We studied the association of nonspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness with general characteristics, exposure concentration, respiratory symptoms, chest x-ray findings, past histories and pulmonary function. We determined bronchial hyperresponsiveness by methacholine challenge test. And we conducted a respiratory symptom questionnaire and performed spirometry on 111 workers occupationally exposed to isocyanates in various industries. About 21.6% of subjects had bronchial hyperresponsiveness. No significant differences were observed between the hyperresponsive and non-responsive group with respect to age, sex, employment period, height, and smoking histories cough and breathlessness were significantly associated with the bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The hyperresponsive group had more experience of bronchitis and asthma in the past than the non-responsive group. The lower FEV1 and FEV1 % were closely related with bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Bronchial hyperrespoosiveness seems to be associated with some of respiratory symptoms, past histories and pulmonary function parameters in workers exposed to isocyanates.
Asthma ; Bronchitis ; Cough ; Employment ; Isocyanates* ; Methacholine Chloride ; Occupations ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spirometry ; Thorax

Hyposexuality after stroke has been frequently observed, but hypersexuality as a sequela of stroke has not been commonly documented. We report a patient who exhibited hypersexuality and obsessive-compulsive behaviors after stroke in the region of the left mesial frontal cortex and both basal ganglia. At 2 months after stroke, he visited psychiatric unit due to these symptoms. His motor function was almost full recovered. He was treated with fluvoxamine and perphenazine, With two-month medication, his hypersexuality and obsessive-compulsive behavior disappeared. This case may indicate that basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit plays an important role in the mediation of sexual behavior and obsessive-compulsive behavior. Since changes in sexual activity may not be spontaneously reported, a systemic inquiry into patient's sexual functioning after infarction in frontal lobe or basal ganglia is warranted.
Basal Ganglia* ; Depression ; Fluvoxamine ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Infarction ; Negotiating ; Perphenazine ; Sexual Behavior ; Stroke*

Transient hyperkalemia is well known to occur in man following intravenous administration of succinylcholine chloride. To study on change of the serum level of K+, Na+ & Cl- after injection of succinylcholine in healthy adults, physical status 1 or 2 adopted by the American society of Anesthesiologists, we studied in two groups: pentothal sodium-succinylcholine injection group (group 1) as control, flaxedil-pentothal sodium-succinylcholine injetion group(group 2) as experimental. The following results were obtained: 1. Serum K+ was slightly increased in both groups, 2mEq/L at 3rd minute in control group, 2mEq/L at 1st minute in experimental group after succinylcholine injection, but no statistical significance was noticed in either group. 2. Serum Na+ was decreased 3 mEq/L immediately after pentothal sodium injection and then sliyhtly increased until 10th minute in control group. In experimental group lower level than control was observed until 15th minute, with the maximum decrease of 7mEq/L at 5th minute. But no statistical significance was noticed in either group. 3. Serum Cl was slightly decreased until 10th minute with the maximum decrease of 4mEq/L at 5th minute in control group. In experimental group, it was slightly increased until 5th minute. But no significance was noticed in either group.
Administration, Intravenous ; Adult ; Humans ; Hyperkalemia ; Sodium ; Succinylcholine ; Thiopental

We have experienced one case of acute cardiac arrest occurred during removal of a foreign body in the esophagus in a 8 month old boy. We consider the cause of acute cardiac arrest in this patient as acute hypoxia and vagal reflex, and stress the importance of prompt diagnosis, extensive knowledge and correct and skillful resuscitation.
Anoxia ; Diagnosis ; Esophagus* ; Foreign Bodies* ; Heart Arrest* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Reflex ; Resuscitation

The author observed pulse rate change in various conditions of halothanenitrous oxide general anesthesia i.e. before premedication, before anesthesis, after intubation and before operation in 200 anesthetic cases of children aging from birth to 16 years old at department of anesthesia of K.U.H. since last 3 years. The following results were obtained, 1. It revealed increased pulse rate after premedication than before and particularly, group A was more remarkable in all groups. 2. It revealed slight decreased pulse rate after intubation. 3. It revealed decreased pulse rate at surgical stage of anesthesia, but pulse rate was increased comparing with before premedication in all groups. 4. The younger, the more variable pulse rate were obtained from ward by administering of drugs or anesthesia in all groups.
Adolescent ; Aging ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Child ; Halothane* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intubation ; Nitrous Oxide* ; Parturition ; Premedication

Gingival fibroblasts(GF) and periodontal ligament fibroblasts(PDLF) are the major cellular components of periodontal soft connective tissues, but the precise molecular biological differences between these cells are not yet known. In the present study, we investigated the expression of S100A4, S100A2 calcium-binding protein and osteoblast-specific factor 2(OSF-2, Periostin) mRNA in GF and PDLF in vitro through the process of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and Northern blot analysis in each. Human GF and PDLF were isolated from the gingival connective tissue and the middle third of freshly extracted healthy third molars. They were cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium(DMEM) containing 10% fetal bovine serum and cells in the third passage were used in the experiments. After extracting total RNA from cultured cells, RT-PCR and Northern analysis were performed using S100A4-, S100A2- and Periostin-specific oligonucleotide primers and subcloned cDNA probes in each. In RT-PCR and Northern analysis, the expression of S100A4 and Periostin mRNA in GF was slightly detectable. Interestingly, the expression of S100A4 and Periostin mRNA in PDLF was much higher than that in GF. On the other hand, S100A2 mRNA was highly expressed in both GF and PDLF. Since there was a marked difference of S100A4 and Periostin expression between GF and PDLF in vitro, these data suggest that S100A4 and Periostin could be used as a useful marker for distinguishing cultured gingival fibroblasts and periodontal ligament cells.
Blotting, Northern ; Carrier Proteins* ; Cells, Cultured ; Connective Tissue ; DNA Primers ; DNA, Complementary ; Eagles ; Fibroblasts* ; Hand ; Humans* ; Molar, Third ; Periodontal Ligament* ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger*

BACKGROUND: As brain tumor cells are immunologically active, they release various factors like a cytokine, growth factor and express a death domain on their surfaces. Accordingly they support proliferation, vascularity, invasiveness and maintain immune privileged sites. However, the relationship between tumor cells and surrounding neuron cells have been rarely reported in tumor patients with epilepsy that inhibitory neuron cells have been lost around peritumoral sites. This study was designed to address that tumor cells directly damage neuron cells. METHODS: Using LDH assay and special stain, we investigated whether or not cultured supernatants of astrocytoma cells induce the damage of neuron cells. RESULTS: The neuron cells were killed by tumor cells supernatant and increased by pretreatment of neuron cells supernatant and lysates. Protein extracted tumor cells supernatant also damage neuron cells. It was proved by Annexin-PI stain and DNA fragmentation that neuronal death by tumor cells was apoptosis. The more malignant tumor cells, the more neuronal death was induced and the more their cytokines were expressed. In comparison with various cytokine expressions in tumor cells, it can be assumed that the released protein from tumor cells was associated with TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-alpha. CONCLUSIONS: Brain tumor cells are active processing cells that they recognize surrounding normal neuron cells, release death factors and induce apoptosis of neuron cells. Released death factors are related toTNF-alpha. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(3):266~277, 2001)
Apoptosis* ; Astrocytoma ; Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Cytokines ; DNA Fragmentation ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Neurons*

Gastric web is a rare gastric anomaly and almost all the reported cases have been located in the distal antrum. We experienced a case of neonatal gastric web that was located in the body of stomach, and we report the findings of the upper gastrointestinal series and ultrasonography.
Stomach* ; Ultrasonography

Gastric volvulus is a rare condition, and it is classified as the organoaxial or mesentericaxial type according to the axis of rotation. We experienced 1 case of pediatric recurrent mesenteroaxial gastric volvulus and we report here the ultrasonographic and CT findings.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Stomach Volvulus*

It is a well-known clinical fact that contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography exaggerates vertebral arterial ostial stenosis and sometimes shows pseudostenosis. Considering the clinical significance of a lesion in the posterior circulation ischemia, the importance of an accurate imaging diagnosis of ostial stenosis should not be underestimated. We were able to differentiate pseudostenosis of the ostium from true stenosis using thin-slab maximum-intensity-projection(MIP) images which are thought to be helpful for minimizing standard full thickness MIP images.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Ischemia ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Vertebral Artery