BACKGROUND: Plant extracts have been widely used as important therapeutic drugs for many centuries all over the world. There have been many reports that natural products have various kinds of biological activities such as anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. Recently, the screening for the efficacy and safety of natural products has been extensively performed. OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to find a beneficial plant extract possessing excellent antioxidative and anti-melanogenic activities. We have found that the leaf of Robinia pseudo-acacia L. has active substances which are involved in those activities. METHODS: To confirm the antioxidative activity of the extract obtained from the leaves of Robinia pseudo-acacia L., scavenging ability of the extract on DPPH free radicals and its inhibitory effects on lipid autoxidation and peroxidation were investigated. In addition, inhibitory effects of the extract on mushroom tyrosinase as well as melanin biosynthesis in cultured B16 melanoma cells were evaluated. RESULTS: The acacia extract showed not only powerful antioxidative activity but also antimelanogenic acitivity as strong as that of arbutin which is a well known inhibitor of melanogenesis. CONCLUSION: These resulis suggest that the extract from the leaves of Robinia pseudo-acacia L. could be used as a 4ghtening and antioxidative agent for the skin.
Acacia ; Agaricales ; Arbutin ; Biological Products ; Free Radicals ; Mass Screening ; Melanins ; Melanoma, Experimental ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Plant Extracts ; Plants ; Robinia* ; Skin

No abstract available.
Transplants*

No abstract available.
Asthma* ; Child* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Rhinitis*

Temporal and spatial expression of bmp-2 and bmp-4 was investigated in distraction osteogenesis and fracture healing models in order to delineate their roles in these new hone formation processes. Distraction osteogenesis was performed on the left tihia diaphyses of Sprague-Dawley rats, and was confirmed by serial radiographs and histologicaJ examination. Total RNA was isolated from the distraction gaps and fracture sites sequentially until the postoperative eighth week, and mRNA expression was quantitated hy competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) using specific primers for bmp-2 and bmp-4. In-situ hybridization was performed on the undemineralized tissue section of distraction osteogenesis group. Both bum-2 and bmp-4 mRNA expression increased during distraction osteogenesis and fracture healing. Increase in bmp-2 mRNA expression was more marked and prolonged in distraction osteogenesis compared with fracture healing, whereas bmp-4 mRNA expression was persistently increased in both groups. In-situ hybridization study revealed that hoth bmp-2 and bmp-4 were expressed at eariy osteohlasts producing osteoid, trabeculae-lining osteoblasts and osteocytes of regenerate bone. Enhanced new bone formation in distraction osteogenesis is associated with prolonged and increased expression of BMPs, especially BMP-2. lnspite of their structural similarity, BMP-2 and BMP-4 appear to have their distinct roles in new hone formation.
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins* ; Diaphyses ; Fracture Healing* ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocytes ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger*

Tsutsugamushi disease is an acute febrile disease caused by Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, and which has been reported with increasing frequency thorough the nation since 1986. We experienced 21 cases of Tsutsugamushi Disease diagnosed with serologic test occurring in Taegu city and Kyungpook province during October-November, 1989. The results of survey are as follow. 1) Of 21 cases, 12 (57%) were males and 9 (43%) were females, and the peak incidence was the 4th decade. 2) The outbreak was in October to November and the peak incidence was in October. 3) The most frequent symptoms were fever and chill (100%), myalgia (95%), headache (90%), Eschar and rash were observed in 18 patients (86%) and the eschar was detected in all over the body, especially thorax (33%) and lower extremity (22%). 4) Laboratory features were SGOT elevation (83%), SGPT elevation (61%), LDH elevation (67%), leukocytosis (38%). 5) Indirect immunofluorescent antibody test was done in 18 patients and the antibody titer was above 1:320 in all patients. 6) The chloramphenicol, tetracycline or doxycycline regimens were very effective and mean duration of defervescence from initiation of therapy was 1.3 days. 7) The complication such as meningitis or shock, was not seen.
Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Chloramphenicol ; Daegu ; Doxycycline ; Exanthema ; Female ; Fever ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukocytosis ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Meningitis ; Myalgia ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Scrub Typhus* ; Serologic Tests* ; Shock ; Tetracycline ; Thorax

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed 200 cases of prenatal amniocentesis and compared them with other reported studies. Thus we propose the necessity of metanalysis for prenatal amniocentesis. METHOD: We analyzed 200 cases that have undergone amniocentesis at Masan Samsung hospital from January 1996 to December 1997. The results of our study was compared with other reported studies of amniocentesis by indication and maternal age. The proportion of age-class and indication are compared between previous study subjects and our 200 cases. RESULTS: Triple marker abnormality was the most common indication of amniocentesis(51%) and the most common age distribution was 25-29 years (43.5%). Chromosomal aberration was diagnosed in 20 cases (10%) of which the numerical aberration was 9 cases (4.5%) and the structural aberration was 11 cases (5.5%). 5 cases (2.5%) out of ll cases of the structural aberration were normal variant. There were 7 cases (trisomy 21) of autosomal aberration and 2 cases (Turner syndrome) of sex chromosome aberration. Arnong the structural aberration, there was only one reported case of 46, t(7:10) reciprocal translocation. There were no cases of fetal death except for a little self limited preterm labor. There were no neonatal complications. In the comparison of indication and maternal age with other studies, abnormal triple test was the most common indication of amniocentesis. The number of young pregnant women under 35 years old who underwent genetic amniocentesis was increased year by year. CONCLUSION: Triple maker screening test and genetic amniocentesis become popular method of antenatal diagnosis in Korea. Now, it is the proper time to establish standard indication of prenatal amniocentesis in this country by systemic and objective statistic examination. So we address the need for metanalysis in our country as comparing with other studies.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Amniocentesis* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Maternal Age ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Sex Chromosome Aberrations

The incidence of conjoined twins is so rare that few anesthesiologists have an opportunity of managing them. Especially in Korea, there are only a few reports describing the anesthetic management for surgical separation of newborn conjoined twins. We experienced the successful anesthetic management for surgical separation of thoraco-xiphopagus conjoined twins without any particular problems. After applying the noninvasive monitors (ECG, pulse oximeter), one of the twins (twinA) with congenital heart disease was administered with intravenous ketamine for induction of anesthesia and intubated without neuromuscular blocker. Anesthesia was maintained with N2O-O2 and hand ventilation using Mapleson D breathing circuit. After maintaining airway of the twinA, the twinB was intubated and maintained with the same manner. Eighteen days after the separation procedure, the twinA with congenital heart disease died and the other one, twinB has been alive with normal growth and development.
Anesthesia ; Growth and Development ; Hand ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Ketamine ; Korea ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Respiration ; Twins, Conjoined* ; Ventilation

No abstract available.
Parathyroid Neoplasms*

In periodontal regeneration treatment, access to the frucation area is very difficult. Thus complete removal of plaque, calculus and endotoxin is somewhat impossible. In this study, teeth that were extracted due to periodontal disease were used. The furcation area was treated with periodontal curette, ultrasonic scaler, roto bur and they observed using SEM. The result was follows 1. The group treatment with curette showed remaining plaque, the cementum existed in most of the surface and partial dentinal tubule orifice could be seen. 2. The group treatment with ultrasonic scaler showed less removalof plaque compared to curette and irregular surface could be seen. 3. The group treatment with roto bur showed cleaner surface and many dentinal tubule orifice could be seen compared to the curette and ultrasonic scaler groups. Thus when suing treatments such as bone grafting or guided tissue regeneration, it is considered that the furcation area should be treatment with Roto bur.
Bone Transplantation ; Calculi ; Dental Cementum ; Dentin ; Guided Tissue Regeneration ; Periodontal Diseases ; Regeneration ; Tooth ; Ultrasonics

The search for tumor-avid agents for use in nuclear medicine imaging is an ongoing field of importance. The purpose of this study was to determine the affinity for radiolabeled vitamin B12 by a wide histologic variety of tumor types in mice. Seventeen different types of tumor were grown subcutaneously in female Balb/C or Balb nu/nu(nude) mice. When the tumors reached about 1 cm in diameter, mice were injected intraperitoneally with 57Co-vitamin B12. Twenty-foul hours later, the mice were sacrificed. Organs and tissues were removed, weighed, and activity per mg determined by gamma counter. Values represented cpm/mg tissue that was normalized to 20 grams body weight for each mouse. A wide variety of tumor types showed significant uptake and concentration of 57Co-vitamin B12, as evidenced by tumor:tissue activity ratios. For many tissues of great importance in terms of background(bone, muscle, blood), the tumor:tissue activity ratios of uptake were high. These data strongly suggest that further efforts to evaluate the utility of radiolabeled adducts of vitamin B12 for clinical use in oncologic imaging are warranted.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Female ; Humans ; Mice* ; Nuclear Medicine ; Vitamin B 12