• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.157-163
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• 2022

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which encompasses alcoholic steatosis, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although the economic and health impacts of ALD are clear, few advances have been made in its prevention or treatment. We recently demonstrated that the insect-derived antimicrobial peptide CopA3 exerts anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory activities in various cell systems, including neuronal cells and colonic epithelial cells. Here, we tested whether CopA3 inhibits ethanol-induced liver injury in mice. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with ethanol only or ethanol plus CopA3 for 24 h and then liver injury and inflammatory responses were measured. Ethanol enhanced the production of proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, interferon (IFN)-γ, and IL-10. It also induced hepatocyte apoptosis and ballooning degeneration in hepatocytes. Notably, all these effects were eliminated or significantly reduced by CopA3 treatment. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that CopA3 ameliorates ethanol-induced liver cell damage and inflammation, suggesting the therapeutic potential of CopA3 for treating ethanol-induced liver injury.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.225-236
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• 2011

This study was aimed to determine the fish physical status according to the gross and histopathological findings of liver in cultured black rock fish, Sebastes schlegeli. All 47 fish submitted had no marked abnormalities in the external findings. 42.55% of fish showed normal liver, 25.53% yellow liver, 25.53% atrophic brown liver, 4.26% yellowish-green liver and 2.13% fatty liver in gross examination. Grossly normal liver showed no remarkable change in lobular structure but many vacuoles were found in hepatic cell. Hepatic cells took normal roundish, polygonal shapes containing spherical nuclei. In group of yellow-brown liver, many brown pigments were seen in hepatic cells, MMCs and brown-colored hyaline droplets within cytoplasm of hepatocytes. Yellowish green pigments were seen in hepatic cells and MMCs of yellow green liver and green colored hyaline droplets within hepatocytes. The dilated central veins are highlighted with atrophy of hepatic cells. Outline of atrophic hepatocyte became ambiguous and nucleus frequently become small and pyknotic. Fatty liver showed prominent vacuolar structures in cells as clear spaces or foamy cytoplasm with degenerative nuclei. From these results, it was strongly suggested that hepatic gross and histological findings could be used as important and critical health parameters of fish prior to progression to substantial manifestation as clinical disease.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.280-288
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• 2008

Purpose: To identify the inter-fractional shift pattern and to assess an adequate treatment margin in the radiotherapy of a liver tumor using mega-voltage computed tomography (MVCT) of a tomotherapy unit. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six patients were treated for liver tumors by tomotherapy from April 2006 to August 2007. The MVCT images of each patient were analyzed from the $1^{st}$ to the $10^{th}$ fraction for the assessment of the daily liver shift by four groups based on Couinard's proposal. Daily setup errors were corrected by bony landmarks as a prerequisite. Subsequently, the anterior-, posterior-, right-, and left shifts of the liver edges were measured by maximum linear discrepancies between the kilo-voltage computed tomography (KVCT) image and MVCT image. All data were set in the 2-dimensional right angle coordinate system of the transverse section of each patient's body. Results: The liver boundary shift had different patterns for each group. In group II (segment 2, 3, and 4), the anterior mean shift was $2.80{\pm}1.73\;mm$ outwards, while the left mean shift was $2.23{\pm}1.37\;mm$ inwards. In group IV (segment 7 and 8), the anterior-, posterior-, right-, and left mean shifts were $0.15{\pm}3.93\;mm$ inwards, $3.15{\pm}6.58\;mm$ inwards, $0.60{\pm}3.58\;mm$ inwards, and $4.50{\pm}5.35\;mm$ inwards, respectively. The reduced volume in group II after MVCT reassessment might be a consequence of stomach toxicity. Conclusion: Inter-fractional liver shifts of each group based on Couinard's proposal were somewhat systematic despite certain variations observed in each patient. The geometrical deformation of the liver by respiratory movement can cause shrinkage in the left margins of liver. We recommend a more sophisticated approach in free-breathing mode when irradiating the left lobe of liver in order to avoid stomach toxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6227-6231
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• 2013

In the past, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was endemic in the general Korean population. The association of HBV infection with the occurrence of liver cancer has been well demonstrated in several epidemiologic studies. While the mortality rates of liver cancer in Korea have decreased steadily over the last decade, the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in mothers remains high at 3-4%, and 25.5% of these HBsAg positive mothers are positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). HBV infection caused almost a quarter of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases and one-third of deaths from HCC. These aspects of HBV infection prompted the Korean government to create a vaccination program against HBV in the early 1980s. In 1995, the Communicable Disease Prevention Act (CDPA) was reformed, and the government increased the number of HBV vaccines in the National Immunization Program (NIP), driving the vaccination rate up to 95%. In 2000, the National Health Insurance Act (NHIA) was enacted, which provided increased resources for the prevention of perinatal HBV infection. Then in 2002, the Korean government, in conjunction with the Korean Medical Association (KMA), launched an HBV perinatal transmission prevention program. The prevalence of HBsAg in children had been high (4-5%) in the early 1980s, but had dropped to below 1% in 1995, and finally reached 0.2% in 2006 after the NIP had been implemented. After the success of the NIP, Korea finally obtained its first certification of achievement from the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WPRO-WHO) for reaching its goal for HBV control. An age-period-cohort analysis showed a significant reduction in the liver cancer mortality rate in children and adolescents after the NIP had been implemented. In addition to its vaccination efforts, Korea launched the National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) for 5 leading sites of cancer, including the liver, in 1999. As a consequence of this program, the 5-year liver cancer survival rate increased from 13.2% (1996-2000) to 23.3% (2003-2008). The development of both the primary and secondary prevention for liver cancer including HBV immunization and cancer screening has been of critical importance.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.2 s.61
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• pp.167-182
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to identify the major health components and measurements to be conducted in National Health Examination Survey(KNHES). The prevalence and severity of disease, acceptability of population and the possibility of standardization of measurement were considered as guideline for selecting the components. On the base of magnitude and severity of disease, chronic liver disease, hepatic cancer, gastric ulcer, stomach cancer, essential hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, lung cancer, DM, breast cancer, cervical cancer, arthritis and intervertebral disc disorder were selected as the preliminary target diseases. Questionnaire survey for 648 persons in 'K' city and medical specialists in five clinical societies were conducted for evaluation the acceptability of general population for the measurements and the possibility of standardization for the procedures. In conclusion, the major target diseases were chronic liver disease, hypertension and DM and the total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, triglyceride, total protein, albumin, hemoglobulin, hematocrit, platlet count, anti-HBs, HBsAg, height and weight were selected for basic physical components.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 2005

Background : Osteopenia has been recognized as one of potential complication of chronic liver diseases. Its correlation with hepatits B virus(HBV) carrier, however, has not been reported. Thus this study was aimed to clarify the relationship between the osteopenia and HBV carrier. Methods : Bone densities in 192 HBV carrier women and 200 healthy women were measured; the lumbar spine and three sites of the proximal femur(neck, Ward's triangle, greater trochanter) by dual-photon absorptiometry. And liver function tests(AST, ALT, Albumin, GGT, ALP) were also performed. Results : Bone densities at the four sites measured, were significantly correlated with one another(r=0.34 to 0.99, P<0.01). Compared with control group, HBV carriers had significant decreases in bone densities of femur(P<0.05), particularly marked at Ward's triangle. A negative correlations between bone densities and serum total alkaline phosphatase were also found(r=-0.44, P<0.01). Conclusions : Osteopenia was more prevalent in HBV carrier, particularly in the groups before-fifties. Serum total alkaline phosphatase was higher in those with reduced bone densities Thus measurement of bone densities seems to be necessary in female HBV carriers.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.79-88
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• 1983

There has been some evidence concerning the fact that trihalomethanes(THMs), toxic chlorinated compounds, may be present in drinking water. One of the important methodologies to evaluate the toxicity of THMs is to determine enzyme alteration in experimental animal tissues after treatment. This study was intended to investigate how lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) of rat tissues is affected by administration of chloroform($CHCl_3$) and dichloromonobromomethane($CHCl_2\;Br$). THMs, high dose(1/10 LD50) or low dose(1/50 LD50) of $CHCl_3$ or $CHCl_{2}Br$ were administered orally to experimental rats for 4 or 8 weeks. The treated groups of rats were sacrificed to determine LDH specific activity and isozyme pattern in various organs which were liver, thigh muscle, kidney and brain. The conclusions were obtained as follows: 1. Alteration of LDH activities and isozyme patterns were revealed before morphologic changes in tissues. 2. The LDH specific activities were increased significantly in liver and brain after administration of high concentrations of $CHCl_3$ and $CHCl_{2}Br$ for 4 weeks respectively. Otherwise, they were decreased significantly in liver, muscle and kidney after administration for 8 weeks. 3. The isozyme activities of LDH-4 and LDH-5 were increased in muscle, brain, and especially the liver. 4. It was more distinct for the decrement of LDH H-type isozyme than the increment of M-type isozyme in muscle.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.715-727
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• 1993

This study was performed to see the effect of nutritional status on fatty liver. Subjects were 219(male : 174, female : 45) fatty liver patients living in cities, and 10-60yrs old. Nutrient and alcohol intakes, health state and medical history were investigated by individual interview, and blood sample was taken. Results were as follow; Most subjects were obese an overweighing and suffering from hepatitis. Calorie and carbohydrate intakes of male and females patients were lower than mean intakes of normal citizens. Protein and fat intakes of male patients were higher than mean intakes of normal citizens. Proportions of protein and fat to total calorie intake in patients were higher than those of normal citizens. Alcohol intake was markedly higher in patients than normal group, and increased with increasing body weight. Serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, total lipid, total protein and albumin conc.s and Hb and Hct levels were in normal ranges, But serum TG level of patients was higher than normal level. Serum total fatty acid level, $\omega$-3/$\omega$-6 and P/S FA ratios were higher in patients than normals. Serum total EAAs, NEAAs and all AAs levels of patients were higher than normals. It is plausible that high animal food and alcohol intakes, excess body fat and hepatitis were associated with fatty liver.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.689-702
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• 1996

The purpose of this experiment was to compare the effects of tryptophan administration on nutritional status of female rats which consumed reserpine and 6% casein diet with different carbohydrate contents(87%, 65%, 44% respective). Final body weight, body weight gain, FER, plasma amino acid concentration and microsomal cytochrome P 450 content in liver were measured and microscopic structure of hepatocytes was observed. In low-protein diet, the higher the carbohydrate content of diet was, the lower the damage was in the rat's liver. Tryptophan administration after dose of reserpine induced more effective recovery from liver damage of rats in high carbohydrate diet group than that in low carbohydrate diet group. In conclusion, the general nutritional assessments such as final body weight and body weight gain provided better estimate of the degree of structural changes in hepatocytes than functional assessment such as plasma amino acid concentration or liver microsomal cytochrome P450.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 2003

The possibility that liver and kidney function is adversely affected by current levels of environmental exposure to cadmium (Cd) as investigated in adult men and women in the general population in Seoul. From February to August in 2001, blood and morning spot urine samples were collected from 136 not occupationally exposed group (age range 20∼75 years) at 4 survey sites throughout seoul. Liver and kidney function parameters in serum and urine were examined by conventional methods. The questionnaire included factors, i.e. sex, age, smoking, alcohol, diet habit etc. The geometric mean values for Cd in blood (Cd-B) were 1.43 $\mu\textrm{g}$/1, It seemed prudent to conclude that liver and kidney function as not disturbed by the current environmental exposure to Cd in study.