CCN1 interlinks integrin and hippo pathway to autoregulate tip cell activity.

CCN1 (CYR61) stimulates active angiogenesis in various tumours, although the mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we report that CCN1 is a key regulator of endothelial tip cell activity in angiogenesis. Microvessel networks and directional vascular cell migration patterns were deformed in ccn1-knockdown zebrafish embryos. CCN1 activated VEGFR2 and downstream MAPK/PI3K signalling pathways, YAP/TAZ, as well as Rho effector mDia1 to enhance tip cell activity and CCN1 itself. VEGFR2 interacted with integrin αvß3 through CCN1. Integrin αvß3 inhibitor repressed tip cell number and sprouting in postnatal retinas from endothelial cell-specific Ccn1 transgenic mice, and allograft tumours in Ccn1 transgenic mice showed hyperactive vascular sprouting. Cancer patients with high CCN1 expression have poor survival outcomes and positive correlation with ITGAV and ITGB3 and high YAP/WWTR1. Thus, our data underscore the positive feedback regulation of tip cells by CCN1 through integrin αvß3/VEGFR2 and increased YAP/TAZ activity, suggesting a promising therapeutic intervention for pathological angiogenesis.

[The process of acceptance of complementary and alternative therapies (CATs) among nurses: grounded theory approach].

PURPOSE: This study was done to explore the process of accepting CATs among nurses who experienced CATs in Korea. METHODS: Grounded theory methodology was utilized. Data were collected from 10 nurses during individual in-depth interviews. Theoretical sampling was used until the data reached saturation. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative analysis method. RESULTS: The core category emerged as "resolving the doubt and integrating" explaining the process of accepting CATs. The nurses engaged in three stages: need awareness, look for solution and integration. Causal conditions were interest as a nursing intervention and orthodox medical limitations. Context was lack of basis for application and increase in social interest. Strategies were new knowledge acquisition, having a strong will, combined with existing knowledge, and individualized intervention. Intervening conditions were others' eye, exhaustion for nurses and physical environment. Consequences were expanding of the nursing role and improved nurse satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The results of the study should facilitate application of CATs in nursing practice. To help nurses who are interested in CATs, there is a need for education programs, and further research on CATs.

[A quality assessment of meta-analyses of nursing in South Korea].

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to assess the quality of meta-analyses on nursing published in South Korea. METHODS: Relevant meta-analyses were identified through searches of the National Assembly Library, KISS (Korean Studies Information Service System), and the DBpia and RISS4U databases from 1990 to May 2013. Quality assessments were conducted using AMSTAR, a validated tool for assessing the quality of systematic reviews. RESULTS: Forty-two meta-analyses were included in this study. Twenty-nine published between 1990 and 2010, and 13, between 2011 and May 2013. Two high quality studies and 11 moderate quality studies were published in the latter period. The mean score for the reviews was 5.61 (range 3-10); 11 studies were rated as low quality, 29 as moderate quality, and two as high quality. CONCLUSION: Although an improvement in the quality of meta-analyses conducted by nursing researchers in South Korea was observed across the study period, the study results indicate a need to use of more rigorous research methods when conducting systematic reviews or meta-analyses.

Yangsaeng and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in Middle Aged Women.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of Yangsaeng and HRQOL in middle aged women. Yangsaeng as a traditional health care regimen for the promotion of health and prevention of illness by means of specific principles and methods, which purpose was to improve longevity and healthy life. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 200 middle aged women in Korea. Data were collected by using a self-reported questionnaire and analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, t-test, ANOVA and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference in Yangsaeng according to age, stress and working hours. There were significant differences in HRQOL according to stress and working hours. The relationship between Yangsaeng and HRQOL had a significant positive correlation. Mind and diet Yangsaeng, christianity, and working hours were found to be significant predictors (24.6%) of HRQOL. CONCLUSION: To promote HRQOL of middle aged women, the nurse should focus on the factors identified in this study when she develop nursing intervention programs for health promotion.

Angiogenesis induced by autologous whole bone marrow stem cells transplantation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It has been presumed that unknown cells and growth factors in bone marrow might promote angiogenesis, so angiogenesis effect could be enhanced by autologous whole bone marrow (WBM) stem cell transplantation. We compared capillary ratio induced by autologous WBM and bone marrow-mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs) to evaluate the anigiogenic effect of auotologous WBM. In addition, the combined effect of WBM transplantation and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) injection was examined in an ischemic canine model. METHODS AND RESULTS: After creating ischemic limb model, autologous WBM and isolated BM-MNCs were transplanted into the ischemic muscle. In other experiments, autologous WBM with recombinant human G-CSF (rhG-CSF) and autologous WBM without rhG-CSF were transplanted into the ischemic muscle. In this study, normal saline was injected into the contralateral sites in each ischemic model as a control group. After 8 weeks of transplantation, angiography and muscle harvest were performed, and then the anigiographic findings and capillary density, as assessed by immunohistochemical staining, were investigated and analyzed. In comparison with the control group, BM-MNCs and WBM transplantation groups showed higher ratios of the capillary density (1.5±0.01 times, p<0.001 and 1.6±0.15 times, p=0.005, respectively). Between the BM-MNCs and WBM transplantation groups, the capillary ratio was 1.2 folds higher in the WBM group than that in the BM-MNCs group, but there was no significantly different (p=0.116). The angiogensis ratios of both the WBM without G-CSF group and the WBM with G-CSF groups were higher (1.6±0.15 times, p=0.004 and 1.8 ±0.01 times, p=0.005, respectively) than that of the control groups. In comparison with the WBM without G-CSF group, the WBM with G-CSF transplantation group revealed a 1.1 folds higher angiogenesis ratio, but there was no statistically significant difference (p=0.095). CONCLUSIONS: Autologous WBM transplantation is a simpler method and it is not inferior for inducing therapeutic angiogenesis as compared with isolated BM-MNCs transplantation. In addition to autologous WBM transplantation, intravenous G-CSF injection enhances the angiogenic effect of autologous WBM in an ischemic limb.

Neurotoxicity of microglial cathepsin D revealed by secretome analysis.

Microglia-driven inflammatory responses have both neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects in the CNS. The excessive and chronic activation of microglia, however, may shift the balance towards neurotoxic effects. In this regard, proteins secreted from activated microglia likely play a key role in the neurotoxic effects. To characterize secreted proteins of activated microglia, conditioned media obtained from BV-2 mouse microglia cells were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis or liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Among many proteins identified in the secretome of activated microglia, an aspartic endoprotease cathepsin D has been found to mediate microglial neurotoxicity based on the following results: (i) the expression of cathepsin D protein was markedly increased in lipopolysaccharide/interferon-γ-stimulated microglia compared with resting microglia as determined by western blot analysis of conditioned media; (ii) knockdown of cathepsin D expression in microglia using short hairpin RNA diminished the neurotoxicity in the coculture of microglia and neuroblastoma cells and (iii) recombinant procathepsin D protein exerted cytotoxic effects toward cultured neurons. In conclusion, cathepsin D appears to play a central role in the microglial neurotoxicity, and could be a potential biomarker or drug target for the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with excessive microglial activation and subsequent neurotoxic inflammation.

[Experience in nausea and vomiting of pregnancy(NVP) in woman: grounded theory approach].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore NVP process in woman. METHOD: This study is based on grounded theory methodology by Strauss & Corbin. The participant were 12 women selected by theoretical sampling. The data were collected by in-depth interviews using audiotape recording over a period of five months. The data were analyzed simultaneously by a constant comparative method in which new data were continuously coded in categories and properties according to Strauss and Corbin' methodology. RESULT: NVP is caused by having an empty stomach and irritation of smell. NVP occur in connection with environmental change and overworking. The central incident about NVP in Woman were aggravation of physical condition and irritability of emotional state. Intervening condition that conclude action/interational strategies of NVP -Coping behavior is related to family support. Action/interational strategies to NVP-Coping in woman were dependence on medical treatment, change in food intake, rest, removal of smell, conversion in attention. NVP in woman result in ambivalence. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that the result of this study may contributed to the development NVP-coping strategy for woman. There is need to develop family support system and individualized care plan respect to food favorite.

[Development of a scale to measure self-care for korean patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was the development and validation of a scale to measure the self-care of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) in Korea. METHOD: Self-care scale was developed based on the self-care activities patients had to carry out in order to manage their COPD. The original scale contained 34 items rated along a five-point Likert scale and was reviewed by 18 professional nurses and 10 Korean patients with COPD for content validity. Subsequently, patients with COPD were asked to complete this 23-item scale and further tests were done with the 125 useable responses. RESULT: Factor analysis identified eight factors- "maintaining a clean air way", "taking medication", "support from family", "preventing infection", "managing symptoms", "breathing exercising", and "taking in nutrition". The internal consistency of the total scale was Cronbach's alpha=0.7226. These eight factors explained 60.8% of total variance. There was correlation among Korean Self-Care Scale score, administration level, and knowledge level but there was no correlation to patients' satisfaction with medical services. CONCLUSION: The 23 item questionnaire positively identified 8 areas defined important for COPD patients. Further studies are required to see how these can be integrated into patient education.