• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.165-171
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Groundwater is believed to possess many beneficial effects due to its natural source of various minerals. In this study, we examined the effects of natural Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo$^{TM}$), S2 and S3 pumped up from different locations of Jeju Island, Korea, along with local tap water, on body weight gain, serum lipids and lipoproteins, and liver histopathology in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: Rats were randomly and equally divided into 6 groups. Different water samples were supplied to the hyperlipidemic rats as their daily drinking water and the widely-used anti-hyperlipidemic drug simvastatin was used as a positive control. Body weight, serum lipids and lipoproteins were measured weekly. Liver weight, liver index and liver histopathology were examined after the execution of the rats. RESULTS: After drinking Jeju groundwaters for two months, S2 but not S3 significantly reduced weight growth and serum triglycerides levels and increased high density lipoprotein-C (HDL-C) without affecting total cholesterol or LDL-C. S1 and particularly S2 significantly reduced the severity of liver hypertrophy and steatosis. All Groundwaters had much higher contents of vanadium (S3>S2>S1>>tap water) whereas S1 and S2 but not S3 markedly blocked autoxidation of ferrous ions. CONCLUSION: Jeju Groundwater S1 and particularly S2 exhibit protective effects against hyperlipidemia and fatty liver and hypothesize that the beneficial effect of Jeju Groundwaters may be contributed from blockade of autoxidation of ferrous ions rather than their high contents of vanadium.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10439-10444
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• 2015

Many chemotherapeutic agents have been successfully used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the development of chemoresistance in liver cancer cells usually results in a relapse and worsening of prognosis. It has been demonstrated that DNA methylation and histone modification play crucial roles in chemotherapy resistance. Currently, extensive research has shown that there is another potential mechanism of gene expression control, which is mediated through the function of short noncoding RNAs, especially for microRNAs (miRNAs), but little is known about their roles in cancer cell drug resistance. In present study, by taking advantage of miRNA effects on the resistance of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells line to cisplatin, it has been demonstrated that miR-340 were significantly downregulated whereas Nrf2 was upregulated in HepG2/CDDP (cisplatin) cells, compared with parental HepG2 cells. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assays of Nrf2-3'-untranslated region-based reporter constructor indicated that Nrf2 was the direct target gene of miR-340, miR-340 mimics suppressing Nrf2-dependent antioxidant pathway and enhancing the sensitivity of HepG2/CDDP cells to cisplatin. Interestingly, transfection with miR-340 mimics combined with miR-340 inhibitors reactivated the Nrf2 related pathway and restored the resistance of HepG2/CDDP cells to CDDP. Collectively, the results first suggested that lower expression of miR-340 is involved in the development of CDDP resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, at least partly due to regulating Nrf2-dependent antioxidant pathway.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.120-128
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• 2017

Objectives : Although antipsychotics are commonly used to control symptoms of delirium, there is a lack of research on the prescription pattern and its clinical effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of antipsychotics prescription pattern on clinical course of delirious patients consulted to psychiatry. Methods : During the period from July 2016 to February 2017, 212 patients who were referred for delirium were reviewed for their medical records. The duration of delirium was monitored using CAM-ICU, and duration of admission, mortality, and delirium at discharge were reviewed. Clinical course was compared among three groups according to the antipsychotic drug administration pattern: Continuous use group, optimal use group and PRN use group. Results : The pattern of taking antipsychotic medication longer than duration of delirium did not associated with better clinical course compared with the pattern of adapting to the period of delirium and rather increased the risk of taking antipsychotic medication at discharge. When used for a shorter period than the delirium period, it was associated with poor clinical course. Conclusions : The results of this study suggest that a strategy to administer antipsychotics for a minimum period, according to periods of delirium, is appropriate. Also, efforts are needed to minimize the use of antipsychotic drugs after recovery from delirium.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.265-269
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• 2011

Inhibitory effect of useful components from Cheongmoknosang mulberry leaves extracts against Helicobacter pylori were investigated to develope them to a health functional food. It was confirmed that H. pylori bacterial infection occurred after 6 weeks over in C57BL/6 mouse which was caused the infection, and the average number of pathogens was $8{\times}10^5$ CFU/mL. Effects of the prevention and cure against H. pylori were tested by the mouth administration with Cheongmoknosang mulberry leaves extracts include the active ingredient, and number of H. pylori colony in stomach of drug groups were decreased more than control group. The result of testing immuno-glogulin isotype from the separated serum from a mouse, IgG1, IgA produced more in administered group, and it is expected to inhibit the H. pylori infection because of increasing antibody production in the mixture. These results suggest that caffeic acid, rosemarinic acid and chlorogenic acid in Cheongmoknosang mulberry leaves extracts are very effective to prevent or cure against H. pylori infection. So the ratio of infection is increasing and it is regarded to be able to prevent and cure the disease like gastritis, gastric ulcer and gastric cancer which are caused by H. pylori.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.506-512
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to improve release rate and bioavailability of nateglinide formulation. Polymorphism selection and particle size control were performed to enhance formulation dissolution rate, and a pH modifier was included in the formulation to overcome pH-dependent solubility of nateglinide. The enhanced dissolution rate was characterized by using a dissolution test. The results showed that H-type raw material had a higher dissolution rate than that of B-type raw material. There was 6.2% difference in dissolution between the two materials at 60 min. With regard to particle size, raw material with a $1.13{\mu}m$ particle size showed a 20% faster release rate than that of raw material with a $2.28{\mu}m$ particle size. Furthermore, fumaric acid was included in formulation as a pH modifier. That addition produced a greater than 50% improvement in dissolution rate. In conclusion, dissolution rate of nateglinide can be enhanced by optimizing its polymorphism and particle size; moreover, a synergistic effect on the enhancement of dissolution rate is obtained by including fumaric acid, a pH modifier, in the formulation.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.740-745
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• 2015

This study investigated the effect of different collection methods on physical properties of pectin hydrogels in microfluidic synthetic approach. The pectin hydrogels were simply produced by the incorporation of calcium ions dissolved in continuous mineral oil. Then, different collection methods, pipetting, tubing, and settling, for harvesting pectin hydrogels were applied. The settling method showed most uniform and monodispersed hydrogels. In the case of settling, a coefficient of variation was 3.46 which was lower than pipetting method (18.60) and tubing method (14.76). Under the settling method, we could control the size of hydrogels, ranging from $30{\mu}m$ to $180{\mu}m$, by simple manipulation of the viscosity of pectin and volumetric flow rate of dispersed and continuous phase. Finally, according to the characteristics of simple encapsulation of biological materials, we envision that the pectin hydrogels can be applied to drug delivery, food, and biocompatible materials.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to detect the fragments generated during IV (intravenous) catheter injection of contrast medium and drug administration in a clinical setting and removal was performed by experimentally producing a phantom, and to compare the radiography, ultrasonography, and multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) imaging and radiation dose. A 1 cm fragment of an 18 gage Teflon$^{(R)}$ IV catheter with saline was inserted into the IV control line. Radiography, CT, and ultrasonography were performed and radiography and CT dose were calculated. CT and ultrasonography showed an IV catheter fragment clinically and radiography showed no visible difference in the ability to provide a useful image of an IV catheter fragment modality (p >.05). Radiography of effective dose ($0.2139mSv{\cdot}Gy^{-1}{\cdot}cm^{-2}$) form DAP DAP ($0.93{\mu}Gy{\cdot}m^2 $), and dose length product (DLP) ($201mGy{\cdot}cm$) to effective dose was calculated as 0.483 mSv. IV catheter fragment were detected of radiography, ultrasonography and CT. These results can be obtained by menas of an excellent IV catheter fragment of detection capability CT. However, CT is followed by radiation exposure. IV catheter fragment confirming the position and information recommend an ultrasonography.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.347-355
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• 2013

In this study, the porous cellulose hydrogel as a carrier to enhance the skin delivery of quercetin and its glycoside, rutin known as flavonoid antioxidants was prepared and its properties were investigated. The optimum cellulose hydrogel for quercetin and rutin was made by the reaction of 2 wt% cellulose with 12% ECH. In the release test of the hydrogel containing the flavonoids, the release of quercetin was diffusion-controlled at $10{\sim}500{\mu}M$, but rutin was released by the erosion of hydrogel system at $10{\sim}50{\mu}M$. Both the encapsulation efficiency and release amount of rutin in hydrogel were higher than quercetin. However, in skin permeation experiment using Franz diffusion cell, quercetin showed higher skin permeation capacity than rutin. The hydrogel containing flavonoids showed remarkable transdermal permeation than the control group. These results suggest that porous cellulose hydrogel is potential drug delivery system to enhance transdermal permeation of water-insoluble flavonoid antioxidants.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2011

Hovenia dulcis Thunb (HDT) has been known folk medicine and has been used as therapeutic drug in the treatment of liver disease. Also it has been used as a detoxifying agents for alcoholic poisoning and promoting diuresis. However, there has not been any study on therapeutic effect of Hovenia dulcis extract on $CCl_4$ induced liver and kidney damage in rats. In this study, we report on therapeutic effects of Hovenia dulcis extract on $CCl_4$ induced liver and kidney damage in rats. Rats were divided into four groups of eighteen animals. Control group (DW) was administrated with distilled water 2.5 mL/kg per peritonial administration and then $CCl_4$ group (CCl) was administrated $CCl_4$ 2.5 mL/kg per peritonial administration, $CCl_4$+HDT extract group ($CCl_4$+HDT) was administrated HDT extrat (100 mg/kg) after $CCl_4$ 2.5 mL/kg administration, $CCl_4$+Silymarin group ($CCl_4$+Sily) was administrated Silymarin (50 mg/kg) after $CCl_4$ 2.5 mL/kg administration. The complete blood cell (CBC) count of RBC, WBC, PCV, Hb, MCH, MCV, MCHC and blood chemistry profile of AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, Total choloesterol, Tryglyceride, Total bilirubin, Amylase, Glucose, BUN, Creatinine, Lipase and pathologic changes were observed for 7 days after administration of D.W., $CCl_4$, $CCl_4$+HDT extract, $CCl_4$+Silymarin. The results are as follows : 1. RBC and PCV were significantly (p < 0.01) increased in all groups compared to D.W. but hemoglobin, MCH, MCV and MCHC were not showed significant difference during experimental periods. 2. AST, ALT, T-cholesterol, T-bilirubin, TG were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in all groups on day 3 compared to D.W. and were normal on day 7. 3. ALP was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in $CCl_4$+HDT group on day 3 but Amylase was not showed significant difference during experimental periods. 4. BUN was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in $CCl_4$ group on day 7, but $CCl_4$+HDT group and $CCl_4$+Sily group were normal. Creatninie was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in $CCl_4$ group on day 3 and normal on day 7 but $CCl_4$+HDT group and $CCl_4$+Sily group were not showed significant difference during experimental periods.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.371-375
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• 2009

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was used to detect radiation-induced signals from irradiated spices and ESR parameters were analyzed to define specific signals. Four powdered spices (red pepper, garlic, onion, and black pepper) were irradiated with 0, 1, 5, or 10 kGy at room temperature using a [60Co] gamma-ray irradiator prior to ESR analysis. Radiation-induced triplet signals, including those from the cellulose radical, which are center signals ($g_2=2.00673$) within the range of 3.0455 mT, were observed in all irradiated spice samples. The parameters g-value, center field, and signal range of hyperfine triplet ESR signals were constant in all irradiated samples, being specific for cellulose radicals and thereby distinguishing these signals from those of nonirradiated control samples. High positive correlation coefficients ($R^2=0.8452-0.9854$) were obtained between irradiation doses and corresponding ESR signal intensities. Thus, reliable detection of irradiated dried spices by measurement of ESR cellulose signals was confirmed by parameter analysis for the cellulose radical.