• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 2013

This study was conducted in order to investigate the effects of Artemisia capillaris (AC) extract on disorders of hepatic functions and lipid metabolism induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an endocrine disrupter, using male rats (SD, five weeks old) for a period of three weeks. These 37 animals were divided into four groups. AC extract was added as 1.5% or 3% levels to basal diets, respectively. TCDD (40 ug/kg B.W) was administered by intraperitoneal injection into rats after a week from the beginning of the experiment. AC extract alleviated the increase of rat's relative liver weights induced by TCDD. Thymuses of all rats treated with TCDD were apparently shrunken by approximately 80%. Levels of white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrits were significantly increased by treatment with TCDD, however, WBC tended to decrease by AC extract diets. In hepatic function, the elevation of glutamic oxalacetic transaminase activities by TCDD treatment was diminished by AC extract diets. Serum HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly elevated by AC extract diets. The apparent increase of triglyceride levels of rat livers induced by TCDD was significantly suppressed in the AC extract diet groups. Hepatic cytosolic catalase activities significantly decreased by treatment with TCDD showed a recovering trend by AC extract diets. In histochemical observation, the fat droplets and apoptosis of hepatocytes treated with TCDD were markedly alleviated by AC extract diets. These results indicated that AC could exert recovering effects on some disorders of hepatic functions, lipids metabolism, and antioxidant activities resulting from TCDD treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1771-1777
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• 2012

The impact of anatomic resection (AR) as compared to non-anatomic resection (NAR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as a factor for preventing intra-hepatic and local recurrence after the initial surgical procedure remains controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis of nonrandomized trials comparing anatomic resection with non-anatomic resection for HCC published from 1990 to 2010 in PubMed and Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Science Citation Index were therefore performed. Intra-hepatic recurrence, including early and late, and local recurrence were considered as primary outcomes. As secondary outcomes, 5 year survival and 5 year disease-free survival were considered. Pooled effects were calculated utilizing either fixed effects or random effects models. Eleven non-randomized studies including 1,576 patients were identified and analyzed, with 810 patients in the AR group and 766 in the NAR group. Patients in the AR group were characterized by lower prevalence of cirrhosis, more favorable hepatic function, and larger tumor size and higher prevalence of macrovascular invasion compared with patients in the NAR group. Anatomic resection significantly reduced the risks of local recurrence and achieved a better 5 years disease-free survival. Also, anatomic resection was marginally effective for decreasing the early intra-hepatic recurrence. However, it was not advantageous in preventing late intra-hepatic recurrence compared with non-anatomic resection. No differences were found between AR and NAR with respect to postoperative morbidity, mortality, and hospitalization. Anatomic resection can be recommended as superior to non-anatomic resection in terms of reducing the risks of local recurrence, early intra-hepatic recurrence and achieving a better 5 year disease-free survival in HCC patients.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.248-258
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementation of an antiobese functional formula (FC-GT) on body weight and lipid metabolism in rats fed a high-fat diet. Three groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed different diets for 6 weeks: normal control (NC), high-fat (HF), and high-fat supplemented with powdered antiobese functional formula (FC-GT) (5% wt/wt) groups. Although body weight was not significantly different among the groups, relative weights of epididymal and perirenal white adipose tissues were significantly lower in the FC-GT group than in the HF group. FC-GT supplementation significantly lowered the plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, whereas it elevated the ratio of HDL-C/total-C and improved the atherogenic index. Hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were significantly lowered in the FC-GT group compared to the HF group. The accumulation of hepatic lipid droplets and the epididymal white adipocyte size of the FC-GT group were diminished compared to the HF group. Hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity was significantly lower in the FC-GT group than in the HF group. Plasma GPT activity was significantly lowered in the FC-GT group compared to the HF group. Additionally, fecal weight was significantly increased in the FC-GT group than in the HF group. In addition, contents of fecal triglyceride and cholesterol were significantly higher in the FC-GT group compared to the other groups. The antioxidant activities of hepatic SOD, CAT, and GR were significantly increased in the FC-GT group compared to the HF group. Hepatic mARS and plasma mARS levels were significantly lowered in the FC-GT group compared to the NC group. Accordingly, we conclude that supplementation of FC-GT improves plasma and hepatic lipid levels in high-fat fed rats.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.49-63
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• 2000

Aflatoxin $B_1(AFB_1)$ is a potent hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic mycotoxin in human beings. It is accumulated in animal tissues and injured cell through variable metabolic pathway. This study was conducted to determine the effect of antioxidant vitamins on liver function enzymes and hepatic damage of $AFB_1$ treated mice. The 6 weeks old male ICR mice were randomly separated 6 groups, vehicle solvent or vitamin C(10 mg/kg/day) and vitamin E(63.8 mg/kg/day) were administered by intraperitoneal(i.p.) injection and 1 hr later, vehicle solution(DMSO) or $AFB_1$(0.4 mg/kg) were injected. The results obtained as follow ; The levels of liver function enzymes such as GOT, GPT, LDH, and alkaline phosphatase, in sera of mice were remarkably elevated by treatment with $AFB_1$ only. However, those enzymes were significantly alleviated by co-treatment with antioxidant vitamins(p<0.01). Especially the levels of LDH and ALK phosphatase were similar to those of control groups(p<0.01). The transmission electron microscopy(TEM) image of intracellular microrganelles on the liver cell of mice was also degenerated extremely by treatment with $AFB_1$, but vitamin C and vitamin E gave good effects on cellular deformation. The intracellular microrganelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus and nucleic membrane were nearly disappeared the cellular deformation by antioxidant vitamins co-administration. With above results, we could estimated that antioxidant vitamins blocked AFB1 induced hepatic cell damage.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.215-221
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• 1995

This paper examines the effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid (p/s) ratios and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) on the hepatic microsomaI mixed-function oxidase sy. stem in 2~acetylaminofiuorene (2-AAF) treated rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed the diet of beef tallow (p/s 0.08), beef tallow plus soybean oil (p/s 1.0), and soybean oil (p/s 4.0) at the level of 15%fat and with or without 0.3% BHT. After 2-AAF was injected twice at the ages of 23 and 27 weeks, cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level, cytochrome P450, cytochrome $b_5$, NADPH-cytochrome $b_5$, and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity were measured from isolated hepatic microsomal fractions. In the beef tallow (p/s 0.08) and beef tallow plus soybean oil (p/s 1.0) groups, cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio showed decreasing tendency by 2-AAF and BHT. Cytochrome P-450 content was decreased in the group of soybean oil (p/s 4.0) and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity was increased by 2-AAF and BHT in all the dietary groups. While TBARS levels were increased by 2-AAF in all the dietary groups, they were reduced by BHT in the soybean oil (p/s 4.0) group. These results suggest that long term intake of soybean oil (p/s 4.0) diet induced changes in the nature of microsomal membrane and induced less cytochrome P-450, low level feeding of BHT increased cytochrome c reductase activity and lowered microsomal lipid peroxidation levels, which were increased by 2-AAF treatment.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.49-61
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• 2019

Purpose: The perigastric vagus nerve may play an important role in preserving function after gastrectomy, and intraoperative neurophysiologic tests might represent a feasible method of evaluating the vagus nerve. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of neurophysiologic evaluations of the function and viability of perigastric vagus nerve branches during gastrectomy. Materials and Methods: Thirteen patients (1 open total gastrectomy, 1 laparoscopic total gastrectomy, and 11 laparoscopic distal gastrectomy) were prospectively enrolled. The hepatic and celiac branches of the vagus nerve were exposed, and grabbing type stimulation electrodes were applied as follows: 10-30 mA intensity, 4 trains, $1,000{\mu}s/train$, and $5{\times}$frequency. Visible myocontractile movement and electrical signals were monitored via needle probes before and after gastrectomy. Gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at 3 weeks and 3 months, respectively. Results: Responses were observed after stimulating the celiac branch in 10, 9, 10, and 6 patients in the antrum, pylorus, duodenum, and proximal jejunum, respectively. Ten patients responded to hepatic branch stimulation at the duodenum. After vagus-preserving distal gastrectomy, 2 patients lost responses to the celiac branch at the duodenum and jejunum (1 each), and 1 patient lost response to the hepatic branch at the duodenum. Significant procedure-related complications and meaningful postoperative diarrhea were not observed. Conclusions: Intraoperative neurophysiologic testing seems to be a feasible methodology for monitoring the perigastric vagus nerves. Innervation of the duodenum via the celiac branch and postoperative preservation of the function of the vagus nerves were confirmed in most patients.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.2052-2061
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• 2021

Objective: The role of preoperative overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) in the neurophysiological mechanism of cognitive improvement after liver transplantation (LT) remains elusive. This study aimed to explore changes in sub-regional thalamic functional connectivity (FC) after LT and their relationship with neuropsychological improvement using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data in cirrhotic patients with and without a history of OHE. Materials and Methods: A total of 51 cirrhotic patients, divided into the OHE group (n = 21) and no-OHE group (n = 30), and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this prospective study. Each patient underwent rs-fMRI before and 1 month after LT. Using 16 bilateral thalamic subregions as seeds, we conducted a seed-to-voxel FC analysis to compare the thalamic FC alterations before and after LT between the OHE and no-OHE groups, as well as differences in FC between the two groups of cirrhotic patients and the control group. Correction for multiple comparisons was conducted using the false discovery rate (p < 0.05). Results: We found abnormally increased FC between the thalamic sub-region and prefrontal cortex, as well as an abnormally decreased FC between the bilateral thalamus in both OHE and no-OHE cirrhotic patients before LT, which returned to normal levels after LT. Compared with the no-OHE group, the OHE group exhibited more extensive abnormalities prior to LT, and the increased FC between the right thalamic subregions and right inferior parietal lobe was markedly reduced to normal levels after LT. Conclusion: The renormalization of FC in the cortico-thalamic loop might be a neuro-substrate for the recovery of cognitive function after LT in cirrhotic patients. In addition, hyperconnectivity between thalamic subregions and the inferior parietal lobe might be an important feature of OHE. Changes in FC in the thalamus might be used as potential biomarkers for recovery of cognitive function after LT in cirrhotic patients.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.629-635
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• 1995

Obese children have increaed in Korean in recent years as socieconomic status have got more higher than past years. Obese children have many health problems and some kinds of complications. Obese patients who have fatty liver with abnormal liver function should be managed with weight control. This study was intended to investigate the effect of weight control on hepatic abnormalities of obese children with fatty liver. We managed 6 obese children who had fatty liver with abnormal liver finction for weight control containing behavior modification, diet and exercise during 3 months. After 3 months, we compared body weight, liver function test, dietary intake and exercise. Body mass index(BMI) showed significant decrease from 28.1$\pm$2.3kg/$m^2$ to 26.2$\pm$1.7kg/$m^2$ (p<0.01). Aspartate aminotransferase(AST) showed significant improvement from 56$\pm$15IU/l(p<0.01). Alanine aminotransferase(ALT) also showed significant improvement from 108$\pm$38IU/l to 33$\pm$9IU/l(p<0.01). Therefore if we can rule out the other causes of hepatic abnormalities in obese children with fatty liver, these patients showed benefit by weight control as it can improve both obesity and liver functions.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.237-244
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• 2000

Liver isolated from 18 hours fasted rats was subjected to $N_2$hypoxia (for 45 min) followed by reoxygenation (for 30 min). The perfusion medium used was Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.4, $37^{\circ}C$). Vitamin C (0.5 mM) and trolox C (0.5 mM), soluble vitamin E analog, were added to perfusate. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total glutathione, oxidized glutathione, lipid peroxide and drug-metabolizing enzymes were measured. After hypoxia LDH significantly increased but this increase was attenuated by vitamin C and combination of vitamin C and E. Total glutathione and oxidized glutathione in perfusate markedly increased during hypoxia and this increase was inhibited by vitamins C, E and its combination. Similarly; oxidized glutathione and lipid peroxide in liver tissue increased after hypoxia and reoxygenation and this increase was inhibited by vitamin I and combination of vitamin C and E. Hepatic drug metabolizing function (phase I, II) were suppressed during hypoxia but improved during reoxygenation. While vitamins C and E only increased glucuronidation, the combination of vitamin C and E increased the oxidation, glucuronidation and sulfation. Our findings suggest that vitamins C and E synergistically ameliorates hepatocellular damage as indicated by abnormalities in drug metabolizing function during hypoxia/reoxygenation and that this protection is in major part, caused by decreased oxidative stress.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.639-645
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• 2018

Liver transplantation is recommended for patients with liver failure, but liver donors are limited. This necessitates the development of artificial livers, and hepatocytes are necessary to develop such artificial livers. Although induced hepatocyte-like cells are used in artificial livers, the characteristics of mouse induced hepatocyte-like cells (miHeps) reprogrammed with embryonic fibroblasts have not yet been clarified. Therefore, this study investigated the mechanisms underlying the survival, function, and death of miHeps. miHeps showed decreased cell viability, increased cytotoxicity, decreased hepatic function, and albumin and urea secretion at passage 14. Addition of necrostatin-1 (NEC-1) to miHeps inhibited necrosome formation and reactive oxygen species generation and increased cell survival. However, NEC-1 did not affect the hepatic function of miHeps. These results provide a basis for development of artificial livers using hepatocytes.