A methanolic extract of Corydalis ternata having aldose reductase inhibitory activity was examined as a possible aldose reductase (ALR2) inhibitor, a key enzyme involved in diabetic complications. Seven alkaloids, tetrahydrocoptisine (1), corydaline (2), tetrahydropalmatine (3), isocorybulbine (4), corybulbine (5), dehydrocorydaline (6), and N-methyltetrahydroberbinium (7) were isolated from CHCl₃ fraction of C. ternata methanol extract. Among them, compounds 1, 5, and 7 exhibited 5.04 ± 1.97%, 5.00 ± 1.26%, and 1.80 ± 2.33% inhibitions, respectively at 40 µM. The activities of the single compounds were not comparable to that of the whole extract, suggesting that the whole combination of each single compound was responsible for the activity of the extract as shown in many cases of natural medicines. Even though this is the second report on aldose reductase inhibition activity of C. ternata, recombinant human aldose reductase was employed in this study unlike in the previous report. Furthermore, the aldose reductase inhibitory activities of isocorybulbine, corybulbine, and N-methyltetrahydroberbinium, to the best of our knowledge, were evaluated for the first time in this study. These results suggest a use of the extract of C. ternata for ameliorating diabetic complications.
Aldehyde Reductase* ; Alkaloids* ; Corydalis* ; Diabetes Complications ; Humans ; Methanol

It has been reported that beta-HCG is produced in the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and measuring of its level can be used as a tumor marker. We measured the serum and urinary levels of beta-HCG in the patients with the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and analysed the relationship to the clinical stage and histological grade and its significance as a tumor marker. The levels of the beta-HCG in the serum and early morning urine were measured in 40 cases of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and 37 cases of control group. Double-antibody immunometric assay (Coat-A-Count HCG IRMA) using I-labeled anti HCG antibody and monoclonal anti HCG antibody were used. The mean levels of the serum and urinary f-HCG in control group were 1.2mIU/ml, 1.4mIU/ ml and 3.6mIU/ml, 6.0mIU/ml in patient group, which showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups(p<0.05). In patient group, the levels of the serum and urinary beta- HCG were 2.9mIU/ml and 3.5mIU/ml in the superficial tumor, 2.6mIU/ml and 7.0mIU/ml in the invasive tumor and 7.5mIU/ml and 9.9mIU/ml in the metastatic tumor, showing a statistically significant increase as the clinical stage was advanced(p <0.05). The levels of the serum and urinary beta-HCG were 3.3mIU/ml and 1.3mIU/ml in grade I, 2.9mIU/ml and 5.9mIU/ml in grade II and 4.7mIU/ml and 7.6mIU/ml in grade III, which did not demonstrate a significant relationship to the histological grade(p>0.05). We think that the serum and urinary levels of beta-HCG in the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder are related to the tumor stage but not to the histological grade and in the metastatic tumor urinary beta-HCG level can be used as a reliable tumor marker.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Humans ; Urinary Bladder*

Three combinations of cloths were evaluated for the protective effects of different kinds of clothings in cold environments. Table 1 shows tile components of tile three models of clothings. A prototype was made by putting a sheet of vinyl at the middle layer of raw cotton in a fabric-quilt cloths. A glove mannequin was covered by each of these cloths. The globes contained 1,000 cc of hot water about 40 degrees C. Tele-thermisters were fixed in order to check the temperature of cloths space and water temperature for evaluation of caloric-loss and climate of clothings. Results are summarized as follows : 1) Without wind, there is no significant difference of air temperatures between ski-parka and quilt wear clothing. 2) The prototype with vinyl sheet best protects against wind, the next is the ski-parka. Quilt-wear protects the least. 3) It is well-known that a working-clothing needs not have any separate liners nor outers. 4) For innermost layer of a clothing preventing cold, a cotton-fabrics is recommended and a water-proof cloths for outer layer. 5) Heat-loss was calculated from the cooling degrees of water. Calorie-loss was 910ca1/m2/hr. when bared, but with the prototype of vinyl sheets the calorie-loss was 350cal/m2/hr. (38.5% of bared). Quilt-wear and ski-parka were 380(41.8%) and 440 cal/m2/hr. (48.4%) respectively.
Climate ; Clothing* ; Manikins ; Water ; Wind*

Human caspase-2, Ich-1 (Ice and Ced-3 homolog), has two different forms of mRNA species derived from alternative splicing, which encodes Ich-1 and Ich-1s. Ich-1v which induces apoptosis is antagonist of Ich-1s which suppresses Rat-1 cell death by serum deprivation. To investigate functions of Ich-1 and Ich-1s in T celi apoptosis, the fusion DNA constructs were made with the ecto and transmembrane of CDB and Ich-lv or Ich-1s and CDS-Ich-1 or CD8-Ich-1s chimeric protein was transiently expressed on Jurkat T cells. Tyrosine phosphorylation of intracellular proteins was induced in these transfectans when activated shortly by anti-CDB Ab. CDB-Ich-li transfectant in serum-rich condition and CDB-Ich-ls transfectant in serum-deprived condition underwent apoptosis when treated with anti-CDS Ab or incubated with NIH3T3 cells expressing stably Fas-L on their surface. We also made six antisense DNA constructs which could specifically inhibit the expression of Ich-1v, Ich- 1s, and then they were transiently transfected into Jurkat T cell. The overexpression of both of the antisese- Ich-1 against N-terminal 42 bp and against C-terminal 366 bp inhibited apoptosis through Fas signalling. But, when three different forms of antisense-Ich-1s were overexpressed in their transfectants, antisense-DNA against N-terminal 197 bp increased knd the one against C-terminal 66 bp inhibited apoptosis, instead the full size of antisense-DNA did not give any effects on apoptosis through Fas pathway.
Humans

Gatric duplication is a rare congenital anomaly. Thus for about 90 cases of gastric duplication have been recorded in the literature. It is less frequent than small intestinal or eosphageal duplication, and accounts for only 3.8% of all gastrointestinal tract duplication. Most gastric duplications are seen during the first year of life. Palpable abdominal mass and gastric outlet obstruction in infancy are most common presentation. We experienced a case of non-communicating gastric duplication. A 12-year-old girl visited St. Mary's Hospital because of indigestion, intermittent vomiting, and left upper quandrant pain for about 40 days. She have had intemittent abdominal pain with concomitant increased level of amylase since 5 years old. Physical examination showed a hen's egg sized palpable mass on left upper quadrant of the abdomen. Upper GI series and barium enema revealed only indentation of duodenal C-loop, and sonogram and abdominal CT demonstrated isolated cystic mass along the greater curvature of gastric antrum. She had taken an operation under the impression of pancreatic pseudocyst. Operation revealed a cystic mass, located along the greater curvature. There was no pathologic change in the pancreas. Microscopic findings of the cyst wall revealed normal gastric mucosal lining and common muscle layer, shared with gastric antral muscle layer.
Cysts

Subungual exostosis are not uncommon, however, they are infrequently mentioned in the dermatologic literature. We report herein a rase of subungual exostosis in the great toe of 16-year-old female student which was confirmed by histopathologic and radiologic findings. Histopathologic examination showed that the mass was ooeered by a dense fibrous tissue which merged into a fibrocartilage cap and bone. Computed tomography showed a well defined, oval shaped, radiopacity of bony density capped by a radiolucency.
Adolescent ; Exostoses* ; Female ; Fibrocartilage ; Humans ; Toes

BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the functional and radiologic outcomes of additive augmentation sutures through rotator cuff for proximal humeral fractures stabilized locking plate in elderly patients. METHODS: We enrolled 74 patients over the age of 60 years who received internal fixation using locking plates for proximal humeral fractures. Of these, 50 patients had additive augmentation sutures through rotator cuff. The mean age at the time of surgery was 72.1 years (range, 60-89 years), and the mean follow-up period was 17.5 months (range, 12-62 months). The humeral neck-shaft angle and humeral head height were used as radiological markers to assess the effect of additive augmentation sutures through rotator cuff. We allocated the patients who received additive augmentation sutures into group A and those who did not into group B. RESULTS: At the final follow-up, the mean Korean Showlder Society score and Constant scores were 88.96 +/- 12.1 and 86.6 +/- 11.9, respectively, in group A and 86.21 +/- 11.8 and 85.3 +/- 11.7, respectively, in group B (p=0.368, 0.271). At the final follow-up, the mean loss in humeral neck-shaft angle from the time of immediate postoperative measurement was 1.6degrees in group A and 4.8degrees in group B, whereas the mean loss in humeral head height was 0.82 mm in group A and 0.52 mm in group B (p=0.029, 0.178). CONCLUSIONS: The surgical outcomes of internal fixation using locking plates for proximal humeral fractures were clinically and radiologically good in elderly patients over the age of 60 years without any observable complications. Further, the loss of humeral head shaft angle at the final follow-up from its initial postoperative measurement was significantly smaller in patients who received an additive augmentation suture than in those who did not. Thus, we conclude that augmentation sutures are a beneficial option for elderly patients that clinicians can consider at the time of surgical decision making.
Aged* ; Decision Making ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Humeral Head ; Rotator Cuff ; Shoulder Fractures* ; Sutures*

Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) are loops of DNA which occur in the nucleoli of cells which possess ribosomal RNA genes. The numbers and areas of NORs have been thought to be related to cellular activities. We aimed to investigate the direct relationship between the parameters of AgNORs and cellular proliferative activity using immunohistochemical method with the monoclonal antibody Ki-67, which demonstrates proliferating nuclei. The sequential technique for the simultaneous Ki-67 immunostaining and NOR staining was applied to the same slides of a series of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) of the low, intermediate, and high grade type. The number of AgNOR per cell was counted and mean NOR percentage nuclear area (NPNA) was measured by morphometry in both the Ki-67 positive and Ki-67 negative nuclei. The increased immunoreactivity for Ki-67 was found in the high grade than in the low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This was reflected in the two areas of the palatine tonsils and lymph nodes, the positive cell counts being higher in the follicle center nuclei than in those in the interfollicular compartment. In general the numbers and NPNA of AgNORs were higher in the Ki-67 positive nuclei than in those lacking the antigen in malignant lymphomas as well as in control. The AgNORs numbers and NPNA in controls were the highest in the Ki-67 positive cells in the follicular area and the lowest in the Ki-67 negative cells in the perifollicular area. In malignant lymphomas the numbers and NPNA of AgNORs tended to increase in proportion to their grade in both the Ki-67 positive and negative cells. The numbers of AgNORs of the high grade and the NPNA of the intermediate and the high grade were significantly higher in Ki-67 positive cells than in Ki-67 negative ones. With this double staining method it was now possible to confirm that numbers and NPNA of AgNORs were directly related to the cellular proliferative activity. In maligant lymphoma, among the several parameters of the AgNORs, NPNA in Ki-67 positive cells is proposed to be the most useful marker in determining the prognosis of the patient.
Cell Count ; DNA ; Genes, rRNA ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Nucleolus Organizer Region* ; Palatine Tonsil ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the effect and retention of CPR training in nursing students. METHODS: The participants were 64 nursing students enrolled in K University in Busan. Data were collected from April 3 to October 20, 2006 using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the SPSS/PC 12.0 statistical program. RESULTS: The first hypothesis, that knowledge (t=-17.865, p=0.000) and skill (t=-11.216, p= 0.000) scored directly following the teaching program would be higher than before the program, was supported. The second hypothesis, that knowledge (t=-8.325, p=0.171) and skill (t=-9.812, p=0.062) scored directly after the teaching program would be higher than two months later, was rejected. The third hypothesis, that knowledge (t=-9.162, p=0.010) and skill (t=-6.019, p=0.023) scored two months after the program would be higher than four months after the program, was supported. The last hypothesis, that knowledge (t=9.169, p=0.210) and skill (t=-5.012, p=0.319) scored four months after the program would be higher than six months after the program, was rejected. CONCLUSION: Overall retention of CPR training among nursing students, without reinforcement, decreases most significantly between two and four months following initial training. Accordingly CPR training should be repeated with the same clients every four months.
Busan ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation* ; Education ; Humans ; Nursing* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Students, Nursing*

Tuberculosis of the duodenum is rare event in patients with pulmonary or intestinal tuberculoais. It is very difficult to diagnose duodenal tuberculosis because of inconaiatent symptoms and nonspecific duodenal lesioa. Although fiberoptic endoscopy has been used, there is the limitation of fiberoptic endoscopy ia diagnosingthis disease and the diagnoais require laparotomy with biopsy. Recently we experienced a case of duodenal tuberculosis with duodenoscopic findings of the submucosal tumor of duaidenum. We report a case with review of literatures.
Biopsy ; Duodenum* ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Tuberculosis*