A Case Study of Applied Scholarship: The British Journal of Social Work 1971–2013

The British Journal of Social Work (BJSW) has played a significant role in the development of social work as a practice and discipline for over forty years. For the first three decades of its life, the BJSW was the only prominent social work journal published out of the UK and thus is a ‘journal of record’, holding a mirror to the profession. As such, the BJSW has a rich depository of data, which not only tell the story of the journal itself, but contribute significantly to the narrative of social work as an ever-changing field. In this article, we aim to illuminate certain aspects of this narrative by presenting some of the findings from a multiple method historical case study on the BJSW, focusing on the first forty years of the journal. Data consisted of archival records, oral histories and analysis of journal content for the last full year of each of eleven editorial regimes. Here, we foreground the content analysis, giving particular emphasis to evidence regarding trends. We place these findings in the context of social work as a field, and relate them to the projected identity of the journal and to the broader identity of social work

Neuroprotective Effects of a Traditional Multi-Herbal Medicine Kyung-Ok-Ko in an Animal Model of Parkinson's Disease: Inhibition of MAPKs and NF-κB Pathways and Activation of Keap1-Nrf2 Pathway

Kyung-Ok-Ko (KOK), a traditional multi-herbal medicine, has been widely used in Oriental medicine as a restorative that can enforce vitality of whole organs and as a medicine that can treat age-related symptoms including lack of vigor and weakened immunity. However, the beneficial effect of KOK on neurological diseases such as Parkinson's diseases (PD) is largely unknown. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the protective effect of KOK on neurotoxicity in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced mouse model of PD. Pre-treatment with KOK at 1 or 2 g/kg/day (p.o.) showed significant mitigating effects on neurological dysfunction (motor and welfare) based on pole, rotarod, and nest building tests. It also showed effects on survival rate. These positive effects of KOK were related to inhibition of loss of tyrosine hydroxylase–positive neurons, reduction of MitoSOX activity, increased apoptotic cells, microglia activation, and upregulation of inflammatory factors [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide], and reduced blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and/or striatum after MPTP intoxication. Interestingly, these effects of KOK against MPTP neurotoxicity were associated with inhibition of phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathways along with up-regulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathways in SNpc and/or striatum. Collectively, our findings suggest that KOK might be able to mitigate neurotoxicity in MPTP-induced mouse model of PD via multi-effects, including anti-neuronal and anti-BBB disruption activities through its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. Therefore, KOK might have potential for preventing and/or treating PD

Minocycline markedly reduces acute visceral nociception via inhibiting neuronal ERK phosphorylation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Minocycline prevents the development of neuropathic and inflammatory pain by inhibiting microglial activation and postsynaptic currents. But, how minocycline obviates acute visceral pain is unclear. The present study investigated whether minocycline had an any antinociceptive effect on acetic acid-induced acute abdominal pain after intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of saline or minocycline 1 hour before acetic acid injection (1.0%, 250 μl, i.p.).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Minocycline (4, 10, or 40 mg/kg) significantly decreased acetic acid-induced nociception (0-60 minutes post-injection) and the enhancement in the number of c-Fos positive cells in the T5-L2 spinal cord induced by acetic acid injection. Also, the expression of spinal phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) induced by acetic acid was reduced by minocycline pre-administration. Interestingly, intrathecal introduction of PD98059, an ERK upstream kinase inhibitor, markedly blocked the acetic acid-stimulated pain responses.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results demonstrate that minocycline effectively inhibits acetic acid-induced acute abdominal nociception via the inhibition of neuronal p-ERK expression in the spinal cord, and that minocycline may have therapeutic potential in suppressing acute abdominal pain.</p

Cordycepin inhibits human ovarian cancer by inducing autophagy and apoptosis through Dickkopf-related protein 1/β-catenin signaling

Cordycepin, the major active component from Cordyceps militaris, has been reported to significantly inhibit some types of cancer; however, its effects on ovarian cancer are still not well understood. In this study, we treated human ovarian cancer cells with different doses of cordycepin and found that it dose-dependently reduced ovarian cancer cell viability, based on Cell counting kit-8 reagent. Immunoblotting showed that cordycepin increased Dickkopf-related protein 1 (Dkk1) levels and inhibited β-catenin signaling. Atg7 knockdown in ovarian cancer cells significantly inhibited cordycepin-induced apoptosis, whereas β-catenin overexpression abolished the effects of cordycepin on cell death and proliferation. Furthermore, we found that Dkk1 overexpression by transfection downregulated the expression of c-Myc and cyclin D1. siRNA-mediated Dkk1 silencing downregulated the expression of Atg8, beclin, and LC3 and promoted β-catenin translocation from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. These results suggest that cordycepin inhibits ovarian cancer cell growth, possibly through coordinated autophagy and Dkk1/β-catenin signaling. Taken together, our findings provide new insights into the treatment of ovarian cancer using cordycepin

Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsioses in Humans, South Korea

Multiplex-nested PCR and sequencing analysis indicated rickettsialike agents in serum specimens from febrile patients

A Common Bile Duct Stone formed by Suture Material after Open Cholecystectomy

The use of non-absorbable suture materials for cystic duct ligation after cholecystectomy can expose patients to the risk of recurrent stone formation in the common bile duct (CBD). However, in Korea suture materials have rarely been found to act as a nidus for common bile duct calculus formation. Recently, we experienced a case in which suture material, that had migrated from a previous cholecystectomy site into the CBD, probably served as a nidus for common bile duct stone formation. The stone was confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and removed successfully using a basket. The authors report a case of surgical suture migration and discuss its subsequent role as a stone forming nucleus within the CBD in a patient who underwent open cholecystectomy; and include a review of the literature

Mesenteric Pseudocyst of the Small Bowel in Gastric Cancer Patient: A Case Report

Mesenteric pseudocyst is rare. This term is used to describe the abdominal cystic mass, without the origin of abdominal organ. We presented a case of mesenteric pseudocyst of the small bowel in a 70-year-old man. Esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy showed a 3.5 cm sized excavated lesion on the posterior wall of angle. Endocopic biopsy confirmed a histologic diagnosis of the poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, which includes the signet ring cell component. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed a focal mucosal enhancement in the posterior wall of angle of the stomach, a 2.4 cm sized enhancing mass on the distal small bowel loop, without distant metastases or ascites in rectal shelf, and multiple gallbladder stones. The patient underwent subtotal gastrectomy with gastroduodenostomy, segmental resection of the small bowel, and cholecystectomy. The final pathological diagnosis was mesenteric pseudocyst. This is the first case report describing incidentally detected mesenteric pseudocyst of the small bowel in gastric cancer patients

TLR2-induced astrocyte MMP9 activation compromises the blood brain barrier and exacerbates intracerebral hemorrhage in animal models

Background: The innate immune response plays an important role in the pathogenesis of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Recent studies have shown that Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is involved in the innate immune response in various neurological diseases, yet neither its role in ICH nor the mechanisms by which it functions have yet been elucidated. We examined these in this study using a collagenase-induced mouse ICH model with TLR2 knock-out (KO) mice. Results: TLR2 expression was upregulated in the ipsilateral hemorrhagic tissues of the collagenase-injected mice. Brain injury volume and neurological deficits following ICH were reduced in TLR2 KO mice compared to wild-type (WT) control mice. Heterologous blood-transfer experiments show that TLR2 signaling in brain-resident cells, but not leukocytes, contributes to the injury. In our study to elucidate underlying mechanisms, we found that damage to blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity following ICH was attenuated in TLR2 KO mice compared to WT mice, which may be due to reduced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) activation in astrocytes. The reduced BBB damage accompanies decreased neutrophil infiltration and proinflammatory gene expression in the injured brain parenchyma, which may account for the attenuated brain damage in TLR2 KO mice after ICH. Conclusions: TLR2 plays a detrimental role in ICH-induced brain damage by activating MMP9 in astrocytes, compromising BBB, and enhancing neutrophils infiltration and proinflammatory gene expression. © 2015 Min et al.; licensee BioMed Central.1

A Case of Urine Leakage: An Unusual Complication after Renal Biopsy

Renal biopsy is a crucial method in the diagnosis and treatment of acute renal failure of unknown origin, nephrotic syndrome, suspicious interstitial nephritis, and glomerulonephritis as a possible cause of hematuria or proteinuria. Complications occur in 2% to 8% of patients after percutaneous renal biopsy. Complications include gross hematuria, perirenal hematoma, arteriovenous fistula, aneurysm, injury of other organs, and urine leakage. Urine leakage as a complication after kidney biopsy is rare. We experienced a case of urine leakage into the intra-abdominal cavity after renal biopsy