No abstract available.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Humans ; Stroke*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Sepsis* ; Vibrio cholerae* ; Vibrio*

No abstract available.
Humans

Laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation are potent stimuli that increase heart rate and blood pressure. These transient stress responses are probably not harmful in healthy individuals. However hypertensive patients are more prone to have significant increase in heart rate and blood pressure whether they have been treated beforehand or not and these responses also can lead to fstal complications. A randomized double-blind study was csrried out on 40 ASA physical status II-III adult elective surgical patients with hypertension to assess the effects of continuous intravenous infusion of esmolol, ultrashortacting cardioselective beta blocker, on hemodynamic responses to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. Patients received a continuous infusion of esmolol(500mcg/kg/min for 1 minute, followed by 200mcg/kg/min for 12minutes) or an equal volume of saline before and throughout the induction periods of anesthesia. Using noninvasive automatic blood pressure monitor, blood pressure( systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure) and heart rate were measured at 6 points: 1) as the control value, on arrival to operating room, 2) just after IV loading dose of saline or esmolol, 3) just after IV thiopental, 4) 1 minute after intuhation, 5) 3 minutes after intubation, and 6) 5 minutes after intubation. The rate-pressure product was calculated in each time. During this study, anesthesia was maintained with enflursne-N2O-O2 vecuronium and controlled ventilstion. In patients given esmolol, systolic pressure, diasolic pressure, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and rate pressure product at 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes after intubation were less increased than control group. And the heart rste response was more effectively blunted than the blood pressure response. The continuous infusion of esmolol can blunt hemodynamic changes caused by laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation in hypertensive patients, yet it is needed to find out the optimal dosage of esmolol for complete blocking of the sympathetic response without the adverse effects.
Adult ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitors ; Double-Blind Method ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal* ; Laryngoscopy ; Operating Rooms ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide

Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genetic Counseling ; Humans ; Mandible ; Mass Screening ; Mothers ; Odontogenic Cysts ; Recurrence ; Siblings ; Skin ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Surface antigen 3 (SAG3) of Toxoplasma gondii is very similar in structure to the major surface antigen 1 (SAG1). Although numerous studies have supported the importance of SAG1 in protection against T. gondii infection, few reports exist on SAG3. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-fused SAG3 of T. gondii (rSAG3) were immunized into BALB/c mice alone or in combination with Quil A (rSAG3/Quil A), and then evaluated the protective immunity in vivo and in vitro against murine toxoplasmosis. RESULTS: Immunization with rSAG3 or rSAG3/Quil A resulted in significantly more survival days and fewer brain cysts after challenge with T. gondii compared to an infected control group. Mice immunized with rSAG3 alone or in combination with Quil A produced significantly more specific IgG2a antibody, whereas specific IgG1 antibody titers did not increase. The percentage of CD8+ T cells, IFN-gamma mRNA expression, and nitric oxide production significantly increased in rSAG3- and rSAG3/Quil A-immunized mice. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that vaccination with Toxoplasma rSAG3 results in partial protective immunity against T. gondii infection through induction of a Th1-type immune response, and that protective immunity is accelerated by the modulating effects of Quil A.
Animals ; Antigens, Protozoan/genetics/*immunology/metabolism ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics/immunology/metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology ; Interferon-gamma/metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism ; Protozoan Proteins/genetics/immunology/metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics/immunology/metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Saponins/*immunology ; Toxoplasma/growth & development/*immunology ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*immunology/metabolism/microbiology ; Vaccination/*methods

PURPOSE: Surface antigen 3 (SAG3) of Toxoplasma gondii is very similar in structure to the major surface antigen 1 (SAG1). Although numerous studies have supported the importance of SAG1 in protection against T. gondii infection, few reports exist on SAG3. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-fused SAG3 of T. gondii (rSAG3) were immunized into BALB/c mice alone or in combination with Quil A (rSAG3/Quil A), and then evaluated the protective immunity in vivo and in vitro against murine toxoplasmosis. RESULTS: Immunization with rSAG3 or rSAG3/Quil A resulted in significantly more survival days and fewer brain cysts after challenge with T. gondii compared to an infected control group. Mice immunized with rSAG3 alone or in combination with Quil A produced significantly more specific IgG2a antibody, whereas specific IgG1 antibody titers did not increase. The percentage of CD8+ T cells, IFN-gamma mRNA expression, and nitric oxide production significantly increased in rSAG3- and rSAG3/Quil A-immunized mice. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that vaccination with Toxoplasma rSAG3 results in partial protective immunity against T. gondii infection through induction of a Th1-type immune response, and that protective immunity is accelerated by the modulating effects of Quil A.
Animals ; Antigens, Protozoan/genetics/*immunology/metabolism ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics/immunology/metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology ; Interferon-gamma/metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism ; Protozoan Proteins/genetics/immunology/metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics/immunology/metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Saponins/*immunology ; Toxoplasma/growth & development/*immunology ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*immunology/metabolism/microbiology ; Vaccination/*methods

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pruritus following the administration of epidural narcotics is a very common and undesirable side effect. Therefore, we evaluated the use of a combination of naloxone and sufentanil via patient controlled epidural analgesia to determine if the incidence of pruritus was decreased when compared to the use of sufentanil alone. METHODS: Patients scheduled for subtotal gastrectomy under general anesthesia were enrolled in a prospective, double-blinded and randomized trial. All patients received a 20 microgram epidural bolus of sufentanil in 5 ml of 0.2% ropivacaine. Following administration of the epidural, patients in the sufentanyl group (S) received a continuous epidural comprised of sufentanil (0.75 microgram/ml) in 0.2% ropivacaine, whereas patients in the naloxone group (N) received an epidural infusion comprised of naloxone (4 microgram/ml) and sufentanil (0.75 microgram/ml) in 0.2% ropivacaine. The infusion rate, demand dose and lockout interval were 5 ml/hr, 0.5 ml and 15 minutes respectively. Next, the occurrence of postoperative analgesia and side effects were evaluated by blinded observers. RESULTS: The incidence of pruritus (47.4% versus 20.0%, P = 0.013) and nausea (42.1% versus 20.0%, P = 0.043) were lower in group N than in group S. In addition, there were no significant differences observed in the visual analogue scale, the incidence of vomiting or the incidence of sedation. Furthermore, epidural infusion of naloxone at 0.25-0.4 microgram/kg/hr did not affect the requirement for postoperative sufentanil. CONCLUSIONS: Epidural naloxone reduces epidural sufentanil induced pruritus and nausea without reversing its analgesic effects.
Analgesia ; Analgesia, Epidural ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Anesthesia, General ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Naloxone* ; Narcotics ; Nausea ; Prospective Studies ; Pruritus* ; Sufentanil* ; Vomiting

This study was performed to investigate the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture and moxibustion on abomasal displacement in dairy cattle.After acupuncture needles were inserted bilaterally into the acupoints, 'Pi yu', 'Wei yu' and 'Guan yuan yu', electronic stimulation (5 Hz and 10 V, 20 minutes) was conducted once a day for 3 days consecutively. Modified moxa patch was also applied at the same acupoints as in acupuncture for 3 days consecutively.Ten among twelve cows with abomasal displacement were recovered by electroacupuncture and moxibustion, but two were treated with paramedian abomasopexy. It is considered that electroacupuncture and moxibustion may be convenient, safe and economical therapeutic alternatives available instead of surgical procedures on abomasal displacement in dairy cattle.
Abomasum/*pathology ; Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*therapy ; Electroacupuncture/*veterinary ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases/*therapy/*veterinary ; Moxibustion/*veterinary

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of a home-made histographic analysis system using a lung volume controller. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Our study involved ten healthy volunteers, ten emphysema patients, and two idio-pathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients. Using a home-made lung volume controller, images were obtained in the upper, middle, and lower lung zones at 70%, 50%, and 20% of vital capacity. Electron beam tomography was used and scanning parameters were single slice mode, 10-mm slice thickness, 0.4-second scan time, and 35 -cm field of view. Using a home-made semi-automated program, pulmonary parenchyma was isolated and a histogram then obtained. Seven histographic parameters, namely mean density (MD), density at maximal frequency (DMF), maximal ascending gradient (MAG), maximal ascending gradient density (MAGD), maxi-mal descending gradient (MDG), maximal descending gradient density (MDGD), and full width at half maxi-mum (FWHM) were derived from the histogram. We compared normal controls with abnormal groups includ-ing emphysema and IPF patients at the same respiration levels. RESULTS: A normal histographic zone with +/-1 standard deviation was obtained. Histographic curves of normal controls shifted toward the high density level, and the width of the normal zone increased as the level of inspi-ration decreased. In ten normal controls, MD, DMF, MAG, MAGD, MDG, MDGD, and FWHM readings at a 70% inspiration level were lower than those at 20% (p<0.05). At the same level of inspiration, histograms of emphysema patients were located at a lower density area than those of normal controls. As inspiration status decreased, histograms of emphysema patients showed diminished shift compared with those of normal con-trols. At 50% and 20% inspiration levels, the MD, DMF, and MAGD readings of emphysema patients were significantly lower than those of normal controls (p<0.05). Compared with those of normal controls, his-tograms of the two IPF patients obtained at three inspiration levels were located in an area of higher density. CONCLUSION: Using a home-made histographic analysis system which included a lung volume controller, pa-tients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease could be distinguished from normal controls. The method may be useful for the diagnosis and follow up of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases.
Diagnosis ; Emphysema ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Lung Diseases* ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Lung* ; Pilot Projects* ; Pulmonary Emphysema ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Reading ; Respiration ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vital Capacity