OBJECTIVE: We examined the vasoconstricting poperties of endothelin (ET) on isolated arteries from pregnant as well as non-pregnant uterus. METHODS: Arteries of the uterus were obtained from both hysterectomized uterus and during pregnany hysterectomy for control group and cesarean section for pregnant group. Rings of uterine artery were suspended on muscle chambers at their optimal length for generating tension and contractile properties were examined. RESULTS: ET-1 and ET-2 induced concentration-dependent constriction of both isolated arterial strips from non-pregnant and pregnant uterus. The contraction to ET-1 and ET-2 were more enhanced in full-term pregnancy. Furthermore, in pregnant group, sarafotoxin S6c and IRL 1620, ET. agonists, induced a dose-dependent contraction, which was not shown in those from non-pregnant human. Pretreatment of human uterine arterial strips from pregnant uterus with BQ610, an ET. antagonist, for 10 min resulted in a dose-related rightward shift of ET-1 response curve with diminution of maximal response. Schild plot analysis yielded a pA value of 7.29 with a slope of 0.98. However, BQ788, an ET antagonist, did not produce any rightward shift. The contraction to lower concentration (10-8~3*10-7 M) of sarafotoxin S6c was not affected by BQ788, whereas that to higher concentration (10-s-8*10-7 M) was marked diminished. However, BQ610 did not exnt any efFect on sarafotoxin S6c-induced contraction in arterial staips from pregnant uterus. When the bath solution was replaced with Ca-free physiological salt solution (PSS) containing 1 mM EGTA for 10 min prior to adding sarafotoxin S6c, sarafotoxin S6c-induced contraction was completely abolished. Sarafotoxin S6c (10 nM)-induced contraction was prefetentially blocked by a protein kinase C antagonist, H-7, whereas it was less sensitive to a calmodulin antagonist, calmidazolium, CONCLUSION: Based on above results, we concluded that ET plays an important role in regulating uterine blood flow through the activation of ETa and ETB receptors. Furthermote, ETB receptors may predominantly contribute to the modulation of human uterine circulation in full-term pregnancy.
1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine ; Arteries* ; Baths ; Calmodulin ; Cesarean Section ; Constriction ; Egtazic Acid ; Endothelin-2 ; Endothelins* ; Female ; Humans* ; Hysterectomy ; Pregnancy ; Protein Kinase C ; Receptors, Endothelin ; Uterine Artery ; Uterus*

Thirty-five cerebello-pontine angle lesions were diagnosed with simple skull X-ray, CT, and angiography atSeoul National University Hospital from Sept. 1978 through Aug. 1982. The radiographic findings were analysed withemphasis on the differential points of CT among the major three cerebello-pontine angle tumors; acousticneurinoma, meningioma and epidermoid. The results are as follows; 1. Among the 35 cases of cerebello-pontine anglelesions, 19 cases were acoustic neurinoma. 4 cases miningioma, 4 cases epidermoid, 2 cases metastasis, 1 caseschoroid plexus papilloma, 1 case arteriovenous malformation, and 3 cases intra-axial posterior fossa tumors. 2.The characteristic radiographic findings of acoustic neurinoma were windening of internal auditory canal, petrousbone erosion, posterior extension of tumor at the level of internal autidory canal, hypo or isodense mass onpre-contrast CT with high enhancement after intravenous contrast infusion, and cystic change within the mass. 3.Meningioma shows anterior extenstion of the lesion at the level of internal auditory canal, broad base and obtuseangle sign of the lesion with petrous bone, hyperdense mass on precontrast CT. with highly homogeneous enhancementafter intravenous contrast infusion. 4. Epidermoid characteristically shows hypodense mass on precontrast CT withno change after intravenous contrast infusion. 5. The differential points of the major 3 cerebello-pontine tumorswere bone change, mass location, attenuation , degree of attachment to petrous bone, and cystic change.
Angiography ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Infratentorial Neoplasms ; Meningioma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Papilloma ; Petrous Bone ; Skull

No abstract available.
Acetabulum*

We evaluated 38patients with orbital wall fracture, who were repaired surgically after its diagnosis from January 1986 to October 1995. We analysed its clinical symptoms and signs, ocular motlity disturbances and strabismus remaining after reduction. All the aptients showed diplopia due to ocular motility disturbance, it was greater in the patients with large fracture size and inferior wall fracture. The ocular motility disturbance remaining after the reduction was proportional to the fracture size and the time between trauma and its reduction. The exotropia and hypertropia of the fracturd eye were the main types of strabismus remaining after reduction. It was more severe in the patients with large fracture size and upper grade of ocular motility disturbance. The weakening procedure of horizontal and vertical muscle resulted in good correction for the strabismus.
Diagnosis ; Diplopia ; Exotropia ; Humans ; Orbit* ; Strabismus

No abstract available.
Angioplasty* ; Carotid Artery, Internal* ; Carotid Stenosis*

Atopic dermatitis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease, associated with marked inflammatory cells (of mast cells and eosinophils) and severe itching, which leads to clinical problems in the pediatric population. This study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effects of luteolin liposome solution, that is entrapped the hydrophobic luteolin (one of the flavonoids) into ethosome to improve its stability, by using hapten-induced atopic dermatitis animal model (NC/Nga mice).The luteolin liposome treated mice showed anti-inflammatory effect as evidenced by the lowering of erythema and edema in clinical observation, reduction of inflammatory cell infiltration and epidermal thickness in histopathological examination, when compared with TNCB induced controls. Luteolin liposome solution also reduced the serum IgE level which played important roles in the atopic dermatitis model. These results suggest that luteolin liposome solution has some merit in this formulation showing inhibitory effects for the atopic dermatitis.
Animals ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Edema ; Erythema ; Immunoglobulin E ; Liposomes ; Luteolin ; Mast Cells ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Pruritus ; Skin Diseases

No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Spinal Stenosis*

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Keratinocytes*

No abstract available.
Depression, Postpartum* ; Female ; Postpartum Period*

PURPOSE: To analyze contrast-enhancement pattern of stomach cancer on dynamic MRI and to verify the efficacy of intravenous contrast agent in the evaluation of stomach cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with proven stomach cancer underwent dynamic MRI, By using 1.0T scanner, we obtained precontrast FLASH images, and 30, 60, 90 second delay FLASH images after intravenous contrast injection. All patients ingested on liter of water and had intramuscluar injection of Buscopan just before MR study. For quantitative analysis we measured signal to noise ratio (S/N) of stomach cancer on each image, and signal difference to noise ratio (SD/N) between cancer and intraluminal fluid, cancer and the pancreas. For qualitative analysis two radiologists evaluated lesion conspicuity on each image by grading system(grade 0, 1, 2, 3: poor, fair, good, excellent). RESULTS: S/N of stomach cancer increased gradually by time(precontrast, 30, 60, 90 second delay:38.7, 42.5, 57.4, 65.7). SD/N between cancer and intraluminal fluid significantly increased after contrast enhancement(1.24, 25.01, 39.30, 45.89). SD/Ns between cancer and the pancreas were 10.5, 9.33, 9.99, 10.66 respectively. In qualitative analysis, precontrast images were better than postcontrast images for delineation of stomach cancer, Postcontrast images showed clear endo-luminal side of stomach cancer, but outer margin of stomach cancer was more distinct on precontrast images. CONCLUSION: Precontrast MR images are better than postcontrast MR images in the depiction of stomach cancer. Intravenous contrast agent is not imperative in the evaluation of stomach cancer.
Butylscopolammonium Bromide ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Noise ; Pancreas ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Water