• BMB Reports
• /
• v.57 no.5
• /
• pp.207-215
• /
• 2024

The gut microbiota, an intricate community of bacteria residing in the gastrointestinal system, assumes a pivotal role in various physiological processes. Beyond its function in food breakdown and nutrient absorption, gut microbiota exerts a profound influence on immune and metabolic modulation by producing diverse gut microbiota-generated metabolites (GMGMs). These small molecules hold potential to impact host health via multiple pathways, which exhibit remarkable diversity, and have gained increasing attention in recent studies. Here, we elucidate the intricate implications and significant impacts of four specific metabolites, Urolithin A (UA), equol, Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), and imidazole propionate, in shaping human health. Meanwhile, we also look into the advanced research on GMGMs, which demonstrate promising curative effects and hold great potential for further clinical therapies. Notably, the emergence of positive outcomes from clinical trials involving GMGMs, typified by UA, emphasizes their promising prospects in the pursuit of improved health and longevity. Collectively, the multifaceted impacts of GMGMs present intriguing avenues for future research and therapeutic interventions.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.55 no.11
• /
• pp.547-552
• /
• 2022

Sorafenib, originally identified as an inhibitor of multiple oncogenic kinases, induces ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Several pathways that mitigate sorafenib-induced ferroptosis confer drug resistance; thus strategies that enhance ferroptosis increase sorafenib efficacy. Orphan nuclear receptor estrogen-related receptor γ (ERRγ) is upregulated in human HCC tissues and plays a role in cancer cell proliferation. The aim of this study was to determine whether inhibition of ERRγ with DN200434, an orally available inverse agonist, can overcome resistance to sorafenib through induction of ferroptosis. Sorafenib-resistant HCC cells were less sensitive to sorafenibinduced ferroptosis and showed significantly higher ERRγ levels than sorafenib-sensitive HCC cells. DN200434 induced lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Mechanistically, DN200434 increased mitochondrial ROS generation by reducing glutathione/glutathione disulfide levels, which subsequently reduced mTOR activity and GPX4 levels. DN200434 induced amplification of the antitumor effects of sorafenib was confirmed in a tumor xenograft model. The present results indicate that DN200434 may be a novel therapeutic strategy to re-sensitize HCC cells to sorafenib.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.102-110
• /
• 1987

One of the familiar medical facility that most people reach easily in Korea is the drug store. In Korea, it is possible to purchase all kinds of common drugs without physician's prescriptions, which caused some problems. In other words, such treatment without professional supervision has led to medical, social and economical problems. In view of the above, this study is aimed at revealing the actual status of long-term use of drugs in some urban residents. Long-term use of drugs is operationally defined as using certain drugs at least once a week for more than 3 months. This survey took the residents of Guro 6-Dong where was one of the target areas for Community Health Development Project managed by Korea University as a target population. A sample of 1,517 residents was selected by the multistage sampling method. The interview was conducted on September 21st and 22nd in 1985. The object of this study was to compare the result with that of the rural area which was obtained by the same method, tools and research team, prior to this study in 1984. The results were as follows; 1) The age-standardization of the study showed that 97 per 1,000 urban residents were actually on long-term drug use. The prevalance of long-term use is high in accordance with aging and low with education level. 2) Out of 1,000 urban samples the most popular item involved in the long-term drug use was antipyretic-analgesic-antiinflammatory drug (26), and next in order was vitamin (23), antibiotics (13), digestives (10) and antacids (7). In the rural samples as for compare, that was antipyretic-analgesic-antiinflammatory drug (100), antacids (36), digestives (23), adrenocortical hormones (12) etc. 3) With antipyrctic-analgesic-antiinflammatory drugs, 50% of the urban samples were taking for more than a year, whereas such were 82.7% of the rural samples. Using such a high percentage of antipyretic-analgesic-antiinflamatory drugs in the rural residents is probably due to the high prevalence rate of musculo-skeletal diseases. 4) The urban long-term drug users of antipyretic-analgesic-antiinflammatory drugs were influenced mostly by the mass media (43.6%), next in order was pharmacist (35.9%) and physician (10.3%). Comparing with the result from the rural areas the role of mass media was much more influencial in the urban areas. 60% of them consulted with pharmacists, 14.3% with physicians and 25.7% had no history of consultation in the urban samples. 5) Considering the incidence of knowing the possible side-effects of each drug, 28.2% of the urban residents had no recognition about side-effects prior to use antipyretic-analgesic-antiinflammatory drugs. In the rural residents, 29.67o had no knowledge about the side-effects before using the drug. 6) For the solution of the above problems, it is necessary to limit the advertisement of some drugs by the parmaceutical company. And therapeutic drugs which may bring on side effects in case of long-term use should not be sold at drug stores without physician's prescription.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.46-55
• /
• 2017

Objectives : Outpatient treatment orders refer to a mandatory social program in which mentally ill persons are ordered by the court to participate in specified outpatient treatment programs. This study aimed to investigate the factors that affect outpatient treatment orders and adherence to outpatient treatment in mental health patients. Methods : A survey on outpatient treatment orders and adherence to outpatient treatment was conducted on 60 psychiatrists between October and November 2016. The questionnaire items were drafted based on a literature review, and they were then evaluated by 3 psychiatrists and 1 law school professor before being finalized. Answers from the respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the median, maximum, and minimum values of the effectiveness scores of outpatient treatment orders were calculated. Results : Among the 60 psychiatrists, 45(75.0%) were aware of outpatient treatment orders; however, only 2 out of the 45(4.0%) had actually used the program in the last 12 months. The subjective effectiveness was very low, with only 40 points out of 100. Furthermore, of the readmitted patients, 37.7% had received continued outpatient treatment, whereas 53.1% chose to quit the outpatient treatment programs, meaning that the number of dropouts was higher. Among the discharged patients, approximately two-thirds were receiving continued treatment. With regard to follow-up for dropouts, majority of the responses were either "Not taking any action"(n=27) or "Not following up"(n=15). Only two respondents answered "Contact the community mental health promotion center," meaning that this response was very rare. Meanwhile, when asked about efficient measures to be implemented for dropouts, a vast majority of the respondents(n=30) selected the answer "Work with the community mental health promotion center." Conclusions : The outpatient treatment orders currently being administered were found to be ineffective, and the associated adherence to outpatient treatment was also found to be extremely poor. Hence, the effectiveness of the therapeutic interventions could benefit from institutional as well as administrative improvements. Community mental health promotion centers are expected to have an important role in the future.

• Korean Journal of Hospice Care
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.42-55
• /
• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of spiritual nursing intervention on spiritual well-being and depression level of the hospice patients. Method: The subjects for this study were collected from 62 patients who were admitted in the hospice care unit from July 28, 2002 to October 31, 2002 in D city K hospital. Subjects were 31 members of the experimental group and 31 members of the control group. It was devised with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The spiritual nursing intervention was given by using the therapeutic use of self, Scripture, prayer, Hymn and music, use of church community involvement and refer to pastors according to assessment of patients' spiritual need for 3 weeks(total 12 times and 1 hour per each intervention). Sangsoon Choi(1990) and Jungho Kang(1996)'s spiritual well-being scale, which was modified from Palautzian and Ellison(1982)'s spiritual well-being scale, was used to investigate patients' spiritual well-being. To investigate level of depression, OkHyun Song(1977)'s Depression Scale, which was modified from Zung(1965)'s Depression Inventory, was used. Data were analyzed by x2-test, t-test, Repeated measures ANOVA with SPSS/Win 10.0 program. Results: 1.The 1st hypothesis, 'total spiritual well-being score in the experimental group, who received the spiritual nursing intervention, will be higher than the control group who did not receive the spiritual nursing intervention' was supported(F=6.28, p=0.015, Interaction: p=0.000). 2.The 1-1st sub-hypothesis, 'religious well-being score in the experimental group, who received the spiritual nursing intervention, will be higher than the control group who did not receive the spiritual nursing intervention' was supported(F=12.75, p=0.001, Interaction: p=0.000). 3.The 1-2nd sub-hypothesis, 'existential well-being score in the experimental group, who received the spiritual nursing intervention, will be higher than the control group who did not receive the spiritual nursing intervention' was supported(F=6.87, p=0.016, Interaction: p=0.000). 4.The 2nd hypothesis, 'depression level in the experimental group, who received the spiritual nursing intervention, will be lower than the control group who did not receive the spiritual nursing intervention' was supported(F=10.45, p=0.002, Interaction: p=0.000). Conclusion: From the above results, spiritual nursing intervention was an effective program to improve spiritual well-being state and decrease depression level for the hospice patients. In the future, when the spiritual intervention, which the researcher developed, applied on nursing field, the hospice patients can have comprehensive well being including spiritual well being and peaceful dying life.

• Korean Journal of Hospice Care
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.9-20
• /
• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of spiritual nursing intervention on spiritual wee-being and depression level of the hospice patients. Method: The subjects for this study were collected from 62 patients who were admitted in the hospice care unit from July 28, 2000 to October 31, 2002 in D city K hospital. Subjects were 31 members of the experimental group and 31 members of the control group. It was devised with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The spiritual nursing intervention was given by using the therapeutic use of self, Scripture, prayer, Hymn and music, use of church community involvement and refer to pastors according to assessment of patients' spiritual need for 3 weeks(total 12 times and 1 hour per each intervention). Sangsoon Choi(1990) and Jungho Kang(1996)'s spiritual well-being scale, which was modified from Palautzian and Ellison(1982)'s spiritual well-being scale, was used to investigate patients' spiritual well-being. To investigate level of depression, OkHyun Song(1977)'s Depression Scale, which was modified from Zung(1965)'s Depression Inventory, was used. Data were analyzed by x2-test, t-test, Repeated measures ANOVA with SPSS/Win 10.0 program. Results: 1.The 1st hypothesis, 'total spiritual well-being score in the experimental group, who received the spiritual nursing intervention, will be higher than the control group who did not receive the spiritual nursing intervention' was supported(F=6.28, p=0.015, Interaction: p=0.000). 2.The 1-1st sub-hypothesis, 'religious well-being score in the experimental group, who received the spiritual nursing intervention, will be higher than the control group who did not receive the spiritual nursing intervention' was supported(F=12.75, p=0.001, Interaction: p=0.000). 3.The 1-2nd sub-hypothesis, 'existential well-being score in the experimental group, who received the spiritual nursing intervention, will be higher than the control group who did not receive the spiritual nursing intervention' was supported(F=6.87, p=0.016, Interaction: p=0.000). 4.The 2nd hypothesis, 'depression level in the experimental group, who received the spiritual nursing intervention, will be lower than the control group who did not receive the spiritual nursing intervention' was supported(F=10.45, p=0.002, Interaction: p=0.000). Conclusion: From the above results, spiritual nursing intervention was an effective program to improve spiritual well-being state and decrease depression level for the hospice patients. In the future, when the spiritual intervention, which the researcher developed, applied on nursing field, the hospice patients can have comprehensive well being including spiritual well being and peaceful dying life.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.13-18
• /
• 1980

The ultimate goal of treatment of carton monoxide poisoning is to promote dissociation of carboxyhemoglobin and to maintain arterial $PO_2$ above 50mmHg throughout the course of treatment to protect vital organs from damage caused by hypoxia. The hyperbaric chamber designed and manufactured for this purpose has obviousely made an enormous contribution and yet has several handicaps to be overcome by any means. These handicaps are: the financial impact to purchase the chamber (especially in a small, remote community), an extra manpower requirement to operate the device, limitation in the capacity of the chamber (one man type), and the possible hazard of oxygen intoxication and dysbarism. The primary objective of this study is to develope a new therapeutic measure as an alternative to the hyperbaric chamber when it is not available or contraindicated. The effect of intestinal perfusion with hydrogen peroxide has been studied by many investigators and was known to be an excellent way of extrapulmonary oxygen supply. the advantage of this method will include; 1) much more amount of oxygen is delivered to the tissue than one would expect from 100% saturation with oxygen at 1 ata, 2) the procedure is simple and most economical, 3) neither sophisticated equipment nor extra manpower is required. As a study preliminary to the clinical application, authors conducted a series of experiment to observe the effect of hydrogen peroxide enema on dissociation of carboxyhemoglobin in intoxicated rabbit blood. Using an animal gas chamber, 20 rabbits were exposed to CO gas of 6,000 ppm for 60 minutes. Ten rabbits of control group were given 10cc of warmed normal saline solution by reactal perfusion and for the other 10 of the experimental group, the same amount of 1% $H_{2}O_{2}$ solution was given by the same way. Two blood specimens were drawn from each rabbit: the first one immediately following the exposure and the second one after rectal perfusion, about 30 minutes after the first sampling. The result was as follows; 1) The decrease in carboxyhemoglobin concentration during the first 30 minutes in the control and experimental group were $18.18{\pm}4.49%\;and\;23.03{\pm}4.13%$ respectively shelving the significant difference (p<0.05) between the two groups. 2) Hemoglobin and hematocrit value showed no significant difference between two groups and not altered significantly by intestinal perfusion with $H_{2}O_{2}$.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.81-89
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Modified Constraint-Induced Therapy (MCIT) on the effected upper extremity of children with hemiparesis. Four children with hemiparetic upper extremity caused by brain injuries were trained by MCIT for ten weeks. During the same period, all of the subjects were also involved in thirty-minute regular physical therapy and occupational therapy. During the treatment period, the unaffected upper extremities of the subjects were restrained by a specially designed hand splint or a mitten for five hours a day, five days per week. For two hours out of the five-hour restraint period, the affected upper extremities were intensively trained by performing various functional tasks, which were individually structured to emphasize use of the affected arm. A single-subject design with A-B-A reversal was employed in this study. The affected limb motor ability was evaluated by Melbourne Assessment, measuring the time to grasp and release nine pegs, and measuring grasping power. As a consequence of this study, the affected limb motor test scores of all four subjects in the baseline period were improved during the treatment period. Furthermore, the treatment effect was maintained during a one-month follow-up period. The results of this study support the assumption that MCIT is an effective therapeutic method to improve the sensory and motor abilities of hemiparetic children. It also increases the frequency of functional use of the hemiparetic hands of brain-injured children. Based on the results of this study, it can also be assumed that the modified CIT method is especially beneficial to these children by reducing the negative emotional effects of forceful restraint of the unaffected upper extremity. To optimize the functional recovery of the paretic upper extremity by CIT, the restriction period per day should be decided individually, according to the characteristics of the individual.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
• /
• 2000.04a
• /
• pp.3-6
• /
• 2000

Antimicrobial resistance has been a well-recognized problem ever since the introduction of penicillin into clinical use. History of antimicrobial development can be categorized based on the major antibiotics that had been developed against emerging resistant $pathogens^1$. In the first period from 1940 to 1960, penicillin was a dominating antibiotic called as a "magic bullet", although S.aureus armed with penicillinase led antimicrobial era to the second period in 1960s and 1970s. The second stage was characterized by broad-spectrum penicillins and early generation cephalosporins. During this period, nosocomial infections due to gram-negative bacilli became more prevalent, while those caused by S.aureus declined. A variety of new antimicrobial agents with distinct mechanism of action including new generation cephalosporins, monobactams, carbapenems, ${\beta}$-lactamase inhibitors, and quinolones characterized the third period from 1980s to 1990s. However, extensive use of wide variety of antibiotics in the community and hospitals has fueled the crisis in emerging antimicrobial resistance. Newly appeared drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamase-producing Klebsiella, and VRSA have posed a serious threat in many parts of the world. Given the recent epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance and its clinical impact, there is no greater challenge related to emerging infections than the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Problems of antimicrobial resistance can be amplified by the fact that resistant clones or genes can spread within or between the species as well as to geographically distant areas which leads to a global concern$^2$. Antimicrobial resistance is primarily generated and promoted by increased use of antimicrobial agents. Unfortunately, as many as 50 % of prescriptions for antibiotics are reported to be inappropriate$^3$. Injudicious use of antibiotics even for viral upper respiratory infections is a universal phenomenon in every part of the world. The use of large quantities of antibiotics in the animal health industry and farming is another major factor contributing to selection of antibiotic resistance. In addition to these background factors, the tremendous increase in the immunocompromised hosts, popular use of invasive medical interventions, and increase in travel and mixing of human populations are contributing to the resurgence and spread of antimicrobial resistance$^4$. Antimicrobial resistance has critical impact on modem medicine both in clinical and economic aspect. Patients with previously treatable infections may have fatal outcome due to therapeutic failure that is unusual event no more. The potential economic impact of antimicrobial resistance is actually uncountable. With the increase in the problems of resistant organisms in the 21st century, however, additional health care costs for this problem must be enormously increasing.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.65-80
• /
• 2021

Objective : This study aimed to develop a Korean version of the HLS-EU-Q47 that deals with the concept of health literacy based on the understanding, apply/use, process/appraisal, and access/obtain to health information. The purpose of this study is to confirm the level of comprehensive health literacy of the elderly in Korea using this tool. Methods : After going through the Korean interpretation process of HLS-EU-Q47, the items were confirmed through content validity verification by experts. The completed Korean-HLS-EU-Q47 (K-HLS-EU-Q47) was applied to 254 elderly people in the local community to analyze the degree of internal consistency and reliability. Furthermore, a comparative analysis based on the general variables was conducted. Results : The internal consistency of this tool for the elderly yielded Cronbach's 𝛼 of .81~.91, indicating a high level of reliability. There was a difference in health literacy according to sex and age based on general characteristics. Men had higher health literacy than women, and with increasing age, health literacy decreased. Conclusion : In this study, the K-HLS-EU-Q47 was developed to assess the comprehensive health literacy level of the elderly in Korea. It is expected that the search for ways to maintain a healthier life for the elderly through understanding the health literacy levels of the elderly using the results of this study will become more active.