OBJECTIVE: Several studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of (+)-MK-801 hydrogen maleate (dizocilpine), in various animal models of hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury. However limited data are available on the neonatal model of HI brain injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of dizocilpine and its mechanisms associated with NMDARs expression in neonatal rat model of HI brain injury. METHODS: In in vivo model, 7d-old rat pups underwent permanent unilateral carotid ligation. The animals were divided into six groups: N, normoxia; H, hypoxia without operation; HS, hypoxia with Sham operation; HO, hypoxia with operation; HV, HO treated with vehicle; HD, HO treated with dizocilpine. Dizocilpine (10 mg/kg) was administered intracerebrally to the rats 30 min before HI brain injury. Rat pups were exposed to hypoxia by placing them for 2 hours in hypoxic incubator (92% N2, 8% O2). In in vitro model, embryonic cortical neuronal cell cultures (from SD rats of embryonic days of 18) were done. The normoxia (N) group was prepared in 5% CO2 incubators. The hypoxia (H), and hypoxia treated with dizocilpine (HD) groups were placed in 1% O2 incubators (94% N2, 5% CO2) for 16 hours. In order to estimation of cell viability and growth, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was done. The degree of neuronal death was evaluated by morphometric method and the protein expression of each NMDARs was quantified by Real Time-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: Both in the in vitro and in vivo models, the expressions of NMDAR subunits were lower in the hypoxia group than in the normoxia group, whereas they increased in the hypoxia treated with dizocilpine group compared to the hypoxia group. In vitro model, however, the expressions of NR1, NR2A mRNAs decreased in the H group when compared to the N group, whereas they increased a little in the HD group when compared to the H group. CONCLUSION: Dizocilpine was modulated the degeneration of neuronal cell death in neonatal rat model of HI by preservation of NR expression.
Animals ; Anoxia ; Blotting, Western ; Brain Injuries* ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Death ; Cell Survival ; Dizocilpine Maleate* ; Hydrogen ; Incubators ; Ligation ; Models, Animal ; N-Methylaspartate* ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Rats* ; Receptors, Glutamate ; RNA, Messenger

Leptospirosis has been one of important epidemic diseases in Korea since 1984. Wild rodents, mostly Apodemus agrarius, served the important source of infection especially in harvest season in rural areas of Korea. Prevalence of Leptospira spp. infection in field rodents were investigated by detecting leptospiral DNA from rodent kidney. Among 108 rodents collected from various areas in 1998, leptospiral DNA were detected from 7 rodents (6.48%). Among 104 rodents, Apodemus agrarius, captured from Yeonchon and Paju area in 2001 and 2002, leptospiral DNA were detected from 6 rodents (5.76%). No leptospiral DNA was detected from 23 rodonts (Apodemus peninsulae 16, Apodemus agrarius 2 and Eothenomys regulus 5) captured in Odae mountain area in 1998.
Animals ; DNA* ; Kidney ; Korea ; Leptospira ; Leptospirosis ; Murinae ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Prevalence ; Rodentia* ; Seasons

Previous clinical studies have demonstrated that gabapentin, a drug that binds to the voltage-gated calcium channel alpha2delta1 subunit proteins, is effective in the management of neuropathic pain, but there is limited evidence that addresses the participation of glial cells in the anti-allodynic effects of this drug. The present study investigated the participation of glial cells in the anti-nociceptive effects of gabapentin in rats with trigeminal neuropathic pain produced by mal-positioned dental implants. Under anesthesia, the left mandibular second molar was extracted and replaced by a miniature dental implant to induce injury to the inferior alveolar nerve. Mal-positioned dental implants significantly decreased the air-puff thresholds both ipsilateral and contralateral to the injury site. Gabapentin was administered intracisternally beginning on postoperative day (POD) 1 or on POD 7 for three days. Early or late treatment with 0.3, 3, or 30 microg of gabapentin produced significant anti-allodynic effect in the rats with mal-positioned dental implants. On POD 9, in the mal-positioned dental implants group, OX-42, a microglia marker, and GFAP, an astrocyte marker, were found to be up-regulated in the medullary dorsal horn, compared with the naive group. However, the intracisternal administration of gabapentin (30 microg) failed to reduce the number of activated microglia or astrocytes in the medullary dorsal horn. These findings suggest that gabapentin produces significant anti-nociceptive effects, which are not mediated by the inhibition of glial cell function in the medullary dorsal horn, in a rat model of trigeminal neuropathic pain.
Amines ; Anesthesia ; Animals ; Astrocytes ; Calcium Channels ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; Dental Implants ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Horns ; Mandibular Nerve ; Microglia ; Molar ; Neuralgia ; Neuroglia ; Proteins ; Rats

PURPOSE: We compared the risk of vertebral artery injury associated with the insertion of C1-2 transarticular screws and C2 subarticular segmental screws using a computer simulation of computed tomography (CT) scans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We simulated the placement of C1-2 transarticular screws and C2 subarticular segmental screws using 1-mm interval CT scan images in 166 patients, along with simulation software. We then determined the incidence of violation of the C2 vertebral artery groove. The same determination was performed for high-riding vertebral arteries found among those patients. RESULTS: Among the 332 C2 vertebral artery grooves (166 patients), C1-2 transarticular screws violated the groove in 33 (9.9%) instances, while C2 subarticular segmental screws violated the groove in 19 (5.7%) instances. The difference in incidence between the two screw types was statistically significant (p=0.001, McNemar test). In the 48 high-riding vertebral arteries, C1-2 transarticular screws led to violation of the C2 vertebral artery groove in 30 (62.5%) instances, while C2 subarticular segmental screws led to violation of the groove in 18 (37.5%) instances. The difference in incidence between the two screw types was statistically significant (p=0.002, McNemar test). CONCLUSION: Use of C2 subarticular segmental screws is associated with a lower risk of vertebral artery injury than is the use of C1-2 transarticular screws, even for high-riding vertebral arteries.
Computer Simulation ; Humans ; Incidence ; Vertebral Artery

Long-term stability is an important part of orthodontic treatment and wearing a retainer is one of the methods to keep stable after active orthodontic treatment. Transparent film retainer and Hawley retainer are two kinds of retainer usually used in clinical treatment. the previous one is easy to made, comfortable and beautiful to wear, easily damaged. Hawley retainer is relatively complex to made and in a large size. And it is durable and adjustable. However, there are differences between these retainers on the retaining effects in different types of malocclusion. In clinical treatment, according to the type of malocclusion, we choose the appropriate retainer to keep stable occlusal relationship after orthodontic treatment.

Chromosomal anomalies are associated with various congenital malformations and impaired development. The addition or duplication of chromosome 3 is a very rare chromosomal anomaly, in comparison to the deletion of chromosome 3. To date, only one case of the duplication of chromosome 3p has been reported, but an addition or duplication of chromosome 3p was not reported in Korea. We experienced a case of the addition of chromosome 3 in a male newborn infant who had suffered from multiple anomalies and congenital heart disease, atrioventricular septal defects and coarctation of the aorta. The karyotype of this patient was 46, XY, add(3)(p25). We report the case with the review of the associated literatures.
Aortic Coarctation ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 3* ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Karyotype ; Korea ; Male

A 17-year-old high school student presented with a history of habitual faintings. On 24-hour Holter monitoring, cardiac asystoles were recorded, the longest lasting approximately 7 or 8 seconds during venipuncture procedures. The asystole associated with venipuncture demonstrated the cardioinhibitory effects of vasovagal reaction with blood-injury phobia. He also had a positive response during head-up tilt test showing hypotension and relative bradycardia after intravenous isoproterenol injection. After administration of oral beta blocker, he did not show further or recurrent cardiac asystole during blood injury procedure on electrocardiographic examination. Venipuncture is the most common invasive medical procedure performed in hospital settings. While venipuncture is considered to be reasonably safe, serious complication may occur even when only a small volume of blood is withdrawn. Therefore, medical personnel should be prepared to provide appropriate care.
Adolescence ; Case Report ; Heart Arrest/etiology* ; Human ; Male ; Phlebotomy/psychology* ; Recurrence ; Syncope/etiology ; Vagus Nerve/physiology*

Objective: To explore the diagnostic value of serum cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentration and integrity for esophageal carcinoma. Methods: Venous blood samples from 68 patients with esophageal cancer, 36 patients with benign esophageal lesions and 45 healthy subjects were collected. Circulating cfDNA was verified through quantitative real-time PCR (Alu-qPCR) using Alu-115 and Alu-247 primers. DNA integrity index was calculated as the ratio of Alu-qPCR results (Alu247/115). Concentrations of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) and squamous cell carcinoma associated antigen (SCC) were detected by chemiluminescence analyzer assay. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test and Spearman correlation test. The Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of each index to esophageal carcinoma. Results: The median absolute serum Alu115 and the Alu247/115 index (1 162.0 ng/ml, 0.57) in esophageal cancer group were significantly higher than those in benign esophageal disease group (496.7 ng/ml, 0.43) and in healthy control group (432.3 ng/ml, 0.42) (all P<0.01, respectively). The Alu115 and Alu247/115 index of serum DNA in benign esophageal disease group were no statistically different from those in the healthy control group (all P>0.05, respectively). The levels of cfDNA and its integrity were not significantly correlated with age, gender, tumor differentiation, or disease stage according to American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system in the esophageal cancer group (all P>0.05). The serum Alu247/115 index of Stage Ⅲ patients was higher than that of Stage Ⅰ~Ⅱ patients(P<0.05). The serum Alu247/115 index of Stage Ⅳ was higher than that of Stage Ⅲ(P<0.05). In the esophageal cancer group, both of serum Alu115 and Alu247/115 index had no correlation with CEA or SCC (all P>0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of Alu115 and Alu247/115 index were 0.867 and 0.854, respectively, which were both higher than that of CEA (0.622) and SCC (0.753). The addition of Alu115 or Alu247/115 index to CEA and SCC detection increased the sensitivity of the diagnosis of esophageal cancer by 95.6% and 94.1%, respectively. Conclusions The detection of serum cfDNA concentration and integrity is helpful to the early diagnosis and monitoring of esophageal cancer. Their diagnostic value of esophageal cancer is better than that of the traditional tumor markers CEA and SCC.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of entacapone, a catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with wearing-off phenomenon. METHODS: A total of 197 PD patients were included in this 2-month multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind, parallel-group study. After a 2-week screening period, each patient was randomly allocated to receive either entacapone (n=98) or placebo (n=99) as an adjunct to levodopa. The efficacy was evaluated with the changes of "on" and "off" time percentage while awake, the reduction of the levodopa dose, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), and the clinical global impression (CGI) by the examiner. RESULTS: The percentage of "on" time increased by 9.4 +/- 18.0% in the entacapone group, 7.4 +/- 15.6% in the placebo group. The percentage of "off" time was reduced by 8.6 +/- 16.9% in the entacapone group, 6.6 +/- 18.2% in the placebo group. These parameters did not show a statistical significance between the two groups. However, the levodopa dose was significantly reduced in the entacapone group (51.6 +/- 154.5 mg/day) compared with the placebo group (0.7 +/- 130.0 mg/day) (p=0.009). The total and motor scores of the UPDRS were significantly decreased in the entacapone group (p=0.039, p=0.017, respectively). The most common adverse drug reactions in the entacapone group were urine discoloration (22%), dyskinesia (13%), dizziness (7%). CONCLUSIONS: Entacapone was a safe and well-tolerated drug. Although the changes of "on" and "off" time were not significant, entacapone showed an overall significant beneficial effect in the PD patients with wearing-off phenomenon.
Catechol O-Methyltransferase ; Dizziness ; Double-Blind Method* ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Dyskinesias ; Humans ; Levodopa ; Mass Screening ; Parkinson Disease*