Sorokdo: From the Island of Stigma to the Island of Historical Reflection

This article focuses on Sorokdo Island (Jeollanam-do, South Korea) as a remnant of the stigmatized landscape reflecting Hansen’s Disease and the Japanese colonial power. Sorokdo began to be stigmatized due to the Japanese colonial rule in the early 20th century when patients with Hansen\u27s Disease were forced to relocate there, suffering from human rights violations and labor exploitation. Isolation and the management of the patients by suppression and control were justified with the logic of modern values of sanitization supported by the colonial rule. Stigma has remained even after the liberation from the colonial power. Continuously recognized by people as an isolated, remote island with a significant concentration of patients with Hansen’s Disease, Sorokdo still is being poorly preserved and overlooked by the public and the government. Based on a literature review and field research, this article illustrates how stigmatized landscapes remain in the hospital, detention/testing rooms, the Japanese Shinto shrine, and Central Park, among others. This article points out the necessity to preserve the landscape so that Sorokdo can be used as a space to educate and reflect on history. The suppression of the patients and workers on this island also should be illuminated. This article further emphasizes that social consensus is required regarding how Sorokdo can be carefully managed as a place that reflects its traumatized colonial history

Antiobesity Effect of Codonopsis lanceolata in High-Calorie/High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obese Rats

The antiobesity effects of Codonopsis lanceolata (CL) were evaluated in a high-calorie/high-fat-diet (HFD-) induced obesity rat model and 3T3-L1 cells. The Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed a normal diet (ND) or a HFD for a period of 12 weeks. The rats were subdivided into groups: ND, ND + wild Codonopsis lanceolata (wCL) (900 mg/kg/day, p.o.), ND + cultivated Codonopsis lanceolata (cCL) (900 mg/kg/day, p.o.), HFD, HFD + wCL (100, 300, or 900 mg/kg/day, p.o.), HFD + cCL (100, 300, or 900 mg/kg/day, p.o.), and HFD + sibutramine. The body weight gains of the administered HFD + CL (wCL or CCL) were lower than those of the rats fed with only the HFD group. Moreover, the weight of adipose pads and the serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in the group administered HDL + CL were significantly lower than in the HFD group. The inhibitory effect of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells was measured by Oil Red O staining and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Treatment of 3T3-L1 cells with wCL inhibited lipid accumulation and expression of C/EBPα and PPARγ. These results suggest that CL has a great potential as a functional food with anti-obesity effects and as a therapeutic alternative in the treatment of obesity

Heat Shock Factor 1 Prevents Age-Related Hearing Loss by Decreasing Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a common stress factor during the aging process. Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) plays a critical role in ER stress; however, its exact function in age-related hearing loss (ARHL) has not been fully elucidated. The purpose of the present study was to identify the role of HSF1 in ARHL. In this study, we demonstrated that the loss of inner and outer hair cells and their supporting cells was predominant in the high-frequency region (basal turn, 32 kHz) in ARHL cochleae. In the aging cochlea, levels of the ER stress marker proteins p-eIF2α and CHOP increased as HSF1 protein levels decreased. The levels of various heat shock proteins (HSPs) also decreased, including HSP70 and HSP40, which were markedly downregulated, and the expression levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 apoptosis-related proteins were increased. However, HSF1 overexpression showed significant hearing protection effects in the high-frequency region (basal turn, 32 kHz) by decreasing CHOP and cleaved caspase-3 and increasing the HSP40 and HSP70 proteins. These findings were confirmed by HSF1 functional studies using an auditory cell model. Therefore, we propose that HSF1 can function as a mediator to prevent ARHL by decreasing ER stress-dependent apoptosis in the aging cochlea

Instructor-led distance learning for training students in cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A randomized controlled study.

Study hypothesisCardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training can increase the likelihood of patient survival and better neurological outcomes. However, conventional learning (CL) has cost, time, and space constraints. This study aimed to evaluate whether laypersons who completed instructor-led distance learning (DL) acquired a level of CPR skill comparable to that achieved via CL training.MethodsThis randomized controlled study recruited students from 28 Korean high schools who were randomized to complete instructor-led DL or CL training. The CL training involved classroom-based face-to-face training, whereas the instructor-led DL training was provided online using a videoconferencing system.ResultsThe study enrolled 62 students who were randomized to the CL group (31 participants) or the DL group (31 participants). Relative to the CL group, the DL group achieved remarkably similar results in terms of most CPR variables. In addition, the DL group had a significant improvement in the mean compression depth (before: 46 mm [interquartile range: 37-52 mm] vs. after: 49 mm [interquartile range: 46-54 mm], pConclusionsInstructor-led DL can be a suitable alternative to CL for providing CPR training to laypersons. In settings like the current COVID-19 pandemic, where face-to-face CL is not practical, DL may be a useful tool for delivering CPR training

Synergistic Effect in Neurological Recovery via Anti-Apoptotic Akt Signaling in Umbilical Cord Blood and Erythropoietin Combination Therapy for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury

Our previous clinical studies demonstrated the synergistic therapeutic effect induced by co-administering recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) in human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) therapy for children with cerebral palsy. However, the cellular mechanism beyond the beneficial effects in this combination therapy still needs to be elucidated. A hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) model of neonates, representing cerebral palsy, was prepared and randomly divided into five groups (hUCB+rhEPO combination, hUCB, and rhEPO treatments over HIE, HIE control, and sham). Seven days after, hUCB was administered intraperitoneally and the rhEPO injections were started. Neurobehavioral tests showed the best outcome in the combination therapy group, while the hUCB and rhEPO alone treatments also showed better outcomes compared with the control (p < 0.05). Inflammatory cytokines were downregulated by the treatments and attenuated most by the combination therapy (p < 0.05). The hUCB+rhEPO treatment also showed remarkable increase in phosphorylation of Akt and potentiation of anti-apoptotic responses with decreased Bax and increased Bcl-2 (p < 0.05). Pre-treatment of MK-2206, an Akt inhibitor, for the combination therapy depressed the anti-apoptotic effects. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the therapeutic effect of hUCB therapy might be potentiated by co-administration of rhEPO via augmentation of anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic responses related to the phosphorylation of Akt

Molecular Mechanism of Macrophage Activation by Red Ginseng Acidic Polysaccharide from Korean Red Ginseng

Red ginseng acidic polysaccharide (RGAP), isolated from Korean red ginseng, displays immunostimulatory and antitumor activities. Even though numerous studies have been reported, the mechanism as to how RGAP is able to stimulate the immune response is not clear. In this study, we aimed to explore the mechanism of molecular activation of RGAP in macrophages. RGAP treatment strongly induced NO production in RAW264.7 cells without altering morphological changes, although the activity was not strong compared to LPS-induced dendritic-like morphology in RAW264.7 cells. RGAP-induced NO production was accompanied with enhanced mRNA levels of iNOS and increases in nuclear transcription factors such as NF-κB, AP-1, STAT-1, ATF-2, and CREB. According to pharmacological evaluation with specific enzyme inhibitors, Western blot analysis of intracellular signaling proteins and inhibitory pattern using blocking antibodies, ERK, and JNK were found to be the most important signaling enzymes compared to LPS signaling cascade. Further, TLR2 seems to be a target surface receptor of RGAP. Lastly, macrophages isolated from RGS2 knockout mice or wortmannin exposure strongly upregulated RGAP-treated NO production. Therefore, our results suggest that RGAP can activate macrophage function through activation of transcription factors such as NF-κB and AP-1 and their upstream signaling enzymes such as ERK and JNK