• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.180-188
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• 2022

Objective: To validate the performance of 3T spin-echo echo-planar imaging (SE-EPI) magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) for staging hepatic fibrosis in a large population, using surgical specimens as the reference standard. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study initially included 310 adults (155 undergoing hepatic resection and 155 undergoing donor hepatectomy) with histopathologic results from surgical liver specimens. They underwent 3T SE-EPI MRE ≤ 3 months prior to surgery. Demographic findings, underlying liver disease, and hepatic fibrosis pathologic stage according to METAVIR were recorded. Liver stiffness (LS) was measured by two radiologists, and inter-reader reproducibility was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The mean LS of each fibrosis stage (F0-F4) was calculated in total and for each etiologic subgroup. Comparisons among subgroups were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Conover post-hoc test. The cutoff values for fibrosis staging were estimated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: Inter-reader reproducibility was excellent (ICC, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.97-0.99). The mean LS values were 1.91, 2.41, 3.24, and 5.41 kPa in F0-F1 (n = 171), F2 (n = 26), F3 (n = 38), and F4 (n = 72), respectively. The discriminating cutoff values for diagnosing ≥ F2, ≥ F3, and F4 were 2.18, 2.71, and 3.15 kPa, respectively, with the ROC curve areas of 0.97-0.98 (sensitivity 91.2%-95.9%, specificity 90.7%-99.0%). The mean LS was significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis (F4) of nonviral causes, such as primary biliary cirrhosis (9.56 kPa) and alcoholic liver disease (7.17 kPa) than in those with hepatitis B or C cirrhosis (4.28 and 4.92 kPa, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in LS among the different etiologic subgroups in the F0-F3 stages. Conclusion: The 3T SE-EPI MRE demonstrated high interobserver reproducibility, and our criteria for staging hepatic fibrosis showed high diagnostic performance. LS was significantly higher in patients with non-viral cirrhosis than in those with viral cirrhosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.1310-1317
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• 2003

Effects of dietary cholesterol and/or taurine supplementation on plasma and hepatic lipid peroxidation status and antioxidant enzyme activities were evaluated in rats fed one of the following semisynthetic diets for 5 weeks: control diet (CD, cholesterol-free and taurine-free diet); high cholesterol diet (HCD, CD+1.5% cholesterol): high taurine diet (HTD, CD+1.5% taurine): high cholesterol and high taurine diet (HCHTD, HCD + 1.5% taurine). Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) level was not influenced by dietary cholesterol or taurine supplementation, while hepatic MDA level was 70% higher in rats fed HCD compared to the value for CD rats (p<0.05). Our observation that taurine supplementation significantly decreased the hepatic MDA level of rats fed HCD, but failed to decrease lipid peroxidation of rats fed CD indicates that the protective effect of taurine in the liver against lipid peroxidation is manifested only under the hypercholesterolemic environment. Plasma and hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were not affected by dietary supplementation of cholesterol or taurine. However, hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly reduced by dietary taurine supplementation (p <0.05), and thus significantly lower in rats fed HTD compared to the value for CD (p<0.05). Plasma total cholesterol concentration was positively correlated with hepatic cholesterol concentration as expected (r=0.712, p<0.001). Plasma (r=0.399, p<0.05) and hepatic cholesterol levels (r=0.429, p<0.05) showed a significantly positive correlation with hepatic MDA concentration, respectively. Plasma taurine concentration was negatively correlated with hepatic SOD activity (r=-0.481, p<0.01), and tended to be negatively correlated with hepatic GSH-Px activity without showing statistical significance (r=-0.188, p<0.05). These results indicate an antioxidative effect of taurine in rats with elevated level of lipid Peroxidation due to high intake of dietary cholesterol. Future application of taurine as a safe candidate for a hypolipidemic agent without adversely affecting body's antioxidant defense system is speculated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.725-730
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• 1994

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary zinc (Zn) and/or cadmium (Cd) on hepatic microsomal and cytosol enzyme activities. Male Spraque-Dawley rats (110$\pm$10g ) received zinc (0, 30 and 300 ppm/) and Cd-treated groups were administered oral intubation with Cd chloride (5.0mg/kg of body weight 0 at the same time once a week. The effect of Cd on the activity of hepatic cytochromep-450 , xanthine oxidase(X. O) and superoxide dismutase (SOd) was studied in rats. Cd oral intubation resulted in a decrease in cytochrome P-450 content and SOD activity whereas a significant increase in the X.O. activity was observed was observed . Intake of excessive Zn led to an increased activity of microsomal alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) , whereas Zn deficiency group led to a decreased group. The mechanism by which Zn induces the decreasing of Cd toxicity in rats, seems to rely on the protection of the enzyme systems P-450, ADH, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and X.O. in the liver, possibly by forming non-toxic Cd metallothionein. These results indicate that Zn and Cd regulation might occur via inhibitory protein component of the $H_2O$$_2$ -generator system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.458-463
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dandelion leaf (Taraxacum officinale) extracts on hepatic antioxidative system in high cholesterol-fed rats. Four groups of rats were given high cholesterol diets containing 10 g cholesterol/kg and 2.5 g sodium cholate/kg for 6 weeks. The control group received a diet without dandelion leaf extract and the other three groups received dandelion leaf extracts, ie, water, ethyl acetate and ether extracts, respectively. There were no significant difference in cytochrome P-450 contents among four groups. Hepatic xanthine oxidase activity was significantly lower in water extract group than the other three groups. Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly lower in three dandelion leaf extract groups, but catalase activity was significantly higher in three dandelion leaf extract groups than control group. Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase activities were significantly increased in water extract group than control group. Lipid peroxide content was decreased in water extract group than control group.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.215-221
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• 1995

This paper examines the effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid (p/s) ratios and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) on the hepatic microsomaI mixed-function oxidase sy. stem in 2~acetylaminofiuorene (2-AAF) treated rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed the diet of beef tallow (p/s 0.08), beef tallow plus soybean oil (p/s 1.0), and soybean oil (p/s 4.0) at the level of 15%fat and with or without 0.3% BHT. After 2-AAF was injected twice at the ages of 23 and 27 weeks, cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level, cytochrome P450, cytochrome $b_5$, NADPH-cytochrome $b_5$, and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity were measured from isolated hepatic microsomal fractions. In the beef tallow (p/s 0.08) and beef tallow plus soybean oil (p/s 1.0) groups, cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio showed decreasing tendency by 2-AAF and BHT. Cytochrome P-450 content was decreased in the group of soybean oil (p/s 4.0) and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity was increased by 2-AAF and BHT in all the dietary groups. While TBARS levels were increased by 2-AAF in all the dietary groups, they were reduced by BHT in the soybean oil (p/s 4.0) group. These results suggest that long term intake of soybean oil (p/s 4.0) diet induced changes in the nature of microsomal membrane and induced less cytochrome P-450, low level feeding of BHT increased cytochrome c reductase activity and lowered microsomal lipid peroxidation levels, which were increased by 2-AAF treatment.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2006

Effects of garlic powder supplementation on blood lipid profile and antioxidant system were investigated in rats with and without swimming exercise. Sprague-Dawley rats of four experimental groups were fed for 4 weeks diets containing $15\%$ beef tallow and $1\%$ cholesterol; control without garlic and exercise, Go with $2\%$ garlic alone, Ex with exercise alone, GoEx with $2\%$ garlic and exercise. Rats were trained 40 min a days a days a week. Group Ex and GoEx showed significant lowering in body weight gain and fat accumulation. In Go, Ex and GoEx, plasm TG and LDL-C were lower and HDL-C was higher, although not significantly, compared to levels in control. Total cholesterol was significantly reduced in group Go, and Ex and GoEx were lower than control. The total/HDL cholesterol ratio was also found to be significantly different, decreasing the ratios in Go, Ex and GoEx. The hepatic TBARS increased significantly in group Ex $(51.7{\pm}3.43nM/g\;liver)$, while TBARS in Go and GoEx were low $(35.68{\pm}3.61,\;39.30{\pm}5.55nM/g\;liver)$ and similar to control's one. The activity of hepatic SOD in Go and GoEx tended higher than control and Ex without garlic. The hepatic catalase showed significantly the highest activity in Go. Activity of GSH-px was significantly low in Ex with $0.14{\pm}0.03$ unit/mg protein, and control, Go and GoEx had higher activities of $0.23{\pm}0.08,\;0.20{\pm}0.07,\;0.22{\pm}0.01\;unit/mg$ protein, respectively. Lower activities of antioxidant enzymes in Ex are likely to associated with the highest level of TBARS. It seems that a decrease in TBARS in GoEx relative to Ex was related to the increase in GSHpx and SOD with garlic supplemented, which led to compensate the oxidative stress from exercise. The results suggests that exercise or garlic supplement exerts blood lipid attenuating effect. In adition, garlic supplementation could strengthen the antioxidant potential against exercise-induced oxidants, partly by modulating oxidant enzyme activity. These effects of garlic may make it a beneficial agent on CVD.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.80-98
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• 1994

According to the original documents, Sagungsan is considered as an effective drug for controlling the hypertensive epistaxis induced by tension of autonomic nerve and it's hyperfunction. The present experiment was designed to understand the effect of Sagungsan extract on the hemostatic action, intracranial pressure, blood pressure and cardiovascular system in experimental animals. And thus the bleeding time, prothrombin time, capillary dilation, blood pressure, Intracranial pressure, and enzymatic analysis of the ATPase activities were studied. The result obtained here were as followings: 1. Sagungsan water extract reduced the bleeding time in mouse, and prolonged the prothrombin time in rabbits. 2. The drug extract increased the tail volume by capillary dilation in rats. 3. The drug extract inhibited the increase of intracranial pressure and arterial blood pressure in rabbits. 4. At the early time, the increase of arterial blood pressure by the drug extract significantly inhibited by pretreated atropin and regitine in rabbits. 5. The drug extract relaxed the smooth muscle by stimulating the Mg2+-Ca2+-ATPase activities of gastric sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated from rabbit stomach. 6. The drug extract stimulated the heart contraction by inhibiting the $Mg^{2+}-Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ activities of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated from rabbit heart. The inhibitory mechanism was reversible and noncompatitive. 7. The drug extract increased the hepatic blood volume by stimulating the hepatic total ATPase activities and hepatic metabolism. 8. The drug extract acted as a tranquilizer by inhibiting the neural Na+-K+-ATPase activity. According to the results, Sagungsan water extract dilated the capillaries, stimulated the heart beat, and thus increased the blood flow with decreasing the intracranial pressure and blood pressure. These effects stanches the epistaxis collectively.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.177-181
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• 1998

Dithiocarbamate and mixed disulfide containing allyl functions were designed and synthesized as putative chemopreventive agents, i.e. N,N-diallyldithiocarbamate (DATC) and S-(N,N-diallyldithiocarbamoyl)-N-acetylcysteine (AC-DATC). DATC and AC-DATC were administered and the activities of cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and microsomal N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) deethylase were assayed in order to test the effects of these organosulfur com-pounds on the detoxification and metabolic activation system of NDEA. The amounts of hepatic glutathione (GSH and GSSG) was also determined. The administration of DATC to rats led to an increase in the activity of GR and to an inhibition of CYP2E1-mediated NDEA deethylation. AC-DATC induced the activity of GR and GST, increased the hepatic GSH content and inhibited the rate of NDEA deethylation. The level of GSSG was decreased as a consequence of the increased activity of GR. These effects may contribute to possible antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic action of the dithiocarbamates investigated.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 1989

홍삼 및 수삼이 랫트의 간조직에서 diethylnitrosamine(DEN)에 의해 유도되는 preneoplastic altered foci 형성에 미치는 영향을 관찰한 바 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. Altered foci의 지표로 사용되는 glutathione S-transferase (GST-P)-positive foci의 숫자는 DEN 단독투여군($9.07{\pm}5.69$)에 비하여 수삼병행 투여군 ($4.77{\pm}3.23$)에서, 면적은 DEN 단독투여군($0.93{\pm}0.65$)에 비하여 홍삼병행투여군 ($0.50{\pm}0.31$)에서 각각 현저한 감소를 나타냈다. 이러한 결과는 홍삼 및 수삼이 간암 발생을 억제하는 작용이 있음을 암시하였다.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 1988

The effects of altering the hepatic mixed-function oxidase(MFO) activities on the acute toxicity of parathion were examined in female rats. Phenobarbital sodium pretreatment (50mg/kg/day, i.p.) for 4 consecutive days has resulted in significant decreases in the toxicity of parathion (2 or 4 mg/kg, i.p.) as determined by lethality and cholinesterase activities wheras the toxicity arising from a single dose of CCl4(2 mmol/kg, i.p.) 24 hr prior to parathion challenge was potentiated.