• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.401-412
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• 2008

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of Ryodoraku and association of Ryodoraku with gastric dysmotility in functional dyspepsia(FD). Methods : Subjects were 154 patients with FD and 18 patients with asthma. We calculated the average Ryodoraku score(RS, ${\mu}A$) and each variation from physiologic range of 12 Ryodoraku points, and investigated the incidence when left and right points were simultaneously below(bilateral deficiency) or above(bilateral excess) physiologic range. Postprandial regularity of normal slow waves, power ratio, and postprandial % of bowel sound were obtained by electrogastrography and enterotachography, and were used as gastric dysmotility index. Results : 1. Bilateral excess of H4, H5, F1, and F4 and bilateral deficiency of H4, H5, and H6 were characteristic in FD compared with asthma patients. 2. Incidence of gastric dysmotility in bilateral deficiency of H4, H5, and H6 was 100%, and was higher than in total FD patients(88.3%). 3. There was a positive correlation between the variation of H6 and % postprandial bowel sound. 4. Deficient tendency of H4, H5, and H6 was more evident when RS was above $40{\mu}A$ in FD. Conclusions : These findings suggest that gastric dysmotility in FD can be diagnosed when a pattern of H4, H5, H6 bilateral deficiency and F1, F4 bilateral excess is shown at the same time. We think this phenomenon is related to low activity of the vagus nerve rather than meridian pathway with result based on positive correlation between variation of H6 and postprandial % of bowel sound.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.113-119
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• 2007

Zn is an essential nutrient that is required in humans and animals for many physiological functions, including immune and antioxidant function, growth, and reproduction. The present study evaluated whether Zn deficiency would negatively affect bone-related enzyme, ALP, and other bone-related minerals (Ca, P and Mg) in rats. Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to one of the three different Zn dietary groups, such as Zn adequate (ZA, 35 mg/kg), pair fed (PF, 35 mg/kg), Zn deficient (ZD, 1 mg/kg) diet, and fed for 10 weeks. Food intake and body weight were measured daily and weekly, respectively. ALP was measured by spectrophotometry and mineral contents were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass, spectrophotometer (ICP-MS). Zn deficient rats showed decreased food intake and body weight compared with Zn adequate rats (p<0.05). Zn deficiency reduced ALP activity in blood (RBC, plasma) and the tissues (liver, kidney and small intestine) (p<0.05). Also, Zn deficiency reduced mineral concentrations in rat tissues (Ca for muscle and liver, and Mg for muscle and liver) (p<0.05). The study results imply the requirement of proper Zn nurture for maintaining bone growth and formation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.120-132
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• 2009

Objective : Yukmijihwang-tang is one of the important medicines for blood- deficiency and yin-deficiency. Atopic dermatitis usually shows dampness-heat pattern in its acute stage and blood-deficiency or yin-deficiency pattern in its chronic stage. Therefore, I hypothesized that Yukmijihwang-tang is effective on atopic dermatitis and investigated the effects of Yukmijihwang-tang on NC/Nga mice's atopic dermatitis induced by DNCB. Methods : The NC/Nga mice with atopic dermatitis were divided into four groups: three experimental groups and one control group. The experimental groups were respectively put on 2.5g(YM-2.5), 5g(YM-5) and 10g(YM-10) of Yukmijihwang-tang extract per their weight once a day for 10 days while the control group was fed normal saline. After 10 days, I measured TEWL(transepidermal water loss), observed scratching behaviors, conducted a skin biopsy and checked levels of Total IgE, IL-4 and $IFN-\gamma$ on NC/Nga mice. Results : 1. Yukmijihwang-tang significantly suppressed skin dryness. In particular, YM-5 and YM-10 had better skin hydration than YM-2.5. 2. Yukmijihwang-tang significantly suppressed pruritus while there was no significant difference among the experimental groups. 3. Yukmijihwang-tang retained skin structure(epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous fat). 4. Yukmijihwang-tang reduced Total IgE level while there was no significant difference between the control group and the experimental groups. 5. Yukmijihwang-tang did not reduce IL-4(Th2 cytokine) level. 6. Yukmijihwang-tang significantly reduced $IFN-\gamma$(Th1 cytokine) level. In particular, YM-2.5 and YM-5 had lower $IFN-\gamma$ level than YM-10. Conclusion : The results suggest that Yukmijihwang-tang suppresses skin dryness and pruritus, retains skin structure and is effective on chronic atopic dermatitis which is associated with Th1 cytokines in the immune response.

• Allergy, Asthma & Respiratory Disease
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.284-289
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• 2018

Purpose: Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. It is associated with various diseases such as cardiovascular, immune, allergic and infectious disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in clinical manifestations according to the concentration of vitamin D in mild bronchiolitis. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of medical records of patients with mild bronchiolitis from November 2016 to April 2017 in Daegu Fatima Hospital. Mild bronchiolitis was classified by the modified Tal's score method. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to a 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 20 ng/mL. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and laboratory data from the 2 groups. Results: Of the 64 patients, 19 were included in the deficiency group and 45 in the normal group. Vitamin D levels were $11.7{\pm}4.9ng/mL$ in the deficiency group and $28.8{\pm}5.0ng/mL$ in the normal group. There were no differences in clinical features between both groups. However, the vitamin D deficiency group had significantly longer hospitalization than the normal group ($6.78{\pm}2.74$ days vs. $5.3{\pm}1.7$ days, P=0.045). In the deficiency group, the incidence of previous respiratory diseases was significantly higher (P=0.001). No significant difference in blood and respiratory virus tests was observed. Conclusion: Low vitamin D levels in mild bronchiolitis were associated with longer hospitalization and prior respiratory disease. Vitamin D may affect the course of mild bronchiolitis.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.13.1-13.19
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• 2021

Macrophages are important for the first line of defense against microbial pathogens. Integrin CD11b, which is encoded by Itgam, is expressed on the surface of macrophages and has been implicated in adhesion, migration, and cell-mediated cytotoxicity. However, the functional impact of CD11b on the inflammatory responses of macrophages upon microbial infection remains unclear. Here, we show that CD11b deficiency resulted in increased susceptibility to sepsis induced by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection by enhancing the pro-inflammatory activities of macrophages. Upon infection with MRSA, the mortality of Itgam knockout mice was significantly higher than that of control mice, which is associated with increased production of TNF-α and IL-6. In response to MRSA, both bone marrow-derived macrophages and peritoneal macrophages lacking CD11b produced elevated amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide. Moreover, CD11b deficiency upregulated IL-4-induced expression of anti-inflammatory mediators such as IL-10 and arginase-1, and an immunomodulatory function of macrophages to restrain T cell activation. Biochemical and confocal microscopy data revealed that CD11b deficiency augmented the activation of NF-κB signaling and phosphorylation of Akt, which promotes the functional activation of macrophages with pro-inflammatory and immunoregulatory phenotypes, respectively. Overall, our experimental evidence suggests that CD11b is a critical modulator of macrophages in response to microbial infection.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.103-111
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• 2009

Objectives : We examined quality of life, psychosocial adjustments to illness, changes in sexual functioning, and prevalence of psychiatric disorders in AIDS patients compared to patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB). Methods : Thirty-one men with AIDS and 50 men with CHB were enrolled. The Short-Form 12-Item Health Survey (SF-12), the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS), and the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire short form (CSFQ-14) were administered. Results on these assessments were compared between the 31 AIDS patients and 50 CHB patients. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSMIV (SCID) was administered to determine the psychiatric diagnosis only for the AIDS patients. Results : The Physical Component Summary score (PCS) was lower in AIDS patients than in CHB patients (p<0.001). In the section examining sexual relationships, AIDS patients exhibited a lower level of adjustment (p<0.05) and had more changes in sexual function (p<0.05) than did CHB patients. Administration of the SCID to AIDS patients indicated that the lifetime prevalence of any psychiatric disorder was 56.7% ; 43.3% for mood disorders, 33.3% for alcohol use disorders, 26.7% for anxiety disorders, and 20% for adjustment disorder. Patients who had experienced any psychiatric disorder had more severe psychosocial distress (p=0.004) and evidenced a lower level of overall psychosocial adjustment (p=0.030) than patients who had not. Conclusion : We showed that AIDS patients have a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders, and that AIDS patients with psychiatric disorders were particularly low in levels of psychosocial adjustment. Thus, careful attention should be given to psychiatric aspects of AIDS patients emphasizing the early diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.95-99
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• 2005

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is an infectious disease which is highly prevalent in the group of immunosuppressed patients, particularly with hematologic tumors as lymphomas and acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS), severe malnutrition, organ transplantations, high dose corticosteroid therapy. Some cases of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in infants with primary immune deficiency were already reported. The authors present a case of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia developed in an infant who suffered from 10 days of poor feeding and failure to thrive and not included in the risk groups listed above. He had bilateral interstitial infiltrations on the chest radiography, diagnosed as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia after Gomori-methenamine silver staining of his sputum that was taken through tracheal intubation. He improved after administering Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 14 days.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.70-76
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• 2001

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of crystalline isoleucine supplementation of a low protein, corn-soybean meal diet on the performance and immune function of weanling pigs. Forty-five crossbred ($Duroc{\times}Landrace{\times}Large\;White$) piglets, weighing an average of $11.00{\pm}0.07kg$, were assigned to either a control diet containing 20% crude protein (0.64% isoleucine), a 16% crude protein diet without isoleucine supplementation (0.41% isoleucine) or a 16% crude protein diet supplemented with isoleucine (0.64% isoleucine). Reducing the crude protein content of the diet from 20 to 16% significantly (p<0.05) reduced both average daily gain and feed intake. Feed conversion also tended (p=0.07) to be poorer for a low protein diet without isoleucine supplementation. Isoleucine supplementation of the 16% crude protein diet increased both gain and feed intake to a level similar to that obtained by pigs fed the 20% crude protein diet (p>0.05). Blood urea nitrogen, serum total protein and serum globulin were significantly (p<0.05) higher for pigs fed the unsupplemented 16% crude protein diet than for pigs fed the isoleucine-supplemented diet or the control. Egg albumin antibody titre decreased significantly (p<0.05) in pigs fed the diet with isoleucine supplementation, whereas the antibody titre of pigs fed the low protein and low isoleucine diet was similar to that of pigs fed the diet containing 20% crude protein and 0.64% isoleucine. It was suggested that crystalline isoleucine supplementation of a low protein and low isoleucine diet improved pig performance but suppressed humoral immune function.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.79 no.6
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• pp.359-364
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• 2018

There are two forms of cryptococcal meningitis immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (CM-IRIS): paradoxical CM-IRIS and unmasking CM-IRIS. It is important to distinguish paradoxical CM-IRIS and CM relapse because mortality of CM-IRIS is higher than that of CM without IRIS, and paradoxical CM-IRIS and CM relapse requires different treatment. We report a case of paradoxical CM-IRIS that well matches the clinical findings with MR findings during three years follow-up of a HIV infected patient and new MRI finding is also introduced to help distinguish them.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1129-1136
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• 2018

Background/Aims: Vitamin D modulates innate and adaptive immune responses, and vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased mortality in hospitalized patients with pneumonia. We evaluated the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Korean patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and its effect on the clinical outcomes of ARDS. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 108 patients who had a measured serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 ($25(OH)D_3$) at the time of diagnosis with ARDS. The clinical outcomes were evaluated based on $25(OH)D_3$ levels of 20 ng/mL and stratified by quartiles of $25(OH)D_3$ levels. Results: The mean age of patients was 59.4 years old; 77 (71.3%) were male. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 103 patients (95.4%). The mean $25(OH)D_3$ level was $8.3{\pm}7.0ng/mL$. Neither in-hospital mortality (40.0% vs. 68.0%) nor 6-month mortality (40.0% vs. 71.8%) significantly differed between groups. There were no significant differences in $25(OH)D_3$ level between survivors ($8.1{\pm}7.6ng/mL$) and non-survivors ($8.5{\pm}6.8ng/mL$, p = 0.765). There were no trends toward a difference in mortality among quartiles of $25(OH)D_3$ levels. However, $25(OH)D_3$ levels were inversely related with length of hospital stay and intensive care unit stay among in-hospital survivors. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency was prevalent in Korean patients with ARDS. However, levels of vitamin D were not associated with mortality. A large, prospective study is needed to evaluate the effects of vitamin D deficiency on clinical outcomes of ARDS.