A qualitative study of healthcare providers' perceptions and suggestions for developing cancer survivorship care models in South Korea.

This study aimed to explore healthcare providers' perceptions of the issues and problems as well as suggestions regarding the development of cancer survivorship care models in South Korea. An exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study was conducted with eight Korean healthcare providers using individual interviews. Purposive sampling was performed in a university hospital in Gyeonggi-do, Korea. Three concepts of the Chronic Care Model (CCM) were employed to identify the issues and problems with developing a survivorship care model for Korean cancer survivors. Based on these concepts, seven themes were identified: (1) absence of a multidisciplinary care system; (2) fragmented care services; (3) lack of emotional support; (4) absence of a shared care system for long-term survivorship care; (5) lack of communication between physicians and cancer survivors; (6) limited resources in the communities; and (7) poorly tailored long-term survivorship cancer care. In terms of suggestions, four themes were identified: (1) healthcare organisation; (2) clinical information systems; (3) community resources; and (4) follow-up care. The current study identified the applicability of key concepts from the CCM to formulate a Korean cancer survivorship model. Findings suggest that cancer survivors should be managed as persons with chronic diseases based on long-term survivorship care.

Recalcitrant anal and genital pruritus treated with dupilumab.

Chronic anogenital pruritus can significantly impair affected patients' quality of life by disrupting their sleep, mood, sexual function, and personal relationships. Although a significant portion of these patients can be managed with hygiene measures, topical therapy, oral anti-pruritics, and allergen avoidance after patch testing, guidelines to treat patients who do not respond to standard therapy have yet to be established. We describe the therapeutic response of a case of anogenital pruritus recalcitrant to multiple topical and systemic therapies. Treatment of this patient with dupilumab, an interleukin-4 receptor alpha blocker, resulted in clinical remission at 1 year from the initiation of the therapy, without significant adverse effects.

Neuregulin-1 attenuates cognitive function impairments in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

The neuregulin (NRG) family of epidermal growth factor-related proteins is composed of a wide variety of soluble and membrane-bound proteins that exert their effects via the tyrosine kinase receptors ErbB2-ErbB4. In the nervous system, the functions of NRG1 are essential for peripheral myelination, the establishment and maintenance of neuromuscular and sensorimotor systems and the plasticity of cortical neuronal circuits. In the present study, we report that an intracerebroventricular infusion of NRG1 attenuated cognitive impairments in 13-month-old Tg2576 mice, an animal model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, according to Golgi-Cox staining, NRG1 rescued the reduction in the number of dendritic spines detected in the brains of Tg2576 mice compared with vehicle (PBS)-infused mice. This result was also corroborated in vitro as NRG1 attenuated the oligomeric amyloid beta peptide(1-42) (Aß(1-42))-induced decrease in dendritic spine density in rat primary hippocampal neuron cultures. NRG1 also alleviated the decrease in neural differentiation induced by oligomeric Aß(1-42) in mouse fetal neural stem cells. Collectively, these results suggest that NRG1 has a therapeutic potential for AD by alleviating the reductions in dendritic spine density and neurogenesis found in AD brains.

Purification and characterization of antifungal δ-dodecalactone from Lactobacillus plantarum AF1 isolated from kimchi.

The aim of this study was to purify and identify an antifungal compound from Lactobacillus plantarum AF1, which was isolated from kimchi. The antifungal compound was purified by solid-phase extraction and recycling preparative high-performance liquid chromatography, and its structure was elucidated by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The active compound from L. plantarum AF1 was confirmed to be δ-dodecalactone (molecular weight, 198.3) by comparison of its gas chromatographic retention time with the mass spectrum of standard δ-dodecalactone. The MICs of δ-dodecalactone against various fungi and bacteria ranged from 350 to 6,250 m g/ml. δ-Dodecalactone showed strong antifungal activity against molds Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. petrakii, A. ochraceus, A. nidulans, and Penicillium roqueforti. The three tested yeast strains of Candida albicans were more resistant than the molds. Antibacterial activity was evident but less potent than the antifungal activity. δ-Dodecalactone produced pleasurable (fruity) organoleptic characteristics. The results indicate the potential of the δ-dodecalactone produced by L. plantarum AF1 as a biopreservative and flavoring compound, as well as a biosafe remedy for candidiasis.

Purification of a new antifungal compound produced by Lactobacillus plantarum AF1 isolated from kimchi.

The aim of this study was to purify and to identify an antifungal compound of Lactobacillus plantarum AF1, which was isolated from kimchi, and to determine if Lb. plantarum AF1 can prevent fungal growth in a particular food model system. The antifungal compound was purified using SPE and recycling prep-HPLC and its structure was elucidated using NMR and ESI-MS. The active compound from Lb. plantarum AF1 is C(12)H(22)N(2)O(2), 3,6-bis(2-methylpropyl)-2,5-piperazinedion has a molecular mass of 226. This is a new antifungal compound produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). To investigate the potential application of the antifungal compound to eliminate fungal spoilage in food and feed, soybean was used as a model. White mycelia and dark green spores of Aspergillus flavus ATCC 22546 were observed in the control soybeans after 1 to 2days incubation. However, fungal growth was not observed in the soybeans treated with a 4-fold concentrated supernatant of Lb. plantarum AF1 culture, even after 2days. The end products produced from kimchi LAB, like 3,6-bis(2-methylpropyl)-2,5-piperazinedion identified in this study, may be a promising alternative to chemical preservatives as a potential biopreservative which prevent fungal spoilage and mycotoxin formation in food and feed.

Protein kinase Dyrk1 activates cAMP response element-binding protein during neuronal differentiation in hippocampal progenitor cells.

Dyrk is a dual specific protein kinase thought to be involved in normal embryo neurogenesis and brain development. Defects/imperfections in this kinase have been suggested to play an important role in the mental retardation of patients with Down's syndrome. The transcriptional factor cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) has been implicated in the formation of many types of synaptic plasticity, such as learning and memory. In the present study we show that Dyrk1 activity is markedly induced during the differentiation of immortalized hippocampal progenitor (H19-7) cells. The addition of a neurogenic factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, to the H19-7 cells results in an increased specific binding of Dyrk1 to active CREB. In addition, Dyrk1 directly phosphorylates CREB, leading to the stimulation of subsequent CRE-mediated gene transcription during the neuronal differentiation in H19-7 cells. Blockade of Dyrk1 activation significantly inhibits the neurite outgrowth as well as CREB phosphorylation induced by basic fibroblast growth factor. These findings suggest that Dyrk1 activation and subsequent CREB phosphorylation is important in the neuronal differentiation of central nervous system hippocampal cells.

Expression and detection of ScFvB9 and its mutant in recombinant phage antibody system.

Recombinant single-chain antibody (ScFvB9) and its mutant (ScFvB9-6) were generated by using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the Fab fragment of the murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) B9, MabB9 (gamma2b,kappa), which is specific for human plasma apolipoprotein (apo) B-100 of low density lipopreotein (LDL). In the recombinant phage antibody system (RPAS), the constructed ScFvB9 and ScFvB9-6 antibody genes were cloned into the pCANTAB5E phagemid vector and expressed in E. coli. The active forms of single-chain antibodies (ScFvB9 and ScFvB9-6) were produced as phage-displayed recombinant antibodies or soluble antibody forms in E. coli. The activities of ScFvB9 and ScFvB9-6 were confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting analysis; the generated mutant ScFvB9-6 showed slightly higher antigen binding activity than native ScFvB9 as a soluble antibody in this RPAS.

Suppressive effects of Adenophora triphylla extracts on in vitro tumor cell growth and in vivo gastric epithelial proliferation.

Adenophora triphylla (AT), an oriental medicinal plant, was extracted using water and several organic solvents and each fraction was assayed for its tumoricidal effects on human Jurkat T cells with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). The influence on induction of apoptosis and G1 arrest was also examined. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the most pronounced inhibitory effects on proliferation of Jurkat T cells. Apoptosis was induced in line with up-regulation of FasL, tyrosine phosphorylation and c-fos mRNA levels. Arrest in G1 of the cell cycle was observed in A2780 cells with a wild type p53 gene but not HT-29 cells with a mutant p53 gene. Modifying effects of AT on cell turnover and glutathione(GSH) levels in vivo were also investigated in the stomach of rats given 150 mg/kg of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) by gavage and then fed a diet supplemented with 5% or 1% pulverized AT and 0.5% or 0.2% ethylacetate-extracted AT for 42 hours. The 5% AT and both of the ethylacetate fractions caused significant reduction in proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-labeling in the glandular stomach epithelium as compared with the value for the MNNG alone group. In addition, the treatments significantly increased the gastric GSH levels. These results suggest that AT could be a chemopreventive agent against gastric cancer.

Alpha1-adrenoceptors involvement in painful diabetic neuropathy: a role in allodynia.

To investigate whether alpha1-adrenoceptors are involved in pain behaviors in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats, we measured the effects of phenylephrine or prazosin on allodynia in the diabetic rats. Phenylephrine aggravated allodynia, while prazosin alleviated allodynia in the diabetic rats. We also measured alpha1-adrenoceptors gene expression or density of [3H]-prazosin binding sites in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord in painful diabetic rats. Alpha1-adrenoceptors mRNA and density of [3H]prazosin binding sites were increased in the DRG of the diabetic rats, however there were no significant differences in alpha1-adrenoceptors expression in the spinal cord between the control and diabetic rats. These results suggest increased alpha1-adrenoceptors in the DRG may play a role in the pathogenesis of painful diabetic neuropathy.