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: Atherosclerosis is the most important disease that may cause ischemic syndrome in many organs including heart. It is supposed that apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs) is closely related to the progression and rupture of atheromatous plaque. Recent studies have documented evidence for elevated level of nitric oxide(NO) within advanced human atheroma and evidence of regression of atheroma by NO. So this study is designed to evaluate whether exogenous NO from NO donors can induce apoptosis of cultured rat VSMCs and which proapoptotic gene(s) is involved in this type of apoptosis. METHODS: Rat VSMCs were cultured and used for experiment at passage 5 through 7. For NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine(SNAP) of 0.5, 1, 2, 4mM were exposed to subconfluent VSMCs. The cells were harvested at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72hours after exposure of NO donors. Apoptosis was to be identified by 4, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride(DAPI) staining of nuclei and in-situ nick end labeling(TUNEL). The amount of fragmented DNA was analyzed semiquantitatively by diphenylamine(DPA) assay. Immunocytochemical(ICC) staining and western bolt analyses were designed to detect apoptosisrelated gene products, such as Bax-a, Fas and Bcl-2. RESULTS: 1) Decreased mitotic activity was shown after 12 hours exposure of exogenous NO donors, and condensation and margination of chromatin was identified agter 24 hours exposure, by DAPI staining. 2) Percent DNA fragmentation assessed by DPA method was 0,2,9,48,45% at 0,6,12,24,48 hours after exposure of 2mM of NO donors respectively. 3) The expression of Bax-a and Bcl-2 proteins was demonstrated in apoptotic cells by ICC staining. 4) The expression of Bax-a protein in cells under 24 hours exposure of NO donors was elevated by more than 18% of control level on densitometric analysis of western blot. The level of Bcl-2 was suppressed by 26% of control. So, Bax-a/Bcl-2 ratio in cells under exposure of NO donors was elevated to 2.0 from 1.2 of control level. CONCLUSIONS: Exogenous NO from NO donors can induce apoptosis of cultured rat VSMCs, and it is considered that bax-a and bcl-2 genes are involved in this type of apoptosis.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Atherosclerosis ; Blotting, Western ; Chromatin ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; Genes, bcl-2 ; Heart ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitroprusside ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Rats* ; Rupture ; Tissue Donors

OBJECTIVE: We used nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood for prenatal determination of the fetal gender as the preliminary experiment for the screening of fetal genetic status and the BclI DNA polymorphism in an attempt to clarify the origin of erythrocytes in maternal blood. METHODS: In seventeen pregnant women, venous blood was withdrawn and the nucleated erythrocytes were recovered by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) and immunostaining. After isolation of nucleated erythrocytes by micromanipulation, we performed nested PCR for amelogenin gene to identify the fetal gender and performed BclI DNA polymorphism to clarify the origin of erythrocytes. RESULTS: We could amplify the minute DNA in a single cell by primer extension preamplification and nested PCR of amelogenin gene in 94 (48.7%) cells and could identify the fetal gender by 58.8%. BclI DNA polymorphism revealed that the several cells, which did not reveal the specific band of Y chromosome in spite of the pregnancy of male fetuses, must be the cells from mother. CONCLUSION: Through this study, we could conclude that several nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood circulation can originate from mother, therefore we must develop the new method to identify the nucleated erythrocyte of fetal origin. Considering that we must apply for the larger number of pregnant women to screen, the procedure was multi-step and complex. Therefore, we must design the new scheme to utilize the nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood.
Amelogenin ; Blood Circulation ; DNA ; Erythroblasts ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Micromanipulation ; Mothers ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Y Chromosome

Abdominal pregnancy is a very rare and life threatening varient of ectopic pregnancy with high maternal mortality and perinatal mortality. A 26-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 0, abortion 2, visited our emergency department for amenorrhea for 11 weeks and lower abdominal pain. Diagnostic transvaginal ultrasonographic finding suggested ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Serum Hemoglobin level was 8.1 mg/dL, and Hematocrit value was 25.2%. On laparatomy about 2.000 mL of blood was filled in the abdomen and severe adhesion was found on right adnexa, posterior cul-de-sac and omentum. A live fetus was attached to uterus. After adhesiolysis, we removed conceptus from uterine surface. We performed subtotal hysterectomy and excised right fallopian tube. 10 pints of packed red blood cell and 3 pints of fresh frozen plasma were given to the patient during and after the operation. Patient recovered postoperatively without any complications and discharged at postoperative seventh day. We experienced a case of first trimester secondary abdominal pregnancy after tubal reanastomosis and reported it with brief of a literature review.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Amenorrhea ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Erythrocytes ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Fetus ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Maternal Mortality ; Omentum ; Perinatal Mortality ; Plasma ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnancy, Abdominal* ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Sterilization Reversal* ; Uterus

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