• 대한의생명과학회지
• /
• 제19권3호
• /
• pp.188-194
• /
• 2013

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease, which is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder. Adenophorae Radix (AR) has been used as a traditional medicine for various diseases including strengthening cardiac function, allaying a fever, and easing pain and cough. However, the regulatory effects of AR in intestinal inflammation are not yet understood. This study attempted to determine the effect of AR in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) - induced colitis in mice. The colitis mice were induced by drinking water containing 5% DSS for 7 days. The results showed that mice treated with DSS showed remarkable clinical signs, including weight loss, and reduced colon length. Administration of AR attenuated weight loss, colon shortening and inhibited the levels of interleukin (IL) - 6 in DSS - treated colon tissues. These results provide experimental evidence that AR might be a useful therapeutic medicine for patients with UC.

• 중환자간호학회지
• /
• 제11권2호
• /
• pp.21-33
• /
• 2018

Purpose : To explore the person-centered care (PCC) experienced by critical patients. Method : This qualitative study deductively examined the attributes of the PCC model proposed by Jakimowicz and Perry. The participants were 16 patients who were recently discharged from intensive care units at a university hospital. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and were analyzed using the deductive method of content analysis. Results : A total of 4 categories, 16 subcategories, and 33 codes were generated from 171 meaningful statements. The final 4 categories were "compassionate presence," "professional interaction," "outstanding competency," and "patient identity." These were consistent with the main attributes of Jakimowicz and Perry's model. However, most of the codes belonged to the "compassionate presence" and "patient identity" categories. Among the attributes of the model, "continuity of nursing," "therapeutic relationship," "expert knowledge," "clinical knowledge," "evidence-based intervention," and "patient's rights" were not derived as codes. Conclusion : These findings deepen the understanding of the PCC model from the patient's point of view. The main attributes of PCC identified in the current study can be applied to the development of practical guidelines for intensive care nursing. In addition, we recommend the development of a PCC measurement tool for critical care patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• 제57권6호
• /
• pp.251-256
• /
• 2014

Severe intraventricular hemorrhaging (IVH) in premature infants and subsequent posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) causes significant mortality and life-long neurological complications, including seizures, cerebral palsy, and developmental retardation. However, there are currently no effective therapies for neonatal IVH. The pathogenesis of PHH has been mainly explained by inflammation within the subarachnoid spaces due to the hemolysis of extravasated blood after IVH. Obliterative arachnoiditis, induced by inflammatory responses, impairs cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) resorption and subsequently leads to the development of PHH with ensuing brain damage. Increasing evidence has demonstrated potent immunomodulating abilities of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in various brain injury models. Recent reports of MSC transplantation in an IVH model of newborn rats demonstrated that intraventricular transplantation of MSCs downregulated the inflammatory cytokines in CSF and attenuated progressive PHH. In addition, MSC transplantation mitigated the brain damages that ensue after IVH and PHH, including reactive gliosis, cell death, delayed myelination, and impaired behavioral functions. These findings suggest that MSCs are promising therapeutic agents for neuroprotection in preterm infants with severe IVH.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제49권7호
• /
• pp.376-381
• /
• 2016

Several lines of evidence have revealed that phosphorylation of amyloid precursor protein (APP) at Thr668 is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Okadaic acid (OA), a protein phosphatase-2A inhibitor, has been used in AD research models to increase tau phosphorylation and induce neuronal death. We previously showed that OA increased levels of APP and induced accumulation of APP in axonal swellings. In this study, we found that in OA-treated neurons, phosphorylation of APP at Thr668 increased and accumulated in axonal swellings by c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and not by Cdk5 or ERK/MAPK. These results suggest that JNK may be one of therapeutic targets for the treatment of AD.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제51권5호
• /
• pp.219-224
• /
• 2018

Necroptosis is an emerging form of programmed cell death occurring via active and well-regulated necrosis, distinct from apoptosis morphologically, and biochemically. Necroptosis is mainly unmasked when apoptosis is compromised in response to tumor necrosis factor alpha. Unlike apoptotic cells, which are cleared by macrophages or neighboring cells, necrotic cells release danger signals, triggering inflammation, and exacerbating tissue damage. Evidence increasingly suggests that programmed necrosis is not only associated with pathophysiology of disease, but also induces innate immune response to viral infection. Therefore, necroptotic cell death plays both physiological and pathological roles. Physiologically, necroptosis induce an innate immune response as well as premature assembly of viral particles in cells infected with virus that abrogates host apoptotic machinery. On the other hand, necroptosis per se is detrimental, causing various diseases such as sepsis, neurodegenerative diseases and ischemic reperfusion injury. This review discusses the signaling pathways leading to necroptosis, associated necroptotic proteins with target-specific inhibitors and diseases involved. Several studies currently focus on protective approaches to inhibiting necroptotic cell death. In cancer biology, however, anticancer drug resistance severely hampers the efficacy of chemotherapy based on apoptosis. Pharmacological switch of cell death finds therapeutic application in drug- resistant cancers. Therefore, the possible clinical role of necroptosis in cancer control will be discussed in brief.

• 동의신경정신과학회지
• /
• 제26권3호
• /
• pp.251-266
• /
• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the research about using tuina therapy for depression and to determine its efficacy. Methods: All relevant articles were searched in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure using the terms 'tuina' and 'depression'. Results: Forty-one studies were selected, 34 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 7 prospective studies. The Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were used most frequently as diagnostic criteria and an assessment tool, respectively. Conduction exercise therapy was used in all studies; in contrast, Zheng Xing exercise therapy was used in only 1 study of depression patients with neck vertebrae disease. In 9 RCTs that showed scores of more than 2 points on a modified Jadad scale, tuina therapy had significant antidepressant efficacy compared with conventional treatment. However, more high-quality studies are required. Conclusions: Tuina therapy has a valid therapeutic effect on depression according to studies published in China; if evidence accumulates from high-quality studies, it can be considered a non-pharmacologic treatment for depression in Korean medicine, as well.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• 제26권4호
• /
• pp.301-313
• /
• 2010

Growth promoters including hormonal substances and antibiotics are used legally and illegally in food producing animals for the growth promotion of livestock animals. Hormonal substances still under debate in terms of their human health impacts are estradiol-$17\beta$, progesterone, testosterone, zeranol, trenbolone, and melengestrol acetate (MGA). Many of the risk assessment results of natural steroid hormones have presented negligible impacts when they are used under good veterinary practices. For synthetic hormonelike substances, ADIs and MRLs have been established for food safety along with the approval of animal treatment. Small amounts of antibiotics added to feedstuff present growth promotion effects via the prevention of infectious diseases at doses lower than therapeutic dose. The induction of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and the disruption of normal human intestinal flora are major concerns in terms of human health impact. Regulatory guidance such as ADIs and MRLs fully reflect the impact on human gastrointestinal microflora. However, before deciding on any risk management options, risk assessments of antimicrobial resistance require large-scale evidence regarding the relationship between antimicrobial use in food-producing animals and the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in human pathogens. In this article, the risk profiles of hormonal and antibacterial growth promoters are provided based on recent toxicity and human exposure information, and recommendations for risk management to prevent human health impacts by the use of growth promoters are also presented.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제41권3호
• /
• pp.168-178
• /
• 2018

Intracellular communication via ubiquitin (Ub) signaling impacts all aspects of cell biology and regulates pathways critical to human development and viability; therefore aberrations or defects in Ub signaling can contribute to the pathogenesis of human diseases. Ubiquitination consists of the addition of Ub to a substrate protein via coordinated action of E1-activating, E2-conjugating and E3-ligating enzymes. Approximately 40 E2s have been identified in humans, and most are thought to be involved in Ub transfer; although little information is available regarding the majority of them, emerging evidence has highlighted their importance to human health and disease. In this review, we focus on recent insights into the pathogenetic roles of E2s (particularly the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2O [UBE2O]) in debilitating diseases and cancer, and discuss the tantalizing prospect that E2s may someday serve as potential therapeutic targets for human diseases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권11호
• /
• pp.6215-6220
• /
• 2013

Kisspeptins (KPs) encoded by the KiSS-1 gene are C-terminally amidated peptide products, including KP-10, KP-13, KP-14 and KP-54, which are endogenous agonists for the G-protein coupled receptor-54 (GPR54). Functional analyses have demonstrated fundamental roles of KiSS-1 in whole body homeostasis including sexual differentiation of brain, action on sex steroids and metabolic regulation of fertility essential for human puberty and maintenance of adult reproduction. In addition, intensive recent investigations have provided substantial evidence suggesting roles of Kisspeptin signalling via its receptor GPR54 in the suppression of metastasis with a variety of cancers. The present review highlights the latest studies regarding the role of Kisspeptins and the KiSS-1 gene in tumor progression and also suggests targeting the KiSS-1/GPR54 system may represent a novel therapeutic approach for cancers. Further investigations are essential to elucidate the complex pathways regulated by the Kisspeptins and how these pathways might be involved in the suppression of metastasis across a range of cancers.

• 한방안이비인후피부과학회지
• /
• 제28권1호
• /
• pp.53-67
• /
• 2015

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the wound healing effect of herbal ointment, Gamijaungo, on the burn-induced model. Reports about Gamijaungo on the wound healing effect by local application in mice model or human study have published in the several domestic or internationally, but most are anecdotal and lack solid scientific evidence. Method: We observed the morphologic and histologic changes in the burn-induced mice model. we counted white blood cell and platelet changes. we confirmed VEGF, PI3K and pAkt protein expression by Western blot analysis. Result: In this study, we observed that Gamijaungo showed strong wound healing effects in the morphologic and histologic changes in the burn-induced mice model. Also we found that the significant changes of white blood cell and platelet changes by the treatment of Gamijaungo. In molecular mechanism, we got the strong positive effect by Gamijaungo treatment on angiogenesis, a key process in the formation of the granulation tissue during wound healing. Conclusion: These findings suggest the potential use of Gamijaungo as a therapeutic in thermal burn-induced skin injuries.