Efficacy of Aquatic Treadmill Training on Gait Symmetry and Balance in Subacute Stroke Patients

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of aquatic treadmill training (ATT) as a new modality for stroke rehabilitation, by assessing changes in gait symmetry, balance function, and subjective balance confidence for the paretic and non-paretic leg in stroke patients. METHODS: Twenty-one subacute stroke patients participated in 15 intervention sessions of aquatic treadmill training. The Comfortable 10-Meter Walk Test (CWT), spatiotemporal gait parameters, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale (ABC) were assessed pre- and post-interventions. RESULTS: From pre- to post-intervention, statistically significant improvements were observed in the CWT (0.471±0.21 to 0.558±0.23, p<0.001), BBS (39.66±8.63 to 43.80±5.21, p<0.001), and ABC (38.39±13.46 to 46.93±12.32, p<0.001). The step-length symmetry (1.017±0.25 to 0.990±0.19, p=0.720) and overall temporal symmetry (1.404±0.36 to 1.314±0.34, p=0.218) showed improvement without statistical significance. CONCLUSION: ATT improves the functional aspects of gait, including CWT, BBS and ABC, and spatiotemporal gait symmetry, though without statistical significance. Further studies are required to examine and compare the potential benefits of ATT as a new modality for stroke therapy, with other modalities.

Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors modulate skin aging in a catalytic activity-independent manner

It has been proposed that the pro-inflammatory catalytic activity of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays a key role in the aging process. However, it remains unclear whether the COX-2 activity is a causal factor for aging and whether COX-2 inhibitors could prevent aging. We here examined the effect of COX-2 inhibitors on aging in the intrinsic skin aging model of hairless mice. We observed that among two selective COX-2 inhibitors and one non-selective COX inhibitor studied, only NS-398 inhibited skin aging, while celecoxib and aspirin accelerated skin aging. In addition, NS-398 reduced the expression of p53 and p16, whereas celecoxib and aspirin enhanced their expression. We also found that the aging-modulating effect of the inhibitors is closely associated with the expression of type I procollagen and caveolin-1. These results suggest that pro-inflammatory catalytic activity of COX-2 is not a causal factor for aging at least in skin and that COX-2 inhibitors might modulate skin aging by regulating the expression of type I procollagen and caveolin-1.

Effects of the polymorphic MDR1 genotype on the single-dose simvastatin pharmacokinetics in healthy subjects / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Simvastatin has dramatically reduced cardiovascular disease due to elevated cholesterol. The human multidrug resistance 1 gene (MDR1) encodes a 170-kDa transmembrane glycoprotein (P-glycoprotein), which plays an important role in regulating the absorption, distribution, and excretion of simvastatin. To clarify the effects of the MDR1 gene polymorphism on simvastatin pharmacokinetics, we investigated whether there is an association between genotype and the pharmacokinetic parameters for simvastatin. METHODS: Thirty-one healthy unrelated Korean volunteers were genotyped for MDR1. Genomic DNA from blood was analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Following an overnight fast, all of the subjects took a single 60-mg oral dose of simvastatin. Venous blood samples were taken for 12 hours after the oral drug intake. A statistical analysis of the MDR1 genotype and pharmacokinetic parameters of simvastatin was performed. RESULTS: The mean Tmax of the 1236TT genotype was significantly higher than that of CT and CC (p=0.02). The mean AUC0-12h of 3435TT was also significantly higher, compared with CT and CC (p=0.01). No significant difference was observed between the MDR1 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) for G2677A/T and the pharmacokinetic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that polymorphic MDR1 genes are important in the inter-individual variation of the disposition of simvastatin in humans. s

Association Analysis of MUC5AC Promoter Polymorphism with Asthma / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Airway mucus hypersecretion plays an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma, and is associated with the induction of MUC5AC expression in airway secretion. The MUC5AC gene is highly polymorphic; however, there are few studies about the association between the polymorphisms of the MUC5AC gene and asthma susceptibility or asthma phenotypes. We have investigated the association of MUC5AC promoter polymorphisms with the risk of asthma and asthma phenotypes. METHODS: We determined the genotypes of the MUC5AC promoter (-1274G>A) in 78 asthma patients and in 78 age, sex-matched control individuals in the Korean population. Genomic DNAs from blood were analyzed by PCR and RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) determination. We examined FEV1, total eosinophil count, serum IgE level, PC20 and the presence of atopy (by a skin test) in asthma patients. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 47.7 +/- 16.1 years and 38.5% were men, and the mean FEV1 was 84.4 +/- 22.3% of predicted in the asthma patients. The -1274G>A polymorphism of the MUC5AC promoter in asthma patients was not significantly different as compared with normal individuals (GG 57.7%, AG 34.6% and AA 7.7% in asthma patients vs. GG 56.4%, AG 38.5% and AA 5.1% in control subject, p = 0.752, Cod). Several clinical parameters in asthma patients such as FEV1, total eosinophil count, serum IgE level, PC20 and the presence of atopy, were not associated with the -1274G>A polymorphism of the MUC5AC promoter. CONCLUSION: The -1274G>A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) frequency of the MUC5AC promoter was not associated with asthma in a Korean population.

Gene Expression Profile of Lung Cancer Cells Following Photodynamic Therapy / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy is a viable option for lung cancer treatment, and many studies have shown that it is capable of inducing cell death in lung cancer cells. However, the precise mechanism of this cell death has not been fully elucidated. To investigate the early changes in cancer cell transcription, we treated A549 cells with the photosensitizer DH-I-180-3 and then we illuminated the cells. METHODS: We investigated the gene expression profiles of the the A549 lung cancer cell line, using a DEG kit, following photodynamic therapy and we evaluated the cell viability by performing flow cytometry. We identified the genes that were significantly changed following photodynamic therapy by performing DNA sequencing. RESULTS: The FACS data showed that the cell death of the lung cancer cells was mainly caused by necrosis. We found nine genes that were significantly changed and we identified eight of these genes. We evaluated the expression of two genes, 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and ribosomal protein S29. The expressed level of carbonic anhydrase XII, clusterin, MRP3s1 protein, complement 3, membrane cofactor protein and integrin beta 1 were decreased. CONCLUSION: Many of the gene products are membrane-associated proteins. The main mechanism of photodynamic therapy with using the photosensitizing agent DH-I-180-3 appears to be necrosis and this may be associated with the altered production of membrane proteins.

Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii Infection in Dairy Cattle and Non-symptomatic People for Routine Health Screening in Korea

We report results on the seroprevalence of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii in cattle and healthy people in Korea. Upon agreement with dairy owners, serum samples from 414 dairy cattle were collected between March and June 2001 and samples from 205 people for health screening were collected between April and December 2002. The sera were analyzed for the presence of anti-C. burnetii phase II antibodies using an indirect microimmunofluorescence test; strong fluorescence at a 1:32 dilution was regarded as positive. The overall seroprevalence of C. burnetii in cattle in Korea was 25.6%, with regional variation from 8.9 to 59.3%. Of the positive serum samples, 75.5% had antibody titers > or =1:256. By contrast, only 1.5% of people in a rural area were seropositive, and most of the positive samples had low antibody titers. In conclusion, this study showed that relatively high seropositivity of C. burnetii in dairy cattle, accordingly, the studies on the high-risk groups are needed to evaluate the seroprevalence for this organism in Korea.