• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.127-147
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• 2020

The world is suffering from numerous human and economic losses due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The Korean government established a strategy to overcome the national infectious disease crisis through research and development. It is difficult to find distinctive features and changes in a specific R&D field when using the existing technical classification or science and technology standard classification. Recently, a few studies have been conducted to establish a classification system to provide information about the investment research areas of infectious diseases in Korea through a comparative analysis of Korea government-funded research projects. However, these studies did not provide the necessary information for establishing cooperative research strategies among countries in the infectious diseases, which is required as an execution plan to achieve the goals of national health security and fostering new growth industries. Therefore, it is inevitable to study information services based on the classification system and classification model for establishing a national collaborative R&D strategy. Seven classification - Diagnosis_biomarker, Drug_discovery, Epidemiology, Evaluation_validation, Mechanism_signaling pathway, Prediction, and Vaccine_therapeutic antibody - systems were derived through reviewing infectious diseases-related national-funded research projects of South Korea. A classification system model was trained by combining Scopus data with a bidirectional RNN model. The classification performance of the final model secured robustness with an accuracy of over 90%. In order to conduct the empirical study, an infectious disease classification system was applied to the coronavirus-related research and development projects of major countries such as the STAR Metrics (National Institutes of Health) and NSF (National Science Foundation) of the United States(US), the CORDIS (Community Research & Development Information Service)of the European Union(EU), and the KAKEN (Database of Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research) of Japan. It can be seen that the research and development trends of infectious diseases (coronavirus) in major countries are mostly concentrated in the prediction that deals with predicting success for clinical trials at the new drug development stage or predicting toxicity that causes side effects. The intriguing result is that for all of these nations, the portion of national investment in the vaccine_therapeutic antibody, which is recognized as an area of research and development aimed at the development of vaccines and treatments, was also very small (5.1%). It indirectly explained the reason of the poor development of vaccines and treatments. Based on the result of examining the investment status of coronavirus-related research projects through comparative analysis by country, it was found that the US and Japan are relatively evenly investing in all infectious diseases-related research areas, while Europe has relatively large investments in specific research areas such as diagnosis_biomarker. Moreover, the information on major coronavirus-related research organizations in major countries was provided by the classification system, thereby allowing establishing an international collaborative R&D projects.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.185-197
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• 2007

Objective : This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Hwangryunhaedok-Tang and Geongangbuja-Tang on the change of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) level induced by LPS I.C.V. injection in mice. Method : We devided group into 6 mice and 6 mice were assingned to each group. In the normal group only saline was administered intragastrically, and in the control group LPS was injected intracerebroventricularly 1 hr after intragastric administration of saline. In the experiment groups Hwangryunhaedok-Tang(0.5g/kg, 1.0g/kg, 3.0g/kg) was administered intragastrically to mice 1 hr prior to LPS(100mg/mouse) I.C.V. injection.. Also Geongangbuja-Tang (0.5g/kg, 1.0g/kg, 3.0g/kg) was administered intragastrically to mice 1 hr prior to LPS(100mg/mouse) I.C.V. injection. To measure the plasma IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ level of mice, their blood samples were collected from retro-orbital plexus, immediately centrifuged at $4^{\circ}C$, and plasma was removed and stored frozen at $-83^{\circ}C$ for later determination of IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$. The level of IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the plasma. Result : Regarding IL-6 level, The 0.5g/kg and the 1g/kg groups of Geongangbuja-Tang decreased IL-6 level. Especially the 3g/kg control group decreased IL-6 level significantly than the normal group(p<0.01). Regarding $TNF-{\alpha}$ level, the 3g/kg group of Geongangbuja-Tang decreased it significantly(p<0.05). Conclusion : These data revealed that Hwangryunhaedok-Tang might not have the anti imflammatory effect and Geongangbuja-Tang(3g/kg)might have the anti imflammatory effect by reducing the plasma IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ level in mice LPS Injection.EIM (Eighteen Incompatible Medicaments) is an important component in Oriental pharmacology and is directly related to clinical prescriptions. Medical practitioners argued that the definite cause and meaning of EIM was ambiguous and therefore debated the issue of clinical application of the EIM. This study conducted an in-depth literary research on the origin, meaning and contents of EIM with the purpose to contribute in its efforts to be used clinically. Even after thousands of years have past since establishment of Oriental medicine, EIM is still tabooed and was an obstacle that hindered ideologies. Modern herbal medicine texts claim that the use of EIM can reduce treatment effects and promote poisoning and side effects. However, since long ago, there has been medical practitioners who reject this as false. Recently, poisoning caused by EIM has been claimed to be from the toxicity of the drug itself, rather than the result of interaction between the drugs, and therefore they suggest that EIM is not a forbidden domain. In addition, EIM showed a difference in number depending on the era. However, this can be understood not as a definite number, but instead as a warning to be careful during combination of drugs for use as clinical medicine. Historically, there were very few cases in which EIM was used for clinical tests and thus, the clinical value is not, while others applied EIM directly to their bodies, which showed signs for the usefulness and potential of EIM for us. A more concrete and in-depth study must be made on EIM.

• Journal of Life Science
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.812-824
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• 2013

Reserpine, an anti-hypertensive drug, is able to positively modulate several phenotypes associated with $A{\beta}$ toxicity in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated into the therapeutic effects of reserpine on mammalian neurodegenerative disorders, and found that significant alteration of the key factors influencing AD was detected in Tg2576 mice after reserpine treatment for 30 days. The aggressive behavior of Tg2576 mice was significantly improved upon reserpine treatment, whereas their social contact was consistently maintained. Furthermore, the levels of $A{\beta}$-42 peptide in the hippocampus of the brain and blood serum were lower in the reserpine-treated group than in the vehicle-treated group. Among g-secretase components, the expression levels of PS-2, Pen-2, and APH-1 were slightly lower in reserpine-treated Tg2576 mice, although a significant change in nicastrin (NCT) expression was not detected. Furthermore, the serum level of nerve growth factor (NGF) increased in reserpine-treated Tg2576 mice compared with vehicle-treated mice. Among down-stream effectors of the NGF receptor TrkA signaling pathway, reserpine treatment induced elevation of TrkA phosphorylation and reduction of ERK phosphorylation. In addition, in the NGF receptor $p75^{NTR}$ signaling pathway, the expression levels of $p75^{NTR}$ and Bcl-2 were enhanced in reserpine-treated Tg2576 mice compared with vehicle-treated mice, whereas the expression level of RhoA declined. Overall, these results suggest that reserpine can help relieve AD pathogenesis in Tg2576 mice through downregulation of $A{\beta}$-42 deposition, alteration of ${\gamma}$-secretase components, and regulation of NGF metabolism.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.83-89
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• 2004

Acute poisoning is one of the diseases which need the most fastest emergency measures at the very beginning. However, at present, The Korea doesn't manage the toxication all over the country, and in particular, there is no guide to medical cure paying due regard to the traits of each area. This paper focused on the issue that the necessary data in preparing the facilities for the treatment of the poisoned patients and materials for medical treatment including antidote would have to be collected, after finding the special features of the symptoms by searching the present conditions of the poisoning in small towns next to farm villages in the North area of Youngseo, Kangwon province. This study was based on the questionnaires from 111 patients who were carried into the emergency room by the poisoning in two university hospitals of the North area of Youngseo, Kangwon, for one year, 2002. Upon investigation, the patients(111) visiting emergency room by the acute poisoning during the research period was found to be 0.37 percent of all patients(30,085) visiting emergency room. Among them, the most high percentage was given in their twenties and thirties at the rate of $39.6\%$, and the ratio($40.5\%$) of the poisoned patients after their fifties was much higher than a research($10\%$) of other areas. Many poisoned patients came to their rescue in an emergency room generally in spring and in winter, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Agricultural chemical of the toxic materials had a majority at a ratio of $57.7\%$, and paraquat of the agricultural chemicals was found to have a lot of toxicity by $31.7\%$. As the trace of the toxication, the oral poisoning was common by $89.2\%$, and $55.9\%$ in the case of operating gastric lavage and nasogastric irrigation, but only $14.4\%$ for prescribing antidote. The mortality of the acute poisoned patients was $17.2\%$, and the toxication by paraquat held a majority. As a result, the acute poisoning of the North area in Youngseo, Kangwon had both of the characteristics of the rural and the city, and the patients over their fifties by the population aging had more attack of the disease than other regions. Also, with the high ratio of the toxication by the agricultural chemicals, especially, the lethal agricultural chemical was used frequently. Therefore, these dangerous situations need to find the ways to cope with.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.92-105
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• 2014

Objectives : Cisplatin is a widely used cancer therapy drug. However, nephrotoxicity resulting in increased oxidative stress is a major side effect of cisplatin chemotherapy, thereby limiting its chemotherapeutic use. Lycium chinense Miller (LCM) has been used as a traditional herbal medicine in various febrile and inflammatory diseases such as night sweat, cough, nosebleed, bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, etc. In this study we investigated the protective and antioxidative potential of LCM against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Methods : Twenty-four 8-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: normal untreated; cisplatin treatment only; LCM 10 mg/kg plus cisplatin treatment; and LCM 30 mg/kg plus cisplatin treatment. Twenty-four hours after the last cisplatin injection, all the rats were sacrificed, and serological changes were evaluated. The levels of NF-${\kappa}B$ activity and NOX-4, $p47^{phox}$, $p22^{phox}$, COX-2, iNOS, SOD, catalase expressions were analyzed in Western blot analysis. Results : Cisplatin injection caused an increase in the BUN level, which is a reliable indicator of renal toxicity. The levels of BUN, renal ROS, and renal TBARS were significantly reduced in the LCM groups compared with the cisplatin-only groups. The levels of $p47^{phox}$ and $p22^{phox}$, which are NADPH oxidase subunits, were increased in the cisplatin-only groups, whereas they were decreased in the LCM groups. The levels of renal NF-${\kappa}B$ activity and COX-2, iNOS expressions were increased significantly in the cisplatin-only groups compared with the normal groups, whereas they were decreased in the LCM groups. Compared with the cisplatin-only groups, renal GSH and GSH/GSSG increased in the LCM groups. Also, the administration of LCM increased levels of SOD and catalase as compared with the cisplatin-only groups. Conclusions : These results suggest that LCM protects cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity via a mechanism that may involves the inhibition of oxidative stress by the activation of antioxidants.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제52권3호
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• pp.230-240
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• 2002

Background : The majority of chemotherapy-treated small cell lung cancers(SCLC) patients eventually recur. Although many patients are in excellent physical condition at the time of recurrence, few drugs or drug combinations are capable of effecting a tumor regression in this setting. Topotecan, a topoisomerase I inhibitor, is one of the more widely studied single afents in SCLC. The aim of this study was to determine the response rate, survival and toxicity of topotecan as a second line traeatment SCLC. Materials and Methods : 19 patients with measurable SCLC, progressive during the first line chemotherapy (9 cases) or recurrent after the first line chemotherpy(10 cases), were enrolled in this study. Topotecan was administered as a 30-minute daily infusion at a dose of 1.5mg/$m^2$ for 5 consecutive days, every 3 weeks. Results : The overall response rate was 26.3%(5/19, CR 2, PR 3, SD 3, PD 11). The median survival was 24 weeks. The response rate and survival were poor in the nonresponders during first chemotherapy, those who were refractory to the first chemotherapy(recurrent within 3 months after completion of first chemotherapy) and extensive disease, but the results were not statistically significant. The toxicities were mainly hematologic and anemia grade III 1/90, leukopenia grade III 6/90 IV 4/90, thrombocytopenia grade III 1/90 IV 1/90, vomiting grade III 1/90 of cycles were occurred. There was no treatment-related deaths due to severe myelosuppression. Conclusion : Topotecan can be an active second line chemotherapeutic agent for treating SCLC.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.75-85
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• 2005

Purpose : Fungal infection is one of the important causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies. Amphotericin B(ABV) and itraconazole(ITZA) have been used as the standard empirical antifungal therapy in neutropenic patients with acute leukemia who have persistent fever that does not respond to antibiotic therapy. ABV is an antifungal drug associated with side effects such as fever and chills, symptoms which may be mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-$1{\beta}$(IL-$1{\beta}$) and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$(TNF-${\alpha}$). We assessed modulation of these pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokines(IL-4, IL-1Ra) by ABV and ITZA. Methods : From March 2004 to February 2005, a total of 30 episodes from acute leukemia patients with febrile neutropenia were analyzed for this study. They were randomly allocated to receive intravenous ABV or ITZA for 14 days. Clinical responses were evaluated at the completion of therapy, and cytokine IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-4, and IL-1Ra were measured for determination to know the correlation between two antifungal agents and inflammatory cytokines. Results : Empirical antifungal agents were given to 37 patients(ABV 20, ITZA 17), and 30 patients(ABV 15, ITZA 15) were evaluable for efficacy. White blood cell and absolute neutrophil count in the group treated with ITZA increased early days of treatment, so the duration of neutropenia in ITZA group is shorter. Serum creatinine level is lower in ITZA group than in ABV group but this is not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in response rate between two groups. The IL-$1{\beta}$ was increased in ABV treatment group and the ratio of IL-1Ra/IL-$1{\beta}$ is markedly decreased in ABV treatment group while increased in ITZA group. Conclusion : ITZA and ABV have at least equivalent efficacy as empirical antifungal therapy in neutropenic children with acute leukemia. However ITZA is associated with significantly less toxicity in clinical and molecular aspects.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.227-249
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• 2016

Arsenic and its compounds vary in their toxicity according to the chemical forms. Inorganic arsenic is more toxic and known as carcinogen. The provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of $15{\mu}g/kg$ b.w./week established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has been withdrawn, while the EFSA panel suggested $BMDL_{0.1}$ $0.3{\sim}8{\mu}g/kg\;b.w./day$ for cancers of the lung, skin and bladder, as well as skin lesions. Rice, seaweed and beverages are known as food being rich in inorganic arsenic. As(III) is the major form of inorganic arsenic in rice and anaerobic paddy soils, while most of inorganic arsenic in seaweed is present as As(V). The inorganic arsenic in food was extracted with solvent such as distilled water, methanol, nitric acid and so on in heat-assisted condition or at room temperature. Arsenic speciation analysis was based on ion-exchange chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. However, there has been no harmonized and standardized method for inorganic arsenic analysis internationally. The inorganic arsenic exposure from food has been estimated to range of $0.13{\sim}0.7{\mu}g/kg$ bw/day for European, American and Australian, and $0.22{\sim}5{\mu}g/kg$ bw/day for Asian. The maximum level (ML) for inorganic arsenic in food has established by EU, China, Australia and New Zealand, but are under review in Korea. Until now, several studies have conducted for reduction of inorganic arsenic in food. Inorganic arsenic levels in rice and seaweed were reduced by more polishing and washing, boiling and washing, respectively. Further research for international harmonization of analytical method, monitoring and risk assessment will be needed to strengthen safety management of inorganic arsenic of foods in Korea.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제61권3호
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• pp.267-273
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• 2018

Matricaria chamomilla L. has been used as a bath agent in Europe because of its sterilization effect on the skin. Flowers contain terpenes, flavonoids are effective in relieving inflammation. Matricaria chamomilla L. has been reported to have various drug efficacies such as sedation, anti-diabetic effect and anti-arthritic effect, but there is little research on the scientific efficacy of whitening effect. The purpose of this study was to examine the whitening effect of Matricaria chamomilla L. extract and to investigate the mechanism of inhibition of melanogenesis. The extracts were used to determine tyrosinase inhibitory activity. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity of extracts was ineffective for water extract but in 60% ethanol extract was shown in a concentration-dependent manner. B16F10 melanoma cell was measured using a powder obtained by lyophilization of 60% ethanol extract. The toxicity was observed at a concentration of $75{\mu}g/mL$. And concentration range was selected to be at most $50{\mu}g/mL$. The effect of tyrosinase, MITF, TRP-1 and TRP-2 on the expression of melanin protein was investigated in melanoma cells of B16F10 melanoma cells. As a result, it was confirmed that as the concentration of the extract increased, the melanogenesis level decreased and the protein expression level also decreased in a concentration dependent manner. Therefore, it was concluded that Matricaria chamomilla L. extract inhibited melanogenesis in cells. Based on the above results, it is expected that it will be used as a useful basic data for industrialization of whitening functional food of Matricaria chamomilla L.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.67-76
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• 2006

Purpose: Oral mucositis is a common toxicity of radiation or chemotherapy, which is used a treatment for head and neck cancer. We investigated effects of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) on radiation-induced oral mucositis in rat model. Materials and Methods: Spraque-Dawley rats (7 per group) exposed to a single dose of 25 Gy (day 0) on their head, except for one group, were randomly divided into un-treated, vehicle-treated, and two rhEGF-treated groups. Rats were topically applied with rhEGF (15 or $30{\mu}g/oral$ cavity/day) or vehicle to their oral mucosa. Survival rate of rats, weight changes, and food intakes were examined from day 0 to 18 after radiation. Histology study was performed from oral mucosa of rats at day 7 and 18 after radiation. Results: rhEGF-treated groups (15 or $30{\mu}g/oral$) showed all survival rate 33%, whereas un-treated and vehicle-treated groups showed all survival rate 0% at the end of experiment. rhEGF-treated groups statistically had less weight loss compared to vehicle-treated group from day 2 to 7 after radiation. Food intake of rats with rhEGF treatment turned to increase at day 14 after radiation. At 7 day after radiation, un-treated and vehicle-treated groups showed severe pseudomembraneous or ulcerative oral mucositis. On the other hand, rhEGF-treated groups had no more than cellular swelling and degeneration of epidermal cells in oral mucosa of rats. Conclusion: These results suggest that rhEGF has significantly positive effects on radiation-induced oral mucositis in rats. rhEGF display a therapeutic potential on a clinical level.