• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.76-103
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• 2021

Objectives This study was designed to examine the effect of Gleditsiae Fructus n-hexane (GSF_Hx) on two different groups (on the LPS-induced activation of Raw264.7 cells in vitro, and on the DNCB-induced activation of atopic dermatitis NC/Nga Tnd mice in vivo) to find index components and active components of Gleditsiae Fructus. Methods GSF_Hx was analyzed by HPLC profiling and confirmed echinocystic acid (EA), oleanolic acid (OA) as index components of Gleditsiae Fructus. Using GSF_Hx, EA, OA, we investigated IL-6, TNF-α, NO production by ELISA analysis and evaluated manifestations of MAPKs transcription factors and NF-κB p65 translocation by western blotting. During In vivo study, atopic dermatitis was induced on NC/Nga Tnd mice by DNCB and administered GSF_Hx, EA, OA orally, and checked skin lesions and measured skin clinical score. Serum IgE level, Th1 and Th2 cytokines secretion and modulating molecular mediators and immune cells in the spleenocyte culture supernatant, PBMCs, ALN and dorsal skin were also measured by real-time PCR. Then, skin rash was evaluated and mast cell distribution was verified by H&E and toluidine blue staining on dorsal skin. Results It is possible that GSF_Hx, EA and OA reduce inflammation and allergic response of atopic dermatitis by suppressing Th1 and Th2 cytokines secretion and modulating molecular mediators and immune cells. They also had moisturizing effect by raising vitality of ceramide in dorsal skin of atopic dermatitis NC/Nga Tnd mice. However, EA particularly had better overall activity data than OA, that EA could be a more effective active component of Gleditsiae Fructus than OA. Conclusions Based on the inflammatory reduction property with moisturizing effect, GSF_Hx may play a role in effective treatment for atopic dermatitis.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.29-37
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• 2009

Objectives : The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of Trichosanthis Radix extract (TRE) on the proliferation and activation of eosinophils which were prepared from lung cells of asthma-induced mice by ovalbumin (OVA) treatment. Methods : C57BL/6 mouse was exposed to OVA three times a week for 6 weeks. The mouse lung tissues were dissected out, chopped and dossiciated with collagenase (1 $\mu$g/ml). Eosinophils were activated by rmIL-3/rmIL-5 co-treatments. The lung cells were treated with TRE, incubated for 48 hr at 37$^{\circ}C$, and analyzed by flow cytometer, ELISA and RT-PCR methods Results : To measure cytotoxicity, mouse lung fibroblast cells (mLFCs) were pretreated with various concentrations of TRE. TRE at 100 $\mu$g/ml, the highest concentration, examined did not have any cytotoxic effects on mLFCs. In FACS analysis, number of granulocyte/lymphocyte, CD3e-/CCR3+, CD3e+/CD69+, CD4+/CD8+ T cells in asthma-induced lung cells were significantly decreased by TRE treatment compared to the control group. But CD4+/CD25+ T cells were not examined significant change in lung cells treated with TRE. In ELISA analysis, production levels of IL-3, IL-5, IL-13 and histamine in asthma-induced lung cells, which were induced by rIL-3 plus rmIL-5 co-treatment, were significantly decreased by TRE treatment. Conclusions : The present data suggested that Trichosanthis Radix on the inhibition of parameters associated with asthma responses in eosinpophils, and thus implicate the possibility for the clinical application of Trichosanthis Radix.

• Journal of Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgery
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.373-379
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• 2023

To systematically review the reported outcomes and complications of different treatment options for choroid plexus arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), specifically focusing on surgical resection and endovascular embolization. A systematic literature review was performed using a PubMed query for studies published between January 1975 and July 2021. All studies describing the clinical presentation, management, and outcome of confirmed choroid plexus AVM cases were included. A total of 20 studies were included in the final analysis. Of these, 18 were single-patient case reports, one article contained two patients, and a single study was a cohort of 24 patients. Patient age ranged from one day to 61 years, with a mean of 31.8±20.4 years. Most choroid plexus AVMs were located in the lateral ventricles (14 patients, 70.0%), while there were four (20.0%) located in the third ventricle, and two in the fourth ventricle (10.0%). Almost all patients were treated with surgical resection (18 patients, 90%). In 14 patients (77.8%), complete resection of the AVM was achieved. A residual AVM was reported in one case (5.6%). Most patients were reported to have improved from their presentation status over time (14 patients, 70.0%). Presence or absence of long-term sequelae (e.g., neurologic deficits) were reported for 14 patients (70%). Eleven of these patients (78.6%) were reported to have no neurological sequelae. While data on choroid plexus AVMs remains limited, the available evidence suggests gross total resection of lesions in this location can be safely achieved with subsequent reduction in preoperative symptoms.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 2013

Objectives: The aim of this survey was to investigate utilization, intended use, problems with and demand for medical devices by surveying members of the traditional Korean medical society. Methods: We distributed questionnaires to 13,957 traditional Korean medical doctors via e-mail, and received replies from 1,225. The questionnaire consisted of 4 multiple-choice questions for survey respondent information, 8 multiple-choice questions about the status of medical devices utilizing, and a short answer question about the demand for medical devices. Results: Use of medical devices in traditional Korean medical clinics is common. Diagnostic medical devices are mainly used to assess the patient's condition and to establish a close rapport with clients. In case of therapeutic medical devices, they are usually used for secondary treatment. Issues with traditional Korean medical devices currently in use were ineligibility for national health insurance, low reliability, uncertain validity, and high price. In development of traditional Korean medical equipment, the need for diagnostic medical devices was greater than for therapeutic, and the need for the recording and analysis of medical image data and visualization of medical information was great. Conclusions: There is growing demand for facilitating the development and commercialization of traditional Korean medical devices. To satisfy this demand, research on evaluation indicators that reflect functional and structural clinical information and how to clinically assess the indicators should proceed.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.279-289
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between uncertainty in illness and the future, sick role behavior with what diet, weight control, no smoking, abstinence, doctor visits, medications, etc, and quality of life of rehospitalized patients after percutaneous coronary intervention in a cardiology ward. Methods: A total of 120 patients participated in the study. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, $Scheff{\grave{e}}$ test, and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient. Results: The mean score for uncertainty was $3.45{\pm}1.08$. Sick role behavior of the patients showed a moderate value with a mean of $3.68{\pm}0.79$. The mean score for quality of life was $3.52{\pm}0.64$. Uncertainty in illness and the future was significantly correlated to sick role behavior with that diet, weight control, no smoking, abstinence, doctor visits, medications, etc (r=-.27, p=.002), and quality of life (r=-.35, p<.001), and sick role behaviors were significantly correlated to quality of life (r=.62, p<.001). Conclusion: The results implicate that there is a need to decrease the levels of uncertainty and reinforce positive behaviors by patients in order to improve their quality of life.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.578-588
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of bullying, negative affectivity and burnout in the nurses. Methods: The sample consisted of 389 nurses. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Scheff$\acute{e}$, Pearson Correlation Analysis and Hierarchical Multiple Regression. Results: The control variables of age, marital status, education level, current position, health status and work unit explained 30.2%(F=28.9, p<.001) of variance in burnout. The control variables, bullying and negative affectivity collectively explained 49.7% of variance in burnout. Conclusion: The results indicate that the demographic factors influencing burnout are age, education level, health status, work unit, while bullying and negative affectivity in the work places are factors that influence burnout. These findings can be utilized to develop strategies to reduce bullying and negative affectivity.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.17.1-17.4
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• 2020

The amount of content on social media platforms such as Twitter is expanding rapidly. Simultaneously, the lack of patient information seriously hinders the diagnosis and treatment of rare/intractable diseases. However, these patient communities are especially active on social media. Data from social media could serve as a source of patient-centric knowledge for these diseases complementary to the information collected in clinical settings and patient registries, and may also have potential for research use. To explore this question, we attempted to extract patient-centric knowledge from social media as a task for the 3-day Biomedical Linked Annotation Hackathon 6 (BLAH6). We selected amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis as use cases of rare and intractable diseases, respectively, and we extracted patient histories related to these health conditions from Twitter. Four diagnosed patients for each disease were selected. From the user timelines of these eight patients, we extracted tweets that might be related to health conditions. Based on our experiment, we show that our approach has considerable potential, although we identified problems that should be addressed in future attempts to mine information about rare/intractable diseases from Twitter.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.286-295
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• 2017

Purpose: The World Health Organization identifies spiritual care as a component of health and thus nursing care. There is a need to identify how self-esteem, communication and existential well-being affects spiritual care competence in nurses. Methods: The participants were 189 nurses in G metropolitan city. The survey was conducted from March 21 to April 8, 2016, with a self-report questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, $Scheff{\acute{e}}$ test, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 21.0. Results: Differences in spiritual care competence were statistically significant according to education level, work department, position, having received spiritual care education, experience of providing spiritual care, experience of asking religionist to provide spiritual care for a patient and recognition of need for spiritual care. The spiritual care competence of nurses showed a significantly positive correlation with self-esteem, communication and existential well-being. Factors influencing spiritual care competence were communication, experience of providing spiritual care and existential well-being which explained about 37.5% of spiritual care competence. Conclusion: It's necessary for nurses to develop intervention programs to strengthen spiritual care competence through improving communication, providing opportunities for spiritual care and existential well-being.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.407-417
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experience of Highly active Antiretroviral therapy (HAART) adherence in Korean patients with HIV. Methods: A phenomenological methodology was used for the study. Data were collected from March to December, 2013 using open-ended questions during in-depth interviews. Participants were taking HAART for HIV, and were contacted through purposive techniques. Results: Four men and 4 women whose average treatment period was 5.9 years participated in this study. Seven themes emerged from the analysis using Colazzi's method: (a) Seizing life in a deep sense of despair, (b) Struggling with medication, (c) Facing harsh treatment from health care providers, (d) Spoiling healthy pattern, (e) Hungering for communication and emotional support, (f) Turning to accepting HIV, (g) Becoming adherent to HIV treatment. Conclusion: Prejudice from health care providers and lack of emotional support were barriers to HAART in Korea. Intervention strategies are needed to decrease prejudices from health care providers and to increase family support.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.8
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• pp.523-528
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• 2011

To identify novel genes that are regulated by promoter methylation, a combinational approach involving in silico mining followed by molecular assay was performed. From the expression microarray data registered in the European bioinformatics institute (EBI), genes showing downregulation in breast cancer cells were initially screened and then selected by e-Northern analysis using the Unigene database. A series of these in silico methods identified CAMK2B and ARFGEF1 as candidates, and the two genes were revealed to be hypermethylated in breast cancer cell lines and hypomethylated in normal breast cell lines. Additionally, cancer cell lines showed downregulated expression of these genes. Furthermore, treatment of the cancer cell lines with a demethylation agent, 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine, recovered expression of CAMK2B and ARFGEF1, implying that hypermethyaltion silenced gene activity in cancer cells. Taken together, promoter methylations of CAMK2B and ARFGEF1 are novel epigenetic markers identified in breast cancer cell lines and can be utilized for the application to clinical cancer tissues.