• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.297-310
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• 2024

Objective : This study was conducted to investigate the anti-inflammatory and laxative effects of Polycan in TNF-α-treated HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells and loperamide-induced constipation in vivo models, respectively. Methods : To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of Polycan, HT-29 cells were treated with TNF-α in the presence or absence of Polycan. IL-8 production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). MAPK phosphorylation, nuclear translocation of NF-κB, and phosphorylation of IκB were assessed by Western blot analysis. To investigate the laxative effects of Polycan, 6-week-old SD rats (8 female rats per group) were orally administered Polycan or Chicory Fiber as a positive control for 4 weeks, and constipation was induced with loperamide treatment for 10 days before sacrifice. One day before sacrifice, a charcoal meal was administered to evaluate intestinal transit times. The periodically collected feces were used to assess the number of fecal pellets and fecal water content. Results : Polycan inhibited TNF-α-induced IL-8 expression in dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, Polycan suppressed TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of MAPKs (ERK1/2, p38 and JNK), degradation of Iκ-Bα and nuclear translocation of NF-κB. In an in vivo constipation model, the number of fecal pellets per food intake was significantly increased in rats administered with Polycan, both 1 day and 7 days after loperamide treatment. The water content of fecal pellets was restored in the Polycan groups starting 7 days after loperamide treatment. In addition, Polycan intake significantly enhanced the gastrointestinal transit ratio of a charcoal meal but reduced the number of intestinal fecal pellets. Conclusions : These results suggest that Polycan suppressed TNF-α-induced inflammation by blocking both the MAPK and NF-κB pathways in HT-29 cells. Additionally, in a loperamide-induced constipation model, Polycan showed clear laxative effects by increasing the number of fecal pellets, fecal water content, and intestinal transit ratio of a charcoal meal.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2023

In retrospect, the irony of this story began with the first meeting of these co-authors-in of all places, Coimbatore, India, in 2008, at the 12th International Perforator Flap Course. Here the junior author [hereafter "jp"] demonstrated his unparalleled skills in networking, and soon thereafter journeyed some 11,073 km to Allentown, U.S. to peruse the operating room and clinics of the senior author [sic. ggh] in action. Within 2 years jp orchestrated the presentation of the 14th International Perforator Flap Course, so ggh with great anticipation flew only 6,830 miles to reach Seoul, Korea for his first time. But four years more elapsed before ggh returned again to Korea to be a visiting professor, all the while not quite sure why any Korean would want anything from a country doctor who resided in nowheresville Allentown, Pennsylvania. Yet, an extraordinary fact then was to be unveiled, about which ggh was totally ignorant. The pioneer of plastic surgery in Korea, the first Korean to have completed an accredited plastic surgery fellowship, by coincidence had accomplished all this in . . . . . Allentown. The collegial relationship that evolved between these co-authors, who met by chance, indeed had a precedent coincidence! Was this "by chance" alone or predestination? Amazingly, in a way similar, the origin of plastic surgery itself in Korea also had Allentown connections. As a tribute to Lew Jae-duk, this important story must be here told, so let us now retrace his past in Allentown so we can find how the future was to be not so far away.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.1_2
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• pp.117-125
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• 1997

In order to assess the possibility whether CYP2D is involved in caffeine metabolism, we have purified and characterized the rat liver microsomal cytochrome P4502D1 (CYP2D1), equivalent to CYP2D6 in human liver, and have utilized the reconstituted CYP2D1 in the metabolism of 4 primary caffeine (1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine) metabolites such as paraxanthine (1, 7-dimethylxanthine), 1, 3, 7-trimethylurate, theophylline (1, 3-dimethylxanthine) and theobromine (3, 7-dimethylxanthine). Rat liver CYP 2D1 has been purified to a specific content of 8.98 nmole/mg protein (13.4fold purification, 1.5% yield) using $\omega$-aminooctylagarose, hydroxlapatite, and DE52 columns in a sequential manner. As judged from sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), the purified CYP2D1 was apparently homogeneous. Molecular weight of the purified CYP2D1 was found to be 51, 000 Da. Catalytic activity of the purified and then reconstituted CYP2D1 was confirmed by using bufuralol, a known subsFate of CYP2D1. The reconstituted CYP2D1 was found to produce to 1-hydroxylbufuralol at a rate of 1.43$\pm$0.13 nmol/min/nmol P450. The kinetic analysis of bufuralol hydroxylation indicated that Km and Vmax values were 7.32$\mu M$ and 1.64 nmol/min/nmol P450, respectively. The reconstituted CYP2D1 could catalyze the 7-demethylation of PX to 1-methylxanthine at a rate of 12.5 pmol/min/pmol, and also the 7- and 3- demethylations of 1, 3, 7-trimethylurate to 1, 3-dimethylurate and 1, 7-dimethylurate at 6.5 and 12.8 pmol/min/pmol CYP2D1, respectively. The reconstituted CYP2D1 could also 3-demethylate theophylline to 1-methylxanthine at 5 pmol/min/pmol and hydroxylate the theophylline to 1, 3-dimethylurate at 21.8 pmol/min/pmol CYP2D1. The reconstituted CYP2D1, however, did not metabolize TB at all (detection limits were 0.03 pmol/min/pmol). This study indicated that CYP2D1 is involved in 3-and 7-demethylations of paraxanthine and theophylline and suggested that CYP2D6 (equivalent to CYP2D1 in rat liver) present in human liver may be involved in the secondary metabolism of the primary metabolites of caffeine.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.49-61
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• 1979

Two hundred and ninety-five strains of Peudomonas aeruginosa isolated from clinical sources were tested for drug resistance and demonstration of R plasmids by intraspecies conjugation system. Sixty strains were found highly resistant to two or more of drugs. The rate of resistant strains were 38.9% to kanamycin(km), 33.2% to streptomydn(sm), 22.7% to sulfisomidine(Sa), 14.2% to chloramphenicol(Cp), 13.8% to tetracycline(Tc), 3.0% to carbenicillin(Cb), and to gentamicin(Gm), respectively. But no strains was resistant to nalidixic acid and colistine. They were resistant to per milliliter to more than $400{\mu}g$ per ml. of Tc, $800{\mu}g$ per ml of Cp and of Sm, $6,400{\mu}g$ per ml. of Sa, $200{\mu}g$ per ml. of Cb, $100{\mu}g$ per ml. of Gm, and $25{\mu}g$ per ml. of colistine. Forty-three strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa could be transferred their resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2-70, 1005 rifampin resistant FP-auxotrophic mutant. Of sixty multiple resistant strains, forty-three(71.6%) demonstrated R plasmids; nineteen carried resistance to(Tc Cp Sm Sa), six to(Tc Cp Sm), three to(Tc Cp Sa), and Cp, five to(Tc Sm Sa), two to(Tc Sa), (Cp Sm) and Tc, and one to(Cp Sm Sa). Degree of resistance of recipients recieving R plasmids from donors were almost the same level of resistance as the donor in regardless of mating temperature at $25^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$. Resistance to Tc, Sm, and Sa were transferred to a very few of recipient cells at five minutes after mating with donor and recipient cells but resistance to Cp were transferred to the majority of recipient cells. The transfer frequency of Tc, Cp, Sm, and Sa resistance from donors to recipients were from $1.0^{-1.4}\;to\;1.0^{-3.5}$ at $25^{\circ}C$ for 18 hours of incubation and were from $1.0^{-1.5}\;to\;1.0^{-3.5}$ at $37^{\circ}C$ for 18 hours of incubation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.395-399
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• 2016

Background: Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) is one of the most important medicinal plants in the Orient. Among nine cultivars of P. ginseng, Chunpoong commands a much greater market value and has been planted widely in Korea. Chunpoong has superior quality "Chunsam" ($1^{st}$ grade ginseng) when made into red ginseng. Methods: A rapid and reliable method for discriminating the Chunpoong cultivar was developed by exploiting a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the auxin repressed protein gene of nine Korean ginseng cultivars using specific primers. Results: An SNP was detected between Chunpoong and other cultivars, and modified allele-specific primers were designed from this SNP site to specifically identify the Chunpoong cultivar and P. quinquefolius via multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Conclusion: These results suggest that great impact to prevent authentication of precise Chunpoong and other cultivars using the auxin repressed protein gene. We therefore present an effective method for the authentication of the Chunpoong cultivar of P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.416-425
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• 2001

Background : The incidence of drug-resistant tuberculosis has recently decreased in Korea. However, it is still one of the major obstacles in treating pulmonary tuberculosis. This study was performed to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics associated with drug-resistance in pulmonary tuberculosis at the tertiary referral hospital in Pusan, Korea. Methods : The medical records of 138 patients, who had been diagnosed as active pulmonary tuberculosis were retrospectively reviewed, and results of drug susceptibility from May 1997 to June 2000. The relationships among those with a history of previous tuberculosis treatment, the extent of lung involvement, the presence of cavities on the initial chest X-ray films and patterns of drug resistance were analyzed. Results : The total number of patients who had drug resistance to at least one drug was 55(39.9%). Among them 34(24.6%) had resistance to isoniazid(INH) and rifampin(RFP). There was drug resistance in 20(22%) of 91 patients without previous tuberculosis therapy, and among them 9(9.9%) were multi-drug resistant. Thirty-two(74.5%) out of 47 patients with previous therapy were drug-resistant and 25(53.2%) were multidrug resistant. For all 138 patients, resistance to INH was the most common(34.1%), followed by RFP(26.1%) and ethambutol(EMB)(14.5%). Drug resistance to INH, RFP, PZA and streptomycin(SM) were independently associated with a history of previous treatment(odds ratio; 9.43, 9.09, 8.93 and 21.6 respectively, p<0.01). The extent of lung involvement on the chest films was significantly associated with the drug resistance to INH and RFP(odds ratio; 2.12 and 2.40 respectively, p<0.01). The prevalence of drug resistance to RFP, INH and RFP was significantly more common in patients with a cavitary lesion on the chest films by multivariate analysis(odds ratio; 4.17 and 4.81 respectively, p<0.05). Conclusion : This study revealed that patients with a prior treatment history for pulmonary tuberculosis, and the presence of a cavitary lesion on chest films had a higher prevalence of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance. A very careful clinical and microbiological examination is needed for patients with such characteristics.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the change of the energy consumption when loading to leg of the 60persons who don't have past history of cardiopulmonary and neuromuscular disease, To evaluate the change or energy consumption, heart rate was measured in sitting position for 5minute, during walking for 3minute at for 4.8km on treadmill, and during resting state after walking with 1Kg loading to right ankle, and the other 1Kg loading was added to left ankle and then heart rates were measured in the The results were as follow; 1. PCI value without loading to Ankle were significantly increased compared to 1Kg, and 2Kg. (p<0.05) 2. Female Subjects showed mon increased PCI value in without leading and 2Kg loading compared to male subjects. ( p<0.05) 3. When 1Kg ana 2Ka loading to ankle significantly differences were showed between them. (p<0.05) 4. In the case of 1Kg and 2Kg loading, the difference among age groups was observed and the significant difference among PCI, PCI 1kg, PCI 2kg was showed in the only group that is less than 30 years old. 5. In every PCI condition the difference among height groups was observed and the significant difference among PCI conditions was showed in the only group that is less than 165cm. 6. The difference among weight groups in each PCI condition was not observed, but the significant differences among PCI conditions was showed in every group except the group that h from 60kg to 69kg. These results showed that energy consumption was increased according to loading on the ankle during Sate so weight of orthosis or prosthesis met be considered when choosing them and during gait training with these ones.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.421-426
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• 2015

The increased potential for vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth is a key abnormality in the development of atherosclerosis and post-angioplasty restenosis. Abnormally high activity of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is believed to play a central role in the etiology of these pathophysiological situations. Here, we investigated the anti-proliferative effects and possible mechanism(s) of murrayafoline A, a carbazole alkaloid isolated from Glycosmis stenocarpa Guillamin (Rutaceae), on PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs. Murrayafoline A inhibited the PDGF-BB-stimulated proliferation of VSMCs in a concentration-dependent manner, as measured using a non-radioactive colorimetric WST-1 assay and direct cell counting. Furthermore, murrayafoline A suppressed the PDGF-BB-stimulated progression through $G_0/G_1$ to S phase of the cell cycle, as measured by [$^3H$]-thymidine incorporation assay and cell cycle progression analysis. This anti-proliferative action of murrayafoline A, arresting cell cycle progression at $G_0/G_1$ phase in PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs, was mediated via down-regulation of the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)2, CDK4, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (pRb). These results indicate that murrayafoline A may be useful in preventing the progression of vascular complications such as restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and atherosclerosis.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.726-740
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• 2023

Objectives: This review investigated the research on warm herbal foot bath therapy (WHFT) for insomnia. Methods: A search was conducted on the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database to collect relevant studies published up to August 29, 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing WHFT and sleeping pills in patients with insomnia were included. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool. The results of the meta-analysis were presented as risk ratios (RRs) or mean differences (MDs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 11 RCTs were included. WHFT as monotherapy resulted in a significantly higher total effective rate (TER) (RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.36; I²=25%) and an improved Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global sore (MD, -3.10; 95% CI, -4.24 to -1.95; I²=73%) compared to benzodiazepines. Additionally, WHFT as a combined therapy with benzodiazepines resulted in a significantly higher TER (RR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.27; I²=0%) and an improved PSQI global score (MD, -2.23; 95% CI, -4.09 to -0.38; I²=80%) compared to benzodiazepines alone. In network analysis visualizing the components of HWFT, four clusters were discovered, and Polygoni Multiflori Ramuls and Ziziphi Spinosae Semen were the key herbs used in WHFT. Overall, the methodological quality of the included studies was poor. Conclusions: There was limited evidence that WHFT as a monotherapy or combined therapy was effective in improving insomnia. The findings can be used as basic data for future WHFT research in South Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.479-485
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• 2014

Cryptosporidium diarrhea represents a relevant clinical problem in developing countries. In Al-Taif, a city of Saudi Arabia that lies at an altitude of an around 2 km above the sea level, Cryptosporidium infection seems to be undiagnosed in nearly all clinical laboratories. Furthermore, nothing was published regarding Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea in this area. The objectives of this research were to (1) determine the Cryptosporidium prevalence among patients with diarrhea and (2) to estimate the performances of 3 different diagnostic methods. Total 180 diarrheal fecal samples, 1 sample per patient, were collected between January and August 2013. Samples were screened for Cryptosporidium with modified Zeihl Neelsen (ZN) microscopy, $RIDA^{(R)}$ Quick lateral flow (LF) immunotest, and a previously published PCR. The Cryptosporidium prevalence rate was 9.4% (17/180), 10% (18/180), and 11.6% (21/180) by microscopy, LF, and PCR test, respectively. Infection was significantly (P=0.004) predominant among children <5 years (22%) followed by children 5-9 years (11.1%). Although infection was higher in males than in females (16.2% males and 8.5% females), the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.11). Compared to PCR, the sensitivity of microscopy and the LF test were 80.9%, 85.7%, respectively. To conclude, high Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea was found in this area especially in children ${\leq}9$ years. The PCR test showed the best performance followed by the LF test and ZN staining microscopy. The primary health care providers in Al-Taif need to be aware of and do testing for this protozoon, particularly for children seen with diarrhea.