• Title/Summary/Keyword: Nature of Medicine

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Plant-Based Decellularization: A Novel Approach for Perfusion-Compatible Tissue Engineering Structures

  • Md Mehedee Hasan;Ashikur Rahman Swapon;Tazrin Islam Dipti;Yeong-Jin Choi;Hee-Gyeong Yi
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.34 no.5
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    • pp.1003-1016
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    • 2024
  • This study explores the potential of plant-based decellularization in regenerative medicine, a pivotal development in tissue engineering focusing on scaffold development, modification, and vascularization. Plant decellularization involves removing cellular components from plant structures, offering an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to traditional scaffold materials. The use of plant-derived polymers is critical, presenting both benefits and challenges, notably in mechanical properties. Integration of plant vascular networks represents a significant bioengineering breakthrough, aligning with natural design principles. The paper provides an in-depth analysis of development protocols, scaffold fabrication considerations, and illustrative case studies showcasing plant-based decellularization applications. This technique is transformative, offering sustainable scaffold design solutions with readily available plant materials capable of forming perfusable structures. Ongoing research aims to refine protocols, assess long-term implications, and adapt the process for clinical use, indicating a path toward widespread adoption. Plant-based decellularization holds promise for regenerative medicine, bridging biological sciences with engineering through eco-friendly approaches. Future perspectives include protocol optimization, understanding long-term impacts, clinical scalability, addressing mechanical limitations, fostering collaboration, exploring new research areas, and enhancing education. Collectively, these efforts envision a regenerative future where nature and scientific innovation converge to create sustainable solutions, offering hope for generations to come.

Social Implication of Living Wills, Advance Directives and Natural Death Act in Korea (생전유언, 의료지시서, 자연사법(natural death act) 입법의 사회적 함의)

  • Lee, In-Young
    • The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.413-459
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    • 2008
  • The Law has intervened to define rare circumstances in which a person should choose continuing life in United States. On the one hand, the law has traditionally acted to preservelife and to respect the sanctity of life. On the other hand, one's control over one's own body, and the right to determine what kind of medical care one will receive, is equally well respected and historically grounded. The competent patients have the right to forgo life-sustaining treatment, courts in United States have left many unanswered questions about the nature of that right. The right to choose to forgo life-sustaining treatment is a manifestation of a patient's autonomy interest. In United States, The Karen Quilan case gave rise to legislative activity in the host of state capitals, and several states had adopted statutes that formally recognized some forms of written directives describing some circumstances in which certain kinds of medical care could be terminated. These statues were sometimes dominated 'living will' acts, sometimes 'right to die' acts and ocasionally 'natural death' acts. Today virtually every state has produced a living will statue. In Korea, courts do not permit a terminally ill person to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment. Living wills apply in case of terminal illness owing to a defect in legislation. Now In Korea, these lively dispute of legal policy on the preconditions and concrete procedure of living will act and natural death act. Through the legislation of living will act and natural death act, we should prepare some circumstances to respect patient's autonomy on the right to die. We should frame the cultural standard to make a decision of forgoing life-sustainin1g treatment under the discreet procedure.

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Mucopolysaccharidoses in Taiwan

  • Lin, Hsiang-Yu;Chuang, Chih-Kuang;Lin, Shuan-Pei
    • Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
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    • v.4 no.1
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    • pp.14-20
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    • 2018
  • Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of rare inherited metabolic disorders caused by specific lysosomal enzyme deficiencies leading to the sequential degradation of glycosaminoglycans, causing substrate accumulation in various cells and tissues and progressive multiple organ dysfunction. The rare disease medical care team at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taiwan has been dedicated to the study of MPSs for more than 20 years. Since 1999, more than 50 academic papers focusing on MPSs have been published in international medical journals. Topics of research include the following items regarding MPSs: incidence, natural history, clinical manifestations, gene mutation characteristics, cardiac function, bone mineral density, sleep studies, pulmonary function tests, hearing assessments, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, anesthetic experience, imaging analysis, special biochemical tests, laboratory diagnostics, global expert consensus conferences, prenatal diagnosis, new drug clinical trials, newborn screening, and treatment outcomes. Of these published academic research papers, more than half were cross-domain, cross-industry, and international studies with results in cooperation with experts from European, American and other Asian countries. A cross-specialty collaboration platform was established based on high-risk population screening criteria with the acronym "BECARE" (Bone and joints, Eyes, Cardiac and central nervous system, Abdomen and appearance, Respiratory system, and Ear, nose, and throat involvement). Through this platform, orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists, ophthalmologists, cardiologists, rehabilitation physicians, gastroenterologists, otorhinolaryngologists, and medical geneticists have been educated with regards to awareness of suspected cases of MPSs patients to allow for a further confirmative diagnosis of MPSs. Because of the progressive nature of the disease, an early diagnosis and early multidisciplinary therapeutic interventions including surgery, rehabilitation programs, symptom-based treatments, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and enzyme replacement therapy, are very important.

Synergistic interactions of Aegle marmelos leaf, Emblica officinalis fruit and Ocimum sanctum leaf extracts in the regulation of hyperthyroidism and / or hyperglycaemia

  • Panda, Sunanda;Kar, Anand
    • Advances in Traditional Medicine
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    • v.4 no.1
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    • pp.37-43
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    • 2004
  • The effects of Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae) leaf, Emblica officinalis (Euphorbiaceae) fruit and Ocimum sanctum. (Labiateae) leaf extracts were studied in L-thyroxine (0.5 mg/kg) induced hyperthyroidic mice. Separately combined effects of these three plant extracts and of a commonly used antithyroidic drug, Propyl thiouracil (PTU) were investigated for comparison. Serum concentration of thyroxine $(T_4)$, triiodothyronine $(T_3)$, glucose and the activity of hepatic Glucose 6-Phosphatase (G-6-Pase) were considered as main parameters. Hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) activities were also studied to reveal the toxic effect of the plant extracts, if any. While exogenous $T_4$ enhanced serum concentration of $T_4$, $T_3$, glucose and the activity of hepatic G-6-Pase, a simultaneous administration of either A. marmelos leaf (1.0 mg/kg), E. officinalis fruit( 30 mg/kg) and O. sanctum leaf (50 mg/kg) extracts, to hyperthyroidic animals decreased all these parameters. However, the effects were more pronounced, as nearly normal thyroid function and serum glucose concentration were exhibited when all three plant extracts were administered together. A decrease in LPO and a concomitant increase in SOD and the CAT activities indicated the safe and antiperoxidative nature of the plant extracts, administered either alone or in combination. Our findings reveal that the three test plant materials exhibit synergistic effects without any hepatotoxicity, suggesting their potential use in the amelioration of hyperthyroidism and/ or hyperglycaemia.

A Literature Study on Ophthalmologic Disease Remedies of the four Famous Physicians in JinYuan Period (金元四大家의 眼病治療法에 關한 文獻的 硏究)

  • Kim, Seong-Bae;Kim, Jong-Han;Lim, Gyu-Sang
    • The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.15-34
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    • 1994
  • This is a literature Study on ophthalmologic disease remedies of the four famous physicians in Jin Yuan period. The results were as follows: 1. Yu Wan So regarded the cause of ophthalmologic disease as the wind and heat(風熱), the blood deficiency(血少), or the deficiency of vital function and essence ,of the kidney(腎氣虛). For each treatment he used the method to remove wind and heat(除風散熱), the tranquillizing and tonifying method to nourish the heart and to relieve mental strain due to dificiency of vital essence(養血安神). the method to nourish Yin in the kidney(補腎水). The important nature of the these medicines is bitter and cold. 2. Jang Jong Jeung regarded the cause of ophthalmologic disease as the blood excess(血太過). or the blood deficiency(血不及). or the fire and heat(火熱). For each treatment he used the method to extract blood(出血療法). the method to nourish the liver and the kidney(補肝腎療法). or the method of vomiting and diarrhea(吐不法). The medicines are usuallly classified into external treatment medicines(外用藥). medicines to disintegrate mass(破積聚藥). purgating medicines(攻下藥). 3. Lee Dong Won regarded the cause of ophthalmologic disease as the spleen and the stomach weakness(脾胃虛弱), excessive fire in the heart(心火太盛). For each treatment he used the method to tranquillize the spleen and the stomach (調理脾胃). the tranquillizing and tonifying method to nourish the heart and to relieve mental strain due to deficiency of vital essence(養血安神). 4. Ju Dan Gye regarded the cause of ophthalmologic disease as the wind and heat(風熱). the blood deficiency(血少). the mental exhaustion(神勞). the kidney weakness(腎弱). For each treatment he used the method to remove wind and heat(除風散熱), the method to nourish blood and yin water(養血補水), the method to relieve mental strain and to remove spiritual heat(安腎瀉神火). the method to nourish yin water(養陰水). These drugs are usually classified into the medicines to remove endogenous heat(淸熱藥). the medicines to nourish yin(補陰藥).

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Legal Standings of the Patient and the Doctor within the National Health Insurance - With its focus on the issue of arbitrary medical charge cover - (건강보험에 있어서 의사와 환자간의 법률관계 - 임의비급여 문제를 중심으로 -)

  • Hyun, Doo-Rhyun
    • The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.69-118
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    • 2007
  • In providing general medical treatments, the medical service contract between the patient and the doctor is the mutually responsible onerous contract. However, the nature of the mutually assumed contract standings of the patient and the doctor has been changing since the implementation of the national health insurance program. For instance, besides the cases of beyond excessive medical charges and medical negligence, if the doctor charged for his/her medical treatments violating the post-treatment/nursing cover criteria, the overpaid medical charge, regardless of being collected with the patient's consent, has to be refunded back to the patient. Medically needed aspects, treatment results, and unfair benefits favoring the patient are not at all taken into consideration in the health insurance scheme. This makes it easier for patients to get refunds for their share of the medical payments by involving the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service or the National Health Insurance Corporation, without engaging in civil law suits (for reimbursement claim) against doctors. In other words, the doctor's responsibility to provide medical treatments and the patient's responsibility to pay for the medical treatment provided within the contractual realm are being demolished by the administrational arbitration of the National Health Insurance system. The basic rights of medical service providers, and the patient's right to choose are as important constitutional rights, as the National Health Insurance program, which is essential in the social welfare system. Furthermore, the development of the medical fields should not be prevented by the National Health Insurance system. If the medical treatment services can be divided into necessary treatments, general treatments, and high quality treatments, the National Health Insurance is supposed to guarantee the necessary and general treatments to provide medical treatments equally to all the insured with limited financial resources. However, for the high quality treatments, it is recommended that they should not be interfered by the National Health Insurance system, and that they should be left to the private contract between the patient and the doctor.

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Systematic review: agreement between the latent tuberculosis screening tests among patients with rheumatic diseases

  • Pyo, Junhee;Cho, Soo-Kyung;Kim, Dam;Sung, Yoon-Kyoung
    • The Korean journal of internal medicine
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    • v.33 no.6
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    • pp.1241-1251
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    • 2018
  • Background/Aims: To estimate the level of agreement and positivity rates of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) tests prior to the use of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors in relation to underlying rheumatic diseases and endemic tuberculosis levels. Methods: The Ovid-Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Libraries were searched for articles before October 2013 involving LTBI screening in rheumatic patients, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and psoriatic arthritis. Results: In pooled analyses, 5,224 rheumatic patients had undergone both a tuberculin skin test (TST) and an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) before TNF inhibitors use. The positivity of TST, QuantiFERON-TB Gold In Tube (QFT-GIT), and T-SPOT.TB (T-SPOT) tests were estimated to be 29%, 17%, and 18%, respectively. The agreement percentage between the TST and QFT-GIT, and between the TST and T-SPOT were 73% and 75%. Populations from low-to-moderate endemic TB presented with slightly less agreement (71% between TST and QFT-GIT, and 74% between TST and T-SPOT) than patients from high endemic countries (73% between TST and QFT-GIT, and 81% between TST and T-SPOT). By underlying disease stratification, a lower level of agreement between TST and QFT-GIT was found among AS (64%) than among JIA (77%) and RA patients (73%). Conclusions: We reaffirm the current evidence for accuracy of LTBI test done by TST and IGRA among rheumatic patients is inconsistent. Our stratified analysis suggests different screening strategies might be needed in clinical settings considering the endemic status in the patient's country of origin and the precise nature of underlying diseases.

The Effect of Nursing Students' Everyday Creativity and Self-Esteem on Sociality (간호대학생의 일상적 창의성, 자아존중감이 사회성에 미치는 영향)

  • Jeong, Gyeong-Sun;Park, Eui-Jeung
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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    • v.9 no.4
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    • pp.119-127
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    • 2021
  • Purpose : The aim of this study was to examine the relationships of everyday creativity and self-esteem, with sociality in college students majoring in nursing science and to identify factors that influence sociality. Methods : In the study 209 college students majoring in nursing science in B city were surveyed for the period of July through September 2020. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS statistics 22.0 for Windows to determine the frequency, percentage ratio, average, and standard deviation. Statistical analyses included the t-test, analysis of variance, Scheffe test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Results : The everyday creativity of the nursing students was 3.65±0.43, self-esteem was 3.70±0.63, and sociality was 3.21±.33. Significant differences were observed for self-esteem according to the participant's grade (F=3.11, p=.027), monthly income (F=2.41, p=.050), health condition (F=4.87, p=.001) and clinical experience (t=-2.17, p=.031). Significant differences were not observed with regard to sociality. A static correlation was observed between everyday creativity and self-esteem (r=.478, p<.001) and between everyday creativity and sociality (r=.342, p<.001). Self-esteem and sociality were also statistically correlated (r=.168, p<.05). Factors that influenced the participants' sociality included monthly income (𝛽=.168, p=.015), health condition (𝛽=.178, p=.022), clinical experience (𝛽=-.161, p=.048), ability to find alternative solutions (𝛽=.245, p=.015), and in dependent nature (𝛽=.224, p=.003); The explanatory power was 15.60 %. Conclusion : More research is needed to understand the relationship between everyday creativity, self-esteem, and sociality in college students majoring in nursing science, Greater efforts are needed to develop programs that nurture the sociality of college student majoring in nursing science.

A Herbological Study on the Plants of Aspidiaceae in Korea (한국산 면마과(綿馬科) 식물에 관한 본초학적 연구)

  • Jeong, Jong-Gil;Kim, Chae-Hyun
    • The Korea Journal of Herbology
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.57-65
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    • 2009
  • Objectives : This study was aimed to developing Korean herbalogy of the plants belonging to Aspidiaceae in Korea. Methods : The herbological books and papers published at home and abroad were researched. The total list of Aspidiaceae was made and Medicinal plants in Aspidiaceae was classified. The medicinal properties, action and applications of medicinal plants were investigated. Results : 1. There are totaled to 17 genera and 130 species in Aspidiaceae in Korea and among them medicinal plants are 11 genera, 31 species, some 24% in total. 2. Athyrium genus is main kind enough that it has 32 species among 130 species in Aspidiaceae, and medicinal plants of Dryopteris is 4 species. 3. The rhizome is the main medicinal parts if medicinal plants in the Aspidiaceae, which is used in 24 species. 4. According to nature and flavor of medicinal plants in the Aspidiaceae, they were classified into cool 15 and cold 8 species ; bitter taste 19, and little bitter taste 15 in the order. 5. According to meridian propism of medicinal plants in the Aspidiaceae, they were classified into liver meridian 5 species, stomach meridian 3 species. 6. According to the properties and principal curative action, they were classified into drugs for clearing away heat 25 species, drugs for detoxification 22 species, drugs for promoting diuresis 16 species in the order. 7. The number of toxic species in the Aspidiaceae was examined to be 5 species. Conclusions : There are totaled to 17 genera and 130 species in Aspidiaceae in Korea and among them medicinal plants are 11 genera, 31 species, some 24% in total. They were classified into drugs for clearing away heat, drugs for detoxification, drugs for promoting diuresisr.

A Study on Causality in Medical Civil Liability (의료민사책임에서의 인과관계에 관한 소고)

  • Baek, Kyoung-Hee
    • The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.57-81
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    • 2016
  • It can determine the outcome of the lawsuit whether or not there is a causality between the medical malpractice of a physician and the patient's injury when the patient is filing a lawsuit against the physician in order to pursue civil liability for a medical accident. In medical malpractice lawsuits, it is not easy to judge causality between different civil cases because of the special nature of medical care. Also, information such as medical records is concentrated on doctors and the medical knowledge of the patient is relatively insufficient compared with the doctor. Therefore, it is recognized through medical malpractice lawsuits that the burden of proof of the causality burdened by the plaintiff patient is relaxed. In this paper, I examine the legal theory on how to recognize causality in medical civil liability and then concern the attitude of the case in Korea, which is divided into the types of the causality - such as the case of general medical practice, explanation duty, no causality with medical malpractice.

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