No abstract available.
Humans ; Male*

No abstract available.
Desmin* ; Intermediate Filament Proteins* ; Intermediate Filaments* ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Muscular Diseases* ; Sciatic Nerve* ; Vimentin*

No abstract available.
Coronary Sinus* ; Mitral Valve* ; Tricuspid Atresia*

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rarely identified entity whose exact incidence, etiology, pathogenesis, medium-term evolution and optimal treatment have not yet been firmly estabilished. The cause of spontaneous disection remains unclear but theories of etiology include a medial eosinophilic angiitis, pregnancy induced degeneration of collagen and rupture of the vasovasoum. Most paients die suddenly, but a clinical spectrum is seen including and unstable angina, myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. We experienced 4 cases with spontaneous coronary artery dissection found angiographically which caused myocardial infarction and unstable angina. Our patients were treated medically.
Angina, Unstable ; Collagen ; Coronary Vessels ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Pregnancy ; Rupture ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Vasculitis

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Giant Cell Tumor of Bone* ; Giant Cell Tumors* ; Giant Cells*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) is a relatively new diagnostic tool that is in the process of being investigated in patients with specific vestibular disorders. In this study, we examed the responses of VEMP in patients who complained of dizzines. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Eighty-six patients with complaint of dizziness and ten normal volunteers are included in this study. Among these patients, forty-six patients were diagnosed as unilateral vestibulopathy (A), five patients were bilateral vestibulopathy (B), nine patients were sudden sensorineural hearing loss with vertigo (C), fifteen patients were benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (D) and eleven patients were Meniere's disease (E). We compared VEMP parameters in each group. RESULTS: In each group, abnormal response in VEMP was 33%(A), 0%(B), 11%(C), 12%(D) and 36%(E) respectively. and there was no absent VEMP formation, and there was no abscent VEMP formation. CONCLUSION: VEMP is a promising method for diagnosing and following patients with many vestibular disorders.
Dizziness ; Healthy Volunteers ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Humans ; Meniere Disease ; Vertigo

This study was undertaken to develop species-specific forward and universal reverse PCR primers for the detection of Streptococcus sobrinus. These primers target the variable regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA coding gene (rDNA) and their specificity was tested against 10 strains of S. sobrinus strains and 20 different species of oral bacteria using serial dilutions of the purified genomic DNA of S.sobrinus ATCC 33478T . Our data show that species-specific amplicons were obtained from all the S. sobrinus strains tested but not from other species. Both direct and nested PCR could detect as little as 400 pg and 4 fg of genomic DNA from S. sobrinus ATCC 33478T , respectively. This result suggests that these PCR primers are highly specific and sensitive and applicable to the detection of S. sobrinus.
Bacteria ; Clinical Coding ; Collodion ; DNA ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus sobrinus

BACKGROUND/AIM: The lipo-PGE1, known for being more stable during pulmonary circulation and having more targeting effect, has been reported to inhibit ET-1 induced stellate cell contraction. We assessed the effect of lipo-PGE1 on the change of ET-1 concentration and the relationship between ET-1 concentration and the liver damage. METHODS: Mongrel dogs weighing about 25 kg were divided into a control (n=6) and a lipo-PGE1 (n=6) group. Partial liver allotransplantation was performed. In the lipo-PGE1 group, lipo-PGE1 was slowly infused through splenic venous cannulation during the donor liver harvesting procedure (50 microgram) and continuously infused (60 microgram/day) for 48 hours after reperfusion. The AST, ALP, LDH and ET-1 concentrations were monitored RESULTS: The AST and ALP levels of the lipo-PGE1 group were significantly lower than those of the control group both at 1 hour and 48 hours after reperfusion. The LDH level in the lipo-PGE1 group was lower at 1 hour and 48 hours after reperfusion. But there was no statistical difference between the two groups. The baseline ET-1 concentration of the lipo-PGE1 group was eight times higher than that of the control group. The ET-1 concentration was elevated gradually in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups at 48 hours. There was no correlation between ET-1 concentrations and AST, ALP, LDH levels. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the hepatoprotective effect of the lipo-PGE1 against ischemia-reperfusion injury in canine partial liver allotransplantation. However, the baseline ET-1 level was eight times higher in the lipo-PGE1 group than that of the control group in spite of the hepatoprotective effects of the lipo-PGE1.
Alprostadil* ; Animals ; Catheterization ; Dogs ; Endothelin-1* ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Pulmonary Circulation ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury* ; Tissue Donors

PURPOSE: Transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO), atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a new and less traumatic technique than open heart surgery. One of the more popular occluding devices is the Amplatzer(R) septal occluder which is made of nitinol. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the safety and release of nickel after implantation of Amplatzer(R) occluder in patients with PFO, ASD and PDA. METHODS: Random blood samples were obtained from 25 patients with Amplatzer(R) PFO, ASD, PDA occluder during 4-year and 7-month post closure period. The nickel content in the specimens was determined using atomic absorption spectrometer. RESULTS: All patients showed satisfactory clinical improvements and there was no echocardiographic evidence of complications. During the post closure, concentrations of nickel in serum were within normal range with values 0.2 ug/dL. CONCLUSION: Nickel seems to be released from Amplatzer(R) occluder. The dissolusion of nickel from Amplatzer(R) occluder is minimal and systemic rise in serum levels of nickel are within normal range. However, further studies are needed to evaluate biological effects in patients with nickel hypersensitivity.
Absorption ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Echocardiography ; Foramen Ovale, Patent ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Nickel* ; Reference Values ; Septal Occluder Device ; Thoracic Surgery