• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 1995

The primary aim of this study is to find out the relationship of examination stress with serum cortisol and prolatin levels. 20 male medical students participated in this study. Global assessment of recent stress (GARS) scale and SCL-90R were used to measure stress perception and psychopathology. Radioimmunoassay was used to assess serum cortisol and prolactin. Serum cortisol level was significantly higher during exam period than during nonexam period. However, there was no significant difference in serum prolactin level between the two periods. In psychopathology, only interpersonal sensitivity had a significantly negative correlation with serum cortisol level during exam period. On the other hand, stress perception had no significant correlation with serum cortisol and prolactin levels during each of exam and non-exam period. The results suggest that cortisol is more likely to be associated with psychological stress such as examination than prolactin, and that specific psychopathology such as interpersonal sensitivity is more likely to be associated with lower serum cortisol level.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.235-242
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• 2022

Purpose: To investigate associations of perceived stress level, serum cortisol level, and telomere length of community-dwelling adults in Korea. Methods: Data of a total of 135 community-dwelling adults aged over 40 years living in D metropolitan city from December 2020 to March 2021 were collected. Perceived stress level over the past month were measured using the Perceived Stress Score. Serum cortisol level was analyzed using a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Telomere length was determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The statistical package SPSS 23.0 was used to perform Chi-square test, independent t-test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. Results: There was no association between perceived stress and serum cortisol level (r = .07, p= .402). Serum cortisol level was not significantly associated with telomere length either (r = -.15, p= .081). However, the higher the perceived stress level, the shorter the telomere length (r= -.29, p= .001). Conclusion: These results suggest that perceived stress might induce physiological stress, which might partially affect gene biology. Further longitudinal research is needed to investigate the effect of perceived stress on telomere length. Intervention for relieving stress should be included in stabilizing the genetic environment of adults.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.229-236
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• 1990

We made S.D male rats eat 3.6% tryptophan(trp) or tyrosine(thr)-enriched diet for 4 days and measured the trp or tyr use in serum of stressed rats as well as cortisol, glucose and free fatty acid(ffa) changes in serum. When control group had received stress treatment, their tyr level has dropped significantly but no changes in trp level and their cortisol, glucose, ffa levels in serum were increased significantly all together. Trp-enrichment alone can't change serum cortisol and ffa levels but trp pools in serum and brain enlarged by dietary enrichment. Trp-enriched group's serum glucose concentration was significantly lower than control-dieted group. When trp-enriched group received stress treatment, their responses to stress were different from control-dieted group. Serum trp concentration of trp-enriched-with-stress group has dropped significantly and cortisol level was increased significantly but not as much as control-dieted-with-stress group. Glucose and ffa levels of trp-enriched-with-stress group did not increase at all. Tyr-enriched group has also larger serum pool of tyr and lowest basal cortisol level in all three diet group. tyr-enriched group's and ffa levels were in normal range and those responses to stress were same pattern with control diet group. Most importantly in tyr-enriched-with-stress group, only slight but not significant increase of cortisol level was shown.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 1999

Background: Preoperative blocking of surgical nociceptive inputs may prevent sensitization of central nervous system (CNS) and reduce postoperative pain. The stress responses to surgical trauma consist of increase in catabolic hormones and decrease in anabolic hormones. We studied whether preoperative low dose epidural bupivacaine and morphine could affect postoperative pain, changes plasma cortisol, and serum glucose. Methods: Thirty patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy were randomly assigned to one of three groups. General anesthesia was induced in all patients and after that, epidural blocks were done except the control group (n=10) patients. Preoperative block group (n=10) received 0.5% bupivacaine 50 mg and morphine 2 mg epidurally as a bolus before operation and followed by 0.1% bupivacaine $5\;mghr^{-1}$ and morphine $0.2\;mghr^{-1}$ for 10 hours. Postoperative block group (n=10) received the same doses of bupivacaine and morphine under the same method postoperatively. Postoperative pain relief was provided with i.v. fentanyl through Patient-Controlled-Analgesia Pump. Postoperative pain by visual analogue scores (VAS), analgesic requirement (first requirement time, total amounts used), side effects, plasma cortisol level and serum glucose level were compared. Results: Until postoperative 6 hrs, VAS of control group was higher than those of the epidural groups. No difference was observed in VAS between the two epidural groups. First analgesics requirement time and total amounts of used analgesics were not different between the two epidural groups, but first analgesic requirement time of preoperative block group was significantly prolonged compared with control group. Plasma cortisol and serum glucose levels were not different among groups. Conclusions: Low dose preoperative epidural bupivacaine and morphine could not reduce postoperative pain, plasma cortisol level and serum glucose level compared with postoperative block group.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.109-113
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• 2019

Background: In both developed and developing countries, noise is regarded as the most common occupational hazard in various industries. The present study aimed to examine the effect of sound pressure level (SPL) on serum cortisol concentration in three different times during the night shift. Methods: This case-control study was conducted among 75 workers of an industrial and mining firm in 2017. The participants were assigned to one of the three groups (one control and two case groups), with an equal number of workers (25 participants) in each group. Following the ISO 9612 standard, dosimetry was adopted to evaluate equivalent SPL using a TES-1345 dosimeter. The influence of SPL on serum cortisol concentration was measured during the night shift. The serum cortisol concentration was measured using a radioimmunoassay (RIA) test in the laboratory. Repeated measure analysis of variance and linear mixed models were used with ${\alpha}=0.05$. Results: The results indicated a downward trend in the serum cortisol concentration of the three groups during the night shift. Both SPL and exposure time significantly affected cortisol concentration (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001). Conversely, age and body mass index had no significant influence on cortisol concentration (p = 0.360, p = 0.62). Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, increasing SPL will lead to enhancement of serum cortisol concentration. Given that cortisol concentration varies while workers are exposed to different SPLs, this hormone can be used as a biomarker to study the effect of noise-induced stress.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.133-139
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of aromatherapy on headache, anxiety, and serum cortisol level in middle-aged women with recurrent headaches. Methods: Nineteen patients in the intervention group and 21 in the control group participated in the exercise. They were randomly selected volunteers whose average headache score over 6 months with above 4 points on the visual analogue scale (VAS). The experimental group received aromatherapy for 5 days; inhalation (3 times per day) and an application on the neck and both shoulders (one time per day). Prior and post treatment scores in headache, anxiety, and measurement of serum cortisol in experimental group were measured. Then, these were compared with the control group. The headache score was measured by VAS; anxiety score was measured by State Trait Anxiety Inventory; serum cortisol was measured by Radio-Immune-Assay method. Results: Decrease in headache, anxiety, and serum cortisol level in the experimental group was greater than those in the control group. Conclusion: It confirmed aromatherapy is effective in reducing headache, anxiety, and serum cortisol level.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1998

The present study was performed to evaluate circadian rhythm of blood nortisol concentration and change of blood cortisol concentration by various stress type in domestic cats. The ELISA kit for cortisol measurement was evaluated on the effective assay range, day to day variation, within-run variation and accuracy. The results were 1-1,000 ng/ ml, 0.7-5.9%, 0.9-4.5% and 98%, respectively. The circadian rhythm of serum cortisol concentration is presented in cats. Change of serum cortisol concentration was also examined with several stressors, stimulation with hamster as a prey, beep electronic sounds, vehicle transportation and unfamiliar environment. Unfamiliar environment showed most remarkable change in serum cortisol level.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 1994

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of electroanalgeia and $\beta-endorphin$ action by acupuncture-like (Lof/Hil) transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) applied to acupuncture points. Twelve healthy adult male aged between 19 ann 25 were randomly assigned to TENS group (n=6) and naloxone group (n=6). Subjects of both groups were strongly stimulated TENS with 4 pps and $200{\mu}s$ for 30 minutes on the LI 3 and LI 10 meridian points of dominant am. Naloxone group was injected naloxone hydrochloride before TENS application. The experimental pain threshold was measured by chronaxie meter CX-2 on the distal end of radius just before and after TENS application. The levels of plasma $\beta-endorphin$ and ACTH. serum cortisol and urinary 17-OHCS were analyzed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) kits before and after TENS application. In TENS group, there was a significant increase of experimental pain threshold (p<0.01), plasma $\beta-endorphin$ level (p<0.05), serum cortisol level (p<0,001) and urinary 17-OHCS levels (p<0.05) after TENS application. The plasma ACTH level was not significantly increased, but it showed an increasing tendency. In naloxone group, although there was a decreasing trend, ACTH and cortisol level did not show a significant change, but $\beta-endorphin$ and 17-OHCS level were significantly decreased (p<0.01). The result of this study stewed that acupuncture-like TENS induced analgesic effect, such that the levels of plasma $\beta-endorphin$, plasma ACTH, serum cortisol and urinary 17-OHCS were concomitantly increased with experimental pain threshold. It is suggested that the analgesic mechanism of the acupuncture-like TENS probably related to endogenous opioid component such as $\beta-endorphin$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1297-1302
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• 2003

To determine whether the feeding of different species of hay affects the dry-matter intake and the serum cortisol level of sheep, 6 non-pregnant, non-lactating ewes were offered alfalfa (Medicago sativa) hay (Al), oats (Avena sativa) hay (Ot) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) hay (Pr) under 6 kinds of treatment including 1) change from Al to Ot, 2) Al to Pr, 3) Ot to Al, 4) Ot to Pr, 5) Pr to Al, and 6) Pr to Ot. The experimental design was a 6${\times}$6 Latin square with a 14 day period of which 9 days were a preliminary period and 5 days as a digestion trial period. The change in hay feeding was done abruptly on the first day of each period without an adaptation period. The blood from the jugular vein was collected on the first, third and the last day of each period through a sterile catheter for the analysis of cortisol. The dry-matter intake was recorded daily throughout the period. The mean daily intake of dry matter (DM, g/kg live weight) was significantly different among the 3 species of hay (Al>Ot>Pr; p<0.05). The digestibility of DM for Al and Ot was the same, but that for Pr was significantly lower than Al and Ot (p<0.05). The mean serum cortisol levels were significantly different among the hays (p<0.05). The level for Pr was the highest and that for Al was the lowest. The abrupt change of hay feeding of 6 treatments produced a significant change in the serum cortisol levels. The DM intake was inversely related to the change of the cortisol level. It is suggested that the animal' intake response to different species of hay may be partly motivated by the psychological feelings toward the hay offered.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.140-151
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• 2002

This study was carried to identify whether acupuncture at several meridian points can affect the human anesthesia or not through the analysis of serum intermediates, such as, melatonin, serotonin, TSH, cortisol in human serum. We investigated the effect of accupuncture on the change of serum intermediates which have frequently been made a subject of discussion owing to its hyponic and sedative properties in practice. The result obtained were as follow ; 1. Serum melatonin levels was hardly affected at 40 minutes after general acupuncture on Hab-Gog, Nae-Gwan, and the other meridian points as compared with that($5.64{\pm}1.02pg/ml$) of resting control group. But on day 1 after acupuncture, these tend to increase significantly ($7.95{\pm}2.05pg/ml$ to $8.21{\pm}1.57pg/ml$, p <0.05). On the other hand, control group under sleep showed the serum level of $7.39{\pm}1.03pg/ml$. Additional acupuncture at In-Dang induced the increased melatonin level, especially at 40minutes after acupuncture(p <0.05). 2. Serotonin level in resting control serum recorded $51.14{\pm}8.17{\mu}g/ml$. Acupuncture at determined meridian point intend to increase average level of serotonin, but not significant. However observation on day 1 after acupuncture at Hab-Gwan meridian point and under sleeping showed the significantly increased serotonin level, $74.05{\pm}35.83{\mu}g/ml$, $70.44{\pm}13.08{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. 3. TSH level in intact human serum recorded $0.85{\pm}0.24{\mu}IU/ml$. and the serum exposed to acupuncture showed the irregular pattern of TSH level in a mean range of $0.76{\pm}0.44{\mu}IU/ml$ to $1.06{\pm}0.38{\mu}IU/ml$, regardless of meridian point or time after acupuncture. 4. The values of serum cortisol in control group were $11.76{\pm}2.06{\mu}g/dl$ in resting, $7.51{\pm}2.85{\mu}/dl$ under sleep, respectively. The level of serum cortisol in 40minutes after acupuncture was markedly (p <0.05) reduced to the serum levels of $5.65{\pm}2.58{\mu}g/dl$ (Hab-Gog, Nae-Gwan), $7.58{\pm}3.21{\mu}g/dl$ (Gyo-Gam, Sin-Mun besides Hab-Gog, Nae-Gwan), $6.43{\pm}3.54{\mu}g/dl$ (In-Dang besides to Hab-Gog, Nae-Gwan), respectively, as compared with control, intending to increase a little on day 1 after acupuncture. From the above results, the analysis of serum intermediates suggest that acupunctuation at meridian points applied to at this study act upon the phase of light anaesthesia or hypnosis, at the same time affect pituitary-adrenal axis rather than hypothalamus-pituitary axis in the secretary system of hormone and also don't affect dorsal-raphe nucleus according to the observation of change transition in serum intermediates, such as TSH, serotonin, and cortisol.