A Multisite Study on the Effect of a Urinary Incontinence Self-Management Program on Community-Dwelling Older Women in Korea.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a urinary incontinence (UI) self-management program on UI symptoms, knowledge, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older women. DESIGN: A 1-group pretest-posttest design. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Participants were recruited from 14 primary healthcare posts (PHCPs) in South Chungcheong Province, rural South Korea. A total of 163 women participated in a 5-session UI self-management program. METHODS: The UI self-management program was sequentially conducted across 14 PHCPs between May and November 2016. In each PHCP, 6 to 22 women participated in the program. The program consisted of weekly 90-minute sessions that were conducted across 5 weeks. Each session included a lecture on UI, reflective discussion, pelvic floor muscle training, and the assignment of homework (exercises and a daily bladder diary). Main outcome variables were measured using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF), Urinary Incontinence Knowledge Scale (UIKS), and Geriatric Self-Efficacy Index for Urinary Incontinence (GSE-UI), which were administered before and after the intervention. Descriptive statistics were computed, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests analyzed the data. RESULTS: The intervention resulted in a significant decrease in the ICIQ-SF scores, which was indicative of improvement in UI severity (pretest: 6.64 [SD 6.15], posttest: 4.76 [SD 5.08], P = .001), significant increases in the UIKS (pretest: 15.69 [SD 6.36], posttest: 23.14 [SD 5.54], P = .001] and GSE-UI (pretest: 75.34 [SD 31.80], [posttest: 86.20 [SD 27.06], P = .001) scores. CONCLUSIONS: The UI self-management program improved UI symptoms, knowledge, and self-efficacy among community-dwelling older women.

Synergistic Antitumor Activity of SH003 and Docetaxel via EGFR Signaling Inhibition in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in lung cancer patients. Despite treatment with various EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, recurrence and metastasis of lung cancer are inevitable. Docetaxel (DTX) is an effective conventional drug that is used to treat various cancers. Several researchers have studied the use of traditional herbal medicine in combination with docetaxel, to improve lung cancer treatment. SH003, a novel herbal mixture, exerts anticancer effects in different cancer cell types. Here, we aimed to investigate the apoptotic and anticancer effects of SH003 in combination with DTX, in human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). SH003, with DTX, induced apoptotic cell death, with increased expression of cleaved caspases and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase in NSCLC cells. Moreover, SH003 and DTX induced the apoptosis of H460 cells via the suppression of the EGFR and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathways. In H460 tumor xenograft models, the administration of SH003 or docetaxel alone diminished tumor growth, and their combination effectively killed cancer cells, with increased expression of apoptotic markers and decreased expression of p-EGFR and p-STAT3. Collectively, the combination of SH003 and DTX may be a novel anticancer strategy to overcome the challenges that are associated with conventional lung cancer therapy.

The Relationship Between Pain and Quality of Life Among Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis: The Mediating Effects of Lower Extremity Functional Status and Depression.

Pain, lower extremity functional status, and depression have been associated with quality of life among patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, little is known about the manner in which these factors influence quality of life. The present study examined the mediating effects of lower extremity functional status and depression on the relationship between pain and quality of life among adults with KOA. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 135 adults with KOA who visited an orthopaedic outpatient clinic in Korea. The participants responded to the Numeric Rating Scale, Lower Extremity Functional Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and the Korean version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro for SPSS. The serial mediating effects of lower extremity functional status and depression on the relationship between pain and quality of life were significant. These findings suggest that the assessment and management of lower extremity functional status and depression are important means by which the quality of life of adults with painful KOA can be improved.

Effects of a Simulation With Team-Based Learning on Knowledge, Team Performance, and Teamwork for Nursing Students.

Simulation and team-based learning are reported as useful strategies in nursing education. However, empirical evidence on the effects of participating in an integrated course of team-based learning and simulation is limited. The aim of this study was to identify the effects of a nursing simulation program with team-based learning on knowledge, team performance, and teamwork among Korean nursing students. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. Fourth-year students (N = 229) participated in a 32-hour nursing simulation program with team-based learning. Each of the three sessions of the program involved a 3-hour task training with video-assisted learning and skills performance assessment, 1-hour team-based learning, and 4-hour simulation session with a high-fidelity simulator. In addition to the knowledge test and performance assessment, participants completed a self-administered questionnaire on teamwork. Participants achieved higher scores in the Group Readiness Assurance Test than they did in the Individual Readiness Assurance Test. The posttest scores on team performance and teamwork were significantly higher than their pretest scores. The simulation with team-based learning induced favorable effects on participants' knowledge, performance, and teamwork. A curricular integration of simulation program with team-based learning is consistent with achieving outcomes-based learning in nursing education.

Development of a Korean Hyperthyroidism-Specific Health Status Scale.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to develop a hyperthyroidism-specific health status scale of Korea (K-HHSS) and to verify its validity and reliability. METHODS: A methodological study was performed with hyperthyroid patients to assess the following properties: content validity, item analysis, Cronbach's α, intraclass correlation coefficients, and confirmatory factor analysis. The data were obtained from 80 patients with hyperthyroidism given medical care at C university hospital in Seoul in 2017. RESULTS: The construct validity was supported by the item-analysis correlations ranging between 0.31 and 0.82. The internal consistency reliability was from 0.70 to 0.85, and the scale's stability was confirmed by intraclass correlation coefficients between 0.57 and 0.97. Construct reliability was 0.81 and the average variance extracted (AVE) was 0.72. These inclusion criteria resulted in the selection of 30 items in 7 categories. CONCLUSION: This scale will be useful as a limited health-measuring index for the nursing assessment of patients with hyperthyroidism in Korea.

Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Women's Toileting Behavior Scale.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Toileting Behavior Scale (KTBS) to assess women's toileting behavior related to urinary elimination. METHODS: The original English version, the Toileting Behavior: Women's Elimination Behaviors scale, was translated into Korean with forward and backward translation. Examinations of internal consistency reliability, construct validity using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, item convergent validity, and discriminant validity were conducted with SPSS/WIN 23.0 and AMOS/WIN 23.0 software. Concurrent validity was examined with the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form. RESULTS: Cronbach α for the overall scale was 0.78, and the 5 subscales ranged from 0.79 to 0.94. The exploratory factor analysis revealed 5 factors for the 17-item scale. Confirmatory factor analysis supported good convergent and discriminant values (λ=0.49-0.96, critical ratio=4.51-15.68>1.97, P<0.05, construct reliability=0.72-0.97). The concurrent validity was supported by correlation with the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (r=0.146, P=0.011). CONCLUSION: The KTBS (17 items) is an appropriate tool to measure older Korean women's toileting behavior with good validity and reliability.

Eucommia ulmoides Leaf Extract Ameliorates Steatosis Induced by High-fat Diet in Rats by Increasing Lysosomal Function.

The recent discovery that the impairment of autophagic flux in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) might be a strong determining factor in steatosis suggests the potential of therapeutic control of autophagic flux with natural agents in restoring NAFLD. We investigated the potential of Eucommia ulmoides leaf extract (EUL) to control dyslipidemia in NAFLD. EUL supplementation (200 mg/kg) promoted recovery from high fat diet (HFD)-induced lipid dysmetabolism. This hepatoprotective efficacy was accompanied by suppression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, enhancing lysosomal functions, and thereby increasing autophagic flux. We found a strong indication that inhibition of the mTOR-ER stress pathway was related to the enhanced autophagic flux. However, the direct antioxidative effect of EUL on cytoprotection cannot be ruled out as a significant contributing factor in NAFLD. Our findings will aid in further elucidating the mechanism of the anti-steatosis activity of EUL and highlight the therapeutic potential of EUL in the treatment of NAFLD.

Long-Term Effects of a Self-management Program for Older Women With Urinary Incontinence in Rural Korea: A Comparison Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine the long-term effects of a urinary incontinence (UI) self-management program for older women on the severity, knowledge, and attitudes regarding UI. DESIGN: This was a quasi-experimental design (nonrandomized trial) with intervention and comparison groups. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Participants were recruited from a primary health care facility in rural Korea. Forty-four older women with UI were assigned to either the intervention or the control group. Of 44 participants, 26 (17 experimental and 9 control) completed the study: 7 participants did not meet inclusion criteria (eligibility criteria partially relied on scores of a validated instrument measuring UI severity administered after initial consent to study participation), and 6 dropped out of the intervention group because of admission to hospital, hearing problems, difficulty traveling to meetings, and disinterest in the program. Five subjects in the comparison group were lost to follow-up. METHODS: The intervention group (n = 17) underwent a 5-session UI self-management educational program held once weekly. Its contents included a lecture, instruction on pelvic muscle exercises, and assignments related to action plans (exercises and a daily bladder diary). The study's main outcome measures were the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) score, along with knowledge and attitudes toward UI measured by the UI knowledge scale (UIKS) and UI attitude scale (UIAS). Data were collected at baseline, immediately following the intervention, and at the 1-year follow-up. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to analyze changes in ICIQ-SF, UIKS, and UIAS scores over time. RESULTS: A significant improvement in UI severity was found in the intervention group, who showed a gradually decreasing ICIQ-SF score from at pretest to 5 weeks and 12 months, while it increased over the 12-month period in the control group (main effect of group, F = 17.31, P < .001; main effect of time, F = 8.45, P = .001; interaction effect, F = 22.54, P < .001). There was no significant improvement in UIKS scores over time. Scores on the UIAS changed significantly over time in the experimental group (χ = 6.76, P = .034), but the mean score at 1-year follow-up (mean ± standard deviation: 2.61 ± 0.56) was lower than the mean score at baseline (2.64 ± 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that the UI self-management educational program is effective for improving UI and related lower urinary tract symptoms and feasible to conduct as a long-term intervention program for older women living in communities. However, strategies for a systematic follow-up management are needed for long-term retention of improved UI knowledge and attitudes toward incontinence.

Association of General Obesity and Abdominal Obesity with the Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence in Women: Cross-sectional Secondary Data Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence is prevalent among older adults worldwide and associated with lower quality of life. Obesity is highly associated with development or exacerbation of urinary incontinence. We examined the impact of different types of obesity (general obesity and abdominal obesity) on urinary incontinence. METHODS: We employed 2007-2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) with 4648 females over 19 yr of age. Body mass index, waist circumstance, total body fat percentage, trunk fat percentage, demographic variables, and potential confounding factors were assessed. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were used. RESULTS: There were significant trends of increasing risk of urinary incontinence with increasing body mass index (P =.002), waist circumstance (P = .001), percent total body fat (P =.029) and percent trunk fat (P =.005). Regarding the association of urinary incontinence prevalence with different types of obesity, nonobese women with abdominal obesity had the highest odds ratio of urinary incontinence, followed by obese women with abdominal obesity (odds ratio = 1.59 and 1.55, respectively). CONCLUSION: Abdominal obesity may be more likely to be associated with urinary incontinence compared to overall obesity. Early screening and identification of abdominal obesity may be needed for older women to prevent or reduce urinary incontinence episodes.

Meta-expression analysis of unannotated genes in rice and approaches for network construction to suggest the probable roles.

KEY MESSAGE: This work suggests 2020 potential candidates in rice for the functional annotation of unannotated genes using meta-analysis of anatomical samples derived from microarray and RNA-seq technologies and this information will be useful to identify novel morphological agronomic traits. Although the genome of rice (Oryza sativa) has been sequenced, 14,365 genes are considered unannotated because they lack putative annotation information. According to the Rice Genome Annotation Project Database ( http://rice.plantbiology.msu.edu/ ), the proportion of functionally characterized unannotated genes (0.35%) is quite limited when compared with the approximately 3.9% of annotated genes with assigned putative functions. Researchers require additional information to help them investigate the molecular mechanisms associated with those unannotated genes. To determine which of them might regulate morphological or physiological traits in the rice genome, we conducted a meta-analysis of expression data that covered a wide range of tissue/organ samples. Overall, 2020 genes showed cultivar-, tissue-, or organ-preferential patterns of expression. Representative candidates from featured groups were validated by RT-PCR, and the GUS reporter system was used to validate the expression of genes that were clustered according to their leaf or root preference. Taking a molecular and genetics approach, we examined meta-expression data and found that 127 genes were differentially expressed between japonica and indica rice cultivars. This is potentially significant for future agronomic applications. We also used a T-DNA insertional mutant and performed a co-expression network analysis of Sword shape dwarf1 (SSD1), a gene that regulates cell division. This network was refined via RT-PCR analysis. Our results suggested that SSD1 represses the expression of four genes related to the processes of DNA replication or cell division and provides insight into possible molecular mechanisms. Together, these strategies present a valuable tool for in-depth characterization of currently unannotated genes.

Sexual Maturation, Attitudes towards Sexual Maturity, and Body Esteem in Elementary-School Children.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate sexual maturation, attitudes toward sexual maturity, and body esteem in the sexual development of Korean elementary-school boys and girls. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 399 fifth and sixth graders (192 boys and 207 girls). The data were analysed with a χ2 test, t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Among the 207 girls, 70.5% had pubic hair growth, 68.1% had breast development, and 56.0% had a menstrual period. In boys, 59.4% of the 192 subjects experienced the development of external genitalia and 52.6% had pubic hair growth. Sexual maturation was related to grade (boys, t=7.07, p=.008; girls, t=12.76, p < .001), age (t=-2.20, p=.030; t=-4.11, p < .001), height (t=-5.16, p < .001; t=-7.52, p < .001), and weight (t=-2.89, p=.004; t=-5.19, p < .001) in both boys and girls. Girls were more likely to have sexual maturity than boys (χ2=22.29, p < .001). Boys showed more positive attitudes toward sexual maturity (t=2.10, p=.036) and higher body esteem (t=2.12, p=.035) than girls. CONCLUSION: This study shows that sexual maturation, attitude toward sexual maturity, and body esteem in sexual development differ between boys and girls. The findings indicate that it is necessary to develop a tailored sex-education program according to the sex of elementary-school children.

Self-management Experiences of Older Korean Women With Urinary Incontinence: A Descriptive Qualitative Study Using Focus Groups.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the self-management experiences of Korean women with urinary incontinence (UI). DESIGN: Descriptive, qualitative study using focus groups. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Twenty-two community-dwelling women, 65 years and older, participated in 3 focus-group interviews. Participants were recruited from 2 elderly halls and 1 senior welfare center in South Korea. METHODS: Three focus group interviews comprising 6 to 8 individuals were conducted in a quiet venue at the elderly hall or senior welfare center. Two investigators performed the interviews; one acted as moderator and one as notetaker; interviews began with scripted open-ended questions. All interviews were electronically recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using an inductive thematic approach, data were first analyzed by the first and second authors; and all 4 authors contributed to coding and agreed on final themes. RESULTS: Korean women perceived UI as a loss of dignity, an odor problem, an uncontrollable disease, and a life impairment. Thematic analysis revealed 4 themes regarding the self-management experience of UI: preserving self-respect in the sociocultural environment, deodorizing the smell, keeping the secret of uncontrollability, and adjusting to an impaired life. CONCLUSIONS: Women in this study used various daily-living strategies to manage UI, but they mainly implemented strategies to keep UI a secret, including restrictions in activities of daily living. Educational approaches are needed to inform women with UI about more effective management skills.

Effect of palmitoylethanolamide on inflammatory and neuropathic pain in rats.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of evidence suggests that neuroinflammation, which is characterized by infiltration of immune cells, activation of mast cells and glial cells, and production of inflammatory mediators in the peripheral and central nervous systems, plays an important role in the induction and maintenance of chronic pain. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), which is a type of N-acylethanolamide and a lipid, has an anti-inflammatory effect. Relative to the anti-inflammatory effect, little is known about its analgesic effect in chronic pain. This study aimed to determine whether PEA relieves chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injured by transection of the left L5 and L6 spinal nerves to induce neuropathic pain or were injected with monoiodoacetic acid into the synovial cavity of knee joints to induce inflammatory pain. To assess the degree of pain, two kinds of stimuli - pressing von Frey filaments and wetting with acetone - were applied to the plantar surface of the rat to measure mechanical and cold sensitivity, respectively. Pain was measured by assessing behavioral responses, including paw withdrawal response threshold and paw withdrawal frequency upon stimulation. RESULTS: Neuropathic pain caused by spinal nerve transection (SNT) decreased the mechanical threshold and increased the frequency of response to acetone application. But, cold allodynia caused by SNT did not decrease the withdrawal frequency. Mechanical hyperalgesia caused by chronic inflammation was significantly reduced by both intraperitoneal and intra-articular injections of PEA. CONCLUSIONS: These outcomes revealed that PEA might be effective in relieving inflammatory and neuropathic pain, especially pain induced by mechanical hyperalgesia, but not cold allodynia.

Extraction optimization and nanoencapsulation of jujube pulp and seed for enhancing antioxidant activity.

The aim of this study was to optimize extraction conditions for jujube pulp and seed in order to obtain maximum active ingredient yield and antioxidant activity, as well as to prepare chitosan nanoparticles loaded with jujube pulp and seed extracts for enhancing stability. The extraction conditions, i.e. temperature, time, and ethanol concentration, were optimized at the following respective values: 61.2 °C, 38 h, and 60.4% for pulp, and 58 °C, 34 h, and 59.2% for seed. The jujube nanoparticle size significantly increased with a higher chitosan/sodium tripolyphosphate ratio and extract concentration. Entrapment efficiency was greater than 80% regardless of preparation conditions. The stabilities of jujube pulp and seed extract in terms of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were effectively enhanced by nanoencapsulation. In conclusion, jujube pulp and seed extracts prepared using optimal conditions could be useful as a natural functional food ingredient with antioxidant activity, and nanoencapsulation can be used to improve the stability of jujube extract. Therefore, these results could be used to promote the utilization of not only jujube pulp but also seed, by product.

A urinary incontinence continuing education online course for community health nurses in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Although urinary incontinence is prevalent among older women living in rural Korea, a lack of awareness and education exists in this population and among health professionals. Geographic isolation and limited resources also contribute to having few educational offerings for rural nurses. The authors' aim was to develop an online continuing education course on continence care for community health nurses and to examine its effectiveness. METHOD: A one-group, pretest-posttest design was used to detect changes in knowledge and attitudes after taking the online education course. Participant satisfaction was also measured at the end of the training. RESULTS: A significant improvement in knowledge and attitudes toward continence care was noted. More than 95% of participants responded that they would recommend the online program to other health care providers and indicated the program would be helpful regarding continence care in their practice. CONCLUSION: The continuing education online course is a feasible strategy to support rural community health nurses' learning to improve knowledge and attitudes toward urinary incontinence management and care.

Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices in registered nurses and care aids about urinary incontinence in Korean nursing homes: a cross-sectional survey.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices about urinary incontinence among Korean RNs and care aids and to identify correlates of continence care practices. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was used to gather self-reported data from 338 nursing staff, including 135 RNs and 203 care aids, from 61 nursing homes in Korea by using an existing instrument adapted for Korean nursing staff. The instrument consists of 18 items designed to measure knowledge about urinary incontinence, 18 items querying attitudes toward continence care, 17 items focusing on beliefs about undesirable consequences to older adults with urinary incontinence, and 28 items querying on continence care practice. RESULTS: Registered nurses had higher knowledge about urinary incontinence and they had more positive attitudes toward continence care practice than care aids. Attitudes, facility bed capacity, and continuing education on urinary incontinence were significantly related (P < .05) to RNs' continence care practice scores (R = 0.285; P < .001), while care aids' practice scores were associated with knowledge and attitudes (R = 0.163; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Attitude plays an important role in continence care practice for both RNs and care aids in Korean nursing homes. In addition, continence care practice of RNs may be influenced by updating clinical competencies. For care aids, continence care practice can be influenced by improving basic knowledge of urinary incontinence.

Sociodemographic and health indicators of older women with urinary incontinence: 2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and urinary incontinence (UI) in older women (≥ 65) living in residential care facilities (RCFs). DESIGN: Cross-sectional, retrospective survey of a population-based sample, the 2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities (NSRCF). SETTING: United States. PARTICIPANTS: Participants in the 2010 NSRCF (N = 8,094). MEASUREMENTS: Sociodemographic and health indicators associated with UI. RESULTS: Data from 4,930 women were available for analysis, 44.6% of whom had UI. Statistically significant differences were found between the samples of continent women and incontinent women in marital status (P = .001), educational level (P = .04), and length of stay (P = .03). Significant differences were also found between continent and incontinent women in activity of daily living (ADL) scores (P < .001), overall health status (P < .001), and comorbidities (P < .001). The strongest association was severe impairment in ADLs (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 21.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 16.07-29.01), followed by moderate impairment in ADLs (OR = 3.41, 95% CI = 2.61-4.44). CONCLUSION: UI is highly prevalent in older women residing in RCFs and is associated with severe impairment in ADLs. A comprehensive assessment including physical function status or early detection in physically functional impairment in RCFs is suggested to prevent or delay onset of or improve existing UI.

Encapsulation of astaxanthin-rich Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous for antioxidant delivery.

Calcium alginate gel (CAG) beads were used to entrap the antioxidant astaxanthin-rich Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous (ASX) by ionic gelation. ASX-CAG bead entrapment efficiency and release behavior, as influenced by alginate and CaCl(2) concentration and hardening time, were investigated. The optimized bead preparation conditions that gave rise to an efficient ASX release pattern were 1.5% alginate, 50mM CaCl(2), and a 5min hardening time. The antioxidant activity of non-encapsulated ASX was maintained for 4 days and then sharply decreased, whereas encapsulated ASX was maintained for 6 days. These results revealed that physical entrapment of ASX within CAG beads could be an effective technique for protecting the antioxidant activity of ASX from lipid peroxidation.

Basic fibroblast growth factor increases intracellular magnesium concentration through the specific signaling pathways.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays an important role in angiogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms are not clear. Mg(2+) is the most abundant intracellular divalent cation in the body and plays critical roles in many cell functions. We investigated the effect of bFGF on the intracellular Mg(2+) concentration ([Mg(2+)](i)) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). bFGF increased [Mg(2+)](i) in a dose-dependent manner, independent of extracellular Mg(2+). This bFGF-induced [Mg(2+)](i) increase was blocked by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (tyrphostin A-23 and genistein), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors (wortmannin and LY294002) and a phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma) inhibitor (U73122). In contrast, mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors (SB202190 and PD98059) did not affect the bFGF-induced [Mg(2+)](i) increase. These results suggest that bFGF increases the [Mg(2+)](i) from the intracellular Mg(2+) stores through the tyrosine kinase/PI3K/PLCgamma-dependent signaling pathways.

Torilin from Torilis japonica (Houtt.) DC. blocks hKv1.5 channel current.

Torilin was purified from Torilis japonica (Houtt.) DC., and its effects on a rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ channel (hKv1.5), cloned from human heart and stably expressed in Ltk- cells, as well as the corresponding K+ current (the ultrarapid delayed rectifier, I(KUR)) were assessed in human atrial myocytes. Using the whole cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique, torilin was found to inhibit the hKv1.5 current in time and voltage-dependent manners, with an IC50 value of 2.51+/-0.34 microM at +60 mV. Torilin accelerated the inactivation kinetics of the hKv1.5 channel, and slowed the deactivation kinetics of the hKv1.5 current, resulting in a tail crossover phenomenon. Additionally, torilin inhibited the hKv1.5 current in a use-dependent manner. These results strongly suggest that torilin is a type of open-channel blocker of the hKv1.5 channel.