BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Protein kinase C (PKC) is known to be related with development of various cells. In the heart, each isoform reacts differentially against agonists and the reaction changes during development. In this study, the roles of PKC isoforms (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta) were investigated through the localization of mRNA expression in the developing rat heart with in situ hybridization histochemistry. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The mRNA expression pattern of PKC isoforms (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta) was investigated with in situ hybridization histochemistry in developing and adult rat hearts. Whole body parasagittal sections were used for embryonal day 14 (E14), E16, E18 and heart sections were used for just born (P0), postnatal day 7 (P7), P14, P21 and adult rat. RESULTS: The expression of PKC alpha was found from E14, peaked at P7, and gradually decreased to adult level. The expression of PKC beta was observed from P14, peaked at P21, and decreased to adult level. The expression of PKC delta in the heart was observed from E14, peaked at P0, and abruptly disappeared at P14. The expression of PKC epsilon was observed from E14, peaked at P0, after that gradually decreased and disappeared at adult rat heart. The expression of PKC gamma and zeta was not found from any stage of developing rat heart. CONCLUSION: From these results, it is suspected that each PKC isoform may be differentially related with development of heart. The strong expression of PKC alpha, delta, epsilon around perinatal period, rapidly developing stage, suggests that PKC alpha, delta, epsilon may be related with rapid development of rat heart. And the late postnatal expression of PKC beta suggests that PKC beta may be related with maturation of rat heart.
Adult ; Animals ; Heart* ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Protein Isoforms ; Protein Kinase C* ; Protein Kinase C-epsilon ; Protein Kinases* ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger*

PURPOSE: Few studies have been conducted on the recent status of infectious mononucleosis (IM) in Korean children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the recent trend in the clinical manifestations of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated IM as well as the clinical differences according to age. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 81 children hospitalized with EBV-associated IM who fulfilled the serological criteria for the diagnosis of EBV infection (viral capsid antigen immunoglobulin M positive). The patients were divided into 3 age groups: <5 years, 5 to 9 years, and > or =10 years. We evaluated the recent trend in clinical manifestations and the differences in clinical and laboratory findings among the 3 age groups. RESULTS: Thirty (37%) children were under 5 years of age, 38 (46.9%) were 5 to 9 years of age, and 13 (16%) were 10 years of age or older. The differences in the symptoms and signs among the 3 age groups were not statistically significant, except for headache. The mean duration of fever was 7.7 days (range, 0 to 18 days). A comparison of liver enzyme elevation among the age groups showed an association with advancing age (26.6%, 63.1%, and 76.9%, respectively, P=0.04) CONCLUSION: This study showed that EBV-associated IM in Korean children continues to occur mostly in children under 10 years of age. In children with EBV-associated IM, the incidence of headache and liver enzyme elevation, the duration of fever, and the proportion of females to males were all positively associated with advancing age.
Capsid ; Child ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Incidence ; Infectious Mononucleosis ; Korea ; Liver ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

Cardiopulmonary complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography are rare, but they can cause serious morbidity and even possibly lead to death. Complications include cardiovascular events such as cardiac arrhythmias, hypotension and myocardiac infarction and respiratory-related complications like respiratory depression, hypoxia and aspiration. In many cases, these complications are a direct or indirect consequence of elderly or at-risk patients, and these problems may also arise from medications used for sedation and analgesia. Careful evaluation for high-risk patients before procedure and close cardiopulmonary monitoring during and after procedure should be warranted to reduce complications.
Aged ; Analgesia ; Anoxia ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Infarction ; Respiratory Insufficiency

Cardiopulmonary complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography are rare, but they can cause serious morbidity and even possibly lead to death. Complications include cardiovascular events such as cardiac arrhythmias, hypotension and myocardiac infarction and respiratory-related complications like respiratory depression, hypoxia and aspiration. In many cases, these complications are a direct or indirect consequence of elderly or at-risk patients, and these problems may also arise from medications used for sedation and analgesia. Careful evaluation for high-risk patients before procedure and close cardiopulmonary monitoring during and after procedure should be warranted to reduce complications.
Aged ; Analgesia ; Anoxia ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Infarction ; Respiratory Insufficiency

OBJECTIVES: Dopamine transporter concentrations have been known to decrease in Parkinson's disease(PD). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the correlation between SPECT measurements of [I-123]N-(3-iodopropene-2-yl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-chlorophenyl) tropane(IPT) as an imaging agent for measuring changes in transporter concentrations with PD. PATIENTS AND METHODS:IPT labelled with 4.87+/-1.29mCi(180.19+/-47.73 MBq) of [I-123] was intravenously injected into 23 patients(age:58+/-12) with PD and three normal controls(NC)(age:37+/-7) as bolus. Brain SPECT were then performed at 1 hour and 2 hours after injection on a double headed camera. The statistical parameters were the contrast ratio of left basal ganglia(BG) and right basal ganglia to occipital cortex(OCC) per milli curies of injected radiotracer at 1 hour and 2 hours. The correlations were evaluated between these parameters and Hoehn-Yahr classification of the patients. RESULTS: The(BG-OCC)/OCC/mCi ratios at 1 hour and 2 hours for PD and NC were 0.14+/-0.07 and 0.27+/-0.07(1 hour) and 0.12+/-0.07 and 0.34+/-0.04(2 hour), respectively. The(BG-OCC)/OCC/mCi ratios of Parkinson's disease were decreased with higher grade of Hoehn-Yahr classification of the patients. The ratio between BG and OCC for PD were clearly separated from NC and may be useful outcome measures for clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that IPT may be a very useful tracer for early diagnosis and treatment of PD and study of dopamine re-uptake site.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Dopamine* ; Early Diagnosis ; Head ; Humans ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Parkinson Disease ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

A non-carious cervical lesion(NCCL) is the loss of tooth structure at the cementoenamel junction level that is unrelated to dental caries. This study was to evaluate the occlusal and periodontal status of teeth with non-carious cervical lesions. We evaluated 105 teeth with non-carious cervical lesions in 35 subjects aged 38-75 years and characterized them based on the shape and dimension, plaque retention, bleeding on probing(BOP), probing pocket depth(PPD), occlusal status, brushing type, hypersensitivity and wear facet. The results of this study were as follows 1. No significant association was observed between cervical lesions and occlusal contact in lateral excursions. 2. No significant difference occurred in plaque retention, PPD, BOP between teeth with and without cervical lesions. 3. Test teeth had a significantly higher percentage of hypersensitivity and occlusal wear facet than teeth without cervical lesions. 4. Wedge shaped lesions had a significantly higher percentage of plaque than saucer shaped lesions. 5. Teeth with plaque were found to have significantly deeper PPD than teeth without plaque retention in cervical regions. 6. Teeth with occlusal contacts were found to have significantly deeper PPD than teeth without occlusal contacts. 7. No significant association was observed between cervical lesions and PPD independent of plaque retention and occlusal contacts Although more knowledge is necessary, our results suggest that occlusal contact and bacterial plaque may influence on periodontal tissue, but NCCL is not directly associated with periodontal health
Dental Caries ; Hemorrhage ; Hypersensitivity ; Tooth Attrition ; Tooth Cervix ; Tooth*

OBJECTIVE: The exact position of the lesion during the pallidotomy is critical to obtain the clinical improvement of parkinson's disease without damage to surrounding structure. Ventriculogrphy, CT(computed tomograpy) or MRI(magnetic resonance imaging) have been used to determine the initial coordinates of stereotactic target for pallidotomy. The goal of this study was to determine whether microelectrode recording significantly improves the neurophysiologic localization of the target obtained from MRI. METHODS: Twenty patients were studied. They underwent a unilateral pallidotomy. Leksell frame was applied and T1 axial images parallel to the AC-PC(anterior commissure-posterior commissure) plane using a 1.5 Tesla MRI with 3mm slice thickness were obtained. Anteroposterior coordinate of target was chosen at 2mm in front of the midcommissural point and lateral coordinate between 19 and 22mm from the midline. The vertical coordinate was calculated on coronal slice using a fast spin echo inversion recovery sequence(FSEIR) related to the position of the choroidal fissure and ranged over 4-5mm below the AC-PC plane. Confirmation of the anatomical target was done on axial slices using the same FSEIR sequence. Microrecording was done at the pallidum contralateral to the symptomatic side using an electrode with a tip diameter of 1nm diameter tip and 1.1-1.4 mOhm impedance at 1000Hz. Electrophysiologic localization of the target was also confirmed intraoperatively by macrostimulation. RESULTS: Microrecording techniques were reliable to define the transition from the base of the pallidum which was characterized by the disappearance of spike activity and by the change of the audible background activity. Signals from high amplitude neurons firing at 200-400Hz were recorded in the pallidal base. X, Y and Z coordinates of target obtained from the MRI were within 1mm from the X, Y, Z coordinates obtained with microrecording in 16 patients (80%), 15 patients(75%), 10 patients(50%) respectively. The difference of Y coordinate between on MRI and on microrecording was 4mm in only one patient. CONCLUSION: The MRI was accurate to localize the target within 1mm of the error from microrecording target in 70% of the patients. 4mm discrepancy was observed only once. We conclude that MRI alone can be used to determine the target for pallidotomy in most patients. However, microrecording technique can still be extremely valuable in patents with aberrant anatomy or unusual MRI coordinates. We also consider physiologic confirmation of the target using macrostimulation to be mandatory in all cases.
Choroid ; Electric Impedance ; Electrodes ; Fires ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Microelectrodes ; Neurons ; Pallidotomy* ; Parkinson Disease*

Menetrier's disease is a rare form of acquired gastropathy characterized by giant rugal folds in the stomach and protein-losing gastropathy. Children with Menetrier's disease tend to follow a benign self-limited course with symptoms typically completely resolving within 2 to 10 weeks in contrast to the chronic course in adults. A 9-year-old girl presented with a history of gradually worsening abdominal distension, increasing body weight, and abdominal pain for 2 weeks. Physical examination on admission indicated periorbital swelling, pitting edema in both the legs, and abdominal distension with mild diffuse tenderness and shifting dullness. Laboratory tests on admission showed hypoalbuminemia, hypoproteinemia, and peripheral eosinophilia. The test result for anticytomegalovirus immunoglobulin M was negative. Increased fecal alpha 1 anti-trypsin excretion was observed. Radiological findings showed massive ascites and pleural effusion in both the lungs. On gastroscopy, large gastric folds, erythema, erosion, and exudation were noted in the body and fundus of the stomach. Microscopic findings showed infiltration of eosinophils and neutrophils in the gastric mucosa. Her symptoms improved with conservative treatment from day 7 of hospitalization and resolved completely.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Ascites ; Body Weight ; Child ; Cytomegalovirus ; Edema ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Erythema ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastritis, Hypertrophic ; Gastroscopy ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Hypoproteinemia ; Immunoglobulin M ; Leg ; Lung ; Neutrophils ; Physical Examination ; Pleural Effusion ; Protein-Losing Enteropathies ; Stomach

Fractures of C1 are not uncommon, constituting only 10% of all cervical spine injuries. There is a high prevalence of concomitant fractures of the second and first cervical vertebral complex. Surgical treatment is controversal. Mainstay of treatment is various combination of traction and cervical orthosis according to degree of displacement and location of fracture. We experienced unusual type of fracture, anterior arch fracture of C1 who had a history of total laminectomy of C1,2 due to cervical cord tumor(neurilemmoma arising from C2 root). We performed C1,2 lateral mass screw fixation with posterior fusion with good postoperative outcome.
Laminectomy ; Orthotic Devices ; Prevalence ; Spine ; Traction

Rathke's cleft cysts are believed to be derived from remnants of Rathke's pouch, a dorsal invagination of the stomodeum. Although these cysts are characteristically small, asymptomatic and intrasellar in location, they occasionally provoke symtoms with enlargement to compress surrounding structures. It is characteristically lined by stratified squamous epithelium with keratinization on a layer of connective tissue. The cells of the anterior pituitary lobe, from which pituitary adenomas develop, are also formed by the proliferation of the anterior wall of Rathke's pouch. Thus, Rathke's cleft cyst and pituitary adenomas are considered to have a common ancestry. We report a rare case in which the preoperative diagnosis was pituitary adenoma, but the pathologic diagnosis was a combination of a Rathke's cleft cyst and a coincidental pituitary adenoma.
Adenoma* ; Central Nervous System Cysts ; Connective Tissue ; Diagnosis ; Epithelium ; Pituitary Neoplasms*