Higenamine is known to possess stimulatory activity on beta-receptor of the heart. Chronotropic actions of higenamic were studied in spontaneously beating right atrial muscle isolated from rabbits. The frequency of spontaneous beating and the relative threshold voltage of the right atrium were examined. The relative threshold voltage was defined as the minimal voltage of the given impulse above which the right atrium could be paced at the frequency of 20% of higenamine was also observed. Higenamine caused the postive chronotropic effect. This response became prominent as the ca2+ concentration in the bathing solution lowered. When tetrodotoxin was added to the bathing solution, the effect of higenemine altered and became similar to that of epinephrine. Higenamine reduced the relative threshold voltage of the right atrium in the bathing solution with [ca2+] of 0.5mM. Such effect was abolished by tetrodotoxin. The effects of verapamill on the spontaneous rate and the relativel threshold voltage were inhibited by higenemine. The above results suggest that, aithough the main action og higenamine is on the Ca channel, higenamine also have a minor effect of augmenting the Na channel.
Baths ; Epinephrine ; Heart ; Heart Atria* ; Heart Rate ; Rabbits ; Tetrodotoxin ; Verapamil

BACKGROUND: Using alfentanil followed by an anesthetic induction dose of propofol provides adequate conditions for tracheal intubation without neuromuscular blocking drugs in most patients. Providing an option for intense opioid effect without compromising recovery after short operations, remifentanil might offer benefits over alfentanil. In this study intubating conditions after remifentanil-propofol were evaluated. METHODS: Sixty healthy premedicated patients were divided randomly into 3 groups. Anesthesia was intravenously induced with propofol (4 microgram/ml) followed by remifentanil. Group R(2), R(3), R(4) received 2, 3, 4 microgram/kg remifentanil, respectively. Ninety seconds after the administration of remifentanil, laryngoscopy and intubation were attempted. Intubation conditions were assessed as excellent, good or poor. The hemodynamic changes were measured at preinduction (base), preintubation, postintubation (immediately, 3 minute, 5 minute after intubation). RESULTS: Clinically acceptable intubating conditions were observed in 65%, 95%, and 95% of patients in the R(2), R(3), and R(4) groups, respectively. Clinically acceptable intubating conditions were significantly (P < 0.05) less likely to occur in Group R(2). The mean arterial pressure decreased immediately after induction in all groups. There was no significant elevation in heart rate after tracheal intubation in all groups. There were no significant differences among groups. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy, premedicated patients with favorable airway anatomy can be reliably intubated with good or excellent conditions 90 seconds after the administrations of remifentanil 3-4 microgram/kg and propofol.
Alfentanil ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Intubation* ; Laryngoscopy ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Propofol*

Drug-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a bullous erythematous disease that is characterized by the appearance of scaled lesions and large sheets of pilling on the skin. A caseof TEN occured in a 10 month old female patient. The characteristic skin lesions of TEN developed after oral administration of carbamazepine for a partial seizure. Thig case consists of prodrome of malaise, fever, anorexia, and conjunctivity followed by erythema & flaccid bullae formation. Diagnosis was confirmed by histologic findings. This patient was treated with a massive systemic corticosteroid, antibiotics, fluid and electrolytes, and topical measures. Authors experienced an extremely rare case of TEN dur to carbamazepine, So report it with a brief review of literature.
Administration, Oral ; Anorexia ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Carbamazepine ; Diagnosis ; Electrolytes ; Erythema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Infant ; Seizures ; Skin ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Lasers, Gas* ; Lasers, Solid-State*

To evaluate the character, management and clinical results of the posterior capsular rupture during cataract surgery, we retrospectively studied the cataract surgeries that were performed between May 1989 and April 1998. We discovered 194 eyes in which the posterior capsule was torn. The overall incidence of this complication was 3.15%. Our chart review of these surgical procedure revealed that the tear occurred most frequently during the nucleus removal(63.9%), occurred more frequently at the periphery than the center and the extent was mostly below one-third of the whole posterior capsular surface(75.8%). We performed vitrectomy(58.8%) and peripheral iridectomy(8.8%). Posterior capsular lenses were implanted in 183 cases. The predicted power of lens calculated with SRK-II formula and manufacturer`s A-constant was approximately 0.46 diopter less than actual postoperative refraction. Final visual acuity of 20/40 or better was achieved in 76.8% of the 194 cases. Our results revealed that when properly managed, a torn posterior capsule is compatible with an excellent visual outcome.
Cataract* ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture* ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Polychondritis, Relapsing*

No abstract available.
Polychondritis, Relapsing*

Gastric cancer is the most common malignancy in Korea. The most common cancers of the stomach are adenocarcinomas. Adenosquamous carcinoma of the stomach is very rare, constituting less than 0.1% of all the gastric cancers. Adenosquamous carcinoma is characterized by the presence of two different cell components, one adenomatous and the other squamous. It occurs more frequently in the upper stomach, and it sometimes invades the muscular layer. Adenosquamous carcinoma limited to the mucosa or submucosa is extremely rare and usually invades deeply into the muscular layer. Thus, it is found in an advanced stage at diagnosis and has a worse prognosis than adenocarcinoma. We report a case of early gastric cancer of adenosquamous carcinoma type on the basis of standard endoscopy in a 76-year-old woman. The patient received endoscopic submucosal dissection followed by subtotal gastrectomy to achieve complete resection.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous* ; Cellular Structures ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Korea ; Mucous Membrane ; Prognosis ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: The Stroop color word test is useful to examines the frontal lobe function of selective attention and inhibition. The Korean Color Word Stroop Test(K-CWST) was widely used in Korea. But, it was difficult in elderly individual with low educational level and visual problem and in patients with more progressed dementia. So we developed the Korean Stroop Test(KST). METHODS: The KST consist of word reading(WR), color naming(CN), interference word reading(IWR) and interference color naming (ICN). The interference tasks are naming the ink color of color words which were mismatched with word meaning. We measured reaction time and number of error. This study used the K-CWST to assess and compare the KST in eighteen probable alcohol related dementia patients and nineteen normal control. All subjects received the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) and the K-CWST and the KST. We tested reliability and validity of the KST. Also we enrolled normal adult from 41 to 80 year old for evaluating the change of the KST test with age. RESULTS: The KST tasks were correlated with K-MMSE -0.33(p<0.05) to -0.63(p<0.001) and K-CWST correlated with K-MMSE 0.37 (p<0.05) to 0.55(p<0.01). The interference color naming of KST was correlated the most to K-MMSE -0.78(p<0.001). The interference color naming of KST and interference color naming of K-CWST was correlated by 0.81(p<0.001). The internal consistency were 0.78 (Cronbach's alpha). The KST score was statistically different between alcohol related dementia patients and normal subjects in CN, ICN and ICN error. The KST was not differ in old age group except some tasks. CONCLUSION: The KST has a excellent reliability and validity. It takes less time and easy than the K-CWST. So the KST is a good test for evaluating frontal lobe function in elderly with low educational level of older people.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Dementia ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Ink ; Korea ; Reaction Time ; Reproducibility of Results ; Stroop Test*

Intracranial schwannoma constitutes 8-10% of all primary intracranial tumors. The majority of them derive from cranial nerves, especially from the vestibulocochlear nerve. Intraparenchymatous schwannoma of the cent ral nervous system, on the other hand, is very rare. We report a rare case of brainstem schwannoma with the review of literature 8.
Brain Stem* ; Cranial Nerves ; Hand ; Nervous System ; Neurilemmoma* ; Vestibulocochlear Nerve