• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2014

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by a progressive loss of cartilage. And, increased oxidative stress plays a relevant role in the pathogenesis of OA. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a used drug for liver diseases known for its free radical-scavenging property. The objectives of this study were to investigate the in vivo effects of UDCA on pain severity and cartilage degeneration using an experimental OA model and to explore its mode of actions. OA was induced in rats by intra-articular injection of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) to the knee. Oral administration UDCA was initiated on the day of MIA injection. Limb nociception was assessed by measuring the paw withdrawal latency and threshold. Samples were analyzed macroscopically and histologically. Immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the expression of interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$), IL-6, nitrotyrosine and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in knee joints. UDCA showed an antinociceptive property and attenuated cartilage degeneration. OA rats given oral UDCA significantly exhibited a decreased number of osteoclasts in subchondral bone legion compared with the vehicle-treated OA group. UDCA reduced the expression of IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, nitrotyrosine and iNOS in articular cartilage. UDCA treatment significantly attenuated the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), -13, and ADAMTS5 in IL-$1{\beta}$-stimulated human OA chondrocytes. These results show the inhibitory effects of UDCA on pain production and cartilage degeneration in experimentally induced OA. The chondroprotective properties of UDCA were achieved by suppressing oxidative damage and inhibiting catabolic factors that are implicated in the pathogenesis of cartilage damage in OA.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.104-108
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• 2002

Numerous studies have suggested the involvement of oxidative processes in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and especially of oxidized low density lipoproteins (LDL). We studied the effect of Korean wheat on the oxidizability of LDL and the development of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits on cholesterol diet. For the approach of the aim, antioxidative activity of wheat extracts against oxidation of LDL was investigated. The antiatherogenic effect of wheat was studied against Newzealand whithe (NZW) rabbits fed containing the wheat powder for 12 weeks. PBS extracts of Korean and imported wheats decreased LDL oxidation induced by copper ion by 62.3%, 52.6% respectively in comparison with control. Liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS ) levels of rabbits were significantly lowered in Korean wheat fed group (0.397$\pm$ 0.029 nmol MDA/mg protein, p<0.05) compared to control (0.496$\pm$0.021 nmol MDA/mg protein) and imported wheat group (0.478$\pm$0.019 nmol MDA/mg protein). TBARS levels of kidney showed no significant difference among treatment groups. The aorta of cholesterol-fed rabbits showed typical atherosclerotic lesions when compared with the controls, but the microscopic differences between groups was not clear. The present study suggests that Korean wheat may have higher antioxidative capacity than imported wheat and have more beneficial effects for the treatment of disease by inhibiting the oxidation of LDL.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.6
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• pp.560-564
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• 2009

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease that can involve any organ, although it primarily involves the lungs, intrathoracic lymph nodes, skin, and eyes. We present a case of sarcoidosis with pancytopenia, resulting from bone marrow involvement. A 35-year-old man was admitted to hospital for chronic cough and blurred vision. On chest computed tomography, there were multiple pulmonary nodules and mediastinal lymph nodes enlargement. As the patient also showed pancytopenia, we performed a bone marrow biopsy, as well as a transbronchial lung biopsy. Both biopsies showed non-caseating granulomas. We diagnosed the patient with sarcoidosis with pulmonary, bone marrow, uvea, liver and spleen involvement. After oral steroid therapy, the patient's symptoms as well as his pancytopenia improved. We present this case to demonstrate the significance of bone marrow biopsy in cases of sarcoidosis with pancytopenia, as well the possibility of clinical improvement with steroid treatment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1336-1340
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• 2016

Korean rhinoceros beetles (Allomyrina dichotoma), which can be found in broad-leaved forests in mountainous habitats and lives for around one year in wild. This beetle is currently popular as a pet and traditionally regarded as a medicine for liver-related diseases in Korea. It is reported that the economic losses in the mass-rearing facilities by virus infection have been increased since the 2010s in Korea. The causing virus for the A. dichotoma was firstly reported as an Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV) in 2015. We, here, observes that serious morphological changes in the intestinal tube from the OrNV-infected beetles, and report five genes, which are regulated by OrNV infection in the intestine; Krueppel-like factor 15 (Klf15), Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 2 (ERAP2), U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein 200 kDa helicase (Snrnp200), Muscleblind-like protein 2a (mbnl2a), and MIMI_L93. The results may provide a clue to the early diagnosis and disease treatment during the mass-rearing facilities of the A. dichotoma.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2016

Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) has been widely used as a marker of alcohol intake and liver failure. Recently, the relativity between GGT and various diseases has been identified with growing interest. In this study, we examined relativity between GGT value and risk factors of coronary heart diseases among those with normal GGT value, excluding heavy drinkers. Specifically, we compared the differences based on age and gender. Data from the 2011 KNHNES were used (N=3,619). When the subjects were categorized according to quartile based on the serum GGT levels, there was 10~20, 21~27, 28~38, 39~71 IU/L in men, and 6~12, 13~16, 17~22, 23~42 IU/L in women. The mean of most variables was the highest in the $4^{th}$ quartile (Q4), however age and LDL Cholesterol were the highest in the $2^{nd}$ quartile (Q2) in men. The FRS and 10-year CHD risk was the highest in the $2^{nd}$ quartile in men, and the highest in the $4^{th}$ quartile in women. Increased GGT was correspondingly linked with age in women but age was the highest in GGT in the $2^{nd}$ quartile in men. In the 70's, the highest Q1 and Q2 was in men and the highest Q3 and Q4 in women. Although GGT value was within the normal range, increased GGT showed correlation with various risk factors. The FRS and 10-year CHD risk showed different patterns according to age and gender along with increased GGT value.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.531-534
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• 2010

Purpose: Lipobean$^{(R)}$s, widely used in lipodissolving techniques, contain phosphatidylcholine and sodium deoxycholate as its main substances. They have been approved only as medication for liver disease by the FDA. However, they have been used under various clinical settings without exact knowledge of its action mechanism. The authors designed an in vitro study to analyze the effects of different concentrations of phosphatidylcholine and sodium deoxycholate on adipocytes and other types of cells. Methods: Human adipose-derived stem cell were cultured and induced to differentiate into adipocytes. Fibroblasts extracted from human inferior turbinate tissue, and MC3T3-E1 osteoblast lines were cultured. Phosphatidylcholine solution dissolved with ethanol was applied to the culture medium at differing concentrations (1, 4, 7, 10 mg/mL). The sodium deoxycholate solution dissolved in DMSO applied to the medium at differing concentrations (0.07, 0.1. 0.4. 0.7 mg/mL). Cells were dispersed at a concentration of $5{\times}10^3$ cells/well in 24 well plates, and surviving cells were calculated 1 day after the application using a CCK-8 kit. Results: The number of surviving cells of adipocytes, fibroblasts and osteoblasts decreased as the concentration of sodium deoxycholate increased. However, all types of cells that had been processed in a phosphatidylcholine showed a cell survival rate of over 70% at all concentrations. Conclusion: This study shows that sodium deoxycholate is the more major factor in destroying adipocytes, and it is also toxic to the other cells. Therefore, we conclude that care must be taken when using Lipobean$^{(R)}$s as a method of reducing adipose tissue, for its toxicity may destroy other nontarget cells existing in the subcutaneous tissue layer.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.229-235
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• 2010

A common method for treating oral mucosal diseases is taking medication by oral administration. The oral administration is the method of least resistance. Because large part of drugs is degraded by liver, it is necessary to take more drugs getting to appropriate level in blood stream. And there are so many side effects when patients take drugs by oral administration. In so many cases, the patients who suffer from oral mucosal problems have the other general diseases simultaneously. Willingly or not, some patients can't take the medicine by oral administration. Number of topical drugs for oral mucosal disease is less than that for skin diseases because the environment of oral mucosa prevents activity of medicine. In this paper, research on effects of topical type medication for treating oral mucosal diseases is conducted through investigating currently used medications and their effects. In addition, effects of dissolved oral medications with appropriate solvent are demonstrated if this medication is useful for patients clinically.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.213-223
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• 2015

Objectives : Seventh-day Adventists is well known to place a strong doctrinal emphasis on healthy life style that do not consume tobacco, alcohol or pork, and many adhere to a lacto-ovo-vegetarian lifestyle. This study aimed to investigate the difference of mortality between Korean Seventh-day Adventists and the general Korean population. Methods : We got 592 mortality data of Adventist cemetery in Seoul city and Kyunggi provincce of Korea, which contains information on causes of death for 2000-2004. Also we used mortality data of the general Korean population in Korea National Statistics Office for 2000-2004. Results : The mean age at death was 70.45 in Korean Adventists, 65.63 in the general Korean population. Higher neoplasm cause of death, such as of stomach, liver and breast, were observed in Korean Adventists than the general population. The death cause of injury, poisoning and external causes, and cerebrovascular disease were higher in the general population than Korean Adventists. The death cause of stomach cancer was lower in Korean Adventists who had above 10 years religious period than general population above age 50 years. In male, the death cause of lung cancer was lower in Korean Adventists than the general population. Conclusions : The results point to the importance of healthy life-style in Korean peoples, and indicate that lifestyle changes in the population might change the causes of death.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.351-355
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• 2009

Purpose: Cervical necrotizing fasciitis tends to involve the deep soft tissues and spread caudally to the anterior chest and mediastinum, often resulting in major complications and death. It may rapidly spread into the thorax along fascial planes, and the associated diagnostic delay results in this descending necrotizing mediastinitis. So, aggressive multidisciplinary therapy with surgical drainage is mandatory. We present a very rare case of descending necrotizing mediastinitis with literature review. Methods: A 53 years old male visited our department 7 days after trauma in neck. His premorbid conditions and risk factors of necrotizing fasciitis were concealed hepatoma, trauma history, chronic liver disease, and nutrition deficit. Computed tomographic scans of the head and neck region were performed in this patient : signs of necrotizing fasciitis, were seen in the platysma, sternocleidomastoid, trapezius muscle and strap muscles of the neck. Fluid accumulations involved multiple neck spaces and mediastinum. At the time, he diagnosed as necrotizing fasciitis on his neck and anterior chest. Necrotic wound was excised serially and we treated this with the Vacuum - assisted closure(VAC, Kinetics Concepts International, San Antonio, Texas) system device. After appropriately shaping the sponge and achieving additional 3 pieces drainage tubes in the pockets, continuous negative pressure of 125 mmHg was applied. The VAC therapy was utilized for a period of 12 days. Results: We obtained satisfactory results from wide excision, abscess drainage with the VAC system, and then split thickness skin graft. The postoperative course was uneventful. Conclusion: The refined technique using the VAC system can provide a means of simple and effective management for the descending necrotizing mediastinitis, with better cosmetic and functional results. Finally, the VAC system has been adopted as the standard treatment for deep cervical and mediastinal wound infections as a result of the excellent clinical outcome.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.160-177
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• 1988

This study is an analysis of the teachers' health problems that focuses on the frequencies and types of their visiting to school clinics and the management of health-related problems. The participants for this study are consisted of 1,650 teachers employed at 30 public schools in the Seoul area. Data for the study came from diagnostic records for 1986, the results of a questionaire-type survey conducted between June 20th and of the same year an from other documents recorded by school nurses. The main results of this study are as follows: 1. The teachers' health problems. a) According to health diagnosis records, 6.1 % of all teachers had a health problem. Liver-related ailments topped the list, followed by circulatory and diabetic problems. b) The survey data had 71.9 % of the respondents indicating that trey suffered from some health problem. The most frequent response concerned respiratory problems, followed by gastro-intestinal and nervous system problems. c) A check of clinic utilization records revealed that the main reasons for visiting are concerned with fatigue (30.5 %), gastro-intestinal(18.7 %) and respiratory(18.2 %) ailments. These three categories accounted for 67.4 % of total use. 2. Frequencies of their visiting to school clinics 40.5 % of the teachers indicated that they have visited the school clinic. And 62.0 % visited it with a self-diagnosed ailment and 15.3 % utilized the facility after a problem had been detected in a health examination. Clinics were visited a total of 1,458 times which breaks down to 0.9 times per month per teacher. For a patient, the figures are 2.2 times on the average with a range from 1 to 19. 3. Health management problems a) Of those respondents. 53.4 % stated that they didn't have enough time to consult about their health problems and diagnose their disease b) Also, 47.3 % of the respondents indicated that school nurses should give health counsels and health education. c) When questioned about improvements in the current system, the teachers placed importance on the prevention and management of chronic diseases (35.2 %) and pre- and posteducation concerning periodic health examinations In conclusion, the following points must be considered: First, school administrators need to pay more attention to the health problems of the teachers. Second, school nurses should be more active in managing a health program for teachers. Finally, education and training for nurses should be continually upgraded so that they can dispense proper and timely care for teachers.