Abnormalities in the number and function of platelets may contribute to thromboembolic complications in patients with essential thrombocythemia(ET). Physicians often use hydroxyurea which reduces the platelet count for the initial treatment of ET. A 74-year-old man with ET was presented with headache, dysarthria, and right hemiparesis 10 months after discontinuation of hydroxyurea. Initial platelet count was 450x103/microliter and we gave him heparin. However, his platelet count rised upto 1,019x103/microliter within 4 days. He was on hydroxyurea 1.5 g/day and his symptoms improved with decrease of platelet count. We report a case of left MCA(middle cerebral artery) multifocal infarction in ET after discontinuation of hydroxyurea.
Aged ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Dysarthria ; Headache ; Heparin ; Humans ; Hydroxyurea* ; Infarction ; Paresis ; Platelet Count ; Thrombocythemia, Essential*

We know that irrigating fluid used during transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) is rapidly absorbed through open prostatic venous channels in large amount. The TURP syndrome is symptom complex of hypervolemia & hyponatremia (below 130 mEq/1) due to absorption of irrigating fluid. We studied the change of serum sodium, potassium and symptom of hypervolemia during the perioperative period, in 35 patients undergoning TURP. The aim of this clinical study was to examine the possible relation between the irrigating fluid absorption & the development of hyponatremia after TURP. The results were as follow. 1) Though p value was not acceptable, there waa numerical correlation between the weight of resected prostate and the amount of irrigating fluid. 2) TURP syndrome and severe sodium change were not reported in our studiea, 3) We through the cause of above results that operation time & minimal use of irrigating fluid & minimal bleeding due to advanced operative technique, adequate fluid therapy, and intenaive monitoring of vital sign & physiologic change of patients.
Absorption ; Fluid Therapy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyponatremia* ; Perioperative Period ; Potassium ; Prostate ; Sodium ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate* ; Vital Signs

Although the histologic grade of astrocytic neoplasms of the brain have been used as a prognostic factor, the lack of an objective criteria is possible to create the disagreement of classification. We evaluated 25 cases of astrocytic neoplasms of brain to document the usefulness of prolifera-tive potential of tumor as a prognostic indicator and the correlation with histologic grade by Nils Ringertz. The Ringertz's classification was relatively simple in an application among the variable systems and easy to define the differentiate from grade to grade. The examined cases were com-prised of 7 astrocytomas, 9 anaplastic astrocytomas and 9 glioblastoma multif6rmes. The prolife-rative potential of tumors were measured by Ag-NORs count, PCNA labeling index and flow cytometric analysis. The mean numbers of Ag-NORs per cell and PCNA labeling index were sig-nificantly differ among each histologic grade. In addition, abnormal DNA content and high prolif-erative index were frequently identified in anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme. Therefore, the Ag-NORs counts, PCNA labeling index, DNA index and proliferative index were well correlated with the histologic grade.

No abstract available.

OBJECT: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of pentoxifylline on in vitro fertillization and developmen of preimplantation stage of mouse embryos. MATERIAL AND METHODS:F1 hybrid mice was superovulated with PMSG/hCG and mouse oocytes were recruited. After the normal sperms were incubated with PTX before in vitro fertilization, it was observed whether the fertilization and embryo development was affected or not by the sperm preparation(washing, dilution and no washing or no dilution). And after 1-cell and 2-cell stage of mouse embryos were incubated with PTX, the development to hatching blastocyst was also observed. RESULTS: When in vitro fertilization was revealed by using the washed normal sperms after 0, 3.6 and 7.2 mM PTX incubation, the fertilization rates were 92.5%, 48.8%, 36.8%, respectively. So 3.6 and 7.2 mM groups presented significantly low fertilizatin rate, but the development rates were 93.9%, 85.0%, 95.2%, respectively. Therefore, there were no significant difference between each group. When in vitro fertilization was revealed by using the diluted normal sperms after 0, 3.6, and 7.2 mM PTX incubation, the fertilization rates were 58.6%, 5.4%, 9.4%, respectively. So 3.6 and 7.2 mM groups presented significantly low fertilization rate. The developmental rates were 88.2%, 100%, 100%. And there were no significant difference between each group. When in vitro fertilization was revealed by using the not washed and not diluted normal sperms after 0, 3.6 and 7.2 mM PTX incubation, the fertilizatin rates were 61.2%, 5.7%, 3.8%, respectively. 3.6 and 7.2 mM group presented significantly low fertilization rate. The development rates were 73.3%, 0%, 0%, respectively. So 3.6, 7.2 mM group presented significantly low developmental rate. After 1-cell stage of mouse embryos were incubated in 0, 5, 10, 50 nM of PTX, the development rates were not significantly different among them. After 2-cell stage of mouse embryos were incubated in 0, 5, 10, 50 nM of PTX, the development rates were not significantly different among them. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, when PTX is used in in vitro fertilization program with normal sperms, it may affect the fertilization and embryo development in high concentration. And if PTX concentration is very low, the developmental rate would not be affected. So PTX must not be used to normal sperms and where use of PTX is indicated, it is recommended that remainder PTX must be removed as completely as possible.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Mice* ; Oocytes ; Pentoxifylline* ; Pregnancy ; Spermatozoa*

No abstract available.
Lead Poisoning*

BACKGROUND: Trisomy 16 in mice is considered to be an animal model for Down's syndrome in human. We studied the morphologic characteristics of the heart and the edema, and their significance to the teratogenesis in this animal model. METHODS: A total of 30 dams were sacrificed to bear 125 (61.9%) normal fetuses 35 (17.3%) abnormal fetuses and 42 (20.8%) resorptions. Cytogenetic study and morphological examination were performed using microdissection agar-mount sectioning histologic examination and scanning electron microscope. RESULTS: The crown-rump length was significantly shorter in abnormal (trisomic fetuses) than the normal (eusomic) fetuses. Trisomic fetuses showed massive edema at the back from the vertex to the lumbar area. Four-chamber view section of the agar-mount and histologic section showed a common atrioventricular valve bridging the left and the right atrioventricular junction. Scanning electron microscopic examination on atrioventricular valves showed three types of atrioventricular valves:five cases with common atrioventricular orifice, three cases with partitioned atrioventricular orifice and two cases with atresia of the right atrioventricular orifice. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the presence of massive edema and cardiac anomalies in the mouse with trisomy 16. But there was morphologic diversity of cardiac anomaly in this model.
Animals ; Crown-Rump Length ; Cytogenetics ; Down Syndrome ; Edema* ; Endocardial Cushion Defects ; Fetus* ; Heart ; Humans ; Hydrops Fetalis ; Mice ; Microdissection ; Models, Animal ; Pathology* ; Teratogenesis ; Trisomy*

Trypsin and DNase digestion technique has become a retinal digestion technique for studying diabetic retinopathy. We tried osmotic digestion method with DNase and compared the quality of preparation of retina and microvascular change with trypsin digestion in normal and diabetic rats. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were sacrificed at 9, 18, 27weeks in 6 rats. Right retinas were digested with 3% trypsin while left wer digested with 0.1% DNase. For control, 18 normal rats were sacrificed at the same time. DNase was superior to trypsin for retinal preparation on the stainability, the degree of separating nonvascular fissue from vascular net, the degree of preservation of vascular net in normal & diabetic rats. In diabetic rats, the number of pericyte decreased significantly with age, which not in normal rats(p=0.0023) We suggest DNase digestion technique as an new alternative for trypsin digestion technique in the study of microvascular change of diabetic retinopathy.
Animals ; Deoxyribonucleases* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Digestion* ; Endothelial Cells ; Microvessels* ; Pericytes ; Rats* ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde* ; Trypsin*

This study is designed to assess the prevalence at risk of malnutrition according to the Mini Nutritional Assessment(MNA) and evaluate the factors influencing on the nutritional risk of the elderly. Three hundred and nine elderly (110 men and 199 women: mean age = 74.1) who participated in meal service in the Chung-buk province were investigated. Mean MNA total score was 21.9 and women had significantly lower MNA scores than men (respectively, 21.5 and 22.8). In the mean time mean MNA-SF (Short Form) score was 10.7, respectively 10.6 for the women and 11.0 for the men, with the difference being statistically significant. The MNA classified 33% of the elderly as well-nourished, 61.7% as at risk of malnutrition and 5.3% as overt malnourished. However, MNA-SF categorized the examinees 40.2% as good and 59.8% at nutritional risk. Those who identified as malnourished elderly had significantly lower mean BMI, mid-arm and calf circumference, poorer functional abilities (ADL, IADL), lower MAR and food habits scores, and higher number of nutrient < or = 75% of RDA than those with at risk of malnutrition and well nourished. Also socioeconomic status such as educational level, self-rated economic status, poverty level, and marital status significantly influenced nutritional status. Similar effect was observed in self-rated nutritional status and health status, dental status, appetite change according to MNA score. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that weight loss was the most predictive item in the total MNA and MNA-SF score. It was found that items such as mobility, living status (home vs institution), mode of feeding, and pressure sores were inappropriate for assessment of the elderly who are able to participate meal service program. Also, some modifications of items in MNA are needed in order to apply to Korean elderly. Even though the MNA seems to be an useful tool to screen those old people at risk of malnourished, a lot of work is still to be done with this assessment tool to secure its reliability.
Aged* ; Appetite ; Female ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Male ; Malnutrition ; Marital Status ; Meals* ; Nutrition Assessment* ; Nutritional Status ; Poverty ; Pressure Ulcer ; Prevalence ; Social Class ; Weight Loss

No abstract available.
Animals ; Embryonic Structures* ; Mice* ; Quality Control*