• CELLMED
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.25.1-25.8
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• 2013

Homoeopathically prepared Condurango 30C is traditionally used in amelioration of certain types of cancer by homeopathic practitioners. In this study, ability of Condurango 30C in amelioration of the conventional benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-induced lung cancer in rat has been tested. After one month of scheduled oral feeding of BaP, lung cancer is routinely developed after four months in rats. Tumorbearing rats were then treated with Condurango 30C for the next one ($5^{th}$), two ($6^{th}$) and three ($7^{th}$) months, respectively, and sacrificed. Efficacy of post-cancer treatment by Condurango 30C was evaluated against controls (placebo) by different study parameters like: body and lung weights, number and diameter of lung tumour nodules, lung architecture, DNA damage, anti-oxidant activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Administration of this homeopathic remedy caused increase of body weight and decrease of lung weight, decrease in number and diameter of lung tumour nodules, particularly after one and two months of drug treatment. BaP intoxication significantly increased lipid peroxidase (LPO) with concomitant decrease in activities of different antioxidants, while Condurango 30C administration certainly reduce their levels than normal and cancerous groups, notably after one and two months' of drug treatment. Condurango 30C showed capability to induce ROS-mediated cell death evidenced from the study of ROS activities at different time-points. Further, the remedy possibly achieved its anticancer goal through mediation of DNA-nicks that possibly led cancer cells to the apoptotic pathway. Thus, Condurango 30C has anticancer potential in BaP-induced lung cancer of rats via tissue damage recovery and ROS-mediated programmed cell death.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 1999

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality, contrast characteristics, and possible clinical utility of Medium Tau Inversion Recovery(MTIR) sequence with white matter suppression in patients with brain cortical lesion. Materials and methods : Two normal volunteers and twenty-one patients with cortical lesion were scanned with MTIR as well as other MR imaging sequences. Gray-white matter contrast was evaluated objectively using region-of-interest calculations, including percent contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR). MTIR sequence was visually compared with other sequences in 21 patients with cortical lesion including conspicuity and detection rate. Results : MTIR sequence had the highest present contrast and CNR between the gray matter and white matter. In twenty-one cases of cortical lesion including cortical dysplasia, MTIR sequence improved delineation and conspicuity of lesion, but MTIR sequence could not detect new lesions. Conclusion : The MTIR sequence well delineated the cortical lesions, particularly in including cortical dysplasia. It may be used as an adjunctive imaging sequence in case of poor gray and white matter differentiation with conventional T1-weighted sequences.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.166-172
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• 2007

Egg quality indices are related with freshness, size of air chamber, loss of weight, and viscosity of the yolk and the protein. However, since the described quality parameters require measured in a destructive way, it is not suitable to inspect the egg quality with complete enumeration. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the potential of image analysis method for evaluation of internal egg quality. Samples of 90 fresh eggs were collected immediately after laying and stored up to 24 days. Five eggs were randomly drawn from each storage condition (packing vs unpacking) at a regular interval and loss of weight, specific gravity and size of air chamber were measured. The image analysis for nondestructive measurement of size of air chamber was also studied. Results showed that the egg weight and gravity gradually decreased with increasing of storage days, while the size of air chamber linear increased caused by evaporation of water through the shell. A relationship a between conventional method and the image analysis method for measuring the size of air chamber was developed with the correlation coefficient of 0.928. The new finding implied that image analysis might provide a useful nondestructive tool to assess internal egg quality.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.747-754
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to investigate free amino acid composition, antioxidant activity, alcohol dehydrogenase activity and the sensory quality attributes for the development of functional soy sauce using Hutgae (Hovenia dulcis Thunb) fruit, which is well-known for improving liver function and alleviating various negative physiological effects following heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages. Soy sauces adding six types of extract from Hutgae fruit (HF) were prepared (SSH1: HF 20%, SSH2: HF 10%, SSH3: HF 20%/40 days NaCl extract, SSH4: HF 20%/20 days NaCl extract, SSH5: HF 20% water bath extract, SSH6: freeze-drying powder from HF 20% aqueous extract), compared with soy sauce using the conventional method. These soy sauces were used for determining alcohol dehydrogenase activity by NADH absorbance, the antioxidant effect by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and sensory evaluation by sensory scaling. Total free amino acid contents for most samples were in the range of 327.3 to 375.5 mg%, and then, aspartic acid and glutamic acid content of SSH1 and SSH5 were higher than that of others. DPPH radical scavenging activity was shown to be the highest in SSH4, also SSH1, SSH5 and SSF6 were shown to be higher than the control group. Alcohol dehydrogenase activity was shown to be the highest in SSH5. In sensory evaluation, the highest intensity of roast smell was observed in SSH4 while sweet taste was shown to be the highest in SSH5, and SSH3 and SSH5 revealed higher overall acceptability. From these results, Hutgae fruit soy sauces demonstrated antioxidant activity and alcohol dehydrogenase activity. In conclusion, soy sauces containing the water bath extract of Hutgae fruit may be used as a functional seasoning.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.479-485
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• 2014

Cryptosporidium diarrhea represents a relevant clinical problem in developing countries. In Al-Taif, a city of Saudi Arabia that lies at an altitude of an around 2 km above the sea level, Cryptosporidium infection seems to be undiagnosed in nearly all clinical laboratories. Furthermore, nothing was published regarding Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea in this area. The objectives of this research were to (1) determine the Cryptosporidium prevalence among patients with diarrhea and (2) to estimate the performances of 3 different diagnostic methods. Total 180 diarrheal fecal samples, 1 sample per patient, were collected between January and August 2013. Samples were screened for Cryptosporidium with modified Zeihl Neelsen (ZN) microscopy, $RIDA^{(R)}$ Quick lateral flow (LF) immunotest, and a previously published PCR. The Cryptosporidium prevalence rate was 9.4% (17/180), 10% (18/180), and 11.6% (21/180) by microscopy, LF, and PCR test, respectively. Infection was significantly (P=0.004) predominant among children <5 years (22%) followed by children 5-9 years (11.1%). Although infection was higher in males than in females (16.2% males and 8.5% females), the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.11). Compared to PCR, the sensitivity of microscopy and the LF test were 80.9%, 85.7%, respectively. To conclude, high Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea was found in this area especially in children ${\leq}9$ years. The PCR test showed the best performance followed by the LF test and ZN staining microscopy. The primary health care providers in Al-Taif need to be aware of and do testing for this protozoon, particularly for children seen with diarrhea.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1994.02a
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• pp.440-449
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• 1994

Current risk assessment practices largely reflect the need for a consistent set of relatively rapid, first-cut procedures to assess 'plausible upper limits' of various risks. These practices have important roles to play in 1) screening candidate hazards for initial attention and 2) directing attention to cases where moderate-cost measures to control exposures are likely to be warranted, in the absence of further extensive (and expensive) data gathering and analysis. A problem with the current practices, however, is that they have led assessors to do a generally poor job of analyzing and expressing uncertainties, fostering 'One-Number Disease' (in which everything from one's social policy position on risk acceptance to one's technical judgment on the likelihood of different cancer dose-response relationships is rolled into a single quantity). At least for analyses that involve relatively important decisions for society (both relatively large potential health risks and relatively large potential economic costs or other disruptions), we can and should at least go one further step - and that is to assess and convey both a central tendency estimate of exposure and risk as well as our more conventional 'conservative' upper-confidence-limit values. To accomplish this, more sophisticated efforts are needed to appropriately represent the likely effects of various sources of uncertainty along the casual chain from the release of toxicants to the production of adverse effects. When the effects of individual sources of uncertainty are assessed (and any important interactions included), Monte Carlo simulation procedures can be used to produce an overall analysis of uncertainties and to highlight areas where uncertainties might be appreciably reduced by further study. Beyond the information yielded by such analyses for decision-making in a few important cases, the value of doing several exemplary risk assessments in. this way is that a set of benchmarks can be defined that will help calibrate the assumptions used in the larger number of risk assessments that must be done by 'default' procedures.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 2004

Purpose: We evaluated $^1H$ MR spectroscopy improves the preoperative diagnosis of diffuse infiltrative type of primary central nervous system lymphomas. Materials and methods: After review of conventional MR images and medical records, we retrospectively reviewed proton MR spectra in seven patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma diagnosed by means of biopsy. Relative ratio of choline (Cho), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), and lipid-lactate (Lip-Lac) to creatine (Cr) were measured for quantitative analysis. Results: The average ratio of Cho/Cr was $1.80{\pm}0.95$, NAA/Cr was $1.34{\pm}0.41$, and Lip-Lac/Cr was $1.12{\pm}0.16$. All cases of lymphomas showed increased Lip-Lac peak. Two case of mass forming lymphoma showed decreased NAA/Cr significantly, whereas five cases of lymphoma without mass formation showed preserved NAA/Cr. Conclusion : We thought the presence of Lip-Lac peak without significant reduction of NAA on the MR spectroscopy was helpful for diagnosis of diffuse infiltrative type of central nervous system lymphoma.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2018

This prospective study was aimed to detect acute and chronic ocular toxoplasmosis by comparison of anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgM and IgG antibody levels and IgG avidity test. One hundred and seventeen patients with ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) who referred to the Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran were included in this study. Of the patients, 77 cases were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG, and 8 cases were positive for anti-T. gondii IgM. IgG avidity test revealed 11, 4, and 102 cases were low, intermediate, and high, respectively, and 6.8% and 9.4% of cases were positive for IgM and IgG avidity tests, respectively (P=0.632). Agreement (Kappa value) between paired tests IgG-IgM, IgG-IgG avidity, and IgM-IgG avidity was 0.080, 0.099, and 0.721, respectively (P<0.05). This study showed that conventional serologic tests (IgM and IgG levels) and IgG avidity correlate well each other and can be used to differentiate recent infections from old OT. It seems that reactivated old infections rather than recently acquired infections are majority of Iranian OT patients.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.75-78
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• 2015

The white-spotted chafer, Protaetia brevitarsis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), is an economically important insect in Korea. Traditionally, it has been regarded as a medicine for preventing liver-related diseases and suppressing liver cancer. Recently, this beetle was enlisted as a temporal food ingredient by Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Therefore, this beetle is focused as a one of the important insects that are commercially reared and sold in Korea. As the economic importance of this beetle is growing, the suitable rearing conditions are needed for more detailed investigation. In this study, we compared three temperature conditions and two food additives, rice chaff and soybean cake, for its effects on the body weight change of third instar larvae of P. brevitarsis. Temperature is a major environmental factor that has tremendous effects on rearing insects. In additions, rice chaff and soybean cake are byproducts of other agricultural activities. Therefore, it is easy to get, and the price is comparatively low. However, they still have meaningful amount of nutrients. With four different kinds of feed and three temperature conditions on the third instar larvae of beetles, the body weight change was tracked for 14 wk. We concluded that 27.5℃ is the optimal temperature to rear the third instar larvae among three temperatures (25, 27.5, and 30℃). Among four different feeds, conventional fermented oak saw dust with rice chaff and soybean cake was the best feed for larval weight gain during 14 wk. However, feed with soybean cake at 30 ℃ was the best condition for rearing P. brevitarsis larvae when temperatures and feeds were compared at the same time.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.116-126
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• 1984

The present study was designed to elucidate the recent prevalence of the intestinal protozoa and to demonstrate the relationship on prevalence of the surveyed population with their academic career and living conditions. During the period from May to July 1981, total 2, 735 fecal specimens were collected from the inhabitants of 11 areas in Gyeong-gi Do(province) near by Seoul City, and 6 areas in Jeonra Bug Do, southwestern part of Korea. The samples were fixed with SAF solution and were examined by formalin-ether sedimentation technique. The results are summarised as follows: 1, Overall positive rate of intestinal protozoa was 11. l% : Gyeong-gi Do, 10.7%; Jeonra Bug Do, 11.7%. 2. Five species of intestinal protozoa were detected: Entamoeba histolytica 0.69% : Entamoeba cali 5.52%; Endolimax nana 2.71%, Giardia lamblia 2.23%; lodamoeba biitschlii 0.18%. 3. Highest positive rates among the examined areas were recognized: Incheon City of Gyeong-gi Do, 26.7%; Im-sil Gun(county) of Jeonra Bug Do, 19.9%. 4. By species, E. nana showed the highest prevalence rate (13.74%) in Incheon City, and E. histolytica (2.37%) and E. coli (9.95%) in Im-sil Gun. 5. Prevalence of E. histolytica in rural areas was higher than in urban areas. 6. No significant difference in the prevalence rate by sect and age was recognized, although the group under 10 years and over 60 years were lower than in other age groups. 7, The highest positive rate of E. histolytica was observed in pauper group and significant linearity of prevalence rate of E. histozytica by monthly income was observed. 8. The inhabitants who used conventional latrine showed higher prevalence, 11.5%, than the group of inhabitants who used modified privy. 9. Although no significant difference of positive rate was recognized by academic career, but the lowest prevalence rate was observed in college graduates. 10. Over half of the surveyed population, 64.8% has no experience on anthelmintic practice. Number of anthelmintic application resulted no difference in prevalence. In conclusion, prevalences of intestinal protozoa in Gyeong-gi Do and Jeonra Bug Do decreased remarkably in comparison with those of one decade before. However, economic level, academic career and anthelmintic administration seemed no essential reasons for such declination.