fit, because it contains parameters that allow including effects from neighbors. Since HDI is a significant variable, it is also recommended that HDI should be considered in future investigations. This study showed that Yazd, Isfahan and Tehran provinces feature the highest crude incidences of breast cancer.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.205-212
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• 2002

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of nausea, vomiting, anorexia, fatigue and quality of life as well as to determine the relationship between those variables and identify the influencing factors on fatigue and quality of life in stomach cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Method: Subjects were 94 stomach cancer patients undergoing postoperational chemotherapy in a general hospital in Seoul. Nausea and vomiting were measured with Rhodes et al(1984) and anorexia with one 5-point item. Fatigue was measured using Lee's tool(1999) except open questions. The tool for quality of life was modified based on the Quality of Life Index by Padilla et al(1983). Result: Subjects reported low level of fatigue(mean=3.86, range=0-10) compared with the results of previous researches and moderate quality of life(mean=2.64, range=1-4). Fatigue was positively correlated with nausea, vomiting and anorexia(r=.21 ~ .55, p<.05). Quality of life was negatively correlated with nausea, vomiting, anorexia(r= -.24 ~ -.45, p<.05) and fatigue (r=-.61, p<.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that activity level, vomiting before admission, anorexia during chemotherapy and age explained 52.8% of the variance in fatigue. Fatigue, anorexia before admission, age and sex explained 50.5% of the variance in quality of life. Fatigue and quality of life were not influenced by the stage of disease, nor weight change. Conclusion: These results may contribute to a better understanding of how much the side effects of anticancer drugs can affect fatigue and quality of life in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Also it is the remarkable fact that symptoms remaining after discharge such as vomiting or anorexia continued until re-admission, contributing to patients fatigue and lowered their quality of life.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.232-241
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• 1996

This study was designed to compare the effect of different dietary fats on plasma lipids, the degree of lipid peroxidation and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in RBC and liver rats treated with or wighout 1, 2-dimethylhydrazing (DMH). Male Sprague Dawley rats, at 7 weeks-old, were divided into control and DMH-treated grous, and each group was again subdivided into four were perilla oil (PO), blend fat (BF) containing ten different kinds of dietary oil, beef tallow (BT), corn oil (CO). At the same time, each rat was injected intramusculary with saline(for control) or DMH twice a week for 6 weeks to give total dose of 180 mg/kg body weight. Compared with BT feeding, BF reduced plasma total choesterol level and PO and Co reduced plasma TG levels (p<0.05). DMH injection decreased plasma cholesterol in all dietary groups. However, PO decreased tocopherol levels and increased TBARS levels in RBC compared to BT. The degree of hemolysis in PO group was higher than that of BT group (p<0.05 only in control group. Fatty acid composition of hepatic microsome was reflected by dietary fatty acid profile. The peroxidizability index and TBARS level in hepatic micorsome were significantly increased but tocopherol level was lowered in PO group compared to BT group. Activites of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in RBC and hepatic cytosol were not influenced y dietary fats and DMH treatment(p<0.05). Overall, perilla oil rich in $\omega$3 $\alpha$-linolenic acid could be a very important dietary source in reducing plasma lipids and blend fat was also good dietary oil mixture in reducing plasma cholesterol. However, the degree of lipid peroxidation was greater in tissue by perilla oil feeding and it is very difficult to use only perilla oil as oil source for meal preparation, so that it could be suggested to use more perilla oil and fish to give an equal effect of blend fat in order to reduce the risk factors against cardiovascular disease.