OBJECTIVES: Alzheimer's disease(AD) and mild cognitive impairment(MCI) affect several nervous structures involved with the autonomic nervous system. Association between neuropsychiatric deficits and heart rate variability has been observed. But cardiac autonomic function in AD has been scarcely studied and the results reported are conflicting. We investigated autonomic function in normal control, MCI, AD using heart rate variabil-ity(HRV) technique. METHODS: Time and frequency-domain variability of 5-min R-R interval series was comparatively evaluated in 26 normal control subjects, 22 MCI subjects and 34 AD subjects. Analysis of variance(ANOVA) was used to compare the differences across groups. Correlations between MMSE-KC and HRV components were performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed among the groups in time, frequency-domain analysis of HRV (p>0.05). HRV were not found to be significantly correlated with the degree of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in HRV with MCI, AD subjects when compared with normal controls. Further investigation is required to use HRV technique as noninvasive parameters of MCI and AD.
Alzheimer Disease ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Mild Cognitive Impairment

No abstract available.
Child ; Male ; Female ; Humans

No abstract available.
Kidney*

No abstract available.
Head*

Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes may play an important role in many human cancers including breast. This study was done to determine the relationship between the expression of p53 and Rb protein and prognostic factors such as histopathologic differentiation, tumor size, and lymph node metastasis. In 57 cases of breast invasive ductal carcinomas, the immunohistochemical staining with p53 and Rb protein gave the following results: p53 protein was detected in 45.6% (26/57) of cases. Tumors with large size, poor differentiation or lymph node metastases tended to show increased expression of p53 protein. However, p53 protein expression did not show any significant correlation with prognostic factors such as tumor size (p value 0.25), histologic grade (p value 0.75), and positive lymph node status (p value 0.26). Rb protein was detected in 57.9% (33/57) of cases. Rb protein also did not show any significant correlation with prognostic factors such as tumor size (p value 0.56), histologic grade (p value 0.71), and positive lymph node status (p value 0.98). There was no significant correlation between p53 expression and Rb protein expression (p value 0.80).
Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retinoblastoma Protein*

No abstract available.
Arteriovenous Fistula ; Renal Dialysis

Ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) has been recognised as a definite clinical entity as an ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. It has been known that the incidence of OLF is high in Japan and OLF usually occurs in the thoracic and lumbar region. Recently OLF has received considerable attention as a cause of myelopathy. OLF is quite distinct from “hypertrophy” of the ligamentum flvum. We experienced 2 cases of OLF with neurological symptom, which were treated by decompressive laminectomy and removal of the ossified ligamentum flavum. So remarkable symptomatic improvement was obtained.
Incidence ; Japan ; Laminectomy ; Ligamentum Flavum ; Longitudinal Ligaments ; Lumbosacral Region ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spine

This study was undertaken to observe the effects of centrally administred antihistamines on the blood pressure. Diphenhydramine(DPH), a H1-receptor antagonist, and ranitidine(RAN), a H2-receptor antagonist were administered intracerebroventricularly(icv) on urethane-anesthetized rabbits. 1) Both DPH and RAN administered intraccebroventricularly increased blood pressure, however the intravenous(iv) adminstration of them did not affect blood pressure. The pressor response to icv DPH was dose-dependent, but that to icv RAN was not. 2) The pressor response to icv DPH(1mg) was either markedly attenuated or reversed to depressor response by the pretreatment with icv phentolamine(250,500ug), and iv chlorisondamine(0.1, 1mg/Kg) and iv phenoxybenzamine(1mg/Kg). In cord-sectioned rabbtis, icv RAN) 1mg) did not produce pressor response. 3) The pressor responsr to icv RAN(1mg) was not affected by the pretreatment with icv phentolamine(500ug), iv chlorisondamin(1mg/Kg) and iv phenoxybenzamine(1mg/Kg), and iv phenoxybenzamine(1mg/Kg). RAN also producted pressor response in cordsectioned rabbits. These results suggest that the pressor response to icv DPH is elecited by increasing peripheral sympathetic tone via the stimulation of central alpha-adrenoreceptors and the pressor response to icv RAN is produced by releasing some humoral facotr which can increase blood pressure.
Blood Pressure ; Diphenhydramine* ; Histamine Antagonists ; Rabbits* ; Ranitidine*

Streptococcus anginosus is a member of Streptococcus milleri group, and is found in the oral mucosa, respiratory tract, and gastrointestinal tract as normal flora. It can develop into a disease in patients with deteriorating clinical condition or with clinical risk factors. A previously healthy 15-year-old boy was admitted due to fever, abdominal discomfort and vomiting which lasted for 7 days. He had a history of dental procedure 1 day before the development of fever. He was diagnosed with acute acalculous cholecystitis based on the clinical, laboratory, and imaging finding, and S. anginosus was isolated from the blood culture. The patient was successfully treated with antibiotic therapy.
Acalculous Cholecystitis ; Adolescent ; Bacteremia ; Cholecystitis ; Fever ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Mouth Mucosa ; Respiratory System ; Risk Factors ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus anginosus ; Streptococcus milleri Group ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Tuberculosis, Spinal*