Hyperacture rejection (HAR) of pig organs, upon xenotransplantation into primates, could partly be overcome by knocking out the alpha-Gal gene. However, xenotransplanted organs may still undergo immunological acture rejection (AR) or acute vascular rejection (AVR). Among several genes involved in AR and AVR, the hCD47 evades the monocyte/ macrophage mediated phagocytosis by identifying the self/non-self signal (CD47-SIRPa) whereas hTFPI participates in the regulation of coagulation pathway by acting upstream of the thrombin. In this study, we investigated hCD47 and hTFPI as two possible candidates for avoiding AR and AVR, respectively upon pig-to-human xenotransplantation. A co-expression vector for hCD47 and hTFPI was constructed using 2A peptides system (F2A) and transfected into the porcine kidney cell line (PK-15). The transfected cells stably expressed both hCD47 and hTFPI mRNA and proteins. Co-culture of non-transfected, hCD47-transfected, hTFPI-transfected or hCD47+hTPFI-transfected PK15 cells with natural killer (NK) cells, monocytes and macrophages confirmed the cytotoxic effect of hCD47 and revealed a synergistic effect of hCD47 and hTFPI co-transfection. There was an attractive survivability of 25～30% on each type of innate immune cell, NK cell and macrophage. These results suggest that transgenic pigs, genetically modified for hCD47 and hTFPI may be useful for overcoming xenograft rejection. Furthermore, cotransfection with hTFPI may enhance the cytotoxic effect of hCD47, possibly by assisting the hCD47-SIRPa binding by an unknown mechanism.

The purpose of the study was to reveal positive psychological and therapeutic horticultural factors that improve the quality of life for elderly women. After IRB certification, we recruited 40 elderly (over age 65) women from Ilsan Presbyterian Church who volunteered to join this study during July and August 2016. They were divided into 2 groups of 20 (control and experimental). The experimental group was subjected to eight weeks’ positive horticultural therapeutic programs with such content as the ‘making of dry-flower name tags, earthenware flowerpots, flavor pockets, flower arrangements in cups, dry-flower fans, flower baskets, grass dolls, and praise bouquets.’ No treatment was given for the control group. Afterwards, evaluation was conducted via a questionnaire for such characteristics as self-respect, satisfaction, personality and talent. The data were collected and analysed by use of ‘SPSS version 21.0 program’. Much higher scores were revealed in the experimental group after 8 weeks’ horticultural therapy in comparison with the control group. Most of the high scores were in areas related to “Self-Respect Among the Elderly Women,” such as ‘self-confidence, cooperative mind, optimistic mind, satisfaction, self-respect, presence, positive outlook, accomplishment, and sense of excellence’(p＜0.01). Also for the experimental group, there were high level scores in the items of the “Satisfaction with Elderly Women’s Lives,” such as with ‘sense of regret, sense of failure, boredom/tedium, sense of fatigue, suffering, anger and annoyance, sense of dissatisfaction, melancholy, and despair,’ after 8 weeks’ on the horticultural therapeutics program(p＜0.01). The experimental group also showed high levels scores in most items of the “Personality and Talent in Elderly Women” such as in ‘the pursuit of meaning, personal relationships, reliability, sincerity/acceptance, compassion, sympathy, being earnest, responsibility, self-awareness, altruism, respect & praise for others, and grace’(p＜0.01). Subjects’ responses for the experimental group after PHTP were as follows: ‘happiness, hope, and gratitude‘ at 20.0%,’brighter outlook‘ at 15.0%,’love and learning’ at 10.0%, and ’grace‘ at 5.0%. Results of the positive horticultural therapeutics showed its effectiveness in improving the quality of life for elderly women. Therefore, we recommend performing and gradually expanding the program for other groups of elderly women.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of positive horticultural therapy (PHT) on the self-respect and the personality and talent in elderly women. Elderly women were divided into 2 groups as the control and the experimental group, which performed a positive horticultural therapy program for eight weeks. The results were summarized as follows: self-respect was recognized in all factors of ‘Self-confidence, cooperative mind, optimistic mind, satisfaction, self-respect, presence, positive outlook, accomplishment, and sense of excellence’ Positive horticultural therapy programs were positively related to improving self-respect and quality of life of the elderly women (p<.01). The personality and talent score of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group in all factors: ‘[t]he pursuit of meaning, personal relationships, reliability, sincerity/acceptance, compassion, sympathy, being earnest, responsibility, self-awareness, altruism, respect and praise for others, and grace’ (p<.01). Also it can be confirmed that it has a positive effect on the mental, physical, and social lives of the elderly women. Therefore, positive horticultural therapy with horticultural therapy and positive psychology, be confirms that the above results are very useful for improving the self-respect and quality of life in elderly women; also, it can be suggested that the above results are very useful for improving self-respect or quality of life of various objects.