OBJECTIVE: To verify the separate and combined effects of cadmium and nickel on blood pressure in rats. METHODS: Following the daily administration of cadmium chloride(CdCl2) and nickel chloride(NiCl2) to rats both individually and in combination with intraperitoneal injection method for one week, systolic blood pressure of the tail was measured at 1 day and 5, 10, 20, 30 days after administration. Each substance was injected into the rats with 0.1 mg/kg bw and 1.0 mg/kg bw concentration. RESULTS: After 0.1 mg/kg bw CdCl2 was injected, a statistically significant difference was found as compared with the control group(only saline) after 1, 5 and 10 days. After 0.1 mg/kg bw NiCl2 was injected, a statistically significant difference was not found compared with the control group. After 0.1 mg/kg bw CdCl2 and 0.1 mg/kg bw NiCl2 were injected simultaneously, a statistically significant difference was found as compared with the control group after 1, 5 and 10 days and compared with 0.1 mg/kg bw CdCl2 group after 5 days and as compared with 0.1 mg/kg bw NiCl2 group after 5 and 10 days. After 1.0 mg/kg bw CdCl2 was injected, a statistically significant difference was found as compared with the control group after 1, 5, 10 and 20 days. After 1.0 mg/kg bw NiCl2 was injected, a statistically significant difference was found as compared with the control group after 1 day and 5 days. After 1.0 mg/kg bw CdCl2 and 1.0 mg/kg bw NiCl2 were injected in combination, a statistically significant difference was found after 1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 days as compared with 1.0 mg/kg bw CdCl2 after 10, 20 and 30 days and as compared with 1.0 mg/kg bw NiCl2 after 5, 10, 20 and 30 days. CONCLUSION: It was found that the effect of CdCl2 on blood pressure was much more than NiCl2 and a high concentration CdCl2 and NiCl2 in combination delayed the recovery of blood pressure.
Animals ; Blood Pressure* ; Cadmium Chloride ; Cadmium* ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Nickel* ; Rats* ; Tail

OBJECTIVES: It is the objective of this study to compare hepatotoxicity of nickel chloride and cadmium chloride with each other through IPRL(Isolated Perfused Rat Liver) method. METHODS: Biochemical indicator of hepatic function such as AST(aspartate aminotransferase), ALT(alanine aminotransferase), LDH(lactate dehydrogenase) and perfusion flow rate were used as the indicator of hepatotoxicity. Oxygen consumption rate were used as viability indicator. 300(+/-50) g - weighted rats were allocated randomly to each group(0 micrometer, 50 micrometer, 200 micrometer NiCl2 and CdCl2 exposure) by 5, totally 25. After Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer solution flowed into the portal vein and passed the liver cell, it flowed out of vena cava. Liver was administered with each NiCl2 and CdCl2 of each concentration and observed with buffer solution sampling time. Buffer which got out of liver was sampled and then biochemical indicator of hepatotoxicity was measured. RESULTS: AST, ALT, and LDH in buffer increased with sampling time much more in CdCl2 exposure group than NiCl2 exposure group in both 50 and 200 micrometer and statistical significance was verified with 2-way repeated ANOVA. Viability was decreased more and more in all substances during passed time. CONCLUSIONS: It is inferred that CdCl2 has stronger hepatotoxicity than NiCl2. IPRL method would be used widely for acute hepatotoxicity when considerating the benefit of it.
Animals ; Cadmium Chloride ; Cadmium* ; Liver ; Nickel* ; Oxygen Consumption ; Perfusion ; Portal Vein ; Rats*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There have been many studies concerning histologic changes and effectiveness of specific treatment in the experimentally induced sinusitis model, but there are few studies about natural course of paranasal sinusitis. This study aimed to analyze the natural course of sinusitis and the influence of stress on the natural disease course. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Natural ostia of 120 rabbits were occluded and reopened at 10 days after occlusion. Rabbits were divided into six groups according to duration from reopening to sacrifice. Each group was sacrificed at 1, 4, 8, 12, 19, 26 days after reopening of the natural ostium. Each group was divided into a control and stress subgroups. Radiologic, gross and histologic findings were analyzed. RESULTS: Percentage of rabbits showing partial or total haziness was highest at 3 days after reopening in the control subgroup and at 11 days in the stress subgroup. Percentage of the rabbits showing moderate or severe amount of pus in the sinus on gross examination was highest at 4 days in both subgroups. Degree of epithelial loss was most severe at 4 days in both subgroups. Subepithelial thickness was largest and inflammatory cell infiltrations were most severe at 8 days in both subgroups. Although there was a lack of statistical significance, stress subgroups showed more severe gross, radiologic, and histologic findings than those of control subgroups. CONCLUSION: This study shows that maxillary sinusitis is induced by natural ostium occlusion only and is improved with time without any treatment, and that stress might influence the severity of maxillary sinusitis.
Maxillary Sinus* ; Maxillary Sinusitis* ; Rabbits* ; Sinusitis ; Suppuration

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) affects mood and neuroplasticity in the brain, where its role is poorly understood. In the present study we investigated whether capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-trans-6-nonenamide), an agonist of TRPV1, induced chromatin remodeling and thereby altered gene expression related to synaptic plasticity. We found that capsaicin treatment resulted in upregulation of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) in the mouse hippocampus and HDAC2 was enriched at Psd95, synaptophysin, GLUR1, GLUR2 promoters. Viral-mediated hippocampal knockdown of HDAC2 induced expression of Synapsin I and prevented the detrimental effects of capsaicin on Synapsin I expression in mice, supporting the role of HDAC2 in regulation of capsaicin-induced Synapsin I expression. Taken together, our findings implicate HDAC2 in capsaicin-induced transcriptional regulation of synaptic molecules and support the view that HDAC2 is a molecular link between TRPV1 activity and synaptic plasticity.

Vitamin C is an essential micronutrient that affects immune responses. T cells are one of the main players in acquired immunity and have been reported to be influenced by in vivo vitamin C supplementation. Yet, the way by which T cells uptake vitamin C and what direct effects vitamin C exerts on the cells are not known. To elucidate, we isolated human peripheral blood T cells and analyzed the expression of sodium-dependent vitamin C transporters (SVCT). T cells were activated in vitro in the absence or presence of vitamin C, before or after activation. As results, human T cells expressed SVCT2, but not SVCT1, and the expression level increased following activation. Vitamin C added in the culture media generally did not affect T-cell behaviors following activation, such as proliferation, apoptosis, expression of CD25 and CD69, and interleukin 2 secretion, regardless whether it was added before or after activation. However, exceptionally, high concentration vitamin C, when it was added before activation, but not after activation, did exert toxic effects on cell activation with respect to the above-mentioned parameters. In conclusion, we showed the expression of SVCT2 in human T cells for the first time. Vitamin C exerted toxic effects, at least in vitro, when the concentration was high and when it was given before activation. These toxic effects are not thought to be via anti-oxidant effects of vitamin C.
Adaptive Immunity ; Antioxidants ; Apoptosis ; Ascorbic Acid* ; Culture Media ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Interleukin-2 ; Micronutrients ; Sodium-Coupled Vitamin C Transporters* ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Vitamins*

This study was designed to investigate the synergetic hepatoprotective effects from a mixture of Korean Red Ginseng and Pueraria Radix on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Liver toxicity was induced by intraperitoneal administration of CCl₄ (0.6 mg/kg) in 12 groups of ICR mice. The negative control group was given CCl₄ without test samples and the normal group was given no treatment. Among treatment groups, the RGAP treatment (Korean Red ginseng acetic acid extract : Pueraria Radix water extract, w/w, 38.4:57.6) decreased CCl₄-elevated ALT (101.60 IU/L), AST (833.89 IU/L), and LDH (365.02 IU/L) levels in the serum, and increased the SOD (11.03 unit/mg protein) and CAT (0.37 unit/mg protein) levels and the LPO levels (59.09 µM/g tissue) more than that in the mice group with CCl₄-induced control group hepatotoxicity. These results suggest that administration of a mixture of Korean Red ginseng and Pueraria Radix decreases CCl₄-induced liver damage and enhances antioxidant activity in mice and imply that administration of the mixture in a certain ratio is more effective than single administration of either Korean Red ginseng or Pueraria Radix alone.
Acetic Acid ; Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride* ; Carbon* ; Cats ; Liver* ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Panax* ; Pueraria* ; Water

This study was carried out to assess the effect of economic depression on psychosocial distress, and to assess the relationship between differences of psychosocial distress and job characteristics (job strain), and to find out the effect of social support on psychosocial distress. We measured job characteristics(job demand, job control), and social support(coworker support, supervisor supports) at work by a self-administered questionnaire. Psychosocial distress was measured by PWI(Psychosocial Well-being Index), a 45-item self-administered instrument. Among the 152 respondents, the prevalence of high job strain was 27% (41 persons). The Odds ratio of high job strain was 3.11 (95% CI; 2.12~4.11), and those of passive group and active group were 2.01(95% CI; 0.83~2.76) and 1.80(95% CI; 0.83~2.76), respectively. Our results supported the association between psychosocial distress and job strain. The odds ratio of high strain isolates group (high strain group+low social support) was 3.59 (95% CI; 2.05~5.13), but the odds ratio of high strain collective group was 1.32 (95% CI; 0.23~2.41). Social support at work was modifying factor of the association between psychosocial distress and job strain. Therefore we reviewed the evidence that economic depression was associated with psychosocial distress in this study, and that the strength of the social support was important in maintain health.
Data Collection ; Economic Recession* ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires

It has been well established that women generally have lower incidence rates of hypertension than men at similar ages and these differences may vary with age. It also has been observed in many studies that after menopause, blood pressure (BP) increases in women to levels even higher than in men. The lack of estrogens may not be suggested as the only component involved in the development of postmenopausal hypertension. Thus, in this mini-review, the possible mechanisms by which sex hormones may influence the BP are discussed. This review also examines the renal regulatory mechanisms for gender differences in BP and explores the effects of salt intake on BP (salt-sensitivity) in pre and post-menopausal women. Estrogen has been shown to stimulate nitric oxide (NO) production, thus female sex hormones have a beneficial effect on BP control. Evidences that angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) is up-regulated by estrogen support the favorable effects on BPs in women than men. The kidney plays an integral role in the regulation of arterial pressure through the mechanism of pressure-natriuresis, which has been shown to be modulated by the RAS. The prevalence of salt-sensitivity increases with age and low-salt diets has shown to help reduce systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP. While oral hormone replacement therapy has yielded only a neutral or minimal effect on the elevation of SBP, both the transdermal route replacement and a novel progestin with anti-aldosterone activity (drospirenone) has also shown to reduce SBP.
Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Diet, Sodium-Restricted ; Estrogens ; Female ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Incidence ; Kidney ; Male ; Menopause ; Nitric Oxide ; Postmenopause ; Prevalence ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2 ; Sodium*

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between the Risser sign and chronological age and menarche in elementary, middle, and high school students, and to investigate the reliability of the Risser sign. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 1, 870 spine standing AP X-rays, which included the iliac crest. We tried to identify a correlationbetween the Risser stage and chronological age, and between Risser stage and menarche. In addition, we investigated inter-observer error in the determination of Risser stage. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The mean ages of Risser 1, 2, 3 and 4 female students were 12.9, 13.3, 13.6, and 14.3 years, and the mean ages of Risser 1, 2, 3 and 4 male students were 14.0, 14.3, 14.5, and 15.6 years (Spearman's rho=0.560, p<0.01). The mean menarchal age of female students were 12 years 4 months, which is 7 months earlier than the mean chronological age of Risser 1 in female students. Wefound that it takes 24 months to progress from menarche to iliac crest maturation (Risser 4) (Spearman's rho=0.571, p<0.01). The percentage of agreement in the determination of Risser stage by three orthopaedic surgeons was 73.3%, showing good reliability with a Kappa value of 0.739-0.783.
Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Menarche* ; Scoliosis ; Spine

PURPOSE: The insertion site of K-wire for skeletal traction is proximal part of tibia or distal part of femur. However, people prefer proximal tibia over distal femur due to lower risk of infection rate when change to interlocking IM nailing is needed. We evaluated the infection rate of interlocking IM nailing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourty-seven patients were included in this study who underwent interlocking IM nailing due to femur shaft fracture. Traction was applied at the distal femur in 19 cases and proximal tibia in 10 cases before interlocking IM nailing. No skeletal traction was applied to the remaining 18 cases. Thirty-eight patients were male and 9 were female. The average age at the time of surgery was 36.7 years old (range, 15~17 years). The average traction period was 9.5 days (range, 3~33 days) and the average followed-up period was 17.2 months. RESULTS: In the distal femoral traction group, 8 cases of superficial pin tract infection developed, but no case of deep infection such as osteomyelitis occurred. In the proximal tibia traction group, 2 cases of superficial pin tract infection developed, but no case of deep infection occurred. In the group that received no skeletal traction before interlocking IM nailing, no case of infection developed. CONCLUSION: In femur shaft fracture, the distal femoral skeletal traction followed by interlocking IM nailing of femur, compared to proximal tibia skeletal traction, did not increase the risk of deep infection such as osteomyelitis.
Female ; Femur* ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Male ; Osteomyelitis ; Tibia ; Traction*