• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.47 no.5
• /
• pp.601-608
• /
• 1999

Background: Tuberculous pleural effusion responds well to the anti-tuberculosis agents in general, so no further aggressive therapeutic managements to drain the tuberculous effusion is necessary except in case of diagnostic thoracentesis. But in clinical practice, we often see some patients who later decortication need due to dyspnea caused by pleural thickening despite the completion of anti-tuberculosis therapy in the patients with tuberculous effusion. Especially, the patients with loculated tuberculous effusion might have increased chance of pleural thickening after treatment. The purpose of this study was that intrapleural urokinase instillation could reduce the pleural thickening in the treatment of loculated tuberculous pleural effusion. Methods: Thirty-seven patients initially diagnosed as having loculated tuberculous pleural effusion were randomly assigned to receive either the combined treatment of urokinase instillation and anti-tuberculosis agents(UK group) and anti-tuberculosis agents(Non-UK group) alone. The 16 patients in UK group received a single radiographically guided pig-tail catheter ranging in size from 10 to 12 French. 100,000 units of urokinase was dissolved in 150 ml of normal saline and instilled into the pleural cavity via pig-tail catheter every day, also this group was treated with anti-tuberculosis agents. While the 21 patients in Non-UK group were treated with anti-tuberculosis agents only except diagnostic thoracentesis. Then we evaluated the residual pleural thickening after treatment for their loculated tuberculous pleural effusion between the two groups. Also the duration of symptoms and the pleural fluid biochemistry like WBC counts, pH, lactic dehydrogenase(LDH), glucose, proteins, and adenosine deaminase(ADA) were compared. Results: 1) The residual pleural thickening(RPT)($5.08{\pm}6.77$ mm) of UK group was significantly lower than that($20.3222{\pm}26.37$ mm) of Non-UK group(P<0.05). 2) The duration of symptoms before anti-tuberculosis drug therapy of patients with RPT$\geq$10 mm($5.23{\pm}3.89$ wks) was significantly longer than the patients with RPT<10 mm($2.63{\pm}1.99$ wks)(P<0.05). 3) There were no significant differences in the pleural fluid findings like WBC count, glucose, LDH, proteins, pH, ADA between the patients with RPT$\geq$10 mm and the patients with RPT<10 mm. Conclusion : The treatment of loculated tuberculous pleural effusion with the urokinase instillation via percutaneous transthoraic catheter was effective to reduce the pleural thickening.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.533-539
• /
• 2010

Stem cell-based therapy is under intensive investigation to treat acute renal failure (ARF). The purpose of this study was to evaluate available ARF models, and suggest a model appropriate to therapeutic evaluation of the stem cells in preclinical approach by determining the optimum concentration of nephrotoxic agents and duration of ischemia induction. Three different types of available acute kidney injury (AKI) animal models were analyzed using rats: Cisplatin (saline, 5 and 7.5 mg/kg, IP) or glycerol (saline, 8 and 10 ml/kg, IM)-induced nephrotoxicity as toxic models and ischemia-induced (sham, 35 and 45 minutes) nephropathy as an ischemic model. The relevance and applicability to investigate especially the regenerative ability of stem cells were evaluated regarding morphology, renal function and survival at this time point. In the point of renal function, 10 ml glycerol/kg and 7.5 mg cisplatin/kg model in toxic models and 45 min model in ischemia models showed significant decrease for the longer observation time compared to 8 ml glycerol/kg, 5 mg cisplatin/kg and the 35 min ischemia models, respectively. All groups were observed no mortality except 45 min-ischemia model with 50% survival. Histological significant alterations including cast formation in the tubular lumen, tubular necrosis and apoptosis were revealed on the second day in either ischemiaor glycerol-induced models, and on day 5 in cisplatin-induced models. The results indicate that ischemia 35 min-, cisplatin 7.5 mg/kg- and glycerol 10 ml/kg-induced AKI would be ideal animal models to monitor a outcome parameter related to the therapeutic effects on renal function with noninvasive techniques in the same animal at multiple time points. Our findings also suggest that the best time points for the functional or histological interpretation of renal will be on day 2 in both glycerol- and ischemia-induced AKI models and on day 5 in cisplatin-induced AKI.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.167-176
• /
• 2007

Objectives:A considerable number of pharmacogenetic studies have been performed in recent years to define the association of antipsychotic drug response with dopamine receptor polymorphisms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the therapeutic response to antipsychotic drugs and the polymorphisms of the dopamine D2, D3, and D4 receptor genes(DRD2, DRD3 and DRD4, respectively). Methods:We conducted retrospective chart review of 200 consecutively hospitalized patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia(DSM-IV) who were treated with various antipsychotics(94% atypical antipsychotics) at Bugok National Hospital, Korea. The patients were divided into two groups, responders and non-responders, by responsiveness to antipsychotic drugs according to a four-point scale used in previous studies; responders included moderate to marked responded patients and non-responders included none to minimal responded patients. We analyzed the Ser311Cys polymorphism in the DRD2, the Ser9Gly polymorphism in the DRD3, and the exon III 48 bp repeat polymorphism in the DRD4. Results:Among the total patients of 200, 141(70.5%) were categorized as responders. There were no significant differences in the frequencies of the DRD2, DRD3, and DRD4 alleles and genotypes between responders and non-responders. Conclusion:These results suggest that the Ser311Cys polymorphism in the DRD2, the Ser9Gly polym- orphism in the DRD3, and the exon III 48bp repeat polymorphism in the DRD4 are not associated with the therapeutic response to antipsychotic drugs in Korean schizophrenic patients. A larger prospective study is needed to elucidate the association between antipsychotic response and dopamine receptor gene polymorphism.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.57-63
• /
• 2010

To develop natural therapeutic agents for acne vulgaris, we investigated antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of various medicinal plant extracts. Among candidate extracts, we selected Psoralea corylifolia L. extract (AC-1) and Magnoliae officinalis extract (AC-2) which showed the relatively high antibacterial effects, and Inula helenium L. extract (ACF-1) and Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum extract (ACF-2) which showed the relatively high anti-inflammatory effects for further investigations. All of them did not show cytotoxic effects below the concentration of $50{\mu}g/mL$. The antibacterial effects of AC-1, AC-2 and extract complex (AC) against P. acnes were 2.8, 2.5 and 3.2 times higher than that of 10 % salicylic acid respectively. And the antibacterial effect of AC-2 and extract complex against S. aureus were 1.4 and 1.5 times higher than that of 10 % methylparaben respectively. Also, it was shown that ACF-1, ACF-2 and extract complex had anti-inflammatory effects. All of them exhibited inhibitory effects for the secretion of IL-8 and TNF-$\alpha$ from THP-1 cells activated by heat-killed P. acnes. They reduced about 27 %, 38 %, 44 % of IL-8 secretion and 90 %, 88 %, 90 % of TNF-$\alpha$ secretion at concentration of $50{\mu}g/mL$ respectively. These results showed that the complex of medicinal plant extracts, AC-1. AC-2, ACF-1, and ACF-2, had therapeutic effects to acne vulgaris through antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, we suggest that extract complex of AC-1, AC-2, ACF-1 and ACF-2 may be used as a useful agent for development of natural cosmetics which have therapeutic effects to acne vulgaris.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.8
• /
• pp.1271-1283
• /
• 2007

A fibrinolytic protease (PoFE) was purified from the cultured mycelia of the edible oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus, using a combination of various chromatographies. The purification protocol resulted in an 876-fold purification of the enzyme, with a final yield of 6.5%. The apparent molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 32 kDa by SDS-PAGE, fibrin-zymography, and size exclusion using FPLC. The optimal reaction pH value and temperature were pH 6.5 and $35^{\circ}C$, respectively. PoFE effectively hydrolyzed fibrinogen, preferentially digesting the $A{\alpha}$-chain and the $B{\beta}$-chain over the ${\gamma}$-chain. Enzyme activity was enhanced by the addition of $Ca^{2+},\;Zn^{2+},\;and\;Mg^{2+}$ ions. Furthermore, PoFE activity was potently inhibited by EDTA, and it was found to exhibit a higher specificity for the chromogenic substrate S-2586 for chymotrypsin, indicating that the enzyme is a chymotrypsin-like metalloprotease. The first 19 amino acid residues of the N-terminal sequence were ALRKGGAAALNIYSVGFTS, which is extremely similar to the metalloprotease purified from the fruiting body of P. ostreatus. In addition, we cloned the PoFE protein, encoding gene, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The cDNA of cloned PoFE is 867 nucleotides long and consists of an open reading frame encoding 288 amino acid residues. Its cDNA showed a high degree of homology with PoMEP from P. ostreatus fruiting body. The mycelia of P. ostreatus may thus represent a potential source of new therapeutic agents to treat thrombosis.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.171-178
• /
• 2014

Myogenesis is the formation process of multinucleated myofiber with a contractile capacity from muscle satellite cell (MSCs) during life. This process is tightly controlled by several transcription factors such as Pax3 and Pax7 (paired box protein 3 and 7), MEF2C (myocyte enhancer factor 2) and MRFs (myogenic regulatory factors) etc. On the contrary, myostatin (MSTN) is a transforming growth factor-${\beta}$ superfamily, which functions as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle development and growth. Carnosic acid (CA) is a major phenolic component in rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and have been reported various biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial and therapeutic agents for amnesia, dementia, alzheimer's disease. This study was confirmed to effects of CA on muscle cell line and muscle tissue alteration of zebrafish by intramuscular injection or feeding methods. $10{\mu}M$ CA showed a non-cytotoxic on myoblast and a complete inhibition effect against myostatin activity on luciferase assay. In intramuscular injection experiment, the total protein and triglyceride amount of $10{\mu}M/kg$ of CA injected group increased by 11% and decreased by 13% compared to these of the no injected group. In histology analysis of muscle tissues by hematoxylin/eosin staining, the number of muscle fiber of $10{\mu}M/kg$ of CA injected group decreased by 29% and fiber area increased 40% compared to these of no injected group. In feeding experiment, the total protein and triglyceride amount no significance difference compared to these of the normal feeding group. In histology analysis, the number of muscle fiber of 1% CA fed group decreased by 35% and fiber area increased 56% compared to these of normal fed group. We identified that CA have an effect on hypertrophy of muscle fiber in adult zebrafish and the results of this study are considered as the basic data that can reveal the mechanisms of muscle formation via gene and protein level analysis.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.13 no.11
• /
• pp.5179-5186
• /
• 2012

Miglitol, a well-known therapeutic intervention agents for diabetes, exhibits competitive inhibitory activity against ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and it is usually produced through three sequential steps including chemical and bioconversion processes. Gluconobactor oxydans (G. oxydans) belonging to acetic acid bacteria biologically, converts 1-deoxy-1-(2-hydroxyethylamino)-D-glucitol (P1) into a key intermidiate, 6-(2-hydroxyetyl) amino-6-deoxy-${\alpha}$-L-sorbofuranose (P2) by incomplete oxidation. In this study, we identified and optimized fermentation conditions of CK-2165, that was selected in soil samples by comparing the bioconversion yield. CK-2165 strain was found to be closely related to G. oxydans based on the result of phylogenetic analysis using 16S rDNA sequence. Utilization of API 20 kits revealed that this strain could use glucose, mannose, inositol, sorbitol, rhamnose, sucrose, melibiose, amygdalin and arabinose as carbon sources. The culture conditions were optimized for industrial production and several important factors affecting bioconversion rate were also tested using mycelial cake. Cell harvested at the late-stationary phase showed the highest bioconversion yield and $MgSO_4$ was critically required for the catalytic activity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.580-592
• /
• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to further investigate the potential health beneficial effects of long-term seaweed supplementation on lipid metabolism and hepatic functions in DIO mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Four brown seaweeds (Undaria pinnatifida [UP], Laminaria japonica [LJ], Sargassum fulvellum [SF], or Hizikia fusiforme [HF]) were added to a high fat diet (HFD) at a 5% ratio and supplemented to C57BL/6N mice for 16 weeks. Triglycerides (TGs) and total cholesterol (TC) in the liver, feces, and plasma were measured. Fecal bile acid (BA) levels in feces were monitored. Hepatic insulin signaling- and lipogenesis-related proteins were evaluated by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Fasting blood glucose levels were significantly reduced in the LJ, SF, and HF groups compared to the HFD group by the end of 16-week feeding period. Plasma TG levels and hepatic lipid accumulation were significantly reduced in all 4 seaweed supplemented groups, whereas plasma TC levels were only suppressed in the UP and HF groups compared to the HFD group. Fecal BA levels were significantly elevated by UP, LJ, and SF supplementation compared to HFD feeding only. Lastly, regarding hepatic insulin signaling-related proteins, phosphorylation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase was significantly up-regulated by all 4 types of seaweed, whereas phosphorylation of protein kinase B was up-regulated only in the SF and HF groups. Lipogenesis-related proteins in the liver were effectively down-regulated by HF supplementation in DIO mice. CONCLUSIONS: Brown seaweed consumption showed hypotriglyceridemic effects in the prolonged DIO mouse model. Specifically, combinatory regulation of BA excretion and lipogenesis-related proteins in the liver by seaweed supplementation contributed to the reduction of plasma and hepatic TG levels, which inhibited hyperglycemia in DIO mice. Thus, the discrepant and species-specific functions of brown seaweeds provide novel insights for the selection of future targets for therapeutic agents.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.158-166
• /
• 2013

Background: Colorectal cancer shows a significant increase in South Korea due to westernization of diet, lack of dietary fiber, drinking and smoking, irregular defecation. There are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy in treatment of colorectal cancer. There may be a medication errors in the process of chemotherapy because of its high toxicity, narrow therapeutic index and the health status of cancer patients. Consequently medication errors can cause increasing the risk of death, prolonging hospital stay and increasing the cost. Among medication errors on medication use process, prescribing errors are of particular concern due to higher risk of serious consequences. It is important for pharmacist to prevent the prescribing errors before reaching patient. Therefore we analyzed the prescriptions of colorectal cancer, classified prescribing errors, suggested guideline to reduce prescribing errors and verified the importance of pharmacist's role in prevention of medication errors activity. Methods: We collected the numbers of prescriptions of colorectal cancer(n=2,373) through anti cancer management program and EMR and analyzed the errors of prescriptions by categories from Oct 1st 2011 to Sep 30th 2012 at Chungbuk National University Hospital. We reviewed the prescriptions as follows - patients' characteristics, the result of test, previous prescriptions, characteristics of antineoplastic agents and patients' allergy, drug sensitivity, adverse events. Prescriptions are classified into inpatient and outpatient and analyzed the errors of prescriptions by categories (dosage form, dose, input, diluents, regimen, product). Results: Total prescription number of inpatient and outpatient of colorectal cancer was 1,193 and 1,180 and that of errors was 107(9%) and 22(1.9%), respectively. In case of errors of categories, the number of errors of dosage form is 69 and 8, errors of dose is 15 and 5, errors of input is 9 and 9 in inpatient and outpatient prescriptions, respectively. Errors of diluents is 8, errors of regimen is 3, errors of product is 3 in only inpatient prescriptions. In case of errors of categories by inpatient department, the number of errors of dosage form is 34 and 35, errors of dose is 7 and 8, errors of input is 6 and 3, errors of diluents is 4 and 4, errors of regimen is 2 and 1, errors of product is 2 and 1 in SG and HO, respectively. In case of outpatient department, the number of errors of dosage form is 8 in HO, errors of dose is 5 in HO, errors of input is 5 and 4 in SG and HO, respectively. Conclusions: The rate of errors of inpatient is higher than that of outpatient. Junior doctors are engaged in prescriptions of inpatient and pharmacist need to pay attention to review all prescriptions. If prescribing errors are discovered, pharmacist should contact the prescriber and correct the errors without delay. The guideline to reduce prescribing errors might be upgrading software of anti cancer management program, education for physicians as well as pharmacists and calling prescriber's attention to preventing recurrence of errors.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.71-77
• /
• 2015

Antimicrobial resistant bacteria has recently emerged and been disseminated in livestock environments because of excessive use of antimicrobial agents for the therapeutic and growth promotion purposes to food animals. In particular, there is potential for multidrug-resistant bacteria that can be transmitted from animals to mankind. In this study, we investigated the genotypes of E. coli strains isolated from humans and chickens using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and antimicrobial resistance patterns by disk diffusion method along with integron study involving antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. From July 2013 to July 2014, E. coli strains isolated from clinical specimens (n=44) and poultry chickens (n=34). ST131 (n=20) was most common in human-derived E. coli. ST752 (n=7) was most common in chicken-derived E. coli, with four isolates each for ST117, ST189, and ST69. Of the 44 E. coli strains isolated from humans, 25 of had a class 1 integron, as opposed to only 11 of 34 strains in the E. coli isolated from chickens. There were differences in genotypes and antimicrobial resistance patterns between the chicken-derived and the human-derived E. coli.