No abstract available.
Hypersensitivity* ; Meperidine* ; Skin*

BACKGROUND: The proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell(VSMC) is a part of the major pathogenic mechanism for atheroscle- rosis. It has been reported that L-type calcium channel plays a role in the VSMC proliferation in diabetic rats. But there is a little study results about the association between L-type calcium channel and VSMC proliferation by glucose concentrations in culture media. So we examined the association between voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel of VSMCs and the proliferative activity of vascular smooth muscle cells. METHODS: Rat aortic VSMCs were isolated from the aorta of OLETF rat by enzyme method. VSMCs were cultured in various concentrations of glucose(5.5, 25 mM). The VSMCs(1x104 cells in 24-well plates) were incubated in the presence of Bay K 8644 (10-6M) with/without verapamil(10-6M) for 48 hours. Then the proliferation was assessed by MTT(methylthiazole tetrazolium) assay and expression of L-type calcium channel mRNA was measured by RT-PCR. RESULTS: The proliferative ability and the expression of L-type calcium channel of cultured VSMCs were increased dose-dependently by the glucose concentrations(p<0.05). Bay K 8644 enhanced the proliferation of VSMC and verapamil blocked the incremental effects induced by Bay K 8644. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that L-type calcium channel may play a role in VSMC proliferation of OLETF rat.
3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester ; Animals ; Aorta ; Calcium Channels, L-Type* ; Cell Proliferation* ; Culture Media ; Glucose* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred OLETF* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Verapamil

Although the operation for the ventral lesion of craniovrtebral junction and atlantoaxial area is considered difficult to perform, the transoral approach made it safer and easier. The authors report 10 cases(9 patients) treated by the transoral approach for the lesion of craniovertebral junction over the past 13 years at the Ajou University Hospital and the Presbyterian Medical Center. Of these 10 cases, there were 4 odontoid type II fractures, 1 atlantoaxial dislocation, 1 os odontoideum, 1 chordoma at lower clival area, 1 rheumatoid arthritis, 1 epidural abscess and 1 wound revision due to slippage of grafted bone after clivoaxial fusion. The surgical methods included 4 cases of anterior decompression and clivoaxial fusion, 2 cases of anterior decompression and C1-2 interarticular joint fusion, 1 case of anterior decompression and clivoaxial fusion followed by posterior fusion, and 3 cases of anterior decompression and posterior fusion. In nonreducible atlantoaxial dislocation or ventral cord compression le sion, if the clivoaxial angle was less than 120 degree, the transoral approach was selected. The appropriate surgical approach must be selected according to the degree of compression of the neural tissue involving the craniovertebral junction and atlantoaxial dislocation.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Chordoma ; Decompression ; Dislocations* ; Epidural Abscess ; Joints ; Protestantism ; Transplants ; Wounds and Injuries

BACKGROUND: Epidural steroids injections are often used for the treatment of low back pain but their effects on the endocrine system have not been determined. Few studies have quantified the degree or duration of the suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in humans given epidural triamcinolone injection (ETI) for low back pain. The evaluation of the blood adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol was undertaken to determine the extent of suppression of the HPA axis in patients given ETI. METHODS: Lumbar epidural triamcinolone injections were performed on the painful lumbar intervertebral space with patients in the lateral decubitus position. The injection consisted of 40 mg of triamcinolone acetonide diluted in 10 mL of 1% lidocaine. Patients remained in the lateral position for 10 min after the procedure. Basal blood sampling was performed at 30 min before ETI and tested blood sampling was obtained at 7 days, 10 days, and 14 days after ETI. RESULTS: The blood cortisol level was significantly decreased at 7 days and 10 days but at 14 days was not significantly decreased and the blood ACTH level was not significantly decreased at 7 days, 10 days, and 14 days. CONCLUSIONS: Above results demonstrate that blood ACTH and cortisol level normalize 7 days and 14 days, respectively, after epidural triamcinolone 40 mg injection.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone* ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Endocrine System ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone* ; Lidocaine ; Low Back Pain ; Steroids ; Triamcinolone Acetonide ; Triamcinolone*

Allopurinol is widely used for chronic tophaceous gout as a uric acid lowering agent. Hypersensitivity to allopurinol occurrs in about 10% of patients, which limits the usage of allopurinol. The successful oral and intravenous desensitization of allopurinol has been reported worldwide since 1976. We recently experienced a 51-year-old male patient with gouty arthritis and hyperuricemia, who had previously experienced skin rash after allopurinol treatment. When allopurinol was retried, erythematous and foliative skin rash developed on entire body. Because allopurinol was essential in controlling hyperuricemia, the oral desensitization of allopurinol was tried. We report successful rapid oral allopurinol desensitization in the patient with chronic tophaceous gout, who exhibited exfoliative dermatitis as allopurinol hypersensitivity.
Allopurinol* ; Arthritis, Gouty ; Dermatitis, Exfoliative* ; Exanthema ; Gout ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Hyperuricemia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Uric Acid

Chusid et al proposed diagnostic criteria of hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) that remain valid today. These were, (1) a sustained peripheral blood eosinophil count of more than 1500/L present for longer than 6 months ; (2) no evidence of other apparent causes for eosinophilia, and (3) presumptive signs of parenchymal organ involvement. Any organ system may be affected in HES, but the most severe clinicopathological involvements are of the heart and nervous system. Although multiple organ systems may be involved, the most common cause of morbidity and mortality is cardiac involvement with extensive fibrous thickening of the endomyocardium and overlying thrombus. We report a case of acute peri-myocarditis with eosinophilia, which was confirmed as eosinophilic myocarditis by endomyocardial biopsy, with literature review.
Biopsy ; Edema* ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Heart ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome ; Mortality ; Myocarditis* ; Nervous System ; Thrombosis

Chusid et al proposed diagnostic criteria of hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) that remain valid today. These were, (1) a sustained peripheral blood eosinophil count of more than 1500/L present for longer than 6 months ; (2) no evidence of other apparent causes for eosinophilia, and (3) presumptive signs of parenchymal organ involvement. Any organ system may be affected in HES, but the most severe clinicopathological involvements are of the heart and nervous system. Although multiple organ systems may be involved, the most common cause of morbidity and mortality is cardiac involvement with extensive fibrous thickening of the endomyocardium and overlying thrombus. We report a case of acute peri-myocarditis with eosinophilia, which was confirmed as eosinophilic myocarditis by endomyocardial biopsy, with literature review.
Biopsy ; Edema* ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Heart ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome ; Mortality ; Myocarditis* ; Nervous System ; Thrombosis

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy in human and rodents is associated with dramatic matemal metabolic changes. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are mitogenic peptides that are essential for fetal and maternal tissue growth during pregnancy. They circulate complexed primarily with a serum IGF-binding protein (IGFBP-3) which regulates the availability of the IGFs to their specific target tissues. METHODS: To examine the changes of IGFs and IGFB-3 during pregnancy, we measured serum total IGF-I, free IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 by using specific radioimmunoassay, immunoradio-metric assay, western ligand blot and western immunoblot. Blood samples were obtained from 88 pregnant women between 6-40 weeks gestation. RESULTS: While serum IGF-I levels increased up to 50% in late pregnancy, serum IGF-II levels remained unchanged. However, serum free IGF-I levels were significantly higher during pregnancy than in nonpregnancy. Western ligand blot analysis revealed that IGFBP-3 in pregnancy serum was significantly decreased at 6 weeks of gestation, continued decreased level until term, and returned to a nonpregnant level by postpartum 10 day. Serum IGFBP-3 profiles in Western immunoblot analysis revealed that 30 kDa fragments of IGFBP-3 were detectable in pregnancy serum but not in nonpregnancy serum. In contrast, serum IGFBP-3 levels using radioimmunoassay was significantly increased in late pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: 1) serum IGF-I was significantly elevated in late pregnancy 2) serum IGF-II was not significantly changed 3) free IGF-I significantly elevated throughout gestation 4) intact IGFBP-3 was markedly reduced after 6 weeks of gestation.
Blotting, Western ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; Peptides ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rodentia ; Somatomedins

To evaluate the correlation between the histologic grade and DNA ploidy or proliferation index/S phase fraction (SPF) of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, we performed the DNA analysis using the flow cytometry. Paraffin embedded tissue samples of 57 gastrointestinal stromal tumors were used. The sites of the tumors were: stomach (28), small intestine (23), and large intestine(6). DNA index, proliferative index, and SPF by the flow cytomery were compared with histologic grade. The histologic grade of the gastric tumors were benign (12), borderline (10), and malignant (6). Those of the small intestinal timors were benign (2), borderline (13), and malignant(8). The large intestine were borderline (2), and malignant (4). In stomach, aneuploidy was found in 25.0% of benign, 40.0% of borderline, and 100% of malignant. And there was statistically significant correlation between the histologic grade and ploidy (p < 0.05). By contrast, small and large intestinal tumors showed more frequent aneuploidy in benign than in malignant. The proliferative index was correlated with the histologic grade in gastric tumors (p<0.05), but the SPF was not. In conclusion, the ploidy and proliferative index of gastric tumors are closely correlated to the histologic grade. However, aneuploidy in tumors of the small and large intestine were difficult to predict the malignancy.
Aneuploidy ; DNA* ; Flow Cytometry ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Indonesia ; Intestine, Large ; Intestine, Small ; Paraffin ; Ploidies ; Stomach