• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 2006

Purpose : To evaluate the MR imaging findings of bowel wall thickening in patients with minimal to moderate cirrhosis, and analyze their clinical significances comparing with laboratory findings. Materials and Methods : We assessed retrospectively the MRI findings of 123 patients with minimal to moderate cirrhosis, and compared these with the clinical laboratory findings. We evaluated the involved sites and MR image findings of thickened bowel wall, as well as the presence of collateral vessels, ascites, and splenic size. These were compared with serum albumin and bilirubin levels, and prothrombin time. Results : Gastrointestinal wall thickening was detected at 37 sites in 25 patients (20%), and more frequently detected in moderate cirrhosis (29%) than in minimal cirrhosis (17%). Jejunum and ascending colon were the most common sites of bowel wall thickening; each was involved at 22 and 9 sites, respectively. Ascending colonic wall thickening was more commonly detected in moderate cirrhosis than in minimal cirrhosis. The thickened bowel wall showed symmetric contour, high signal intensity on T2-weighted images, mixed iso- and low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, and homogeneous or target-like enhancement. Serum albumin level was significantly lower in patients with bowel wall thickening ($3.3{\pm}0.9$ g/dl vs. $3.9{\pm}0.7$ g/dl; p=0.0024). Serum bilirubin level was significantly higher in patients with bowel wall thickening ($1.7{\pm}1.0$ mg/dl vs. $1.4{\pm}1.2$ mg/dl; p=0.0160). Bowel wall thickening did not significantly correlate with the presence of collateral vessels, ascites, splenic size, and prolongation of prothrombin time. Conclusion : In minimal to moderate cirrhosis, the MR imaging evaluation of bowel wall thickening was useful for estimating the severity of cirrhosis and laboratory findings.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.241-253
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• 1990

331 patients of stage IIb uterine cervix cancer trated by radiation alone at Kosin Medical Center between June 1980 and Dec. 1985 were analysed to determine parameters of radiotherapy associated to disease states. Survival rate was highest among the reported ($82.8{\%}$ for crude and $82.4{\%}$ for disease free survival). Pelvic control rate in 6 weeks after the end of radiotherapy was $93.6{\%}$ in the patients treated with ICR following total pelvic radiation and $71.6{\%}$ with small field additional external irradiation. 5 year survival rate in those who achieved pelvic control was $98.9{\%}$ and $12.9{\%}$ in those who had pelvic failure and/or metastasis after radiation. The survival rate figured maximal $88.5{\%}$ with dosage of $7500{\~}8500$ cGy to point A with acceptable incidence of complications ($4.9{\%}$) but without increasing survival above it and minimal $74.1{\%}$ with dosage of less than 6500 cGy. The treatment failure was counted $18.7{\%}$ (62 of 331 patients): Local failure $72.6{\%}$ (45 of 62 patients), locoregional failure $3.2{\%}$ (2 of 62 patients) and distant failure $24{\%}$ (15 of 62 patients). Late complications were found in 50 patients ($15.1{\%}$) and $42{\%}$ of them was rectal bleeding and stenosis. The dose of 8500 cGy to point A was found to be critical for complication and $70{\%}$ of complications occurred above it and was more serious one such as fistula. Rectal complications were developed above rectal dose 6500 cGy and bladder complication above bladder dose 7500 cGy. Major cause of death was cachexia due to locoregional failure ($73.7{\%}$ of death), next was due to metastasis to lung, liver and bone, and only 3 patients died of complication of intestinal perforations and obstruction. In conclusion higher external radiation dose for a bulky uterine cervix and barrel shaped uterus was essential for local control.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.189-197
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• 2000

In this study, we investigated the preventive and therapeutic effects of antler-extract for osteoporosis. Rats were ovariectomized bilaterally and were fed up with Ca- and P-free diet in order to induce osteoporosis. Body weight, organ weight, the weight of femur and bone ash quantity were examined for 5 weeks. We also performed histological and electronical microscopic examinations. 1. After adminstration of female and male antler extract to osteoporosis-induced rats at the doses of 625 and 1250 mg/kg, respectively, the body weights were significantly increased compared with those of normal control group's which was 230.2:t2.3-281.0:t2.5g (p＜0.05). 2. The weights of both right and left femur of osteoporosis-induced rats, administered with female or male antler-extract, little decreased compared with those of normal control group. 3. The bone ash quanties of femur of osteoporosis-induced rats, administered with female or male antler-extract, little decreased compared with those of normal control group. 4. The weights of liver, spleen, and kidney of osteoporosis-induced rats, administered with female or male antler-extract, decreased compared with those of normal control group. 5. Histological and electronic microscopical findings were (1) that in normal control rats the connectional of lacunae appeared well and were without loss of bone mineral, (2) that in ovariectomized rats the connections of lacunae were mostly broken and were with loss of bone mineral compared with those of normal control rats, (3) that in osteoporosis-induced rats, administrated with female or male antler-extract, the shape of lacunae and the connections of them were similar to those of normal control rats. These findings suggest a possible protective and therapeutic effects of female or male antler extract against bone loss in ovariectomized rats.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.897-906
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• 2006

This study was conducted to determine effects of different supplementation periods (2, 3 and 4 months) of spent composts of Se-enriched mushrooms (Se-SMC) on plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and selenium deposition of finishing Hanwoo steers for the optimal supplementing period determination in order to produce Se-fortified Hanwoo beef. In the present study, 30 Hanwoo steers were allotted to treatments in six groups of five steers per pen. Treatments were separated into control and Se-SMC for each supplementation period. Dietary selenium contents were 0.1 and 0.9 ppm for control and Se-SMC treatments, respectively. At the end of each supplementation period, steers by periods were slaughtered to collect hind leg and liver samples for their selenium analyses. Blood samples were taken to analyze whole blood Se concentration and plasma GSH-Px activity at the last day of each supplementation period. Dry matter intakes were unaffected by Se-SMC and supplementation periods. In addition, average daily gain was not different between control and Se-SMC treatments and among supplementation periods. There was no difference for total body weight gain between control and Se-SMC treatments within each supplementation period. The supplementation of Se-SMC significantly (P<0.001) increased whole blood Se concentration, but whole blood selenium concentration was not affected by the supplementation period. Furthermore, plasma GSH-Px activity showed similar trend as shown in the pattern of whole blood Se concentration, but no difference by supplementation periods was observed. Selenium contents in hind legs significantly (P<0.05) increased with increasing supplementation periods, and also they were significantly (P<0.001) higher for Se-SMC supplementation groups in comparison to controls. However, there was no difference for selenium contents of hind legs between three and four months supplementation. Selenium contents in livers tended to slightly increase with increasing supplementation periods with no significant difference, but they were significantly (P<0.01) higher for Se-SMC supplementation groups compared with controls within the same period. The results indicated that the optimal Se-SMC supplementation period for the selenium deposition in Hanwoo steers might be around two or three months when we considered selenium contents in hind legs and livers.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.89-98
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• 2008

This experiment was carried out to investigate the combination feeding of β-glucan and multi-species probiotics on growth performance, various lipid concentrations of serum, antibody production and cecal microbial profiles in broiler chicks. A total of six hundred 1-d-old male broiler chicks were divided into five groups, placed into four pens per group(30 birds per pen) and fed one of five non-medicated experimental diets(T1, 0.15% multi-species probiotics; T2, 0.1% β-glucan+0.15% multi-species probiotics; T3, 0.3% multi-species probiotics; T4, 0.1% β-glucan+0.3% probiotics or devoid them as control) for 5 wk. There was no significant difference in feed intake among the groups. The average weight gains and FCR in groups fed diet containing 0.3% probiotics were significantly improved(p<0.05) than control in finisher period(22-35d). The concentration of serum cholesterol ester in groups fed 0.3% probiotics were significantly lowered(p<0.05) as compared to that of the control. Relative weights of liver, spleen, bursa of Fabricius, breast and leg were not influenced by the dietary treatments. The average ND or IB antibody titers in groups fed diets containing β-glucan and probiotics were tended to be increased, but not significantly. The number of cecal lactic acid bacteria was significantly increased(p<0.05) by the dietary β- glucan and probiotics. These results indicated that dietary β-glucan and probiotics exerted a growth- promoting and immune-enhancing effects on broiler chicks. In addition, yeast derived β-glucan, and multi-species probiotics modulated the profiles of cecal microflora, reflecting potential alternative substances to replace antibiotics for feeding broiler.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.43-54
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• 1982

Bile formation is a complex process comprised of three separate physiologic mechanism operating at two anatomical sites. At present time, it was known that at least two processes are responsible for total canalicular secretion at the bile canaliculus. One of the processes is bile salt-dependent secretion (BSDS) hypothesis that the active transport of bile salts from plasma to bile provided a primary stimulus for bile formation: the osmotic effect of actively transported bile acid was responsible for the movement of water and ions into bile. The other process is bile salt-independent secretion (ESIS), which is unrelated to bile salt secretion at the canaliculus and which may involve the active transport of sodium. The third process for bile formation involves the biliary ductal epithelium. Secretin-stimulated bile characteristically contained bicarbonate in high concentration. Therefor, it was suggested that secretin stimulated water and bicarbonate secretion from the biliary ductules. One the other hand, it was found that a large amounts of cAMP was present in canine bile but no apparent relationship between bile salt secretion and cAMP content in dog bile. However, bile flow studies in human have demonstrated that secretin and glucagon increase bile cAMP secretion as does secretin in baboons. Secretin increases baboon bile duct mucosal cAMP levels in addition to bile CAMP levels suggesting that in that species secretin-stimulated bile flow may be cAMP mediated. It has been postulated that glucagon and theophylline which increase the bile salt-independent secretion in dogs might act through an increased in liver cAMP content. In a few studies, the possible role of cAMP on bile formation has teen tested by administration of an exogenous derivative of cAMP, dibutyryl cAMP. In the rat, DB cAMP did not modify bile flow, but injection of DB cAMP in the dog promoted an increase in the bile salt-independent secretion. Because of these contradictory results, this study was carried out to examine the relationship between cyclic nucleotides and bile flow due to various bile salts as well as secretin or theophylline. Experiments were performed in rabbits with anesthesia produced by the injection of seconal(30 mg/kg). Rabbits had the cystic duct ligated and the proximal end of the divided common duct cannulated with an appropriately sized polyethylene catheter. A similar catheter was placed into the inferior vena cava for administration of drugs. Bile was collected for determination of cyclic nucleotides and total cholate in 15 min. intervals for a few hours. The results are summerized as followings. 1) Administrations of taurocholic acid or chenodeoxycholic acid increased significantly the concentrations of cAMP and cGMP in bile of rabbits. 2) Concentration of cAMP in bile during the continuous infusion of ursodeoxycholic acid, was remarkedly increased in accordance with the increase of bile flow, while on the contrary concentration of cGMP in bile was decreased significantly. 3) Dehydrocholic acid and deoxycholic acid significantly increased bile flow, total cholate output and cyclic nucleotides in bile. 4) Only cAMP concentration in bile was significantly increased from control value by secretin, while theophylline increased cAMP as well as cGMP in rabbit bile. 5) In addition, the administration of secretin to taurocholic acid-stimulated bile flow increased cAMP while theophylline produced the increases of cAMP and cGMP in bile. 6) The administration of insulin to taurocholic acid-stimulated bile flow decreased cAMP concentration, while on the contrary cGMP was remarkedly increased in rabbit bile.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.85-93
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• 2012

Purpose: It is essential to minimize the respiratory-induced motion of involved organs in the Tomotherapy for tumor located in the chest and abdominal region. However, the application of breathing control system to Tomotherapy is limited. This study was aimed to investigate the possible application of the ABCHES system and its efficacy as a means of breathing control in the tomotherapy treatment. Materials and Methods: Five subjects who were treated with a Hi-Art Tomotherapy system for lung, liver, gallbladder and pancreatic tumors. All patients undertook trained on two breathing methodes using an ABCHES, free breathing methode and shallow breathing methode. When the patients could carry out the breathing control, 4D-CT scan was a total of 10 4D tomographic images were acquired. A radiologist resident manually drew the tumor region, including surrounding nomal organs, on each of CT images at the inhalation phase, the exhalation phase and the 40% phase (mid-inhalation) and average CT image. Those CT images were then exported to the Tomotherapy planning station. Data exported from the Tomotherapy planning station was analyzed to quantify characteristics of dose-volume histograms and motion of tumors. Organ motions under free breathing and shallow breathing were examined six directions, respectively. Radiation exposure to the surrounding organs were also measured and compared. Results: Organ motion is in the six directions with more than a 5 mm displacement. A total of 12 Organ motions occurred during free breathing while organ motions decreased to 2 times during shallow breathing under the use of Abches. Based on the quantitative analysis of the dose-volume histograms shallow breathing showed lower resulting values, compared to free breathing, in every measure. That is, treatment volume, the dose of radiation to the tumor and two surrounding normal organs (mean doses), the volume of healthy tissue exposed to radiation were lower at the shallow breathing state. Conclusion: This study proposes that the use of ABCHES is effective for the Tomotherapy treatment as it makes shortness of breathing easy for patients. Respiratory-induced tumor motion is minimized, and radiation exposure to surrounding normal tissues is also reduced as a result.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2016

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), is a protein mainly secreted by a liver. The PCSK9 plays an important role in low density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism acting as a repressor of LDL receptor through transportation of the LDLR to the lysosome for degradation. Thus, the PCSK9 inhibitor suppresses PCSK9-regulated degradation of the LDL receptor as a LDL-lowering medicine. However, little is known about the role of PCSK9 in the reproductive system. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated Pcsk9 expression in male reproductive tracts including penises, prostates and testes using rats in response to their diets between a normal diet and a high-fat diet with cholesterol. Based on our previous study, the high-fat diet elevates concentration of total cholesterol and LDL in serum whereas it reduces the concentration of plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL). In addition, it dramatically affects to morphological changes of the male reproductive organs. Consistent with these results, the expression of Pcsk9 was substantially decreased in the penile tissues (P < 0.001) from rats fed a high fat diet as compared to a normal diet. Moreover, it slightly reduced in the prostate and testes (P < 0.05) of rats in response to a high fat diet. Localization of Pcsk9 was predominantly detected in urethral epithelium of penises, cylinder-shaped cells of prostate glands, and spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatid of testes of rats. Collectively, results of current study provide invaluable insights into the Pcsk9 gene with respect to its tissue- and cell-specific expression by a high fat diet with cholesterol.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.120-125
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• 2015

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of MSG on cognitive function and anxiety by the T-maze and elevated-plus-maze test and repeated oral dose toxicity in SD rat of MSG. The rats were treated with MSG of control group, low group (3 g/kg) and high group (5 g/kg) intragastrically for 4 weeks, respectively. We examined the body weight, the clinical signs, T-maze, Elevated-plus-maze, hematological analysis and serum biochemical analysis, we also observed the histopathological changes of liver, kidney in rats. No significant differences in body weights, biochemical analysis and histopathological observations between control and MSG treatment group were found. In the elevated plus maze (EPM), MSG-treatment group has more open arm visited than controls. MSG-treatment group has been more activated in T-maze test. These data indicate the continuous high MSG intake could be increased the anxiety and could be decreased cognitive ability. In conclusion, MSG is physiologically safety, but high MSG intake could be increased the anxiety and could be decreased cognitive ability in juvenile rat.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.225-238
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• 2007

In this study, the effects of dietary krill meal levels on cellular immunity in LPS-injected broiler chicks was evaluated. One day-old male broiler chicks(Ross) were fed on the experimental basal meal(0.0% krill meal), or diets containing 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0% krill for 3 weeks, and the acute phase response was activated by intraperitoneally injection of Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide(LPS) 3 times at 9, 11, and 13 days of age. 1. Acute phase response induced a significant reduction in(p<0.05) daily weight gain and feed intake, and increases in liver and spleen weight. However, it was not affected by dietary krill meal levels. 2. The krill meal diets reduced TNF-α activity as compared to the basal diet after 24 hours (acute phase response) and 1 week(recovery from the acute phase response) following LPS injection (p<0.05). The acute phase response induced a significant increase(p<0.05) in TNF-α activity relative to the control in chicks fed on a basal diet, but this was also unaffected by dietary krill meal levels. 3. Acute phase response-mediated ovotransferrin levels(relative to what was measured in the control bird) were increased in birds fed on the basal, 1.0% and 2.0% krill diets, and were reduced in birds fed on the 0.5 % krill diet. 4. In LPS-injected chicks, 1.0% and 2.0% krill meal diets induced a significant reduction in(p<0.05) the Con A-induced proliferation of PBMC and splenocytes relative to what was observed in the chicks fed on a 0.5% krill diet, whereas the splenocytes proliferated in a linear fashion with the krill levels in the diets of the control birds. The results showed that the dietary levels of krill meal reduced TNF-α activity in the blood and also influenced blood ovotransferrin levels and the proliferation of PBMC and splenocytes, and krill meal is considered to be associated with both innate and cellular immunity in broiler chicks.