A Clinical observation was made on five patients with ruptured right aortic sinus of valsalva who admitted Soonchunhyang College Hospital during the period of may, 1983-Jan., 1985. 1) Age distribution was from 18 to 46 years and four patients were male and the rest one was female. 2) Chief complaints were dyspnea, chest pain and palpitation. Continuous murmur was heard at third and fourth intercostal space along left sternal border with palpable thrill in all cases. 3) The ECG showed left ventricular hypertrophy in 4 cases and the M mode echocardiogram revealed the increased internal dimesion and the augmented motion of the left ventricle in all cases. The 2 dimensional echocardiogram revealed the aneurysmal sac in the right ventricle in 4 cases. 4) The aortogram by DSA method showed regurgitant flow from aorta to right ventricle in 4 cases. The cardiac catheterization showed a significant oxygen step up in the right ventricle in all cases. 5) Operation was done successfully in all cases, of which ventricular septal defect were in 3 cases and aortic regurgitation was in one case.
Age Distribution ; Aneurysm ; Aorta ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Chest Pain ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Male ; Oxygen ; Sinus of Valsalva*

This study investigated in vitro antioxidant activity of Sonchus oleraceus L. by extraction solvent, which were examined by reducing power, hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity(HRSA) and 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays. 70% MeOH extract had the greatest reducing power while EtOH extract had the greatest HRSA. The antioxidant activity of S. oleraceus extracts was concentration dependent and its IC50 values ranged from 47.1 to 210.5 microgram/ml and IC50 of 70% MeOH, boiling water and 70% EtOH extracts were 47.1, 52.7 and 56.5 microgram/ml, respectively. 70% MeOH extract of S. oleraceus contained the greatest amount of both phenolic and flavonoid contents. The extracts tested had greater nitrite scavenging effects at lower pH conditions. The cytotoxic activity showed that EtOH extract had the best activity against the growth of stomach cancer cell. These results suggest that S. oleraceus extract could be used as a potential source of natural antioxidants.
Antioxidants ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Phenol ; Sonchus* ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Water

The electrical conductivity is a passive material property primarily determined by concentrations of charge carriers and their mobility. The macroscopic conductivity of a biological tissue at low frequency may exhibit anisotropy related with its structural directionality. When expressed as a tensor and properly quantified, the conductivity tensor can provide diagnostic information of numerous diseases. Imaging conductivity distributions inside the human body requires probing it by externally injecting conduction currents or inducing eddy currents. At low frequency, the Faraday induction is negligible and it has been necessary in most practical cases to inject currents through surface electrodes. Here we report a novel method to reconstruct conductivity tensor images using an MRI scanner without current injection. This electrodeless method of conductivity tensor imaging (CTI) utilizes B1 mapping to recover a high-frequency isotropic conductivity image which is influenced by contents in both extracellular and intracellular spaces. Multi-b diffusion weighted imaging is then utilized to extract the effects of the extracellular space and incorporate its directional structural property. Implementing the novel CTI method in a clinical MRI scanner, we reconstructed in vivo conductivity tensor images of canine brains. Depending on the details of the implementation, it may produce conductivity contrast images for conductivity weighted imaging (CWI). Clinical applications of CTI and CWI may include imaging of tumor, ischemia, inflammation, cirrhosis, and other diseases. CTI can provide patient-specific models for source imaging, transcranial dc stimulation, deep brain stimulation, and electroporation.
Animal Experimentation* ; Animals* ; Anisotropy ; Brain ; Deep Brain Stimulation ; Diffusion ; Electric Conductivity ; Electrodes ; Electroporation ; Extracellular Space ; Fibrosis ; Human Body ; Inflammation ; Intracellular Space ; Ischemia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Methods

Acute appendicitis is the most frequent cause of acute abdomen. However, bacteremia in patient with acute appendicitis is rare. A 34-year-old male patient presenting with fever and abdominal discomfort for two days showed leukocytosis, elevated C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Gram-negative rods were cultured in blood and empirical ceftriaxone was injected intravenously. On abdominal CT, wall enhanced and distended retrocecal appendix was recognized. Appendectomy was performed, which revealed suppurative inflammation without perforation. We report a case of acute appendicitis without perforation associated with Escherichia coli sepsis and atypical clinical manifestations in a healthy male.
Abdomen, Acute ; Adult ; Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Appendix ; Bacteremia ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Ceftriaxone ; Escherichia ; Escherichia coli ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Sepsis

Municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs) are thought to be important point sources of microplastics in freshwater systems and many peer-reviewed articles have been published on this issue since mid-2010s. In this review, we summarize existing literature on the occurrence of microplastics in STPs and experimental methods used for isolation and identification of microplastics. The number concentrations of microplastics in STP influents were 15.1-640 L⁻¹, whereas those in the STP effluents were highly variable and ranged from not detectable to 65 L⁻¹. For most of cases, conventional STPs are removing microplastics very effectively. Fragments and fibers are dominant shapes of microplastics. Thermoplastics (polyethylene and polypropylene) and polyester are the predominant materials recovered. Although further research is needed, size distribution of microplastics in STPs is likely to follow a power law, implying that different studies using different size cutoffs may be compared after establishing a power law relationship.
Fresh Water ; Jurisprudence ; Polyesters ; Sewage*

Municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs) are thought to be important point sources of microplastics in freshwater systems and many peer-reviewed articles have been published on this issue since mid-2010s. In this review, we summarize existing literature on the occurrence of microplastics in STPs and experimental methods used for isolation and identification of microplastics. The number concentrations of microplastics in STP influents were 15.1-640 L⁻¹, whereas those in the STP effluents were highly variable and ranged from not detectable to 65 L⁻¹. For most of cases, conventional STPs are removing microplastics very effectively. Fragments and fibers are dominant shapes of microplastics. Thermoplastics (polyethylene and polypropylene) and polyester are the predominant materials recovered. Although further research is needed, size distribution of microplastics in STPs is likely to follow a power law, implying that different studies using different size cutoffs may be compared after establishing a power law relationship.
Fresh Water ; Jurisprudence ; Polyesters ; Sewage

In the course of screening of angiogenesis inhibitor from natural products, cryptotanshinone from Salvia miltiorrhiza was isolated as a potent small molecule inhibitor of angiogenesis. Cryptotanshinone inhibits bFGF-induced angiogenesis of BAECs at ten micromolar ranges in vitro without cytotoxicity. Tanshinone IIA, another tanshinone isolated from S. miltiorrhiza, which is structurally very similar to cryptotanshinone except C-15 position of dihydrofuran ring does not inhibit angiogenesis induced by bFGF. These results demonstrate that cryptotanshinone is a new anti-angiogenic agent and double bond at C-15 position of the dihydrofuran ring plays a crucial role in the activity.
Angiogenesis Inhibitors/chemistry/isolation & purification/*pharmacology ; Animals ; Cattle ; Cell Movement/drug effects ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry/isolation & purification/pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells/drug effects/physiology ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2/pharmacology ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic/drug effects ; Phenanthrenes/chemistry/isolation & purification/*pharmacology ; Plant Roots/chemistry ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Salvia miltiorrhiza/*chemistry

Calmegin is a testis-specific molecular chaperon playing a key role in spermatogenesis. However, the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms for calmegin expression are entirely unknown. Herein, we revealed that calmegin is transcriptionally regulated by histone deacetylase (HDAC) and CpG methyltransferase. The cDNA microarray analysis of the human fibrosarcoma cells treated with trichostatin A (TSA) showed an increased level of calmegin mRNA. The induction of calmegin mRNA by TSA was added by the treatment with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5'Aza- dC), implying that epigenetic alterations are involved in the transcriptional repression of the gene. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay using an anti-acetyl-histone H3 antibody exhibited that the proximal region (-152~-31) of the calmegin promoter is responsible for HDAC-mediated transcriptional repression of the gene. These results demonstrate that calmegin expression is regulated by HDAC and CpG methyltransferase in a coordinative way.
Animals ; Calcium-Binding Proteins/*genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; *Gene Expression Regulation ; Histone Deacetylases/*metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Methyltransferases/*metabolism ; Mice ; Molecular Chaperones/*genetics ; Organ Specificity ; Promoter Regions (Genetics)/genetics ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Testis/*metabolism ; *Transcription, Genetic

The gene responsible for autosomal recessive parkinsonism, parkin, has recently been identified on chromosome 6q. It has been shown to be mutated in Japanese and European families, most of whom had early-onset parkinsonism. Here, we present a family with young-onset parkinsonism of an autosomal recessive inheritance. A homozygous exon 4 deletion in the parkin gene was found in 3 family members. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report in Korea of familial parkinsonism with the parkin gene mutation.
*Exons ; Female ; *Gene Deletion ; Genes, Recessive ; Human ; Ligases/*genetics ; Middle Aged ; Parkinsonian Disorders/*genetics ; *Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colonoscopic polypectomy is a valuable procedure for preventing colorectal cancer, but is not without complications. Delayed bleeding after colonoscopic polypectomy is a rare, but serious complication. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors of delayed bleeding after colonoscopic polypectomy. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was conducted in a single university hospital. Forty cases and 120 controls were included. Data collected included comorbidity, use of antiplatelet agents, size and number of resected polyps, histology and gross morphology of resected polyps, endoscopist's experience, resection method, use of sedation, and use of prophylactic hemostasis. RESULTS: In univariate analysis, size, histology and number of resected polyps, endoscopist's experience, resection method and use of prophylactic hemostasis were significant risk factors for delayed bleeding after colonoscopic polypectomy. In multivariate analysis, risk of delayed bleeding increased by 11.6% for every 1 mm increase in resected polyp diameter (OR, 1.116; 95% CI 1.041-1.198; p=0.002). Number of resected polyps (OR, 1.364; 95% CI, 1.113-1.671; p=0.003) and endoscopist's experience (OR, 6.301; 95% CI, 2.022-19.637; p=0.002) were significant risk factors for delayed bleeding after colonoscopic polypectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Size and numbers of resected polyps, and endoscopist's experience were independent risk factors for delayed bleeding after colonoscopic polypectomy. More caution would be necessary when removing polyps with these factors.
Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Colonic Diseases/*diagnosis/pathology ; Colonic Polyps/*surgery ; Colonoscopy/adverse effects ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/*etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Hemorrhage/etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors