Histological studies were carried out on the degranulation of mesenteric mast cells of white rats caused by injections of morphine and nalorphine hydrochloride intravenously and the following conclusions were obtained. 1. By the injection of morphine hydrochloride fairly significant degranulation of the mesenteric mast cell was observed. 2. In various experimental doses of morphine hydrochloride the cytological change of the degranulation was not proportional to the doses of it in cases given more than 12mg./kg. of body weight. 3. The degranulating effect of the mesenteric mast cell by the injection of morphine hydrochloride was significantly inhibited by an adrenalectomy.
Adrenalectomy ; Animal ; Male ; Mast Cells/drug effects* ; Mesentery/drug effects* ; Morphine/antagonists & inhibitors ; Morphine/pharmacology* ; Nalorphine/pharmacology ; Rats

A statistical survey was made on 729 inpatients during the period of 4 years and 9 months, 1961-1965, in the Department of Urology, The First Army Hospital, in reference to age distribution, monthly distribution on various diseases of the genitourinary tracts and operative procedures.The tables in the text represent the result of the observation and are summarized as follows: The majority of the patients (85%) was distributed between the ages 21 and 26. Of 729 in patients, there were 270 cases (37%) of genito-urinary tuberculosis, 84 cases (11.5%) of urinary calculus,69 cases of trauma and 60 cases of non-specific urinary tract infection. There were 379 operative procedures including 91 nephrectomies, and 108 epididiymectomies.
Age Distribution ; Hospitals, Military ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Nephrectomy ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Tuberculosis ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Urology

After the intraperitoneal injections of alloxan, carbon tetrachloride, cortisone acetate, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, morphine hydrochloride, toluidin blue, physiological saline solution, distilled water, and direct stimulation with electronic current, the peritoneal mast cells of the rat were observed in order to document and study the cytomorphic changes. Adult Sprague-Dawley strain albion rats were used. The substances tested were dissolved in physiological saline solution and injected into the abdominal cavity. Three to twenty four hours later the rats were sacrificed and the morphological changes of the peritoneal mast cells were observed by means of phase contrast microscopy and ordinary light microscopy. Cytomorphic effects of alloxan on the mast cells were comparatively marked and those effects of CC14, cortisone, ACTH, morphine-HCI, and physiological saline solution were slight and similar to each other. But the distructive effects of toluidin blue, distilled water, and electronic stimulation on the mast cells were severe and noticeable in this study. These results indicate that the intraperitmeal mast cells of rats show more sensitive reactions to a metabolic poisn alloxan, a low osmotic pressured-material distilled water, and a histamine liberator toluidin blue, and a physical stimulus electronic stimulation than the other similar chemical agents.
Animal ; Electric Stimulation* ; Hormones/pharmacology* ; Mast Cells/cytology* ; Mast Cells/drug effects* ; Rats

BACKGROUND: trial fibrillation (AF) causes electrical remodeling of the atrium that plays an important role in increasing atrial vulnerability and the perpetuation of AF. The regional variation and heterogeneities of AF-induced electrical remodeling in patients with AF remain unclear. The purpose of present study was to test the hypothesis that regional heterogeneity of the atrial electrical properties including sinus node dysfunction is more apparent in patients with chronic AF than in patients with paroxysmal AF. METHODS: The study group consisted of chronic AF (CAF, n=19), paroxysmal AF (PAF, n=19) and control group (CON, n=13). Monophasic action potential duration 90% (MAPD90) and atrial effective refractory period (AERP) were measured at 9 different sites in the right atrium using MAP catheter. Dispersion of MAPD90 and AERP were calculated from the difference between the maximum and minimum value at 9 sites, respectively. Intra-atrial conduction time (IACT) was calculated from the distance between the earliest activation and the latest one of the electrograms by 20-pole steerable catheter with 2-mm interelectrode distance which was positioned along the tricuspid annulus anterior to the crista terminalis. To evaluate sinus node function, post shock sinus node recovery time (PSRT) was measured. A rate corrected PSRT (PSRTc) was calculated from the difference between PSRT and basic sinus cycle length. RESULTS: MAPD90 significantly shortened in patients with CAF (227.0+/-32.6 ms) compared with PAF (246.8+/-38.3 ms, p<0.05) and CON (239.1+/-39.3 ms, p<0.05), but AERP was not significantly different among 3 groups. The regional changes and dispersion of MAPD90 and AERP in patients with CAF did not differ from those of PAF and CON. IACT was prolonged in CAF group (73.8+/-22.5 ms) compared with PAF (58.2+/-8.0 ms, p<0.05) and CON groups (51.6+/-12.3 ms, p<0.05). IACT in CAF group (73.8+/-22.5 ms) was significantly prolonged compared with CON groups (51.6+/-12.3 ms, p<0.05) and was longer than that of PAF groups (58.2+/-8.0 ms) without statistical significance. PSRTc was longer in CAF group (758.3+/-525.8 ms) than in PAF group (209.5+/-125.0 ms, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Electrical changes defined as shortened MAPD90, prolonged IACT and PSRTc were more apparent in patients with CAF compared with PAF. However, these were neither accompanied by the regional variations nor dispersion of refractoriness of the atrium. These findings suggest that regional heterogeneities of electrical properties are not related to the chronicity of atrial fibrillation.
Action Potentials ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Atrial Remodeling ; Catheters ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Population Characteristics ; Shock ; Sick Sinus Syndrome ; Sinoatrial Node

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although aortic intramural hemorrhage (AIH) is different from classic aortic dissection (AD) in terms of absence of continuous direct flow communication through intimal tear, the same treatment strategy, emergent surgical repair, has been applied for patients with AIH involving the ascending aorta. The impact of different false lumen hemodynamic has not been seriously investigated and clinical features of AIH and AD have not been directly compared. METHODS: From 1990 to December 1998, clinical evaluation with various imaging modalities confirmed the diagnosis of proximal AD and AIH in 73 and 18 patients, respectively. Direct comparison of clinical data including clinical features, hospital course, and follow-up data was performed retrospectively. RESULTS: Patients with AIH were older (69+/-10 years-old 49+/-14, p<0.05) and female was predominant in AIH (15/18 vs. 26/73, p<0.05). The development of mediastinal hemorrhage, pericardial and pleural effusion was more frequent in AIH than in AD. In-hospital mortality was same in both groups (11% in AIH vs. 17% in AD, p=NS). Although medical treatment was more frequently selected in AIH group (61% vs. 12%, p<0.05) due to old age and other associated medical diseases, mortality rate with medical treatment was much lower in AIH than in AD (9% vs. 66%, p<0.05). Among 11 patients with AIH, in whom medical treatment was chosen, 10 patients were discharged without any event. In follow-up imaging studies of 8 survived AIH patients without surgical repair, 4 patients showed complete resolution. Typical AD developed in 2 about 2 months after the acute event, and the other 2 patients showed focal AD only in the descending aorta. The 3-year survival rate of AIH group was 89+/-7%, which was not significantly different from that of AD group (75+/-6%, p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with proximal AIH shows different clinical features and much better prognosis with medical treatment compared to those with AD. These results support our initial hypothesis that AIH is not just a precursor of overt AD but a distinct disease entity and absence of continuous flow communication in AIH can have different clinical impact. This should encourage systematic investigations to find out the predictors of development of complications and to assess the role of elective surgery with frequent imaging follow-up in proximal AIH.
Aorta* ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemodynamics ; Hemorrhage* ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Mortality ; Natural History ; Pleural Effusion ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND: Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) to prevent thromboembolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients has limitations such as drug interaction. This study investigated the clinical characteristics of Korean patients treated with VKA for stroke prevention and assessed quality of VKA therapy and treatment satisfaction. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, prospective, non-interventional study. Patients with CHADS2 ≥ 1 and treated with VKA (started within the last 3 months) were enrolled from April 2013 to March 2014. Demographic and clinical features including risk factors of stroke and VKA treatment information was collected at baseline. Treatment patterns and international normalized ratio (INR) level were evaluated during follow-up. Time in therapeutic range (TTR) > 60% indicated well-controlled INR. Treatment satisfaction on the VKA use was measured by Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM) after 3 months of follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 877 patients (age, 67; male, 60%) were enrolled and followed up for one year. More than half of patients (56%) had CHADS2 ≥ 2 and 83.6% had CHA2DS2-VASc ≥ 2. A total of 852 patients had one or more INR measurement during their follow-up period. Among those patients, 25.5% discontinued VKA treatment during follow-up. Of all patients, 626 patients (73%) had poor-controlled INR (TTR < 60%) measure. Patients' treatment satisfaction measured with TSQM was 55.6 in global satisfaction domain. CONCLUSION: INR was poorly controlled in Korean NVAF patients treated with VKA. VKA users also showed low treatment satisfaction.
Atrial Fibrillation* ; Drug Interactions ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; Thromboembolism ; Vitamin K* ; Vitamins*