No Abstract Available.
Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear*

The effects of pretreatment of Co-Cr alloy, including two adhesive primers that contain either MDP or MAC-10, and silicoating on the bond. The results obtained as follows : Strength of 4-META/MMA-TBB resin were investigated using FT-IR SEM, and EDAX. in the SEM observation of surface morphologies, the sandblasted specimen exibited a very rough surface, whereas the surfaces of the two groups primed with either MDR or MAC-10 were covered with a layer of primer, and the surface morphology of the silicoated specimen remained almost the same after sandblasting. Before the thermocycling tests, the group treated with MDP demonstrated the highest mean tensile bond strength and the sandblasted group showed the lowest bond strength. After 20,000 themocyling, the mean tensile bond strength of the sandblasted group exhibited a 50% reduction in bond strength, while the other showed a 20~30% reduction. Observation of the metal-resin interface revealed that in all groups the resin permeated the rough surface formed by sandblasting thereby producing a mechnical bond between the metal and the resin, It was also found that thermocycling resulted in a gap formation at the metal-resin interface of the specimens, and the sandblasted group exhibited a larger gap width than the other groups. in fracture mode, all specimens indicated a cohesive fracture within the resin before thermocycling. However, thermocyling produced adhesive failure at the edge of the resin-metal interface in most specimens, The sandblasted group, which exhibited the lowest bond strength after thermocycling, also demonstrated the largest area of adhexive failure.
Adhesives ; Alloys*

An application of the multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) for cardiac imaging is the non-invasive CT angiographic assessment of the cardiac morphology and the coronary arteries. The most important application is for the non-invasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease, and this includes assessment of coronary artery anomaly and stenosis, the evaluation of non-calcified atherosclerotic plaque and the follow-up examinations after stent deployment and bypass surgery. In the study, we have illustrated a variety of diseases of the coronay artery by using MDCT. These may facilitate the understanding of MDCT features of coronary artery lesions.
Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Multidetector Computed Tomography* ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Stents

No abstract available.
Acetyltransferases/metabolism ; Animal ; Carrier Proteins/metabolism ; DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism ; Human ; Nuclear Proteins/metabolism ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism* ; Repressor Proteins/metabolism*n ; Trans-Activators/metabolism* ; Transcription Factors/metabolism

BACKGROUND: Atrial flutter is a common arrhythmia for which no entirely satisfactory treatment is available. Despite the growing number of antiarrhythmic agents available for arrhythmia prophylaxis many patients are either intolerant of drug treatment or achieve inadequate relief from their symptoms. Recently, catheter ablation using radiofrequency energy has been used to result in high success rate for immediate prevention of atrial flutter but significant recurrence rate. We report our initial experience on radiofrequency cather ablation(RFCA) of atrial flutter in 8 patients. METHODS: The electrophysiologic approach guided by the earliest artial activation was used in the first patient and then anatomically guided approach in the remaining patients. The end point of RFCA was both demonstration of conduction block across the linear lesion at the atrial isthmus between the inferior vena cava and the tricuspid ring and noninducibility of atrial flutter with atrial burst pacing and extrastimulation up to 3 during isoproterenol infusion. RESULTS: Eight consecutive patients underwent RFCA.All were male and mean age was 53+/-22 years. Initial success was achieved in 7 patients(88%). During the follow-up period of 4+/-2.3 months, early sympomatic recurrence occurred in 2/7 patients(29%) within 1 month after initial success and the second ablation procedure was successfully performed in one patient. Overall success rate at the end of the follow-up period was 6/8(75%). there were no serious complications during and after the procedure. CONCLUSION: 1) radiofrequency catheter ablation is safe and highly effective treatment modality for prevention of atrial flutter. 2) Demonstration of conduction block across the lesion at the atrial isthmus should be achieved as an endpoint.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Flutter* ; Catheter Ablation* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Isoproterenol ; Male ; Recurrence ; Vena Cava, Inferior

BACKGROUND: Atracurium appears to be a neuromuscular blocking agent best suited for use in patients with renal failure. The influence on the neuromuscular effect of atracurium has been studied in rabbits with experimental liver cirrhosis induced by subcutaneous injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). METHODS: Cirrhosis was induced in rabbits by CCl4 treatment for 11 weeks. Rabbits were randomly assigned to two groups; control group: corn oil 0.5 ml/kg/2 days sq for 11 weeks; study group: CCl4 0.5 ml/kg/2 days mixed 1 : 1 with corn oil sq for 11 weeks. The dose-response relations of atracurium were studied in sixteen rabbits during thiopental anesthesia. They received atracurium 60, 80 and 100microgram/kg in control group, and 80, 100 and 120microgram/kg in study group, respectively. The time course of atracurium 0.2 mg/kg in sixteen rabbits was evaluated in each groups. Three fragments of each liver lobe at the end of the experimental period were collected and processed for light microscopy, and performed the histological examination. RESULTS: After eleven-week CCl4 treatment, liver histology demonstrated well-defined liver cirrhosis, and increased AST and ALT compared with controls. The calculated ED50 for atracurium were 81.9+/-6.8microgram/kg and 101.1+/-9.4microgram/kg, respectively, in control and study group, and corresponding ED95 was 124.8+/-9.7microgram/kg and 156.1+/-12.1microgram/kg, respectively. There were significant difference between two groups (P < 0.001). The times after atracurium until 95% twitch recovery in control and study group were 31.7+/-6.7 min and 32.8+/-7.4 min, respectively. There were no difference between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Atracurium in the experimental liver cirrhosis model induced by CCl4 has a decreased potency, but a similar duration of action compared with control. It is suggested that atracurium was also used with monitoring of neuromuscular function in patients with hepatic dysfunction.
Anesthesia ; Atracurium* ; Carbon Tetrachloride* ; Carbon* ; Corn Oil ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; Liver* ; Microscopy ; Neuromuscular Agents ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Rabbits* ; Renal Insufficiency ; Thiopental

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are major cause of death. In many countries, several studies reported moderate alcohol drink reduces cardiovascular diseases. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is useful as a biochemical marker that can evaluate the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the association between alcohol consumption and hsCRP. METHODS: The subjects included 769 men and 449 women who had visited a health promotion center in one university hospital from May 2006 to June 2006. They responded to self-reported questionnaire on past medical history, quantity and frequency of alcohol intake. Blood sample was taken to examine hsCRP, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride. The participants were classified into 4 groups in males and 3 groups in females by alcohol intake quantity. Using general linear model, analysis of covariance was done to evaluate the association between hsCRP and alcohol intake quantity after adjusting for smoking, body mass index, blood pressure, age, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. RESULTS: Men who had drunk 1~4 drinks weekly had the lowest hsCRP. And a U-shaped correlation between alcohol intake quantity and hsCRP was found (P for U- shape trend test=0.059). In women, hsCRP decreased as the alcohol intake quantity increased (P for linear trend test= 0.0002). CONCLUSION: In Korean males, U-shaped relationship was found between hsCRP and alcohol intake quantity. In Korean females, inverse relationship was found between them.
Adult* ; Alcohol Drinking* ; Biomarkers ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cause of Death ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Male ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: Distal anterior cerebral artery (DACA) aneurysms are relatively uncommon, and operative management is usually difficult because of narrow operative fields, deep exposure, interhemispheric adhesions, and problems in achieving proximal vessel control. We present our experience with 26 DACA aneurysm cases and analyze the clinical features and surgical outcomes retrospectively. METHODS: From 1998 to 2008, surgical clipping of DACA aneurysms was carried out in 26 patients among a total of 504 patients with intracranial aneurysms. In each case, the clinical and radiological features were carefully reviewed through angiograms, medical records, and intraoperative findings. RESULTS: The most common location of DACA aneurysms was the junction of the pericallosal and callosomarginal arteries: 23 occurred at pericallosal-callosomarginal (PC-CM) junctions while three occurred in the pericallosal-frontopolar (PC-FP) region. Multiple aneurysms were found in 15 cases (58%), and associated vascular anomalies were noted in three cases (12%). Eleven (64.7%) of the 17 ruptured aneurysms and seven (77.8%) of the nine unruptured aneurysms were smaller than 7 mm; only two aneurysms (7.7%) were larger than 10 mm. Seven cases (26.9%) underwent minor premature rupture with proximal artery control. CONCLUSION: Despite the small patient group, our data suggest that in general, DACA aneurysms tend to rupture at a smaller size than do intracranial aneurysms. Thus, unruptured DACA aneurysms require aggressive treatment, even when they are small.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Arteries ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Surgical Instruments

Several complications are possible after a lumbar epidural block. However pneumocephalus are rare. In this case, we report a case of pneumocephalus. A 68-year-old male patient received lumbar epidural block with the loss of resistance technique using air, and after 35 minutes, apnea, unconsciousness, hypotension, and bradycardia occurred. Immediately, brain CT was done, and we found pneumocephalus. The patient complained of severe occipital headache and itchiness due to pneumocehalus. After conservative treatment, the patient recovered without neurologic complications, and on the seventh day of his hospitalization, he was discharged from the hospital.
Aged ; Apnea ; Bradycardia ; Brain ; Headache ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Male ; Pneumocephalus ; Unconsciousness

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the clinician satisfaction of a newly introduced around-the-clock radiology coverage system for the emergency department. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen emergency physicians (8 board certified physicians, 9 residents) were invited to fill out a survey pertaining to the newly introduced radiology coverage system for the emergency department. The questionnaire included 10 questions covering three major topics. The first topic related to the around-the-clock radiology coverage by two full-time radiology residents. The second topic focused on the preliminary interpretations of radiology residents. The last topic included the interpretation assistance system by board-certified radiologists. The answers to each question were assessed using a scoring system of 1 to 5. RESULTS: The mean satisfaction score of the around-the-clock radiology coverage system by the two full-time radiology residents was 4.6 (range 3-5). The mean score for the preliminary interpretation system by the radiology residents was 4.8 (range 4-5). The score for the reliability of the preliminary versus the final interpretations was 4.1 (range 4-5). Lastly, the mean score for the interpretation assistance system by board-certified radiologists was 4.9 (range 4-5). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate a high satisfaction rating among clinicians' of the new around-the-clock radiology coverage system for the emergency department.
Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Surveys and Questionnaires