No abstract available in English.
Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Spinal Canal ; Ultrasonics

No abstract available.
Gallstones* ; Lithotripsy* ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Osteosarcoma*

PURPOSE: In order to elucidate the actual mechanism and the optimal concentration of Lamotrigine(LTG) that suppresses epileptiform discharges, we observed epileptiform discharges from hippocampal slices of immature rat in 4-aminopyridine(4-AP) added Mg2+ - free medium of artificial cerebrospinal fluid(aCSF) with various LTG concentrations. METHODS: We divided 19-23 day-old Sprague-Dawley rats into 4 groups; control group(n=12) and 3 LTG groups depending on the concentrations of LTG such as 400 (n=9), 800(n=7), and 1,000(n=8) microM. The rats were anesthetized and their brains were taken, soaked in aCSF(NaCl 125 mM, KCl 2.5 mM, NaH2PO4 2 mM, MgSO4 1.25 mM NaHCO3 25 mM, CaCl2 2 mM, Glucose 10 mM, pH 7.3-7.4). And then the brains were cut into 400 microm hippocampal slices by a vibratome. The slices of control group were soaked in 200 microM 4-AP added Mg2+ -free medium of aCSF for 1 hour, and then extracellular recordings were performed in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal region. The slices of LTG groups were soaked in the solution containing 400, 800, and 1,000 microM LTG, then extracellular recordings were performed. RESULTS: Interictal discharges were observed in all the control and the LTG groups. The latency to the first interictal discharges after 4-AP addition was 52.7+/-26.9 sec in control group, but was 225.0+/-28.2 sec in 800 microM and 322.1+/-116.4 sec in 1,000 microM group of LTG(P<0.05). The duration of interictal discharges was 64.6+/-35.6 sec in control group, but was the shortest in 800 microM group of LTG at 39.3+/-12.6 sec. Ictal discharges were observed in all of control and 400 microM group, but the frequency was decreased as the concentration of LTG increases, 57.1% in 800 microM, 12.5% in 1,000 microM group. The latency to ictal discharge after 4-AP addition was 142.1+/-52.6 sec in control group, but increased as the concentration of LTG increases, 304.4+/-84.5 sec in 400 microM group and 689.8+/-213.1 sec in 800 microM group(P<0.05). The duration of ictal discharges was 1,534.7/-339.3 sec in control group, but decreased as the concentration of LTG increases, it was 126.5+/-76.1 sec in 800 microM group(P <0.05) and 42 sec in 1,000 microM group. CONCLUSION: The antiepileptic effects of LTG were most significant when the concentration, inhibiting epileptiform discharges induced by 4-AP and Mg2+ -free medium in hippocampal slices of immature rats, was 800 microM or higher. Although the basic pharmacologic mechanism of LTG is the inhibition of sodium channel, it may also work on potassium channel at higher concentrations.
4-Aminopyridine* ; Animals ; Brain ; Glucose ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Potassium Channels ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium Channels

On the contrary to congenital anomalies of intestinal rotation in pediatric patients, those in adults are generally nonsymptomatic and of little consequence. Occasionally, however, an adult may have midgut nonrotation and complain of chronic or recurrent abdominal pain. Intestinal nonrotation can be divided into complete or partial failure of rotation and into abnormalities affecting the proximal segment, the distal segment or both. We report herein a 43-year old female patient with symptomatic partial, cecocolic nonrotation.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult* ; Female ; Humans

Miller-Dieter syndrome consists of severe type I lissencephaly, abnormal facial appearance, and sometimes other birth defects. Lissencephaly is a brain malformation manifested by a smooth cerebral surface, thickened cortical mantle, and microscopic evidence of incomplete neuronal migration. It comprises the agyria-pachygyria spectrum of malformation, thus excluding polymicrogyria and other cortical dysplasia. Type I lissencephaly results from abnormal migration between about 10 and 14 weeks gestaion. The brain is often small, and the ventricle is enlarged posteriorly The corpus callosum may be small or absent. The structural pattern of the cerebral hemispheres and ventricles is distintly immature, reminiscent of fetal brain. The superficial cellular layer resembles an immature cortex, with some separation into zones similar to layers III, V, and VI of normal cortex, although the cell population is decreased. In 1963 Miller described a malformation syndrome in a brother and sister with postnatal growth deficiency, craniofacial defects, and serious abnormalities of neurologic function. Autopsy at 3 and 4month of age, respectively, revealed lissencephaly. Subsequently, Dieker reported four additional patients with this disorder and referred to it as the 'lissencephaly syndrome'. We have experienced a case with this syndrome. Then we report this rare case with brief review of literature.
Autopsy ; Brain ; Cerebrum ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Corpus Callosum ; Humans ; Lissencephaly ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; Neurons ; Siblings

PURPOSE: To evaluate the response and toxicity of gemcitabine and cisplatin combination chemotherapy in advanced transitional cell carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty two patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma received gemcitabine combined chemotherapy. Nineteen of them were scheduled to receive 1,000mg/m2 gemcitabine intravenously for 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15 and 70mg/m2 cisplatin for 1 hour on day 1 of a 28-day cycle. In addition, 3 patients with decreased renal function were scheduled to receive 1,200mg/m2 gemcitabine on day 1, 8, and 15. The toxicity of each cycle and the response after more than 4 cycles were evaluated. RESULTS: There were 5 complete responses and 4 partial responses in the 15 assessable patients, giving an overall response rate 60%. The toxicity was primarily hematologic, with 3 out of 22 patients (14%) with grade 3 thrombocytopenia, 10 out of 22 patients (45%) with grade 1 & 2 leukopenia and 10 out of 22 patients (45%) having grade 1 & 2 anemia. The most common non-hematologic toxic response was nausea and vomiting. CONCLUSIONS: Gemcitabine based chemotherapy for advanced transitional cell carcinoma has larger response rate compared to M-VAC. Furthermore, it has much less systemic toxicity than M-VAC combination chemotherapy.
Anemia ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; Nausea ; Thrombocytopenia ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: To evaluate ethanolamine oleate (EAO)-microfibrillar collagen (MFC) mixture as a new scleroembolic material for the interventions requiring both permanent obliteration of vascular lumen and atrophy of mass, such as for the facial AVM and other hypervascular soft tissue masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine transcatheter transarterial embolizations of renal arteries were performed in six groups of rabbits classified by the EAO concentration and the addition of MFC. Postembolization angiography, gross morphological and microscopic examinations of embolized kidneys were performed immediately, 3 days, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after embotization. Analysing points were the usefulness as a scleroembolic material (endovascular retention, thrombogenic-sclerosing effect, perivascular fibrosis and inflammatory reaction), effects of the EAO concentration and the addition of MFC. RESULTS: EAO-MFC mixture satisfied all ideal conditions of scleroembolic agent;persistent endovascular retention, good thrombogenic-sclerosing effect with a mild inflammatory reaction and significant atrophy of kidney. The effect of increasing concentration of EAO was proximal embolization. The effects of MFC were promotion of proximal embolization, endovascular retention and sclerosing effect. CONCLUSION: EAO-MFC mixture can be used as a new effective scleroembolic material for the various hemodynamic situations in which embolic level can be controlled by EAO concentration and the addition of MFC.
Angiography ; Atrophy ; Collagen* ; Ethanolamine* ; Fibrosis ; Hemodynamics ; Kidney ; Oleic Acid* ; Rabbits* ; Renal Artery

Among 73 patients with possible and definite tuberculous meningitis, 14 cases showed a sudden unexpected polymorphonuclear (PMN) CSF pleocytosis during treatment. Patients with superimposed bacterial meningitis were excluded. Eleven patients(15. 1%) matched inclusion criteria. The intervals between the onset of the treatment and the onset of the PMN CSF pleocytosis were 7-54 days(mean 17.2+ 14.4 days). The mean duration of PMN CSF pleocytosis was 14.2+12.4 days. A PMN CSF pleocytosis may develop occasionally weeks or months after the start of the treatment for tuberculous meningitis. Though the cause is uncertain, we suggest that probably its cause is superimposed acute meningeal inflanunation by the release of Mycobacterium from tuberculomas or.delayed Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction.
Humans ; Leukocytosis* ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; Mycobacterium ; Tuberculoma ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal*

PURPOSE: We evaluate the efficacy of bimodality therapy for organ preservation in locally advanced bladder tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 23 patients with a clinical stage T2- T4aN0M0 bladder tumor were included in our study and treated with transurethral resection or partial cystectomy by chemotherapy. They are composed of T2: 6, T3: 11, T4a: 6 cases in stage, W.H.O. LMP (low malignant potencial): 1, low grade: 9, high grade: 13 cases in pathologic grade. The followed chemotherapy regimens were composed of M-VAC (methotrexate 30mg/m2, vinblastine 3mg/m2, adriamycin 30mg/m2, cisplatin 70mg/m2), S-MEC (methotrexate 30mg/m2, epirubicin 50mg/m2, cisplatin 100mg/ m2), and gemcitabine (100mg/m2)-cisplatin (70mg/m2) in 10, 8, and 5 cases, respectively. The evaluation of response was performed by transurethral biopsy, urine cytology, CT, and MRI after more than 4 cycles of postoperative chemotherapy. RESULTS: A complete response was achieved in 10 patients (43.5%), and a partial response occurred in 3 patients (13.0%) to give an overall response rate of 56.5%. The mean duration of complete responses was 35.5 months. Eight of 23 patients are still alive. The mean duration of the follow-up was 41.6 months, and their 5-year survival rate was 33.3%. Low stage, initial response to therapy, and no evidence of hydronephrosis were all significant predictors for an increased probability of organ preservation. CONCLUSIONS: Transurethral resection or partial cystectomy followed by chemotherapy result in long-term bladder preservation in a significant proportion of responding patients, and may be a comparable therapy to trimodality therapy in select patients in locally advanced bladder tumors.
Biopsy ; Cisplatin ; Cystectomy ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy ; Epirubicin ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Organ Preservation* ; Survival Rate ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder* ; Vinblastine