Cortex mori (Morus alba L.: Sangbaikpi), the root bark of mulberry tree, has been used as an antiphlogistic, diuretic, and expectorant in herbal medicine. Previous studies have demonstrated that the phenolic extract of Cortex mori have hypotensive, hypoglycemic, antifungal, antiviral, antiinflammatory, and anticancer effects, and the hot water extract from Cortex mori has inhibitory effects on compound 48/80- induced mast cell degranulation and histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMCs). This study was perforrned to investigate the effects of polysaccharide fraction from Cortex mori (PFCM) on compound 48/80-induced degranulation, histamine release, calcium influx, changes of intracellular cAMP and cGMP level, and morphological changes of RPMCs. The results were summarized as follows. 1) Compound 48/80-induced cytomorphological changes such as swelling, degranulation, intracellular vacuoles, and interrupted cell boundary were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with either hot water or polysaccaride fractions frorn Cortex mori (PFCM), 2) the compound 48/80-induced histamine release from RPMCs pretreated with PFCM was significantly inhibited, compared to that of control without PFCM pretreatment, 3) the PFCM inhibited remarkably the compound 48/80-induced calcium influx into the RPMCs, 4) the PFCM increased significantly the intracellular cAMP levels and decreased the intracellular cGMP levels of RPMCs, compared to those of normal control, and 5) the compound 48/80-induced cAMP levels of RPMCs pretreated with PFCM were significantly increased, compared to those of positive control without PFCM, and the compound 48/80-induced cGMP levels of RPMCs pretreated with PFCM were remarkably decreased, compared to those of positive control without PFCM. From the above results, it is suggested that PFCM have an activity to inhibit the compound 48/80-induced mast cell activation.
Animals ; Calcium ; Herbal Medicine ; Histamine Release ; Mast Cells* ; Morus ; Phenol ; Rats ; Trees ; Vacuoles ; Water

Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Leiomyoma ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Uterus ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Venous Thrombosis ; diagnosis ; surgery

PURPOSE: The pvrpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of radioactivity quantitation in Tc-99m SPECT by using combined scatter and attenuation correction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cylindrical phantom which simulates tumors (T) and normal tissue (B) was filled with varying activity ratios of Tc-99m. We acquired emission scans of the phantom using a three-headed SPECT system (Trionix, Inc.) witb two energy windows (photopeak window: 126 154 keV and scatter window: 101 123 keV). We performed the scatter correction with dual-energy window subtraction method (k=0.4) and Chang attenuation correction. Three sets of SPECT images were reconstructed using combined scatter and attenuation correction (SC+AC', attenuation correction (AC) and without any correction (NONE). We compared T/B ratio, irnage contrast [(T-B)/(T+B)) and absolute radioactivity with true values. RESULTS: SC+AC images had the highest mean values of T/B ratios. Image contrast was 0.92 in SC+AC, which was close to the true value of 1, and higher than AC (0.77) or NONE (0.80). Errors of true activity by SPECT images ranged from 1 to 11% for SC+AC, 22-47% for AC, and 2 16% for NONE in a phantom which was located 2.4cm from the phantom surface. In a phantom located 10,0cm from the surface, SC+AC underestimated by ?4%, NON.E 40%. However, AC overestimated by 10%. CONCLUSION: We conclude that accurate SPECT activity quantitation of Tc-99m distribution can be achieved by dual window scatter correc.tion combined with attenuation correction.
Radioactivity ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

No abstract available.
Aluminum Hydroxide* ; Aluminum* ; Korea*

To estimate the child and infant mortality rates among Korean children, a mortality survey was carried out in the province of Kyongsangnam,buk-do. The study population are the beneficiaries of Korea Medical Insurance Coorporation (KMIC), Kyongsangnam,buk-do area, among which the 3,867 and 1767 deaths occurred from January, 1989 to December, 1990 in Kyongsangnam-do area and from January, 1991 to December, 1991 in Kyongsangbuk-do area respectively. We reviewed the data to confirm the causes of death. These were based on the death certificates and medical utilization records before dying which were available through the computerized databases on medical care utility of KMIC. The survey conducted along three steps. At first, the death certificates were examined, as a second step, medical utilization records were reviewed, and finally direct contacts to the family members of the deceased were done. As a result, 115 deaths were found under 20 years of age. Using them, age specific mortalities and causes of death were estimated. Mortality rate in this area was estimated 129 per 100,000 person-years during 1 month to 11 months of age, 67 during 1 year to 4 years of age, 23 during 5 years to 9 years of age, 10 during 10 years to 14 years of age, and 29 during 15 years to 19 years of age, respectively. And the frequent causes of death were congenital anomalies, central nervous system (CNS) diseases, certain condition originating from perinatal period during 1 months of age; accidents, congenital anomalies, malignancies, CNS diseases, and pneumonia or bronchiolitis during 1 to 4 years of age; accidents, malignancies, CNS diseases, and congenital anomalies during 5 to 14 years of age; and accidents, suicide, malignancies, and CNS diseases during 15 to 19 years of age.
Bronchiolitis ; Cause of Death ; Central Nervous System ; Central Nervous System Diseases ; Child ; Child Mortality* ; Child* ; Death Certificates ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Insurance ; Korea ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Suicide

PURPOSE: Bone involvement is known to develop in 40-70Yo of pediatric acute leukemia. We aimed to analyze the clinical course and result of therapy in pediatric acute leukemia with bone involvement. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients diagnosed as pediatric acute leukemia at Dong San Medical Center from Jan. 1996 to Aug. 1998 were evaluated. According to bone X-ray and whole body bone scan, the patients were divided into two groups. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were enrolled in this study with 14 patients(52Yo) showing definite bone involvement on simple X-ray or bone scan. Mean age of patients with bone involvement was 5.5 years. Regarding the type of leukemia, 9 patients(64%) were acute lymphocytic leukemia. Ten patients(71%) out of 14 with bone involvement complained of bone pain at the involved bony site. Site of involvement was most frequent in the lower extremity. On simple X-ray, osteolytic lesion was found in 7 patients(50%), diffuse osteopenia in 2 patients(14%) and pathologic fracture in 2 patients(14%). In bone scan, radioactivity was increased in whole cases of patients with bone involvement. Thirteen patients(93%) were completely remitted by chemo-therapy, but, one AML patient died due to induction failure. CONCLUSION: Bone involvement occured in 52% of pediatric acute leukemia. Bone involvement was more frequent in male patients in the lower extremity, and osteolytic lesion was the most frequent finding on simple X-ray. There was no relevence between bone involvement and prognosis. Further study will be needed to evaluate long-term survival and prognosis. (J Korean Pediatr Soc 2000;43:806-813)
Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Humans ; Leukemia* ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Prognosis ; Radioactivity

A Statistical observations were done on 587 pediatric patients who were diagnosed as having congenital heart disease by cardiac catheterization angiography and operation at Dong San Hospital Keimyung University, during the period of January 1982 to june 1987. The results were as follows 1) Out of 587 patients, 317 cases were male and 276 cases were female. There were female preponderance in atrial septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus, whille in male tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary stenosis, and ventricular septal defect. 2) The incidence of congenital heart disease were as folliws;ventricular septal defect 35.7% tetralogy of Fallot 17.5%, patient ductus arteriousus 13.9%, arterial septal defect 7.5% and pulmonary stenosis 2.9%. 3) Most of the patients were visited hospital for the first time between the age of 2 and 10 years. 4) Assosiated anomalies of major congenital heart disease were as follows:the most commonly associated anomaly in ventricular septal defect were pulmonary stenosis and patent ductus arteriosus. Pulmonary stenosis was frequently associated with atrial septal defect. Right sided aortic arch and pentalogy were assosiated with tetralogy of Fallot. The mitral regurgitation was associated with patent ductus arteriosus mostly. 5) The overall surgical mortality was 6.8%. The mortality was high in tetralogy of Fallot(16.1%), transposition of great vessels(28.5%).
Angiography ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital* ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mortality ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Statistics as Topic* ; Tetralogy of Fallot

No abstract available.
Animals ; Brain* ; Corpus Striatum* ; Neurons* ; Neuropeptides* ; Rats*

These studies document species differences in the distribution of the catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) within the main olfactory bulb (MOB) of a number of rodents and insectivore species including the rat, wild mouse, mongolian gerbil, stripped field mouse (apodemus agrarius), hedgehog, mole, laboratory shrew (suncus murinus). TH-containing neuronal perikarya were observed in the MOB of the both species of the rodents and insectivore except the hedgehog and laboratory shrew (suncus murinus). None of these cell groups displayed either dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH) or phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT). The number of stained somata and their intensity varied such that label was most prominent in the stripped field mouse followed in decreasing order by the rat, mongolian gerbil, wild mouse and mole. The vast majority of such cells occurred in the glomerular layer as periglomerular cells surrounging the glomeruli of the stripped field mouse, rat, mongolian gerbil, wild mouse and moles. Numerous additional cells were present in the external plexiform layer (EPL) and mitral cell layer (MCL). These often displayed long ascending immunoreactive processes and appeared to correspond to tufted cells. Also a few smaller, multipolar cells were present in the internal granular layer scattered among the granule cells. However, the hedgehog and laboratory shrew displayed no perikaryal staining in the MOB. In conclusion, these data suggest that TH is present in the MOB of stripped field mouse, rat, mongolian gerbil, wild mouse and moles but is not found in the MOB of the hedgehog and laboratory shrew, or that species differences exist in the level of TH.
Animals ; Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase ; Dopaminergic Neurons* ; Gerbillinae ; Hedgehogs ; Mice ; Neurons ; Olfactory Bulb* ; Rats ; Rodentia* ; Shrews ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to investigate 1) whether equol has the direct modulation on vascular tone of endothelium-denuded human uterine artery, and 2) if present, whether this equol-induced modulation of vascular tone is mediated by intracellular calcium modulation through Ca2+ & K+ channels on vascular smooth muscle cell membrane. METHODS: The uterine arteries were obtained at the time of hysterectomy from 15 women. The uterine smooth muscles were pretreated with phenylephrine, 10(-5) M & high KCl solution 70 mM. The equol at 6 different concentrations from 10(-11) to 10(-6) M were used for the evaluation of modulatory action of equol on precontracted vascular smooth. The cumulative concentration-response for equol were determined on phenylephrine-induced contractions and compared with the results without pretreatment. RESULTS: Equol 10(-11) to 10(-6) M in concentration showed relaxation effect on vascular smooth muscle contraction which was induced by phenylephrine 10(-5) M. This relaxation effect of equol was dose-dependent. Equol in same concentrations showed no significant effects on vascular smooth muscle contraction induced by high KCI solution. Phenylephrine-induced contraction was markedly reduced from 10(-7) to 10(-4) M in concentration by pretreatment of equol, but high KCI-induced contraction was not affected by pretreatment of equol. CONCLUSIONS: This vasodilatation effect of equol may be induced by calcium antagonistic action, which was mediated through antagonistic action for receptor-dependent Ca2+ channel, but not for voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel. As far as we know, this is the first report of phytoestrogen equol on vascular reactivity of human vessels.
Calcium ; Cell Membrane ; Equol ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Muscle, Smooth ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Phenylephrine ; Phytoestrogens ; Relaxation ; Uterine Artery* ; Vasodilation*