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Biomedical subjects

C R Kim

Publications and source records attributed to C R Kim.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Dicynthaurin: an antimicrobial peptide from hemocytes of the solitary tunicate, Halocynthia aurantium.

We isolated a novel antimicrobial peptide, dicynthaurin, from hemocytes of a tunicate, Halocynthia aurantium. The native peptide had a mass of approximately 6.2 kDa and was composed of two 30-residue monomers without sequence homology to any previously identified peptides (ILQKAVLDCLKAAGSSLSKAAITAIYNKIT). Most cynthaurin molecules were C-terminally amidated and were linked covalently by a single cystine disulfide bond. When performed in membrane-mimetic environments, circular dichroism studies of dicynthaurin revealed largely alpha-helical conformations. Dicynthaurin's broad-spectrum activity encompassed Gram-positive (Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), but not Candida albicans, a fungus. Although dicynthaurin was purified from a marine invertebrate, its antimicrobial activity was optimal at NaCl concentrations below 100 mM. This suggests that the antimicrobial actions of this molecule may take place intracellularly (e.g., within a phagosome) rather than extracellularly.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Alterations in irregular and fractal heart rate behavior in growth restricted fetuses.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether irregularity, and short- and long-term fractal correlation reflecting smoothness of heart rate behavior are changed in intrauterine growth restricted fetuses. STUDY DESIGN: Fetal heart rate data of 192 normal fetuses and 86 intrauterine growth restricted fetuses between 31 and 42 weeks of gestation were studied. Approximate entropy to quantify irregularity, and short-term (< or =80 beats, alpha1) and long-term (>80 beats, alpha2) fractal scaling exponents to quantify the short- and long-term fractal correlation were calculated. RESULTS: In the intrauterine growth restricted fetuses, the approximate entropy was significantly lower (P<0.001). The alpha2 value was significantly higher (P=0.0001) than in the normal fetuses, which performed better (F=34.2, P<0.0001) than other heart rate variability indexes in differentiating the intrauterine growth restricted fetuses from the normal fetuses in stepwise discriminant analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to normal fetuses, intrauterine growth restricted fetuses show a difference in that the irregularity of the fetal heart is decreased. A more apparent difference is that the long-term fractal correlation of the fetal heart is increased and the fetal heart is smoother in the long-term scale.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

cDNA cloning and antibacterial activities of cecropin D-like peptides from Agrius convolvuli.

We have characterized full-length cDNAs encoding two isoforms of agriusin, cecropin D-like antibacterial peptide, present in the hemolymph of the immunized Agrius convolvuli larvae. The cloned cDNAs of agriusins 1 and 2 contain 331 and 329 bp, respectively. The nucleotide sequencing of cDNAs showed that they encode 62 amino acids, whose mature portion was deduced to consist of 38 amino acid residues with over 94% sequence identity. In the sequence homology search, mature agriusin 1 showed over 86 and 71% amino acid sequence homology with bactericidin 4 from Manduca sexta and cecropin D from Hyalophora cecropia, respectively. Since it was demonstrated from the deduced amino acid sequences that the C-terminal residues of agriusins are followed by a Gly residue, two types of synthetic agriusin 1 (syn-agriusin 1 amide and acid) were prepared to verify if natural agriusin 1 is C-terminally amidated. From acid-urea PAGE and reversed phase HPLC profiles to compare two synthetic peptides, we could confirm that the C-terminal amino acid residue of natural agriusin 1, like several cecropins so far identified, is amidated. Finally, our antibacterial assay performed with two syn-agriusins 1 revealed that there is little difference between antibacterial activities of both peptides against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Management of posteriorly dislocated intraocular lens using pars plana vitrectomy.

In order to evaluate the results of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for the treatment of posteriorly dislocated intraocular lens (PC-IOL), we retrospectively examined and analyzed the hospital records of patients who had undergone PPV to exchange or reposition a PC-IOL dislocated into the vitreous cavity. Of 20 eyes in 20 patients, IOL exchange was performed in 6 eyes, and IOL repositioning in 14 eyes. Posteriorly dislocated IOL occurred in 14 eyes during or within 2 days, and in 6 eyes 6 months after the IOL implantation. Thirteen eyes were surgically treated early after the occurrence, within 3 days, while 7 eyes were treated later, between 5 to 7 days. Compared with preoperative best-corrected visual acuity, the final visual acuity improved more than 2 lines in 12 eyes. With no significant difference on the statistics, earlier visual rehabilitation seemed to be shown in late-treated patients than in early-treated. Accordingly, a posterior dislocation of IOL can be successfully treated with PPV, and barring any serious complications such as retinal detachment, there is no need for surgery immediately following the occurrence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Analysis of induced sputum to examine the effects of inhaled corticosteroid on airway inflammation in children with asthma.

BACKGROUND: Analysis of induced sputum can be performed safely in children with asthma and is useful for both cellular and biochemical markers of inflammation. Glucocorticosteroid inhalation has become the first line therapy for chronic asthma by suppressing airway inflammation, which produces the decrease of bronchial hyperreactivity and reduces the number of eosinophil in bronchial submucosa. OBJECTIVE: To determine the characteristics of the inflammatory cells and their markers in sputum and to examine the pharmacokinetic effects of glucocorticoid within 3 hours after inhalation therapy on FEV1 and sputum inflammatory indices in children with clinically defined chronic asthma. METHODS: Thirty subjects with asthma included 14 current symptomatic asthmatics and 14 normal controls inhaled 4.5% hypertonic saline for 10 minutes by nebulizer. The expectorated sputum were collected from all asthmatics before and 3 hours after corticosteroid inhalation for children with asthma and were reduced by dithiotreitol. Total cell counts and differentials were determined. ECP was measured by CAP system. Interleukin-5, GM-CSF and albumin were measured by double sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: The mean eosinophil percentage and ECP in induced sputum of asthmatics were significantly higher than that of controls. The induced sputum samples obtained after glucocorticoid inhalation showed a significant reduction in mean eosinophil percentage, but FEV1, IL-5, GM-CSF, albumin, and ECP values were not significantly decreased. CONCLUSION: The present results in induced sputum may be interpreted to reflect direct steroid action on airways and lack of effect on bone marrow effectors at 3 hours after glucocorticoid inhalation.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1999

Non-linear cardiac dynamics and morning dip: an unsound circadian rhythm.

The frequency of sudden cardiac death increases in the morning. The relationship between decreased complexity of heart rate dynamics and sudden cardiac death has been documented. An understanding of circadian variation in the complexity of cardiac dynamics may be important to predict and prevent sudden cardiac death. Dynamic 24-h electrocardiographic recordings were obtained from 30 healthy ambulant subjects aged 41-50 years, and the digitized data were partitioned into sections of 30 min duration. For each section, four indexes obtained from separate algorithms of non-linear dynamics of the RR interval--modified correlation dimension, Lyapunov exponent, approximate entropy, and fractal dimension--were calculated. Normalized low-(0.04-0.15 hertz) and high-frequency (> 0.15 hertz) components were also calculated. All four indexes of non-linear dynamics showed a remarkably similar circadian rhythm: a prominent morning dip preceded by a steep decline during the late night, a recovery during the evening and a peak around midnight. In the morning, the low-frequency component rose rapidly with concomitant reduction in the high-frequency component. The complexity of cardiac dynamics decreases significantly in the morning, and this may contribute to the ominously increased rate of cardiac death in the morning hours.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Localization of the apex of the vagina: implications for radiation therapy planning.

PURPOSE: To evaluate (a) the displacement of the vaginal apex by a rod during radiation therapy simulation for gynecologic malignancy and (b) apical localization with implanted radiopaque markers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Metallic markers were implanted in the cervix or vaginal cuff in nine patients with cervical or endometrial carcinoma who underwent irradiation. In all but one patient, radiographs were obtained with and then without the vaginal rod. Displacement of the markers relative to bone landmarks was measured. The total displacement was the square root of the sum of the squares of displacement in each axial direction. RESULTS: All patients showed displacement of the cervical markers by the vaginal rod (mean total displacement, 1.9 cm; range, 0.6-3.6 cm). The greatest displacement was cephalic (mean, 1.5 cm; range, 0.5-2.4 cm). Anteroposterior displacement occurred in all patients but was not as predictable as cephalic displacement. Displacement was anterior in five of the eight patients, posterior in three patients, and lateral in four patients. CONCLUSION: Displacement of the vaginal apex and/or cervix with placement of the vaginal rod during simulation was marked in all patients. Use of implanted cervical markers to localize the vaginal apex or the cervix during simulation is more accurate than use of a vaginal rod.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Differential TCR signaling regulates apoptosis and immunopathology during antigen responses in vivo.

Clonal selection theories postulate that lymphocyte fate is regulated by antigen receptor specificity. However, lymphocyte apoptosis is induced through nonantigen-specific receptors such as Fas (CD95/APO-1) or TNFR. We define a selective TCR that controls apoptosis by Fas or TNFR stimulation. Variant ligands can deliver this "competence to die" signal without the full TCR signals necessary for cytokine synthesis. These partial agonists regulate T cell deletion in vivo even when Fas or TNF is provided by T cells of unrelated specificity, but they do not cause the liver necrosis that is associated with T cell elimination by the full agonist. Thus, selective signaling ligands regulate T cell deletion and immune damage in vivo and may be important for peripheral T cell tolerance.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Magnesium is a cerebrovasodilator in newborn piglets.

We tested the hypothesis that, in newborn piglets, magnesium results in a dose-dependent prostanoid-mediated cerebrovasodilation. Pial arterioles (50-200 microns in diameter) were serially measured, and cortical subarachnoid cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was collected for radioimmunoassay of 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha, hydrolysis product of prostacyclin) and thromboxane B2 (TxB2, metabolite of thromboxane A2) before and after CSF containing 1.2, 2.4, 4.8, and 9.6 mM MgCl2 was suffused over the parietal cortex under a closed cranial window in twelve 2- to 4-day-old piglets. Magnesium suffusion resulted (P < 0.05) in a dose-dependent pial arteriolar vasodilation. The increase in vessel diameter was greater (P < 0.001) with 2.4, 4.8, and 9.6 mM than with 1.2 mM concentration of magnesium. The increase in vessel diameter with 9.6 mM was also greater (P < 0.001) than with the 2.4 mM concentration of magnesium. Magnesium suffusion did not result in changes in cortical CSF prostanoid concentrations. The effect of intravenous indomethacin (5 mg/kg) on cyclooxygenase inhibition in the pial arterioles was confirmed by a 24 +/- 3% decrease in vessel diameter at the baseline (1.2 mM) magnesium concentration. In contrast, cyclooxygenase inhibition with intravenous indomethacin did not attenuate the magnesium-induced cerebrovasodilation. We conclude that in new born piglets magnesium suffusion over the parietal cortex results in a dose-dependent cerebrovasodilation that is most likely not mediated by prostanoids.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Nosocomial respiratory syncytial virus infection in a newborn nursery.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been recognized as a major nosocomial hazard on pediatric wards, but symptomatic RSV infection is uncommon during the first four weeks of life. We report here four cases of neonatal RSV infection in a special-care newborn nursery and two of them probably acquired the infection nosocomially. By rapid diagnosis using immunofluorescent technique and early implementation of infection control measures, we were able to prevent further spread of RSV infection.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1996

Effects of maternal hypertension in very-low-birth-weight infants.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of mild vs severe maternal hypertension on the neonatal morbidity of very-low-birth-weight infants. DESIGN: Cohort case-control study. SETTING: Tertiary care center neonatal intensive care unit. PATIENTS: Thirty-nine infants born to mothers with maternal hypertension (blood pressure > or = 140/90 mm Hg on 2 occasions during pregnancy) among 267 very-low-birth-weight infants (< or = 1250 g) admitted to the special care nursery between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1992. Each infant was matched for gestational age and survival to 2 control infants born to normotensive mothers. The cohort included 11 infants of mothers with mild hypertension, 28 with severe hypertension, and 78 controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Late and variable decelerations, incidence of small size for gestational age, respiratory distress syndrome, intraventricular hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus, apnea, ventilator therapy, oxygen requirement, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. RESULTS: The mild and severe maternal hypertension groups had significantly lower birth weights and more infants small for gestational age than did controls. The incidence of respiratory distress syndrome, however, was significantly lower in infants of mothers with mild hypertension than in those with mothers with severe hypertension. Those in the mild group had fever days of ventilatory therapy and lower oxygen requirements than both the infants in the severe group and control infants. The incidence of apnea in the mild hypertension group was significantly lower than that in the severe hypertension group. CONCLUSIONS: Although mothers with both mild and severe hypertension have an increased incidence of infants small for gestational age, the infants born to mothers with mild hypertension had less respiratory distress syndrome, apnea, ventilator therapy, oxygen requirements, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia when compared with very-low-birth-weight infants born to mothers with severe hypertension.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Effects of maternal preeclampsia on brain-stem auditory evoked response in very low birth weight infants.

OBJECTIVE: Because stress in utero may enhance neuromotor maturation, we hypothesized that infants born to mothers with preeclampsia would have a shorter absolute latency V and interpeak latency I-V period (brain-stem conduction time) of brain-stem auditory evoked response (BAER) than infants born to normotensive mothers. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was performed to assess the effects of maternal preeclampsia on BAER of very low birth weight infants. The cohort consisted of 24 infants with a birth weight less than 1251 gm born to mothers with preeclampsia, and 48 infants born to normotensive mothers, matched for birth date within 2 months, gestational age, and chronologic age at the time of the BAER test. The BAER test was completed before discharge, with the infant in a quiet state and the use of a 30 dB stimulus. RESULTS: The mean latencies of wave V were shortened bilaterally (left 8.60 +/- 0.6 msec vs 9.02 +/- 0.6 msec, p < 0.008; right 8.61 +/- 0.6 msec vs 8.96 +/- 0.6 msec, p < 0.033, and the interpeak latency of I-V was significantly shortened compared with the control subjects on the left (left 4.91 +/- 0.5 msec vs 5.38 +/- 0.6 msec, p < 0.003; right 5.17 +/- 0.5 msec vs 5.37 +/- 0.6 msec, not significant). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the intrauterine stress of maternal preeclampsia accelerates the maturation of the auditory nerve and brain-stem auditory pathway in very low birth weight infants.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Alteration of Ca2+ release channel function in sarcoplasmic reticulum of pressure-overload-induced hypertrophic rat heart.

The effects of pressure-overload left ventricular hypertrophy on the Ca2+ release channel in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were studied by [3H]ryanodine binding and 45Ca2+ flux measurements. The density of Ca2+ release channel in left ventricle determined by equilibrium [3H]ryanodine binding to whole homogenates was significantly lower in hypertrophy than sham (Bmax: 0.47 +/- 0.04 v 0.72 +/- 0.10 pmol/mg protein), whereas total number of Ca2+ release channels in whole left ventricle was similar in the two groups. Ryanodine binding to SR vesicles isolated by differential centrifugation was also similar in the two groups, but the SR yield was less in the hypertrophied left ventricle. The Ca2+ release channels in hypertrophied left ventricles showed a significantly increased sensitivity to Ca2+ release agonists (e.g. caffeine and doxorubicin), as characterized by the effects of these agonists on ryanodine binding to whole homogenates and Ca2+ release from isolated SR. These results indicate that pressure-overload left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with both qualitative and quantitative changes in Ca2+ release channel function.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Hypogastric arterial-vaginal fistula following multiple surgeries and pelvic radiotherapy.

A patient with recurrent sigmoid colon cancer developed an arterial-vaginal fistula after multiple surgeries and postoperative radiotherapy. Angiography revealed a fistula between the hypogastric artery and vaginal wall. Gelfoam and coil embolization controlled the hemorrhage and she recovered without incident. This case illustrates development of malignant fistula and intervention with embolization in a patient with multiple surgeries and postoperative irradiation in the pelvis.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1989

Intestinal variant of ovarian endodermal sinus tumor.

A case of ovarian endodermal sinus tumor (EST) with exclusive intestinal differentiation in a 28-year-old black woman is reported. The tumor cells form irregular glands with focal early Paneth cell differentiation resembling intestinal Luberkuhn's crypts. Clinical and pathological features as well as immunohistochemical findings are described.

Adult↗