• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.373-384
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• 2006

Purpose: This is a pilot study to identify patient safety risk factors and strategies for patient safety management perceived by nurses. Methods: Data were collected and analyzed with an open questionnaire from April to May 2005, targeted on 100 nurses working in two hospitals. The issues were 'what are risk factors for patients, nurses, and other medical practitioners? How do they prevent with the aftermath of risk factors, causes of incidents?' For data analysis, types and frequency of risk factors were worked out, using the Australian Incident Monitoring System Taxonomy. Results: The types of patient safety risk factor perceived by nurses were as follows ; therapeutic devices or equipment, infrastructure and services (29.5%), nosocomial infections (16.3%), clinical processes or procedures (15.4%), behavior, human performance, violence, aggression, security and safety (12.2%), therapeutic agents (9.7%), injuries and pressure ulcers (8.7%), logistics, organization, documentation, and infrastructure technology (5.6%). Strategies for patient safety included training of prevention of infection, education about safety management for patients and medical professionals, establishment of reporting system, culture of care, pre-elimination of risk factors, cooperative system among employees, and sharing information. Conclusion: These results will be used to provide evidences for patient safety management and educational program.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.371-389
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• 2011

A new strategy for cancer therapy has emerged during the past decade based on molecular targets that are less likely to be essential in all cells in the body, therefore confer a wider therapeutic window than traditional cytotoxic drugs which mechanism of action is to inhibit essential cellular functions. Exceptional heterogeneity and adaptability of cancer impose significant challenges in oncology drug discovery, and the concept of complex tumor biology has led the framework of developing many anticancer therapeutics. Protein kinases are the most pursued targets in oncology drug discovery. To date, 12 small molecule kinase inhibitors have been approved by US Food and Drug Administration, and many more are in clinical development. With demonstrated clinical efficacy of bortezomib, ubiquitin proteasome and ubiquitin-like protein conjugation systems are also emerging as new therapeutic targets in cancer therapy. In this review, strategies of targeted cancer therapies with inhibitors of kinases and proteasome systems are discussed. Combinational cancer therapy to overcome drug resistance and to achieve greater treatment benefit through the additive or synergistic effects of each individual agent is also discussed. Finally, the opportunities in the future cancer therapy with molecularly targeted anticancer therapeutics are addressed.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2006

Molecular targeting may be defined as the specific concentration of a diagnostic or therapeutic tracer by its Interaction with a molecular species that is distinctly present or absent in a disease state. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) is one of the successful agents for targeted therapy in cancer. To enhance the therapeutic effect, the concept of targeting radionuclides to tumors using radiolabeled mAbs against tumor-associated antigens, radioimmunotherapy, was proposed. The efficacy of radioimmunotherapy, however, has to be further optimized. Several strategies to improve targeting of tumors with radiolabeled mAbs have been developed, such as the use of mAb fragments, the use of high-affinity mAbs, the use of labeling techniques that are stable in vivo, active removal of the radiolabeled mAb from the circulation, and pretargeting strategies. Until now, however, there are many kinds of obstacles to be solved in the use of mAb for the targeted therapy. Major technical challenges to molecular targeting are related to the rapid and specific delivery of tracers to the target, the elimination of unwanted background activity, and the development of more specific targets to create a cytocidal effect. further development of this field will be determined by success in solving these challenges.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1086-1097
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• 2022

During the last decades, research and therapeutic methods in cancer treatment have been evolving. As the results, nowadays, cancer patients are receiving several types of treatments, ranging from chemotherapy and radiation therapy to surgery and immunotherapy. In fact, most cancer patients take a combination of current anti-cancer therapies to improve the efficacy of treatment. However, current strategies still cause some side effects to patients, such as pain and depression. Therefore, there is the need to discover better ways to eradicate cancer whilst minimizing side effects. Recently, immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint blockade, is rising as an effective anti-cancer treatment. Unlike chemotherapy or radiation therapy, immunotherapy has few side effects and a higher tumor cell removal efficacy depend on cellular immunological mechanisms. Moreover, recent studies suggest that tissue immune responses are regulated by their microbiome composition. Each tissue has their specific microenvironment, which makes their microbiome composition different, particularly in the context of different types of cancer, such as breast, colorectal, kidney, lung, and skin. Herein, we review the current understanding of the relationship of immune responses and tissue microbiome in cancer in both animal and human studies. Moreover, we discuss the cancer-microbiome-immune axis in the context of cancer development and treatment. Finally, we speculate on strategies to control tissue microbiome alterations that may synergistically affect the immune system and impact cancer treatment outcomes.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.121-129
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• 2023

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. The conventional treatment model for PD have harmful side effects, such as dyskinesia, hallucinations, nausea, and fatigue, and are expensive. As a result, natural products derived from medicinal herbs, fruits, and vegetables have emerged as potential therapeutic strategies for PD. These natural products have been traditionally used to treat various diseases and have been shown to possess anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as inhibitory roles in protein misfolding, mitochondrial homeostasis, neuroinflammation and other neuroprotective processes. In addition, they have fewer side effects and are generally less expensive than conventional drugs. It also discusses the limitations of current treatments and the potential of natural remedies derived from plants to treat PD in new ways or as supplements to existing treatments. The multifunctional mechanisms of medicinal plants that may be utilized to treat PD are also discussed, including the modulation of neurotransmitter systems, the enhancement of neurotrophic factors, and the inhibition of apoptosis. While more research is needed to fully understand their mechanisms of action and efficacy, natural products have the potential to provide safer and more effective treatment options for patients with PD.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.209-235
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• 2009

There has been an explosion of literature focusing on the role of regulatory T (Treg) cells in cancer immunity. It is becoming increasingly clear that Treg cells play an active and significant role in the progression of cancer, and have an important role in suppressing tumor-specific immunity. Thus, there is a clear rationale for developing clinical strategies to diminish their regulatory influences, with the ultimate goal of augmenting antitimor immunity. Therefore, manipulation of Treg cells represent new strategies for cancer treatment. In this Review, I will summarize and review the explosive recent studies demonstrating that Treg cells are increased in patients with malignancies and restoration of antitumor immunity in mice and humans by depletion or reduction of Treg cells. In addition, I will discuss both the prognostic value of Treg cells in tumor progression in tumor-bearing hosts and the rationale for strategies for therapeutic vaccination and immunotherapeutic targeting of Treg cells with drugs and microRNA.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.123-131
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• 2023

Breast cancer continues to pose a substantial worldwide health challenge, thereby requiring the development of innovative strategies to discover new therapeutic interventions. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT-3) has been identified as a significant factor in the development of several types of cancer, including breast cancer. This is primarily attributed to its diverse functions in promoting tumour formation and conferring resistance to therapeutic interventions. This study presents an in silico drug repositioning approach that focuses on identifying specific inhibitors of STAT-3 for the purpose of treating breast cancer. We initially examined the structural and functional attributes of STAT-3, thereby elucidating its crucial involvement in cellular signalling cascades. A comprehensive virtual screening was performed on a diverse collection of drugs that have been approved by the FDA from zinc15 database. Various computational techniques, including molecular docking, cross docking, and cDFT analysis, were utilised in order to prioritise potential candidates. This prioritisation was based on their predicted binding energies and outer molecular orbital reactivity. The findings of our study have unveiled a Dihydroergotamine and Paritaprevir that have been approved by the FDA and exhibit considerable promise as selective inhibitors of STAT-3. In conclusion, the utilisation of our in silico drug repositioning approach presents a prompt and economically efficient method for the identification of potential compounds that warrant subsequent experimental validation as selective STAT-3 inhibitors in the context of breast cancer. The present study highlights the considerable potential of employing computational strategies to expedite the drug discovery process. Moreover, it provides valuable insights into novel avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions in the context of breast cancer treatment.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2008

Objective: This clinical research is conducted to find out coping strategies and anxiety of patients with chronic pain, and the correlation between pain coping strategy and anxiety. Method: 50 subjects who came to the local oriental clinic answered the questionnaires about VPMI(Vanderbilt Pain Management Inventory) and SAS(The Self-rating Anxiety Scale). Then we researched the characteristics of pain coping strategies and the correlation. Results: 1. The mean scores of passive coping, active coping, and SAS are 29.62, 17.90, and 38.32 respectively. 2. In the analysis of nonparametric test, the female subjects tend to take more passive coping than the male. The older subjects tend to take less active coping than the younger. Subjects who reported more intense pain tend to take more passive coping. 3. There is significant difference between passive coping and anxiety. Conclusion: Pain coping strategies are related with age, sex, intensity of pain, and anxiety. The therapeutic intervention of decreasing passive coping and increasing active coping may be useful to manage the chronic pain. Further study is needed to find out more adequate inquiries of active coping.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.87-96
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• 2008

The purposes of this research were to investigate in-patients' perception on foodservice quality and to examine factors influencing their meal consumption at hospitals. Three general hospitals with over 400 beds in Seoul and Chon-An agreed to participate in the research. A total of 516 in-patients of the hospitals were surveyed on their meal consumptions, reasons of plate wastes, perceptions of foodservice quality, and demographic information. A response rate was 76% after excluding responses with significant missing data. On average the regular diet patients consumed 72%, 69%, and 68% of rice, soups, and side dishes served, respectively; the therapeutic diet patients consumed less than 70% of the meals they were served. The consumption rates did not differ significantly by diet type, gender, age, and hospitalization period. Among the therapeutic diet patients, those who had nutrition education consumed significantly more rice than the others (p<0.05). The main reasons why the patients did not eat all food served were 'lack of energy' and 'not tasty'. The patients' perception on foodservice quality was low; the therapeutic diet patients perceived more negatively than the regular diet patients in 'keeping hot food hot, cold food cold(p<0.05)', 'maintaining consistency of taste(p<0.01)', and 'providing nutrition information(p<0.01)'. To achieve the goal of the foodservice at hospitals, the dietitians can use the findings of the research in developing and implementing strategies to improve the patients' meal consumption. Recipe standardization, employee training, and production management will be useful for improving food quality and nutrition education on therapeutic diets for the patients will improve their meal consumption at hospitals.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.205-212
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• 2022

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a debilitating chronic disorder characterized by suprapubic pain and urinary symptoms such as urgency, nocturia, and frequency. The prevalence of IC/BPS is increasing as diagnostic criteria become more comprehensive. Conventional pharmacotherapy against IC/BPS has shown suboptimal effects, and consequently, patients with end-stage IC/BPS are subjected to surgery. The novel treatment strategies should have two main functions, anti-inflammatory action and the regeneration of glycosaminoglycan and urothelium layers. Stem cell therapy has been shown to have dual functions. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising therapeutic option for IC/BPS, but they come with several shortcomings, such as immune activation and tumorigenicity. MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) hold numerous therapeutic cargos and are thus a viable cell-free therapeutic option. In this review, we provide a brief overview of IC/BPS pathophysiology and limitations of the MSC-based therapies. Then we provide a detailed explanation and discussion of therapeutic applications of EVs in IC/BPS as well as the possible mechanisms. We believe our review will give an insight into the strengths and drawbacks of EV-mediated IC/BPS therapy and will provide a basis for further development.