Protective effects of Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (Crassulaceae) on H2O2-induced apoptosis in GT1-1 mouse hypothalamic neuronal cell line

Oxidative stress is a major cause of neurodegenerative diseases, so the protection of neuronal cells from reactive oxygen species can be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of these diseases. Methanol extract of Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (Crassulaceae), a traditional oriental medical herb, was shown to have a protective effect on H2O2-induced apoptosis in GT1-1 mouse hypothalamic neuronal cell line which was detected by flow cytometry after propidium iodide staining. Among fractions of O. japonicus, chloroform fraction had the highest protective effect, and water fraction had no protective effect suggesting that the active ingredients might be hydrophobic compounds.

[Possibility in unification of oriental and western medicine education by combination of educational curricula]

The authors attempted a possibility of unification in the educational curricula of both Oriental and Western medical schools for the unification of two medicines. Historically the two medicines were originated from the most primitive state like instinctive method and we can say two medicines were entirely the same. However, after abrupt and current development of science in the 19th century by discovery of microscope and bacteria as well as cells, changed medicine into recent unbelievable current medicine from old ancient style medicine like Chinese Medicine which was just the remnant old medicine. The unification of educational curricula is thought to be possible to combine each other by technical adjustment from mutual understanding and cooperation for the most high quality of peoples lives. There were good equality to partial correspondences between two educational curricula around 90% at two pre-and schools from the study to analyse. The combined medicine is thought to be more efficient to the diagnosis and treatment of patients because of the effectiveness of Oriental medicine in certain disease conditions like chronic illness by acupuncture as a alternative medicine or herbs.

[Unification of Oriental and Western medicine with study on Oriental and Western medicine]

In Korea the system of medical management has been bifurcated into two parts since the restoration of nation from Japanese after World War II. One is 'Western Medicine' and the other is 'Oriental Medicine' like Chinese but not like Japanese. The authors attempted to study on the unification of both medicines to prevent the confusion of medicare for people. The major part of medical care is accomplished by Western medicine among people in Korea and China. However, Oriental medicine is still present as well as college of Oriental medicine in small number. There have been long struggles between two parts of medicine because of each assertions for the theories. The ancient medicine has been likely to have its characteristics either in Western or Oriental medicine although in many countries were succeeded by Western medicine except a few Asian countries such as Korea and China. In Japan since the license of Oriental(herb) medicine was ceased about one hundred years ago, the Western medicine has been authorized by law until today and the herb is the secondary medicine as a kind of folk treatment as well as continuous and enormous study for scientification. In only China and Korea this herb medicine has been kept to use as a part of medicine by law though China has developed combined medicine to use both Western and Oriental medicine by one physician since previous prime minister Chou En-Lai around the year 1950 who made a recommendation to the two medical societies, Western and Oriental. This fact has a big sense to establish the unification of two medicines in near future in Korea as well as China. For this accomplishment of medical unification both parts of medicine require sincere and enormous efforts to study the theory and practice of herb medicine even from now on. This unification of two medicines will provide the best medicare in most convenient way to the people in the world creating new world medicine like the third medicine including alternative medicine. The acupuncture is changing to a new method in Western medicine especially applying into anesthesia and pain clinic in even USA and Western countries at this time. In conclusion the unification of the Western and Oriental medicine will provide the most reasonable and practical medicare including alternative medicine to people in the world. Because the Oriental medicine will be used at least separately to supplement the Western medicine by one physician.

Two dominant photomorphogenic mutations of Arabidopsis thaliana identified as suppressor mutations of hy2

By screening suppressor mutants of the hy2 mutation of Arabidopsis thaliana, two dominant photomorphogenic mutants, shy1-1D and shy2-1D, for two genetic loci designated as SHY1 and SHY2 (suppressor of hy2 mutation) have been isolated. Both of these non-allelic, extragenic suppressor mutations of hy2 are located on chromosome 1 of the Arabidopsis genome. Both mutations suppress the elongated hypocotyl phenotype of hy2 by light-independent inhibition of hypocotyl growth as well as by increasing the effectiveness of light inhibition of hypocotyl elongation. The shy1-1D mutation is partially photomorphogenic in darkness with apical hook opening and reduced hypocotyl elongation. The shy2-1D mutant displays highly photomorphogenic characteristics in darkness such as true leaf development, cotyledon expansion and extremely reduced hypocotyl growth. In regard to hypocotyl elongation, however, the shy2-1D mutation is still light sensitive. Examination of red-far-red light responses shows that the shy1-1D mutation suppresses the hypocotyl elongation of the hy2 mutation effectively in red light but not effectively in far-red light. The shy2-1D suppresses hypocotyl elongation of the hy2 mutation effectively in both red and far-red light. Both mutations can also suppress the early-flowering phenotype of hy2 and have a distinct pleiotropic effect on leaf development such as upward leaf rolling. The data obtained suggest that SHY1 and SHY2 represent a novel class of components involved in the photomorphogenic pathways of Arabidopsis. This is the first report on the identification of dominant mutations in the light signal transduction pathway of plants.

Effects of gibberellins on seed germination of phytochrome-deficient mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana

Experiments were carried out to explore the involvement of gibberellins (GAs) in the light-induced germination of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh, using wild type (WT) and phytochrome-deficient mutants (phyA, phyB and phyAphyB deficient in phytochrome A, B and A plus B, respectively). Seed germination of WT and phytochrome-deficient mutants was inhibited by uniconazole (an inhibitor of an early step in biosynthesis of GA, the oxidation of ent-kaurene) and prohexadione (an inhibitor of late steps, namely, 2 beta- and 3 beta-hydroxylation). This inhibition was overcome by simultaneous application of 10(-5) M GA4. The relative activity of GAs for promoting germination of uniconazole-treated seeds was GA4 > GA1 = GA9 > GA20. The wild type and the phyA and phyB mutants had an increased response to a red light pulse in the presence of GA1, GA4, GA9, GA20 and GA24 but there were no significant differences in activity of each GA between the mutants. Therefore, neither phytochrome A nor hytochrome B appears to regulate GA biosynthesis from GA12 to GA4 during seed germination, since the conversion of GA12 to GA9 is regulated by one enzyme (GA 20-oxidase). However, GA responsiveness appears to be regulated by phytochromes other than phytochromes A and B, since the phyAphyB double mutant retains the photoreversible increased response to GAs after a red light pulse.

[Normal full-term pregnancy after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for severe aplastic anemia: a case report]

A 27 year-old woman had a normal full-term delivery 4 years after bone narrow transplantation for severe aplastic anemia. She had received combination regimens of systemic high-dose cyclophosphamide and one fraction of total body irradiation for 300cGy as pre-BMT conditioning regimens. This case illustrates that after regimens incorporating total body irradiation and high-dose cyclophosphamide, recovery of ovarian function and normal pregnancy are still possible.

Afternoon continuous plasma levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol and age. Distinctive biologic subgroups of endogenous depression?

Afternoon continuous plasma levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were first shown to be a good representation of the mean 24-hour plasma level of MHPG in 18 normal subjects. Then, after the stability of the procedure was tested and retested, the afternoon continuous test for plasma MHPG levels was performed in 57 normal subjects and 42 endogenously depressed patients. A significant correlation between plasma MHPG levels and age was found in normal subjects and depressive patients. When the variable of age was taken into account, a distinct pattern of increasing plasma MHPG levels with age--the "MHPG per age"--was found in the depressed patients, especially the women, who could be divided into high or low MHPG per age groups. There was almost no association between plasma levels of MHPG or MHPG per age values and clinical symptoms, and the two biologic subgroups did not differ clinically.

Relationship between serum cortisol, liver function, and depression in detoxified alcoholics

High levels of serum cortisol or abnormal dexamethasone suppression tests may be helpful in diagnosing major depressive disorder. However, a controversy exists as to whether abnormal liver function associated with alcohol abuse may negate the diagnostic value of the dexamethasone suppression test in alcoholics. We investigated the value of the dexamethasone suppression test in alcoholics by analyzing the liver function, cortisol levels, and psychiatric status of inpatients from an alcohol detoxification treatment center. The subjects met the DSM III criteria for alcohol dependence but took no chronic medication and had negative screening for substance abuse. They had routine blood screening to evaluate liver function, the afternoon cortisol test and dexamethasone suppression test to study glucocorticoid activity, and a structured evaluation to determine psychiatric diagnoses. The blood chemistry findings demonstrated a lack of significant liver synthetic dysfunction in this group, although 43% of the subjects had some elevation of their liver enzymes. We did not find differences in the liver function between patients with normal and abnormal cortisol levels. However, subjects with endogenous depression did have significantly elevated afternoon cortisol levels, and they tended to have more normal liver tests. These results indicate that modest liver dysfunction does not contaminate the validity of the plasma cortisol tests or the dexamethasone suppression test as diagnostic tools for assessing depression in this group of detoxified alcoholics. In addition, they demonstrate an association between depression and plasma cortisol levels and suggest a correlation between depression and better liver function in alcoholics who seek detoxification.

Pilot epidemiological study in Taegu, Korea

One hundred and seven normal Korean subjects were interviewed with the Korean translation of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule as part of a pilot epidemiological study in Taegu, Korea. A surprisingly high number of these subjects met criteria for the DSM diagnosis made by the computer scored interview. Psychiatric residents reinterviewed twelve subjects who were computer diagnosed as having psychopathology. Comparisons of clinical diagnoses vs. computer diagnoses are presented and discussed. The National Institute of Mental Health of the United States has embarked on exciting studies of the epidemiology of mental disorders. In order to accurately measure the prevalence of mental disorders in normal population, the NIMH contracted for the creation of a diagnostic interview schedule. Lee Robins, Ph.D. of the Washington University School of Medicine, created the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Currently it is in Version III. Our study was done with Version II, which had been translated into the Korean language. A report of the validity of the DIS in English has been published by Robins. (5) In addition, there have been review articles by Hedlund and Viewig. (2) The DIS has been patterned after the DSM III so that when the interview is correctly done, criteria for the diagnosis according to DSM III, the Research Diagnostic Criteria, and the Renard Hospital Diagnostic Criteria are within the questions asked during the interview. In English, our experience has shown that Version II takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour and a half. In Asian languages, our experience shows that the interview takes somewhat longer. (10).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)