• Toxicological Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 2003

To evaluate influence of Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk extract on rat, Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk extract was diluted with 0.9% saline (100 mg/ml/kg, 10 mg/ml/kg, and 1 mg/ml/kg, respectively), and each of diluted test material extract was daily treated subcutaneously for 4 weeks and single-treated subcutaneously for 2 weeks. There were no significances in body weight analysis, urinary analysis, and ophthalmological test. However, in serum biochemical analysis and hematological analysis, we found some significances in high and middle dose group compared with control group. These significances in serum biochemical analysis and hematological analysis may be not induced by test material, because it was not found to be significant from control group in histopathological examination. Therefore, it was concluded that NOEL (No Observed Effect Level) of test material extract may be higher than all treatment doses used in this study, and Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk extract may be a non-toxic material.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.44-48
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• 2004

The Hexane Extract (HE) and Ethyl Acetate Soluble Fraction of the Methanolic Extract (EASFME) of the fruit pulp of Momordica dioica Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae) was evaluated for its anti-hepatotoxic activity in rats. Acute hepatotoxicity was induced by administering paracetamol (2 g/kg, p.o.) for 3 days. The extracts, at a dose of 400 mg/kg (p.o.) administered for 7 days exhibited a significant therapeutic effect by lowering Serum Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase (SGOT), Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT), Serum Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and Serum bilirubin and increasing the serum protein levels. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of the liver sections. The activity of extract was also comparable to the standard drug Silymarin, which is a well-known natural anti-hepatotoxic drug.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.83-95
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• 2017

This study examined the socioeconomic factors that affect self-rated health (SRH) in healthy adults, and the relationship of SRH to health-related habits, serum biochemical indices, and nutritional intakes. Subjects consisted of 1,154 healthy adults without any known disease, aged 19 to 65 years (average age of 36.7), whose information was obtained from the 2013 Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey data. Of these subjects, 73 rated themselves as 'very healthy,' 460 indicated that they were 'healthy,' 568 self-identified as 'ordinary', and 53 put themselves in the 'unhealthy' category. The proportion of subjects who chose 'unhealthy' was significantly increased with higher frequencies of disruptions in their daily lives (p<0.05), regret after drinking (p<0.05), smoking (p<0.001), and higher levels of stress (p<0.001). On the other hand, the proportion of subjects reported as 'very healthy' was significantly higher with regular intense (p<0.001) or moderate physical activities (p<0.05), regular walking (p<0.05), a perception of being 'normal' in their body image (p<0.01), a decrease of body weight more than 3 kg in the past year (p<0.05), and without risk factors for metabolic syndrome (p<0.05). Serum triglyceride level was lower, and 25-(OH) vitamin D content was significantly higher, in the 'very healthy' group as compared to the 'unhealthy' group (p<0.05). Dietary fiber and vitamin C intakes were significantly higher in the 'very healthy' group than 'unhealthy' group (p<0.05). The overall results suggest that a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, non-smoking, good stress management, and higher intakes of fiber and vitamin C, may be potential factors that affect one's positive perception of health.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.301-309
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• 2016

Due to undesirable hazardous interactions with biological systems, this investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of chronic exposure to silver on certain biochemical and some oxidative stress parameters with histopathological examination of brain, as well as the possible protective role of selenium and/or vitamin E as nutritional supplements. Thirty six male rats were divided into six groups of six each: the first group used as a control group. Group II given both vitamin E (400 mg/kg) of diet and selenium (Se) (1 mg/L) in their drinking water. Group III given silver as silver nitrate ($AgNO_3$) (20 mg/L). Group IV given vitamin E and $AgNO_3$. Group V given both $AgNO_3$ and selenium. Group VI given $AgNO_3$, vitamin E and Se. The animals were in the same exposure conditions for 3 months. According to the results which have been obtained; there was an increase in serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), lipase activities and cholesterol level, a decrease in serum total protein, calcium and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in Ag-intoxicated rats. Moreover, the findings showed that $Ag^+$ ions affected antioxidant defense system by decreasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and increasing vitamin E concentration with a high level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in brain tissue. The histological examination also exhibited some nervous tissue alterations including hemorrhage and cytoplasm vacuolization. However, the co-administration of selenium and/or vitamin E ameliorated the biochemical parameters and restored the histological alterations. In conclusion, this study indicated that silver could cause harmful effects in animal body and these effects can be more toxic in high concentrations or prolonged time exposure to this metal. However, selenium and vitamin E act as powerful antioxidants which may exercise adverse effect against the toxicity of this metal.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.174-179
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• 1998

The effect of oral treatment with Ficus racemosa leaf extract (400 mg/kg for seven days) were studied on hepatic damage induced by paracetamol (750 mg/kg, i.p.) in rats. Biochemical parameter like SGOT, SGPT, serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase were estimated to assess liver function. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections. The activity of extract was also comparable to Neutrosec a known hepatoprotective formulation.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.595-604
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• 2016

It has been reported that the increased uric acid level is associated with metabolic syndrome risk factors in both male and female. However, there has not been enough studies to investigate gender differences of this association in Korea. To evaluate relation between serum uric acids and metabolic syndrome markers, anthropometric and biochemical analyses data was obtained from National Health Examination 2005 and 5,523 (M=3,097; F=2,426) data was analyzed. Results by quartile of serum uric acid levels in females showed that increased serum uric acid level was associated with elevated levels of total-. LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides, whereas association between serum uric acid and total cholesterol levels was not observed in male subjects. In both female and male, higher quartile of serum uric acid level were linked with lower levels of HDL-cholesterol. In regression analysis, association of serum uric acid levels with fasting glucose levels was significant in female subjects only. In conclusion, higher serum uric acid levels were associated with metabolic syndrome indices, however gender differences were existed for total cholesterol.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3851-3854
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• 2013

Objective: To explore changes in the serum tumor makers, hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level and their relations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) before and after intervention. Materials and Methods: Forty patients with NSCLC and 40 healthy individuals undergoing physical examination in our hospital provided the observation and control groups. HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and VEGF levels in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) in the observation group before and after intervention and in control group on the day of physical examination, along with serum carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), neuron-speci ic enolase (NSE) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) levels in the observation group with a fully automatic biochemical analyzer. Clinical effects and improvement of life quality in the observation group were also evaluated. Results: The total effective rate and improvement of life quality after treatment in observation group were 30.0% and 32.5%, respectively. Serum HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and VEGF levels in the control group were lower than that in observation group (p<0.01), but remarkably elevatedafter intervention (p<0.01). In addition, serum CEA, NSE and SCC levels were apparently lowered by treatment (p<0.01). Serum HIF-$1{\alpha}$ demonstrated a positive relation with VEGF level (p<0.01) and was inversely related with CEA, NSE and SCC levels (p<0.01). Conclusions: Significant correlations exist between marked increase of serum HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and VEGF levels and decrease of indexes related to hematological tumor markers in NSCLC patients after intervention.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.1032-1035
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• 2003

In pseudohypoparathyroidism as reported by Albright in 1942, the parathyroid gland can normally synthesize and secrete parathyroid hormone(PTH). Pseudohypoparathyroidism has a similar biochemical finding with hypoparathyroidisms like hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia due to target tissue resistance to PTH. Administered PTH does not raise the serum levels of calcium and urinary phosphate. PTH activates G-protein in peripheral tissue and adenylate cyclase through a second messenger, cAMP. Pseudohypoparathyroidism produces hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia because of the resistance to PTH in peripheral tissue due to a defect of G-protein, although it releases PTH normally. According to the mechanism of resistance, pseudohypoparathyroidism is classified into types : Ia, Ib, Ic and psedopseudohypoparathyroism. Type Ia is accompanied by congenital growth retardation and abnormal bony development that shows mental retardation, obesity, low height, round face, short metacarpal bone and metatarsal bone, ectopic calcification, etc. We report a case of pseudohypoparathyroidism in a premature who shows hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, elevation of serum PTH and 24 hr urinary basal c-AMP in biochemical tests without Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy at physical examination, accompanied by a spontaneous fracture in the femur.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-24
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• 2017

The current investigation dealing with the causative agent of mass mortalities in cultured Oreochromis niloticus. The diseased fish showed external hemorrhage, unilateral and bilateral eye opacity, ended by blindness and fish death. The postmortem lesions revealed congested friable kidney and spleen, and liver has yellow nodules. Obtained isolates were identified as Aeromonas hydrophila (the causative agent of Motile Aeromonas Septicemia) and found to be highly pathogenic as they contained hemolysin virulence gene causing mortality reached to 100 and 70% in intraperitoneal and intramuscular infection. The prevalence of MAS was 80% among the surveyed O. niloticus. Blood and serum were collected from naturally diseased, intraperitoneal and intramuscular injected O. niloticus for hematological and biochemical examination. Similarly, gills, musculature, kidney, liver and spleen were collected for histopathological evaluation, and micropathomorphological analysis of spleen was done. Macrocytic hypochromic anemia was recorded in the intraperitoneal infection. Serum protein, albumin and globulin were decrease only in naturally diseased fish. Leucocytosis with heterophilia and lymphocytosis were observed in naturally diseased and intraperitoneal infected fish. There were severe degenerative changes and hemorrhagic necrosis in the examined tissues which were more obvious in intraperitoneal than intramuscular infection. Activation and proliferation of melanocytes macrophages centers with severe hemosiderosis were recorded in spleen of naturally diseased and experimentally infected fish.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.181-193
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• 2015

This study investigated anthropometric and biochemical characteristics, nutrient intakes, and bone density of Korean elderly men (over 65 yrs). Data on bone density and anthropometric (height, weight, waist circumference, body mass index and blood pressure) and biochemical (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, triglyceride and hemoglobin) characteristics, nutrient intakes, and nutrient density were obtained from the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2008~2011). Subjects were categorized into smoking and non-smoking groups, and smoking groups were divided into three groups by smoking period (under 20 yrs, 21~40 yrs and over 41 yrs). Serum triglyceride concentrations of the smoking group aged 21~40 yrs were higher than those of other groups (P<0.01), whereas other biochemical factors were not different. Intake ratios of energy, protein, phosphorus and sodium in subjects were over 100% of Dietary Reference Intake for Koreans (KDRI). Nutrient densities according to intakes of thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin per 1,000 kcal were significantly different among the groups (P<0.05). Bone density of subjects decreased according to smoking period (T-score of total femur in non-smoking group -0.3108, and -0.2918, -0.4941, -0.6847 in smoking group, respectively). Ratio of osteoporosis was 38.1% in the non-smoking group and 44.4%, 51.1%, and 64.0% in the smoking group, respectively. The findings of the present study show that smoking may be associated with bone health, higher ratio of osteoporosis, and low nutrient density in elderly men. Therefore, practical and systematic non-smoking programs are required to improve the bone density of elderly men as well as maintain healthy bone levels and desirable lifestyle.