• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.1-42
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• 2011

In terms of seaborne contacts of Vietnamese court with foreign countries had two directions in the 19th century. One was with Island Southeast Asian ports such as Singapore, Malacca, Penang, Batavia, and Manila. The other direction was to Canton. The Canton contact of Vietnam again can be interpreted as one of the two directions of Vietnamese contact with China. The inland route far to Beijing was based on the political and diplomatic consideration, while the closer route to Canton by the court vessels was more for the economic consideration as the case for the contact with the Island Southeast Asia. In this article, author discusses three issues to illuminate the nature of the trips of the court vessels of the Nguyễn dynasty to Canton. First is to clarify detail itinerary of the trip from the Thuận An Estuary to the City of Canton via Đà Nãng and Hanan. Unlike to the Western ships that visited Canton but anchored at the Huang Fu, Vietnamese square-rigged/copper-bottomed ships sailed up the Pearl river to the Guangzhou city front to stay for four or five months before they returned to Vietnam. In the second chapter, various kinds of observation of the Vietnamese officials are discussed. If the objects of the observation are divided into two categories, one is the world Westerners in Canton, and the other is the world of Chinese. In a same place, Canton, the Vietnamese officials could have enough chance to compare the two worlds clearly. An important consequence for the Vietnamese officials was to conclude that the mechanical technology of the Westerners was better than that of Chinese. This kind of conclusion led the Vietnamese court to send court personnels to learn Western technologies and languages in the port cities of Island Southeast Asia and to enlarge contacts with them. In the last chapter, author tries to find out the items that the Vietnamese mission purchased in Canton in exchange to the Vietnamese products. The items that the Vietnamese mission purchased included ceramics, silk, books, and medicines. With the support of the Chinese settlers in Vietnam the mission was able to be involved in the deal of illegal items such as opium, and possibly some kinds of precious ginseng from Korea. Overall, the process of the itinerary, observation, and purchase during the trip to Canton was the way to form the new point of view of Vietnamese intellectuals towards China standing from the side of Westerners. To the Vietnamese who experienced both Canton/Macao and the Western worlds in the port cities of Island Southeast Asia China was not the only center of the world, nor the Westerners could be looked down as the barbarians. In Canton, a peripheral region looked from the imperial capital Beijing, but the most internationalized city of China at that time, Vietnamese officials were training themselves to overcome China.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 1995

Purpose : To assess the efficacy of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor(GM-CSF) in the neutropenia by radiotherapy. Materials and Methods : Eleven patients with various solid tumor were treated with a daily subcutaneous dose of GM-CSF(3-7microgram/kg) for 5days during the radiotherapy. Before and during the course of the study all the patients were monitored by the recording of physical examination, the complete blood count with differential and reticulocyte count and liver function test. Eight patients received prior or concurrent chemotherapy. Results : In 10 patients, the neutrophilic nadir was significantly elevated and the lenght of time that Patients had a neutrophil count below $10^3/mm^3$ a threshold known to be critical to acquiring infective complications was shortened following GM-CSF injection. A significant rise (two fold or greater) of neutrophil count was seen in 10 of 11 patients. In most patients, discontinuation of GM-CSF resulted in a prompt return of granulocyte counts toward baseline. However the neutrophil count remained elevated over $10^3/mm^3$ during radiation therapy, and radiotherapy delays were avoided. Other peripheral blood components including monocytes and platelets also increased after GM-CSF treatment. No significant toxicity was encountered with subcutaneous GM-CSF treatment. Conclusion : GM-CSF was well tolerated by subcutaneous route and induced improvement in the neutropenia caused by radiotherapy.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.187-200
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• 2014

Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) are the most common cause of genital ulceration in humans worldwide. Typically, HSV-1 and 2 infections via mucosal route result in a lifelong latent infection after peripheral replication in mucosal tissues, thereby providing potential transmission to neighbor hosts in response to reactivation. To break the transmission cycle, immunoprophylactics and therapeutic strategies must be focused on prevention of infection or reduction of infectivity at mucosal sites. Currently, our understanding of the immune responses against mucosal infection of HSV remains intricate and involves a balance between innate signaling pathways and the adaptive immune responses. Numerous studies have demonstrated that HSV mucosal infection induces type I interferons (IFN) via recognition of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and activates multiple immune cell populations, including NK cells, conventional dendritic cells (DCs), and plasmacytoid DCs. This innate immune response is required not only for the early control of viral replication at mucosal sites, but also for establishing adaptive immune responses against HSV antigens. Although the contribution of humoral immune response is controversial, $CD4^+$ Th1 T cells producing IFN-${\gamma}$ are believed to play an important role in eradicating virus from the hosts. In addition, the recent experimental successes of immunoprophylactic and therapeutic compounds that enhance resistance and/or reduce viral burden at mucosal sites have accumulated. This review focuses on attempts to modulate innate and adaptive immunity against HSV mucosal infection for the development of prophylactic and therapeutic strategies. Notably, cells involved in innate immune regulations appear to shape adaptive immune responses. Thus, we summarized the current evidence of various immune mediators in response to mucosal HSV infection, focusing on the importance of innate immune responses.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7555-7560
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• 2013

Background: Beedi rollers are exposed to unburnt tobacco dust through cutaneous and pharyngeal route and it is extremely harmful to the body since it is carcinogenic in nature and can cause cancer during long exposure. This indicates that occupational exposure to tobacco imposes considerable genotoxicity among beedi workers. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 27 beedi workers and age and sex matched controls were enrolled for clinical, cytogenetics and molecular analysis. Clinical features were recorded. The workers were in the age group of 28-67 years and were workers exposure from 8-60 years. Blood samples were collected from workers and control subjects and lymphocyte cultures were carried out by using standard technique, slides were prepared and 50 metaphases were scored for each sample to find the chromosomal abnormalities. For molecular analysis the genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood, to screen the variations in gene, the exon 1 of CYP1A1 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and then screened with Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Results: A statistically significant increase was observed in the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations in exposed groups when compared to the respective controls and variations observed in Exon 1 of CYP1A1(Cytochrome P450, family 1, subfamily A, polypeptide 1) gene. Conclusions: This study shows that, the toxicants present in the beedi that enter into human body causes disturbance to normal state and behavior of the chromosomes which results in reshuffling of hereditary material causing chromosomal aberrations and genomic variations.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.32-41
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• 2015

Objectives: Condurango (Gonolobus condurango) extract is used by complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners as a traditional medicine, including homeopathy, mainly for the treatment of syphilis. Condurango bark extract is also known to reduce tumor volume, but the underlying molecular mechanisms still remain unclear. Methods: Using a cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) as our model, the molecular events behind condurango extract's (CE's) anticancer effect were investigated by using flow cytometry, immunoblotting and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Other included cell types were prostate cancer cells (PC3), transformed liver cells (WRL-68), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Results: Condurango extract (CE) was found to be cytotoxic against target cells, and this was significantly deactivated in the presence of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS), suggesting that its action could be mediated through ROS generation. CE caused an increase in the HeLa cell population containing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage at the G zero/Growth 1 (G0/G1) stage. Further, CE increased the tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) and the fas receptor (FasR) levels both at the ribonucleic acid (RNA) and the protein levels, indicating that CE might have a cytotoxic mechanism of action. CE also triggered a sharp decrease in the expression of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells ($NF-{\kappa}B$) both at the RNA and the protein levels, a possible route to attenuation of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and caused an opening of the mitochondrial membrane's permeability transition (MPT) pores, thus enhancing caspase activities. Conclusion: Overall, our results suggest possible pathways for CE mediated cytotoxicity in model cancer cells.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.163-174
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• 1978

Plantaginis seed has been applied in Chinese medicine a as well as in folk remedy. It was advocated that Plantaginis S Semeη exerts good therapeutic effects as anti-inflammatory, antitussive, obstipant and diuretic agent in some cases of alimentary, respiratory a and renal disorders. This study was carried out in order to r re-evaluate the pharmacological action, especially the hypotensive a action of Plantaginis Semen and to elucidate the mechanism of its a action, making use of Plantaginis Semen methanol extract (PME), because its basic pharmacological action, i. e., hypotensive action is n not clear. 1) PME, when administered into intravenous route, elicited the h hypotensive response dependent on the dose of PME given to the rabbit anesthetized with urethane. 2) This hypotensive response of P PME was inhibited by atropine and potentiated by physostigmine, but not influ$\varepsilon$need by vagotomization. 3) Depressor effect of PME was blocked by chlorisondamine, phentolamine, and bethanicline, while not altered by cyproheptadine, diphenhydramine and propran¬olol. 4) The secondary pressor response after blocking the depressor e effect of PME by chlorisondamine was produced, but this pressor response was deminished by atropine. 5) PME augmented the pressor e effect of norepinephrine and angiotensin, on the other hand, reduced b blood pressure elevated by carotid occlusion reflex. 6) These observa¬t tions suggest that PME may induce the hypotensive response via dual mechanisms of parasympathomimetic and sympatholytic action, that the positions of this action are cholinergic peripheral site and sympathetic ganglia respectively, and that PME may possess the pressor activity caused by stimulation of "atropine-sensitive site" which seems to existsin the sympathetic ganglia.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.8
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• pp.580-590
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• 2021

Patients with severe asthma have unmet clinical needs for effective and safe therapies. One possibility may be mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy, which can improve asthma in murine models. However, it remains unclear how MSCs exert their beneficial effects in asthma. Here, we examined the effect of human umbilical cord blood-derived MSCs (hUC-MSC) on two mouse models of severe asthma, namely, Alternaria alternata-induced and house dust mite (HDM)/diesel exhaust particle (DEP)-induced asthma. hUC-MSC treatment attenuated lung type 2 (Th2 and type 2 innate lymphoid cell) inflammation in both models. However, these effects were only observed with particular treatment routes and timings. In vitro co-culture showed that hUC-MSC directly downregulated the interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13 production of differentiated mouse Th2 cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from asthma patients. Thus, these results showed that hUC-MSC treatment can ameliorate asthma by suppressing the asthmogenic cytokine production of effector cells. However, the successful clinical application of MSCs in the future is likely to require careful optimization of the route, dosage, and timing.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.115-126
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency and characteristics of occupational blood and body fluid exposure for operating room personnel during surgical procedures and identify risk factors. Methods: A self-report questionnaire was used to survey 519 operating room personnel who participated in 132 surgeries in an acute care hospital in Seoul between April 12 and 20, 2006. Results: The response rate was 82% (530/646) and analyzed total 519 except for improper 11 questionnaires. Exposure rate was 45.5% (60/132) during operations and 20.4% (106/519) for operating room personnel. By job categories, the exposure rate was as follows; anesthesiologists and nurses 31.2% (44/141), operators and assistants 22.1% (32/145), circulating nurses 12.0% (11/92), scrub nurses 11.4% (14/123). The mucous membrane-eye exposure with a high risk of transmitting infection was 6.6% (7/106) and the most frequent route of exposure was blood and body fluid touching unprotected skin. In multivariate analysis, the risk factors of exposure were services, duration of operation, a patient who had a peripheral arterial catheter line, and job category. Conclusion: Educational programs and appropriate use of personal protective equipment are necessary to prevent operating room personnel from being exposed to blood and body fluid.

• Journal of Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgery
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.223-226
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• 2024

Percutaneous techniques for femoral arterial access are increasingly being performed due to advances in endovascular cerebral procedures, as they provide a less morbid and minimally invasive approach than open procedures. Common complications associated with this peripheral puncture include hematoma, bleeding, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, retroperitoneal bleeding, inadvertent venous puncture, dissection, etc. The retrograde femoral access is currently the most frequently used arterial access as it is technically straightforward, allows for the use of larger size sheaths and catheters, allows repeated attempts, etc. Although being technically less challenging, grave complications can occur due to hardware failure. Here, we present a case of unruptured posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysm, who underwent uneventful diagnostic cerebral digital substraction angiography (DSA) via right femoral artery route on first attempt, but on second attempt for therapeutic intervention, landed up with stuck guide wire and faced decannulation difficulty due to unravelling of guide wire and multiple knot formation, which was finally removed after multiple attempts at pulling and improvised manoeuvres. Such cannulation and decannulation difficulties have been reported multiple times for central venous access, but extremely rarely for femoral routes, making this case a rarity and worth reporting.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.107-116
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• 2011

Purpose: The review article was written to establish an excel program that could calculate minimal Dk of contact lens without $O^2$ deficiency and actual $O^2$ concentration on cornea when contact lens were being fitted by changing lens-related factors. Methods: An excel program was formulated to calculate the thickness of post-lens lacrimal layer, Dk of contact lens and $O^2$ concentration on cornea. Results: With the excel program established, minimal $O^2$ concentration needed on cornea could be calculated when the thickness of post-lens lacrimal layer was changed by varying lens-related factors. A different route in the excel program was needed to choose based on the shape of lacrimal layer. The thickness of lacrimal layer was determined by the shape of meniscus made of tear between lens edge and cornea with flat fit. Thus, the $O^2$ concentration showing negative number in calculation decreased on peripheral cornea with flatter fitting and actual $O^2$ concentration would be zero on cornea. With tight fitting, the thickness of post-lens lacrimal layer is much thicker than lens itself thus negative number in calculation by the excel program is shown indicating zero oxygen on cornea. It can cause $O^2$ deficiency regardless of Dk of contact lens. Conclusions: The calculation of thickness of post-lens lacrimal layer and $O^2$ concentration on cornea by the established excel program is suggested to avoid $O^2$ deficiency when fitting state is varied by changing lens-related factors.