The neurotoxicity of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in rodents was investigated by measuring the locomotor activity and the changes of brain biogenic amines in MPTP-treated C57BL/6 mice. The mice showed a typical curved spine posture 24 hours after MPTP treatment. Total locomotor activity was reduced and the ratios of stereotyped activity/total locomotor activity were increased 24 hours after MPTP treatment. However no significant changes were observed 7 days after MPTP treatment. MPTP-induced changes of biogenic amines were evident only in corpus striatum, not in frontal lobe, midbrain and hippocampus; the levels of dopamine, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were reduced by 94%, 76.3% and 60.2% after 24 hours, and 81.9%, 61.3% and 26.1% after 6 days compared to control values respectively. The ratios of DOPAC/dopamine, HVA/dopamine and HVA/DOPAC were increased 24 hours and 7 day after MPTP treatment compared to control valuse in corpus striatum, but the degree of the 7 days was less than the 24 hours. The ratios of 5-HIAA/5-HT were incresed 24 hours and 7 days after MPTP treatment in corpus striatum, but there were no significant changes in the levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and 5-hydroxtryptamine (5-HT). In conclusion, MPTP produced parkinsonism-like behavioral and biochemical changes in C57BL/ 6 mice.
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine* ; Animals ; Biogenic Amines* ; Brain ; Corpus Striatum ; Dopamine ; Frontal Lobe ; Hippocampus ; Homovanillic Acid ; Mesencephalon ; Mice* ; Motor Activity* ; Posture ; Rodentia ; Spine

OBJECTIVE: Amniocentesis is the most commonly used invasive method for prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders. We performed this study to analyze the indications, distributions of maternal age and cytogenetic results of midtrimester amniocentesis. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 785 cases of midtrimester prenatal genetic amniocentesis which were performed in the cytogenetics laboratory using in situ coverslip culture at Dong-A University Hospital from January 1995 to March 2003. RESULTS: Amniocentesis was practiced mostly from 15 weeks to 20 weeks of gestational ages. Requested indications of amniocentesis were abnormal maternal serum screening (421, 53.7%), advanced maternal age (233, 29.7%) and abnormal ultrasonographic finding (61, 7.8%) in the order of decrease. The overall incidence of chromosome abnormalities was 5.1% (40 cases), and it contains 27 cases (3.4%) of numerical abnormalities and 13 cases (1.7%) of structural abnormalities. Among autosomal abnormalities Down syndrome was most common (13 cases) and followed by Edward syndrome (2 cases). Of the sex chromosomal abnormalities, three cases of Turner syndrome and three cases of Kleinefelter syndrome were found. Chromosomal abnormalities were most frequently noted in the maternal age of 30 to 34 years old (14 cases, 35.0%), 25 to 29 years old (12 cases, 30.0%), followed by 35 to 39 years old (7 cases, 17.5%). The frequency of pseudomosaicism were 5 cases (0.6%). CONCLUSION: Maternal serum screening, advanced maternal age and antenatal ultrasonographic finding must be important screening methods for amniocentesis which is considered to the most effective diagnostic procecdure for prenatal cytogenetic studies. I conclude that the karyotyping analysis of midtrimester amniocentesis is efficacious method for detection of chromosomal aberration and genetic counselling for parents.
Adult ; Amniocentesis* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetic Analysis* ; Cytogenetics* ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Karyotyping ; Mass Screening ; Maternal Age ; Parents ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Turner Syndrome

The purpose of the present study was to investigate cardiac damage biomarkers after a triathlon race in elite and non-elite athlete groups. Fifteen healthy men participated in the study. Based on performance, they were divided into elite athlete group (EG: n=7) and non-elite athlete group (NEG: n=8). Participants' blood samples were obtained during four periods: before, immediately, 2 hours and 7 days after finishing the race. creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase-myoglobin (CK-MB), myoglobin, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly increased in both groups immediately after, and 2 hours after finishing the race (p<.05). CK, CK-MB, and myoglobin were completely recovered after 7 days (p<.05). Hematocrit (Hct) was significantly decreased in both groups (p<.05) 7 days after the race. LDH was significantly decreased in the EG (p<.05) only 7 days after the race. Homoglobin (Hb) was significantly decreased in the NEG (p<.05) only 2 hours after the race. Although cardiac troponin T (cTnT) was significantly increased in the EG but not in the NEG 2hours after the race (p<.05), there was no group-by-time interaction. cTnT was completely recovered in both groups 7 days after the race. In conclusion, cardiac damage occurs during a triathlon race and, is greater in elite than in non-elite. However, all cardiac damage markers return to normal range within 1 week.
Athletes ; Biomarkers* ; Continental Population Groups ; Creatine ; Creatine Kinase ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Male ; Myoglobin ; Reference Values ; Troponin T

Foreign body ingestion is common in children. About 80% of ingested foreign bodies spontaneously pass through gastrointestinal tract. The management of an ingested magnet depends on its size, the same as for other foreign bodies. However, it has been reported that magnetic foreign body ingestion can lead to gastrointestinal fistula. We report here on the case of a 13-month-old boy who ingested two magnet bars that attracted to each other, and they were holding the gastric mucosa. A simple abdomen X-ray revealed that the location of two magnet bars was not changed according to the patient's positional change. The magnet bars were removed with an alligator forcep under gastroduodenal endoscopy.
Abdomen ; Alligators and Crocodiles ; Child ; Eating ; Endoscopy ; Fistula ; Foreign Bodies ; Gastric Mucosa* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Surgical Instruments

PURPOSE: To determine whether a localized low-attenuation (LLA) is induced on a thin-section CT (TSCT) during an acute pulmonary arterial occlusion in pigs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In eight pigs, 14 sites of the descending pulmonary artery were obstructed using balloon catheters. The lung TSCTs were obtained immediately after pulmonary artery obstruction (n=13), 10 min (n=10), 30 min (n=14) and 60 min (n=14) after pulmonary artery obstruction at the end of expiration. The TSCTs were also obtained after balloon-deflation at the end of expiration (n=11) and with the balloon-reinflation at inspiration (n=6). RESULTS: Of the 14 sites of pulmonary artery obstruction, 11 (79%) showed LLA. However, LLA progressively became fainter or disappeared on a follow-up CT in seven sites. When the balloon was deflated, 10 of the 11 sites measured showed no change in lung attenuation. After full inspiration, LLA disappeared in three of the six sites. The corresponding areas of LLA on the CT showed a statistically significant increase compared to the baseline CT immediately after inflation (p = 0.021) and 30 minutes after inflation (p =0.041), and after balloon deflation (p =0.036). CONCLUSION: LLA was induced by acute pulmonary artery obstruction. However, LLA, gradually faded over the 60 minutes following obstruction. LLAs were maintained despite the restoration of pulmonary arterial flow, but disappeared as a result of a full inspiration. Thus, LLA might be caused by air trapping.
Animals ; Catheters ; Follow-Up Studies ; Inflation, Economic ; Lung ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Swine

Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative and granulomatous disease caused by gram-positive bacteria, the Actinomyces, which normally resides in the mouth cavity and large bowel. Actinomyces and other bacterial species are concomitantly, on occasion, found, having been designated "companion microbes". Designing a therapeutic regimen that includes coverage for "companion microbes" during the initial treatment course is reasonable. Primary hepatic actinomycosis, which was not found in possible source or associated disease and was coinfected with alpha-strepotcoccus, has not yet been reported in Korea. We report a case of primary hepatic actinomycosis coinfected with alpha-streptococcus presenting fever, chill, right upper quadrant abdominal pain as chief complaints in a 63-year-old woman. Primary hepatic actinomycosis was confirmed by identification of the sulfur granule, which was obtained by ultrasonography-guided percutaneous needle aspiration and biopsy.
Abdominal Pain ; Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis* ; Biopsy ; Female ; Fever ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Mouth ; Needles ; Sulfur

BACKGROUND: Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, may participate with pathogenesis of intercellular detachment and loss of cell-matrix interaction. Autoimmune bullous dermatoses is an entity charaterized by bullous lesions of the skin and mucosa, and autoantibodies to the specific tissue components. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the induction of apoptosis in the lesional skin of pemphigus vulgaris (PV), pemphigus foliaceus (PF), bullous pemphigoid (BP), and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA). METHODS: Hoechst 33342 (bisbenzimide) staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was performed to determine the induction of apoptosis in the lesional skin of each disease. RESULTS: In PV and PF, typical findings of apoptosis were observed in the lesional epidermis showing acantholysis. However, in BP and EBA, no apoptosis of the epidermis was observed. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that apoptosis is only associated with acantholysis of the epidermal keratinocytes, one of many components of pathogenesis in bullous disease, in patients with pemphigus.
Acantholysis ; Apoptosis ; Autoantibodies ; Blister ; Cell Death ; Epidermis ; Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa* ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Mucous Membrane ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Pemphigus* ; Skin ; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous

PURPOSE: Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL) has revolutionized the management of urinary stones. However, exceptions and complications have occasionally been observed. Therefore, we evaluated the success rate, indications, complications and clinical characteristics of 5,000 patients that treated with SWL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 5,000 patients were a SWL was performed using the EDAP LT01 and 02 piezoelectric lithotriptors, between 1987 and 2001. The study group comprised of 2,942 men and 2,058 women (1.43:1) with a mean age of 46.7 years. We evaluated the success rate of the SWL by the sizes and locations of the stones and by treatment sessions. RESULTS: The total success rate of the SWL was 91.5%. For renal stones, the success rates ranged from 95.9, for stones 0.5-1.0cm in size, to 60.0%, for stones 1.6-2.0cm in size. For upper ureter stones, the success rates ranged from 87.1, for stones 0.5-1.0cm in size, to 54.5%, for stones 1.6-2.0cm in size. For lower ureter stones, regardless of stone size, the SWL was 100% successful. The mean success rate was 99.3%. With the complications, gross hematuria was observed, with septicemia in 10 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The success rate of SWL was 91.5%. In our 14 years of experience, SWL has proved to be an effective and safe method to treat the urinary stones.
Female ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Lithotripsy* ; Male ; Sepsis ; Shock* ; Ureter ; Urinary Calculi

PURPOSE: To improve the quality of the vaccination program, analyze the cause and identify the influencing factors for not being registered in the National Immunization Registry Information System even once. METHODS: We conducted one-on-one household visit interview surveys after, using a list supplemented with addresses from the Ministry of the Interior. We identified the basic respondent information, information on relevant children (those born in 2012), the reasons for omission from computerized vaccination registration, and the actual residence of the registered children. RESULTS: The total number of unvaccinated children born in 2012 was 1,870. The final contact result of the household surveys was 1,254 successful contacts, 51 refused to be interviewed, and 565 were not found. The reason for missed vaccination registration was 928 cases of long-term stay overseas, 241 cases of missing registration owing to intentional refusal of vaccination, and 57 cases of illness. A comparison of complete vaccination rates between non-registrants and those of computerized registrants revealed rates of 17.9% and 96.3% for the 3 doses hepatitis B vaccine, 14.9% and 95.6% for the 4doses DTaP vaccine, 16.1% and 97.4% for the 3 doses polio vaccine, and 3.9% and 92.5% for the 3 (or 2) doses Japanese encephalitis vaccine, respectively. CONCLUSION: Vaccination is the most effective national health policy and one of the most remarkable accomplishments in medical history. Through great effort, Korea has started to transcribe vaccination records since 2000, and the records are now reaching a considerable level. However, there is an unregistered population of around 0.3%. Several measures can be taken to improve the registration rate in the vaccination records, such as managing non-registrants through education and interviews, and sharing vaccination data with foreign countries. The non-registrant management plan should include periodically compiling a list of children who are not registered in the National Immunization Registry Information System, conducting of household visits using survey forms, and data analysis to establish appropriate measures.
Child* ; Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines ; Education ; Encephalitis, Japanese ; Family Characteristics ; Health Policy ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; Humans ; Immunization* ; Information Systems* ; Korea ; Poliomyelitis ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vaccination*

The prediction of functional outcome in patients with acute cerebral infarction depends on many factors. Various techniques have been applied to predict severity and outcome after cerebral infarction. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a component of a specific brain enzyme and a useful marker of brain injury. We evaluated the relation between initial serum NSE level and short- and long-term clinical outcome in 59 patients with acute cerebral infarction and in 38 age-matched healthy controls. Serum NSE levels were determined in patients with carotid artery (CA) territory cerebral infarction within 24 hours of onset. Brain MRI was performed four to seven days after stroke. Patients were divided into two groups: large CA territory infarction with a lesion extending cortex (cortex group), and small subcortical CA territory infarction (subcortical group) with a lesion confined to the subcortical white matter. We compared the initial serum NSE levels of the two groups. National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was determined at admission and seven days after onset and the modified Rankin's scale was used at the 3 months follow-up after onset. Serum NSE levels were significantly elevated in patients with acute cerebral infarction compared with the normal controls (13.88 +/- 5.47 ng/dl vs. 8.15 +/- 1.53 ng/dl, p < 0.05). The initial ( < 24 h) serum NSE level was higher in the cortical group than in the subcortical group (16.68 +/- 5.70 ng/dl vs. 10.98 +/- 3.34 ng/dl, p < 0.05). NIHSS on admission and on the 7th day correlated with the initial serum NSE level (p < 0.05), as were more severe functional outcomes, as determined 3 months after onset (p < 0.05). This study shows that initial serum NSE level may be a useful marker for severity in acute ischemic stroke, and that it may be well correlated with short-term and long-term functional outcomes.
Acute Disease ; Aged ; Carotid Artery Diseases/*physiopathology ; Cerebral Infarction/*physiopathology ; Female ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase/*blood ; Severity of Illness Index