• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.88-95
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• 1996

In an open labeled study, two fixed doses of nimodipine(45mg and 90mg daily) were added to the usual antipsychotic drug treatment (Haloperidol : mean dose=25mg/day) in 20 male chronic schizophrenics for 5 weeks. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the therapeutic effects and the effect an the changes of plasma homovanillic acid(HVA) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(5-HIAA) levels. The results were as follows : 1) Total BPRS score and thought cluster, paranoid cluster subscores showed linear decreasing trend over the course of the study(P<0.05). Especially the thought cluster and paranoid cluster subscores were significant difference between 45mg and 90mg dose of nimodipine(P<0.05). The improvement rates were 45,45% of 90mg and 11.11% of 45mg, but there was no significant difference between the 45mg and 90mg dose of nimodipine. 2) The scores of extrapyramidal symptoms and adverse events-somatic symptoms showed a linear decreasing trends over the course of study. 3) The changes in the mean plasma HVA and 5-H1AA concentrations by the dosages and durations of combining of nimodipine were not statistically significant. 4) There was no statistical significance in plasma HVA and 5-HIAA of the improved, non-improved goroup. Nimodipine has a possibility os on adjunctive agent for treatment resistant schizophrenics, elderly patients and liable patients for the Side effects to usual antipsychotic drugs. So we suggest that the dosage of nimodipine must be above 90mg/day in the treatment of schizophrenia.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.635-645
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• 2019

Non-specific chronic neck pain (CNP) is a prevalent disorder and often accompany with pain, fatigue, reduced range of motion (ROM), and hand function. Although various types of drug are commonly used to manage the symptoms following CNP, there is a need for therapeutic exercise and alternative medicine interventions that have few side effects or are easy to apply. Present study investigated the effects of salt pack and neck exercise for life care of the elderly with non-specific CNP. Sixteen patients with non-specific CNP were recruited and randomly assigned into two groups: the intervention group (n=8) or the control group (n=8). All patients performed neck self-exercise for 30 min/day, 5 times a week for 1 week. And the subjects in the intervention group additionally received salt hot pack for 20 min per session. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and pain pressure threshold (PPT) using algometer were used to assess pain intensity (primary outcome). ROM of shoulder joint and grip strength were measured to test shoulder and hand function (secondary outcome). There were significant improvements in the intervention group (p<.05), while the subjects in the control group did not show a significant change after intervention (p>.05). Also, the intervention group show significant differences in VAS and PPT compared to the control group (p<.05). Thus, our results demonstrated that salt pack and neck exercise have a positive effect for life care in elderly patients with non-specific CNP.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 1997

Background : Tuberculous pleurisy has been treated With a combined regimen of corticosteroids- antimicrobial therapy. But whether such combination therapy add to benefits is unknown. We evaluate the effects of corticosteroid and its routine application in relief of clinical symptoms, absorption of pleural effusion, and pleural adhesions. Methods : A prospective, randomized study of the role of corticosteroid in the treatment of tuberculous pleurisy was performed in 83 patients(nonsteroid group: 50 patients, steroid group: 33 patients) from June, 1991 to September, 1994. Results : 1) The mean duration from symptoms(fever, chest pain, dyspnea) to relief was 3.8 days in the steroid group, and 7.4 days in the nonsteroid group(P<0.05). Clinical symptoms including fever, chest pain, sputum and weight loss were relieved more rapidly in the steroid group than other symptoms(weakness, night sweating and dyspnea). 2) Pleural effusion was taken an averge of 88 days in the steroid group and 101 days in the nonsteroid group 10 be absorbed completely(p>0.05) 3) The incidence of pleural adhesions was 17/33(5l.5%) in the steroid group and 32/50(64%) in the nonsteroid group(p>0.05) 4) Side effects of corticosteroids were observed in only one patient causing epigastric pain and discontinuation of drug. Conclusion : Corticosteroid exert benefitial role in the more rapid relief of clinical symptoms to patients with tuberculous pleurisy, but absortion of pleural effusion and occurrence of pleural adhesions was not influenced significantly Therefore, its routine application should be reevaluated.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.605-610
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• 2003

According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, leukemia is a malignant disease (cancer) that originates in a cell in the marrow. It is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of developing marrow cells. There are two major classifications of leukemia: myelogenous or lymphocytic, which can each be acute or chronic. The terms myelogenous or lymphocytic denote the cell type involved. Thus, four major types of leukemia are: acute or chronic myelogenous leukemia and acute or chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are considered to be related cancers because they involve the uncontrolled growth of cells with similar functions and origins. The diseases result from an acquired (not inherited) genetic injury to the DNA of a single cell, which becomes abnormal (malignant) and multiplies continuously. In the United States, about 2,000 children and 27,000 adults are diagnosed each year with leukemia. Treatment for cancer may include one or more of the following: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, surgery and bone marrow transplantation. The most effective treatment for leukemia is chemotherapy, which may involve one or a combination of anticancer drugs that destroy cancer cells. Specific types of leukemia are sometimes treated with radiation therapy or biological therapy. Common side effects of most chemotherapy drugs include hair loss, nausea and vomiting, decreased blood counts and infections. Each type of leukemia is sensitive to different combinations of chemotherapy. Medications and length of treatment vary from person to person. Treatment time is usually from one to two years. During this time, your care is managed on an outpatient basis at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center or through your local doctor. Once your protocol is determined, you will receive more specific information about the drug(s) that Will be used to treat your leukemia. There are many factors that will determine the course of treatment, including age, general health, the specific type of leukemia, and also whether there has been previous treatment. there is considerable interest among basic and clinical researchers in novel drugs with activity against leukemia. the vast history of experience of traditional oriental medicine with medicinal plants may facilitate the identification of novel anti leukemic compounds. In the present investigation, we studied 31 kinds of anti leukemic medicinal plants, which its pharmacological action was already reported through many experimental articles and oriental medical book: 『pharmacological action and application of anticancer traditional chinese medicine』 In summary: Used leukemia cellline are HL60, HL-60, Jurkat, Molt-4 of human, and P388, L-1210, L615, L-210, EL-4 of mouse. 31 kinds of anti leukemic medicinal plants are Panax ginseng C.A Mey; Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc; Daphne genkwa Sieb. et Zucc; Aloe ferox Mill; Phorboc diester; Tripterygium wilfordii Hook .f.; Lycoris radiata (L Her)Herb; Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz; Lilium brownii F.E. Brown Var; Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.; Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels; Asparagus cochinensis (Lour. )Merr; Isatis tinctoria L.; Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet; Phytolacca acinosa Roxb.; Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim; Dioscorea opposita Thumb; Schisandra chinensis (Rurcz. )Baill.; Auium Sativum L; Isatis tinctoria, L; Ligustisum Chvanxiong Hort; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch; Euphorbia Kansui Liou; Polygala tenuifolia Willd; Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth; Chelidonium majus L; Rumax madaeo Mak; Sophora Subprostmousea Chunet T.ehen; Strychnos mux-vomical; Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr.et Maxim.)Harms; Rubia cordifolia L. Anti leukemic compounds, which were isolated from medicinal plants are ginsenoside Ro, ginsenoside Rh2, Emodin, Yuanhuacine, Aleemodin, phorbocdiester, Triptolide, Homolycorine, Atractylol, Colchicnamile, Paeonol, Aspargus polysaccharide A.B.C.D, Indirubin, Leonunrine, Acinosohic acid, Trichosanthin, Ge 132, Schizandrin, allicin, Indirubin, cmdiumlactone chuanxiongol, 18A glycyrrhetic acid, Kansuiphorin A 13 oxyingenol Kansuiphorin B. These investigation suggest that it may be very useful for developing more effective anti leukemic new dregs from medicinal plants.

• Korean Journal of Hospice Care
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.58-74
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• 2002

This paper constitutes a descriptive investigation and used a structured questionnaire to investigate nurses' and doctors' recognition of cancer patients. The subjects were extracted from the medical personnel working at the internal medicine, the surgery ward, the obstetrics and gynecology department, the pediatrics department, the cancer ward, and the emergency room of five general hospitals located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The research lasted from August, 2001 to September 2001. Total 137 nurses and 65 doctors were included and made out the questionnaires directly distributed by the investigator. The study tool was also developed by the investigator and consisted of such items as the demographic and social characteristics, the medical personnel's recognition degree of cancer and cancer patients, their recognition of the management of cancer patients, and their participation in a hospice. The results were analyzed using the SPSS Window program in terms of technological statistics, ranks, t-test, and ANOVA. The reliability was represented in Cronbach' α=.75. The nurses' and doctors' recognition degree of cancer and cancer patients had an overall average of 3.86 at the 5 point-scale. The items that received an average of 4.0 or more included 'Medical personnel should explain about the cancer cure plans to the cancer patient and his or her family', 'A patient whose case has been diagnosed as a terminal cancer should be notified of it, 'If I were a cancer patient, I would want to get informed of it,' and 'Cancer shall be conquered whenever it is'. In the meantime, the items that received an average of 3.0 or less was 'My relationship with the cancer patient's family has gotten worse since I announced his or her impending death.' And according to the general characteristics and the difference test, the recognition degree of cancer and cancer patient was high among the subgroups of nurses, females, married persons, who were in their 30s, who had a family member that was a cancer patient, and who received a hospice education. The biggest number of the nurses and doctors saw 'a gradual approach over several days'(68.8%) as a method to tell a cancer patient about his or her cancer diagnosis or impending death. Those who usually tell tragic news were the physician in charge(62.8%), the family members or relatives(32.1%) and the clergymen(3.8%) in the order. The greatest number of them recommended a cancer patient's home as the place where he or she should face death because they thought 'it would stabilize his or her mentality'(91.9%) while a number of them recommended the hospital because they 'should give the psychological satisfaction to the patient'(40%) or 'should try their best until the last moment of the patient's death'(30%). A majority of the medical personnel regarded 'smoking or drinking' and 'diet' as the causes of cancer. The biggest symptom of a cancer patient was 'pain' and the pain management of a cancer patient was mostly impeded by the 'excessive fear of drug addiction, tolerance to drugs and side effects of drugs' by medical personnel, the patient, and his or her family. The most frequently adopted treatment plan of a terminal cancer patient was 'to do whatever the patient or his or her family wants' to resort to a hospice' and 'to continue active treatment efforts' in the order. The biggest reasons why a terminal cancer patient went to see a doctor were 'pain alleviation' 'control of symptoms other than pain(intravenous supply)' and 'incapability of the patient's family' in the order. Terminal cancer patients placed their major concern in 'spiritual(religious) matter' 'emotional matters' their family' 'existence' and 'physical matters' in the order. 113(58.5%) of the whole medical personnel answered they 'would recommend' an alternative treatment to a terminal cancer patient mostly because they assumed it would 'stabilize the patient's mentality.' Meanwhile, 80(41.5%) of them chose 'not to recommend it mostly due to the unverified effects and high cost of it(78.7%). A majority of them, I. e. 190(94.1%) subjects said they 'would recommend' a hospice to a terminal cancer patient mostly because they thought it would help the patient to 'mentally prepare'(66.6%) Only 17.3% of them, however, had received a hospice education, most of which was done through the hospital duty education(41.4%) and volunteer training(34.5%). The follows are results of this study: 1. The nurses and the doctors turned out to be still passive and experience confusion in dealing with a cancer patient despite their great sense of responsibility for him or her. 2.Nurses and Doctors realize the need of a hospice, but an extremely small number of them participate in a hospice education or performance. Thus, a whole recognition of a hospice should be changed, for which purpose a hospice education for nurses and doctors should be provided. 3.Terminal cancer patients preferred their home to a hospital as the place to face their impending death because they felt it would bring 'mental stability.' And most of nurses and doctors think it would be unnecessary for them to be hospitalized just for control of their symptoms. Accordingly a terminal cancer patient can be cared at home, and a home hospice care needs to be activated.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.713-723
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• 2023

Lung cancer is a type of cancer that has the highest mortality rate. It is mainly classified into small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Chemotherapy is used to treat lung cancer, but long-term treatment causes side effects and drug resistances. Curcumin is a bright yellow polyphenol extracted from the root of turmeric. It has biological activities, such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we observed differential cell death in human lung cancer cells. Based on the results, curcumin at 10, 30, and 50 μM exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition on the cell survival of several lung cancer cells, with minor differential phenotypes. In addition, apoptosis, autophagy, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) regeneration were observed through flow cytometry. Curcumin dose-dependently increased these phenotypes in A549 (NSCLC) and DMS53 (SCLC), which were restored by corresponding inhibitors. Western blotting was performed to measure the level of expression of apoptosis- and autophagy-related proteins. The results indicate that Bax, PARP, pro-caspase-3, and Bcl-2 were dose-dependently regulated by curcumin, with seemingly higher Bax/Bcl-2 ratios in DMS53. In addition, autophagic proteins, p-AKT, p62, and LC3B, were dose-dependently regulated by curcumin. ROS inhibition by diphenyleneiodonium reduced the induction of apoptosis and autophagy generated by curcumin. Taken together, it is suggested that curcumin induces apoptosis and autophagy via ROS generation, leading to cell death, with minor differences between human lung cancer cells.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.127-135
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• 2001

Purpose : This study is a prospective randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy and complication of anti-emetic drugs for prevention of nausea and vomiting after radiotherapy which has moderate emetogenic potential. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the anti-emetic efficacy of ondansetron $(Zofran^{\circledR})$ 8 mg bid dose (Group O) is better than the efficacy of metoclopramide 5 mg lid dose (Group M) in patients undergoing fractionated radiotherapy to the abdominal region. Materials and Methods : Study entry was restricted to those patients who met the following eligibility criteria: histologically confirmed malignant disease; no distant metastasis; performance status of not more than ECOG grade 2; no previous chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Between March 1997 and February 1998, 60 patients enrolled in this study. All patients signed a written statement of informed consent prior to enrollment. Blinding was maintained by dosing identical number of tablets including one dose of matching placebo for Group O. The extent of nausea, appetite loss, and the number of emetic episodes were recorded everyday using diary card. The mean score of nausea, appetite loss and the mean number of emetic episodes were obtained in a weekly interval. Results : Prescription error occurred in one patient. And diary cards have not returned in 3 patients due to premature refusal of treatment. Card from one patient was excluded from the analysis because she had a history of treatment for neurosis. As a result, the analysis consisted of 55 patients. Patient characteristics and radiotherapy characteristics were similar except mean age was $52.9{\pm}11.2$ in group M, $46.5{\pm}9.5$ in group O. The difference of age was statistically significant. The mean score of nausea, appetite loss and emetic episodes in a weekly interval was higher in group M than O. In group M, the symptoms were most significant at 5th week. In a panel data analysis using mixed procedure, treatment group was only significant factor detecting the difference of weekly score for all three symptoms. Ondansetron $(Zofran^{\circledR})$ 8 mg bid dose and metoclopramide 5 mg lid dose were well tolerated without significant side effects. There were no clinically important changes In vital signs or clinical laboratory parameters with either drug. Conclusion : Concerning the fact that patients with younger age have higher emetogenic potential, there are possibilities that age difference between two treatment groups lowered the statistical power of analysis. There were significant difference favoring ondansetron group with respect to the severity of nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. We concluded that ondansetron is more effective anti-emetic agents in the control of radiotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite without significant toxicity, compared with commonly used drug, i.e., metoclopramide. However, there were patients suffering emesis despite the administration of ondansetron. The possible strategies to improve the prevention and the treatment of radiotherapy-induced emesis must be further studied.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.26 no.3
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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.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.1
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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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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.175-187
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• 2003

Background : Although corticosteroid and cytotoxic agent such as cyclophosphamide have been used for the treatment idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP), efficacy of these toxic drugs are unclear because previous reports included the patients who did not undergo surgical lung biopsy and none evaluated the response according to histopathologic entities of IIP. To answer this, we retrospectively analyzed the treatment response and side effects of corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide therapy in patients with idiopathic UIP and NSIP. Methods : Among 61 patients with UIP and 26 patients with NSIP diagnosed by surgical lung biopsy at Samsung Medical Center from July 1996 to June 2002, those who received corticosteroid or cyclophosphamide therapy for at least 6 months and were followed for at least one year after the initiation of treatment were enrolled (32 UIP, 23 NSIP). Treatment response of 55 patients was assessed by ATS response criteria (clinical symptoms, pulmonary function test and radiological findings). Adverse reactions to either agent (42 cases of cyclophosphamide${\pm}$low-dose prednisolone, 49 cases of prednisolone alone) were also analyzed. Results : Irrespective of treatment regimen, NSIP showed more favorable response than UIP (6 months: 78.3% vs. 9.4%, 12 months: 69.6% vs. 9.4%, p<0.001). Cyclophosphamide showed comparable response to corticosteroid in NSIP while its efficacy was as poor as those of corticosteroid therapy in UIP. Significant adverse reaction to drug more frequently occurred in corticosteroid group (35.7%) than cyclophosphamide group (14.3%) (p=0.017). Conclusion : Cyclophosphamide is effective and more tolerable than corticosteroids in the treatment of idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia.