A Korean perspective on developing a global policy for advance directives.

Despite the wide and daunting array of cross-cultural obstacles that the formulation of a global policy on advance directives will clearly pose, the need is equally evident. Specifically, the expansion of medical services driven by medical tourism, just to name one important example, makes this issue urgently relevant. While ensuring consistency across national borders, a global policy will have the additional and perhaps even more important effect of increasing the use of advance directives in clinical settings and enhancing their effectiveness within each country, regardless of where that country's state of the law currently stands.

The membrane insertion of helical antimicrobial peptides from the N-terminus of Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein L1.

The interaction of two helical antimicrobial peptides, HPA3 and HPA3P with planar supported lipid membranes was quantitatively analysed using two complementary optical biosensors. The peptides are analogues of Hp(2-20) derived from the N-terminus of Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein L1 (RpL1). The binding of these two peptide analogues to zwitterionic dimyristoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and negatively charged membranes composed of DMPC/dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) (4:1) was determined using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and dual polarisation interferometry (DPI).

Heat shock protein: hard worker or bad offender for gastric diseases.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) have core housekeeping functions in the cells where they are built-in components of folding, signal transduction pathways, and quality control functions for which they proofread the structure of proteins and repair misfolded conformers. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection leads to significant inflammations in the gastric mucosa, which is closely associated with development of either precancerous lesion including chronic atrophic gastritis or gastric cancer in addition to, peptic ulcer disease, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma.

Optimal placement of a superior vena cava cannula in minimally invasive robot-assisted cardiac surgery.

Background: Minimally invasive robot-assisted cardiac surgery is generally performed nowadays. To avoid the interference of a superior vena cava (SVC) cannula during surgery, it should be inserted before the operation. The position of this cannula is very important because it can cause poor venous drainage during operation.

Association of the human leukocyte antigen class II alleles with chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric carcinoma in Koreans.

Objective: Gastric carcinogenesis is a multi-step process and is influenced by several etiological agents, including the host's genetic factors. Since whether a patient remains with chronic superficial gastritis (CSG) or progresses to either chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) or gastric carcinoma (GC) could be a genetic predisposition unique in each population, we hypothesized that host human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles could be discriminative in predicting the risk of CSG progression to precancerous CAG and GC in Koreans.

Methods: A total of 165 patients with gastric disorders (CSG, 62; CAG, 69 and GC, 34), were selected to investigate the association of HLA class II alleles with the progression of CSG to CAG or GC.

Antifungal mechanism of a novel antifungal protein from pumpkin rinds against various fungal pathogens.

A novel antifungal protein (Pr-2) was identified from pumpkin rinds using water-soluble extraction, ultrafiltration, cation exchange chromatography, and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry indicated that the protein had a molecular mass of 14865.57 Da.

Korea red ginseng on Helicobacter pylori-induced halitosis: newer therapeutic strategy and a plausible mechanism.

Background: Gas chromatographic documentation of volatile sulfur compounds in Helicobacter pylori cultures and the amelioration of halitosis after eradication suggested a causal link between H. pylori infection and halitosis.

Aim: We hypothesized that Korea red ginseng can relieve H.

Pr-1, a novel antifungal protein from pumpkin rinds.

A novel antifungal protein, M(r) = ca. 40 kDa, was isolated from pumpkin rind and designated Pr-1. When purified by anion exchange chromatography and HPLC, it inhibited growth of several fungi including Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani and Rhizoctonia solani, as well as the yeast, Candida albicans, at 10-20 microM.

Interleukin-27 polymorphisms are associated with inflammatory bowel diseases in a Korean population.

Background And Aims: The cytokine interleukin (IL)-27 is composed of two subunits, Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3 (EBI3) and p28, and IL-27 is a novel IL-12 family member that mediates between the innate and adaptive immune systems. We previously identified four polymorphisms in the human IL-27 gene and we suggested that the polymorphism of IL-27 is associated with the susceptibility to asthma. IL-27 transcripts are significantly elevated in active Crohn's disease (CD) but not in ulcerative colitis (UC).

Rescue strategies against non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced gastroduodenal damage.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly prescribed drugs worldwide, which attests to their efficacy as analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agents as well as anticancer drugs. However, NSAID use also carries a risk of major gastroduodenal events, including symptomatic ulcers and their serious complications that can lead to fatal outcomes. The development of "coxibs" (selective cyclooxygenase-2 [COX-2] inhibitors) offered similar efficacy with reduced toxicity, but this promise of gastroduodenal safety has only partially been fulfilled, and is now dented with associated risks of cardiovascular or intestinal complications.

The effects of inspiratory to expiratory ratio on ventilation and oxygenation during high frequency partial liquid ventilation in a rabbit model of acute lung injury.

Background: We examined the effects of varying inspiratory to expiratory (I : E) ratio on gas exchange and hemodynamics during high frequency partial liquid ventilation (HFPLV), a combination of high frequency ventilation (HFV) and partial liquid ventilation (PLV), in a rabbit model of acute lung injury.

Methods: Twelve rabbits treated with repeated saline lavage were divided into two groups. In the HFPL group (n = 6), 6 ml/kg of perfluorodecaline was administered through the endotracheal tube.

Effect of Leucine and Lysine substitution on the antimicrobial activity and evaluation of the mechanism of the HPA3NT3 analog peptide.

In this study, a HPA3NT3-analog (FKKLKKLFKKILKLK-NH2) peptide was designed. In this analog, two Trp residues (positions 12, 14) were replaced with Leu, and Arg and Asn (positions 3, 13) were replaced with Lys to investigate the role of amino acid substitution and increased cationicity on antimicrobial and hemolytic activities. In fungal and Gram-negative bacterial cells, HPA3NT3-analog activity was unchanged or slightly enhanced when compared to the HPA3NT3 peptide.

A 2008 questionnaire-based survey of gastroesophageal reflux disease and related diseases by physicians in East Asian countries.

Background/aims: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common gastrointestinal disease. This study was designed to examine current epidemiology, diagnosis, management, and treatment of patients diagnosed with GERD by surveying physicians in several East Asian countries.

Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was completed in six countries including China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand between July 2008 and December 2008.

Cell selectivity-membrane phospholipids relationship of the antimicrobial effects shown by pleurocidin enantiomeric peptides.

Previously, we investigated the antimicrobial properties of pleurocidin (Ple) enantiomers. Our studies showed that the L-enantiomer exhibited about a 2-16 fold more potent activity against bacterial strains as compared to that of the D-enantiomer. However, fungal strains were about two-fold more susceptible to the D-enantiomer than to the L-enantiomer.

Protease inhibitors from plants with antimicrobial activity.

Antimicrobial proteins (peptides) are known to play important roles in the innate host defense mechanisms of most living organisms, including plants, insects, amphibians and mammals. They are also known to possess potent antibiotic activity against bacteria, fungi, and even certain viruses. Recently, the rapid emergence of microbial pathogens that are resistant to currently available antibiotics has triggered considerable interest in the isolation and investigation of the mode of action of antimicrobial proteins (peptides).

Late reactivation of sonic hedgehog by Helicobacter pylori results in population of gastric epithelial cells that are resistant to apoptosis: implication for gastric carcinogenesis.

As much as that a disturbance of tissue homeostasis through dysregulated apoptosis is generally associated with carcinogenesis, gastric carcinogenesis after Helicobacter pylori infection could be the accumulated consequence of imbalances between apoptosis and proliferation. Since sonic hedgehog (Shh) has been reported to play versatile roles in various tumorigenesis, we hypothesized that late reactivation of sonic hedgehog by H. pylori infection results in population of gastric epithelial cells that are resistant to apoptosis.

Cell selectivity and mechanism of action of short antimicrobial peptides designed from the cell-penetrating peptide Pep-1.

Pep-1-K (PK) is a good cell-selective antimicrobial peptide designed from cell-penetrating peptide Pep-1. To develop novel short antimicrobial peptides with higher cell selectivity and shorter length compared with PK, several PK analogs were designed by the deletion, addition and/or substitution of amino acids. Among these analogs, PK-12-KKP (KKPWWKPWWPKWKK) showing the sequence and structure homology with a Trp/Pro-rich natural antimicrobial peptide, indolicidin (IN), displayed a 20-fold higher cell selectivity as compared to IN.

Different mechanisms of action of antimicrobial peptides: insights from fluorescence spectroscopy experiments and molecular dynamics simulations.

Most antimicrobial peptides exert their activity by interacting with bacterial membranes, thus perturbing their permeability. They are investigated as a possible solution to the insurgence of bacteria resistant to the presently available antibiotic drugs. However, several different models have been proposed for their mechanism of membrane perturbation, and the molecular details of this process are still debated.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Gogu valley) protein as an antimicrobial agent in the diets of broilers.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate potato protein (PP, experiment 1) and refined PP (RPP, experiment 2) obtained from Gogu valley tubers as an antimicrobial agent in broiler diets. In both the experiments, 1-d-old male Ross 308 chicks were allotted to 5 treatments and performance, nutrient retention, and microbial populations in excreta and cecum were studied. Dietary treatments were as follows: basal diet (negative control, NC), basal diet with antibiotic (positive control, PC, 10 mg/kg of avilamycin), and low, medium, or high levels of PP (0.

Trichogin GA IV: an antibacterial and protease-resistant peptide.

The antibacterial and hemolytic activities of the amphiphilic helical, membrane-active, lipopeptaibol trichogin GA IV and its [Leu(11)-OMe] analogue were compared to those of the partially helical or non-helical 8-meric or 4-meric, C-terminal short sequences, respectively. The study on trichogin GA IV was extended to several methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. Using a large set of enzymes, we also evaluated the resistance to proteolysis of all of the four peptides.

Membrane perturbation by the antimicrobial peptide PMAP-23: a fluorescence and molecular dynamics study.

Several bioactive peptides exert their biological function by interacting with cellular membranes. Structural data on their location inside lipid bilayers are thus essential for a detailed understanding of their mechanism of action. We propose here a combined approach in which fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were applied to investigate the mechanism of membrane perturbation by the antimicrobial peptide PMAP-23.

A questionnaire-based survey on the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by physicians in East Asian countries in 2007.

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and aspirin are widely used clinically but increase the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) complications.

Aim: To examine the current prescription of NSAIDs and comedication to prevent GI complications from NSAIDs within East Asia by means of a questionnaire survey.

Methods: Representative members of the Committee of the International Gastrointestinal Consensus Symposium provided a questionnaire to physicians in 6 East Asian countries.

The role played by lipids unsaturation upon the membrane interaction of the Helicobacter pylori HP(2-20) antimicrobial peptide analogue HPA3.

The HPA3 peptide is an analogue of the linear antimicrobial peptide, HP(2-20), isolated from the N-terminal region of the Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein, able to interact with zwitterionic lipid membranes and generate pores. Herein we focused on the importance of the degree of unsaturation of lipid acyl chains on HPA3 peptide-membrane interactions. Electrophysiology experiments carried out in reconstituted lipid membranes formed from phosphatidylcholines with one (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine - POPC) and two monounsaturated acyl chains (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine - DOPC) demonstrate that the lesser degree of the packing density of membrane lipids encountered in DOPC-based planar membranes greatly enhances the electric activity of pores created by the HPA3 peptide.