Essential oils are generally not only antibiotic and anticarcinogenic, 1,2) but also have a sedative effect on stress. It has been shown that these essential oils contain ketone, terpene, and phenolic ether for sedation.3) Although essential oils have been regarded as useful sedatives, 4) there is little information on the antimicrobial or antifungal activities of essential oils extracted from coniferous trees. Essential oils with antimicrobial properties from medicinal as well as other edible plants have been recognized since antiquity.2) In addition, essential oils are used as food flavoring agents, and have a broad spectrum of in vitro antimicrobial activities attributed to the high content of phenolic derivatives. 5) More recently, plant extracts have been developed and proposed for use in foods as natural antioxidants. 6) In the present study, we investigated the antimicrobial and antifungal activities of several essential oils extracted from the coniferous trees Pinus densiflora, Pinus koraiensis, and Chamaecyparis obtusa against bacteria and fungi that commonly cause foot rot and other diseases. The essential oils were quantified using gas chromatography (GC) and identified in gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis. In addition, the antibacterial effects against grampositive and gram-negative bacteria and antifungal effects against fungi were assayed using essential oils distilled from the needles of coniferous trees. MATERIALS AND METHODS Essential Oil ExtractionThe needles of the Japanese red pine (P. densiflora), Korean pine (P. koraiensis), and Japanese cypress (C. obtusa) were collected at the Reforestation Experiment Site of Chungbu Forest Experiment Station, Gyeonggi province, Korea. The essential oil from freshly cut needles of each species was obtained by steam distillation using a manufactured apparatus with a condenser. Distillation continued for 2-3 h at 100°C, and the volatile compounds containing the water-soluble fraction were allowed to settle for 20 min. The essential oil layer was separated and finally purified through a microfiltering and dehydration process.Measurement of Refractive Index The refractive index of chemical compounds is considered important because it indicates characteristic physical properties. We determined the index of the oils using an Abbe refractometer equipped with a sodium lamp (Bausch & Lomb, GD8804, U.S.A.).Quantification and Identification Each essential oil compound was quantified using a gas chromatograph (GC, Shimadzu GC-14A, Japan) equipped with a Shimadzu CPB-20 capillary column (0.2 mm inner diameterϫ50 m length). First, the calibration curves for several standard essential oils were obtained, and the calibration equation of each compound was used for quantification. GC analysis was carried out using helium carrier gas with an FID detector, and the injection and detection temperatures were 150 and 200°C, respectively. The oven temperature was increased from 50 to 200°C at intervals of 2°C/min over 75 min. Some other essential oils were id...

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the infectious complications after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in children. We enrolled 95 children (38 boys and 57 girls) who underwent LDLT from 1994 to 2004. The median age was 22 months (range, 6 months to 15 yr). We retrospectively investigated the proven episodes of bacterial, viral, and fungal infection. There occurred 150 infections in 67 (70%) of 95 patients (1.49 infections/patient); 74 in 43 patients were bacterial, 2 in 2 were fungal, and 74 in 42 were viral. The most common sites of bacterial infection were the bloodstream (33%) and abdomen (25%). Most of the bacterial infections occurred within the first month after LDLT. Bacterial and fungal infections did not result in any deaths. The most common causes of viral infection were Epstein-Barr virus in 37 patients and cytomegalovirus in 18. Seven of the 14 deaths after LDLT were associated with viral infection. Our study suggests that infection is one of the important causes of morbidity and mortality after LDLT. Especially careful monitoring and management of viral infections is crucial for improving the outcome of LDLT in children.

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Abstract:We examined the effects of calcium gluconate, an anti-inflammatory calcium salt, on ligature-induced experimental periodontitis and related alveolar bone loss. Calcium gluconate was orally administered daily for 10 days at 250, 125 or 62.5 mg ⁄ kg, beginning 1 day after ligation. We recorded changes in body-weight and alveolar bone loss and quantified the anti-inflammatory effects of calcium gluconate by measuring levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), IL-1b and TNF-a. We also evaluated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration as a measure of antioxidant effects. Ligature placement produced a marked decrease in body-weight, increased alveolar bone loss, and led to increased MPO, IL-1b, TNF-a and MDA concentrations, as well as elevated iNOS activity, increased inflammatory cell infiltration and decreased collagen fibre content in gingival tissue. Histopathology revealed decreased alveolar bone volume, increased osteoclast cell numbers and activity, and an elevated percentage of osteclasts on the alveolar bone surface. The effects of ligature placement were significantly and dose-dependently inhibited by 10 days of daily oral treatment with 250 and 125 mg ⁄ kg of calcium gluconate. The results suggest that 10 days daily oral treatment with calcium gluconate effectively inhibits ligature placement-induced periodontitis and related alveolar bone loss via antioxidant effects.

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Background. We devised a new morphological parameter called the superior articular process area (SAPA) to evaluate the connection between lumbar foraminal stenosis (LFS) and the superior articular process. Objective. We hypothesized that the SAPA is an important morphologic parameter in the diagnosis of LFS. Methods. All patients over 60 years of age were included. Data regarding the SAPA were collected from 137 patients with LFS. A total of 167 control subjects underwent lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as part of a routine medical examination. We analyzed the cross-sectional area of the bone margin of the superior articular process at the level of L4-L5 facet joint in the axial plane. Results. The average SAPA was 96.3 ± 13.6 mm2 in the control group and 128.1 ± 17.2 mm2 in the LFS group. The LFS group was found to have significantly higher levels of SAPA (p < 0.001) in comparison to the control group. In the LFS group, the optimal cut-off value was 112.1 mm2, with 84.4% sensitivity, 83.9% specificity, and AUC of 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91–0.96). Conclusions. Higher SAPA values were associated with a higher possibility of LFS. These results are important in the evaluation of patients with LFS.

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