BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: There is growing interest in herbal medicines for managing age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s. Safflower seeds (Carthamus tinctorius L. seeds, CTS) and dandelions (Taraxacum coreanum, TC) are widely used to treat bone- or inflammation-related diseases in Oriental countries. This study investigated the protective effect of the CTS–TC combination on scopolamine (Sco)-induced memory deficits through inflammatory response and cholinergic function. Moreover, marker components such as serotonin, N-(p-coumaroyl) serotonin, N-feruloylserotonin, chlorogenic acid, and chicoric acid in the CTS–TC combination were analyzed for their potential benefits on memory function.MATERIALS/METHODS: Water extracts of CTS, TC, and the CTS–TC combination at various ratios (4:1, 1:1, and 1:4) (100 mg/kg) were orally administered to mice for 14 days. Sco (1 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected into the mice before each behavioral test. T-maze and novel object recognition tests were conducted to monitor behavioral changes after the treatment.Western blotting was performed to detect protein expression. In addition, the presence of 5 biomarkers, serotonin, N-(p-coumaroyl) serotonin, N-feruloylserotonin, chlorogenic acid, and chicoric acid, was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Behavioral tests showed that the CTS–TC combination enhanced memory function in Sco-injected mice. Inflammation-related proteins (inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and glial fibrillary acidic protein) were downregulated after treatment with the CTS–TC combination. The acetylcholinesterase protein expression was also downregulated.HPLC analysis revealed that N-feruloylserotonin and chicoric acid were the predominant components, followed by N-(p-coumaroyl) serotonin, chlorogenic acid, and serotonin. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that the CTS–TC combination protects against Sco-induced memory deficits by inhibiting inflammatory responses and cholinergic dysfunction. N-feruloylserotonin and chicoric acid, along with N-(p-coumaroyl) serotonin, chlorogenic acid, and serotonin, might be biomarkers for the CTS–TC combination, and their effects on memory protection warrant further study.

OBJECTIVE Licorice is used throughout the world as a traditional herbal remedy. Ac-cording to Chinese traditional medicine licorice alone can be used to treat inflammation.Although there have been some studies investigated the anti-inflammatory ingredients of licorice, but for the potency of flavonoid glycoside and their aglycones on inflammation are not evaluated.This study was designed to assess the contributions of licorice flavonoid glycosides and their aglycons to its anti-inflammatory and hypnotic effects. METHODS For the flavonoid aglycone's enrichment, the extract of licorice (EL) was fermented in submerged culture of the edible fungus Grifola frondosa HB0071 mycelia which can produce β-glucosidase and catalyze the flavonoid glycosides to aglycones.EL and fermented extract of licorice (FEL) were used in this study. The anti-inflammation test was carried out in arachidonic acid (AA)-induced ear edema model and the hypnotic test was performed by using electroencephalogram (EEG)analysis method in normal freely moving SD rats.The chemicals constituents were analyzed by HPLC.RESULTS During fermentation,the falvonoid glycosides of licorice were hydrolyzed by the time process.Along with fermentation time,the concentration of the major flavonoid glycosides,liquiritin and isoliquiritin were decreased obviously, and simultaneously their aglycons, liquiritigenin and isoliquiriti-genin were remarkably increased in FEL.Moreover,the content of another major constituent glycyrrhi-zic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid were not changed after the fermentation. In AA-induced mice ear ede-ma test,after topical application,FEL(effective dose range:5-20 μg·ear-1)showed more potent inhibito-ry activity than EL(effective dose range:25-100 μg·ear-1).On the other hand,oral administration of EL and FEL exhibited the same hypnotic potency and both enhanced the total sleep time including rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep time. CONCLUSION These results suggested that the enrichment of flavonoid aglycons such as liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin enhanced the anti-inflam-matory potency of licorice extract,and this potentiation has nothing to do with glycyrrhizic acid or glycyr-rhetinic acid.In addition,enrichment of flavonoid aglycones did not alter the hypnotic effect of licorice.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Although several recent studies have reported the anti-cancer effects of extracts or components of Citrus unshiu peel, which has been used for various purposes in traditional medicine, the molecular mechanisms for their effects remain unclear. In the present study, the anti-cancer activity of a water-soluble extract of C. unshiu peel (WECU) in MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma cells at the level of apoptosis induction was investigated. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT assay. Apoptosis was detected using DAPI staining and flow cytometry analyses. Mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, caspase activity and Western blotting were used to confirm the basis of apoptosis. RESULTS: The results indicated that WECU-induced apoptosis was related to the activation of caspase-8, and -9, representative initiator caspases of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, respectively, and caspase-3 accompanied by proteolytic degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and down-regulation of the inhibitors of apoptosis protein family members. WECU also increased the pro-apoptotic BAX to anti-apoptotic BCL-2 ratio, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release from mitochondria to cytoplasm. Furthermore, WECU provoked the generation of ROS, but the reduction of cell viability and induction of apoptosis by WECU were prevented when ROS production was blocked by antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that WECU suppressed proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells by activating extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways in a ROS-dependent manner.
Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 8 ; Caspases, Initiator ; Cell Survival ; Citrus* ; Cysteine ; Cytochromes c ; Cytoplasm ; Down-Regulation ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans* ; Medicine, Traditional ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Mitochondria ; Oxygen* ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Water*

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a major cause of abnormal overgrowth of the prostate mainly in the elderly. Corni Fructus has been reported to be effective in the prevention and treatment of various diseases because of its strong antioxidant effect, but its efficacy against BPH is not yet known. This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Corni Fructus water extract (CF) in testosterone-induced BPH rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: To induce BPH, rats were intraperitoneal injected with testosterone propionate (TP). Rats in the treatment group were orally administered with CF with TP injection, and finasteride, which is a selective inhibitor of 5α-reductase type 2, was used as a positive control. RESULTS: Our results showed that the increased prostate weight and histopathological changes in BPH model rats were suppressed by CF treatment. CF, similar to the finasteride-treated group, decreased the levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone by TP treatment in the serum, and it also reduced 5α-reductase expression and concentration in prostate tissue and serum, respectively. In addition, CF significantly blocked the expression of the androgen receptor (AR), AR co-activators, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in BPH rats, and this blocking was associated with a decrease in prostate-specific antigen levels in serum and prostate tissue. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CF may weaken the BPH status through the inactivation of at least 5α-reductase and AR activity and may be useful for the clinical treatment of BPH.
Aged ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; Cornus* ; Dihydrotestosterone ; Finasteride ; Humans ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Rats* ; Receptors, Androgen* ; Testosterone ; Testosterone Propionate ; Water

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the value of adding digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) to full-field digital mammography (FFDM) in the diagnostic workup of breast cancer and to determine which lesion variables affect cancer detectability in the combined modality. METHODS: Between March and May 2012, paired FFDM and DBT images were obtained from 203 women as part of a diagnostic workup for breast cancer. Images from FFDM alone, DBT alone, and DBT combined with FFDM were reviewed in separate sessions by six blinded readers. Jackknife alternative free-response receiver operating characteristic (JAFROC) figure of merit (FOM), sensitivity, and specificity were compared between the modalities. Lesion characteristics affecting the cancer detection rate when using the combined modality were also analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 203 women, 126 women had a total of 129 malignancies and 77 women had total of 77 benign lesions. The overall JAFROC FOM of the combined modality was higher than that of FFDM alone (0.827 vs. 0.775, p<0.001) and that of DBT alone was higher than that of FFDM alone (0.807 vs. 0.775, p=0.027). The overall sensitivity of the combined modality was higher than that of FFDM alone (80.0% vs. 73.2%, p<0.001) and that of DBT alone was higher than that of FFDM alone (78.3% vs. 73.2%, p=0.007). Compared to FFDM alone, the combined modality detected an additional 48 cancers. Using the combined modality, the presence of masses or microcalcifications was significantly associated with the cancer detection rate (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The combination of DBT with FFDM results in a higher diagnostic yield than FFDM alone. Additionally, DBT alone performs better than FFDM alone. However, even when DBT is combined with FFDM, breast cancers with no discernible masses and those lacking calcifications are difficult to detect.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Mammography* ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND: Although transfusion in neonates needs to be strictly regulated due to the vulnerability of neonates, there is lack of systematic studies and the working process is not well-established. This study was aimed to point out the problems of current status and to improve the efficiency of systems used in blood aliquots for neonatal transfusions. METHODS: Total red blood cell (RBC) aliquots were analyzed between May 2009 and January 2016 in the neonate intensive care unit. We investigated the aliquot number, issued day interval from the first issued aliquot among the post-aliquots, patients' blood type, and discarded RBC units among the requested RBC units. RESULTS: Of the 472 RBC aliquots, 95.4% (450/472) were divided into two units. The distribution of patients' blood type was similar to that of the Korean population, in decreasing order: A blood group (34.3%), B group (28.2%), and O group (27.5%). The second, third, and forth units of post-aliquots were taken after an average of 49.9 (0∼617.9) hours. Among the post-aliquots, the number of units discarded without use was 22.5%. CONCLUSION: According to the evaluation of current status for neonatal transfusions, we should use aliquot RBC properly and reduce unnecessary requests for aliquot RBC. In addition, in order to reduce the number of near misses, we propose a new label to be attached on the aliquotted blood bags and suggest a development of electronic blood issuing system.
Erythrocytes* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units

Murine typhus is a flea-borne infectious disease caused by Rickettsia typhi, of which myocarditis is a rare complication in the acute disseminating phase. A 62-year-old female presented with a fever and was diagnosed with murine typhus. She was treated with doxycycline and discharged after complete resolution of the fever. However, recurrent presyncope and exertional dyspnea developed 6-8 weeks later. Complete atrioventricular (AV) block with a wide QRS escape rhythm and a left bundle branch block configuration was documented. Subacute myocarditis was diagnosed based on persistent cardiac troponin-I elevation and typical cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings. A permanent pacemaker was implanted for symptomatic complete AV block. Few reports of myocarditis in murine typhus have been published. We report a case of murine typhus myocarditis complicated by complete AV block in the late convalescence phase.
Atrioventricular Block ; Bundle-Branch Block ; Communicable Diseases ; Convalescence ; Doxycycline ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myocarditis ; Rickettsia typhi ; Syncope ; Troponin I ; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne ; United Nations

The CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) play an important role in immune tolerance in experimental transplantation but the clinical significance of circulating Tregs in the peripheral blood is undetermined. In 50 kidney transplant (KT) recipients, 29 healthy controls and 32 liver transplant (LT) recipients, the frequency of Tregs was measured with flow cytometry before and after transplantation. In the KT recipients, IL-10 secretion was measured with an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay. The median frequency of circulating Tregs before KT was similar to that in healthy controls but significantly lower than that in LT patients before transplantation. The frequency of Tregs was significantly decreased in patients with subclinical acute rejection compared with those without subclinical acute rejection. Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) and anti-CD25 antibody decreased the frequency of Tregs but mTOR inhibitor did not. The frequency of donor-specific IL-10 secreting cells did not correlate with the number of Tregs. The frequency of circulating Tregs in KT recipients is strongly affected by CNIs and anti-CD25 antibody, and a low frequency of Tregs is associated with subclinical acute rejection during the early posttransplant period.
Adult ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/*immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Graft Rejection ; Humans ; Interleukin-10/metabolism ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit/*biosynthesis ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/blood/immunology/*therapy ; Kidney Transplantation/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrology/*methods ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/*immunology

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is becoming more prevalent, associated with a variety of adverse consequences which leads to adulthood obesity. Although diagnosis is usually made by body mass index, there is neither a cutoff point for the percentage body fat nor abdominal circumference. The aim of this study was to identify each cutoff point for both measures. METHODS: The measurement of height, weight, abdominal circumference and percentage body fat was performed through manual assessment and bioelectrical impedance analysis for 4,242 subjects aged 11 in Gunpo City, South Korea. The cutoff point for body fat percentage and abdominal circumference is set to maximize the sum of sensitivity and specificity for detecting obesity and overweight using the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve. RESULTS: The mean percentage body fat was 13.6+/-6.9% for boys and 19.4+/-5.3% for girls. The mean abdominal circumference of boys was 68.0+/-9.1 cm, and that of girls was 64.3+/-7.7 cm. The cutoff point of percentage body fat for obesity was 21.8% in boys and 24.5% in girls. The prevalence of obesity was 15.2%, 16.7% for males and females, respectively. The abdominal circumference cutoff for obesity was 76.9 cm in boys and 70.7cm in girls. Based on that, the prevalence of obesity was 19.7% for boys and 20.0% for girls, which was higher than what was identified by body mass index, as in the case of body fat percentage. CONCLUSION: The cutoffs of body fat percentage and abdominal circumference in one city of Gyeonggi Province were lower than those suggested in the previous studies.
Adipose Tissue ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Electric Impedance ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of sonography in the evaluation of normal pseudocapsular morphology and the detection of complications after total hip arthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between Janvary 1997 and June 2000, 47 patients [35 men and 12 women aged 24 to 84 (mean, 61) years] using real-time linear-array, convex US units with 3.5-MHz and 10-MHz transducers. Normal capsular morphology in 30 with total hip replacements, who had been asymptomatic for at least one year, was studied, and the prosthetic joint infection demonstrated in six of 17 who had experienced was confirmed at surgery or by US-guided aspiration. RESULTS: Sonograms indicated that a normal pseudocapsule lay straight over the neck of the prosthesis or was slightly convex toward the neck, and that the mean bone-to-pseudocapsule distance was 2.9 mm. However, in the 11 symptomatic patients in whom no evidence of infection was revealed by cultures, th mean distance was 4.7 mm; in the remaining six patients, whose joints were infected (a condition strongly suggested by the presence of extracapsular fluid), the mean distance was 5.5 mm, with no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Sonography can be used to evaluate normal caspular morphology after total hip replacement and to diagnose infection around hip prostheses. In all patients in whom sonography revealed the presence of extra-articular fiuid, infection had occurred.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Female ; Hip Prosthesis ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Neck ; Prostheses and Implants ; Transducers ; Ultrasonography*