• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.77 no.6
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• pp.266-270
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• 2014

Recently, the incidence of pulmonary cryptococcosis is gradually increasing in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Pulmonary rheumatoid nodules (PRN) are rare manifestations of RA. Eighteen months ago, a 65-year old woman was admitted to hospital due to multiple nodules ( $2.5{\times}2.1{\times}2cm$) with cavitations in the right lower lobe. She was diagnosed with RA three year ago. She had been taking methotrexate, leflunomide, and triamcinolone. A video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery biopsy was performed and PRN was diagnosed. However, a newly growing huge opacity with cavitation was detected in the same site. Pulmonary cryptococcal infection was diagnosed through a transthoracic computed tomograpy guided needle biopsy. Cryptococcus antigen was detected in serum but not in cerebrospinal fluid. The patient was treated with oral fluconazole which resulted clinical improvement and regression of the nodule on a series of radiography. Herein, we report the case of pulmonary cryptococcosis occurring in the same location as that of the PRN.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.234-240
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• 2001

Buccal cellulitis which presents with high fever and a swelling of the cheek with violaceous hue in young children is most often caused by H. influenzae. Bacteremia is common in buccal cellulitis caused by H. influenzae, and a culture of cerebrospinal fluid should be obtained because meningitis may be present despite the lack of meningeal irritation signs. Although buccal cellulitis is considered to be one of the important manifestations of H. influenzae infection, only two cases have been reported in Korea yet. We experienced a case of buccal cellulitis with H. influenzae bacteremia in an immunocompetent girl of 18-month-old. She was presented with high fever followed by rapidly progressive swelling and tenderness of both cheeks with violaceous hue in four hours. The blood culture revealed H. influenzae type b. There was no concurrent otitis media, sinusitis, or meningitis and no portal of entry was identified. Fever subsided two days after starting intravenous cefotaxime. Intravenous cefotaxime was subsequently changed to oral cefixime, and antibiotics were administered for a total of two weeks. We report this case with a review of related literature.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2007

Venlafaxine, 1-[2-(dimethylamino)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl] cyclohexanol hydrochloride is a novel, nontricyclic antidepressant. venlafaxine is a unique antidepressant that differs structurally from other currently available. The aim ot the study was to formulate sustained-release venlafaxine granules and assess their formulation variables. It consists of two layers, venlafaxine drug layer and sustained release coating layer and manufactured by fluidized bed process. The sustained release of drug could be increased by double-control rising various components in venlafaxine drug layer and sustained-release layer. The drug-containing granules were coated with cellulose acetate, cetyl alcohol and Eudragit RS along with plastisizer such as dibuthyl sebacate as an nano-pore former The release oi venlafaxine depended on the type of Eudragit such as RS, and RL used in the formulation of controlled release layer. These results obtained clearly suggest that the sustained release oral delivery system for venlafaxine could be designed with satisfying drug release profile approved.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.621-628
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• 2016

Hypertension can be caused by various factors while the predominant causes include increase in body fluid volume and resistance in the circulatory system that elevate the blood pressure. Consumption of probiotics has been proven to attenuate hypertension; however, the effect is much strain-dependent. In this study, a newly isolated Lactobacillus casei (Lb. casei ) strain C1 was investigated for its antihypertensive properties in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) suspension of 11 log colony-forming unit (CFU) was given to SHR (SHR+LAB, n=8), and phosphate buffer saline (PBS) was given as a control in SHR (SHR, n=8) and in Wistar rats as sham (WIS, n=8). The treatment was given via oral gavage for 8 weeks. The results showed that the weekly systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and aortic reactivity function were remarkably improved after 8 weeks of bacterial administration in SHR+LAB. These effects were mostly attributed by restoration of wall tension and tensile stress following the bacterial treatment. Although not statistically significant, the level of malondialdehye (MDA) in SHR+LAB serum was found declining. Increased levels of glutathione (GSH) and nitric oxide (NO) in SHR+LAB serum suggested that the bacterium exerted vascular protection through antioxidative functions and relatively high NO level that induced vasodilation. Collectively, Lb. casei strain C1 is a promising alternative for hypertension improvement.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.150-155
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• 2005

Aqueous extract of antidiarrhoeal formulation (ADF) containing Holarrhena antidysentrica, Aegle marmelos and Punica granatum was investigated for antidiarrhoeal activity against charcoal-induced gut transit, serotonin-induced diarrhoea and $PGE_2-induced$ small intestine enteropooling in rats. The control, standard and test groups of experimental animals were administered with normal saline (p.o.), diphenoxylate hydrochloride (5 mg/kg, p.o.) and ADF (250 mg and 500 mg/kg, p.o.) respectively except the control group of $PGE_2-induced$ small intestine enteropooling which received only 5% ethanol in normal saline (i.p.). Charcoal (10 ml/kg, p.o.) and serotonin $(600\;{\mu}g/kg,\;i.p.)$ were administered after 30 min, while $PGE_2\;(100\;{\mu}g/kg,\;p.o.)$ was administered immediately afterwards. The distance traveled by charcoal in small intestine was measured after 15 and 30 min of charcoal administration, diarrhoea was observed every 30 min for six hour after serotonin administration and the volume of intestinal fluid was measured after 30 min of $PGE_2$ administration. Oral administration of ADF significantly inhibited the frequency of defaecation and decreased the propulsion of charcoal meal through the gastrointestinal tract, reduced the wetness of faecal dropping in serotonin-induced diarrhoea and also reduced the $PGE_2-induced$small intestine enteropooling. ADF may have potential to reduce the diarrhoea in rats.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.425-448
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• 2004

A bioactive and degradable poly(epsilon -caprolactone)/silica nanohybrid(PSH) was synthesized for the application as a bone substitute. PSH was manufactured by using silica and polycaprolacton. PSH was manufactured in some composition after low crystaline apatite had been formed in simulated body fluid and, was used this study. The safety of the PSH was established by test of acute, and subacute toxicity, sensitization cytotoxicity and sterility. In order to assess activity of osteoblast, the test for attaching osteoblast, proliferation test for osteoblast, differentiating gene expression test are performed in vitro. And bone substitutes were grafted in rabbit's calvarium, during 8 weeks for testing efficacy of bone substitutes. Degree of osteogenesis and absorption of substitutes were evaluated in microscopic level. In result, it was not appeared that acute and subacute toxicity, sensitization in intradermal induction phase, topical induction phase and challenge phase. It was shown that the test can not inhibit cell proliferation. adversely, it had some ability to accelerate cell proliferation. The result of sterility test described bacterial growth was not detected in most test tube. The attaching and proliferation test of osteoblast had good results. In the result of differentiating gene expression test for osteoblast, cbfa1 and, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and GAPDH were detected with mRNA analysis. In the PSH bone formation test, ostgeoblastic activity would be different as material constitution but it had good new bone formation ability except group #218. futhermore, some material had been absorbed within 8 weeks. Above studies, PSH had bio-compatibility with human body, new bone formation ability and accelerate osteoblastic activity. So it would be the efficient bone substitute material with bio-active and biodegradable.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.419-424
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• 2002

A 44 year old man was admitted complaining fo exertional dyspnea. The patient denied any occupational history of hard metal exposure. Chest radiography showed an increased interstitial marking at the peripheral portion of both lower lung fields. The spirometric values were within the normal ranges. However, the diffusion capacity of the lungs was lower. In the bronchial lavage fluid, the characteristic multinucleated giant cells were noticed, and the macrophage compartment was 96% and the neutrophils were 4%. High-resolution CT scan revealed ground glass opacities with emphysematous lung changes at the peripheral portion of the whole lung. An open lung biopsy confirmed the presence of numerous multinucleated giant cells (define GIP) with an associated interstitial fibrosis throughout the lung. The radiographic abnormailities and symptoms subsequently improved following treatment with oral corticosteroids.

• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.17-24
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• 2009

Poria cocos has been traditionally used for the treatment of edema, scanty urine, dizziness due to retention of fluid, reduced appetite due to asthenia of spleen, loose stool, diarrhea, distraction, sudden palpitation and insomnia in East Asia. The aim of this study was to confirm whether Poria cocos wonfire whethe(PCWE) and Poria cocos ointment (PCO) have a preventive e of ter Pthe development of afire wdethe(PCWE (AD) in 2,4-Diniwhochlorobenzene (oria)-applied Balb/ wme e. Oral administration (12.5wmg/kg, 25wmg/kg) of PCWE and fire al application (O.5wmg/mouse, 1.0mg/mouse) of PCO decreased the development of AD-like skin lesions, ear swelling, spleen weight, total serum IgE. PCWE and PCO significantly also inhibited the infiltration of mast cells in the dorsal skin.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.224-230
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• 2011

In order to develop silk peptide (SP) preparations possessing cognition-enhancing effect, several candidates were screened through in vitro assays, and their effectiveness was investigated in facilitated brain aging model rats. Incubation of brain acetyl-cholinesterase with SP-PN (1-1,000 ${\mu}g/ml$) led to inhibition of the enzyme activity up to 35%, in contrast to a negligible effect of SP-NN. The expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) mRNA of neural stem cells expressing ChAT gene (F3.ChAT) was increased by 24-hour treatment with 10 and 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ SP-NN (1.35 and 2.20 folds) and SP-PN (2.40 and 1.34 folds). Four-week subcutaneous injections with D-galactose (150 mg/kg) increased activated hippocampal astrocytes to 1.7 folds (a marker of brain injury and aging), decreased acetylcholine concentration in cerebrospinal fluid by 45-50%, and thereby impaired learning and memory function in passive avoidance and water-maze performances. Oral treatment with SP preparations (50 or 300 mg/kg) for 5 weeks from 1 week prior to D-galactose injection exerted recovering activities on acetylcholine depletion and brain injury/aging as well as cognitive deficit induced by D-galactose. The results indicate that SP preparations restore cognitive functions of facilitated brain aging model rats by increasing the release of acetylcholine, in addition to neuroprotective activity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.5
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• pp.359-362
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• 2011

Streptococcus parasanguinis is a Viridans group bacteria that is most often discovered in the oral cavity and causes dental plaque and endocarditis in a rat model. It has low virulence but an unknown relationship to human respiratory infections. We report on a 61-year-old woman who developed hemoptysis followed by pleuritic chest pain after conscious sedation during a gastroscopic polypectomy and was diagnosed with pneumonia and parapneumonic effusion from Streptococcus parasanguinis isolated in pleural fluid. Microaspiration during the procedure was presumed to play a role in the pathogenesis.