Objective: To examine the effects of Tribulus terrestris L. (T. terrestris) extract on the modulation of calcium channels to evaluate its use in topical agents for treatment of atopic dermatitis. Methods: The 70% methanol extract of T. terrestris was prepared. Human HEK293T cells with over-expressed calcium release-activated calcium channel protein 1 (Orai1), transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, or transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 (TRPV3) were treated with T. terrestris extract. Modulation of ion channels was measured using a conventional whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Results: T. terrestris extract (100 mg/mL) significantly inhibited Orai1 activity in Orai1-stromal interaction molecule 1 co-overexpressed HEK293T cells. In addition, T. terrestris extract significantly increased the TRPV3 activity compared with 2-Aminoethyl diphe-nylborinate (100 mmol/L), which induces the full activation of TRPV3. Conclusions: Our results suggest that T. terrestris extract may have a therapeutic po-tential for recovery of abnormal skin barrier pathologies in atopic dermatitis through modulating the activities of calcium ion channels, Orai1 and TRPV3. This is the first study to report the modulatory effect of a medicinal plant on the function of ion channels in skin barrier.

The cytologic examination of the urine is very simple and inexpensive procedure for the detection and follow up the genitourinary tumors, and worthy as a mass screening test. The voided urines of 20 patients who were admitted to the department of urology, Seoul city hospital from October 1983 to September 1985 with the diagnosis of bladder carcinoma were analysed as to variations in PH and osmolality values and quality of cytologic smears. The same analyses were repeated after addition of trichloracetic acid (TCA) and after diuresis was obtained by Furosemide medication. Standardization of values of PH (average 2) and of osmolality (average 300 mosm/kg) was obtained by adding TCA to furosemide urine. The cellular smears of this TCA treated furosemide urine exhibited the finest cytological details when compared to the smears obtained by routine method.
Diagnosis* ; Diuresis ; Furosemide ; Hospitals, Urban ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Mass Screening ; Osmolar Concentration ; Seoul ; Urinary Bladder ; Urology

No abstract available.
Leukemia* ; Sweet Syndrome*

Acetylcholine provocation test was performed in 54 patients who were admitted to Seoul National University Hospital between August, 1989 and October, 1990 with chest painn and normal or near normal(narrowin of less than 30%) coronary arteries on baseline coronary angiogram. 1) After provocation with intracoronary acetylcholine, 19 patients showed coronary artery constriction of less than 50%, 5 patients showed constriction of 50 to 74%, 21 patients showed constriction of 75 to 99% and 5 patients showed total occlusion. patients with typical symptoms of variant angina showed coronary artery constriction of more than 50% in 81% of cases while those without such symptoms showed constriction of more than 50% in only 28%. 2) We classified the coronary artery constriction over 50% after acetylcholine provocation into focal, diffuse, combined type and total occlusion. 3) Branches of coronary artery on which constriction was provoked by acetylcholine were right coronary, left anterior descending and left circumflex in the decreasing order of frequency. 4) In patients with focal constriction less than 50%, there was neither ECG change nor development of chest pain, and out of 13 patients with focal constriction of more than 75%, 11 patients showed both chest pain and ST segment change and 2 of them showed either chest pain or ST sement change. 5) In 4 patients with diffuse constriction of less than 75%, we could not observe ECG change and chest pain and in 11 patients with diffuse constriction of more than 75%, six showed chest pain and ST segment change, four showed chest pain without ECG change and one showed neither chest pain nor ECG change. 6) In 5 patients with total occlusion, 3 of them showed both chest pain and ST segment change and 2 of them showed only chest pain. 7) Patients with coronary artery constriction of more than 75% showed significant difference in occurrence of chest pain and ST segment change in comparison with patients with coronary artery constriction of less than 75%(p<0.01). It is suggested that dynamic coronary artery constriction of more than 75% after acetylcholine provocation can be considered as positive test regardless of the morphologic feature of the lesion, whether it is diffuse or focal.
Acetylcholine* ; Chest Pain ; Constriction ; Coronary Vessels* ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Seoul ; Spasm* ; Thorax

Acetylcholine provocation test was performed in 54 patients who were admitted to Seoul National University Hospital between August, 1989 and October, 1990 with chest painn and normal or near normal(narrowin of less than 30%) coronary arteries on baseline coronary angiogram. 1) After provocation with intracoronary acetylcholine, 19 patients showed coronary artery constriction of less than 50%, 5 patients showed constriction of 50 to 74%, 21 patients showed constriction of 75 to 99% and 5 patients showed total occlusion. patients with typical symptoms of variant angina showed coronary artery constriction of more than 50% in 81% of cases while those without such symptoms showed constriction of more than 50% in only 28%. 2) We classified the coronary artery constriction over 50% after acetylcholine provocation into focal, diffuse, combined type and total occlusion. 3) Branches of coronary artery on which constriction was provoked by acetylcholine were right coronary, left anterior descending and left circumflex in the decreasing order of frequency. 4) In patients with focal constriction less than 50%, there was neither ECG change nor development of chest pain, and out of 13 patients with focal constriction of more than 75%, 11 patients showed both chest pain and ST segment change and 2 of them showed either chest pain or ST sement change. 5) In 4 patients with diffuse constriction of less than 75%, we could not observe ECG change and chest pain and in 11 patients with diffuse constriction of more than 75%, six showed chest pain and ST segment change, four showed chest pain without ECG change and one showed neither chest pain nor ECG change. 6) In 5 patients with total occlusion, 3 of them showed both chest pain and ST segment change and 2 of them showed only chest pain. 7) Patients with coronary artery constriction of more than 75% showed significant difference in occurrence of chest pain and ST segment change in comparison with patients with coronary artery constriction of less than 75%(p<0.01). It is suggested that dynamic coronary artery constriction of more than 75% after acetylcholine provocation can be considered as positive test regardless of the morphologic feature of the lesion, whether it is diffuse or focal.
Acetylcholine* ; Chest Pain ; Constriction ; Coronary Vessels* ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Seoul ; Spasm* ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Platelet plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome. Platelet glycoprotein IIb III a is the receptor for fibrinogen, and it plays an important role in the platelet aggregation. It was reported that polymorphism of the platelet glycoprotein III a (PlA1/A2) is related to acute coronary syndrome, especially in young patients. The aims of this study is to evaluate the relationship between platelet glycoprotein III a polymorphism and acute coronary syndrome in Koreans. METHOD: We studied total 208 patients (M: F=131 : 77, mean ages : 57.2+/-9.7). Acute coronary group comprised 110 patients, who underwent coronary angiography with the impression of acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina. Normal group comprised 98 patients who had no significant angiographic lesion. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. To determine the frequency of PlA1/A2 genotype, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done and the product was restricted with Msp I. 3% gel electrophoresis showed Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). Clinical profile and risk factor were also reviewed. RESULT: One patient in the acute coronary group is PlA1/A2 heterozygote and all the other are PlA1 homozygote. In normal group, all patients are PlA1 homozygote. The genotypic frequency of PlA1/A2 is consistent with the previous study. CONCLUSION: The genotype frequency of platelet glycoprotein III a gene polymorphism in Koreans is different from that of Caucasian. The allele frequencies of platelet glycoprotein III a is not different between acute coronary syndrome patient and normal control group. Platelet glycoprotein III a polymorphism may not be an hereditary risk factor in Koreans.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Angina, Unstable ; Blood Platelets* ; Coronary Angiography ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; Fibrinogen ; Gene Frequency ; Genes, vif ; Genotype ; Glycoproteins* ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Integrin beta3 ; Myocardial Infarction ; Platelet Aggregation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Platelet plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome. Platelet glycoprotein IIb III a is the receptor for fibrinogen, and it plays an important role in the platelet aggregation. It was reported that polymorphism of the platelet glycoprotein III a (PlA1/A2) is related to acute coronary syndrome, especially in young patients. The aims of this study is to evaluate the relationship between platelet glycoprotein III a polymorphism and acute coronary syndrome in Koreans. METHOD: We studied total 208 patients (M: F=131 : 77, mean ages : 57.2+/-9.7). Acute coronary group comprised 110 patients, who underwent coronary angiography with the impression of acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina. Normal group comprised 98 patients who had no significant angiographic lesion. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. To determine the frequency of PlA1/A2 genotype, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done and the product was restricted with Msp I. 3% gel electrophoresis showed Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). Clinical profile and risk factor were also reviewed. RESULT: One patient in the acute coronary group is PlA1/A2 heterozygote and all the other are PlA1 homozygote. In normal group, all patients are PlA1 homozygote. The genotypic frequency of PlA1/A2 is consistent with the previous study. CONCLUSION: The genotype frequency of platelet glycoprotein III a gene polymorphism in Koreans is different from that of Caucasian. The allele frequencies of platelet glycoprotein III a is not different between acute coronary syndrome patient and normal control group. Platelet glycoprotein III a polymorphism may not be an hereditary risk factor in Koreans.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Angina, Unstable ; Blood Platelets* ; Coronary Angiography ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; Fibrinogen ; Gene Frequency ; Genes, vif ; Genotype ; Glycoproteins* ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Integrin beta3 ; Myocardial Infarction ; Platelet Aggregation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There has been a need for functional status measurement tool with better validity than the existing tools such as New York Heart Association Functional Class. Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) is a representative example of a tool that was developed to enhance the validity of measurement by asking the patients about the ability to perform specific activities and scoring the response. Because such a tool must be culture-sensitive, it is desirable to use 'Koreanized' version of the tool. No Koreanized version of the functional status measurement tool has been developed yet. The objective of this study is to develop a Korean version of DASI. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In the developmental phase, a pilot questionnaire asking the ability to perform specific activity was made with reference to existing tools, such as Specific Activity Scale and DASI. Substitution, correction and addition of items were done through the pilot study. Ninety-nine patients was asked to fill developmental version of questionnaire, then underwent treadmill exercise test. Weight for each items were assigned to optimize the correlation between the calculated index (KASI) and total treadmill exercise time. Criteria for categorical functional classification were determined to maximize the agreement between KASI-estimated functional class (KASIFC) and functional class estimated by exercise time. In the validation phase, final version of questionnaire was tested in independent group of 159 patients. The questionnaire was self-administered. Canadian Cardiovascular Society Functional Class (CCSFC) was estimated by the physician who is in charge of treadmill exercise test. RESULTS: In the validation phase, Spearman correlation coefficient between KASI and treadmill exercise time was 0.62(p=.0001) and between CCSFC and exercise time -0.48(p=.0001). KASIFC agreed with functional class estimated by exercise time in 77% of cases, disagreed by 1 class in 20% and by 2 classes in 1%. KASIFC agreed with functional class estimated by exercise time in 77% of cases, disagreed by 1 class in 20% and by 2 classes in 1%. These two methods did not differ significantly in categorical classification. CONCLUSION: KASI is more accurate or at least as accurate as the existing tool in estimation of functional status. The characteristics such as self-administration, availability of outcome as a continuous variable are expected to make it a convenient, efficacious and useful tool in various clinical researches.
Classification ; Exercise Test ; Heart ; Humans ; Pilot Projects ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There has been a need for functional status measurement tool with better validity than the existing tools such as New York Heart Association Functional Class. Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) is a representative example of a tool that was developed to enhance the validity of measurement by asking the patients about the ability to perform specific activities and scoring the response. Because such a tool must be culture-sensitive, it is desirable to use 'Koreanized' version of the tool. No Koreanized version of the functional status measurement tool has been developed yet. The objective of this study is to develop a Korean version of DASI. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In the developmental phase, a pilot questionnaire asking the ability to perform specific activity was made with reference to existing tools, such as Specific Activity Scale and DASI. Substitution, correction and addition of items were done through the pilot study. Ninety-nine patients was asked to fill developmental version of questionnaire, then underwent treadmill exercise test. Weight for each items were assigned to optimize the correlation between the calculated index (KASI) and total treadmill exercise time. Criteria for categorical functional classification were determined to maximize the agreement between KASI-estimated functional class (KASIFC) and functional class estimated by exercise time. In the validation phase, final version of questionnaire was tested in independent group of 159 patients. The questionnaire was self-administered. Canadian Cardiovascular Society Functional Class (CCSFC) was estimated by the physician who is in charge of treadmill exercise test. RESULTS: In the validation phase, Spearman correlation coefficient between KASI and treadmill exercise time was 0.62(p=.0001) and between CCSFC and exercise time -0.48(p=.0001). KASIFC agreed with functional class estimated by exercise time in 77% of cases, disagreed by 1 class in 20% and by 2 classes in 1%. KASIFC agreed with functional class estimated by exercise time in 77% of cases, disagreed by 1 class in 20% and by 2 classes in 1%. These two methods did not differ significantly in categorical classification. CONCLUSION: KASI is more accurate or at least as accurate as the existing tool in estimation of functional status. The characteristics such as self-administration, availability of outcome as a continuous variable are expected to make it a convenient, efficacious and useful tool in various clinical researches.
Classification ; Exercise Test ; Heart ; Humans ; Pilot Projects ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: The restenosis after coronary angioplasty is the unresolved problem even if the improvement of interventional skills and pharmacological therapies. Nitric oxide, known as endothelial derived relaxing factor (EDRF), regulates the vascular tone and inhibits the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and platelet adhesions and endothelium-leukocyte interactions. Nitric oxide is produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). We studied the significance of eNOS gene polymorphism for the prediction of restenosis after coronary angioplasty in Koreans with ischemic heart disease. METHODS: We analyzed the two eNOS poly-morphisms using PCR (eNOS A/B polymorphism is the VNTR in intron 4 and eNOS T/G polymorphism is a missense mutation in exon 7) in 199 Korean patients who had 257 lesions undergoing percutaneous coronary angioplasty (ballooning=152, stenting=105). The angiography was repeated 6 months later to assess the relation between the rate of restenosis and types of eNOS gene polymorphism. RESULTS: We found no significant differences of restenosis rate in eNOS A/B and T/G polymorphism in those with balloon angioplasty or with stent (restenosis rate of A/A, A/B, B/B, respectively (n=257): 25% (1/4), 26% (14/53), 31% (62/200) (p=not significant), and T/T, T/G, G/G (n=249): 0% (0/3), 36% (16/44), 29% (58/202)(p=not significant)) Patients with A allele (non BB) or GG phenotype had lower restenosis rate, so we analyzed protective effect of non BB and GG phenotype on restenosis, but there was no significant statistical difference (restenosis rate of non BB and GG, BB and non GG respectively: 20% (15/57), 34% (16/47)(p=not significant)). CONCLUSION: eNOS A/B and T/G polymorphism is not associated with a significantly elevated risk of restenosis after coronary angioplasty.
Alleles ; Angiography ; Angioplasty* ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Blood Platelets ; Exons ; Humans ; Introns ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Mutation, Missense ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stents