• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.190-196
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• 2012

The human exposure of lead has usually detected the amount of lead in the whole blood, however, this method has a shortcoming to give the information on the short-term exposure to lead. In that sense, it is desirable to estimates the level of lead in plasma to draw the chronic bio-marker of lead exposure even though it is difficult to measure lead of several ng/L. An inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method was developed for determining lead in plasma as the chronic bio-marker of lead of workers. To minimize the contamination of lead from the environment, we constructed class 1,000 clean room and compared the amount of floating dust before and after the operation of the clean room. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of lead in fetal bovine serum were 4.3 ng/L and 12.2 ng/L by NIOSH method (statistical calculation method) and 7.0 ng/L and 22.1 ng/L by signal/noise ratio, respectively. The accuracy was in a range of 92.3-101.3%, and the precision of the assay was less than 4% in the samples spiked in the concentration of 20 ng/L and 2,000 ng/L. The method was simple, reproducible and sensitive enough to permit reliable analysis of lead to the ng/L level in plasma and/or serum. The method was also useful for the biological monitoring of chronic exposure to lead.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.241-254
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• 2013

In order to establish bio-marker systems for the screening of endocrine-disrupting chemicals contaminated in various environment, Vitellogenin(Vtg) bio-marker have been developed to detect Scorpion fish's(Sebastiscus marmoratus) Vtg. Vtg has been induced by administration of estradiol into S. marmoratus, and purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography from serum of the fish. After immunization of the purified Vtg into BALB/c mouse, hybridomas secreting anti-Vtg antibodies have been produced. The size of induced Vtg in the serum was about 440 kDa by gel filtration using Sepharose CL-6B. By SDS-PAGE analysis, the main band of Vtg, however, was at 175 kDa, and several minor bands have been detected with the main band. Eight different monoclonal antibodies have been produced from established hybridomas and the antibodies did not cross-react with sera from different species of fishes tested in this study except with that of Sebastes hubbsi. These results suggested that the monoclonal antibody of S28 and S15 can used as capture and tracer antibodies for ELISA and ICG assays. The detection systems developed in this study can be used as Bio-marker assays to check endocrine disrupting activity of various chemicals as well as to detect known endocrine disrupting chemicals contaminated in environment.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 2007

Purpose : GFR(glomerular filtration rate) is a fundamental parameter in detecting renal impairment and predicts the progression of renal disease. Because serum creatinine has several disadvantages, serum cystatin C has been recently proposed as a new endogenous marker for GFR. We compared serum cystatin C with creatinine and creatinine clearance to investigate the clinical usefulness of cystatin C. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed 46 patients(60 case numbers) who had various renal diseases and classified them into 3 groups according to creatinine clearance(Group 1 : CrCl <40 mL/min/$1.73m^2$, Group 2 : CrCl 40-60 mL/min/$1.73m^2$, Group 3 CrCl >60 mL/min/$1.73m^2$). We measured serum creatinine, cystatin C and creatinine clearance and also analyzed the correlations among them. Results : Serum cystatin C and creatinine showed a similar correlation to creatinine clearance (r=0.685, r=0.640, respectively) and showed similar diagnostic accuracy in detecting decreased GFR(AUC, cystatin C 0.829 vs. creatinine 0.826, P=0.848). Serum cystatin C showed a greater sensitivity for detecting a decreased GFR than creatinine in Group 2 and 3(Group 1 : 100% vs. 100%, Group 2 : 70% vs. 35%, Group 3 : 46% vs. 15%). Conclusions : Serum cystatin C could be a useful endogenous marker for GFR and would be superior to serum creatinine in early detection of renal impairment in pediatric patients with renal diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.502-510
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• 1992

Background: Neuron specific enolase (NSE) is a neuronal form of the glycolytic enzyme enolase which was first found in extracts of brain tissue, and later in a variety of APUD cells and neurons of the diffuse endocrine system. SCLC shares many APUD properties with normal neuroendocrine cells. NSE immunostaining and serum NSE measurement may be a useful marker of neuroendocrine differentiation in lung tumors and diagnosis of small cell carcinoma. Methods: NSE immunohistochemical staining was done and at the same time serum NSE levels were measured in 22 small cell lung cancer and 21 non small cell lung cancer which were confirmed histologically. Results: 1) NSE immunoreactivity was detected in 9 of the 18 (50%) small cell lung cancer, in 5 of the 16 non small cell lung cancer. 2) Whereas the mean value in non-small cell lung cancer group was $11.79{\pm}4.47\;ng/ml$, the mean level of serum NSE in small cell lung cancer increased up to $59.3{\pm}77.8\;ng/ml$. In small cell lung cancer patients, mean value of limited disease group was $20.19{\pm}12.91\;ng/ml$, while mean value of extended disease group was $91.9{\pm}94.2\;ng/ml$ showing statistically significant difference. If serum levels above 20 ng/ml were tentatively defined as positive, 16 of 22 (73%) patients with SCLC had positive serum NSE level, but only one patient with NSCLC did. There was no correlation between serum NSE level and immunoreactivity of NSE. Conclusion: These studies indicate that serum NSE measurement may be a useful marker for the diagnosis and disease extent and NSE immunostaining can be used to demonstrate the neuroendocrine components of lung tumor.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.6923-6928
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• 2015

Background: Early detection of various kinds of cancers nowadays is needed including colorectal cancer due to the highly significant effects in improving cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential value of adiponectin, visfatin and resistin as early biomarkers for colorectal cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Serum levels of adiponectin, visfatin and resistin were measured by a sandwich-enzyme-linked (ELISA) assay technique in 114 serum samples comprising 34 patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), 27 with colonic polyps (CP), 24 with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and 29 healthy controls. The diagnostic accuracy of each serum marker was evaluated using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: The mean concentration of adiponectin was significantly higher in CRC and CP groups than IBD and control groups (P-value <0.05). Also the mean concentration of serum resistin was significantly elevated in the IBD and control groups compared to CRC and CP groups (P-value = 0.014). However, no significant difference was noted in patients of the CRC and CP groups. On the other hand, the mean concentration of visfatin was significantly elevated in CRC and control groups compared to CP and IBD groups (P-value = 0.03). ROC analysis curves for the studied markers revealed that between CRC and IBD groups serum level of adiponectin had a sensitivity of 76.7% and a specificity of 76% at a cut off value of 3940, +LR being 3.2 and -LR 0.31 with AUC 0.852, while serum level of adiponectin between CP and IBD had a sensitivity of 77.8% and a specificity of 75% at a cut off value of 3300, with +LR=3.11 and -LR = 0.3 with AUC 0.852. On the other hand the serum level of visfatin between CRC and CP groups had a sensitivity of 65.5% and a specificity of 66.7 at a cut off value of 2.4, +LR being 1.67 and -LR 0.52 with AUC 0.698. Also the serum level of resistin had a sensitivity of 62.5% and a specificity of 70.3% at a cut off value of 24500, with +LR=2.1 and -LR = 0.53 with AUC 0.685 between control and other groups. On the other hand by comparing control vs CP groups resistin had a sensitivity of 81.8% and a specificity of 70.8% at a cut off value of 17700, with +LR=2.8 and -LR = 0.26 with AUC 0.763 while visfatin had a sensitivity of 68.2% and a specificity of 70.8% at a cut off value of 2.7, with +LR=2.34 and -LR = 0.0.45 with AUC 0.812. Conclusions: These findings support potential roles of adiponectin, visfatin and resistin in early detection of CRC and discrimination of different groups of CRC, CP or IBD patients from normal healthy individuals.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.693-699
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• 2005

Protein-calorie malnutrition is common in maintenance dialysis patients. Indeed, diabetic patients with chronic renal failure are considered to be at increased risk of malnutrition. The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional status and markers of inflammation of hemodialysis patients with and without type 2 diabetes. We compared nutritional parameters and C-reactive protein (CRP) as a marker of inflammation in 30 type 2 diabetic patients and age-matched 30 non-diabetic patients with hemodialysis. Serum albumin was significantly lower in patients with type 2 diabetes $(3.45\pm0.43g/dL)$ than in non-diabetic patients $(3.64\pm0.36 g/dL)$ (p<0.05). In contrast, the concentration of serum CRP was significantly higher in type 2 diabetes $(1.42\pm1.8mg/dL)$ (p<0.05). There were significant negative-relationships between serum albumin and CRP level in both diabetic (r=-0.553, p<0.01) and non-diabetic (r=-0.579, p<0.01) patients. In diabetic patients, serum albumin level was significantly correlated with hemoglobin (r = 0.488, p < 0.01) and hematocrit (r=0.386, p < 0.01). Diabetic patients as compared to non-diabetic patients showed a significant (p < 0.01) increased serum triglyceride (TG) $(153.1\pm80.1mg/dL\;vs\;101.6\pm62.4mg/dL)$ and decreased serum HDL cholesterol $(36.89\pm13.48mg/dL\;vs\;47.00\pm14.02mg/dL,\;P<0.05)$. There were significant correlations in the intake of calorie and serum albumin levels in both diabetic (r=0.438, p< 0.05) and non-diabetic (r=0.527, p<0.05) patients. Serum CRP level was negatively correlated with calorie (r= -0.468, p < 0.05), protein (r=-0.520, p < 0.01) and fat intakes (r=-0.403, p < 0.05) in diabetic patients and calorie (r=-0.534, p<0.05) and protein intakes (r=-0.559, p<0.05) in non-diabetic patients. The prevalence of protein malnutrition and the risk factors of cardiovascular disease were significantly higher in type 2 diabetic patients than in non-diabetic hemodialysis patients. Thus, we can suggest that the higher comorbidity and mortality rate in diabetic hemodialysis patients are partially explained by malnutrition and inflammation.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.287-293
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• 1998

Although serum gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT) has been widely used as a marker of alcoholic hepatic dysfunction, little is known as to behavioral correlates in the normal population. To examine the association between serum GGT activity and some behavioral factors in male rural population, data un health examination in a rural population (248 males aged 40 years and older) was analyzed Multiple linear regression and analysis of convariance were used to control the effect of confounding factors. Adjusted average differences in the level of serum GGT according to body mass index(BMI: $kg/m^2$) and alcohol intake(ml/day) were statistically significant(p=0.051 0<0.001 respectively). Serum GGT activity for BMII$\geq$25 was significantly higher than for BMI<25 in non-drinkers(p=0.007), but not significantly different in drinkers(p=0.892). Alcohol intake was significantly associated with elevated serum GGT activity for both BMI$\geq$25 and BMI<25(p<0.001, p=0.002 respectively). These findings suggest that alcohol drinking, obesity in non-drinkers are important factors associated with serum GGT in male rural population.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2011

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have demonstrated their potential as biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis. In recent years, miRNAs have been found in body fluids such as serum, plasma, urine and saliva. Circulating miRNAs are highly stable and resistant to RNase activity along with, extreme pH and temperatures in serum and plasma. In this study, we investigated serum miRNA profiles that can be used as a diagnostic biomarker of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We compared the expression profile of miRNAs in the plasma of patients diagnosed with lung cancer using an miRNA microarray. The data from this assay were validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: Six miRNAs were overexpressed and three miRNAs were underexpressed in both tissue and serum from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients. Sixteen miRNAs were overexpressed and twenty two miRNAs were underexpressed in both tissue and serum from adenocarcinoma (AC) patients. Of the four miRNAs chosen for qRT-PCR analysis, the expression of miR-23a was consistent with microarray results from AC patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were done and revealed that the level of serum miR-23a was a potential marker for discriminating AC patients from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Conclusion: Although a small number of patients were examined, the results from our study suggest that serum miR-23a can be used in the diagnosis of AC.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2019

This study compared the utility of the serum uric acid/creatinine ratio with that of uric acid as a risk predictor of metabolic syndrome. From November 2016 to October 2018, 14,190 adult men under the age of 20 years, who underwent a comprehensive health checkup at a general hospital in their metropolitan area, were included. Metabolic syndrome was assessed according to the American Heart Association/National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI) criteria. Abdominal obesity was based on the WHO criteria in the Western Pacific region. The serum uric acid/creatinine ratio was found to be higher in the fourth quartile than in the first quartile, with a high incidence of metabolic syndrome and metabolic syndrome components. On the other hand, ROC analysis revealed the serum uric acid/creatinine ratio to be a similar indicator of the metabolic syndrome risk to serum uric acid (AUC, 0.554 vs 0.566). The serum uric acid/creatinine ratio showed lower sensitivity and higher specificity than uric acid. In conclusion, the utility of the serum uric acid/creatinine ratio as an independent indicator to predict the risk of metabolic syndrome is limited, and should be used only as an auxiliary marker.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.95-104
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether increasing the Ti6Al4V surface oxide negative charge through heat ($600^{\circ}C$) or radiofrequency plasma glow discharge (RFGD) pretreatment, with or without a subsequent coating with fibronectin, stimulated osteoblast gene marker expression in the MC3T3 osteoprogenitor cell line. Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure changes over time in the mRNA levels for osteoblast gene markers, including alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, collagen type I (${\alpha}1$), osteocalcin, osteopontin and parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTH-rP), and the osteoblast precursor genes Runx2 and osterix. Results: Osteoprogenitors began to differentiate earlier on disks that were pretreated with heat or RFGD. The pretreatments increased gene marker expression in the absence of a fibronectin coating. However, pretreatments increased osteoblast gene expression for fibronectin-coated disks more than uncoated disks, suggesting a surface oxide-mediated specific enhancement of fibronectin's bioactivity. Heat pretreatment had greater effects on the mRNA expression of genes for PTH-rP, alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin while RFGD pretreatment had greater effects on osteopontin and bone sialoprotein gene expression. Conclusions: The results suggest that heat and RFGD pretreatments of the Ti6Al4V surface oxide stimulated osteoblast differentiation through an enhancement of (a) coated fibronectin's bioactivity and (b) the bioactivities of other serum or matrix proteins. The quantitative differences in the effects of the two pretreatments on osteoblast gene marker expression may have arisen from the unique physico-chemical characteristics of each resultant oxide surface. Therefore, engineering the Ti6Al4V surface oxide to become more negatively charged can be used to accelerate osteoblast differentiation through fibronectin-dependent and independent mechanisms.