• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.41-56
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• 2015

Objectives : This research is aimed to compare the visceral figures published during the Song Dynasty, and to reveal the differences between anatomical and physiological knowledge in the presence of Taoist theoretical background and in its absence. It is also aimed to discuss the theoretical differences among existing medicines. Methods : First, we will find the commonalities and the differences in the drawings describing the internal organs of a human body in the two publications, and study what made such commonalities and differences and how they affected medical theories. Secondly, we will analyze and update the internal organ data specified in the two publications as it relates to the five viscera and six bowls. Finally, we will analyze the commonalities and the differences, and study the background and the significance of medical theories. Results & Conclusions : 1. The positions of the liver and the spleen in the drawing of the Yanluozi's and Huatuo's visceral figures are inverted in the drawing of the Huatuo's visceral figures. The positions of other internal organs are similar. 2. The section of the five viscera in the Yanluozi's and Huatuo's visceral figures describes the Taoist gods necessary to build up discipline by the means of meditation. 3. In the Zhutidian's visceral theory, a belly button is recognized as a very important organ for the activity of life. 4. In the Huatuo's visceral figures, the 'Zangzhen' generated from foods is described as the energy source for the vitality of the five viscera. 5. The Huatuo's visceral figures mentioned the functionality of a gall bladder and an Tripple Energizer, which was not mentioned in the Yanluozi's and Huatuo's visceral figures. 6. Both the "Yanluozi's and Huatuo's visceral figures" and the "Huatuo's visceral figures" specify that the moisture filtered through small intestines turns into urine.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.188-198
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• 2008

Since 2003, the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) of Korea has been conducting "The monitoring study on exposure level and biomarkers of environmental pollutants" in the Ulsan industrial complex with the goals to establish a surveillance system for residents, to evaluate the health effects associated with chronic exposure to environmental pollutants and to develop the environmental health indicators in Ulsan industrial complex. This program consists of three phases an initial or foundation phase in which the program is developed, made operational and extended to the community, followed by an evaluation and accountability assessment of the surveillance system and finally an improvement in the quality of life and the maintenance of good health for Ulsan residents. In the period 2003 to 2008, the study program developed the surveillance system which will be used for the full-length survey. All participants in this study were contacted at a presentation meeting for residents, introduced to the objectives and protocols of the survey, and asked to participate. Informed consent was obtained from each participant. The study is now underway and includes questionnaires, health examinations and the analysis/collection/banking of bio-sample such as blood and urine. To date 828 subjects have participated and already 588 subjects have been followed up. We are committed to complete health examinations and to arrange storage of biosample for all participants. During the current year, we will analyze metals (Pb in blood and Cd, inorganic As and Hg in urine) in 1,972 samples and VOCs (11 species) and PARs (18 species) in 300 samples (blood sample). Moreover, the summary of the first step and the further preparation of the second step are currently underway. In this article, we introduce the study and its protocols and the distribution and size of the study participants. In conclusion, this survey will be continuously conducted on the established cohort and will enable the identification of relationship between environmental pollutant exposures and the health status of residents in Ulsan industrial complex.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.24-28
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• 2003

There is evidence to suggest that cranberry juice supplements improve the health of the urinary tract by inhibiting the binding of fimbriated uropathogenic E. coli to the bladder mucosa. In patients with neurogenic bladders, urinary tract infections (UTI) are particularly common and often poorly managed by antibiotic treatment. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was undertaken on 29 geriatric and spinal cord injured patients with dysfunctional bladders. They received three times daily at mealtimes a 4 oz bottle of cranberry juice (Ocean Spray Cranberries, USA) or a specially prepared synthetic placebo drink. Two episodes of UTI arose in week one of cranberry intake and none thereafter, compared to four episodes of UTI in 4 placebo patients in weeks four, six and 10. Mean bacterial adhesion counts on bladder cells of the patients rose during the first month of treatment in 71 % of the placebo patients compared to only 31 % of cranberry patients (p < 0.001). The difference persisted to some extent for the second and third months. Bacterial adhesion levels correlated with culture findings (higher adhesion and higher viable counts in urine) (p < 0.001), positive leukocyte nitrite tests (136$\pm$131 bacteria per cell versus 52$\pm$86 in negative tests) (p < 0.001), and higher white blood cell counts (> 10) per high power field (126$\pm$125 versus 48$\pm$85 bacteria per cell) (p<0.001). E. coli was the most frequently isolated organism (40% samples) followed by K. pneumoniae (17%) and a number of other uropathogens. Group B Streptococci, and coagulase negative Staphylococcus were recovered from urine in 4 samples but were not associated with any red blood cell presence. The daily intake of cranberry juice, in amounts which are not detrimental to long term compliance, appeared to have a role in reducing the risk of bladder colonization and infection in a highly susceptible patient population.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.8-17
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• 1976

This study was carried out to estimate the minimum protein requirement for the Korean college girls, and to see the effect of carbohydrate intake on the minimum protein requirement in the rat. In the first experiment, three students attending Ewha Womans University were given protein free diet for 7 days while caloric intake were adjusted to maintain constant body weight. Endogenous nitrogen excretion was measured to estimate their minimum protein requirement. Second experiment was carried out in 3 parts to find out the effect of carbohydrate intake on the minimum protein requirement using 15 female, 50 days old rats weighing 120g. Inexperiment 2-1, the rats were fed protein free diet for 9 days and endogenous nitrogen excretion was measured to determine the minimum protein requirement of the rats. In experiment 2-2, the minimum casein requirement of the rats needed to maintain nitrogen equilibrium was estimated by the least squares regression method feeding 3 different levels of casein determined from the result of experiment 2-1. Finally, in experiment 2-3, the rats were given the minimum casein requirement for 7 days with 3 different levels of carbohydrate to find out the effect of carbohydrate intake on the nitrogen balance. The results of this study were as follows. Experiment I. Daily endogenous nitrogen losses of 3 college girls were 1.89g in urine, 1.10g in feces and 0.0108g from skin since the total daily endogenous nitrogen loss was 3.0g and the total daily nitrogen intake was 0.52g, the minimum nitrogen requirement of these subjects was about 2.48g/day (15.5g protein/day). Experiment II. Experiment 2-1: daily endogenous nitrogen losses of the rats fed protein free diet were $22.63{\pm}0.48\;mg$ through urine and $13.12{\pm}0.47\;mg$ in feces. The total daily endogenous nitrogen ouput was $35.71{\pm}1.27\;mg$ and the minimum protein requirement of the rats was 225mg/day in this study. Experiment 2-2: the minimum casein requirement needed to maintain the rats in nitrogen equilibrium was determined to be 340mg/day. Experiment 2-3: the rats were given 350mg/day casein with 3 different levels of carbohydrate (12,26 or 46 Cal by sugar-cornstarch mixture). The nitrogen balances were measured to be +0.0021, +0.0073 and +0.0143 respectively and there were significant differences among 3 groups.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 1999

Purpose : To evaluate the diagnostic significance of simultaneous examination of hematuria and proteinuria in the urinary mass screening for early detection ot incipient renal diseases. Method and Object : During the period of 4 months from August to December in 1997, we did urinary mass screening on students of first grade of high school (16 years aged group) nationwide together with Korean Association of Health(KAH). In the first screening test, Comber-10 $N^{(R)}$ M dipsticks were used to detect proteinuria, hematuria, pyuria and nitrite simultaneously. Total 26,508 students (16 years aged group) from 33 high schools in every province in Korea, respectively, complied to the urinary mass screening. After then, one high school in Seoul was selected to reveal the true incidence of incipient renal diseases among students who showed hematuria in the initial screening through intensive examinations. Those who had hematuria and/or proteinuria visited the Paik hospital, and underwent blood tests and ultrasonographic examinations. The results were evaluated. Results 1) The initial screening revealed that the prevalence of proteinuria, hematuria, pyuria and positive nitrite urine, were $0.73\%,\;2.69\%,\;0.23\%\;and\;0.03\%$, respectively. 2) The first urinary screening among 875 students from one high school in Seoul selected fir the second test showed proteinuria, hematuria, pyuria and positive nitrite urine, were $0.91\%,\;4.68\%,\;0.34\%\;and\;0\%$, respectively. a) Total 8 among 875 students showed proteinuria, but one of them had orthostatic proteinuria and those remaining 7 students had transient proteinuria. b) There were 41 students who had hematuria in the initial screening. Among 33 who complied the second test, only one student showed asymptomatic isolated hematuria and those remaining students were normal. Conclusion : 1) Because of high false positive hematuria rate in the urinary mass screening, it dosen't seem to be appropriate that hematuria screening using dipsticks be included in the urinary mass screening. 2) A unified organization is needed from the fret that so various results of urinary mass screening came out. 3) Positive rates of pyuria and nitrite were so low that validity of urinary mass screening for urinary tract infection needs more studies.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2017

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the most common congenital infections. The first case of discordant congenital CMV infection in twins occurred in Korea. A 31-year-old woman became pregnant with twins (dichorionic-diamniotic). An elective caesarean section was performed at 37 weeks. The first baby was male, weighing 2,410 g with an Apgar score of 8/9. The second baby was female, weighing 1,380 g with an Apgar score of 5/8. She had experienced intrauterine growth retardation, and presented with microcephaly, micrognathia, and joint stiffness. During the work-up for discordant twins, the second baby's serum test was positive for CMV immunoglobulin M. Her urine, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were CMV polymerase chain reaction positive. The first baby's CMV tests were negative. Ophthalmologic exam and audiometry performed on the second baby showed CMV retinitis and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. She was treated with intravenous ganciclovir. Currently, she is bed-ridden and has significant developmental delay. Although the causes of discordant congenital CMV infection in twins are unclear, this case shows that discordant congenital CMV infection should be considered in twins with significant differences in intrauterine growth or clinical symptoms after birth.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.265-271
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• 2001

In order to elucidate the influence of intestinal and hepatic first-pass effect on the pharmacokinetics of triflusal, the biotransformation of triflusal in the gastrointestinal tract and liver was designed. Moreover, we tried to establish an HPLC method applicable for bioassay and available to pharmacokinetics, not only with the simultaneous determination of triflusal and its active metabolite, 2-hydroxy-4-trifluoromethyl benzoic acid (HTB), but also with improving sensitivity. After the administration of triflusal (10 mg/kg) and HTB (10 mg/kg) into femoral vein, portal vein (only triflusal) and oral route (only triflusal), pharmacokinetic parameters were investigated from the plasma concentration-time profiles of triflusal and HTB in rats. An HPLC method was developed for the simultaneous determination of triflusal and HTB in rat plasma, urine and bile. The HPLC analysis was carried out using a C18 column and acetonitrile-methanol-water (25:10:65, v/v/v) as the mobile phase and UV detection at 234 nm. Furosemide was used as the internal standard. The calibration curves were linear over the concentration range $0.05-5.0\;{\mu}g/ml$ for triflusal and $0.2-200.0\;{\mu}g/ml$ for HTB with correlation coefficients greater than 0.999 and with intra-day or inter-day coefficients of variation not exceeding 10.0%. This assay procedure was applied to the study of metabolite pharmacokinetics of triflusal and HTB in rats. It was supposed that triflusal was almost metabolized in vivo because urinary and biliary excreted amounts of triflusal could be ignored as it was lower than 1.2% of the administered dose. According to the gastrointestinal and hepatic biotransformation pathways of triflusal, it was found that triflusal was hydrolyzed by about 5% in intestine and metabolized by about 53% in liver, and that the bioavailability of triflusal after oral administration of triflusal was 0.44, and also that the fraction of total elimination rate of triflusal which formed HTB in liver $(F_{mi},\;%)$ was about 98%. These results showed that triflusal was almost metabolized in liver, and the total elimination of triflusal in the body was dependent to the formation rate of HTB from triflusal in liver.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1979

An experimental study was carried out to develop a rural type toilet of which the effluent could not transmit parasitic diseases at a village in Kangwon Province, Korea, during the period of January through December 1978, A drum tank (dia. 57cm$\times$90cm) and a cement tank (100cm$\times$100cm$\times$100cm) were filled with human excreta collected from toilets of the villages (the ratio of feces to urine was estimated approximately 1: 5) at once and three threecompartment toilets were constructed and used by people. pH, temperatures and viability of parasitic eggs were examined with the content of toilets. Rusults are summarized as follows: 1. pH increased from 7.0 at the beginning of experiment to 7.5 or 8.0 after 4 months of storage in drum tank as well as in cement tank and so did from 7.0~7.5 in the first tank to 8.0~8.5 in the third tank of all three-compartment toilets. 2. Temperatures of content at middle part of toilets in January through March ranged from 2 to 6$\circ$C which were 2-4$\circ$C higher than those of air, and those of lower part were again 1~2$\circ$C higher than of middle part. but temperatures of air, at middle part andat lower part in April were 14$\circ$C, 9~10$\circ$C and 8~9$\circ$C respectively, in July 29$\circ$C, 20~21$\circ$C and 19~20$\circ$C respe ctively and in October 17$\circ$C, 14$\circ$C and 14~13$\circ$C respectively. 3. All the parasitic eggs were degenerated about 4 months after filling drum tank with human excreta on 10th April while 10% of eggs were degenerated on 15th May, and all the eggs were degenerated about 4 months after filling cement tank on 24th August while about 10% were degenerated on 11th September and 20% on 4th October. 4. Degeneration rates of eggs were only 5~15% at 5cm below surface in the first tanks of three-compartment toilets while 45~65% at 50cm below, and concentration rates of eggs in second tanks were 8~12% of those in first tanks and only a few eggs were found in third tank but all of them were degenerated. Specific gravity of liquid of 1.022~1.024 in second tanks was not enough for overflowing eggs into third tanks.

• Endocrinology and Metabolism
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.466-472
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• 2018

Background: Thyroid dysfunction is associated with negative neonatal and obstetric outcomes. Large differences in thyroid function reference intervals exist across different populations. These differences can be explained by population-specific factors, such as iodine status. Many countries in Latin America report iodine sufficiency, but relatively few countries have published up-to-date data on iodine levels and thyroid function in the overall population, and especially in pregnant women. We evaluated the iodine status of pregnant women in Chile and determined thyroid hormone reference ranges in this population. Methods: This was a prospective observational study of healthy Chilean women at their first prenatal visit before week 14. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total thyroxine ($T_4$), free $T_4$, antithyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and iodine levels from spot urine samples were measured. Iodine status and the reference ranges for TSH were calculated. Results: A total of 1,022 pregnant women in the first trimester were selected. Urinary iodine levels were measured in 302 randomly-selected women. The median urinary iodine concentration was $173.45{\mu}g/L$ (interquartile range, 108.11 to 249.35).The reference ranges of TSH were calculated in 670 patients selected according to the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry guidelines. The median TSH level was $1.88{\mu}IU/mL$ (2.5th percentile: 0.13 to 97.5th percentile: 5.37). Using the reference range in the 1,022 women, the prevalence of clinical hypothyroidism was 1.76%, and that of subclinical hypothyroidism was 3.92%. TPOAb positivity was more common in women with TSH levels above $3.5{\mu}IU/mL$. Conclusion: We found adequate iodine intake and a right-shifted distribution of serum TSH levels in pregnant women in Chile. The prevalence of hypothyroidism in our sample of pregnant women was higher than has been described in the literature.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.309-315
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• 2003

Renal dipeptidase (RDPase, membrane dipeptidase, dehydropeptidase 1, EC 3.4.13.19) has been widely studied since it was first purified from porcine kidney brush border membrane. It was reported that RDPase activity in urine samples of acute and chronic renal failure patients decreases. Nitric oxide (NO) is a highly reactive free radical involved in a number of physiological and pathological processes. NO is able to act in a dual mode, leading either to induction of apoptosis or to blunted execution of programmed cell death. NO inhibited the RDPase release from porcine renal proximal tubules, which could be blocked by L-NAME. Chitosan, the linear polymer of D-glucosamine in $\beta$(1\longrightarrow4) linkage, not only reversed the decreased RDPase release by NO but also increased NO production in the proximal tubule cells. The stimulatory effect of NO on RDPase release from proximal tubules in the presence of chitosan must be different from the previously proposed mechanism of RDPase release via NO signaling pathway. Chitosan stimulated the RDPase release in the proximal tubules and increased RDPase activity to 220% and 250% at 0.1% and 1%, respectively. RDPase release was decreased to about 40% in the injured proximal tubules and was recovered in proportion to the increase of chitosan. Chitosan may be useful in recovery of renal function from $HgCl_2$injury.