• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.197-204
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• 2018

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the leading cause of death among hematologic neoplasms. Recently, microRNA has been reported to be useful in the diagnosis of multiple myeloma. This study examined whether miR-221 could be used as a diagnostic marker for multiple myeloma. The study was performed on 20 patients with multiple myeloma without any other hematological diseases. MicroRNA extraction was performed using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues obtained from the bone marrow of patients with multiple myeloma. miR-15a, miR-16, miR-21, miR-181a, and miR-221 were selected as the microRNA target genes for multiple myeloma. The significance of microRNA was based on a fold change of <1.5. To quantify the fold changes, data normalized to the human gene, SNORD43, were used as the values of the patient group. Fold change values greater than 1.5 were defined as "overexpression", whereas values less than -1.5 were defined as "underexpression". Of note, 65.0% (13/20) of samples showed significant "overexpression" in the levels of miR-221 expression and plasma cells with a group of more and less than 30% in MM patients did not show any significance of plasma cell (P<0.05). The results of other studies showing a correlation between the expression of miR-221 and MM in Caucasians were confirmed. These results suggest that miR-221 may be a useful indicator for diagnosing patients with MM. In conclusion, miR-221 is useful in the diagnosis and determining the prognosis of multiple myeloma in Koreans.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.1049-1053
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver (Du-Zhong) as a main ingredient in a mixture of various medicinal herbal extracts on blood pressure, serum lipid concentrations, and hematological variables in hypertensive patients. After 4 weeks on drinking the mixed medicinal herbal teas, systolic blood pressure remarkably decreased from 167.14 to 134.86 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 100.00 to 87.10 mmHg. In terms of serum lipid profiles, there were no differences in total-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol level, and atherogenic index, However, the level of triglycerol was significantly reduced from 237.1 before the experiment to 145.00 mg/dL after 4 weeks on drinking the mixed medicinal herbal teas. Serum triglyceride were remarkably reduced from 237.1 to 145.00 mg/dL in the hypertensive patients who had taken the combined medicinal herbal extracts. Compared with data obtained from the patients before the experiment, there were no differences in hematological variables (RBC, WBC, hematocrit, hemoglobin, platlets and homocysteine) after the 4 weeks experiments, but mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration was significantly increased by 2.70% (p<0.05) in the blood samples. Based on these findings, it can be presumed that the examined mixed medicinal herbal tea may be effective in lowering blood pressure and in increasing mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration due to reduced serum triglyceride levels in hypertension patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2014

Red yeast rice (RYR) has been known to exhibit various biological effects, including anti-hyperlipidemia, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammtory activities. Oxidative stress is a main risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease, such as atherosclerosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible hypolipidemic and antioxidant effect of RYR on rats fed a high-cholesterol diet supplemented with either 0.2%, 1%, or 5% RYR for 4 weeks. We measured lipid profiles in the plasma and liver, antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma and erythrocyte, gene expression of antioxidant enzymes in the liver, and oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes. The group supplemented with 0.2% RYR had total cholesterol level in plasma decreased by 24%, while the group supplemented with 5% RYR had high-density cholesterol increased by 20% compared to the control. The antioxidant enzyme activities were also affected by RYR supplementation. Total superoxide dismutase activities in plasma significantly decreased by 11% in the 1% RYR group, while these activities in the liver significantly decreased by 16% and 21% in the 1% and 5% supplemented group compared to the control, respectively. Glutathione peroxidase activities in plasma and erythrocytes increased 13% and 48% in the 1% RYR group, respectively. Catalase (CAT) activity in erythrocytes significantly increased by 49% and 68% in the 1% and 5% RYR group compared to the control, respectively. The gene expression of CAT was up-regulated 7.9 fold compared to the control in the 5% RYR supplemented group. These results suggest that RYR can control hyperlipidemia by improving the lipid profile and modulating oxidative stress.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 2009

This study aimed to determine whether or not glycoprotein isolated from Cudrania tricuspidata Bureau fruit(CTB glycoprotein) exerts a hepatoprotective effect on liver injury induced by the administration of carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$, 1.0mL/kg) to A/J mice. Following the administration of CTB glycoprotein(0-20mg/kg), the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT), and glutathione peroxidase(GPx)), and the quantities of measured thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), and nitric oxide(NO) were evaluated from the murine liver tissues and plasma. Additionally, the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-${\kappa}B$) was assessed after pretreatment with $CCl_4$. When the mice were treated with $CCl_4$ alone, the activities of antioxidative enzymes reduced but amounts of TBARS, LDH, and NO increased. However, the results of treatment with CTB glycoprotein(10 and 20 mg/kg) revealed significantly increased activities of antioxidant enzymes(SOD, CAT, and GPx), as compared with $CCl_4$ alone. On the other hand, the result showed significant diminutions of the quantities of TBARS, LDH, and NO after treatment with CTB glycoprotein(10 and 20 mg/kg), as compared to $CCl_4$ alone. The activity of NF-${\kappa}B$ also declined after pretreatment with CTB glycoprotein, as compared with $CCl_4$ treatment alone. Thus, it is suggested that the CTB glycoprotein exerts a protective effect against $CCl_4$-induced liver injury in A/J mice.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 1994

Malaria is estimated to have a worldwide incidence of more than 100 million clinical cases and approximately 1 miuion deaths per year. Korea, although previously tnlown as an endemic area of tertian malaria (Pzosmonin vivax), has been considered free from malaria as there had been no report on indigenous cases since 1984. Recently, however, we experienced an indigenous case of P. viuax infection in a young man who had never been abroad. The patient was a 23-year-old Korean soldier with 18-day history of recurrent fever and chill lasting 4 to 8 hours on alternative days since mid-July 1993. He had lived in Changwon, Hyongsangnam-do, before entering barracks located in Paiu-gun, Kyonggj-do on Jne 1992, and had never been out of Korea. He had no history of blood transfusion nor parenteral use of drugs. The peripheral blood smears showed typical ring forms, trophozoites, and gametocytes of p. uiuox, in addition to mild anemia and thrombocytopenia. After confirmation of the diagnosis, he was treated with hydroxychloroquine and primaquine. Follow-up blood smears no more revealed malaria parasites. It is not certain whether the present case is due to a resurgence of indigenous malaria or a secondary infection from introduced mnuia. Whichever the source of infection the domestic occurrence of mnuia cycle in Korea should be a warning sign in public health point of view.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.74-78
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• 2002

Purpose : Proper diagnosis of group A streptococcal pharyngitis that may cause chronic diseases in childhood is not easy because its signs and symptoms would be nonspecific. Because results of classical throat culture delays for one to two days, we'd like to determine whether early antibiotics would be introduced with according to the clinical score system. This study was undertaken to evaluate of clinical usefulness of scoring system based on the clinical and laboratory findings. Methods : From Jan. 1998 to Dec. 2000, 10 clinical items based on modified 9 items by Breese in 1977 were checked in patients with pharyngitis who visited on outpatients clinic of pediatrics, Kyunghee University Hospital. We compared the results of throat culture with the points of clinical score system. Results : Out of 45 cases, the positive culture for Group A Streptococcus was 20 and negative culture was 25. When we applied more than 30 points of score, which correspond to 70 percentile of study population, the sensitivity and specificity were 35.0% and 96.0%, respectively. Conclusion : Although sensitivity was relatively low this scoring system, but the high specificity may be useful diagnostic tool in the areas where the rate of isolation of Group A Streptococcus is low.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.9
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• pp.2451-2459
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• 2009

The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the blood glucose test with almost painless vacuum assisted auto-lancing technique. The blood glucose concentration measurements in the capillary blood sampled from the alternative (forearm) site were compared with the standard venous or finger sampling techniques. Capillary blood was sampled from both the left index finger and the forearm, followed by the venous blood sampling in 531 patients who visited the C University Hospital. Blood sugar test was performed for each blood samples for comparative analysis. Mean blood glucose concentration measured on the forearm was closer to the venous glucose level than that of the finger, but the difference was approximately 10 mg/dL small enough to ignore from the clinical point of view. The correlation coefficients of the measured blood glucose levels between finger and vein and between forearm and vein were 0.94 and 0.92, respectively (p<0.001). The blood glucose measurement on the forearm also well correlated with the finger, showing a correlation coefficient of 0.94, and both data were very much close to each other. Therefore, the blood sugar test on the alternative capillary blood sampling site such as forearm was accurate enough for clinical practice. The vacuum assisted auto-lancing technique on the alternative site would be of particular interest for the disease management of the chronic diabetes, since it induces almost no pain when sampling blood from the capillaries.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.208-216
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• 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This study aimed to investigate the status of renal function in patients with COVID-19. The study surveyed a total of 649 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at a hospital located in southern Gyeonggi Province, South Korea over a one month period in January 2021. The parameters analyzed were blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, sodium, potassium, chloride, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The BUN and creatinine of the COVID-19 patients were found to be higher than the normal reference range, specially in males, and in the elderly (60s and 80s or older). The serum electrolyte levels of the patients were observed to be within the reference intervals. Of the subjects, males over 80 years of age had a Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) of 60 mL/min/1.73 m² or less. Recent research suggests that some severe cases of COVID-19 are showing signs of kidney damage, even in those with no prior underlying kidney disease. Thus, assessment of kidney function using multiple indicators could help diagnose abnormal renal function in patients with COVID-19.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 1980

혈액질환(血液疾患), 특히 용혈성빈혈(溶血性貧血)을 수반(隨伴)한 경우(境遇)에 적혈구(赤血球)의 생성(生成), 파괴과정(破壞過程)을 정확히 파악하는 것은 빈혈(貧血)의 발생기전(發生機轉) 및 병인(病因), 치료(治療), 예후(豫後) 결정(決定)에 매우 중요(重要)하다. 적혈수명측정법(赤血壽命測定法)은 최근(最近) 방사성(放射性)동위원소(同位元素)를 이용(利用)한 방법(方法)이 소개된 이래 널리 시행(施行)되어 왔다. 그러나 그 방법(方法) 및 결과(結果) 해석(解釋)에 표준화(標準化)가 되어 있지 않았던 중 1971년 ICSH (International Committee for Standardization in Hematology)에서 expert panel을 갖고 ICSH 추천 방법(方法)을 발표(發表)하였고, 본지(本誌)에서도 그 내용(內容)을 게재(揭載)한 바 있다. 1980년 ICSH는 전문기관 및 전문가의 협조(協調)를 얻어 다시 expert panal을 갖은 후 1971년에 추진한 적혈구수명측정법(赤血球壽命測定法)의 일부(一部)를 수정(修正)하여 ICSH의 표준방법(標準方法)으로 발표(發表)하였다. 개정(改正)된 표준방법(標準方法)과 1971년 ICSH추친 방법(方法)과의 차이(差異)는 다음과 같다. $^{51}Cr$표지방법중(標識方法中) 참고방법(參考方法)(Reference method)인 ACD법(法)에 수정(修正)을 가하여, ACD solution 구성성분(構成成分)이 차이(差異)가 있으며, 표지(標識)$^{51}Cr$의 양(量)을 체중당(體重當) $1.5{\mu}Ci$에서 $0.5{\mu}Ci$로 제한(制限)시켰다. 투여방법(投與方法)에 대한 언급 특히 투여하는 표지적혈구(標識赤血球)의 용적을 정확하게 측정 하기 위한 방법 4가지를 추가하였고, 검체준비(檢體準備) 과정중(過程中)의 pipet error를 방지(防止)하기위해 일정(一定)한 형태의 pipet을 사용(使用)하며, 1ml의 tuterculin syringe는 사용(使用)하지 않기로 하였다. 또한 결과분석시(結果分析時) 혈구용적(血球容積)의 항정성(恒定性)을 위해 Sodium pertectnetate($^{99m}Tc$)를 이용(利用)해 혈구용적(血球容積)을 반복(反復)해 측정(測定)하도록 하였으며 이때 사용(使用)하는 방사성동위원소(放射性同位元素)는 $^{32}P$ 대신 $^{99m}Tc$로 하였다. 결과해석시(結果解釋時) IgG 항체(抗體) 또는 IgM 항체(抗體)에 따른 차이점(差異點)에 대한 고려가 추가(追加)되었다. ICSH와 국제혈액학회(國際血液學會)에서 수정(修正)된 ICSH 표준방법(標準方法)에 의한 적혈수명측정법(赤血壽命測定法)을 널리 소개(紹介)하여 결과(結果)의 표준화(標準化)를 기하고자 연관잡지(聯관(關)雜誌)에 게재(揭載)할 것을 요청(要請)하였기에 전문(全文)을 본지(本誌)에 소개(紹介)하고자 한다.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.84 no.3
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• pp.666-675
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• 2023

Purpose This study aimed to determine whether the attenuation coefficient (AC) from attenuation imaging (ATI) was correlated with visual US assessment in patients with hepatic steatosis. Moreover, it aimed to assess whether the patient's blood chemistry results and CT attenuation were correlated with AC. Materials and Methods Patients who underwent abdominal US with ATI between April 2018 and December 2018 were included in this study. Patients with chronic liver disease or cirrhosis were excluded. The correlation between AC and other parameters, such as visual US assessment, blood chemistry results, liver attenuation, and liver-to-spleen (L/S) ratio, were analyzed. AC values according to visual US assessment grades were compared using analysis of variance. Results A total of 161 patients were included in this study. The correlation coefficient between US assessment and AC was 0.814 (p < 0.001). The mean AC values for the normal, mild, moderate, and severe grades were 0.56, 0.66, 0.74, and 0.85, respectively (p < 0.001). Alanine aminotransferase levels were significantly correlated with AC (r = 0.317, p < 0.001). The correlation coefficients between liver attenuation and AC and between L/S ratio and AC were -0.702 and -0.626, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusion Visual US assessment and AC showed a strong positive correlation with the discriminative value between the groups. Computed tomography attenuation and AC showed a strong negative correlation.