It has been reported that kanamycin, a useful agent in the treatment of gram-negative and other infectious disease, has a negative inotropic action in isolated cardiac muscle preparation and also it decreases the amplitude of high K+ -induced action potential of guinea pig atrium. These findings imply that kanamycin has a property of Ca2+ antagonist. In this study, the effects of kanamycin on cardiac Ca2+ current were investigated in isolated rabbit ventricular cells by using a whole cell clamp nethod.The results are summarized as follows ; 1) Kanamycin caused a depression fo cardiac Ca2+ current in a dose dependent manner and its effect was observed in a whole memberane potential renge. 2) The decreasing effect of kanamycin on Ca2+ current was inhibited by high Ca(2+)-Tyrode solution and such inhibition was also observed in high Sr2+-Tyrode solution, but in the case of Cd2+, well known inorganic Ca2+ antagonist, the current through Ca2+ channel was greatly decreased when the perfuaste was changed from high Ca(2+)-Tyrode to high Sr(2+)-Tyrode solution. 3) In the presense of kanamycin, the decreasing pattern of Ca2+current by repetitve depolarization was not specific as in the case of verapamil. 4) Neomycin decreased Ca2+ current similar to kanamycin.From the above result, it may be concluded that kanamycin has competitive antagonistin effect on cardiac Ca2+ current.
Action Potentials ; Animals ; Calcium* ; Communicable Diseases ; Depression ; Guinea Pigs ; Kanamycin* ; Muscle Cells* ; Myocardium ; Neomycin ; Verapamil

BACKGROUND: Histamine, released from mast cells in atheromatous plaque, has been known to cause cardiac ischemia or sudden cardiac death in atherosclerosis patient. Previous reports have suggested that histamine induced coronary vasoconstriction was due to increase in IP(3) and DAG, which induce release of Ca2+ from SR and increase the Ca2+ sensitivity of contractile element via activation of PKC. Recently, it was reported that application of histamine cause depolarization of intestinal smooth muscle, which may contribute to histamine-induced contraction via augmenting Ca2+ influx through activation of Ca2+ channels. However, the underyling mechanism of histamine-induced depolarization and its contribution to the magnitude of coronary vasoconstriction are still uncertain. METHOD: To elucidate the underlying mechanism of Ca2+ influx change during histamine-induced vasoconstriction, we examined the effect of Ca2+ channel antagonist and PKC blocker on histamine-induced contractions, and then measured the effect of PKC antagonist on whole cell K+ current using patch clamping method in rabbit coronary smooth muscle cells. RESULTS: Application of histamine induced phasic and tonic constraction of coronary rings via activation of H(1) receptors. Pretreatment of Ca2+ channel antagonist (nifedipine, 1 microM) or PKC blockers (10 nM staurosporine and 10 microM Go6976) markedly inhibited histamine-induced tonic contraction, which suggest that the magnitude of tonic contraction depend on the Ca2+ influx. Application of 4-AP, a blocker of voltage-dependent K+ channels, increased resting tone of coronary rings, and combined treatment of nifedipine blocked this 4-AP induced increase of resting tone. Application of active analoge of DAG (1,2-DiC(8)) significantly inhibited the activity of voltage-dependent K+ current in single smooth muscle cell, meanwhile the inactive analogue of DAG (1,3-DiC(8)) has no apparent effect on the activity of voltage-dependent K+ current. Furthermore, pretreatment of calphostin C (1 microM), a blocker of PKC, diminished the 1,2-DiC(8)-induced inhibition of K+ current. CONCLUSION: PKC dependent inhibition of voltage-dependent K+ current may be responsible for the maintaining of histamine-induced tonic contraction in rabbit coronary artery.
Atherosclerosis ; Constriction ; Coronary Vessels* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Histamine ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Mast Cells ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Nifedipine ; Protein Kinase C ; Staurosporine ; Vasoconstriction

Various anatomical defects have been described in the surviving co-twin who had stillborn, macerated monozygotic co-twin with disseminated intravascular coagulation. The suggested mechanism was the transfer of emboli or thromboplastic materials of dead fetus to co-twin through placental vascular anastomoses. Multicystic encephalomalacia is the condition defined anatomically by the presence of multiple cavities in the great part of both cerebral hemispheres. The most common pathogenesis is circulatory disturbance caused by neonatal asphyxia during the perinatal period. We experienced two cases of monozygotic twin with deceased co-twin at 26 weeks, 33 weeks of gestation and confirmed the diffuse multicystic encephalomalacia by cranial ultrasonography and MRI in a surviving co-twin. Only one patient has been followed who showed spastic cerebral palsy and severe mental retardation. We report two cases of multicystic encephalomalacia in a surviring co-twin with a intrauterine fetal death and its related literatures.
Asphyxia ; Cerebral Palsy ; Cerebrum ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; Encephalomalacia* ; Fetal Death* ; Fetus ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Twins, Monozygotic ; Ultrasonography

Vanadate is a trace element in animal tissues and has been known to inhibit NA(+)-K(+) ATPase in various tissues including skeletal and cardiac muscles and smooth muscles. Vanadate shows contractile actions on various types of smooth muscles. Prolonged dietary administration of vanadate has been shown to cause arterial hypertension, increased peripheral resistance, and a marked reduction of coronary, visceral and renal blood flow.In isolated vascular smooth muscle of aorta, application of vanadate caused contraction. These studies have been conducted the preparation of vascular smooth muscles from which endothelial cell were removed. It has been reported that endothelial cell releases relaxing factor(s) (endothelium-derived relaxing factor, EDRF) in response to acetylcholine and a number of other stimuli and also produces vasoconstrictor substances (endothelium-derived contracting factor, EDCF). The aim of this present experiment is to elucidate whether vascular response of isolated rabbit aorta induced by vanadate are endothelium dependent or not. The result obtained were summarized as follows ; 1) When endothelium was intact, vanadate induced vascular relaxation of aorta precontracted with norepinephrine. But K+ induced contraction was augmented by vanadate in the aorta with or without endothelium. Whereas relaxation produced by vanadate precontracted with angiotensin II was endothelium-independent. 2) Hemoglobin, methylene blue, hydroquinone, and verapamil inhibited vanadate-induced vascular relaxation. But indomethacin and quinacrine had no effect on vanadate induced vascular relaxation. From the above results, it is speculated the vanadate act on endothelium, modifies the synthesis or release of endothelium-dependent relaxing factor and thus changes the contractile responses to norepinephrine in rabbit aorta.
Acetylcholine ; Adenosine Triphosphatases ; Angiotensin II ; Animals ; Aorta ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium ; Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors ; Hypertension ; Indomethacin ; Methylene Blue ; Muscle, Smooth ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Myocardium ; Norepinephrine ; Quinacrine ; Relaxation ; Vanadates* ; Vascular Resistance ; Verapamil

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to empirically investigate the determinants on oxygen free radical degree which causes biological damage focusing on smoking habit and health behaviors in daily life. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the subjects were adult males who submitted free radical tests among the examinees of the comprehensive medical testings at an university hospital in Suwon from 2008 to 2010. Total 497 samples were used in analyses for clarifying the relations of free radical degree to age, smoking, obesity, and other health behaviors. RESULTS: First, the degree of oxygen free radical increases by 0.164 as the age group increases (P<0.05). Second, the degree of oxygen free radical increases by 0.547 as the smoking habit increases (P<0.001). Third, the degree of oxygen free radical increases by 0.087 as the exposure to hazardous factors in workplace increases (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study imply that the smoking habit has more great influence on the increase of oxygen free radical in body than any other health behaviors. The causality of free radical to smoking and health behavior was not identified due to the limit of the cross-sectional study so it needs to be studied prospectively in the future.
Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Free Radicals ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Oxygen ; Smoke ; Smoking

PURPOSE: With the continuous spread of the AIDS virus and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) throughout Asia, it has become imperative for HIV/AIDS prevention outreach programs to stress the need for using prophylactics as one form of protection. This is particularly true for commercial sex workers. This pilot study was conducted to investigate the rate of condom use among the commercial sex workers in Korea and reasons why they frequently do not wear condoms during sexual intercourse. METHODS: Fifty female commercial sex workers who worked in the Yong San area were recruited while outreach was performed and forty eight responses were analyzed due to two incomplete questionnaires. The data were collected on June 28, 2004 as part of an outreach program for condom use promotion. RESULTS: The subjects ranged in age from 21 to 45 years. Nearly half of the subjects (47.9%) did not consistently use condoms. The major reason for not using protection was clients'reluctances for using condoms. When condoms were used, the subjects preferred lubricant-rich and less painful condom during intercourse. CONCLUSION: Due to the inconsistent use of condoms, it is clear that many commercial sex workers and clients are susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, it is important to not only educate commercial sex workers, but also to educate their pimps and clientele about the importance of condom use. In general, it is recommended that practical strategies and a policy for condom use promotion be developed.
Adult ; Community-Institutional Relations ; Condoms/*utilization ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Decision Making ; Female ; HIV Infections/epidemiology/prevention & control ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Health Policy ; Health Promotion ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Pilot Projects ; Prostitution/*psychology/statistics & numerical data ; Questionnaires ; Risk-Taking ; Safe Sex/ethnology/*psychology/statistics & numerical data ; Sex Education ; Sexual Partners/psychology ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology/prevention & control ; Time Factors

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a scale for measuring the attitudes toward condom use in sexual relationships. METHOD: A questionnaire was administered to 631 college students using a convenience sampling method. The psychometric properties (reliability and validity) were evaluated. RESULT: As a result of the item analysis, 16 items were selected and the internal consistency alpha coefficient was .88. Results indicated that the condom attitude scale is composed of three factors: Interruption of sexual pleasure; Protection; and Image. The three factors accounted for 59.54% of the variance in the total scale. Also, condom attitude was statistically significant (t=7.389, p=.000) between consistent condom users and inconsistent users. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that condom attitudes are multidimensional, and the reliability and validity of the scale was supported.
Adult ; *Attitude ; *Condoms ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Questionnaires ; Students/*psychology

BACKGROUND: Impairment of relaxing response and augmentation of contractile response to vasoactive substances have been reported in atherosclerotic arteries. These alterations in vascular reactivity are considered as an underlying mechanism for the development of acute vasospasm in atherosclerotic coronary artery. Recently, it has been reported that lysophophatidylcholine (LPC), an oxidative metabolite of low density lipoprotein causes this functional abnormality. However, the precise mechanism of LPC induced change of vascular reactivity is still uncertain. METHOD: In this study, to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of abnormal vascular reactivity in atherosclerotic coronary artery, we examined the effect of LPC on whole cell K+current using patch clamping technique in rabbit coronary smooth muscle cells. RESULTS: Application of LPC(1microM) showed dual effect on whole cell outward current which depends on the magnitude of test potentials. At relatively high depolarizing test potentials (> 10 mV), LPC increased amplitude of outward current which was blocked by Gd3+ not by iberiotoxin (100 nM) and TEA (1 mM). Reversal potential of this Gd3+sensitive, LPC-induced current was -9.7 +/- 0.6 mV. At less depolarizing test potentials (< 10 mV), LPC decreased whole cell K+currents in a dose dependent manner (from 0.01 to 10 microM) in the range of -30 mV to +0 mV. Half maximal inhibition of K+current was 1.509 microM at 0 mV test potential (n =5). Depolarizing holding potential (0 mV) prevented this LPC-induced inhibition of K+current. Steady state activation and inactivation parameters of K+current were significantly shifted to the positive direction by application of LPC (p < 0.01, n =8). Pretreatment of staurosporine (100 nM), a blocker of protein kinase C partially blocked LPC-induced decrease of K+currents. CONCLUSION: LPC-induced inhibition of voltage dependent K+current may explain abnormal vascular reactivity in atherosclerotic coronary artery.
Arteries ; Constriction ; Coronary Vessels ; Lipoproteins ; Lysophosphatidylcholines* ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle* ; Protein Kinase C ; Staurosporine ; Tea

This study was conducted to explore the level of sexual satisfaction in married women. This is a descriptive study. The data was collected from July 19 to Aug 10, 1997 utilizing a questionnaire developed by researchers. Sexual satisfaction(alpha=.926) was measured by the Sexual satisfaction scale(Kim at el, 1997) which is consisted of 17-items. And data was analysed using SPSS/PC+ 7.5. The following is a summary of the study. 1. The study surveyed a total of 400 married women from Seoul, Kyungki do, and Pusan. The mean age of the subjects was 38.61 years with the range from 22 to 69 years. A large proportion of the subjects(69.3%) had received a high school education or further education. In terms of the marital satisfaction, 68.6% of subjects were moderately or highly satisfied; 6.8% were dissatisfied. 2. The mean score and standard deviation of the sexual satisfaction was 42.74+/-10.42 with the range from 17 to 68 score. 3. The variables influencing on sexual satisfaction were age, education level, income, job, stress, and perceived marital satisfaction.
Busan ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seoul

This dealt with the 23 cases of giant cell tumor of femur and tibia who were treated with curettage and cementation of the lesion, over 14 year period. Cement by virtue of it's heat of polymerization may “sterilize” the wall upto 3-5mm in depth. Authors adoped cement treatment as an effective adjuvant after intra-lesional surgery(curettage). Curettage was indicated in all stage I lesions; most stage 2 and some stage 3 lesions, provided the residual bone stock were sufficient to make it oncologically and mechanically effective. The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 14 years(oaverage 8 years and 6 months). The sites of the lesions were proximal tibia in 8, dital femur in 13, proximal femur in one, and distal tibia in one. Among these cases, 3(13.0%) cases(two grade 1 and one grade 2) of stage II(To: active), and 2(8.7%) of stage III(grade 2) (Tl or T2: aggressive). Utmost attention was paid to nulify or to reduce the local seeding of the tumor cell during aggressive curettage, which was followed by electrical cautery of the cavitey wall, and lastly by the cavity obliteration with bone cement. None of the cases had lung metastasis. Only in a stage III GCT case(4.3%) of local recurrence after curettage and bone and artificial bone graft, recurettage and cementation brought the successful outcome. Through this study, it was reconfirmed that with correct indications the use of cement as a local adjuvant in conjuction with curettage was effective method in treating GCT without any side effects.
Cautery ; Cementation ; Curettage ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Hot Temperature ; Lung ; Methods ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polymerization ; Polymers ; Recurrence ; Tibia ; Transplants ; Virtues