• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.141-147
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• 2011

Purpose: Ultrasonography (US) is widely used as a screening test in patients with abdominal pain (AP). We investigated the usefulness of US by a pediatrician in children with AP. Methods: We retrospectively analysed the medical records of children with AP who undertook US from December, 2008 to July, 2010. Results: A total of 628 patients (325 male, 303 female) were enrolled in this study. The mean age of patients was $8.08{\pm}4.61$ years. Duration of AP was acute in 427 and chronic in 201 patients. Localization of AP was diffuse (36.9%), periumbilical (24.4%), epigastric (21.0%), and right lower quadrant (8.1%). On the examination, there were no abnormal findings in 327 patients (52.1%). Abnormal ultrasonographic findings were mesenteric lymphadenitis (27.1%), intestinal mural thickening (10.0%), intussusception (3.0%), appendicitis (2.6%), choledochal cyst (1.6%), and pancreatitis (0.3%). We performed additional imaging studies such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 39 patients who showed obscure findings on the US. In 33 patients (84.6%), the same results were obtained from CT or MRI. Two cases of appendicitis, one case of pancreatitis and one case of Henoch-Sh$\ddot{o}$nlein purpura were diagnosed by the CT examination. However, there were two cases of appendicitis diagnosed by US thathad no evidence of appendicitis on the CT. Diagnostic accuracy of initial US in children with abdominal pain was 99.4%. Conclusion: US by a pediatrician as a screening test in children with AP provides a rapid and accurate diagnostic indication and has non-invasive and radiation-free advantages.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.81-102
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• 2018

Objectives : I analysed daehwangmokdan-tang's compatibility principle by the system of chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy and investigated pharmacological activities by categorizing with chemical components, molecular level, cellular level, animal level and human level based on Korean and Chinese studies for this formula. Methods : Daehwangmokdan-tang's compatibiltity principle was examined by the system of chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy. I looked into studies that presented in Korea from 1956 to 2016 about daehwangmokdan-tang through KOREA INSTITUTE OF ORIENTAL MEDICINE, Korean medicine information system (OASIS) and in Chinese for 20 years about daehwangmokdan-tang through China National Knowledge Infrastructure, CNKI. Then classify into chemical components, molecular level, cellular level, animal level and human level to analyse. Results : According to the system of chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy, chief herb is Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Moutan Cortex, deputy herb is Natrii Sulfas and Persicae Semen, assistant and envoy herbs are Trichosanthis Semen. The amount of extraction of paeonol, total anthraquinone, and conjugated anthraquinone from daehwangmokdan-tang with the formulation of the system of chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy was the highest, and in the formulation of chief herb and deputy herb, the extraction amount of paeonol and conjugated anthraquinone was the lowest. With other formulations, the amount of extraction of total anthraquinone and conjugated anthraquinone was improved, although the degree was different. In particular, when it is blended with Persicae Semen as a deputy herb, the extraction amount of total anthraquinone and conjugated anthraquinone of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma as a chief herb is greatly increased, and the extraction amount of paeonol is rather different, but it is lowered. It was found that the amount of Mg Ca K Na in daehwangmokdan-tang was the highest. Pharmacological activities can be detected in inflammatory mediators and enzymes for molecular level. For cellular level, it can be determined in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell line. In mouse and rats for animal level and human level, in inflammatory diseases (acute appendicitis, acute pancreatitis, acute cholecystitis, acute abdominal disease, ect.), pharmacological activities was caught. Conclusions : From the above results, daehwangmokdan-tang is composed in line with the system of chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy, suggesting that there is certain rationality and scientific. Pharmacological activities of daehwangmokdan-tang are effective to anti-inflammation, improvement of sepsis, analgesic, muscle relaxation, and improvement of intestinal flora and its metabolites. Daehwangmokdan-tang is consistent with the action of diuresis and anti-inflammation in terms of the content of elements, suggesting that there is action of purging fire and removing blood stasis, defecation detoxification, cooling blood and clearing heat and activating blood and dispersing stasis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.233-239
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• 2017

Intracellular calcium ($Ca^{2+}$) oscillation is an initial event in digestive enzyme secretion of pancreatic acinar cells. Reactive oxygen species are known to be associated with a variety of oxidative stress-induced cellular disorders including pancreatitis. In this study, we investigated the effect of hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) on intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ accumulation in mouse pancreatic acinar cells. Perfusion of $H_2O_2$ at $300{\mu}M$ resulted in additional elevation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ levels and termination of oscillatory $Ca^{2+}$ signals induced by carbamylcholine (CCh) in the presence of normal extracellular $Ca^{2+}$. Antioxidants, catalase or DTT, completely prevented $H_2O_2$-induced additional $Ca^{2+}$ increase and termination of $Ca^{2+}$ oscillation. In $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, $H_2O_2$ still enhanced CCh-induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ levels and thapsigargin (TG) mimicked $H_2O_2$-induced cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ increase. Furthermore, $H_2O_2$-induced elevation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ levels was abolished under sarco/endoplasmic reticulum $Ca^{2+}$ ATPase-inactivated condition by TG pretreatment with CCh. $H_2O_2$ at $300{\mu}M$ failed to affect store-operated $Ca^{2+}$ entry or $Ca^{2+}$ extrusion through plasma membrane. Additionally, ruthenium red, a mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ uniporter blocker, failed to attenuate $H_2O_2$-induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ elevation. These results provide evidence that excessive generation of $H_2O_2$ in pathological conditions could accumulate intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ by attenuating refilling of internal $Ca^{2+}$ stores rather than by inhibiting $Ca^{2+}$ extrusion to extracellular fluid or enhancing $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization from extracellular medium in mouse pancreatic acinar cells.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.196-202
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• 2011

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), or epigallocatechin 3-gallate, is the ester of epigallocatechin and gallic acid, and is a type of catechin. EGCG may be therapeutic for many disorders including diabetics and some types of cancer. However it is unknown whether EGCG can induce transdifferentiation of pancreatic cells in pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EGCG on the expression of pancreatic regenerating related markers in pancreatic AR42J cells, a model of pancreatic progenitor cells. AR42J cells, differentiated with betacellulin and activin A, were cultured with/without EGCG in a time-dependent manner. Cell growth rate, levels of mRNA, and protein expression were examined with the MTT assay, quantitative PCR, and Western blots, respectively. The results showed that AR42J cell growth rates were inhibited by EGCG in a dose-dependent manner. mRNA and protein expression of amylase, insulin and neurogenin 3 (ngn 3) increased in AR42J cells treated with EGCG. Additionally, we demonstrated that the signal transduction pathway of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase is active in EGCG-treated AR42J cells. ERK and JNK phosphorylation decreased in cells treated with EGCG but not p38 phosphorylation. Activation of the p38 MAP kinase pathway was confirmed by specific MAP kinase pathways inhibitors: U0126 for ERK, SP600126 for JNK, and SB203580 for p38. Activated p38 phosphorylation was inhibited by the specific p38 inhibitor SB203580 but p38 phosphorylation was inhibited with increased EGCG treatment. The ERK and JNK MAP kinase pathways were not affected by EGCG treatment. Although further studies are needed, these results suggest that EGCG affects the induction of pancreatic cell regeneration by increasing the ngn 3 protein and mRNA expression and activating the p38 MAP kinase pathway.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1107-1111
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• 2003

Purpose : Neuroblastoma is a malignant neoplasm which arises from primitive sympathetic neuroblasts, and occasionally can matured from a malignant neuroblastoma into a benign ganglioneuroma. It has the highest rate of spontaneous regression of any pediatric tumor. We performed a retrospective study of pathologic features after combination therapy in advanced neuroblastoma. Prognostic effects of the individual morphologic feature and prognostic groupings according to modified Shimada classification systems were analyzed. Methods : The treatment results for six patients with neuroblastoma seen at Keimyung University from Jan. 1991 to June 2000 were analyzed. Patients were treated with a combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery, and classified by two major prognostic criteria based on morphological features of neuroblastoma, such as modified Shimada classification and histologic grading. Results : Three cases were classified to a good histologic group; among them, two cases survived, but one case was lost in follow-up. There were three cases classified in a poor histologic group. All of these patients expired due to sepsis and hemorrhagic pancreatitis. Conclusion : Prognostic classification due to pathologic findings had significant value in evaluating the survival rate of neuroblastoma patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.383-387
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• 2000

Fat embolism syndrome is a rare but serious complication occurring mostly in patients with long bone fractures and occasionally in patients who have had an underlying disease. For example, pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, alcoholic liver disease and connective tissue disease can be risk factors. The 44-year old woman with a sudden dry cough, blood tinged sputum, and exertional dyspnea visited the Korea University Hospital. Petechiae on her anterior chest wall was found. Chest X-ray and CT showed patchy opacities and multifocal ground-glass opacities in both lung fields. An open lung biopsy demonstrated diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage and intravascular macrovesicular fat bubbles. After conservative management, her symptoms and radiologic findings were significantly improved. A case of fat embolism syndrome without any known risk factors is reported.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.1_2
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• pp.47-54
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• 1978

Recently, a major resection of the pancreas has been carried out not only to treat carcinoma of pancreas but also chronic pancreatitis. But limited and often contradictory reports have been made on the exocrine effects after partial surgical pancreatectomy in mammals. It was suggested that the growth of the residual tissue in pancreatectomized rat is very active, because pancreas has the great power of regeneration after partial pancreatectomy, while others observed that rat pancreas after partial surgical resection revealed a perplexing mixture of atrophy and regeneration of acinar tissue. On the other hand, another results showed that the amount of insulin required to control diabetes after partial resection of pancreas is much greater than that needed after total pancreatectomy. Because the anti-insulin system, such as glucagon secretion and hypophyseoadrenal function, is probably depressed after total pancreatectomy. Furthermore, minimal resection line which will not influence the normal function of pancreas is not agreeable, such 75%, 80% or 95% resection of the total pancreas in rat. So far, studies on the exocrine function other than endocrine function after partial pancreatectomy have been limited. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to examine the changes of exocrine as well as endocrine function of pancreas at the different time interval after 60% or 80% pancreatectomy in rats. The results summerized as follow: 1) In both 60% and 80% resected groups, a slight decrease of the total body weight was observed at a day after partial pancreatectomy in rats, but the body weight was continued to increase for following 100 days. 2) The weight of residual pancreas was continuously increased during experiment in both 60% and 80% resected groups. But the content of tissue protein in residual pancreas was significantly decreased comparing with those of resected pancreas. 3) The flow rate of pancreatico-biliary juice was significantly decreased immediately after pancreatectomy in both resected groups. But it was recovered to control level after a day in 60% resected group, after 30 days in 80% resected group. 4) The output of amylase and lipase in resected groups were significantly decreased right after pancreatectomy comparing with control group. In the 60% resected group, the output of amylase was recovered during the following 100 days after pancreatectomy, while lipase output in 3 days. However, in the 80% resected group, the output of amylase and lipase were not recovered during 100 days after pancreatectomy. 5) In order to examine the endocrine function, blood sugar level were examined at all experimental periods after partial pancreatectomy. There was no difference between control and 60% resected group in the sugar level. But in the 80% resected group the level was significantly incresed immediately after pancreatectomy, and reached the highest level at 3 days. Then it was decreased to control level during the next 10 days after pancreatectomy. The above results showed that in 60% resected group little changes were observed on pancreatic function, but severe functional impairments were observed in 80% resected group. This results suggested that the endocrine function was recovered within a short period, although the exocrine function was not recovered for a long time after 80% pancreatectomy in rats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.4
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• pp.1013-1018
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• 2020

Ascariasis is an intestinal disease caused by Ascaris lumbricoides. Most patients with ascariasis are asymptomatic; however, the presence of many larvae in the bowel can cause gastrointestinal complications, such as intestinal obstruction, obstructive jaundice, cholangitis, cholecystitis, and pancreatitis. Herein, we report a case of ascariasis presenting as hematoma and active bleeding in the sigmoid mesocolon of a 74-year-old man on computed tomography (CT). Sigmoid colon perforation was also detected on follow-up CT. Laparoscopic low anterior resection was performed; there was a large hematoma in the sigmoid mesocolon. Roundworms were microscopically identified in the mesenteric adipose tissue. The clinical and CT findings of this unusual presentation of ascariasis revealed serial complications during parasite migration from the intestinal lumen to the peritoneal cavity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.5
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• pp.1134-1150
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• 2020

Various types of tumors and tumor-like lesions may affect the pancreas. Among them, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the most common and is generally referred to as "pancreatic cancer." Recently, the detection rates of rare pancreatic tumors and tumor-like lesions have increased owing to technological advancements and increased frequency of imaging tests. Considering that rare pancreatic tumors and tumor-like lesions differ from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in terms of the treatment plan and prognosis, the differential diagnosis of these diseases is clinically relevant. Various imaging tests play an important role in the differential diagnoses of rare tumors, such as acinar cell carcinoma and schwannoma, tumor-like lesions, such as autoimmune pancreatitis and inflammatory pseudotumor, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, but accurately distinguishing these diseases solely based on imaging findings is difficult. The aim of this pictorial review was to present the imaging findings of rare pancreatic tumors and tumor-like lesions and discuss important points for the differential diagnosis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.283-290
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• 2008

Hypercholesterolemia is associated with many pathological states such as fat deposit in the tendon and skin, hepatomegaly, pancreatitis and heart attack. The present study was focused on the effect of Korean red ginseng water extract (RGWE) on the recovery of hepatic function that was deteriorated in high-cholesterol diet fed mice. Mice were divided into 6 groups ; normal diet group (AIN-2WK), 4 week-high-cholesterol diet group (CHOL-4WK), 2 week-high-cholesterol + 2 week-normal diet group (CHOL-2WK), 2 week-high-cholesterol + 2 week-normal diet + RGWE treated group (R100, R300, R500). RGWE treated group received normal diet and RGWE at daily doses of 100, 300, 500 mg/kg b.w. for 2 weeks after the 2 weeks feeding of high-cholesterol diet. The results are as follows : 1. The hepatic weight and total hepatic lipid weight were markedly lower in RGWE treated group than those in the CHOL-4WK or CHOL-2WK group, indicating that ginseng inhibited hepatic hypertrophy. 2. Total hepatic cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol in normal diet conversion group (CHOL-2WK) were significantly reduced compared with the high cholesterol group (CHOL-4WK). The lowering effect was significantly reinforced by RGWE administration. 3. Hepatic triglyceride level of CHOL-4WK group was markedly lower than that of the normal group (AIN-2WK). However, the level was significantly increased in CHOL-2WK and RGWE treated group. The result indicated that ginseng administration and diet conversion exert normalizing effects of hepatic function. 4. The lipid peroxide levels in RGWE treated groups were markedly lower than CHOL-2WK group. These results suggest that Korean red ginseng water extract can be useful as a dietary supplement for the treatment of obesity or hypercholesterolemia by improving lipid metabolism and hepatic function.