AIMS OF STUDY: During reflex micturition, the urethral outlet remains open (relaxed) to promote urinary emptying. The mechanisms involved in the relaxation of urethral outlet is thought to be complex including nitric oxide (NO) pathway and beta-adrenergic activity. The aims of the study focused on these several issues related to the neural control of urethral outlet in vivo. MATERIALS & METHODS: Female rats weighing 200~300 gm were anesthetized wish urethane. Catheters were inserted into femoral artery for drug administration.4 two-way catheter (16 G angiocath) was inserted into the bladder for saline infusion and pressure monitoring. A separate cannula (PE 50) was placed into the urethra via external urethral meatus or proximal urethrat opening to record urethral pressure. The bladder was filled with saline at a rate of 0.1 ml/min to induce reflex micturition. Urethral pressure was recorded via cannula through which saline was infused at a rate of 0.05 ml/min. Isovolumetric bladder contraction and urethral pressure were recorded simultaneously. After an equilibration period of 30 minutes, baseline intravesical and urethral pressure were recorded for 10 minutes prior to drug administration. NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME, 10 to 15 mg/kilrogram, i.v.), L-arginine (150 mg/kilrogram, i.v.), propranolol (1 microM., 0.1 ml/250 mg, i.a.), and phenylephrine (1 0~100 microM, i.a.) were administrated. RESULTS: During isovolumetric bladder contraction, urethral pressure was decreased simultaneously, and then returned to the resting states in conjunction with end of the bladder contraction. After the administration of L-NAME, the magnitude of reflex urethral relaxation was decreased significantly (42.6 +/- 15.1% of the control, p<0.01), and this effect was reversed by addition of L-arginine. Administration of propranolol also inhibited urethral relaxation (66.4% of the control). Administration of L-NAME followed by propranolol almost completely abolished the urethral relaxation. Administration of phenylephrine increased the resting urethral tone (mean; 4 cmH2O) significantly, and the magnitude of urethral relaxation was decreased substantially. CONCLUSION: These RESULTS suggest that urethral relaxation is mediated by several neural factors. NO seems like to a potent mediator in a reflex relaxation of the urethral smooth muscle during micturition. Also, beta-adrenergic stimulation play an important role for urethral relaxation. alpha-adrenergic nerve discharge, contributed to contraction of urethral smooth muscle, shows inhibitory effect against the reflex urethral relaxation.
Animals ; Arginine ; Catheters ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide* ; Nitroarginine ; Phenylephrine ; Propranolol ; Rats ; Reflex ; Relaxation* ; Urethane ; Urethra ; Urinary Bladder ; Urination

No abstract available.
Perfusion* ; Stroke Volume* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

No abstract available.
Perfusion* ; Stroke Volume* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

Since coronary arteriovenous fistula(CAVF) was first reported by Krause in 1865, more than 400 cases have been reported. It is relatively rare disease and originates more commonly in the right than in the left coronary artery. We report a case of CAVF between right coronary artery and right ventricular inflow tract with significant left to right shunt in a 34-year old female who was admitted for the cardiomegaly on routine chest X-Ray. It was detected by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, and confirmed by cardiac catheterization and coronary angiography. The opening of the fistula draining into the right ventricle was obliterated with sutures. There was no significant shunt in postoperative cardiac catheterization and coronary angiography.
Adult ; Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiomegaly ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal* ; Female ; Fistula ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Rare Diseases ; Sutures ; Thorax

In this article, the sixth author's affiliation was misprinted unintentionally.

To determine the usefulness of the Bosniak classification of cystic renal masses, the computed tomographic findings of 30 pathologically proven cystic renal masses were reviewed retrospectively. We categorized cystic renal masses utilizing the Bosniak classification without knowledge of the final pathologic diagnosis. There were 10 category I lesions, 3 category II lesions, 6 category III lesions and 11 category IV lesions. All category l and II lesions were benign. All category IV lesions were malignant. Among the 6 category III lesions, 5 were malignant. The other was benign lesion with hemorrhagic renal cyst. We concluded that computed tomography and Bosniak classification are useful in management of cystic renal masses.
Classification* ; Diagnosis ; Kidney ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Pralidoxime(2-PAM) is the mainstay of organophosphate intoxication management as an antidote. We investigated the usefulness of high-dose pralidoxime therapy. METHODS: From January 2000 to July 2003, 86 patients presented with organophosphate insecticide intoxication to the emergency medical center of Chonnam National University Hospital. They were randomized into two groups: Group I was given continuous IV infusion of pralidoxime in dose of 500 mg/hr after an initial bolus dose of 2 g and Group II was given continuous IV infusion of pralidoxime in dose of 1000 mg/hr after an initial bolus dose of 2 g. Both groups were given same therapeutic interventions, including the duration of atropine administration. The plasma cholinesterase activites were monitored at admission and at 24 hr and 48 hr after infusion of pralidoxime. The effectiveness of the two treatment modalities were gauged by comparing the durations of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) stay. RESULTS: The mean durations of mechanical ventilation were 9.82+/-6.45 days in group I and 6.51+/-4.50 days in group II. The mean durations of ICU stay were 12.82+/- 7.69 days in group I and 9.15+/-5.38 days in group II. group I showed that longer durations of mechanical ventilation (p=0.03) and ICU stay( p<0.001). The plasma cholinesterase reactivation rate were higher in group II than in group I. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that continuous high-dose pralidoxime therapy may be helpful in the treatment of organophosphate intoxication.
Atropine ; Cholinesterases ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Jeollanam-do ; Plasma ; Respiration, Artificial

PURPOSE: Estrogen, various polypeptide hormones and growth factors are associated with the development and progression of breast cancer. Coregulatory proteins are also associated with estrogen receptor (ER) transcriptional activity and tamoxifen resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the change of coregulator mRNAs and various cell proliferation proteins and cell cycle-related proteins after treatment with estrogen or antiestrogen. METHODS: MCF-7 cells were maintained in dextran-coated charcoal stripped 10% Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM). To measure the change of the coactivators' (src-1, P/CAF, CBP, AIB1) mRNAs and corepressors' (SMRT, N-coR) mRNAs, multiple PCR was carried out using specific primers. In addition, intracellular proteins related to cell proliferation and cell cycle regulation were measured by performing Western blotting after treatment with estrogen or tamoxifen. The change of mitogen activated protein kinases was also measured by performing Western after tamoxifen treatment for 4 weeks. RESULTS: Coactivator mRNAs expression rapidly decreased in 15 min after estrogen treatment but this recovered to the initial level in 3 hr. The pattern was similar for the case of tamoxifen treatment. Corepressor mRNAs expression rapidly decreased in 15 min after estrogen treatment and it remained at a lower level until 24 hr after estrogen treatment. With tamoxifen treatment, the initial response was similar to the cases of estrogen treatment, but the xpression gradually increased 3 hr after tamoxifen treatment. Treatment of estrogen induced intracellular concentrations of c-myc and Ki-67 and it increased nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB and phosphor-ERK and it decreased the intracellular cell cycle suppressor p27/kip1. Tamoxifen treatment increased nuclear p27/kip1 but it decreased c-myc, NF-kappaB and phosphor-ERK. Long-term (4 weeks) treatment of tamoxifen was associated with decrease of activated ERK and p38 but there was no change in phospho-Akt level. CONCLUSION: Estrogen induced cell proliferation and the survival pathway-related factors, but it decreased the cell cycle suppressor p27/kip1. Long-term treatment with antiestrogen tamoxifen might decrease the MAPK activities in ERalpha-expressing tumor cells.
Blotting, Western ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Charcoal ; Eagles ; Estrogen Receptor Modulators ; Estrogens ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; MCF-7 Cells ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; NF-kappa B ; Peptide Hormones ; Phosphotransferases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proteins ; RNA, Messenger ; Tamoxifen

Tailgut cyst is a rare congenital lesion in retrorectal space. The clinical significance of tailgut cyst presents its morbidity that occurs in the unrecognized and incompletely treated lesion. A forty four year-old female patient visited with lower abdominal pain during defecation. Preoperative abdominopelvic MRI and endorectal ultrasonography revealed a retrorectal mass suggestive of leiomyoma, dermoid cyst, teratoma, or duplication cyst of rectum. She underwent complete resection of retrorectal mass by transsphincteric approach. The mass was multilocular cyst lined by multiple types of epithelium. It was histologically confirmed as a tailgut cyst. She recovered uneventfully. This report includes the case and a brief review of tailgut cyst.
Abdominal Pain ; Defecation ; Dermoid Cyst ; Epithelium ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Rectum ; Teratoma ; Ultrasonography

We report distinctive diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance image (DWI) findings in a 65-year-old man with clinically diagnosed Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Four weeks before admission he developed general weakness and febrile sense which were followed by progressive dementia, ataxia, and choreo-athetoid movement of the right hand. T2-weighted magnetic resonance image (MRI) showed subtle high signal intensities only in the left basal ganglia, whereas DWI demonstrated marked hyperintensities in multiple regions including the left basal ganglia and left cerebral cortex. Five weeks after the onset of symptoms, he was noted to have myoclonus and characteristic electroencephalographic changes consisting of periodic triphasic sharp waves. In our patient, high signal changes on the DWI preceded myoclonus and typical EEG findings, a result suggesting that DWI may be useful in the early premortem diagnosis of CJD.
Aged ; Ataxia ; Basal Ganglia ; Cerebral Cortex ; Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome* ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Electroencephalography ; Hand ; Humans ; Myoclonus