• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1367-1370
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• 2015

Diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is difficult when patients do not show jaundice. The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of using the total serum bile acid (TSBA) level as an aid for the diagnosis of CCA in patients without jaundice. For this purpose, TSBA of the following groups were measured using a Beckman Synchron CX4 clinical chemistry analyzer: 60 cases of CCA with total serum bilirubin ${\leq}2mg/dL$ (low total bilirubin group, LTB); 32 cases of CCA with total serum bilirubin >2 mg/dL (high total bilirubin group, HTB); and 115 healthy controls. Liver function parameters such as serum cholesterol, albumin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were also examined. The results showed that the TSBA of both LTB and HTB groups of the CCA patients were significantly higher than that of the healthy controls. Also, significant correlation was observed between TSBA and total bilirubin levels in the HTB group of CCA patients. However, no such correlation was seen in the LTB group. The cut-off value of TSBA was determined for the LTB group of CCA patients using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and it was $6.05{\mu}mol/L$ with the sensitivity and specificity of 46.7% and 84.4%, respectively. In addition, the ALP level was correlated well with the TSBA level and ALP in HTB group was significantly higher than that of LTB group. Moreover, the combination of high TSBA and high ALP levels gave higher specificity up to 97.4%. TSBA might be useful for the diagnosis of CCA patients without jaundice.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.471-474
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• 1994

Five experimental groups with five adult male rats in each, were exposed to 20, 35, 40 and $45^{\circ}C$ air temperature for 50-70 minutes, and to $50^{\circ}C$ for 30-50 minutes, respectively. Food and drinking water were not permitted during the exposure. Blood samples were obtained by heart puncture immediately after the thermal treatment. All the rats were hyperthermic (p<0.01) as compared to the controls ($20^{\circ}C$). Hyperthermia was associated with hypoglycemia which was significant (p<0.01) at 45 and $50^{\circ}C$ exposures. Plasma levels of GOT and GPT declined at 35 and $40^{\circ}C$ reaching the lowest (p<0.05) level at $45^{\circ}C$, while at $50^{\circ}C$ GOT level was elevated by 45% but GPT was normal as compared to the controls. Differences between groups were significant (p<0.01) for GOT and insignificant for GPT. Hematocrit value increased significantly (p<0.01) at 45 and $50^{\circ}C$, indicating hemoconcentration. It could be concluded that severe heat stress (45 and $50^{\circ}C$) resulted in critical hyperthermia, hypoglycemia, disturbed liver function, body dehydration, and hemoconcentration leading to death.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.325-330
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• 2002

In this study, the biochemical role of genetic polymorphism in modulating urinary excretion of benzene metabolite as phenol level has been investigated in 90 workers exposed to benzene in the petroleum refinery plant of Korea. The mean concentration of volatile benzene in the refinery environment was 0.042 mg/㎥ (SD, 0.069) and that of urinary phenol was 7.42 mg/g creatinine (SD, 11.3). The frequencies of CYP2E1 genotypes, namely CYP2E1$^*1$/$^*1$, CYP2E1$^*1$/$^*2$ and CYP2E1$^*2$/$^*2$ were 2.2% (2 subjects), 6.7% (G subjects) and 91.1% (85 subjects), respectively, and allele frequencies for CYP2E1$^*1$ and CYP2E1$^*2$ were 0.06 and 0.94. The airborne benzene concentration was significantly related to the concentration of phenol in urine (r = 0.640, p < 0.01). The urinary phenol level was significantly correlated with CYP2E1$^*2$/$^*2$ (r = 0.590, p < 0.05). The various biological (i.e. age and liver function parameters) or lifestyle factors (i.e. medication, smoking, alcohol and coffee intake), also taken into account as potential confounders, did not influence the correlation found. These results suggested that CYP2E1 genotypes might play an important role in the metabolism of benzene.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.259-268
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the protective effect of Red Ginseng Saponins on 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) induced toxicities in guinea pigs ($200{\pm}10$ g). Normal control (NC) group guinea pigs ($200{\pm}10$ g) received vehicle and saline, while the TCDD-treated (TT) group was given water-extract (WE), saponin fraction (SF) and non-saponin fraction (NSF). Korean red ginseng fractions were administered from 1 week before TCDD-exposure for 4 weeks. Body weight loss and deteriorated clinical parameters related to sugar metabolism and liver function such as lipase and AST, respectively, these were significantly reduced by both saponin and non-saponin fractions. However, increase of lipase was attenuated by the saponin fraction in a dose-dependent manner. Only AST was affected by the saponin fraction. The results suggest that saponins are active substances in the Korean red ginseng water extract against TCDD induced toxicities in Guinea pigs.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1261-1264
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• 2008

In the present study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation (50:50 ratio of cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12 isomers) for 8 weeks on body composition and biochemical parameters in healthy overweight/obese (body mass index, BMI${\geq}23\;kg/m^2$) Korean subjects was performed, Thirty participants (3 males and 27 females) were randomized to receive placebo (2.4 g olive oil/day) or 2.4g/day CLA (mixture containing 36.9% of cis-9, trans-11 and 37.9% of trans-10, cis-12). Eight weeks of CLA supplementation significantly decreased body weight by -0.75kg, BMI by $-0.27\;kg/m^2$, and hip circumference by -1.11 cm. The reduction of body weight was ascribed to the reduction of body fat mass (-0.59 kg) and lean body mass (-0.18 kg), although these changes were not significant. No significant differences in serum lipid profiles, liver function enzyme activities, and protein concentration were observed in either the CLA or placebo groups. These results indicate that short tenn supplementation (8 weeks) with CLA (2.4 g/day) may decrease body weight in Korean overweight/obese subjects.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.504-512
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• 1994

Background: It is well known that severe hypoxemia is often associated with liver cirrhosis without preexisting cardiac or pulmonary diseases. Pulmonary vascular impairments, more specifically, intrapulmonary shunting have been considered as a major mechanism. Intrapulmonary shunting arises from pulmonary vascular dilatation at the precapillary level or direct arteriovenous communication and has relationship with the characteristic skin findings of spider angioma. However, these results are mainly from Western countries where alcoholic and primary biliary cirrhosis are dominant cuases of cirrhosis. It is uncertain that the same is true in viral hepatitiss associated liver cirrhosis, which is dominant causes of liver cirrhosis in Korea. We investigated the incidences of hypoxemia and orthodeoxia in Korean cirrhotic patients dominantly composed of postnecrotic cirrhosis and the significance of intrapulmonary shunting as the suggested mechanism of hypoxemia, Method: We performed the arterial blood gas analysis separately both at the supine and errect position in 48 stable cirrhotic patients without the evidences of severe complications such as ascites, variceal bleeding, and hepatic coma. According to the results of arterial blood gas analysis, all patients were divided into hypoxemic and normoxemic group. In each group, pulmonary function test and Tc-99m-MAA whole body scan were performed. The shunting fraction was calculated based on the fact that the sum of cerebral and bilateral renal blood flow is 32% of the systemic blood flow. Results: The hypoxemia of $PaO_2$ less than 80 mmHg was observed in 9 patients(18.8%) and Orthodeoxia more than 10 mmHg was observed in 8 patients(16.7%). But there was no patient with significant hypoxemia of $PaO_2$ less than 60 mmHg. $PaO_2$ was significantly decreased in the patients with spider angioma than the pathients without spider angioma and showed no correlation with the serologic type and severities of liver function test findings. Any parameters of pulmonary function test did not demonstrate the difference between normoxemic and hypoxemic group. But hypoxemic group showed significantly increased shunt fraction of $11.4{\pm}4.1%$ than normoxemic group of $4.1{\pm}2.0%$ (p<0.05). Conclusions: Hypoxemia is not infrequently observed complication in liver cirrhosis and intrapulmonary shunting is suggested to p1ay a major ro1e in the development of hypxemia. But there was no great likelihood of clinically significant hypoxemia in our domestic cirrhotic patients predominantly composed of postnecrotic type.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.177-186
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• 1994

Pentastarch is a hydroxyethyl starch similar to hetastarch, but lower average molecular weight and fewer hydroxyethyl groups which result in enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis and faster renal elimination.This report was performed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of 10 % pentastarch[Pentaspan , group I] for plasma volume expansion after open heart surgery with that of 5% albumin[Plasmanate, group II]. There were no statistically significant differences between the group I [n=18] and group II [n:19] in the preoperative parameters [age, sex, body weight] and operative parameters[bypass time, aorta cross clamping time]. During the first 24 hours after arrival of the patient in the surgical intensive care unit, colloid solution [500--1000 ml] was infused to maintain left atrial pressure of more than 8 mmHg, or cardiac index of 2.0 L/min/M2 of more. In results, there were 3 complications of hypotension immediately after infusion of 5 % albumin solution and 2 among the 3 patients were excluded for the study. However there was no complication after infusion of 10 % pentastarch solution. Hemodynamic responses to infusion was similar for both groups, although in group I a greater increase in both left atrial pressure[mean 1.8 versus 0.7 mmHg, p< 0.05] and right atrial pressure [mean 2.2 versus 1.7 mmHg, p < 0.05] was observed during infusion of the first 500 ml. There were no significant differences in any of the measured respiratory parameters[PaO2, intrapulmonary shunt, and effective lung compliance]. Homodilution with colloid significantly reduced hemoglobin [mean 1.2 versus 0.8 gm/dl], and serum protein and albumin level[total protein;4.8$\pm$ 0.5 versus 5.2 $\pm$0.5 gm/dl, p < 0.05: albumin: 3.2 $\pm$0.4 versus 3.6 $\pm$0.6 gm/dl, p < 0.05] by 6:00 AM on 1 day postoperatively, however there were no significant differences on 7 day postoperatively. The mean serum colloid osmotic pressure and osmolarity was similar in both group.There were no abnormal findings of liver function and kidney function in all the patients. There were no significant between-group differences in bleeding time, platelets, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and amount of chest tube output measured on 1st and 7th postoperative day. These findings demonstrated that 10% pentastarch is more effective and safe for plasma volume expension than 5 % albumin solution with no adverse effects on coagulation. Also 10 % pentastarch is less expensive than 5 % albumin and it would appeare to be a reasonable first choice for plasma volume expansion.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.232-236
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• 2005

Background: A physically active lifestyle and regular exercise training incurs many health benefits. One recently recognized benefit of regular moderate exercise is stress reduction and immune enhancement. Thus, a physical stress such as exercise may act at any number of points in the complex sequence of events collectively termed the immune response. Although exercise causes many propound changes in parameters of immune function, the nature and magnitude of such changes rely on several factors including the immune parameters of interest; type, intensity, and duration of exercise; fitness level or exercise history of the subject; environmental factors such as ambient temperature and humidity. Methods: This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of different type of exercise on superoxide dismutase (SOD), neutrophils, and T lymphocytes of Sprague-Dawley rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups; a non-Trained group (NTG, n=6), a swim-Trained group (STG), and a treadmill-Trained group (TTG). The exercise regimen was designed in a treadmill (5 times/5 days/week) during 8-weeks for TTG, and swim training (5 times/5 days/week) during 8-weeks for STG, and the volume of exercise training was the same in both groups. Results: 8 weeks of regular swim and treadmill training significantly increased liver SOD concentration however, muscle SOD concentration was not statistically significant. In the level of neutrophils, TTG and STG showed significant difference, compared to NTG. TTG was the highest level of neutrophils. In the level of immune cell counts, there was significant difference among TTG, STG, and NTG both in the spleen and thymus. Conculsion: In conclusion, it can be stated that eight weeks swim and treadmill exercise training has beneficial effect in improving immune response and antioxidant defence capacity by augmenting immune cells and SOD activities of SD rats.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.493-505
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• 2013

We investigated the effect of red ginseng extracts on blood biochemical parameters, bone density and bone inorganic components etc. and data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Post-Hoc Test. In the results of our study, the level of albumin and HDL, Ca, P, Mg, and estradiol in blood, and the content of Ca, P, ash in femur were significantly increased in red ginseng treated group than in OVX group, and the level of ALP, AST, ALT, blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, creatinine, osteocalcin, and N-terminal telopeptide were significantly decreased in red ginseng treated group than in OVX group (p < 0.01). From these results, we knew that within the normal level, red ginseng extracts improved liver and kidney function, component of glucose and lipid in blood, bone density, bone ash and inorganic components in femur, and index related with bone metabolism.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.509-521
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• 2022

Purpose: Systemic health has a profound effect on dental treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate peri-implant bone loss and health screening data to discover factors that may influence peri-implant diseases. Methods: This study analyzed the panoramic X-rays of patients undergoing health screenings at the Health Promotion Center at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital in 2018, to investigate the relationship between laboratory test results and dental data. The patients' physical data, such as height, weight, blood pressure, hematological and urine analysis data, smoking habits, number of remaining teeth, alveolar bone level, number of implants, and degree of bone loss around the implant, were analyzed for correlations. Their associations with glycated hemoglobin, glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and severity of periodontitis were evaluated using univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Results: In total, 2,264 patients opted in for dental health examinations, of whom 752 (33.2%) had undergone dental implant treatment. These 752 patients had a total of 2,658 implants, and 129 (17.1%) had 1 or more implants with peri-implant bone loss of 2 mm or more. The number of these implants was 204 (7%). Body mass index and smoking were not correlated with peri-implant bone loss. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis revealed that the severity of periodontal bone loss (moderate bone loss: odds ratio [OR], 3.154; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.175-8.475 and severe bone loss: OR, 7.751; 95% CI, 3.003-20) and BUN (OR, 1.082; 95% CI, 1.027-1.141) showed statistically significant predictive value. The severity of periodontitis showed greater predictive value than the biochemical parameters of blood glucose, renal function, and liver function. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that periodontal bone loss was a predictor of peri-implant bone loss, suggesting that periodontal disease should be controlled before dental treatment. Diligent maintenance care is recommended for patients with moderate to severe periodontal bone loss.