• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.257-263
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• 2021

Human gnathostomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Gnathostoma nematode infection. A rapid, reliable, and practical immunoassay, named dot immuno-gold filtration assay (DIGFA), was developed to supporting clinical diagnosis of gnathostomiasis. The practical tool detected anti-Gnathostoma-specific IgG4 in human serum using crude extract of third-stage larvae as antigen. The result of the test was shown by anti-human IgG4 monoclonal antibody conjugated colloidal gold. The sensitivity and specificity of the test were both 100% for detection in human sera from patients with gnathostomiasis (13/13) and from healthy negative controls (50/50), respectively. Cross-reactivity with heterogonous serum samples from patients with other helminthiases ranged from 0 (trichinosis, paragonimiasis, clonorchiasis, schistosomiasis, and cysticercosis) to 25.0% (sparganosis), with an average of 6.3% (7/112). Moreover, specific IgG4 antibodies diminished at 6 months after treatment. This study showed that DIGFA for the detection of specific IgG4 in human sera could be a promising tool for the diagnosis of gnathostomiasis and useful for evaluating therapeutic effects.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.11-23
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• 2002

Objective : Lately oriental medicine treatment of peripheral facial paralysis is various. In various treatments, this study makes a report that effect of our clinic using aqua-acupuncture with hominis placenta for peripheral facial paralysis. Materials and Methods : This report have been observed among twenty-six patients with peripheral facial paralysis who admitted to oriental medicine hospital with Se-myung university during Jan. 1st, 2001 to Oct. fourth, 2001. These patients were divided into two groups; the first group added aqua-acupuncture with hominis placenta to basic oriental medicine treatment., while the second group was only treated with basic oriental medicine treatment. Results : The results of treatment with adding aqua-acupuncture with hominis placenta to basic oriental medicine treatment showed that 9 of 12(75%) patients achieved good or more recovery. While the second group was observed that 6 of 14(50%) patients achieved good or more recovery. Conclusion : The outcome of the observation, we concludes that the therapeutic rate of the group of adding aqua-acupuncture with hominis placenta was higher than that of basic oriental medicine treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1397-1401
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• 2014

Aim: To investigate the mechanisms of induction of apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells by esophageal cancer-related gene 2 (ECRG2) in combination with cisplatin (DDP). Methods: Hoechest staining was performed to analyze the effects of single ECRG2 and ECRG2 in combination with DDP on apoptosis of EC9706 cells. The expression levels of p53 and bcl-2 mRNA and protein were determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Results: The number of apoptotic cells after the treatment with ECRG2 in combination with DDP for 24 hours was more than that after the treatment with single ECRG2. RT-PCR and Western blotting showed that the expression levels of bcl-2 mRNA and protein were both down-regulated, while p53 mRNA and protein were both up-regulated in the cells treated with ECRG2 in combination with DDP compared with those given ECRG2 alone. Conclusion: ECRG2 in combination with DDP can enhance the apoptosis of EC9706 cells, possibly by down-regulating bcl-2 expression and up-regulating p53.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7617-7623
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• 2014

Objective: The mechanism of action of fatty acid synthase (FASN) in drug tolerance of breast cancer cells with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) features was investigated. Methods: The breast cancer cell line MCF-7-MEK5 with stably occurring EMT and tumour necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) tolerance was used as the experimental model, whereas MCF-7 acted as the control. Tumour cells were implanted into nude mice for in vivo analysis, and cerulenin was used as a FASN inhibitor. RT-PCR, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot were employed to detect the expression of FASN, TNFR-1, TNFR-2, Wnt-1, ${\beta}$-catenin and cytC at the RNA and protein levels. Results: Compared with MCF-7, TNFR-1 expression in MCF-7-MEK5 was slightly changed, TNFR-2 was decreased, and FASN, Wnt-1, ${\beta}$-catenin and cytC were increased. The expression of Wnt-1 and ${\beta}$-catenin in MCF-7-MEK5 decreased after cerulenin treatment, whereas cytC expression increased. Conclusions: The important function of FASN in the drug tolerance of breast cancer may be due to the following mechanisms: FASN downregulated TNFR-2 expression through lipid rafts to make the cells less sensitive to TNF-${\alpha}$, and simultaneously activated the Wnt-$1/{\beta}$-catenin signalling pathway. Thus, cytC expression increased, which provided cells with anti-apoptotic capacity and induced drug tolerance.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.3293-3297
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• 2014

Background: Pine needle oil from crude extract of pine needles has anti-tumor effects, but the effective component is not known. Methods: In the present study, compounds from a steam distillation extract of pine needles were isolated and characterized. Alpha-pinene was identified as an active anti-proliferative compound on hepatoma carcinoma BEL-7402 cells using the MTT assay. Results: Further experiments showed that ${\alpha}$-pinene inhibited BEL-7402 cells by arresting cell growth in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, downregulating Cdc25C mRNA and protein expression, and reducing cycle dependence on kinase 1(CDK1) activity. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings indicate that ${\alpha}$-pinene may be useful as a potential anti-tumor drug.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.15-24
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• 2009

Medical Students' competencies depend on the medical school curriculum. Basic medical education, in particular, is an important starting point for further medical competency development. We aimed to identify the most important areas of reform in the basic medical education curriculum of Yonsei Medical School. To accomplish this, we sought case studies of different medical schools and discussion points for quality improvement methods. A qualitative comparison method saturated through the systematic discussions on the emerging thematic approaches to determine the current directions in medical school curriculum reform. The discussions, which involved 7 experts, spanned 8 months and were based on a literature review, with focus on the 7 selected case studies. From the discussions, we concluded that in order to improve basic medical education curriculum, the following measures need to be carried out. First, an outcome-based curriculum is to be designed. The expected outcome is to be deliberately and succinctly defined and should be expressed as teaching and learning objectives. Second, the core subjects and elective subjects are to be classified on the basis of the aim, content, and passage level of the subjects. Hence, the core curriculum must be treated as a standard part of medical knowledge, and the elective curriculum must be richer and more in-depth. Third, universities should institutionalize regular evaluation of their departments. Appropriate and just evaluations should be made, and feedback given to the school's administrative department. Fourth, the departmental and administrative management of the basic medical education curriculum should be harmonized with each other. Finally, teaching and learning resources are to be increased and diversified and made available to professors and students for basic medical education.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
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• 2009.04a
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• pp.254-254
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• 2009

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.103-108
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• 2021

To date, there is no report on the genetic diversity of ticks in these regions. A total of 370 representative ticks from the south and east regions of Kazakhstan (SERK) and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) were selected for molecular comparison. A fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene, ranging from 631 bp to 889 bp, was used to analyze genetic diversity among these ticks. Phylogenetic analyses indicated 7 tick species including Hyalomma asiaticum, Hyalomma detritum, Hyalomma anatolicum, Dermacentor marginatus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus turanicus and Haemaphysalis erinacei from the SERK clustered together with conspecific ticks from the XUAR. The network diagram of haplotypes showed that i) Hy. asiaticum from Almaty and Kyzylorda Oblasts together with that from Yuli County of XUAR constituted haplogroup H-2, and the lineage from Chimkent City of South Kazakhstan was newly evolved; and ii) the R. turanicus ticks sampled in Israel, Almaty, South Kazakhstan, Usu City, Ulugqat and Baicheng Counties of XUAR were derivated from an old lineage in Alataw City of XUAR. These findings indicate that: i) Hy. asiaticum, R. turanicus and Ha. erinacei shared genetic similarities between the SERK and XUAR; and ii) Hy. marginatum and D. reticulatus show differences in their evolution.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.892-900
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• 2010

Objectives : To save the lives of patients with cardiac arrests, CPR must be performed rapidly and precisely. Regarding its critical necessity, there is a growing tendency to encourage whomever witnesses the cardiac arrest to perform basic CPR. However, the attitude toward basic CPR nor its current state of education in Korean Oriental Medical arena, which is one of the dual axes unique to Korean medical system, are not known. This is a kind of pilot study to research attitudes toward and the educative effect of basic CPR among oriental medical doctors in Korea. Methods : We carried out surveys and tests targeting nineteen apprentice doctors working in Dongguk University Ilsan Oriental Hospital, who were receiving training for 'AHA BLS course for healthcare providers', on the attitude toward and educative effect of basic CPR before and after the education. Results : The pre-educational survey showed that most of the participants felt the necessity to be trained in the BLS course, were not confident about performing CPR, and not well-acquainted with the whole process of performing CPR. After education, however, none of them responded with a lack of confidence to perform basic CPR, and the score of the confidence to perform basic CPR was significantly increased, too (from $2.05{\pm}0.71$ to $4.05{\pm}0.40$, n=19, p<0.001). Moreover, all of them answered they were satisfied with this BLS course, and it aroused their sense of responsibility as oriental medical doctors. All the participants passed the exam, and their average score for BLS scheme performance was $28.2{\pm}1.3$. Conclusions : It is necessary, in the future, to set up a management system for intensive, regular and continuous reeducation and expand the research on the perception and attitude targeting larger numbers and more multilevel groups of oriental medical doctors.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.458-468
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• 2023

Background: As a complication of Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), the etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of cognitive dysfunction are still undefined. Recent studies demonstrated that Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) has promising neuroprotective properties, but the effect and mechanism in diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction (DACD) deserve further investigation. Methods: After establishing the T2DM model with a high-fat diet and STZ intraperitoneal injection, Rg1 was given for 8 weeks. The behavior alterations and neuronal lesions were judged using the open field test (OFT) and Morris water maze (MWM), as well as HE and Nissl staining. The protein or mRNA changes of NOX2, p-PLC, TRPC6, CN, NFAT1, APP, BACE1, NCSTN, and Ab1-42 were investigated by immunoblot, immunofluorescence or qPCR. Commercial kits were used to evaluate the levels of IP3, DAG, and calcium ion (Ca²⁺) in brain tissues. Results: Rg1 therapy improved memory impairment and neuronal injury, decreased ROS, IP3, and DAG levels to revert Ca²⁺ overload, downregulated the expressions of p-PLC, TRPC6, CN, and NFAT1 nuclear translocation, and alleviated Aβ deposition in T2DM mice. In addition, Rg1 therapy elevated the expression of PSD95 and SYN in T2DM mice, which in turn improved synaptic dysfunction. Conclusions: Rg1 therapy may improve neuronal injury and DACD via mediating PLC-CN-NFAT1 signal pathway to reduce Aβ generation in T2DM mice.