• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1819-1822
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• 2012

Background: In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tobacco use is rampant. A less reported, yet widely used form of smoking native to UAE is midwakh or dhokha. The aim of the study is to assess the acute effects of smoking dokha (Arabian pipe) on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems among male university students in the UAE. Method: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among 97 male volunteers aged more than 17 years. Blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate of each participant, were measured before and immediately after smoking. A self administered questionnaire was used to collect personal details and data about smoking pattern. Results: Mean increases in systolic blood pressures ($12{\pm}1$ mmHg), heart rates ($20{\pm}2$ bpm) and respiratory rates ($4{\pm}1$ breaths/min) were observed (p < 0.001). A mean decrease in diastolic blood pressures ($1{\pm}1$ mmHg) was observed (p = 0.483). Conclusion: Smoking dokha has a significant acute effect on systolic blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate. Anti smoking campaigns must address the ill effects of this form of smoking. Results from the study warrant further research into this method of smoking which is becoming more popular.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.61-70
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• 2016

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a hospital-based smoking cessation intervention for increasing continuous abstinence rate from smoking in patients with cerebral infarction. Methods: One-hundred and two smokers with cerebral infarction who decided to quit smoking were enrolled in the smoking cessation intervention from December 2012 to February 2015. The smokers underwent six consecutive times of individual intervention with nurse specialist on smoking cessation including education on behavioral modification, counseling for withdrawal symptoms, and anti-smoking advice over a 12-month period. Results: Among the total participants, the continuous abstinence rate from smoking changed from 79.4% at 1 month to 60.8% at 12 months after discharge. The continuous abstinence rate from smoking after 12 months was 88.5% in participants who completed the entire program (6 times), while 51.3% in participants who did not complete the entire program (${\leq}5$ times) (P=0.001). After adjustment for general and smoking-related characteristics, complete implementation of hospital-based smoking cessation intervention was significantly associated with continuous abstinence from smoking after 12 months (odds ratio: 5.93; 95% confidence interval: 1.45-24.22). Conclusions: The hospital-based smoking cessation intervention might be effective for smoking cessation in patients with cerebral infarction, especially when the intervention was implemented thoroughly.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.224-230
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• 1998

This study showed the anti-invasive activity of ginseng components, panaxadiol (PD) and panamatrlol (PT) on the highly metastatic HT1080 human flbrosarcoma cell line. PD and PT reduced tumor cell invasion through a reconstitute basement membrane in the transwell chamber. A significant down regulation of MMP-9 by PD and PT was detected by northern blot analysis. However, MMP-2 was constantly expressed. Quantitative gelatin based zymography confirmed a marked reduced expression of MMP-9 but not MMP-2 in the treatment of PD and PT. Since the chemical structures of PD and PT are very similar to that of dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, it was investigated whether PD and PT act through GR. Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry showed that PD and PT increased the GR fraction in the nucleus. These results suggest that ursolic acid may induce repression of MMP-9 by stimulating the nuclear translocation of GR and hence inhibiting the activity of AP-1 to TPA-responsible element of MMP-9 promoter region. In conclusion, we suggest that CR-induced down-regulation of MMP-9 by PD and PT contributes to reduce the invasive capacity of HT 1080 cells.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.711-724
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• 2000

I reached following conclusion through a bibliographic study about the drug dependence. 1. The drug dependence is the case that taking drugs continually in order to get around discomfort and get mental drug efficacy. that is also the state of poisoning that shows compulsions that using all means to get drugs. the drug dependence is coincident with alcolism in Oriental Medicine. 2 Medicinal matters that causes the drug dependence consist of two field. one is licit drugs, including a tranquilizer, a sleeping pill, anti-anxiety drug, alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, etc. the other is illict drugs, including opium products, psychostimulant, a hallucinogen, aromatic agent(adhesives, LSD, etc.) 3. Drugs that causes dependences has the habit which causing mental dependences and the medicinal poisining which causing physical dependences. 4. A syndrome of abstain from the drug which rides on all kinds of drugs is analogous to depressive psychosis, epilepsy, insanity, depressive syndromes, disorder of internal organs, histery, dizziness, etc. 5. The drug dependence causes visceral dysfunction, that is chiefly inflammatory lesion of brain, heart lung etc. (inflammatory lesions os mainly due to infect.) and injuries liver which removes toxic agents and kidney which is an excretory organ. 6. The treatment of the drug dependence, which needs at first check the medical record and the syndrome, is consist of the expectant treatment and isolating treatment as a rule and sometimes mental therapeutics is going on at the same time. 7. The oriental medical cure of the drug dependence needs more concrete study.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.365-370
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• 2006

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in smoking rates according to the major occupational categories in South Korea. Methods: The study subjects were a weighted sample of 24,495 men and 26,121 women aged 25-64 from the 2003 Social Statistics Survey, which was conducted by the Korea National Statistical Office. Occupation was classified according to the Korean Standard Occupation Classification. We computed the age-standardized smoking rates according to gender and occupations after adjusting for the education level, marital status, and self-rated health. Results: For men, the smoking rate in elementary occupations was two times higher than that of clerks (OR=1.98, 95% CI=1.74-2.26). In general, a more prestigious job(professionals) correlated with lower smoking rates, and less prestigious jobs correlated with higher smoking rates, except for legislators, senior officials and managers. For women, smoking among service workers was 4.1 times higher than among clerical workers (OR=4.11, 95% CI=2.87-5.88). For women, their occupations, except elementary workers, and the unemployed, the retired and the armed forces, failed to show significant differences in smoking compared with the clerical workers. After adjusting for education, occupational differences in the smoking rate for men were attenuated in most occupations, except for legislators, professionals, and technicians. Further adjustment for marital status and self-rated health had a minimal effect on the occupational differences in the smoking rate for men. For women workers with service or elementary occupations, the ORs of smoking were attenuated with adjustment of the educational levels. However, the ORs of smoking were increased in workers with service, sales or elementary occupations, as well as for legislators, and the unemployed, the retired and the armed forces, after additionally adjusting for marital status. Conclusions: More prestigious jobs generally correlated with lower smoking rates in both sexes. The anti-tobacco policy should consider smoking rate differentials by occupations.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.764-777
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• 2023

Recombinant immunotoxins (RITs) are fusion proteins consisting of a targeting domain linked to a toxin, offering a highly specific therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. In this study, we engineered and characterized RITs aimed at mesothelin, a cell surface glycoprotein overexpressed in various malignancies. Through an extensive screening of a large nanobody library, four mesothelin-specific nanobodies were selected and genetically fused to a truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE24B). Various optimizations, including the incorporation of furin cleavage sites, maltose-binding protein tags, and tobacco etch virus protease cleavage sites, were implemented to improve protein expression, solubility, and purification. The RITs were successfully overexpressed in Escherichia coli, achieving high solubility and purity post-purification. In vitro cytotoxicity assays on gastric carcinoma cell lines NCI-N87 and AGS revealed that Meso(Nb2)-PE24B demonstrated the highest cytotoxic efficacy, warranting further characterization. This RIT also displayed selective binding to human and monkey mesothelins but not to mouse mesothelin. The competitive binding assays between different RIT constructs revealed significant alterations in IC₅₀ values, emphasizing the importance of nanobody specificity. Finally, a modification in the endoplasmic reticulum retention signal at the C-terminus further augmented its cytotoxic activity. Our findings offer valuable insights into the design and optimization of RITs, showcasing the potential of Meso(Nb2)-PE24B as a promising therapeutic candidate for targeted cancer treatment.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1988.08a
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• pp.115-121
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• 1988

Although Saponin A from Panax ginseng has previously been shown to inhibit carageenin induced edema. a paucity of information exists on the effects of components from ginseng on the cellular inflammatory response. specifically polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) function. The purpose of this study was 10 determine the effects of isolated neutral dammarane saponins from ginseng (i.e..glycosidic derivatives of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol [ginsenoside $Rb_1,\;Rb_2$ and Rc] and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol [ginsenosides Re and $Rg_1$]) on in vivo PMNL function and to compare their effects with those produced by a steroidal anti-inflammatory agent (dexamethasone) and commercially available saponin. Dexamethasone. the ginsenosides and saponin were all shown to he potent inhibitors of PMNL chemotaxis using the $^{51}Cr$ assay with $5{\times}10^{-8}M$ f-met-leu-phe [FMLP] as the chemoattractant. Inhibition or PMNL chemotaxis by dexamethasone. the ginsenosides and saponin were all shown to be both time-and dose-dependent and these agents did not affect cellular viability at the concentrations tested Saponin and the ginsenosides were more potent inhibitors of chemotaxis than was dexamethasone. while oxidant generation (as measured by the luminol-enhaneed chemil-uminescence of PMNL using FMNL $[10^{-6}]$ as the stimulus) was inhibited by dexamethasone. the ginsenosides $(Rb_1\;Rb_2\;Rc\;Re\;and\;Rg_1)$ and saponin at a concentration of 1 ${\mu}M$ had no significant effect on PMNL chemiluminescence. Thus. the neutral dammarane saponins are potentially important modulators or PMNL function and their inhibitory effects may he differentiated from those of the Steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.18-22
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• 2000

In previous reports we have shown that ginsenosides inhibit high threshold voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels in neuronal cells. However, these studies did not show whether ginsenosides-induced inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ currents discriminates among the various $Ca^{2+}$ channel subtypes, although it is known that there are at least five different $Ca^{2+}$ channel subtypes in neuronal cells. In this study we investigated the effect of ginsenosides on high threshold voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channel subtypes using their selective $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers nimodipine (L-type), $\omega$-conotoxin GVIA (N-type), or $\omega$-agatoxin IVA (P-type) in bovine chromaffin cells. We could observe that ginsenosides inhibited high threshold voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ currents in a dose-dependent manner. The $IC_{50}$/ was about 120 $\mu$g/ml. Nimodipine had no effect on ginsenosides response. However, the effect of ginsenosides on $Ca^{2+}$ currents was reduced by $\omega$-conotoxin GVIA, $\omega$-agatoxin IVA, and mixture of nimodipine, $\omega$-contoxin GVIA, and $\omega$-agatoxin IVA. These data suggest that ginsenosides are negatively coupled to three types of calcium channels in bovine chromaffin cell, including an $\omega$-conotoxin GVIA-sensitive (N-type) channel, an $\omega$-agatoxin IVA-sensitive (P-type) channel and nimodipine/$\omega$-conotoxin GVIA/$\omega$-agatoxin IVA-resistant (presumptive Q-type) channel.Q-type) channel.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.244-251
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• 1990

Three viral insecticides were differently formulated with a nuclear polyhedrosis virus isolated from Spdodoptera litura by addition of feeding attractant, anti-precipitate of polyhedra, spreading agent, and UV-protectants. Sucrose was effective for attraction of larval feeding to increase the mortality and for protection of polyhedra from inactivation by sunlight when added 1% to 5% of sucrose solution to the formulations. Contents of additives to the formulations were 0.5% in polyvinyl alcohol to prohibit the precipitation of polyhedra and 0.1% in Triton X-100 to spread and wet the formulations to the plant. Inactivation of the virus under sunlight was decreased when added 800g of white carbon to 100 L of water in the white carbon formulation and 30% of molasses to the molasses's. In the formulation of white carbon and molasses mixtures, activation of the virus was increased when mixtured 500g of the former with 10% of the latter. Three formulations were persisted their pathogenicity more than 95% of mortality at 3 days p.i. Encapsulation of the polyhedral surface was more distinctively coated with the carbon and showed more effective in the residual effects of the white carbon than others, but the molasses more attractive for larval feeding.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.264-275
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• 2003

The purpose of this study were to develop a smoking preventive education program for elementary students and evaluate it's effectiveness. This study was a quasi experimental study under the nonequivalent control group with pretest-posttest design. The subjects of this study were 62 who are attending elementary school(31 for each group), 2 different district elementary school. The subjects were matched by grade, similar in anti-smoking educational background of smoking, as well as their residence and income level of their families. The instruments used in this study was 18 criterion referenced test items modeled by Dick & Carey that were developed by researchers for evaluating the subjects' knowledge and attitude about smoking. A pretest was administered a week before treatment The program given to the experimental group is composed of the texts explaining the poisonous substances in tobacco, social and cultural harmfulness of smoking to the body and psychology, indirect smoking, smoking of pregnant women, motives of smoking, refusal skills of smoking; and for the subjects' understanding and the better results of study - pictures, role play, discussion, text through computer based multi-media, puzzle searching for hidden pictures, cross-word puzzle, and finally compensation. The data were collected for 50 days form mid- September to the end of October in the year of 2000, composed of formative evaluation, pre-test and summative evaluation via 2 sessions. Accordingly, the collected data were analysed by t-test, paired t-test, repeated measure ANOVA by the SAS program. This research summarize the findings as follows; 1. There was a significant difference in knowledge between the experimental group(after 1 wks t=10.4680, p=.0001; after 4 wks t= 9.310, p=.0001) and control group(after 1 wks t=0.0420, p= .9669; after 4 wks t= -0.378 p=.7079) in between the results of 1 and 4 week after education in summative evaluation (F=27.45, P=.0001). 2. There was non statistical significant difference in attitude between the experimental group (after 1 wks t=1.2292, p=0.2286 ; after 4 wks t=1.330, p=0.1935) and control group (after 1 wks t=0.1819, p=0.8569 ; after 4 wks t=0.2970, p=0.7685) in between the results of 1 and 4 week after education in summative evaluation(F=0.71, P=0.494). To sum up, the statistics of conclusive analysis evaluative for the children under school age of the 'knowledge acquisition' about smoking harmfulness. On the other hand, as there was already sound attitude about smoking, the evaluation of attitude was non significant difference between control group and experimental group, just there was partially significant difference.