No abstract available.
Ascorbic Acid* ; Lymphocytes* ; Macrophages, Peritoneal* ; Phagocytosis*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

This study was carried out to investigate the direct neurotoxicity of alcohol on CNS and the effects of piracetam or vitamins on ultrastructural changes of the rat cerebellar and hippocampal neurons during long-term alcohol treatment. To evaluate the results, quantitative analysis were done for light and electronic microscopic findings. On the light microscopy, red degeneration of pyramidal cells and Purkinje cells was found more apparently in the alcohol only treated group than in the control group. On the electron microscopy, increased lipofuscin pigments wee found in cerebellum and hippocampus. In quantitative analysis, vitamins significantly reduced red degeneration in both hippocampus and cerebellum. However, piracetam significantly reduced red degeneration in cerebellum but not in hippocampus. Lipofuscin pigments in Purkinje cells and pyramidal cells were significantly reduced in the alcohol with piracetam treated group than the alcohol only treated group. However, vitamin had no significant reducing effect of lipofuscin pigments in Purkinje cells and pyramidal cells. According to the results, it is concluded that vitamins deficiency might cause red degeneration of pyramidal cell after long-term alcohol treatment, but increment of lipofuscin pigments in pyramidal and Purkinje cell may be caused by alcohol itself or its metabolite rather than vitamins deficiency. Piracetam seems to improve cognitive function impairment caused by alcohol consumption.
Alcohol Drinking ; Animals ; Cerebellum ; Hippocampus ; Lipofuscin ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Neurons* ; Piracetam* ; Purkinje Cells ; Pyramidal Cells ; Rats* ; Vitamins*

OBJECTIVES: Hemodynamic measurements of chronic portal hypertension were done to study the mechanisms that maintain high portal pressure despite well developed collateral circulations. METHODS: A prehepatic portal hypertensive rat model was produced by partial portal vein ligation. Cardiac output, organ blood flow and porto-systemic shunt were measured by radioisotope labeled microsphere methods, and vascular resistance was calculated by standard equation. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in the weight of the liver and increase in the weight of the spleen in the portal stenotic rats. Porto-systemic shunting, representing development of the collateral circulations, was 96.7+/-0.6% in the portal stenosis group compared with 0.9+/-0.2% in the control group (p<0.01). Portal pressure was significantly increased in the portal stenosis group compared with the control group(12.8+/-1.4 vs. 6.5+/-0.6mmHg; p<0.01). Mean arterial pressure was significantly decreased in portal stenosis group compared with control group(101.4+/-2.5 vs, 129.9+/-3.9mmHg; p<0.01). In the portal stenosis group, cardiac output(135.7+/-8.0 vs. 111.0+/-4.2ml/min; p<0.01) and splanchnic organ blood flow (28.97+/-2.03 vs. 17.90+/-1.27ml/min, p<0.01) were significantly increased, with concomitant decrease in total peripheral vascular resistance(58.0+/-3.3 vs. 88.2+/-4.8 dyne sec/cm5 X 105; p<0.01) and splanchnic vascular resistance(2.54+/-0.20 vs. 5.47+/-0.33 dyne sec/cm5 X 105; p<0.01), However, the portal venous resistance was not significantly different in both groups of rats (3.57+/-0.31 vs. 3.03+/-0.38 dyne sec/cm5 X 105; p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The hemodynamic results of this study indicate that hyperdynamic status of systemic and splanchnic circulation was present in chronic portal hypertension and that the primary factor contributing to the persistently elevated portal venous pressure was the markedly increased portal venous inflow.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Collateral Circulation ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Hemodynamics* ; Hypertension, Portal ; Ligation ; Liver ; Microspheres ; Models, Animal* ; Portal Pressure ; Portal Vein* ; Rats* ; Splanchnic Circulation ; Spleen ; Vascular Resistance

PURPOSE: To study the outcomes and complications of tension-free vaginal tape(TVT) operations, according to postoperative period, and compare our results with those in the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 340 patients were followed up for at least 3 months, between March 1999 and September 2001. During the postoperative period, the objective and subjective success rate, along with the postoperative complications, were evaluated. The mean age was 50.6+/-10.1 years. Among the 340 patients, 279(81.8%) and 61(19.4%) were diagnosed with stress and mixed incontinences, respectively. The patients were classified according to their symptom grades; grade I(n=66, 19.4%), grade II (n=240, 70.6%) and grade III(n=34, 10.0%). RESULTS: 113, 117, 44 and 66 of the 340 patients were observed postoperatively for 1, 1-2, 2-3 and for over 3 years, respectively. Of these, 137 completed questionnaires for evaluation of the subjective outcome. The objective success rates were high, irrespective of the extent of the postoperative period. The 1, 1-2, 2-3 and over 3 years postoperative period objective success rates were 93.8, 87.5, 89.5 and 93.3%, respectively. The subjective success rates were also high, irrespective of the extent of the postoperative period; 87.5, 75.0, 84.3 and 90.0% 1, 1-2, 2-3 and beyond 3 years, respectively. Postoperative complications occurred in 15 cases, including 12 bladder perforation due to the TVT device, 2 cases of bladder injury due to guide wire and one of vessel injury. 13 cases developed de novo urgency, although, they were cured with anticholinergic medication. Other serious complications, such as wound infection, hemorrhage requiring transfusion and nerve injury, were absent. CONCLUSIONS: Both the short and long term results were excellent, regardless of the extent of the postoperative follow-up period. TVT should play a significant role in treating female urinary incontinence, due to its availability and stability.
Female* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Suburethral Slings* ; Surgical Mesh ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Incontinence* ; Wound Infection

At the beginning, researches on the biology of depression or affective illness have focused mainly on the receptor functions and neuroendocrine activities. And the studies of the past years did not break new theoretical background, but the recent advances in the research on the molecular mechanisms underlying neural communication and signal transduction do add some insights to many established ideas. This article will overview some of the more recent advances in the clinical researches of depression. Our major concerns to be presented here include the following : (1) alterations in the post-synaptic neural transduction ; (2) changes in the neurons of hypothalamic neuropeptides ; (3) decreased peptidase enzyme activities : (4) associations of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis abnormalities with serotonin neurotransmission ; (5) role of serotonin transporter ; (6) changes in the responsiveness of intracellular calcium ion levels ; (7) the inositol deficiency theory of lithium and depression ; (8) the transcription factors including immediate early genes ; (9) recent genetic studies in some families. This brief overview will suggest that changes in DNA occur during antidepressant therapy. These changes at the DNA level initiating a cascade of events underlying antidepressant modality will give us the insight on the molecular biological basis of the pathogenesis of depression and cues for a new class of antidepressants.
Antidepressive Agents ; Axis ; Biology ; Calcium ; Cues ; Depression* ; DNA ; Genes, Immediate-Early ; Humans ; Inositol ; Lithium ; Neurobiology* ; Neurons ; Neuropeptides ; Serotonin ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; Signal Transduction ; Synaptic Transmission ; Transcription Factors

Colloidal gold 198Au were injected into 40 knee joints of rabbits for the study of the change of synovial membrane. We verified even distribution of Colloidal gold 198Au about knee joints by use of scintigraphy. After then, histopathological examinations were performed by periodic intervals. The following results are obtained form this study. l. Intra-articular injection of Colloidal gold 198Au into rabbit's knee joints resulted in a mild resctive inflammation at synovium. In was charscterized by an infiltration of eosinophils and by sclerotic changes in the subsynovium and by fibrosis of synovial vessels. 2. From this study, intra-articular injection of Colloidal gold 198Au may by benefit to treat the chronic synovial effusion in human.
Colloids ; Eosinophils ; Fibrosis ; Gold Colloid ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Knee Joint ; Rabbits ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Synovial Membrane

The studies of the occurrence and changes of experimental brain edema have been observed by calculating wet weight, volume, dry weight, per cent water content and swelling per cent in 12 normal rabbits as a control group and 24 rabbits of experimental group. The brain edema was induced by expansion of laminaria which resulted in brain compression, that was inserted into the supratentorial extradural space of rabbit. The piece of section of laminaria which is a sea weed and used for the purpose of slow expanding space-occupyin gmass has a characteristic mode of slow expansion in volume on contact with water. The average wet weight of cerebral hemisphere of normal rabbits was 3.30+/-0.19 gm. The average dry weight of unilateral hemisphere of 156 from 78 rabbits was 0.69+/-0.04 gm, while its volume was 2.97+/-0.29 ml and the percentages of water content was 78.92+/-1.36 per cent. The weight, volume and percentages of water content and swelling in the compressed sides of hemisphere showed higher values compared them to the opposite noncompressed hemisphere in the "laminaria-compression" group and showed gradually increasing tendency in the values as the time elapsed.
Brain ; Brain Edema* ; Cerebrum ; Laminaria ; Rabbits ; Water

PURPOSE: While numerous methods have been introduced to repair hypospadias, no single method is effective for repairing all hypospadias. We reviewed our experience of hypospadias repair to determine the best surgical method and the efficacy of the treatment modality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the hospital charts of 32 patients who had undergone hypospadias surgery from January 1993 to January 2002. Group 1 included patients who were operated on before 1998 and group 2 had those who had operations after 1998 with only the TIP(tubularized incised plate) method. The surgical procedures that were performed on the patients were onlay island flap(6), Mathieu(2), Hodgson's type III(2), Mustard(2), TIP(14), Transverse island flap(5), and Thiersch-Duplay(1). The mean operative time, mean hospital days, mean duration of catheter drainge, and complication rates of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: In group 2, operation time was reduced(142.9+/-69.4 versus 172.5+/-93.4 min)(p<0.05), but the two groups showed no significant differences in mean hospital days(11.9+/-2.8 days. versus 12.3+/-1.6 days) and mean duration of catheter drainge (9.8+/-24 versus 10.5+/-3.6 days). In group 1 and group 2, complication rates were 67% (12 of 18) and 14%(2 of 14), respectively(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our data show shorter operative time and lower complication rates using the TIP method for various types of hypospadias. Therefore, the TIP method seems to be a safe method of surgery for any type of hypospadias.
Catheters ; Female ; Humans ; Hypospadias* ; Inlays ; Male ; Operative Time ; Urethra

We recently experienced an unexpected episode of bilateral vocal cord paralysis following endotracheal extubation after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and tonsillectomy in 64-year-old man. The patient had no any other clinical manifestations regarding larynx or vocal cord except sleep apnea syndrome prior to this operation. The surgical procedure lasted almost 120 minutes and surgery and anesthesia was uneventful. After restoration of his spontaneous respiration, we tried extubation as usual method. Regardless his effort of spontaneous respiration for several times, he was suddenly apneic and showed declining of arterial oxygen saturation on the pulse oximeter (SpO2). Then we tried reintubation as a decision of laryngeal spasm. This alternative episode of extubation and reintubation was tried again and the causative factor of this respiratory impairment was confirmed as bilateral vocal cord paralysis by fiberoptic bronchoscopic examination in the operating room. Almost two thirds of vocal cord function was restored after six months of operation.
Airway Extubation* ; Anesthesia ; Humans ; Intubation ; Laryngismus* ; Larynx ; Middle Aged ; Operating Rooms ; Oxygen ; Respiration ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; Tonsillectomy ; Vocal Cord Paralysis* ; Vocal Cords*