• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.141-150
• /
• 2003

Objective: To evaluate whether diagnostic laparoscopy before transcervical fallopian tube catheterization (TFTC) would improve tubal recanalization rate and pregnancy rate in patients with bilateral proximal tubal blockage in hysterosalpingogram (HSG). Methods: The retrospective study was performed in those underwent TFTC from January 1998 to December 2001. A total of 50 patients with bilateral proximal tubal blockage in HSG were subjected to TFTC sequentially using repeated HSG (rHSG), selective salpingography (SS) followed by tubal catheterization (TFTC). Each procedure was terminated once patency had been achieved without proceding to the next technique. In Group A patients (n=35, 64 tubes), diagnostic laparoscopy was performed before TFTC was taken to exclude the tube combined with peritubal adhesion or distal tubal pathology. In Group B, patients (n=15, 26 tubes) were performed TFTC without diagnostic laparoscopy. Results: There were significant difference in clinical pregnancy rate (45.7% vs 15.4%, p=0.034) but no differences were found in recanalization rate (75.0% vs 73.1%) and complication rate (8.6% vs 13.3%). Although there is no signficant difference, more tubes were canalized by SS, which means tubal obstruction rather than occlusion, in Group A (25.0% vs 5.3%, p=0.069). Conclusion: Diagnostic laparoscopy would be effective in the selection of tube for the relatively inexpensive and less invasive TFTC or patients in need of assisted reproductive technologies. With the tubes without combined peritubal adhesion or distal tubal pathology, pregnancy rate was significantly increased.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.113-121
• /
• 2013

Objectives : This study aimed to find out whether acupuncture at various acupoints shows any effects on appetite by regulating neurotransmitters in the hypothalamus through the expression of NPY and LR in the PVN via immunohistochemistry. Methods : Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into eight groups of five mice each. The rats in the acupuncture groups were treated with acupuncture at respective acupoints, twice per a day for 3 days. The animals were sacrificed 72 h after commencement of the experiment, the brains being dissected into serial coronal sections. Expressions of neuropeptide Y and leptin receptor in the hypothalamus were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Results : NPY expression in the PVN was enhanced and LR expression in the PVN was decreased by food deprivation. NPY immunoreactivity in the PVN of the food-derived rats was decreased by acupuncture at the auricular acupoint, Zusanli-acupoint, a and non-acupoint. However, acupuncture at the auricular acupoint showed most potent suppressing effect on NPY expression in the PVN of food-deprived rats. LR expression in the PVN decreased following food deprivation, and auricular acupuncture increased LR expression in the PVN of food-deprived rats. In normal conditions (fed state), LR expression in the PVN was not changed by acupuncture treatment at several sites. Conclusions : From this study, we have shown that acupuncture at the auricular acupoint exerts the most potent appetite suppressing effect on the food restriction state.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.305-313
• /
• 2016

Brassica juncea (2n = 4x = 36, AABB genome, 1,068 Mb) is a U's triangle species and an amphidiploid derivative of B. rapa and B. nigra. Fifteen varieties were used to study the ITS (internal transcribed spacer) regions of ribosomal DNA and MITEs (miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements) with a view of developing specific molecular markers. ITSs and MITEs are an excellent resource for developing DNA markers for genomics and evolutionary studies because most of them are stably inherited and present in high copy numbers. The ITS (ITS1 and ITS2) sequence was compared with the consensus sequence of B. rapa and B. nigra. Variation in ITS1 created two separate groups among 15 varieties, with 10 varieties in one group and 5 in the other. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two major clusters for those 10 and 5 varieties. Among the 160 different MITE primers used to evaluate the selected 15 varieties of B. juncea, 70 were related to the Stowaway, 79 to the Tourist, 6 to the hAT, and 5 to the Mutator super-families of MITEs. Of 160 markers examined, 32 were found to be polymorphic when fifteen different varieties of B. juncea were evaluated. The variety 'Blackgat' was different from the other mustard varieties with respect to both phenotype and genotype. The diversity of 47 additional accessions could be verified using eight selected molecular markers derived from MITE family sequences. The polymorphic markers identified in this study can be used for varietal classification, variety protection, and other breeding purposes.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.27-32
• /
• 2010

This study was conducted to monitor aflatoxins in various medicinal herbs, providing available data for the safety of those products. To monitor aflatoxins in medicinal herbs, a total of 400 samples of 40 different herbs were collected in commercial retailers in Seoul, Daejeon, Gwangju, Daegu, and Busan from March to August, 2008. The samples that passed the sensory evaluation were tested for aflatoxins. Aflatoxins in samples were analyzed by HPLC-florescence coupled with photochemical enhancement. Samples were extracted with 70% methanol and then diluted to the appropriate concentration. A refining process was performed using an immunoaffinity column. The analytical method used in this study was validated. The $R^2$ value for aflatoxin $B_1$ was 0.99946, and the detection range was from 0.25 to 10.0 ng/mL. The accuracy of the analysis was ranged from 83.2% to 101.8%. The relative standard deviation (RSD) in the aflatoxin $B_1$ analysis was 3.4%, demonstrating the precision of this method. In addition, the detection limit and quantitative analysis limit of aflatoxin $B_1$ was $0.53\;{\mu}g/kg$ and $1.76\;{\mu}g/kg$, respectively. These results indicated that the analytical method used in this study was appropriate. The results of HPLC showed that 1% (4 samples) of the samples may contain aflatoxins. The concentration of quantified aflatoxin was $2.3\;{\mu}g/kg$ for both Quisqualis fructus and Remotiflori radix samples. The other samples were below the limit of quantification. Moreover, the concentration of aflatoxin $B_1$ which is made by specific fungi were below the level of regulation. Only 20% of aflatoxin $B_1$ were transferred to hot water. Therefore, the levels of aflatoxins in medicinal herbs were considered to be safe especially considering the aflatoxin transfer ratio.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.308-322
• /
• 1996

Background : Neutrophils are considered to play critical roles in the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Histamine, which is distributed abundantly in lung tissue, increases the rolling of neutrophills via increase of P-selectin expression on the surface of endothelial cells and is known to have some interrelationships with IL-1, IL-8 and TNF-$\alpha$. We studied to investigate the effect of the histamine on the acute lung injury of the rats induced by intratracheal insufflation of TNF-$\alpha$ which has less potency to cause lung injury compared to IL-1 in rats. Methods : We intratracheally instilled saline or TNF(R&D, 500ng), IL-1(R&D, 50ng)or histamine of varius dose(1.1, 11 and $55\;{\mu}g/kg$) with and without TNF separately in Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 270-370 grams. We also intratracheally treated IL-1(50ng) along with histamine($55\;{\mu}g/kg$). In cases, there were synergistic effects induced by histamine on the parameters of TNF-induced acute lung injury, antihistamines(Sigma, mepyramine as a $H_1$ receptor blockade and ranitidine as a $H_2$ receptor blockade, 10 mg/kg in each)were co-administered intravenously to the rats treated TNF along with histamine($1.1\;{\mu}g/kg$) intratraeheally. Then after 5 h we measured lung lavage neutrophil numbers, lavage cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractants(CINC), lung myeloperoxidase activity(MPO) and lung leak. We also intratracheally insufflated TNF with/without histamine($11\;{\mu}g/kg$), then after 24 h measured lung leak in rats. Statistical analyses were done by Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric ANOVA test with Dunn's multiple comparison test or by Mann-Whitney U test. Results : We found that rats given TNF, histamine alone(11 and $55\;{\mu}g/kg$), and TNF with histamine(l.1, 11, and $55\;{\mu}g/kg$) intratracheally had increased (p<0.05) lung MPO activity compared with saline-treated control rats. TNF with histamine $11\;{\mu}g/kg$ had increased MPO activity (P=0.0251) compared with TNF-treated rats. TNF and TNF with histamine(1.1, 11, and $55\;{\mu}g/kg$) intratracheally had all increased (p<0.05) lung leak, lavage neutophil numbers and lavage CINC activities compared with saline. TNF with histamine $1.1\;{\mu}g/kg$ had increased (p=0.0367) lavage neutrophil numbers compared with TNF treated rats. But there were no additive effect of histamine with TNF compared with TNF alone in acute lung leak on 5 h and 24 h in rats. Treatment of rats with the $H_1$ and $H_2$ antagonists resulted in inhibitions of lavage neutrophil accumulations and lavage CINC activity elevations elicited by co-treated histamine in TNF-induced acute lung injury intratracheally in rats. We also found that rats given IL-1 along with histamine intratracheally did not have increase in lung leak compared with IL-1 treated rats. Conclusion : Histamine administered intratracheally did not have synergistic effects on TNF-induced acute lung leak inspite of additive effects on increase in MPO activity and lavage neutrophil numbers in rats. These observations suggest that instilling histamine intratracheally would not play synergistic roles in neutrophil-mediated acute lung injury in rats.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.66 no.6
• /
• pp.444-450
• /
• 2009

Background: Biomarkers for cancer have several potential clinical uses, including the following: early cancer detection, monitoring for recurrence prognostication, and risk stratification. However, no biomarker has been shown to have adequate sensitivity and specificity. Many investigators have tried to validate biomarkers for the early detection and recurrence of lung cancer. To evaluate plasma G-CSF as such a biomarker, protein levels were measured and were found to correlate with the clinicopathological features of primary lung tumors. Methods: Between December 2006 and May 2008, 100 patients with histologically-validated primary lung cancer were enrolled into this study. To serve as controls, 127 healthy volunteers were enrolled into this study. Plasma G-CSF levels were measured in lung cancer patients using the sandwich ELISA system (R & D inc.) prior to treatment. Results: The mean plasma G-CSF levels were 12.2$\pm$0.3 pg/mL and 46.0$\pm$3.8 pg/mL (mean$\pm$SE) in the normal and in the cancer groups, respectively. In addition, plasma G-CSF levels were higher in patients with early lung cancer than in healthy volunteers (p<.001). Plasma G-CSF levels were higher in patients who were under 65 years old or smokers. Within the cancer group, plasma G-CSF levels were higher in patients with non small cell lung cancer than in patients with small cell lung cancer (p<.05). Overall, plasma G-CSF levels were shown to increase dependent upon the type of lung cancer diagnsosed. In the order from highest to lowest, the levels of plasma G-CSF tended to decrease in the following order: large cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. Plasma G-CSF levels tended to be higher in patients with advanced TNM stage than in localized TNM stage (I, II

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.41 no.10
• /
• pp.1346-1355
• /
• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the characteristics of black jujube and Zizyphus jujube extracts during lactic acid fermentation. Both extracts were fermented using Lactobacillus fermentum YL-3. As a result, viable cell number rapidly increased until 24 hours, after which it gradually decreased. Before lactic acid fermentation, the $IC_{50}$ of black jujube, which was 0.014 mg/mL, was lower than that of Zizyphus jujube. Further, black jujube showed stronger antioxidant activity (374.21 mg AA eq/g) than Zizyphus jujube. Contents of total polyphenolics in both extracts were 15.46 mg/g and 13.61 mg/g, respectively, whereas contents of total flavonoids were 374.21 ${\mu}g/g$ and 64.25 ${\mu}g/g$. After lactic acid fermentation, there was no significant increase in DPPH or ABTS free radical scavenging activity. Total polyphenolic content of Zizyphus jujube decreased to 12.39 mg/g upon fermentation, whereas flavonoid content significantly increased to 291.58 ${\mu}g/g$. Further, polyphenolic and flavonoid contents of black jujube increased from 15.46 mg/g to 17.46 mg/g and from 374.21 ${\mu}g/g$ to 1,135.29 ${\mu}g/g$, respectively. These results demonstrate that 9-Times Steamed and Dried increased functional components. Especially, lactic acid fermented black jujube showed remarkably high antioxidant activity. These results confirm the potential use of lactic acid fermented black jujube as a valuable resource for the development of functional foods.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.418-425
• /
• 2000

Purpose: There is no established formula for estimating renal depths in Korean. As a result, we undertook this study to develop a new formula, and to apply this formula in the calculation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Materials and Methods: We measured the renal depth (RD) on the abdominal CT obtained in 300 adults (M:F: 167:133, mean age 50.9 years) without known renal diseases. The RDs measured by CT were compared with the estimated RDs based on the Tonnesen and Taylor equations. New formulas were derived from the measured RDs in 200 out of 300 patients based on several variables such as sex, age, weight, and height by multiple regression analysis. The RDs estimated from the new formulas were compared with the measured RDs in the remaining 100 patients as a control. In 48 patients who underwent Tc-99m DTPA renal scintigraphy, GFR was measured with three equations (new formula, Tonnesen and Taylor equations), respectively, and compared with each other. Results: The mean values of the RDs measured from CT were 6.9 cm for right kidney of the men (MRK), 6.7 cm for left kidney of the men (MLK), 6.7 cm for right kidney of the women (WRK), and 6.6 cm for left kidney of the women (WLK). The RDs estimated from Tonnesen equation were shorter than the ones measured from CT significantly. The newly derived formulas were 12.813 (weight/height)+0.002 (age)+ 2.264 for MRK, 15.344 (weight/height)+0.011 (age)+0.557 for MLK, 12.936 (weight/height)+ 0.014 (age)+1.462 for WRK and 13.488 (weight/height)+0.019 (age)+0.762 for WLK. The correlation coefficients of the RD measured from CT and estimated from the new formula were 0.529 in MRK, 0.729 in MLK, 0.601 in WRK, and 0.724 in WLK, respectively. The GFRs from the new formula were significantly higher than those from the Tonnesen equation significantly, which was the most similar to normal GFR values. Conclusion: We generated new formulas for estimating RD in Korean from the data by CT. By adopting these formulas, we expect that GFR can be measured by the Gates method accurately in Korean.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.380-391
• /
• 2015

Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess airborne particulate matter pollution and its effect on health of residents living near Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex and its vicinities. Also, this study measured and analyzed the concentration of TSP, $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, and heavy metals which influences on the environmental and respiratory disease in Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex, Daegu, Korea. Methods: In this study, we analyzed various environmental pollutants such as particulate matter and heavy metals from Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex that adversely affected local residents's health. In particular, we verified the concentration distribution and characteristics of exposure for TSP, $PM_{10}$, and $PM_{2.5}$ among particulate matters, and heavy metals(Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Fe, Zn, and Mg). In that regard, the official test method on air pollution in Korea for analysis of particulate matter and heavy metal in atmosphere were conducted. The large capacity air sampling method by the official test method on air pollution in Korea were applied for sampling of heavy metals in atmosphere. In addition, we evaluated the concentration of seasonal environmental pollutants for each point of residence in Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex and surrounding area. The sampling measured periods for air pollutants were from August 11, 2013 to February 21, 2014. Furthermore, we measured and analyzed the seasonal concentrations(summer, autumn and winter). Results: The average concentration for TSP, $PM_{10}$, and $PM_{2.5}$ by direct influence area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex were 1.7, 1.4 and 1.9 times higher than reference region. In analysis results of seasonal concentrations for particulate matter in four direct influence and reference area, concentration levels for winter were generally somewhat higher than concentrations for summer and autumn. The average concentrations for Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, Fe, and Zn in direct influence area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex were $0.0008{\pm}0.0004{\mu}g/Sm^3$, $0.0141{\pm}0.0163{\mu}g/Sm^3$, $0.0248{\pm}0.0059{\mu}g/Sm^3$, $0.0026{\pm}0.0011{\mu}g/Sm^3$, $0.0272{\pm}0.0084{\mu}g/Sm^3$, $0.4855{\pm}0.1862{\mu}g/Sm^3$, and $0.3068{\pm}0.0631{\mu}g/Sm^3$, respectively. In particularly, the average concentrations for Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, Fe, and Zn in direct influence area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex were 1.9, 3.6, 2.1, 1.9, 1.4, 2.6, and 1.2 times higher than reference area, respectively. The continuous monitoring and management were required for some heavy metals such as Cr and Ni. Moreover, the average concentration in winter for particulate matter in direct influence area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex were generally higher than concentrations in summer and autumn. Also, average concentrations for TSP, $PM_{10}$, and $PM_{2.5}$ were from 1.5 to 2.0 times, 1.2 to 1.8 times, and 1.1 to 2.3 times higher than reference area, respectively. In results for seasonal atmospheric environment, TSP, $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, and heavy metal concentrations in direct influence area were higher than reference area. Especially, the concentrations in C station were a high level in comparison with other area. Conclusions: In the results, some particulate matters and heavy metals were relatively high concentration, in order to understand the environmental pollution level and health effect in surrounding area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex. The concentration of some heavy metals emitted from direct influence area at Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex were relatively higher than reference area. In particular, average concentration for heavy metals in this study were higher than average concentrations in air quality monitoring station for heavy metal for 7 years in Deagu metropolitan region. Especially, the residents near Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex may be exposed to the pollutants(TSP, $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, and heavy metals, etc) emitted from the factories in Ansim Briquette Fuel Complex.