• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.22 no.1 s.38
• /
• pp.60-70
• /
• 1986

Distributions of serum dopamine-${\beta}$-hydroxylase(DBH) activity and thermostability in a randomly selected population of Korean adults were studied to investigate the genetic factor which could exert an influence on the serum DBH activity and thermostability. The results were followings: 1. The mean serum DBH activity in a randomly selected population of adults was $18.3{\pm}4.5$ umol/min/l($mean{\pm}SD;n=327$) which showed no age or sex variation. 2. The frequency distribution showed no isolated subgroup with very low serum DBH activity. 3. When the ratio of enzyme activity after heating $55^{\circ}C$ for 20 minutes to that before heating (heated-to-control or H/C ratio). was used as a measure of thermostability, the mean serum DBH H/C ratio in a randomly selecfld population, of adults was $0.90{\pm}0.17(mean{\pm}SD; n=327)$ which showed no age or sex variation. 4. Serum DBH H/C ratio showed unimodal, homogeneous distribution. 5. There was significant negative correlation between serum DBH activity and H/C ratio(r=-0.39. p<0.01). 6. Subjects with H/C ratio less than 0.1 had significantly higher basal enzyme activity $(22.2{\pm}4.5)$ $(mean{\pm}SD;n=33)$ umo1/min/1 than those with H/C ratio more than 1.09 $(15.5{\pm}3.3)$ $(mean{\pm}SD;n=32)$ umo1/min/1. This study shows that the distribution patterns of serum DBH activity and thermostability of Korean population are considerably different from those of Caucasian and it might be a line of evidence for the different inheritance pattern of plasma DBH enzyme between these racial groups.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.659-667
• /
• 2004

Plantain has been used for antidiarrhea, antihemorrhage and the remedy of indigestion. Plantain was extracted with ethanol and fractionated systemically with n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate (EtOAC) and n-butanol. Antioxidant index (AI was expressed as induction period of oil containing various fractions/induction period of oil of 600 ppm) of EtOAC fraction was the highest among fractions in vitro. The protective effects of the EtOAC fraction of plantain (PE) administered 1 mL orally or intraduodenally on experimentally induced gastritis, gastric ulcer and gastric secretion were evaluated in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250∼300 g were divided into 4 groups; negative control group (CON), PE 200 mg/kg treated group (PEL), PE 400 mg/kg treated group (PEH) and positive control group (cimetidine 100 mg/kg-CMT or omeprazol 100 mg/kg treated group-OMT), respectively, PE significantly suppressed HCl-ethanol induced gastric lesions and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers (administered subcutaneouly) in rats. Specially PE 400 mg/kg showed significantly inhibitory effect, which was more potent than that of 100 mg/kg of commercial drug, cimetidine, and elevated an inhibitory effect to be close to the level in inhibitory ratio of omeprazol administered group in Shay's ucler. On gastric secretion in pylorus ligated rat, PE 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg decreased the gastric volume and acid output, but did not show an apparent effect on pepsin activity. In addition, PE 400 mg/kg depressed gastric ulcers induced by water immersion stress and duodenal ulcers induced by cysteamine administered subcutaneouly. These results suggest that the ethylacetate fraction of plantain can be used in prevention and treatment of experimentally induced gastric mucosal damage and ulcers.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.145-153
• /
• 1999

Authors report the changes of the community structure and secondary succession after fire in Mt. Samma (333 m). Approximately six ha of the red pine (Pinus densiflora) forest and its floor vegetation were burned and cutted down. The vegetation and soil properties were investigated in the burned and unburned sites from April to October, 1998. The dominant species based on SDR₃ in the burned site were Lespedeza cyrtobotrya (96.87), Quercus serrata (77.90), Cyperus amuricus (46.22) and Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens (38.33), whereas the dominant species in the unburned site were Pinus densiflora (100.00) and Q. variabilis (66.10) at the tree layer, Q. serrata (100.00) and Zanthoxylum schinifolium (29.64) at the shrub layer., and Q. serrata (76.30) and M. sinensis var. purpurascens (72.84) at the herb layer. The biological spectra based on SDR₃ were Th-D₁-R/sub 5/-e for the burned and H (M)-D₁-R/sub 5/-e type for the unburned site, respectively. The index of similarity (CCs) between the burned and unburned sites was 0.41. The degree of succession (DS) were 609 for the burned and 1168 for the unburned site, respectively. The species diversity (H) and evenness indices (e) of the burned site were lower than those of the unburned site, but the dominance indices (C) was higher in the burned site. In the analysis of soil properties, pH, the content of NO₃/sup -/-N, available phosphrous, and exchangeable cations (K/sup +/, Ca/sup 2+/, Na/sup +/, Mg/sup 2+/) in the burned site were higher than those in the unburned site, whereas the contents of organic matter, total carbon, total nitrogen and NH₄/sup +/-N were lower in the burned site. The results show that dominant species in the burned site change from Miscanthus-Lespedeza→Lespedeza→Quercus and finally to Quercus forest, and the changes of soil properties also affect the early vegetational succession after fire.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.248-253
• /
• 2007

Purpose: Surgical wound complications remain a cause of morbidity and mortality among postoperative patients, and the cost of caring for patients with a surgical wound complication is substantial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a vinyl wound protector to reduce the rate of wound complications when used in clean-contaminated surgery. Materials and Methods: Between May 2006 and September 2006, 295 patients with a gastric cancer that underwent gastric surgery were studied prospectively, and the patients were randomized into one of two groups: the no wound protector group (n=137) or the polyethylene protector group (n=132). Results: The demographics and operation type and operation time were similar for patients in both groups. The rate of wound complication was different between patients in the no protector group (n=42) and the polyethylene protector group (n=12) (P=0.001) and the rates of seroma (P=0.001), infection (P=0.030) and dehiscence (P=0.282) were different for the two groups. The postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the polyethylene protector group of patients (P=0.040). Conclusion: The use of a polyethylene protector resulted in a reduction of the surgical wound complication rate, and the cost of caring for patients, and morbidity and mortality among postoperative patients could be reduced.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.51 no.5
• /
• pp.474-480
• /
• 2008

Purpose : Stress hyperglycemia is common in critically ill adult patients. It is known as a predictor of increased mortality, and intensive insulin therapy has been shown to improve the prognosis in such patients. We have investigated the relationship between early stress hyperglycemia and clinical outcomes in preterm infants. Methods : In this study, 141 preterm infants with a gestational age of less than 30 weeks were enrolled. The hyperglycemic group was defined as that having maximum glucose of more than 150 mg/dL (n=61) during the first 48 h of life, and the non-hyperglycemic group was defined as that having maximum glucose of less than 150 mg/dL (n=80). Perinatal history, severity of illness using the Clinical Risk Index for Babies (CRIB) score, clinical outcomes, and mortality of the two groups were compared. Results : There was no significant difference in the gestational age between the two groups, but the birth weight (P<0.001) was significantly lower, and the CRIB score (P<0.001) was significantly higher in the hyperglycemic group. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (P<0.001) and clinically suspected sepsis (P=0.046) were more common in the hyperglycemic group. Mortality was markedly higher in the hyperglycemic group (11.3% vs. 41.0%, P<0.001). On performing a stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis, hyperglycemia (OR 3.787; 95% CI 1.324 to 10.829), the CRIB score (OR 1.252; 95% CI 1.047 to 1.496) and birth weight (OR 0.997; 95% CI 0.994 to 1.000) was independently associated with higher mortality. Conclusion : Stress hyperglycemia within the first 48 h of life is independently related to increased morbidity and mortality in preterm infants.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.771-782
• /
• 2016

For basic information collection for the ecological management of forest vegetation in Korean island areas, forest vegetation between inhabited(Daemodo) and uninhabited(Gudo) island was classified in the Z-M phytosociological method and their ecological characteristics in terms of both floristic composition and structure analyzed. Forest vegetation of Daemodo and Gudo were divided into a total of 11 units and 8 units, respectively. Total cover and species diversity index(H') of forest vegetation showed significant differences between the two island, Daemodo has a high value in the tree layer, but, Gudo has a high value in the shrub layer. Composition of Life forms, Daemodo was N-$R_5-D_2$-e and Gudo MM-$R_5-D_2$-e. Family importance value(FIV), Daemdo has a high value in Theaceae(12.2) and Pinaceae(12.0) and Gudo in Lauraceae(16.5) and Fagaceae (11.6). The percentage of the total number of species in the family level, Daemodo is Asteraceae(4.5%) was the highest and Gudo is Liliaceae(7.3%). Indicator species of forest vegetation of the two islands, Daemodo is Nanophanerophytes(N) including Smilax china, Ligustrum japonicum and Eurya japonica was significant inicator species and Gudo is Megaphanerophytes(MM) including Dendropanax morbiferus, Castanopsis sieboldii and Actinodaphne lancifolia.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.39-53
• /
• 2001

Environmental pollution of the Tohyun mine creek area was investigated on the basis of geology, mineralogy and geochemistry. In soils and sediments of the mine area, ${Al_2}{O_3}/{Na_2O}$ and ${K_2}O/{Na_2}O$ ratios are partly negative correlation against ${SiO_2}/{Al_2}{O_3}$, respectively. Geochemical characteristics of some trace and rare earth elements such as V/Ni, Ni/Co, La/Ce, Th/Yb, Th/U, La/Th, ${La_N}/{Yb_N}$, La/Sc and Sc/Th are revealed a narrow range and homogeneous compositions may be explained by simple source lithology. These results suggest that sediments source of the host shale around the mine area could be originated by basic to intermediate igneous rocks. Mineral compositions of soil and sediment near the mine area were partly variable mineralogy, which are composed of quartz, mica, feldspar, chlorite, clay minerals and some pyrite. Soils and sediments with highly concentrated heavy minerals, gravity separated mineralogy, are composed of some pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, goethite and various kinds of hydroxide minerals on the polished sections. As normalized by bed rock composition, average enrichment indices of major elements in sediments, precipitates, farmland soils and paddy soils are 1.0, 1.7, 0.9 and 0.8, respectively. Maximum concentration of environmental toxic elements in the mine creek are detected with Ag = 186 ppm, As = 17,100 ppm, Bi = ]27 ppm, Cd = 77 ppm, Cu = 12,299 ppm, Pb = 8,897 ppm, Sb = 1,350 ppm, W = 599 ppm and Zn = 12,250 ppm, which are increasing with total FeO increasing, and extremely high concentrations of surface sediments and precipitates near the waste rock dump. These toxic elements (As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, W and Zn) of the samples, normalizing by host rock concentration, revealed that average enrichment index is 106.0 for sediments, 279.6 for precipitates, 3.5 for farmland soils and 1.6 for paddy soils. However, on the basis of EPA values, enrichment indices of all the samples are 40.7, 121.4, 1.3 and 0.6, respectively.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.34 no.7
• /
• pp.524-533
• /
• 2001

Background: Hyperoxemic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has been recognized as a safe technique and is widely used in cardiac surgery. However, hyperoxemic CPB may produce higher toxic oxygen species and cause more severe oxidative stress and ischemia/reperfusion injury than normoxemic CPB. This study was undertaken to compare inflammatory responses and myocardial injury between normoxemic and hyperoxemic CPB and to examine the beneficial effect of normoxemic CPB. Material and method: Thirty adult patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery were randomly divided into normoxic group (n=15), who received normoxemic CPB (about Pa $O_{2}$ 120 mmHg), and hyperoxic group (n=15), who received hyperoxemic CPB (about Pa $O_{2}$ 400 mmHg). Myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and troponin-T (TnT) concentrations in coronary sinus blood were determined at pre- and post-CPB. Total leukocyte and neutrophil counts in arterial blood were measured at the before, during, and after CPB. Lactate concentration in mixed venous blood was analyzed during CPB, and cardiac index (Cl) and pulmonary vascular

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.97-113
• /
• 1998

The sympathoadrenal system plays an important role in homeostasis in widely varing external environments. Conflicting findings, however, have been reported on its response to hypoxia. We investigated the effect of hypoxia on the sympathoadrenal system in dogs under halothane anesthesia by measuring levels of circulating catecholamines in response to graded hypoxia. Ten healthy mongreal dogs were mechanically ventilated with different hypoxic gas mixtures. Graded hypoxia and reoxygenation were induced by progressively decreasing the oxygen fraction in the inhalation gas mixture from 21%(control) to 15%, 10% and 5% at every 5 minutes, and then reoxygenated with 60% oxygen. Mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure and mean pulmonary arterial pressure were measured directly using pressure transducers. Cardiac output was measured by the thermodilutional method. For analysis of blood gas, saturation and content, arterial and mixed venous blood were sampled via the femoral and pulmonary artery at the end of each hypoxic condition. The concentration of plasma catecholamines was determined by radioenzymatic assay. According to the exposure of graded hypoxia, not only did arterial and mixed venous oxygen tension decreased markedly at 10% and 5% oxygen, but also arterial and mixed venous oxygen saturation decreased significantly. An increased trend of the oxygen extraction ratio was seen during graded hypoxia. Cardiac output, mean arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance were unchanged or increased slightly. Pulmonary arterial pressure(PAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR) were increased by 55%, 76% in 10% oxygen and by 82%, 95% in 5% oxygen, respectively(p<0.01). The concentrations of plasma norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine increased by 75%, 29%, 24% in 15% oxygen and by 382%, 350%, 49% in 5% oxygen. These data suggest that the sympathetic nervous system was activated to maintain homeostasis by modifying blood flow distribution to improve oxygen delivery to tissues by hypoxia, but hemodynamic changes might be blunted by high concentration of nitrous oxide except PAP and PVR. It would be suggested that hemodynamic changes might not be sensitive index during hypoxia induced by high concentration of nitrous oxide exposure.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.50 no.7
• /
• pp.678-685
• /
• 2007

Purpose : Recent reports pointed out that gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) therapy alone is not so promising for improving adult height in precocious puberty. So, that we studied the growth promoting effect of combined therapy with GnRHa and growth hormone (GH) in early pubertal girls. Methods : Twenty three early pubertal girls ($9.73{\pm}1.59yr$) with predicted adult heights (PAH) below-2 standard deviation score (SDS) were included. They were divided into two groups as follows; Group I before menarche (n=19) and Group II after menarche (n=4). After combined therapy, various growth parameters were compared between two groups and between the before and after therapy. Results : Between the two groups before therapy, chronologic age (CA), growth velocity (GV), body mass index (BMI), target height (TH), PAH and serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 were not different, but BA, height and difference between bone age (BA) and CA were significantly higher and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was marginally higher in group II. After therapy, BA still remained higher in group II, but other parameters were not different. In both groups, after therapy, the difference between BA and CA, the ratio of BA over CA, and GV were significantly decreased, but PAH, height SDS and BMI were significantly increased. Regarding IGF-1 level, a significant increase was noted in group I, but not in group II. Conclusion : With combined therapy of GnRHa and GH, PAH in early pubertal girls might be improved significantly and even approach TH. Among them, those who were before menarche might have greater potential for the height gain than those after menarche in view of IGF-1 changes during therapy.