• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.sup4
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• pp.38-38
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• 2007

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.210-211
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• 2001

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.111-115
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• 2016

Caffeine has been proposed to have several beneficial effects on obesity and its related metabolic diseases; however, how caffeine affects adipocyte differentiation has not been elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that caffeine suppressed 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and inhibited the expression of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)α and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ, two main adipogenic transcription factors. Anti-adipogenic markers, such as preadipocyte secreted factor (Pref)-1 and Krüppel-like factor 2, remained to be expressed in the presence of caffeine. Furthermore, 3T3-L1 cells failed to undergo typical mitotic clonal expansion in the presence of caffeine. Investigation of hormonal signaling revealed that caffeine inhibited the activation of AKT and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3 in a dose-dependent manner, but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Our data show that caffeine is an anti-adipogenic bioactive compound involved in the modulation of mitotic clonal expansion during adipocyte differentiation through the AKT/GSK3 pathway.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2018

The longitudinal integrated clerkship is an innovative approach in medical education that emphasizes continuity as a key principle to provide student-centered experiences and learning. Seoul National University College of Medicine decided to adapt longitudinal integrated clerkships to the new curriculum beginning in 2018, and therefore conducted pilot studies in 2016 and 2017. This study aimed to analyze the program evaluation results of the two pilot programs and discuss issues related to the successful implementation of longitudinal integrated clerkships in Korea. We conducted a focus group interview with nine students who participated in the 2016 pilot program and 13 students who participated in the 2017 pilot program. We also conducted a focus group interview with 11 faculty members who either participated in the pilot program or will participate in the main program. From the 2016 experience, we found that it is not appropriate to assign each patient to a single student and let the students contact their patients personally for feasibility and safety reasons. In the 2017 pilot program, we assigned each patient to a group of students, which made it more feasible for the students to follow-up with their patients. The students were satisfied with their new experience of longitudinal patient follow-up and regular meetings in the pilot program. Faculty emphasized the importance of establishing the course objectives and holding an orientation for the students and the faculty. Further study is planned to evaluate the early outcomes of the main longitudinal integrated clerkship.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.869-876
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• 2016

Cantharidin (CTD) is an active compound isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine blister beetle and displayed anticancer properties against various types of cancer cells. However, little is known about its effect on human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells, including imatinib-resistant CML cells. The objective of this study was to investigate whether CTD could overcome imatinib resistance in imatinib-resistant CML cells and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms associated with the effect. Our results showed that CTD strongly inhibited the growth of both imatinib-sensitive and imatinib-resistant CML cells. CTD induced cell cycle arrest at mitotic phase and triggered DNA damage in CML cells. The ATM/ATR inhibitor CGK733 abrogated CTD-induced mitotic arrest but promoted the cytotoxic effects of CTD. In addition, we demonstrated that CTD downregulated the expression of the BCR-ABL protein and suppressed its downstream signal transduction. Real-time quantitative PCR revealed that CTD inhibited BCR-ABL at transcriptional level. Knockdown of BCR-ABL increased the cell-killing effects of CTD in K562 cells. These findings indicated that CTD overcomes imatinib resistance through depletion of BCR-ABL. Taken together, CTD is an important new candidate agent for CML therapy.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.388-393
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• 2009

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated in the development of diabetic complications. The AGEs inhibitors or cross-link breakers attenuate various functional and structural manifestations of diabetic complications. In this study, 64 herbal medicines from China and Vietnam have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs inhibitory activity. Of these, eight herbal medicines ($IC_{50}$<50 ${\mu}g$/ml) were found to have strong AGEs inhibitory activity compared with aminoguanidine (14 days, $IC_{50}$=75.98 ${\mu}g$/ml; 28 days, $IC_{50}$=88.27 ${\mu}g$/ml). Particularly, four herbal medicines, Buddleja officinalis (whole plant), Syzygium cuminii (leaf), Eugenia caryophyllate (seed), and Paeonia suffruticosa (root) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 5-6 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.772-779
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• 2009

Object : In the present study, we investigated the obesity and blood parameters between Qi-deficiency and Fire/Heat pattern identification/syndrome differentiation (PI/SD) in acute stroke patients. Materials and Methods : A total of 391 stroke patients within 7 days after onset were consecutively recruited from 12 hospitals across South Korea from Nov. 1st, 2006 to Jun. 31st, 2009. They were diagnosed as Fire/Heat or Qi-deficiency among five PI/SD subtypes by two independent stroke experts. We investigated the differences of obesity and blood characteristics between Fire/Heat and Qi-deficiency by statistical analyses. Results : In male subjects, obesity was significantly associated with Fire/Heat PI/SD. The averaged mean BMI ($24.13kg/m^2$) and waist circumference(89.34cm) of the Fire/Heat group were higher than those of the Qi-deficiency group ($22.60kg/m^2$ and 83.43 cm, respectively). The number of obese patients was larger in the Fire/Heat group than in the Qi-deficiency group (p = 0.001). Hyperlipidemia was also related with Fire/Heat. However, obesity was not associated with PI/SD in female subjects where the number of hyperlipidemic patients was higher in the Qi-deficiency group. Among blood parameters, the levels of triglycerides and fasting blood sugar were higher in the Fire/Heat group compared with the Qi-deficiency group in male subjects. However, total cholesterol of the Qi-deficiency group was higher than in the Fire/Heat group among female subjects. Conclusion : This study shows that obesity and hyperlipidemia are significantly difference between Qi-deficiency and Fire/Heat. We suggests that PI/SD may be associated with clinical characteristics and large population study between PI/SD and clinical characteristics including blood parameters are needed.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.86-95
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• 2013

Objectives: Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with high fat diet, and atherogenic changes were seen in the aorta. However, when Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with a high fat diet and administered Youngyopaedoc-san together, these atherogenic changes were rarely seen. This study was aimed to find the inflammatory marker level changes in Sprague-Dawley rats with Youngyopaedoc-san-related anti-atherogenic effect. Methods: The extract from Youngyopaedoc-san was made by the pharmacy department of Kyung-hee Oriental Medical Hospital. The animals were divided into five groups: normal diet, high fat diet, high fat diet with Youngyopaedoc-san, high fat diet with Vytorin, and high fat diet with Youngyopaedoc-san and Vytorin. A light microscopic image of a cross section taken from the aorta of the Sprague-Dawley rat was analyzed. We compared inflammatory marker levels among the five groups. Results: The complex of Youngyopaedoc-san and Vytorin has more anti-atherogenic effects in the aorta of Sprague-Dawley rats fed with high fat diet than Vytorin alone. Youngyopaedoc-san has inhibitory effect on the increase of IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-2 levels. The difference on eosinophil levels of each group was statistically significant, but the eosinophil level of each group was within normal limits, so the difference on eosinophil levels was not clinically significant. Conclusions: Youngyopaedoc-san-related anti-atherogenic effect could be a result of inhibitory mechanism on IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-2.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.27-39
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• 2007

Objectives: The challenge of an increasing elderly population has coupled with everpresent social concerns in Korea. A major problem in health center for the frail older people is that medical, healthcare, and welfare services are often fragmented in terms of providers and settings without appropriate coordination. The purpose of this study was to investigate the need of health center-based integrated healthcare services and its related factors for the elderly. Methods: A total of 110 elderly people who had visited at a county Health Center were interviewed using a self-administered questionnaire from November to December, 2005. The questionnaire consists of five domains according to the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. Results: Respondents had high need (total mean score with the 5-point Likert-type sacle: 3.67) of health center-based integrated healthcare services including home visiting service (mean: 4.08), chronic disease care service (mean: 4.06), and transportation service (mean 4.05). According to the results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis, among three regression models the magnititude of the variance of full model that is explained by the need of welfare-domain service was significantly larger than two reduced model. Income was a significant variable in increasing the need of health care and welfare services. Conclusions: This study suggests that the health center-based integrated healthcare services for the elderly must be continuously developed and provided for the health promotion and improved the quality of life of the elderly who live in rural area in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.394-399
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• 2009

Aldose reductase (AR) is a critical enzyme in the development of the diabetic complications. AR, the first enzyme in the polyol pathway, catalyzes the reduction of the aldehyde form of glucose to sorbitol with concomitant conversion of NADPH to $NADP^+$. None of aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI) has achieved worldwide use because of limited efficacy or undesirable side effects. Therefore, evaluating natural sources for ARI potential may lead to the development of safer and more effective agents against diabetic complications. Forty eight Chinese herbal medicines have been investigated for inhibitory activities on AR. Among them, seven herbal medicines, Buddleja officinalis (whole plant), Lonicera japonica (leaf and flower), Polygonum aviculare (aerial part), Polygonum aviculare (whole plant), Salvia miltiorrhiza (root), Schisandra chinensis (stem), and Zanthoxylum armatum (leaf and stem) exhibited a significant inhibitory activity against AR. Particularly, L. japonica and P. aviculare showed two times more potent inhibitory activity than the positive control, 3,3-tetramethyleneglutaric acid (TMG).