• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1081-1090
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• 2015

Diabetes has been one of major health risks in industrialized countries. Allium hookeri is a wild herb distributed in India and Myanmar. The root of the plant has been used as food and medicine in Southeast Asia. We investigated Allium hookeri extract improves type 2 diabetes mellitus in C57BL/KSJ db/db obese mouse. C57BL/KSJ db/db obese mouse arise out of Type 2 diabetes and we treated Allium hookeri methanol extract 400 mg/kg (AH 400), 800 mg/kg (AH 800), positive control group (thiazolidinedine;TZDs) were administered orally for 8weeks. AH treated group normalized lipid enzyme system (triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol) and serum glucose, HbA1c and plasma insulin level. AH treated group recovered β-cell damage by hyperglycemia and fatty liver disease. AH treated group significantly up regulated expression of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase4 (PDK4), Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP 1) and fork head box O1 (FOX 01) proteins in C57BL/KSJ db/db obese mouse liver. And we found that AH treated group decreased hepatic malondialdehyde formation in C57BL/KSJ db/db obese mouse liver. These results indicate that Allium hookeri methanol extract might be a potential anti-diabetic agent and could be useful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.179-188
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• 2016

This study is aimed to evaluate the protective effect of Gastrodiae rhizoma and steamed, dried & fermented Gastrodiae rhizoma on Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hepatic injury in the mice model. Sample was selected to GR0F0 (not processed gastrodia rhizome) and GR6F4 (fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae before steamed and dried 6 times) based on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid, and High-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Mice were randomly divided into 4 groups - Normal group, vehicle group (LPS treated), GR0F0 group (fed GR0F0 before LPS treated) and GR6F4 group (fed GR6F4 before LPS treated) with 6 mice in each group. GR0F0 group and GR6F4 group were fed each extract 200 mg/kg/day during 8 days. LPS 20 mg/kg injected to the experimental groups as abdominal injection. We measured aspartate aminotransferase, alanine amino-transferase in serum. GR0F0 and GR6F4 showed a significant decrease compared to the vehicle group. As a result of measuring the ROS, GR6F4 group showed a significant reduction in both the serum and liver tissues compared to the vehicle group. GR0F0 group showed a significant reduction only in the liver tissues. Activator protein-1, cyclooxygenase-2, and Inducible nitric oxide synthase were significantly decreased GR0F0 group and GR6F4 group. But tumor necrosis factor alpha only showed a significant reduction in GR6F4 group. GR0F0 and GR6F4 groups against liver damage in mice with LPS. That showed significant effects on anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory action. The effects of GR6F4 group showed superior results compared to GR0F0 group. Therefore, Steamed, dried & fermented Gastrodia rhizoma was might have a protective effect on liver injury.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.383-394
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• 1999

Objectives: This study was conducted to identify the factors influencing the mortality of Koreans over the age of 40 by a nested case-control study. Methods: The cohort consisted of the beneficiaries of Korea Medical Insurance Corporation for Government Employees & Private School Teachers and Staff(KMIC) who received health examinations of KMIC in 1992 and 1993 retrospectively. At that time, they were more than 40 years old. The cases were 19,258 cohort members who had died until December 31, 1997. The controls were 19,258 cohort members who were alive until December 31, 1997. Controls were matched with age and sex distribution of the cases. The data used in this study were the funeral expenses requesting files, and the files of health examinations and health questionnaires gathered in 1992 and 1993. To assess the putative risk factors of death, student t-test, chi-square test, multiple logistic regression analysis were used. Results : In multiple logistic regression analysis, independent risk factors of death were as follows; systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, blood glucose, AST, urine glucose, urine protein, alcohol drinking(frequency), cigarette smoking and perceived health status, intake of restoratives and blood transfusion showed positive associations with death; coffee consumption showed negative associations with death; and body mass index and serum total cholesterol showed J-shaped association with death. Conclusions: Regarding the direction of association, the result of analysis on the data restricted to '96-'97 was same as that of '93-'97. But in some variables such as obesity, serum cholesterol, the odds ratios of death in the data of '96-'97 were higer than those of '93-'94, which suggested that the data of '93-'94 was bearing effect-cause relationship. We concluded that it suggested further researches using long-term follow-up data to be needed in this area.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2018

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with fruiting body of Agaricus brasiliensis (AB) mushroom on the lipid profiles of serum and histological patterns of liver of high cholesterol-fed rats. Five-week-old, female Sprague-Dawley albino rats were divided into three groups of 8 rats each, including a normal control-diet (NC) group, a high-cholesterol diet (HC) group, and a group fed high-cholesterol diet supplemented with 5 % powder of Agaricus brasiliensis fruiting bodies (HC+AB). Total serum cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglyceride (TG) concentrations in the HC+AB group were significantly reduced when compared with those in the HC group. Body weight in the HC+AB group was significantly lower than that in the HC group, whereas no adverse effects were observed on the levels of plasma albumin, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, glucose, and total protein. In the HC+AB group, liver enzyme activities related to liver function, such as GOT and GPT, presented values lower than those in the HC group and were very similar to the ones in the NC group. Excretion of total lipid and cholesterol in feces in the HC+AB group was significantly higher than that in the NC and HC groups, indicating that mushroom feeding inhibits the absorption of lipid cholesterol in the intestine. Liver histopathological analyses revealed that rats fed with HC diet developed fat liver disease, whereas only small amounts of fat were deposited in the livers of the HC+AB group. In conclusion, the results suggest that fruiting body powder of A. brasiliensis provides health benefits to high-cholesterol-fed rats by lowering body weight and the risk of atherogenic lipid profile.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2012

Purpose: For determining the prognosis of critically injured patients, transporting patients to medical facilities capable of providing proper assessment and management, running rapid assessment and making rapid decisions, and providing aggressive resuscitation is vital. Considering the high mortality and morbidity rates in critically injured patients, various studies have been conducted in efforts to reduce those rates. However, studies related to diagnostic factors for predicting severity in critically injured patients are still lacking. Furthermore, patients showing stable vital signs and alert mental status, who are injured via a severe trauma mechanism, may be at a risk of not receiving rapid assessment and management. Thus, this study investigates diagnostic factors, including physical examination and laboratory results, that may help predict severity in trauma patients injured via a severe trauma mechanism, but showing stable vital signs. Methods: From March 2010 to December 2011, all trauma patients who fit into a diagnostic category that activated a major trauma team in CHA Bundang Medical Center were analyzed retrospectively. The retrospective analysis was based on prospective medical records completed at the time of arrival in the emergency department and on sequential laboratory test results. PASW statistics 18(SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for the statistical analysis. Patients with relatively stable vital signs and alert mental status were selected based on a revised trauma score of more than 7 points. The final diagnosis of major trauma was made based on an injury severity score of greater than 16 points. Diagnostic variables include systolic blood pressure and respiratory rate, glasgow coma scale, initial result from focused abdominal sonography for trauma, and laboratory results from blood tests and urine analyses. To confirm the true significance of the measured values, we applied the Kolmogorov-Smirnov one sample test and the Shapiro-Wilk test. When significance was confirmed, the Student's t-test was used for comparison; when significance was not confirmed, the Mann-Whitney u-test was used. The results of focused abdominal sonography for trauma (FAST) and factors of urine analysis were analyzed using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Variables with statistical significance were selected as prognostics factors, and they were analyzed using a multivariate logistics regression model. Results: A total of 269 patients activated the major trauma team. Excluding 91 patients who scored a revised trauma score of less than 7 points, 178 patients were subdivided by injury severity score to determine the final major trauma patients. Twenty-one(21) patients from 106 major trauma patients and 9 patients from 72 minor trauma patients were also excluded due to missing medical records or untested blood and urine analysis. The investigated variables with p-values less than 0.05 include the glasgow coma scale, respiratory rate, white blood cell count (WBC), serum AST and ALT, serum creatinine, blood in spot urine, and protein in spot urine. These variables could, thus, be prognostic factors in major trauma patients. A multivariate logistics regression analysis on those 8 variables showed the respiratory rate (p=0.034), WBC (p=0.005) and blood in spot urine (p=0.041) to be independent prognostic factors for predicting the clinical course of major trauma patients. Conclusion: In trauma patients injured via a severe trauma mechanism, but showing stable vital signs and alert mental status, the respiratory rate, WBC count and blood in the urine can be used as predictable factors for severity. Using those laboratory results, rapid assessment of major trauma patients may shorten the time to diagnosis and the time for management.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2013

The present study was performed to assess the worth of using the by products for seaweed (Eucheuma spinosum) ethanol production process (SEPPB) as broiler feeds. For this purpose, 225 broiler chicks (white mini broilers) were used as experimental animals. The control (Control group) was fed with the broiler feeds. 5% mixture (5% SEPPB group) was fed with a 5% SEPPB mixture feeds, and the 10% mixture (10% SEPPB group) was fed with a 10% SEPPB group mixture feeds. The experiment was repeated for five times and 15 birds were assigned in each experiment and the experimental period was five weeks. There was no difference in the rate of weight gain until the second week of the 5% SEPPB group and 10% SEPPB group. However, the weight gain rate was increased to 6.2% for the 5% SEPPB group and 11.4% for the 10% SEPPB group as compared to the Control group at the third weeks of the experimental period. There was no statistical significant difference in terms of feed FCR and feed intake. Analyses of the quality of chicken breasts showed that pH was 2.5% higher in the 5% SEPPB group and 2.3% higher in the 10% SEPPB group. Shearing force was 31.3% lower in the 5% SEPPB group and 14.7% lower in the 10% SEPPB group, while heating loss was 14.4% lower for 5% SEPPB group and 10% SEPPB group when compared to the Control group. No significant differences were observed in terms of moisture, protein, and crude ash components in chicken breast analyses. However, crude fat was 36.8% higher in the 5% SEPPB group when compared to the Control group (P<0.05). Analyses of fatty acid in chicken breast meat showed that stearic acid was significantly higher in the 10% SEPPB group (P<0.05) and linolenic acid was significantly higher in 5% SEPPB group and 10% SEPPB group in comparison to the Control group (P<0.05). Interleukin-2 (IL-2) in blood serum was 44% higher in the 5% SEPPB group and 36% higher in the 10% SEPPB group (P<0.05). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) was similar in both the Control and the 5% SEPPB group, but it was 62% higher in the 10% SEPPB group in comparison to the Control group (P<0.05). Analyses of serum chemical values revealed that albumin was the highest in the 5% SEPPB group, followed by the Control group and then 10% SEPPB group.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.323-328
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• 2008

Purpose : Asthma is defined as chronic inflammation of the lower small airways, and bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) is a pathophysiologic feature of asthma. It has been proposed that although there is no direct variable capable of assessing the small airways, a forced expiratory flow of between 25 and 75 percent ($FEF_{25-75}$) might be considered a more sensitive early marker of small airway obstruction than the forced expiratory volume in 1 second ($FEV_1$). Thus, we proposed that the presence and degree of positive responses to bronchial methacholine testing were related to the difference (DFF) and ratio (RFF) between $FEV_1$ and $FEF_{25-75}$ in asthmatic children. Methods : The subjects were 583 symptomatic children, including 324 children with BHR and 259 controls. Pulmonary function tests, methacholine challenge tests, and skin prick tests were performed, and the total eosinophil count, total serum IgE, and serum eosinophil cationic protein level were measured in all subjects. From a concentration-response curve, the methacholine concentration required to produce a decrease of 20% from post-saline $FEV_1$ was calculated ($PC_{20}$). Results : The median DFF and RFF values decreased in controls compared to subjects with bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and this trend was found in groups ranked by its severity. $PC_{20}$ had a negative correlation with DFF and RFF. Cutoff values of 0.5 for DFF and 1.042 for RFF were identified, and sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Conclusion : This study revealed that DFF and RFF might be predictive of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in the context of normal $FEV_1$ in children.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.548-553
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• 2003

Purpose : Matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-9 is known to breakdown the blood-brain barrier by degrading the extracellular matrix of the subendothelial basement membrane in meningitis. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase(TIMP)-1, a known inhibitor of MMP-9, has been postulated to inhibit the proteolytic activity of MMP-9 by bindng to MMP-9, but their interaction has not been fully understood yet. So far, there have been some reports on the relationship of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in bacterial meningitis, but few reports in viral meningitis. Furthermore, there has been no report on this in Korea. We investigated the concentrations of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of patients with viral meningitis and control subjects, and evaluated their relationship with other clinical parameters of meningitis. Methods : CSF and blood were obtained from 25 subjects with viral meningitis and 14 control subjects. After centrifugation, supernatants were stored at $-20^{\circ}C$ and we assayed concentrations of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 by the sandwich ELISA method. Results : Concentrations of CSF MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were significantly elevated in patients with viral meningitis, when compared with those in control subjects. Their serum levels showed no differences between the two groups. MMP-9 levels were closely correlated with TIMP-1 levels in the CSF($r_s=0.42$, P<0.05). CSF MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios were significantly higher in patients with viral meningitis than those in the control subjects(P<0.05). Both CSF MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels positively correlated with CSF total leukocyte counts($r_s=0.43$, P<0.05, $r_s=0.48$, P<0.05). TIMP-1 levels positively correlated with total protein concentrations in the CSF($r_s=0.43$, P<0.05). Conclusion : MMP-9 and TIMP-1 may play an important role in the breakdown and maintenance of BBB in viral meningitis, respectively.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.736-741
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• 2008

Background: Pneumonia continues to be the most common major infection in trauma patients. Despite the advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for pneumonia, it remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this retrospective study is to identify the risk factors and clinical features of ventilator-associated pneumonia among chest trauma patients. Material and Method: The study population consisted of 78 mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the ICU of Chonnam National University Hospital between January, 2001, and December, 2006. The patients were divided into two groups: those with pneumonia (Group I) and without pneumonia (Group II). Clinical predictors of the occurrence and mortality for ventilator associated pneumonia were analyzed. Result: There were 57 men and 21 women, with a mean age of $48.3{\pm}19.9$ years. Almost half of the patients, 48.7% (38 of 78), had pneumonia. The mortality rate was 21.0% (8 of 38) in Group I and 2.5% (1 of 40) in Group II. The predictors of ventilator-associated pneumonia were the duration of mechanical ventilation (17.4 days vs 6.5 days, p<0.001), the mean stay in the ICU (21.7 days vs 9.7 days, p<0.001), the use of inotropics due to hemodynamic instability (63.1% vs 25.0%, p=0.001), and the serum level of CRP ($11.3{\pm}7.8$ vs $6.4{\pm}7.3$, p=0.006). Conclusion: Posttraumatic ventilator-associated pneumonia was significantly related with the duration of mechanical ventilation, the mean stay in ICU, and the use of inotropics due to hemodynamic instability. The serum level of CRP at admission was higher in the pneumonia group. Morbidity and mortality can be reduced by early identification of predictive factors for developing pneumonia in chest trauma patients.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.82-88
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• 2008

A 12-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of probiotics as a feed additive for juvenile Korean rockfish Sebastes schlegeli. Four experimental diets supplemented with no probiotic(Control), Bacillus polyfermenticus(BP), Bacillus licheniformis(BL) or Bacillus polyfermenticus plus Saccharomyces cerevisiae(BP+SC) at $1.0{\times}10^7$ CFU/kg diet as a dry-mater(DM) basis were prepared by mixing with a basal diet. After 12 weeks of the feeding trial, fish fed BP+SC diet showed significantly higher weight gain(WG), feed efficiency(FE), specific growth rate(SGR) and protein efficiency ratio(PER) than those of fish fed control diet(P<0.05), however there were no significant differences in WG, FE, SGR and PER among fish fed the BP, BL and BP+SC diets. Fish fed BP and BP+SC diets showed significantly higher condition factor(CF) than that of fish fed control and BL diets. Fish fed BP, BL, BP+SC diets showed significantly higher hepatosomatic index(HSI) than that of fish fed control diet, however there was no significant difference in HSI among fish fed BP, BL and BP+SC diets. Fish fed BP+SC diet showed significantly lower serum glucose than that of fish fed control diet, however there was no significant difference in serum glucose among fish fed BP, BL and BP+SC diets. Fish fed BP+SC diet showed significantly higher respiratory burst activity(NBT assay) than that of the fish fed control and BL diets, however there was no significant difference in NBT assay between fish fed BP and BP+SC diets. Fish fed BP and BL diets showed significantly higher lysozyme activity than that of the fish fed control diet, however there was no significant difference in lysozyme activity among fish fed BP, BL and BP+SC diets. Fish fed BP and BP+SC diets showed significantly lower cumulative mortality than that of the fish fed control diet, however there was no significant difference in cumulative mortality among fish fed BP, BL and BP+SC diets after the challenge test. From these results, dietary B. polyfermenticus, B. licheniformis and B. polyfermenticus plus S. cerevisiae supplementation in juvenile Korean rockfish diet could enhance growth performances, non-speicific immunities and a higher resistance against the specific pathogen.