• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.259-266
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• 2020

Cardiovascular diseases are the primary reason of mortality, among which myocardial infarction (MI) is the most dominant and prevalent. This study was considered to examine D-Limonene protective action against isoproterenol (ISO) induced MI. Wister male rats were dispersed into four groups. Normal and D-Limonene control group in which rats administered saline or D-Limonene. ISO control animals were administered saline for 21 days then challenged with ISO (85 mg/kg, subcutaneously) on 20th and 21st day for MI induction. D-Limonene pretreated group in which animals were pretreated with D-Limonene 50 mg/kg orally for 21 days then administered ISO on 20th and 21st day. MI prompted variations were assessed by myocardial infarction area determination, blood pressure (BP) alterations, cardiac injury biomarkers and inflammatory mediators measurements. For more depth investigation, both the apoptotic status was evaluated via measuring mRNA expression of Bcl-2 and Bax as well as mitogen-activated protein kinase-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK-ERK) signal transduction were investigated via Western blotting. MI group revealed significant infarcted area, blood pressure alterations, myocardial injury enzymes intensification together with inflammatory cytokines amplification. MI was associated with activation of MAPK-ERK signal pathway and apoptotic status within the myocardium. On the other hand, pretreated with D-Limonene demonstrated deterred infracted area, reduced myocardial enzymes, improved BP indices, lessened inflammatory levels. Furthermore, D-Limonene pretreatment caused a decline in MAPK proteins pathway and Bax relative mRNA expression, while intensifying Bcl-2 mRNA expression promoting that D-Limonene may constrain MI induced myocardial apoptosis. D-Limonene mitigated MI injury through MAPK/NF-κB pathway inhibition and anti-apoptotic effect.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.105-115
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• 2004

In developed and industrialized countries life expectancy has increased significantly over the past century. As a consequence, the proportion of elderly individuals in these countries has also enlarged with the resulting increased burden on health care providers. In many developing countries the problem of age related and other eye disorders has far outstripped the ability to manage them. Accordingly, the World Health Organization (WHO) has introduced an initiative: Vision 2020 - The Right to Sight, with the objective of eliminating preventable blindness by the year 2020. This paper reviews the broad range of conditions involving external and internal structures of the eye and also the effects of aging on visual functions. It is hoped that this will provide a stimulus for increased study of these disorders, improved clinical diagnosis, and an enhanced interest and role in contributing to the objectives of the WHO and the World Council of Optometry with respect to early diagnosis, prevention and management of the diseases and disorders of the eye that are more prevalent in old age.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9933-9937
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• 2014

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in males and the second in females in Iran. Males are more likely to develop CRC than women and age is considered as a main risk factor for colorectal cancer. Prevalence of colorectal cancer has been increasing in Asian countries. Aim: The object of this study was to determine the clinical and pathology characteristics of colorectal polyps in Iranian patients and to investigate the variation between our populations with other populations. Materials and Methods: A total of 167 patients with colorectal polyps were included in our study. All underwent colonoscopy during 2009-2013 and specimens were taken through polypectomy and transferred to pathology. All data in patient files including pathology reports were collected and analyzed by SPSS 16 software. A two-tailed test was used and a P-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Mean age of participants was $57{\pm}15$. Some 84 were females (50.3%) and 83 males (49.7%). Total of 225 polyps were detected which 119 (52.9%) were in males and 106 (47.1%) were in females. Solitary polyps were observed in 124 patients (74%), 26 (15.6%) had two polyps and 17 (10.1%) with more than two polyps (three to five). Rectosigmoid was the site of most of the polyps (63.1%), followed by 19.6% in the descending colon, 7.6% in the transverse, 5.8% in the ascending, and 3.1% in the cecum, data being missing in two cases. Conclusions: Recto sigmoid was site of most of the polyps. The most prevalent type of lesion was adenomatous polyps detected in 78 (34.7%). Mixed hyperplastic adenomatous type observed in 70 (31.1%). This high prevalence of adenomatous polyps in Iranian patients implies the urgent need for screening plans to prevent further healthcare problems with colorectal cancer in the Iranian population.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.350-354
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• 2008

In order to investigate the prevalence of sexually transmitted viruses such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) in Korean commercial sex workers (CSWs), we selected 188 CSWs (age range 20-44 years, median age 24 years) who regularly visited one public health center in Seoul, Korea. HPV genotypes were analyzed by using a HPV DNA Chip, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect type-specific IgG against HSV2 antibody identifying seropositivity for HSV2 infection. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed with specific primers to detect HPV and HSV1/2 in cervical swabs from the CSWs. The prevalence of HPV infection was 83.5% in 188 cervical swab specimens and the main high-risk HPV genotypes were HPV16, 18, 56, and 58. The principal low-risk HPV genotypes were HPV6 and 11. The prevalence of HSV1/2 DNA was 13.8% and HSV2 seroprevalence was 86.2%. These results suggest that high frequencies of HPV and HSV2 infection might contribute to the rapid spread of STD viruses in CSWs in Korea. Additionally, an understanding of why high-risk HPV genotypes are so prevalent could provide guidelines for prophylactic vaccine development in Korea.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.192-199
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• 2015

Background: Overweight, obesity, and cardiovascular disease risk factors are prevalent among firefighters in some developed countries. It is unclear whether physical activity and cardiopulmonary fitness reduce cardiovascular disease risk and the cardiovascular workload at work in firefighters. The present study investigated the relationship between leisure-time physical activity, cardiopulmonary fitness, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and cardiovascular workload at work in firefighters in Hong Kong. Methods: Male firefighters (n = 387) were randomly selected from serving firefighters in Hong Kong (n = 5,370) for the assessment of cardiovascular disease risk factors (obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, smoking, known cardiovascular diseases). One-third (Target Group) were randomly selected for the assessment of off-duty leisure-time physical activity using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Maximal oxygen uptake was assessed, as well as cardiovascular workload using heart rate monitoring for each firefighter for four "normal" 24-hour working shifts and during real-situation simulated scenarios. Results: Overall, 33.9% of the firefighters had at least two cardiovascular disease risk factors. In the Target Group, firefighters who had higher leisure-time physical activity had a lower resting heart rate and a lower average working heart rate, and spent a smaller proportion of time working at a moderate-intensity cardiovascular workload. Firefighters who had moderate aerobic fitness and high leisure-time physical activity had a lower peak working heart rate during the mountain rescue scenario compared with firefighters who had low leisure-time physical activities. Conclusion: Leisure-time physical activity conferred significant benefits during job tasks of moderate cardiovascular workload in firefighters in Hong Kong.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.275-285
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• 2008

Antimicrobial drugs are widely used in poultry industry as growth promoters or to control infectious diseases. However, this practice is reported to have caused high resistance to antimicrobial drugs in normal chicken flora and pathogens. Antimicrobial resistance to Escherichia coli (E. coli) from chicken has been mainly reported in normal flora, but rare in pathogenic organism in Korea, recently. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate prevalence of antimicrobials resistance, transfer of R plasmid, and association between antimicrobial drug resistance and O serotype of 203 pathogenic E. coli from poultry in Korea during the period from April 2003 to December 2005. These isolates showed a high resistance to tetracycline (Tc, 93.6%), nalidixic acid (Na, 92.6%), streptomycin (Sm, 81.8%), ampicillin (Ap, 77.3%), ciprofloxacin (Ci, 70.9%), sulfisoxazole (Su, 66.5%), and trimethoprim (Tp, 58.1%). Two hundred-one (99.0%) of the isolates were resistant to one or more drugs. They showed 57 different resistant patterns, and the most prevalent resistant pattern among them was Tc, Sin, Su, Ap, Tp, Ci, Na. Sixty-eight (33.8%) of the isolates transferred all or a part of their antimicrobial resistant pattern to the recipient strain by R plasmid. The most common antimicrobial resistant pattern was Tc, Sm, Su, Ap, Tp, Ci, Na in serotype O78, O88 and O15, respectively. These results exhibit high individual and multiple resistance to antimicrobials of pathogenic E. coli from poultry in Korea. They also suggest the needs for surveillance to monitor antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic bacteria that can be potentially transmitted to humans from food animals and to regulate the abuse of antimicrobials on food-producing animals in Korea.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.383-397
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• 2000

Background/Aims: Dong-Moo Lee Jae-Ma(1837-1900) confirmed the sasangchaejil theory based on the sasang-medicine. This theory has been the main-stem of oriental medicine during 100 years in Korea. But rarely anyone has tried to prove this theory systemicaly. So we have a trial to clarify any relationship between the sasangchaejil and the laboratory and clinical results of mass screening tests. Methods: We evaluated the laboratory values of 280 people who had taken many clinical and laboratory tests. The laboratory examinations were complete blood count, liver and kidney function test, ultrasonogram of the abdomen and breasts, gastrofiberscope, many tumor markers body mass index, blood pressure, glucose, and electrocardiogram, etc. Results: 1) Among the 280 subjects, 187/66.8% were sowumin, 58/20.7% were taewumin and 35/12.5% were soyangin. 2) Those who reacted positive to HBsAb were 22 subjects(62.8%) in soyangin, 57.2% in sowumin and 55.1% in raewumin. But there were no significant correlations. 3) 45 subjects(72.4%) in taewumin had obesity, fatty liver and hyperlipidemia.(P<0.05) 4) 20.6% in taewumin had abnormal LFT suggesting hepatic disease. It was statistically sigificant.(P<0.05) 5) An anemic state was present in women of soyangin and sowumin mostly. Since an iron deficiency anemia is common in women, there were no significant corelations among sasangchaejil. Also urinary tract infectons were common in women. 6) 6 subjects in taewumin(10.3%) had cardiac problems, while only one case(2.8%) occured in soyangin and 7 cases(3.7%) in sowumin. Taewumin was significantly high.(P<0.05) 7) In the case of gastric disease, there was no distinguishable difference among sasangchaejil.(taewumin 37.9%, soyangin 31.4% and sowumin 35.2% rrespectively) 8) There was no significant difference beteen subjects with different blood types using sasangchaejil. Conclusions: There were some significant relationship between sasangchaejil and diseases prevalent to them by the theory of sasang-medicine. But Lee didn't considered the differences of gender, the change of body status according to the development of culture, and circumstances of their lives. Also he didn't consider the existence of infectious agents. Now more systemic study with larger populations are requied.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.156-164
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• 2017

Purpose: Foot and ankle disease (FAD) is a frequent cause of morbidity among the homeless population. Various conditions, exacerbated by malnutrition, poor lifestyle habits, psychiatric disorders, physical injuries, poor hygiene, and limited access to healthcare, have been described in this population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognition and management status of FAD in shelter based homeless people. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two male and twenty-five female volunteer homeless individuals were recruited from two homeless shelters. Each person completed a questionnaire assessing any presence of pain, pain management, as well as foot and ankle care status. A foot and ankle surgeon examined the physical status of the individual's foot and ankle, including tenderness and instability. A radiologic evaluation was done for 18 male and 11 female homeless people who agreed to participate in this test for the existence osteophyte or joint space narrowing representing osteoarthritis and some reference angles for hallux valgus, flatfoot and cavus foot. Results: Homeless people had higher prevalence of body mass index, diabetes, and smoking than the general population. The most prevalent infectious disease was fungal infection (male 78%, female 68%), with a low compliance of management for FAD. Conclusion: Although most of shelter-based homeless people showed an acceptable foot and ankle management status, the potential risk for FAD development and exacerbation of mild FAD was high.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.11-17
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• 1983

The soil-transmitted helminthes, such as ascaris, whipworm, hookworm and trichostrongylus, have been considered as the most prevalent parasitic diseases in a matter of several decades ago in Korea. In facts, the attached eggs and/or larvae to the vegetables have been played a great role on the transmission to human because of raw eating the vegetables without the proper recipe. The aims of this study is to outline the attached helminthes egg in vegetables and to define whether the detection rates on them show a decreasing pattern or not in present. The subjected vegetables were collected from the three markets which are located at Goo-Pa Bal, Soo-Yoo Dong, Cheon-Ho Dong in suburban area, Seoul from April to May 1983. A total of 180 samples including such as 60 Korean cabbages, 60 young radishes and 60 Korean onions were examined. For the detection of helminthes eggs, the both methods of formalin-ether sedimentation and zinc-sulfate floatation were applied. The results were summarized as follows: 1) The detected eggs of ascaris, whipworm, hookworm, trichostrongylus and either filariform larvae or rhabditoidform larvae of hookworm, as well as unknown ones were found in vegetables subjected. 2) Out of 180 subjects, the overall detection rate showed 48 (26.7%). And in case of Korean onion, the rate revealed 22 heads (36.7%) among 60, 17 heads (28.3%) out of 60 Korean cabbages, 9 roots (15.0%) out of 60 young radishes respectively. 3) The ascaris eggs were detected 6 heads (10%) out of 60 Korean cabbages, while the filariform larvae of hookworm appeared in 7 heads (11.7%) among 60 Korean onions. 4) In the results of present study, the detection rates in vegetables were appeared to be the marked decreasing tendency as like 28.3%, 36.7%, 15% compared with 96%, 100%, 88% of previous investigators (Choi et al. 1967)each on Korean cabbage, Korean onion, young radish.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2011

This study focuses on the origin and the literature of eyelid-acupuncture, nunchim therapy in Korea and its present clinical usage in modern Korea. The therapy is called nunchim at local area of Korea and has been transmitted as folk remedy because its real practice has been fallen into oblivion in the regular medical institution in modern Korea. On the contrast, some old women called nunchim-halmae, still know its practice and give medical therapy in a certain irregular way. While many kinds of eye clinics are prevalent in Korea, some patients with chronic eye diseases still go to get the nunchim therapy from nunchim-halmae. Moreover some oriental medical doctors have learned the therapy from nunchim-halmae and performed that medical service in their clinics in spite of absence of medical insurance coverage. Nunchim has unique historic origin and transmission linage in Korea, which was shed light on by this research. We present concise structure of the essence of nunchim therapy and 80 year old woman case of dramatic eye curing with the therapy.