• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.735-743
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• 2009

The common word flavonoids is often used to classify a family of natural compounds, highly abundant in all higher plants, that have received significant therapeutic interest in recent years. Naringin is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, neurodegenerative disease, cancer and other chronic diseases; however the molecular basis of this effect remains to be elucidated. Thus we attempted to elucidate the anti-allergic effect of Naringin in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model mice. The OVA-induced mice showed allergic reactions in the airways. These included an increase in the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, an increase in inflammatory cell infiltration into the lung around blood vessels and airways, airway luminal narrowing, and the development of airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). The administration of Naringin before the last airway OVA challenge resulted in a significant inhibition of all asthmatic reactions. Accordingly, this study may provide evidence that Naringin plays a critical role in the amelioration of the pathogenetic process of asthma in mice. These findings provide new insight into the immunopharmacological role of Naringin in terms of its effects on asthma in mice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1337-1344
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• 2019

Osteoporosis is characterized by a reduction in bone mass and typically manifests as an increase in fractures. Because this disease is common in elderly populations and lifespans are rapidly increasing, the incidence of osteoporosis has also grown. Most drugs currently used for osteoporosis treatment target osteoclasts in the bone tissue to prevent absorption. However, these medications also cause certain side effects and, furthermore, cannot increase bone mass. Thus, in order to control osteoporosis, regenerative medicine that utilizes adult stem cells and osteoblasts has been extensively studied. Statins, also known as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, are cholesterol-lowering drugs that have been widely prescribed for cardiovascular diseases. Interestingly, recent studies have reported the beneficial effects of various statins on bone formation via the activation of osteoblasts. Thus, the current study investigated the effects of seven statin-family drugs on osteoblast activity during osteogenic differentiation using adult stem cells from human periosteal tissue. Specifically, statin effects on alkaline phosphatase activity, an early marker of bone cell differentiation, and on calcium deposit, a late marker of bone cell differentiation, were assessed. The results demonstrate that some statins (for example, pitavastatin and pravastatin) have a weak but positive effect on bone formation, and the findings therefore suggest that statin treatments can be a novel modulator for osteogenic differentiation and regenerative medicine using periosteal stem cells.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2012

Purpose: Acute symptomatic seizures are caused by structural changes, inflammation or metabolic changes of brain, such as tumor, stroke, meningitis, encephalitis and metabolic disorders. Inherited metabolic disorders that can cause seizures are organic acidopathies, lysosomal storage disorders, peroxisomal disorders and mineral disorders. We have done this study to find out the importance of organic acidopathies causing seizure disorders in Korean childhood and adolescent patients. Method: Retrograde analysis for 1,306 patients with seizure disorders whose clinical informations are available and have done urine organic acid analysis for 5 years period, between Jan. 1st 2007 to Dec. 31th 2011. Statistical analysis was done with Student's t test using SPSS. Result: Out of 1,306 patients, 665 patients (51%) showed abnormalities on urine organic acid analysis. The most frequent disease was mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders (394, 30.1%), followed by mandelic aciduria (127, 9.7%), ketolytic defects (81, 6.2%), 3-hydroxyisobutyric aciduria (19, 1.4%), glutaric aciduria type II (10, 0.8%), ethylmalonic aciduria (4), propionic aciduria (4), methylmalonic aciduria (3), glutaric aciduria type I (3), pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency (3), pyruvate carboxylase deficiency (3), isovaleric aciduria (2), HMG-CoA lyase deficiency (2), 3-methylcrotonylglycinuria (2), fatty acid oxidation disorders (2), fumaric aciduria (1), citrullinemia (1), CPS deficiency (1), MCAD deficiency (1). Conclusion: On neonatal period, mandelic aciduria due to infection was found relatively frequently. Mitochondrial disorders are most frequent etiologic disease on all age group, followed by ketolytic defects and various organic acidopathies. The number and diversities of organic acidopathies emphasize meticulous evaluation of basic routine laboratory examinations and organic acid analysis with initial sample on every seizure patient.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2016

Ureaplasma species can normally colonize in the bodies of healthy individuals. Their colonization is associated with various diseases including non-gonococcal urethritis, chorioamnionitis, neonatal meningitis, and prematurity. In 2012, the sum of the resistant and intermediate resistant rates of Ureaplasma spp. to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin was 66.08% and 92.69%, respectively. DNA point mutations in the genes encoding DNA gyrase (topoisomerase II) and topoisomerase IV are commonly responsible for fluoroquinolone resistance. Each enzyme is composed of two subunits encoded by gyrA and gyrB genes for DNA gyrase and parC and parE genes for topoisomerase IV. In the current study, these genes were sequenced in order to determine the role of amino acid substitutions in Ureaplasma spp. clinical isolates. From December 2012 to May 2013, we examined mutation patterns of the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) in Ureaplasma spp. DNA sequences in the QRDR region of Ureaplasma clinical isolates were compared with those of reference strains including U. urealyticum serovar 8 (ATCC 27618) and U. parvum serovar 3 (ATCC 27815). Mutations were detected in all ofloxacin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates, however no mutations were detected in drug-susceptible isolates. Most of the mutations related to fluoroquinolone resistance occurred in the parC gene, causing amino acid substitutions. Newly found amino acid substitutions in this study were Asn481Ser in GyrB; Phe149Leu, Asp150Met, Asp151Ile, and Ser152Val in ParC; and Pro446Ser and Arg448Lys in ParE. Continuous monitoring and accumulation of mutation data in fluoroquinolone-resistant Ureaplasma clinical isolates are essential to determining the tendency and to understanding the mechanisms underlying antimicrobial resistance.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.439-445
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• 2017

In recent years, change in life patterns gave rise to an increase in the number of families with companion animals, and as a result, frequent dermatophytes infections have been reported. Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Trichophyton verrucosum, are among these species of zoophilic dermatophytes. Trichophyton mentagrophytes are transmitted to humans by contact with wild animals. Infection from it causes strong inflammation in humans. Conversely, Trichophyton verrucosum is transmitted by contact with cattles. Microsporum canis will become latent carriers in cats or dogs, causing infectious diseases when it comes in contact with humans. We investigated zoophilic dermatophytes isolated according to annual, sex, age, season, body sites, and clinical types between 2010 and 2016. According to our results, the isolation rate of zoophilic dermatophytes was 0.37%, among which, 88 T. mentagrophytes, 228 Microsporum canis, and 18 Trichophyton verrucosum were isolated in human. It is interesting to note that Microsporum canis has been on the rise since 2014. Microsporum canis and Trichophyton verrucosum were highly isolated in females, but T. mentagrophytes was isolated similarly in both sexes. According to an age-based survey, the isolation rate was higher in children younger than 10 years. Our results is a valuable data for predicting and studying the isolation of zoophilic dermatophytes in the future.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 1994

Gastrodia (G) Rhizoma has been used clinically as an oriental herbal medicine with sedative, anticonvulsive, and depressor effects. The present study tested effects of G. Rhizoma extracts on the coronary circulation and myocardial oxygen consumption in perfused rat hearts. Sprague Dawley rats (SD) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were employed as experimental animals and nonworking Langendorff heart perfusion technique introduced for heart experiments. G. Rhizoma extracts were prepared from grinding G. Rhizoma into powder, extracting in water and 50% ethanol for 4 or 16 hr and diluting with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate perfusion buffer to be 70%. Hearts were perfused with bicarbonate buffer oxygenated with 95% $O_{2}:$ 5% $CO_{2}$ at constant coronary perfusion pressure of $90cmH_{2}O$. The diluted extracts were infused into coronary arteries in a concentration of $1{\sim}5\;{\mu}M$ for $7{\sim}8 min. While in SD water- or ethanol-extracts of G. Rhizoma extracted for 16 hr increased coronary perfusate flow (CPF) and decreased coronary vascular resistance (CVR), ethanol-extracts in SHR produced coronary vasoconstriction associated with enhanced CVR. G. Rhizoma extracts-induced increase in CPF reduced myocardial oxygen extraction, and thus myocardial oxygen consumption ($MVO_{2}$) remained at that observed prior to infusion of extracts. In SD and SHR 16 hr-water-extracts markedly altered coronary venous effluent pH and $Pco_{2}$ and evoked metabolic acidosis, which could be a coronary vasodilator mechanism decreasing CVR. In this study, the extracts decreasing CVR in SD and SHR did not augment the lactate production. Therefore, although the effects of the extracts on cardiac function and coronary circulation depended on solvents and duration for extraction, the 16hr-water-extracts, at least, exhibited coronary vasodilation in SD and SHR. Conversely, ethanol-extracts constricted coronary arteries in SHR. G. Rhizoma extracts-induced vasodilation might be due to the metabolic acidosis rather than due to the increased lactate production. The results indicate that G. Rhizoma extracts obtained from proper extracting procedures can be used as a safe and clinically applicable herbal medicine in the cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease and hypertension for vasodilatory and antihypertensive actions.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.555-564
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• 1999

The objective of this study was to investigate the preference of root vegetables and the inhibitory effect of the vegetables on harmful enzymes of intestinal bacteria. Two hundred fifty respondents in Seoul area surveyed to obtain information from Sep. 30 to Oct. 30, 1998. Respondents preferred Inpuomoea batatas (sweet potato, 4.05), Solanum tuberosum(potato, 3.97), Allium cepa(onion, 3.68), Codonopsis lanceolata(3.64) and Raponus sativus(redish, 3.60). The growth of B. breve K-110 was effectively increased by adding 0.5% extract of Solanum tuberosum(139%), Codonopsis lamceolate(145%), Dioscorea japonica(164%), Colocisia antiquorum(144%) extract to the medium. B. breve K-100 for beneficial bacteria, and E. coli HGU-3 or Bacteroides JY-6 for harmful bacteria were used to determine the inhibitory effect of root vegetables on harmful intestinal enzymes after co-culturing harmful and beneficial bacteria. The extract of Solanum tuberosum, Codonopsis lanceolata, Dioscorea japonica (yam) and Colocisia antiquorum (taroes) showed inhibitory effect on ${\beta}$-glucuronidase and tryptophanase of intestinal bacteria. The macromolecules were isolated from Solanum tuberosum, Codonopsis lanceolata, Dioscorea japonica and Colocisia antiquorum by Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. By adding these isolated marcromolecules to the medium, the growth of B. breve K-100 were also increased and high inhibitory effects on the ${\beta}$-glucuronidase and tryptophanase were measured. These results suggested that the harmful enzymes of intestinal bacteria were inhibited by consuming Solanum tuberosum, Codonopsis lanceolata, Dioscorea japonica and Colocisia antiquorum. Therefore, they could prevent gastrointestinal diseases.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2001

Purpose: Following up the cases of cow's milk-sensitive enteropathy (CMSE), We observed the development of clinical tolerance with cow's milk and other foods. We investigated the clinical outcome of CMSE. Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of patients who had been admitted and diagnosed as CMSE by responses to cow's milk challenge and elimination test and the findings of small intestinal biopsy at Department of Pediatrics, Taegu Catholic University Hospital from March 1992 to March 1997. All of them were being fed with protein hydrolysate before 6 months old, and tried cow's milk and other foods challenge test at following each two month. Twenty-one cases of them returned to be followed. The age at admission was $30.7{\pm}8.8$ (18~47) days old and at survey was $43.4{\pm}23.7$ (16~84) months old. Results: 1) Although the body weight at birth of the patients was 25~75 percentile, all on admission was below 3 percentile. The body weight on interview was 25~75 percentile. 2) The development of clinical tolerance in cow's milk was observed at 16~24 months of age and the tolerance rate was 61% at 12 months of age, 90% at 16 months of age. The development of clinical tolerance in other foods was observed at 10~24 months of age and the tolerance rate was 33% at 12 months of age, 80% at 18 months of age. 3) Adverse reactions after challenge test with cow's milk were observed at 19 cases, manifestated as vomiting (31%), diarrhea (31%), irritability or lethargy (21%), skin rash (10%), and abdominal distention (5%). 4) Comparing serum IgE and milk RAST positive group on admission (5 cases) and negative group on admission (16 cases), there was no significant difference at the age of tolerance in cow's milk (p>0.05), the age of tolerance in other foods (p>0.05), allergy history in family, and the incidence of other allergic diseases. 5) The history of family allergy was observed in 3 cases (14%) in 21 patients and 3 cases (14%) showed rhinitis, urticaria or asthma through a follow-up interview. Conclusion: The development of clinical tolerance in cow's and other foods was sharply increased at 12 months of age and most of all tolerated within 24 months of age. CMSE is a temporary disorder of infancy.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.208-214
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• 2002

Purpose : The number of newborns vaccinated with BCG of Tokyo 172 strain, which has been claimed to cause lesser degree of local adverse events including scar, has recently been increasing. However, tuberculin response to this vaccine has inadequately been studied, especially with newborns cared at primary care clinics. We, therefore, performed a study in newborns vaccinated with BCG at private pediatric offices and evaluated the response to PPD 2TU or PPD 5TU following vaccination with percutaneous or intradermal BCG. Methods : Two hundred infants who had been cared at three private pediatric offices were retrospectively enrolled in the study. One hundred fifty one infants had received percutaneous BCG(Tokyo strain); 129 infants had had tuberuclin test with PPD 2TU and the rest of 22 infants with PPD 5TU. Forty nine infants had received intradermal BCG(28 infants Copenhagen strain, I infant French strain, 20 infants unknown); 35 infants had had tuberculin test with PPD 2TU, 14 infants(11%) with PPD 5TU. Results : In infants vaccinated with percutaneous BCG, the mean induration diameter in tuberculin test was significantly greater with PPD 5TU($12.4{\pm}3.5mm$) compared to PPD 2TU ($9.2{\pm}4.4mm$). In infants vaccinated with intradermal BCG, the mean induration diameters in tuberculin test were $5.7{\pm}5.1mm$ to PPD 2TU and $6.6{\pm}4.8mm$ to PPD 5TU, which were not significantly different. The tuberculin response to PPD 2TU was significantly greater in infants vaccinated with percutaneous BCG compared to those with intradermal BCG. The tuberculin response to PPD 5TU was also significantly greater in infants vaccinated with percutaneous BCG compared to those with intradermal BCG. Conclusion : Percutaneous BCG(Tokyo strain) seems to cause greater response to tuberculin compared to intradermal BCG and PPD 2TU induces weaker response compared to PPD 5TU. Acknowledging some discrepancies from the previously reported data, which might have been due to the different source of the study subjects, more studies are needed to establish the range of tuberculin response following BCG vaccination in order to differentiate from tuberculosis.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2002

Purpose : Scrub typhus(tsutsugamushi disease) is a febrile disease characterized by fever, rash, eschar, lymphadenopathy. Therapy with tetracycline(doxycycline) or chloramphenicol is currently recommended for the treatment for scrub typhus. But there are limitations in usage a tetracycline(doxycycline) for scrub typhus in the children. Recently, there was a report that azithromycin, a macrolide antibiotic was used for scrub typhus in pregnant woman successfully. So we evaluated the effectiveness of the Clarithromycin, other a macrolide antibiotic, for scrub typhus. Methods : Seven patients with scrub typhus at department of internal medicine and three patients with scrub typhus at department of pediatrics Masan Fatima Hospital were involved for this study. A serologic diagnosis for scrub typhus were performed by use of passive hemagglutination test. Clarithromycin(Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, IL, USA) was administrated orally in a daily dose of 500 mg for adult patients and 15 mg/kg/bid/day for pediatric patients. Results : There were 7 cases of adult patients, varying from 28 to 76 years of age and 3 cases of pediatirc patients, varying from 4 to 7 years of age with scrub typhus. All of cases had fever, myalgia, headache, rash, eschar. Seven cases had positive passive hemagglutination test and eight cases had abnormal liver function. Mean duration for the removal of fever after medication was 1.3 day(1~2 days) and all cases were recovered without complications. Conclusion : Our results suggest that Clarithromycin therapy may be effective for scrub typhus.