BACKGROUND: Plant extracts have been widely used as important therapeutic drugs for many centuries all over the world. There have been many reports that natural products have various kinds of biological activities such as anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. Recently, the screening for the efficacy and safety of natural products has been extensively performed. OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to find a beneficial plant extract possessing excellent antioxidative and anti-melanogenic activities. We have found that the leaf of Robinia pseudo-acacia L. has active substances which are involved in those activities. METHODS: To confirm the antioxidative activity of the extract obtained from the leaves of Robinia pseudo-acacia L., scavenging ability of the extract on DPPH free radicals and its inhibitory effects on lipid autoxidation and peroxidation were investigated. In addition, inhibitory effects of the extract on mushroom tyrosinase as well as melanin biosynthesis in cultured B16 melanoma cells were evaluated. RESULTS: The acacia extract showed not only powerful antioxidative activity but also antimelanogenic acitivity as strong as that of arbutin which is a well known inhibitor of melanogenesis. CONCLUSION: These resulis suggest that the extract from the leaves of Robinia pseudo-acacia L. could be used as a 4ghtening and antioxidative agent for the skin.
Acacia ; Agaricales ; Arbutin ; Biological Products ; Free Radicals ; Mass Screening ; Melanins ; Melanoma, Experimental ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Plant Extracts ; Plants ; Robinia* ; Skin

No abstract available.
Parathyroid Neoplasms*

This study was undertaken to investigate the characterization and distribution patterns of MHC class II positive dendritic cells[DCs] and ED2 positive tissue macrophages throughout the estrous cycle and during pregnancy in the rat ovary. The immunohistochemical characterization of the cells was carried out using the monoclonal antibodies OX6 and ED2 in cryostat-cut sections. DCs were distributed in the theca cell layer of the growing and mature follicles,stroma and corpus luteum. Tissue macrophages were distributed in the theca externa of the growing and mature follicles, stroma and corpus luteum but they were smaller in number than DCs. None of DC and tissue macrophage was found in the ovum, granulosa layer and follicular cavity of the ovarian follicle. However, DCs and tissue macrophages were present in the granulosa layer and follicular cavity in the atretic follicles. Degenerating corpus luteum contained a vast number of OX6 positive cells. On the contrary, fewer tissue macrophages were founcl in the degenerating corpus luteum. More macrophages tended to be observed in the former follicular cavity and theca lutein cell layer than in the granulosa lutein cell layer of the corpus luteum. In stroma,DCs and tissue macrophages were more frequently found around the blood vessels than in the other region, however, DCs were relatively greater in number than tissue macrophages. There was no estrous cycle and pregnancy dependent variation in the numbers and distribution patterns of DCs and tissue macrophages. In conclusion, the rat ovary contains rich networks of MHC class II positive dendritic cells and ED2 positive tissue macrophages. These findings suggest the existence of a well-developed system of immunological surveillance in the rat ovary. The results of this study have potentially important implications for the understanding not only of the ovarian immune system and the pathogenesis of various ovarian diseases but also of various physiologic functions of the ovary.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Blood Vessels ; Corpus Luteum ; Dendritic Cells* ; Estrous Cycle ; Female ; Immune System ; Immunologic Surveillance ; Luteal Cells ; Macrophages* ; Ovarian Diseases ; Ovarian Follicle ; Ovary* ; Ovum ; Pregnancy ; Rats* ; Theca Cells

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation (LT) is a complicated procedure with a high incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). Previous studies indicate that even transient or mild post-LT AKI can result in critical conditions, including prolonged stays in hospitals and intensive care units and increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and occurrence of AKI in LT recipients. METHODS: Medical data from 203 patients who received LT surgery from January 2010 to August 2016 in a single university hospital setting were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Patients were classified as either underweight (BMI <20 kg/m²) or normal weight (20 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m²). Demographic data, anesthetic methods, complications, and perioperative laboratory test values of each patient were assessed. Propensity analyses and logistic regression were performed to evaluate the association between BMI and post-LT AKI. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in occurrence of post-LT AKI between underweight and normal weight patients. The underweight patient group had significantly longer hospital stay compared with the normal weight patient group (P = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: BMI classification was neither a positive nor negative predictor of postoperative AKI occurrence. However, patients with lower BMI had significantly longer hospital stay compared with their counterparts. Although our study was limited by its retrospective design, our observations suggest that lower BMI might play a role in post-LT AKI.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Body Mass Index* ; Classification ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Length of Stay ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies* ; Thinness

BACKGROUND: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are main pathogens of bloodstream infection. We compared the epidemiology of ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae. METHODS: From January 2003 through March 2007, we retrospectively investigated the clinical characteristics and comorbidities of patients with bloodstream infection by ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae. RESULTS: During the study period, 79 patients (54 with E. coli and 25 with K. pneumoniae) with blood cultures positive for ESBL-producing E. coli or K. pneumoniae were studied. When comparing the source of bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections (UTIs) were more commonly caused by E. coli (24% vs. 0; P=0.007), and respiratory tract and soft tissue infection (36% vs. 15%; P=0.04, 12% vs. 0; P=0.03, respectively) were more commonly associated with K. pneumoniae. Among hospital-acquired bloodstream infection, third-generation cephalosporin was more commonly used in patients with E. coli than patients with K. pneumoniae (81% vs. 24%, P<0.001). Medical devices (central venous catheter and urinary catheter) were more commonly used in patients with K. pneumoniae. CONCLUSION: ESBL-producing E. coli bloodstream infection is more common in urinary tract infections. ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae is more common in respiratory tract infections and in skin and soft tissue infections. In hospital-acquired infections, ESBL-producing E. coli bloodstream infection is more common in biliary tract infection. ESBL-producing E. coli was more commonly associated with prior frequent antibiotics use and K. pneumoniae was more commonly associated with use of medical devices.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; beta-Lactamases ; Biliary Tract ; Catheters ; Comorbidity ; Epidemiology* ; Escherichia coli* ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory System ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Urinary Tract Infections

No abstract available.
Hysterectomy*

No abstract available.
Hysterectomy*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Seoul*

No abstract available.
Plasma* ; Schizophrenia*

No abstract available.
Constriction, Pathologic*