• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1374-1381
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• 2009

This study was designed to investigate the differences of physiological variables by age group in alcohol-consuming men. The thirty year old-age group had the lowest waist-hip ratio (WHR), right and left cardio-ankle vascular index (R-CAVI and L-CAVI), right and left ankle-brachial index (R-ABI and L-ABI), amylase, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels, and the highest body weight (BW), interleukin-6 (IL-6), right and left intraocular pressure (R-IP and L-IP), hematocrit (Hct), hemoglobin (Hb), erythrocyte, red blood cells distribution width (RDW), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TCH), triglyceride (TG), and ferritin levels. The forty year old-age group was the highest in hs CRp and CPK levels, but the lowest in ferritin level. The fifty year old-age group possessed the highest WHR, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), R- and L-ABI, eosinophil, and amylase levels. The sixty year old-age group had the highest R- and L-CAVI, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), ALP, $\gamma$-glutamyltranspeptidase ($\gamma$-GTP), rheumatoid factor (RF), $\alpha$-fetoprotein (AFP) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and the lowest BW, DBP, R-IP, L-IP, Hct, Hb, leukocyte, platelet, RDW, eosinophil, monocyte, ALT, amylase, TG, and CPK levels. These findings indicate that there may be differences of physiological variables depending on age group in alcohol-consuming men. Further studies should be focused on the physiological differences between alcohol-consuming men and women.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.171-177
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• 2004

This study was performed to investigate the effects of liquid culture of Agaricus blazei Murill on the weight gains, food efficiency ratios, serum protein and mineral levels, and serum enzyme activities in growing male rats. Sprague-Dawley rats (7 weeks old) were given four different types of diets for a succeeding period of 6 weeks, respectively: a normal diet group, a control diet group (normal diet + 15％ lard + 0.5％ cholesterol), a 30％ or 40％ A. blazei diet groups (control diet + 30％ or 40％ A. blazei in water) according to the levels of A. blazei supplementation. The body weight gains, food efficiency ratios, and the liver of the rats fed control diet, 30％ or 40％ A. blazei diets were significantly increased compared to rats fed the normal diet, but those of rats fed the 30％ and 40％ A. blazei diets were similar to those of rats fed the control diet. The concentrations of total protein, albumin, glucose, and hematocrit value in serum of rats fed the control diet, 30％ or 40％ A. blazei diets were similar to those of rats fed the normal diet. The concentrations of urea and creatinine in serum of rats fed the 30％ or 40％ A. blazei diets were similar to those of rats fed the control diet. but the urea of rats fed the 30％ and 40％ A. blazei diets were significantly decreased compared to rats fed the normal diet. The concentrations of Ca, P, Fe and Mg, and $Ca^{++}$, $K^+$, $Na^+$ and $Cl^-$ of rats fed the control diet, 30％ or 40％ A. blazei diets were similar to those of rats fed the normal diet. There were no differences in the activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, $\gamma$-glutamyltranspeptidase and alkaline phosphatase in the serum among the experimental groups. In conclusion, the rats fed the A. blazei maintained normal protein and mineral levels, and enzyme activities of serum. But the A. blazei feeding could not decrease the body and liver weights in the rats fed high cholesterol diets.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.104-107
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• 2005

Choledochal cyst is considered to be congenital anomalies of the biliary tract, characterized by varying degrees of cystic dilatation at various segments of the biliary tract. A 20-month-old girl was admitted to Eul-Ji general hospital because of abdominal distension. Physical examination revealed marked splenomegaly and hepatomegaly with nodular surface and hard consistency. Laboratory examination showed elevated transaminase level, alkaline phosphatase level and gamma glutamyltranspeptidase level without evidence of cholestasis. Diagnostic imaging study revealed choledochal cyst with Todani classification type 1. Cholecystectomy and Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy was performed, and wedge liver biopsy showed diffuse periportal fibrosis with cirrhotic change and ductular proliferation in the portal area. After operation, hepatosplenomegaly and abnormal laboratory examinations improved rapidly, and in 9 months, the liver and spleen became not palpable. We experienced a case of choledochal cyst complicated by liver cirrhosis on pathology in a 20 month-old girl, and removal of choledochal cyst improved clinical manifestations rapidly.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.97-101
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• 2001

This study was done to investigate the protective effects of Diospyrus kaki Folium on carbon tetrachloride intoxicated rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (200~230g) was used. Experimental groups were divided into normal group and $CCl_{4}$-treated group and then $CCl_{4}$-treated groups were divided into 7 groups: only $CCl_{4}$-treated group, methanol extract pretreated group, butanol fraction pretreated group and $H_{2}O$ fraction pretreated group, $CCl_{4}$ treated groups were injected with $CCl_{4}$ 0.6 mg/kg (ip). The activities of ananine aminotransferasein hexane, chloroform and $H_{2}O$ fraction pretreated groups were significantly decreased (p<0.05) compared to the only $CCl_{4}$-treated group and also activity of aspartate aminotransferase and hepatic malondialdehyde content in $H_{2}O$ fraction pretreated group were significantly decreased (p<0.05) compared to the only $CCl_{4}$-treated group. The activity of alkaline phosphatase in chloroform and $H_{2}O$ fraction pretreated groups were decreased compared to the only $CCl_{4}$-treated group but the difference was not statistically significant. The activity of ${\gamma}$-glutamyltranspeptidase in hexane, chloroform and ethylacetate fraction pretreated groups were significantly decreased (p<0.05) compared to the only $CCl_{4}$-treated group. The contents of cholesterol and triglyceride were not influenced in any fraction pretreated groups, but HDL-cholesterol content in hexane and chloroform fraction pretreated groups were significantly increased (p<0.05) compared to the only $CCl_{4}$-treated group. Therefore, these results demonstrate a possible hepatoprotective role of $H_{2}O$ fraction of Diospyrus kaki Folium methanol extract in carbon tetrachloride intoxicated rats.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.sup1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2008

Helicobacter pylori is the causative agent of chronic gastritis and has a role in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer diseases, and gastric cancer. There have been reports suggesting a close link between these gastroduodenal disorders and a state of vitamin C deficiency. In this paper, the past, present and future perspectives on H. pylori infection and vitamin C will be discussed under the following view points. Since the ecological niche of H. pylori is the mucus layer and intercellular junctions of the gastric epithelium, the various kinds of host inflammatory cells motivated by the local and systemic immune responses cannot eliminate the microorganisms. When the invading foreign body is not removed, despite full activation of defense mechanisms, adverse consequences of the immune responses develop on the host gastric mucosa. The reasons for the body vitamin C depletion could be explained as follows; 1) the increased vitamin C consumption by increased oxygen free radical production through the prolonged hypersensitivity reactions in the gastric mucosa, 2) the increased vitamin C oxidation by the nitrite which is formed from nitrate reduction by the intragastric bacteria proliferated in the hypochlorhydric gastric cavity, 3) the strong ${\gamma}$-glutamyltranspeptidase activity of H. pylori which depletes the glutathiones in gastric mucosa. Depletion of glutathiones in the stomach favors irreversible oxidative destruction of ascorbic acid. Both persistent inflammatory burdens in the stomach by H. pylori and resultant vitamin C depletions synergistically and uninhibitedly might aggravate the hypothetical sequence of gastric carcinogenesis: atrophic gastritis${\rightarrow}$intestinal metaplasia${\rightarrow}$dysplasia${\rightarrow}$gastric adenocarcinoma. High intake of vitamin C could reverse the hypothetical sequence of the gastric carcinogenesis via direct and indirect effects on H. pylori and host-parasite relationships.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.295-305
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• 2021

Purpose: Hepcidin levels have previously been reported to be correlated with liver damage. However, the association between hepcidin levels and liver fibrosis in children with fatty liver disease remains unclear. This study therefore aimed to investigate the pathophysiology of fibrosis in children with fatty liver disease and its association with hepcidin levels. Methods: This retrospective case series included 12 boys aged 6-17 years who were diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) at the Tokyo Medical University Hospital. Sixteen liver biopsy samples from 12 subjects were analyzed. Serum hepcidin levels were assayed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunostaining for hepcidin was performed, and the samples were stratified by staining intensity. Results: Serum hepcidin levels were higher in pediatric NAFLD/NASH patients than in controls. Conversely, a significant inverse correlation was observed between hepcidin immunostaining and Brunt grade scores and between hepcidin scores and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, hyaluronic acid, and leukocyte levels. We observed inverse correlations with a high correlation coefficient of >0.4 between hepcidin immunostaining and aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total bile acid, and platelet count. Conclusion: There was a significant inverse correlation between hepcidin immunoreactivity and fibrosis in pediatric NAFLD patients; however, serum hepcidin levels were significantly higher, suggesting that these patients experienced a reduction in the hepcidin-producing ability of the liver in response to iron levels, leading to subsequent fibrosis. Therefore, hepcidin levels can be used as markers to identify the progression of fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.655-660
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to evaluate pungency-related factors of field garlic (FG) and rice paddy garlic (RG) from Youncheon province. Allicin, alliin, and S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC) contents were analyzed by HPLC. In addition, activities of alliinase, GTPase (${\gamma}$-glutamyltranspeptidase), and pyruvate content of garlic were measured. The moisture content of RG (65.86%) was higher than that of FG (63.34%). However, crude lipid, crude protein, crude ash, and carbohydrate contents of RG were lower than those of FG. The alliin contents of FG and RG were 8.97 and 8.22 mg/g, respectively. The allicin content of FG (2.83 mg/g) was higher than that of RG (2.22 mg/g). Further, SAC content of FG (1.74 mg/g) was higher than that of RG (0.104 mg/g). Alliinase activities of FG and RG were similar, whereas the GTPase activity of FG was higher than that of RG. These results show that the stronger pungency of FG is due to the higher amount of alliin and SAC as well as the higher activity of GTPase compared to RG.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.79-85
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• 2017

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the clinical and the instrument of convergence utility of transient elastography (FibroScan(R):electromagnetic wave) in diagnosing and treating liver ailments through a comparison and an analysis between liver function blood test and transient elastography (FibroScan(R)) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Of all the patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection who visited clinic B in Daejeon City between July 1, 2015, and February 28, 2016, 75 who underwent a FibroScan(R) test were selected for this study. Their laboratory and liver function test results were compared for a correlation analysis before constructing an ROC (Receiver Operation Characteristic) curve. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were 0.572 and 0.502, respectively, and showed highest correlation with fibrosis score, with statistical significance (p<0.000). Gamma glutamyltranspeptidase, total bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase levels also showed relatively significant correlations in this order of sequence, while -fetoprotein and total protein levels did not show any statistically significant values. Albumin (-0.449) and platelet levels (-0.373) showed negative correlations with each other and no correlation with fibrosis score (p < 0.000). As liver fibrosis worsened, the accuracy of the ROC curve increased. At the F4 stage, which is the cirrhotic stage, the largest area under the curve was observed. FibroScan(R) showed significant correlation with the ALT (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase) and AST (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase) levels in the liver function test, which is a routine test for patients with chronic liver ailments. This implies that fibrosis correlates with liver inflammation severity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.685-690
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• 2002

The effects of mycelium of Cordyceps militaris on the growth, the lipid metabolism, the serum protein levels and the enzyme activities in male rats were studied. Sprague-Dawley rats were given four different types of diets for a succeeding period of five weeks: either a control diet, a control diet supplemented with 2%, 3% or 4% mycelium of Cordyceps militaris (CM) powder. The body weight gain, hepatic weight, feed efficiency ratio and the feed intake of the rats given diets with 2%, 3% or 4% CM were similar to those in rats given the control diet. The concentrations of hepatic total lipid and triglyceride of rats fed the 3% or 4% CM diets were significantly lower than those of rats fed the control diet. But the concentrations of hepatic total cholesterol and phospholipid of rats fed the all CM diets were similar to those of rats fed the control diet. The concentrations of total lipid, total cholesterol, triglyceride phospholipid, and the atherogenic index, and the activities of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and lactic dehydrogenase in serum of rats fed the all CM diets were significantly lower than those of rats fed the control diet. No differences were noted in the concentrations of HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, total protein, albumin and creatinine, and the activities of glutamic pyruvic transaminase, ${\gamma}$ -glutamyltranspeptidase and alkaline phosphatase in the serum among the rats with on all the experimental diets. These results showed that the all CM diets feeding decreased the total cholesterol, the triglyceride, the phopholipid, and the atherogenic index in serum of rats.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 2005

This study is conducted to determine the effects of dietary levels of corn and tuna oils on the formation of preneoplastic lesions in die-thylnitrosamine (DEN) induced rat hepatocarcinogenesis. Weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 2.5, 5, 15, 25% (w/w) corn or tuna oils. Hepatocellular carcinogenesis was induced by DEN (200 mg/kg body weight) and two-thirds partial hepactectomy was carried out 3 weeks later and were sacrificed 8 weeks after DEN initiation. Tuna oil group showed smaller area of placental glutathione S-transferase (GST-P) positive foci than com oil group. Com oil group of 25% (w/w) showed the widest area of GST -P positive foci, and tuna oil group showed significantly smaller area of GST-P positive foci than com oil in 25% (w/w) level but had no differences between oil levels. Thio-barbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content was the highest in 25% (w/w) level of tuna oil group fed long chain and highly polyunsaturated fatty acids. Also serum ${\gamma}$ -glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activities in 25% level of tuna oil group were significantly higher than by other levels. As oil contents increased, glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) seems to decrease in com oil groups but remained the same in tuna oil groups. Glutathione reductase (GR) activities were significantly higher in tuna oil group, and the higher the level of tuna oil, the higher GR activities. But Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities didn't seem to be influenced by levels and kind of dietary fats. Therefore, as oil levels increased, com oil rich in n-6 fatty acids promoted carcinogenesis but tuna oil rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) of n-3 fatty acids suppressed. Although lipid peroxidation products were elevated in 25% (w/w) tuna oil group, GST-P positive foci didn't increase. Therefore pre-neoplastic lesions might be reduced through mediation of a lipid peroxidation process in tuna oil. As fat contents of tuna oil increased, elevated GR activities may give a rise to produce more reduced glutathione in order to protect against free radical attack, and high G6Pase activities remained the same and they contributed to membrane stability. So tuna oil diet seems to protect hepatocarcinogenesis.