No abstract available.
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma*

The authors studied ED50 of bethanechol on the contractilities of the smooth muscles isolated from various organs of rat under the presence of atropine (a classical competitive blocker of cholinergic muscarinic receptor) or minaprine (a newly developed antidepressant drug) to investigate the peripheral anticholinergic effect of minaprine. The results were as follow: 1) There was no significant difference between ED50 of bethanechol in the control group and that under the presence of minaprine 10⁻⁸M and 10⁻⁷M in the smooth muscles isolated from the duodenum. 2) There was no significant difference between ED50 of bethanechol in the control group and that under the presence of minaprine 10⁻⁸M and 10⁻⁷M in the smooth muscles isolated from the ascending colon. 3) There was significant difference between ED50 of bethanechol in the control group and that under the presence of minaprine 10⁻⁸M and 10⁻⁷M in the smooth muscles isolated from the urinary bladder (P<0.01) 4) There was significant difference between ED50 of the atropine 10⁻⁸ and minaprine (10⁻⁸M) in the smooth muscles isolated from the urinary bladder (P<0.05).
Animals ; Atropine ; Bethanechol ; Colon, Ascending ; Duodenum ; Muscle, Smooth ; Rats ; Urinary Bladder

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

BACKGROUND: Ginseng extracts, known to enhance bodily functions including learning and memory, were reported to have in vitro neuroprotective activity in vitro. Here We demonstrate the possible therapeutic effects of ginsenosides on the cell culture model of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). We tested whether Rb1 or Rg1 , major components of ginseng saphonins, protects neuronal cells from the toxic effect of beta-amyloid (Abeta), which is regarded to be the main neurotoxic substrate in the AD. METHOD: B103 cells, rat brain-derived neuronal cells, were cultured and the extent of neuroprotective effects of ginsenosides on the cytotoxicity induced by exogenous Abeta25-35 was were measured by MTT assay. RESULTS: Treatment of Rb1 and Rg1 at various concentrations (l0nM, 50nM, and 1 micrometer, respectively) in B103 cells did not show any dose-dependent neurotoxic effects. Rg1 (1 micrometer) significantly blocked the neurotoxic effect of Abeta2 5 - 3 5 (50 micrometer)(P<0.05). Rb1 at concentration of 1 micrometer also had some neuroprotective effects, but not as effective as Rg1 . These neuroprotective effects are comparable to the one of estrogen (1.8nM). CONCLUSIONS: This experiment suggests the potential beneficial effects of ginseng in the treatment of AD.
Alzheimer Disease ; Amyloid* ; Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Estrogens ; Ginsenosides ; Learning ; Memory ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Panax ; Rats

The activity of Mg++-dependent, Ca++-activated adenosine triphosphatase (Ca-ATPase) of rat liver mitochondria was studied at varying medium compositions, pH and temperatures. The enzyme system was characteristically sensitive to Ca++ concentration with a KmCa of approximately 0.06 mM. The optimal concentration of Mg was about l mM, above which the enzyme activity was progressively inhibited. The inhibitory effect of high Mg++ concentrations appeared to be due to the alteration of the Mg++/ATP ratio. Variations in the Mg++/ATP ratio affected Vmax but not the KmATP. The pH optimum for enzyme activity increased as the incubation temperature decreased, but the optimal OH-/H+ ratio of the medium was constant at around 0.1, regardless of temperature. The activity of the enzyme was not affected by La# (0.01-1 mM) and Ruthenium red (2.5-10.0 microM). These results indicate that 1) the enzymatic characteristics of the Ca-ATPase system in the rat liver mitochondria is typical of those from other tissue preparations, 2) the enzyme system maintains the most effective catalytic conformation at a fixed level of OH-/H+ ratio of 0.1 when the temperature changes, and 3) the enzyme system may not play a role in the physiological transport of Ca++ in mitochondria.
Animal ; Ca(2+)-Transporting ATPase/metabolism* ; Calcium/pharmacology ; Enzyme Activation/drug effects ; Female ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Magnesium/pharmacology ; Male ; Mitochondria, Liver/enzymology* ; Rats ; Temperature

No abstract available.
Heart Atria* ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous*

PURPOSE: The chest radiograph is useful and reliable in assessing the severity and progression of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. To evaluate the effect of exogenous surfactant r eplacement therapy, we performed sequential observation of chest radiogratphic findings in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. METHODS: Two groups of infant with RDS in mechanical ventilation therapy were studied. Surfactant(S-Tx) group(n=36) was treated with Surfactant-TA and control group(n=19) was without use of surfactant. Observation of gestational age, birth weight, clinical severity by ventilatory index, sequential change of radiographic findings and radiological complications in RDS patients were performed. RESULTS: In RDS patients, there was correlation in the radiologic grading and clinical severity. In surfactant treated infants, change of chest radiographic finding was significantly improved than control group. Incidence of pneumothorax and or pulmonary interstial emphysema in S-Tx group was less than that of control group. CONCLUSIONS: Exogenous pulmonary surfactant replacement therapy may contribute the improvement of the clinical and radiological severity and reduction of the incidence of clinical complications. We suggest that surfactant replacement therapy is effective and important useful therapeutic method in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome.
Birth Weight ; Emphysema ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Pneumothorax ; Pulmonary Surfactants ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; Thorax*

The force-interval relationship of cardiac muscle has been known as not only a fundamental manifestation of beat-to-beat kinetics of intracellular activator calcium which control contractile response but also a potential clinical tool for evaluating cardiac contracile function. In this study were evaluated the force-interval relationship of intact canine left ventricle through mechanical restitution curves by plotting contrctile responses to varying steady state, extrasystolic and postextrasystolic intervals, and compared the force-interval relationships of intact canine left and right ventricles quantitatively. Effects of localized myocardial ischemia on the left ventricular force-interval relationship and relaxtion function were also evaluated 30 minutes after ligating proximal left anterior descending coronary artery through observing contractile and relaxtion responses to various intervals. 1) Mechanical restitution curve of left ventricle showed that left ventricular dp/dt max responses rose stiffly until plateau level with increasing postextrasystolic intervals, then declined with further increment of postextrasystolic intervals. 2) Mechanical restitution curve of left ventricle shifted leftward and upward with shortening of steady state and extrasystolic intervals, which suggest intracellular calcium kinetics during electrical diastole may operate as a mechanism of the force-interval relationship. 3) Steady state contractile responses remained unchanged but maximal contractile responses increased significantly or contractile reserve in intact left ventricle. 4) Normalized force-interval relationships of left and right ventricle were similar quantitatively, which suggest the force-interval relationship is independent of structural factors in intact canine heart. 5) Occlusion of coronary artery lowered absolute values of left ventricular dp/dt max responses to varying postextrasystolic intervals, but didn't show significant changes of normalized dp/dt max responses, which suggest force-interval relationship be also present in spite of localized myocardial ischemia. 6) Responses of normalized left ventricular dp/dt min to varying postextrasystolic intervals were similar to those of normalized dp/dt max but reduced after coronary artery occlusion in the range above 100% dp/dt max response, which may be used for the detection and evaluation of deranged myocardial relaxation in the left ventricle with localized myocardial ischemia.
Calcium ; Coronary Vessels ; Diastole ; Heart ; Heart Ventricles ; Kinetics ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocardium ; Relaxation ; Ventricular Function, Left*

To assess the diagnostic value of low level predischarge exercise test in the prediction of multivessel disease and left ventricular abnormality rate limited treadmill test, coronary arteriography and left ventriculography were admitted to the coronary care unit at Seoul National University Hospital from February 1985 to April 1986. The following results were obtained; 1) During and immediately after the treadmill test, ischemic ST segment depression were observed in 7 patients (20.6%). On subsequent coronary arteriography, 6 of them were found to have multivessel coronary artery disease. The sensitivity of ST segment depression in prediction of multivessel disease was 31.6%, the specificity was 93.3% and prediction value was 85.7%. 2) In 11 patients (32.3%), the exercise test were discontinued because of anginal pain, fatigue, or dyspnea. The sensitivity of above symptoms in prediction of multivessel disease was 47.4%, the specificity was 86.7% and prediction value was 81.8%. 3) The sensitivity of ST segment depression and/or symptom in prediction of multivessel disease was 68.4%, the specificity was 80%, and the prediction value was 81.25%. 4) The ST segment elevation were observed in 10 patients (29.4%). The sensitivity of ST segment elevation in prediction of complicated left ventricular aneurysm was 58.3%, the specificity was 87.5%, and the prediction value was 70%. 5) No serious complication developed by the treadmill test. It is concluded from above results that low level predischarge treadmill exercise test is useful and safe test in the prediction of multivessel disease and left ventricular aneurysm in patients with recent acute myocardial infarction.
Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Care Units ; Depression ; Dyspnea ; Exercise Test* ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Seoul

The coronary arteriography and left ventriculography were performed on 63 patients with acute myocardial infarction who were admitted to coronary care unit of Seoul National University Hospital from September 1984 to October 1986 within 30 days after onset of acute myocardial infarction (median: 16 days) to delineate the extent of coronary artery disease and the left ventricular function. The results were as follows; 1) The ratio of male to female was 59:4 (14.75:1) and 34.9% of all patients were at their 6th decade. 2) The infarction were transmural in 58 patients (92.1%) and nontransmural in 5 patients (7.9%). Among 58 patients with transmural infarction, 33 (56.9%) had anterior wall infarction, 15 (25.9%) had inferior wall infarction and 10 (17.2%) had anteroinferior wall infarction. 3) Among 63 patients, 4 (6.3%) showed completely normal coronary artery on coronary arteriography and 3 (4.8%) had insignificant stenosis (lesser than 50%) reduction in luminal diameter). The 39.7% of all patients had one-vessel disease, 27% two-vessel disease and 22.2% three-vessel disease. 4) Among 58 patients with transmural infarction, 31 (53.4%) showed complete occlusion of infarct related artery. And 73.4% of the patients with inferior wall infarction showed complete occlusion of infarct related artery. None of the patients with non-transmural infarction had complete occlusion. 5) In 21 patients who had the coronary arteriography within 14 days after the onset, 12 (57.2%) showed complete occlusion of infarct related artery and among 42 patients who were studied 15-30 days after the onset, 19(45.2%) showed complete occlusion. 6) Nineteen patients (30.2%) were found to have left ventricular aneurysm. 7) The left ventricular ejection fraction were significantly higher in the patients with non-transmural infarction than in patients with transmural infarction. The difference in left ventricular ejection fraction between the patients with anterior infarction and with inferior infarction, between single vessel disease and multiple vessel disease were not significant. 8) The older age group showed a tendency to have higher prevalence of multivessel disease. 9) As complication of coronary arteriography and left ventriculography, one episode of ventricular fibrillation was observed without mortality. From the above results of this study, it is concluded that coronary arteriography and left ventriculography can be safely performed within 30 days after the onset of acute myocardial infarction: A significant number of patients had normal or minimally diseased coronary artery: more than half of the patients with transmural infarction had complete occlusion of infarct related artery: the patients with nontransmural infarction had better left ventricular function than with transmural infarction.
Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Care Units ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Humans ; Infarction ; Male ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Phenobarbital ; Prevalence ; Seoul ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Fibrillation ; Ventricular Function, Left