Risk Factors for the Development and Progression of Diabetic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Advanced Diabetic Retinopathy.

Background: Some patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) do not develop diabetic kidney disease (DKD) despite the presence of advanced diabetic retinopathy (DR). We aimed to investigate the presence of DKD and its risk factors in patients with T2DM and advanced DR.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 317 patients with T2DM and advanced DR.

Insulin Resistance Distribution and Cut-Off Value in Koreans from the 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Background: We sought to identify the distribution and cut-off value of the 'homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance' (HOMA-IR) according to gender and menopausal status for metabolic syndrome in Koreans.

Methods: Data were from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2008-2010. The subjects included adults aged 20 years or older.

Discordance in the levels of hemoglobin A1C and glycated albumin: Calculation of the glycation gap based on glycated albumin level.

Objective: The glycation gap (G-gap) is an empirical measure of the extent of the difference between HbA1C and fructosamine levels. Several studies have shown that the presence of a G-gap is linked to diabetic nephropathy, but possible artifacts caused by dependence of the fructosamine level on the extent of serum protein metabolism require careful consideration. We investigated the consistency of G-gaps measured by assaying glycated albumin (GA) levels to identify factors associated with G-gap variations.

A Retrospective Analysis of Patients' Conditions Using Acupuncture in a Traditional Korean Medicine Hospital.

Objective. The aim of this study was to identify the patient demographics, health issues, and type of acupuncture treatments who visited a traditional Korean medical hospital for acupuncture treatment. Methods.

Korean studies on blood stasis: an overview.

Blood stasis is one of the important pathological concepts in Korean medicine. We analyzed the Korean studies concerning blood stasis. We searched for articles in eight electronic databases from their inception to September, 2014.

Conceptualization and utilization of blood stasis syndrome among doctors of Korean medicine: results of a web-based survey.

This survey aimed to assess the conceptualization of and utilization of blood stasis syndrome within traditional East Asian medicine among Doctors of Korean Medicine (DKMs). A survey was conducted with 22 questions classified into four categories (the present status, problems and requirements of a BSS diagnosis; the concept, diseases and prescriptions regarding BSS; the present status and problems with the Korean standard classification of diseases (KCD) relevant to BSS and the demographic characteristics of the survey respondents). A total of 17,550 DKMs affiliated with the association of Korean medicine were sent surveys via e-mail.

Effect of maternal age at childbirth on insulin resistance: the 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Objective: This study aimed to assess insulin resistance according to maternal age at childbirth.

Patients And Methods: The data used in this study were obtained from the 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This study included a total of 2233 nondiabetic female subjects ≥30 years of age that were subdivided into groups according to their obesity and abdominal obesity (AOB) statuses.

The effects of thyrotropin-suppressing therapy on bone metabolism in patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Studies on the effects of levothyroxine (LT4) therapy on bone and bone metabolism have yielded conflicting results. This 1-year prospective study examined whether LT4 in patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is a risk factor for bone mass loss and the subsequent development of osteoporosis. We examined 93 patients with DTC over 12months after initiating LT4 therapy (early postoperative period).

Accelerated disease progression after discontinuation of sorafenib in a patient with metastatic papillary thyroid cancer.

Distant metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) are rare and are associated with a poor prognosis. Here, we describe a patient with metastatic PTC who was treated with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI, sorafenib) for several months that was acutely exacerbated by discontinuation. A 43-year-old male was diagnosed with PTC in February 2004 and underwent total thyroidectomy followed by two courses of high-dose radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy.

Herbal medicine (Gan Mai Da Zao decoction) for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The objective of this review was to analyze the trial data on the efficacy and safety of Gan Mai Da Zao (GMDZ) decoction for depression. PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE, AMED, Korea Med, DBPIA, OASIS, RISS, KISS, CNKI, Wan Fang Database, and VIP were searched through to May 2014. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing GMDZ decoction for any type of depression were considered.

Current research and future directions in pattern identification: Results of an international symposium.

A symposium on pattern identification (PI) was held at the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM) on October 2, 2013, in Daejeon, South Korea. This symposium was convened to provide information on the current research in PI as well as suggest future research directions. The participants discussed the nature of PI, possible research questions, strategies and future international collaborations in pattern research.

Bee venom acupuncture for rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: This systematic review aims to analyse the trial data on the effects of bee venom acupuncture (BVA) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods And Analysis: The following 14 databases will be searched from their inception to March 2014: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), AMED, CINAHL, six Korean medical databases (OASIS, Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, Korean Studies Information Service System, KoreaMed, Korean Medical Database and DBPIA) and three Chinese databases including CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Wanfang and VIP. The methodological quality will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.

Herbal medicine (Gan Mai Da Zao decoction) for depression: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: The aim of this systematic review is to analyse trial data on the effectiveness of a herbal medicine (Gan Mai Da Zao (GMDZ) decoction) in treating depression.

Methods And Analysis: 12 databases will be searched from their inception: PubMed, EMBASE, AMED, the Cochrane Library, five Korean medical databases (KoreaMed, DBpia, OASIS, the Research Information Service System (RISS) and the Korean Studies Information Service System (KISS)) and three Chinese medical databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the Wanfang Database and the Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP)). Randomised clinical trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs using a GMDZ decoction for any type of depression will be considered.

Monotropein isolated from the roots of Morinda officinalis ameliorates proinflammatory mediators in RAW 264.7 macrophages and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis via NF-κB inactivation.

We previously demonstrated that monotropein isolated from the roots of Morinda officinalis (Rubiaceae) has anti-inflammatory effects in vivo. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of monotropein in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model.

Quaternary alkaloid, pseudocoptisine isolated from tubers of Corydalis turtschaninovi inhibits LPS-induced nitric oxide, PGE(2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines production via the down-regulation of NF-kappaB in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells.

It is well known that pro-inflammatory mediators like nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) contribute to the courses of many inflammatory diseases. In the present study, the authors investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of pseudocoptisine, a quaternary alkaloid with a benzylisoquinoline skeleton, which was isolated from the tubers of Corydalis turtschaninovii by examining its inhibitory effects on pro-inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells.

Anti-inflammatory effects of sinapic acid through the suppression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygase-2, and proinflammatory cytokines expressions via nuclear factor-kappaB inactivation.

To investigate the anti-inflammatory potential of sinapic acid as well as the underlying mechanism involved, we studied the inhibitory effect of sinapic acid on the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in vitro and then evaluated its in vivo anti-inflammatory effect. Sinapic acid inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interleukin (IL)-1beta production in a dose-dependent manner. Consistent with these findings, sinapic acid inhibited LPS-induced expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygase (COX)-2 at the protein levels, and iNOS, COX-2, TNF-alpha, and IL-1beta mRNA expression in RAW 264.

Isoliquiritigenin isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis inhibits LPS-induced iNOS and COX-2 expression via the attenuation of NF-kappaB in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoids isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Leguminosae), namely, isoliquiritin (the glycoside of isoliquirigenin) and isoliquiritigenin (the aglycone of isoliquiritin) were evaluated on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Isoliquiritigenin (ILG) more potently inhibited LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) production than isoliquiritin (ILT).

Inhibition of LPS-induced NO and PGE2 production by asiatic acid via NF-kappa B inactivation in RAW 264.7 macrophages: possible involvement of the IKK and MAPK pathways.

In the present study, we investigated the effect of asiatic acid (the aglycon of asiaticoside) and asiaticoside isolated from the leaves of Centella asiatica (Umbelliferae) on LPS-induced NO and PGE(2) production in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Asiatic acid more potently inhibited LPS-induced NO and PGE(2) production than asiaticoside.

Synthesis and in vitro photodynamic activities of water-soluble fluorinated tetrapyridylporphyrins as tumor photosensitizers.

A series of water-soluble fluorinated cationic porphyrins were designed, synthesized, and characterized. In vitro photocytotoxicity of these compounds was evaluated by MTT assay on HeLa cells. Their photocytotoxicity was dependent on the positions of the cations and the fluorines in the pyridine ring, and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(N-methyl-2-fluoro-pyridin-3-yl)-porphyrin (8) showed the most potent photo-induced cytotoxicity without photobleaching.

Styraxoside A isolated from the stem bark of Styrax japonica inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW 264.7 cells by suppressing nuclear factor-kappa B activation.

In the present study, the effects of terpenes (styraxosides A and B) and lignans (egonol, masutakeside I, and styraxlignolide A) isolated from the stem bark of Styrax japonica Sieb. et Zucc. (styracaceae) were evaluated on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by the RAW 264.

Gigantol isolated from the whole plants of Cymbidium goeringii inhibits the LPS-induced iNOS and COX-2 expression via NF-kappaB inactivation in RAW 264.7 macrophages cells.

During our efforts to find bioactive natural products with anti-inflammatory activity, we isolated gigantol from the whole plants of Cymbidium goeringii (Orchidaceae) by activity-guided chromatographic fractionation. Gigantol was found to have potent inhibitory effects on LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E (2) (PGE (2)) production in RAW 264.7 cells.

Preventive effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBB) on the lipopolysaccharide-induced expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 via suppression of nuclear factor-kappaB in RAW 264.7 cells.

During our ongoing efforts to identify bioactive natural products with anti-inflammatory activity, we produced an extract from Ginkgo biloba (GBB) which contains higher levels of the active principles terpene and biflavonoid than EGb, the standard commercially available extract. In the present study, we examined and compared the effects of these two extracts on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line.