• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• 제39권5호
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• pp.986-994
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• 1999

This study was carried out (a) to investigate the variations of blood chemistry and (b) to examine the secretion trend of endocrine substances in a dog model after electroacupuncture and laser stimulation at different time period(9 to 11a.m. and 6 to 8p.m.). Two acupuncture points ; Da Zhui(GV-14) and Shen Shu(BL-23) were electroacupunctured for 20 minutes with 2Vol, 20Hz and irradiated for 5 minutes with 8,000Hz. Before stimulation and after a lapse of time(10-minutes, 30-minutes and 60-minutes) all dogs were checked the following parameters ; cortisol, ACTH, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, WBC, Ca, P, SGPT, SGOT and creatinine. The results were as follow : The levels of cortisol and ACTH have been increased 10 minutes after the stimulation of the electroacupuncture and laser. The higher levels of cortisol and ACTH have been decreased to keep the normal levels from 30 minutes after the stimulation of the electroacupuncture and laser. The RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit and WBC showed the physiological phenomena in the electroacupuncture and laser stimulation. In sero chemical analysis, calcium, phosphate, SGOT, SGPT and creatinine levels were within normal physiological ranges.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.177-182
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• 2014

This study was to determine the correlation between endothelial function and neuro-endocrine-immune (NEI) network through observing the changes of NEI network under the different endothelial dysfunction models. Three endothelial dysfunction models were established in male Wistar rats after exposure to homocysteine (Hcy), high fat diet (HFD) and Hcy+HFD. The results showed that there was endothelial dysfunction in all three models with varying degrees. However, the expression of NEI network was totally different. Interestingly, treatment with simvastatin was able to improve vascular endothelial function and restored the imbalance of the NEI network, observed in the Hcy+HFD group. The results indicated that NEI network may have a strong association with endothelial function, and this relationship can be used to distinguish different risk factors and evaluate drug effects.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.379-384
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• 1998

Endocrine disruptor is an exogenous substance that changes endocrine function and causes adverse effects at the level of the organism, its progeny, and/or (sub)populations of the organisms. Purported adverse effects are cancers, declines in reproductive health, developmental learning disabilities in humans, and declining populations, altered morphology, physiology or behavior in wildlife. In these days, expert groups on chemicals in IPCS, IFCS and OECD are intensively discussing the identification of endocrine disruptors and the proper management of those chemicals. In this study, we screened the endocrine disrupting effects of lead using fertilized eggs of Oryzias latipes. In brief, the eggs were exposed to lead with different concentrations at Ringer's solution, and the mortality, the incidence of deformation, the body movement and the hatching success were determined after incubation. The histological analysis of normal and deformed larvae was also carried out. Compared to control, the mortality and the heart rate of eggs and/or larvae increased, but the hatching success and the tail movement decreased. The morphological observation showed the asymmetrical deformation of larvae and the distortion of spinal cord. The absorption of the liquid in yolk sac was hindered. The adverse effects of lead in the ontogeny of fertilized eggs of Oryzias latipes seemed to be stronger in pH5.6 than in pH7.5 solution. In summary, lead showed adverse effects on the ontogeny of fish fertilized eggs plays critical role in regulating biological systems and controlling developmental processes as an endocrine disruptor.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권8호
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• pp.3861-3864
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• 2016

Background: Adipokines are bioactive proteins that mediate metabolism, inflammation and angiogenesis. Changes in the secretion of key serum adipokines - adiponectin and letpin - may be associated with obesity, cancer and metabolic disorders. Thyroid cancer is one of the most important types of endocrine cancer. Therefore, investigating the association between serum levels of adiponectin and leptin and thyroid cancer might be important. The purpose of this study was to assess adiponectin and leptin levels in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) cases in order to identify novel tumor markers. Materials and Methods: This research was based on a case-control study, including 45 patients with medullary thyroid cancer (21 men and 24 women) and 45 healthy controls (24 males and 21 females). Adiponectin and leptin levels were measured by ELISA in both groups. Height and weight were measured and body mass index (kg/m2) was calculated. Results: Adiponectin and leptin levels were not significantly different between medullary thyroid carcinomas and the control group. Also, there was no correlation among age and body mass index and the disease. Conclusions: These results suggest that changes in serum adiponectin and leptin levels do not play an important role in the diagnosis or could act as as biomarkers for medullary thyroid cancer.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.614-628
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• 1998

The effects of electroacupuncture(EA) on blood concentration of endocrine substances were investigated in 6 horses. Three acupuncture points ; Guan Yuan Shu(BL-26), Wei Shu(BL-21) and Da Chang Shu(BL-25) were stimulated for 20 minutes by EA at separate occasions under varying condition ; 2V-1Hz, 2V-5Hz, 2V-30Hz, 4V-1Hz, 4V-5Hz and 4V-30Hz. Plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH), ${\beta}$-endorphin, epinephrine, norepinephrine and serum levels of gastrin were analysed. Blood samplings were carried out before, 0, 20 and 40 minutes after the EA stimulation. The serum gastrin levels were increased by 2V-5Hz stimulation on the Wei Shu. Plasma ACTH levels were decreased by 2V-1Hz stimulation on the Wei Shu, but largely increased by 4V-30Hz stimulation on the Guan Yuan Shu. Plasma ${\beta}$-endorphin levels were slightly increased or decreased by 2V-1Hz stimulation, but largely increased by 4V-30Hz stimulation on the Guan Yuan Shu. Plasma levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine were not so much changed by 2V-1Hz or 5Hz stimulation, but tended to increase by 4V-30Hz stimulation on Guan Yuan Shu. These results suggest that the low voltage-low frequence EA stimulation increased blood concentration of gastrin, but decreased ACTH, ${\beta}$-endorphin, epinephrine and norepinephrine, whereas high voltage-high frequence EA stimulation induced opposite results. Accordingly, there appears to be a close relationship between the changes of gastrointestinal motility and the changes of blood concentration of endocrine substances by EA stimulation.

• Endocrinology and Metabolism
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.485-492
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• 2018

Background: Increasing evidence supports interplay between aldosterone and parathyroid hormone (PTH), which may aggravate cardiovascular complications in various heart diseases. Negative structural cardiovascular remodeling by primary aldosteronism (PA) is also suspected to be associated with changes in calcium levels. However, to date, few clinical studies have examined how changes in calcium and PTH levels influence cardiovascular outcomes in PA patients. Therefore, we investigated the impact of altered calcium homeostasis caused by excessive aldosterone on cardiovascular parameters in patients with PA. Methods: Forty-two patients (mean age $48.8{\pm}10.9$ years; 1:1, male:female) whose plasma aldosterone concentration/plasma renin activity ratio was more than 30 were selected among those who had visited Severance Hospital from 2010 to 2014. All patients underwent adrenal venous sampling with complete access to both adrenal veins. Results: The prevalence of unilateral adrenal adenoma (54.8%) was similar to that of bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. Mean serum corrected calcium level was $8.9{\pm}0.3mg/dL$ (range, 8.3 to 9.9). The corrected calcium level had a negative linear correlation with left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD, ${\rho}=-0.424$, P=0.031). Moreover, multivariable regression analysis showed that the corrected calcium level was marginally associated with the LVEDD and corrected QT (QTc) interval (${\beta}=-0.366$, P=0.068 and ${\beta}=-0.252$, P=0.070, respectively). Conclusion: Aldosterone-mediated hypercalciuria and subsequent hypocalcemia may be partly involved in the development of cardiac remodeling as well as a prolonged QTc interval, in subjects with PA, thereby triggering deleterious effects on target organs additively.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제3권3호
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• pp.269-273
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• 1999

The distribution and relative frequency of somatostatin-immunoreactive cells in the pancreas were studied during developmental stages (fetus, neonate, 1-month-old, 6-month-old and adult) of the Korean native goat by immunohistochemical methods. Somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were detected in the exocrine of all ages, in the endocrine portions (pancreatic islets) from the neonate, and in the pancreatic duct of the 1-month-old. The relative frequencies of these cells in the pancreatic islets increased with age. However, there were no age-related changes in the relative frequencies of somatostatin-immunoreactive cells in the exocrine and pancreatic duct. Generally, they were distributed in the interacinar spaces, the epithelium of the pancreatic duct, or dispersed in the peripheral zone of the pancreatic islets in all ages. However, clusters consisting of 3-4 cells were also found in the subepithelial connective tissues from the 1-month-old. In addition, the distributions in the endocrine portions of the adult were divided into two patterns: 1) they are dispersed in the marginal regions with moderate or low frequencies, or 2) in the inner zone with high frequencies.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.274-278
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• 2002

Phthalates, suspected endocrine disruptor, are plasticizer and solvent used in industry, and some phthalates are known as potential carcinogen. Most common human exposure to this compounds may occur with contaminated food. It may migrate into food from plastic wrap or may enter food from general environmental contamination, and it has become widespread environmental pollutants, thus leading to a variety of phthalates that possibly threaten the public health. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) may playa part of cell proliferator, which mediates changes in gene expression and the metabolism of xenobiotics. An understanding of the role of DBP in modulating gene regulation should provide insight regarding mechanisms of DBP induced xenoestrogenic impact. To elucidate the type of genes that are associated with estrogenic activity induced by DBP at the dose (10$^{-8}$ M) appeared proliferating effects, the pattern of gene expression in MCF7 cells was compared between 17$\beta$-estradiol and DBP exposure in the cDNA microarray. From the results, it showed some differences of gene expression patterns between MCF7 cells treated with 17$\beta$-estradiol and DBP, and also DBP shows estrogenic potential with changes in estrogen-related gene expression levels.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.301-318
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a standard tool of pattern identification, which will be applied to clinical research, for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Method: The items and structure of the instrument were based on a review of the published literature in China and Korea. The advisory committee on this study included 11 kidney-endocrine professors of the Korean Medical Colleges Division and 4 Korean medicine doctors who had a doctor's degree in the Kidney-Endocrine Division. The advisory committee was questioned regarding pattern identification importance, symptom weight, treatment importance, changes in the symptoms, rare changes in the symptoms, and frequency of prescriptions regarding benign prostatic hyperplasia. Results: The Korean instrument of pattern identification was completed; it was composed of four questions for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Conclusion: We sincerely look forward to improving the instrument through the continuous clinical studies.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.97-102
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• 1999

In order to investigate the regional distribution and relative frequency of the serotonin-, somatostatin- and motilin-immunoreactive cells in the gastrointestinal tract GIT) of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) with developmental stages, group of bullfrogs subdivided into the tadpole with hindlegs, metamorphosed bullfrog with tail, 2 wk after metamorphosed bullfrog and adult bullfrog, were stained by immunohistochemical methods (PAP methods). Multifarious changes of the regional distribution and relative frequency of the gastrointestinal endocrine cells were observed as developmental stages but motilin-immunoreactive cell ere not detected in this study. Serotonin-immunoreactive cells were detected from 2 wk after metamorphosed bullfrog in the whole GIT. The positive cells were predominant in the pylorus regions. In the adult bullfrog, these cells increased in fundus. On the other hand, somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were observed from the tadpole with hindlegs in the stomach regions. In the metamorphosed bullfrog with tail, they were found in the whole GIT except for the ileum, and increased with developmental stages except for rectum. In the rectum, these cells were not detected after that period. Our results show that most of the immunoreactive cells appear from completed metamorphosed periods when the histological structure of GIT is completely differentiated.