No abstract available.
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BACKGROUND: Flecainide is an antiarrhythmic agent that is used primarily in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Some evidences also suggest that flecainide can participate in alveolar fluid clearance and inflammatory responses. This experiment was aimed to evaluate the effects of flecainide on sepsis induced acute lung injury in a rat model. METHODS: Rats were treated with subcutaneous infusion of saline or flecainide (0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg/hr) by a mini-osmotic pump. Subcutaneous infusion was started 3 hours before and continued until 8 hours after intraperitoneal injection of saline or endotoxin. Animals were sacrificed for analyses of severity of acute lung injury with wet to dry (W/D) ratio and lung injury score (LIS) in lung and inflammatory responses with level of leukocyte, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and inteleukin-8 (IL-8) in bronchoalveolar lavages fluid (BALF). RESULTS: Flecainide markedly improved dose dependently sepsis induced acute lung injury as analysed by W/D ratio (from 2.24 ± 0.11 to 1.76 ± 0.09, p < 0.05) and LIS (from 3 to 1, p < 0.05), and inflammatory response as determined by leukocyte (from 443 ± 127 to 229 ± 95, p < 0.05), PMNs (from 41.43 ± 17.63 to 2.43 ± 2.61, p < 0.05) and IL-8 (from 95.00 ± 15.28 to 40.00 ± 10.21, p < 0.05) in BALF. CONCLUSIONS: Flecanide improve sepsis induced acute lung injury in rats by controlling inflammatory responses.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Flecainide* ; Infusions, Subcutaneous ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Interleukin-8 ; Leukocytes ; Lung ; Lung Injury ; Models, Animal ; Neutrophils ; Rats ; Sepsis*

The study presents the application of STR polymorphisms to male identification in the cases of a serial rapist in Korea. Since October 2000 a rapist from Cheongju city (a town located in central district) committed at least 36 rapes. DNA profiles obtained from semen stains, buccal cells and tongue tissue left at the scenes of crime and vaginal swabs of victims gave information that one and the same man had committed all the rapes. The Y-chromosome haplotype (12 loci) obtained was used for the identification process of rapist in mixed genotypes including victim's alleles. The crime scene data were referred from investigating police authorities described the relationship of victim to the offender, victim's age, time and place of sexual assault and rape locations. The behavioural analysis of crime scenes showed more similarities than differences for related crimes. These components were usually assessed in terms of proximity in time and space. Certain crime scene aspects of a serial rapist help identify components of offender spatial behaviour. As a result of this work, future research on the geography of rape and behavioural aspects of rapist will be directed towards those aspects of offences, which have been identified as relevant to the distance between an offender's base, and the site where he approached his victim.
Alleles ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Coloring Agents ; Crime* ; Criminals ; DNA ; Genotype ; Geography ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Korea ; Male* ; Police ; Rape ; Semen ; Tongue

No abstract available.
Colon* ; Diverticulitis*

We report a case of epidermolysis bullosa simplex occurred in a 12-year-old girl, who presented with intractable bullous lesions of the hands and feet after minor traumas ever since her early neonatal period. The bullous lesions were noted on the 2nd and 4th webs of the fingers and dorsum of the hands as well as on the skin of the ankle. The lesions were healed without scar formation. Family history was not contributary and seasonal pattern was not noted. Histologic sections revealed intraepidermal bullae just above the well preserved basement membrane. Electron microscopic findings revealed cytolysis of basal cells with preservation of the basement membrane, indicating the epidermal type of epidermolysis bullosa simplex.
Infant, Newborn ; Humans

No abstract available.
Cleft Lip ; Humans ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Palate

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influences of epinephrine and pain on the changes of blood pressure and pulse rates in mandibular 3rd molar extraction. A total of 80 patients (aged between 10 and 30) without systemically compromised conditions were selected and divided into two groups (I, II). 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine was administered in group I (male 20, female 20), and 2% lidocaine without epinephrine was administered in group II (male 20, female 20). Systolic blood pressure and pulse rates were checked by a digital monitor during the pre-local anesthesia state (stage 1), 5 minute later in the post-local anesthesia state (stage 2), the extraction state (during odontectomy, stage 3), and during the post-suture state (stage 4). The measurement of pain perceived by patients was made using a three-point visual analog scale. The results suggest that local anesthetic with epinephrine is better at decreasing pain and preventing the severe elevation of systolic blood pressure than local anesthetic without epinephrine. However, these results should be confirmed by additional studies on cardiac patients.
Anesthesia ; Blood Pressure* ; Epinephrine* ; Female ; Heart Rate* ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Molar* ; Visual Analog Scale

BACKGROUND: Several predictor of successful outcome after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty(PMV) have been identified but the results were controversial. We analyzes the clinical and echocardiographic predictors of successful outcome after PMV. METHOD: We studied 214 patients(167 women and 47 men) undergoing PMV from October 1991 to December 1995. Echocardiographic evaluation was performed before and after PMV. RESULT: The study population had mean age of 41+/-11years, and the total echocardiographic score was 7.5+/-1.5. PMV using Inoue balloon and double balloon technique were performed in 113cases and 101 cases respectively. The successful outcome from PMV(defindedas mitral valve area > or =1.5cm2 and increase in valve area >+25% and less than grade 3 mitral regurgitation(MR)) was achieved in 178 cases(83.2%). The mean mitral valve area was increased from 0.90+/-0.21cm2 to 1.82+/-0.34cm2(p<0.01). The successful outcome group had good echocardiographic score(7.3+/-1.4 vs. 8.8+/-1.4, p<0.01) and larger valve area before procedure(0.92+/-0.21cm2 vs. o.75+/-0.17cm2, p<0.01) than suboptimal result group. The patients with total echocardiographic score <=8 had more increment in valve area after PMV(0.97+/-0.21cm2) than those with total echocardiographic score >8(0.83+/-0.22cm2, p<0.01). Significant MR(>=grade 3 MR) after PMV was developed in 10 cases(4.7%). In patients with significant MR afterPMV, echocardiographic calcification score were high(2.3+/-0.8 vs. 1.7+/-0.7, p<0.01) and mitral valve area before PMV were smaller(0.82+/-0.10cm2 vs. 0.90+/-0.22cm2, p<0.05) than in those without significant MR. CONCLUSIONS: The predictors of successful outcome after PMV are large mitral valve area and good echocardiographic score. The predictors of significant MR is severe calcified mitral valveand small mitral valve area before PMV.
Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Mitral Valve

Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is a degenerative disease of the valve leaflets, causing left atrial dilatation and eccentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle by hemodynamic instability. Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a hematologic parameter that indicates the variation of red blood cell volume and size, reflecting anisocytosis. Human studies have found that anisocytosis is associated with poor prognosis in heart disease patients, and recent veterinary studies have also confirmed that the increase in RDW is associated with high mortality in MMVD patients. Medical records of 37 Maltese dogs with MMVD were retrospectively reviewed. When comparing RDW among the MMVD stage groups, there was a significant difference between stage B1, B2 and C. A significant and strong correlation between RDW and the left atrial-to-aortic ratio was identified. RDW was significantly correlated with the reticulocyte count independent of hematocrit, and the reticulocyte count exhibited a significant increase at stage C. This suggests that the congestive heart failure secondary to MMVD could be a contributory factor leading to an elevation in RDW. In conclusion, elevated RDW may associated with left atrial enlargement and progression of MMVD.

Biliary atresia (BA) is a major cause of extrahepatic biliary obstruction in children. Malnutrition is a significant clinical problem in children with BA. BA may induce the malabsorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins, resulting in cholestasis and an impaired nutritional status. For the treatment of BA, it is most important to reconstruct the bile flow as early as possible by performing a Kasai portoenterostomy. After the Kasai operation, growth and nutrition are restored, but to follow normal growth and development, it is necessary to evaluate the nutritional status and support. Therefore, the purpose of nutritional support in children with BA is to normalize growth and development, prevent further liver damage and deterioration of the patient's nutritional status, avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and improve the quality of life of patients.
Avitaminosis ; Bile ; Biliary Atresia* ; Child ; Cholestasis ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Liver ; Malnutrition ; Miners ; Nutritional Status ; Nutritional Support* ; Quality of Life ; Vitamins