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

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

No abstract available.
Neurilemmoma*

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

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

We evaluated an effect of the distance between the incision line and corneal limbus on surgically induced astigmatism in sutureless cataract surgery with scleral tunnel incision. We made a 6mm scleral tunnel incision 1.0mm from the limbus (Group 1, 24 eyes) and 2.5mm from the limbus (Group 2, 30 eyes) and implanted polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) intraocular lenses with a round optic of 6mm following phacoemulsification. We employed the Jaffe method and Cravy method of vector analysis to evaluate the change of Surgically induced astigmatism. The mean surgically induced astigmatism using Jaffe method was 1.24 D and 0.98 D one day after surgery in Group 1 and 2, respectively. The difference between them was statistically significant(p<0.01) and became insignificant(p>0.05) after postoperative one week. In the superior incision cases, the difference using Cravy method was not statistically significant for whole followup period. In the temporal incision cases, the surgically induced astigmatism was 0.39 D and 0.02 D one day after surgery in Group 1 and 2, respectively. The difference was statistically significant(p<0.05) and became statistically insignificant(p>0.05) after postoperative one week. In this study it was found that a distance of incision line from corneal limbus longer than 1 mm was not an important factor in influencing the surgically induced astigmatism one week after sutureless cataract surgery using a watertight scleral tunnel incision.
Astigmatism ; Cataract* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Limbus Corneae ; Phacoemulsification ; Polymethyl Methacrylate

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results of minimal-tying (one medial-row tie among 4 medial-row sutures) on the medial-row in double-row suture-bridge configuration (2x2 anchor with 4x4 suture stands). METHODS: From 2011 March to 2012 July, 79 patients underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair using 2x2 anchor double-row configuration. The mean age was 61.3 years (range, 31-81 years). Two double-loaded suture anchors were used for medial-row. Four medialrow stitches were made with only one medial-row knot-tying (the most anterior suture). Lateral-row was secured using the conventional suture-bridge anchor technique; all 4 strands were used for each anchor. Repair integrity was evaluated with MRI at mean 6.2 months postoperatively. Retear and the pattern of retear, change of fatty infiltration, and muscle atrophy of supraspinatus were evaluated using pre- and postoperative MRI. RESULTS: Repaired tendon integrity was 38 for type I, 30 for type II, 6 for type III, 4 for type IV, and 1 for type V, according to Sugaya classification. Considering type IV/V as retear, the rate was 6.3% (5 out of 79 patients). Medial cuff failure was observed in 4 patients. Fatty atrophy of supraspinatus was significantly improved postoperatively according to Goutallier grading (p=0.01). The level of muscle atrophy of supraspinatus was not changed significantly after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Minimal tying technique with suture configuration of four-by-four strand double-row suture-bridge yielded a lower retear rate (6.3%) in medium to large rotator cuff tears.
Arthroscopy ; Atrophy ; Classification ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscular Atrophy ; Rotator Cuff* ; Shoulder ; Suture Anchors ; Sutures ; Tears* ; Tendons