• Title/Summary/Keyword: isometric

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The Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of Three Korean Patients with Glycogen Storage Disease Type V (McArdle Disease) (세 명의 대한민국 제 V형 당원축적근육병(McArdle 병) 환자들의 유전학적 및 임상적 특성 보고)

  • Lee, Sunghee;Kang, Eungu;Kim, Yoonmyung;Lee, Beom Hee;Kim, Gu Hwan;Yoo, Han Wook
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.93-101
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    • 2016
  • Purpose: McArdle disease, glycogen storage disease type V (GSD V), is one of the most common adolescent-onset glycogen storage diseases. It is caused by recessive mutations in PYGM encoding myophosphorylase, which is critical to glycogen metabolism. Since only a few korean patients have been reported, we will observe the clinical and genetic features of three korean patients with McArdle disease. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of three patients with genetically confirmed McArdle disease, including the results of forearm ischemic exercise test, electromyogram, nerve conduction velocity, muscle biopsy, and PYGM analysis in peripheral leukocytes. Results: All three cases were males and their age of symptom onset was 12, 5, 14 years old, respectively. A high basal level of serum creatine kinase was noted in all three patients. They experienced the recurrent episodes of rhabdomyolysis, but second wind phenomenon was not definite. In muscle biopsy, subsarcolemmal space vacuoles including periodic acid schiff stained materials were found in two patients, while no evidence of glycogen storage disease was found in the other. A total of five different mutations, $p.Arg50^*$, p.Trp798Arg, $p.Arg50^*$, p.Glu779del, $p.Asp511Thrfs^*28$ and p.Phe710del, were found in three patients. Avoidance of isometric exercise, aerobic exercise and glucose intake before each exercise were recommended for all patients. Conclusion: The three Korean patients with McArdle disease showed the typical manifestations of the condition. The most mutations were private. Therefore, identification of more cases with long-term follow-up will be required to understand the clinical and genetic features of this disease among Korean population.

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Comparative Effects of Prostaglandin $F_2$ alpha and Ouabain on the Isolated Rat Atria (Rat적출심방 운동성에 대한 Prostaglandin $F_2$ alpha와 Ouabain작용의 비교)

  • Lee Kwang-Youn
    • The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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    • v.20 no.1 s.34
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    • pp.55-65
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    • 1984
  • Comparative effects of $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ and ouabain on the isolated rat(Sprague-Dowley) atria were studied. The isolated rat atria were prepared for isometric myography in the isolated organ bath containing Feigen's solution perfused with 95% $O_2$ and 5% $CO_2$, and the pH of the medium was maintained at 7.4. The cumulative concentration-response relationship revealed the positive inotropic effects of both drugs with the higher potency of $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ and the higher efficacy of ouabain. $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ showed a positive chronotropic effect, but ouabain showed a tendency of increasing the contraction rate. In low-Ca(1.4 mM) medium, the positive inotropic and chronotropic effect of $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$(by $3{\times}10^{-8}M$) were preponderant $(p<0.05{\sim}p<0.005)$ over those of ouabain(by $3{\times}10^{-3}M$). $Ca^{++}$-addition(cumulative, to 2.8, 4.2, 5.6, and 7.0 mM) into the medium evoked the more sensitive response in the $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ group than in the ouabain group. In low-K(2.8 mM) medium, the $PGF_{2{\alpha}}a(3{\times}10^{-8}M)$ group and the ouabain$(3{\times}10^{-3}M)$ group showed similar tensions(DT and RT) and contraction rates. And both group showed significantly(p<0.05p<0.01) higher tensions and contraction rates than those of the control group. By the cumulative addition of the $K^+$(to 4.2, 5.6, 7.0 and 8.4 mM), only the DT of the $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ group was sustained at signifcantly$(p<0.05{\sim}p<0.01)$ higher level than the DT of the control group. The $K^+$-addition inhibited the positive inotropic effect of ouabain significantly (p<0.05). The cumulative addition of lidocaine in high concentrations $(1{\times}10^{-5}\;to\;1{\times}10^{-3}M)$ evoked no significant influence on the intropic activities of $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ and ouabain, but significant ${\beta}$-blockade with propranolol could not inhibit the positive intropic and chronotropic effect of $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$. In conclusion, it is presumed that $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ may have some more active mechanism of accelerating the influx of $Ca^{++}$ across the cell membrane of the isolated rat atria as compared with ouabain, and the action site may be located at the cell membrane. As a supposition which needs further investigations, it is presumed that $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ may have its specific membrane receptors on the atrial muscle or sinus node cells.

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The Effects of Bilateral Chewing Exercise on Occlusion Force and Masseter Muscle Thickness in Community-Dwelling Elderly (양측저작 운동이 지역사회 거주 노인의 교합력과 깨물근에 미치는 효과)

  • Hong, Jun-Yong;Jung, Young-Jin;Kim, Min-Ji;Hwang, Se-Hyun;Park, Ji-Su;Lee, Gi-Hyoun;Kim, Tae-Hoon;Jung, Nam-Hae;Yoon, Tae-Hyung
    • The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.31-38
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    • 2020
  • Objective : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of bilateral chewing exercise applied for 6 weeks on occlusion force and masseter muscle thickness in the elderly living in the community. Methods : This study recruited 25 community residents. All participants performed bilateral chewing exercise using equipment developed for the purpose of oral chewing exercise. The chewing exercise was divided into isometric and isotonic type and applied for about 20 minutes a day, five times a week for six weeks. For the evaluation, the masseter muscle thickness and the maximum occlusion force were measured three times at three week intervals using a portable ultrasound instrument and an occlusion force gauge. Results : As a result of the change in masseter muscle thickness, baseline, 3 weeks later, and 6 weeks later referred to 7.51±0.43, 7.63±0.44, and 7.83±0.46, respectively (F=3.819, p<.05). The post hoc test resulted in a significance between baseline and 6 weeks later (p=0.023). Similarly, as a result of the change in occlusion force, baseline, 3 weeks later, and 6 weeks later referred to 265±9.22, 268±9.57, and 271.59±10.16, respectively (F=3.031, p<.05). The post hoc test resulted in a significance between baseline and 6 weeks later (p=0.048). Conclusion : This study confirmed that bilateral chewing exercise was effective for increasing masseter muscle thickness and occlusion force in the elderly. Therefore, bilateral chewing exercise can be applied as a therapeutic exercise method for improving oral function.

Inhibitory Effects of ${\gamma}$-Aminobutyric Acid on the Contractility of Isolated Rat Vas Deferens (흰쥐의 적출 정관 수축성에 대한 ${\gamma}$-Aminobutyric Acid의 억제작용)

  • Ahn, Ki-Young;Kwon, Oh-Cheol;Ha, Jeoung-Hee;Lee, Kwang-Youn;Kim, Won-Joon
    • Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.382-395
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    • 1992
  • GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in central nervous system and produce sedative, antianxiety and muscle reaxing effects via $GABA_A$ receptor or $GABA_B$ receptor. Recently it is known that GABA is widely distributed throughout peripheral organs and may playa physiological role in certain organ. The vas deferens is innervated by species-difference. These study, therefore, was performed to investigate the mode and the mechanism of action of GABA on the norepiniphrine-, ATP- and electric stimulation-induced contraction of vas deferens of rat. Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The smooth muscle strips were isolated from the prostastic portion and were mounted in the isolated muscle bath. PSS in the bath was aerated with 95/5%-$O_2/CO_2$ at $33^{\circ}C$. Muscle tensions were measured by isometric tension transducer and were recorded by biological recording system. 1. GABA, muscimol, a $GAB_A$ agonist, and baclofen, a $GABA_B$ agonist inhibited the electric field stimulation(EFS, 0.2Hz, 1mSec, 80 V, monophasic square wave)-induced contraction with a rank order of potency of GABA greater than baclofen greater than muscimol. 2. The inhibitory effect of GABA was antagonized by delta aminovaleric acid(DAVA), a $GABA_B$ antagonist, but not by bicuculline, a $GABA_A$ mtagonist. 3. The inhibitory effect of baclofen was antagonized by DAVA, but the effect of muscimol was not antagonized by bicuculline. 4. Exogenous norepinephrine(NE) and ATP contracted muscle strip concentration dependently, but the effect of acetylcholine was negligible : and GABA did not affect the NE-and ATP-induced contractions. 5. GABA, baclofen and muscimol did not affect basal tone, and GABA did not affect the NE-and ATP-induced contractionsm 6. EFS-induced contraction was including 2 distinctable components. The first phasic component was inhibited by beta gamma-methylene ATP(mATP), a desensitizing agent of APT receptor and the second tonic component was reduced by pretreatment of reserpine(3 mg/Kg, IP). 7. GABA inhibited the EFS-induced contraction of reserpinized strips, but not the mATP-treated strips. These results suggest that in the prostatic portion of the rat vas deferens, adrenergic and purinergic neurotransmissions are exist, and GABA inhibits the release of ATP via presynaptic $GABA_B$ receptor on the excitatory neurons.

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Analysis of the Relation of the Positive Inotropic Action of Several Cardiotonics and Aconiti Tuber Butanol Fraction to the Frequency of Contraction of Heart Muscle (수축빈도에 따른 수종 강심약물 및 부자 부타놀 분획의 강심효과의 분석)

  • Lim, J.K.;Kim, M.S.;Shin, S.G.;Park, C.W.
    • The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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    • v.13 no.2
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 1977
  • The effects of extracellular calcium concentrations and several concentration of Aconiti tuber butanol fraction, norepinephrine, ouabain on the force of isometric contraction of isolated atrial preparations obtained from rabbits were determined at $11{\sim}14$ different frequencies of contraction. Qualitatively similar results were obtained in all preparations. In most preparations, rested-state contraction was induced at the range of $120{\sim}400$ seconds stimulation interval. Over the range of intervals from 120 to 10 seconds negative inotropic effect of activation (NIEA) was predominant, so the steady-state contractile force progressively declined. At the intervals of 3 seconds, changes in the cumulated negative and positive isotropic effect of activation (PIEA) practically cancelled each other under steady-state conditions. At the interval from 3 seconds to 0.25 seconds, the additional cumulation of PIEA was greater than that of the NIEA. When the intervals between contractions were shorter than 0.25 seconds, the cumulation of the NIEA was again predominant. The positive inotropic effect of cardiac glycoside resulted at least in large part from increase in the rested-state contraction. No significant effect on the PIEA was found. The decay of the NIEA was apparently greatly accelerated in the presence of high concentration of ouabain, but this may also be a reflection of their action on the state determining the strength of the rested-state contraction. In the case of extracellular calcium concentration increment, the similar results with the ouabain treatment were obtained. Norepinephrine produced more powerful inotropic effect at shorter stimulation interval than long. The rested-state contraction and the decay of the NIEA were not significantly altered in the presence of norepinephrine, but cumulated PIEA and the amount of PIEA produced by each contraction were significantly increased. Aconiti tuber butanol fraction showed similar results with that of norepinephrine. The increment of contractile force at various contraction frequency were dose-responsive in the presence of Aconiti tuber butanol fraction. It is suggested that the positive inotropic effect of Aconiti tuber butanol fraction at various contraction frequency may be due to increase of the cumulation of PIEA and the amount of PIEA produced by each beat.

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Relation of Ethanol and Calcium to Contractile and Electrical Activity of Cat Stomach (고양이 위(胃)의 수축 및 전기활동에 대한 에탄올과 칼슘의 관계)

  • Kim, Myung-Suk;Sim, Sang-Soo;Yoon, Shin-Hee;Han, Sang-Jun;Kim, Chung-Chin;Choi, Hyun
    • The Korean Journal of Physiology
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.259-272
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    • 1987
  • This was study carried out to investigate the effect of calcium on spontaneous contraction and electrical activity induced by ethanol in gastric smooth muscle. After peeling off the mucous membrane from the isolated whole stomach of 102 cats, two kinds of small muscle preparations $(2.0{\times}0.2\;cm)$, one longitudinal and the other circular, were excised from the fundus, the corpus and the antrum portion of each whole stomach specimen. The isometric contraction of the small muscle preparation was measured in a cylinder-shaped chamber filled with Krebs-Ringer-dextrose solution (pH 7.4, temperature $36{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$) bubbling with 5% $CO_2$ in $O_2$. A large muscle preparation $(5.0{\times}1.2\;cm)$ was excised from the anterior wall of the corpus-antrum portion of the same specimen in 72 of 102 cats. The gastric electrical activity (slow wave and spike potential) was monopolarly recorded by four capillary electrodes (Ag-AgCl), of which two were placed on the corpus and two on the antrum, in a muscle chamber filled with the same solution as described above. Changes in the amplitude of the contraction, frequency of the gastric slow wave and the production of the spike potential were observed after adding ethanol and/or under the treatments with verapamil, $CaCl_2$ and Ca-free Krebs-Ringer-dextrose solution. The results were as follows: 1) After adding ethanol, the spontaneous phasic contraction of the corpus was reduced dose-dependently (0.125-2.0%), which was totally abolished by higher concentrations (2.0-8.0%) of ethanol. 2) The corporal phasic contraction was also completely abolished by verapamil $(3{\times}10^{-5}\;M)$ or Ca-free Krebs-Ringer-dextrose solution. The contraction was increased by $CaCl_2\;(1.8{\times}10^{-3}\;M)$, but the inhibitory effect of ethanol on the contraction persisted even under the treatment with $CaCl_2$. 3) At higher concentrations, ethanol caused tonic contraction of both preparations from the fundus, the corpus and the antrum in a dose-dependent manner. The tonic contraction of the fundus produced by ethanol was not influenced by $CaCl_2$ or verapamil, whereas the tonic contraction was not produced by ethanol in tile Ca-free solution. 4) Frequency of gastric slow wave was decreased dose-dependently by the addition of ethanol (0.25-1.0%), and tile slow wave was not produced by higher concentration of ethanol (2.0%). 5) The frequency of slow wave was significantly reduced by verapamil only and the inhibitory influence of ethanol on the slow wave frequency was reinforced by verapamil. 6) The treatment of $CaCl_2$ increased significantly the slow wave frequency, and attenuated the inhibitory effect of ethanol on the frequency. It is therefore suggested that ethanol regulates the phasic contraction and the production of slow wave by interfering with the transport of calcium in the stomach muscle of the cat.

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$Ca^{++}$ Polls in Isolated Rabbit and Turtle Heart (적출된 토끼와 자라심장에서의 $Ca^{++}$ Pool)

  • Kim, In-Kyo;Lee, Joong-Woo;Kang, Doo-Hee
    • The Korean Journal of Physiology
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.13-22
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    • 1975
  • From the study of movements of $Ca^{++}$ in frog cardiac muscle, Niedergerke (1963) postulated that $Ca^{++}$ necessary for the cardiac contraction is stored in a specific pool. Langer et al (1967) and DeCaro (1967) also found a close relationship between the change of $Ca^{++}$ flux kinetics and the change of contractile force. According to the studies of several investigators, Ca II (Bailey and Dressel 1968) or phase I and II (Langer 1965, Langer et al 1967, 1971) in the $Ca^{++}$ washout curve was associated with cardiac contractility. This investigation was aimed to elucidate the anatomical region of the contractile active $Ca^{++}$ pool. At the same time, it was assumed in this study that $Ca^{++}$ in the sarcoplasmic reticulumn represents one of the major intracellular $Ca^{++}$ pool and cardiac contractility was also dependent on the intracellular $Ca^{++}$ concentration. Consequently, this experiment was performed at different temperatures to activate to activate inhibit the deactivating process of activated $Ca^{++}$ in the intracellular space to see if changes in the contractility decay curve existed at different temperatures. The isolated hearts of rabbits and turtles (Amyda maackii) were attached to the perfusion apparatus according to the method employed by Bailey and Dressel (1968). The isolated hearts were initally perfused with a full Ringer solution containing 2 mg/ml of inulin for 1 hr, and then $Ca^{++}$ and inulin-free Ringer solution was perfused while the isometric tension was recorded and a serial sample of perfusion fluid dripping from the cardiac apex was collected for 10 sec throughout experimental period. The above procedure was performed at $23^{\circ}C$, $30^{\circ}C$ and $38^{\circ}C$ on the rabbit heart and $10{\sim}13^{\circ}C$, $10^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, $30^{\circ}C$ and $35^{\circ}C$ on the turtle heart. After determination of $Ca^{++}$ and inulin concentration of the samples, the $Ca^{++}$, inulin washout curve and the contractile tensin decay curve were analysed according to the method of Riggs (1963). The results were summarized as follows; 1. In the rabbit heart, there are 2 inulin compartments, 3 $Ca^{++}$ compartments and sing1e exponential decay of contractile tension. In the turtle heart, there are $1{\sim}2$ inulin compartments, $1{\sim}2$ $Ca^{++}$ compartments and $1{\sim}2$ phases of contractile tension decay. The fact that the inulin space was divided into 3 compartments in the washout curve in these hearts indicates the presence of heterogeneity in cardiac perfusion, i.e., overfused and underperfused area. 2. Ca I a9d Ca II in these hearts were found to have $Ca^{++}$ in the ECF compartments because their half times in the washout curves were far smaller than those of the inulin washout curves in the rabbit heart and similar to those of the inulin washout curves in the turtle heart. Ca III in the rabbit heart may have originated from the intracellular $Ca^{++}$ store. But no Ca III in the turtle heart was found. This may be due to the fact that the iutracellular $Ca^{++}$ pool in the turtle heart was too small to detect using this experimental procedure since sarcoplasmic reticulumn in the turtle heart is poorly developed. 3. In the rabbit heart, there were no chages in the half time of Ca I, Ca II, inulin I and inulin II at different temperatures, but the half time of Ca III was significantly prolonged at lower temperatures, and the half time of the contractile tension decay tended to be prolonged at lower temperatures but this was not significant. In the turtle heart, there were no changes in the half time of Ca I, Ca II, inulin 1, inulin II and phase I of the contractile tension decay at different temperatures, but the half time of phase II of the contractile tension decay was significantly prolonged at lower temperatures. This finding indicates that intracellu!ar $Ca^{++}$ in these hearts was also responsible particulary for maintaining the cardiac contractility at the lower temperatures. 4. The half times of contractile tension decay were shorter than those of Ca II in the $Ca^{++}$ washout curves in both animal hearts. According to the above results it was shown that $Ca^{++}$ in ECF is primarily and $Ca^{++}$ in the intracellular space is partially associated with the cardic contractility.

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Effect of pH Change on Vascular Smooth Muscle Contractility in Rat Superior Mesenteric Artery and Its Branches (쥐 상장간막 동맥과 그 분지에서 pH 변화가 혈관평활근 수축성에 미치는 영향)

  • Choi, Soo-Seung
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.43 no.4
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    • pp.345-355
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    • 2010
  • Background: Extracellular and intracellular pH ($pH_o$ and $pH_i$), which can be changed in various pathological conditions such as hypoxia, affects vascular contractility. To elucidate the mechanism to alter vascular contractility by pH, the effects of pH on reactivity to vasocontracting agents, intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ influx, and $Ca^{2+}$ sensitivity in vascular smooth muscle were examined. Material and Method: Isometric contractions in rat superior mesenteric arteries (SMA) were observed. Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) was recorded by microfluorometer using Fura-2/acetoxylmethyl ester in muscle cells. $pH_o$ was increased from 7.4 to 7.8 or decreased to 6.9 or 6.4. $pH_i$ was decreased by applying $NH_4^+$ or propionic acid or modulated by changing $pH_o$ after increasing membrane permeability using $\beta$-escin. Result: Decreases in $pH_o$ from 7.4 to 6.9 or 6.4 shifted concentration-response curve by norepinephrine (NE) or serotonin (SE) to the right and significantly increased half maximal effective concentration (EC50) to NE or SE. Increase in $pH_o$ from 7.4 to 7.8 shifted concentration-response curve by norepinephrine (NE) or serotonin (SE) to the left and significantly reduced EC50 to NE or SE. NE increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in cultured smooth muscle cells from SMA and the increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ was reduced by decreases in $pH_o$. NE-induced contraction was inhibited by $NH_4^+$, whereas the resting tension was increased by $NH_4^+$ or propionic acid. When the cell membrane of SMA was permeabilized using ${\beta}$-escin, SMA was contracted by increasing extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration from 0 to $10{\mu}M$ and the magnitude of contraction was decreased by a decrease in $pH_o$ and vice versa. Conclusion: From these results, it can be concluded that a decrease in $pH_o$ might inhibit vascular contraction by reducing the reactivity of vascular smooth muscle to vasoactive agents, $Ca^{2+}$ influx and the sensitivity of vascular smooth muscle to $Ca^{2+}$.

The Follow-up Results of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using The Flexible Reamer (유연성 연마기를 이용한 관절경적 전방 십자 인대 재건술의 추시 결과)

  • Chae, In-Jung;Wang, Joon-Ho;Choi, Gi-Won;Song, Dong-Ik
    • Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.18-23
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    • 2008
  • Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical results of the function and stability of ACL reconstruction using the flexible reamer. Materials and Methods: We reviewed 98 patients who taken ACL reconstruction using the flexible reamer from March, 1999 to May, 2004. And the follow-up period was more than 12 months in all cases. We used the subjective tests including Lysholm knee score and 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee(IKDC) subjective knee score, and the objective tests such as anterior drawer test, Lachman test, pivot shift test, and KT-2000 arthrometer to evaluate the clinical results. Results: In the range of motion of the affected knee, the extension deficit more than 5 degree was 8 cases preoperatively and 1 case postoperatively. The flexion deficit more than 5 degree was 12 cases preoperatively and 2 cases postoperatively. The mean Lysholm knee score was 61.3 point(${\pm}3.5$ SD) preoperatively and 87.7 point(${\pm}2.0$ SD) postoperatively. The mean 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee(IKDC) subjective knee score was 49 point(${\pm}3.3$ SD) preoperatively and 84 point (${\pm}2.2$ SD) postoperatively. 93 cases were more than grade II in Lachman test preoperatively and 5 cases postoperatively. 71 cases were more than grade II in pivot shift test preoperatively but 89 cases were negative postoperatively. The mean maximal manual difference by KT-2000 arthrometer was 6.8 mm(${\pm}1.9$ SD) preoperatively and 1.8 mm(${\pm}0.8$ SD) postoperatively. Conclusion: ACL reconstruction using the flexible reamer achieved the ideal isometric point of femur and anatomic graft placement, so we could obtain good results, especially in rotational stability.

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The Effect of Hypoxia on the Release of Endothelium-derived Relaxing Factor in Rabbit Thoracic Aorta (토끼 대동맥 혈관내피세포에서 저산소증이 내피세포성 이완인자의 분비에 미치는 영향)

  • Choi, Soo-Seung
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.42 no.5
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    • pp.588-596
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    • 2009
  • Background: To clarify the effect of hypoxia on vascular contractility, we tried to show whether hypoxia induced the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) and the nature of the underlying mechanism for this release. Material and Method: Isometric contractions were observed in rabbit aorta, and the released EDRF from the rabbit aorta was bioassayed by using rabbit denuded carotid artery. The intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) in the cultured rabbit aortic endothelial cells was recorded by a microfluorimeter with using Fura-2/AM. Hypoxia was evoked to the blood vessels or endothelial cells by eliminating the $O_2$ in the aerating gases in the external solution. Chemical hypoxia was evoked by applying deoxyglucose or $CN^-$. Result: Hypoxia relaxed the precontracted rabbit thoracic aorta that had its endothelium, and the magnitude of the relaxation was gradually increased by repetitive bouts of hypoxia. In contrast, hypoxia-induced relaxation was not evoked in the aorta that was denuded of endothelium. In a bioassay experiment, hypoxia released endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) and the release was inhibited by L-NAME or the $K^+$ channel blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA). In the cultured endothelial cells, hypoxia augmented the ATP-induced increase of the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) and this increase was inhibited by TEA. Furthermore, chemical hypoxia also increased the $Ca^{2+}$ influx. Conclusion: From these results, it can be concluded that hypoxia might induce the release of NO from rabbit aortic endothelial cells by increasing $[[Ca^{2+}]_i$.