Heat-processed Panax ginseng and diabetic renal damage: active components and action mechanism.

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the serious complications in patients with either type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus but current treatments remain unsatisfactory. Results of clinical research studies demonstrate that Panax ginseng can help adjust blood pressure and reduce blood sugar and may be advantageous in the treatment of tuberculosis and kidney damage in people with diabetes. The heat-processing method to strengthen the efficacy of P.

Advancements in fabrication process of microelectrode array for a retinal prosthesis using Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP).

Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) has been considered as an alternative biomaterial for implantable biomedical devices primarily for its low moisture absorption rate compared with conventional polymers such as polyimide, parylene and silicone elastomers. A novel retinal prosthetic device based on monolithic encapsulation of LCP is being developed in which entire neural stimulation circuitries are integrated into a thin and eye-conformable structure. Micromachining techniques for fabrication of a LCP retinal electrode array have been previously reported.

Outcomes of patients admitted for hanging injuries with decreased consciousness but without cardiac arrest.

Objective: The objective of this study is to provide appropriate treatment of patients who showed decreased mentality but did not suffer cardiac arrest (CA) from hanging injury, from reviewing the characteristics and analyzing the outcomes in such patients.

Methods: A retrospective review of victims with decreased mentality but without CA due to hanging presenting to 2 tertiary general hospitals between January 2005 and August 2011 was performed. Treatments and examinations were evaluated, and the outcomes were assessed by cerebral performance category at hospital discharge.

Distinguishing between genotoxic and non-genotoxic hepatocarcinogens by gene expression profiling and bioinformatic pathway analysis.

A rapid and sensitive method to determine the characteristics of carcinogens is needed. In this study, we used a microarray-based genomics approach, with a short-term in vivo model, in combination with insights from statistical and mechanistic analyses to determine the characteristics of carcinogens. Carcinogens were evaluated based on the different mechanisms involved in the responses to genotoxic carcinogens and non-genotoxic carcinogens.

Neuroprotective effect of a new synthetic aspirin-decursinol adduct in experimental animal models of ischemic stroke.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death. Experimental animal models of cerebral ischemia are widely used for researching mechanisms of ischemic damage and developing new drugs for the prevention and treatment of stroke. The present study aimed to comparatively investigate neuroprotective effects of aspirin (ASA), decursinol (DA) and new synthetic aspirin-decursinol adduct (ASA-DA) against transient focal and global cerebral ischemic damage.

High-risk human papillomavirus load and biomarkers in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer.

The purpose of this study was to examine the implication of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) load in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cancer, and to detect biomarkers in cervical disease. We conducted high-risk HPV DNA load and cervical cytology tests in 343 women, cervical tissue biopsy in 143 women, and immunohistochemistry for p16(INK4A), cyclin D1, p53, cyclooxygenase-2, Ki-67, GLUT1, hPygopus2, and beta-catenin. As a result, HPV load [relative light units (RLU) value] was correlated with the histological severity of cervical disease (p < 0.

Combined application of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the solidification of floating organic droplets and charged aerosol detection for the simple and sensitive quantification of macrolide antibiotics in human urine.

A novel analytical method combining dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the solidification of floating organic droplets (DLLME-SFO) and liquid chromatography with charged aerosol detection (LC-CAD) was established. For the first time, CAD was applied for the detection of macrolide antibiotics lacking chromophores. Parameters influencing the microextraction efficiency were systematically investigated, and the optimized microextraction conditions yielded high enrichment factors in the range of 60-106.

Diabetes epidemics in Korea: reappraise nationwide survey of diabetes "diabetes in Korea 2007".

There are many studies on the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and economic burden of diabetes across the past four decades in Korea. Nonetheless, there is a dearth of nationwide study regarding diabetes encompassing all age group. Eight years ago, the Committee on the Epidemiology of Diabetes Mellitus of Korean Diabetes Association collaborated with Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service to evaluate the status of diabetes care and characteristics in diabetic patients in Korea.

Therapeutic hypothermia following emergent coronary artery bypass grafting after failed percutaneous coronary intervention in a comatose post-cardiac arrest patient.

We report the case of 60-yr-old female in which therapeutic hypothermia (TH) was successfully induced maintaining the target temperature of 34℃ for 12 hr despite a risk of hypothermia-induced coagulation abnormalities following an emergent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) due to failed percutaneous coronary intervention, who suffered a cardiac arrest. Emergent CABG may be a relative contraindication for TH in post-cardiac arrest patients because hypothermia may increase the risk of infection and bleeding. However, the possibility of an improved neurologic outcome outweighs the risk of bleeding, although major surgery may be a relative contraindication for TH.

Post-translational regulation of gene expression using the ATF4 oxygen-dependent degradation domain for hypoxia-specific gene therapy.

Solid tumors have hypoxic regions in their cores, due to low blood supply levels. Therefore, hypoxia-specific gene regulation systems have been developed for tumor-specific gene therapy. In this study, the oxygen-dependent degradation (ODD) domain on activating transcription factor-4 (ATF4) was evaluated for post-translational regulation of proteins.

Discrimination between genetically identical peony roots from different regions of origin based on 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy-based metabolomics: determination of the geographical origins and estimation of the mixing proportions of blended samples.

Sixty peony root training samples of the same age were collected from various regions in Korea and China, and their genetic diversity was investigated for 23 chloroplast intergenic space regions. All samples were genetically indistinguishable, indicating that the DNA-based techniques employed were not appropriate for determining the samples' regions of origin. In contrast, (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR) spectroscopy-based metabolomics coupled with multivariate statistical analysis revealed a clear difference between the metabolic profiles of the Korean and Chinese samples.

Safety and efficacy of modern insulin analogues.

Background: A1chieve® was a noninterventional study evaluating the clinical safety and efficacy of biphasic insulin aspart 30, insulin detemir, and insulin aspart.

Methods: Korean type 2 diabetes patients who have not been treated with the study insulin or have started it within 4 weeks before enrollment were eligible for the study. The patient selection and the choice of regimen were at the discretion of the physician.

Synthesis and inhibitory effects of some novel 1,3-diarylprop-2-en-1-one analogues in Foxp3 expression: a novel class of anti-cancer candidates.

A series of novel analogues of 1,3-diarylprop-2-en-1-one (3a-m) were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity of FOX P3 gene expression and apoptosis in CD4(+)T cells that had been isolated from the spleen of 8 to 10 weeks old mice. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the R1 and R2 modification was studied to identify a candidate with the maximum potency. Of these compounds, 3d showed the highest inhibitory activity of FOX P3 gene expression and apoptosis (66.

Improvement of cancer immunotherapy by combining molecular targeted therapy.

In human cancer cells, a constitutive activation of MAPK, STAT3, β-catenin, and various other signaling pathways triggers multiple immunosuppressive cascades. These cascades result in the production of immunosuppressive molecules (e.g.

Corrigendum to "Use of complementary and alternative medicine by self- or non-institutional therapists in South Korea: a community-based survey" [Integr. Med. Res. 2(1) (2013), 25-31].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.

Modulation of lipid kinase PI4KIIα activity and lipid raft association of presenilin 1 underlies γ-secretase inhibition by ginsenoside (20S)-Rg3.

Amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) pathology is an invariant feature of Alzheimer disease, preceding any detectable clinical symptoms by more than a decade. To this end, we seek to identify agents that can reduce Aβ levels in the brain via novel mechanisms. We found that (20S)-Rg3, a triterpene natural compound known as ginsenoside, reduced Aβ levels in cultured primary neurons and in the brains of a mouse model of Alzheimer disease.

Heat-processed ginseng saponin ameliorates the adenine-induced renal failure in rats.

To evaluate the effect of the saponin of heat-processed ginseng (Sun ginseng, SG), we investigated the protective effect of SG total saponin fraction against adenine-induced chronic renal failure in rats. SG saponin significantly decreased the levels of urea nitrogen and creatinine in the serum, but increased the urinary excretion of urea nitrogen and creatinine, indicating an improvement of renal function. SG saponin also inhibited adenine-induced kidney hypertrophy and edema.

Protective Effect of Heat-processed Ginseng (Sun Ginseng) in the Adenine-induced Renal Failure Rats.

The effect of orally administered sun ginseng (SG), which is a ginseng processed by steaming, was examined in adenine-induced chronic renal failure rat. SG significantly decreased both blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels, indicating an improvement of renal function. Also, SG significantly increased the urinary excretion of both urea and creatinine.

Chemical and Free Radical-scavenging Activity Changes of Ginsenoside Re by Maillard Reaction and Its Possible Use as a Renoprotective Agent.

Reactive oxygen species play critical role in kidney damage. Free radical-scavenging activities of Panax ginseng are known to be increased by heat-processing. The structural change of ginsenoside and the generation of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) are closely related to the increased free radical-scavenging activities.

Processed Panax ginseng, Sun Ginseng, Decreases Oxidative Damage Induced by tert-butyl Hydroperoxide via Regulation of Antioxidant Enzyme and Anti-apoptotic Molecules in HepG2 Cells.

Potential antioxidant effect of processed ginseng (sun ginseng, SG) on oxidative stress generated by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) was investigated in HepG2 cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage test demonstrated that SG dose-dependently prevents a loss of cell viability against t-BHP-induced oxidative stress. Also, SG treatment dose-dependently relieved the increment of activities of hepatic enzymes, such as aspartate aminotrasferase and alanine aminotransferase, and lipid peroxidation mediated by t-BHP treatment in HepG2 cells.

Recent methodology in ginseng analysis.

As much as the popularity of ginseng in herbal prescriptions or remedies, ginseng has become the focus of research in many scientific fields. Analytical methodologies for ginseng, referred to as ginseng analysis hereafter, have been developed for bioactive component discovery, phytochemical profiling, quality control, and pharmacokinetic studies. This review summarizes the most recent advances in ginseng analysis in the past half-decade including emerging techniques and analytical trends.

Serum procalcitonin level for the prediction of severity in women with acute pyelonephritis in the ED: value of procalcitonin in acute pyelonephritis.

Purpose: Predicting medical outcomes for acute pyelonephritis (APN) in women is difficult. Delay in diagnosis and treatment often results in rapid progression to circulatory collapse, multiple-organ failure, and death. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of procalcitonin (PCT) level in women with APN at ED.

Stouffer's test in a large scale simultaneous hypothesis testing.

In microarray data analysis, we are often required to combine several dependent partial test results. To overcome this, many suggestions have been made in previous literature; Tippett's test and Fisher's omnibus test are most popular. Both tests have known null distributions when the partial tests are independent.