Liver cancer is a common tumor and currently the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Liver cancer is highly related to inflammation as more than 90% of liver cancer arises in the context of hepatic inflammation, such as hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection. Despite significant improvements in the therapeutic modalities for liver cancer, patient prognosis is not satisfactory due to the limited efficacy of current drug therapies in anti-metastatic activity. Therefore, developing new effective anti-cancer agents with anti-metastatic activity is important for the treatment of liver cancer. In this study, SP-8356, a verbenone derivative with anti-inflammatory activity, was investigated for its effect on the growth and migration of liver cancer cells. Our findings demonstrated that SP-8356 inhibits the proliferation of liver cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and suppressing the mobility and invasion ability of liver cancer cells. Functional studies revealed that SP-8356 inhibits the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathways, which are related to cell proliferation and metastasis, resulting in the downregulation of metastasis-related genes. Moreover, using an orthotopic liver cancer model, tumor growth was significantly decreased following treatment with SP-8356. Thus, this study suggests that SP-8356 may be a potential agent for the treatment of liver cancer with multimodal regulation.

Liver cancer is a common tumor and currently the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Liver cancer is highly related to inflammation as more than 90% of liver cancer arises in the context of hepatic inflammation, such as hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection. Despite significant improvements in the therapeutic modalities for liver cancer, patient prognosis is not satisfactory due to the limited efficacy of current drug therapies in anti-metastatic activity. Therefore, developing new effective anti-cancer agents with anti-metastatic activity is important for the treatment of liver cancer. In this study, SP-8356, a verbenone derivative with anti-inflammatory activity, was investigated for its effect on the growth and migration of liver cancer cells. Our findings demonstrated that SP-8356 inhibits the proliferation of liver cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and suppressing the mobility and invasion ability of liver cancer cells. Functional studies revealed that SP-8356 inhibits the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathways, which are related to cell proliferation and metastasis, resulting in the downregulation of metastasis-related genes. Moreover, using an orthotopic liver cancer model, tumor growth was significantly decreased following treatment with SP-8356. Thus, this study suggests that SP-8356 may be a potential agent for the treatment of liver cancer with multimodal regulation.

Albizzia julibrissin (AJ) is an herbal medicine that shows low toxicity, promotes promoting blood circulation and mitigates the inflammation and has mild side effects. Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases that occurs in older males and often results in lower urinary tract symptoms. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of AJ against BPH using LNCaP cells and Sprague Dawley rats treated with testosterone. Treatment with AJ extract reduced the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in vitro. In vivo, rats were divided into 6 groups: 1 (Normal Control); 2 (Testosterone propionate (TP) alone); 3 (TP + finasteride); 4 (TP + AJ 10 mg/kg); 5 (TP + AJ 50 mg/kg); 6 (TP + AJ 300 mg/kg). The groups treated with AJ showed reduced the relative prostate weights and BPH-related proteins were altered, with decreased AR, PSA and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) observed by western blot. Histopathological analysis revealed the therapeutic effect of AJ, with a decreased thickness of epithelial cells and reduced level of PCNA and 5α-reductase type 2. These results suggest that AJ extract could ameliorate testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Albizzia ; Animals ; Blood Circulation ; Blotting, Western ; Diethylpropion ; Epithelial Cells ; Herbal Medicine ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inflammation ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Androgen ; Testosterone ; Weights and Measures

Breast cancer is the second most common malignancy among Korean women. The 2002 National Cancer Center screening guideline breast cancer was revised via an evidence-based approach to provide medical personnel with a standard protocol of screening breast cancer. There is moderate-level evidence that biennial screening mammography in asymptomatic women aged 40 to 69 reduces breast cancer mortality, while low-level evidence suggests that screening mammography in women 70 years or older does not reduce breast cancer mortality. The committee concluded that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the benefits and harms of either ultrasonography or clinical breast examination as screening modalities for breast cancer. Future researches about the benefits and harms of the National Breast Cancer Screening Program in Korea are strongly required because the characteristics of breast cancer in Korea are different from those in the West, especially regarding dense breast. In conclusion, the committee recommends biennial screening mammography in asymptomatic women aged 40 to 69 years (grade B recommendation). The committee recommends selective screening mammography in women 70 years or older according to individual risk and preference (grade C recommendation). The committee neither recommends nor opposes ultrasonography and clinical breast examination as screening modalities (grade I recommendation). Symptomatic and high-risk women, however, should be offered complementary measures including ultrasonography and clinical breast examination under clinical supervision.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mammography ; Mass Screening* ; Mortality ; Organization and Administration ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: We investigated caregivers' attitudes toward dementia, which may play a key role in the timely treatment and optimal care of people with dementia (PWD), and patient and caregiver factors potentially associated with these attitudes. METHODS: As a part of the Nationwide Survey on Dementia Care in Korea, we evaluated the attitudes of 731 community-dwelling caregivers of PWD with the Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS). Using stepwise multiple regression analysis, we investigated the sociodemographic factors of the caregivers, the clinicodemographic factors of the PWD, and the situational factors of caregiving that may influence caregivers' attitudes. RESULTS: The mean score on the DAS total was 80.65+/-16.0 (maximum : 140). The mean score on the DAS Knowledge subscale, which reflects awareness of dementia, was 42.86+/-9.6 (maximum : 70), and that on the DAS Comfort subscale, which reflects emotional and behavioral attitudes toward dementia, was 37.79+/-10.3 (maximum : 70). Non-spouse caregiver, living in a rural area, completion of a formal care education program (caregiver factors) and female patient, high educational level, high clinical dementia rating and mild behavioral symptoms (patient factors) were associated with a high DAS total score. CONCLUSION: We found much room for improvement in caregivers' attitudes towards PWD in Korea, indicating a need for strategies to improve these attitudes, targeting the at-risk group.
Behavioral Symptoms ; Caregivers* ; Dementia* ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Korea

We present a case of inadvertent arterial insertion of a central venous catheter, identified during a pericardiectomy procedure after observing abrupt changes in pressure waveform and confirmed via arterial blood gas analysis and transesophageal echocardiography. Central venous pressure measurement was initially 20 mmHg in supine, and then elevated to 30-40 mmHg in right lateral decubitus, presumably resulting from constrictive physiology of pericarditis. The pressure waveforms, however, abruptly changed from a venous to an arterial waveform during surgery. When visual discrimination between arterial and venous blood regurgitation is unreliable, anesthesiologists should confirm that using all the available methods one has on the scene, especially after at least two unsuccessful attempts or in patients with advanced age or clinical conditions resulting in jugular venous dilation. To prevent arterial catheterization, one should limit the leftward rotation of the head by <40degrees and consider using ultrasound-guided method after more than two unsuccessful attempts.
Blood Gas Analysis ; Catheterization ; Catheterization, Central Venous ; Catheters ; Central Venous Catheters ; Central Venous Pressure ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Head ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Pericardiectomy ; Pericarditis

Liver fibrosis is a chronic liver disease and lots of people in Korea are suffered. There are many efforts to find candidates to suppress liver fibrogenesis and several chemical-induced model or bile duct ligation model have been used to research and develop hepatic fibrogenic suppressor. From the previous study about functional effects of turnip which cultivated in Kangha Island, we got the feasibility which turnip might be able to inhibit heptatic fibrogenesis. TAA is a representative hepatic fibrosis inducer, repeated 7-weeks i.p. injection of it results in hepatic fibrosis. We compared the level of hepatic fibrosis in TAA-turnip group, TAA group, and vehicle control group. Nodules-formed by TAA were observed; they were rarely shown in vehicle control group, observed in most area in TAA group, but only shown in periportal regions in TAA-turnip group. These results were confirmed through Masson's trichrom stain; fibrous structures increased in TAA group (fibrosis score: 4) but significantly decreased in TAA-turnip group (fibrosis score: 2-3). In conclusion, we got the result that turnip water extract has a potency to protect TAA-induced hepatic fibrogenesis but it is necessary further study to find its mechanism.
Bile Ducts ; Brassica napus ; Fibrosis ; Korea ; Ligation ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Water

BACKGROUND: This study was done to evaluate the sole effect of norepinephrine on the regional myocardial perfusion during displacement of the porcine beating heart using thermal diffusion method. METHODS: Thermal diffusion probe was inserted into the anterior myocardial wall during 20 procedures in 10 male pigs (30-35 kg). The measurements of regional myocardial perfusion and hemodynamic parameters were performed after complete instrumentation (baseline), after displacement of the beating heart anteriorly, and 5 and 15 minutes after norepinephrine infusion, titrated to restore baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP). RESULTS: Norepinephrine infusion reversed the decrease in MAP and myocardial perfusion, caused by displacement of the beating heart (62 +/- 3% to 115 +/- 4% of baseline, P < 0.01; 41 +/- 5% to 125 +/- 4% of baseline, P < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Restoration of MAP with norepinephrine infusion without any preload augmentation reversed deterioration in regional myocardial perfusion during displacement of the porcine beating heart.
Arterial Pressure ; Displacement (Psychology) ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Norepinephrine ; ortho-Aminobenzoates ; Perfusion ; Swine ; Thermal Diffusion

BACKGROUND: Off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) patients often require fluid, vasopressor, or inotropic support.It is therefore important that vigilant monitoring be undertaken to guide intervention and monitor the effects of therapy.Continuous monitoring of cardiac output (CO) is advisable.The aim of this study was to compare continuous cardiac index (CCI) and stat cardiac index (SCI) with intermittent bolus cardiac index (ICI) in patients undergoing OPCAB surgery. METHODS: Matched sets of CI measurements among CCI, SCI, and ICI were collected in 35 patients undergoing elective OPCAB at specific time periods.Bland-Altman analysis was used to compare the agreement among the different methods. RESULTS: Bland-Altman analysis of CI measurements yielded a bias, precision, and percent error of 0.09 +/- 0.63 L/min/m(2) (46.2%) for CCI and 0.09 +/- 0.60 L/min/m(2) (44.0%) for SCI, compared with ICI measurements. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the agreement of CCI, SCI, and ICI was poor.This disagreement increased during periods of open thorax and open pericardium when compared to the period of closed thorax.Continuous CO measurements through pulmonary artery catheter should be interpreted with caution during OPCAB.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Cardiac Output ; Catheters ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; Humans ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Pericardium ; Pulmonary Artery ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Opioid based patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) effectively provides adequate pain control after spine surgery, often at the expense of high incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). This study was designed to compare the effect of ramosetron with ondansetron for preventing PONV in highly susceptible patients using PCA following spine surgery under general anesthesia. METHODS: Seventy female patients, aged 18 to 65, scheduled for elective lumbar spine surgery, were randomly allocated into either ondansetron group (Group O, n = 35) or ramosetron group (Group R, n = 35). In patients assigned to group O, ondansetron 4 mg was injected and 12 mg was added to the PCA regimen. In patients assigned to group R, ramosetron 0.3 mg was injected and 0.3mg was added to the PCA regimen. The PCA regimen consisted of fentanyl 25microgram/kg (total volume including saline: 100 ml) and was programmed to deliver 2 ml/hr as background infusion and 0.5 ml per demand with a 15 min lockout. The incidence and severity of PONV, pain score, total amount of administered rescue analgesic and rescue antiemetic were assessed following 48 hrs after surgery. RESULTS: The incidence of PONV showed no significant differences between groups during 48 hrs after surgery. There were no differences in the severity of nausea, pain score, total amount of administered rescue analgesic and rescue antiemetic between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ramosetron prophylaxis for preventing PONV is as effective as ondansetron in highly susceptible patients using fentanyl based PCA following spine surgery under general anesthesia.
Aged ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Anesthesia, General ; Benzimidazoles ; Female ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Incidence ; Nausea ; Ondansetron ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Spine