• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.69 no.6
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• pp.469-473
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• 2010

Nocardia farcinia, an aerobic, gram-positive bacilli actinomycetes of the genus Nocardia, is an uncommon pathogen found in humans. The most common Nocardia infection sites are the lung, central nervous system, and skin. Even though hematogenous dissemination can occur, isolation of the organism from blood cultures is very rare. We report a case of Nocardia infection that was isolated on blood cultures. A 59-year-old male with a medical history that includes a liver transplantation 6-years prior due to hepatocellular carcinoma secondary to chronic hepatitis B, developed pneumonia and was transferred to Severance Hospital. At the time of admission, the patient's initial exam showed hypothermia, tachypnea, and hypotension. His chest radiograph showed severe pneumonia and a large abscess on left upper lobe. Under the presumptive diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia or other opportunistic infection, we started broad spectrum antibiotics. However, he developed Nocardia sepsis, rapidly deteriorated, and subsequently died.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.212-218
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• 2020

When Radiofrequency energy is applied to the human body, the vibration width is very short. Therefore, the electrolyte burn generated when using the direct current does not occur. Ion molecules, polarized molecules, etc., vibrate more than 40,000 times per second, converting them into frictional heat to generate deep heat. The blood flow of capillaries increases 4-5 times more than at rest, increasing the supply of oxygen, nutrients, antibodies, and white blood cells. In addition, the electrochemical reaction does not occur because the vibration width and the pulsation period are very short. It is a physical factor treatment method that does not stimulate the sensory nerves and motor nerves. In this study, an isotonic exercise is performed in a young normal adult using a Radiofrequency pain treatment device. The purpose of this study is to integrate rehabilitation therapy by measuring electromyography data during isotonic exercise and confirming the effect on changes in motor neuron response. The EMG data generated when isotonic exercise of the forearm biceps muscle and the EMG data measured after the use of a Radiofrequency pain treatment device after exercise were RMS, respectively, and verified through t-test. It was confirmed that there was a significant difference in both men and women because the t-value was smaller than the significance level p (<.05).

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 1986

Optimal balance between control probability and risk of complication is emphasized even in present time, Although certain incidence of intestinal injury is accepted as an inevitable consequence after abdominopelvic irradiation, these complications still remain as problems. 60 mice were irradiated with 250 kVp orthovoltage x-ray machine and $200rad{\times}5/wk$ regimen. Histpathologic findings of colorectum and the relationship with occult blood test were analyzed and possible tolerable dose which would be safe from permanent complication was also estimated. Followings are the results: Mild mucosal and submucosal edema were observed in 1,000 rad irradiated group. Congestion of small vessels was prominent in 2,000 rad irradiated group and infiltration of inflammatory cells was observed in 3,000 rad irradiated group. Denuded mucosa was observed in 3,000 rad irradiated group. Occult blood test is not a proper indicator for rectal denuding or rectal ulcer, but our results suggest the possibility of using this as a relative scale of intestinal damage. Mitotic figures of crypt cells were observed even in 5,000 rad irradiated group, these suggest that the repair capacity of crypt cells are still functioning.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.285-290
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• 2001

Purpose : Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was standardized in 1979 by the National Diabetes Data Group and the World Health Organization as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, replacing groups such as 'borderline' and 'chemical' diabetes. The main clinical significance of IGT is as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and as a component of the metabolic syndrome. In 1997 the American Diabetes Association(ADA) was proposed the new classification and diagnostic criteria for diabetes, which is strict with the diagnostic baseline of Diabetes from 140mg/dl to 126mg/dl. And it's main purpose is to prevent chronic complications by early diagnosis and treatments. In the oriental medicine, Supungsunkihwan has been used in treatments of Diabetes including IGT & NIDDM, however there is not enough studies about the its objective hypoglycemic effect. so in order to investigate whether there is hypoglycemic effect of Supungsunkihwan, clinical studies were performed with IGT and mild NIDDM patients. Methods : Prior to the study, fasting blood sugar(FBS) and postprandial 2hrs(PP2hrs) glucose were checked. In addition, ECG, cholesterol, TG, HbA1c levels were measured, and the dinical characteristics of patients that can be influence to the blood sugar level such as age, gender, rest type, diet type were surveyed. Supungsukihwan was administered for 7 days, and FBS & PP2hrs were measured again after the therapy. Result : PP2hrs glucose levels were decreased by the administration of Supungsunkihwan. And It's hypoglycemic effects has the correlation with age. That is, the more age increase, the more hypoglycemic effect decrease. Conclusion : Supungsukihwan has hypoglycmic effects on IGT & mild NIDDM patients and it is more effective when administrated to young patients relatively.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2014

The peroxisome is an intracellular organelle that responds dynamically to environmental changes. Various model organisms have been used to study the roles of peroxisomal proteins in maintaining cellular homeostasis. By taking advantage of the zebrafish model whose early stage of embryogenesis is dependent on yolk components, we examined the developmental roles of the D-bifunctional protein (Dbp), an essential enzyme in the peroxisomal ${\beta}$-oxidation. The knockdown of dbp in zebrafish phenocopied clinical manifestations of its deficiency in human, including defective craniofacial morphogenesis, growth retardation, and abnormal neuronal development. Overexpression of murine Dbp rescued the morphological phenotypes induced by dbp knockdown, indicative of conserved roles of Dbp during zebrafish and mammalian development. Knockdown of dbp impaired normal development of blood, blood vessels, and most strikingly, endoderm-derived organs including the liver and pancreas - a phenotype not reported elsewhere in connection with peroxisome dysfunction. Taken together, our results demonstrate for the first time that zebrafish might be a useful model animal to study the role of peroxisomes during vertebrate development.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 2008

Gabapentin, [1-(aminomethyl) cyclohexaneacetic acid], a structural analog of $\gamma$-aminobutyric acid (GABA), is being developed for the treatment of epilepsy. Unlike GABA, gabapentin crosses the blood-brain barrier after systemic administration. Gabapentin is an effective antiepileptic drug in patients with partial and secondarily generalized seizures who are uncontrolled with use of existing anticonvulsant drug therapy. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two gabapentin 400 mg capsules, $Neurontin^{(R)}$ capsule 400 mg (Pfizer Inc.) and Gabatin capsule 400 mg (Korean Drug Co. Ltd), according to the guidelines of the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The release of gabapentin from the two gabapentin formulations in vitro was tested using KP VIII Apparatus II method with various dissolution media (pH 1.2, 4.0, 6.8 buffer solution and water). Twenty six healthy male subjects, 23.58$\pm$1.50 years in age and 66.74$\pm$8.31 kg in body weight, were divided into two groups and a randomized 2$\times$2 cross-over study was employed. After one capsule containing 400 mg as gabapentin were orally administered, blood was taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentrations of gabapentin in serum were determined using HPLC with fluorescence detector. The dissolution profiles of two formulations were similar at all dissolution media. In addition, the pharmacokinetic parameters such as $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$ were calculated and ANOVA test was utilized for the statistical analysis of the parameters using logarithmically transformed $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and untransformed $T_{max}$. The results showed that the differences between two formulations based on the reference drug, $Neurontin^{(R)}$ capsule 400 mg, were 2.04, -3.68 and 16.79% for $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$, respectively. There were no sequence effects between two formulations in these parameters. The 90% confidence intervals using logarithmically transformed data were within the acceptance range of log 0.8 to log 1.25 (e.g., log 0.91$\sim$log 1.16 and log 0.87$\sim$log 1.11 for $AUC_t$ and $C_{max}$, respectively). Thus, the criteria of the KFDA bioequivalence guideline were satisfied, indicating Gabatin capsule 400 mg was bioequivalent to $Neurontin^{(R)}$ capsule 400 mg.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.546-554
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• 2021

Background: Diabetes mellitus and hypertension often occur together, amplifying cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and emphasizing the need for a multitargeted treatment approach. American ginseng (AG) and Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) species could improve glycemic control via complementary mechanisms. Additionally, a KRG-inherent component, ginsenoside Rg3, may moderate blood pressure (BP). Our objective was to investigate the therapeutic potential of coadministration of Rg3-enriched Korean Red Ginseng (Rg3-KRG) and AG, added to standard of care therapy, in the management of hypertension and cardiometabolic risk factors in type-2 diabetes. Methods: Within a randomized controlled, parallel design of 80 participants with type-2 diabetes (HbA1c: 6.5-8%) and hypertension (systolic BP: 140-160 mmHg or treated), supplementation with either 2.25 g/day of combined Rg3-KRG + AG or wheat-bran control was assessed over a 12-wk intervention period. The primary endpoint was ambulatory 24-h systolic BP. Additional endpoints included further hemodynamic assessment, glycemic control, plasma lipids and safety monitoring. Results: Combined ginseng intervention generated a mean ± SE decrease in primary endpoint of 24-h systolic BP (-3.98 ± 2.0 mmHg, p = 0.04). Additionally, there was a greater reduction in HbA1c (-0.35 ± 0.1% [-3.8 ± 1.1 mmol/mol], p = 0.02), and change in blood lipids: total cholesterol (-0.50 ± 0.2 mmol/l, p = 0.01), non-HDL-C (-0.54 ± 0.2 mmol/l, p = 0.01), triglycerides (-0.40 ± 0.2 mmol/l, p = 0.02) and LDL-C (-0.35 ± 0.2 mmol/l, p = 0.06) at 12 wks, relative to control. No adverse safety outcomes were observed. Conclusion: Coadministration of Rg3-KRG + AG is an effective addon for improving BP along with attaining favorable cardiometabolic outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Ginseng derivatives may offer clinical utility when included in the polypharmacy and lifestyle treatment of diabetes. Clinical trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier, NCT01578837;

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.131-140
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• 2022

Objectives This study aimed to investigate whether the concurrent use of conventional and herbal medications affects liver and kidney function, by examining blood test data. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of 590 inpatients with musculoskeletal diseases between 2013 and 2017. We investigated cases of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) according to the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method criteria and cases of drug-induced kidney injury (DIKI) based on the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes definition. Results One case (0.17%) of DILI and one case (0.17%) of DIKI were identified. Significant improvements in serum laboratory data were observed after the concurrent use of both types of medications (p<0.05). The kappa coefficients ranged from 0.26 to 0.72, indicating that the values after the concurrent use of conventional and herbal medications showed a fair similarity to the baseline values of the patients. The linear regression test showed that female sex and high body mass index (BMI) were risk factors for an increase in the serum blood levels of liver function parameters. Conclusions The concurrent use of conventional and herbal medications for musculoskeletal disorders is relatively safe; however, clinicians should exercise caution when prescribing these medications to female patients and patients with a high BMI because of their potential effect on hepatic function.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.59-67
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• 2018

Objectives : Ojeoksan, originally recorded in an ancient Korean medicinal book named "Donguibogam" and has been used for the treatment of circulation disorder of blood which was called blood accumulation (血積) in Korean medicine. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the beneficial effect of OJS on vascular inflammation in HUVECs. Methods : We evaluated the effect of OJS on the expression of cell adhesion molecules and protective role in HUVEC stimulated by TNF-${\alpha}$ by using Western blot. Results : Pretreatment with OJS decreased the adhesion of HL-60 cells to TNF-${\alpha}$-induced HUVEC. OJS suppressed TNF-${\alpha}$-induced expression level of cell adhesion molecules such as intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1), and endothelial cell selectin (E-selectin). Moreover, OJS significantly decreased TNF-${\alpha}$-induced production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS); and inhibited the phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$ in the cytoplasm compared to the experimental group. Pretreatment with OJS inhibited the trans-location of NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 to the nucleus. OJS also inhibited phosphorylation of MAPKs compared to the experimental group. OJS significantly increased the protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. Conclusions : Ojeoksan has a protective effect on vascular inflammation, and might be a potential therapeutic agent for early atherosclerosis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2022

Recently, many hangover cure products containing natural ingredients have been made available in the market that are effective for alcohol-related liver damage or for improved liver function. However, the cure for of liver damage or medication for improved liver function are different from hangover cure. Therefore, the efficacy hangover cure products needs to be verified. In this study, we investigated and compared the ameliorating effect of four commercially available hangover cure products on acute ethanol-induced hangover in Sprague - Dawley rats. The four samples were labeled as C, M, R, and S. The efficacy of the samples was evaluated based on the serum concentration and area under the curve (AUC) of blood ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations to quantitatively assess the hangover cure effect. Ethanol administration to the rats significantly raised the serum alcohol and acetaldehyde levels. The Cmax reduction rates of ethanol for the samples C, M, R, and S were 5.9%, 3.1%, 8.4%, and 11.7%, and the AUC were 8.9%, 2.2%, 12.1%, and 19.6%, respectively, whereas the Cmax reduction rates of acetaldehyde were 14.2%, 15.2%, 28.2%, and 35.0%, and the AUC were 21.6%, 7.5%, 22.4%, and 29.9%, respectively. In conclusion, all samples showed a tendency to relieve hangover in the order of S, R, C, and M in terms of the ethanol concentration, but only sample S showed a statistically significant decrease in both Cmax and AUC for ethanol and acetaldehyde. These results suggest that an objective method for verifying the efficacy of hangover cure products is lacking.