Status epilepticus (SE) can be induced with homocysteine after pretreatment with cobalt. In order to investigate the pattern of neuronal changes in the hippocampus in cobalt/homocysteine-induced SE, H-E staining and immunohistochemistry for c-Jun were performed in the brain after SE. Neuronal damage was not seen in the hippocampus in cobalt-treated control rats. Neuronal injury occurred in 14% of the cells in the hilus 24 hrs after SE. The neuronal injury was minimal in the dentate gyrus (DG), CA3, and CA1 24 hrs after SE. c-Jun immunoreactivity was detected strongly in the DG and CA3 2 hrs after SE, and then c-Jun immunoreactivity was decreased to that of control rats in the hippocampus 24 hrs after SE. These results suggest that upregulation of c-Jun expression in the hippocampus is not related to neuronal death in cobalt/homocysteine-induced SE, secondary generalized epilepsy originating from the cerebral cortex does not cause significant hippocampal cell injury.
Animals ; Brain ; Cerebral Cortex ; Cobalt ; Dentate Gyrus ; Epilepsy, Generalized ; Hippocampus ; Homocysteine ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neurons ; Rats ; Status Epilepticus* ; Up-Regulation

No abstract available.
Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Mortality*

Myxedema coma is the most extreme form of hypothyroidism and manifests as central nervous system dysfunction, defective thermoregulation, and cardiopulmonary decompensation. The curative treatment is based on the administration of thyroid hormones, but the dose and route of administration remain controversial. Here, we report a case of myxedema coma that was treated successfully with a large oral dose of levothyroxine
Body Temperature Regulation ; Central Nervous System ; Coma ; Hypothyroidism ; Myxedema ; Thyroid Hormones ; Thyroxine

The intensive use of chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer has resulted in the cure or improved survival of many patients. But unfortunately, many cancers including human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) don't respond to chemotherapy. One of the major mechanisms for the drug resistance in the HCC is an elevated MDR1 RNA expression which makes cells become multidrug resistant. To overcome the multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype, a high dose of verapamil is required both clinically and experimentally. Accordingly we have examined the MDR modulating effects with combinations of tamoxifen, cyclosporin A, and verapamil in vitro with the physiologically achievable concentrations of each agent, i.e., 2.0 microM/L for tamoxifen, 1.6 microM/L for cyclosporin A, and 2.5 microM/L for verapamil respectively in HCC lines. As expected, verapamil alone with the physiologically achievable concentration at which we tested didn't enhance the doxorubicin cytotoxicity in the HCC lines. Furthermore, any verapamil combination with cyclosporin A or tamoxifen was not effective in overcoming the doxorubicin resistance in the high MDR1 expressor (Hep-G2) line. However tamoxifen reduced the IC50 of doxorubicin by a factor of 1.9 in the low MDR1 expressor (SK-Hep1) and 1.1 in the high MDR1 expressor line (p< 10(-5) respectively). Of interest, combinations of tamoxifen and cyclosporin A showed a significant reduction in the IC50 of doxorubicin in both HCC lines. The IC50 of doxorubicin was reduced by a factor of 3.9 and 1.3, i.e., from 0.023943 micrograms/ml to 0.006157 micrograms/ml (p< 10(-5)) in the SK-Hep1 cell line, and 0.068819 micrograms/ml to 0.052442 micrograms/ml (p< 10(-5)) in Hep-G2 respectively when tamoxifen and cyclosporin A were administered together. Both the estrogen and progesterone receptors in the SK-Hep1 and Hep-G2 lines were less than 0.01 fmol/mg of cytosol protein, respectively. It is therefore suggested that the reversal of doxorubicin resistance is unrelated to their anti-estrogenic activity in the HCC lines. Three modulator combinations of tamoxifen, cyclosporin A, and verapamil were not more effective than the combination of tamoxifen and cyclosporin A on the sensitivity to doxorubicin. MDR modulators of tamoxifen, cyclosporin A, and verapamil didn't reduce the IC50 of cisplatin to the clinically achievable concentration range in HCC lines. In summary, the combination of tamoxifen and cyclosporin A at the concentrations normally seen after clinical administration of these modulators showed significant synergism on the sensitivity to doxorubicin in both low and high MDR1 expressor HCC lines. These data indicate the need for in vivo trials.
Antineoplastic Agents/*pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*physiopathology ; Cyclosporine/*pharmacology ; Drug Resistance ; Human ; Liver Neoplasms/*physiopathology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tamoxifen/*pharmacology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured/drug effects ; Verapamil/*pharmacology

Vasculitis, characterized by inflammation of vessel walls, is comprised of heterogeneous clinicopathological entities, and thus poses a diagnostic challenge. The most widely used approach for classifying vasculitides is based on the International Chapel Hill Consensus Conference (CHCC) nomenclature system. Based on the recently revised CHCC 2012, we propose computed tomography (CT) features of vasculitides and a differential diagnosis based on location and morphological characteristics. Finally, vasculitis mimics should be differentiated, because erroneous application of immunosuppressive drugs on vasculitis mimics may be ineffective, even deteriorating. This article presents the utility of CT in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of vasculitides.
Classification* ; Consensus* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Inflammation ; Vasculitis*

Tattooing has been practised since pre-Christian times, as an object of both fascination and revulsion. In the Present day, body tattoo has been a flourishing and contemporary teen issue. Adolescents have discovered tattoos as a means of self-expression. Due to the external characteristics of the tattoo however, a lot of researchers have shown their interest and done various researches. The examination of the psychological characteristics of the tattooed people revealed that a lot of people have psychological problems, the tattoos revealing the person's deviated image. As a result, several attempts have been made to try and correlate tattoos with the psychiatric diagnoses such as schizophrenia or personality disorder, or with adverse social circumstances such as poverty. The subject of tattoo removal is as old as the history of tattooing itself. Plastic surgeons have witnessed numerous tragic instances where a tattoo has caused hardship, including diminished employment prospects, even loss of love and affection from family and friends and, very commonly, loss of self-esteem. For this reason, the bearers of tattoo often consider the inevitable scarring left by tattoo removal as a preferable alternative. Past techniques of removing tattoos, using corrosive agents or skin graft, have been universally unsuccessful, or certainly less than satisfactory. But, currently laser therapy has been introduced into the market to remove tattoos. As a result, a lot of people have visited hospitals to get tattoos removed. In addition, many of those who had tried to hide the fact that they had tattoos, have been given the opportunity to express their feelings, and rate their psychological statements. This research enables to find the best approach to the person's psychiatric point of view, by objectively observing the person's psychological characteristics and psychological changes after the tattoo removal.
Adolescent ; Cicatrix ; Diagnosis ; Employment ; Friends ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Love ; Personality Disorders ; Poverty ; Schizophrenia ; Skin ; Tattooing ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Humans ; Mitral Valve*

Liver fibrosis is a chronic liver disease and lots of people in Korea are suffered. There are many efforts to find candidates to suppress liver fibrogenesis and several chemical-induced model or bile duct ligation model have been used to research and develop hepatic fibrogenic suppressor. From the previous study about functional effects of turnip which cultivated in Kangha Island, we got the feasibility which turnip might be able to inhibit heptatic fibrogenesis. TAA is a representative hepatic fibrosis inducer, repeated 7-weeks i.p. injection of it results in hepatic fibrosis. We compared the level of hepatic fibrosis in TAA-turnip group, TAA group, and vehicle control group. Nodules-formed by TAA were observed; they were rarely shown in vehicle control group, observed in most area in TAA group, but only shown in periportal regions in TAA-turnip group. These results were confirmed through Masson's trichrom stain; fibrous structures increased in TAA group (fibrosis score: 4) but significantly decreased in TAA-turnip group (fibrosis score: 2-3). In conclusion, we got the result that turnip water extract has a potency to protect TAA-induced hepatic fibrogenesis but it is necessary further study to find its mechanism.
Bile Ducts ; Brassica napus ; Fibrosis ; Korea ; Ligation ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Water