No abstract available.
Animals ; Captopril* ; Cisplatin* ; Nifedipine* ; Rats*

Although the mechanism of the development of hypertension has not been fully elucidated, abnormal ion transport across the cardiovascular musle membrance may play some role in this mechanism. The elevation of intraceular sodium by inhibition of the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase diminshes the sodium gradient for calcium extrusion and/or increase Na(+)/Ca(++) exchange across the cell membrance. In any event, contractility and vascular tone of cardiovascular system can be incresed as reslut of an increase of intracellular calcium. Recently it is reported that the defects of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase occur in spontaneously hypertensive rat(SHR) hearts, compared to control normotensive Spargue Dawley(SD) rat hearts. However, one missing, unresolved question arose in the previous reports in whether the reduced Na(+)-pump activity in the heart of SHR is associated with the development of hypertension itself in these animals or is a consequence of inhertied pathological features that later reslut in a reduced pump activity. In order to clearify this question it is attempted to measured to measure the change of the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities in cardiac sarcolemma purified from both the normotensive SD rats and SHR rats during growth ; Simultaneously the charge of cation concentration in both intracellular space(RBC) and extracelluar space(ECF) are measured to the erythrocyte test(Garay and Meyer) applied to the clinical investiation of hypertension. The results obtained are summarized as follows ; 1) The systolic blood pressure of 7 week old SHR was 120-130mmHg, which was not significantly different from that of the age-matched SD rats. However, the blood pressure was elevated to 160-170mmHg in 13-15 week old SHR, even elevated to 190mmHg in one of 19 week old SHR. On the other hand, SHR, in which hypertension was well established had pronounced cardiac hypertrophy. 2) The Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities in cardiac sarcolemma of the SHR rats were decreased gradually as hypertension established.The decrease of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase was well associated with the increase of intracellular potassium concentration.By contrast, thr Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities and cation transports og the normotensive SD rats were not significanlty chaged during growth. 3) The charges of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities in SHR were specific because the activities of Ca(++)-ATPase which is one of the membrance bound enzyme were not changed during growth appeared to be a major fator which generated hypertension in SHR rats. However, question on how the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities are decreased and which event is initiative between reduction of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase and development of hypertension are still remained unclear. Recent literature suggests the there might be a genetic factor, so-called Na(+)-pump inhibitor, involved in the meachanism.
Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Calcium ; Cardiomegaly ; Cardiovascular System ; Erythrocytes ; Hand ; Heart ; Hypertension ; Ion Transport ; Potassium ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR* ; Sarcolemma ; Sodium

Recurrent disc herniation and postoperative fibrosis are the main disease entities causing failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has become a major diagnostic modality in differentiating the two. To observe the variable entities of FBSS and their MR findings, we retrospectively analyzed 15 MR images in 12 patients. The causes of FBSS were as follows; normal (no organic cause), fibrosis, new or recurrent disc herniation, discitis, osteomyelitis, inflammation at operation site, epidural abscess, arachnoiditis, and hematoma. Except a case of hematoma, gadolinium enhancement scan was necessary and informative in the diagnosis of FBSS and MR imaging only was not enough in the diagnosis of arachnoiditis.
Arachnoid ; Arachnoiditis ; Diagnosis ; Discitis ; Epidural Abscess ; Failed Back Surgery Syndrome* ; Fibrosis ; Gadolinium ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Osteomyelitis ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Pregnancy* ; Pyelonephritis*

Purpose: Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury after thyroid surgery may cause vocal cord palsy (VCP), which leads to unexpected additional costs. In recent years, intraoperative neural monitoring (IONM) has been used to lower the incidence rate of VCP. This study aimed to analyze postoperative management costs for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: We analyzed the medical records of patients who underwent lobectomy for PTC from September 2018 to August 2019 at The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital. A total of 411 patients were enrolled and all the patients had voice examinations. We investigated the total costs in the IONM and non-IONM groups during a maximum 1-year follow-up and calculated the additional costs due to VCP by subtraction of the mean values in each group. Results: The incidence rate of VCP was 3.9% (16 of 411). Extrathyroidal extension was related to VCP in Cox regression tests and accounted for 3.2% (13 of 411). VCP rate did not show a significant difference between the IONM and non-IONM groups (4.1% vs. 3.8%, P = 0.883). Total costs for postoperative management were higher in the IONM group than in the non-IONM group (US $328.2 ± $220.1 vs. $278.7 ± $141.4, P < 0.05). However, the additional costs due to VCP were significantly lower in the IONM group than in the non-IONM group ($474.1 ± $150.3 vs. $568.9 ± $367.6, P < 0.005). Conclusion The use of IONM can mitigate the increase in costs by saving additional expenses associated with VCP.

Blood gas samples are highly susceptible to preanalytic error due to improper methods of obtaining or handling the sample prior to delivery to the laboratory. The errors in the measurement of blood gas analysis are currently derived from the exposure of sample to atmosphere, effects of anticoagulant itself, temperature difference between the measuring electrode and drawn blood and the delay in running the sample. To study the effects of the delay in measuring the sample and the temperature difference between the measuring electrode and drawn blood on values of blood gases and pH, we analyzed the arterial sampling from the 24 patients who were taking elective surgery or on his/her recovery period with indwelling arterial catheter. The plastic sampling syringes were kept at 4 degrees C (refrigerator) or 22-24 degrees C (room temperature) and analyzed at regular intervals (1, 10, 30, 60,120 min) for 120 minutes. The following results were obtained: 1) When the arterial blood drawn from the anesthetized patients were stored at 4 degrees C, partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) decreased significantly after 20 min, whereas those stored at room temperature decreased significantly after 10 min. 2) When the arterial blood drawn from the recovery patients were stored at 4 degrees C, PaO2 did not decrease significantly through the experimental period of 120 min. Although those stored at room temperature did not decrease significantly through the period of 120 min. 3) Partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood (PaCO2,) drawn from the anesthetized patients increased significantly by 120 min. at 4 degrees C, whereas those at room temperature increased significantly after 20 min. 4) PaCO2, of the recovery patients increased signigicantly by 120 min. at 4 degrees C, whereas those at room temperature increased significantly after 30 min. 5) pH of the arterial blood drawn from either anesthetized or recovery patients decreased significantly by 120 min. at 4 degrees C, whereas those at room temperature decreased significantly after 60 min. 6) No significant changes of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) and content (CaO2) were noted in either anesthetized or recovery. patients in accordance with time elapsed at 4 degrees C or room temperature. In summary, as the changes of PO2 in particular higher than physiologic PO2 and PCO2 in the arterial blood stored at room temperature are significant in accordance with the delay in measuring, it would be advisable to analyze the sample in a short period of time or to store it in a cool place when the measuring will be delayed.
Atmosphere ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Carbon Dioxide ; Catheters ; Electrodes ; Gases* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration* ; Oxygen ; Partial Pressure ; Plastics ; Running ; Syringes

Congenital melanocytic nevi rarely develop depigmentation, and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. We, herein, present a case of congenital melanocytic nevus which has undergone progressive involution in association with vitiligo. A 23-year-old man had a dark brownish patch partially surrounded by the depigmented patch on his mid back. He also had multiple depigmented patches on his trunk and neck, which had developed since the age of 5. Histopathologic examination from the dark brownish patch adjacent to the depigmented area showed typical findings of compound nevus with a mild perivascular lymphocytic infiltration. TUNEL staining from the same lesion demonstrated many strong positive epidermal basal cells as well as dermal nevus cells, indicative of apoptosis.
Male ; Humans

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether predicted tumor volume could predict pathologic stage in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical and pathologic data of 236 patients who underwent a 12-core needle biopsy followed by radical prostatectomy were obtained from our database and reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Observed tumor volume correlated best with serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level (r=0.677, p<0.001) and the number of positive biopsy cores (r=0.489, p<0.001). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used to develop a model for predicting tumor volume before radical prostatectomy. All explanatory variables except PSA and the number of positive biopsy cores were eliminated, yielding the equation ([predicted tumor volume]=0.381x[PSA]+0.921x[No. of positive biopsy cores]-0.992). Tumor volume predicted by this equation correlated strongly with observed tumor volume (r=0.722, p<0.001). This was also true when a different cohort of 159 patients was analyzed (r=0.638, p<0.001). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of predicted tumor volume were 68.5% for extracapsular extension, 75.7% for seminal vesicle invasion, and 70.4% for positive surgical margin. Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that predicted tumor volume correlated significantly with biochemical recurrence-free survival (p<0.001; log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that tumor volume predicted on the basis of PSA levels and number of positive biopsy cores may predict pathologic stage with reasonable accuracy.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Cohort Studies ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; ROC Curve ; Seminal Vesicles ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Burden

BACKGROUND/AIM: The lipo-PGE1, known for being more stable during pulmonary circulation and having more targeting effect, has been reported to inhibit ET-1 induced stellate cell contraction. We assessed the effect of lipo-PGE1 on the change of ET-1 concentration and the relationship between ET-1 concentration and the liver damage. METHODS: Mongrel dogs weighing about 25 kg were divided into a control (n=6) and a lipo-PGE1 (n=6) group. Partial liver allotransplantation was performed. In the lipo-PGE1 group, lipo-PGE1 was slowly infused through splenic venous cannulation during the donor liver harvesting procedure (50 microgram) and continuously infused (60 microgram/day) for 48 hours after reperfusion. The AST, ALP, LDH and ET-1 concentrations were monitored RESULTS: The AST and ALP levels of the lipo-PGE1 group were significantly lower than those of the control group both at 1 hour and 48 hours after reperfusion. The LDH level in the lipo-PGE1 group was lower at 1 hour and 48 hours after reperfusion. But there was no statistical difference between the two groups. The baseline ET-1 concentration of the lipo-PGE1 group was eight times higher than that of the control group. The ET-1 concentration was elevated gradually in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups at 48 hours. There was no correlation between ET-1 concentrations and AST, ALP, LDH levels. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the hepatoprotective effect of the lipo-PGE1 against ischemia-reperfusion injury in canine partial liver allotransplantation. However, the baseline ET-1 level was eight times higher in the lipo-PGE1 group than that of the control group in spite of the hepatoprotective effects of the lipo-PGE1.
Alprostadil* ; Animals ; Catheterization ; Dogs ; Endothelin-1* ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Pulmonary Circulation ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury* ; Tissue Donors

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of localized resectable genitourinary sarcomas in adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September, 1996 and November, 2008, 18 consecutive cases of adults (12 men and 6 women; median age 48.8 years) who were treated for primary genitourinary sarcomas were identified. The following variables were analyzed: patient age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, primary organ, tumor histology, size, necrosis, Federation Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer (FNCLCC) grade, and surgical margin positivity. Recurrence-free survival and disease-specific survival were the study end-points. RESULTS: The most common presenting symptom was a palpable mass (six cases, 33.3%), the most common site was the kidney (six cases, 33.3%), and the most common histological subtype was leiomyosarcoma (eight patients, 44.4%). Complete resection with negative surgical margins was achieved in 13 patients (72.2%). The median follow-up period was 49.9 months (range 6.4 to 147.6). The recurrence-free survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 81.6%, 66.5%, and 66.5%, respectively. Recurrence-free survival only associated significantly with ASA score (p=0.018). The disease-specific survival rate at 1, 3, and 5 years was 88.9%, 76.2%, and 67.7%, respectively. Disease-specific survival was associated significantly only with FNCLCC grade (p=0.042). CONCLUSION: Although genitourinary sarcomas in adults are a rare group of tumors with a poor prognosis, some patients may have a favorable prognosis. Our findings suggest that FNCLCC grade is the most important prognostic factor for these patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Prognosis ; Republic of Korea ; Sarcoma/metabolism/pathology/*surgery ; Urogenital Neoplasms/metabolism/pathology/*surgery ; Young Adult