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We compared magnesium sulphate with control, ketamine, rocuronium prime, and large-dose rocuronium (0.9 mg/kg) with regard to intubation conditions during rapid-sequence induction.This is a prospective, randomized, double-blinded study.The setting is at an operating room in a university-affiliated hospital.One hundred ten patients scheduled for general anesthesia were randomly allocated to the following 5 groups in equal numbers.The control and rocuronium 0.9 groups received rocuronium 0.6 and 0.9 mg/kg, respectively; the ketamine group was given 0.5 mg/kg ketamine 2 minutes before 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium; the rocuronium prime group received 0.06 mg/kg rocuronium 3 minutes before 0.54 mg/kg rocuronium; and the magnesium group received 50 mg/kg magnesium sulphate. Intubation was initiated 50 seconds after the rocuronium injection.Intubating condition (primary outcome), rocuronium onset, rocuronium duration, train-of-four ratio upon intubation, and hemodynamic variables (secondary outcomes) were recorded.The excellent intubating condition was more frequent in the magnesium group (P.05). Onset of neuromuscular block was shorter in the magnesium group than in the control, ketamine, and rocuronium prime groups (P.05). No difference in onset time was found between the magnesium and rocuronium 0.9 groups. Block duration was longest in the rocuronium 0.9 group. The train-of-four ratio on intubation was lowest in the rocuronium prime group. The only adverse event was a burning or heat sensation reported by 5 patients in the magnesium group.Magnesium sulphate pretreatment was most likely to provide excellent intubating condition for rapid-sequence intubation compared with the control, ketamine pretreatment, rocuronium prime, and large-dose rocuronium. However, magnesium sulphate administration is associated with a burning or heat sensation.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of Korean Lycii fructus water extract in Al (Aluminum) administered rats. Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups: Control group, water extract group with 3% Lycii fructus, 1000 and 2000 ppm of Al groups, and 1000 and 2000 ppm of Al with 3% Lycii fructus water extract group. The Al content of rat tissue in the Al administered group was lower than that in rat tissue in the Al with 3% Lycii fructus water extract group. Plasma levels of renin and aldosterone activity was higher in the Al administration group, compared with the 3% Lycii fructus water extract group and Al administered group. Aspartate amino transaminase and alanine amino transaminase activities were elevated in the Al administered group and lower in the 3% Lycii fructus water extract group. Lactate dehydrogenase was lower in the 3% Lycii fructus water extract Al group than in the Al group. Choline acetyltransferase was higher in the 3% Lycii fructus water extract Al group than in the Al group.

To determine the contents of sodium (Na) and potassium (K) for restaurant dishes, 194 cases clas- sified 26 kinds of restaurant dishes were collected from restaurants in Seoul and were analysed using the atomic absorption spectroscopy. Average contents of Na and K in Kimchi among restaurant dishes were highest as 554.9 ± 155.5 mg/100 g, 225.1 ± 69.1 mg/100 g, while average contents of Na and K were lowest in Seolleongtang as 24.2 ± 5.8 mg/100 g, 12.7 ± 3.9 mg/100 g respectively. The contents between Na and K in restaurant dishes had a strong cor- relation of positive linear judging from 0.782 (p-value < 0.01) of the correlation coefficient. The Na/K ratio of Bul- gogi was appropriate as 1.17 ± 0.44, while those of Udon, banquet noodles, Kalguksu were very high as shown more than 10. The contents of Na and K were examined 5 dish groups as Gook/Tang, Jjigae/Jeongol, stir-fried dish, noodle and Kimchi. Average contents of Na and K classified by dish groups were significantly difference (p-value < 0.001). Average content of Na among dish groups was highest in Kimchi as 554.9 ± 155.5 mg/100 g followed by Jjigae/Jeon- gol, Gook/Tang, stir-fried dish and noodle. Similar to Na content, average content of K was highest in Kimchi as 225.1 ± 69.1 mg/100 g followed by stir-fried dish, Jjigae/Jeongol, Gook/Tang and noodle. The ratio of Na/K by clas- sified groups of dishes was shown as significantly difference (p-value < 0.001). Stir-fried dish was 1.18 ± 0.44 close to 1 followed by Kimchi, Jjigae/Jeongol, Gook/Tang, and noodle.

OBJECT Spinal cord ischemia remains a serious complication of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery. Coenzyme Q10, a potent antioxidant, has been reported to exert a neuroprotective effect. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of coenzyme Q10 pretreatment on spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with either 300 mg/kg coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 group, n = 12) or saline (control and sham groups, n = 12 for each group) for 5 days before ischemia. Spinal cord ischemia was induced in the control and CoQ10 groups. Neurological function was assessed using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) motor rating scale until 7 days after reperfusion, and then the spinal cord was harvested for histopathological examinations and an evaluation of malondialdehyde level. RESULTS On post-reperfusion Day 1, the CoQ10 group showed higher BBB scores compared with those in the control group, although the difference was not significant. However, on Day 2, the CoQ10 group showed a significantly higher BBB score than the control group (14.0 [10.3–15.0] vs 8.0 [5.0–9.8], median [IQR], respectively; p = 0.021), and this trend was maintained until Day 7 (17.5 [16.0–18.0] vs 9.0 [6.5–12.8], respectively; p < 0.001). Compared with the control group, the CoQ10 group had more normal motor neurons (p = 0.003), fewer apoptotic changes (p = 0.003) and a lower level of tissue malondialdehyde (p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS Pretreatment with 300 mg/kg coenzyme Q10 resulted in significantly improved neurological function and preservation of more normal motor neurons.

Background Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) of trisomy 21 (T21) using digital PCR (dPCR) with several advantages will be very effective. Here, we developed a dPCR system for T21 screening which allows high sensitivity and real-time diagnosis and thus overcome sequence based analysis. Methods Cut-off value was established using DNA extracted from all 157 T21 negative samples including 47 pregnant woman samples and 3 T21 positive pregnant woman samples extracted from 4 different sample types. To increase the portion of the cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal cell-free DNA (cfDNA), a size selection method was devised. We evaluated the clinical reliability of NIPS using dPCR through analysis of 877 pregnant woman samples. Results We could demonstrate the possibility of NIPS using dPCR performed by applying cut-off value and size selection method. The overall accuracy was derived at 99.66% using 877 pregnant woman plasma samples. Conclusion Our results showed that dPCR can meet the requirements for NIPS for T21. It is relatively inexpensive, easy to use in a screening method and compatible with ethical concerns regarding access to nucleotide sequence information. This study may be a basic data for the development of population-wide screening for T21 in pregnant women.

The aim of this study was to investigate the beneficial effect of Valerian/Cascade mixture on sleeping in mammal models. In pentobarbital-induced sleep model, Valerian, Cascade, and Valerian/Cascade mixture significantly reduced the latency time for sleeping, and total sleeping time effectively increased in these sample groups compared with the control. Valerian/Cascade mixture increased sleep duration by 37%. The mixture significantly increased the non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep time by 53% compared with the control, while REM sleeping time was decreased by 33% with Valerian/Cascade mixture, in Electroencephalography (EEG) analysis, resulting in the increase of total sleep time and the decrease of awakening. This sleep-promoting effect was obvious in caffeine-induced awakening model; Valerian, Cascade, and the mixture significantly enhanced NREM and total sleep time, which were reduced by caffeine. Caffeine-induced increase of awakening was effectively deceased to the normal level by these three samples. In particular, delta wave responsible for deep sleep in NREM was greatly increased by the mixture in both normal and caffeine-induced awake models. This sleep-promoting effect of Valerian/Cascade mixture was shown to be due to the upregulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor (GABAAR). Valerian/Cascade mixture showed 91% binding capacity to GABAA-BZD receptor. Two compounds, Valerenic acid and Xanthohumol, were shown to significantly contribute to the binding activity of Valerian/Cascade mixture on the GABA receptor.

To investigate the effects of a single bacterium and a mixture of bacteria as probiotics in loperamide-treated animal models, loperamide (3 mg/kg) was administered to SD rats to induce constipation. The individual lactic acid bacterial doses, Enterococcus faecium (EF), Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA), Streptococcus thermophilus (ST), Bifidobacterium bifidum (BB), Bifidobacterium lactis (BL), Pediococcus pentosaceus (PP), and a mixture of the bacteria were orally administered to loperamide-induced constipated rats at a concentration of 108 CFU/kg for 14 days. The weights and water contents of their stools were found to be significantly higher in PP, CKDB (mixture of 5 strains except PP), and CKDBP (CKDB+PP) groups than in the normal (constipation not induced) and the control (constipation-induced) groups (p

In the present study, we compared the laryngoscopic view depending on the size of the Macintosh curved blade in edentulous patients.Thirty-five edentulous adult patients scheduled for elective surgery were included in the study. After induction of anesthesia, two direct laryngoscopies were performed alternately using a standard-sized Macintosh curved blade (No. 4 for men and No. 3 for women) and smaller-sized Macintosh curved blade (No. 3 for men and No. 2 for women). During direct laryngoscopy with each blade, two digital photographs of the lateral view were taken when the blade tip was placed in the valleculae; the laryngoscope was lifted to achieve the best laryngeal view. Then, the best laryngeal views were assessed using the percentage of glottic opening (POGO) score. On the photographs of the lateral view of direct laryngoscopy, the angles between the line extending along the laryngoscopic handle and the horizontal line were measured.The POGO score was improved with the smaller-sized blade compared with the standard-sized blade (87.3% [11.8%] vs. 71.3% [20.0%], P0.001, respectively). The angles between the laryngoscopic handle and the horizontal line were greater with the smaller-sized blade compared to the standard-sized blade when the blade tip was placed on the valleculae and when the laryngoscope was lifted to achieve the best laryngeal view (both P0.001).Compared to a standard-sized Macintosh blade, a smaller-sized Macintosh curved blade improved the laryngeal exposure in edentulous patients.

In 41 healthy volunteers, we investigated the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the subclavian vein (SCV) in the following head positions: neutral and 30° head rotation toward the contralateral or ipsilateral sides. Significant differences were observed in the CSA of the SCV at 3 different head positions: contralateral 30° versus neutral, -0.05 cm (95% confidence interval, -0.08 to -0.03); contralateral 30° versus ipsilateral 30°, -0.15 cm (-0.19 to -0.12); neutral versus ipsilateral 30°, -0.10 cm (-0.13 to -0.07); all Pcorrected< .001). For SCV catheterization, 30° head rotation to the ipsilateral side provided significant improvements in the CSA compared with the other head positions.

Background Spinal cord ischemic injury remains a serious complication of open surgical and endovascular aortic procedures. Simvastatin has been reported to be associated with neuroprotective effect after spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic efficacy of starting simvastatin after spinal cord IR injury in a rat model. Methods In adult Sprague-Dawley rats, spinal cord ischemia was induced using a balloon-tipped catheter placed in the descending thoracic aorta. The animals were then randomly divided into 4 groups: group A (control); group B (0.5 mg/kg simvastatin); group C (1 mg/kg simvastatin); and group D (10 mg/kg simvastatin). Simvastatin was administered orally upon reperfusion for 5 days. Neurological function of the hind limbs was evaluated for 7 days after reperfusion and recorded using a motor deficit score (MDS) (0: normal, 5: complete paraplegia). The number of normal motor neurons within the anterior horns of the spinal cord was counted after final MDS evaluation. Then, the spinal cord was harvested for histopathological examination. Results Group D showed a significantly lower MDS than the other groups at post-reperfusion day 1 and this trend was sustained throughout the study period. Additionally, a greater number of normal motor neurons was observed in group D than in other groups (group D 21.2 [3.2] vs. group A: 15.8 [4.2]; group B 15.4 [3.4]; and group C 15.5 [3.7]; P = 0.002). Conclusions The results of the current study suggest that 10 mg/kg can significantly improve neurologic outcome by attenuating neurologic injury and restoring normal motor neurons after spinal cord IR injury.

The purpose of this study was to compare the beneficial effects of galactooligosaccharide (GOS), lactulose, and a complex-oligosaccharide composed with GOS and lactulose (Com-oligo) on loperamide-induced constipation in SD rats. Rats were randomly divided into the following eight groups: the normal group (Nor); constipation control group (Con); and 6 constipation groups fed low and high doses of GOS, lactulose (Lac), and Com-oligo, respectively. Com-oligo increased intestinal transit ratio and relieved constipation in loperamide-treated rats. The group receiving a high dose of Com-oligo favorably regulated gastrointestinal functions such as pellet number, weight, moisture content, short chain fatty acid, intestinal transit ratio, and bifidobacterium number in constipated rats. In addition, Com-oligo restored peristalsis of the small intestine, morphology of colon, and increased interstitial cells of Cajal area. Thus, providing Com-oligo as an oligosaccharide ingredient in nutritional formulas could benefit the health of the gastrointestinal tract.

Alcalase hydrolysis of liquid egg white was used to produce 5-hydroxytryptophan (HTP) under various conditions and investigate the sleep-potentiating activity of liquid egg white hydrolysate (LEH) on pentobarbital-induced sleep. Alcalase hydrolysis yielded the highest content of 5-HTP (13.50 μg/mL), while neutrase hydrolysis showed the lowest 5-HTP content (5.23 μg/mL). The liquid egg white to water ratio (1:1) was optimal for the production of 5-HTP with high amino-nitrogen (A-N) content and degree of hydrolysis. The 5-HTP, amino-nitrogen, and degree of hydrolysis increased until 24 h of hydrolysis and slightly increased thereafter during hydrolysis with 2% and 5% enzyme addition. 5-HTP administration at doses of 6 and 9 mg/kg significantly increased sleep duration and decreased sleep latency time compared to that in the control (p

Spinal cord ischemia is a fatal complication following thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery. Researchers can investigate the strategies for preventing and treating this complication using experimental models of spinal cord ischemia. The model described here demonstrates varying degrees of paraplegia that relate to the length of occlusion following thoracic aortic occlusion in a rat spinal cord ischemia model. A 2-Fr. balloon-tipped catheter was advanced through the femoral artery into the descending thoracic aorta until the catheter tip was placed at the left subclavian artery in anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats. Spinal cord ischemia was induced by inflating the catheter balloon. After a set period of occlusion (9, 10, or 11 min), the balloon was deflated. Neurologic assessment was performed using the motor deficit index at 24 h after surgery, and the spinal cord was harvested for histopathological examination. Rats that underwent 9 min of aortic occlusion showed mild and reversible motor impairment in the hind limb. Rats subjected to 10 min of aortic occlusion presented with moderate but reversible motor impairment. Rats subjected to 11 min of aortic occlusion displayed complete and persistent paralysis. The motor neurons in the spinal cord sections were more preserved in rats subjected to shorter duration of aortic occlusion. Researchers can achieve a reproducible hind limb motor deficit following thoracic aortic occlusion using this spinal cord ischemia model.

The laryngoscope should displace oral soft tissues forward out of the operator's vision. Therefore, the space in front of the view may be critical for determining the laryngoscopic view. The aim was to investigate the difference in the previsional space during difficult versus easy laryngoscopy (EL). Under general anesthesia, digital photographs of the lateral view of the head and neck were taken in the horizontal sniffing position, after head extension, and during laryngoscopy with a defined force (50 N). Three points (thyroid notch (T), maxillary incisor (I), and mandibular mentum (M)) were marked on the photograph. The previsional space was defined as the TIM triangle. We compared these areas and other variables of the TIM triangle between male patients with difficult laryngoscopy (DL: Cormack–Lehane III–IV, n = 12) versus those of age- and body mass index-matched male patients with EL (Cormack–Lehane I–II, n = 12). When the head was extended, the areas TIM triangle in DL were significantly smaller than in EL. During laryngoscopy, all values of the TIM triangle in DL, including the TIM area (16.4 ± 3.7 vs 22.6 ± 2.8 cm2, P

BACKGROUND Although minor, a sore throat after endotracheal intubation can adversely affect patient satisfaction and postoperative function. We compared the effects of 2 endotracheal tube cuff shapes on postoperative sore throat. METHODS One hundred ninety-one adult patients were included in the study. After induction of anesthesia, patients were randomized to endotracheal intubation with a conventional cylindrical-shaped cuff (Group C, n = 95) or a tapered-shaped cuff (Group T, n = 96). The number of intubation attempts, time to achieve endotracheal intubation, and duration of intubation were recorded. Postoperative sore throat and hoarseness were assessed at 1, 6, and 24 hours after surgery. A 0- to 100-mm visual analog scale was used to evaluate sore throat severity. The primary outcome of this study was the overall cumulative incidence of postoperative sore throat in the 24-hour evaluation period in the 2 groups. RESULTS The overall incidence of postoperative sore throat was lower in Group T than in Group C (32% vs 54%; relative risk = 0.60, 95% confidence interval: 0.43-0.85; P= .003). At 6 hours after surgery, the incidence and severity of postoperative sore throat were lower in Group T compared with Group C (Bonferroni-corrected P< .05). Postoperative hoarseness also occurred less frequently in Group T compared with Group C (19% vs 37%; P= .006). Group T had lower incidence of hoarseness at 1 and 6 hours after surgery than Group C (Bonferroni-corrected P< .05), but the incidence of hoarseness at 24 hours after surgery did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS Intubation using an endotracheal tube with a tapered cuff reduced the incidence and severity of postoperative sore throat and the incidence of hoarseness after surgery when compared with an endotracheal tube with a cylindrical cuff.

Background Ischemia and the following reperfusion damage are critical mechanisms of spinal cord injury. Statins have been reported to decrease ischemia–reperfusion injury in many organs including the spinal cord. Anti-oxidative effect is one of the main protective mechanisms of statin against neuronal death and cytotoxicity. We hypothesized that statins’ anti-oxidative property would yield neuroprotective effects on spinal cord ischemia–reperfusion injury Methods Primary cultured spinal cord motor neurons were isolated from Sprague–Dawley rat fetuses. Ischemia–reperfusion injury model was induced by 60 min of oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) and 24 h of reoxygenation. Healthy and OGD cells were treated with simvastatin at concentrations of 0.1, 1, and 10 μM for 24 h. Cell viability was assessed using water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST)-8, cytotoxicity with LDH, and production of free radicals with DCFDA (2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate). Results OGD reduced neuronal viability compared to normoxic control by 35.3%; however, 0.1–10 μM of simvastatin treatment following OGD improved cell survival. OGD increased LDH release up to 214%; however, simvastatin treatment attenuated its cytotoxicity at concentrations of 0.1–10 μM (p

Data from animal experiments suggest that exposure to general anesthetics in early life inhibits neurogenesis and causes long-term memory deficit. Considering short operating times and the popularity of sevoflurane in pediatric anesthesia, it is important to verify the effects of short-period exposure to sevoflurane on the developing brain. We measured the effects of short-term exposure (2 h) to 3%, 6%, or 8% sevoflurane, the most commonly used anesthetic, on neural precursor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells, SNUhES32. Cell survival, proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 post treatment were analyzed. Treatment with 6% sevoflurane increased cell viability (P = 0.046) and decreased apoptosis (P = 0.014) on day 5, but the effect did not persist on day 7. Survival and apoptosis were not affected by 3% and 8% sevoflurane; there was no effect of proliferation at any of the tested concentrations. The differentiation of cells exposed to 6% or 8% sevoflurane decreased on day 1 (P = 0.033 and P = 0.036 for 6% and 8% sevoflurane, respectively) but was again normalized on days 3–7. Clinically relevant treatment with sevoflurane for 2 h induces no significant changes in the survival, proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation of human neural precursor cells, although supraclinical doses of sevoflurane do alter human neurogenesis transiently.

The aim of this study was to investigate pesticide residues in 2,877 market vegetables in the northernarea of Seoul in 2013. Pesticide residues in the samples were analysed by multiresidue method for 285 pesticides usingGC-ECD/NPD and HPLC-DAD/FLD. 385 samples(13.4%) were detected with pesticide residues at or below MRL,and 15 samples(0.5%) were found to detect pesticide residues exceeding MRL. The most frequently detected sampleswere sedum(63.6%), chamnamul(45.8%), leek(44.5%) and green&red pepper(30.8%). Among the 15 violated sam-ples, leek(5 cases) and welsh onion(4 cases) showed the highest violation rate. A total of 74 samples(18.5%) containedmultiple pesticide residues in one vegetable. Procymidone, chlorofenapyr and cypermethrin were the pesticide mostfrequently found. As a tool of risk assessment through the consumption of pesticide detectable agricultural products,the ratio of estimated daily intake (EDI) to acceptable daily intake (ADI) was calculated into the range of1.05~28.61%. The results have meant that there was no health risk through dieting commercial agricultural productsdetected with pesticide residues. Key words : pesticide residues, agricultural products, risk assessment, %ADI

방염제 도포 후 나타나는 목조건축물의 문제점을 파악하기 위해 통계자료 분석 및 현장조사를 수행하였다. 방염제도포 후 백화현상과 단청 박락현상이 목조건축물에서 가장 빈번히 나타났다. 이러한 문제점은 기둥, 연목, 가구부재 등 방염제의 도포가 상대적으로 많이 이루어지는 건축물의 상부에서 가장 높게 나타났다. 현장에서 방염제를 도포한 건물과 도포하지 않은 건물을 파악하기 위해 P-XRF를 이용하여 총 20개 종의 원소를 분석하였다. 이 중 현장의 모든 방염제 처리구에서 황 원소(S)가 나타났기 때문에 이를 방염제 도포의 탐지자로 설정하였다. 이를 통해 현장에서 방염제의 도포를 확인할 수 있는 비파괴분석을 방법을 정립할 수 있었다. 실제 송광사(전남 순천)의 목조건축물을 대상으로 한잔류성분분석을 통해 실제 현장적용이 가능함을 확인하였다.

Diabetes mellitus is a common chronic metabolic disease that is of increasing concern, because it frequently leads to complications such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Plants have been studied as a potential source for anti-diabetics to supplement dietary modifications, insulin, and other medications. The components of green tea polyphenols can be changed by processes such as browning. This processing method was applied to the red rose flower to determine whether the processed or non-processed rose flower has an anti-diabetic effect on the streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse. Aqueous extracts of processed and non-processed rose flowers were analyzed using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results show that the polyphenol content decreased with browning. The hemoglobin A1c level, an indicator of long-term diabetes, in diabetic mice after administration of extracts of browned rose flowers for 24 and 48 h were lower than those after administration of extracts of non-browned rose flowers. Moreover, the activity of aspartate transaminase, which is often high in diabetic patients, was low in all groups treated with rose flowers, whether they were non-browned or browned. Taken together, these results indicate that extracts from red rose flowers have long-term anti-diabetic effects, and that this effect is independent of the level of polyphenols in the extract.

Objective This study evaluated whether adding a preoperative single thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) to intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA) would improve postoperative analgesia compared with using IV PCA alone in patients undergoing nephrectomy. Design Prospective, randomized, controlled, observer-blinded trial. Setting University hospital. Subjects Thirty-four adult patients undergoing elective open nephrectomy. Methods The patients were randomized to receive a TPVB plus IV PCA (group T) or IV PCA alone (group C). A single 18-mL injection of 0.75% ropivacaine was administered preoperatively under ultrasound guidance; fentanyl was used for IV PCA. Each patient's postoperative pain score based on a verbal numerical rating scale, postoperative fentanyl consumption, inspiratory volume by incentive spirometry, and complications were evaluated at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours after surgery. Changes in heart rate (HR), systolic arterial pressure (SAP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were evaluated following skin incision. Results The postoperative pain score and fentanyl consumption were significantly lower in group T than in group C at all time points up to 24 hours after surgery. The postoperative inspiratory volumes were not significantly different. The changes in HR were similar, while the increases in SAP and MAP after skin incision were lower in group T than in group C. Conclusions A preoperative single TPVB improved postoperative analgesia by reducing the postoperative pain score and fentanyl consumption in patients undergoing nephrectomy.

ObjectiveNeuroprotective effects of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonist in cerebral ischemia have been reported, but the effect of a PPARγ agonist on spinal cord ischemia has not been investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a PPARγ agonist on spinal cord ischemia. Pioglitazone, a PPARγ agonist, was administered in a rat model of spinal cord ischemia, and the extent of neurological damage and histological alterations were assessed.MethodsForty-five rats were randomly enrolled into one of the three groups: (1) pioglitazone group (group PIO): rats were treated with pioglitazone 24 hours before ischemia; (2) control group (group C): rats were treated with the same volume of saline 24 hours before ischemia; and (3) sham group (group sham): rats were treated with the same volume of saline 24 hours before the sham surgery. Spinal cord ischemia was induced using a balloon-tipped catheter placed on the proximal descending aorta. Neurologic function was assessed using the motor deficit index (0 = normal, 6 = complete paralysis) during the 48 hours after reperfusion. Histological and biochemical evaluations were then performed.ResultsCompared with group C, group PIO presented with lower motor deficit index 48 hours after reperfusion (5.0 [4.0-6.0] vs 3.0 [2.0-3.0]; group C vs group PIO, respectively; P < .001). Group PIO presented with a higher number of normal motor neurons (10.7 [8.1-11.9] vs 14.7 [14.0-15.3]; group C vs group PIO, respectively; P = .009) and a smaller area of infarcts (48.4% [46.3%-54.0%] vs 16.8% [11.5%-18.3%]; group C vs group PIO, respectively; P = .009) when compared with group C. The degree of inflammatory reactions, assessed by microglia activities, was significantly reduced in group PIO. Oxidative stress level, assessed using malonydialdehyde assay, was significantly reduced in group PIO relative to group C (192.21% [173.5%-206.4%] of sham vs 141.1% [131.7%-152.1%] of sham; group C vs group PIO, respectively; P = .007). The sham group exhibited no abnormality upon neurological or histological examination.ConclusionsPPARγ agonist pioglitazone pretreatment significantly reduces infarct volume and attenuates neurological deficits following spinal cord ischemia. The possible mechanism of neuroprotection by PPARγ agonist may involve modulation of inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress.Clinical RelevanceSpinal cord ischemia is a major issue in thoracoabdominal aortic surgery. The proliferator-activated receptor agonists have been reported to exert protective effects on ischemia in various organs including cerebral ischemia. This study investigated the effect of a proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist pioglitazone on spinal cord ischemia in a rat model of spinal cord ischemia. Our results present a protective effect of pioglitazone pretreatment to attenuate spinal cord ischemic injury. Considering that pioglitazone is currently a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved agent for treatment of type 2 diabetes, it may be applied in clinical practice to attenuate spinal cord ischemia injury following thoracoabdominal aortic surgery.

We measured the angular change from the line of vision to the larynx around the upper incisors under defined laryngoscopic forces and investigated its association with the laryngoscopic view. Laryngoscopy was performed under general anesthesia with muscle paralysis in male patients with a difficult laryngoscopy (DLG, n = 11) and in male patients matched for age and body mass index with an easy laryngoscopy (ELG, n = 11). A Macintosh blade #3 was used for the procedure. The line of vision was marked on lateral photographs during laryngoscopy by simultaneously delineating two straight lines: a line from the upper incisors to the lowest surface of the laryngoscope blade and a line from the upper incisors to the thyroid notch. The angle difference, defined as the angle between those two lines, was measured at laryngoscopic forces of 10-50 N. The angle difference was significantly greater in the DLG than in the ELG at 50 N [median, 18.0° (range, 16.5-21.0°) vs 12.0° (12.0-13.5°), respectively; P

This study investigated the effectiveness of a lighted stylet during tracheal intubation with direct laryngoscopy. The study randomly assigned 284 patients undergoing general anesthesia to either the simple stylet (Group S) or lighted stylet (Group L) groups. In both groups, stylet-assisted intubation was performed with direct laryngoscopy. In group S, a simple stylet was used and removed when the tip of the endotracheal tube was thought to have passed the larynx. In Group L, a lighted stylet was used and removed after confirming transillumination of the suprasternal notch. The success rate at the first attempt, total intubation time, incidence of mucosal bleeding, and severity of postoperative sore throat were compared. Compared to a simple stylet, the lighted stylet significantly increased the success rate of tracheal intubation at the first attempt (128 (90%) vs. 140 (99%), p = 0.003, Groups S and L, respectively). The incidence of mucosal bleeding was significantly higher in Group S (35 (25%) vs. 19 (13%), p = 0.011, Groups S and L, respectively). The total intubation time and degree of postoperative sore throat were not significantly different between the two groups. A lighted stylet increased the success rate of tracheal intubation during stylet-assisted tracheal intubation with direct laryngoscopy.

The physical properties of jellified soybean curd residue (Biji) with the addition of various gums were investigated to optimize the direct availability of a by-product of the tofu production process. The lightness (L value) of the jellified Biji prepared with various gums was approximately 77~80, regardless of the concentration of gum used. Especially at the concentration of 0.1% and 0.3%, a pectin showed a significantly higher value compared with other gelling agents (carrageenan and agar). The strength of samples prepared on the basis of carrageenan showed the value of 335~569 and 234~335 according to the addition of locust bean gum and xanthan gum, respectively. On the other hand, the samples made with pectin and agar were 134~272 and 50~215 , respectively. Where locust bean gum was used as a viscous agent, the adhesiveness of sample prepared by adding carrageenan was greater than those made with pectin or agar. The values were -6.0~-11.0 g, -2.7~-10.2 g and -3.7~-7.0 g, respectively. Overall, the strength and adhesiveness of samples according to increase of the added amount of Biji showed constantly increasing trend regardless of the type of gelling agent used. In the sample containing carrageenan this trend was most noticeable.

This study investigated the effect of Dolichos lablab extract on the lipid metabolism of rats fed a high fat and cholesterol diet. S-D male rats (n

Dear Editor Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by an indolent course, progressive pancytopenia, splenomegaly, and infiltration of abnormal B-cells with hairy projections and unique immunophenotypic features [1-3]. Very recently, the acquired V600E mutation of the BRAF gene has been described as a molecular marker for classic HCL (HCLc), and this mutation was not detected in variant HCL (HCLv) and other B-cell neoplasms [4]. However, the degree to which the BRAF V600E mutation can be detected varies according to the detection methods used, types of specimen, or the cell percentages in specimens [5-7]. We describe a case of HCLc with BRAF V600E mutation, which showed discrepant results between bone marrow aspirate and bone marrow biopsy specimens. A 52-yr-old woman presented with pancytopenia. Her initial blood cell counts were as follows: white blood cells, 1.34×109/L; hemoglobin, 9.9 g/dL; platelets, 23×109/L. Physical examination and computed tomography showed splenomegaly and absence of lymphadenopathy. Her peripheral blood smear showed normocytic normochromic anemia and severe leukopenia characterized by both neutropenia and marked monocytopenia. Although it was quite difficult to aspirate the bone marrow, we could confirm the presence of hairy cells on one of the aspirate smears, and abnormal lymphoid cells with inconspicuous nucleoli, frayed cytoplasm, and hairy cytoplasmic projections constituted about 82.7% of all nucleated cells (Fig. 1A). In the bone marrow biopsy section, bone marrow space was packed with abnormal lymphoid cells with abundant cytoplasm, showing a diffuse solid infiltration pattern (Fig. 1B). Reticulin-stained samples showed diffuse and dense coarse bundles of collagen with extensive intersections (Fig. 1C). The cytochemical stain for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) on touch-print slide could not be interpreted because of poor specimen quality and low percentage of abnormal cells. Immunohistochemically, CD20 (strong) and CD25 were positive (Fig. 1D); CD3 was negative, and kappa and lambda stains showed nonspecific positivity. In flow cytometry analysis, abnormal lymphoid cells were detected in the monocytic region and they were positive for CD11c (strong), CD19, CD20 (strong), HLA-DR, cytoplasmic CD79a, and CD2; and negative for CD3, cytoplasmic CD3, CD5, CD7, CD10, CD13, CD14, CD33, CD34, CD56, and myeloperoxidase (Fig. 2). Chromosome analysis showed a normal karyotype. Fig. 1 (A) Bone marrow aspirate smear showing characteristic hairy cells with cytoplasmic projections and frayed cytoplasmic border (Wright-Giemsa stain, ×1,000). (B) Bone marrow biopsy section showing diffuse solid infiltration of medium-sized lymphoid ... Fig. 2 Immunophenotyping of bone marrow aspirate shows abnormal lymphoid cells positive for CD19, CD20, and CD11c and negative for CD5 and CD10. HLA-DR, cytoplasmic CD79a, and CD2 were also positive, and other T-lymphoid (CD7, CD3, and cCD3) and myeloid markers ... The BRAF V600E mutation analysis was performed using a mutation-specific real-time PCR kit (Real Q BRAF V600E detection kit; BioSewoom Inc., Seoul, Korea) and showed discrepant results among the specimens. The BRAF V600E mutation was not detected in the bone marrow aspirates, whereas it was detected in both right and left bone marrow biopsy specimens. The BRAF V600E mutation in the biopsy specimens was confirmed by direct sequencing. The patient was diagnosed as having HCLc and treated with cladribine. HCLc is a distinct disease characterized by an indolent course and the presence of small mature B lymphoid cells with abundant cytoplasm and hairy projections, involving peripheral blood, bone marrow, and splenic red pulp [8]. The differential diagnosis of HCLc includes chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, prolymphocytic lymphoma, splenic marginal zone lymphoma, and HCLv [3, 8]. The typical phenotype of HCLc is co-expression of CD20, CD22, and CD11c; HCLc also shows expression of CD103 and CD25. CD5 expression is almost always negative in HCLc [3, 9]. Until recently, the genetic alterations underlying HCLc remained obscure. The scarcity of leukemic cells available for analysis because of pancytopenia and the very low proliferative index increased the difficulty level of molecular characterization of HCLc [4]. BRAF mutations activate the MEK.ERK pathway, leading to enhanced cell proliferation, cell survival, and neoplastic transformation [10, 11], and have emerged as an important biological marker for various human cancers, including papillary thyroid carcinoma and cutaneous malignant melanoma [5]. While over 70 BRAF mutations have been identified, V600E is predominant in many types of cancers. Very recently, the BRAF V600E mutation was reported in all cases of HCLc, but not in other B-cell neoplasms [4]. Subsequent studies confirmed this finding, reporting that all cases of HCLc examined carried BRAF V600E mutations and that mutations other than V600E were not obser-ved [12-14]. However, Xi et al. [15] reported that 21% of HCLc lack this mutation. For detection of BRAF mutation, the use of a highly sensitive and specific method is essential, and the results can differ depending on the detection method used [5]. In the study by Tiacci et al. [4], the BRAF V600E mutation was detected by direct sequencing after Ficoll density gradient-enriched magnetic-activated cell sorting, and subsequent studies used more sensitive assays such as high-resolution melting [13], allele-specific real-time PCR [7], and pyrosequencing [6]. In the present study, we used a BRAF V600E-specific real-time PCR method that has been widely used for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma and has shown higher sensitivity than dual priming oligonucleotide-based multiplex PCR [16, 17]. In addition to assay sensitivity, the type of specimen used should be considered in the detection of the BRAF V600E mutation in HCLc. Previous studies used various specimen types, including peripheral bloods, bone marrow biopsy specimens, and bone marrow aspirates [4, 6, 7, 12, 15, 18]. Bone marrow fibrosis is one of the typical findings in HCLc and often generates suboptimal aspirate specimens containing few malignant cells despite the extensive involvement observed during the biopsy [13]. In the present case, extensive reticulin fibrosis made bone marrow aspiration very difficult. The aspirate specimens for flow cytometry and molecular studies contained few hairy cells. The BRAF V600E mutation was first analyzed in bone marrow aspirates along with the other diagnostic tests, but it was not detected in these specimens. Because the diagnosis of HCLc was straightforward in this case, except for the negative finding for BRAF V600E mutation, we searched for BRAF V600E mutation again by using both right and left biopsy specimens; this time, we were able to detect it. The present case underscores that severe reticulin fibrosis of HCLc may generate discrepant results of BRAF V600E mutation in different types of specimens and may mislead diagnosis. Thus, the diagnostic interpretation of this new molecular marker in HCLc cases with extensive reticulin fibrosis warrants caution.

Background Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) using massively parallel sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is increasingly being used to predict fetal chromosomal abnormalities. However, concerns over erroneous predictions which occur while performing NIPT still exist in pregnant women at high risk for fetal aneuploidy. We performed the largest-scale clinical NIPT study in Korea to date to assess the risk of false negatives and false positives using next-generation sequencing. Methods A total of 447 pregnant women at high risk for fetal aneuploidy were enrolled at 12 hospitals in Korea. They underwent definitive diagnoses by full karyotyping by blind analysis and received aneuploidy screening at 11–22 weeks of gestation. Three steps were employed for cfDNA analyses. First, cfDNA was sequenced. Second, the effect of GC bias was corrected using normalization of samples as well as LOESS and linear regressions. Finally, statistical analysis was performed after selecting a set of reference samples optimally adapted to a test sample from the whole reference samples. We evaluated our approach by performing cfDNA testing to assess the risk of trisomies 13, 18, and 21 using the sets of extracted reference samples. Results The adaptive selection algorithm presented here was used to choose a more optimized reference sample, which was evaluated by the coefficient of variation (CV), demonstrated a lower CV and higher sensitivity than standard approaches. Our adaptive approach also showed that fetal aneuploidies could be detected correctly by clearly splitting the z scores obtained for positive and negative samples. Conclusions We show that our adaptive reference selection algorithm for optimizing trisomy detection showed improved reliability and will further support practitioners in reducing both false negative and positive results. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12920-016-0222-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This study explored the chemical properties of geomaterials in relation with their fluoride removal efficiencies from water under acidic conditions. Two types each of as-received and engineered steel slags were tested, and their F − removal efficiencies were compared with those of other common or commercially available acid spill response materials. The chemical properties of the geomaterials were analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine their surface elemental compositions and by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis to determine their surface areas. The F − removal efficiencies were calculated based on the fluoride concentrations in the remaining solutions using an ion chromatography technique. A principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to identify the dominant independent variables that influenced the F − removal efficiencies, revealing that the surface area was most closely correlated with the F − removal efficiency. A microscopic analysis of the geomaterials, conducted using an energy dispersion spectrometer technique after the F − sorption reaction had occurred revealed that the local Al, Si, or O concentration was an important latent independent variable for the F − removal efficiency. These variables had been hidden in the PCA results. Therefore, aluminosilicate-rich geomaterials with a high surface area offer primary candidates as effective sorbents for fluoride in water under acidic conditions.

At diagnosis, fewer than 10% of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients have additional cytogenetic abnormalities (ACAs), which are frequently found in transformation to blast crisis. We report a case of CML-chronic phase (CML-CP) that showed t(1;15) at diagnosis. A 64-year-old man presented with sustained leukocytosis and thrombocytosis. His bone marrow (BM) was hypercellular with 2.5% blasts and BCR-ABL1 rearrangement. The karyotype in the BM was 46,XY,t(1;15)(q32;p13),t(9;22)(q34;q11.2)[20], while the karyotype in the peripheral blood was 46,XY[20]. This is the first report on the presence of t(1;15) at diagnosis of CML-CP, and its clinical significance remains unclear.

BACKDROUND/OBJECTIVE: Constipation is a condition that can result from intestinal deformation. Because humans have an upright posture, the effects of gravity can cause this shape deformation. Oligosaccharides are common prebiotics and their effects on bowel health are well known. However, studies of the physiological functionality of a product that contains both lactulose and galactooligosaccharides are insufficient. We investigated the constipation reduction effect of a dual-type oligosaccharide, Dual-Oligo, in loperamide-treated rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: Dual-Oligo consists of galactooligosaccharides (15.80%) and lactulose (51.67%). Animals were randomly divided into four groups, the normal group (normal), control group (control), low concentration of Dual-Oligo (LDO) group, and high concentration of Dual-Oligo (HDO) group. After 7 days of oral administration, fecal pellet amount, fecal weight, water content of fecal were measured. Blood chemistry, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), gastrointestinal transit ratio and length and intestinal mucosa were analyzed. RESULTS: Dual-Oligo increased the fecal weight, and water content of feces in rats with loperamide-induced constipation. Gastrointestinal transit ratio and length and area of intestinal mucosa significantly increased after treatment with Dual-Oligo in loperamide-induced rats. A high concentration of Dual-Oligo tended to produce more acetic acid than that observed for the control group, and Dual-Oligo affected the production of total SCFA. Bifidobacteria concentration of cecal contents in the high-concentration oligosaccharide (HDO) and low-concentration oligosaccharide (LDO) groups was similar to the result of the normal group. CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that Dual-Oligo is a functional material that is derived from a natural food product and is effective in ameliorating constipation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of spent coffee ground (SCG) on ultraviolet (UV) B-induced photoaging in hairless mice. The oil fraction (OSCG) and ethanol extract (ESCG) of SCG were prepared from SCG. OSCG contained a much higher level of caffeine (547.32 ± 1.68 μg mg(-1)) when compared to the sum of its chlorogenic acid derivatives (∼119 μg mg(-1)), and pyrazines were the major aromatic compounds in OSCG. OSCG effectively inhibited the UVB-induced increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species in HaCaT cells. Topical application of OSCG or ESCG significantly reduced the UVB-induced wrinkle formation in mice dorsal skin. The combined application of OSCG and ESCG (OEH) led to a decrease in the wrinkle area by over 35% when compared with the UVB-treated control (UVBC). Epidermal thickness was also reduced by 40%. This result was connected to the significant reduction in transdermal water loss (27%) and erythema formation (48%) that result from UVB irradiation. Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) and antibody-based histological analyses showed that OSCG and ESCG effectively suppressed the UVB-induced decrease in collagen content. The level of type 1 collagen (COL1) in the OEH group was enhanced by around 40% compared with the UVB control group (UVBC). This was attributed to the down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP2, 9, and 13), which are known to be responsible for collagen destruction. Our results indicate that topical treatment with OSCG/ESCG protects mouse skin from UVB-induced photoaging by down-regulating MMPs; therefore, suggesting the potential of SCG extracts as a topical anti-photoaging agent.

No prior research has investigated whether the cold plasma treatment (CPT) resulted in the formation of toxic compounds. Therefore, this study carried out the experiment to check the safety of edible films treated with cold plasma by examining their acute and subacute oral toxicity in a rat model. Single-dose acute (5000 mg/kg body weight) and 14-d subacute (1000 mg/kg body weight/day) oral toxicity of cold plasma-treated edible films was assessed for male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Rats administered 5000 mg/kg of edible film did not show the signs of acute toxicity or death after 14 d of observation. Similarly, no signs of acute toxicity or death were recorded during 14 d in rats administered 1000 mg/kg/day of edible film treated with cold plasma. Although changes in the levels of several blood components (hematocrit, hemoglobin, bilirubin, creatinine, and aspartate aminotransferase) of samples were observed, the changes compared to the control were considered to be toxicologically irrelevant as their levels were within normal physiological ranges. Macroscopic analysis showed there were no changes in color or texture of representative liver sections of SD rats following the oral administration of edible films with CPT (F-CP) or without CPT (F-NT). The results demonstrate that the cold plasma-treated edible film possessed very low toxicity, suggesting that CPT does not generate harmful by-products in the edible film.

Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are an important class of dietary prebiotics that exert beneficial effects on intestinal microbiota and gut barrier function. In this study, high-purity GOS (HP-GOS) were investigated in vitro and in vivo and confirmed as prebiotic ingredients in rat diet. HP-GOS were successfully produced using a two-step process, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation by yeast. They were found to serve as a good substrate and carbon source for supporting the growth of probiotic bacteria more effectively than other commercial GOS. Following administration of 1 % (by mass) of HP-GOS to rats, the growth of Bifidobacterium bifidum and B. longum in the gut increased most rapidly up to 12 h, and thereafter the increase was slow. Therefore, 1 % HP-GOS was found to be acceptable for the growth of probiotic bacteria. Groups of animals that were orally administered HP-GOS and bifidobacteria during the study, and the group administered HP-GOS during the 2nd (days 13–15) and 4th (days 28–30) period of the study had significantly (p

Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are an important class of dietary prebiotics that exert beneficial effects on intestinal microbiota and gut barrier function. In this study, high-purity GOS (HP-GOS) were investigated in vitro and in vivo and confirmed as prebiotic ingredients in rat diet. HP-GOS were successfully produced using a two-step process, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation by yeast. They were found to serve as a good substrate and carbon source for supporting the growth of probiotic bacteria more effectively than other commercial GOS. Following administration of 1 % (by mass) of HP-GOS to rats, the growth of Bifidobacterium bifidum and B. longum in the gut increased most rapidly up to 12 h, and thereafter the increase was slow. Therefore, 1 % HP-GOS was found to be acceptable for the growth of probiotic bacteria. Groups of animals that were orally administered HP-GOS and bifidobacteria during the study, and the group administered HP-GOS during the 2nd (days 13–15) and 4th (days 28–30) period of the study had significantly (p, Galaktooligosaharidi su važna klasa prebiotika koji blagotvorno djeluju na mikroorganizme probavnog trakta i time štite stijenke probavnih organa. U radu je ispitan in vitro i in vivo prebiotički učinak pročišćenih galaktooligosaharida, dodanih hrani za štakore. Pročišćeni galaktooligosaharidi uspješno su proizvedeni enzimskom hidrolizom i fermentacijom s pomoću kvasca. U usporedbi s galaktooligosaharidima dostupnim na tržištu, znatno su bolji izvor ugljika te podloga za rast probiotičkih bakterija. Nakon dodatka 1 % masenog udjela pročišćenih galaktooligosaharida hrani, bitno se povećao rast bakterija Bifidobacterium bifidum i B. longum u probavnom traktu štakora tijekom 12 sati, nakon čega je rast bio nešto sporiji. Zaključeno je da ta doza galaktooligosaharida ima prebiotički učinak. Skupine životinja dohranjivane pročišćenim galaktooligosaharidima i bifidobakterijama te skupina dohranjena galaktooligosaharidima nakon 13-15 i 28-30 dana uzgoja imale su bitno veći (p˂0,05) broj bakterija u izmetu od skupina dohranjenih samo jednom dozom bifidobakterija. Pročišćeni galaktooligosaharidi utjecali su na ekspresiju gena koji kodiraju GLP-1 (peptid sličan glukagonu) i peptid YY (PYY). Nakon dohrane prebioticima i bifidobakterijama došlo je do pojačane uzvodne transkripcije mRNA u genima za GLP-1 i PYY. Stoga smatramo da se pročišćeni galaktooligosaharidi zbog dragocjenih prebiotičkih svojstava mogu upotrijebiti u proizvodnji funkcionalne hrane.

Purpose: Fragile X carrier detection before or at early pregnancy through a wide screening program may not only confer a risk of having offspring with Fragile X syndrome (FXS), but may also confer a risk for Fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency and Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome. However, prior to the implementation of such a program, the carrier prevalence in a population and the availability of effective screening test should be evaluated. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of premutation carriers and to evaluate the feasibility of screening test. Materials and Methods: The blood samples were obtained from 8,641 pregnant women with no family history of mental retardation. We performed a three-primer CGG repeat primed (RP) PCR using the AmplideX TM FMR1 PCR kit (Asuragen, Inc. Austin, TX, USA). Samples showing full mutation alleles were reflexed to Southern blot analysis for methylation status and sizing. Results: Among the 8,641 women, we found 8 premutation carriers (1:1,090, 0.09%) and 46 women with an intermediate allele (1:190, 0.53%). No woman was found to carry the fully mutated allele. All the detected alleles were within the CGG repeat range of 8-117. Among the 8,641 samples, 29 and 30 CGG repeats represent 66.6% of all cases. The CGG RP PCR method provides robust detection of expanded alleles and resolves allele zygosity, thus minimizing the number of samples that require Southern blot analysis. Conclusion: This is the first study that has focused on the prevalence of FXS premutation carriers and FMR1 allele distribution in normal pregnant women. These data have important implications for population-based fragile X carrier screening in Korea.

This study was performed to investigate the pesticide residue of commercial medicinal plants used for food materials in the Seoul area. Multi class pesticide multiresidue methods in Korea Food Code was used to ana- lyze 100 pesticides. Analyzed samples were 261 cases(domestic 201, imported 60), detection rate was 19.2%(domes- tic 20.9%, imports 13.3%). 17 pesticides were detected in fruit(chinese matrimony vine, jujube, rubus coreanus, japanese cornlian cherry, schizandra, tangerine peel), and root(cnidium, licorice, astragalus). Pesticide over Maximum Residue Limits were detected in jujube, cnidium. Frequently detected pesticides were cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, cyhalothrin, fenvalerate, bifenthrin. More than 50% of the sample were detected two or more pesticides at the same time. Because of the variety and increase of pesticide detection in medicinal roots and fruits, continued monitoring and safety management is required.

Maillard reaction products (MRPs) were prepared by heating a mixture of rice starch with different dextrose equivalents (DE 10, 30, 50 and 70) and glycine. The glycine was added to the sample pastes at the same molar concentration as the sugar contained in each sample. As the dextrose equivalent of rice starch increased, the browning intensity and fluorescence of the MRPs increased. The antioxidant properties of the MRPs were investigated by DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and phenolic content in a chemical system, and were evaluated by measuring reactive oxygen species levels and antioxidant enzymes activities in Caco-2 cells. The darkest MRPs, MRPs-4, showed the highest antioxidant activity and phenolic content among the samples; in addition, it inhibited the cellular oxidative stress. The decrease of cell viability and antioxidant enzymes activities caused by reactive oxygen species and apoptosis were recovered by MRPs-4. Actually, the addition of the MRPs suppressed apoptosis by decreasing the proportion of cells in the sub-G1 phase. Therefore, these MRPs, as compounds formed by the Maillard reaction, are considered to possess an effective antioxidant activity against oxidizable substrates.

This study was conducted to monitor 284 pesticides residue level in 2,914 commercial agricultural products in the northern area of Seoul in 2011 by the multi class pesticide multiresidue analysis methods in Korea Food Code using GC, HPLC, GC-MSD and, LC-MSD. The detection rate of pesticide residues were 14.8% (431/2,914). The order of agricultural products in which the pesticide residues were detected was perilla leaves 40.0% (28/70), chamnamul 35.5% (11/31), amaranth 30.0% (3/10) and spinach 27.7% (38/137) etc. The percentage of products that exceeded the MRLs (maximum residue limits) were 1.0% (31/431). Those products that exceeded MRLs were ginseng (6), perilla leaves (4), leek (4), welsh onion (3) and sedeum (3) etc. The 59 kinds of the pesticides were detected on this study, 21 pesticides of them were detected over MRLs. Detection rate of fungicides (56.4%) was higher than that of insecticides (42.1%). And procymidone was detected with considerable high frequency. Additionally, residual residual violates pesticides were in the order of tolclofos-methyl, endosulfan, dimethomorph, diniconazole and fludioxonil. According to the agricultural marketing channels, detection and excess rate of them were monitored. Detection and excess rate of samples circulated in agricultural traditional market were highest. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of the pesticides were compared to personal acceptable daily intakes (PADI) in order to risk assessment by food consumption. Diazinon in Korean cabbage showed the highest %ADI, 2.9901 and others showed below 3.0 %ADI. Overall, these results indicate that residue levels of pesticides detected were evaluated as safe.

The Maillard reaction is one of the most important phenomena occurring spontaneously during food processing and storage. However, research on the effects of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) on starch hydrolysis remains insufficient. To investigate the effects of MRPs on in vitro starch digestibility, the characteristics of glucose–glycine model system containing MRPs and digestive enzyme activities by MRPs were measured. MRPs were prepared by heating of glucose–glycine mixture solution at 90°C for different times (0, 1, 3, 9, 18, 24, and 48 h). As the Maillard reaction proceeded, browning intensity, and furosine and hydroxymethylfurfural content increased, whereas pH value decreased. The reducing power of MRPs was increased as the Maillard reaction progressed, and MRPs produced in 18 and 24 h showed the highest values (both 1.2). In MRPs heated for 48 h, the reducing sugar content and hydrolysis index were lowest values (88.6 and 87.0%) among the samples. The activity of digestive enzymes significantly decreased by adding of MRPs, as the browning of added MRPs increased. Therefore, MRPs seem to be contributed to decrease in starch digestibility, as shown by an enzymatic digestion result.

The Korean economy has developed remarkably but has also experienced the rearrangement of industrial structures since the economic crisis of 1997. Radical changes in Korea’s economic situation have been anticipated after the agreement of FTA (Free trade agreement)/FTA fulfillment. From the macro point of view, labor market demand always exceeded labor supply before IMF (International Monetary Fund) in 1997. However, the labor system has changed since IMF (Kim ST 2006). Moreover, companies have tried to hire personnel who satisfy a company's needs, such as those with technological skills, higher educational background, etc. Under such circumstances of industrial change, the demand for high-level manpower has gradually increased while the demand for low-level manpower has decreased (Chun et al. 2007; William et al. 1987). The food industry has been no exception, and students having food science degrees have increased but they often lack any higher educational back ground or skill. Consequently, the food industry wants to hire manpower that has experience or training courses (Imungi et al. 1986). A survey conducted by an industrial resource committee showed that the shortage of industrial manpower was 6.77% in 2004 and 5.88% in 2005, respectively. Although many universities in Korea annually provide thousands of graduated students, the industrial sector is still experiencing a shortage of adequate and immediately available manpower (Hong et al. 2008). Therefore, recently universities and companies have cooperated to cover common needs. Because of the impro-vements in everyday life and the use of the internet, universities

Experimental study. To investigate the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) pretreatment on spinal cord ischemic injury. Experimental Research Center at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Korea. Rats were treated with either 1000 IU kg−1 of EPO (EPO group, n=8) or saline (control group, n=8) 24 h before ischemia. Spinal cord ischemia was induced using a balloon-tipped catheter placed on the proximal descending aorta in the control group and the EPO group, but not in the sham group (n=8). Neurological function was assessed using the motor deficit index (MDI; 0=normal, 6=complete paralysis) until 7 days after reperfusion, and histological examination of spinal cord was performed. At the first day after reperfusion, the EPO group demonstrated a significantly lower MDI compared with the control group (2.0 (0.3–2.0) vs 4.0 (3.0–4.8), median (interquartile range); EPO group vs control group, respectively; P=0.002). This trend was sustained until 7 days after reperfusion (1.0 (1.0–1.8) vs 4.5 (3.3–5.0); EPO group vs control group, respectively; P=0.001), and more normal motor neurons (29.9±3.1 vs 21.4±3.4, mean±s.d.; EPO group vs control group, respectively; P

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE This study assessed the efficacy of endotracheal intubation using a double bending lightwand in patients with an anticipated difficult airway because of a short thyromental distance. METHODS On the basis of the shape of the lightwand used, 68 patients with a thyromental distance of less than 65 mm undergoing general anaesthesia were randomly allocated to one of two groups. In the conventional bending group (n = 34), the lightwand was bent at 6.5 cm from the distal end to 90° angle. In the double bending group (n = 34), the lightwand was bent 30° at 15 cm from its tip in addition to the conventional bending. The ease of insertion was assessed by the lightwand search time and success rate at the first attempt. Post-operative complications, if any, were noted. RESULTS The success rate of intubation at the first attempt was higher for the double bending group (94 vs. 74%, P < 0.05). The search time was significantly shorter in the double bending group than the conventional bending group (10 ± 6 vs. 15 ± 8 s, P < 0.01). Mean blood pressure and heart rate increased after intubation in both groups (P < 0.05), but there were no significant differences between the groups. The incidence of post-operative sore throat and mucosal bleeding was not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION We conclude that the double bending lightwand is associated with a greater success rate of intubation in patients with an anticipated difficult airway because of a short thyromental distance.