BACKGROUND: In our previous report, we observed the increaseed epidermal glucose concentrations and decreased hexokinase actiuities of diabetic patients which were ciimpared to those of normal individuals. And we considered that, there were some derrangement of lipid metabolism and glycolysis of diabetic epidermis. OBJECTIVES: This study wns planed to prove the above possible changes of lipid metabolism and glycolysis of diabetic epidermis. METHODS: The epidermal enzymatic activties of glucose-6-phophate dehydrogenase(G6PDH), phosphofructokinase(PFK), 1-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase(GOPDH) and b-hydroxybutyryl CoA dehydrogenase(HBDH) were assayed in the skin samples obtained friom diabetic patients and normal individuals by the fluorometric: method. RESULTS: Teh epidermal PFK activities of diabetic patients were decreased(3.49+1.35(mmole/hr/kg dry weight)) compared to that of normal individuals(5.00+0.56(mmcle/hr/kg dry weight))(p<0.05). The epidermal HBDH activities of diabetic patients were decreised(0.28+0.10(mole/hr/kg dry weight)) compared to that of normal individuals(0.49+0.20(mole/hr/kg dry weight)(p<0.01). The mean epidermal G6PDH activity of diabetic patients was decreasec. compased to that of normal individuals, but there was no statisical significance. The mean epidermal 3OPDH activittes of diabetic patients and normal individual; showed no significant difference. CONCLUSION: We consider that the decreased epidermal HBDH actiities of diabetic patients can decrease keton body formatiori, and the abnormal glycolysis can exist in the diabetic epidermis because the decreased enzymatic activities of diabetic epidermal PFK may decrease the velocity of glycolysis.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Epidermis ; Glucose ; Glycolysis ; Hexokinase ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Skin

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle exercise using biofeedback and electrical stimulation after normal delivery. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 49 (experimental group: 25, control group: 24) postpartum women who passed 6 weeks after normal delivery without complication of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. The experimental group was applied to the pelvic muscle enforcement program by biofeedback and electrical stimulation for 30 minutes per session, twice a week for 6 weeks, after then self-exercise of pelvic floor muscle was done 50-60 repetition per session, 3 times a day for 6 weeks. Maximum pressure of pelvic floor muscle contraction (MPPFMC), average pressure of pelvic floor muscle contraction (APPFMC), duration time of pelvic floor muscle contraction (DTPFMC) and the subjective lower urinary symptoms were measured by digital perineometer and Bristol Female Urinary Symptom Questionnaire and compared between two groups prior to trial, at the end of treatment and 6 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: The results of this study indicated that MPPFMC, APPFMC, DTPFMC were significantly increased and subjective lower urinary symptoms were significantly decreased after treatment in the experimental group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the pelvic floor muscle exercise using biofeedback and electrical stimulation might be a safer and more effective program for reinforcing pelvic floor muscle after normal delivery.
Adult ; Analysis of Variance ; Biofeedback (Psychology)/*methods ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Delivery, Obstetric/adverse effects/methods ; Electric Stimulation/*methods ; Exercise Therapy/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Muscle Contraction ; Nursing Evaluation Research ; Parity ; *Pelvic Floor/physiopathology ; Pregnancy ; Puerperal Disorders/etiology/physiopathology/*prevention & control ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress/etiology/physiopathology/*prevention & control ; Urodynamics

PURPOSE: We investigated the molecular mechanism by which the Raf-1 kinase pathways that are linked to protein kinase C induce differential physiological effects, depending on the stimulus, by employing the pharmacological PKC activator PMA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Parental and v-Ha-ras transfected NIH 3T3 cells were chosen as test systems and these cells were transiently transfected with the pMTH vector that encodes dominant-negative (DN) PKC-epsilon with using Lipofectamine 2000. The cell proliferation reagent WST-1 was used for the quantitative determination of cellular proliferation. The Raf-1 kinase activity was measured by assessing the phosphorylation of recombinant MEK with using the immunoprecipitated Raf-1 proteins. The phosphorylated MEK protein bands were quantified by using Quantity One analysis software. RESULTS: The pharmacological PKC activator phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were able to induce the activation of Raf-1 kinase in the v-H-ras-transformed NIH3T3 fibroblasts. However, PMA was found to be much less sensitive PI3 kinase inhibitor or the chemical antioxidant than is PDGF. Especially, PMA mediated growth arrest while PDGF induced mitogenic signaling through the PKC-epsilon activation. Thus, the regulation of the Raf-1 cascade by both PDGF and PMA is likely to be intimately linked and they converge at the PKC level through different upstream pathways, as was shown by the inhibition of PDGF-induced Raf-1 kinase activation by the transient transfection with a dominant-negative mutant of PKC-epsilon. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results imply that, depending on the stimulus, Raf-1 kinase leads to different physiological effects.
Cell Proliferation ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Lipids ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; Parents ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Protein Kinase C ; Protein Kinases ; Proteins ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf ; Transfection

PURPOSE: Antitumor effect of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)- producing murine colon cancer cells was elucidated against intrahepatic challenge of parental cancer cells, which is clinically relevant tumor model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a model of liver metastasis by intrahepatic challenge of CT-26 murine colon carcinoma cells to syngeneic BALB/c mice, GM-CSF producing cells were given as a intradermal vaccine either 14 days prior to hepatic challenge, or in animals with established tumors. Tumor volume and survival were determined. RESULTS: Animals receiving vaccination showed significant systemic protection against the hepatic challenge of parental tumor cells, and in animals with established hepatic tumors significant response was observed with some prolongation in survival. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that GM-CSF-producing autologous tumor vaccine was effective for the protection of host agaisnt the metastatic hepatic tumor model. Even though its efficacy against the established tumor was not as significant as in protection, GM-CSF producing autologous tumor vaccine can provide support for the specific immunotherapy for the metastatic liver cancer.
Animals ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Granulocytes ; Humans ; Immunotherapy* ; Liver ; Liver Neoplasms* ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Mice ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Parents ; Tumor Burden ; Vaccination

Retroviral vector provide a highly efficient method for gene transfer into eukaryotic cells. This vector system can be divided into two components; the retroviral vector itself and the retroviral packaging cell line. The key improvement in the design of these two components are. focused on two aspects; the reduction of helper virus production and high titer-virus. We used PA317 for retrovirus packaging cell line, for its high producibility of viral titer, To test the ability of the vectors to generate high titer-virus, we have chosen four different retroviral vectors; LN, LNSX, LNCX and LXSN. To test easily the viral titer, we have made recombinant construction with CD4 and CD8, checked their viral titer and stained their surface expression. LXSN which contain SV40 early promoter in front of leo gene showed best results in viral transient transfection assay, dot blot assay and surface expression. In addition, recombinant containing CD8 generally showed much higher viral titration and surface expression than CD4.
Cell Line ; Eukaryotic Cells ; Helper Viruses ; Product Packaging ; Retroviridae ; Transfection ; Zidovudine*

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is widely used as a natural sugar substitute. Thus, the safety of its usage is very important. In the present study, short-term genotoxicity assays were conducted to evaluate the potential genotoxic effects of erythritol. According to the OECD test guidelines, the maximum test dose was 5,000 microg/plate in bacterial reverse mutation tests, 5,000 microg/ml in cell-based assays, and 5,000 mg/kg for in vivo testing. An Ames test did not reveal any positive results. No clastogenicity was observed in a chromosomal aberration test with CHL cells or an in vitro micronucleus test with L5178Y tk +/- cells. Erythritol induced a marginal increase of DNA damage at two high doses by 24 hr of exposure in a comet assay using L5178Y tk +/- cells. Additionally, in vivo micronucleus tests clearly demonstrated that oral administration of erythritol did not induce micronuclei formation of the bone marrow cells of male ICR mice. Taken together, our results indicate that erythritol is not mutagenic to bacterial cells and does not cause chromosomal damage in mammalian cells either in vitro or in vivo.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; Erythritol* ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Micronucleus Tests ; Sweetening Agents

Manganese (Mn) is an essential element that is required in trace amount for normal growth, development as well maintenance of proper function and regulation of numerous cellular and biochemical reactions. Yet, excessive Mn brain accumulation upon chronic exposure to occupational or environmental sources of this metal may lead to a neurodegenerative disorder known as manganism, which shares similar symptoms with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). In recent years, Mn exposure has gained public health interest for two primary reasons: continuous increased usage of Mn in various industries, and experimental findings on its toxicity, linking it to a number of neurological disorders. Since the first report on manganism nearly two centuries ago, there have been substantial advances in the understanding of mechanisms associated with Mn-induced neurotoxicity. This review will briefly highlight various aspects of Mn neurotoxicity with a focus on the role of astrocytic glutamate transporters in triggering its pathophysiology.
Astrocytes ; Brain ; Glutamic Acid* ; Manganese* ; Nervous System Diseases ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Parkinson Disease ; Public Health

Adult ; Groin ; injuries ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; blood ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Tendon Injuries ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Weight Lifting ; injuries

OBJECTIVE: To determine the changes of posterior bulging of the lumbar intervertebral discs with flexion and extension movement of the spine in patients with central disc bulges or disc degeneration. METHOD: Twenty patients with low back pain were studied. Nine patients had central type disc bulging and eleven patients had disc degeneration only. The spines were scanned in neutral, flexion, and extension positions in a vertically open 0.5T MR scanner. Degree of posterior bulging of the lumbar intervertebral disc of the pathological level was measured. RESULTS: In the patients with disc bulge, posterior bulging of the disc decreased in all of the patients by 0.8 0.6 mm with flexion of the spine and increased in 77.8% of the patients by 1.0 0.8 mm with extension of the spine. In the patients with disc degeneration, posterior bulging decreased with flexion in 36.7% of the patients. With extension, posterior bulging increased in 55.6% of the patients. CONCLUSION: This study found that patients with low back pain and central disc bulges have consistent and marked discrepancies in posterior bulging with flexion-extension in comparison with our previous study with asymptomatic patients with normal MRIs.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration* ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Low Back Pain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Spine

The number of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who mandate additional oral anticoagulant therapy has been increasing. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is associated with reduced ischemic events including stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction and stroke following PCI. However, the tradeoff is an increased risk for bleeding while on DAPT. The addition of a novel oral anticoagulant (NOAC) further increases the likelihood of bleeding while on antiplatelet therapy. Thus, the overall risks and benefits for each patient undergoing PCI on NOAC must be assessed and therapy individualized to ensure optimal therapy for each unique situation. Patients on NOAC undergoing PCI should undergo routine assessment with intravascular imaging as the role of high-risk lesion-related features have increased importance prior to determining optimal duration of treatment with DAPT. We review the best practices for the pharmacologic management of patients requiring anticoagulation with NOAC who are treated with PCI and require antiplatelet therapy.
Anticoagulants ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Risk Assessment ; Stents ; Stroke ; Thrombosis