• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1064-1072
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• 2013

Circadian rhythm is controlled by hormonal oscillations governing the physiology of all living organisms. In mammals, the main function of the pineal gland is to transform the circadian rhythm generated in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus into rhythmic signals of circulating melatonin characterized by a largely nocturnal increase that closely reflects the duration of night time. The pineal gland has lost direct photosensitivity, but responds to light via multi-synaptic pathways that include a subset of retinal ganglion cells. Rhythmic control is achieved through a tight coupling between environmental lighting and arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) expression, which is the rhythm-controlling enzyme in melatonin synthesis. Previous studies on the nocturnal expression of AANAT protein have described transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational regulatory mechanisms. Molecular mechanisms for dependent AANAT expression provide novel aspects for melatonin's circadian rhythmicity. Extensive animal research has linked pineal melatonin for the expression of seasonal rhythmicity in many mammalian species to the modulation of circadian rhythms and to sleep regulation. It has value in treating various circadian rhythm disorders, such as jet lag or shift-work sleep disorders. Melatonin, also, in a broad range of effects with a significant regulation influences many of the body's physiological functions. In addition, this hormone is known to influence reproductive, cardiovascular, and immunological regulation as well as psychiatric disorders.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.226-231
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• 2010

We aimed at the monitoring medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) residue amount in meats and confirmed the safety of its residue in meats. Optimized condition for analytical and instrumental methods was obtained by method validation. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were validated at 1.5 and 5.0 ug/kg, respectively. The calibration curve showed good linearity ($r^2$ = 0.9968) within the concentration range of 5.0~50.0 ug/kg. We selected progesterone-d9 for internal standard, The recoveries in fortified meat ranged from 67.5 to 109.56% at the 3 spiking levels. As the regulation of MPA analysis method used by LC-MS/MS on other products have established. We selected 3 species of farm stock products (cattle, pig, chicken) and purchased at the markets of seven major cities. The total 196 of meat including 46 of domestic beef, 43 of import beef, 60 of domestic pork, 12 of import pork and 35 of domestic chicken. No residue of synthetic growth hormones were detected in cattle, pig and chicken samples tested.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.1222-1228
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• 1998

Stress will induce various changes in human metabolism. The remarkable phenomenon of these changes is increased energy metabolism that can induce many reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. ROS can peroxidize cellular macromolecules including lipid and protein. The object of this study was to investigate that stress may induce cellular damage by producing ROS and that Rooibos tea can protect cells against reactive oxygen species by immobilization stress in SD rat. The stress group significantly increased in 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA), one of the stress hormone. Rooibos tea treatment had no effects on 5-HIAA contents, but body weight of Rooibos tea treated rat more increased than that of only the stress group. It was suggested that Rooibos tea colud not affect stress response itself, but protect against the another mechanism. We thought that the oxidative damage was caused by increased energy metabolism. Protein degradation level and lipid peroxide formation on index of oxidative damage significantly increased in the stress group. But the stress-induced activity change could not be observed in antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. But the catalase activity of the brain significantly was inhibited by the stress. From these results, it was suggested that the immobilization stress induce the brain oxidative damage. However the oxidative damage was inhibited by feeding Rooibos tea containing various antioxidants, such as polyphenol, flavonoid and so on. Therefore, Rooibos tea have the protective effects against the stress caused by the ROS mediated cellular damage.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2001

The aims of these study were to diagnose early pregnancy and reproductive disorders by using progesterone concentration and ultrasonography. The measurement of blood progesterone (P$_4$) concentration was conducted to diagnose pregnancy and to detect corpus luteum (CL) or evaluate disorder of CLs. As a result, the incidence rates of reproductive disorders were as follows : SH and EED (41.9%), inacitve ovaries (32.6%), follicullar cyst (9.3%), PCL (7.0%), endometritis (4.7%), pyometra (2.3%) and luteal cyst (2.3%). 61 Cows having P$_4$concentration 1.0 ng/ml(at the insemination) were increased to 1.0 ng/ml $\geq$ 6day after insemination. 50 cows among 61 cows were diagnosed pregnant. 8 cows among 13 HanWoos having P$_4$concentration 1.0 ng/ml at the insemination and 1.0 ng/mnl 6 day after insemination had non-ovulatory estrus and the others had P$_4$concentration 1.0 ng/ml at the insemination and 1.0 ng/ml $\geq$ 6 day after insemination, which was the error of estrus detection. All 13 cows were diagnosed non-pregnant. 47 cows diagnosed pregnant after insemination of P$_4$concentration 3.0 ng/ml were examined by ultrasonography at 30 day post-insemination. As a result, 41 cows were diagnosed pregnant (87.2%) but 14 cows having P$_4$concentration 3.0 ng/ml at 21 day after insemination was diagnosed to non-pregnancy. Calving intervals by surveying 100 cows were as follows 11~12 months (20%), 12~13 months (36%), 13~14 months (19%), 14 months $\geq$ (25%), respectively. In conclusion, hormone and ultrasonography help to detect reproductive disorders exactly and diagnose early pregnancy. This study suggest that diagnosis of early pregnancy and reproductive disorder by blood P$_4$concentration and ultrasonography improve reproduction management of HanWoo.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.82-92
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• 2005

Objective : To evaluate the relationships among sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, levels of pros and cons and stages of change in Pap testing for uterine cervical cancer. Methods : A questionnaire survey was performed on 560 randomly sampled people who were assigned to participate in a Pap testing program by the National Cancer Screening Project in 2003' between 25 September and 10 October in Gyeonggi, Korea. Data about the behaviors and intentions of Pap testing, sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, and levels of acknowledged benefit (pros) and barrier (cons) for Pap testing was collected. The stages of change were grouped according to behaviors and intentions of Pap testing as passive, active, and relapse. Results : Logistic analysis between the passive and active groups showed that city dwellers, 'high' and 'middle' groups in terms of the individual s health belief, those who had undergone a health examination within the past 2 years, and those who had undergone hormone replacement therapy had a higher odds ratios to be in the active group. As the 'benefit' scores increased and the 'Unnecessity' scores decreased, the probabilities to be in the active group increased. According to the logistic analysis results between the active and relapse groups, those who were 60 years or older, members of the National Heath Insurance, and those who had not undergone a health examination within the past 2 years had a higher odds ratio to be in the relapse group. The 'Benefit' scores were not significant in this relationship. The probabilities of being in the relapse group increased as the Unnecessity and 'Shamefulness' scores increased. Conclusions : In conclusion, health planners should inform women in the passive group of the benefits and necessity of Pap testing. It would be better to reduce the barriers to the active group of undergoing Pap smear. This study might be a useful guide for future planning of Pap testing program.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 1999

Anesthetic agents are useful in inducing the anesthesia for surgical operations and various biological experiments, but they can disturb the body homeostasis and cause the stress in animals. Much efforts have been directed on reducing such side effects of anesthesia. In this work, we measured the serum ACTH, corticosterone and glucose concentration in rabbits to compare the degree of stress induced by two commonly-used anesthetics, ketamine, xylazine, and the combination of xylazine and ketamine. 1. The anesthesia was induced in about 10 min in the rabbits treated with xyalzine, ketamine and xylazine-ketamine. The duration of complete loss of righting reflex were 12, 13 and 115 min in the groups treated with xylazine, ketamine and xylazine-ketamine, respectively. 2. Serum ACTH concentrations in all treatment groups were higher than those in control group. At 30 min after the administration of the drugs, serum ACTH levels in ketamine-treated group were significantly higher than those in control, xylazine- and xylazine-ketamine-treated groups. However, at 1, 2, 5 and 9 hours after the drug administration, serum ACTH levels in xylazine-treated-group were higher than those in control. 3. Serum corticosterone levels in xylazine- and xylazine-ketamine-treated groups were lower than those in control or ketamine-treated groups at 0.5 and 1 hour after the administration. However, at 5 and 9 hours after the administration, serum corticosterone levels in xylazine- and xylazine-ketamine-treated groups were significantly higher than those in ketamine-treated group or control. 4. Serum glucose levels transiently increased to 3 times of the pre-injection levels at 0.5 and 1 hours after the administration in xylazine or xylazine-ketamine-treated groin, but were not changed in control and ketamine-treated group. These results indicate that xylazine-induced stress lasts longer than ketamine-induced, suggesting that the difference in stress-related hormone levels during anesthesia could be due to the differences in modes of actions of individual drugs used and the depth of anesthesia.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.395-406
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• 1994

To study the conditions to enhance success of embryo transfer in the dog, 20 mixed-breed bitches were used for the experiment along with 4 male dogs for mating. The bitches were paired according to synchronism of natural estrus, or the counterpart as donor or recipient was treated with gonadotropin as FSH (follicular stimulating hormone) or PMSG (pregnant mare serum gonadotropin) for induction of estrus to be synchronized with estrus of the other bitch in natural estrus. Embryo recovery was performed in two ways for comparison, either by flushing each uterine horn after ovariohysterectomy or by flushing each horn in the state of non-ovariohysterectomy. In addition, the result of pregnancy according to the embryo stage and the repeatability of the experimental animals as donor or recipient were also investigated. FSH or PMSG was administered to the bitches which had passed over 4 months from last estrus, resulting in estrus-positive in 3 dogs of 6 FSH-treated dogs (50.0%), and in 5 dogs of 9 PMSG-treated dogs (55.6%), determined by proestrus signs and vaginal smear test. Estrus-positive bitches induced with gonadotropin were used as donor or recipient resulting in one embryo-recovered bitch as donor and one offspring-delivered bitch as recipient in 5 PMSG-treated dogs, whereas no result was obtained from 3 FSH-treated dogs. The rate of embryo recovery to be compared with number of corpus luteum was 68.2% in ovariohysterectomized dogs and 55.2% in non-ovariohysterectomized dogs, respectively. The number of dogs from which embryo was collected were 4 dogs of 6 ovariohysterectomized dogs (66.7%) and 6 dogs of 7 non-ovariohysterectomized dogs (85.7%), respectively. The result of parturition was obtained from one dog of 5 estrus-induced recipients, whereas no result was obtained from 3 natural-estrus recipients. The only dog which delivered a male puppy had been transferred 3 morulae and 2 blastocysts. Of 6 repeat-used bitches in canine embryo transfer, 3 dogs showed repeatability either as donor or recipient. These results indicated that inducing estrus of a dog with gonadotropin is feasible in canine embryo transfer to be synchronized with that of a natural-estrus dog, that embryo recovery is also possible in non-hysterectomized dogs, that the estrus-induced dog is also usable as recipient to result in parturition, and that repeat-use of a bitch as donor or(and) recipient is possible in canine embryo transfer.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.23-31
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• 1978

Hyperthyroidism may be defined as those clinical conditions which result from an increase in the circulating levels of one or both thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism in broad sense could be classified with toxic diffuse goiter, toxic adenomatous goiter, and toxic multinodular goiter on the basis of the circulating thyroid hormone levels. For this study, the subject included 94 cases with hyperthyroidism were presented in 77 with toxic diffuse goiter, 8 with toxic adenomatous goiter, and 9 with toxic multinodular goiter on the levels of $^{125}IT_3$ resin uptake rate and serum thyroxine ($T_4$). The observed results were as follows: 1) In the cases of hyperthyroidism including toxic diffuse goiter, toxic adenomatous goiter, and toxic multinodular goiter, 20.21% of the patients were male and 79.79% female. The majority of the patients were in 2nd to 4th decades of their lives. 2) There were objective signs clearly manifested in hyperthyroidism including toxic diffuse goiter and toxic adenomatous goiter which were rare in the multinodular goiter. The clinical signs in toxic diffuse and toxic adenomatous goiter included wide pulse pressure, tachycardia, systolic murmur, exophthalmos, tremor and warm skin etc. (Table 3.) 3) The most freauent complaints of the patients with hyperthyroidism were palpitation, weight loss, increased appetite, perspiration, heat intolerance, nervousness, exertional dyspnea, and menstrual disturbance etc. (Table 4.) There was no clear difference in the incidence of symptoms between toxic diffuse goiter and toxic adenomatous goiter, but there was clear difference between toxic multinodular goiter. 4) Considering of results of $^{125}IT_3$ resin uptake rate and serum $T_4$ level in toxic diffuse goiter, toxic adenomatous goiter and toxic multinodular goiter, $^{125}I\;T_3$ resin uptake rate was $49.15{\pm}9.94%$ (mean) and serum $T_4\;21.29{\pm}7.04ug/dl$ (mean) in toxic diffuse goiter. In toxic multinodular goiter, $^{125}I\;T_3$ resin uptake rate was $32.47{\pm}6.74%$ (mean) and serum $T_4$ level $11.03{\pm}5.0ug/dl$, and then there was clear difference in the results of $^{125}I\;T_3$ resin uptake rate and serum $T_4$ between toxic diffuse goiter and toxic multinodular goiter. The levels of $^{125}I\;T_3$ resin uptake rate and serum $T_4$ in toxic adenomatous goiter were $40.32{\pm}13.08%$ (mean), $15.47{\pm}8.25ug/dl$ (mean) respectively, so there was no clear difference between toxic diffuse goiter and toxic adenomatous goiter. 5) There was no significant differnece in length and width performed with thyroid scanning in toxic diffuse goiter, toxic adenomatous goiter, and toxic multinodular goiter.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.356-364
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• 1997

To evaluate the clinical utility of Tc-99m MIBI scan in the detection of residual thyroid tissue or metastatic lesion in postoperative thyroid cancer patients, we compared Tc-99m MIBI scan with I-131 diagnostic and therapeutic scan in 30 postoperative well-differentiated thyroid cancer patients. Thyroglobulin levels of both on and off thyroid hormone medication and antithyroglobulin antibody were tested [Tg(on), Tg(off)]. Positive rates for I-131 diagnostic and Tc-99m MIBI scan were 81% and 68% respectively. Concordance between I-131 diagnostic and Tc-99m MIBI scan was observed in 15 cases; 12 positive and 3 negative respectively. Among the 6 cases with negative I-131 diagnostic scan and positive Tc-99m MIBI scan, 4 were Positive in the therapeutic I-131 scan We concluded that Tc-99m MIBI scan maybe a useful complementary modality to the currently established method of I-131 scan and serum thyroglobulin level in the detection of recurrent or metastatic thyroid cancer, especially in the case of negative I-131 diagnostic scan.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.195-199
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• 2014

The X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a peroxisomal disease by defects of ABCD1 gene on chromosome Xq28 leading to accumulation of saturated very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA), progressive demyelination and adrenal insufficiency. A 4-year-old boy was visited hospital with the chief compliant of hyperpigmentation beginning at 2-years old. Serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol concentration were compatible with adrenal insufficiency. The elevated plasmatic concentration of VLCFA and genotype analysis with sequencing of ABCD1 gene established the diagnosis of X-ALD. Brain MRI showed no abnormal high signal intensity on the white matter. Steroid replacement was started with good response. He initiated Lorenzo's oil with restriction of VLCFA by reducing the intake of fatty foods. The author highlight the importance of suspecting of X-ALD in the etiology of primary adrenal insufficiency as the first sign of the disease.