• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.151-156
• /
• 2007

Purpose : Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major etiologic agent for pneumonia, meningitis, otitis media, and sepsis among young children. Multi-drug resistant strains have raised great concern worldwide, thus the importance of prevention with vaccines has been emphasized. However, vaccines may force the appearance of pneumococcal infections by nonvaccine serotypes. Thus, distribution of pneumococcal serotypes should be monitored to estimate vaccine efficacy. We used a new and efficient multibead assay in determining pnemococcal serotypes. Methods : From January to February 2005, 643 children were recruited from ten day care centers to isolate pneumococci from their oropharynx. Pneumococcal serotyping was performed on 62 pneumococcal isolates from 60 children by multibead assay. This immunoassay required two sets of latex particles coated with pneumococcal polysaccharides and serotype-specific antibodies. Twenty four newly developed monoclonal antibodies specific for common serotypes and a pool of polyclonal rabbit sera for some of the less common serotypes were used. Results : The most prevalent pneumococcal serotypes were serotype 6A, 19A, 19F, 23F, and 11A/D/F which accounted more than 50 precent of all the 62 pneumococcal isolates. We found that multibead assay can be performed very rapidly and objectively. Conclusion : This multibead immunoassay was very useful in serotyping clinical isolates of S. pneumoniae because it was simple, reliable and fast.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.141-145
• /
• 1999

Purpose : Granisetron is a potent, the most selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and is reported to b effective in treatment of radiation-induced emesis. The antiemetic efficacy and safety of oral granisteron was evaluated in patients with receiving highly emetogenic treatment by conventional fractionated irradiation. Materials and Methods : Patients with various cancers who were being treated with irradiation were accrued into the present study. The intensity of nausea was evaluated on first 24 hours and on day-7 by patients according to the degree of interference with normal daily life as followings; a) none; b) present but no interference with normal daily life (mild): c) interference with normal daily life (moderate): and d) bedridden because of nausea (severe). Non or mild state was considered to indicate successful treatment. The efficacy of antiemetic treatment was graded as follows; a) complete response; no vomiting, no worse than mild nausea and receive no rescue antiemetic therapy over the 24h period, b) major response; either one episode of vomiting or moderate/severe nausea or had received rescue medication over 24h period, or any combination of these, c) minor response; two to four episodes of vomiting over the 24h period, regardless of nausea and rescue medication, d) failure; more than four medication. The score of the most symptom was recorded and the total score over 24 hours was summarized. The complete or major response was considered to indicate successful treatment. Results : A total of 10 patients were enrolled into this study, and all were assessable for efficacy analysis. Total nausea control was achieved in 90$\%$ (9/10:none=60$\%$ plus mild=30$\%$) of total patients after 7 days. The control of vomiting by granisteron was noted in seven patients (70$\%$) of complete response and three (30$\%$) of major response with a hundred-percent successful treatment over 7 days. The minor response or treatment failure were not observed. No significant adverse events or toxicities from granisetron were recorded in patient receiving granisetron. Conclusion : We concluded that granisetron is a highly effective antiemetic agent in controlling radiotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting with a minimal toxicity profile.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.391-396
• /
• 2016

In this study, in vitro-cultured 'Mansoo' pear (Pyrus pyrifolia L.) plants infected with Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) were used for testing the efficiency of the virus elimination methods. The shoot tips cut from infected plants were treated by thermotherapy ($37^{\circ}C$), cold therapy ($4^{\circ}C$), chemotherapy with ribavirin, and combination of these methods. Treatment periods were 2, 4, and 8 weeks, and concentrations of ribavirin were 20 and $40mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$. The efficiency of ASGV elimination was evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The shoot survival rate was the highest at 100% after cold therapy, chemotherapy, and combination of two methods, while the rate was the lowest at 33.3% after thermotherapy for 2 weeks. The shoot survival rate after chemotherapy decreased gradually as the treatment period was prolonged. The ASGV elimination rate was the highest at 100% after ribavirin treatment at a concentration of $40mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and combination of ribavirin treatment and thermotherapy for 2 weeks, whereas the ASGV elimination rate after cold therapy was the lowest at 16.7%. However, the efficiency of ASGV elimination was enhanced up to 43.3% by the combination of cold therapy and ribavirin treatment. The efficiency of ASGV elimination for all treatments was increased as the treatment period was prolonged. Based on these results, we suggest that ribavirin treatment at a concentration of $20mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ for 4 weeks or at a concentration of $40mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ for 2 weeks combined with shoot tip culture was efficient for the elimination of ASGV from pear.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.225-232
• /
• 2000

Purpose : The use antimicrobial agents is one of the important strategies for the treatment and prophylaxis of microbial infections. But injudicious abuse and misuse of antimicrobial agents is problem to add an extra weight on medical fee, increase of resistant bacteria and side effects according to the antibiotic use. This study was performed to establish the pertinent use of antimicrobial agent in Chonbuk National University Hospital(CNUH). Characteristics of antibiotics use was analysis by reviewing the medical records of patients admitted to CNUH during the period of May 1998. Methods : One thousand eight hundred and thirty three patients were enrolled in this study(medical division 1,014 cases, surgical division 819 cases). Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to classify the rate of antibiotics use, name of antibiotics used, appropriateness of antibiotics use. Results : The overall rate of antibiotic usage in CNUH was 67.2%(1,231/1,833), showing higher rate in surgical division(89.6%) compare to that of medical division(49.0%). Among 1,231 patients to whom antimicrobial agents were given, only 125(10.2%) were treated with single antimicrobial agents. 311(25.3%) were treated with two antimicrobial agents, and 795(64.5%) patients received 3 or more antibiotics. ${\beta}$-lactams(56.4%) were most frequently used followed by aminoglycosides(35.3%), the others(4.9%) and quinolons(3.4%). Amoxicillin-clavulanate was the mostly commonly used antibiotics followed by amoxicillin and unasyn. Prophylactic use of antibiotics was carried in seven hundred six patients(57.4%), mostly in surgical division, which can be considered somewhat inappropriate in the initiation time and duration of antibiotic use. Conclusion : Importance of monotherapy and appropriate prophylactic antibiotic use should be emphasized. Strategies of antibiotics use, such as restriction of drug use, continuous monitoring system, flow sheet system should be considered to reduce antibiotics use and establish the appropriate use of antibiotics as well as inhibiting the occurrence of resistant strains.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.357-367
• /
• 1997

Purpose : To identify variable prognostic factors and analyse failure patterns in the uterine cervix cancer after radical operation and adjuvant radio-therapy, a retrospective analysis was undertaken. Materals and Methods : I analysed one hundred and twenty four patients with uterine cervix cancer, FIGO stage IB, IIA and IIB, treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection followed by adjuvant radio-therapy between May 1985 and May 1994. Minimum follow up period was 24 months. All of them were treated with full dose external radiotherapy with linear accelerator and/or high dese rate intracavitary radiation. Results : Overall 5 year survival rate and relapse free survival rate were $75.4\%,\;73.5\%$, respectively. Significant prognostic factors by relapse free survival were wall involvement thickness, lymph node location and number, parametrium involvement, tumor size, stage, uterine body involvement, vaginal resection margin involvement. By multivariate analysis, lymph node matastasis. tumor size and vaginal resection margin involvement were significant prognostic factos. Treatment related failure were 33 cases. Locoregional failure were more likely in the stage IIB, lymph node positive or vaginal resection margin positive patients whereas distant failures were relatively more frequent in stage IB, IIA and lymph node, vaginal resection negative patients. In stage IIB, 5 year relapse free survival rate was only $56\%$ and nine of twenty two patients recurred. Conculsion : Postoperative radiotherapy results are good for patients with relatively low risk factor. But the results are poor for patients with multiple, high risk factors or stage IIB. To control recurrence for patients with high risk factors, postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy is not sufficient treatment method. To raise control rate adding other methods such as radiosensitizing agent or chemotherapy is necessary and prospectively randomized study is needed for evaluation of postoperative radiotherapy efficacy and /or other methods. And it is reasonable to treat primary radical radiotherapy for patients with stage IIB cervical cancer instead of radical operation and adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy regimen.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.153-161
• /
• 2003

Purpose: Recently the occurrence of dipyridamole stress-induced short term stunning was proven and it is reported that Bland Altman analysis by repeated acquisition Tl-201 gated myocardial SPECT (gSPECT) revealed the 95% limit of agreement for LVEF was 10.3 %. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical value of dipyridamole induced transient LV dysfunction on Tl-201 gSPECT. Materials and Methods: Total 93 patients were included and coronary angiography was peformed in all patients less than 2 month from gSPECT. The patients with myocardial infarction were excluded. All patients underwent both dipyridamole stress and 4-h redistribution Tl-201 gSPECT. Forty nine patients of total 93 showed normal coronary arteries (Group 1) and the remaining 44 patients had coronary artery disease (Group 2). We compared LV EF, EDV and ESV during post-stress and 4-h redistribution period calculated by gSPECT using quantitative gated SPECT software and the incidence of dipyridamole induced transient LV dysfunction between group 1 and 2. The criteria for transient LV dysfunction was defined more decrease ${\geq}11%$ of LVEF during post-stress than 4-h redistribution according to previous reported Bland Altman analysis. Results: During post-stress and 4-h redistribution average of 3.1% increment in LVEF, 6.6% increment in LVEDV and 0.7% decrement in LVESV were shown after stress in Group 1, whereas 4.1% decrement, 9.7% increment and 7.2% increment in Group 2 respectively. Dipyridamole induced transient LV dysfunction was only detected in group 2 (18.2%) and not in group 1. It was more frequently observed in triple vessel disease and left main disease (31.8%, N=22) than one and two vessel disease (4.5%, N=22). Conclusion: As with Tc-99m myocardial agent post-stress LV dysfunction was observed in dipyridamole Tl-201 gSPECT. It was only detected in CAD and more frequently occurred in multivessel disease. Thus this finding seems to provide additional information in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and prediction of prognosis.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.95-101
• /
• 2007

This study was performed to verify the possibility of MTA and calcium sulfate as a pulp capping agent through comparing the dental pulp response in dogs after capping with MTA, calcium sulfate, and calcium hydroxide. 24 teeth of 2 dogs, 8 month old, were used in this study. Under general anesthesia, cervical cavities were prepared and pulp was exposed with sterilized #2 round bur in a high speed handpiece. MTA calcium hydroxide, and calcium sulfate were applied on the exposed pulp. Then the coronal openin,fs were sealed with IRM and light-cured composite. Two months after treatment, the animals were sacrificed. The extracted teeth were fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin solution and were decalcified in formic acid-sodium citrate. They were prepared for histological examination in the usual manner. The sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. In MTA group, a hard tissue bridges formation and newly formed odontoblasts layer was observed. There was no sign of pulp inflammatory reaction in pulp tissue. In calcium hydroxide group, there was no odontoblast layer below the dentin bridge. In pulpal tissue, chronic inflammatory reaction with variable intensity and extension occurred in all samples. In calcium sulfate group, newly formed odontoblast layer was observed below the bridge. Mild chronic inflammation with a few neutrophil infiltrations was observed on pulp tissue. These results suggest that MTA is more biocompatible on pulp tissue than calcium hydroxide or calcium sulfate.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.65-70
• /
• 2006

This study investigated apoptosis and in vitro development of parthenogenetic preimplantation porcine embryos. In vitro matured oocytes for $42{\sim}44h$ were used. Apoptotic cell death was analyzed by using a terminal deoxynucleatidyl transferase mediated deoxyuridine 5-triphosphate nick-end tabling (TUNEL) assay. In experiment 1, oocytes were activated with two electric pulses (CH) of 1.2 kV/cm for $30{\mu}sec$ (E), E + 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) or E + cycloheximide (CH) and cultured in PZM-3 under 5% $CO_2$ in air at $38.5^{\circ}C$. In experiment 2, oocytes were activated by E and cultured in PZM-3 or NCSU-23 under a gas atmosphere of 20% $O_2$ ($5%\;CO_2$, in air) or 5% $O_2$ $(5%\;CO_2,\;5%\;O_2\;90%\;N_2)\;at\;38.5^{\circ}C$. Oocytes activated with E+6-DMAP or E+CH showed higher blastocyst rates (36.3% and 32.5%) compared to E alone (27.7%). The frequency of apoptosis according to treatments were 5.3%, 7.7% and 7.1% respectively. Oocytes activated with E alone showed lower (P<0.05) frequency of apoptosis compared to other groups. In experiment 2, parthenotes cultured in PZM-3 showed slightly higher blastocyte rates (28.2% and 29.7%) compared to NCSU-23 (22.6% and 24.4%) regardless of atmosphere. Blastocysts generated in PZM-3 showed lower (P<0.05) apoptosis rate under 20% $O_2$ (9.2% vs 16.9%), whereas those in NCSU-23 had slightly lower apoptosis rate under 5% $O_2$ (14.0% vs 18.4%). This result represents that activation method and culture condition could affect the frequency of apoptosis as well as in vitro developmental rate.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.753-759
• /
• 2001

To evaluate antiinflammation of Aloe vera peel, antiimflammation substances were extracted from Aloe vera peel and identified, and we investigated the effect of the its substance the inhibitory effect on the activity of hyaluoronidase, elastase, collagenase and prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase. The water extract from Aloe vera peel were successfully purified with solvent fractionation, silica gel column chromatography, preparative thin layer chromatography and UV spectrometer. Two purified active substances were identified as aloe-emodin and barbaloin by Mass Spectrometer, $^1H-NMR$ and FT-IR. Aloe-emodin and barbaloin. $IC_{50}$ values of aloe-emodin and barbaloin against hyaluronidase activity were 40 and $70\;{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Leuckocyte elastase, which is related to the destruction of various tissue, $IC_{50}$ values of them were 50 and $60\;{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. $IC_{50}$ values of aloe-emodin and barbaloin against collagenase activity were 40 and $60\;{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. and $IC_{50}$ values of aloe-emodin and barbaloin aganist the prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase, which play an important role in inflammatory reactions, were 40 and $70\;{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Inhibitory effects of aloe-emodin, barbaloin and aspirin against carrageenan paw edema were 74.9, 52.9 and 51.9% as inhibiton percentage, respectively, at dose of 100 mg/kg and that of indomethancin was 49.7 at dose of 10 mg/kg. Cell cytotoxicity of barbaloin against human gingival cells was lower than that of aloe-emodin. Aloe-emodin and barbaloin did not show cytotoxicity against human gingival cells at concentration of 1.0 and $5.0\;{\mu}g/mL$, However, aloe-emodin and barbaloin showed less cytotoxicity than chlorhexidine, which usually have been used as the agent of anticaries and antiinflammation. These results suggested that aloe-emodin and barbaloin from Aloe vera peel have the effect of anticaries and antiinflammation.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.11 no.1 s.17
• /
• pp.33-38
• /
• 1975

The clinical efficacy of Ethaverine, a peripheral vasodilator, was studied according to a double-blind, non-cross over method in 29 diabetic patients with peripheral arterial diseases. The clinical improvement was assessed from the history of patients including the incidence and frequency of intermitten claudication. Ethaverine, after 4 weeks of therapy, was not effective in improving clinical symptoms compared to placebo. Ethaverine, however, was an efective vasodilator than placebo. The quality of vasodilation induced by Ethaverine, was similar to that of alcohol. A new clinical method of studying peripheral vasodilator was presented. The clinical symptoms of peripheral vascular arterial disease in the lower extrimities include reduced intensity of palpable pulses, coldness, and discoloration of the skin. Intermittent claudication may be present. Pathologic changes in vessel architecture precede the symptoms, and recognition of impending vascular insufficiency is a determining factor in selecting vasodilating therapy or surgical management. Also, post-operative patients who have chronic peripheral vascular arterial disease may be candidates for subsequent vasodilating therapy. Peripheral vasodilators, according to the series of reports, may be indicated in vasospastic peripheral vascular condition rather than an occlusive vascular disease and the vessel responds best when a relatively large vascular beds are involved rather than a small, capillary beds. Recently, the clinical efficacy of peripheral vasodilators have been challanged by many clinical investigators and clinicians. In this study, we have re-evaluated the efficacy of Ethaverine HCl as peripheral vasodilator in patients with vasospastic peripheral arterial disease. Ethaverine is claimed to be two to four times as potent a spasmolytic agent as papaverine in a variety of laboratory and clinical work.