• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1430-1434
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• 2005

We conducted two experiments to assess the effect of transfer from housing to grazing on stress hormone secretion in cattle using urine samples. In a preliminary experiment, urine samples were collected following an adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) challenge, and cortisol levels in urine were compared with the levels in plasma. In a second experiment, urinary cortisol was measured before and after the start of a grazing season in 6 Japanese Shorthorn cows, all of which had experienced grazing before. In experiment 1, urinary cortisol showed a pattern of changes similar to that of plasma with a 0.5-h temporal lag time, and the peak levels were 4 to 10 times higher than the basal levels. In experiment 2, the urinary cortisol levels in cows did not change after the cows were let out to pasture, with no decreases in body weight. This study suggests that the transfer from housing to grazing did not affect physiological responses to cause high excretion of urinary cortisol in grazing-experienced cattle using a non-invasive sampling method.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5483-5488
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• 2012

Background: Although nicotine dependence plays a role as a main barrier for smoking cessation, there is still a lack of solid evidence on the validity of biomarkers to determine nicotine dependence in clinical settings. This study aimed to investigate whether urinary cotinine levels could reflect the severity of nicotine dependence in active smokers. Materials and Methods: Data regarding general characteristics and smoking status was collected using a self-administered smoking questionnaire. The Fagerstr$\ddot{o}$m test for nicotine dependence (FTND) was used to determine nicotine dependence of the participants, and a total of 381 participants were classified into 3 groups of nicotine dependence: low (n=205, 53.8%), moderate (n=127, 33.3%), and high dependence groups (n=49, 12.9%). Stepwise multiple linear regression model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analyses were used to determine the validity of urinary cotinine for high nicotine dependence. Results: In correlation analysis, urinary cotinine levels increased with FTND score (r=0.567, P<0.001). ROC curves analysis showed that urinary cotinine levels predicted the high-dependence group with reasonable accuracy (optimal cut-off value=1,000 ng/mL; AUC=0.82; P<0.001; sensitivity=71.4%; specificity=74.4%). In stepwise multiple regression analysis, the total smoking period (${\beta}$=0.042, P=0.001) and urinary cotinine levels (${\beta}$=0.234, P<0.001) were positively associated with nicotine dependence, whereas an inverse association was observed between highest education levels (>16 years) and nicotine dependence (${\beta}$=-0.573, P=0.034). Conclusions: The results of this study support the validity of using urinary cotinine levels for assessment of nicotine dependence in active smokers.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.255-277
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• 1998

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of Aqua-Acupuncture of Yukmijiwangtang(六味地黃湯) and Palmijihwang-tang(八味地黃湯) water extracts applied at the meridian points BL 23(賢兪) and GV 4(命門) to test the renal function in normal rats. The results obtained were as follows; 1. Among the effects of Aqua-Acupuncture of Yukmijihwangtang water extract at the merdian point BL 23 group, there were significant changes in water balance and urine volume over a 1 week period; Both decreasing and decreasing trends were exihibited. Urinary excretion of sodium and free water clearance changed significantly over a 2 week period; Both decreasing and increasing trends were exihibited, Urinary excretion of potassium, chloride and creatinine, plasma renin activity, plasma levels of aldosterone and atrial natriuretic peptide showed no significant differences compared to the contral group. 2. Among the effects of Aqua-Acupuncture of Palmljihwangtang water extract at the merdian point BL 23 group, there were significant changes in water balance and free water clearance over a 2 week period; a decreasing trend. Urinary excretion of creatinine changed significantly over a 2 week period; an increasing trend. Urinary excretion of chloride changed significantly over 1 week period; an increasing trend. The plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide changed significantly over 1 and 2 week period; an increasing trend. Urine volume, urinary excretion of sodium and pottasium, plasma renin activity and plasma level of aldosterone showed no significant differences compared to the control group. 3. Among the effects of Aqua-Acupuncture of Yukmijihwangtang water extract at the meridian point GV 4 group, there was significant decrease in water balance over a 2 week period; there was significant decrease in urine volwne and urinary excretion of sodium and creatinine over a 1 week period, followed by an increasing trend after 2 weeks. Urinary excretion of free water clearance demonstrated significant changes over both 1 and 2 week period; both increasing and decreasing trends were exihibited. Urinary excretion of chloride and plasma levels of aldosterone increased significantly over 1 and 2 week period. Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide also decreased significantly. Plasma renin activity showed no significant differences compared to the control group. 4. Among the effects of Aqua-Acupuncture of Palmijihwangtang water extract at the meridian point GV 4 group, water balance and urinary excretion of chloride, plasma levels of aldosterone decreased significantly over both 1 and 2 week period. Urine volume and urinary excretion of pottasium decreased significantly. Urinary excretion of creatinine and urinary excretion of sodium changed significantly over both 1 and 2 week period. Urinary excretion of free water clearance, plasma renin activity and plasma level of atrial natriuretic peptide showed no significant differences compared to the control group. Seeing these results, I come to know that the effects Aqua-Acupuncture of Yukmijihwangtang and Palmijihwangtang water extracts at the meridian point BL 23 and GV 4 have affected the renal function differently. Seeing the results that BL 23 is a meridian point for Aqua-Acupuncture directly related to the kidney, I think, we can use Aqua-Acupuncture of Yuk-mijihwangtang and Palmijihwangtang water extracts to prevent and to treat the diseases related to kidney.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.132-139
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• 1992

A study was conducted to compare urinary Ca excretion and factors influencing urinary Ca excretion in 30 young and 62 middle-aged Korean women. Mean daily intake levels of total protein and P were significantly higher in middle-aged women but Ca and animal protein intake levels of the two groups were similar. The average percentage of daily Ca intake from milk and milk products in young women was 45% while in middle-aged women it was about 24% The frequency of milk consumption was inversely correlated with blood pressures of the subjects. Mean 24-hour urinary calcium excretion in young and middle-aged women were 163.7mg and 174.9mg respectively. The difference was not significant. Menopause of the mid-dle-aged women did not affect urinary calcium levels. However the proportion of subjects with more than 250mg of Ca in 24-hour urine tended to be higher in middle-aged group Factors significnatly correlated with urinary Ca excretion of subjects were systolic and diastolic The study verifies the need for more systematic studies on Ca requirements and the interrelation-ship among Ca and na metabolism blood pressures and bone loss in the middle-aged Korean.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1013-1020
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to investigate nutrient intake and bone status in rural postmenopausal women in Korea. Ten postmenopausal women in An-Sung area participated in this study and they were divided into two groups ; women in group I had been postmenopausal for 4 years or less and those in group II had been postmenopausal for 5 years or more before the present study began. Their environmental factors and dietary intakes were surveyed through the personal interviews. Serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone(PTH), estradiol and urinary Ca, P, creatinine, hydroxyproline levels were measured from December 4 to December 27 in 1993. The reults of this study are summarized as follows : Average ages of group I and II were 54.8 and 57.2 years. Average menopausal ages of group I and II were 50.8 and 47.3 years. The nutrient intakes of subjects were higher than recommended dietary allowances(RDA) except calorie, protein, calcium, and vitamin A. The nutrient status did not show any significant difference between group I and II. Serum levels of Ca, P, PTH, estradiol and urinary P, creatinine excretion did not show any significant difference between group I and II, and all levels were in normal range. Urinary Ca excretion(p<0.05) and hydroxyproline excretion(p<0.01) were significantly lower in group I than in group II. Urinary Ca/creatinine(Ca/cr) and hydroxyproline/creatinine(Hpr/cr) rations were significantly higher in group II than in group I(p<0.01. And Hpr/cr levels of group I were in normal range, but most of subjects in group II were higher than 0.017 indicating sign of osteoporosis. Correlations between parameters showed that serum PTH adn urinary Ca, Ca/cr levels were positive related (p<0.01), and the years of the after menopausal year and urinary Hpr/cr was also positive related(p<0.05). The present results suggests that it is difficult to protect postmenopausal women's bone destruction having Korean usual diets. Therefore, to prevent osteoporosis with aging, minimizing the hormonal changes in postmenopausal women is needed as well as Ca supplementation and proper exercise before menopause begins.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2021

Objectives: Bisphenol A (BPA) is used in the electrical, mechanical, medical, and food industries. Previous studies have suggested that BPA is an endocrine disruptor. Regulation of BPA has led to increased use of bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS). However, few studies have investigated the associations of BPF and BPS with thyroid dysfunction in children. Our study investigated the associations of prenatal BPA and early childhood BPA, BPF, and BPS exposure with thyroid function in 6-year-old children. Methods: Prenatal BPA concentrations were measured during the second trimester of pregnancy in an established prospective birth cohort. We measured urinary BPA, BPF, and BPS concentrations and thyroid hormone levels (thyroid-stimulating hormone, total T3, and free T4) in 6-year-old children (n=574). We examined the associations between urinary bisphenol concentrations and percentage change of thyroid hormone concentrations using multivariate linear regression. We also compared thyroid hormone levels by dividing the cohort according to BPA, BPF, and BPS concentrations. Results: The associations between prenatal BPA and total T3 levels were statistically significant in all models, except for girls when using a crude model. The associations between urinary BPA and BPS concentrations and levels of all thyroid hormones were not statistically significant. However, we observed that lower free T4 levels (-1.94%; 95% confidence interval, -3.82 to -0.03) were associated with higher urinary BPF concentrations in girls only. Conclusions: Our findings identified significant associations between prenatal BPA exposure and total T3 levels in all children and between BPF exposure and free T4 levels in girls only.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.303-311
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• 2002

This study evaluated the concentrations of urinary metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in industrial waste incineration workers. The effect of genetic polymorphisms of xenobiotic metabolism enzymes on urinary concentration of PAH metabolites was assessed. And, aromatic DNA adduct levels were also determined in total white blood cells. Fifty employees were recruited from a company handling industrial wastes located in Ansan, Korea: non-exposed group (n=21), exposed group (n=29). Sixteen ambient PAHs were determined by GC/MSD (NIOSH method) from personal breathing zone samples of nine subjects near incinerators. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide (1-OHPG), a major pyrene metabolite, was assayed by synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy after immunoaffinity purification using monoclonal antibody 8E11 (SFS/IAC). Multiplex PCR was used for genotyping for GSTMI/TI and PCR-RFLP for genotyping of CYP1A1 (MspI and Ile/Val). PAH-DNA adducts in peripheral blood WBC were measured by the nuclease P1-enhanced postlabeling assay. Smoking habit, demographic and occupational information were collected by self-administered questionnaire. The range of total ambient PAH levels were 0.00-7.00 mg/㎥ (mean 3.31). Urinary 1-OHPG levels were significantly higher in workers handling industrial wastes than in those with presumed lower exposure to PAHs (p=0.006, by Kruskal-Wallis test). There was a statistically significant dose-response increase in 1-OHPG levels with the number of cigarettes consumed per day (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.686, p<0.001). Urinary 1-OHPG levels in occupationally exposed smoking workers were highest compared with non-occupationally exposed smokers (p=0.053, by Kruskal-Wallis test). Smoking and GSTMI genotype were significant predictors for log-transformed 1-OHPG by multiple regression analysis (overall model R²=0.565, p<0.001), whereas smoking was the only significant predictor for log-transformed aromatic DNA adducts (overall model R²=0.249, p=0.201). Aromatic DNA adducts was also a significantly correlation between log transferred urinary 1-OHPG levels (pearson's correlation coefficient=0.307, p=0.04). However, the partial correlation coefficient adjusting for Age, Sex, and cigarette consumption was not significant (r=0.154, p=0.169). The significant association exists only in individuals with the GSTMI null genotype (pearsons correlation coefficient=0.516, p=0.010; partial correlation coefficient adjusting for age, sex, and cigarette consumption, r=0.363, p=0.038). Our results suggest that the significant increase in urinary 1-OHPG in the exposed workers is due to higher prevalence of smokers among them, and that the association between urinary PAH metabolites and aromatic DNA adducts in workers of industrial waste handling may be modulated by GSTMI genotype. There results remain to be confirmed in future larger studies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.601-607
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• 1996

Nineteen non-insulin-dependent diabetic(NIDD) and healthy control women were investigated to study the relationship between glycemic control and the level of calcium, zinc, and magnesium in the serum and urine. Urinary calcium, zinc and magnesium levels in the NIDD women were significantly higher(p<0.01) than those of the control women. There were no difference in serum magnesium and zinc levels between the two groups, but se겨m calcium level was lower(p<0.01) in the NIDD women compared to that of the control group. In the NIDD women, serum magnesium was negatively related to fasting blood glucose(r=-0.533 : p<0.05), urinary glucose(r=-0.767 ; P<0.001), urinary protein(r=-0.476 : p<0.05), and urine volume(r=-0.571 : p<0.05). The levels of zinc in both serum (r=0.515, p<0.05) and urine(r=0.623 : p<0.01) were related to urinary protein but only urinary zinc level(r=0.570 : p<0.01) was related to serum albumin. Urinary magnesium, not calcium was correlated with the urinary glucose(r=0.563 : p<0.05) and urinary protein(r=0.568 ; p<0.05). Fasting blood glucose was positively correlated with duration of diabetes, as well as dietary fat and calorie intake. The results of this study suggest that NIDD alters all magnesium, zinc, and calcium utilization, particularly magnesium is involved in glycemic control in this condition.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2001

Eighty-one workers including 38 employees directly incinerating industry wastes were recruited from a company located in South Korea. To evaluate the association between urinary 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide (1-OHPG) levels, as internal dose of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure, and glycophorin A (GPA) mutation frequency, as an early biologic effect indicator. Urinary 1-OHPG levels were measured by synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy after immunoaffinity purification using monoclonal antibody 8E11. Erythrocyte GPA variant frequency (NN or NO) was assessed in MN heterozygotes with a flow cytometic assay. The GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes were assessed by a multiplex PCR method. The GPA NN phenotype frequency was higher in occupationally exposed group (n=14, mean$\pm$S.D. 6.6$\pm$12.0 in 10/SUP 6/ erythrocyte cells) than in non-exposed group (n=22, 2.1$\pm$3.5). Similarly, the GPA(NO or NN) phenotype frequency was higher in exposed group (n=14, 9.7$\pm$17.3) than non-exposed group (n=22, 4.2$\pm$6.3). The above differences failed to reach statistical significance, but a significant increase was seen in GPA variant frequency levels with increase in urinary 1-OHPG levels (Spearman's correlation: p=0.06 (NO), p=0.07 (NO or NN)). When this association was evaluated by GSTM1 genotype status, the association between GPA mutation and urinary 1-OHPG levels was stronger in individuals with GSTM1 present genotype (Spearmans correlation; r=0.50, p=0.02). These results suggest that the association between urinary 1-OHPG and GPA mutation is be modulated by the GSTM1 genotype.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.4 s.55
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• pp.375-380
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• 2006

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) have been emphasized due to their threats in human health. Waste incinerator emission has been emphasized as a source of EDC including polychlorinateddibenzofurans(PCDD/F) and other carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) has been used as an exposure biomarker for the PAHs. On the other hand, etheno-DNA adducts, e.g. 1, $N^6-ethenodeoxyadenosine({\varepsilon}dA)$, has been developed as an useful effective or response biomarker for carcinogenesis. Thus, I investigated association between urinary 1-OHP and ${\varepsilon}dA$ levels due to distance from an incinerator which was built more 10 years ago in the middle of a farm in P city. I designated the EDC-high and low exposed group due to distance from the incinerator, i.e. within 2.5km and $5.0{\sim}7.5km$ from the incinerator, respectively. The study subjects were age and sex-matched males and females (mean age, $61.3{\pm}9.6$ yrs; total 40 persons, male, 10; female, 10 for the each group). Urinary 1-OHP and ${\varepsilon}dA$ were analyzed with HPLC-FD and IP-HPLC-FD, respectively. As results, the distance from the incinerator was not associated with urinary 1-OHP nor ${\varepsilon}dA$ levels (p=0.43 and 0.82, respectively). On the other hand, urinary ${\varepsilon}dA$ levels were significantly higher in the hyperlipidemia group (N=10) than normal group (N=30). In conclusion, urinary 1-OHP nor ${\varepsilon}dA$ levels can not be suggested as an incinerator-related exposure nor effective biomarker. However, not only distance from the incinerator bot also systemic approaches including wind and soil contamination are required to assume exposure levels of incinerator-related EDC.