• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 2018

Purpose: Imaging plays a significant role in diagnosing leptomeningeal metastases. However, the most appropriate sequence for the detection of leptomeningeal metastases has yet to be determined. This study compares the efficacies of contrast-enhanced T2 fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and contrast-enhanced 3D T1 black-blood fast spin echo (FSE) imaging for the detection of leptomeningeal metastases. Materials and Methods: Tube phantoms containing varying concentrations of gadobutrol solution were scanned using T2 FLAIR and 3D T1 black-blood FSE. Additionally, 30 patients with leptomeningeal metastases were retrospectively evaluated to compare conspicuous lesions and the extent of leptomeningeal metastases detected by T2 FLAIR and 3D T1 black-blood FSE. Results: The signal intensities of low-concentration gadobutrol solutions (< 0.5 mmol/L) on T2 FLAIR images were higher than in 3D T1 black-blood FSE. The T2 FLAIR sequences exhibited significantly greater visual conspicuity scores than the 3D T1 black-blood sequence in leptomeningeal metastases of the pial membrane of cistern (P = 0.014). T2 FLAIR images exhibited a greater or equal extent (96.7%) of leptomeningeal metastases than 3D T1 black-blood FSE images. Conclusion: Because of its high sensitivity even at low gadolinium concentrations, contrast-enhanced T2 FLAIR images delineated leptomeningeal metastases in a wider territory than 3D T1 black-blood FSE.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.122-127
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• 2021

A mixture of polyvinylpyrrolidone and 1,2-indanedione (PVP-IND) is known to be the best reagent for developing latent fingerprints deposited on the surface of a thermal paper. However, no study has evaluated whether PVP-IND could enhance fingerprints in blood deposited on the surface of thermal paper. Therefore, in this study, the ability of PVP-IND to enhance the fingerprints in blood was investigated. Furthermore, aqueous amido black solution, which is known to be the best reagent for enhancing fingerprints in blood deposited on the surface of thermal paper, was used for comparison with PVP-IND. Therefore, while enhancing the fingerprints in diluted blood, PVP-IND enhanced the quality of fingerprints compared to aqueous amido black solution. The ridge diffused when the undiluted fingerprints in blood were enhanced with PVP-IND because PVP reacted with amino acids in blood; however, amido black solution yielded better results. When treated with PVP-IND, it is presumed that the ridge diffused due to the reaction of PVP and amino acids contained in the blood.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.786-794
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• 2006

We observed the suppressive effect of a powder formulation of African black tea extract prepared from the leaves of Camellia sinensis on type 2 non-insulin dependent diabetic mice, $KK-A^y/TaJcl$. Black tea extract significantly showed suppressive effect of the elevation of blood glucose on oral glucose tolerance test of 8 week-old $KK-A^y/TaJcl$ mice (p<0.05). Long-term treatment with black tea extract showed significant suppression of post-prandial blood glucose and obesity (p<0.05). The weight of the intestine of mice treated with black tea extract was significantly reduced (p<0.05). From these results, African black tea used in this study showed a suppressive effect on the elevation of blood glucose during food intake and the body weight.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.177-187
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• 2014

We compared effects of fruit, leaf, and stem extracts from black raspberry on improvement of cholesterol and blood pressure in HepG2 and HUVEC cells, respectively. Cholesterol secretion was inhibited by water extracts of unripe fruit and stem, but not leaf of black raspberry in HepG2 cells. Also, water extracts of unripe fruit, leaf, and stem reduced HMG-CoA reductase activity. Furthermore, nitric oxide production and expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) protein were regulated by extracts of fruit, leaf, and stem of black raspberry in HUVEC cells. Overall, the rank order according to the improving level of cholesterol and hypertension is as follows: stem > fruit > leaf. In addition, various polyphenol compounds displayed inhibitory effects of HMG-CoA reductase activity and ACE expression. Thus, these data suggested that leaf and stem as wells as fruit of black raspberry can be used as useful food resources for reduction of cholesterol and blood pressure.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.97-103
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• 1985

The purpose of this study was to compare Black-pigmented Bacteroides isolated from necrotic pulp with the presence or absence of eight symptoms associated with pulpal necrosis and to identify the proportion of each Black-pigmented Bacteroides species. The canal contents of fourteen traumatically and cariously necrotized teeth were sampled with a special technique and cultured aerobically and anaerobically for growth in blood agar plate and for Black-pigmented Bacteroides on selective blood agar plate. Each Black-pigmented Bacteroides species were identified by Gram's stain, hemolysis reaction, colony color and morphology and biochemical tests. The results were as follows; 1. 60.9 percent of the bacteria isolated were anaerobic and 39.1 percent were aerobic. 2. Four Black-pigmented Bacteroides species were isolated; B. loescheii (74.1%), B. denticola (11.1%), B. intermedius (7.4%) and B. gingivalis (7.4%). 3. Black-pigmented Bacteroides was found to be significantly related to sinus tract formation and exudate.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1790-1798
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• 2006

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of feeding cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G) high black rice bran on nutrient digestibility, blood measurements, growth performance and pork quality of pigs. In Exp. I, a total of fifteen pigs (19.91${\pm}$1.80 kg, average initial body weight) were used in assay of nutrient digestibility and blood measurements. All pigs were allotted to 5 treatments with 3 replicates according to a completely randomized design (CRD) in an individual metabolic crate. Treatments included 1) CON: basal diet, 2) BRB-2: basal+brown rice bran 2%, 3) BRB-4: basal+brown rice bran 4%, 4) CRB-2: basal+C3G high black rice bran 2% and 5) CRB-4: basal+C3G high black rice bran 4%. The digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), crude ash (CA) and crude fiber (CF) was not affected by dietary treatments. Serum triglyceride (TG) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations were not affected by addition of C3G high black rice bran. However, at the end of experiment, pigs fed rice bran showed decreased tendency in total cholesterol concentration. Especially pigs fed C3G high black rice bran showed significantly lower total cholesterol concentration compared to pigs fed brown rice bran (p<0.03). There was numerically lower total cholesterol concentration with increasing levels of black rice bran in the diet. In terms of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), there were no significant differences among treatments, even though pigs fed CRB-4 showed the lowest GOT concentration compared to other pigs. In Exp. II, sixteen finishing pigs (average initial body weight 89.96${\pm}$0.35 kg) were divided into 4 treatments to investigate the effect of feeding C3G high black rice bran on growth performance and pork quality. There were no significant differences in average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) among the treatments. Pigs fed C3G high black rice bran showed numerical decrease in ADG and increase in FCR while not effecting feed intake. There was no significant difference in live weight, carcass weight, carcass rate, backfat thickness and carcass grade. However, pigs fed C3G high black rice bran tended to show lower backfat thickness than pigs fed basal diet. Pigs fed C3G high black rice bran showed a tendency of decreased TBA value than pigs fed basal diet, although there was no overall significant difference among treatments. In conclusion, nutrient digestibility, blood measurements, growth performance and pork quality were not significantly affected by feeding C3G high black rice bran to pigs. However, C3G high black rice bran might have an effect on lowering serum total cholesterol and decrease the TBA value in pork compared to control group and these effects might be due to high concentration of antioxidative compounds in C3G high black rice bran.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.148-152
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• 2016

The main goal was to evaluate effectiveness of a modified TSE sequence compared with DIR (double inversion recovery) sequence in acquisition of fast flow brain vessel images using signal void effect. 32 healthy volunteers (10 men and 22 women; mean age of 31 years; ranging between 28-43 years) who underwent black blood DIR sequence (group A) and the modified TSE sequence (group B) were enrolled in our study. Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and Contrast to Noise Ratio (CNR) of the internal carotid arteries' lumen were compared in T1 and T2 weighted images for both group A and B. The images obtained from group B showed lower SNR values in internal carotid artery than the group A in both of the T1 and T2 weighted images (11.49% and 13.66% respectively). While the CNR values were higher in the group B than the group A in both of the T1 and T2 weighted images (8.69% and 7.55 % respectively). The qualitative score of all categories were not significantly different between the two groups. Furthermore approximately 49% of the total scan time was reduced from group B. Our study is to shorten the scanning time and minimize the inconveniences of the patients in acquisition of the black blood images of brain by using the signal void effect in the modified TSE technique while keeping the diagnostic value of the test.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2013

The monthly variations of blood characteristics and RNA/DNA of black sea bream, Acanthopagrus schlegeli, habituated in Geojae costal area were analysed to determine health condition of natural stocks in terms of gonad maturation and spawning season from March 2010 to February 2011. Spawning season determinated by gonadosomatic index is from June to August. RNA/DNA ratio of black sea bream muscle was strongly correlated with spawning season. During the gonad maturation RNA/DNA ratio in dorsal muscle tissue was decreased contrast to rapid increase during spawning season. Blood composition factors increased in terms of gonad maturation are aspartate aminotransferase, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, glucose, globulin, alkaline phosphatase and inorganic phosphate. Other blood factors increased during spawning season are alanine aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid and lactate dehydrogenase.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.375-383
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• 2014

This study aimed to investigate the effects of 50% ethanol extract of ripe black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis, RBR) on hypertension in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and activation of nitric oxide production by endothelial nitric oxide synthase were significantly regulated by RBR in HUVEC cells. Moreover, the SHR showed significantly higher levels of blood pressure, ACE, renin, endothelin-1, and interleukin-6 than Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). However, treatment with captopril and RBR decreased the levels of these hypertension-related events in the SHR. The renal arteriole showed greater media thickness/lumen diameter (%) in the SHR than in the WKY. However, media thickness/lumen diameter (%) was reduced in SHR by treatment with captopril and RBR. In addition, the number of eosinophilic cardiac muscle cells was decreased in the heart muscles after treatment with captopril and RBR. Therefore, this study suggests that 50% ethanol extract of RBR may be useful for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2009

Control of hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia is strongly correlated with decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, the most common and fatal diabetic complication. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of garlic and aged black garlic on glycemic control and blood lipid profile in animal model of type 2 diabetes. Three week-old db/db mice (C57BL/Ks, n=21) were fed AIN-93G semipurified diet or diet containing 5% freeze-dried garlic or aged black garlic for 7 weeks after 1 week of adaptation. Fasting serum glucose, insulin, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol and blood glycated hemoglobin were measured. Body weight and food intake of garlic and aged black garlic group were not significantly different from those of the control group. Fasting serum glucose and blood glycated hemoglobin levels were significantly decreased and insulin level was significantly increased in garlic group compared with control group (p<0.05). Consumption of aged black garlic significantly decreased homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and tended to decrease serum glucose. Garlic consumption significantly decreased total cholesterol, while aged black garlic significantly reduced serum total cholesterol and triglyceride and increased HDL-cholesterol levels. These results suggest that garlic exerts hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic effect and aged black garlic improved insulin sensitivity and dyslipidemia in db/db mice.