• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2012

Bee venom (BV) has been used in medicine to treat a variety of diseases including arthritis, rheumatism, and various cancers. Recent reports indicate that BV has anti-angiogenic effects, but the precise molecular mechanism underlying the effects of BV against colorectal cancer remains to be elucidated. We examined the effects of BV and its major components (melittin and apamin) on tumor angiogenesis and found that BV significantly decreased protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$), an important factor involved in angiogenesis and tumor progression, in human colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells. BV also suppressed the transcription of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ under hypoxia, leading to a decrease in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major target gene of HIF-$1{\alpha}$. We also found that these effects were mainly elicited by apamin, but not melittin. BV specifically inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 without changing the total levels of this protein, but had no effect on kinases of p38/JNK and AKT. Our results suggest that BV may inhibit human colorectal cancer progression and angiogenesis by inhibiting HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and VEGF expression, thereby providing a novel potential mechanism for the anticancer action of BV.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic type II SLAP repair in non-athletes, and to compare the clinical outcomes between those who had isolated type II SLAP lesion and those who had combined partial thickness supraspinatus tear that did not required a combined repair. Materials and Methods: From July 2005 to January 2007, 142 consecutive type II SLAP lesions were treated with arthroscopic surgery. The inclusion criteria for the study were; (1) younger than 50 years old; and (2) non-athletes. Exclusion criteria were; (1) prior surgery, fracture or combined recurrent dislocation history on the affected shoulder; (2) combined full thickness rotator cuff tear or PTST (>50% thickness) patient that needed repair; and (3) combined infection, arthritis or inflammatory disease. Remaining 19 patients meet the criteria. Among them, 13 had combined PTRCT that did not require repair (Group I), and 6 had isolated type II SLAP lesion without combined supraspinatus tear (Group II). The mean age was 36.7 years (29~49 years), mean symptom duration was 39.1 months (3~216 months) and mean follow-up was 19.0 months (12~27 months). In all patients, the range of motion of affected shoulder, pain and function visual analogue scale (PVAS, FVAS), the Constant score and UCLA score were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively. Results: In group I, external rotation at side was decreased significantly (p=0.003),but there were no statistical significant change at the remains(p>0.05). And there were no differences between groups (p>0.05). At the final follow-up, all clinical outcome measurements improved after surgery with statistical significance (p<0.05): UCLA score, $22.8{\pm}5.2$ to $32.8{\pm}2.1$; Constant score, $79.4{\pm}8.6$ to $94.9{\pm}4.3$; PVAS $5.4{\pm}2.7$ to $1.1{\pm}1.4$; FVAS $63.2{\pm}15.3$ to $93.4{\pm}7.3$. But, in group comparison of the mean UCLA score and Constant score, there were no statistical significant differences between two groups. Conclusion: Arthroscopic repair of type II SLAP lesion provided good clinical outcomes in nonathletic population. Combined partial thickness supraspinatus tear does not seem to hamper the final outcome at minimal 1 year follow-up.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2002

An International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG) program based at the University of Illinois at Chicago initiated its activities in 1998, with the following specific objectives: (a) inventory and conservation of of plants of Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam and of medicinal plants of Laos; (b) drug discovery (and development) based on plants of Vietnam and Laos; and (c) economic development of communities participating in the ICBG project both in Vietnam and Laos. Member-institutions and an industrial partner of this ICBG are bound by a Memorandum of Agreement that recognizes property and intellectual property rights, prior informed consent for access to genetic resources and to indigenous knowledge, the sharing of benefits that may arise from the drug discovery effort, and the provision of short-term and long-term benefits to host country institutions and communities. The drug discovery effort is targeted to the search for agents for therapies against malaria (antimalarial assay of plant extracts, using Plasmodium falciparum clones), AIDS (anti-HIV-l activity using HOG.R5 reporter cell line (through transactivation of the green fluorescent protein/GFP gene), cancer (screening of plant extracts in 6 human tumor cell lines - KB, Col-2, LU-l, LNCaP, HUVEC, hTert-RPEl), tuberculosis (screening of extracts in the microplate Alamar Blue assay against Mycobacterium tuberculosis $H_{37}Ra\;and\;H_{37}Rv),$ all performed at UIC, and CNS-related diseases (with special focus on Alzheimer's disease, pain and rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma), peformed at Glaxo Smith Kline (UK). Source plants were selected based on two approaches: biodiversity-based (plants of Cuc Phuong National Park) and ethnobotany-based (medicinal plants of Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam and medicinal plants of Laos). At mc, as of July, 2001, active leads had been identified in the anti-HIV, anticancer, antimalarial, and anti- TB assay, after the screening of more than 800 extracts. At least 25 biologically active compounds have been isolated, 13 of which are new with anti-HIV activity, and 3 also new with antimalarial activity. At GSK of 21 plant samples with a history of use to treat CNS-related diseases tested to date, a number showed activity against one or more of the CNS assay targets used, but no new compounds have been isolated. The results of the drug discovery effort to date indicate that tropical plant diversity of Vietnam and Laos unquestionably harbors biologically active chemical entities, which, through further research, may eventually yield candidates for drug development. Although the substantial monetary benefit of the drug discovery process (royalties) is a long way off, the UIC ICBG program provides direct and real-term benefits to host country institutions and communities.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.872-880
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• 2014

This study was conducted to assess the characteristics and satisfactions related with facility foodservice for the elderly in the Northern Gyeonggi-do area (Republic of Korea). To accomplish this, a survey was conducted to investigate the general characteristics of the elderly, health information, and satisfaction with the foodservice of a welfare facility in the area. The main sources of health information for both the male and female elderly included 'health professionals' (49.0, 45.7%) and the 'mass media' (34.4, 33.5%), and they were revealed to trust the information from 'health professionals' (65.6, 59.5%), more so than the 'mass media' (19.8, 20.8%). The principal diseases of the elderly were 'hypertension' (27.1%), 'diabetes' (21.9%), 'palsy' (19.8%) in males, and 'hypertension' (32.4%), 'diabetes' (24.9%), 'arthritis' (15.0%) in females. Most male and female elderly indicated the main reasons for skipping a meal to be 'no appetite' (37.5, 53.8%) and 'indigestion'(19.1, 17.3%), respectively. The facility foodservice was used by the male elderly for the reasons of 'irritating to cook' (28.1%), 'to meet a friend' (26.0%), and 'economic' (14.6%), while the female elderly used it for the reasons of 'economic' (25.4%), 'to meet a friend' (23.1%), and 'irritating to cook' (23.1%). The reasons for satisfaction with the facility were subject to 'meal supply' (28.0, 37.2%), 'social exchanges' (20.0, 22.3%), and 'good facilities' (18.7, 18.2%). Regarding the officers and nurses of the facility, 13.3% and 9.3% of males and 8.3% and 12.4% of females indicated satisfaction, respectively. The satisfaction with foodservice influenced the welfare facilities, and providing a successful environment for foodservice requires strengthening of the education of facilities employees to become friendlier. Based on these results, greater efforts should be made to provide meaningful information regarding the facility foodservice for the elderly related to the silver service industry in the Northern Gyeonggi-do area as soon as possible.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.237-245
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• 2017

This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to determine the health conditions and health behaviors of merchants at traditional markets and compare them with members of the general population[ED highlight - do you mean "members of the general population"?]. The data were collected from 307 merchants at N traditional market in C City from 1-20 June 2015 at D Health Center of C City after physical measurement and blood collection and then analyzed using SPSS WIN 21.0. The male, female, and overall smoking rates of merchants at the traditional market were 34.2%, 3.5% and 11.1%, the annual drinking rates were 68.4%, 38.5%, and 45.9%, and the rates of subjects under stress and the rates of experiencing depression were 23.7%, 28.5%, and 27.4% and 5.3%, 6.1%, and 5.9%, respectively, which were all relatively lower than members of the general population[ED highlight - please ensure that my changes here are in keeping with your intended meaning.]. The male, female and overall rates of medium-level physical activities and walking were 32.9%, 19.9%, and 23.1% and 85.5%, 79.2%, and 80.8%, respectively, to have relatively good health behaviors, and the mental health is relatively fine than members of the general population[ED highlight - please clarify this, I cannot infer your intended meaning.]. However, test group[ED highlight - the test group? Please specify.] had high prevalence rates of hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and metabolic syndrome. Moreover, as the duration of work increased, the abdominal circumference as well as the prevalence rates of low HDL-cholesterol, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and arthritis increased. Therefore, the specific causes of these shall be determined, and the long-term daily life improvement program shall be prepared and applied continuously for merchants at traditional markets.[ED highlight - please specify what these refer to; however, the entire sentence can probably be deleted.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2012

Purpose: This study evaluated the clinical outcome of arthroscopic debridement of anterior compartment and mini-open resection of posterior osteophyte for the treatment of primary osteoarthritis of the elbow. Materials and Methods: Between March 2003 and Feburary 2010, 19 cases who were performed arthroscopic debridement of anterior compartment and resection of posterior osteophyte through mini-open procedure for refractory osteoarthritis of the elbow were enrolled. Average follow-up period was 19 months. Mean age was 49 years old. Clinical results were evaluated by the scoring system of Andrew-Carson Rating Scale (ACRS) and Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS). Results: In the range of motion, flexion contracture was improved from $28.7^{\circ}$ preoperatively to $17.9^{\circ}$ postoperatively, further flexion was improved from $105.1^{\circ}$ to $121.8^{\circ}$. In the scoring system of MEPS, score was improved from 51.1 points preoperatively to 87.9 points in last follow up, 3 cases had in excellent result, 13 good and 3 fair. According to the scoring system of ACRS, score was improved from 92.9 points to 168.2 points, 3 excellent, 14 good and 2 fair. Except one case, all cases returned to preoperative ordinary daily living activity and their own job. Conclusion: For the treatment of refractory osteoarthritis of the elbow, arthroscopic debridement of the anterior compartment and mini-open resection of posterior osteophyte would be helpful on pain relief and functional recovery of the elbow. But this procedure was required long term follow-up in aspect of recurrence of osteophytes and progress of arthritis of the elbow.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 2009

Purpose: To identify the damage of the articular cartilage and analyze the clinical results of the partial medial meniscectomy. Materials and Methods: From January 2001 to December 2004, forty-eight patients in the degenerative arthritis and medial meniscal tear of knee who undertook arthroscopic partial meniscectomy and were able to keep pace with the times follow-up for more than 3 years were enrolled in this study. Six cases were men and 42 were women, and the mean age was 55.7 years (40~78 years). The patients were classified into two groups according to the Outerbridge grade. Grade I and II were classified into group 1 and grade III and IV into group 2. Group 1 included 30 cases and group 2 included 18 cases. The result were analyzed according to the Tapper & Hoover classification and Lysholm knee scoring scale. And we measured the distance of medial joint space in standing anteroposterior (AP) view of both sides at the pre-operative and the last follow-up. Results: According to the Tapper & Hoover classification, 28 cases were excellent, 7 cases good, 8 cases fair, and 5 cases poor. Among group 1, 25 cases were excellent, 2 cases good, 2 cases fair, 1 case poor. However, among group 2, 3 cases were excellent, 5 cases good, 6 cases fair, 4 cases poor. Average Lysholm knee score was improved from 62.4 preoperatively to 94 postoperatively in group 1, and from 58 preoperatively to 77.9 postoperatively in group 2. The joint space narrowing showed no statistically significant difference in both knees standing AP view. Conclusion: The arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for a patient with the degenerative articular cartilage was an effective treatment. However, we could not satisfy the results, in cases of Outerbridge grade III and IV. In grade III and IV, the partial meniscectomy was not aggravated the cartilage damage.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the results of subtalar arthroscopy and to define the indications for the procedure. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four patients were followed up for more than 1 year after subtalar arthroscopy. The mean age was 40 years, and the mean follow-up period was 18 months. Preoperative diagnoses included sinus tarsi syndrome in 19 cases, degenerative arthritis in 13 cases, calcaneal fracture in 10 cases, arthrofibrosis in 5 cases, os trigonum syndrome in 3 cases, talar fracture in 3 cases, talocalcaneal coalition in 3 cases and calcaneal tumor in 1 case. Clinically AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale and satisfaction of the patients were evaluated. Results: There were 23 synovectomies, 13 subtalar fusions, 11 diagnostic arthroscopies, 5 adhesiolyses, 4 loose body removals, 3 excisions of os trigonum and 1 arthroscopic reduction of fracture. Twenty-five ankle arthroscopies and 11 modified Brostrom's operations were performed for the accompaning 17 ankle impingment syndromes, 11 chronic ankle instabilities and 7 osteochondral lesions of talus. AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale was increased from 33 points preoperatively to 77 points postoperatively in subtalar fusion group, and was increased from 69 points preoperatively to 89 points postoperatively in other-than-fusion group. Ninety one percent of patients were satisfied with the procedures. There were no serious complications related to the subtalar arthroscopy. Conclusion: Subtalar arthroscopy appears to be safe and highly accurate procedure for subtalar pathology, although it requires technical expertise.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.51-64
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• 2002

We have compared(using the same series of experimental tissue samples) the levels of proteolytic enzyme activities and free radical-induced protein damage in synovial fluid from RA and CPH cases. Many protease types showed significantly increased (typically by a factor of approximately 2-3-fold) activity in RA, compared to normal rats. However, CPH significantly reduced the cytoplasmic enzyme activities of arginyl aminopeptidase, leucyl aminopeptidase, pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase, tripeptidyl aminopeptidase, and proline endopeptidase to almost about 1/10 each. For the Iysosomal proteases, synovial fluid samples from RA rats, CPH significantly reduced the enzyme activities of cathepsin B, dipeptidyl aminopeptidase I and dipeptidyl aminopeptidase II. In extracellular matrix degrading(collagenase, tissue elastase) and leukocyte as sociated proteases (leukocyte elastase, cathepsin G), CPH decreased these enzyme activities of collagenase, tissue elastase and leukocyte associated elastase in RA. In cytoplasmic and lysosomal protease activities in plasma from RA. CPH and normal plasma samples were not significantly different, suggesting that altered activity of plasma proteases (particularly those enzymes putatively involved in the immune response) is not a contributory factor in the pathogenesis of RA. In addition, the level of free radical induced damage to synovial fluid proteins was approximately twice that in RA, compared with CPH. CPH significantly decreased the level of ROS induced oxidative damage to synovial fluid proteins (quantified as protein carbonyl derivative). Therefore we conclude that both proteolytic enzymes and free radicals are likely to be of equal potential importance as damaging agents in the pathogenesis of inflammatory joint disease, and that the design of novel therapeutic strategies for patients with the latter disorder should include both protease inhibitory and free radical scavenging elements. In addition, the protease inhibitory element should be designed to inhibit the action of a broad range of protease mechanistic types (i.e. cysteine-, metallo- and serine- proteinases and peptidases). However, increased protein damage induced by ROS could not be rationalised in terms of compromised antioxidant total capacity, since the latter was not significantly altered in RA synovial fluid or plasma compared with CPH.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2011

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is a result of both mechanical and biological events that destabilize the normal coupling of degradation and synthesis of articular cartilage chondrocytes and extracelluar matrix, and subchondral bone. Although it is likely that the molecular basis of pathogenesis is similar to that of other joints, additional study of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is required due to its unique structure and function. This study was carried out to evaluate the epidemiologic characteristics of TMJ osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of TMJ OA in Patients with temporomandibular disorders (1405 men and 2922 women whose mean age was $30.2\; {\pm}\; 15.4$ and $33.1\;{\pm}\;15.2$ years, respectively) who had visited the TMJ and Orofacial Pain Clinic of Seoul National University Dental Hospital in 2007. Orthopantomograms, TMJ tomograms and transcranial radiographs were used to evaluate degenerative change of the mandibular condyle. The obtained results were as follows: 1. Degenerative change of the mandibular condyle was observed in 883 (20.4%) of 4327 subjects. The prevalence was significantly higher in women (706 patients, 24.1%) than in men (177 patients, 12.6%), and this significant difference between genders was observed in all age groups. 2. The prevalence of degenerative change of the mandibular condyle in TMD patients showed a gentle increase along with age. Such increase was statistically significant in women (P < 0.001), but not in men. 3. Sclerosis was observed the most frequently in all age groups and the mean age of the patients with osteophyte was the highest among four types of degenerative change. 4. Although men showed degenerative change in the left side more often and women showed degenerative change more frequently in both sides, the difference of distribution in sides between genders was not significant. In conclusion, the prevalence of degenerative change of the mandibular condyle in TMD patients is higher in women than in men, and increases steadily with aging, but not as dramatically as in other joints that show a steep increase in prevalence around the age of 45 years. It can be suggested that the epidemiologic characteristic of OA of the TMJ differs from those of other joints, and that a more extensive study based on the general population is necessary.