• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.339-345
• /
• 2008

This study was to detect MBL (metallo-${\beta}$-lactamase) among glucose non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli isolated from clinical specimen and to search antimicrobial combination therapy against MBL producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Among fifty one isolates of Gram-negative bacilli with reduced imipenem susceptibility ($MIC{\ge}8{\mu}g/ml$), nine isolates have shown positive results in MBL detection test. They were seven Achromobacter xylosoxidans subsp. xylosoxidans and two P. aeruginosa. The results from EDTA-DDST coin-cided with those of PCR and nucleotide sequence analysis which showed the presence of $bla_{VIM-2}$. The combination of aztreonam (AZT) and piperacillin-tazobactarn (TZP) or AZT and amikacin (AN) screened by one disk synergy test showed no synergistic effect. Triple antibiotic combination therapy with AZT, TZP and AN, however, was shown to be effective and the most synergistic after 8 hrs of exposure. This result strongly suggest that the triple combination therapy of AZT, TZP, and AN could be useful for the treatment of infection caused by MBL producing Gram-negative bacilli.

• Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research
• /
• v.95 no.5
• /
• pp.240-248
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to validate the synergistic effect of ABT-737 on docetaxel using MDA-MB-231, a triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line overexpressing B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). Methods: Western blot analysis was performed to assess expression levels of Bcl-2 family proteins and caspase-related molecules. Cell viability was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry analysis. Benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp(OMe)-fluoromethylketone (z-VAD-fmk) was used for pretreatment to assess the role of caspases. Results: Cell viability of MDA-MB-231 after combination treatment with ABT-737 and docetaxel was significantly lower than that after docetaxel or ABT-737 monotherapy based on MTT assay (both P < 0.001), with a combination index of 0.41. The proportion of sub-G1 population after combination treatment was significantly higher than that after docetaxel or ABT-737 monotherapy (P = 0.001, P = 0.003, respectively). Pretreatment with z-VAD-fmk completely restored cell viability of MDA-MB-231 from apoptotic cell death induced by combination therapy (P = 0.001). Although pro-caspase-8 or Bid did not show significant change in expression level, pro-casepase-9 showed significantly decreased expression after combination treatment. Cleaved caspase-3 showed increased expression while poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage was induced after combination treatment. However, hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 totally lost their expression after combination treatment. Conclusion: Combination of ABT-737 with docetaxel elicits synergistic therapeutic effect on MDA-MB-231, a TNBC cell line overexpressing Bcl-2, mainly by activating the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Therefore, adjunct of ABT-737 to docetaxel might be a new therapeutic option to overcome docetaxel resistance of TNBCs overexpressing Bcl-2.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.241-246
• /
• 2015

Helicobacter pylori is an important transmissible human pathogen found on the luminal surface of the gastric epithelium. The organism can persist in the stomach indefinitely and causes gastroduodenal inflammation that may proceed to atrophic gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastric MALT lymphoma, and gastric cancer. Standard triple therapy which consists of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) plus two antibiotics (amoxicillin and clarithromycin) is now generally used in Korea, however, eradication rates of H. pylori has been decreasing due to increasing antibiotic resistance. In this review, current second-line treatment regimens, difficult problems on treatment, necessity of local target therapy, applicability of clay minerals as a drug delivery system (DDS), and a new therapeutic strategy and its study plans will be discussed.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.35-45
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was to measure the static foot pressure distribution of children between forefoot and rearfoot, and the percentage of static pressure were measured from 1256 normal children in a primary school by the TPScan(Triple Pod Scan) systemCommercial system). The measurement were performed while standing with their comfortable state using the TPScan system. The static pressure distribution between forefoot and rearfoot was analyzed by paired t-test. The results were as follows: 1. The Pes cavus and Pes planus of students was 4.936%. 2. The Pes cavus were 42 children(3.343%) and Pes planus was 20 children(1.592%). 3. The Pes planus were seen in 42 of 1256 children with Grade I in 11 feet (26.2%), Grade II in 24(57.1%), Grade III in 6(57.1%), Grade IV in zero. 4. Pes planus and Pes cavus were significantly difference in foot pressure between forefoot and rearfoot(P<0.05). The future study needs detailed research and comparison with various variance between theses before and after correction.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.17-22
• /
• 2015

Purpose: This study aims to investigate Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 during Helicobacter pylori eradication in children. Methods: One hundred ninety-four H. pylori positive children were randomized in two groups. Therapy (omeprazole+ clarithromycin+amoxicillin or omeprazole+clarithromycin+metronidazole in case of penicillin allergy) was given to both groups during two weeks. In the treatment group (n: 102) S. boulardii was added to the triple therapy, while the control group (n: 92) only received triple therapy. The incidence, onset, duration and severity of diarrhea and compliance to the eradication treatment were compared. A $^{13}C$ urea breath test was done 4 weeks after the end of eradication therapy in two groups of 21 patients aged 12 years and older to test the H. pylori eradication rate. Results: In the treatment group, diarrhea occurred in 12 cases (11.76%), starting after $6.25{\pm}1.24days$, lasting $3.17{\pm}1.08days$, and compliance to eradication treatment was 100%. In the control group, diarrhea occurred in 26 cases (28.26%), starting after $4.05{\pm}1.11days$, lasting $4.02{\pm}0.87days$, and in six cases eradication treatment was stopped prematurely (p<0.05). The $^{13}C$ urea breath test showed successful H. pylori eradication in 71.4% of the patients in the treatment and in 61.9 % in the control group (not significant). Conclusion: S. boulardii has a beneficial effect on the prevention and treatment of diarrhea during H. pylori eradication in children. Although S. boulardii did only slightly increase H. pylori eradication rate, compliance to eradication treatment was improved.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.432-436
• /
• 2012

Among a number of factors related to the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, prescriptions do important work. Traditional eastern doctors also placed emphasis on prescriptions of acupuncture and moxibustion, and a lot of experiences have been accumulated. The method forms prescriptions of Sa-am acupuncture therapy pivots on five transport points. Studies show prescriptions are made on the basis of the theory of 'Wang Xiang Xiu Qiu Si'(旺相休囚死) used engendering and restraining of five phases, and it is considered the principle of transformed prescriptions through this theory. Because there is still no study analyzing prescriptions of Sa-am acupuncture by existing principles, we report opinion about Combination principle of points in them. 1. We studied history of acupuncture and moxibustion, development and kinds of points' Combination principle. 2. Around Combination principles of points in Classic of Difficult Issues and Internal Classic, we analyzed and compared between Combination principles of points in Sa-am acupuncture therapy and them in Korea and overall acupuncture methods. 1. There were many Combination principles of acupunture point combination in Classic of Difficult Issues, Internal Classic and Korea acupuncture methods. For example, Point combination of the same meridian, Point combination of the different meridian, Exterior-Interior point combination, Point combination of the same name meridian, Point combination of the multiple meridian, Point combination of Adjacent and Distant points, Left-Right point combination, Anterior-Posterior point combination, Superior-Inferior point combination, Brook point and Stream point combination, Triple energizer point combination, Eight meeting point combination, Five transport point combination, Source-Connecting point combination, Alram point and Transport point combination, Mother-Sun meridian combination, Empirical point combination, Important point combination, Point combination according to syndrome. 2. Existing Combination principles of points in prescriptions of Sa-am acupuncture therapy included every rule. 3. They could be evidences that prescriptions of Sa-am acupuncture therapy are forms inheriting and developing acupuncture and moxibustion treatments.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.131-133
• /
• 2016

Background: Combination chemotherapy regimes are common treatments for cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluation the effect of individual chemotherapeutic agents in comparison with a first line chemotherapy regime treatment in the AGS gastric cancer cell line by MTT assay. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, AGS cells were grown in RPMI-1640 supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum and 100 IU/ml penicillin, and $10{\mu}g/ml$ streptomycinin, under a humidified condition at $37^{\circ}C$ with 5% CO2. All cells were washed with PBS and detached with trypsin, centrifuged and 8000 cells re-plated on to 96- well plates. LD50 doses of Epirubicin, Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil were added to each well in mono or triple therapy. Anti-proliferative activities were determined by MTT assay after 24, 48 or 72 h. Results: Results of MTT assays showed that there were no significant differences among 3 drugs in monotherapy (p=0.088), but there was significant difference between combination therapy with epirubicin (P=0.031) and 5FU (p=0.013) on cell survival at 24 h. After 48 and 72 hours, cell viability showed significant differences between the 3 drugs (p=0.048 and P=0.000 for 48 and 72 h, respectively) and there was significant difference between combination therapy with epirubicin (P=0.035 and P=0.002 for 48 and 72 h, respectively). Conclusions: The results showed no significant differences between these chemotherapy drugs each given alone, but combination therapy with 3 drugs had significant effects on cell viability in comparison with epirubicin alone.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.56 no.9
• /
• pp.482-487
• /
• 2023

Hematopoiesis is regulated by crosstalk between long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) and supporting niche cells in the bone marrow (BM). Here, we describe the role of KAI1, which is mainly expressed on LT-HSCs and rarely on other hematopoietic stem-progenitor cells (HSPCs), in niche-mediated LT-HSC maintenance. KAI1 activates TGF-β1/Smad3 signal in LT-HSCs, leading to the induction of CDK inhibitors and inhibition of the cell cycle. The KAI1-binding partner DARC is expressed on macrophages and stabilizes KAI1 on LT-HSCs, promoting their quiescence. Conversely, when DARC+ BM macrophages were absent, the level of surface KAI1 on LT-HSCs decreases, leading to cell-cycle entry, proliferation, and differentiation. Thus, KAI1 acts as a functional surface marker of LT-HSCs that regulates dormancy through interaction with DARC-expressing macrophages in the BM stem cell niche. Recently, we showed very special and rare macrophages expressing α-SMA+ COX2+ & DARC+ induce not only dormancy of LT-HSC through interaction of KAI1-DARC but also protect HSCs by down-regulating ROS through COX2 signaling. In the near future, the strategy to combine KAI1-positive LT-HSCs and α-SMA/Cox2/DARC triple-positive macrophages will improve the efficacy of stem cell transplantation after the ablative chemo-therapy for hematological disorders including leukemia.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.303-307
• /
• 2007

This clinical experience reports the effect of wood and fire acupoints therapy on a hypertensive patient. Wood acupoint indicates Jing point in yin channel or Shu point in yang channel. Fire acupoint is Jing in yin channel or Jing in yang channel among the five acupoints of Jing, Xing, Shu, Jing and He. The patient was treated with indicated acupoints of 7 channels: lung, large intestine, spleen, pericardium, triple warmer, heart and liver, for 5 weeks. In case of necessity, another acupoints were added with wood and fire acupoints. After 5 weeks treatment, the blood pressure improved by 125/80 which is in normal level. This result suggests that wood and fire acupoints therapy is effective in the treatment of hypertension.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.80 no.4
• /
• pp.317-324
• /
• 2017

Small airway disease (SAD) has been recognized for many years as a central feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Histopathology studies have shown that the narrowing and destruction of small airways in COPD combined with inflammatory cell infiltration in the submucosa increases the severity of the disease. SAD is present in the early stages of COPD and becomes more widespread over time as the disease progresses to more severe COPD. The development of inhalers containing extra-fine particles allows the small airways to be pharmacologically targeted. Recent clinical trials have shown the efficacy of extra-fine triple therapy that targets the small airways in patients with COPD. This article reviews the importance and treatment of SAD in COPD.