• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.298-305
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• 1993

In order to evaluate the clinical usefulness of maternal serum C-reactive protein measurement in early detection of infectious morbidity at term laboring women, serum C-reactive protein levels were measured in 521 healthy pregnant women ; 64 who were not in labor before term, 55 who were in labor before term, 71 who were not in labor at term and 331 who were in labor at term. The frequencies of elevated serum C-reactive protein level were compared in relation to the gestational weeks, the presence or absence of labor, the status of amniotic membranes and the degree of cervical dilation. The obtained results were as follows. 1. The frequencies of women with elevated serum C-reactive protein, 0.8mg/dl or higher and 2.0mg/dl or higher, in 521 health pregnant women were 12% and 4%, respectively. 2. C-reactive pretein levels of 0.8mg/dl or higher were more frequent in the group of women in labor than those not in labor(5.93%, vs. 13.73%, p<0.05), but the frequencies of C-reactive protein level of 2.0mg/dl or higher were not statistically different between both groups. The frequencies of C-reactive protein level of 0.8mg/dl or higher and 2.0mg/dl or higher were not statistically different between the groups before term and at term, intact and ruptured membranes, latent phase and active phase of labor, respectively. 3. Before term, C-reactive protein levels of 0.8mg/dl or higher and 2.0mg/dl or higher were more frequent in the group of women in labor than those not in labor(23.64 vs. 4.69, p<0.001 and 12.73% vs. 3.13%, p<0.05, respectively), but those statistical differences were not seen between both group at term. Above results and review of literature suggest that serum C-reactive protein level of 2.0mg/dl or higher may be reliable in early detection of infectious morbidity at term laboring women as well as laboring women before term, and the presence of subclinical infection should be suspected in the laboring women before term with serum C-reactive protein level of 0.8mg/dl or higher.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.104-110
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study is comparison of clinical outcomes in ACL reconstruction between auto-hamstring tendon and allo-tibialis anterior tendon. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, we included 60 subjects who underwent ACL reconstruction using 30 hamstring autograft(mainly, national health insurance) and 30 tibialis anterior allograft(including MVA and industrial injuries) between May 2003 and June 2005 by a single surgeon, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Outcome measurements were the range of motion, the Lachman test, the IKDC score, the Lysholm score, KT-1000 arthrometer and one-leg hop test. Results: For all the cases, the range of motion was above 135 degrees. The Lachman test, KT-1000 arthrometer and one-leg hop test showed no significant difference between two groups. The IKDC score of auto-hamstring group($87.840{\pm}2.106$) was significantly higher than that of allo-tibialis anterior group($85.273{\pm}2.782$). The Lysholm score of auto-hamstring group($88.067{\pm}2.586$) was also significantly higher than that of allo-tibialis anterior group($85.300{\pm}3.030$). Conclusion: The results of ACL reconstruction using the auto-hamstring tendon and allo-tibialis anterior tendon showed no significant difference in objective items but auto-hamstring group showed better results in subjective scoring. This difference may result from individual factors such as economic problem, secondary gain.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.99-110
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effects of commonly consumed vegetables in Korea on lipid accumulation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines related to obesity/metabolic syndrome. Using KNHANES (Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) raw data ($1^{st}$; 1998, $5^{th}$; 2010, 2011) and a literature search, we selected vegetables for study. Edible portions of samples were prepared, ethanol-extracted, and then freeze-dried. 3T3-L1 adipocytes and HepG2 hepatocytes cells were used as in vitro models. Lipid accumulation determined by Oil-red O staining showed that all samples except bracken had inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Especially, crown daisy and mugwort effectively reduced accumulation of lipids, and their inhibition rates were more than 60% of the control group. Young pumpkin, leeks, crown daisy, and mugwort showed significantly decreased MCP-1 levels compared to the control group. However, adiponectin protein level did not increase in the vegetables experimental group. In HepG2 hepatocytes, all samples showed inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation at one of the two concentrations. Although adiponectin protein levels did not increase, MCP-1 protein levels decreased in adipocytes. Further, lipid accumulation in adipocytes and hepatocytes decreased. In conclusion, all samples showed one or more improved obesity/metabolic syndrome indicators. Among them, young pumpkin, leeks, crown daisy, and mugwort were selected as the most effective portions of vegetables based on improvement of obesity/metabolic syndrome-related indicators.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.117-135
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• 2016

The present study was performed to develop a functional raw food material from hydrolyzed whey protein powder (23%-GNANA) medication containing sialic acid as a marker compound that is naturally occurring at 7% concentration in GMP (glycomacropeptide). GMP is used worldwide in foodstuffs for babies and infants and is obtained from the milk protein as safe food. While the purpose of our detailed evaluation was aimed to assess preliminary NOAEL values for and above 2,000 mg/kg/day, a clinical dose allowance for 23%-GNANA (as per characteristic of a functional health product, a highly refined test substance of 23% (v/v) sialic acid combined in GMP), at the same time we also wanted to assess the safety of GMP hydrolyzate lacking sialic acid but with identical properties as GMP. Animal safety evaluation was conducted using 23%-GNANA as the test substance, produced from hydrolyzed whey protein powder (product name: HELICOBACTROL-23; provided by Medinutrol Inc. [Korea]; composed of 23% sialic acid and GMP protein) after isolating the sialic acid using enzymes approved as food additives, with GMP as a raw material, and subsequently increasing the content of xx up to 23% through 80% (v/v) ethanol soaking and concentrating, in accordance with GLP Guideline. The animal safety evaluation mentioned above was made on the basis of toxicity in SPF Sprague-Dawley female and male rats dosed with 10 mL of the test substance diluted to 0, 1,250, 2,500, and 5,000 mg/kg directly into their stomachs for 90 d. This was determined in terms of the general symptoms and animal viability, weight and amount of feed intake, eye examination, uracrasia tests, hematological and blood biochemical disorder tests, blood coagulation test, abnormal intestine weight, abnormalities during postmortem and histopathological examinations. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Based on the toxicity determination, a certain minor effect associated with the test substance was observed in male rats with no major effects of the tested substance, in comparison with the control group dosed with sterilized water. Nevertheless, the NOAEL value, evaluated as per toxicity criteria, was verified as 5,000 mg/kg/day (P<0.05). Similarly, for female rats, a certain minor effect associated with the test substance was observed in 5,000 mg/kg/day dosed group, with no major effect, yet the NOAEL value (as assessed as per toxicity criteria) was determined to be 5,000 mg/kg/day (P<0.05), which was the same as for male rats. Accordingly, the NOAEL values of the test substances for all female and male rats were finally verified as 5,000 mg/kg/day (P<0.05). In conclusion, it was determined that the 23%-GNANA test substance exceeds 2,000 mg/kg/day, the clinical allowance characteristic for functional health food, and was finally evaluated to cause no safety concerns when used as a raw material in functional health food production, which was the ultimate goal of the present study.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.171-182
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• 2009

This study was performed to investigate socioeconomic factors relating to obesity and inadequate nutrient intake in women in low income families residing in Seoul. The subjects were 125 women (aged 41-87 y) recruited from the local health center for free health examination for low income families. The socioeconomic status such as educational level, income level, and housing condition were poor. For subjects aged less than 65 years, the prevalence of obesity was 44% based on BMI (${\geq}\;25\;kg/m^2$), 48% based on WHR (${\geq}\;0.85$), and 50% based on waist circumference (${\geq}\;80\;cm$) and for those more than 65 years, these were greater and 57%, 81%, and 79%, respectively. The main food sources of daily diet were vegetables, grains, and fruits. Energy and other nutrient intake was not adequate for all subjects and the inadequacy was more profound in the elderly, showing percentages of subjects whose intake was less than EAR were greater than 50% for all nutrients except for iron and below RI were also greater than 50% for all nutrients. The prevalence of obesity and nutrient inadequacy were not associated with socioeconomic status in subjects aged less than 65 years, however, obesity was associated with household income and nutrient inadequacy was related to education (vitamin A) and housing status (protein, phosphate, and iron) in the elderly. After adjustment for ages, in the elderly, OR for obesity (BMI ${\geq}$ 25, OR = 12.601; 95% CI = 2.338-67.911) and central obesity (WC ${\geq}$ 80 cm, OR = 4.778; 95% CI = 1.103-20.696) were greater in subjects who earned less than 500 thousand Won per month than who earned more. For inadequate nutrient intake, the OR for inadequate intake of Vitamin A (OR = 4.555; 95% CI = 1.491-13.914) was greater in subjects with no education than those educated. Subjects without her own house had greater risk for inadequate intake for protein (OR = 3.660; 95% CI = 1.118-11.981), phosphate (OR = 3.428; 95% CI = 1.157-10.158), and iron (OR = 3.765; 95% CI = 1.205-11.766) than subjects possessing her house. In elderly females in low income families, the socioeconomic status was associated with the risk for obesity (income level) and inadequate nutrient intake (education level and housing status). More attention on these groups should be given for prevention of obesity and inadequate nutrient intake.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.1484-1490
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• 2002

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to look at prevalences of abnormal serum aminotransferase levels and abnormal serum total cholesterol levels among adolescents with obesity in Seoul area. Methods : Body mass index[$BMI(kg/m^2)$], serum aspartate aminotransferase(AST) alanine aminotransferase( ALT), and total cholesterol levels were measured in 26,876 adolescents(male : 13,287, female : 13,589) of first grade of high school in Seoul between the ages of 15 and 16 years, enrolled in a large health examination survey by Seoul School Health Center(SSHC) in 2001. Obesity was defined as BMI more than 95th percentile for age and sex and normal weight was defined as BMI between 25th percentile and 75th percentile for age and sex. Abnormal levels of AST, ALT and total cholesterol were defined as more than 95th percentile for age and sex. Results : The BMI at 95th percentile was 28.7 in males and 26.9 in females. The prevalence of abnormal AST levels was higher in obesity group than in normal weight group. In males, those were 23.7% and 3.7%, respectively(P<0.01, $x^2-value$ : 529.2). In females, those were 11.8% and 4.9 %, respectively(P<0.01, $x^2-value$ : 56.3). The prevalence of abnormal ALT levels was significantly higher in the obesity group compared with the normal weight group. In males, those were 33.9% and 1.7%, respectively(P<0.01, $x^2-value$ : 1,693.4). In females, those were 22.3% and 3.9%, repectively(P<0.01, $x^2-value$ : 397.6). The prevalence of abnormal total cholesterol levels was higher in the obesity group than in the normal weight group. In males, those were 16.8% and 3.5%, respectively(P<0.01, $x^2-value$ : 268.3). In females, those were 9.0% and 5.4%, respectively(P<0.01, $x^2-value$ : 14.2). Conclusion : This study revealed that the prevalences of abnormal AST, ALT and total cholesterol level were higher in the obese group than in the normal weight group.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.683-689
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• 2006

This study was established to investigate the effect of germanium-fortified yeasts on the serum lipid composition and immune system of human body. All 50 subjects with the age range of $50{\sim}75$ were entered in this clinical trial for 6 months. The effects were determined by the proliferative responses of immune-mediated cells, T-cell, B-cell and NK-cell during daily supplementation with/without germanium-fortified yeast. The results of hematology and blood chemistry didn't show any significant differences during administration periods. Serum lipid compositions also didn't show any significant differences during administration periods except triglyceride (TG) and VLDL-cholesterol. TG and VLDL-cholesterol levels were increased significantly by the consumption of germanium-fortified yeast (p<0.05). Immune mediated T-celt and NK-cell didn't increased in both control and test group supplemented with germanium fortified yeast, while B-cell increased in the germanium fortified yeast group after 8 week (p<0.05). Also $TNF-{\alpha}$ increased in the group of germanium fortified yeast after 8 week (p<0.05) but not in the control group. From the above results, germanium fortified yeast is expected to be useful on the improvement of the cellular immune response and protection of organs from various chronic diseases.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.9-14
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• 2003

Sleep stages have been useful indicator to check a person's comfortableness in a sleep, But the traditional method of scoring sleep stages with polysomnography based on the integrated analysis of the electroencephalogram(EEG), electrooculogram(EOG), electrocardiogram(ECG), and electromyogram(EMG) is too restrictive to take a comfortable sleep for the participants, While the sympathetic nervous system is predominant during a wakefulness, the parasympathetic nervous system is more active during a sleep, Cardiovascular function is controlled by this autonomic nervous system, So, we have interpreted the heart rate variability(HRV) among sleep stages to find a simple method of classifying sleep stages, Six healthy male college students participated, and 12 night sleeps were recorded in this research, Sleep stages based on the "Standard scoring system for sleep stage" were automatically classified with polysomnograph by measuring EEG, EOG, ECG, and EMG(chin and leg) for the six participants during sleeping, To extract only the ECG signals from the polysomnograph and to interpret the HRV, a Sleep Data Acquisition/Analysis System was devised in this research, The power spectrum of HRV was divided into three ranges; low frequency(LF), medium frequency(MF), and high frequency(HF), It showed that, the LF/HF ratio of the Stage W(Wakefulness) was 325% higher than that of the Stage 2(p＜.05), 628% higher than that of the Stage 3(p＜.001), and 800% higher than that of the Stage 4(p＜.001), Moreover, this ratio of the Stage 4 was 427% lower than that of the Stage REM (rapid eye movement) (p＜.05) and 418% lower than that of the Stage l(p＜.05), respectively, It was observed that the LF/HF ratio decreased monotonously as the sleep stage changes from the Stage W, Stage REM, Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, to Stage 4, While the difference of the MF/(LF+HF) ratio among sleep Stages was not significant, it was higher in the Stage REM and Stage 3 than that of in the other sleep stages in view of descriptive statistic analysis for the sample group.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.297-303
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• 2008

Naringin, major citrus flavonoids, has been identified to exert antioxidative, antidiabetic, and lipid lowering effects. In this study, we examined the effect of 0.2 g/kg, 0.5 g/kg naringin supplementation for 3 times/week for 5 weeks on lipid metabolism and antithrombotic capacity in rat. Eighteen five week-old Sprague Dawley(SD) female rats, which had initial body weights of $246{\pm}9g$, were randomly divided into three groups: Control (non naringin group); Low (0.2 g/kg naringin-supplemented group); High (0.5 g/kg naringin-supplemented group). Three groups of rats were supplemented with three experimental diets for 5 weeks and we investigated antithrombotic capacity before sacrifice. Naringin did not significantly alter the body weight gain, relative organ weight. However, the level of serum triglyceride, serum free fatty acid, serum total lipid and serum glucose levels were significantly lowered compared to those of control. The high group (0.5 g/kg naringin-supplemented group) was showed significantly increased bleeding time compared to control group. These results suggest that naringin supplemental diets reduces the level of hypertension, glycosuria and fatness on the female SD rats, when orally administered below the dosage 0.5 g/kg for 5 weeks.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.1 s.37
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• pp.1-12
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• 1992

To assess the pattern of psychiatric symptoms and to evaluate the relationship between exposure related variables(duration of work and urinary hippuric acid concenturation) and psychiatric symptoms in organic solvent exposed workers, case control study of forty-two solvent exposed workers and ninethy-six non-exposed workers was conducted. The general health questionnaire 28(GHQ28) was administered to evaluate psychiatric symptoms and urinary hippuric acid concenturations was measured to estimate the present status of solvent exposure in exposed group and to estimate normal level in non-exposed group. The mean concenturation of urinary hippuric acid was significantly higher in exposed group (2.953g/creatinine g) than non-exposed group(0.395g/creatinine g) (P<0.01). The total positive rates of symptoms were significantly higher in exposed group(28.2%) than non-exposed group(17.5%)(P<0.05). The positive rates of symptoms for four sub-scales of GHQ28 in exposed group were in the order of somatic symptoms, anxiety, social dysfunction, depression and in the order of social dysfunction, anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms in non -exposed group. The positive rates of symptoms for somatic symptoms and anxiety were significantly higher in exposed group than non-exposed group (P<0.05) and the proportion of workers with six or more positive symptoms(dysthymic states) in exposed group were significantly higher than non-exposed group (P<0.01). After the effect of age, sex, level of income, level of education, and duration of work were controlled, the total score of GHQ28 was still significantly different between exposed and non-exposed group(P<0.01). In multipile logistic regression analysis on the dysthymic state, the odds ratio of level of income was statictically significant in both group. The odds ratios of exposure related variables such as duration of work and hippuric acid concenturations were not statistically significant but there was a tendency that exposure related variables had an affect on dysthymic state in exposed group. In future, continuous evaluation of psychiatric symptoms on organic solvent exposed workers and studies to detect the factors that affect on psychiatric symptoms are required.