• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2018

Background: Panax notoginseng leaves (PNL) exhibit extensive activities, but few analytical methods have been established to exclusively determine the dammarane triterpene saponins in PNL. Methods: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS) and HPLC-UV methods were developed for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of ginsenosides in PNL, respectively. Results: Extraction conditions, including solvents and extraction methods, were optimized, which showed that ginsenosides Rc and Rb3, the main components of PNL, are transformed to notoginsenosides Fe and Fd, respectively, in the presence of water, by removing a glucose residue from position C-3 via possible enzymatic hydrolysis. A total of 57 saponins were identified in the methanolic extract of PNL by UPLC/Q-TOF MS. Among them, 19 components were unambiguously characterized by their reference substances. Additionally, seven saponins of PNL-ginsenosides Rb1, Rc, Rb2, and Rb3, and notoginsenosides Fc, Fe, and Fd-were quantified using the HPLC-UV method after extraction with methanol. The separation of analytes, particularly the separation of notoginsenoside Fc and ginsenoside Rc, was achieved on a Zorbax ODS C8 column at a temperature of $35^{\circ}C$. This developed HPLC-UV method provides an adequate linearity ($r^2$ > 0.999), repeatability (relative standard deviation, RSD < 2.98%), and inter- and intraday variations (RSD < 4.40%) with recovery (98.7-106.1%) of seven saponins concerned. This validated method was also conducted to determine seven components in 10 batches of PNL. Conclusion: These findings are beneficial to the quality control of PNL and its relevant products.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.743-754
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• 2023

Background: Myocardial fibrosis post-myocardial infarction (MI) can induce maladaptive cardiac remodeling as well as heart failure. Although 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) has been applied to cardiovascular diseases, its efficacy and specific molecular mechanism in myocardial fibrosis are largely unknown. Herein, we aimed to explore whether TGFBR1 signaling was involved in Rg3's anti-fibrotic effect post-MI. Methods: Left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation-induced MI mice and TGF-β1-stimulated primary cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) were adopted. Echocardiography, hematoxlin-eosin and Masson staining, Western-blot and immunohistochemistry, CCK8 and Edu were used to study the effects of Rg3 on myocardial fibrosis and TGFBR1 signaling. The combination mechanism of Rg3 and TGFBR1 was explored by surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi). Moreover, myocardial Tgfbr1-deficient mice and TGFBR1 adenovirus were adopted to confirm the pharmacological mechanism of Rg3. Results: In vivo experiments, Rg3 ameliorated myocardial fibrosis and hypertrophy and enhanced cardiac function. Rg3-TGFBR1 had the 1.78×10^-7 M equilibrium dissociation constant based on SPRi analysis, and Rg3 inhibited the activation of TGFBR1/Smads signaling dose-dependently. Cardiac-specific Tgfbr1 knockdown abolished Rg3's protection against myocardial fibrosis post-MI. In addition, Rg3 downregulated the TGF-β1-mediated CFs growth together with collagen production in vitro through TGFBR1 signaling. Moreover, TGFBR1 adenovirus partially blocked the inhibitory effect of Rg3. Conclusion: Rg3 improves myocardial fibrosis and cardiac function through suppressing CFs proliferation along with collagen deposition by inactivation of TGFBR1 pathway.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6295-6300
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• 2014

Our aim was to investigate the value of combined detection of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9, CA 242 and CA 50 in diagnosis and assessment of prognosis in consecutive gastric cancer patients. Clinical data including preoperative serum CEA, CA 19-9, CA 242, and CA 50 values and information on clinical pathological factors were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were used to explore the relationship between tumor markers and survival. Positive rates of tumor markers CEA, CA 19-9, CA 242 and CA 50 in the diagnosis of gastric cancer were 17.7, 17.1, 20.4 and 13.8%, respectively, and the positive rate for all four markers combined was 36.6%. Patients with elevated preoperative serum concentrations of CEA, CA 19-9, CA 242 and CA 50, had late clinical tumor stage and significantly poorer overall survival. Five-year survival rates in patients with elevated CEA, CA 19-9, CA 242 and CA 50 were 28.1, 25.8, 27.0 and 24.1%, respectively, compared with 55.0, 55.4, 56.4 and 54.5% in patients with these markers at normal levels (p<0.01). In multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses, an elevated CA 242 level was determined to be an independent prognostic marker in gastric cancer patients. Combined detection of four tumor markers increased the positive rate for gastric cancer diagnosis. CA 242 showed higher diagnostic value and CA 50 showed lower diagnostic value. In resectable gastric carcinoma, preoperative CA 242 level was associated with disease stage, and was found to be a significant independent prognostic marker in gastric cancer patients.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2008

Object: The purpose of this study is to the review recent 20 years chinese achievements on the use of impedance cardiography for chinese medicine. Methods: From the China Journal Full Text Database we searched papers on the use of impedance cardiography for chinese medicine by the keyword "심조항도(心阻抗圖)". Results: The researches are summarized into 3 parts. (1) the researches on the relationship between the parameters of impedance cardiography and the chinese medical diagnoses; pulse diagnosis and tongue inspection. (2) the researches on the objective assessment using impedance cardiography for the effects of chinese medical therapy. (3) the researches on the objective evaluation index of Heart Deficiency Syndrome using impedance cardiography. Conclusion: The parameters of impedance cardiography has been established for its usefulness in various chinese medical researches.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7195-7200
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• 2014

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate how CYP2C19 affects icotinib and metabolite' exposure, and to determine whether the exposure and EGFR genotype influences survival time, tumor metastasis and adverse drug reactions. Materials and Methods: 274 NSCLC patients who accepted 125mg icotinib/t.i.d. were chosen from a phase III study. Blood samples were obtained in $672^{nd}$ ($4^{th}$ week) and $1,680^{th}$ hours ($10^{th}$ week), and plasma was used to quantify the concentration of icotinib and blood cells were sampled to check the genotypes. Clinical data were also collected at the same time, including EGFR genotypes. Plasma concentrations were assessed by HPLC-MS/MS and genotype by sequencing. All data were analyzed through SPSS 17.0 and SAS 9.2. Results: CYP 2C19 genotypes affected bio-transformation from icotinib to M24 and M26, especially in poor-metabolisers. Higher icotinib concentrations (>1000 ng/mL) not only increased patient PFS and OS but also reduced tumor metastasis. Patients with mutant EGFR experienced a higher median PFS and OS (234 and 627 days), especially those with the 19del genotype demonstrating higher PR ratio. Patients who suffered grade II skin toxicity had a higher icotinib exposure than those with grade I skin toxicity or no adverse effects. Liver toxic reactions might occur in patients with greater M20 and M23 plasma concentrations. Conclusions: CYP2C19 polymorphisms significantly affect icotinib, M24 and M26 exposure. Patients with mutant EGFR genotype and higher icotinib concentration might have increased PFS and OS and lower tumor metastasis. Liver ADR events and serious skin effects might be respectively induced by greater M20, M23 and icotinib concentrations.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Oriental Medical Informatics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.65-82
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• 2005

The findings from this study are summarized as follows: 1. Hangul 2004 has 16,023 Chinese Character codes. Among them, 15,231 Chinese Character codes are searched by DB, the others are unsearchable codes. 2. Among 15,231 Chinese Character codes of Hangul 2004, 2,471 Chinese Character codes are converted into 2,232 Simplified Chinese Character codes by Traditional and Simplified Chinese Character Converting program in Hangul 2004. 3. The 5th edition TCM-MeSH has 6,385 thesauruses and 2,142 kinds of Chinese Characters. 4. If we use Simplified Chinese Character of Hangul 2004 to search for TCM-MeSH, we will find 94.3% of TCM-MeSH. But If we use Traditional Chinese Character of Hangul 2004 to search for TCM-MeSH, we will find only 34.2% of TCM-MeSH.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 2018

Purpose - With the worldwide aging problem and the development of globalization, customers prefer to seek affordable medical services with the higher quality overseas. This new trend has urged some destination countries to improve their services for the more competitive advantages over other countries. Literature research indicate that medical quality and cost may be the key factors influencing global patients' decisions. In the international environment, however, medical tourism destinations are selected due to cultural similarity between the hosting country and the customers' own country. The more similarity perceived between the two countries leads foreign patients to choose the considering country as the destination for medical tourism. However, little research has been conducted on this topic. Thus, we empirically investigate how cultural similarity influences Chinese medical customers' choice of the destinations. We also consider the factors related to medical competency and travel attribute which might affect customers' decisions along with some moderating roles of disease types. Research design, data, and methodology - We proposed a research model in order to confirm the relations among different variables of cultural similarity, medical competency, travel attractiveness, disease types, and destination choice. The questionnaire survey is processed in the more economically developed regions of China such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Jiangsu. Conditional logit regression is applied to analyze the data of 881. Results - Results indicate that cultural similarity is the important predictor of Chinese customers' decision to select a medical country. However, the effects of cultural similarity vary according to the disease types. We also find that medical competency and travel attractiveness influence their decisions with the moderating role of disease types. Conclusions - Cultural similarity is the important factor that influences Chinese potential medical tourists' decisions to select a destination. Marketing managers should consider the effects of cultural similarity when developing strategies for attracting Chinese medical tourists. Since medical competency and travel attractiveness are still the critical key elements for them to evaluate the destination countries, it is necessary to continuously improve medical service quality and facilities. The results also recommend that medical managers should sharpen their marketing strategies by segmenting Chinese potential customers in terms of disease types.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.59-75
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• 2006

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) in current Traditional Chinese Medical Journals. Methods : From January 2000 to December 2005, we searched Traditional Chinese Medical Journals. Results : 21 articles were selected and classified into two large groups, case report and comparison study. Totally 1137 cases, complete cures are 276, significant improvements and some improvement 1028, complete cure rate 24.27%, total improvement rate 90.41%. Conclusion : Oriental medical treatments for ADHD were investigated to be effective in most trials. But there remains a debate about outcome criteria. Further studies are needed. Treatment methods were herbal medicine, acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, family consult.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.18-33
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• 2007

Buddist Medicine has greatly influenced Chinese medicine, a medicine centered around East Asian traditional medicine. Buddhist medicine, however, was replaced when Chinese medicine became centered around Confucianism in the 12th century. According to "Tianjinyaofang" a document of the 8th century, however, traces of Buddhist medicine can be found. This study has found and organized the traces of Buddhist medicine in both Korean and Chinese medicine today.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.354-358
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• 2003

For better understanding of functions of the Calcyclin Binding Protein (CacyBP) and exploring its possible roles in neuronal differentiation, the subcellular localization of human CacyBP was examined in retinoic acid(RA)-induced and uninduced neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Immunostaining indicated that CacyBP was present in the cytoplasm of uninduced SH-SY5Y cells, in which the resting $Ca^{2+}$ concentration was relatively lower than that of RA-induced cells. After the RA induction, immunostaining was seen in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. In the RA-induced differentiated SH-SY5Y cells, CacyBP was phosphorylated on serine residue(s), while it existed in a dephosphorylated form in normal (uninduced) cells. Thus, the phosphorylation of CacyBP occurs when it is translocated to the nuclear region. The translocation of CacyBP during the RA-induced differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells suggested that this protein might play a role in neuronal differentiation.