No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats* ; Somatotrophs*

The carpal injury is difficult to diagnose due to anatomical complexity and the like. So, in order to get radiological knowledge of normal wrist, the authors measured the values which will be described on the wrist PA and lateral roengenogram obtained from 440 normal wrists(male : 188 cases, female : 252 cases) in randomly selected patients. The following results were obtained. l. Ulnar variance(mm±standard deviation): Total 1.1±1.2 : negative variance : 9.3%, positive variance : 56.1%, 2. Scapholunate Gap(mm±standard deviation): Total 0.4±0.7, 3. Ulnar Tilt(degrees±standard deviation): Total 23.6±5.3, 4. Volar Tilt, 5. Carpal height rstio : Total 0.52±0.05 male 0.53±0.04 female 0.51±0.05 : Total 13.1±5.9, 6. Carpal ulnsr distance ratio Total 0.05±0.05, 7. Scapholunate Angle : Total 49.9'±10.1', 8. Capitatolunate Angle Total 17.5'±10.0', 9. Radiolunate Angle Total 8.8'±6.7', 10. Carpal width ratio Total 0.72±0.08 11. Carpal thickness ratio Total 0.49±0.07.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Wrist

Asymmetrical distribution of the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-immunoreactive neurons in the hippocam-pal formation of rat nd iv/iv mouse was detected by the immunocytochemical method. The animals were divided into 3 groups and group I was subdivided into 4 groups according to sex and handedness determined by the paw-preference test : group I (male right-handedness (MR), male left-handedness (ML), female right-handedness (FR), female left-handedness (FL)), group II (female rats ovariectomized in neonatal period), group III (iv/iv mouse, situs solitus & inversus). The number of VIP-immunoreactive neurons were counted under the light microscope and the following results were obtained. 1. In MR of group I, the area containing the higher density of VIP neurons in the left hippocampal formation than the right were the CA1, CA3, dentate gyrus and subiculum. In ML, the area containing the higher density of VIP neurons in the left cortex were the level 2 of dentate gyrus, and the area exhibiting higher density in the right cortex were level 1, 3 of dentate gyrus. 2. The asymmetrical distributional pattern of VIP in ovariectomized rat (group II) was similar to male subgroups in group I. 3. In group III, there was no asymmetrical distribution of VIP-immunoreactive neurons. Above results show that asymmetrical distribution of VIP neurons are prominent in the right handedness or male groups, and the sexually dimorphic pattern of VIP is related directly or indirectly to gonadal steroids, but there seems to be no relationship between iv gene and asymmetrical distribution of VIP neurons in cerebral cortex.
Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; Dentate Gyrus ; Female ; Functional Laterality* ; Gonads* ; Hippocampus* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Neurons* ; Ovariectomy ; Rats* ; Steroids* ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide*

In the present study, we investigated influences of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3beta on the development and/or progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We used transgenic mice expressing a human Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase mutant (SOD1G93A) as an in vivo model of ALS and examined expressional changes of GSK3beta immunohistochemically in the spinal cord, brain stem and cerebellum. With these experiments we demonstrate that the neurons in these regions of symptomatic SOD1G93A transgenic mice showed increased GSK3beta immunoreactivities compared with wild-type SOD1 transgenic mice. In contrast to symptomatic SOD1G93A transgenic mice, few GSK3beta immunoreactivity changes were detected in 8w- and 13w-old presymptomatic SOD1G93A transgenic mice. These data suggest the possibility that GSK3 functions as a modulating factor of apoptosis-related alterations in ALS and that GSK3beta exert differential functions in the development and/or progression of ALS. But the exact functional significances of these changes require further elucidation.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ; Animals ; Brain Stem ; Central Nervous System* ; Cerebellum ; Glycogen Synthase Kinases* ; Glycogen Synthase* ; Glycogen* ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic* ; Neurons ; Spinal Cord ; Superoxide Dismutase

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus* ; Humans* ; Immunoassay*

Emphysematous cystitis is an uncommon condition in which pockets of gas are formed in and around the bladder wall by gas-forming organisms. Patients with diabetes, neurogenic bladder and chronic urinary infection are predisposed to the disease. Severity of illness ranges from an asymptomatic condition to life-threatening cystitis. Successful management depends on early diagnosis with correction of underlying causes, administration of appropriate antibiotics, establishment of adequate bladder drainage and surgical excision of involved tissue when required. Early detection and prompt treatment are encouraged. We report one case of emphysematous cystitis complicated with diabetic nephropathy in a 68-year-old woman.
Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Asymptomatic Diseases ; Cystitis* ; Diabetic Nephropathies* ; Drainage ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic

PURPOSE: Radical cystectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy is an effective therapeutic modality in invasive bladder cancer. The development of another technique for a radical cystectomy for the early recovery and reduction of complications was attempted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 1997 and June 2003, an extraperitoneal radical cystectomy was attempted in 18 patients with invasive bladder cancer (pT1-pT4). Not only standard or extended pelvic lymphadenectomy, but also re-positioning of the ureter to the opposite side, could be performed extraperitoneally. An intestinal segment could be taken out through a small window within the peritoneum and manipulated as desired. The clinical safety and complications of other surgical approaches for radical cystectomy were also investigated. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in 15 of the 18 patients (4 studer pouches, 3 ileal conduits and 8 ureterocutaneostomies). Failure to peel out the peritoneum occurred in 3 cases, 1 each due to technical difficulties, tumor invasion at the bladder dome and adhesion due to a previous radical prostatectomy. Complications occurred in 8 cases (53.1%). The intestinal obstruction progressed in 1 case (12.5%) due to a high positioned mesentery of the Studer pouch. There were no significant gastrointestinal complications in any of the 8 patients that underwent the extraperitoneal radical cystectomy with ureterocutaneostomy. CONCLUSIONS: An extraperitoneal radical cystectomy seems to reduce the gastrointestinal complications and be worthwhile in certain cases with advanced bladder cancer. Despite the visual limitation, it is an acceptable surgical technique compared to the conventional transperitoneal methods.
Cystectomy* ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Lymph Node Excision ; Mesentery ; Peritoneum ; Prostatectomy ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Diversion

A 45-year-old male presented with left pulsatile tinnitus and left conjunctival chemosis after blunt head trauma. Cerebral angiography demonstrated a left carotid-cavernous sinus fistula associated with a persistent primitive trigeminal artery. The fistula was packed with detachable coils through the transvenous approach and was successfully occluded without complication, while preserving the patency of the persistent primitive trigeminal artery. The patient's symptoms resolved soon after treatment. Persistent primitive trigeminal artery can be associated with a traumatic cavernous sinus fistula and transvenous coil embolization can be a safe and effective method to immediately occlude the fistula.
Arteries* ; Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula ; Cavernous Sinus ; Cerebral Angiography ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Embolization, Therapeutic* ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tinnitus

BACKGROUND: Pre-operative anxiety is known to cause an increase in plasma catecholamine levels, which, in turn, attributes to the decrease in serum K+ concentration. Midazolam is one of the most commonly used premedication agent for the purpose of anxiolysis in the pre-operative period. In this study, by measuring serum K+ concentration, we investigated the optimal intramuscular injection time for midazolam which maximally prevents the reduction of serum K+ concentration. METHODS: One hundred twenty three patients undergoing breast surgery were randomly assigned to one of 5 groups. Control group (n = 24) had no premedication. 30-minute group (n = 30), 60-minute group (n = 25), 90-minute group (n = 22) and 120-minute group (n = 22) received IM injection of midazolam (0.05 mg/kg) at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes before induction of anesthesia, respectively. Anxiety level, serum K+ concentrations, blood pressures and heart rates of all patients were measured at 7:00pm of the day before surgery and immediately before induction of anesthesia. RESULTS: Serum K+ concentrations of all groups showed significant decrease in the preinduction time compared with those values at 7:00 pm of the day before surgery. There were no significant changes of heart rates in all groups. Blood pressures immediately before induction of anesthesia elevated compared with those at 7"00 pm of the day before surgery in all groups. Immediately before induction of anesthesia, the K+ levels of 60-minute and 90-minute groups were higher than those of the control group. At this time, the rates of hypokalemia (K+ <3.5 mEq/L) of 60-minute and 90-minute groups were lower than those of the control group. 30-minute and 60-minute groups had significantly lower anxiety levels than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: When we consider anxiety and serum potassium levels, the optimal intramusculr injecting time of midazolam was 60 minutes before induction of anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Anxiety ; Breast ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypokalemia ; Injections, Intramuscular* ; Midazolam* ; Plasma ; Potassium* ; Premedication*

The pattern of distribution in rat spinal cord and changing pattern during normal aging of c-Fos, Bcl-2, Bax, and p53 expression were investigated by immunohistochemical staining. Male Sprague-Dawley rats at the age of one week, five months, and two years were studied. C-Fos immunoreactivity was observed diffusely in gray matters in neonatal rats, preferentially located in deep dorsal horn and around central canal. Compared with those of neonatal rats, immunoreactive cells decreased prominently in adult rats. In aged rats, these cells were not seen in any segments. In a transverse section, spatial expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins showed a diffuse distribution pattern with immunore-activity more prominent in the anterior horn. Continuing expression of these proteins was shown in each age group. In adult rats, Bcl-2 immunoreactivity was decreased drastically compared to that of neonatal rats. The immunoreactivity was higher in aged than in adult rats, but the number of immunoreactive cells was not different between aged and neonatal rats. The number of Bax-immunoreactive cells was greater in adult than in neonatal rats; in aged rats, it was similar with that of adult rats. The spinal cords of neonatal rats were not p53-immunoreactive, though p53-positive cells were detected in all segments of adult spinal cord. P53-positive cells were stained along the cellular margin, with a pale central portion. The pattern of p53 immunoreactivity in adult and aged rats was similar; the number of p53-positive cells, however, was higher in aged rats than in adult. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the expression patterns of c-Fos, Bcl-2, Bax, and p53 proteins in rat spinal cord change during normal aging for the first time.
Adult ; Aging* ; Animals ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; Horns ; Humans ; Male ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord*