This study was undertaken to observe the effects of centrally administred antihistamines on the blood pressure. Diphenhydramine(DPH), a H1-receptor antagonist, and ranitidine(RAN), a H2-receptor antagonist were administered intracerebroventricularly(icv) on urethane-anesthetized rabbits. 1) Both DPH and RAN administered intraccebroventricularly increased blood pressure, however the intravenous(iv) adminstration of them did not affect blood pressure. The pressor response to icv DPH was dose-dependent, but that to icv RAN was not. 2) The pressor response to icv DPH(1mg) was either markedly attenuated or reversed to depressor response by the pretreatment with icv phentolamine(250,500ug), and iv chlorisondamine(0.1, 1mg/Kg) and iv phenoxybenzamine(1mg/Kg). In cord-sectioned rabbtis, icv RAN) 1mg) did not produce pressor response. 3) The pressor responsr to icv RAN(1mg) was not affected by the pretreatment with icv phentolamine(500ug), iv chlorisondamin(1mg/Kg) and iv phenoxybenzamine(1mg/Kg), and iv phenoxybenzamine(1mg/Kg). RAN also producted pressor response in cordsectioned rabbits. These results suggest that the pressor response to icv DPH is elecited by increasing peripheral sympathetic tone via the stimulation of central alpha-adrenoreceptors and the pressor response to icv RAN is produced by releasing some humoral facotr which can increase blood pressure.
Blood Pressure ; Diphenhydramine* ; Histamine Antagonists ; Rabbits* ; Ranitidine*

Confluent and reticulate papillomatosis is a rare but clinically distinct dermatosis first described by Gougerot and Carteaud in 1927. It consists of dark brown pigmented papules which coalesce to reticulate and confluent patches. It usually begins shortly after puberty mainly in females and is most often localized to the intermammary and interscapular regions. Histological examination shows hyperkeratosis and papillomatosis, and there may be decreased granular cell layer, focal acanthosis, or hypermelanosis of the basal cell layer. We recently observed a 20-year-old male patient who showed typical clinical and histopathological findings of confluent and reticuIate papillomatosis. Treatment with an aromatic analog of vitamin A acid(Ro 10-9359) resulted in dramatic effectivenese.
Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Male ; Papilloma* ; Puberty ; Skin Diseases ; Tretinoin* ; Vitamin A* ; Vitamins* ; Young Adult

Aortic transection or interruption is a rare condition which developed after an acute deceleration injury. Its occurrence depends on the location and direction of the force applied and is usually from motor vehicle accident or falling down. The exact incidence of aortic transection in trauma is not known but, when develops, only about 10-15% of the victims can furtive and be transported to the hospital. Even in the survivors, majority of them will be fatal within a few days if a prompt diagnosis and surgical treatments are not made. Aggressive diagnostic work-up is recommended for the patients with high suspicious index, which would salvage the victims with this fatal condition. We report the experience of two cases of aortic transection or interruption following motor vehicle accidents.
Deceleration ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Motor Vehicles ; Survivors ; Thorax* ; Wounds and Injuries*

A 19 yar-old male patient was admitted to the department of neurology in Severance hospital beause of slowly progressive spastic paraparesis. On examination, dark brown skin color, sparse hair, spastic weakness and hypesthesia of lower extremities were noted. The laboratory studies showed high serum ACTH level with lowest normal limit of serum cortisol level. Brain MRI scan revealed high signal intensities in bilateral corticospinal tracts on T, Weighted images with gadolinium enhancement and T2eighted images. The results of three modal evoked potential studies(SEP. BAEP. VEP) were abnormal bilaterally. Nerve conduction studies and sural nerve biopsy suggested the presence of peripheral neuropathy.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Adrenoleukodystrophy* ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Evoked Potentials ; Gadolinium ; Hair ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hypesthesia ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Muscle Spasticity ; Neural Conduction ; Neurology ; Paraparesis, Spastic ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Pyramidal Tracts ; Skin ; Sural Nerve

Existing methods of stereoacuity testing need specific glasses or optical device for use. We have designed a new stereoacuity test for the digitalized, random-dot stereogram and researched its clinical usefulness. A digitalized, random-dot, stereoacuity test card was created with a computer program that used a preferred symbol and the designed system was tested along with the Randot preschool stereoacuity, Titmus-fly and Lang tests to compare their sensitivity and specificity. The mean success rate of the digitalized, random-dot test was 98.2%, while the rates of the Randot preschool stereoacuity, Titmus-fly and Lang tests were 89.3%, 74.2% and 86.1%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of the new test were 100% and 95.3%, respectively, which were not that different from those of the Randot preschool stereoacuity, Titmus-fly and Lang tests. We found that the digitalized, random-dot, stereoacuity test has a high success rate and can be appropriately used in medical examinations and follow-up tests for strabismus patients.
Age Distribution ; Child, Preschool ; Comparative Study ; Computer Graphics ; Depth Perception/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Reproducibility of Results ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Software ; Vision Disorders/*diagnosis ; Vision Tests/*instrumentation/methods ; Vision, Binocular

Many investigators have reported that collagen gel contraction reflects the mechanism of wound contraction. In 1995, Tsai et al. reported that hypertrophic scar-derived fibroblasts in a connective tissue model possessed the greatest contraction potency when compared with those of normal skin and normal oral mucosa-derived CTMs. In this study, we studied the effect of collagen gel contraction by growth factors such as epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor-bata1, and transforming growth factor-bata3, Skin fibroblasts used in this study were obtained from the explant of rat skin culture. Fibroblasts were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum. Growth factors were added per FPCL in the desired concentrations and we measured the collagen gel diameters in growth factor-treated FPCL on day 1,2,3, and 4 respectively after starting incubation. We examined the effects of EGF, PDGF, TGF-bata1, TGF-bata3 and the effects of combinations of TGF-bata1 + EGF, TGF-bata1 + PDGF, and TGF-bata1 + TGF-bata3 to contract a collagen gel. EGF has little influence on collagen gel contraction. TGF-bata1 and TGF-bata3 increase the collagen contraction. TGF-bata1 enhanced the contractility of collagen gel according to the concentrations. While TGF-bata3 alone had stimulatory contraction effects at low dose, high doses of TGF-bata3 decreased the potency of collagen gel contraction. A combination of TGF-bata1 and EGF minimally decrease TGF-bata1 activity. A combination of TGF-bata1and PDGF had an effect similar to TGF-bata1 activity. A combination of TGF-bata1 and TGF-bata3 decreased TGF-bata1 activity. According to reports that FPCL contraction is equivalent to the process of wound contraction, growth factors which enhance gel contraction may be related to wound contraction and wound healing. TGF-bata1 is reported to enhance scar formation in fetal wound. EGF accelerates wound healing and inhibits the promotion of hypertrophic scar formation. Compared to the effect of collagen gel contraction in this study, the combination of TGF-bata1 and TGF-bata3 that inhibited the promotion of collagen gel contraction are thought to diminish the formation of scar tissue. As well, EGF that has not enhanced collagen gel contraction is thought to diminish the production of scar tissue. We will study the interactive effects of TGF-bata3, EGF and TGF-bata1 on the contraction of collagen gels in the future.
Animals ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Collagen* ; Connective Tissue ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Fibroblasts ; Gels ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Rats ; Research Personnel ; Skin ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries*

Plasmapheresis has been used for some conditions during pregnancy and puerperium, such as hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet (HELLP) syndrome. We present one case of the HELLP syndrome which was treated with plasmapheresis and also review the indications, complications and guidelines for repetitive plasma exchange.
Blood Platelets ; Female ; HELLP Syndrome* ; Hemolysis ; Liver ; Plasma Exchange ; Plasmapheresis* ; Postpartum Period* ; Pregnancy

In a jaundiced patient, it is important to ascertain as early as possible whether the bile duct is dilated. Ultrasonography, computed tomography & conventional cholangiography are widely accepted methods of determining the size of the extrahepatic bile ducts. But there is a considerable discrepancy among the size of the bile duct as measured from them. So the author analyzed and compared the respective diameters of the bile ducts in Korean normal adults as measured from cadaver, IV cholangiography, ultrasoud and computed tomography. The materials were 45 cases of cadaver, 38 cases of IV cholangiography, 100 cases of ultrasonography & 55 cases of computed tomography. The results were as follows ; 1. The diameters of the bile ducts were 7.58±2.26mm at CHD & 8.04±2.42mm at CBD from cadaver ; 5.38±1.90mm at CHD & 6.58±2.37mm at CBD from IV cholanglography ; 3.24±1.13mm at CHD & 4.71±1.48mm at CBD from ultrasonography ; and 4.56±1.51mm at CHD & 5.87±1.68mm at CBD from computed tomography. 2. The diameter of the bile duct was greatest in cadaver, and then reduced in IV cholangiography, computed tomography and ultrasonography in this orde.r 3. There were no size discrepancy between the diameter of the common hepatic duct and that of the common bile duct. 4. There were no discrepanry of the diameter of the bile duct by sex.
Adult* ; Bile Ducts* ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Bile* ; Cadaver ; Cholangiography ; Common Bile Duct ; Hepatic Duct, Common ; Humans ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: Surgically removed herniated lumbar disc specimen are immunostained to evaluate the production of MMPs(Matrix metalloproteinases) -1, 2, 3 for the investigation of the possible correlation of MMPs in lumbar disc herniation depending on the types of disc herniation. METHODS: The study population consists of 30 patients with lumbar disc herniation. There were 18 men and 12 women with patient age averaging 43.4 years(19-68years). The types of disc herniation identified at the time of surgery were classified as follow ; protruded type(Group 1, 10cases), extruded type(Group 2, 10cases), sequestrated type(Group 3, 10cases). Immunohistochemical study for the MMPs of the herniated disc tissue was performed and results of staining were graded to examine differences in histology among three types of disc herniation . RESULTS: The MMPs immunopositive cells were increased in old patients but statistically it was not significant(p=0.074). A significantly increased incidence of positive cells for MMP-1, 2 was found in the herniated lumbar disc tissue than the control group(p=0.02) but there were no significant differences among the three types of disc herniation. The MMP-3 positive cells were predominantly detected in the sequestrated disc tissue group(p=0.037) more than other groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the MMP-1, 2, 3 may play important roles in the process of degeneration, herniation, and resorption of the lumbar intervertebral discs and that the MMP-3 may express the severity of lumbar disc herniation and play a role in resorption of the sequestrated disc tissue.
Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Incidence ; Intervertebral Disc ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinases*

A specimen of Beauveria bassiana was collected from Yang-yang of Gangwon province, Korea in October 2006. Conidial isolates were prepared from the specimen by the dilution method and inoculated in brown rice medium for fruiting body production. After nearly two months incubation for perithecial stromata developed from single isolates as well as from their combinations. They were determined as Cordyceps bassiana by observing the stromatal characters and their conidial structures. This is the first report of the development of C. bassiana from B. bassiana cultures.
Beauveria ; Cordyceps ; Fruit ; Korea