• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2021

Purpose: We investigated whether consecutive levels of new emerging renal biomarkers, including serum cystatin C (CysC) and urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL)/creatinine (Cr) ratio, were affected by postconceptional age in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. Methods: Repeatedly measured samples for each infant were divided into four groups according to postnatal age: at birth (stage I), 3 to 7 days postnatally (stage II), 8 to 28 days postnatally (stage III), and >28 days postnatally (stage IV). The association between renal biomarkers and postconceptional age was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient, and the mean values of renal biomarkers in the four stages were compared using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: For samples measured at birth, serum CysC (r=-0.358, P=0.032) and urinary NGAL/Cr ratio (r=-0.522, P=0.001) were negatively correlated with gestational age, whereas serum Cr (r=0.148, P=0.390) was not. In addition, for all samples measured, serum CysC (r=-0.209, P=0.012), urinary NGAL/Cr ratio (r=-0.536, P<0.001), and serum Cr (r=-0.311, P<0.001) were negatively correlated with postconceptional age. Compared with the mean values of the postnatal age-specific stages, serum CysC showed no significant differences in any of the four stages. However, the urinary NGAL/Cr ratio in stage IV was significantly different from those in stages I to III. Conclusion: Although urinary NGAL/Cr ratio and serum CysC were negatively correlated with postconceptional age considering renal development, serum CysC showed no significant differences in any of the four postnatal age-specific stages. Urinary NGAL/Cr ratio at >28 days postnatally seems to be more affected by postconceptional age than serum CysC in VLBW infants.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.173-177
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• 2003

Purpose : Recently, different results about factors affecting accurate quantitation of 24-hr urinary protein(24UP) amount using spot urine protein/creatinine ratio(PCR) have been reported. The current study was designed to evaluate correlation between 24UP amounts and PCR in children, and the effect of 24UP amounts, age, sex, and glomerular filtration rate(GFR) on this correlation. Methods : Among 94 patients who visited the department of pediatrics in Busan Paik Hospital from March 2002 to August 2002, 68 patients whose urinary creatinine excretion was ${\geq}15mg/kg/day$ were included in this study. All the patients were divided into I, II/A, B group(I : 24UP<500 mg/day, II : $24UP{\geq}500mg/day$, A : <10 years of age, B : ${\geq}10years$ of age). Pearson correlation analysis was performed between 24UP and PCR to evaluate the relationship. We defined fractional difference between 24UP and PCR, and then performed multiple regression analysis with 24UP amount, age, GFR and fractional difference. Results : There was a strong positive linear correlation between 24UP and PCR(R=0.936, P<0.0001) in all patients, and the correlation was also good in each group. Using PCR cutoff values of 0.5, the PCR provided high sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value in predicting 24UP amount ${\geq}500mg$. The factors affecting accurate quantitation of proteinuria using spot urine PCR was age, not 24UP amount, GFR or sex. Conclusion : Spot urine PCR is a useful test but has limitations in predicting 24UP amount. Therefore, it should be used only as screening method. Age-adjusted PCR cutoff values may be necessary to predict 24UP amount in children with proteinuria.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.450-459
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• 2011

Objectives: Biomarkers in urine are important in assessing exposures to environmental or occupational chemicals and for evaluateing renal function by exposure from these chemicals. Spot urine samples are needed to adjust the concentration of these biomarkers for variations in urine dilution. This study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of adjusting the urinary concentration of cadmium (uCd) and arsenic (uAs) by specific gravity (SG) and urine creatinine (uCr). Methods: We measured the concentrations of blood cadmium (bCd), uCd, uAs, uCr, SG and N-acetyl-${\beta}$-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity, which is a sensitive marker of tubular damage by low dose Cd exposure, in spot urine samples collected from 536 individuals. The value of uCd, uAs and NAG were adjusted by SG and uCr. Results: The uCr levels were affected by gender (p < 0.01) and muscle mass (p < 0.01), while SG levels were affected by gender (p < 0.05). Unadjusted uCd and uAs were correlated with SG (uCd: r = 0.365, p < 0.01; uAs: r = 0.488, p < 0.01), uCr (uCd: r = 0.399, p < 0.01; uAs: r = 0.484, p < 0.01). uCd and uAs adjusted by SG were still correlated with SG (uCd: r = 0.360, p < 0.01, uAs: r = 0.483, p < 0.01). uCd and uAs adjusted by uCr and modified uCr ($M_{Cr}$) led to a significant negative correlation with uCr (uCd: r = -0.367, p < 0.01; uAs: r = -0.319, p < 0.01) and $M_{Cr}$ (uCd: r = -0.292, p < 0.01; uAs: r = -0.206, p < 0.01). However, uCd and uAs adjusted by conventional SG ($C_{SG}$) were disappeared from these urinary dilution effects (uCd: r = -0.081; uAs: r = 0.077). Conclusions: $C_{SG}$ adjustment appears to be more appropriate for variations in cadmium and arsenic in spot urine.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.274-278
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• 1990

The metabolic disturbance and nephrotoxicity induced by sodium dichromate (20 mg/kg, SC) have been diminished by the administration of Korean red ginseng extract (100 mg/kg, PO). Red ginseng has a powerful potency on the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) increment shown in the early 2h after dichromate intoxication. It normalized the dichromate induced hepatic glycogenolysis. The effect of red ginseng on dichroamte induced nephrotoxicity was investigated by hematological analysis, and urinalysis. Ginseng treatment significantly reduced the increases in the urinary excretion of protein and glucose. These effects were dose dependent. Ginseng protected the accumulation of BUN and creatinine in the blood, caused by dichromate intoxication. Unlike CaEDTA, ginseng did not change the urinary excretion of chromiilm and it could not convert hexavalent chronlium to trialvalent chromium. These results suggest that ginseng treatment is effective in decreasing the metabolic disturbance, one of the earliest signs of dichromate toxicity, resulting in the protective effect of dichromate induced renal damage.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.817-824
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• 1995

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of dietary protein level on Ca efficiency in bone mineral density in growing male rats. Twenty male rate were divided into two groups. The rats in one group were fed on casein 20% diet as control group and the others were fed on casein 40% diet as protein group. All rats were fed on experimental diet and deionized water ad libitum for 9 weeks. The total body, spine and femur bone mineral density and bone mineral content were measured using dual energy-x ray absorptiometry. Urinary calcium, phosphate, pyridinoline and creatinine, serum calcium, phosphate, total protein, albumin, alkaline phosphatase(ALP) and osteocalcin were measured. Urinary Ca excretion, pyridinoline and crosslinks value and serum ALP content seem to be increased in high protein group. It appears that the growing rats in high protein group had a higher bone resprption and bone formation than those in control group. Animal fad a high protein diet had a siginficantly higher Ca efficiency in BMD, BMC of total body, spine and femur. The results of this show that increasing of dietary protein level (40%) is beneficial of improvement of Ca efficiency during growing period.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.3 s.130
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• pp.200-206
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• 2002

The rhizoma of Polygonatum odoratum (Liliaceae) has been used as the treatment of body fluid deficiency, dryness symptoms and hyper glycemia. To study effects on acute renal failure of P. odorati rhizoma, urinary volume, urinary electrolytes and serum factors associated with renal dysfunction were measured in $HgCl_2-induced$ acute renal failure rats. It was revealed that its ether ex. had significant diuretic effects, regulated hypoelectrolytes$(Na^+,\;K^+,\;Cl^-)$ and inhibited the increase of creatinine, BUN in acute renal failure rats. From the ether ex. which was more effective than MeOH ex., three lipophilic compounds were isolated and elucidated hydrocarbon(l), ${\beta}-sitosteryl$ stearate(2), ${\beta}-sitosterol$(3). The ${\beta}-sitosteryl$ stearate(2) were isolated from Polygonatum sp. at first.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.427-434
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of vitamin I supplementation on renal function in high fat diet and adriamycin (ADR) induced experimental nephrotic syndrome in model rats. The effects of vitamin E supplementation on renal function in high fat diet and ADR treated rats were as follows. Kidney weight was decreased by vitamin E supplementation. Serum total protein was increased by the excess supplementation. Blood urea nitrogen(BUN) was decreased by the high supplementation. However, serum albumin and creatinine showed no significant differences between groups. Urinary volume tended to increase by vitamin I supplementation. Urinary urea-N tended by vitamin I supplementation. Particularly glomerular filtration rate(GFR) was significantly decreased by vitamin E supplementation. These results suggested that vitamin E supplementation could alleviate the adverse effects caused in renal function by highfatdiet and ADR treatments.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.70-74
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• 1998

Cyperus rotundus L. (Cyperaceae) has been used as an analgesic, antiinflammatoty agent, diuretic and emmenagoga in folk remedies. Cyperi Rhizomata, processed and unproces sed, were extracted with MeOH and fractionated with petroleum ether (Pet. Ether), $CHCl_3$, BuOH, water. In order to investigate the effects of their fractions on kidney function of acute renal failure rats induced by $HgCl_2$ urinary volume, BUN, Creatinine, Uric acid were determined. The diuretic effect of processed Cyperi Rhizoma was significantly increased in renal failure rats, on serum chemical parameters, the significant inhibition of BUN (blood urea nitrogen) of processed Cyperi Rhizoma was revealed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.170-176
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• 1997

Twenty two hypertensive and thirty normotensive in-patients were participated in this study to investigate the relationship between plasma renin activity and metabolism of Ca and Na, Prior to pharmacological treatments, renin activity, aldosterone and parathyroid hormone(PTH) levels were measured from the fasting blood samles. Twenty four hour urine samples were collected to analyze urinary levels of creatinine, Ca, Na and K. Habitual intake of Na and Ca were also measured for hypertensive and normotensive patients. Hypertensive subjects were classified into higher reinin hypertensive (HH), medium renin hypertensive(MH) and low renin hypertensive (LH) group according to their renin activities. PTH level of LH group was the highest among three hypertensive groups. It appeared that aldosterone levels of HH group were significantly higher than LH or MH groups(p<0.05). However there were no significan시 differences in aldosterone level between LH group and normotensive group. Habitual intake of Na and Ca were highest in LH group but lowest in HH group, however, they were not statistically different. Positive correlations of systolic blood pressure with PTH(r=0.2597) and aldosterone(r=0.26480existed(p<0.05). Urinary Ca level was positively correlated with urinary Na(r=0.5619), K(r=0.4533) and habitual Na intake(r=0.3253). Above results suggested the possible relationships among renin activity, habitual Ca intake and Na intake and suggested a further study on the interrelationship between the hormonal control of Ca and Na metabolism and blood pressure in hypertension.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.325-330
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• 2002

In this study, the biochemical role of genetic polymorphism in modulating urinary excretion of benzene metabolite as phenol level has been investigated in 90 workers exposed to benzene in the petroleum refinery plant of Korea. The mean concentration of volatile benzene in the refinery environment was 0.042 mg/㎥ (SD, 0.069) and that of urinary phenol was 7.42 mg/g creatinine (SD, 11.3). The frequencies of CYP2E1 genotypes, namely CYP2E1$^*1$/$^*1$, CYP2E1$^*1$/$^*2$ and CYP2E1$^*2$/$^*2$ were 2.2% (2 subjects), 6.7% (G subjects) and 91.1% (85 subjects), respectively, and allele frequencies for CYP2E1$^*1$ and CYP2E1$^*2$ were 0.06 and 0.94. The airborne benzene concentration was significantly related to the concentration of phenol in urine (r = 0.640, p < 0.01). The urinary phenol level was significantly correlated with CYP2E1$^*2$/$^*2$ (r = 0.590, p < 0.05). The various biological (i.e. age and liver function parameters) or lifestyle factors (i.e. medication, smoking, alcohol and coffee intake), also taken into account as potential confounders, did not influence the correlation found. These results suggested that CYP2E1 genotypes might play an important role in the metabolism of benzene.