Protocols and Video Articles Authored by Sang Hak Lee (Translated to Turkish)

Effects of Acupuncture on the 5-hydroxytryptamine Synthesis and Tryptophan Hydroxylase Expression in the Dorsal Raphe of Exercised Rats Neuroscience Letters. Oct, 2002 | Pubmed ID: 12377374 In the present study, the effects of acupuncture on the endurance treadmill exercise, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) synthesis, and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) expression in the dorsal raphe nuclei were investigated. Acupunctural stimulation were bilaterally inserted into the locus of Zusanli in each hind leg for 20 min. Onset of exhaustion time on the treadmill running was increased significantly by acupunctural stimulation and exercise-induced increments of the 5-HT synthesis and TPH expression in the dorsal raphe were suppressed by acupunctural stimulation. Based on the results, it can be suggested that the suppressive effects of acupunctural stimulation on the 5-HT synthesis and TPH expression in the dorsal raphe during exercise is one of ergogenic mechanisms of acupuncture.

Determination of Carbamazepine by Chemiluminescence Detection Using Chemically Prepared Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(III) As Oxidant Analytical Sciences : the International Journal of the Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry. Jun, 2003 | Pubmed ID: 12834232 A new chemiluminescence method for the determination of carbamazepine (CBZ) has been developed. The method is based on the chemiluminescence produced in the reaction of tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(III) and CBZ in an acidic medium. The chemiluminescence intensity was enhanced by organic solvents in the reaction system. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the calibration curve was linear over the range 4.0 x 10(-3)-8.6 x 10(-7) mol/L for CBZ. The detection limit (S/N = 3) was 2.5 x 10(-7) mol/L and the relative standard deviation of six replicate measurements was 2.6% for 4.0 x 10(-4) mol/L of CBZ. The possible reaction mechanism were also discussed. The chemiluminescence method was successfully applied to assay the CBZ contents in pharmaceutical tablets.

Determination of Metallic Impurities in a Silicon Wafer by Local Etching and Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Analytical Sciences : the International Journal of the Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry. Jul, 2003 | Pubmed ID: 12880091 An etching technique for the determination of the metallic impurities distribution in silicon wafers has been developed. An area of 10 mmphi and 10 microm depth was etched by 100 microL of an etching solution with a HF and HNO3 mixture. The acid matrix was evaporated on the wafer surface by IR lamp illumination and vacuum exhaust. Metallic impurities remaining on the wafer surface were redissolved into the collection solution, which was measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET-AAS). The recovery invested by local etching/ET-AAS was within 95 - 112% for Fe, Cu and Ni. The detection limit (3sigma) for Fe, Cu and Ni in silicon was 1 x 10(13) atoms/cm3. To confirm the applicability, local etching was applied to evaluate the effects of metallic impurities in a gettering study and the electronic properties of semiconductor devices. It was found that local etching is a useful sample preparation technique for the analysis of metallic impurities in a specific area on a silicon wafer.

B-type Natriuretic Peptide Predicts Clinical Presentations and Ventricular Overloading in Patients with Heart Failure Yonsei Medical Journal. Aug, 2003 | Pubmed ID: 12950118 Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a neurohormone secreted from the ventricular myocardium in response to hemodynamic load/wall stress, in congestive heart failure (CHF). This study was performed to evaluate the correlation between BNP level and clinical presentations and hemodynamic parameters obtained by echo-Doppler (echo-Doppler) analysis, and its relation with disease severity and ventricular load/wall stress. CHF patients (n=246) were subgrouped by clinical presentations and echo-Doppler findings into 4 groups: diastolic HF only, chronic HF, acute HF, and chronic HF with acute exacerbation. A BNP level of 81.2 pg/ml showed a sensitivity/ specificity of 53.3%/98.4% for detecting CHF (AUC, 0.882; p < 0.0001), and was found to be closely related with the NYHA classification (p < 0.0001). Log BNP was related with LVEF (r2=0.3015, p < 0.0001) and the Meridional wall stress index (r2=0.4052, p < 0.0001). The difference between the BNP levels of the subgroups and BNP control was significant (p < 0.0001), except between the HF group and the controls; control (n=114, 20.9 +/- 31.4 pg/ml), only diastolic HF (n=84, 89.8 +/- 117.6 pg/ml), chronic HF (n=60, 208.2 +/- 210.2 pg/ml), acute HF (n=28, 477.9 +/- 498.4 pg/ml), chronic HF with acute exacerbation (n= 74, 754.1 +/- 419.2 pg/ml). The BNP level was significantly higher in the only diastolic HF group than in the asymptomatic control group with diastolic dysfunction (89.8 +/- 12.8 vs. 22.8 +/- 5.1 pg/ml, p < 0.0001). BNP may be a good indicator for the differential diagnosis of a broad spectrum of heart failures. And, elevated BNP might help to diagnose diastolic HF in patients with diastolic dysfunction.

Percutaneous Intervention of Spontaneous Renal Artery Dissection Complicated with Renal Infarction: a Case Report and Literature Review Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions : Official Journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions. Nov, 2003 | Pubmed ID: 14571483 Spontaneous renal artery dissection (SRAD) is a rare condition that occurs before renal infarction. Using percutaneous intervention to treat SRAD remains controversial because it is not clear whether it is feasible or effective. We describe a 48-year-old male patient with SRAD complicated with renal infarction who was successfully treated with percutnaeous angioplasty and renal artery stenting.

Overlapping Vs. One Long Stenting in Long Coronary Lesions Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions : Official Journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions. Jul, 2004 | Pubmed ID: 15224294 Intervention of long coronary lesions remains problematic, and optimal treatment strategy is yet to be determined. Despite advancement of stent technology, data are few regarding the efficacy of overlapping stents vs. a single long stent in long coronary lesions. This study was performed to evaluate the results of those strategies for long coronary lesions and to determine the predictors of in-stent restenosis (ISR). Sixty-four lesions (> 20 mm) in 64 patients were treated with either one long stent (group 1, n = 32) or two overlapping stents (group 2, n = 32). Overlapping stents were used at tortuous or calcified lesions and at lesions with diameter discrepancy or significant dissection. Immediate results, follow-up clinical and angiographic outcomes, and predictors of ISR were evaluated. Procedures were successful in all patients in both groups. Clinical and angiographic follow-ups were performed in 54 (84%) cases and 50 (78%) cases, respectively. During the follow-up, major adverse cardiac event occurred in 36% of group 1 and 29% of group 2 (P = 0.56). Six-month ISR rates were 39% in group 1 and 41% in group 2 (P = 0.91). Age (>/= 65 years old) was an independent risk factor of ISR (54% vs. 23%; OR = 4.4; P = 0.04), and distal reference diameter (RD) of less than 2.5 mm tended to predict ISR in multivariate analysis (60% vs. 25%; OR = 3.5; P = 0.06). In conclusion, stent overlapping can be used with outcome similar to that of one long stent in long coronary lesions. The optimal result may be obtained by considering the patient's age and the distal vessel diameter of the lesion.

Synergistic Interaction Between Gefitinib (Iressa, ZD1839) and Paclitaxel Against Human Gastric Carcinoma Cells Anti-cancer Drugs. Sep, 2004 | Pubmed ID: 15494644 We have evaluated the antitumor effects of gefitinib (Iressa, ZD1839) in SNU-1 human gastric cancer cells (hMLH1-deficient and epidermal growth factor receptor-overexpressed) when given alone or as a doublet with oxaliplatin (LOHP), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or paclitaxel (PTX). The four drugs showed IC50s ranging from 1.81 nM to 13.2 microM. LOHP and PTX induced G2/M arrest, 5-FU increased S phase, and gefitinib increased G1 in a concentration-dependent manner. The analysis using the previously developed cytostatic TPi model showed that 64 and 80% of the overall growth inhibition was attributed to cell cycle arrest in cells exposed to 7.55 microM of LOHP or 10 nM of PTX for 72 h, respectively. PTX + gefitinib showed greatest synergism as determined by combination index analysis and apoptosis induced by PTX was potentiated by the co-administration of gefitinib. LOHP + gefitinib showed a similar, although to a lesser degree, synergistic effect. This study demonstrates the antitumor activity and the significant cell cycle arrest induced by gefitinib in SNU-1 human gastric carcinoma cells, and its synergistic interaction with LOHP and PTX.

Optical Sensor for the Determination of Glucose Based on KIO4 Chemiluminescence Detection Journal of Fluorescence. Sep, 2004 | Pubmed ID: 15617266 A method to determine glucose using an optical sensor prepared by entrapping glucose oxidase into silica sol-gel column has been developed. The silica sol-gel film was coated on alumina substrate. The optical sensor is based on the chemiluminescence intensity from the reaction of periodate and hydrogen peroxide in K2CO3 medium. The effect of the ratio of water and alcohol for the preparation of TEOS sol on chemiluminescence intensity was investigated. The effects of pH of enzyme reactor, concentrations of potassium periodate and SDS, and flow rate on the chemiluminescence intensity were studied to find the optimum experimental conditions to determine glucose. The chemiluminescence intensity increased linearly with increasing glucose concentration from 5.0 x 10(-4) M to 1.0 x 10(-7) M and the detection limit was 4.0 x 10(-8) M. Interference effects from some metal ions on chemiluminescence intensity were also investigated.

Self-expanding Coronary Stent (Radius) Implantation with Cutting Balloon Angioplasty Cardiology. 2005 | Pubmed ID: 15665533 To evaluate the effect of cutting balloon (CB) angioplasty on the outcome of self-expanding coronary stent implantation, we compared the results of Radius stent implantation using two predilation strategies. Seventy de novo lesions in 70 patients (60 men) were included in the study. Stenting was performed after conventional angioplasty (n = 38, group 1) or CB angioplasty (n = 32, group 2). In-stent restenosis (ISR) rates of each group were 39 and 10% at 6-month follow-up (p = 0.02). Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 20 and 11%, respectively (p = 0.25). Multivariate analysis revealed that ISR was predicted only by lesion length > or = 20 mm. In conclusion, CB angioplasty did not reduce ISR after Radius stent implantation, when other independent risk factors, such as lesion length, were taken into consideration.

Endovascular Treatment of Basilar Artery Stenosis with Drug-eluting Stent: a Case Report and Literature Review Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions : Official Journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions. Mar, 2005 | Pubmed ID: 15736265 Symptomatic basilar artery stenosis can be treated with stents. However, it still has limitations such as technical difficulty and restenosis. We describe a 61-year-old man with episodic vertigo and significant basilar artery stenosis, who was successfully treated with drug-eluting stent. At 6 month follow-up, cerebral angiography revealed patent basilar artery.

Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Initially Presenting with Intracardiac Metastasis The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine. Mar, 2005 | Pubmed ID: 15906960 Intracardiac metastasis as the initial presentation of malignant neoplasm is very rare. We report here on a 64-year-old man with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) initially presenting with intracardiac metastasis which was identified with 18-F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET). The patient was admitted with complaints of exertional dyspnea and vague chest discomfort that had developed a few weeks ago. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed a heart mass attached to its akinetic wall in the right ventricular chamber. CT and MRI demonstrated a large tumor involving the epicardium and myocardium in the right ventricle, and there was a mass in the right lower lobe of the lung along with multiple lymphadenopathies. Cytologic examination of the percutaneous needle aspiration of a lymph node in the anterior mediastinum revealed malignant epithelial cell nests, and this was strongly suggestive of squamous cell carcinoma. Subsequent FDG PET confirmed that the intracardiac mass had an abnormally increased FDG uptake, and again this was strongly suggestive of malignancy. By systemically considering these imaging studies, we were able to diagnose the mass as intracardiac metastasis of NSCLC.

Sirolimus- Versus Paclitaxel-eluting Stent Implantation for Unprotected Left Main Coronary Artery Stenosis Cardiology. 2005 | Pubmed ID: 16155390 We performed this study in order to compare the immediate and mid-term outcomes of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) and paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) in lesions of the unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA). We assessed 54 patients from 5 centers who had undergone unprotected LMCA stenting (35 SES and 19 PES). The procedural success rates were 100 and 95%, respectively, in the SES and PES patients (p = 0.19). At the 6-month clinical follow-up, the event-free probability was 100% in the SES group, and 88% in the PES group (p = 0.07). At the 6-month angiographic follow-up (n = 24), the SES group exhibited a slightly lower late loss than did the PES group (0.24 +/- 0.44 vs. 0.65 +/- 0.60 mm, p = 0.09), and the restenosis rates were 8 and 9% (p = 0.94) in the SES and PES patients, respectively. In conclusion, both groups exhibited excellent in-hospital and 6-month outcomes with no significant differences between them.

Determination of Catechin in Aqueous Solution by Chemiluminescence Method Journal of Fluorescence. Sep, 2005 | Pubmed ID: 16341791 A method to determine catechin in aqueous solution by measuring chemiluminescence intensities using a stopped flow system has been studied. The lucigenin-hydrogen peroxide chemiluminescence reaction was chosen for the determination of catechin. Fe(II) ion was added to the chemiluminescence system to increase the sensitivity. The chemiluminescence intensity from the lucigenin system was increased by the addition of catechin. Effects of flow rates of reagent and sample and concentrations of lucigenin, hydrogen peroxide, Fe(II) ion and KOH were investigated. The calibration curve for catechin was linear over the range from 1.0x10(-6) to 1.0x10(-3) M and the detection limit was 3.0x10(-7) M under the optimal experimental conditions.

Exercise Intolerance in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: Clinical and Echocardiographic Determinants of Exercise Capacity Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : Official Publication of the American Society of Echocardiography. Dec, 2005 | Pubmed ID: 16376765 Although exercise intolerance is a major symptom of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the factors limiting these patients' exercise capacity remains uncertain. This study evaluated the correlation of clinical and echocardiographic parameters with exercise capacity of patients with AF. In all, 73 patients (61 men and 12 women; mean age 61 years) with chronic AF were included in this study. Those patients with primary valvular diseases were excluded. Standard 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography was performed, and we averaged 10 consecutive measurements of each variable. Patients then underwent a symptom-limited treadmill exercise testing. We also measured patients' plasma levels of B-type natriuretic peptide before exercise testing. Of all clinical and echocardiographic parameters we assessed, age (r = -0.45, P = .006), ratio of early mitral inflow velocity to mitral annular velocity (r = -0.35, P = .032), and baseline heart rate were independent predictors of exercise capacity on multivariate regression analysis. In conclusion, patient's age, averaged ratio of early mitral inflow velocity to mitral annular velocity, and baseline heart rate provided useful information on exercise intolerance for patients with AF. Ratio of early mitral inflow velocity to mitral annular velocity, a noninvasive tool for estimating left ventricular filling pressure, may especially have important value for predicting functional capacity in this population as it has in individuals with in sinus rhythm.

Determinants of Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Patients with Lone Atrial Fibrillation Circulation Journal : Official Journal of the Japanese Circulation Society. Jan, 2006 | Pubmed ID: 16377932 Although brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is increasingly being used for screening and monitoring of congestive heart failure, its utility in patients with lone atrial fibrillation (AF) is unclear.

Fluorimetric Determination of Cerium(IV) with Ascorbic Acid Journal of Fluorescence. Jan, 2006 | Pubmed ID: 16496217 A simple, sensitive, and selective method for the determination of cerium(IV), based on the oxidative reaction between cerium(IV) and ascorbic acid, has been described. The fluorescence comes from Ce(III) at lambda(excitation) 298 nm and lambda(emission) 358 nm, which, in turn, is obtained from the oxidation of ascorbic acid by Ce(IV) in the presence of sulfuric acid. The optimum conditions such as concentrations of ascorbic acid, sulfuric acid media and pH of the buffer solution were investigated. The fluorescent intensity of the system is linear over the range 0.0531 microg/ml to 0.3322 mg/ml Ce(IV) and detection limit and correlation coefficient are 0.0145 microg/ml and R=0.99987, respectively.

Expression of Acidic Fibroblast Growth Factor and Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Nasal Polyps Acta Oto-laryngologica. Jun, 2006 | Pubmed ID: 16720444 Up-regulated expression of acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in nasal polyps may be related to epithelial proliferation and neoangiogenesis associated with nasal polyp growth.

Prognostic Factors in Patients with Minor Troponin-I Elevation but Without Acute Myocardial Infarction Coronary Artery Disease. May, 2006 | Pubmed ID: 16728875 Although cardiac troponin I is widely used as a marker for myocardial infarction, its minor elevations are also observed in other clinical situations, and the prognostic factors in such clinical settings have not been well established. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of mortality in patients with minor troponin elevations without an acute myocardial infarction.

A Batch Chemiluminescence Determination of Enoxacin Using a Tris-(1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II)-cerium(IV) System Journal of Fluorescence. Jul, 2006 | Pubmed ID: 16794867 A batch type chemiluminescence (CL) determination of enoxacin is described. In this work, it was observed that enoxacin could enhance the chemiluminescence (CL) emission Ru(phen)3(2+)-Ce(IV) system and this enhancement effect was dependent on the concentration of enoxacin, based on which, CL system was established for the determination of enoxacin. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the linear range and detection limit are 0.6406-64.06 microg/ml and 0.0210 microg/ml, respectively. The R.S.D. is 1.75%. (n = 10). The proposed method has been applied to detect the content of enoxacin in pharmaceutical formulation and human serum with satisfactory results. The possible mechanism of the CL reaction was discussed.

Simultaneous Determination of Acetylsalicylic Acid and Caffeine in Pharmaceutical Formulation by First Derivative Synchronous Fluorimetric Method Journal of Fluorescence. Sep, 2006 | Pubmed ID: 16952012 A sensitive, rapid, and specific assay has been developed for the simultaneous determination of acetylsalicylic acid and caffeine in commercial tablets based on their natural fluorescence. The mixture of these drugs was resolved by first derivative synchronous fluorimetric technique using two scans. At Deltalambda=106 nm, using first derivative synchronous scanning, only acetylsalicylic acid yields a detectable signal at 316 nm (peak to zero method) which is unaffected by caffeine. At Deltalambda=30 nm, the signal of caffeine at 288 nm (peak to zero method) is not affected by acetylsalicylic acid. The range of application is between 0.021 and 41.62 microg ml(-1) (correlation coefficient, R=0.9995) for acetylsalicylic acid and between 0.4486 and 44.86 microg ml(-1) (correlation coefficient, R=0.99786) for caffeine. The recovery range of 98.40-102% for acetylsalicylic acid and 90-100.5% for caffeine from their synthetic mixture was reported. Overall recovery of both compounds about 97-99% for acetylsalicylic acid and 97-98% for caffeine was obtained from real sample analysis. The detection limits are 0.0013 microg ml(-1) and 0.0306 microg ml(-1) for acetylsalicylic acid and caffeine, respectively. The relative standard deviation (n=10) for 20 microg ml(-1) of acetylsalicylic acid is 2.75% and for 2.2 microg ml(-1)of caffeine is 1.7%.

Transient Global Left Ventricular Dysfunction in a Localized Myocardial Infarction Related to Occlusion of the Distal Left Anterior Descending Artery Clinical Cardiology. Sep, 2006 | Pubmed ID: 17007175 In some patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI), wall motion in the noninfarcted area declines globally despite localized myocardial damage. In most, an infarct-related lesion is the proximal part of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Previous studies have reported that hypokinesis of remote myocardium may be related to multivessel disease, impaired coronary flow, or coronary flow reserve in nonculprit arteries. This report describes the case of a 53-year-old man who presented with severe global left ventricular (LV) dysfunction after an acute MI associated with distal LAD occlusion. Follow-up echocardiographic examination revealed nearly normalized LV function 5 days after the episode. We discuss a plausible mechanism of dysfunction of noninfarcted myocardium.

Treatment of Colored Effluent of the Textile Industry in Bangladesh Using Zinc Chloride Treated Indigenous Activated Carbons Analytica Chimica Acta. Aug, 2006 | Pubmed ID: 17723611 The adsorption of colored compounds from the textile dyeing effluents of Bangladesh on granulated activated carbons produced from indigenous vegetable sources by chemical activation with zinc chloride was studied. The most important parameters in chemical activation were found be the chemical ratio of ZnCl2 to feed (3:1), carbonization temperature (450-465 degrees C) and activation time (80 min). The adsorbances at 511 nm (red effluent) and 615 nm (blue effluent) were used for color estimation. It is established that at optimum temperature (50 degrees C), time of contact (30-40 min) and adsorbent loading (2 g l(-1)), activated carbons developed from Segun saw-dust and water hyacinth showed substantial capability to remove coloring materials from the effluents. It is observed that adsorption of reactive dyes by all sorts of activated carbons is higher than disperse dyes. It is explained that activated carbon, because of its acidic nature, can better adsorb reactive dye particles containing large number of nitrogen sites and -SO3Na group in their structure. The use of carbons would be economical, as saw-dust and water hyacinth are waste products and abundant in Bangladesh.

Analysis of Salicylic Acid Based on the Fluorescence Enhancement of the As(III)-salicylic Acid System Analytica Chimica Acta. Aug, 2006 | Pubmed ID: 17723625 A new, simple and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of salicylic acid (lambda(ex)=315 nm, lambda(em) = 408 nm) using As(III) as a sensitizing reagent has been investigated by measuring the increase of fluorescence intensity of salicylic acid due to the complexation of As(III)-salicylic acid in presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) 10(-3) M. Under optimum conditions, a significant relationship was obtained between the fluorescence intensity and salicylic acid concentration. A linear calibration curve was obtained in the range 13.8-13812 microg l(-1) with product-moment correlation coefficient (R) 0.99985 and detection limit 4.2 microg l(-1). The R.S.D. is 2.35% (n=5). The method was applied successfully to the determination of salicylic acid in human serum.

Arthroscopic Loose-body Removal in Posterior Compartment of the Knee Joint: a Technical Note Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Jan, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 16972108 The arthroscopic removal of loose bodies in the knee joints is a relatively common procedure. Quite often intra-articular loose bodies tend to localize at the posterior compartment due to gravity effect. However, it is often technically demanding to find and remove loose bodies located at the posterior compartment of the knee joint arthroscopically. We present the technical aspects of arthroscopic removal of the loose bodies located in the posterior compartment of the knee joint. Loose bodies at posterior compartment were subdivided into six regions in posterior knee compartment with preoperative MRI and arthroscopic findings. Each section needs slight different application of arthroscopic techniques for removal. We retrospectively studied 52 knees in 50 patients who underwent arthroscopic loose-body removal in posterior compartment, in 28 knees, additional posterior trans-septal portal was needed for removal of loose bodies. With the help of trans-septal portal, we have successfully removed the loose bodies even from the most difficult locations in posterior compartment.

Removal of a Femoral Interference Screw That Migrated Posteriorly, Using a Posterior Trans-septal Portal: a Case Report Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. May, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17096172 Few cases have been reported in which the femoral interference screw has migrated into the posterior compartment after an ACL reconstruction. It usually requires removal, because it leads usually to mechanical symptom. However, the arthroscopic removal of a screw is a technically demanding procedure, especially in the case of the femoral interference screw that has migrated into the femoral notch (posterior compartment), an intact integrated ACL graft or one that is encapsulated around the screw. We present a case in which a displaced femoral interference screw migrated within the posterior compartment 11 years postoperatively, after the graft had been incorporated at the femoral site. Although it is often technically challenging, through the use of a posterior trans-septal portal, we can successfully remove a displaced femoral interference screw even in the most difficult locations in the posterior compartment.

Impact of Chronotropic Effect of Cilostazol After Acute Myocardial Infarction: Insights from Change in Left Ventricular Volume and Function Circulation Journal : Official Journal of the Japanese Circulation Society. Jan, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17186987 Cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, is an antiplatelet agent with positive chronotropic effect, the impact of which on left ventricular (LV) volume and function in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was evaluated in the present study.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Double-bundle Reconstruction with Hamstring Tendon Autografts Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Jan, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17210440 The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgical technique via a 5-strand hamstring tendon autograft is designed with a conventional single-bundle reconstruction that has shown favorable results and an additional posterolateral (PL) bundle reconstruction. The conventional single-tunnel technique is performed for the tibial tunnel, and the double-tunnel technique is performed for the femoral tunnel. The anteromedial (AM) femoral tunnel is prepared with 1 mm of the posterior femoral cortex being left over the top at the 11- to 1-o'clock position. The PL femoral tunnel is prepared with the outside-in technique by use of a 4.5-mm cannulated reamer. The AM bundle is fixed with a rigid fixation system on the femoral side, and the PL bundle is fixed to tie with the miniplate from the outside femur. A double-bundle reconstruction with 5-strand hamstring autografts, in conjunction with a conventional AM bundle and an additional PL bundle, seems to be a very effective method for the treatment of ACL instabilities. Although the long-term clinical outcome of the procedure is yet to be determined, complications including graft impingement, limitation in range of motion, and residual instability have not been observed to date in the first 38 patients who have undergone our technique.

Increasing the Distance Between the Posterior Cruciate Ligament and the Popliteal Neurovascular Bundle by a Limited Posterior Capsular Release During Arthroscopic Transtibial Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: a Cadaveric Angiographic Study The American Journal of Sports Medicine. May, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17293460 During arthroscopic transtibial posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, popliteal vessel injury is the most serious complication, and it rarely occurs.

Structural and Spectroscopic Properties of Trans-dichlorobis(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopropane)chromium(III) Chloride Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. Nov, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17307384 The structure of trans-[CrCl(2)(Me(2)tn)(2)]Cl (Me(2)tn=2,2-dimethylpropane-1,3-diamine) has been determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study at 150K. The analysis reveals that there are two independent Cr(III) complex cations in the structure, one with crystallographic inversion symmetry and the other with two-fold rotation symmetry, which are conformational isomers of each other. In both conformations, the chromium atom adopts a distorted octahedral structure with the four nitrogen atoms of two Me(2)tn ligands occupying the equatorial plane and two chlorine atoms occupying trans-axial positions. The six-membered chelate rings are in stable chair conformations with N-Cr-N angles of 87.03(8) degrees and 88.99(8) degrees . The two chelate rings in the centrosymmetric complex cation 1 are anti, while those in the rotation-symmetric complex cation 2 are in syn conformations. The mean Cr-N and Cr-Cl bond lengths are 2.0922 and 2.3253 A, respectively. The infrared and UV-visible absorption spectra of trans-[CrCl(2)(Me(2)tn)(2)]Cl have also been measured. The resolved band maxima of the electronic d-d spectrum are fitted with a secular determinant for a quartet energy state of the d(3) configuration in a tetragonal field including configurational but neglecting spin-orbit coupling. It is confirmed that the nitrogen atoms of the Me(2)tn ligand have a strong sigma-donor character, but the chloro ligand has weak sigma- and pi-donor properties toward the chromium(III) ion.

The Influence of Maternal Treadmill Running During Pregnancy on Short-term Memory and Hippocampal Cell Survival in Rat Pups International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience. Jun, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17434282 Maternal exercise during pregnancy has been suggested to exert the beneficial effects on the brain functions of offspring. In the present study, we attempted to determine the effects of maternal treadmill running during pregnancy on short-term memory ability, hippocampal cell survival, and the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in rat pups. After confirming pregnancy, the pregnant rats were divided into two groups: the control group and the running group (n = 6 in each group). Beginning on the 15th day of pregnancy, the pregnant rats in the running group were forced to run on a treadmill for 30 min at a mild-intensity, once a day until delivery. After all the pregnant rats had given birth, there were rat pups available for use in this study in each group (n = 15 in each group). The latency of the step-down avoidance task was used in order to evaluate the short-term memory ability of the rat pups on the 28 days after birth. Immunohistochemistry for 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for BDNF mRNA were performed to determine hippocampal neurogenesis and hippocampal BDNF mRNA expression of the rat pups on the 29 days after birth, respectively. Our results revealed that maternal running during pregnancy resulted in significant increase in the expression of BDNF mRNA, enhanced hippocampal cell survival, and improved the short-term memory capability of rat pups, as compared to those measured in the control group. The findings of our study provide evidence that maternal running during gestational period may enhance the brain functions of offspring.

Quantitative Determination of Bilirubin by Inhibition of Chemiluminescence from Lucigenin Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. Jul-Aug, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17471465 Bilirubin is a metabolic breakdown product of blood haem, of great biological and diagnostic importance. A new chemiluminescence (CL) method has been developed for the quantification of bilirubin. The method is combined with the flow injection analysis (FIA) technique and based on the inhibition effect of bilirubin on the CL from the lucigenin-hydrogen peroxide system in an alkaline medium. Under the optimum conditions, the decreased CL intensity was proportional to the concentration of bilirubin, in the range 0.0585-58.47 microg/mL. The detection limit estimated from the calibration graph was about 7.8826 ng/mL. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of 10 parallel measurements (1 x 10(-4) mol/L bilirubin) was 2.5%. Recoveries of bilirubin were found to fall in the range 94-97.5% using control sera. The method is interference-free, fast and easy to carry out.

Arthroscopic Cystectomy for Popliteal Cysts Through the Posteromedial Cystic Portal Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. May, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17478291 In the treatment of patients with popliteal cysts (Baker's cysts), we generally need to address the intra-articular pathologies, most commonly, medial meniscal tears and concomitant connecting valvular mechanisms responsible for the formation and recurrence of the cyst. We introduce here an arthroscopic technique that can treat the associated intra-articular pathology and correct the valvular mechanism of the capsular fold. The most important step is to locate the opening connection between the joint cavity and the popliteal cyst at the posteromedial compartment. The opening is found at the posteromedial side of the medial head of the gastrocnemius after inferior displacement of the capsular fold, which overlies the opening. It is helpful to rotate the bevel of the arthroscope upward to the 11-, 12-, and 1-o'clock positions for most effective visualization of the capsular fold. After the opening connection of the cyst is found, the capsular fold is resected with basket forceps and a shaver inserted through the posteromedial portal to correct the valvular mechanism. Furthermore, we have developed an additional "posteromedial cystic portal," which is located directly above the popliteal cyst and can be effectively used in cystectomy, especially in treatment of cysts that consist of septa and nodules. Arthroscopic popliteal cyst removal with use of an additional posteromedial cystic portal can be effective in treating a cyst with multiple fibrous septa or membranes.

Spectrofluorimetric Estimation of Norepinephrine Using Ethylenediamine Condensation Method Journal of Fluorescence. Jul, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17492368 A simple and sensitive method for the determination of norepinephrine is described. Norepinephrine (NE) was oxidized by mercury (II) nitrate and the oxidation product was condensed with ethylenediamine (EDA) to form a strong fluorescent compound. The addition of acetone enhances the light intensity. The measurement was carried out at 507 nm with excitation at 420 nm. A linear relationship was obtained between the fluorescence intensity and norepinephrine concentration in the range of 0.01 microM-0.014 mM; the correlation coefficient and the detection limit are 0.99813 and 2.5 nM, respectively. The interference from dopamine (DA) can be eliminated by first derivative synchronous fluorimetric method using peak to zero technique. The recovery efficiency was performed using known amounts of norepinephrine in urine sample and the results indicate a 95-98.62% recovery. The proposed method was also applied to the determination of norepinephrine in injections solution. The reaction mechanism was also described.

Mutational Analysis of the BH3 Domains of Proapoptotic Bcl-2 Family Genes Bad, Bmf and Bcl-G in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas Tumori. Mar-Apr, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17557568 There is mounting evidence that deregulation of apoptosis is involved in the mechanisms of cancer development. Somatic mutations of apoptosis-related genes have been reported in many human cancers. The aim of this study was to explore the possibility that mutation of the BH3 domains of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 genes Bad, Bmf and Bcl-G might be involved in the development of laryngeal cancer.

Measurement of the Graft Angles for the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction with Transtibial Technique Using Postoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Comparative Study Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Nov, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17721777 The aims of this study were to quantify the angle and placement of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) grafted with a single incision ACL reconstruction technique using postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and to compare the results with those with a native ACL. Between February 1996 and May 2004, 96 consecutive patients, who had undergone postoperative MRI of the knee followed by an arthroscopically assisted ACL reconstruction with either a hamstring tendon or bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) autograft, were enrolled in this study. The femoral tunnel was drilled using the transtibial technique. The patients were divided into two groups; the hamstring tendon graft group (group H; 50 patients) and the BTB graft group (group B; 46 patients). All the patients including both groups in this study underwent postoperative MRI and were followed up for a minimum of 2 years. The control group (group C) consisted of 50 patients whose meniscus tear had been operated on by arthroscopy and whose ACL was intact. The orientation of the ACL ligament or graft was measured using three different methods: the sagittal ACL angle, the ACL-Blumensaat line angle, and the coronal ACL angle. The mean sagittal ACL angle in group C (58.7 +/- 3.8 degrees ) was significantly lower than in groups H (64.6 +/- 4.2 degrees ) and B (71.3 +/- 6.0 degrees ). The mean ACL-Blumensaat line angle in group C (8.6 +/- 3.6 degrees ) was also significantly lower than in groups H (12.8 +/- 5.2 degrees ) and B (18.0 +/- 5.3 degrees ). The mean coronal ACL angle in group C (65.9 +/- 4.4 degrees ) was lower than that in groups H (73.5 +/- 2.4 degrees ) and B (75.2 +/- 2.9 degrees ). The grafted ACL of the hamstring tendon and BTB grafts on the postoperative MRI showed a significant vertical angle in the coronal and sagittal plane compared with the native ACL. In the sagittal plane, the hamstring tendon graft was positioned more obliquely than the BTB graft, which had a larger angle of the tibial tunnel, in an attempt to prevent a graft-tunnel mismatch. The postoperative MRI study showed that the more horizontally the angle of the tibial tunnel can be placed in a single incision ACL reconstruction, the more efficiently it can produce a graft closer to the native ACL.

Determination of Trimethylamine in Fish by Capillary Electrophoresis with Electrogenerated Tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) Chemiluminescence Detection Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. Nov-Dec, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17768717 A capillary electrophoresis with electrogenerated chemiluminescence (CE-ECL) method for the determination of trimethylamine (TMA) in fish was studied. In the presence of TMA, ECL from the reaction of analyte and in situ generated tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) [Ru(bpy)(3) (3+)] at electrode surface could be produced. The ECL detection was performed using a Pt working electrode biased at 1.23 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) potential in a 10 mmol/L sodium borate buffer solution, pH 9.2, containing 3 mmol/L Ru(bpy)(3) (2+). A linear calibration curve (correlation coefficient = 0.9996) was obtained in the range 8 x 10(-5)-4 x 10(-8) mol/L for TMA concentration. Recoveries obtained were in the range 98.78-101.46%. The method was successfully applied for the assay of TMA in fish, in combination with solid phase extraction (SPE) disks for sample clean-up and enrichment.

Suturing Complete Radial Tears of the Lateral Meniscus Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Nov, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17986421 Lateral meniscus (LM) with complete radial tear (CRT) is common in patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. We have been approximating unstable LM CRT in an all-inside suture fashion. We report 3 cases of complete healing of such a torn meniscus on second-look arthroscopy. We recommend approximation of the displaced CRTs of the LM whenever possible because we expect improved healing with this approach. Surgically, the arthroscope is placed into the anteromedial portal and the suture hook into the anterolateral portal with the knee in figure-of-4 position. A suture hook loaded with Ethilon No. 1 (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ) is introduced into the anterolateral portal, and vertical penetration to a single end of the torn LM is achieved. The Ethilon is pushed out until the far-end limb is almost exhausted. The suture hook is removed from the portal, with caution taken not to pull out the penetrated limb from the meniscus. A universal cannula is introduced, and the leading limb is grasped and pulled out. The Ethilon is used as a shuttle relay and is changed to polydioxanone (PDS) II. The suture hook is reintroduced, and the other torn end is penetrated in the same fashion. With complete suture to both meniscal sides, 2 suture limb ends are pulled out, and arthroscopic tying (SMC knot) is performed.

Analysis of Monosaccharides by Capillary Electrophoresis with Electrochemiluminescence Detection Analytical Sciences : the International Journal of the Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry. Nov, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17998758 A capillary electrophoresis with tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)-based electrogenerated chemiluminescence detection method was investigated for the determination of monosaccharides using 2-diethylaminoethanethiol as a derivatizing reagent. Xylose, rhamnose, glucose and glucosamine were selected for the demonstration of the method. Under optimal conditions, the calibration curve of glucose was linear over the range of 1.0 x 10(-4) to 1.0 x 10(-7) mol/L (R = 0.999) and the detection limit was 6.0 x 10(-8) mol/L (S/N = 3). The method was successfully applied for the assay of glucose in angelica.

Post-traumatic Myocardial Infarction Complicated with Left Ventricular Aneurysm and Pericardial Effusion The Journal of Trauma. Sep, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 18073589

Crystallization and Preliminary X-ray Diffraction Analysis of YbfF, a New Esterase from Escherichia Coli K12 Acta Crystallographica. Section F, Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications. Dec, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 18084091 The product of the recently discovered ybfF gene, which belongs to the esterase family, does not show high sequence similarity to other esterases. To provide the molecular background to the enzymatic mechanism of the ybfF esterase, the ybfF protein from Escherichia coli K12 (Ec_ybfF) was cloned, expressed and purified. The Ec_ybfF protein was crystallized from 60% Tacsimate and 0.1 M bis-Tris propane buffer pH 7.0. Diffraction data were collected to 1.10 A resolution using synchrotron radiation. The crystal belongs to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 66.09, b = 90.71, c = 92.88 A. With two Ec_ybfF molecules in the asymmetric unit, the crystal volume per unit protein weight is 2.17 A(3) Da(-1), corresponding to a solvent content of 42%.

Comparison of the Efficacy and Tolerability of Pitavastatin and Atorvastatin: an 8-week, Multicenter, Randomized, Open-label, Dose-titration Study in Korean Patients with Hypercholesterolemia Clinical Therapeutics. Nov, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 18158077 Although previous studies have examined the efficacy of pitavastatin, its tolerability and effects on lipid concentrations have not been compared with those of atorvastatin in a multicenter, randomized study.

Base-pair Interactions in the Gas-phase Proton-bonded Complexes of C+G and C+GC The Journal of Chemical Physics. Dec, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 18163711 Interactions involved in the formation of gas-phase proton-bonded molecular complexes of cytosine (C) and guanine (G) were theoretically investigated for the case of C(+)G and C(+)GC using B3LYP density functional theory. In this study, particular focus was on the dimeric interaction of proton-bonded C(+)G, where a proton bond and a hydrogen bond are cooperatively involved. The dimer interaction energy in terms of dissociation energy (D(e)) was predicted to be 41.8 kcal/mol. The lowest (frozen) energy structure for the C(+)G dimeric complex was found to be CH(+)...G rather than C...H(+)G in spite of the lower proton affinity of the cytosine moiety, which was more stable by 3.3 kcal/mol. The predicted harmonic vibrational frequencies and bond lengths suggest that the combined contributions of proton and hydrogen bonding may determine the resultant stability of each complex structure. In contrast to the dimer case, in the case of the isolated C(+)GC triplet, the two minimum energy structures of CH(+)...GC and C...H(+)GC were predicted to be almost equivalent in total energy. The dissociation energy (D(e)) for the C(+)G pairing in the C(+)GC triplet was 43.7 kcal/mol. Other energetics are also reported. As for the proton-transfer reaction in the proton-bond axis, the forward proton-transfer barriers for the dimer and trimer complexes were also predicted to be very low, 3.6 and 1.5 kcal/mol (DeltaE(e)(PT)), respectively.

Selective Determination of Acenaphthylene by Flow Injection Analysis with Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) Chemiluminescence Detection Talanta. Nov, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 18371639 A simple, rapid flow injection chemiluminescence (FI-CL) method has been developed for selective determination of acenaphthylene (ACY), based on the CL produced in the reaction of tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(III) (Ru(bipy)3(3+)) and ACY in an acidic buffer solution. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the calibration curve was linear over the range 5.0 x 10(-3) to 4.0 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) for ACY. The detection limit (S/N=3) was 2.0 x 10(-7)mol L(-1) and the relative standard deviation of 10 replicate measurements was 2.3% for 5.0 x 10(-5)mol L(-1) of ACY. Selectivity of CL reaction of ACY from other 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated by flow injection method. The method was applied to determine the ACY content in soil.

Electronic and Vibrational Spectroscopy of Cis-beta-[CrCl(2)(1,4,7,11-tetrazaundecane)chromium(III) Perchlorate Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. Aug, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 17904893 The sharp-line absorption spectrum of cis-beta-[CrCl(2)(2,2,3-tet)]ClO(4) (2,2,3-tet: 1,4,7,11-tetraazaundecane) has been measured between 13,000 and 16,000 cm(-1) at 5K. The 77K emission, 298 K infrared and visible spectra have also been measured. The zero-phonon band in the highly resolved absorption spectrum splits into four components. The vibrational intervals of the electronic ground state were determined from the far-infrared and emission spectra. The 10 electronic bands due to spin-allowed and spin-forbidden transitions were assigned. Using the observed transitions, a ligand field analysis has been performed to probe the ligand field properties of coordinated atoms in the title chromium(III) complex. The X-ray crystal structure at low-temperature was determined to help in assigning the sharp-line electronic transitions.

A Biomechanical Comparison of Repair Techniques in Posterior Type II Superior Labral Anterior and Posterior (SLAP) Lesions Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery / American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons ... [et Al.]. Jan-Feb, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18069010 The purpose of this study was to compare the 3 different fixation methods of posterior type superior labral anterior posterior (SLAP) II lesion. Fifteen cadavers were randomly divided into 3 groups to compare the initial strength of 3 different fixation methods in posterior type II SLAP lesions. Group I used 1 anchor for 1-point fixation with a conventional simple suture; group II used 1 anchor passing both limbs through the posterior-superior labrum in a mattress fashion; and group III used 2 anchors for 2-point fixation with conventional simple sutures. Repair failure (2 mm permanent displacement of repaired site) and ultimate failure were measured. The mean load to (clinical) failure was 156 +/- 22 N in group I, 117 +/- 33 N in group II, and 161 +/- 44 N in group III. The mean load to ultimate failure was 198 +/- 6 N in group I, 189 +/- 23 N in group II, and 179 +/- 22 N in group III. The specimen stiffness was equivalent among groups. In mode of failure, clinical failure (more than 2 mm separations) first occurred between the markers on the biceps tendon just above (A) and below (B) compared to other markers, and ultimate failure occurred at the labral-implant interface. A single simple suture anchor repair in posterior type II SLAP seems sufficient to withstand the initial load without clinical failure. A mattress suture, although it anchors the biceps root, seems to be inferior than simple suture technique.

Posterolateral Corner Reconstruction for Posterolateral Rotatory Instability Combined with Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: Comparison Between Fibular Tunnel and Tibial Tunnel Techniques Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Mar, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18183366 The aim of this study was to compare the results of two different methods of posterolateral corner reconstruction (fibular head tunnel versus tibial tunnel), performed at the same time as a posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Between January 1999 and October 2003, 47 patients underwent tensioning of a remnant posterior cruciate ligament and anterolateral bundle reconstruction along with a posterolateral corner reconstruction using a fibular head bone or tibial bone tunnel. Thirty-nine patients determined to be eligible were enrolled in this retrospective study after a minimum follow-up duration of 2 years. The average duration of follow-up was 35.3 months (range 24-70 months). Satisfactory results were achieved in 32 patients (82%) according to the International Knee Documentation Committee(IKDC) scores, and 29 patients (74%) had restored external rotational stability. The fibular head tunnel was superior to the tibial tunnel method in terms of operation time (43.0 +/- 15.7 vs. 66.6 +/- 9.4 min, respectively, P < 0.001) and improved rotational stability (85 vs. 65%, respectively, P = 0.007). However, there were no significant differences seen in anteroposterior stability and clinical assessments [Orthopädische Arbeitsgruppe Knie (OAK) P = 0.277 and IKDC scores P = 0.564]. In grade 2 chronic posterolateral rotatory instability with little or no varus instability associated with injury to the posterior cruciate ligament, a posterolateral reconstructive procedure with a single sling through the fibular tunnel offers advantages of less surgical morbidity and operation time, as well as better rotational stability, over reconstruction through the tibial tunnel.

Determination of Enoxacin Using Tb Composite Nanoparticles Sensitized Luminescence Method Journal of Fluorescence. Sep, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18197468 In our study, terbium-acetylacetone (Tb-acac) composite nanoparticles have been prepared under vigorous ultrasonic irradiation. The nanoparticles are water soluble, stable and have extremely narrow emission bands and high internal quantum efficiencies. They were used as fluorescence probes in the determination of enoxacin (Enox) based on the fluorescence enhancement of nanoparticles through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The influence of buffer solution on the fluorescence intensity was investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity of the Tb-acac-Enox system is linearly proportional to the Enox concentration in the Enox concentration range of 2 x 10(-7)-1 x 10(-4) M. The correlation coefficient for the calibration curve was 0.9976. The limit of detection as defined by IUPAC, C (LOD) = 3S (b)/m (where S (b) is the standard deviation of the blank signals and m is the slope of the calibration graph) was found to be 3 x 10(-8) M. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for six repeated measurements of 1 x 10(-4) M Enox was 1.35%. The method was applied to the determination of Enox in pharmaceutical formulation and recovery results were obtained from urine samples.

Optical Flow-through Sensor for the Determination of Norfloxacin Based on Emission of KMnO(4)-Na (2)SO (3)-Tb (3+) System Journal of Fluorescence. Sep, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18205029 A simple and selective method to determine norfloxacin using an optical flow-through sensor has been developed. The present sensor was prepared by packing anionic ion exchange resin in a glass tube, followed by introducing KMnO(4) solution to the glass tube for immobilization on resin. The optical sensor is based on the emission intensity from the Tb(III) solution sensitized by norfloxacin. The excitation of norfloxacin occurred by the chemiluminescence from the reaction of KMnO(4) and Na(2)SO(4) solutions. The effects of pH, concentration of Tb(III) ion, KMnO(4) and Na(2)SO(4) solutions and flow rate of the norfloxacin solution on the chemiluminescence intensity were studied to find the optimum experimental conditions. The emission intensity increased linearly with increasing norfloxacin concentration from 1.0 x 10(-3) to 1.0 x 10(-8) M and the detection limit (3sigma) was 8.7 x 10(-9). The applicability of the present method was demonstrated by determination of norfloxacin in various pharmaceutical preparations and serum sample.

Selective Fluorimetric Recognition of Cesium Ion by 15-crown-5-anthracene Journal of Fluorescence. Sep, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18210192 A selective fluorescent cesium optode on a chromoionophore consisting of anthracene covalently linked through an imine bond to a 15-crown-5 derivative has been reported. In the present system, 15-crown-5 derivative including anthracene was used a fluoroionophore. The fluorescence response mechanism is based on the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) from the lone pair of electrons of the nitrogen to the anthracene group and inhibition of PET system by cesium binding while increasing the fluorescence intensity. Emission intensity 15-crown-5 anthracene was measured at 500 nm with absorbance at 400 nm in CH(3)CN-H(2)O (1:1) media. The method shows a very good selectivity and sensitivity for cesium with respect to other cations such as K(+), Na(+) and Li(+) with linear range and detection limit of 5.0 x 10(-5) to 5.0 x 10(-1)M and 3.0 x 10(-6)M respectively.

High-resolution Structure of YbfF from Escherichia Coli K12: a Unique Substrate-binding Crevice Generated by Domain Arrangement Journal of Molecular Biology. Mar, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18215690 Esterases are one of the most common enzymes and are involved in diverse cellular functions. ybfF protein from Escherichia coli (Ec_ybfF) belongs to the esterase family for the large substrates, palmitoyl coenzyme A and malonyl coenzyme A, which are important cellular intermediates for energy conversion and biomolecular synthesis. To obtain molecular information on ybfF esterase, which is found in a wide range of microorganisms, we elucidated the crystal structures of Ec_ybfF in complexes with small molecules at resolutions of 1.1 and 1.68 A, respectively. The structure of Ec_ybfF is composed of a globular alpha/beta hydrolase domain with a three-helical bundle cap, which is linked by a kinked helix to the alpha/beta hydrolase domain. It contains a catalytic tetrad of Ser-His-Asp-Ser with the first Ser acting as a nucleophile. The unique spatial arrangement and orientation of the helical cap with respect to the alpha/beta hydrolase domain form a substrate-binding crevice for large substrates. The helical cap is also directly involved in catalysis by providing a substrate anchor, viz., the conserved residues of Arg123 and Tyr208. The high-resolution structure of Ec_ybfF shows that the inserted helical bundle structure and its spatial orientation with respect to the alpha/beta hydrolase domain are critical for creating a large inner space and constituting a specific active site, thereby providing the broad substrate spectrum toward large biomolecules.

Effects of Atrial Fibrillation on Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Hypertension Angiology. Aug-Sep, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18388027 Arterial stiffness is significantly correlated with cardiovascular risk in patients with hypertension. Although arterial stiffness increases with age and other vascular risk factors, the effect of heart rhythm on arterial stiffness is uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of atrial fibrillation is associated with arterial stiffness, as determined by heart to femoral pulse wave velocity, in patients with hypertension. Heart to femoral pulse wave velocity was measured, and comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography was performed in 68 subjects (35 subjects with sinus rhythm, 33 subjects with atrial fibrillation). Potential determinants of heart to femoral pulse wave velocity were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses. Individuals with atrial fibrillation had higher heart to femoral pulse wave velocity than those with sinus rhythm (1028 +/- 222 vs 923 +/- 110 cm/s, P = .03). Age, the presence of atrial fibrillation, systolic blood pressure, and pulse pressure were found to be significantly correlated with heart to femoral pulse wave velocity. After adjusting for possible con-founders, multivariate analysis identified systolic blood pressure (P = .003) and the presence of atrial fibrillation (P = .007) as independent determinants of heart to femoral pulse wave velocity. The presence of atrial fibrillation was significantly correlated with a higher pulse wave velocity, independently of age or blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

The Effects of Different Beta-blockers on Left-ventricular Volume and Function After Primary Coronary Stenting in Acute Myocardial Infarction Angiology. Dec-2009 Jan, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18388053 The beneficial effect of beta-blockers is reported in myocardial infarction (MI). This study compared the effects of propranolol and carvedilol on left-ventricular (LV) volume and function after acute MI. Serial echocardiographic studies were performed on acute MI patients who were treated with primary coronary stenting and medical treatment, including propranolol or carvedilol. Determinants of the changes in LV volume and function were identified by regression analyses. At 6 months, there was no significant difference in change in the LV end-diastolic volume between patients receiving 2 beta-blockers. The increase of LV ejection fraction was greater in patients receiving carvedilol. On multivariate analyses, it was found that the kind of beta-blocker had no significant influence on the changes in LV volume or ejection fraction, whereas gender and baseline LV ejection fraction were predictive of change in LV ejection fraction. Compared with propranolol, carvedilol did not have a significant benefit on LV remodeling or function after primary coronary stenting in acute MI.

Development of a Sensitive Flow-injection-chemiluminescence Detection Method for the Determination of Levodopa Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. Sep-Oct, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18500694 A simple chemiluminometric method using flow injection has been developed for the determination of levodopa, based on its sensitizing effect on the weak chemiluminescence (CL) reaction between Na(2)SO(3) and acidic KMnO4. Under optimum experimental conditions, the CL intensity was linearly related to the concentration of levodopa from 3.4 x 10(-8) to 2.4 x 10(-5) mol/L and the detection limit was 1.1 x 10(-8) mol/L (s:n = 3). The relative standard deviation (RSD) of the proposed method calculated from 20 replicate injection of 3 x 10(-7) mol/L levodopa was 3.3%. The correlation coefficient was 0.997. The method was successfully applied to the determination of levodopa in commercial pharmaceutical formulations and spiked urine samples.

Tissue Doppler Index, E/E', and Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Journal of the Neurological Sciences. Aug, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18501379 Although several risk factors for stroke have been reported in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the relation of LV diastolic dysfunction to stroke is still uncertain in these patients. We evaluated the relationship between tissue Doppler-derived index, E/E', as well as other clinical and echocardiographic parameters and ischemic stroke by this cross-sectional study.

Flow-injection Chemiluminescence Determination of Aspartic Acid in Tea Leaves Using Tris (2,2'-bipyridyl) Ruthenium (II)-Ce(IV) System Journal of Fluorescence. May-Jul, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18523876 A flow injection chemiluminescence (CL) determination of aspartic acid is described. In this work, it was observed that aspartic acid could enhance the chemiluminescence (CL) emission of Ru(bipy)3(2+)-Ce(IV) system and this enhancement effect was dependent on the concentration of aspartic acid, based on which, CL system was established for the determination of aspartic acid. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the linear range and detection limit are 2 x 10(-7)-1.3 x 10(-5) M and 1.5 x 10-(8) M, respectively. The R.S.D. is 1.75%. (n = 10). The proposed method has been applied to detect the content of aspartic acid in tea leaves with satisfactory results. The possible mechanism of the CL reaction was discussed.

Simultaneous Determination of Levodopa and Carbidopa by Synchronous Fluorescence Spectrometry Using Double Scans Analytica Chimica Acta. Jun, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18539165 A synchronous fluorescence spectrometric method is described for the simultaneous determination of binary mixtures of levodopa and carbidopa in pharmaceutical formulation and urine sample, without prior separation steps, using two scans. At Delta lambda = 30 nm, only carbidopa yields a detectable signal that is independent of the presence of levodopa. Similarly, at Delta lambda = 65 nm the signal of levodopa is not influenced by the presence of carbidopa. Signals at two wavelengths, 288 nm (Delta lambda = 30 nm) and 281 nm (Delta lambda = 65 nm), vary linearly with carbidopa and levodopa concentrations over the range 0.019-1.971 microg mL(-1) (for levodopa) and 0.022-2.262 microg mL(-1) (for carbidopa), respectively. The correlation coefficients for the standard calibration graphs were 0.9962 and 0.9951 (n=10) for carbidopa and levodopa, respectively. The limits of detection (LOD estimated as per IUPAC recommendations) were 0.01 and 0.006 microg mL(-1) for carbidopa and levodopa, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of levodopa and carbidopa in pharmaceutical formulation and urine sample. The recovery results were satisfactory.

Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy with Repair of the Peripheral Tear for Symptomatic Discoid Lateral Meniscus in Children: Results of Minimum 2 Years of Follow-up Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Aug, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18657737 This study was undertaken to document the clinical results and technical aspects of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in conjunction with peripheral tear repair for the treatment of symptomatic discoid lateral meniscus in children.

Application of a Lanthanide Composite Nanoparticle-sensitized Luminescence Method for the Determination of Salicylic Acid in Pharmaceutical Formulations and Human Plasma Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. Nov-Dec, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18816464 Terbium-acetylacetone (Tb-acac) composite nanoparticles were synthesized using the ultrasonic method. The nanoparticles are water-soluble, stable and have extremely narrow emission bands and high internal quantum efficiencies. They were used as fluorimetric probes in the determination of salicylic acid (SA), based on the fluorescence enhancement of nanoparticles through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The influence of buffer solution was investigated. Under the optimum conditions, a linear calibration graph was obtained over the SA concentration range 5 x 10(-7)-1 x 10(-4) mol/L. The limit of detection was found to be 2.5 x 10(-8) mol/L. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for six repeated measurements of 1 x 10(-4) mol/LSA was 1.75%. The method was applied to the determination of SA in pharmaceutical formulations and human plasma. We believe that the proposed approach has great potential for clinical purposes.

"Associative" Electron Attachment to Azabenzene-(CO2)n Van Der Waals Complexes: Stepwise Formation of Covalent Bonds with Additive Electron Affinities Journal of the American Chemical Society. Dec, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18998649 Electron attachment to the van der Waals complexes of azabenzene-(CO(2))(n) results in the formation of covalent bonds between the nitrogen atoms of azabenzene and the carbon atom of CO(2). The newly formed C-N bonds establish an extended pi-orbital network over the entire moieties of the complex and thus greatly stabilize the anion, yielding a very large value of vertical detachment energy for the excess electron. The rare "associative" nature of electron attachment was found to be generally occurring in all azabenzene series, only subject to steric hindrance against the formation of the covalent C-N bond.

Trans-Dichloridobis(2,2-dimethyl-prop-ane-1,3-diamine-κN,N')chromium(III) Perchlorate Acta Crystallographica. Section E, Structure Reports Online. 2008 | Pubmed ID: 21580872 In the title salt, [CrCl(2)(C(5)H(14)N(2))(2)]ClO(4), the Cr atom is in a trans-CrCl(2)N(4) octa-hedral environment comprising the four N atoms of two chelating 2,2-dimethyl-propane-1,3-diamine ligands and two Cl atoms. The two six-membered CrC(3)N(2) rings in the cation adopt anti chair-chair conformations with respect to each other. The perchlorate anion is disordered over two positions in respect of the Cl and an O atom in a 6:4 ratio. N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the cations and anions into a layer structure.

Drug-eluting Stent Thrombosis After Cilostazol Withdrawal in a Patient Previously Treated with Triple Antiplatelet Therapy International Journal of Cardiology. Jun, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 18582963 Antiplatelet therapy has been shown to reduce cardiac events after coronary stenting. However, despite aggressive antiplatelet therapy, stent thrombosis remains a serious complication of coronary stenting with drug-eluting stent (DES). Although several predictors for DES thrombosis have been suggested by investigators, this serious condition is still not completely preventable now. In particular, patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery or invasive procedures with bleeding risk may interrupt antiplatelet therapy and occasionally experience stent thrombosis. We report a case of DES thrombosis after cilostazol withdrawal for colonoscopic polypectomy in a patient previously treated with triple antiplatelet therapy. The patient presented with acute myocardial infarction but survived after successful emergency coronary revascularization. We discuss a plausible mechanism for DES thrombosis in the described case.

Spectrofluorimetric Determination of Vitamin B(1) Using Horseradish Peroxidase As Catalyst in the Presence of Hydrogen Peroxide Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. Mar-Apr, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 18780332 In this work a new spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of vitamin B(1), based on the catalytic activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), has been developed. Non-fluorescent vitamin B(1) was easily converted through catalytic oxidation in alkaline medium into a fluorescent compound, even without exposure to light. The linear range for vitamin B(1) observed was 0.026-16.83 microg/mL (RSD = 1.75%). The correlation coefficient for the calibration curve and limit of detection were found to be 0.9964 and 0.015 microg/mL, respectively. The developed method is practical, simple, sensitive and relatively free from interference by coexisting substances and has been successfully applied for the determination of vitamin B(1) in pharmaceutical preparations.

Gene Expression Profiles of Rat Olfactory Bulb at Developmental Stage Journal of Neuroscience Methods. Feb, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 18840467 Microarray analysis may be a useful tool to identify some candidate genes related to the development of olfactory bulbs. In the present study, gene expression profiles of olfactory bulbs from postnatal day 1 (P1) rats and postnatal day 35 (P35) rats were analyzed by oligonucleotide-microarray and expression levels of some selected genes were also confirmed by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. 9146 genes were commonly identified in six microarray chips. Among these genes, 76 were up-regulated and 130 were down-regulated three-folds or more at P1 olfactory bulbs. Out of these 76 up-regulated genes, 24 genes were annotated based on the NCBI database of reference sequences and expression levels of these 24 genes were confirmed by RT-PCR. Among them, 2 interesting genes (neurogenic differentiation 1 and retinoid acid receptor alpha) were localized in the P1 olfactory bulb by the use of in situ hybridization technique. Our results may provide basic information to identify genes associated with functional growth of olfactory bulbs.

Plasma Adiponectin and Resistin Levels As Predictors of Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: Data from Infarction Prognosis Study Registry Coronary Artery Disease. Jan, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 18997620 Adiponectin and resistin, which have counteracting effects, are suggested to be associated with inflammation and atherosclerosis. The relationship between their levels and prognosis in high risk patients is, however, still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic values of these adipokines in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI).

The Apolipoprotein A5 -1131T>C Promoter Polymorphism in Koreans: Association with Plasma APOA5 and Serum Triglyceride Concentrations, LDL Particle Size and Coronary Artery Disease Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry. Apr, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19159622 The association between -1131T>C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the apolipoprotein A5 gene (APOA5) and hypertriglyceridemia raised the possibility that this SNP could be related to coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. Therefore, we investigated the association of this APOA5 -1131T>C SNP with circulating concentrations of APOA5, triglyceride and CAD in Koreans.

Clopidogrel Pretreatment Before Primary Percutaneous Coronary Stenting in Patients with Acute ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Comparison of High Loading Dose (600 Mg) Versus Low Loading Dose (300 Mg) Coronary Artery Disease. Mar, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19301464 Aggressive platelet inhibition is crucial to reduce myocardial injury and early cardiac events after coronary intervention. As compared with the conventional 300-mg dose, pretreatment with a 600-mg loading dose of clopidogrel significantly reduced periprocedural myocardial infarction (MI) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We investigated that the advantage of the 600-mg dose in inhibiting platelet aggregation more rapidly than the 300-mg dose may actually have special value for acute ST-segment elevation MI patients.

Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Pyrene Anion Clusters: Autodetachment Via Excited States of Anion and Intermolecular Interactions in Anion Clusters The Journal of Chemical Physics. Mar, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19334844 This study examined the anion clusters of pyrene (Py) by mass spectrometry, photoelectron spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations. The photoelectron spectra of Py(n)(-) (n=1-4) were obtained at various photon energies. A change in photodetachment wavelength resulted in a large change in the relative intensities of vibrational progression in the photoelectron spectra. It is proposed that the observed modulation of the Franck-Condon factors by the different photon energies reflects autodetachment via the excited states of anion. The photoelectron spectra of Py(n)(-) at 355 nm showed a broad band structure between the S(0) and T(1) states, which is also due to the autodetachment via a Feshbach resonance state. The photoelectron spectra of Py(2)(-) suggest the presence of a unique dimeric interaction between the two pyrene moieties, whereas the spectral features of Py(3)(-) are similar to those of Py(1)(-). The stable structures of Py(2)(-) and Py(3)(-) obtained by density functional theory calculations support the experimental findings, where different intermolecular interactions govern the stabilization of these two species.

Increasing Incidence of Medial Meniscal Tears in Nonoperatively Treated Anterior Cruciate Ligament Insufficiency Patients Documented by Serial Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies The American Journal of Sports Medicine. Aug, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19359417 No consensus has been reached with regard to the ideal timing of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in terms of reducing secondary meniscal tears in anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knees.

Circulating IL-8 Levels in Heart Failure Patients with and Without Metabolic Syndrome Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry. Jul, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19410569 It has been suggested that the metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased risk for heart failure (HF) and progression of HF. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We tested whether the presence of the MetS would be associated with the increased degree of inflammatory state in HF.

Optical Ascorbic Acid Sensor Based on the Fluorescence Quenching of Silver Nanoparticles Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. Nov-Dec, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19424962 A sensitive and selective fluorimetric sensor for the assay of ascorbic acid (AA) using silver nanoparticles as emission reagent was investigated. In this study, silver nanoparticles were prepared based on aqueous-gaseous phase reaction of silver nitrate solution and ammonia gas. The nanoparticles were water-soluble, stable and had a narrow emission band. They were used as a fluorescence probe for the assay of ascorbic acid on its quenching effect on the emission of silver nanoparticles. The principal reason for quenching is likely to be a complexation between ascorbic acid and silver nanoparticles. The quenching mechanism was established by Stern-Volmer law. Under the optimum conditions, the quenched fluorescence intensity was linear with the concentration of ascorbic acid in the range of 4.1 x 10(-6) to 1.0 x 10(-4) m (r = 0.9985) with a detection limit of 1.0 x 10(-7) m. The RSD for repeatability of the sensor for the assay of ascorbic acid concentration of 3.0 x 10(-5) and 4.0 x 10(-6) m was found to be 1.5 and 1.3%, respectively. The proposed method was applied to the determination of ascorbic acid in vegetables and vitamin C tablets.

The Effect of Intracoronary Nicorandil on Coronary Myocardial Bridging Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Sep, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19605572 Medical treatments of coronary myocardial bridging (CMB) generally include beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers. Nitrates are avoided because symptoms may worsen. Nicorandil is a hybrid of a nitrate and a potassium channel opener. However, the effect of nicorandil on CMB is unknown. We analyzed nicorandil reactivity at the site with CMB in 51 patients. Maximal and minimal diameters of CMB were measured by quantitative angiography at baseline and at 60 seconds after intracoronary administration of 200 mg nicorandil. The maximal diameter during diastole increased from 2.15 + 0.42 mm to 2.34 + 0.44 mm after administration of nicorandil (P < .001), and the minimal diameter during systole increased from 1.24 + 0.63 mm to 1.67 + 0.64 mm (P < .001). Thus, nicorandil reduced the percentage vessel narrowing from 44.0 + 26.1% to 30.3 + 21.2% (P < .001). In 22 patients, we also evaluated the effect of nitroglycerin. The maximal diameter during diastole increased from 2.25 + 0.47 mm to 2.51 + 0.44 mm after administration of nitroglycerin (P < .019), and the minimal diameter during systole decreased from 1.28 + 0.64 mm to 1.14 + 0.60 mm (P = .276). Thus, nitroglycerin augmented the percentage vessel narrowing from 44.9% + 25.0% to 56.0% + 23.5% (P = .023). These results indicate that intracoronary administration of nicorandil could dilate coronary arteries during diastole as well as systole in patients with CMB during coronary angiography.

Relation Between Red Cell Distribution Width with Echocardiographic Parameters in Patients with Acute Heart Failure Journal of Cardiac Failure. Aug, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19643363 Red cell distribution width (RDW) has recently been discovered to be a novel prognostic marker in patients with heart failure. However, the relation between RDW and echocardiographic parameters in acute heart failure (AHF) has not been studied.

Permanent Pacemaker for Syncope After Heart Transplantation with Bicaval Technique Yonsei Medical Journal. Aug, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19718412 Sinus node dysfunction occurs occasionally after heart transplantation and may be caused by surgical trauma, ischemia to the sinus node, rejection, drug therapy, and increasing donor age. However, the timing and indication of permanent pacemaker insertion due to sinus node dysfunction following heart transplantation is contentious. Here, we report a case of a permanent pacemaker insertion for syncope due to sinus arrest after heart transplantation, even with a bicaval technique, which has been known to associate with few incidences of sinus node dysfunction.

Blood Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid As Predictors of All-cause Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction--data from Infarction Prognosis Study (IPS) Registry Circulation Journal : Official Journal of the Japanese Circulation Society. Dec, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19789416 Although omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are known to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases, their prognostic value has not been studied prospectively in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Acute Myocardial Infarction Due to Vasospasm Induced by Prostaglandin The Canadian Journal of Cardiology. Oct, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19812811 Prostaglandin E (PGE) is the preferred agent for second-trimester pregnancy termination. Hypotension, bradycardia, ventricular arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest and death associated with PGE have been reported. A case of acute myocardial infarction due to coronary vasospasm induced by PGE is described in the present report. The diagnosis was confirmed by electrocardiography and coronary angiography.

Anion Clusters of Naphthalene and Solvents: Structure, Ion Core, and Intermolecular Interactions Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP. Nov, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19830330 We carried out a comparative study on the anion clusters of naphthalene with various solvents to understand the nature of intermolecular interactions involving an aromatic anion. Photoelectron spectra of mass-selected naphthalene anion clusters, (Np)(1)(-)(Sol)(n) (Sol = benzene, naphthalene, water, and acetone), were obtained, from which the electron affinities were estimated. The electron affinities were significantly different from the vertical detachment energies due to the geometry difference between the neutral and anion clusters along intermolecular coordinates. Theoretical calculations showed that the most stable structure of the naphthalene-acetone anion cluster tends to be a -shaped geometry because the intermolecular interaction is dominated by pi-hydrogen bonding. With the attachment of a second solvent, solvent-solvent interaction was found to compete with ion-solvent interaction for the stable geometries of the anion clusters.

Personalized Medicine in Coronary Artery Disease: Insights from Genomic Research Korean Circulation Journal. Apr, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19949601 Prior clinical studies have demonstrated that a family history of coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with future cardiovascular events. Although there are several Mendelian disorders that are associated with CAD, most common forms of CAD are believed to be multifactorial and the result of many genes with small individual effects. The identification of these genes and their variation would be very helpful for the prediction, prevention, and management of CAD; linkage analysis or candidate gene case-control studies have been largely unsuccessful. On the contrary, recent advances in genomic techniques have generated a large amount of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based information. The link between CAD and inflammation and biological pathways has been highlighted. In particular, several genome-wide association studies have replicated a novel gene marker on chromosome 9p21. The information gained from genomic studies, in combination with clinical data, is expected to refine personalized approaches to assess risk and guide management for CAD. Genetic risk scores derived from several functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or haplotypes in multiple genes may improve the prediction of CAD. Despite the complexity of CAD genetics, steady progress is expected.

Increased Inflammation, Reduced Plasma Phospholipid Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Reduced Antioxidant Potential of Treated Hypertensive Patients with Metabolic Syndrome Yonsei Medical Journal. Dec, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 20046414 In the present study, we tested whether the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) would worsen the features of inflammation, plasma omega 3 fatty acid levels and antioxidant potential in treated hypertensive patients.

Evaluation in 3 Months Duration of Neointimal Coverage After Zotarolimus-eluting Stent Implantation by Optical Coherence Tomography: the ENDEAVOR OCT Trial JACC. Cardiovascular Interventions. Dec, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 20129551 We performed this study to investigate the vascular response in early period after zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) (Endeavor Sprint, Medtronic CardioVascular, Minneapolis, Minnesota) implantation.

Independent Inverse Relationship Between Serum Lycopene Concentration and Arterial Stiffness Atherosclerosis. Feb, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 19767001 Emerging evidence suggests a role of lycopene in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to investigate the association of serum lycopene concentration with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a marker of arterial stiffness and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Brain Abscess in an Adult with Atrial Septal Defect Clinical Cardiology. Apr, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20127903 Brain abscess is a serious complication of congenital heart disease in children and adolescents. This association is rarely observed in adults. This article describes the case of a 41-year-old man who presented with altered mental status. Brain MRI showed a brain abscess at the left frontal lobe. The patient was successfully treated with surgical removal and appropriate antibiotics. Echocardiographic examination showed atrial septal defect (ASD) with bidirectional shunt. Transcatheter closure of ASD was carried out 6 months after neurosurgical treatment. We discuss the association of brain abscess and ASD.

Effects of Atorvastatin 20 Mg, Rosuvastatin 10 Mg, and Atorvastatin/ezetimibe 5 Mg/5 Mg on Lipoproteins and Glucose Metabolism Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Jun, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20147603 The aim of this study was to compare the effects of 3 different statin regimens that have equivalent low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering efficacy on the apolipoprotein B/A1 ratio and glucose metabolism. After a 4-week dietary lead-in, 90 hypercholeserolemic patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups for 8 weeks: atorvastatin 20 mg, rosuvastatin 10 mg, or atorvastatin/ezetimibe 5 mg/5 mg. At drug treatment week 8, we compared the percentage changes in lipid parameters, apolipoprotein B/A1 ratio, hemoglobin A1c, and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) from baseline. Seventy-six patients completed the study and the percentage changes in LDL-C were comparable among the groups. However, the percentage reduction in the apolipoprotein B/A1 ratio was significantly greater in the rosuvastatin group (-47% +/- 14%, P = .04) and the combination group (-46% +/- 8%, P = .05) than in the atorvastatin group (-39% +/- 11%). The percentage increase in hemoglobin A1c was small but significantly greater in the atorvastatin group compared to the combination group (3.0% +/- 5.2% and -0.4% +/- 4.0%, P = .03). The effect of rosuvastatin on hemoglobin A1c was not different from those of the other 2 regimens. The effects of 3 statin regimens were similar on HOMA-IR. In conclusion, 3 statin regimens have differential effect on apolipoprotein B/A1 and glycemic control after comparable LDL-C reduction.

Combined Reconstruction for Posterolateral Rotatory Instability with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries of the Knee Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Sep, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20182869 If posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI) injury in patients with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is not diagnosed and treated, ACL reconstruction can fail. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical outcome after reconstructions between 2002 and 2007 of both the ACL and the posterolateral corner (PLC) in 44 knees with combined ACL and PLC injuries. The median follow-up duration was 49 months (range, 24-68 months). ACL reconstruction employed autogenous hamstring grafts from the ipsilateral knee. For grade II PLRI, a posterolateral corner sling through the fibular head was placed obliquely from the anteroinferior aspect to the posterosuperior aspect using autogenous hamstring grafts of the contralateral knee. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the OAK (Orthopadishe Arbeitsgruppe Knie) and IKDC (International Knee Documentation Committee) knee scoring systems. Anterior stability was measured on pull stress radiographs using a Telos stress device and the manual maximum displacement test using a KT-1000 arthrometer with the knee flexed 30 degrees. PLRI was classified according to varus and rotational instability preoperatively and at final follow-up. Median OAK scores improved from 71 points (range, 48-86) to 93 points (range, 75-100). Satisfactory IKDC results were achieved in 39 knees (89%). As for anterior stability, as measured by anterior stress radiography, mean side-to-side displacement difference dropped significantly from 6.9 +/- 1.9 preoperatively to 1.4 +/- 1.1 mm at final follow-up. Forty patients (91%) had the same or better rotational stability compared to the normal side. Varus stress radiographs showed mean side-to-side displacement differences dropped from 1.8 +/- 1.7 preoperatively to 0.4 +/- 0.8 mm at final follow-up. Thus, chronic ACL deficiency is often accompanied by grade II PLRI and can be treated successfully by arthroscopic ACL reconstruction paired with posterolateral reconstruction employing a single sling through the fibular tunnel and a hamstring tendon autograft.

Efficacy of High-dose Atorvastatin Loading Before Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: the STATIN STEMI Trial JACC. Cardiovascular Interventions. Mar, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20298994 This study sought to determine the efficacy of high-dose atorvastatin in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Elevated HDL2-paraoxonase and Reduced CETP Activity Are Associated with a Dramatically Lower Ratio of LDL-cholesterol/total Cholesterol in a Hypercholesterolemic and Hypertriglyceridemic Patient International Journal of Molecular Medicine. Jun, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20428800 A female patient (64 years of age; body mass index, 26) had a markedly and relatively low low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) level (97 mg/dl) despite high serum total cholesterol (TC) (331 mg/dl) and triacylglyceride levels (307 mg/dl). Since the expected LDL-C was 222 mg/dl, there was a significant difference between the calculation and measurement based on direct enzyme assay. Only 30% of serum cholesterol was associated with LDL-C in this patient. To determine the basis for the markedly low LDL-C/TC ratio, we isolated and analyzed lipoproteins from the patient as well as age- and gender-matched controls. The patient had lowered serum CETP activity and elevated paraoxonase activity with GOT and GPT values in the normal range. The very low-density lipoprotein particles from the patient were larger than those of the controls and enriched with lipid and protein, while the LDL from the patient (LDL-P) had a lower particle number and protein content than the controls. The LDL-P was more resistant to cupric ion-mediated oxidation. HDL2 from the patient (HDL2-P) had highly enhanced paraoxonase activity and antioxidant ability. The patient had a 1.5-fold higher level of apolipoprotein (apo) A-I expression in HDL2. ApoA-I in HDL2 and HDL3 from the patient showed no fragmentation, while the control had fragmented bands (17 and 21 kDa) in the HDL. The HDL2-P also had a larger particle size and greater protein content with less lipid content. HDL3-associated cholesteryl ester transfer protein was reduced in the patient, although the particle size was similar to the controls. In conclusion, a patient who had a markedly lower LDL-C/TC ratio despite hyperlipidemia associated with higher paraoxonase activity, higher apoA-I level and lower CETP activity without fragmentation of apoA-I in the HDL fraction is presented. The enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of HDL might contribute to the low LDL-C/TC ratio in this patient.

Preconditioning of Isoflurane on Spinal Cord Ischemia Can Increase the Number of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase-expressing Motor Neurons in Rat Korean Journal of Anesthesiology. Jan, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20498815 Spinal cord ischemia with resulting paraplegia remains one of the most common complications after repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms or dissection. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is known to have both neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects in the central nervous system. We investigated the possible relationship between the effect of pre-ischemic isoflurane exposure on mild spinal cord ischemia and the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression by using iNOS-specific antibody and pyrrolidinedithio carbamate (PDTC), NF-kappaB inhibitor, in the ventral horn of spinal cord in rats.

The Musculoskeletal Manifestations of Prader-Willi Syndrome Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics. Jun, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20502241 Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder with an associated anomaly in chromosome 15, and has been reported to increase prevalence of scoliosis, but little information is available regarding its association with other musculoskeletal manifestations. The aim of this study was to evaluate musculoskeletal manifestations in 36 patients with PWS and to determine the effects of risk factors, such as, sex, age, genotype, and body mass index (BMI) on PWS.

Arthroscopic Synovectomy for the Rheumatoid Elbow Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Sep, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20615653 To describe an arthroscopic technique for complete removal of the synovium from the elbow joint and to investigate the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic synovectomy in patients with rheumatoid elbow.

Fatal Renal Bleeding in a Patient Treated with Aggressive Antithrombotic Therapy After Recurrent Coronary Stent Thrombosis Korean Circulation Journal. Jul, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20664745 Triple antiplatelet therapy has been known to be superior to the conventional dual regimen for preventing stent thrombosis after coronary stenting, and the addition of oral anticoagulation to antiplatelet therapy is also considered an option. However, the risks and benefits of a triple antiplatelet regimen plus additional oral anticoagulation must be taken into account. Here, we report a case of fatal renal bleeding in a patient treated with triple antiplatelet plus oral anticoagulant therapy for the prevention of recurrent stent thrombosis.

Central Aortic Pressure in Aortic Aneurysm and Aortic Dissection: a Novel Prognostic Marker Acta Cardiologica. Jun, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20666268 Some aortic aneurysm (AA) or aortic dissection (AD) patients can be observed to detect disease progression if optimal blood pressure is achieved. However, in another group of patients, disease progression occurs despite well-controlled blood pressure. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of central aortic pressure in AA and AD.

Adiponectin Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated with Long-chain ω3-polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Serum Phospholipids in Nondiabetic Koreans The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Nov, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20685864 Hypoadiponectinemia is caused by interactions between genetic and environmental factors, including the quality of dietary fats.

Soluble Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase-1 and the Progression of Carotid Intima-media Thickness – 24-month Follow-up Study – Circulation Journal : Official Journal of the Japanese Circulation Society. Oct, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20689217 The relationship between fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), a soluble receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and vascular disease has not been established, so this study aimed to elucidate the association between sFlt-1 and the progression of carotid intima - media thickness (IMT) in hypertensive patients.

Bilateral Discoid Lateral Meniscus in Knees: Evaluation of the Contralateral Knee in Patients with Symptomatic Discoid Lateral Meniscus Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Oct, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20729026 The aim of this study was to analyze, by use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the contralateral discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) status of 33 patients who underwent an operation for a symptomatic DLM.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Quadrupled Hamstring Tendon Autografts: Comparison of Remnant Bundle Preservation and Standard Technique The American Journal of Sports Medicine. Sep, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20805412 Recently, variations of the remnant bundle preservation technique, including selective bundle reconstruction and preservation of the anterior cruciate ligament tibial remnant, have produced good outcomes. The authors chose to investigate whether remnant bundle preservation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction would affect the remodeling process without inducing complications.

Optimal Pharmacologic Approach to Patients with Hypertriglyceridemia and Low High-density Lipoprotein-cholesterol: Randomized Comparison of Fenofibrate 160 Mg and Niacin 1500 Mg Atherosclerosis. Nov, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20855072 Atherogenic dyslipidemia is emerging as a target of lipid-modifying therapy. However, an optimal pharmacologic approach has not yet been established. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and tolerability of the typical doses of fenofibrate and niacin.

Arthroscopic Treatment of Popliteal Cysts: Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Results Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Oct, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20869836 This study examined the functional and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes of popliteal cysts with combined intra-articular pathologies that were treated arthroscopically by decompression and a cystectomy through an additional posteromedial cystic portal.

Visceral Adiposity and the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Middle-aged Subjects with Normal Waist Circumference and Its Relation with Lipocalin-2 and MCP-1 Atherosclerosis. Dec, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20947088 Visceral adipose tissue has emerged as a key organ contributing to the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, defining central obesity by waist circumference (WC) may underestimate visceral adiposity in lean patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between visceral adiposity and severity of CAD in subjects with normal WC.

Excited-state Lifetime of Adenine Near the First Electronic Band Origin The Journal of Chemical Physics. Oct, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20969390 The excited-state lifetime of supersonically cooled adenine was measured in the gas phase by femtosecond pump-probe transient ionization as a function of excitation energy between 36 100 and 37 500cm(-1). The excited-state lifetime of adenine is ∼2ps around the 0-0 band of the (1)L(b) ππ(∗) state (36 105cm(-1)). The lifetime drops to ∼1ps when adenine is excited to the (1)L(a) ππ(∗) state with the pump energy at 36 800cm(-1) and above. The excited-state lifetimes of (1)L(a) and (1)L(b) ππ(∗) states are differentiated in accordance with previous frequency-resolved and computational studies.

Comparison of Effects of Two Different Formulations of Clopidogrel Bisulfate Tablets on Platelet Aggregation and Bleeding Time in Healthy Korean Volunteers: A Single-dose, Randomized, Open-label, 1-week, Two-period, Phase IV Crossover Study Clinical Therapeutics. Aug, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20974324 Clopidogel bisulfate, an oral antiplatelet agent that works by inhibiting adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation, is used in the treatment of coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease. The newly developed generic version of Clopidogrel bisulfate has a mechanism of action comparable to the reference formulation.

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Determines the Severity of Diastolic Dysfunction in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation and Preserved Left Ventricular Systolic Function Clinical and Experimental Hypertension (New York, N.Y. : 1993). 2010 | Pubmed ID: 21091364 Regression of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) is known to be related to a lower incidence of stroke in hypertensive patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NV-AF). However, its mechanism remains controversial. Recently, diastolic dysfunction (DD) was reported to be correlated with ischemic stroke in NV-AF. We hypothesized that hypertension (HTN) and resultant LVH might be associated with the severity of DD in NV-AF. Two hundred and ninety-four patients (204 males, age 66 ± 12 y) with NV-AF with preserved LV systolic function were included. Clinical and echocardiographic data were compared between patients with enlarged left atrial (LA) volume (n = 237) and patients with normal LA. Age (60 ± 12 vs. 67 ± 11 years), sex (male; 81 vs. 62%), duration of NV-AF (4.1 ± 7.8 vs. 45.7 ± 49.0 months), brain natriuretic peptide (108.3 ± 129.3 vs. 236.1 ± 197.0 pg/mL), right ventricular systolic pressure (24.5 ± 5.5 vs. 33.1 ± 11.1 mmHg), mitral inflow velocity (E [77.4 ± 22.2 vs. 88.3 ± 22.0 cm/s]), LV mass index (LVMI [87.6 ± 22.2 vs. 105.1 ± 23.2 g/m(2)]), peak systolic mitral annular velocity (S' [7.2 ± 2.0 vs. 5.8 ± 1.8 cm/s]), and mitral inflow velocity to diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/E' [9.8 ± 3.4 vs. 12.1 ± 4.4]) were significantly different between the two groups, respectively (P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, LVMI was independently correlated with increased LA volume (OR: 1.037 [95% CI: 1.011-1.063], P < 0.05), whereas HTN was not. LA enlargement, which reflects the severity and chronicity of DD, is independently associated with LVH in patients with NV-AF. Therefore, regression of LVH with anti-hypertensive treatment may lead to improvement of diastolic function and favorable clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients with NV-AF.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Soluble Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase 1, and the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease Angiology. Feb, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 20498143 The association between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1), and coronary artery disease (CAD) was investigated.

FADS Gene Polymorphisms in Koreans: Association with ω6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Serum Phospholipids, Lipid Peroxides, and Coronary Artery Disease Atherosclerosis. Jan, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21040914 We investigated the association of polymorphisms in FADS genes with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in serum phospholipids, lipid peroxides, and coronary artery disease (CAD) in Koreans.

A Novel Fluorescent Cesium Ion-selective Optode Membrane Based on 15-crown-5-anthracene Journal of Fluorescence. Mar, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21052808 An optode system based on a plasticized polymer membrane containing cesium ion-selective fluoroionophore and lipophilic anions for the determination of cesium ions has been developed. In this work, 15-crown-5 derivative including anthracene was used as a fluoroionophore. Emission intensity of the optode membrane incorporating 15-crown-5-anthracene was measured at 500 nm with excitation at 360 nm in the presence of Tris-HCl buffer solution. Under optimum experimental condition, the relative fluorescence intensity was linear with the concentration of cesium ion in the range of 1.0 × 10(-4) M to 1.0 × 10(-1) M and the detection limit was obtained 4.2 × 10(-5) M, as defined by LOD=3 × S(b)/m (where S(b)=standard deviation of blank signal and, m=slope of the calibration curve). The effect of pH of sample solution on the fluorescent response, the selectivity, response time and reproducibility of the optode membrane were also discussed. The fluorescent optode system shows a high selectivity and sensitivity for cesium ion with respect to other cations such as K(+), Na(+) and Li(+).

The Relationship of Neural Structures to Arthroscopic Posterior Portals According to Knee Positioning Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Apr, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21153546 The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the proximity of neural structures to standard posterior portals in different knee positions.

Clinical and Echocardiographic Findings of Newly Diagnosed Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Elderly Patients Yonsei Medical Journal. Jan, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21155032 Elderly patients (pts) (EPs; ≥ 65 years old) with newly diagnosed-acute decompensated heart failure (ND-ADHF) have not yet been studied. The aim of the present study was to investigate clinical characteristics, including echocardiographic findings and prognosis, for EPs with ND-ADHF and to compare those with non-elderly pts (NEPs).

Ultrasensitive Study of Gatifloxacin Based on Its Enhancing Effect on the Cerium (IV)-sodium Hyposulfite Chemiluminescence Reaction in a Micellar Medium Journal of Fluorescence. Jul, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21246264 A sensitive and rapid flow-injection chemiluminescence (CL) method has been developed for the determination of gatifloxacin in pharmaceutical preparations and biological samples. The method is based on the enhancing effect of gatifloxacin on CL emission generated by the interaction of Ce (IV) in sulphuric acid and sodium hyposulphite (Na(2)S(2)O(4)) sensitized by sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS). Strong CL emission was observed when gatifloxacin was injected into the Ce (IV) in sulphuric acid and Na(2)S(2)O(4) solution incorporated with SDBS in a flow-cell. Several experimental parameters affecting the CL reaction were investigated and optimized systematically. Under the optimum conditions, it was found that the CL intensity is proportional to the concentration of gatifloxacin in the range of 1.12 × 10(-11)-4.40 × 10(-9) g mL(-1) with a co-relation coefficient of 0.9994. The limit of detection was found to be 4.87 × 10(-12) g mL(-1) and the relative standard deviation (RSD, n=7) was 1.8% for 4 × 10(-8) g mL(-1) of GFLX. The proposed method offers higher sensitivity, wide linear range and better stability without requiring sophisticated instrumentation. Thus, the proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of gatifloxacin in pharmaceuticals, serum and human urine.

The Effects of Statin Monotherapy and Low-dose Statin/ezetimibe on Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A₂ Clinical Cardiology. Feb, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21298654 Many of the pleiotropic effects of statins remain to be elucidated.

Takotsubo-like Severe Left Ventricular Dysfunction After Cesarean Delivery in a 28-year Old Woman Korean Circulation Journal. Feb, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21430996 Takotsubo cardiomyopathy typically affects post-menopausal women who experience severe psychological or physical stress. It can also develop after medical procedures or surgery. Although the underlying mechanism has not been clearly elucidated, catecholamine overload is one of the most plausible etiologies. Herein we report a case of takotsubo-like left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in a 28-year old woman who underwent Cesarean delivery. She presented with acute heart failure and pulmonary edema immediately after the delivery. Her echocardiography showed severe LV dysfunction and apical ballooning. This case is clinically and pathophysiologically similar to peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Combined Posterolateral Corner Reconstruction with Remnant Tensioning and Augmentation in Chronic Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: Minimum 2-year Follow-up Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Apr, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21444010 To evaluate functional results and knee stability after tensioning of remnant posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) with anterolateral (AL) bundle reconstruction and posterolateral corner (PLC) reconstruction in chronic PCL and PLC injuries.

Genomic Structure and Expression Analyses of the PYGM Gene in the Thoroughbred Horse Zoological Science. Apr, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21466345 Muscle glycogen Phosphorylase (PYGM) has been shown to catalyze the degradation of glycogen to glucose-1-phosphate. The PYGM gene can contribute to providing energy to the body by disassembling the glycogen in muscle. Here, we analyzed the genomic structure and expression of the PYGM gene in the thoroughbred horse. The PYGM gene, containing several transposable elements (MIRs, LINEs, and MERs), was highly conserved in mammalian genomes. In order to understand the expression of the horse PYGM gene, we performed quantitative RT-PCR using 11 thoroughbred horse tissue samples. The horse PYGM gene was broadly expressed in all tissues tested. In particular, the highest expression of the horse PYGM gene was observed in skeletal muscle tissue relative to the other tissues. Interestingly, the horse PYGM gene contains fewer mobile elements than its human ortholog, resulting in an increase in the structural stability of the PYGM gene sequence. This study provides insights into the genomic structure of the horse PYGM gene that may be useful in future studies of its association with exercise capability.

Gold Nanoparticles-based Fluorescence Enhancement of the Terbium-levofloxacin System and Its Application in Pharmaceutical Preparations Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. Nov-Dec, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21608101 A sensitive fluorescence (FL) technique is proposed for the determination of levofloxacin (LVX). The method is based on the fact that the weak FL signal of the Tb(III)-LVX system is strongly enhanced in the presence of gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles were prepared by the citrate reduction of HAuCl(4) and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Levofloxacin and Tb(III) ion form a fluorescence complex in aqueous solution, and its maximum emission wavelength was found at 545 nm. Optimal conditions for the formation of the levofloxacin-Tb(III) complexes were studied. Levofloxacin was detected by measuring the FL intensity, which increases linearly with the concentration of LVX in the range 6.2 × 10(-10)-2.6 × 10(-8) mol/L. Recovery of the target analytes was > 96% with good quality parameters: linearity (r(2) > 0.996), limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values 2.1 × 10(-10) mol/L and 7.2 × 10(-10) mol/L, and run-to-run and day-to-day precisions with relative standard deviations (RSDs) around 3%. Thus, the proposed method can be successfully applied to the routine determination of levofloxacin in pharmaceutical preparations.

Longitudinal Tear of the Medial Meniscus Posterior Horn in the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-deficient Knee Significantly Influences Anterior Stability The American Journal of Sports Medicine. Oct, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21828365 Longitudinal tears of the medial meniscus posterior horn (MMPH) are commonly associated with a chronic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficiency. Many studies have demonstrated the importance of the medial meniscus in terms of limiting the amount of anterior-posterior tibial translation in response to anterior tibial loads in ACL-deficient knees.

Comparison of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction with Preservation Only Versus Remnant Tensioning Technique Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Sep, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21839607 To evaluate the stability and functional outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction by tensioning of the ACL remnant using pullout sutures compared with a remnant preservation technique only.

Conformationally Resolved Structures of Jet-cooled Acetaminophen by UV-UV Hole-burning Spectroscopy Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP. Oct, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21850322 The conformational structures of jet-cooled acetaminophen were investigated in the gas phase by resonant 2-photon ionization and UV-UV hole-burning spectroscopy. In contrast to the results from a previous study, two nearly isoenergetic conformers were distinctly found in a supersonic molecular beam expansion and positively identified as the cis and trans isomers of acetaminophen by UV-UV hole-burning spectroscopy. The 0-0 bands of the cis and trans isomers were found at 33518.7 and 33485.6 cm(-1), respectively. The vibronic bands of the two isomers are close-lying and/or partially overlapping due to the small energy difference (33 cm(-1)) between the two 0-0 bands. As a consequence, the recorded resonant 2-photon ionization spectrum is highly congested in the low excitation energy region, which develops continuously into a featureless, broadened spectrum in the high energy region.

Augmentation Index Association with Reactive Hyperemia As Assessed by Peripheral Arterial Tonometry in Hypertension American Journal of Hypertension. Nov, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21901014 Augmentation pressure has emerged as a surrogate marker for cardiovascular disease, and endothelial dysfunction has been proposed as related factor. However, the relationship between augmentation pressure and digital endothelial function has not yet been well defined. We investigated the relationship between augmentation pressure and digital reactive hyperemia (RH) in patients with hypertension using peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT), which is regarded as being representative of endothelial function.

Evaluation of Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Results After Treatment with Casting and Bracing for the Acutely Injured Posterior Cruciate Ligament Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Dec, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21944142 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes of nonoperative management of acute, isolated posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries.

In Vivo Visualization and Attenuation of Oxidized Lipid Accumulation in Hypercholesterolemic Zebrafish The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Dec, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 22105168 Oxidative modification of LDL is an early pathological event in the development of atherosclerosis. Oxidation events such as malondialdehyde (MDA) formation may produce specific, immunogenic epitopes. Indeed, antibodies to MDA-derived epitopes are widely used in atherosclerosis research and have been demonstrated to enable cardiovascular imaging. In this study, we engineered a transgenic zebrafish with temperature-inducible expression of an EGFP-labeled single-chain human monoclonal antibody, IK17, which binds to MDA-LDL, and used optically transparent zebrafish larvae for imaging studies. Feeding a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) supplemented with a red fluorescent lipid marker to the transgenic zebrafish resulted in vascular lipid accumulation, quantified in live animals using confocal microscopy. After heat shock-induced expression of IK17-EGFP, we measured the time course of vascular accumulation of IK17-specific MDA epitopes. Treatment with either an antioxidant or a regression diet resulted in reduced IK17 binding to vascular lesions. Interestingly, homogenates of IK17-EGFP-expressing larvae bound to MDA-LDL and inhibited MDA-LDL binding to macrophages. Moreover, sustained expression of IK17-EGFP effectively prevented HCD-induced lipid accumulation in the vascular wall, suggesting that the antibody itself may have therapeutic effects. Thus, we conclude that HCD-fed zebrafish larvae with conditional expression of EGFP-labeled oxidation-specific antibodies afford an efficient method of testing dietary and/or other therapeutic antioxidant strategies that may ultimately be applied to humans.

Effect of Atorvastatin Monotherapy and Low-dose Atorvastatin/ezetimibe Combination on Fasting and Postprandial Triglycerides in Combined Hyperlipedemia Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Mar, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 21386036 Postprandial triglyceride (TG) levels are easy to measure and are associated with future cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of statin monotherapy and low-dose statin/ezetimibe on lipid parameters including fasting and postprandial TG. After a 4-week dietary run-in period, 78 patients with combined hyperlipidemia were randomized into 1 of 2 treatment groups for 8 weeks: atorvastatin 20 mg or atorvastatin/ezetimibe 5 mg/5 mg. An oral fat load test was performed before and after the drug-treatment period. The low-dose combination had a tendency to decrease fasting TG more than atorvastatin monotherapy. The combination regimen showed a greater reduction in postprandial TG (-13% ± 42% and -34% ± 30%, in the atorvastatin and combination groups, respectively, P = .03) and total cholesterol (TC; P = .03). The changes in low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were not different between the 2 groups. The reduction in apo B/A1 was greater in the combination group (-32% ± 19% and -42% ± 13%, in the atorvastatin and combination groups, respectively, P = .02). In conclusion, these results demonstrated a potential beneficial effect of low-dose atorvastatin/ezetimibe combination treatment on postprandial TG control after comparable LDL-C lowering in patients with combined hyperlipidemia.

A Terbium-sensitized Spectrofluorimetric Method for Determination of Catecholamines in a Serum Sample with Micelle Medium Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. Jan-Feb, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 21692167 A terbium-sensitized spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for determination of catecholamines such as norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EP) and dopamine (DA), using sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate (SDBS). Fluorescence sensitization of terbium ions (Tb(3+) ) by complexation with catecholamines in the presence of SDBS was observed. The fluorescence intensities of the Tb(3+) -catecholamine complexes were highly enhanced by introducing SDBS with an emission maximum at 545 nm after excitation at 290 nm. The conditions for the complex formation of Tb(3+) -catecholamine were investigated systematically and optimized to determine catecholamines in a serum sample. Under the optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensities of the Tb(3+) -catecholamine complexes were increased linearly with the concentration of NE, EP and DA over the ranges 2.5 × 10(-10) -1.0 × 10(-8) , 2.5 × 10(-10) -1.0 × 10(-8) and 2.5 × 10(-9) -1.0 × 10(-7) g/mL with correlation coefficients of 0.999, 0.999 and 0.9996, respectively. The limits of detection (3δ) of NE, EP and DA were found to be 4.6 × 10(-11) , 7.8 × 10(-11) and 8.38 × 10(-10) g/mL, respectively. Precision of the method was tested at the concentration level of 1.2 × 10(-7) g/mL for five replicate measurements of NE, EP and DA, giving relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.41%, 1.23% and 1.89%, respectively. The interaction mechanism of the Tb(3+) -catecholamine complexes system was investigated and presented with ultraviolet absorption spectra. The proposed method has been applied for the quantitative determination of NE, EP and DA in a spiked serum sample and a pharmaceutical preparation sample.

Common Variants in RYR1 Are Associated with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Assessed by Electrocardiogram European Heart Journal. May, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 21828061 To identify the genetic risk factors that influence the development of electrocardiographic (ECG) left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), a major risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality.

Prognostic Value of Change in Red Cell Distribution Width 1 Month After Discharge in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Patients Circulation Journal : Official Journal of the Japanese Circulation Society. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22033347 Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a novel prognostic marker independently associated with adverse outcomes in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients. The aim of the present study was to assess whether the change in RDW after discharge had prognostic value in patients with ADHF.

Posterior Horn Tears: All-inside Suture Repair Clinics in Sports Medicine. Jan, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22108663

Spectrofluorimetric Study of the Interaction Between Europium(III) and Moxifloxacin in Micellar Solution and Its Analytical Application Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. Feb, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22133700 A sensitive spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the determination of moxifloxacin (MOX) using europium(III)-MOX complex as a fluorescence probe in the presence of an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS). The fluorescence (FL) intensity of Eu(3+) was enhanced by complexation with MOX at 614 nm after excitation at 373 nm. The FL intensity of the Eu(3+)-MOX complex was significantly intensified in the presence of SDBS. Under the optimum conditions, it was found that the enhanced FL intensity of the system showed a good linear relationship with the concentration of MOX over the range of 1.8 × 10(-11)-7.3 × 10(-9) g mL(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.9998. The limit of detection of MOX was found to be 2.8 × 10(-12) g mL(-1) with relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.25% for 5 replicate determination of 1.5 × 10(-8) g mL(-1) MOX. The proposed method is simple, offers higher sensitivity with wide linear range and can be successfully applied to determine MOX in pharmaceutical and biological samples with good reproducibility. The luminescence mechanism is also discussed in detail with ultraviolet absorption spectra.

The Relationship Between Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 and Metabolic Syndrome, Independent of Adiponectin Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry. Feb, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22133783 Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is associated with obesity and aging, and was recently linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance. However, little is known about the relationship between IGF-1 and adiponectin (adiponectin), another marker of MetS.

Plasma Adiponectin Concentration and Its Association with Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Heart Failure Yonsei Medical Journal. Jan, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22187237 Plasma adiponectin concentrations are inversely related with metabolic syndrome (MetS), and MetS is associated with increased risk for heart failure (HF). However, the relationship between adiponectin and MetS in HF remains undetermined. Therefore, we tested whether MetS was associated with the degree of plasma adiponectin concentrations in HF patients.

Silver Nanoparticle-enhanced Chemiluminescence Method for Determining Naproxen Based on Europium(III)-sensitized Ce(IV)-Na2S2O4 Reaction Journal of Fluorescence. May, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22215565 A simple and sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) method coupled with flow-injection technique is proposed to determine naproxen (NAP). The method is based upon the enhancement of the weak CL signal arising from the reaction of Ce(IV) and Na(2)S(2)O(4) with Eu(3+) to form the Eu(3+)-Ce(IV)-Na(2)S(2)O(4) system. The CL intensity was significantly increased by the introduction of NAP into this system in the presence of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). Examination of the recorded UV-vis spectra and fluorescence spectra indicated that the energy of the intermediate SO(2)*, which originated from the redox reaction of Ce(IV) and Na(2)S(2)O(4), was transferred to Eu(3+) via NAP and that the process was accelerated by Ag NPs due to their catalytic activity. Under the optimum conditions, the CL intensity was increased with increasing NAP concentration and the correlation was linear (r = 0.9992) over the NAP concentration range of 1-420 ng mL(-1). The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.11 ng mL(-1) with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.15% for 5 replicate determinations of 200 ng mL(-1) NAP. The method was successfully applied to determine NAP in pharmaceutical and biological samples.

Analysis of Cyclops Lesions After Different Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructions: a Comparison of the Single-bundle and Remnant Bundle Preservation Techniques Skeletal Radiology. Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22218831 The aim of this work was to compare the prevalence of cyclops lesions after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using the single-bundle and remnant bundle preservation techniques.

Non-lipid Effects of Rosuvastatin-fenofibrate Combination Therapy in High-risk Asian Patients with Mixed Hyperlipidemia Atherosclerosis. Mar, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22269152 The aim of this study is to compare the non-lipid effects of rosuvastatin-fenofibrate combination therapy with rosuvastatin monotherapy in high-risk Asian patients with mixed hyperlipidemia.

Evaluation of Tunnel Position of Posterolateral Corner Reconstruction Using 3-dimensional Computed Tomogram Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Jun, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22326904 To evaluate the isometry of different tunnel positions in posterolateral corner (PLC) reconstruction using 3-dimensional computed tomography.

Validity of the Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Korean National Medical Health Insurance Claims Data: the Korean Heart Study (1) Korean Circulation Journal. Jan, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22363378 Medical insurance claims (MIC) data are one of the largest sources of outcome data in the form of International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. We evaluated the validity of the ICD codes from the Korean National MIC data with respect to the outcomes from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the Korean Heart Study.

Palmitate Promotes the Paracrine Effects of Macrophages on Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: the Role of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins PloS One. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22363399 Saturated fatty acids are known to activate macrophages and induce vascular inflammation. Although cytokines from activated macrophage influence other vascular cells, the influence of saturated fatty acids on the paracrine effect of macrophages is not fully understood yet. Here we examined the impact of palmitate on the effect of macrophages on vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and their mediators. SMCs proliferation increased significantly after treatment with conditioned media from palmitate-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. SMC migration was found to be greater after treatment with palmitate-conditioned media. SM α-actin and SM22α were decreased in SMCs treated with palmitate-conditioned media. When stimulated with palmitate, RAW264.7 cells secreted more bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)2 and BMP4 into the cell culture media. SMC proliferation, migration, and phenotypic changes were attenuated after treatment of neutralizing antibodies against BMPs or knockdown of BMPs with siRNA. The influences of these proteins were further confirmed by direct treatment of recombinant BMP2 and BMP4 on SMCs. Particularly, the effects of BMPs on SMC migration on phenotypic change were obvious, whereas their effect on SMC proliferation seemed not significant or modest. In conclusion, palmitate promoted macrophages' paracrine effects on SMC proliferation, migration, and phenotypic change. The effect of stimulated macrophages was mediated, at least in part, by BMP2 and BMP4. These results suggest a novel mechanism linking saturated fatty acids and the progression of vascular diseases that is possibly mediated by BMPs from macrophages.

Revision Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using a Modified Tibial-inlay Double-bundle Technique The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume. Mar, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22438000 Revision of an unsuccessful posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction is a complicated clinical procedure with an outcome that may be less satisfactory than that after a typical primary PCL reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reasons for failure of primary PCL reconstructions and to determine the clinical outcomes of revision PCL reconstruction after a minimum of two years of follow-up.

UV Radiation-induced Skin Aging in Hairless Mice is Effectively Prevented by Oral Intake of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides L.) Fruit Blend for 6 Weeks Through MMP Suppression and Increase of SOD Activity International Journal of Molecular Medicine. Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22641502 Oxidative stress and oxidative photodamage induced by UV radiation can cause serious skin damage that is characterized by wrinkling, roughness, laxity and pigmentation. The effects of a sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) fruit blend (SFB) containing sea buckthorn fruit extract, blueberry extract and collagen on UV-induced skin aging were examined by treating hairless mice for 6 weeks with UV irradiation and SFB administered orally. The effects of SFB were measured in the skin of these mice by phenotypical and histological analysis and western blotting. According to wrinkle formation analysis, the oral intake of SFB induced a decrease in wrinkle formation in the damaged skin of UV-irradiated mice. The thickness of the epidermis and dermis in the vitamin extracts (Vit)- and SFB-treated group was lower than that in the vehicle-treated group, but the group treated with SFB50 was the most effective group. The mice treated with the Vit- or SFB solution maintained a normal moisture content through the inhibition of transdermal water loss (TEWL) and an increase in skin moisture content. Furthermore, the levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and collagen protein expression were assessed in five groups to examine the mechanisms underlying the effects of SFB oral intake. The application of SFB induced a decrease in MMP-1 and -9 expression to the levels observed in the vehicle-treated group, but MMP-9 expression showed a much larger decrease than MMP-1. Furthermore, the expression of collagen-1 in the skin corresponded to MMP expression except for the SFB30-treated group, whereas the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was increased dramatically in the SFB50-treated group. These results suggest that SFB has potential as a protective and therapeutic drug candidate against skin aging that functions by regulating the moisture content, MMP expression levels and SOD activity.

Flow Injection-chemiluminescence Determination of Dopamine Using Potassium Permanganate and Formaldehyde System Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22683557 A simple and sensitive flow injection-chemiluminescence method for the determination of dopamine has been proposed. The method is based on the enhancing effect of dopamine on the chemiluminescence emission generated by the reaction of potassium permanganate with formaldehyde in an acidic medium. The proposed procedure allows the determination of dopamine over the concentration range of 3.1×10(-8)-1.7×10(-5) mol/L and with a detection limit of 1.0×10(-8) mol/L. The linear regression equation was F=44.4912+1.07×10(9)(*)C (correlation coefficient, r(2)=0.9998). The relative standard deviation is 2.1% for the determination of 1.0×10(-8) mol/L dopamine (n=11). The method was successfully applied to the determination of dopamine in pharmaceutical preparation with satisfactory results. The recoveries were found in the range of 96.5-101.3%.

Using Fixed Fiduciary Markers for Stage Drift Correction Optics Express. May, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22714205 To measure nanometric features with super-resolution requires that the stage, which holds the sample, be stable to nanometric precision. Herein we introduce a new method that uses conventional equipment, is low cost, and does not require intensive computation. Fiduciary markers of approximately 1 µm x 1 µm x 1 µm in x, y, and z dimensions are placed at regular intervals on the coverslip. These fiduciary markers are easy to put down, are completely stationary with respect to the coverslip, are bio-compatible, and do not interfere with fluorescence or intensity measurements. As the coverslip undergoes drift (or is purposely moved), the x-y center of the fiduciary markers can be readily tracked to 1 nanometer using a Gaussian fit. By focusing the light slightly out-of-focus, the z-axis can also be tracked to < 5 nm for dry samples and

How Isometric Are the Anatomic Femoral Tunnel and the Anterior Tibial Tunnel for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction? Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22739002 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the isometry of an anatomic femoral tunnel and anterior tibial tunnel positions.

Comparison of Arterial Stiffness Indices Measured by the Colins and SphygmoCor Systems Hypertension Research : Official Journal of the Japanese Society of Hypertension. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22833159 Arterial stiffness is a known independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality. The Colins system is an easy device and has gained widespread use, but the cutoff value for high-risk central arterial stiffness is not well established. We investigated the correlation between arterial stiffness measured by the Colins system with conventional measurements from the SphygmoCor system. Arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation indices (AIs) were measured on a single visit using two different devices in 948 patients with hypertension or coronary artery disease. Strong positive correlations were observed for PWV values measured by the SphygmoCor and Colins systems. The Colins system measurements accurately predicted high-risk central arterial stiffness, defined as carotid-femoral PWV≥12 m s(-1), with an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.884 (heart-femoral PWV, hfPWV) and 0.830 (brachial-ankle PWV, baPWV) in the training set (N=664). The cutoff values, 11.18 (hfPWV) and 16.17 m s(-1) (baPWV), showed good discrimination in the validation set (N=284), with sensitivity of 83.3 (hfPWV) and 76.0% (baPWV), and specificity of 74.9 (hfPWV) and 82.6% (baPWV). The SphygmoCor and Colins AI systems also showed moderate positive correlation. The Colins AI system better predicted high-risk central pulse pressure as defined by pulse pressure≥50 mm Hg (AUC: Colins, 0.765; SphygmoCor, 0.692; P=0.011). Arterial stiffness measured by the Colins system showed strong positive correlation and agreement with the SphygmoCor system measurement. Cutoff values for high-risk central arterial stiffness in the Colins system need further validation in a prospective study.

Silver Nanoparticles Enhanced Luminescence of Terbium Complex in Solution for L-dopa Determination Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Jul, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22966698 Luminescent properties of a terbium (Tb3+)-L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa) complex by binding to colloidal silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have been presented. Luminescence intensity of the L-dopa complex was dramatically enhanced about 6-7 times by introducing Ag NPs. The Ag NPs concentration on the luminescent intensity was regarded as a main factor that balancing between an enhancing and a quenching effect of the Ag NPs. It was observed that changing the concentration of L-dopa causes the change in luminescence intensity. Under the optimized condition, the luminescence intensity of the system was linearly related to the concentration of L-dopa. Based on this observation, L-dopa-Tb3+ complex containing Ag NPs has been applied for the determination of L-dopa in pharmaceutical formulation. Linear responses of luminescence intensity were observed in the concentration range of 0.25 to 1.5 nM (r = 0.9934) of L-dopa with limit of detection 0.042 nM. The performance of the system was tested using 1.0 x 10(-9) M of L-dopa, yielding a precision of 1.21% RSD for nine replicate measurements. The present method has been successfully applied to determine L-dopa in pharmaceutical samples.

Enhanced Luminescence of Lanthanide Complexes by Silver Nanoparticles for Ciprofloxacin Determination Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Jul, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22966720 We present the enhancement of luminescence of europium complex, Eu(3+)-ciprofloxacin (CIP), in the presence of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) for the CIP determination. The increment of the luminescence intensity of the Eu(3+)-CIP complex with Ag NPs was obtained due to the transfer of resonance energy to the fluorophores through the interaction of the excited-state fluorophores and surface plasmon electron in the metal nano surface. The luminescence intensity of Eu3+ was enhanced by complexation with CIP at 614 nm after excitation at 373 nm corresponding to the 5D0-7F2 transitions of Eu3+ ion. Based on the above phenomenon, a sensitive and rapid spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the CIP determination. Linearity of the calibration curve was obtained in the range of 2.0 x 10(-10)-1.0 x 10(-8) g mL(-1) with correlation coefficient of 0.9992. The limit of detection of CIP was found to be 1.9 x 10(-11) g mL(-1) with the relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.19% for 5 replicate measurements of 5.0 x 10(-7) g mL(-1) of CIP. The present method has been successfully applied for CIP determination in pharmaceutical and biological samples.

Modeling of the LDL Cholesterol-lowering Effect of Atorvastatin in Korean Dyslipidemic Patients and Non-patient Volunteers International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22981146 The aim of this study was to develop a longitudinal pharmacodynamic model describing the time-courses of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) profiles during and after atorvastatin treatment in Korean dyslipidemic patients and non-patient volunteers.

Clinical Outcomes of Remnant-preserving Augmentation Versus Double-bundle Reconstruction in the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22981802 The purpose of this study was to analyze differences in the clinical results between a remnant-preserving augmentation and a double-bundle reconstruction.

Enzymeless Determination of Total Sugar by Luminol-tetrachloroaurate Chemiluminescence on Chip to Analyze Food Samples Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23052873 Chemiluminescence (CL) emission from luminol-tetrachloroaurate ([AuCl(4)](-)) system studied in presence of monosaccharide sugars such as glucose and fructose was investigated on a microfluidic chip fabricated by the soft lithography technique. CL emission from the luminol-[AuCl(4)](-) system at 430 nm was intensified remarkably by the catalytic activity of glucose and fructose at room temperature. Under optimized conditions, the CL emission intensity of the system was found to be linearly related to the concentration of the sugars. Based on this observation, nonenzymatic determination of total sugar (glucose, fructose, or hydrolyzable sucrose) was performed in a rapid and sensitive analytical method. The results revealed that the linearity ranged from 9 to 1,750 μM for glucose and 80 to 1,750 μM for fructose, with a limit of detection of 0.65 and 0.69 μM, respectively. The relative standard deviations determined at 250 μM based on six repetitive injections were 1.13 and 1.15% for glucose and fructose, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied for determination of the total sugar concentration in food and beverages.

Selenium Significantly Inhibits Adipocyte Hypertrophy and Abdominal Fat Accumulation in OLETF Rats Via Induction of Fatty Acid β-oxidation Biological Trace Element Research. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23076603 A combination of selenium (Se) with other trace element is associated with partially modulate fatty acid distribution as well as reduction of the body weight and feed efficiency. To investigate whether or not Se treatment has an impact on lipid metabolism, we examined the levels of lipid metabolism-related factors, including abdominal fat, adiponectin, cholesterol, very long chain dehydrogenase (VLCAD), and medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) in 20-week-old Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats following sodium selenite treatment for 2 weeks. Herein, we observed that (a) Se treatment induced insulin-like effects by lowering the serum glucose level in rats; (b) Se-treated rats showed significance values decreases in abdominal fat mass, adipocyte size, and adiponectin, which are associated with lipid metabolism; (c) Se treatment led to reduced levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol; (d) fat tissue in Se-treated rats displayed significantly lower expression of adipocyte marker genes along with increased expression of VLCAD and MCAD; and (e) fatty liver formation and β-oxidation gene expression were both significantly reduced in liver tissue of Se-treated rats. Therefore, our results suggest that Se may induce inhibition of adipocyte hypertrophy and abdominal fat accumulation along with suppression of fatty liver formation by the differential regulation of the gene expression for fatty acid β-oxidation in the OLETF model.

Aqueous Extract of Liriope Platyphylla, a Traditional Chinese Medicine, Significantly Inhibits Abdominal Fat Accumulation and Improves Glucose Regulation in OLETF Type II Diabetes Model Rats Laboratory Animal Research. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23091518 Liriope platyphylla is a medical herb that has long been used in Korea and China to treat cough, sputum, neurodegenerative disorders, obesity, and diabetes. The aims of this study were to determine the antidiabetic and antiobesity effects of aqueous extract of L. platyphylla (AEtLP) through glucose and lipid regulation in both pre-diabetes and obesity stage of type II diabetes model. Two concentrations of AEtLP were orally administrated to OLETF (Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty) rats once a day for 2 weeks, after which changes in glucose metabolism and fat accumulation were measured. Abdominal fat mass dramatically decreased in AEtLP-treated OLETF rats, whereas glucose concentration slightly decreased in all AEtLP-treated rats. However, compared to vehicle-treated OLETF rats, only AEtLP10 (10% concentration)-treated OLETF rats displayed significant induction of insulin production, whereas AEtLP5 (5% concentration)-treated OLETF rats showed a lower level of insulin. Although serum adiponectin level increased in only AEtLP5-treated rats, significant alteration of lipid concentration was detected in AEtLP5-treated OLETF rats. Expression of Glut-1 decreased in all AEtLP-treated rats, whereas Akt phosphorylation increased only in AEtLP10-treated OLETF rats. Furthermore, the pattern of Glut-3 expression was very similar with that of Glut-1 expression, which roughly corresponded with the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-teminal kinase (JNK) and p38 in the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Therefore, these findings suggest that AEtLP should be considered as a therapeutic candidate during pre-diabetes and obesity stage capable of inducing insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells, glucose uptake in liver cells, as well as a decrease in fat and lipid accumulation.

Comparison of the Clinical Outcomes After Total Knee Arthroplasty with the LCS Rotating Platform Mobile Bearing Knee System and the PFC Sigma RP-F Mobile Bearing Knee System Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23205234 We compared clinical outcomes after total knee arthroplasty with the Low Contact Stress (LCS) rotating platform mobile bearing knee system and the Press Fit Condylar Sigma rotating platform high flexion (PFC Sigma RP-F) mobile bearing knee system.

High Tibial Open Wedge Osteotomy Below the Tibial Tubercle: Clinical and Radiographic Results Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 21384234 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic results of open wedge HTO below the tubercle for genu varum in relatively young patients.

Adiponectin and Progression of Arterial Stiffness in Hypertensive Patients International Journal of Cardiology. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 21724272 Recent studies suggest that adiposity is associated with arterial stiffness. However, it is unclear which adipokine or what adiposity related parameters are related with the progression of arterial stiffness. We hypothesized that in hypertensive patients, initial levels of adipokines such as adiponectin and resistin are related to the progression of arterial stiffness, which has been proven to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events.

Factors Predicting Hamstring Tendon Autograft Diameters and Resulting Failure Rates After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22688502 The purposes of this study are to confirm factors that affect the diameter of hamstring tendon autograft and to compare failure rates between the factors after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

A Chelate Complex-enhanced Luminol System for Selective Determination of Co(II), Fe(II) and Cr(III) Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. May-Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22715144 A determination method for Co(II), Fe(II) and Cr(III) ions by luminol-H2 O2 system using chelating reagents is presented. A metal ion-chelating ligand complex with a Co(II) ion and a chelating reagent like ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) produced highly enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) intensity as well as longer lifetime in the luminol-H2 O2 system compared to metals that exist as free ions. Whereas free Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions had a strong catalytic effect on the luminol-H2 O2 system, significantly, the complexes of Cu(II) and Pb(II) with chelating reagents lost their catalytic activity due to the chelating reagents acting as masking agents. Based on the observed phenomenon, it was possible to determine Co(II), Fe(II) and Cr(III) ions with enhanced sensitivity and selectivity using the chelating reagents of the luminol-H2 O2 system. The effects of ligand, H2 O2 concentration, pH, buffer solution and concentrations of chelating reagents on CL intensity of the luminol-H2 O2 system were investigated and optimized for the determination of Co(II), Fe(II) and Cr(III) ions. Under optimized conditions, the calibration curve of metal ions was linear over the range of 2.0 × 10(-8) to 2.0 × 10(-5) M for Co(II), 1.0 × 10(-7) to 2.0 × 10(-5) M for Fe (II) and 2.0 × 10(-7) to 1.0 × 10(-4) M for Cr(III). Limits of detection (3σ/s) were 1.2 × 10(-8) , 4.0 × 10(-8) and 1.2 × 10(-7) M for Co(II), Fe(II) and Cr(III), respectively.

The Isometry of Two Different Paths for Remnant-preserving Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22763568 It is reported that the length of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) fibres increases as the knee flexes, and the magnitude of the length change reaches up to 9.8 mm throughout the range of motion, which exceeds the range of failure strain. Therefore, we postulated that a compensatory mechanism must be recruited to overcome this large strain in order to maintain physiologic function as a key component of joint kinematics. Our main objective was to compare the length change pattern for the linear distance between the femoral and tibial tunnels with the length change patterns derived from a real isometer test of different curvatures.

A Validated Spectrofluorimetric Method for the Determination of Citalopram in Bulk and Pharmaceutical Preparations Based on the Measurement of the Silver Nanoparticles-enhanced Fluorescence of Citalopram/terbium Complexes Journal of Fluorescence. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23014772 A simple, sensitive, and accurate spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of citalopram in bulk and pharmaceutical preparations. The method is based on the enhancement of the weak fluorescence signal (FL) of the Tb (III)-citalopram system in the presence of silver nanoparticles. Fluorescence intensities were measured at 555 nm after excitation at 281 nm. Prepared silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were characterized by UV-Visible spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Various factors affecting the formation of citalopram-Tb (III)-AgNPs complexes were studied and optimized. The fluorescence intensity versus concentration plot was linear over the range 0.02-14 μg mL(-1), with an excellent correlation coefficient of 0.9978. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were found to be 7.15 × 10(-6) μg mL(-1) and 2.38 × 10(-5) μg mL(-1) respectively. The proposed method was found to have good reproducibility with a relative standard deviation of 3.66% (n = 6). The interference effects of common excipients found in pharmaceutical preparations were studied. The developed method was validated statistically by performing recoveries studies and successfully applied for the assay of citalopram in bulk powder and pharmaceutical preparations. Percent recoveries were found to range from 98.98% to 100.97% for bulk powder and from 96.57% to 101.77% for pharmaceutical preparations.

Less Blood Loss Under Concomitant Administration of Tranexamic Acid and Indirect Factor Xa Inhibitor Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: a Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Nov, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23052111 The objective of this prospective randomized controlled trial was to assess the efficacy and safety of simultaneous application of tranexamic acid and indirect factor Xa inhibitor following total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Chemiluminescence Microfluidic System of Gold Nanoparticles Enhanced Luminol-silver Nitrate for the Determination of Vitamin B12 Biomedical Microdevices. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23053451 A rapid and sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) system coupled with a microfluidic chip has been presented to determine vitamin B12 (VB12) based on the reaction of luminol and silver nitrate (AgNO(3)) in the presence of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). A microfluidic chip was fabricated by a soft-lithographic procedure using polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) having four inlets and one outlet with a 200 μm wide, 250 μm deep, and 100 mm long microchannel. Ag(+) was used as a chemiluminogenic oxidant in this CL reaction which oxidized luminol to produce strong CL signal in the presence of AuNPs. Luminol reacted with AgNO(3) under the catalysis of AuNPs to produce luminol radicals which reacted with dissolved oxygen and emitted CL light. The proposed CL system was applied to determine the amount of VB12 in VB12 tablets and multivitamin. Under the optimum conditions, the CL intensity of the system was increased with the concentration of VB12 in the range of 0.25-100 ng mL(-1) with the correlation coefficient of 0.9982. The limit of detection was found to be 0.04 ng mL(-1) with the relative standard deviation of 1.56 % for five replicate determinations of 25 ng mL(-1) of VB12. The CL reaction mechanism was demonstrated by UV-visible spectra and CL emission spectra.

Does Varus Alignment Increase After Medial Meniscectomy? Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Sep, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23143418 In patients who underwent arthroscopic meniscectomy for medial meniscus tears, the authors wished to ascertain (1) whether varus alignment in the lower extremity would increase after an operation and (2) if so, what the related factors would be.

Determination of Sulpiride in Pharmaceutical Preparations and Biological Fluids Using a Cr (III) Enhanced Chemiluminescence Method Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. Nov-Dec, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23225777 A highly sensitive and simple method for identifying sulpiride in pharmaceutical formulations and biological fluids is presented. The method is based on increased chemiluminescence (CL) intensity of a luminol-H2O2 system in response to the addition of Cr (III) under alkaline conditions. The CL intensity of the luminol-H2O2-Cr (III) system was greatly enhanced by the addition of sulpiride and the CL intensity was proportional to the concentration of sulpiride in a sample solution. Various parameters affecting the CL intensity were systematically investigated and optimized for determination of the sulpiride in a sample. Under the optimum conditions, the CL intensity was proportional to the concentration of sulpiride in the range of 0.068-4.0 µg/mL, with a good correlation coefficient of 0.997. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were found to be 8.50 × 10(-6) µg/mL and 2.83 × 10(-5) µg/mL, respectively. The method presented here produced good reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 2.70% (n = 7). The effects of common excipients and metal ions were studied for their interference effect. The method was validated statistically through recovery studies and successfully applied for the determination of sulpiride in pure form, pharmaceutical preparations and spiked human plasma samples. The percentage recoveries were found to range from 99.10 to 100.05% for pure form, 98.12 to 100.18% for pharmaceutical preparations and 97.9 to 101.4% for spiked human plasma.

Inferior Anchor Cortical Perforation with Arthroscopic Bankart Repair: a Cadaveric Study Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23276411 The aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence of anchor penetration of the far cortex of the glenoid neck after arthroscopic Bankart repair and to compare the biomechanical properties of anchors in the 4- and 5:30- to 6-o'clock positions on the glenoid.

Diagnostic Criterion to Distinguish Between Incomplete and Complete Discoid Lateral Meniscus on MRI Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging : JMRI. Aug, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23293049 To determine a new cutoff value that can further distinguish between the incomplete and complete discoid lateral meniscus (DLM).

Chemiluminescence Determination of Folic Acid by a Flow Injection Analysis Assembly Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23334502 A flow injection (FI) method is reported for the determination of folic acid by chemiluminescence method. This method is based on the reaction of folic acid with Ru(bipy)(3)(2+) and Ce(IV) to produce chemiluminescence. The calibration curve was linear over the range of 2.5×10(-5)-3.1×10(-7) mol/L with a detection limit of 2.3×10(-8) mol/L (S/N=3). The relative standard deviation of 1.0×10(-6) mol/L folic acid was found 3.5% (n=11). The influences of potential interfering substances were studied. The recovery was higher than 95.3%. The method was accurate, sensitive, and effective for assay of folic acid. This CL method was successfully applied to the determination of folic acid in pharmaceutical preparations. The mechanism of CL reaction was also studied.

Does Cast Immobilization Contribute to Posterior Stability After Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction? Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23351730 The purpose of this study was to confirm the contribution of long leg cast immobilization to posterior stability after reconstruction of isolated posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries.

A Genome-wide Association Study of a Coronary Artery Disease Risk Variant Journal of Human Genetics. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23364394 Although over 30 common genetic susceptibility loci have been identified to be independently associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) risk through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), genetic risk variants reported to date explain only a small fraction of heritability. To identify novel susceptibility variants for CAD and confirm those previously identified in European population, GWAS and a replication study were performed in the Koreans and Japanese. In the discovery stage, we genotyped 2123 cases and 3591 controls with 521 786 SNPs using the Affymetrix SNP Array 6.0 chips in Korean. In the replication, direct genotyping was performed using 3052 cases and 4976 controls from the KItaNagoya Genome study of Japan with 14 selected SNPs. To maximize the coverage of the genome, imputation was performed based on 1000 Genome JPT+CHB and 5.1 million SNPs were retained. CAD association was replicated for three GWAS-identified loci (1p13.3/SORT1 (rs599839), 9p21.3/CDKN2A/2B (rs4977574), and 11q22.3/ PDGFD (rs974819)) in Koreans. From GWAS and a replication, SNP rs3782889 showed a strong association (combined P=3.95 × 10(-14)), although the association of SNP rs3782889 doesn't remain statistically significant after adjusting for SNP rs11066015 (proxy SNP with BRAP (r(2)=1)). But new possible CAD-associated variant was observed for rs9508025 (FLT1), even though its statistical significance did marginally reach at the genome-wide a significance level (combined P=6.07 × 10(-7)). This study shows that three CAD susceptibility loci, which were previously identified in European can be directly replicated in Koreans and also provides additional evidences implicating suggestive loci as risk variants for CAD in East Asian.

Association of Serum Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/kexin Type 9 with Carotid Intima Media Thickness in Hypertensive Subjects Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23380568 The clinical significance of the measurement of serum PCSK9 (proprotein subtilisin kexin type 9) is not well defined. This study investigated the association between serum PCSK9 levels and atherosclerosis assessed by carotid intima media thickness (IMT) in hypertensive patients.

Association Between Serine/Threonine Kinase 39 Gene Polymorphism, Hypertension, and Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Koreans Korean Circulation Journal. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23408757 Although the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Serine/Threonine Kinase 39 (STK39) and hypertension has been reported, the prior studies have been inconsistent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between rs3754777 and rs6749447, the two SNPs of STK39, and hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors in Koreans, residing in the Republic of Korea.

Differential Impact of Metabolic Syndrome on Subclinical Atherosclerosis According to the Presence of Diabetes Cardiovascular Diabetology. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23452437 Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with increased risks of diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, data on the impact of MS and its individual components on subclinical atherosclerosis (SCA) according to diabetes status are scarce.

Second Derivative Synchronous Fluorimetric Method for Simultaneous Determination of Harman and Norharman in Coffee Samples Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23563636 The simultaneous determination of harman and norharman using second derivative synchronous fluorescence method has been developed based on their natural fluorescence. Due to their similar molecular structures, it is difficult to determine them simultaneously in the mixture using conventional fluorimetry. Overlapping of fluorescence spectra was resolved by using a constant second derivative synchronous fluorimetry. The derivative synchronous spectrum, maintaining a constant difference of Δλ=150 nm between emission and excitation for both the compounds, has been selected for the analysis. The range of application is between 0.182 and 18.2 μg/mL (correlation coefficient, R=0.9982) for harman and between 0.504 and 16.8 μg/mL (correlation coefficient, R=0.9962) for norharman. The recovery ranges of 98.5-101.1% for harman and 97.5-99.1% for norharman from their synthetic mixture was reported. The detection limits are 0.016 μg/mL and 0.038 μg/mL for harman and norharman, respectively. Similarly, the quantitation limit of the two compounds was found to be 0.049 and 0.109 μg/mL, respectively. The method was applied to the simultaneous determination of both compounds in coffee samples with satisfactory results.

Immunosenescent CD8+ T Cells and C-X-C Chemokine Receptor Type 3 Chemokines Are Increased in Human Hypertension Hypertension. Jul, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23716586 The pathogenic role of T cells in hypertension has been documented well in recent animal studies. However, the existence of T-cell-driven inflammation in human hypertension has not been confirmed. Therefore, we undertook immunologic characterization of T cells from patients with hypertension and measured circulating levels of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 3 chemokines, which are well-known tissue-homing chemokines for T cells. We analyzed immunologic markers on T cells from patients with hypertension by multicolor flow cytometry. We then measured circulating levels of the C-X-C chemokine receptor type 3 chemokines, monokine induced by γ interferon (IFN), IFN γ-induced protein 10, and IFN-inducible T-cell α chemoattractant, in patients with hypertension and in age- and sex-matched control subjects by the cytometric bead array method. In addition, we examined histological features of IFN-inducible T-cell α chemoattractant expression from renal biopsy specimens of patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis and control subjects. The total T-cell population from patients with hypertension showed an increased fraction of immunosenescent, proinflammatory, cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells. Circulating levels of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 3 chemokines were significantly higher in patients with hypertension than in control subjects. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining revealed increased expression of the T-cell chemokine, IFN-inducible T-cell α chemoattractant, in the proximal and distal tubules of patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis. Immunosenescent CD8(+) T cells and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 3 chemokines are increased in human hypertension, suggesting a role for T-cell-driven inflammation in hypertension. A more detailed characterization of CD8(+) T cells may offer new opportunities for the prevention and treatment of human hypertension.

Chemiluminescence Determination of Moxifloxacin in Pharmaceutical and Biological Samples Based on Its Enhancing Effect of the Luminol-ferricyanide System Using a Microfluidic Chip Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23723140 A sensitive determination of a synthetic fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent, moxifloxacin (MOX), by an enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) method using a microfluidic chip is described. The microfluidic chip was fabricated by a soft-lithographic procedure using polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS). The fabricated PDMS microfluidic chip had three-inlet microchannels for introducing the sample, chemiluminescent reagent and oxidant, and a 500â€‰Âµm wide, 250â€‰Âµm deep and 82â€‰mm long microchannel. An enhanced CL system, luminol-ferricyanide, was adopted to analyze the MOX concentration in a sample solution. CL light was emitted continuously after mixing luminol and ferricyanide in the presence of MOX on the PDMS microfluidic chip. The amount of MOX in the luminol-ferricyanide system influenced the intensity of the CL light. The linear range of MOX concentration was 0.14-55.0â€‰ng/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9992. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.06 and 0.2â€‰ng/mL respectively. The presented method afforded good reproducibility, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.05% for 10â€‰ng/mL of MOX, and has been successfully applied for the determination of MOX in pharmaceutical and biological samples. Copyright Â© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantitative Evaluation of Therapeutic Effect of Liriope Platyphylla on Phthalic Anhydride-induced Atopic Dermatitis in IL-4/Luc/CNS-1 Tg Mice Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Jul, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23726789 A variety of previous pharmacological studies have suggested that Liriope platyphylla may exert beneficial biological effects on inflammation, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorder, obesity, and atopic dermatitis (AD).

Thromboprophylaxis for Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism After Total Joint Arthroplasty in a Low Incidence Population Knee Surgery & Related Research. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23741698 Postoperative venous thromboembolism is one of the most serious complications following total joint arthroplasty. Pharmacological and mechanical prophylaxis methods are used to reduce the risk of postoperative symptomatic deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Use of pharmacological prophylaxis requires a fine balance between the efficacy of the drug in preventing deep vein thrombosis and the adverse effects associated with the use of these drugs. In regions with a low prevalence of deep vein thrombosis such as Korea, there might be a question whether the benefits of using pharmacological prophylaxis outweigh the risks involved. The current article reviews the need for thromboprophylaxis, guidelines, problems with the guidelines, pharmacological prophylaxis use, and the current scenario of deep vein thrombosis, and discusses whether the use of pharmacological prophylaxis should be mandatory in low incidence populations.

Protective Effect of Survivin in Doxorubicin-induced Cell Death in H9c2 Cardiac Myocytes Korean Circulation Journal. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23882289 Apoptosis has been known to be an important mechanism of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Survivin, which belongs to the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, is associated with apoptosis and alteration of the cardiac myocyte molecular pathways. Therefore, we investigated the anti-apoptotic effect and cellular mechanisms of survivin using a protein delivery system in a doxorubicin-induced cardiac myocyte injury model.

Atomic Selectivity in Dissociative Electron Attachment to Dihalobenzenes Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP. Oct, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23936900 We investigated electron attachment to three dihalobenzene molecules, bromochlorobenzene (BCB), bromoiodobenzene (BIB) and chloroiodobenzene (CIB), by molecular beam photoelectron spectroscopy. The most prominent product of electron attachment in the anion mass spectra was the atomic fragment of the less electronegative halogen of the two, i.e., Br(-) for BCB and I(-) for BIB and CIB. Photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations suggested that the approaching electron prefers to attack the less electronegative atom, a seemingly counterintuitive finding but consistent with the mass spectrometric result. For the iodine-containing species BIB and CIB, the photoelectron spectrum consists of bands from both the molecular anion and atomic I(-), the latter of which is produced by photodissociation of the former. Molecular orbital analysis revealed that a large degree of orbital energy reordering takes place upon electron attachment. These phenomena were shown to be readily explained by simple molecular orbital theory and the electronegativity of the halogen atoms.

Serum Adiponectin and Type 2 Diabetes: a 6-year Follow-up Cohort Study Diabetes & Metabolism Journal. Aug, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23991403 Studies on factors which may predict the risk of diabetes are scarce. This prospective cohort study was conducted to determine the association between adiponectin and type 2 diabetes among Korean men and women.

Association Between CDH13 Variants and Cardiometabolic and Vascular Phenotypes in a Korean Population Yonsei Medical Journal. Nov, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 24142632 Although some CDH13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been shown to be determinants of blood adiponectin levels, the clinical implications of CDH13 variants are not yet completely understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of SNPs of CDH13 on metabolic and vascular phenotypes.

Arthroscopic Repair of Bucket-handle Tears of the Lateral Meniscus Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Nov, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 24213736 This study was undertaken to document the clinical results of arthroscopic meniscus repair for treatment of displaced bucket-handle tears of the lateral meniscus.

Remnant Preservation is Helpful to Obtain Good Clinical Results in Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Comparison of Clinical Results of Three Techniques Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery. Dec, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 24340147 The purpose of the present study was to compare the clinical results of 3 posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction techniques according to the time from injury to surgery and remnant PCL status and to evaluate the efficiency of each technique.

A Validated Silver-nanoparticle-enhanced Chemiluminescence Method for the Determination of Citalopram in Pharmaceutical Preparations and Human Plasma Luminescence : the Journal of Biological and Chemical Luminescence. May, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 23754499 A simple and sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) method was developed for the determination of citalopram in pharmaceutical preparations and human plasma. The method is based on the enhancement of the weak CL signal of the luminol-H2 O2 system. It was found that the CL signal arising from the reaction between alkaline luminol and H2 O2 was greatly increased by the addition of silver nanoparticles in the presence of citalopram. Prepared silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Various experimental parameters affecting CL intensity were studied and optimized for the determination of citalopram. Under optimized experimental conditions, CL intensity was found to be proportional to the concentration of citalopram in the range 40-2500 ng/mL, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9997. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the devised method were 3.78 and 12.62 ng/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the developed method was found to have excellent reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.65% (n = 7). Potential interference by common excipients was also studied. The method was validated statistically using recovery studies and was successfully applied to the determination of citalopram in the pure form, in pharmaceutical preparations and in spiked human plasma samples. Percentage recoveries were found to range from 97.71 to 101.99% for the pure form, from 97.84 to 102.78% for pharmaceutical preparations and from 95.65 to 100.35% for spiked human plasma.

Comparison of Double-bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction and Single-bundle Reconstruction with Remnant Pull-out Suture Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Sep, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 23892438 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stability and functional outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction by tensioning of the ACL remnant using pull-out sutures compared with ACL double-bundle reconstruction.

Reactive Oxygen Species Play a Critical Role in Collagen-induced Platelet Activation Via SHP-2 Oxidation Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. Jun, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24093153 The collagen-stimulated generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulates signal transduction in platelets, although the mechanism is unclear. The major targets of ROS include protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). ROS-mediated oxidation of the active cysteine site in PTPs abrogates the PTP catalytic activity. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether collagen-induced ROS generation leads to PTP oxidation, which promotes platelet stimulation.

Meniscus Allograft Transplantation: a Comparison of Medial and Lateral Procedures The American Journal of Sports Medicine. Jan, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24214930 Because of the anatomic and biomechanical differences between the lateral and medial menisci, it is believed that the indications, combined injuries, techniques, and outcomes of the 2 meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) procedures may be different.

Comparison of Association of Glomerular Filtration Rate with Metabolic Syndrome in a Community-based Population Using the CKD-EPI and MDRD Study Equations Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry. Feb, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24360849 Targeting metabolic syndrome (MetS) in early chronic kidney disease (CKD) is essential to reduce cardiovascular complications. We compared the association of kidney function estimated by two glomerular filtration rate (GFR) equations with MetS in community population.

Detailed Pathologic Evaluation on Endomyocardial Biopsy Provides Long-term Prognostic Information in Patients with Acute Myocarditis Cardiovascular Pathology : the Official Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology. May-Jun, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24529879 The long-term prognosis of biopsy-proven myocarditis is not well known. We hypothesized that a detailed pathological examination of an endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) would reveal prognostic information in patients with acute myocarditis.

Blocking the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Product Activation Attenuates Autoimmune Myocarditis Circulation Journal : Official Journal of the Japanese Circulation Society. 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24599045 The Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) is a pattern recognition receptor for endogenous ligands, and is associated with various inflammatory diseases. However, the role of RAGE activation in myocarditis has yet to be examined. The potential role of RAGE in the development of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) and the effect of RAGE blocking in attenuating the inflammation in the EAM was investigated.

Do the Radiographic Findings of Symptomatic Discoid Lateral Meniscus in Children Differ from Normal Control Subjects? Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA. Mar, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24619490 The aim of this study was to quantitatively compare radiographic findings of symptomatic discoid lateral meniscus in children with those of matched controls.

Red Cell Distribution Width As an Independent Predictor of Exercise Intolerance and Ventilatory Inefficiency in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure Yonsei Medical Journal. May, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24719129 Peak oxygen uptake (peak VO₂) and ventilatory inefficiency (VE/VCO₂ slope) have proven to be strong prognostic markers in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Recently increased red cell distribution width (RDW) has emerged as an additional predictor of poor outcome in CHF. We sought to evaluate the relationship between RDW and cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) parameters in CHF patients and healthy controls.

Meniscus Allograft Transplantation for Discoid Lateral Meniscus: Clinical Comparison Between Discoid Lateral Meniscus and Nondiscoid Lateral Meniscus Arthroscopy : the Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery : Official Publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association. Jun, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24768466 This study was performed to compare the clinical results of meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) after total meniscectomy in torn discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) and nondiscoid lateral meniscus (NLM).

Arthroscopic Anatomic Study of Posteromedial Joint Capsule in Knee Joint Associated with Popliteal Cyst Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery. Jul, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24781525 The purpose of this study was to examine the arthroscopic anatomy of posteromedial capsule and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in internal derangement of the knee joint and to analyze the relationship between popliteal cysts and the posteromedial capsule.

C-reactive Protein Inhibits Survivin Expression Via Akt/mTOR Pathway Downregulation by PTEN Expression in Cardiac Myocytes PloS One. 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24866016 C-reactive protein (CRP) is one of the most important biomarkers for arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Recent studies have shown that CRP affects cell cycle and inflammatory process in cardiac myocytes. Survivin is also involved in cardiac myocytes replication and apoptosis. Reduction of survivin expression is associated with less favorable cardiac remodeling in animal models. However, the effect of CRP on survivin expression and its cellular mechanism has not yet been studied. We demonstrated that treatment of CRP resulted in a significant decrease of survivin protein expression in a concentration-dependent manner in cardiac myocytes. The upstream signaling proteins of survivin, such as Akt, mTOR and p70S6K, were also downregulated by CRP treatment. In addition, CRP increased the protein and mRNA levels of PTEN. The siRNA transfection or specific inhibitor treatment for PTEN restored the CRP-induced downregulation of Akt/mTOR/p70S6K pathway and survivin protein expression. Moreover, pretreatment with a specific p53 inhibitor decreased the CRP-induced PTEN expression. ERK-specific inhibitor also blocked the p53 phosphorylation and PTEN expression induced by CRP. Our study provides a novel insight into CRP-induced downregulation of survivin protein expression in cardiac myocytes through mechanisms that involved in downregulation of Akt/mTOR/p70S6K pathway by expression of PTEN.

Corrective Tibial Osteotomy in Young Adults Using an Intramedullary Nail Knee Surgery & Related Research. Jun, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24944974 The purpose of this study was to document results of a less invasive technique of open wedge proximal tibial osteotomy (PTO) for the varus knee in young adults using an intramedullary tibial nail.

Differential Protein Expression and Novel Biomarkers Related to 5-FU Resistance in a 3D Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Model Oncology Reports. Oct, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 25050539 The multicellular spheroid (MCS) is an in vitro model which is highly representative of the avascular region of solid tumors by reflecting microenvironmental conditions in vivo. Hence, it is considered the most appropriate model for studying drug resistance. We compared chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and differential protein expression between the 3D MCS model and the 2D monolayers using DLD-1 cells. We analyzed several significant signaling molecules through western blot analysis. Although various changes in the expression level were observed depending on the samples, we did not obtained remarkable findings. Notably, the level of p-mTOR decreased upon 5-FU exposure in the monolayers, while its level was higher in the MCSs. Nine novel proteins were identified by 2-DE and MALDI-TOF analysis for exhibiting differential expression between the MCS model and the monolayers. Among these, collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP-2), DNA replication complex GINS protein PSF2 (PSF-2) and selenium-binding protein 1 (SBP-1) were notable not only for their differential expression but also for decreased expression following 5-FU exposure, indicating their possible roles as novel biomarkers for sensitivity (CRMP-2, PSF-2) as well as resistance (SBP-1) to 5-FU. Overall, the present study demonstrated greater 5-FU resistance in human colorectal cancer cells grown as MCSs compared to monolayers and identified p-mTOR, CRMP-2, PSF-2 and SBP-1 as novel potential biomarkers of 5-FU chemosensitivity/resistance for human colorectal cancer, findings which warrant further investigation.

Can Physical Examination Predict the Intraarticular Tear Pattern of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament? Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery. Oct, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 25064508 We evaluated the correlation between physical examinations and the tear patterns of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Comparison of Pooled Cohort Risk Equations and Framingham Risk Score for Metabolic Syndrome in a Korean Community-based Population International Journal of Cardiology. Aug, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 25115266

Effect of High-Dose Statin Loading on Biomarkers Related to Inflammation and Renal Injury in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Heart Failure Circulation Journal : Official Journal of the Japanese Circulation Society. Aug, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 25168278 Background:High-dose statin loading is known to reduce periprocedural myocardial infarction and contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. However, the clinical role of high-dose statin loading in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) remains unknown.Methods and Results:In a prospective, single-center, randomized, controlled, open-label pilot study, patients hospitalized with AHF were randomly assigned to receive oral high-dose atorvastatin loading (80 mg for 3 days, followed by 10 mg/day until discharge) or no statin therapy, on top of optimal HF treatment. The primary outcome measures were changes to the level of biomarkers related to inflammation and renal injury from admission to hospital day 4. No significant changes in the levels of NT-proBNP (-2,627±4,956 vs. -2,981±6,951 pg/ml, P=0.845), hsCRP (-6.1±16.4 vs. -2.1±16.2 mg/L, P=0.105), cystatin C (0.002±0.185 vs. 0.009±0.216 mg/L, P=0.904), ACR (-886.3±1,984.9 vs. -165.6±825.2 mg/day, P=0.124) were observed in either group. In-hospital mortality (4.3% vs. 3.8%, P>0.999) and all-cause mortality at 90 days (4.3% vs. 3.8%, P>0.999) were not significantly different between groups.Conclusions:This pilot study showed that oral high-dose atorvastatin loading may be used safely in patients with AHF, but is not effective in reducing the levels of circulating biomarkers related to inflammation and renal injury during hospitalization.

Erratum To: Can Physical Examination Predict the Intraarticular Tear Pattern of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament? Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery. Oct, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 25200442

Compartment Syndrome Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: Clinical Results of Late Fasciotomy Knee Surgery & Related Research. Sep, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 25229048 Compartment syndrome after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a rare complication. Because of its rarity, it may be overlooked and misdiagnosed as peroneal nerve palsy or deep vein thrombosis. This misdiagnosis could have a profound impact on the patient's outcome. We report a case of a 77-year-old female who developed unilateral compartment syndrome in the calf after staged bilateral TKA at an outside clinic. The patient presented with medical complications related to compartment syndrome: rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria, which caused acute renal failure. Thus, we performed late fasciotomy one week after symptom onset to debride necrotic tissue and salvage the compartment. In the discussion section, we will discuss risk factors for compartment syndrome after TKA, results of late fasciotomy and other indications for surgical treatment of compartment syndrome.

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Articles by Sang Hak Lee in JoVE

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Other articles by Sang Hak Lee on PubMed

In JoVE (1)

Other Publications (193)

Articles by Sang Hak Lee in JoVE

Biology

Other articles by Sang Hak Lee on PubMed

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