Titanium sulfate supported on zirconia catalysts were prepared by impregnation of powdered Zr(OH)4 with titanium sulfate aqueous solution followed by calcining in air at high temperature. For high Ti(SO4)2 loading samples, orthorhombic and triclinic phases of zirconium sulfate were formed by the reaction between titanium sulfate and zirconia during the catalyst preparation. The addition of titanium sulfate to zirconia shifted the phase transition of ZrO2 from amorphous to tetragonal to higher temperature because of the interaction between titanium sulfate and zirconia, and the specific surface area and acidity of catalysts increased in proportion to the titanium sulfate content up to 5 wt % of Ti(SO4)2. 5-Ti(SO4)2/ZrO2 calcined at 600°C exhibited maximum catalytic activities for 2-propanol dehydration and cumene dealkylation. The catalytic activities for both reactions, 2-propanol dehydration and cumene dealkylation, were correlated with the acidity of catalysts measured by the ammonia chemisorption method. Ti(SO4)2/ZrO2 due to the incorporation of titanium component exhibited higher catalytic activity for the 2-propanol dehydration reaction than Zr(SO4)2/ZrO2 without titanium.

PurposeWe investigated what kinds of neurotransmitters are related with electroacupuncture (EA) analgesia in an arthritic pain model of rats.Materials and MethodsOne hundred rats were assigned to six groups: control, EA, opioid, adrenergic, serotonin and dopamine group. A standardized model of inflammatory arthritis was produced by injecting 2% carrageenan into the knee joint cavity. EA was applied to an acupoint for 30 min in all groups except fo the control group. In the opioid, adrenergic, serotonin and dopamine groups, each receptor antagonist was injected intraperitoneally to their respective group before initiating EA.ResultsIn the opioid receptor antagonist group, adrenergic receptor antagonist group, serotonin receptor antagonist group, dopamine receptor antagonist group and the control group weight-bearing force decreased significantly from 30 min to 180 min after EA in comparison with the EA group.ConclusionThe analgesic effects of EA are related to opioid, adrenergic, serotonin and dopamine receptors in an arthritic pain model of rats.

[Purpose]In this study, the authors have intended to investigate the effects that the exercise training and the intake of the water extract from propolis have on the activity of antioxidant enzymes.[Methods]For this purpose, the exercise training (70% VO2max treadmill running exercise for 60min)of 5 times per week for six weeks and the intake (50mg/kg/day) of the water extract from propolis were performed by separating the experimental animals (SD rats, n=32) into CON(n=8) group, CON+Ex(n=8), PA(n=8), and PA+Ex(n=8).[Results]As a result, the following conclusions were obtained: The concentration of the blood glucose and insulin of the CON+Ex group and PA+Ex group which are the exercise parallel group were significantly decreased in comparison with the control group, whereas if comparing the glycogen concentration in skeletal muscle and liver tissue between the exercise parallel group and the CON group, the former showed significantly high value in comparison with the latter (p < .05). In the case of the activity of the antioxidant enzyme in the skeletal muscle and the liver tissue, the activities of SOD, GPX and CAT in the gastrocnemius muscle tissue of the experimental animals showed significantly high value in PA+Ex group in comparison with other experimental groups (p < .05). In addition, the SOD activity in the liver tissue showed that only PA+Ex group was significantly increased, whereas GDX activity showed significantly higher value in CON+Ex group and PA group than CON group (p < .05). However, the activity of CAT in the liver tissue showed that there is no difference between the experimental groups. As a result that measured the concentration of MDA in order to evaluate the damage level of the tissue by oxygen free radicals, the difference between the groups in the liver tissue was not shown, while it was shown that only PA+Ex group in the skeletal muscle tissue was significantly decreased in comparison with other experimental groups (p < .05).[Conclusion]Taken together the above findings, it is considered that the parallel treatment of the exercise training and the water extract from propolis can not only increase the use of glycogen of the skeletal muscle and liver tissue, but also it can give the effect to suppress the creation of active oxygen by inducing the activity of the antioxidant enzyme in the body, and in the future, the possibility as the exercise supplements and the antioxidant of the water-soluble propolis are expected.

Introduction: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) predispose to postoperative renal dysfunction. Dexmedetomidine is an a 2 adrenoreceptor agonist, which has renoprotective effects after cardiac surgery. Objective: To assess the effect of dexmedetomidine on renal function after CRS and HIPEC. Materials: Thirty-eight patients undergoing CRS and HIPEC were randomized to receive dexmedetomidine (dexmedetomidine group, n ¼ 19, loading 1 lg/kg over 20 min followed by infusion at 0.5 lg/kg/ h) or 0.9% sodium chloride (control group, n ¼ 19) during surgery. Creatinine clearance (CrCl) was assessed daily until postoperative day 7. Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and kidney injury molecule (KIM)-1 were measured for 24 h after surgery. Results: There was no difference in the lowest CrCl value during the first 7 days postoperatively, but the % change from baseline to the lowest value was lower in the dexmedetomidine group than in the control group (p ¼ .037). Urine NGAL and KIM-1 levels were increased over time in both groups, but the increases were significantly less in the dexmedetomidine group (p ¼ .018 and 0.038, respectively). In the dexmedetomidine group, the length of intensive care unit stay was shorter (p ¼ .034). Conclusions: Intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion did not improve renal function in terms of serum Cr-related indices following CRS and HIPEC. However, as the decrease in CrCl was attenuated and early tubular-injury markers were lower in the dexmedetomidine group, dexmedetomidine may have protective effects against early tubular injury in CRS and HIPEC.

When a needle was intentionally inserted toward the side with radiculopathy, the spread of contrast medium and number of delineated roots tended to be greater on the side with the needle, compared with those on the opposite side. However, the pattern of contrast medium spread in the sacral epidural space varied and some patients even had greater spread on the opposite side.