BACKGROUND: Flecainide is an antiarrhythmic agent that is used primarily in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Some evidences also suggest that flecainide can participate in alveolar fluid clearance and inflammatory responses. This experiment was aimed to evaluate the effects of flecainide on sepsis induced acute lung injury in a rat model. METHODS: Rats were treated with subcutaneous infusion of saline or flecainide (0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg/hr) by a mini-osmotic pump. Subcutaneous infusion was started 3 hours before and continued until 8 hours after intraperitoneal injection of saline or endotoxin. Animals were sacrificed for analyses of severity of acute lung injury with wet to dry (W/D) ratio and lung injury score (LIS) in lung and inflammatory responses with level of leukocyte, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and inteleukin-8 (IL-8) in bronchoalveolar lavages fluid (BALF). RESULTS: Flecainide markedly improved dose dependently sepsis induced acute lung injury as analysed by W/D ratio (from 2.24 ± 0.11 to 1.76 ± 0.09, p < 0.05) and LIS (from 3 to 1, p < 0.05), and inflammatory response as determined by leukocyte (from 443 ± 127 to 229 ± 95, p < 0.05), PMNs (from 41.43 ± 17.63 to 2.43 ± 2.61, p < 0.05) and IL-8 (from 95.00 ± 15.28 to 40.00 ± 10.21, p < 0.05) in BALF. CONCLUSIONS: Flecanide improve sepsis induced acute lung injury in rats by controlling inflammatory responses.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Flecainide* ; Infusions, Subcutaneous ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Interleukin-8 ; Leukocytes ; Lung ; Lung Injury ; Models, Animal ; Neutrophils ; Rats ; Sepsis*

Ovaries lie near the distal ureter where extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) of calculi is performed. The question whether ESWL may induce morphological changes in ovary should be investigated in animal experiments. After applying shock waves to ovary of Sprague Dawley female rat, the histopathologic changes within the tissue of ovary were observed immediately after shock waves and after recovery. For animal subjects, 25 healthy rats weighing about 250 grams each were used. Five rats were designated as control, and remaining 20 received shock waves at 20 kV for 1,000 times using Pendulum-ESWL (Lithoring), a third generation lithotriptor. The 20 rats were divided into 4 groups before shock waves, and each group was sacrificed after 1, 7, 14, and 28 days, respectively, in order to compare the observed histopathologic changes. Edema, congestion and hemorrhage were observed in ovary after 1 and 7 days of shock waves, but the edema and congestion were significantly reduced on the 14th day and completely disappeared on the 28th day. There was no ovarian follicular changes or fibrosis on the whole. It is thought that the extracorporeal shock waves have no specific effects on the tissues of ovary, but further studies ate needed to determine its long term effects.
Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Calculi ; Edema ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Ovary* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley* ; Shock* ; Ureter

No abstract available.
Cleft Lip ; Humans ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Palate

Human periodontal ligament fibroblast(hPDLF) is very important to cure periodontal tissue because it can be diverged into various cells. This study examined the expression of MMP-1, TIMP-1, periodontal ligament specific PDLs22, Type I collagen, Fibronectin, TIMP-2, telomerase mRNA in a replicative senescence of hPDLF. The periodontal ligament tissue was obtained from periodontally healthy and non-carious human teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons at the Chosun University Hospital of Dentistry with the donors' informed consent. The hPDLF cells were cultured in a medium containing Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium(DMEM, Gibco BRL, USA) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum(FBS, Gibco BRL, USA) at 37C in humidified air with 5% CO2. For the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) analysis, the total RNA of the 2, 4, 8, 16, 18, and 21 passage cells was extracted using a Trizol Reagent(Invitrogen, USA) in replicative hPDL cells. Two passage cells, i.e. young cells, served as the control, and beta-actin served as the internal control for RT-PCR The results of this study about cell morphology and gene expression according to aging of hPDLF using RT-PCR method are as follows: 1. The size of hPDLF was increased with aging and it was showed that the hPDLF was dying in the final passage. 2. PDLs22 mRNA was expressed in young hPDLF of the two, four, and six passage. 3. TIMP-1 mRNA was expressed in young hPDLF of the two and four passage. 4. There was a tendency that MMP-1 mRNA was weakly expressed over eighteen. 5. Type 1 collagen mRNA was expressed in almost all passages, but it was not expressed in the final passage. 6. Fibronectin mRNA was observed in all passages and it was weakly expressed in the final passage. 7. TIMP-2 and telomerase mRNA were not expressed in this study. Based on above results, it was observed that PDLs22, Type 1 collagen, Fibronectin, MMP-1. and TIMP-1 mRNA in hPDLF were expressed differently with aging. The study using the hPDLF that is collected from healthy patients and periodontitis patients needs in further study.
Humans

Human periodontal ligament fibroblast(hPDLF) is very important to cure periodontal tissue because it can be diverged into various cells. This study examined the expression of MMP-1, TIMP-1, periodontal ligament specific PDLs22, Type I collagen, Fibronectin, TIMP-2, telomerase mRNA in a replicative senescence of hPDLF. The periodontal ligament tissue was obtained from periodontally healthy and non-carious human teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons at the Chosun University Hospital of Dentistry with the donors' informed consent. The hPDLF cells were cultured in a medium containing Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium(DMEM, Gibco BRL, USA) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum(FBS, Gibco BRL, USA) at 37C in humidified air with 5% CO2. For the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) analysis, the total RNA of the 2, 4, 8, 16, 18, and 21 passage cells was extracted using a Trizol Reagent(Invitrogen, USA) in replicative hPDL cells. Two passage cells, i.e. young cells, served as the control, and beta-actin served as the internal control for RT-PCR The results of this study about cell morphology and gene expression according to aging of hPDLF using RT-PCR method are as follows: 1. The size of hPDLF was increased with aging and it was showed that the hPDLF was dying in the final passage. 2. PDLs22 mRNA was expressed in young hPDLF of the two, four, and six passage. 3. TIMP-1 mRNA was expressed in young hPDLF of the two and four passage. 4. There was a tendency that MMP-1 mRNA was weakly expressed over eighteen. 5. Type 1 collagen mRNA was expressed in almost all passages, but it was not expressed in the final passage. 6. Fibronectin mRNA was observed in all passages and it was weakly expressed in the final passage. 7. TIMP-2 and telomerase mRNA were not expressed in this study. Based on above results, it was observed that PDLs22, Type 1 collagen, Fibronectin, MMP-1. and TIMP-1 mRNA in hPDLF were expressed differently with aging. The study using the hPDLF that is collected from healthy patients and periodontitis patients needs in further study.
Humans

No abstract available.
Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Pulmonary Embolism*

We present a case of metastatic mailgnant melanoma developed in the 40 year- old male patient. Six month prior to visit to our department of dermatology, the patient found an egg sized mass covered with normal skin on his right inguinal area, which showed typical findings of the metastatic malignant melanoma histopathologically. The primary malignant melanoma on the right shin was removed by wide surgical excision at 18 months prior to visit to our department of dermatology.
Dermatology ; Humans ; Male ; Melanoma* ; Ovum ; Skin

Hemangiopericytoma is a rare vascular tumor arising from pericytes. The tumor usually develops in the skin or subcutaneous tissue, particularly in the extremities.4 pulmonary origin of hemangiopericytoma is known to be quite rare. It has the potential to become a highly malignant lesion, so wide excision is the treatment of choice. We present a case of primary malignant hemangiopericytoma of the lung and discuss the clinical symptoms, diagnosis, therapy and prognosis within the context of a brief review.
Diagnosis ; Hemangiopericytoma* ; Lung* ; Pericytes ; Prognosis ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue

This study was designed to provide a evidence that adenosine-mediated activation of protein kinase C and K(ATP) channel was a important step on the cardioprotection mechanism of ischemic preconditioning (IP). Isolated Langendorff-perfused New Zealand White rabbit hearts were subjected to 45 min of global ischemia (I) and 120 min reperfusion (R) with or without IP. IP was induced by a single dose of 5 min I and 10 min R. Part of the IP hearts was treated with non-specific adenosine receptor blocker 8-sulfophenyltheophylline (SPT; 100 micromol) and K(ATP) channel blocker glibenclamide (10 micromol) 5min before IP, respectively. To determine the effect of IP, we measured the left ventricular function, infarct size, adenosine concentration in the coronary flow and total protein kinase C activity. PKC activity was determined by (32)P-gamma-ATP incorporation into PKC specific peptide. IP enhanced improvement of functional recovery and caused a decrease in the infarct size from 19.9+/-0.05% in the ischemic-control group to 5.5+/-1.39% in the IP group (p<0.05). In the SPT- and glibenclamid-treated hearts, however, these anti-ischemic effect was disappeared. Adenosine release from the cardiac tissue was abruptly increased to 10~20 folds baseline just after IP. Cytosolic PKC activity decreased significantly in the IP hearts, while in the membrane fraction, activity was increased (45 min I, p<0.05; 120 min R, p<0.01). In the SPT-treated hearts, IP did not make those activity changes of PKC. These data suggest that adenosine induced the anti-ischemic effect via PKC activation. And it also show that K(ATP) channel may work on the protection as a final effector.
Adenosine* ; Cytosol ; Glyburide ; Heart* ; Ischemia ; Ischemic Preconditioning* ; Membranes ; New Zealand ; Protein Kinase C ; Receptors, Purinergic P1 ; Reperfusion ; Ventricular Function, Left

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Bark (EUE) is commonly used for the treatment of hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbago, and ischialgia as well as to promote longevity. In this study, we tested the effects of EUE aqueous extract in graded doses to protect and enhance cognition in scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in mice. EUE significantly improved the impairment of short-term or working memory induced by scopolamine in the Y-maze and significantly reversed learning and memory deficits in mice as measured by the passive avoidance and Morris water maze tests. One day after the last trial session of the Morris water maze test (probe trial session), EUE dramatically increased the latency time in the target quadrant in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, EUE significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) activities in the hippocampus and frontal cortex in a dose-dependent manner. EUE also markedly increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylation of cAMP element binding protein (CREB) in the hippocampus of scopolamine-induced mice. Based on these findings, we suggest that EUE may be useful for the treatment of cognitive deficits, and that the beneficial effects of EUE are mediated, in part, by cholinergic signaling enhancement and/or protection.
Acetylcholinesterase ; Alzheimer Disease ; Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; Carrier Proteins ; Cognition ; Eucommiaceae* ; Hippocampus ; Hypertension ; Learning* ; Longevity ; Low Back Pain ; Maze Learning ; Memory Disorders* ; Memory* ; Memory, Short-Term ; Mice* ; Phosphorylation ; Scopolamine Hydrobromide