• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.96-103
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• 2011

Purpose: Although infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are at risk of developing secondary pulmonary hypertension (PH), which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, little has been reported about the incidence, clinical course and prognosis of PH secondary to BPD in premature infants. This study was done to investigate the incidence, risk factors, clinical course, and the ultimate prognosis of PH developed secondary to BPD in very low birth weight infants (<1,500 g). Methods: Medical records of very low birth weight infant (VLBWI) admitted to Samsung Medical Center NICU from January 2000 to July 2007 were reviewed retrospectively. BPD was defined by Jobe's classification. The diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension was established as velocity of tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) ${\geq}$3 m/s and a flattening of the intraventricular septum by conducting Doppler echocardiography. Results: The incidence of pulmonary hypertension was 6% in VLBWI with BPD and it developed in moderate to severe BPD. The diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension was made on postnatal 133 days (range 40-224 days) and the risk factors related to developing pulmonary hypertension were severe BPD, small for gestational age and outborn infants. The mortality rate was 57% and especially higher in severe BPD (70%). The time to recovery spent 3 months (range 1-10 months) in survived patients. Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, pulmonary hypertension secondary to BPD in VLBWI related to severity of BPD and had a poor prognosis. We expect that regular long-term echocardiography may be helpful in treating reversible in VLBWI with moderate to severe BPD.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 2010

Purpose : With improved survival of extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWI), there is an increase in the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) requiring laparotomy, and the risk of morbidity and mortality in these ELBWI is increased. Thus, we determined the prognostic factors in ELBWI who underwent laparotomy for NEC. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 35 ELBWI who underwent laparotomy for NEC from January 2001 to December 2008 at Samsung Medical Center. Results : Of 480 ELBWI, 35 required laparotomy for NEC; the mortality rate was 20% (Alive group n=28, Dead group n=7). The values of preoperative score for neonatal acute physiology-II (P =0.022) and fraction of inspired oxygen (P <0.001) were significantly higher in the dead group and values of base excess (P =0.004) were significantly lower in the dead group. Values of preoperative heart rate, respiration rate, mean blood pressure, pH, $CO_2$, and potassium ion were not significantly different between the study groups. Intraoperative fluid volume was significantly higher in the alive group than in the dead group (P =0.045). Postoperative infusion rate was significantly lower in the alive group than in the dead group (P =0.022). Conclusion : Good preoperative condition, more intraoperative fluid infusion, and stable postoperative hemodynamic condition were factors associated with favorable prognosis of laparotomy for NEC in ELBWI.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.603-612
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• 1999

Background : It has been documented that brief repetitive periods of ischemia and reperfusion (ischemic preconditioning, IP) enhances the recovery of post-ischemic contractile function and reduces infarct size after a longer period of ischemia. Many mechanisms have been proposed to explain this process. Recent studies have suggested that transient increase in the intracellular calcium may have triggered the activation of protein kinase C(PKC); however, there are still many controversies. Accordingly, the author performed the present study to test the hypothesis that preconditioning with high concentration of calcium before sustained subsequent ischemia(calcium preconditioning) mimics IP by PKC activation. Material and Method : The isolated hearts from the New Zealand White rabbits(1.5∼2.0 kg body weight) Method: The isolated hearts from the New Zealand White rabbits(1.5∼2.0 kg body weight) were perfused with Tyrode solution by Langendorff technique. After stabilization of baseline hemodynamics, the hearts were subjected to 45-minute global ischemia followed by a 120-minute reperfusion with IP(IP group, n=13) or without IP(ischemic control, n=10). IP was induced by single episode of 5-minute global ischemia and 10-minute reperfusion. In the Ca2+ preconditioned group, perfusate containing 10(n=10) or 20 mM(n=11) CaCl2 was perfused for 10 minutes after 5-minute ischemia followed by a 45-minute global ischemia and a 120-minute reperfusion. Baseline PKC was measured after 50-minute perfusion without any treatment(n=5). Left ventricular function including developed pressure(LVDP), dP/dt, heart rate, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure(LVEDP) and coronary flow(CF) was measured. Myo car ial cytosolic and membrane PKC activities were measured by 32P-${\gamma}$-ATP incorporation into PKC-specific pepetide. The infarct size was determined using the TTC (tetrazolium salt) staining and planimetry. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) variance(ANOVA) and Tukey's post-hoc test. Result: IP increased the functional recovery including LVDP, dP/dt and CF(p<0.05) and lowered the ascending range of LVEDP(p<0.05); it also reduced the infarct size from 38% to 20%(p<0.05). In both of the Ca2+ preconditioned group, functional recovery was not significantly different in comparison with the ischemic control, however, the infarct size was reduced to 19∼23%(p<0.05). In comparison with the baseline(7.31 0.31 nmol/g tissue), the activities of the cytosolic PKC tended to decrease in both the IP and Ca2+ preconditioned groups, particularly in the 10 mM Ca2+ preconditioned group(4.19 0.39 nmol/g tissue, p<0.01); the activity of membrane PKC was significantly increased in both IP and 10 mM Ca2+ preconditioned group (p<0.05; 1.84 0.21, 4.00 0.14, and 4.02 0.70 nmol/g tissue in the baseline, IP, and 10 mM Ca2+ preconditioned group, respectively). However, the activity of both PKC fractions were not significantly different between the baseline and the ischemic control. Conclusion: These results indicate that in isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit heart model, calcium preconditioning with high concentration of calcium does not improve post-ischemic functional recovery. However, it does have an effect of limiting(reducing) the infart size by ischemic preconditioning, and this cardioprotective effect, at least in part, may have resulted from the activation of PKC by calcium which acts as a messenger(or trigger) to activate membrane PKC.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.163-171
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the incidence, causative pathogens, risk factors and mortality for early onset sepsis in the first three days in very low birth weight infants. Methods: The medical records of 1,124 very low birth weight infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Samsung Medical Center between November 1994 and December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. The incidence, causative pathogens, risk factors, and mortality for early onset sepsis in the first 3 days of life in very low birth weight infants were evaluated. Results: Early onset sepsis, as confirmed by positive blood cultures, was present in 17 of 1,124 infants (1.5%). Sixty-four percent of the isolated pathogens were gram-positive bacteria and 35% of the isolated pathogens were gram-negative bacteria. The dominant pathogens of early onset sepsis included Staphylococcus aureus (23.5%), Esherichia coli (23.5%), and Enterococcus (17.6%). Vaginal delivery (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-10.3; P=0.01) was associated with early onset sepsis. The overall mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4-6.5; adjusted P=0.0039) and mortality within 72 hours of life (adjusted hazard ratio, 6.5; 95% CI, 2.2-18.9; adjusted P=0.0005) of infants with early onset sepsis were higher than that of uninfected infants. Conclusion: Early onset sepsis remains an uncommon, but potentially lethal problem among very low birth weight infants. Knowledge of the likely causative organisms and risk factors for early onset sepsis can aid in instituting prompt and appropriate therapy, in order to minimize mortality.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.890-898
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• 2016

The purpose of this paper is to investigate potential anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of Tenebrio molitor. Macrophage cell response by outside stimulation leads expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin-6 (IL-6), $interleukin-1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$), and trigger expression of genes which are affected by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), resulting in formation of inflammatory factors like nitric oxide (NO) and Prostaglandin $E_2$ (PGE2). Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. In order to investigate anti-inflammatory agents, the inhibitory effects on the production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO in RAW 264.7 cells were examined. T. Molitor significantly decreased the production of NO in a dose-dependent manner, and also reduced the expression of iNOS, a COX-2 protein. As a result, the levels of protein such as $PGE_2$, iNOS, COX-2 and MARKs were significantly reduced compared to non-treated group in T. Molitor water extract (TDW) treated group. Also, antioxidant effect of T. Molitor were investigated using DPPH, ABTS+ and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity tests in cell-free system. Antioxidant activity of T. molitor was found low in the DPPH radical scavenging test while high in the ABTS+ and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity tests. These results show that TDW could be an effective anti-pro-inflammatory and anti-oxidant agent.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.358-364
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• 2010

Purpose : The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of $Synagis^{(R)}$ (palivizumab) in reducing the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) readmission rate in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI ) and the subgroup that showed the most effective vaccination. Methods : We enrolled 350 VLBWI who had been discharged alive from the neonatal intensive care unit of Samsung Medical Center from January 2005 to December 2007 and were followed up for at least one year. A retrospective study based on medical records was performed for a period of one year after discharge. RSV readmission rate was investigated according to BPD (bronchopulmonary dysplasia, requiring oxygen at postnatal day 28) and $Synagis^{(R)}$ prophylaxis. We categorized the subgroups by the severity of BPD gestational age, and birth weight and compared the RSV readmission rates between subgroups. Results : Eleven VLBWI were readmitted. $Synagis^{(R)}$ prophylaxis resulted in a 86% reduction in the rate of readmission due to RSV infection (prophylaxis group, 0.7% and no prophylaxis group, 5.0%; P =0.02). Readmission rate in BPD patients was also reduced in the prophylaxis group (0.7% in the prophylaxis group vs. 5.2% in the no prophylaxis group, P =0.03). The readmission rate in patients without BPD was reduced in the prophylaxis group (0% in the prophylaxis group vs. 4.9% in the no prophylaxis group, P =1.00), but this was not statistically significant.Conclusion : $Synagis^{(R)}$ prophylaxis was effective at reducing RSV readmission in VLBWI. Its efficacy was verified irrespective of BPD, gestational age, or birth weight.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.853-859
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• 2006

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of egg shell calcium salt types and egg shell membrane on calcium metabolism in rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats, 4 weeks of age, were fed on free-calcium diets for 2 weeks after adjustment period. Rats weighing approximately $247{\pm}2.3g$ were divided into 6 groups and were fed on the experimental diets containing 0.2% calcium for 4 weeks. Experimental groups were as follows; {ES(M+)} (egg shell powder diet with egg shell membrane), {ES(M-)} (egg shell powder diet without egg shell membrane), {AC(M+)} (egg shell calcium acetate diet with egg shell membrance), {AC(M-)} (egg shell calcium acetate diet without eg shell membrane), {GC(M+)} (egg shell calcium glucuronate diet with egg shell membrane) and {GC(M-)} (egg shell calcium glucuronate diet without egg shell membrane). Bone length of femur was significantly different by the types (p<0.05) of egg shell calcium salts. Bone mineral density of femur showed the highest level in AC(M-) group. Calcium content of femur and calcium absorption rate were higher in egg shell calcium salt groups than in eg shell powder groups. Calcium absorption rate and retention were significantly different (p<0.05) among the types of eg shell calcium salts and were higher in the AC(M-) group than in the other groups. Alkaline phosphatase activity, parathyroid hormone and osteocalcin levels of serum showed no significant difference among the experimental groups. From the above results, it is concluded that bioavailability of calcium is higher in groups of egg shell calcium salts compared to those in egg shell powder, even though egg shell membrane has no effect on calcium metabolism. Thus, these findings suggest the possibility of using egg shell calcium salts as a functional food material related to calcium metabolism.