OBJECTIVE: To investigate the degradation kinetic characteristics of methylnaltrexone bromide aqueous solution and to study the factors that influence methylnaltrexone bromide degradation, thus to provide necessary data for the pharmaceutical research. METHODS: Classical isothermal method was employed to evaluate the degradation kinetic profile of methylnaltrexone bromide under different temperatures, pH values, illumination and concentrations of Fe3+. The activation energy and shelf life were predicted with Arrhenius equation. RESULTS: The degradation of methylnaltrexone bromide aqueous solution complied with first order kinetics. The aqueous solution was stable in an environment of pH 3.51, the higher the temperature was, the larger the degradation kinetic rate constant was. The shelf-life of the aqueous solution was 145 d at room temperature; and the illumination, as well as the existence of Fe3+ could both facilitate the degradation of methylnaltrexone bromide. CONCLUSION: The degradation of methylnaltrexone bromide follows apparent first-order kinetics, and the degradation kinetic rate is affected by Fe3+ and illumination. Moreover, its degradation remarkably and positively correlates with temperature. pH also has an effect on the degradation rate. The kinetic profile provides basis for the investigation of the degradation mechanism and necessary experimental data for the future pharmaceutical research.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the influencing factors on the single and recurrent falls in community-dwelling older women. METHODS: Seventy eight volunteers aged over 65 were included in the study. The participants experienced at least one fall within the past one year. Data were measured on each participant from May 2007 to September 2007, collected using structured researcher-administered sheets and measuring their physical strengths and analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of recurrent falls were 53.8%. The level of education(Z = -2.455, p = .014) and the presence of spouse(chi-square = 4.843, p = .044) showed significant differences between the single-fall group and the recurrent-fall group in the study. Significantly predicting factor on the recurrent falls was the level of education and the variable explained 20.1% of variants in the occurrence of recurrent falls. CONCLUSION: Although a variety of factors affected the single fall in the elderly women, the level of education and the presence of spouse proved to be the significant factors in their recurrent falls. These factors proven to be significant as the result of this should be reflected in the development of effective programs for preventing the elderly from recurrent falls.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence ; Spouses

Joubert syndrome is the very rare autosomal recessive disorder which is including agenesis of cerebellar vermis, respiratory discomfort, ocular motor apraxia, hereditary retinal dystrophy, ataxia and developmental retardation. To diagnose, the findings of electroretinography and visual evoked potential study can be useful and hypoplasia of cerebellar vermis in brain MRI can make certain diagnosis. We found ocular motor apraxia without head thrusts in 4-month little baby can't even control his head and neck, and then his electroretinography and visual evoked potential study was normal and there was agenesis of cerebellar vermis by MRI finding. So he was diagnosed as Joubert syndrome with ocular motor apraxia. Agenesis of cerebellar vermis is considered to be one of the causes of oculomotor apraxia, and the clinical presentation varies with the age and motor development of the child. So, we describe this case with a brief review of the literatures related to this disease.
Apraxias* ; Ataxia ; Brain ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Electroretinography ; Evoked Potentials, Visual ; Head* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neck ; Retinal Dystrophies

We assessed the best method for preschool vision screening using four visual acuity charts. The subjects were 162 childrens(324 eyes), who were divided into all aged group(162 childrens), 3-year-old group(58 childrens), 4-year-old group(58 childrens) and 5-year-old group(46 childrens), We compared Hahn's test, HOTV test, Allen figures and E test by measuring the time required for test, the percentage of children testable with each chart, visual acuity score and consistency of score. There was no significant differences among the time of each group(p>0.05). Visual acuity score with Hahn's test was lower than that of the rest 3 tests in all aged group and 3-year-old group(p<0.05). The percentage of children testable with Hahn's test was lower than that with the other tests(p<0.05). For assessing the consistency, analysis of variance was used. E test was more variable than the other test and Allen figures showed most consistency than the other tests(p<0.05). In young chidren, there were some difficulties in measuring visual acuity with Hahn's test, and the E test caused variable results because of difficulty in distinguishing the left-right orientation, but relatively Allen figures showed consistency, high visual acuity and testability in all groups.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Vision Screening* ; Visual Acuity*

Objective To compare the saccharometabolism with the pancreatic islets functions and insulin resistance index in children with severe stress. Methods Thirty children with severe stress and 30 healthy children in control group were tested. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS) and fasting C - peptide (FCP) were detected by radioimmunoassay respectively and insulin sensitivity index (ISI), insulin resistance index (IR) and fasting blood cell function index (FBCI) were calculated statistically. Results There were significant differences between the children with severe stress and the normal controls in the levels of FINS, FCP and FBG,(all P0.05). Conclusion There is insulin resistance with the significant decrease in the insulin sensitivity index and significant increase in insulin resistance index in the children with severe stress, which may cause the disorder in glucose metabolism in children with severe stress.

A strain of pseudomonas sp. L-11 could produce biosurfactants by use of glucose as substrate. The fermentation conditions in shaking flask and 1L fennentor were investigated. The optimal medium and (he fermentation technology were demonstrated. In 1L fermentor, the interracial tension between the diluent of L-11 (10%) and crude oil is 5.3?10~3mN/m, which is fit for microbial enhanced oil recovery. The scale-up technology of L-11 was also studied.

PURPOSE: IL-6 is one of the cytokines which is important mediators of host response to stress and infection. But, little is known about the activities of IL-6 in neonates with complicated course. So, We measured Il-6 levels in cord blood serum and which were compared neonates with perinatal complication with healthy neonats. METHOD: In a prospective study, level of IL-6 were measured in cord blood serum from 29 neonates (38.8+/-2.66wks, 3075.52+/-669.37gm) by specific immunoassay (Quantikine Human IL-6 immunoassay, RandD systems Inc., D6050), who delivered in Wonkwang University Hospital from May 1995 to July 1995. Statistical significance was analyzed with Mann-Whitney U test. RESULT: 1) IL-6 serum level in cord blood did not differ in neonates born by varying type of delivery. 2) IL-6 serum levels in cord blood were not related to perinatal complications. 3) IL-6 serum levels in cord blood were significantly higher in the neonates with infectious complication(128.0+/-29.74pg/ml) than non-infecatious complication(54.63+/-11.63pg/ml, p<0.05) and in healthy neonates (49.46+/-20.89pg/ml, p<0.02) CONCLUSION: Levels of IL-6 in cord blood serum were elevated in neonates with infectious complication. So, prospective measurement of IL-6 in cord blood may be useful in infection of perinatal period.
Cytokines ; Fetal Blood* ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Infant, Newborn* ; Interleukin-6* ; Prospective Studies

PURPOSE: Serum level of the aminotransferase is the most common test in use to assess hepatocellular injury and are sensitive test of hepatocyte necrosis, but both AST and ALT level in serum rise in a variety of hepatic disorders. Some clinical study reports that AST/ALT ratio was possible to predict prognostic outcome of infants with liver disease. We have tried to assess whether AST/ALT ratio is valuable or not for predict prognosis of hepatitis and differentiate cause of it. METHODS: Serum AST, ALT, and AST/ALT ratio were evaluated in the infants with acute hepatitis. They were grouped into 12 patients with Hepatitis B surface antigen positive only(group I), 23 patients with Hepatitis B surface antibody positive only(group II), and 12 patients with not-known cause of hepatitis(group III). The 24 patients were able to follow-up of AST and ALT for 2 months. They are grouped into 12 patients with normalized AST and ALT within 2 months(group A) and 12 patients not normalized within 2 months(group B). RESULTS: 1)There were no statistical difference of mean serum level of AST and ALT that were tested on admission day, one week and 2 week of admission respectively among the group I, II, and III. 2)The value of AST/ALT ratio were increased from 0.6 on admission day to 0.9 after 2 week of admission in group I(p<0.05), decreased from 1.1 to 0.8 in group II. It were not changed in group III. 3)The mean values of AST/ALT ratio were not statistically different in group A and B. 4)The mean values of serum alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and prothrombin time were not statistically different among these groups, if we exclude two cases of cholestatic jaudice, one case of acute fulminant hepatitis, and one case of hepatitis C from these groups. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of this study, we concluded that progression of hepatitis and damage of hepatic cell was different according to the cause of hepatitis. AST/ALT ratio of the acute phase hepatitis were not able to reflect the time duration of normalization of AST and ALT and it was not related to etiology of hepatitis. For predict prognosis of infant with acute hepatitis, long term follow up is needed in many more cases of infants with acute hepatitis.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bilirubin ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis C ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver Diseases ; Necrosis ; Prognosis ; Prothrombin Time

The development of colorectai cancer following pelvic irradiation has been a much less common event. A 58-years-old woman presented with tenesmus for 5 months. She had a stage IIb, carcinoma of the cervix for which she underwent radiation therapy in 27 years before. Colonscopic findings revealed polypoid mass and irregular ulceration on the rectum and proctitis associated with stricture that was compatible with her previous history of radiation. Histoyathological examination of the polypectomy specimen disclosed adenocarcinoma. So we reported a case of radiation induced carcinoma of reotum which might be the first case in Korean literature. It therefore, behooves the clinician who follows patients whose carcinoma of the cervix or corpus uteri has been cured by radiation therapy to be vigilant for the subsequent development of colon and rectal cancer.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Cervix Uteri ; Colon ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Humans ; Proctitis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Rectum ; Ulcer ; Uterus

PURPOSE: To investigate the postoperative patterns of weight-gain in early infants with ventricular septal defects (VSDs), we analyze 48 patients who received primary surgical closure of the symptomatic VSDs during 6 months of age in the period of 1993 through 1995. METHODS: Forty-sixt infants met criteria for inclusion in the study. The mean follow up period was 14 months (3 to 36 months). Weight percentile was extrapolarated from data of the Korean boys and girls measured in 1985. The data was compared by one-group paired student t-test. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate of this study was 4% (2/48). No surviving patients required a second ventricular septal defect operation, and the majority no longer received anticongestive therapies. The mean percentile of the preoperative weight was 3.53. In postoperative follow up period, they grew steadily. But, the mean weight percentile was only 5.46 in age under 6 months. Mean 12 percentile was achieved in age of 6 to 8 months, hence 25.4 percentile in 9 to 12 months, 33.5 percentile over 12 months, 64.8 percentile over 24 months of age. The weighing pattern of the patients with smaller defect was similar in 24 patients (52%) with large VSD, which size were same or larger than diameter of the aortic root. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that the patients under 6 months who have undergone primary surgical closure of the symptomatic large ventricular septal defects could gain the weight normally in postoperative period. Although the weight-gain was not sufficient when the age was under 12 months, It became normal pattern of weighing in age over 12 months.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Mortality ; Postoperative Period