• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.3 s.54
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• pp.693-700
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to determine whether workers at a factory next to a lead recycling factory in Pusan, were affected by lead contamination. The mean air lead concentration of lead recycling factory was $0.21mg/m^3(TWA=0.05mg/m^3)$. Thirty-nine male workers of Factory A, Cr. plating factory next to the lead recycling factory were exposed group and a comparison group, 62 male workers of Factory B were selected from another Cr. plating factory about 8.5km away from lead recycling factory. Air lead concentration of each workplace was checked for 4 times from August f to August 20 in 1995 by low volume air sampler. Each subject was interviewed about age, life-style, smoking, work history, and residence etc, and venous blood was drawn for lead measurement by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. We have observed that air lead concentration and blood lead concentration of Factory A was higher than Factory $B(2.6{\pm}1.6\;Vs.\;1.2{\pm}0.2{\mu}g/m^3,\;14.9{\pm}1.6\;Vs.\;12.2{\pm}1.6{\mu}g/dl)$. We believe that other environmental lead sources such as transportation and residence did not affect air lead and blood lead concentration differences of both factory. We concluded that high air lead and blood lead concentration of Factory A were caused by lead contamination generated by the neighboring lead recycling factory.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 1985

The effects of anions on net accumulation of $(\rho-aminohippuric\;acid)$(PAH) were studied in rabbit kidney cortical slices. Experiments were carried while varying the major anionic composition of the incubation medium(replacement of $Cl^-$ by isethionate and $SCN^-$). The total replacement of $Cl^-$ with isethionate, $SO_4\;^{2-}$ and $SCN^-$ in the incubation medium decreased the 60-min slice-to-medium concentration(S/M) ratio of PAH to 60%, 40% and 50% of control value, respectively. The degree of inhibition in PAH accumulation by the replacement of isethionate and $SCN^-$ was increased with increasing of both preincubation and incubation time. The influence of isethionate and $SCN^-$ on PAH uptake was fully reversible. Both isethionate and $SCN^-$ increased the apparent Km value significantly with no change on the apparent Vmax value, suggesting a competitive inhibition on PAH uptake. And the inhibitory effect of $SCN^-$ on PAH uptake decreased with increase of pH in the incubation medium while that of isethionate increased with increase of pH. Intracellular water content, intracellular electrolyte concentration and oxygen consumption were not influenced by the replacement of $Cl^-$ with isethionate or $SCN^-$ in the incubation medium. These results suggest that both $isethionate^-$ and $SCN^-$ inhibit the PAH uptake by binding to some site necessary for normal PAH transport without affecting the cellular viability.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.71-77
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• 2007

Cisplatin treatment increases the excretion of inorganic phosphate in vivo. However, the mechanism by which cisplatin reduces phosphate uptake through renal proximal tubular cells has not yet been elucidated. We examined the effect of cisplatin on $Na^+$-dependent phosphate uptake in opossum kidney (OK) cells, an established proximal tubular cell line. Cells were exposed to cisplatin for an appropriate time period and phosphate uptake was measured using $[^{32}P]$-phosphate. Changes in the number of phosphate transporter in membranes were evaluated by kinetic analysis, $[^{14}C]$phosphonoformic acid binding, and Western blot analysis. Cisplatin inhibited phosphate uptake in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and also the $Na^+$-dependent uptake without altering $Na^+$-independent uptake. The cisplatin inhibition was not affected by the hydrogen peroxide scavenger catalase, but completely prevented by the hydroxyl radical scavenger dimethylthiourea. Antioxidants were ineffective in preventing the cisplatin-induced inhibition of phosphate uptake. Kinetic analysis indicated that cisplatin decreased Vmax of $Na^+$-dependent phosphate uptake without any change in the Km value. $Na^+$-dependent phosphonoformic acid binding was decreased by cisplatin treatment. Western blot analysis showed that cisplatin caused degradation of $Na^+$-dependent phosphate transporter protein. Taken together, these data suggest that cisplatin inhibits phosphate transport in renal proximal tubular cells through the reduction in the number of functional phosphate transport units. Such effects of cisplatin are mediated by production of hydroxyl radicals.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.729-739
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• 2000

Echocardiography, vital signs, microfilaremia, and blood chemistry of 12 Jindo dogs naturally infected with canine heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) were analysed and compared with those of 5 uninfected control Jindo dogs. Nine of the twelve infected dogs contained microfiaria in the peripheral blood, whereas the presence of adult heartworms in the pulmonary arteries and/or in the heart was detected from four dogs by echocardiography. Among the four echocardiography-positive dogs, two dogs also displayed evidence of heartworms in the right ventricle by echocardiography. Upon necropsy, a total of 547 adult worms was collected from the 12 infected dogs (av = 45.6, range = 9-166). Dogs with positive echocardiograpic images of heartworms contained 48, 74, 104 and 166 adult worms in the heart, pulmonary arteries and/or in the caudal vena cava (av. 98.0), whereas 9 to 39 worms (av. 19.4) were collected from those organs of dogs with negative echocardiography. Most heartworms were found in the right ventricle (438, 80%) at necropsy, whereas relatively fewer worms were found in the pulmonary arteries (96, 17.6%), and in the caudal vena cava (13, 2.4%). The necropsy findings on the location of adult worms significantly differed from the results of echocardiographic analysis in which the right ventricle of most dogs did not show the presence of heartworms. These results indicated that the adult heartworms had been located in the terminal branches of the pulmonary arteries when the host was alive, but the worms moved toward the right ventricle shortly after the heart of the infected dogs stopped beating. Microfilaremia in the peripheral blood was the highest in the blood samples collected at 10 pm. However, the correlation between the number of microfilaria and of adult worms was not observed. Clinical and vital signs of infected dogs did not show any significant difference before and after a 30 minute-exercise at 5 km/hr compared to those of uninfected control dogs.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.203-208
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• 2020

Objectives : Since there are complex associations between diseases/symptoms and acupoints, one-to-one correspondence may not be the proper approach. Pattern identification has been being used as a clinical framework to make treatment decisions by extracting and synthesizing clinical data including patients' signs and symptoms. In this article, we propose two different models explaining the relationships between diseases and acupoints based on the branch treatment [Zhibiaofa] and the root treatment [Zhibenfa]. Methods : We explained the relationships between diseases/symptoms and acupoints from the example data from our previous study on traditional acupuncture point selection patterns for pain control. Diseases include low back pain, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis, ankle sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and dysmenorrhea, and acupoints included LI4, BL23, BL25, SP6, BL60, TE5, and CV4. Results : The relationships between diseases/symptoms and acupoints can be explained directly based on the branch treatment, and also can be explained indirectly through pattern identification based on the root treatment. Pattern identifications included both meridian-based pattern identification based on the spatial information of diseases and visceral organ-based pattern identification based on the characteristics of diseases. Conclusions : In the East Asian traditional medicine, Korean medicine doctors choose the most appropriate acupoints based either on the diseases/symptoms (i.e., branch treatment) or on the results of pattern identifications (i.e., root treatment). It is necessary to understand the two different approaches to choose specific acupoints for the targeted diseases.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 2002

We experienced a male patient who was diagnosed as very severe abdominal obesity. From the 3rd of January to the 14th of April we applied herbal medication(Tiganyiyiren-tang), very low calorie diet, aerobic exercise, behavioral therapy, electrolipolysis, infra-red therapy, auricular acupuncture, and aqua-massage to him. And we examined the changes of his height, weight, body composition, body size, liver functional test, abdominal CT finding. The food production of this year has decreased by 5 percent. His weight decreased by 28.2%, PIBW by 28.5%, BMI by 28.2%, PBF by 22.7%, and WHR by 15.9%. The circumference of upper extremity decreased by 25.7%, the circumference of the muscle of upper extremity by 18.2%, the circumference of chest by 20.5%, the circumference of abdomen by 29.5%, the circumference of hip by 17.4%, and the circumference of thigh by 15.9%. In the liver functional test GOT decreased from 42IU/l to 361U/I, GPT from 1211U/l to 48IU/I. Total cholesterol from 211mg/dl to 152mg/dl, and Trigliceride from 192mg/dl to 81 mg/dl. In the abdominal CT finding the amount of fat in the abdominal cavity decreased from $9732mm^2$ to $3639mm^2$.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.191-203
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• 2021

Objectives : In this study, we investigate the anti-allergic effects of Ullmus macrocarpa Hance (Ulmus) on RBL-2H3 mast cell (basophilic leukemia cell line), which are mediated by FcεRIs. Methods : We evaluated the effect of the ethanol extract of Ulmus on the allergic inflammatory response in IgE-antigen-mediated RBL-2H3 cells. Cell toxicity was determined by MTT assay and the markers of degranulation such as beta-hexosaminidase, histamine, PGD2, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6 production of inflammatory mediators and FcεRI-mediated protein expression by western blot. Results : Ulmus inhibited degranulation and production of allergic mediators (e.g., TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-6) in them. Ulmus reduced histamine levels, expression of FcεRI signaling-related genes such as Lyn, Syk, and Fyn, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation in mast cells. Also, Ulmus reduced PGD2 release and cyclooxygenase-2 expression, and cytosolic phospholipase A2 phosphorylation in FcεRI-mediated RBL-2H3 mast cells. Conclusions : These results indicate that Ulmus exhibits anti-allergic activity through inhibition of degranulation and inflammatory mediators and cytokine release. These findings suggest that Ulmus may have potential as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent for the treatment of various allergic diseases.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2021

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the anti-atrophic effect of polycan in dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle atrophy in vitro model. Methods : C2C12 myoblast were differentiated into myotube by 2% horese serum medium for 6 days, and then treated polycan extract at different concentrations for 24h. The effect of dexamethasone on the induction of muscle atrophy and expression of atrophy-related genes in differentiated C2C12 myotubes using a GSH, ROS, real-time PCR, western blots analysis. Results : The results showed that Treatment with polycan (100 and 200 ㎍/㎖) noncytotoxic levels on both myoblast and myotube. Polycan decreased the ROS level overproduced with dexamethasone and improved the depletion of GSH level. Dexamethasone showed a decrease in myotube diameter, which was associated with up-regulation muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases markers, such as atrogin-1, FoxO3, myostatin and muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF1), and down-regulation of myogenin, MEF2, Myogenic regulatory factor 5, 6 and MyoD. The results showed that polycan treatment significantly dose-dependently inhibited it. Furthermore, decreased expressions of PI3K/Akt signal pathway by dexamethasone were reversed by treatment with polycan. Conclusions : Thus, polycan suppresses dexamethasone induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 myotube in vitro model through activation of PI3K/Akt pathway and protective effect of improve skeletal muscle function.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.327-339
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• 2023

Objectives : This study conducted a repeated dose 90-day oral toxicity test in order to up-cycling Schisandra fruit extract powder(SFEP) using discarded Schisandra chinensis by-products and evaluated the NOAEL of SFEP. Methods : SD-rats were orally administered SFEP at concentrations of 0, 62.5, 125, and 250 mg/kg once daily for 90 days. Body weights and clinical signs were observed during the administration period. After completion of the experiment, the experimental animals were autopsied to observe necropsy findings and organ weights changes, and hematological parameters and blood chemistry values were measured. Results : During the SFEP administration period, clinical signs such as salivation, wounds, and erosion were sporadically observed in 1 to 2 animals. In the SFEP 250 mg/kg administered group, weights of the liver and thyroid gland significantly increased compared to the control group, but no significant changes were observed in organ weights according to body weights. As a result of measuring hematological parameters and blood chemistry values, a decrease in RDW, T-BIL, and TBA, and an increase in TP, ALB, and Ca were observed due to SFEP administration. However, these changes following SFEP administration were accidental and not dose-dependent. Additionally, no correlation was found between gender and other parameters. Conclusions : Therefore, the NOAEL of SFEP was confirmed to be 250 mg/kg.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.178-187
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• 2012

Purpose: In Korea, the nation's medical expenses were 12 billion won in 2010. The medical costs for individuals can also be overwhelming. If a patient has sustained severe trauma, his/her insurance company responsible may pay only part of the medical bills. In Korean, there are diverse types of medical insurance, such as health insurance, automobile insurance, and industrial accident compensation insurance. And each insurance system has a different type of payment system. Our study will be essential for establishing the optimal medical expense payment system. Methods: From January to December 2011, we retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 161 patients who were admitted to our hospital's emergency room after having undergone severe trauma. Of those 161 patients, 125 were retrospectively reviewed. Written permission was obtained from all of the patients. We analysed the demographic characteristics, clinical outcomes, data of the trauma, type of the patient's insurance, and the entire bill when the patient was discharged. Results: Seventy-one patients had health insurance, 48 automobile insurance, and six industrial accident compensation insurance. High-deductible insurance included health insurance and industrial accident compensation insurance, with the deductibles up to 20.6% and 19.1%, respectively. We attempted to analyze the cause of the high deductible rate. In patients with health insurance, medicines, primarily sedatives, pain killers, antibiotics, and fluids. comprised a large proportion. On the other hand, industrial accident compensation insurance deducted for a high-grade hospital room charge. Conclusion: We found that medical expenses were diverse according to the type of insurance. In particular, health insurance forced patients to pay too much of the medical expenses. Therefore, in Korea we should try to identify the insurance problems and improve the wage system.