• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 2020

Metformin has been widely used as an antidiabetic drug, and reported to inhibit cell proliferation in many cancers including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In NSCLC cells, metformin suppresses PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, but effect of metformin on RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is controversial; several studies showed the inhibition of ERK activity, while others demonstrated the activation of ERK in response to metformin exposure. Metformin-induced activation of ERK is therapeutically important, since metformin could enhance cell proliferation through RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway and lead to impairment of its anticancer activity suppressing PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, requiring blockade of both signaling pathways for more efficient antitumor effect. The present study tested the combination therapy of metformin and trametinib by monitoring the alterations of regulatory effector proteins of cell signaling pathways and the effect of the combination on cell viability in NCI-H2087 NSCLC cells with NRAS and BRAF mutations. We show that metformin alone blocks PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway but induces the activation and phosphorylation of ERK. The combination therapy synergistically decreased cell viability in treatment with low doses of two drugs, while it gave antagonistic effect with high doses. These findings suggest that the efficacy of metformin and trametinib combination therapy may depend on the alteration of ERK activity induced by metformin and specific cellular context of cancer cells.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2005

Purpose: The present study was designed to identify cancer patients' needs when chemotherapy ends. Method: In-depth interview with focus questions was applied for the study. The participants were recruited from the patients receiving cancer chemotherapy in a university hospital. They were seven cancer patients with stomach cancer and two with liver cancer at the ending period of their chemotherapy protocol. Participants were interviewed on discharge date of last treatment and when they returned for the first outpatient follow-up. The focus question was 'what are your needs at this point?' The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed before analysis. The data were analyzed for common categories, special analytic categories, and conceptual categories. Results: Thirty two common categories, ten special analytic categories, and six conceptual categories were identified as patient's needs. The six conceptual categories were comfort needs, social needs, information needs, humanism needs, environmental needs, and self-efficacy needs. Conclusion: There were characteristic specific patients' needs when chemotherapy ends. There are needs to develop and to apply nursing intervention for cancer patients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2014.11a
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• pp.273-273
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• 2014

Quantum-dot sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) are an emerging class of solar cells owing to their easy fabrication, low cost and material diversity. Despite of the fact that the maximum conversion efficiency of QDSCs is still far less than that of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (>12 %), their unique characteristics like Multiple Exciton Generation (MEG), energy band tune-ability and tendency to incorporate multiple co-sensitizers concurrently has made QDs a suitable alternative to expensive dyes for solar cell application. Lead Sulfide (PbS) Quantum dot sensitized solar cells are theoretically proficient enough to have a photo-current density ($J_{sc}$) of $36mA/cm^2$, but practically there are very few reports on photocurrent enhancement in PbS QDSCs. Recently, $Hg^{2+}$ incorporated PbS quantumdots and Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) co-sensitized PbS solarcells are reported to show an improvement in photo-current density ($J_{sc}$). In this study, we explored the efficacy of $In_2S_3$ as an interfacial layer deposited through SILAR process for PbS QDSCs. $In_2S_3$ was chosen as the interfacial layer in order to avoid the usage of hazardous CdS or Mercury (Hg). Herein, the deposition of $In_2S_3$ interfacial layer on $TiO_2$ prior to PbS QDs exhibited a direct enhancement in the photo-current (Isc). Improved photo-absorption as well as interfacial recombination barrier caused by $In_2S_3$ deposition increased the photo-current density ($J_{sc}$) from $13mA/cm^2$ to $15.5mA/cm^2$ for single cycle of $In_2S_3$ deposition. Increase in the number of cycles of $In_2S_3$ deposition was found to deteriorate the photocurrent, however it increased $V_{oc}$ of the device which reached to an optimum value of 2.25% Photo-conversion Efficiency (PCE) for 2 cycles of $In_2S_3$ deposition. Effect of Heat Treatment, Normalized Current Stability, Open Circuit Voltage Decay and Dark IV Characteristics were further measured to reveal the characteristics of device.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.167-171
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• 1994

With a view to improving microbiological quality of spinach powder which is currently used for convenience food production, comparative efficacy of ethylene oxide(EO) fumigation and gamma irradiation was investigated by determining microbial populations and physicochemical quality for treated samples. Spinach powder was contaminated with various microorganisms ranging from $10^{2}/g\;to\;10^{4}/g$, which composed of thermophiles, acid tolerant bacteria, fungi, coliforms, etc. Microorganisms contaminated were destroyed up to undetected levels by gamma irradiation at below 7 kGy. showing the radiosensitivity $D_{10}$ 2.93 kGy on total aerobic bacteria. Ethylene oxide fumigation, however. was found unsatisfactory for physicochemical quality as well as microbial decontamination of the sample. It has been generally observed that influence of optimum-dose range of irradiation on the physicochemical qualities was insignificant, which was proved in the organoleptic evaluations on the stored sample.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.197-201
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• 2016

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with an increased risk of developing upper gastrointestinal tract diseases. However, treatment failure is a major cause of concern mainly due to possible recurrence of infection, the side effects, and resistance to antibiotics. The aim of this study was to investigate the activities of Centella asiatica leaf extract (CAE) against H. pylori both in vitro and in vivo. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against 55 clinically isolated strains of H. pylori were tested using an agar dilution method. The MICs of CAE ranged from 0.125 mg/mL to 8 mg/mL, effectiveness in inhibiting H. pylori growth was 2 mg/mL. The anti-H. pylori effects of CAE in vivo were also examined in H. pylori-infected C57BL/6 mice. CAE was orally administrated once daily for 3 weeks at doses of 50 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg. CAE at the 50 mg/kg dose significantly reduced H. pylori colonization in mice gastric mucosa. Our study provides novel insights into the therapeutic effects of CAE against H. pylori infection, and it suggests that CAE may be useful as an alternative therapy.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2014

Purpose: The role of peritoneal washing cytology in determining further treatment strategies after surgery for gastric cancer remains unclear. One reason for this is the fact that optimal procedures to increase the accuracy of predicting peritoneal metastasis have not been established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cytology using samples harvested from two different abdominal cavity sites during gastric cancer surgery. Materials and Methods: We prospectively recruited 108 patients who were clinically diagnosed with locally advanced gastric cancer (higher than cT1 stage disease). Peritoneal washing fluids were collected from the pouch of Douglas and the subphrenic area. Patients were prospectively followed up for 2 years to determine the recurrence and survival rates. Results: Thirty-three patients dropped out of the study for various reasons, so 75 patients were included in the final analysis. Seven patients (9.3%) showed positive cytology findings, of whom, three showed peritoneal recurrence. Tumor size was the only factor associated with positive cytology findings (P=0.037). The accuracy and specificity of cytology for predicting peritoneal recurrence were 90.1% and 94.2%, respectively, whereas the sensitivity was 50.0%. The survival rate did not differ between patients with positive cytology findings and those with negative cytology findings (P=0.081). Conclusions: Peritoneal washing cytology using samples harvested from two different sites in the abdominal cavity was not able to predict peritoneal recurrence or survival in gastric cancer patients. Further studies will be required to determine whether peritoneal washing cytology during gastric cancer surgery is a meaningful procedure.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2018

Objectives: Airway management in patients with panfacial trauma is complicated. In addition to involving facial lesions, such trauma compromises the airway, and the use of intermaxillary fixation makes it difficult to secure ventilation by usual approaches (nasotracheal or endotracheal intubation). Submental airway derivation is an alternative to tracheostomy and nasotracheal intubation, allowing a permeable airway with minimal complications in complex patients. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive, retrospective study based on a review of medical records of all patients with facial trauma from January 2003 to May 2015. In total, 31 patients with complex factures requiring submental airway derivation were included. No complications such as bleeding, infection, vascular, glandular, or nervous lesions were presented in any of the patients. Results: The use of submental airway derivation is a simple, safe, and easy method to ensure airway management. Moreover, it allows an easier reconstruction. Conclusion: Based on these results, we concluded that, if the relevant steps are followed, the use of submental intubation in the treatment of patients with complex facial trauma is a safe and effective option.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.250-257
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• 2020

Objectives: Palatal infiltration is the most painful and uncomfortable anesthesia technique for maxillary impacted third molar surgery (MITMS). This approach could cause patients distress and aversion to dental treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anesthetic efficacy of a buccal infiltration injection without a palatal injection in MITMS. Materials and Methods: This prospective research study was a crossover split mouth-randomized controlled trial. Twenty-eight healthy symmetrical bilateral MITMS patients (mean age, 23 years) were randomly assigned to two groups. Buccal infiltration injections without palatal injections were designated as the study group and the buccal with palatal infiltration cases were the control group, using 4% articaine and 1:100,000 epinephrine. The operation started after 10 minutes of infiltration. Pain assessment was done using a visual analogue scale and a numeric rating scale after each injection and extraction procedure. Similarly, the success rate, hemodynamic parameters, and additional requested local anesthetic were assessed. Results: The results showed that the pain associated with local anesthetic injections between both groups were significantly different. However, the success rates between the groups were not significantly different. Postoperative pain was not significant between both groups and a few patients requested an additional local anesthetic, but the results were not statistically significant. For hemodynamic parameters, there was a significant difference in systolic pressure during incision, bone removal, and tooth elevation. In comparison, during the incision stage there was a significant difference in diastolic pressure; however, other steps in the intervention were not significantly different between groups. Conclusion: We concluded that buccal infiltration injection without palatal injection can be an alternative technique instead of the conventional injection for MITMS.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.526-530
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• 2007

The incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has been estimated worldwide to range from 1.7 to 75 cases per 100,000. There are many treatments for ARDS, but only the low tidal volume strategy is based on strong clinical evidence from randomized clinical trials. The efficacy of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) in adults remains controversial. Ongoing clinical trials and research have shown a benefit for its use to salvage severe ARDS patients that are in failure with conventional treatment. We encountered a 41-year-old woman who developed ARDS induced by pneumococcal pneumonia. Despite conventional mechanical ventilation in the emergency room, severe hypoxia remained. We treated the patient immediately with ECLS. The patient has almost fully recovered, and was discharged from a 177-day stay at our hospital.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.69-86
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• 2008

In order to validate the objective efficacy of CBPT on anti-asthma and to develop effective therapeutics for asthma treatments, immunological modulatory mechanism was studied using animal model using OVA-Alum. The results are listed below. When treated with CBPT, survival rate of hFCs at 250 ug/ml was above 90%. AST and ALT, indicators of liver function measurements were in the normal range. Compared to the control group, CBPT treated group showed significant reduction in liver weights at both 400 and 200 mg/kg, and significant decrease of total liver cells at 400 mg/kg. Significant increase in CD4+ and CD8+ cells in DLN was observed in the CBPT treated group. Slight increase in CD3+, CD4+/CD25+ cells were also observed. On the other hand, CBPT significantly reduced the CD3+/CD69+ cell numbers at both concentrations. Slight decrease of CD19+ cells was also observed. CBPT significantly reduced the CD3e+/CD69+, CCR3+ and CD11b+/Gr-1+ cells in lung tissues at both doses. However, significant decrease of CD3e+ and B220+/IgE+ cells was only observed at 400 mg/kg dosed group. The results above strongly suggest the anti-asthmatic effect of CBPT through immunological modulation. By using various concentrations of CBPT, broader clinical applications of CBPT on anti-asthmatic treatment can be developed. The EBM database should provide valuable information in the development of drugs for asthma treatments.