Tri- and tetra-cyclic antidepressants are known to cause dry mouth among other several major complications. The present study was designed to compare the degree of reduced salivation due to antidepressants and to explore whether intracellular calcium-increasing agents ameliorate the salivation. Effects of antidepressants and agents increasing intracellular calcium on the cholinergic submandibular secretion and blood flow induced by the chorda stimulation or intra-arterial acetylcholine were observed in anesthetized cats. Effects of antidepressants and calcium-mobilizing agents on K+ efflux were also observed in excised gland slices. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Salivary secretion in response to the chorda stimulation (3 V, 20 Hz, 1 msec) was significantly attenuated by antidepressants in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the blood flow was not affected. 2. Salivary secretion and increased blood flow evoked by intra-arterial acetylcholine (20 microgram/kg) were markedly diminished by antidepressants, the magnitude of which was amitryptyline>imipramine >mianserin in order. 3. Cholinergic salivation was significantly decrease by cyclopiazonic acid, a calcium pump inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum, or by BAPTA/AM, a specific intracellular calcium chelator. 4. Caffeine and ryanodine potentiated the cholinergic salivation and ameliorated the depressed salivary secreation due to antidepressants. 5. Calcium ionophore A 23187 ameliorated the depressed salivation due to antidepressants. 6. Antidepressants inhibited the K+ efflux, which were restored by caffeine or A 23187. These results suggest that the depressed salivary secreation due to antidepressants is ameliorated by increasing intracellular calcium levels.
Acetylcholine ; Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; Caffeine ; Calcimycin ; Calcium* ; Cats ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Mouth ; Ryanodine ; Salivation*

PURPOSE: For the production and evaluation of the tissue-equivalent phantom. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used agarous gel and oil as a basic component of the mixture and added Tween 80 for the stabilization of phantoms. We did the test for homogeneity and measured T1 and T2 relexation times of each phantom tube. RESULTS: T1 relaxation time ranged from 642 to 2781 msec and T2 relaxation times from 42 to 157 msec. Each phantom was significantly different in T1 relaxation time and T2 relaxation time (p < .0001). CONCLUSION: Tissue equivalent phantom may provide good information on the optimal sequence before MR imaging of patients and may be valuable if it is used with the patients' MR imaging.
Agar ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Polysorbates ; Relaxation

Congenital Abnormalities ; Fascia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Malocclusion ; Nose ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Rhinoplasty ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

PURPOSE: To determine the usefulness of the fat-suppressed (FS) conventional spin-echo (CSE) sequence for the diagnosis of meniscal tears. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 323 MR images of the knee, the standard of reference being the findings of arthroscopy. In all knees, fast SE proton density-weighted and T2-weighted sagittal and coronal images and double-echo in steady state (DESS) sagittal images were obtained, and during 202 MR Procedures, FS-CSE T1-weighted sagittal images were also obtained. The results of MR imaging were then correlated with those of arthroscopy, the accuracy with which meniscal tears were diagnosed being compared between two groups: group I (202 knees for which FS-CSE T1-weighted sagittal images were obtained), and group II (121 knees for which these images were not obtained). For statistical analysis the chi-square test was used. RESULTS: In group 1, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 94.7%, 92.4% and 93.5%, respectively, for the medial meniscus, and 83.3%, 95.7% and 90.5% for the lateral meniscus. In group II, the corresponding findings were 92.5%, 94% and 93.3%; and 87.3%, 98.2% and 92.5%. The differences between the groups were not statistically significant (p>0.05) CONCLUSION: For meniscal tears of the knee, the addition of FS-CSE T1-weighted MR imaging to the fast SE proton density-weighted, T2-weighted and DESS sequences does not enhance diagnostic accuracy.
Arthroscopy ; Diagnosis ; Knee* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Menisci, Tibial ; Protons ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Neurilemmoma*

Acute appendicitis is the most common operative disease in general surgery, but it is not also rate disease to see in other clinical department such as Internal Medicine and Obstetric and Gynecology, because it reqnires to differenciate from many other diseases which have similar symptoms. Expecially, because the clipical aymptoms of acute appendicitis are not typieal in children, elderly, and women, it is hard to be diagnosed as acute appendicitis and it is often misdiagnosed as other disease. We performed colonoscopy due to be interpretated aa one of the colon diseases rather than acute appendicitis. But in colonoscopic findings, there were hyperemie and edematous change on the appendiceal orifice of cecum(cherry or acorn shape). So we report 5 cases of acute appendicitis diagnosed br colonoscopy.
Aged ; Appendicitis* ; Child ; Colon ; Colonoscopy* ; Female ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Internal Medicine

We performed an analysis of corneal astigmatism of 123 eyes with suturing(sutured group) and 56 eyes without suturing(sutureless group) after phacoemulsification and PCL implantation through 7.0 mm straight incision wound 2.0-2.5 mm from superior limbus by use of algebraic and vector methods for two years following surgery. In both groups, the amount and axis of astigmatism were continued to change for 2years(p>0.05). The amount of astigmatisms in sutureless group was less than in sutured group until 2 months postoperatively(p<0.01), no significant difference from 3 months to 6 months postoperatively(p>0.05). Astigmatic changes in sutureless group were stable and had lower against-the-rule shift than the sutured group after 6 months postoperatively(p<0.01). Surgically induced astigmatism was stabilized after 1 month postoperatively in sutured group and after 2 weeks psotoperatively in suture less group(p<0.01), and it was lower in suture less group than sutured group during the two years postoperatively.(p<0.01).
Astigmatism ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cataract* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Phacoemulsification ; Sutures* ; Wounds and Injuries

Primary intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary artery is a rare disease and there has been no report of any case originating from the pulmonary valve. Recently we experienced a 62 year-old female patient who had a primary intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary valve with distal metastasis. She was brought to medical attention due to exertional dyspnea facial edema productive coughing and general weakness for 1 month. Chest CT and echocardi-ography suggest an acute pulmonary thromboembolism or tumor. Exploration showed a large polypoid mass arising from the pulmonary leaflets and multiple masses on distal pulmonary arteries. We replaced the pulmonary valve and reconstructed the pulmonary artery. She received radiotherapy 1 month postoperatively and now 4 months after surgery she has begun receiving chemotherapy.
Cough ; Drug Therapy ; Dyspnea ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Pulmonary Valve* ; Radiotherapy ; Rare Diseases ; Sarcoma* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Bacteriokiller system(BKS) produces disinfectant which is generated by the mixture of active oxygen and hypochlorous acid with tap water. Previous studies showed that BKS disinfectant is highly bacteridal against clinical isolates in in vitro testings and more effective than general soap and water for the disinfecttion of contaminated handa. This study was performed to evaluate ling-trem effects of BKS as a handwasing agent in clinical settings. METHODS: Five BKS were installed for the 9-month period from June 1995 to February 1996 in 16-bed Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit. Handwashing was frequency was observed after 1, 6, and 8 month of BKS use. Six-month incidences of nosocomial infecrion before and after BKS installation were compared to evaluate the possible effect of handwashings on nosocomial infection rates. A self-administered questionaire was used to collect data on handwashing frequency and their opinions of the BKS disinfectant at 2 and 8 months after the installation. RESULTS: Handwashing frequency of healthcare workers(HCWs) before and after patient contacts was increased from 34.1%(137/402) to 50.3%(193/384) (p<0.00001). At the same time, the 6-month nosocomial infection rate was down to 10.5%(43/411) from the pre-BKS rate of 13.0%( 51/431) and the patient-day rate was also decreased from 18.3(56/3068) to 15.1(43/2,844). Most (80.5%) of HCWs thought that BKS promote handwashing and "convenience" was the main reason for more frequent handwashing. Ninety three percent of HCWs would recommend the replacement of tne existing sinks and handwashing disinfectants with BKS. NO adverse skin reaction were reported after 8 months. Conclusions: BKS appears to promote handwashing because it is easy to use with no skin irritation and may contribute toward the prevention of nosocomial infections.
Cross Infection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Disinfectants ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Hypochlorous Acid ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Neurosurgery ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Skin ; Soaps

PURPOSE: Kissing contusion between the posterolateral tibial plateau and lateral femoral condyle is frequently found in association with a tear of the anterior cruciate liagment (ACL). The purpose of this study was to determine which ligamentous and meniscal tears are associated with kissing contusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the findings depicted by 323 consecutive MR images of the knee and confirmed at arthroscopy. For the diagnosis of disruption, ligaments, medial menisci (MM) and lateral menisci (LM) were evaluated using accepted criteria. We compared the prevalence and location of meniscal and ligamentous tears between group I (44 knees with kissing contusion) and group II (279 knees without kissing contusion). For statistical analysis the chi-square test was used. RESULTS: ACLs were torn in all 44 knees (100%) with kissing contusion, and 78 (28%) of 279 without kissing contusion. There were ten medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears (23%) in group I, and 17 MCL tears (6%), five lateral collateral ligament (LCL) tears (2%) and ten posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears (4%) in group II. In group I, meniscal tears were found in 22 MM (50%) and in 19 LM (43%), while in group II, they occurred in 128 MM (46%) and 128 LM (46%). In group I, 17 (77%) of 22 MM tears and 13 (68%) of 19 LM tears were located in the posterior horn, while in group II, the corresponding figures were 97/128 (76%) and 60 of 128 (47%). The differing prevalence of ACL and MCL tears between the groups was statistically significant (p<0.05), but differences in the prevalence and location of meniscal tears were not (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Although kissing contusion was a highly specific sign of ACL tears, its presence was also significant among MCL tears. There was no signifficant difference in meniscal tears with or without kissing contusion.
Animals ; Arthroscopy ; Collateral Ligaments ; Contusions* ; Diagnosis ; Horns ; Knee ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Ligaments* ; Menisci, Tibial ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies