• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.154-163
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• 2023

Objectives: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or lupus patients usually experience various physical and psychological challenges. Since the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, these challenges have become even harsher. Using the participatory action research approach, this study evaluated how an e-wellness program (eWP) impacted SLE-related knowledge and health behaviors, mental health, and quality of life among lupus patients in Thailand. Methods: A 1-group, pretest-posttest design study was conducted among a purposive sample of lupus patients who were members of Thai SLE Foundation. The 2 main intervention components were: (1) online social support, and (2) lifestyle and stress management workshops. Sixty-eight participants completed all the study requirements, including the Physical and Psychosocial Health Assessment questionnaire. Results: After being in the eWP for 3 months, participants' mean score for SLE-related knowledge increased significantly (t=5.3, p<0.001). The increase in sleep hours was statistically significant (Z=-3.1, p<0.01), with the percentage of participants who slept less than 7 hours decreasing from 52.9% to 29.0%. The percentage of participants reporting sun exposure decreased from 17.7% to 8.8%. The participants also reported significantly lower stress (t(66)=-4.4, p<0.001) and anxiety (t(67)=-2.9, p=0.005). The post-eWP quality of life scores for the pain, planning, intimate relationship, burden to others, emotional health, and fatigue domains also improved significantly (p<0.05). Conclusions: The overall outcomes showed promising results of improved self-care knowledge, health behaviors, mental health status, and quality of life. It is recommended that the SLE Foundation continues to use the eWP model to help the lupus patient community.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2001

Background: Sympathetic blocks with local anesthetics are used to differentiate sympathetically- maintained pain (SMP) from sympathetically-independent pain (SIP). However, systemic lidocaine is also used in the management of neuropathic pain. Therefore, there may be possibility of a false positive response in relieving their pain by systemic absorption of lidocaine following a diagnostic sympathetic block in patients with SIP. In this study, we measured the plasma lidocaine concentrations after a stellate ganglion block (SGB) using three volumes of 1% lidocaine. Methods: This prospective, crossover study was performed in 3 patients who experience sudden hearing loss and in 4 volunteers. Each person received SGB three times using three different volumes (6 ml, 12 ml and 16 ml) of 1% lidocaine at one week intervals. SGB was performed using a 23 G butterfly needle via a paratracheal approach by two persons. Two ml of venous blood was obtained from a prepared contra-lateral sided venous route at 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 20 and 60 min after SGB. Plasma lidocaine level was analyzed by immunoassay. Results: Mean plasma lidocaine concentrations correlated well with the volumes of 1% lidocaine used in SGB; larger volumes showed higher concentrations (P < 0.01). Mean peak plasma concentrations were $1.08{\pm}0.18$ in 6 ml, $1.90{\pm}0.47$ in the 12 ml and $2.74{\pm}0.67{\mu}g/ml$ in the 16 ml groups (P < 0.01). The mean time to reach peak plasma concentration was not significantly different between the three groups. Conclusions: The peak plasma lidocaine concentrations in SGB using large volume were found to be similar to that of IV lidocaine infusion in the management of neuropathic pain. These data suggest that diagnostic sympathetic block may result in many false positive responses for SMP. Part of its effect may be related to systemic local anesthetic absorption and not to a sympathetic block. Therefore, physicians may be required to use optimal volumes and minimal concentration of local anesthetic in diagnostic sympathetic block procedures and also make a careful assessment of the performance of a permanent sympathetic block.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.99-103
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• 2016

In perennial ginseng plantations, the effective control of various diseases is one of the most critical factors for increasing yields. Enhancing the resistance to disease through induced systemic resistance (ISR) and anti-microbial activity of beneficial soil bacteria, is currently considered to be a potential promising approach to integrate pathogen management for sustainable agriculture. However, the effective in vitro culture systems for testing ISR in ginseng plants have been rarely reported. In this study, I have successfully developed an in vitro germ-free culture system of Panax ginseng seedling for diverse purposes. With this useful system, we also tested BTH-induced priming effects against Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum panacicola. Compared to the drain method for enhancing ISR effects to ginseng seedlings, the direct method of spraying leaves somewhat increased the defense activity to these major fungal pathogens. Consistently, the expression of pathogen related PgPR10 and PgCAT were greatly and rapidly enhanced in the BTH-treated ginseng seedlings by treatment with C. panacicola. Our results revealed that the in vitro culture system can be used for developing eco-friendly and versatile bio-control agents for harmful diseases in ginseng cultivation.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.375-392
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• 2019

Preoperative chemo- and radiotherapeutic strategies followed by surgery are currently a standard approach for treating locally advanced gastric and esophagogastric junction cancer in Western countries. However, in a large number of cases, the tumor is extremely resistant to these treatments and the patients are exposed to unnecessary toxicity and delayed surgical therapy. The current clinical trials evaluating the combination of preoperative systemic therapies with modern targeted and immunotherapeutic agents represent a unique opportunity for identifying predictive biomarkers of response to select patients that would benefit the most from these treatments. However, it is of utmost importance that these potential biomarkers are corroborated by extensive preclinical and translational research. The aim of this review article is to present the most promising biomarkers of response to classic chemotherapeutic, anti-HER2, antiangiogenic, and immunotherapeutic agents that can be potentially useful for personalized preoperative systemic therapies in gastric cancer patients.

• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2024

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive skin tumors, and conventional treatment modalities are not effective in treating advanced melanoma. Although immunotherapy is an effective treatment for melanoma, it has disadvantages, such as a poor response rate and serious systemic immune-related toxic side effects. The main solution to this problem is the use of biological materials such as hydrogels to reduce these side effects and amplify the immune killing effect against tumor cells. Hydrogels have great advantages as local slow-release drug carriers, including the ability to deliver antitumor drugs directly to the tumor site, enhance the local drug concentration in tumor tissue, reduce systemic drug distribution and exhibit good degradability. Despite these advantages, there has been limited research on the application of hydrogels in melanoma treatment. Therefore, this article provides a comprehensive review of the potential application of hydrogels in melanoma immunotherapy. Hydrogels can serve as carriers for sustained drug delivery, enabling the targeted and localized delivery of drugs with minimal systemic side effects. This approach has the potential to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for melanoma. Thus, the use of hydrogels as drug delivery vehicles for melanoma immunotherapy has great potential and warrants further exploration.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.1055-1060
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• 2007

Right-sided heart failure is a major problem among patients with congenital heart diseases, due to the prevalence of congenital heart defects and the association of pulmonary hypertension. More attention is focused on the structure of the right heart particularly in association with congenital heart defects and chronic lung disease. The right ventricle (RV) may support the pulmonary circulation, and sometimes the systemic circulation (systemic RV) in congenital heart defects. Despite major progress being made, assessing the RV remains challenging, often requiring a multi-imaging approach and expertise (echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear and cineangiography). Evidence is accumulating that RV dysfunction develops in many of these patients and leads to considerable morbidity and mortality. While there is extensive literature on the pathophysiology and treatment of left heart failure, the data for right-sided heart failure is scarce. Therefore RV function in certain groups of congenital heart disease patients needs close surveillance and timely and appropriate intervention to optimise outcomes. An understanding of RV physiology and hemodynamics will lead to a better understanding of current and future treatment strategies for right heart failure. This will review right-sided heart failure with the implications of volume and pressure loading of the RV in congenital heart diseases.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.229-239
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• 2006

Sj$\"{o}$gren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disorder that affects the salivary glands, leading to xerostomia, and the lacrimal glands, resulting in xerophthalmia. Secondary SS is associated with other autoimmune disorders such as systemic rheumatic diseases and systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE), which can affect multiple organs, including the epidermis. Recent studies have demonstrated that green tea polyphenols (GTPs) possess both anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties in normal human cells. Epidemiological evidence has indicated that, in comparison to the United States, the incidence of SS, clinical xerostomia and lupus is considerably lower in China and Japan, the two leading green tea-consuming countries. Thus, GTPs might be responsible, in part, for geographical differences in the incidence of xerostomia by reducing the initiation or severity of SS and lupus. Consistent with this, molecular, cellular and animal studies indicate that GTPs could provide protective effects against autoimmune reactions in salivary glands and skin. Therefore, salivary tissues and epidermal keratinocytes could be primary targets for novel therapies using GTPs. This review article evaluates the currently available research data on GTPs, focusing on their potential application in the treatment of the oral manifestations of SS and skin manifestations of SLE.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4147-4156
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• 2015

Lung cancer is a serious health problem and leading cause of death worldwide due to its high incidence and mortality. More than 80% of lung cancers feature a non-small cell histology. Over few decades, systemic chemotherapy and surgery are the only treatment options in this type of tumor but due to their limited efficacy and overall poor survival of patients, there is an urge to develop newer therapeutic strategies which circumvent the problems. Enhanced knowledge of translational science and molecular biology have revealed that lung tumors carry diverse driver gene mutations and adopt different intracellular pathways leading to carcinogenesis. Hence, the development of targeted agents against molecular subgroups harboring critical mutations is an attractive approach for therapeutic treatment. Targeted therapies are clearly more preferred nowadays over systemic therapies because they target tumor specific molecules resulting with enhanced activity and reduced toxicity to normal tissues. Thus, this review encompasses comprehensive updates on targeted therapies for the driver mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the potential challenges of acquired drug resistance faced i n the field of targeted therapy along with the imminent newer treatment modalities against lung cancer.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.50-59
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• 2009

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of exercise therapy on physical function of patients with anklyosing spondylitis (AS) through the systemic review and meta-analysis. The 54 studies were identified from computerized search of published researches on PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PEDro, KISS, KERIS database until February, 2008 and review of reference lists. The main search terms were the combination "ankylosing spondylitis", "exercise", "spondyloarthropathy and exercise", "ankylosing spondylitis and physical therapy". The subgroup analysis was performed by the publication year, quality score, type of disease, content of intervention, intervention provider, type of intervention, method of intervention, intervention period and the point of outcome measured. Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion, assessed the quality and extracted the data. The result was as follows: The 10 trials were eligible for inclusion criteria, then the systematic review and meta-analysis was assessed on effectiveness of exercise therapy. The meta-analysis of 10 studies based on the random effect model showed that the exercise therapy was beneficial in treating the diseases (effect size .55; 95% confidence interval -.3.75~.61). The findings suggest that the exercise therapy would be appropriate to manage the physical function of AS with evidence based on Meta-analysis. Therefore, the exercise therapy supervised by physical therapist should be recognized as the essential approach to manage the AS and necessarily recommended to improve physical function.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2021

The gut is a complex organ that has played an important role in digestion, absorption, endocrine functions, and immunity. The gut mucosal barriers consist of the immunologic barrier and nonimmunologic barrier. During critical illnesses, the gut is susceptible to injury due to the induction of intestinal hyperpermeability. Gut hyperpermeability and barrier dysfunction may lead to systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Additionally, gut microbiota are altered during critical illnesses. The etiology of such microbiome alterations in critical illnesses is multifactorial. The interaction or systemic host defense modulation between distant organs and the gut microbiome is increasingly studied in disease research. No treatment modality exists to significantly enhance the gut epithelial integrity, permeability, or mucus layer in critically ill patients. However, multiple helpful approaches including clinical and preclinical strategies exist. Enteral nutrition is associated with an increased mucosal barrier in animal and human studies. The trophic effects of enteral nutrition might help to maintain the intestinal physiology, prevent atrophy of gut villi, reduce intestinal permeability, and protect against ischemia-reperfusion injury. The microbiome approach such as the use of probiotics, fecal microbial transplantation, and selective decontamination of the digestive tract has been suggested. However, its evidence does not have a high quality. To promote rapid hypertrophy of the small bowel, various factors have been reported, including the epidermal growth factor, membrane permeant inhibitor of myosin light chain kinase, mucus surrogate, pharmacologic vagus nerve agonist, immune-enhancing diet, and glucagon-like peptide-2 as preclinical strategies. However, the evidence remains unclear.