No abstract available.
Animals ; Dogs* ; Lung*

Radioiodinated oxytocin prepared by the lactoperoxidase method exhibited a substantial biologic activity in uterotonic assay of the rat uterus. 125I-oxytocin was bound to the uterine membrane particulate fraction, but the unlabelled oxytocin did not inhibit the binding of 125I oxytocin to the membrane fraction of rat uterus. Cold iodinated oxytocin, however, inhibited the 125I-oxytocin binding to the membrane fraction of rat uterus in proportion to its concentration. These results suggest that 125I-oxytocin is not a suitable radioligand for oxytocin receptor binding study.
Animal ; Binding Sites ; Cell Membrane/metabolism ; Female ; Iodine Radioisotopes/metabolism* ; Oxytocin/metabolism* ; Radioligand Assay ; Rats ; Receptors, Cell Surface/analysis* ; Uterus/metabolism*

BACKGROUND: Topiramate (TPM), a broad-spectrum antiepileptic drug, has recently been demonstrated to be effective as a monotherapeutic device for migraine prevention. We investigated the impact of TPM on cognition during migraine prevention. METHODS: Twenty-eight migraineurs were evaluated. They were instructed to take 25 mg of TPM per day, with 25 mg weekly increments to a maximum of 100 mg per day according to the therapeutic responsiveness. We assessed cognitive dysfunctions by spontaneous patient reports and several neuropsychological tests comparing the baseline and at 3 months during on-treatment. We also compared these tests to age, sex, education, clinical features of migraine, TPM dose, and global effectiveness. RESULTS: After 3 months of therapy, 21 patients undertook a follow-up neuropsychological test. Even though headache frequency, severity, and disability were significantly decreased in a follow-up period, there was a significant impairment in backward digit span (P=.006) and verbal fluency (P=.023). Thirteen patients (62%) showed an impaired backward digit span, and 11 patients (52%) exhibited an impaired verbal fluency. Five patients (24%) complained of symptoms associated with these impairments. Cognitive impairments were well correlated to the frequency of migraine attack, higher daily TPM dose, and global effectiveness. In six patients who showed the impairment of both items, TPM was withdrawn and their cognition was retested after 2 weeks. There was a significant improvement in these cognitive functions. CONCLUSIONS: TPM appears to exert a dose-related, strong negative influence on working memory and verbal fluency during migraine prevention. It can be related to drug tolerability.
Cognition ; Education ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache ; Humans ; Memory, Short-Term ; Migraine Disorders* ; Neuropsychological Tests

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Artery*

Hepatie hilar ductal carcinoma is relatively rare, but the prognosis is known to be poor because an early diagnosis is difficult. Because the majority of patients are already infiltrated into adjacent organ by itself at the diagnosis, the rate of resectability is low. The best method of treatment is curative resection, and the range of tumor invasion is very important. The preoperative diagnosis is difficult because the cholangiography may be normal in cases of superficial invasion. Multifocal lesions within the biliary tract may be identified in as many as 10 percent of patients, Especially, the papillary type has the best prognosis and is associated with multiple tumors within the bile duct. We report a case that percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram showed normal distal common bile duct, but the hepatic hilar confluence and ampulla of Vater lesion was confirmed as adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma ; Ampulla of Vater* ; Bile Ducts ; Biliary Tract* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Cholangiography ; Common Bile Duct ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Pancreas* ; Prognosis

No abstract available.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female

BACKGROUND: Since the introduction of anti-HCV assay, post-transfusion hepatitis (PTH) by Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) was remakably reduced. Recently, based on the estimation of HCV seroincidence rate in blood donors, an investigator insisted that alanine aminotransferase (ALT) test be discontinued as a surrogate marker. This study was designed to determine the HCV seroincidence in Korean blood donors. METHODS: HCV seroincidence was calculated using repeat donors who had donated repeatedly during the 26 months from Nov. 1994 through Dec. 1996. To calculate the person-years according to ALT value, the computer database of the Korean National Red Cross (KNRC) was used in which results for anti-HCV by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) were filed up. To count the true incidence cases, who were defined as donors showing seroconversion by confirmatory test in two successive donation, seroconverted donors by EIA were individually reconfirmed whether they were true seroconverters. Finally, projected impact on HCV risk of discontining of ALT screening was calculated by using two important value previously known, such as periods of seroconversion window for anti-HCV and ALT preconversion window. RESULTS: HCV seroincidence was estimated to be 13.79/100,000 person-years. Seroincidences according to the ALT groups were as follows; 13.22 in the normal ALT group (< or = 64 IU/L), 34.15 in the elevated group (65-130 IU/L), 87.13 in the highly elevated group (> or =131 IU/L). By this study, investigators also could find seroconverted donors, whose result for anti-HCV by immunoblot was positive at the first donation and changed to negative by EIA at the next donation, as many as 100 donors. Among these falsely seroconverted persons, 16% of donors showed elevated ALT value. 8 units per 1 million donations were estimated to be discarded only by abnormal results of ALT testing in Korea. CONCLUSION: HCV seroincidence in Korean donors was 2.8 times as high as in American donors. HCV seroincidence calculated by this study seems to be somewhat lower than true rate because of the problem of summing-up the person-years. Considering that higher seroincidence results in more donors in seroconversion window phase, donor selection by careful history taking should be re-emphasized to reduce the seroincidence rate in Korean blood donation program.
Alanine Transaminase ; Biomarkers ; Blood Donors* ; Donor Selection ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Red Cross ; Research Personnel ; Tissue Donors

PURPOSE: We created an 'AAPM TG18 Evaluation Tool' and we determined its usefulness for the quality control of a diagnostic monitor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We created an evaluation tool (the AAPM TG18) for conducting quality control of a diagnostic monitor, and we evaluated the measurement items of the AAPM TG18 evaluation tool. The measurement items were geometric distortion, fixed quantity assessment and visual assessment of the veiling glare, and we carried out adjustment for the luminance meter 0% calibration, which was used to revise the diagnostic monitor DICOM LUT. RESULTS: With the AAPM TG18 Evaluation Tool, we measured the 2-dimensional length when evaluating the quantitative geometric distortions in the TG18-QC test pattern, and we measured the veiling-glare ring response function, which provided information regarding the spatial extent of the luminance spread, and this measurement of the can be performed using the TG18-GV pattern. Additionally, the AAPM TG18 Evaluation Tool can be used for sensor calibration to standardize the basic rate of 0% luminance when performing periodic calibration. CONCLUSION: The evaluation tool is a very useful for easily evaluating many of the examination items of the AAPM TG18 for performing quality control of a diagnostic monitor.
Calibration ; Computer Terminals ; Glare ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Quality Control ; Radiology Information Systems ; Total Quality Management

Among the various side effects of anticonvulsant medication, the anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS) is underrecognized. This condition developed frequently with aromatic anticonvulsants, but with new antiepileptic drugs as well. We experienced three lamotrigine-induced AHS cases with symptoms such as fever, rash, leukopenia, eosinophilia and lymphadenopathy, which subsided after withdrawal of lamotrigine.
Anticonvulsants ; Eosinophilia ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Hypersensitivity* ; Leukopenia ; Lymphatic Diseases

BACKGROUND: Although hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) -100% oxygen at two to three times the atmospheric pressure at sea level-has a number of beneficial biochemical, cellular, and physiologic effects, it is intrinsically associated with the potential for producing mild to severe toxic effects. The contribution of the cellular adhesion molecules and macrophages in the renal oxygen toxicity is not well understood. Thus, we have investigated the toxic effect of HBO expressed by the analysis of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and infiltration of macrophages in rat kidney. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing about 250 g were exposed to HBO at 3 ATA of 100% O2 for 4 hours. The expression of ICAM-1 and infiltration of CD68-positive macrophages were serially observed by immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS: At 3 days after HBO exposure, CD68-positive macrophage counts were increased in glomeruli and tubulointerstitium of kidney. The expression of ICAM-1 was enhanced 1 day after HBO exposure and increased more for 3 days. There was a significant correlation between ICAM-1 expression and macrophage accumulation in the glomeruli. At 7 days after HBO, those alterations recovered to normal status. CONCLUSION: The 4-hour HBO exposure induced ICAM-1 expression and macrophage accumulation in the kidney and these change lasted for 3 days. Therefore, sustained activation of macrophages in renal oxygen toxicity may occur after prolonged (more than 4 hours) or repetitive exposures to HBO.
Animals ; Atmospheric Pressure ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Kidney* ; Macrophages ; Male ; Oxygen* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley