• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.2 s.66
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• pp.253-261
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• 2006

Backgrounds : Hyperlipidemia is a major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Lowering serum cholesterol levels could reduce the risk of CVD. Insamsansa-eum (Renshenshanzha-yin, ISE), composed of Ginseng Radix and Crataegii Fructus, is a new medicine developed to treat hyperlipidemia and CVD. Objectives : In this study, we intended to explore the clinical effects of ISE on patients with hypercholesterolemia, and moreover we also compared its effects according to the pattern identification. Methods : Subjects were administered ISE with the dose of 600 mg three times a day for 4 weeks. Patterns of subjects were identified with diagnostic scoring system for Yin-Yang and the condition of Excess-Deficiency before treatment. Serum lipids were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks of medication. Results : ISE lowered total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), total lipid(TL), phospholipid(PL) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL) significantly. Compared with the data of our previous study, it was less effective than Atorvastatin but showed equal lipids-lowering effect to Chunghyul-dan (Qingxue-dan, CHD). In Yang pattern group, ISE was less effective in lowering TG and LDL than it was in not-Yang-not-Yinpattern group. On safety assessment, there was no adverse effect, hepatic or renal toxicity. Conclusions : We suggest that ISE is a safe and useful herbal medicine for hypercholesterolemia, and moreover it could be more useful when it is used for patients with not Yang pattern.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.2 s.66
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• pp.244-252
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• 2006

Objectives : To examine any potential relationships between the types of alopecia and the facial heat distribution in patients with alopecia. Methods : 183 patients with alopecia participated in this study to provide facial heat distribution measured by the Infrared Thermography Scanner (ITS, Nec San-ei Instruments Ltd, Japan). The thermography scan was used in a light- and heat-protected room after 20 minutes' of rest. 1.5m of distance was maintained between the patients and the scanner. Results : Specificity in the type of facial heat distribution was found as follow. 1. Types of facial heat distribution can be classified as T-type and diffused patterns. 2. There was a significant difference in the pattern of facial heat distribution among different types of alopecia (p=0.002): facial heat distribution appeared T-type in androgenic alopecia, alopecia areata, and telogen effluvium (71.3%, 85.7%, 70.4%), whereas diffused pattern was dominant in seborrheic alopecia (55.6%). 3. There was a significant difference in the pattern of facial heat distribution between men and women (p<0.001) : While the T-type and diffused type appeared equally in men (50.6% : 49.4%), T-type was dominant in women (88.0% vs. 12.0%). Conclusions : We conclude that the pattern of facial heat distribution differs depending on the types of alopecia and gender. These differences may provide useful information for diagnosis and clinical therapy for this population.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.146-151
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• 2011

Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a leading cause of invasive infections including bacteremia and meningitis, as well as mucosal infections such as otitis media and pneumonia among children and adults. The 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was licensed for use among infants and young children in many countries including Korea. The routine use of PCV7 has resulted in a decreased incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) by the vaccine serotypes among the vaccinees and substantial declines in IPD among unvaccinated populations such as older children and adults as well. In addition, there are increasing evidences to suggest that routine immunization with PCV7 is changing the epidemiology of pneumococcal diseases such as serotype distribution of IPD, nasopharyngeal colonization, and antibiotic resistance patterns. In contrast, there is an increase in the number of IPDs caused by nonvaccine serotypes, though it is much smaller than overall declines of vaccine serotype diseases. Several vaccines containing additional serotypes have been developed and tested clinically in order to expand the range of serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Recently two new pneumococcal protein conjugate vaccines, 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), have been approved for use in several countries including Korea. This report summarizes the recommendations approved by the Committee on Infectious Diseases, the Korean Pediatric Society.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.134-140
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• 1996

Recently many studies have shown the usefulness of computed tomogram in diagnosing abdominal mass when clinical and conventional radiologic examinations fail to reveal the nature of abdominal mass or the cause of abdominal distension. To evaluate the usefulness of CT in diagnosing neuroblastoma, we retrospectively analyzed computed tomographic findings of 16 neuroblastoma patients, who pathologically proved in Yeungnam University Hospital from 1986 to 1995. The age range of the patients studied were from 8months to 18years. The most frequent sith of origin was adrenal gland and the next was retroperitioneum. The presenting symptoms were palpable mass, abdominal distension, and abdominal pain. The viewpoints of this analysis were turnoral calcifications, midline cross, shape, margin, internal structure, contrast enhancement patterns, major vessel involvement, and lymph node involvement. Characteristic CT findings were as follows: Fine dense curvillinear calcification within the tumor(56%), midline cross(50%), lobulation(75%), well-circumscribed margin(56%), cystic degeneration(56%), heterogeneous contrast enhancement(69%). encasement of major vessels such as aorta, IVC and celiac trunk(50%), and paraaortic lymphadenopathy(87%). We conclude that these CT findings were very common and could be helpful in diagnosting and differentiation neuroblastoma in infant and children.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1336-1344
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• 2011

This study details and examines a novel ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction (LM-PCR) method. Named the LM-PCR/Shifter, it relies on the use of a Class IIS restriction enzyme giving restriction fragments with different 4-base, 5' overhangs, this being the Shifter, and the ligation of appropriate oligonucleotide adapters. A sequence of 4-base, 5' overhangs of the adapter and a 4-base sequence of the 3' end of the primer(s) determine a subset of the genomic restriction fragments, which are amplified by PCR. The method permits the differentiation of bacterial species strains on the basis of the different DNA band patterns obtained after electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels stained with ethidium bromide and visualized in UV light. The usefulness of the LM-PCR/Shifter method for genotyping is analyzed by a comparison with the restriction endonuclease analysis of chromosomal DNA by the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (REA-PFGE) and PCR melting profile (PCR MP) methods for isolates of clinical origin. The clustering of the LM-PCR/Shifter fingerprinting data matched those of the REA-PFGE and PCR MP methods. We found that the LM-PCR/Shifter is rapid, and offers good discriminatory power and excellent reproducibility, making it a method that may be effectively applied in epidemiological studies.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1167-1175
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• 2013

Paratuberculosis (PTB) or Johne's disease is one of the most serious chronic debilitating diseases of ruminants worldwide that is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). MAP is a slow-growing bacterium that has very long latent periods, resulting in difficulties in diagnosing and controlling the disease, especially regarding the diagnosis of fecal shedders of MAP without any clinical signs. Based on this situation, attempts were made to identify biomarkers that show early responses to MAP infection in a macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. In response to the infection with the bacterium, a lot of genes were turned on and/or off in the cells. Of the altered genes, three different categories were identified based on the time-dependent gene expression patterns. Those genes were considered as possible candidates for biomarkers of MAP infection after confirmation by quantitative RT-PCR analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt at discovering the host transcriptomic biomarkers of PTB, although further investigation will be required to determine whether these biomarker candidates are associated within the natural host.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.64-72
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• 2008

Compression neuropathy around elbow and wrist are one of the common disturbing problems in the upper extremity. The understanding of normal nerve architectures and pathophysiologic changes in compression neuropathy is important to interpret the ultrasonographic images correctly. Compression neuropathies have characteristic ultrasonographic imaging features of flattened nerve at compression and hypoechoic swollen nerve with loss of fascicular patterns at proximal segments. Dynamic ultrasonographic imagings on motion can show dymanic subluxation of ulnar nerve and medial head of triceps muscle over the medial epicondyle in snapping triceps syndrome. Dynamic compression of median nerve also can be visualized in pronator teres syndrome by dynamic imaging studies. A quantitative measures of cross sectional area or compression ratio can be helpful to diagnose compression neuropathies, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or cubital tunnel syndrome. With the clinical features and electeophysiologic studies, the untrasonographic imagings are useful tool for evaluation of the compression neuropathies in the upper extremities.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.269-275
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• 1998

It has been reported that the $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase and the $Ca^{2+}-Na^+$ exchanger play an important role for the regulation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in somatic cells, the $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase located in the plasma membrane helps the $Ca^{2+}$ concentration in maintain low $[Ca^{2+}]_i$. Roldan & Fleming reported that the spermatozoan $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase plays an important role in the capacitation and acrosome reaction. We used to assess $Ca^{2+}$ changes by chlortetracycline (CTC) patterns in the capacitation and acrosome reaction of human and hamster spermatozoa. In the present study applying quercetin which has been known as an ATPase antagonist, the enzymatic effect of $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase on capacitation and acrosome reaction was found to be remarkable: a significant increase of the transformation from the original type to the B type and the AR type of spermatozoa. This finding suggests that $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase play an important role in the efflux and the influx of the $Ca^{2+}$ which have been known to be an essential factor for the capacitation and acrosome reaction, and that the inhibitory action of the $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase might be a prerequsit step toward the capacitation and acrosome reaction. In conclusion, this study suggest the considerable evidence as follows: the increment of the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration occurred by controlling the slope of $Ca^{2+}$ concentration through $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase activites in both the intracellular and extracellulr fluid may be important procedures for the capacitation and the acrosome reaction, and finally for fertilization of the sperm and ovum.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.79-83
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• 2007

The present study was conducted to document the association between plasma homocysteine levels and the presence of macrovascular angiopathy with food and nutrient intake patterns among patients with Type II diabetes mellitus in Korea. Plasma total homocysteine concentration was analyzed by HPLC-fluorescence detector method in 127 patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Logistic regression analyses were performed respectively to study the association of plasma homocysteine levels with clinical and dietary characteristics and macroangiopathy (MA). The average plasma homocysteine level of patients with MA was $14.2{\mu}mol/l$, which was significantly higher than that of patients without MA ($11.4{\mu}mol/l$). The proportions of patients with MA showed a significant difference, being 32.3% in hyperhomocysteinemic ($>14.0{\mu}mol/l$) patients and 13.5% in others with homocysteine levels lower than $14.0{\mu}mol/l$. Odds ratios for macroangiopathy by tertile increase of plasma homocysteine concentration were 1.633 ($Q_2$) and 4.831 ($Q_3$), when adjusted for age, sex, and cigarette smoking. Patients with MA consumed reduced amounts of vitamin $B_1,\;B_2$, and folate. The results indicate that the plasma homocysteine levels are significantly increased in NIDDM patients who have macroangiopathy. Dietary management such as increased fruits and vegetables and decreased potatoes and starches might be beneficial for the prevention of macroangiopathy in diabetic patients.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.324-331
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• 2000

A deteriorating North Korean economy, coupled with a devastating natural disaster such as flooding and drought in recent years, brought about a severe food shortage and malnutrition problem which caused a migration of its population including young children to neighboring countries. We conducted a nutritional survey on a total of 436 children, aged 4-19 years old, who migrated to the China side of the border from July to September, 1999. The study subjects were interviewed by Korean-Chinese interviewers who were trained for anthropometric measurements and dietary surveys. Heights, weights, and chest circumference of the subjects were 70-90% of the South Korean reference values for the corresponding age and sex. Dietary intakes of the subjects were found to be extremely poor-the average number of food, mostly of plant origin, consumed in a day was 2.8, and the proportion of the subject who reported to take all three meals in a day while residing in North Korea was as low as 36.2%. Ninety five percent of the subjects had at least one clinical symptom related to malnutrition, 68.6% had 2-4 symptoms, and 15.1% had 5 or more symptoms. The results of this study provided an objective data for the first time on the severity of the food crisis and malnutrition problem that afflicted North Korean older children and adolescents as well as children aged 7 or under as previously reported elsewhere. the wasted and stunted children and youths prevailing in North Korea could exert a negative influence on the country's health and economy. More researches are needed in the future to investigate on the impact of malnutrition in North Korean children on the country's social, economic, and cultural state as well as on the health and nutrition situation.