Earticle

Cyclosporine (CsA) has become well established as a potent immunosuppressive agent in the renal transplantation. However, therapy is complicated by large intraindividual and interindividual variability in pharmacokinetics of CsA and frequent undesirable clinical outcomes such as graft rejection and nephrotoxicity. The objective of this study was to determine the CsA trough blood concentrations that were associated with acute graft rejection and renal toxicity in renal transplant patients. Also, the ability of the current recommendation of therapeutic range for CsA to prevent graft rejections and CsA-associated renal toxicity was assessed. The clinical courses of the patients on CsA as an immusuppressive agent for preventing the graft rejection with renal ransplantation performed at Seoul National University Hospital from January 1995 to September 1998 were retrospectively reviewed. Total of 78 patients were included and three of them were retransplantation cases. Twenty-two acute episodes of rejection were identified, but only 16 episodes were clinically significant. Of these all the episodes occurred during the first month after transplantation except one. Mean daily doses of CsA were at posttransplant 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Mean CsA whole blood though levels were at posttransplant 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. Mean daily doses/weight were at posttransplant 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. CsA doses decreased significantly as months progressed (p<0.001). During the first month after transplantation, only of the patients in rejection group had CsA concentration in therapeutic range, and 87.5, 93.8, and were within the therapeutic range at posttransplant 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. These results suggested that CsA concentrations of might be appropriate for preventing the acute rejection during the first posttransplant month.

Influenza virus is a major cause of respiratory infection in the epidemic season. Especially, the elderly with underlying health problems are at increased risk for complications of influenza. The objective of this study was to investigate that influenza vaccination can reduce the hospital admission rate related to the respiratory diseases. This study was a retrospective study of two age groups, who are the healthy children aged 6 months to 9 years (n=237) and the adults aged over 20 years with respiratory disease (n=327). The vaccinated groups were compared to the controls that were matched in sex and age. The children were vaccinated in winter season of 1995-96 and the adults were vaccinated in 1996-97. The efficacy of influenza vaccine was evaluated with the number of outpatient visits in children group, the admission rate and the mean admission days in both children and adult group. As results, there were not significant differences between the vaccinated and the control group of children. In the elderly over 61 years, however, the influenza vaccination can reduce the admission rate $(8.9\%\;vs.\;25.6\%,\;p<0.05)$ and the mean admission days (1.3 vs. 3.8 days, p<0.05) compared to the control. In conclusion, influenza vaccination can effectively reduce the events related to respiratory infection in the elderly than the children. The elderly should be recommended for influenza vaccination.

This study was carried out to compare the bioavailability of SR TAB (test drug, cefaclor 375 mg/Tablet) with that of Ceclor SR IAB (reference drug) and to estimate the pharmacokinetic parameters of cefaclor in healthy Korean volunteers. The bioavailability was examined on 24 healthy volunteers who received a single dose (375 mg) of each drug in the fasting state in a randomized balanced 2-way crossover design. After dosing, blood samples were collected for a period of 7 hours. Plasma concentrations of cefaclor were determined using HPLC with UV detection. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated with non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. The ANOVA test was utilized for the statistical analysis of the , log-transformed , log-transformed , and . The ratios of geometric means of between test drug End reference drug were , respectively. The of test drug and reference drug was confidence intervals of mean difference of logarithmic transformed were log0.90-log1.04 and log0.91-log1.13, respectively. It shows that the bioavailability of test drug is equivalent with that of reference drug.

An appropriate parent role model for alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention in adolescence was designed as part of a comprehensive effort to reduce the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs by underage youth. The content of the model offers a new and positive chemical health model. The model calls for development of a set of guidelines that can provide the framework for examining alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. The actions of adults in the community, especially parents, are very important factors in whether or not youth use chemicals. So these guidelines can be used to assist parents and other adults with questions such as, what can we say to young people about using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs except that it's against the law? At what age and times are discussions appropriate? What can we do to make our community a healthier place in which young people can make better decisions about alcohol, tobacco and other drug use? The model acknowledges and affirms the legal and appropriate use of alcohol and other drugs as well as supports the decision not to drink. It encourages participants to consider their own guidelines for using and not using alcohol and other drugs. The guidelines can also be used as the basis for early intervention when use is illegal, unhealthy or risky. It is important to note that the model affirms healthy and appropriate use as well as nonuse.

Neurodegenerative disorders are associated with apoptosis as a causing factor or an inducer. On the other hand, it has been reported that epigallocatechin gallate (EUG), one of antioxidants and flavonoids, and z-VAD-fmk, a nonselective caspase inhibitor, suppress oxidative-radical-stress-induced apoptosis. However, it is not yet known what is the effects of EGCG and z-VAD-fmk on the apoptotic pathway is through phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) as well as mitochondria, caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). We investigated the effects of EGCG by using treated N18D3 cells, mouse DRG hybrid neurons. Methods: Following 30 min exposure, the viability of N18D3 cells (not pretreated vs. EGCG or z-VAD-fmk pretreated) was evaluated by using MTT assay. The effect of EGCG on immunoreactivity (IR) of cytochrome c, caspase-3, PARP, PI3K/Akt and GSK-3 was examined by using Western blot, and was compared with that of z-Y4D-fmk. Results: EGCG or z-VAD-fmk pretreated N18D3 cells showed increased viability. Dose-dependent inhibition of caspase-3 activation accompanied by PARP cleavage were demonstrated by pretreatment of both agents. However, inhibition of cytochrome c release was only detected in EGCG pretreated N18D3 cells. On the pathway through PI3K/Akt and GSK-3, however, the result of Western blot in EGCG pretreated N18D3 cells showed decreased IR of Akt and GSK-3 and increased IR of p85a PI3K, phosphorylated Akt and GSK-3, and contrasted with that in z-VAD-fmk pretreated N18D3 cells showing no changes on each molecule. Conclusion: These data show that EGCG affects apoptotic pathway through upstream signal including PI3K/Akt and GSK-3 pathway as well as downstream signal including cytochrome c and caspase-3 pathway. Therefore, these results suggest that EGCG mediated activation of PI3K/Akt and inhibition GSK-B could be new potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases associated with oxidative injury.