Anthocyanidins, the aglycones of anthocyanins, are natural colorants belonging to the flavonoid family. Cyanidin is one of the anthocyanidins, used for their antioxidant properties. Furthermore, previous studies have shown anthocyanidin-rich material extracts or aglycone form inhibit growth and induce apoptosis of cancer cells. But, Tumor metastasis is the most important cause of cancer death, and various treatment strategies have targeted on preventing the occurrence of metastasis. This study investigated the effects of cyanidin on metastasis processes, including motility, invasion and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. We cultured MDA-MB-231 cells in presence of various concentrations 0, 5, 10 and 20 micrometer of cyanidin. The cell motility was significantly decreased dosedependently in cells treated with cyanidin (p < 0.05) and cyanidin treatment caused the significant suppression of the invasion (p < 0.05). MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities, and MMP-9 mRNA express were not affected by anthocyanin treatment. In conclusion, cyanidin inhibits cell motility, invasion in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines.
Anthocyanins ; Apoptosis ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Line ; Cell Movement ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; RNA, Messenger

PURPOSE: Long term oral medications of anticonvulsants are inevitable in pediatric epilepsy patients. Therefore special attention is needed for the complications caused by these medications. Hyponatremia is a well known complication of carbamazepine(CBZ) and oxcarbazepine(OXC), but researches in pediatric patients are rare. This is a study about the development of hyponatremia during the use of these two anticonvulsants in pediatric epilepsy patients and other factors also involved in it. METHODS: We studied serum sodium levels of 267 pediatric patients who were treated with either CBZ or OXC in our hospital from January 2003 to December 2006. Hyponatremia was defined as Na+<138 mEq. Moderate hyponatremia was defined as Na+<130 mEq. Factors thought to be involved in the development of hyponatremia were studied also. These included age, sex, EEG and radiologic test results, use of any other medications, etc. RESULTS: Among the 267 pediatric patients treated with CBZ or OXC, there were 18 cases (6.7%) of moderate hyponatremia and 28 cases(10.5%) of mild hyponatremia. Sex, age, type of seizure, EEG and radiologic test results did not affect the development of hyponatremia. But combination therapy with other anticonvulsants resulted in an increase of hyponatremia. CONCLUSION: We recommend that serum sodium levels should be checked regularly of the pediatric patients taking CBZ or OXC, especially patients treated with additional drugs (combination therapy).
Anticonvulsants ; Carbamazepine ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Seizures ; Sodium

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of frozen-thawed ET in poor prognosis patients such as the old age (38~44 years; OA group) and the patients who did not achieve clinical pregnancy with the first fresh ET cycle (non-pregnant patients; NP group). METHODS: Laboratory and clinical data were collected from fresh and frozen-thawed ET cycles of OA and NP group. Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and conventional insemination or ICSI, in vitro culture and ET were performed by routine procedures. Supernumerary embryos were frozen by the slow freezing method, and frozen embryos were thawed by the rapid thawing method. Embryo development, pregnancy and implantation rates were statistically analyzed by Student t-test and chi square test. RESULTS: Mean ages were similar between fresh ET (40.0+/-1.8 years, n=206) and frozen-thawed ET (39.9+/-1.9 years, n=69) cycles in OA group. However, the clinical pregnancy and implantation rate of subsequent frozen-thawed ET significantly higher than those of fresh ET cycles (29.0% and 11.2% vs. 16.5% and 7.0%, p<0.05). In NP group, there was no difference in the mean age between fresh ET (31.2+/-2.3 years, n=40) and frozen-thawed ET (31.9+/-3.1 years, n=119) in subsequent cycles. The clinical pregnancy and implantation rates were similar between the subsequent fresh ET (42.5% and 22.6%) and the frozen-thawed ET (40.3% and 18.8%). CONCLUSION: In old age patients, higher pregnancy rate of frozen-thawed ET compared to fresh ET cycles in this study. It may be related that better uterine environments for implantation in frozen-thawed ET cycles than that of non-physiological hormonal condition in uterus of fresh COH cycles.
Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Freezing ; Humans ; Insemination ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Prognosis ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Uterus

The nfa1 gene was cloned from a cDNA library of pathogenic Naegleria fowleri by immunoscreening; it consisted of 360 bp and produced a 13.1 kDa recombinant protein (rNfa1) that showed the pseudopodia-specific localization by immunocytochemistry in the previous study. Based on the idea that the pseudopodia-specific Nfa1 protein mentioned above seems to be involved in the pathogenicity of N. fowleri, we observed the effect of an anti-Nfa1 antibody on the proliferation of N. fowleri trophozoites and the cytotoxicity of N. fowleri trophozoites on the target cells. The proliferation of N. fowleri trophozoites was inhibited after being treated with an anti-Nfa1 polyclonal antibody in a dose-dependent manner for 48 hrs. By a light microscope, CHO cells co-cultured with N. fowleri trophozoites (group I) for 48 hrs showed severe morphological destruction. On the contrary, CHO cells co-cultured with N. fowleri trophozoites and anti-Nfa1 polyclonal antibody (1: 100 dilution) (group II) showed less destruction. In the LDH release assay results, group I showed 50.6% cytotoxicity, and group II showed 39.3%. Consequently, addition of an anti-Nfa1 polyclonal antibody produced a decreasing effect of in vitro cytotoxicity of N. fowleri in a dosedependent manner.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*immunology ; Antigens, Protozoan/genetics/*immunology ; CHO Cells ; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic ; Female ; Hamsters ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Naegleria fowleri/growth & development/immunology/*pathogenicity ; Protozoan Proteins/genetics/*immunology ; Recombinant Proteins/immunology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

PURPOSE: This study investigates the effect of pregnant women's growth mindset on the stress of pregnancy through ego-resilience. METHODS: The subjects included 551 pregnant women in Seoul and Gyeonggi area. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire; statistical, frequency, correlation, and structural equation analyses were performed using SPSS21 and M-plus 7.0. RESULTS: First, pregnant women's growth mindset had a direct effect on pregnancy stress. Second, the mediating pathway that influenced pregnancy stress through the ego-resilience of growth mindset was significant. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that it is important to devise and practice a method to improve the growth mindset of pregnant women, enhance ego-resilience, and reduce the negative effects of stress by reducing pregnancy stress.
Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Methods ; Negotiating ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Seoul

BACKGROUND: Carotid endarterectomy is a very high risk operation, combined with high incidence of stroke and myocardial infarction. We experienced 36 cases of carotid endarterectomies during the last two years. We reviewed these cases with anesthetic management and neurologic monitoring. METHODS: All of the operations were performed under general anesthesia. 33 cases were monitored by EEG and SEP. We maintained cerebral perfusion during cross-clamping and shunt by normothermia, normocarbia and mild hypertension. RESULTS: 33% of the patients had severe coronary artery stenosis and 41% had severe contralateral carotid artery stenosis preoperatively. During the operation, 10 patients showed transient EEG changes without SEP change or neurologic sequele. The major postoperative complication was myocarial infarction in one patient. There were 3 cases of postoperative cerebral infarction in radiologic findings. One case occurred after myocardial infarction and the other two cases showed no clinical evidence of neurologic deficit. CONCLUSIONS: In anesthetic management of carotid endarterectomy patients, maintaining cerebral perfusion, preventing perioperative myocardial infarction are important and monitoring neurologic function with EEG and SEP should be considered to prevent neurologic deficits.
Anesthesia, General ; Carotid Stenosis ; Cerebral Infarction ; Coronary Stenosis ; Electroencephalography* ; Endarterectomy, Carotid* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Perfusion ; Postoperative Complications ; Stroke

BACKGROUND: Aspiration of gastric contents is an ever -present risk in the use of general anesthesia, particularly in emergency and obstetric situations, and morbidity and mortality associated with this complication increases with the volume and acidity of the aspirate. Since direct inhibition of acid secretion may be a preferable method, we studied the effectiveness of ranitidine in increasing gastric pH. METHODS: Sixty patients scheduled for elective cesarean section under general anesthesia before midday were randomly divided into three groups. The control group (n=20) did not received preanesthetic ranitidine. Group I (n=20) received a slow intravenous injection of 50 mg ranitidine, one hour before surgery. Group II (n=20) received 150 mg ranitidine orally, both the night before surgery and the morning of surgery. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the mean gastric pH increased significantly in group I and II (P<0.05). There was no significant difference of gastric pH between group I and II. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that ranitidine is a useful agent in increasing the gastric pH in women undergoing elective cesarean section. Ranitidine administered intravenously and orally were equally effective means in increasing the gastric pH.
Anesthesia, General ; Cesarean Section* ; Emergencies ; Female ; Gastric Acid* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Injections, Intravenous ; Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Ranitidine*

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Embolism*

Hysteroscopy is an established gynecologic procedure that has been used for the past 20 years as a diagnostic technique. It is also used therapeutically. Hysteroscopy is commonly performed with CO2insufflation and its complications are rare. The sudden decrease of end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide, associated with mill-wheel murmur, loss of cardiac output and sinus tachycardia on the ECG are highly suggestive of massive gas embolism during laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. We report 2 cases of cardiac arrest and severe bradycardia. The second patient's expired CO2 concentration fell rapidly to 7 mmHg and blood pressure and heart rate dropped suddenly after resection of the uterine septum and adhesiolysis. We performed cardiac resuscitation with cardiotonic drugs, cardiac compression, defibrillator and resulted in good recovery. At the time of discharge 10 days and 2 days later, the patients had recovered almost completely.
Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia ; Carbon Dioxide ; Cardiac Output ; Cardiotonic Agents ; Defibrillators ; Electrocardiography ; Embolism, Air ; Endoscopy* ; Heart Arrest ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hysteroscopy ; Laparoscopy ; Partial Pressure ; Resuscitation ; Tachycardia, Sinus

We report a case of sudden cardiac arrest requiring external thoracic cardiac massage in a 40-year old healthy man receiving epidural anesthesia for elective vasovasostomy. The anesthetic procedure was performed in an operating room. Bradycardia and hypotension occurred 10 minutes after local anesthetic injection. Atropine 0.5 mg and ephedrine 10 mg were administered intravenously, but cardiac arrest followed with unconsciousness and apnea. Atropine 0.5 mg and epinephrine 1 mg were administered intravenously, and external cardiac massage was performed synchronously. The heart rate promptly increased, and the consciousness and spontaneous respiration of the patient were restored. Vital signs became stable in the recovery room and the patient recovered with no sequelae. We conclude that sudden bradycardia and cardiac arrest can unexpectedly develop during epidural anesthesia, and that close monitoring of the patient and adequate management are essential.
Adult ; Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Apnea ; Atropine ; Bradycardia ; Consciousness ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Ephedrine ; Epinephrine ; Heart Arrest* ; Heart Massage ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Operating Rooms ; Recovery Room ; Respiration ; Unconsciousness ; Vasovasostomy ; Vital Signs