No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung*

This paper reviews the published literature that is concerned with color vision impairment from industrial and environmental exposure to neurotoxic substances, and we evaluated whether testing for color vision impairment could be an affordable procedure for assessing these neurotoxic effects. In general, most cases of congenital color vision impairment are red-green, and blue-yellow impairment is extremely rare. However, most of the acquired color vision impairment that is related to age, alcohol or environmental factors is blue-yellow impairment. Therefore, many studies have been performed to identify this relationship between exposure to neurotoxic substances, such as organic solvents and heavy metals, and the prevalence of blueyellow color vision impairment. The test for color vision impairment is known to be very sensitive to the early signs of nervous system dysfunction and this can be useful for making the early diagnosis of neurotoxic effects from exposure to very low concentrations of toxic substances.
*Color Perception Tests ; Color Vision Defects/*chemically induced/diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Hazardous Substances/*toxicity ; Humans ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes/*diagnosis/pathology ; Solvents/adverse effects

Noninvasive prediction of pulmonary arterial pressure is of paramount importance in heart disease. To estimate pulmonary arterial pressure, several echocardiographic techniques, including abnormal pulmonary valve motion, prolongation of RV preejection period/RV ejection time ratio and contrast echocardiography have been proposed. Recently Doppler echocardiography has been known to detect intracardiac blood quantitatively. For assessment of the benefit of several indices by Pulsed Doppler echocardiography for mean pulmonary arterial pressure, 22 patients(mean pulmonary pressure> or =20mmHg; 11, <20mmHg; 11) were compared with the mean pulmonary arterial pressure by cardiac catheterization. In comparison of mean pulmonary arterial pressure(MPAP); 1) Right preejection period / RV ejection time RPEP/RVET;r=0.278 2) Right preejection period / Acceleration time RPEP/AT : r=0.654 3) Acceleration time(AT) AT=-1.55(MPAP)+154.37(r=-0.763) AT=-92.99(log MPAP)+239.41(r=-0.752) AT is less than 105 msec in 9 or 11 pulmonary hypertension and one of 11 normal individual. 4) Acceleration time/ RV ejection time AT/RVET=-136.36(MPAP)+83.31(r=-0.817) AT/RVET=-0.29(log MPAP)+0.81(r=-0.803) 5) (Right preejection period+Decceleration time) / AT (RPEP+DT)/AT=9.6(MPAP)-0.16(r=0.806) (RPEP+DT)/AT=3.86(log MPAP)-2.46(r=0.789) In conclusion AT/RVET, (RPEP+DT)/AT and Acceleration time of 105 msec are valuable indices to estimate mean pulmonary arterial pressure by Pulsed Doppler echocardiogram.
Acceleration ; Arterial Pressure* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed* ; Heart Diseases ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Pulmonary Valve

Arteiovenous malformation of the uterus is an extremely rare and becomes one of the causes of severe uterine bleeding. Because uterine bleeding can be aggravated with diagnostic dilatation and curettage, an accurate diagnosis should be achieved before the intervention. This malformation may be congenital or acquired. In the past, the diagnosis is usually made retrospectively after hysterectomy, however, recently it may be made before management by ultrasound, doppler ultrasound, pelvic angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, etc.. We have experienced one case of arteriovenous malformation of the uterus, which is presented with a brief review of the literatures.
Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation and Curettage ; Female ; Hysterectomy ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Uterus*

To observe the antihypertensive effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, enalapril, a daily average dosage of 20mg was administred to 38 patients with essential hypertension for 4 weeks. Changes in blood pressure and heart rate, and the frequencies of adverse reactions during the drug administration were constantly observed. At the end of the 4th week of administration the mean diastolic blood pressure decreased from 104+/-11.3 to 91+/-7.9mmHg(<0.001), and the mean systolic blood pressure from 165+/-16.8 to 142+/-10.6mmHg(P<0.001), An effective antihypertensive action of enalapril was observed in 31 out of 38 cases(82%), and normalization of diastolic blood pressure below 85mmHg was shown in 27 cases(71%). The most remarkable antihypertensive effects were shown at the end of first week, and the effect increased progressively until the end of 4th week of therapy. There were no significant changes in heart rate during the observation period. Adverse reactions occured in only 7 cases(18%). These reactions included headache, dizziness, fatigue, skin rash and facial flushing in the order of frequency. Almost all of these reaction were mild and transient, disappearing spontanously without discontinuation of the medication. In conclusion, enalapril seems to be a safe and effective primary antihypertensive drug for the treatment of essential hypertension.
Blood Pressure ; Dizziness ; Enalapril* ; Exanthema ; Fatigue ; Flushing ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension

Small cell carcinoma does originate from APUD cells of any parts of the body. Usually the cases discovered in the lung and have poor prognosis. In esophagus only about 100 cases are reported world widely after McKneown reports in 1952 and only 2 cases were reported in Korea. There was a cese of small cell carcinoma developed multiple lesions in esophagus but no reports said that small cell carcinoma developed syncronously in esophagus and other organs. We are to report a case that showed a multiple lesions in esophagus and cardia. The patient 60 yeata old man, has suffered from the substernal discomfort and significant weight loss for one month.
APUD Cells ; Carcinoma, Small Cell* ; Cardia* ; Esophagus* ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Prognosis ; Stomach ; Weight Loss

The leiomyoma of the vagina is relatively rare benign solid tumor, and majority of them were not recognized until after operation. Variable opinion exists as to the exact origin of this lesion. The most frequent location is the anterior vaginal wall. Recently we experienced a case of vaginal leiomyoma arising in the anterior vaginal wall and now we present it with a brief review of the literatures.
Leiomyoma* ; Vagina*

BACKGROUND: The inhibitory effects of nitric oxide(NO) on platelet adhesion and vascular smooth muscle cell(VSMC) proliferation may have a possible role inhibiting development of neointima following balloon catheter induced injury. We tested the hypothesis that L-arginine, the precursor of NO, would attenuate neointima formation following balloon catheter induced injury via regulation of antagonistic balance between proliferation and apoptosis of VSMC. METHODS: Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats(300 to 400g) were anesthetized with ketamine (100mg/kg intraperitoneally). The left common and external carotid artery were exposed. For endothelial denudation, 2mm angioplasty catheter was introduced through the left external carotid artery into the left common carotid artery. The catheter was inflated at I atm. and withdrawn three times. Animals were randomized to receive 2.25% L-arginine in their drinking water(n=14) or placebo(n=16) from 2 days prior to and 9 days following denudation. VSMC proliferation was quantified by immunohistochemical staining with an antibody to the proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA). The cells undergoing apoptosis were identified by terminal nucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling(TUNEL) method and morphologic changes by computerized planimetry and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: 1) The neointimal area in injured arteries were significantly reduced in L-arginine supplemented animals compared with placebo group(p<0.05). 2) L-arginine administration significantly reduced the number of PCNA positive cells in neointima when compared with placebo at 9 days(p<0.05). 3) Positive TUNEL cells were not influenced by L-arginine supplementation. 4) On transmission electron microscopy, there were no cells showing characteristics of apoptosis in neointima. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the inhibitory effect of L-arginine on neointima formation is due to reduced VSMC proliferation, but is not due to increased VSMC apoptosis at the early time period after initmal injur .
Adult ; Angioplasty ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Arginine* ; Arteries ; Blood Platelets ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Carotid Artery, External ; Catheters ; Drinking ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Ketamine ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Neointima* ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular System Injuries*

Effect of diltiazem hydrochloride on cardiac performance with particular reference to the antianginal action was studied in 17 patients with ischemic heart disease, including 12 cases of effort angina, by means of clinical and mechanocardiographic evaluations. All patients were kept on the same medications from at least 2 weeks prior to diltiazem administration until the end of the study, and were prescribed no other antianginal drugs except for liberal use of sublingual nitroglycerin. Diltiazem was given 90mg a day in three divided doses for two weeks. Clinical and mechanocardiographic evaluations, including calculations of pressure rate product(PRP), triple product(TP) and tension time index(TTI), were made before and at a weekly interval after diltiazem administration. After the medication, heart rate, blood pressure and the pre-ejection period(PEP) with its ratio to the ejection time tended to decrease, and the decreases in heart rate and the PEP at the end of two weeks were significant. The PRP, TP and TTI were also significantly decreased at the end of the second week, and the decrease in the TTI was significant even a week after the medication. An antianginal effect, which appeared within few days, was excellent to good in over 90 percent of the cases. These facts suggest that diltiazem hydrochloride has no negative inotropic action and its antianginal effecti in its early stage of the drug administration is primarily due to coronary vasodilation and, as the drug is continued, is contributed to possibly by the decrease in the myocardial oxygen consumption as well.
Angina Pectoris* ; Blood Pressure ; Diltiazem* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Nitroglycerin ; Oxygen Consumption ; Vasodilation

Purpose: To report a case of chronic conjunctivitis caused by Fusobacterium nucleatum misdiagnosed as adult inclusion conjunctivitis.Case summary: A 48-year-old female visited our clinic complaining of conjunctival injection and discharge in her right eye that had started 9 months earlier. Slit lamp examination showed conjunctival exudates with follicular hypertrophy on the upper and lower palpebral conjunctiva of the right eye. Adult inclusion conjunctivitis was suspected, and polymerase chain reaction tests for 12 sexually transmitted infections, serum Chlamydia trachomatis antibody test, sputum tests, and urine tests were performed. The serum trachomatis IgM was negative, but IgG was positive; there were no other specific findings. The patient was treated with oral doxycycline and topical antibiotics eyedrops for 1 week, but there was no improvement. Fusobacterium nucleatum was detected in a conjunctival swab culture. The oral antibiotic was changed to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. After 1 week, the symptoms improved and the chronic conjunctivitis and follicles decreased; 4 weeks later, recovery was complete. Conclusions Chronic conjunctivitis caused by bacteria such as Fusobacterium nucleatum should be considered if adult inclusion conjunctivitis is suspected and does not respond to treatment.