No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To seek adequate sequence of MR angiography (MRA) on developmental venous anomaly in the brain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We collected ten cases who demonstrated developmental venous anomaly on MR image. Eight patients among them, both 3D time-of-flight (TOF) with or without Gadolinium-DTPA enhancement and phase contrast(PC) were performed: TOF without enhancement in five, TO F with enhancement in six, and PC with 10 cm/sec in five, PC with 30 cm/sec in three, and PC with 5 cm/sec velocity encoding (VNEC) in two cases. RESULTS: On enhanced 3D TOF, both dilated collecting veins and medullary veins were well depicted in five of six cases, however, the signal intensity of the collecting and medullary veins are less than arteries. Dilated hyperintense collecting veins were well demonstrated on 3D PC with below the 10cm/sec VNEC in all seven cases, but the medullary veins were poorly defined. Unenhanced 3D TOF IVIRA could not reveal any dilated collecting and medullary veins in all five cases. CONCLUSION: Enhanced 3D TO F could demonstrate the collecting and medullary veins of developmental venous anomaly, however, 3D PC with below the 10 cm/sec VN EC could showthe dilated collecting and larger draining veins. We considered that combined enhanced 3D TOF MRA and PC with VENC 10cm/sec can substitute for conventional anglogram in the diagnosis of developmental venous anomaly.
Angiography* ; Arteries ; Brain ; Central Nervous System Venous Angioma* ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Veins

The authors analyzes the outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis who underwent liver resection. Hepatic resection were carried out in 145 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma during 8-year period from 1990 to 1997. Of 145 hepatocellular carcinoma, one group of hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis is 112(77.2%) cases, the other group of hepatocellular carcinoma without cirrhosis is 33(22.8%)cases. The serum HbsAg positivity is 80%(88/110) in hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis, 63.6%(21/33) in hepatocellular carcinoma without cirrhosis. The serum Anti HCV positivity is 21.3%(20/94)in hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis, 34.4%(10/29) in hepatocellular carcinoma without cirrhosis. According to liver resection, major resection is the right lobectomy, left lobectomy, extended right lobectomy, and extended left lobectomy, and minor resection is left lateral segmentectomy, segmentectomy, subsegmentectomy The survival rate and postoperative complications were compared hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma without cirrhosis. The survival rate of 1 year, 2 year , 3 year and 5 year was 63%, 47%, 36% and 25% in hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis and 63%, 56%, 48% and 39% in hepatocellular carcinoma without cirrhosis. The group without liver cirrhosis is somewhat higher in survival rate, but the outcome was not statistically significant.(p>0.05). Overall operative mortality was 4.1%(6/145), With liver cirrhosis 5,4%(6/112) in group. Of this 6 cases , four cases were hepatic failure, two cases postoperative bleeding. Group without liver cirrhosis had not mortality cases. Of the group combined with liver cirrhosis, the operative mortality for operation method was 13%(3/23) in major resection group, 3.4%(3/89) in minor resection group.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Fibrosis ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatectomy* ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver Failure ; Liver* ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Survival Rate*

Although growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) is known to play a significant role in the regulation of axonal growth and the formation of new neuronal connections in the hippocampus, there is only a few studies on the effects of acute stress on GAP-43 mRNA expression in the hippocampus. Moreover, the effects of repeated citalopram treatment on chronic mild stress (CMS)-induced changes in GAP-43 mRNA expression in the hippocampus have not been explored before. To explore this question, male rats were exposed to acute immobilization stress or CMS. Also, citalopram was given prior to stress everyday during CMS procedures. Acute immobilization stress significantly increased GAP-43 mRNA expression in all subfields of the hippocampus, while CMS significantly decreased GAP-43 mRNA expression in the dentate granule cell layer (GCL). Repeated citalopram treatment decreased GAP-43 mRNA expression in the GCL compared with unstressed controls, but this decrease was not further potentiated by CMS exposure. Similar decreases in GAP-43 mRNA expression were observed in CA1, CA3 and CA4 areas of the hippocampus only after repeated citalopram treatment in CMS-exposed rats. This result indicates that GAP-43 mRNA expression in the hippocampus may differently respond to acute and chronic stress, and that repeated citalopram treatment does not change CMS-induced decreases in GAP-43 mRNA expression in the GCL.
Animals ; Axons ; Citalopram ; GAP-43 Protein ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Male ; Neurons ; Rats ; RNA, Messenger

The worldwide incidence of precocious puberty, which is associated with negative health outcomes, is increasing. Several studies have suggested that environmental factors contribute to the development of precocious puberty alongside genetic factors. Some epidemiological studies have provided limited evidence suggesting an association between exposure to air pollution and changes in pubertal development. This systematic review aimed to summarize existing evidence on the association between air pollution exposure and precocious puberty. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we searched two databases (PubMed and Web of Science) until August 2023. The included studies assessed the association between air pollutant exposure and the risk of precocious puberty, early menarche, or pubertal development. Two authors independently performed study selection and data extraction. A meta-analysis and analysis of the risk of bias were infeasible due to the limited number of studies and the heterogeneity among them. The literature search resulted in 184 studies, from which we included six studies with sample sizes ranging from 437 to 4,074 participants. The studies reported heterogeneous outcomes. Four studies found that increased exposure to air pollution was related to earlier pubertal onset. One study was inconclusive, and another suggested that air pollutant exposure may delay the onset of thelarche. Most studies suggest that exposure to air pollutants accelerates pubertal development; however, the results from the available studies are inconsistent. More extensive and well-designed longitudinal studies are required for a comprehensive understanding of the association between air pollution and precocious puberty.

New-born cells continue to proliferate and survive to become mature granule cells in adult rat hippocampus. Although this process, known as neurogenesis, is inhibited by acute stress, it is not clear whether chronic stress affects neurogenesis. To determine whether chronic mild stress (CMS) influences neurogenesis in the adult rat hippocampus, male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to CMS and administered bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) before or after CMS to observe the survival/differentiation or proliferation of new-born cells, respectively. In addition, we measured brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in the granule cell layer (GCL) of the hippocampus, because BDNF is known to play an important role in the survival of new-born cells. CMS significantly decreased the survival of newborn cells in the GCL, but did not influence the proliferation or differentiation of new-born cells. CMS did not affect the proliferation and survival of new-born cells in the hilus. In addition, CMS did not change BDNF mRNA levels in the GCL. These results demonstrate that CMS reduces the survival of new-born cells but not of their proliferation, suggesting that repeated mild stress could influence a part of neurogenesis, but not the whole part of neurogenesis. These results raise the possibility that the survival of new-born cells may be suppressed in the presence of normal BDNF mRNA levels in GCL.
Animals ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism ; Bromodeoxyuridine/*administration & dosage ; Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent/metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Comparative Study ; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Fluorescent Dyes ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/metabolism ; Hippocampus/cytology/growth & development/*pathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Male ; Microscopy, Confocal ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Restraint, Physical ; Rhodamines ; Stress/pathology/*physiopathology

Recent studies suggest that alterations in glutamate receptor subunit levels in mesocorticolimbic dopamine areas could account for neural adaptations in response to psychostimulant drugs. Although many drugs of abuse induce changes in ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits in mesocorticolimbic dopamine areas, the changes of ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits by repeated nicotine treatment in these areas are not known. To answer this question, we injected male Sprague-Dawley rats twice daily with nicotine (0.4 mg/kg) or saline (1 ml/kg) for 10 days. The immunoreactivity of NR1, GluR1, and GluR2 glutamate receptor subunits was examined 16~18 h after the last injection of saline or nicotine. Repeated nicotine treatment significantly increased NR1 levels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). In addition, repeated nicotine treatment showed a tendency towards an increase in GluR1 levels in the VTA as well as in striatum. However, there was no significant change in glutamate receptor subunits in other areas including nucleus accumbens (NAc). These results demonstrate that repeated nicotine treatment increases NR1 levels in VTA similarly to other drugs of abuse, suggesting that elevated glutamate receptor subunits in the VTA, but not NAc may be involved in the excitation of mesocorticolimbic dopamine neurons by nicotine.
Dopamine* ; Glutamic Acid* ; Humans ; Male ; Neurons ; Nicotine* ; Nucleus Accumbens ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Glutamate* ; Street Drugs ; Ventral Tegmental Area

Idiopathic bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is a specific clinicopathologic syndrome characterized by a pneumonia-like illness, with excessive proliferation of granulation tissue within bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveoli. The changes are most numerous in alveolar ducts. The presence of intraluminal tufts of organizing connective tissue in alveolar ducts and more distal airspaces has been termed organizing pneumonia The radiologic manifestations are distinctive with bilateral, diffuse alveolar opacities predominantly in the subpleural and lower lung zone. Patchy migratory pneumonic foci or solely nodular infiltrates are rarely present in BOOP. BOOP is a diagnosis of importance because of its dramatic response to steroids.
Bronchioles ; Bronchiolitis Obliterans ; Connective Tissue ; Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia* ; Diagnosis ; Granulation Tissue ; Lung ; Pneumonia ; Steroids

PURPOSE: Considering that nutritional state correlates to immunity, we performed this study to evaluate the correlation by assessing the numerical changes of the levels of serum albumin and lymphocyte subsets. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed on patients who were diagnosed as having gastric cancer and who underwent curative surgery from August 1998 to August 2004 in the Gyeongsang National University Hospital and whose peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were tested prior to surgery. The study population was a total of 150 cases. RESULTS: The change in the lymphocyte subsets in relation to the change in the level of serum albumin in all patients with gastric cancer was determined, and was compared to disease stages. When patients were classified by using the level of serum albumin with 3.2 mg/dl as the cut-off point (low group: serum albumin <3.2 mg/dl, normal group = serum albumin >or=3.2 mg/dl), the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes, CD3+ cells, CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, and CD16+56 cells were, significantly lower in the group with the level of serum albumin below 3.2 mg/dl (low group) than it was in the group with a serum albumin level above 3.2 mg/dl (normal group) (P<0.05). In stage I (n=59), CD16+56 cells were significantly lower in the low group. In stage II (n=29), the number of CD16+56 cells was lower and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was higher in the low group than in the normal group significantly. In stage IV (n=33), except for CD19+ cells, the number of all lymphocyte subsets was significantly lower and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was significantly higher in the low group. CONCLUSION: The group with a low level of serum albumin had a low absolute number of lymphocyte subsets. Based on this, we reconfirmed that the nutritional state is closely related with the immune state in patients with gastric cancer.
Humans ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Serum Albumin* ; Stomach Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: Considering that nutritional state correlates to immunity, we performed this study to evaluate the correlation by assessing the numerical changes of the levels of serum albumin and lymphocyte subsets. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed on patients who were diagnosed as having gastric cancer and who underwent curative surgery from August 1998 to August 2004 in the Gyeongsang National University Hospital and whose peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were tested prior to surgery. The study population was a total of 150 cases. RESULTS: The change in the lymphocyte subsets in relation to the change in the level of serum albumin in all patients with gastric cancer was determined, and was compared to disease stages. When patients were classified by using the level of serum albumin with 3.2 mg/dl as the cut-off point (low group: serum albumin <3.2 mg/dl, normal group = serum albumin >or=3.2 mg/dl), the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes, CD3+ cells, CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, and CD16+56 cells were, significantly lower in the group with the level of serum albumin below 3.2 mg/dl (low group) than it was in the group with a serum albumin level above 3.2 mg/dl (normal group) (P<0.05). In stage I (n=59), CD16+56 cells were significantly lower in the low group. In stage II (n=29), the number of CD16+56 cells was lower and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was higher in the low group than in the normal group significantly. In stage IV (n=33), except for CD19+ cells, the number of all lymphocyte subsets was significantly lower and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was significantly higher in the low group. CONCLUSION: The group with a low level of serum albumin had a low absolute number of lymphocyte subsets. Based on this, we reconfirmed that the nutritional state is closely related with the immune state in patients with gastric cancer.
Humans ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Serum Albumin* ; Stomach Neoplasms*