Production and Its Anti-hyperglycemic Effects of γ-Aminobutyric Acid from the Wild Yeast Strain Pichia silvicola UL6-1 and Sporobolomyces carnicolor 402-JB-1

This study was done to produce γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from wild yeast as well as investigate its anti-hyperglycemic effects. Among ten GABA-producing yeast strains, Pichia silvicola UL6-1 and Sporobolomyces carnicolor 402-JB-1 produced high GABA concentration of 134.4 µg/mL and 179.2 µg/mL, respectively. P. silvicola UL6-1 showed a maximum GABA yield of 136.5 µg/mL and 200.8 µg/mL from S. carnicolor 402-JB-1 when they were cultured for 30 hr at 30℃ in yeast extract-peptone-dextrose medium. The cell-free extract from P. silvicola UL6-1 and S. carnicolor 402-JB-1 showed very high anti-hyperglycemic α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of 72.3% and 69.9%, respectively. Additionally, their cell-free extract-containing GABA showed the anti-hyperglycemic effect in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats.

Isolation and Identification of Yeasts from Wild Flowers Collected around Jangseong Lake in Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea, and Characterization of the Unrecorded Yeast Bullera coprosmaensis

Several types of yeasts were isolated from wild flowers around Jangseong Lake in Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea and identified by comparing the nucleotide sequences of the PCR amplicons for the D1/D2 variable domain of the 26S ribosomal DNA using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) analysis. In total, 60 strains from 18 species were isolated, and Pseudozyma spp. (27 strains), which included Pseudozyma rugulosa (7 strains) and Pseudozyma aphidis (6 strains), was dominant species. Among the 60 strains, Bullera coprosmaensis JS00600 represented a newly recorded yeast strain in Korea, and its microbiological characteristics were investigated. The yeast cell has an oval-shaped morphology measuring 1.4 x 1.7 microm in size. Bullera coprosmaensis JS00600 is an asporous yeast that exhibits no pseudomycelium formation. It grew well in vitamin-free medium as well as in yeast extract-malt extract broth and yeast extract-peptone-dextrose (YPD) broth, and it is halotolerant growing in 10% NaCl-containing YPD broth.

Facilitation of Nerve Conduction by Distant Muscle Contraction in Stroke Patients

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of distant muscle contraction on the sensory and motor nerve conduction and F-wave studies in stroke patients. METHOD: During isometric contraction of contralateral hand, sensory nerve action potential (SNAP), compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and F-wave of median nerve were recorded at submaximal and supramaximal stimulus intensity. The subject group consisted of 15 stroke patients and 10 control subjects. RESULTS: At submaximal stimulation, the amplitude and area of SNAP were significantly increased during muscle contraction in both groups (p <0.05). However there were no changes in parameters of SNAP and CMAP at supramaximal stimulation in both groups. The latency of F-wave was prolonged, and the amplitude was increased in the stroke group than those in the control group at resting state (p <0.05). The shortening of F-wave latency and increment of F-wave amplitude were observed in the control group during distant muscle contraction, but not in the stroke group. CONCLUSION: The distant muscle contraction might facilitate the nerve conduction. In addition F-wave elicited during voluntary contraction can be used as a monitor of upper motor neuron disorders.

Diagnostic Effects of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology and Frozen Section for Follicular Neoplasm of the Thyroid

PURPOSE: To determine diagnostic effects of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNA) and frozen section of thyroid follicular neoplasm and its role in the therapeutic approach. METHOD: We performed a retrospective analysis of the data of patients who underwent thyroid surgery at the Gwangju Christian Hospital, between March 2000 and December 2004, and had a report of preoperative fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of thyroid follicular lesions, which comprises cellular lesion, suspicious for follicular neoplasm or follicular carcinoma. RESULTS: Out of 45 patients with preoperative FNA biopsy diagnosis of follicular neoplasm, reveals true follicular carcinoma in 20 (44.4%), a follicular adenoma in 11 (24.5%), a papillary carcinoma in 7 (15.5%), a papillary carcinoma with follicular variant in 4 (8.9%), an adenomatous goiter in 3 (6.7%). Among the 45 patients having an intraoperative frozen sections, only 7 patients (15.5%) were true follicular carcinoma, suspicious for malignant follicular neoplasm in 14 patients (31.1%) and suspicious for benign follicular neoplasm in 8 patients (17.8%). final diagnosis were changed from suspicious for benign follicular neoplasm at intraoperative frozen section to malignant in 3 patients, from suspicious for malignant follicular neoplasm to benign in 1 patient. Three patients underwent a lobectomy and 1 patients a subtotal thyroidectomy followed by a completion thyroidectomy. CONCLUSION: Fine needle aspiration cytology and frozen section results are not good indicators in making the decision of operative extent. the best way to establish a diagnosis and to predict prognosis is to surgically remove the tumor for a proper histopathologic examination.

Facilitation of Nerve Action Potential by Distant Muscle Contraction

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of distant muscle contraction on the sensory and motor nerve conduction and F-wave studies. METHOD: During isometric contraction (10%, 25% and 50% of maximal voluntary contraction) of dominant hand using hand held dynamometer, sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs), compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) and F-waves were examined on contralateral upper and ipsilateral lower extremities in 20 healthy adult subjects. SNAPs of median and sural nerves, CMAPs and F-waves of median and tibial nerves were recorded with submaximal and supramaximal intensity stimulation. RESULTS: At submaximal stimulation the amplitudes and areas of median and sural SNAPs and median nerve CMAPs were significantly increased during distant muscle contraction (p<0.05). Distant muscle contraction did not effect on the parameters of SNAPs and CMAPs at supramaximal stimulation. The latencies of F-waves were significantly shortened and amplitudes of F-waves were increased during distant muscle contraction (p<0.05). Especially the amplitudes of F-waves were significantly positive correlated with the level of muscle contraction (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: SNAPs and CMAP were augmented by the distant muscle contraction only submaximal stimulation. Due to facilitation, the distant muscle contraction should be considered during routine F-wave studies.

The Mechanism of Contralateral Hyperalgesia in the Persistent Muscle Pain Rat Model

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of the primary afferent input to spread of contralateral hyperalgesia in the persistent muscle pain model in the rat. METHOD: Muscle pain was induced by twice repeated intramuscular injections of pH 6.0 buffered saline into the unilateral gastrocnemius muscle of the rats. Change of mechanical withdrawal threshold to von-Frey filament was measured after ipsilateral laser irradiation, anesthetic blockade with lidocaine and dorsal rhizotomy (L2~L6) to reduce primary afferent input from the tissue injury. RESULTS: Bilateral persistent mechanical hyperalgesia in the hind paw was evoked after second injection. Ipsilateral laser irradiation, lidocaine injection and dorsal rhizotomy had no effect on the contralateral spread of mechanical hyperalgesia. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that contralateral hyperalgesia was produced by, but didn't need to be maintained by inputs from an injury. Therefore, central nervous systems are responsible for the contralateral spread of hyperalgesia.

Discharge Destinations after Acute Rehabilitation Care

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influencing factors on the discharge destinations of the patients who were treated in the rehabilitation department of acute hospital for the major disabilities. METHOD: Medical records of the 108 patients with stroke, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury were reviewed after the discharge from acute rehabilitation care. The demographic factors, socioeconomic status, disease characteristics and functional status of the patients were evaluated to investigate the affecting factors to the discharge destinations. RESULT: Discharge destinations were subdivided into homes 67 (62%), transfer to other hospitals 31 (29%) and transfer to oriental medicine hospitals 10 (9%). The Functional independence measure (FIM) score, length of rehabilitation care, type of payment, operation and diagnosis significantly influenced discharge destinations (p<0.05). The patients who were transferred to other hospital showed significantly lower FIM score and longer length of rehabilitation care compared with patients who were discharged to home or transferred to oriental medicine hospital (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The FIM score, length of rehabilitation care, type of payment, operation, and diagnosis significantly influenced the discharge destinations of patients after rehabilitation. It is necessary to increase the subacute or chronic rehabilitation facilities for the case of patients with severe physical disabilities.