BACKGROUND: Purinergic and cholinergic agonists elicit negative-inotropic and chronotropic effects, anticip-ating their protective action from the damage of overloaded myocardium. However, the actions of the agents during the ischemic insults are not yet clearly informed. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the purinergic and cholinergic agonists on the simulated ischemic myocardium of the rat atrial fiber preparations. METHOD: Various action potential parameters (maximum diastolic potential MDP;action potential amplitude APA;velocity of phase 0 depolarization dV/dtmax;action potential duration APD90) were measured and compared in electrically paced, normal (NPSS) and modified physiological salt solution (MPSS) superfused rat atrial fibers in vitro, using conventional 3M-KCl microelectrode technique. Ischemia-simulated modified physiologic solutions were prepared by changing the solution's composition. RESULTS: Hypoxic-and/or hyperkalemic-MPSS decreased all the action potential (AP) variables. However, no significant changes of the AP variables were developed by the acidic-or glucose-free MPSS. Adenosine (Ado) and cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) only decreased the APD90 in a dose-dependent manner. Acetylcholine (Ach) and carbachol (Cch) hyperpolarized the MDP, increased the dV/dtmax with certain doses, and decreased the APD90 dose-depen-dently. The potency for APD90-decrease was greater in order, CPA>Cch>Ach>Ado. Ado and CPA did not affect the hypoxic, hypokalemic MPSS-induced dV/dtmax-decrease. On the other hand, Ach and Cch sig-nificantly inhibited the dV/dtmax-decrease by the hypoxic hypokalemic-MPSS. Ado, CPA, Ach and Cch sig-nificantly augmented the hypoxic, hypokalemic MPSS-induced APD90-decrease. The inhibition by the Ach and Cch on the MPSS-induced dV/dtmax-decrease was not affected by DPCPX, but atropine significantly attenuated the inhibition by the cholinergic agonists. DPCPX inhibited the augmentation by the Ado and CPA on the MPSS induced APD90-decrease, and atropine inhibited the effect of the cholinergic agonists. CONCLUSION: Both purinergic and cholinergic agonists not only shorten the AP duration by themselves but also enhance the AP-shortening effect elicited by the ischemia, and therefore, it is inferred that both agonists prevent further tissue damage from the ischemic insults.
Acetylcholine ; Action Potentials ; Adenosine ; Animals ; Atropine ; Carbachol ; Cholinergic Agonists* ; Hand ; Ischemia ; Microelectrodes ; Myocardium* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Decompression* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Spine* ; Titanium*

The relationship between infective endocarditis and mycotic aneurysm formation appers clear : In about two to ten percent of patients with infective endocarditis harbor septic intracranial aneurysms. But the pathogenesis, natural course and management of these lesions remains controversial. Aggressive medical treatment of the underlying infected cardiac valve or surgical replacement therapy have significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality rates associated with infective endocarditis. Clinical predictors of mycotic aneurysm, especially neurologic prodromes prior to rupture have been ill-defined since most series contain few patients or include patients with infective aneurysms who have no infective endoarditis. Similarly there has been no consensus regarding the indications and timing of cerebral angiography in patients with infective endocarditis. We have experienced a case of cerebral mycotic aneurysm complicated with subarachnoid hemorrhage due to infective endocarditis in a 29 year-old female patient, who admitted to our hospital because of the pain and paralysis of sudden onset in right forearm, which was diagnosed by echocardiography, brain computed tomography and 4-vessel cerebral angiography. The patient died of sudden rupture of mycotic aneurysm in the 7th hospital day despite intensive medical treatment. We report one case of cerebral mycotic aneurysm with a brief of literature.
Adult ; Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Infected* ; Brain ; Cerebral Angiography ; Consensus ; Echocardiography ; Endocarditis* ; Female ; Forearm ; Heart Valves ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Mortality ; Paralysis ; Rupture ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage*

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Marriage*

A 29-year-old woman presented with secondary amenorrhea, primary infertility, and virilization, which had developed over the past 2 years was suspected to have a virilizing tumor at her left ovary. Her serum testosterone level was markedly elevated (380 ng/dL). Left salpingooophorectomy was performed, and histopathological examination revealed a thecoma of the left ovary. The postoperative serum testosterone level returned to 65 ng/dL. The patient did not have regression of virilism soon. However, the patient had a normal menstruation 29 days after surgery and gave birth to a baby 13 months after surgery.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Ovarian Neoplasms/blood/*complications/*surgery ; Ovariectomy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Testosterone/blood ; Thecoma/blood/*complications/*surgery ; Virilism/blood/*etiology/surgery

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate the influence on tear film of infrared instrument by observing the morphologic change of the tear lipid layer and tear break-up time by Tearscope(R). METHODS: The subjects were 52 eyes from 26 people. After infrared hyperthermic therapy, we analyzed the change of the tear lipid layer by Tearscope(R) at 10 minutes, 6 hours, and 12 hours. We also observed the subjective symptoms of change related to dry eye syndrome and tear break-up time. RESULTS: Of the 26 normal cases, 20 were men and 6 were women. The mean age was 26.4 +/- 1.9 years. The subjective symptoms improved and the tear lipid layer showed a decrease of color fringe yellow-brown and color fringe multiple colors type, and an increase of waves and closed meshwork type 10 minutes and 6 hours following infrared treatment. Tear break-up time was also prolonged from preoperative value of 10.0 +/- 2.4 seconds to 11.0 +/- 2.7 and 11.1 +/- 2.9 seconds at 10 minutes and 6 hours, respectively, after infrared treatment, but this effect did not persist after 12 hours. Schirmer test value did not show significant change. No complication related to infrared treatment was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Infrared treatment may be considered a possible method of treating dry eye syndrome by increasing the stability of the tear lipid layer.
Dry Eye Syndromes ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Tears*

No abstract available.
Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable* ; Hemorrhage* ; Thrombin*

No abstract available.
Osteoporosis* ; Spondylolisthesis*

In order to evaluate the utility af routine preoperative 12 lead eleetrocardiogram, 4,089 patients aged above 16 years who were scheduled for elective surgical operations under general or regional anesthesia at Chonnam University Hospital from September 1988 to August 1990 were analysed retrospectively in terms of age, sex and specific abnormal ECG findings that may alter anesthetic management. The results were as follows. 1) Among the total 4,089 patients, abnormal ECG findings were noted in 2,094 patients (51.2%) and more frequently noted in male (57.3%, 1,231/2,149) than female (44.5%, 863/1,940), and there was significant inrease in its frequency above the age of middle 6 decades. 2) Ventrieular hypertrophy was noted in 19.3% of the total subjects and more frequently noted in male (24.2%) than female (13.7%), and there was significant increase in its frequency above the age of middle 6 decades. 3) Atrioventricular block was noted in 1.8% of the total subjects with 2.1% of male and 1.5% of female, and there was no significant difference in its frequency between each sex and age. 4) Bundle branch block was noted in 5.3% of the total subjects and more frequently noted in male (6.8%) than female (3.7%), and there was significant increase in its frequency above the age of middle 6 decades. 5) ST-T wave abnormality was noted in 3% of the total subjects and more frequently noted in female (4.2%) than male (2.0%) and there was no significant difference in its frequecy between each age groups in male, but the female in respect to male, showed significant increased frequency from the age of middle 5 decades to middle 7 decades. 6) Myocardial infarction was noted in 1.5% of the total subjects with 1.7% of male and 1.2% of female, and there was no significant difference in its frequency between each sex groups but there was significant increase in its frequency above the age of sixty five. 7) Cardiac arrhythmia was noted in 2.8% of the total subjects with 3.0% of male and 2.5% of female, and there was no significant difference in its frenquecy between each sex groups but there was significant increase above the age of sixty five. From the above results, it is essential to check the preoperative 12 lead ECG before emergency operation, and to keep a more careful cautions in mind during anesthetic management for patients above the age of middle 6 decaeds.
Anesthesia, Conduction ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrioventricular Block ; Bundle-Branch Block ; Electrocardiography* ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Jeollanam-do ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Myocardial Infarction ; Retrospective Studies

Metabolic encephalopathy is a critical condition that can be challenging to diagnose. Imaging provides early clues to confirm clinical suspicions and plays an important role in the diagnosis, assessment of the response to therapy, and prognosis prediction. Diffusion-weighted imaging is a sensitive technique used to evaluate metabolic encephalopathy at an early stage.Metabolic encephalopathies often involve the deep regions of the gray matter because they have high energy requirements and are susceptible to metabolic disturbances. Understanding the imaging patterns of various metabolic encephalopathies can help narrow the differential diagnosis and improve the prognosis of patients by initiating proper treatment regimen early.