BACKGROUND: Platelet function is directly influenced by lipoproteins, and platelets from hypercholesterolemic patients display increased reactivity which is related to initiation, progression, and development of thromboembolic complications in atherosclerosis. But the exact mechanism of this effect is unclear. METHODS: In this study, total and activated numbers of platelet glycoprotein (Gp) IIb/IIIa were evaluated in twenty patients (7 men; age, 55.4+/-8.7 years) with hypercholesterolemia (plasma total cholesterol level over 240 mg/dL and normal triglyceride level) and twenty one subjects (8 men; 51.1+/-13.7 years) with normal plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Flow cytometry was used to detect the binding of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated anti-CD41 or PAC1 to platelet Gp IIb<1/4>/<1/4>IIIa in whole blood. When whole blood was incubated with PAC1, platelets were also activated with adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or thrombin. RESULTS: PAC1 was more bound to unstimulated platelets from patients with hypercholesterolemia (p<0.005), and binding of PAC1 correlated significantly with plasma total cholesteol (r=0.48, p=0.002) and LDL-cholesterol (r=0.47, p=0.002) levels. Binding of PAC1 to unstimulated platelets increased as binding of anti-CD41 increased (r=0.40, p=0.01). On multivariate linear regression analysis, plasma total cholesterol level and binding of anti-CD41 were independent variables that determined binding of PAC1. After ADP- or thrombin-stimulation, binding of PAC1 to platelets and percentage of antibody positive cells were also greater in patients with hypercholesterolemia (p<0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between mean platelet volume and binding of anti-CD41 to unstimulated platelets (r=0.46, p<0.0050), but the latter was not different between hypercholesterolemia and control groups. CONCLUSION: Unstimulated platelets from patients with hypercholesterolemia had similar total number of Gp IIb/IIIa to those from control subjects, but had more activated Gp IIb/IIIa. After ADP- or thrombin-stimulation, platelet Gp IIb/IIIa was also more activated under hypercholesterolemia.
Adenosine Diphosphate ; Atherosclerosis ; Blood Platelets* ; Cholesterol ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescein ; Glycoproteins* ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Linear Models ; Lipoproteins ; Male ; Mean Platelet Volume ; Plasma ; Thrombin ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Regular aerobic exercise plays a role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, but the risk of primary cardiac arrest transiently increases during vigorous exercise, particularly in sedentary men. There has been a controversy regarding the effect of exercise on platelet functional behavior, which is related to the pathogenesis of coronary ischemia. We evaluated the cytoplasmic free calcium concentration of platelets in healthy men after treadmill exercise. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Five physically active (group I: age, 24.2+/-2.3 years) and five sedentary men (group II: age, 22.4+/-1.4 years) were included in this study. Platelet calcium was measured with fluorescent dye, quin2 before and after treadmill exercise. RESULTS: Platelet calcium levels were increased from 86.8+/-11.8 nM to 128.8+/-15.0 nM in group I (p<0.05) and from 102.6+/-14.4 nM to 162.4+/-26.5 nM in group II (p<0.05) immediately after exercise. Thereafter, platelet calcium levels were decreased in group I, but continuously increased in group II. At fifteen minutes after exercise, platelet calcium concentrations were significantly higher than baseline values in group II (205.8+/-53.9 nM vs 102.6+/-14.4 nM: p<0.05), but not in group I (115.2+/-15.7 nM vs 86.8+/-11.8 nM). CONCLUSION: Cytoplasmic free calcium concentration in platelets were continuosly increased after treadmill exercise in sedentary men but not in physically active men.
Blood Platelets* ; Calcium* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cytoplasm* ; Exercise ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Male*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Regular aerobic exercise plays a role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, but the risk of primary cardiac arrest transiently increases during vigorous exercise, particularly in sedentary men. There has been a controversy regarding the effect of exercise on platelet functional behavior, which is related to the pathogenesis of coronary ischemia. We evaluated the cytoplasmic free calcium concentration of platelets in healthy men after treadmill exercise. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Five physically active (group I: age, 24.2+/-2.3 years) and five sedentary men (group II: age, 22.4+/-1.4 years) were included in this study. Platelet calcium was measured with fluorescent dye, quin2 before and after treadmill exercise. RESULTS: Platelet calcium levels were increased from 86.8+/-11.8 nM to 128.8+/-15.0 nM in group I (p<0.05) and from 102.6+/-14.4 nM to 162.4+/-26.5 nM in group II (p<0.05) immediately after exercise. Thereafter, platelet calcium levels were decreased in group I, but continuously increased in group II. At fifteen minutes after exercise, platelet calcium concentrations were significantly higher than baseline values in group II (205.8+/-53.9 nM vs 102.6+/-14.4 nM: p<0.05), but not in group I (115.2+/-15.7 nM vs 86.8+/-11.8 nM). CONCLUSION: Cytoplasmic free calcium concentration in platelets were continuosly increased after treadmill exercise in sedentary men but not in physically active men.
Blood Platelets* ; Calcium* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cytoplasm* ; Exercise ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Male*

All ceramic restorations have had a more limited life expectancy than metal ceramic crowns because of their lower strength. The relatively lower strength has limited the use of all-ceramic crowns to the areas where occlusal loads are lower. Therefore many researches have been done to increase the strength of all-ceramic crowns. IPS Empress 2 is a new type of lithium disilicate glass-ceramic with enhanced physical characteristics which has been in use clinically since 1998. Previous researches reported that the flexural strength of all-ceramic material was greater than 300MPa, and all-ceramic crowns can be used in staining or layering technique. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the thickness of IPS Empress 2 ceramic on fracture strength. Both staining technique and layering technique was investigated. Vita VMK was used as control. For all three groups, five specimens each of 0.8mm, 1.0mm, 1.4mm, 1.8mm, and 2.2mm thickness (a total of 75 specimens) were prepared. Control group: Vita VMK Porcelain specimens were prepared with dentine ceramic and liquid glazing was done. Group I: IPS Empress 2 were prepared with staining technique and stained twice and glazed once. Group II : IPS Empress 2 were prepared with layering technique and glazed after wash firing. The thickness and diameter of the specimen were measured and controlled after specimen preparation. Biaxial Flexure Test (ASTM Standard F394-78) was adopted as this test method produces results least affected by the edge condition of the specimens. Fracture strength was measured with Instron Universal Testing Machine. Conclusions are as follow : 1. The fracture strength was increase in order of control group, test group I, test group II. 2. Fracture strength of the group I(Empress 2 Staining) was 65.54 N in 0.8mm, 155.2 N in 1.0mm, 233.5 N in 1.44mm, 434.5 N in 1.8mm, and 600.1 N in 2.2mm. 3. Fracture strength of the group II (Empress 2 Layering) was 190.0 N in 0.8mm, 283.5 N in 1.0mm, 437.2 N in 1.4mm, 732.0 N in 1.8mm, and 1115.0 N in 2.2mm. 4. No statistical difference was found in flexural strengths according to thickness in a specified group(p>0.05).
Ceramics* ; Crowns ; Dental Porcelain ; Dentin ; Fires ; Life Expectancy ; Lithium

Infantile form of histiocytosis X is commonly presented as multiorgan desseminated form such as Letterer-Siwe disease. Lymph node involvement of histiocytosis X is usually accompanied by adjacent bone or skin lesion. Solitary nodal eosinophilic granuloma without evidence of other organ involvement is very rare. A case herein report is a 11 month-old female infant presented with fever and palpable both inguinal lymph nodes. There was neither skin lesion nor hepatosplenomegaly. Laboratory evaluation was within normal range except increased alkaline phosphatase and many neutrophils in urine. Radiologic examination revealed no remarkable bone lesions. And she showed good clinical outcome without evidence of other organ involvements. On microscopic examination of inguinal lymph node it was replaced by infiltration of histiocytes mainly along the sinusoid. Some of histiocytes showed morphologic features of "histiocytosis X cell" having nuclear grooves or multilobulation. Multinulceated giant cells were frequently see. Numerous eosinphils were also infiltrated and showed multifocal microabscess formation. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that majority of histiocytes were postitive for S-100 protein but multinucleated histriocytes, phagocytic histiocytes and those around the abscess were positive for macrophage marker, suck as CD68 and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin. Interestingly some histiocytes showed positivity for both S-100 protein and macrophage marker. These results suggest that histiocytosis X is proliferative disorder of phenotypically heterogenous population of histiocytes in contrast to the theory that it is a proliferative disorder of Langerhans cells.
Infant ; Male ; Female ; Humans

It has been claimed that CNS lymphoma, a rare neoplasm accounting for only a small fraction of malignant brain tumors, occurs with increasing frequency in immunologically normal as well as immunocompromised individuals. We investigated the prognostic value of Ki-67 index, p53, and bcl-2 oncoprotein expression in relation to the clinicopathological parameters in the primary CNS lymphoma patients. The tumors were graded by Kiel classification and the Working formulation and included 33 high-grade, 4 intermediate-grade, and 5 low-grade lymphomas. The phenotype was determined in 38 cases: 30 were B cell type and 8 were T cell type. All cases displayed variable degrees of nuclear Ki-67 staining from 1.0% to 92.0% (mean 51.1%). A highly significant correlation was established between the proportion of Ki-67 positive cells and the classification into grades (p=0.0002) and phenotypes (p=0.0002). Overexpression of p53 and bcl-2 protein was found in 37.1% and 51.4% of 35 patients, respectively. And p53 expression was significantly increased in B cell type (p=0.02). On Kaplan-Meier survival curve, the phenotype, grade of tumors, and p53 and bcl-2 protein expression were not correlated with overall survival. On multivariate analyses, overall survival was independently influenced by Ki-67 index. In conclusion, it is suggested that Ki-67 proliferating index is the most important marker for predicting biologic behavior of the primary CNS lymphoma.
Brain Neoplasms ; Central Nervous System* ; Classification ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Multivariate Analysis ; Phenotype

No abstract available.
Kidney* ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive*

No abstract available.
Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

BACKGROUND: Aprotinin, which is a nonspecific serine protease inhibitor, has an antiinflammatory and thrombogenic effect. However, it has an antithrombogenic effect during the cardiopulmonary bypass. This study was performed to evaluated the effects of aprotinin on the activated clotting time(ACT) and the total amount of the heparin used during the cardiopulmonary bypass. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From December 1998 to November 1999, 82 consecutive patients electively underwent open heart surgery at Gachon medical school. The patients were older than 18 years. Eighty two patients were classified into a control group(group C, n=36) and a aprotinin-treated group(group A, n=46). Body weight, height, body surface area(BSA), pump time(PT), aortic cross clamping time(ACCT), and body temperature(BT) were determined. Total amount of heparin and protamine during the CPB were also measured. ACT was determined before heparin administration, at 20, 40 and 60 minutes after heparin administration, and after protamine administration. RESULT: No significant differences were noted in either group in body weight, height, BSA, BT, and the total amoun of heparin and protamine. Group A demonstrated a significant(p<0.05) increase in age, PT, ACCT, and ACT at 20, 40, and 60 minutes after heparin administration. CONCLUSION: In summary, the use of aprotinin prime resulted in an increase in ACT. The total amount of heparin in aproinin-treated patient was similar to that of the control group in spite of having the prolonged pump time. Therefore aprotinin may reduce the requirement of heparin.
Aprotinin* ; Body Height ; Body Weight ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Constriction ; Heart* ; Heparin* ; Humans ; Schools, Medical ; Serine Proteases ; Thoracic Surgery*

Brachycephaly is a kind of craniosynostosis. Because of premature closure of the coronal suture, the skull is shorter in the anteroposterior diameter but is widened with a high vault and the occiput and forehead are flattened. Diabetes insipidus had been reported in oxycephaly. We have experienced a case of central diabetes insipidus associated with brachycephaly. A brief review of related literatures is included in this report.
Craniosynostoses* ; Diabetes Insipidus ; Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic* ; Forehead ; Skull ; Sutures