Morphological changes of hepatic microcirculation, especially in the peribiliary plexus, in cirrhotic livers of rats induced by repeated intraperitoneal injections of N-diethyinitrosamine (DEN) (100mg/kg/week) were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Control rats were treated with saline. The livers were perfused with saline and injected with methyl-methacrylated resin (Mercox CL-2B) through the thoracic aorta. Diffuse nodular changes mimicking human cirrhosis were seen in the livers six weeks after injections of DEN. The cirrhotic livers showed an increase of vascular channels composed mainly of venous branches around the regenerating nodules and increased arterioloportal anastonloses. Peribiliary plexi of the cirrhotic livers had more vessels than those of the controls. Many dilated veins and ramificating portal vein branches were also Present. Direct connections between peribiliary plexi and sinusoids or between peribiliary plexi and portal veins were increased in the cirrhotic liver. These results suggest that the peribiliary plexi in experimentally induced cirrhotic liver might play a role in a collateral circulation under a state of portal hypertension.
Humans ; Rats ; Animals

Graves disease, an autoimmune endocrine disorder, which causes defects in cellular and humoral immunity, is associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, Addisons disease, pemicious anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis. Graves disease is associated with various neuro-muscular disorders, such as myopathy, exophalmous oculopathy, periodic paralysis, myastenia gravis and rarely Guillain-Barre syndrome. Guillain-Barre syndrome is considered as an autoimmune disease which can occur concurrently with other autoimmune disorders. This syndrome is characterized by segmental demyelination and axonal degeneration in electrophysiology due to autoantibody to nervous systems via cellular and humoral autoimmunity. In Graves disease, the exact mechanism of the associated Guillain-Barre syndrome is not well understood but it is considered that the autoimmunity is the leading cause of development of both diseases. A 37 year-old man had suffered from thyrotoxic symptoms and progressive symmetrical muscular paralysis. In nerve conduction velocity studies, the result shows peripheral neuropathy; axonopathy; myelinopathy; motor nerve and sensory nerve derangement; right first sacral nerve neuropathy; and decreased CMAP amplitude. The patient was treated with propylthiouracil and high dose intravenous immunoglobulin (400mg/kg/day for Sdays). He responded to the therapy well and became euthyroid state with improvement of muscle weakness. We report a case of Graves' disease associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome with brief review of literature which shows a possible relationship between both diseases.
Addison Disease ; Adult ; Anemia ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Autoimmunity ; Axons ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Electrophysiology ; Graves Disease* ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome* ; Humans ; Immunity, Humoral ; Immunoglobulins ; Muscle Weakness ; Muscular Diseases ; Nervous System ; Neural Conduction ; Paralysis ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Propylthiouracil

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to investigate the clinical features and outcomes of meconium intestinal obstruction (MIO) in preterm infants. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of medical records and radiologic images was conducted in a neonatal intensive care unit over a 3-year period (2009-2011). In addition, birth year- and gestational age-matched babies were selected by random sampling with twice the number as the control group. RESULTS: There were 43 infants with MIO who were appropriate as subjects. In perinatal factors, a maternal history of hypertension and the use of magnesium sulfate were more frequent in patients with MIO, but not significant. Feeding intolerance was more common in the MIO group than the control (86% vs. 24.4%; P<0.001). The frequency of gastrografin enema was once in all but one of the patients, and the microcolon was detected in 7 cases (16.3%. Radiographic change after enema was seen earlier than clinical improvement (P<0.05).The patients with MIO took longer to achieve full enteral feeding, and had a more prolonged hospital stay (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Feeding intolerance in preterm infants may be an early clinical finding of MIO. Meconium obstruction causes a delay of full enteral feeding and extension of hospital stay.
Colon ; Diatrizoate Meglumine ; Enema ; Enteral Nutrition ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Length of Stay ; Magnesium Sulfate ; Meconium ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Retrospective Studies

Mosapride stimulated dietary motility was introduced because of the arrhythmogenic effect of cisapride. Cisapride, 5-HT receptor agonist, induces prolongation of QT interval. Additionally, this condition can raise the possibility of acute, "malignant" arrhythmias such as torsade de pointes. It is hard to find any reports about effects of mosapride on cardiac parameters in dogs. By confirming electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters, the surface extremity leads ECG that was obtained from the four-limb electrodes and which was recorded by an ECG recorder after administration of mosapride 3 mg/kg PO b.i.d, and mosapride 3 mg/kg with itraconazole 5 mg/kg PO b.i.d, respectively. QT interval was shortened on the days of 3, 5, and post-day 1 in both mosapride 3 mg/kg administrated group and mosapride with itraconazole group. Heart rate increased significantly. QTc was slightly prolonged in mosapride administration group and mosapride with itraconazole group. However, all dogs of QTc were in normal variation (150~250 msec). Besides, the dogs showed no side effects reported in human medicine during the administration with these drugs. Although mosapride can increase the heart rate, this study suggest that mosapride may be useful for the dogs with disorders of gastrointestinal motility because of no fatal arrhythmogenic effect inspite of administration with itraconazole in dogs.
Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Benzamides ; Cisapride ; Citric Acid ; Dogs ; Electrocardiography ; Electrodes ; Extremities ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Itraconazole ; Morpholines ; Serotonin ; Torsades de Pointes

Ophthalmoplegic migraine is defined as recurrent unilateral headaches associated with extraocular muscle palsies. This disorder is more common in older children, but it may begin in infancy. Neuroimaging study should be performed to rule out conditions resulting in third nerve compression, such as intracranial aneurysm or mass lesions. Early treatment with corticosteroids could shorten the duration of the ophthalmoplegia and relieve the pain. We report a 8 year old boy who had severe headache with recurrent ipsilateral ophthalmoplegia that developed at the age of 2. The pediatrician should be aware that ophthalmoplegic migraine may occur in infancy and that early systemic steroid therapy is critical to prevent permanent sequelae.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Child ; Headache ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neuroimaging ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Ophthalmoplegic Migraine* ; Paralysis

Intramedullary screw fixation and bicortical screw fixation are widely used operation methods in the surgical treatment of Jones fractures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate of mechnical stability in two kind of Jones fracture. Using Mimics, three-dimensional models of the fifth metatarsal were reconstructed form computed tomography images of a 23-year-old Korean healthy male. Normal and osteoporotic bone models were made by changing bone density or thickness of cortical and cancellous bone. Two kinds of fixation techniques, i.e., intramedullary and bicortical screw fixation models, were simulated and muscles forces related to the fifth metatarsal base were applied. Maximum contact pressure difference were measured as 20,818 MPa, 12,155 MPa in normal bone, 23,371 MPa, 13,765 MPa in 85% cancellous osteoporotic bone, 24,310 MPa and 14,264 MPa in 75% cancellos osteoporotic model, 21,337 MPa, 20,971 MPa in -0.5 mm cortical osteoporotic bone, 26,322 MPa and 36,153 MPa in -1 mm cortical osteoporotic model, respectively for intramedullary screw fixation and bicortical screw fixation. Displacements on fracture interface were 0.208 mm, 0.126 mm in normal bone while 0.229 mm, 0.127 mm in 85% cancellos osteoporotic model, 0.241 mm, 0.127 mm in 75% cancellos osteoporotic model, 0.223 mm, 0.271 mm in -0.5 mm cortical osteoporotic model, 0.292 mm, 0.480 mm in -1 mm cortical osteoporotic model, respectively for intramedullary screw fixation and bicortical screw fixation. Bicortical screw fixation is superior in mechanical stability than intramedullary screw fixation for normal bone quality Jones fractures. For cortical osteoporotic bone Jones fractures, however, intramedullary screw fixation can give a better mechanical stability than bicortical screw fixation.
Bone Density ; Finite Element Analysis* ; Fracture Fixation ; Humans ; Male ; Metatarsal Bones ; Muscles ; Young Adult

To assess neurobehavioral effects of 48 low level lead-exposed workers in CRT manufacturing factory, simple and choice reaction time test with NTOS (Neurobehavioral Tests for Occupational Screening), digit symbol and digit span with K-WAIS (Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale), and SCL-90-R (Symptom Check List 90 revised) was examined. These screening test battery reflect 3 psychological domain; psychomotor, short term memory, and symptom. Average blood lead level was 17.7 microgram/dl and mean exposure duration was 5.6 years. Nobody exceeded blood lead level over 40 microgram/dl, the guideline. We divided workers to two group, shorts-term exposed group(< or = 5 years) and long-term exposed groups 5 years) for analysis. ANCOVA model of simple reaction time, hostility, phobic anxiety, somatization were statistically significant and coefficient of independent variable of exposure duration was also significant. MANCOVA model of SCL-90-R was significant, too. The results of this study were consistent with previous study; symptoms were early neurobehavioral effects of low level lead exposure. And this study showed that current blood lead level as independent variable was able to mask the early neurobehavioral effects.
Adult ; Anxiety ; Hostility ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Masks ; Mass Screening ; Memory ; Reaction Time

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of the voluntary contraction of muscles and magnetic stimulation intensity on the motor evoked potential (MEP) and the silent period (SP). METHOD: We studied MEPs and SPs in opponens pollicis muscle in 30 healthy adults (male: 16, female: 14) while varying the amount of the voluntary contraction and the stimulation intensity. We analyzed MEPs and SPs in relation to sex, recording site, opposition power and height. RESULTS: 1) During the contraction, the latencies of MEP were significantly shorter than during the relaxation. 2) The amplitudes of MEP reached plateau at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction and increased with increment of stimulation intensity without limitation. The amplitudes of MEP of right hand were bigger than left hand. There were no significant differences according to sex and recording site. 3) The durations of SP were directly proportional to the degrees of voluntary contraction and the stimulation intensity. CONCLUSION: Transcranial magnetic stimulation should be performed under the same voluntary contraction and magnetic stimulation intensity.
Adult ; Evoked Potentials, Motor* ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Muscles ; Relaxation ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation*

The amino acid sequence of the mheA gene of Aspergillus oryzae encodes a putative metallothionein-like protein 1. The size of the mheA transcript was 497 nt and the mheA promoter was induced by glucose, consistent with results of analysis by Northern hybridization and with the pdcA promoter, respectively.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Aspergillus ; Aspergillus oryzae ; Chimera ; Glucose

In contrast to well-known imaging findings of intracranial epidermoid cysts on magnetic resonance imaging, those of intracranial squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) are relatively unknown. We present a case of coexistence of intracranial SqCC and epidermoid cyst, with consecutive follow up over 14 months. Based on our case, a solid enhancing portion adjacent to a typically-looking epidermoid cyst may become a clue for coexistence of intracranial SqCC. An initial contrast enhancement and/or heterogeneous signal on diffusion weighted imaging may become a useful diagnostic clue, but more importantly, sudden rapid growth is important in formulating diagnosis.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Diagnosis ; Diffusion ; Epidermal Cyst ; Epithelial Cells ; Follow-Up Studies ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging