beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) consisting of 40 to 42 amino acid is the principle constituent of senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease. Although, the hypothesis that deposition of AP triggers a cascade of events leading to the pathology of Alzheimer's disease has been widely accepted, direct evidence for triggering accumulation of phosphorylated tau in paired helical filament is rare. In this study, we examined neurotoxicity induced by 3 kinds of beta-amyloid peptides 1 ~28, 25~,35 and 1~40 to elucidate the way of mechanism trading to neuronal cell death caused by Abeta using cultured hippocampal neurons. For this purpose, we measured lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the culture media after treatment with Abeta combined with anti-oxidant drug, trolox, or not. By histochemical and TUNEL method, we studied the change of immunoreaction to anti-MAP-2 (microtubule associated protein -2, the main component of neuritis) and detected apoptotic cells, respectively, in the hippocampal neurons treated with Abeta. To investigate whether tau phosphorylation involve neurotoxicity induced by Abeta, we immunostained the neurons with anti-SMI-31 to recognize phosphorylated Ser 396/404 of tau. From our data, we suggested that Abeta1-40 and Abeta25-35 induced marked neurodegenerative changes, and the mechanism responsible for cell death caused by Abeta -neurotoxicity was associated with the apoptosis. Because Abeta-neurotoxicity was not inhibited by anti-oxidant, trolox, we suggested that anti-oxidant did not protect the neuronal cells against the damage induced by Abeta in ou. expo.imental envi.onment. Finally, we suggested that AP treatment did not potentiate the immunoreactivity to anti-phosphorylated tau antibody and we speculated that Abeta-neurotoxicity led hippocampal cells to apoptosis without tau phosphorylation.
Alzheimer Disease ; Apoptosis* ; Cell Death ; Culture Media ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Neurons* ; Pathology ; Peptides* ; Phosphorylation* ; Plaque, Amyloid

Preadipocyte cell lines are useful models for investigating adipogenesis process. 3T3-L1 preadipocyte, which can be induced to differentiate into adipocyte in cell culture, is one of the most studied preadipocyte cell lines. When exposed to the appropriate differentiation inducer, including insulin, dexamethasone and 3-isobutyl- 1-methylxanthine, 3T3-L1 preadipocytes differentiate into adipocytes. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of epigallocatechin on differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte, and to test whether epigallocatechin can be useful to reduce fat deposition. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT(3,4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2,5-Diphenyl- Tetrazoliumbromide) spectro-photometry, fat content followed by cell differentiation was determined by Oil Red O staining, and the degree of differentiation into adipocytes were determined by measuring mRNA content and activity of glyceraldehydes 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH). Epigallocatechin inhibited proliferation of preadipocytes, not into adipocytes. Fat storage during 3T3-L1 preadipocyte conversion into adipocyte was inhibited by epigallocathechin. Epigallocatechin decreased G3PDH, leptin mRNA and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor(PPAR)gamma mRNA which were increased by differentiation of preadipocyte into adipocyte. These results suggest that epigallocatechin has a potential to serve as a fat-reducing drug.
Adipocytes ; Adipogenesis* ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Dexamethasone ; Insulin ; Leptin ; Oxidoreductases ; Peroxisomes ; RNA, Messenger

OBJECTIVE: Mechanical thrombectomies with balloon-guide catheters (BGC) are thought to improve successful recanalization rates and to decrease the incidence of distal emboli compared to thrombectomies without BGC. We aimed to assess the effects of BGC on the outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic strokes.METHODS: Studies from PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library database from January 2010 to February 2018 were reviewed. Random effect model for meta-analysis was used. Analyses such as meta-regression and the “trim-and-fill” method were additionally carried out.RESULTS: A total of seven articles involving 2223 patients were analyzed. Mechanical thrombectomy with BGC was associated with higher rates of successful recanalization (odds ratio [OR], 1.632; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.293–2.059). BGC did not significantly decrease distal emboli, both before (OR, 0.404; 95% CI, 0.108–1.505) and after correcting for bias (adjusted OR, 1.165; 95% CI, 0.310–4.382). Good outcomes were observed more frequently in the BGC group (OR, 1.886; 95% CI, 1.564–2.273). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and mortality did not differ significantly with BGC use.CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis demonstrates that BGC enhance recanalization rates. However, BGC use did not decrease distal emboli after mechanical thrombectomies. This should be interpreted with caution due to possible publication bias and heterogeneity. Additional meta-analyses based on individual patient data are needed to clarify the role of BGC in mechanical thrombectomies.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Catheters ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Methods ; Mortality ; Population Characteristics ; Publication Bias ; Stroke ; Thrombectomy

In order to elucidate the mechanism of neuronal cell death induced by retina ischemia and reperfusion, we investigated expression of p53, Bcl-2, and ICE(interleukin converting enzyme) in retinal neuronal cell death. Adult male Spague-Dawley rats were used and their intraocular pressures were maintained between 160 and 180mmHg for 90 min to induce retina ischemia. Retinal cell death was observed by light microscopy from 4 hours and peaked at 24 hours after retinal ischemia. By the 3rd day after retinal ischemia, the number of cells in GCL was decreased markedly and some cells in GCL and INL were spread out in inner plexiform layer(IPL). Finally, the boundary between GCL and INL became obscure and a few alive cells were found in GCL and INL on 7 days after retinal ischemia. The thickness of the retina was also decreased in a time-dependent manner. IN the study of gene expression in retinal ischemil, p53 expression was increased prominently at 24 hours and 3 days and decreased at 7 days, while Bcl02 expression was increased slightly at 24 hours by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. ICE expression was not changed in this model. The expression of p53 was also observed at 24 hours after retinal ischemia by immunohistochemistry. With these results it was found that cell death was increased from 4 hours to 3 days after retina ischemia and the thickness of retina decreased markedly during the same period. Delayed neuronal cell death in retina seemed to be correlated with the expression of p53 in the retina ischemia model.
Adult ; Animals ; Cell Death* ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Ice ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Intraocular Pressure ; Ischemia* ; Male ; Microscopy ; Neurons* ; Rats ; Reperfusion* ; Retina* ; Retinal Neurons ; Retinaldehyde

BACKGROUND: Cultural characteristics of taking care of patients with dementia in Korea are based on the influence of Confucianism on the lifestyle of Koreans. In addition, as the family size has been getting smaller, the number of old persons who live alone has been increasing. The purpose of this study is to examine the proportion of the elderly with dementia who live alone and demographics of caregivers when such patients live with their family. METHODS: From the multiple hospital-based cohort, 973 elderly patients with very mild dementia (Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR]=0.5), 1,056 patients with mild dementia (CDR=1) and 359 patients with moderate dementia (CDR=2) were recruited. We analyzed the proportion of the patients with dementia who live alone and the demographics of the caregivers if such patients live with and are taken care of by such caregivers depending upon the severity of dementia. RESULTS: The proportion of the patients with dementia who live alone accounts for about 40% of all elderly patients with dementia. Major age groups of caregivers are of 40s and 50s. Sons, daughters, and spouses were ranked in the said order in the proportion of caregivers according to their relationship to patients. CONCLUSIONS: Up to now, family members care for about 60% of elderly patients with dementia, which may suggest that from the objective viewpoint, direct burden borne by caregivers for old patients with dementia would be considerably high. On the other hand, about 40% of dementia patients live alone, implying that the social care system is needed for them.
Aged ; Caregivers ; Cohort Studies ; Confucianism ; Cultural Characteristics ; Dementia ; Demography ; Family Characteristics ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Nuclear Family ; Spouses

BACKGROUND: Cultural characteristics of taking care of patients with dementia in Korea are based on the influence of Confucianism on the lifestyle of Koreans. In addition, as the family size has been getting smaller, the number of old persons who live alone has been increasing. The purpose of this study is to examine the proportion of the elderly with dementia who live alone and demographics of caregivers when such patients live with their family. METHODS: From the multiple hospital-based cohort, 973 elderly patients with very mild dementia (Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR]=0.5), 1,056 patients with mild dementia (CDR=1) and 359 patients with moderate dementia (CDR=2) were recruited. We analyzed the proportion of the patients with dementia who live alone and the demographics of the caregivers if such patients live with and are taken care of by such caregivers depending upon the severity of dementia. RESULTS: The proportion of the patients with dementia who live alone accounts for about 40% of all elderly patients with dementia. Major age groups of caregivers are of 40s and 50s. Sons, daughters, and spouses were ranked in the said order in the proportion of caregivers according to their relationship to patients. CONCLUSIONS: Up to now, family members care for about 60% of elderly patients with dementia, which may suggest that from the objective viewpoint, direct burden borne by caregivers for old patients with dementia would be considerably high. On the other hand, about 40% of dementia patients live alone, implying that the social care system is needed for them.
Aged ; Caregivers ; Cohort Studies ; Confucianism ; Cultural Characteristics ; Dementia ; Demography ; Family Characteristics ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Nuclear Family ; Spouses

Bronchial foreign body is not a rare disease in children and it is urgently necessary to remove this foreign body from the airway to relive life or to prevent further damages and complications. But the innate small size of airways in infants makes it difficult to access by interventional methods such as intubation or bronchoscopy and etc. Laryngeal mask airway is a new way of method of airway management which is relatively recently introduced into medical practice. It gives way to access to airways without reducing the size of airway or incresing airway pressure during procedure through it and have many other advantages compared to the previous traditional endotracheal intubation, especially in infants. We successfully removed a case of bronchial foreign body, peanut, via laryngeal mask airway during fiberoptic bronchoscopy and by this method we can avoid the unnecessary tracheostomy in this 1 year old infant.
Airway Management ; Bronchoscopy* ; Child ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans ; Infant ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngeal Masks ; Masks* ; Rare Diseases ; Tracheostomy

OBJECTIVES: Several novel and minimally invasive techniques to stimulate the brain have recently developed. Among these newer somatic interventions, vagus nerve stimulation(VNS) is regarded as a promising tool in the treatment of various neuropsychiatric disorders. This article reviews the history, methodology, and the future of VNS technique and its emerging research and therapeutic applications in the field of neuropsychiatry. METHODS: Wide ranged literature reviews and discussion with pioneering researchers were performed. RESULTS: VNS has been used in the treatment of refractory seizure disorder and depression. There are some reasons to hope that VNS might have other therapeutic applications in neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as advanced understanding about the pathophysiology of these disorders. CONCLUSION: Regardless of its clinical role as a new therapeutic technique, the capacity of VNS as a research tool to alter brain activity should lead to important advances in the understanding of brain-behavior relationships.
Brain ; Depression ; Epilepsy ; Hope ; Neuropsychiatry* ; Seizures ; Vagus Nerve Stimulation* ; Vagus Nerve*

Spinal cord ischemia after open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an unpredictable and devastating complication. We present a case report of a patient who developed paraplegia 6 hours after open repair of suprarenal AAA. A 74-yearold man presented with asymptomatic 5.5-cm suprarenal AAA, for which he underwent open repair under general anesthesia. The paraplegia was identified 6 hours after the operation. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed T2 signal hyperintensity and swelling of the spinal cord, which were consistent findings with subacute spinal cord infarction. Although intravenous steroid was administered and lumbar cerebral spinal fluid drainage was instituted, his neurological outcome did not improve. He was discharged after vigorous rehabilitation but still has paraplegia and requires wheelchair for ambulation.

Spinal cord ischemia after open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an unpredictable and devastating complication. We present a case report of a patient who developed paraplegia 6 hours after open repair of suprarenal AAA. A 74-yearold man presented with asymptomatic 5.5-cm suprarenal AAA, for which he underwent open repair under general anesthesia. The paraplegia was identified 6 hours after the operation. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed T2 signal hyperintensity and swelling of the spinal cord, which were consistent findings with subacute spinal cord infarction. Although intravenous steroid was administered and lumbar cerebral spinal fluid drainage was instituted, his neurological outcome did not improve. He was discharged after vigorous rehabilitation but still has paraplegia and requires wheelchair for ambulation.