Biomedical subjects

H C Kim

Publications and source records attributed to H C Kim.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Twelve-year tracking of blood pressure in Korean school children: the Kangwha Study.

Longitudinal data from different populations have shown different degrees of tracking of blood pressure (BP). To examine BP tracking in Korean school children, 219 of 430 children (100 males, 119 females) who were 6 years old in 1986 in Kangwha County, Korea have been examined annually up to 1997 in the Kangwha Study. BP was measured twice with standard mercury sphygmomanometers and the average of the two measurements was used for the level of BP. Diastolic BP were measured at the fourth Korotkoff sound. Tracking was examined using a time-lag correlation analysis and McMahan's tracking index tau, which indicates the proportion of variation attributable to tracking apart from the natural growth component. As well the jackknife method was used to obtain the confidence interval of tau. Correlation coefficients between systolic BP from age 6 to 17 ranged from 0.39-0.54 for males and 0.44-0.57 for females. Taus for systolic BP were 0.875 (95% CI: 0.803-0.947) and 0.900 (95% CI: 0.809-0.991) in males and females, respectively. Correlation coefficients between diastolic BP from age 6 to 17 ranged from 0.28-0.47 for males and 0.14-0.47 for females. Taus for diastolic BP were 0.983 (95% CI: 0.897-1.000) and 0.800 (95% CI: 0.717-0.883) in males and females, respectively. These findings showed strong evidence for BP tracking in Korean school children from childhood to late adolescence.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Surgical reconstruction of the contracted orbit.

Anophthalmic patients and patients afflicted with retinoblastoma incur severe deformity of the orbit. Treatment of the severely contracted orbit is very difficult, and patient satisfaction is often poor. Since 1988, we have performed temporalis muscle transfer and surgical expansion of the contracted bony orbit in 26 patients. Satisfactory results were obtained. Gradual expansion of the orbit was performed in case of congenital anophthalmic patients. The treatment should be established in multiplicity, among many methods available for contracted eye sockets, according to the degree of orbital deformity and the amount of residual conjunctiva. In case of severe deformity, volume expansion surgery and temporalis muscle transfer are necessary. If augmentation is required in the periorbital region, rib bone onlay graft must be performed. We were able to shorten the operative time by modifying the three-wall orbital expansion technique of Tessier and Wolfe to a more simplified method. Our observations show that our procedures achieved symmetry in both eyes in all patients, and there have been no remarkable complications.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Inhibition of choriocapillaris regeneration with genistein.

PURPOSE: To test the effects of genistein on choriocapillaris regeneration and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) wound healing in a surgical model in the rabbit. METHODS: Intravitreal injections of either 0.1 ml of a 90-microM concentration of genistein, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO; negative control), or 2 microg cycloheximide (positive control) were given 24 hours before surgical debridement of RPE in rabbits. Scanning electron microscopy (EM) of choroidal vascular casts and the RPE wounds and histologic evaluation by light microscopy and EM of the disturbed areas were performed at days 1, 7, and 30 after surgery. Quantitative analysis of the area of the choriocapillaris bed and RPE was performed by automated image analysis, and the results were analyzed by paired Student's t-test. RESULTS: Loss of RPE caused a rapid initial atrophy followed by slower subsequent revascularization of the choriocapillaris, which paralleled the RPE wound healing. Choriocapillaris regeneration appeared nearly normal by day 30 in the DMSO group. Inhibition of choriocapillaris revascularization by genistein was significant at day 30 when compared with the DMSO-treated negative control (P = 0.013). There was a strong trend toward inhibition in the cycloheximide-treated positive control group (P = 0.062), which reached significance at day 7 compared with the DMSO group (P = 0.02). RPE covered the wound area by day 7 in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal injection of genistein was found to cause significant inhibition of choriocapillaris regeneration without apparent effect on RPE wound healing. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as genistein may be useful as a pharmacologic approach in the treatment of choroidal neovascularization.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Evaluation of the malaria threat at the multipurpose range complex, Yongp'yong, Republic of Korea.

As part of an operational effort to control the transmission of malaria after its reemergence in the Republic of Korea, a number of U.S. military and Korean civilian health workers assessed the situation at a large training site where two cases had been transmitted. The vector mosquitoes (Anopheles sinensis) probably had a limited flight range (< 1 km) in this situation based on low numbers in permanent light traps and biting collections at the billeting area compared with collections from light traps and larval surveys where the mosquito was abundant. The threat of malaria was proven by the presence of infected local Korean residents (13 of 105 sampled). However, only a small proportion of U.S. soldiers (39 of 78 surveyed) at the training site used personal protective measures. Further efforts should include improved techniques for informing and motivating soldiers to use personal protective measures and cooperation with Korean authorities to perform vector control in civilian areas bordering the training area.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Cloning and characterization of 4EHP, a novel mammalian eIF4E-related cap-binding protein.

All eukaryotic mRNAs (except organellar) are capped at their 5' end. The cap structure (m7GpppN, where N is any nucleotide) is extremely important for the processing and translation of mRNA. Several cap-binding proteins that facilitate these processes have been characterized. Here we describe a novel human cytoplasmic protein that is 30% identical and 60% similar to the human translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E). We demonstrate that this protein, named 4E Homologous Protein (4EHP), binds specifically to capped RNA in an ATP- and divalent ion-independent manner. The three-dimensional structure of 4EHP, as predicted by homology modeling, closely resembles that of eIF4E and site-directed mutagenesis analysis of 4EHP strongly suggests that it shares with eIF4E a common mechanism for cap binding. A putative function for 4EHP is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1998

Phenidone blocks the increases of proenkephalin and prodynorphin gene expression induced by kainic acid in rat hippocampus: involvement of Fos-related antigene protein.

To determine the possible role of cyclooxygenase/lipoxygenase pathway in the regulation of proenkephalin (proENK) and prodynorphin (proDYN) gene expression induced by kainic acid (KA) in rat hippocampus, the effects of esculetin, aspirin, or phenidone on the seizure activity, proENK and proDYN mRNA levels, and the level of fos-related antigene (Fra) protein induced by KA in rat hippocampus were studied. Esculetin (5 mg/kg), aspirin (15 mg/kg), or phenidone (50 mg/kg) was administered orally five times every 12 h before the injection of KA (10 mg/kg, i.p.). Seizure activity induced by KA was significantly attenuated by phenidone. However, neither esculetin nor aspirin affected KA-induced seizure activity. The proENK and proDYN mRNA levels were markedly increased 4 and 24 h after KA administration. The elevations of both proENK and proDYN mRNA levels induced by KA were inhibited by pre-administration with phenidone, but not with esculetin and aspirin. ProENK-like protein level increased by KA administration was also inhibited by pre-administration with phenidone, but not with esculetin and aspirin. The increases of proENK and proDYN mRNA levels induced by KA were well correlated with the increases of Fra protein level. Additionally, the induction of Fra protein was inhibited by pre-administration with phenidone, but not with esculetin and aspirin. The results suggest that blockade of both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways appears to be responsible for increases of proENK and proDYN mRNA levels induced by KA via inhibiting the induction of Fra protein in rat hippocampus.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Effect of erythrocytapheresis on arterial oxygen saturation and hemoglobin oxygen affinity in patients with sickle cell disease.

An important purpose of blood transfusion in patients with sickle cell disease is to improve arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) and thereby reduce red cell sickling. To investigate the degree of improvement in SaO2 by blood transfusion, we determined the hemoglobin oxygen affinity, transcutaneous oxygen saturation (Tc-SO2), and pulse rate before and after automated partial exchange transfusion (erythrocytapheresis). In 13 patients with sickle cell disease who underwent 24 erythrocytapheresis procedures, the mean oxygen tension at half saturation (P50) was significantly reduced from 30.4 +/- 2.2 to 26.0 +/- 1.6 mm Hg (P< 0.01) immediately after exchange transfusion. Mean Tc-SO2 values increased from 96.2 +/- 2.8 to 98.5 +/- 2.1% (P< 0.01). Approximately 50% of the increase in Tc-SO2 after erythrocytapheresis could be explained by the increase in hemoglobin oxygen affinity. An increase in arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) following erythrocytapheresis, suggested by the calculated PaO2 in this study, may explain some of the increase in Tc-SO2. We conclude that improvement in Tc-SO2 in patients with sickle cell disease resulted from changes in hemoglobin oxygen affinity as well as blood oxygen pressure following erythrocytapheresis.

2,3-Diphosphoglycerate↗

PubMed1998

A model of chronic hypotony in the rabbit.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hypotony is an important cause of functional failure after proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) surgery even if the retina is successfully reattached. The purpose of this study was to create a relevant model of chronic hypotony in the rabbit. METHODS: Eighteen pigmented rabbits weighing 3-4 kg were used in our experiment. We performed pars plana lensectomy on 14 eyes of 14 rabbits with a fragmatome and a vitreous cutter. At the end of surgery, we injected 0.2 ml of phosphate-buffered saline containing 1,00,000 cultured rabbit dermal fibroblasts over the epiciliary area. As a control, we performed pars plana lensectomy alone on four eyes of four rabbits. The intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured on days 7, 14, 21, 28. Two rabbits were killed on day 7 and prepared for histology. Two additional rabbits were killed on day 14, and the remaining ten rabbits were killed on day 28. RESULTS: All 14 eyes following lensectomy and fibroblast injection had an IOP less than 5 mm Hg on each follow-up and a mean of 2.5 +/- 0.6 mm Hg (mean +/- SD) on day 28. Four control eyes with lensectomy alone had an IOP of 7.5 +/- 2.1 mm Hg on day 28 (P < 0.05). On gross examination, we identified a variety of pathologic changes, including the development of a fibrous translucent epiciliary membrane that caused distortion of ciliary processes, iridociliary adhesion and anterior displacement of the peripheral retina on day 28. Microscopic examination of eyes obtained on day 28 showed changes in the ciliary epithelium that included absence or atrophy of the non-pigmented ciliary epithelium, atrophy and cystic vacuolization of the pigmented ciliary epithelium, and interstitial edema of the ciliary body stroma. CONCLUSION: We have created a model of chronic hypotony with epiciliary membrane using cultured fibroblasts in the rabbit. This model may be useful to help elucidate the pathophysiology of chronic hypotony and to investigate potential treatments.

Animals↗

PubMed1998