Cavernous hemangioma of the renal pelvis is a rare benign vascular tumor. We experienced a case of this disease, which associated with renal infarction and hemorrhage in 35 year-old female. I. V. P, R. G. P and abdominal C. T were performed. Now, we introduced the pathologic and radiographic findings.
Adult ; Female ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Kidney Pelvis*

No abstract available.
DNA* ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders*

No abstract available.
DNA* ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders*

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, which invades a wide range of hosts including humans. The exact mechanisms involved in its invasion are not fully understood. This study focused on the roles of Ca2+ in host cell invasion and in T. gondii replication. We examined the invasion and replication of T. gondii pretreated with several calcium modulators, the conoid extrusion of tachyzoites. Calmodulin localization in T. gondii were observed using the immunogold method, and Ca2+ levels in tachyzoites by confocal microscopy. In light microscopic observation, tachyzoites co-treated with A23187 and EGTA showed that host cell invasion and intracellular replication were decreased. The invasion of tachyzoites was slightly inhibited by the Ca2+ channel blockers, bepridil and verapamil, and by the calmodulin antagonist, calmidazolium. We observed that calcium saline containing A23187 induced the extrusion of tachyzoite conoid. By immunoelectron microscopy, gold particles bound to anti-calmodulin or anti-actin mAb, were found to be localized on the anterior portion of tachyzoites. Remarkably reduced intracellular Ca2+ was observed in tachyzoites treated with BAPTA/AM by confocal microscopy. These results suggest that host cell invasion and the intracellular replication of T. gondii tachyzoites are inhibited by the calcium ionophore, A23187, and by the extracellular calcium chelator, EGTA.
Animals ; Calcium/*physiology ; Calcium Channel Blockers/pharmacology ; Calmodulin/antagonists & inhibitors ; Chelating Agents/pharmacology ; Hela Cells ; Host-Parasite Relations ; Humans ; Ionophores/pharmacology ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Toxoplasma/drug effects/pathogenicity/*physiology

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A carboxy-O-methyl transferase inhibitor entacapone has been introduced as an adjuvant drug for Parkinson disease (PD) patients. Although clinical trials reported beneficial role of entacapone, a long-term trial over 3 years failed to show significant effect. The goals of this study were to evaluate the clinical benefit and the efficacy of entacapone in an open clinical practice. METHODS: After the completion of a double-blind placebo-controlled entacapone study, 149 patients from 4 centers were included. Antiparkinsonian medications were optimized by the judgment of the neurologists in charge. The clinical global impression (CGI) scale was obtained at 6 months and 1 year after the initiation of entacapone treatment. RESULTS: Of the 149 patients, 117 patients chose to try entacapone in an open-label fashion. Sixty-nine (59%) patients completed the 1-year trial. Twenty-nine patients discontinued entacpaone before 6 months, and 19 between 6 months and 1 year during trial. Twelve patients out of 48 patients discontinued entacapone because of its poor efficacy. The CGI scale was 3.9 (+/-1.5) at the beginning of the trial, 4.3 (+/-1.1) at 6 month, and 3.8 (+/-1.3) at 1 year, respectively. The CGI scale of those who discontinued between 6 month and 1 year was 3.4 (+/-1.7), which was worse, but insignificantly, than that of the continuer. CONCLUSIONS: The dropout at 1 year of our study was very high at 41%. Even though entacapone is indicated for advanced PD patients with motor fluctuation, the fluctuators commonly have dyskinesia and mental symptoms, which can become more troublesome with entacapone. In the patients with advanced PD, the clinical efficacy and side effects should be carefully considered in a long-term use of entacapone.
Dyskinesias ; Humans ; Judgment ; Parkinson Disease* ; Patient Dropouts ; Transferases

Purpose: The incidence and prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders have rapidly increased, indicating an urgent need for assistance through parenting interventions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a sociodrama-based communication enhancement program on mothers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.Method: A non-randomized controlled experimental study design was employed. The experimental and control groups had 16 and 18 participants, respectively. The once-a-week six-session intervention was conducted from September to November 2017, in South Korea. The effects of group, time, and group-by-time interactions among the groups were verified using generalized estimating equations with an autoregressive correlation structure. Results: There was a significant decrease in the parenting burden, alongside a significant improvement in parent-child communication and parenting competence in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion The sociodrama-based communication enhancement program was found to positively influence the parenting burden, communication, and parenting competence of mothers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. These findings suggest that sociodrama-based programs may be an effective intervention strategy for parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. The sociodrama-based communication enhancement program can be applied to decrease parenting burden and improve parent-child communication and parenting competence. Through continuous parenting interventions, an improvement in expressive language and an increase in the attachment behaviors of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities could be expected.

Objective: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is one of the most common autonomic dysfunctions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. However, many patients with OH are asymptomatic. Conversely, orthostatic dizziness (OD) is not always associated with OH. We investigated the effects of positional changes on cerebral perfusion in patients with PD and OH. Methods: We enrolled 42 patients, comprising 31 PD patients and 11 healthy controls. All the subjects underwent the following clinical assessments: the OH questionnaire, head-up tilt test (HUTT) with transcranial Doppler (TCD), near-infrared spectroscopy, measurement of the change in oxygenated hemoglobin (ΔHboxy) during the squat-to-stand test (SST), measurement of the time derivative of total hemoglobin (DHbtot), and time taken to reach the peak (peak time [PT]) of DHbtot after restanding. Results: The mean flow velocity change (ΔMFV) in the TCD during the HUTT failed to differentiate between the PD-OH(+) and PD-OH(-) groups. The change in oxygenated hemoglobin ΔHboxy was greater in the PD-OH(+) group, which persisted for 9 min until the end of the HUTT only in the left hemisphere. During SST, PT was significantly delayed in the left hemisphere in PD-OH(+) patients. Conclusion Although TCD demonstrated no significant difference in ΔMFV, the parameters measured by near-infrared spectroscopy, such as ΔHboxy during HUTT and PT during the SST, significantly increased ΔHboxy or delayed PT in the left hemisphere of PD-OH(+). Positional changes have a detrimental effect on cerebral hemodynamics in patients with PD and OH, especially in the left hemisphere.

Objective: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is one of the most common autonomic dysfunctions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. However, many patients with OH are asymptomatic. Conversely, orthostatic dizziness (OD) is not always associated with OH. We investigated the effects of positional changes on cerebral perfusion in patients with PD and OH. Methods: We enrolled 42 patients, comprising 31 PD patients and 11 healthy controls. All the subjects underwent the following clinical assessments: the OH questionnaire, head-up tilt test (HUTT) with transcranial Doppler (TCD), near-infrared spectroscopy, measurement of the change in oxygenated hemoglobin (ΔHboxy) during the squat-to-stand test (SST), measurement of the time derivative of total hemoglobin (DHbtot), and time taken to reach the peak (peak time [PT]) of DHbtot after restanding. Results: The mean flow velocity change (ΔMFV) in the TCD during the HUTT failed to differentiate between the PD-OH(+) and PD-OH(-) groups. The change in oxygenated hemoglobin ΔHboxy was greater in the PD-OH(+) group, which persisted for 9 min until the end of the HUTT only in the left hemisphere. During SST, PT was significantly delayed in the left hemisphere in PD-OH(+) patients. Conclusion Although TCD demonstrated no significant difference in ΔMFV, the parameters measured by near-infrared spectroscopy, such as ΔHboxy during HUTT and PT during the SST, significantly increased ΔHboxy or delayed PT in the left hemisphere of PD-OH(+). Positional changes have a detrimental effect on cerebral hemodynamics in patients with PD and OH, especially in the left hemisphere.

Objective: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is one of the most common autonomic dysfunctions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. However, many patients with OH are asymptomatic. Conversely, orthostatic dizziness (OD) is not always associated with OH. We investigated the effects of positional changes on cerebral perfusion in patients with PD and OH. Methods: We enrolled 42 patients, comprising 31 PD patients and 11 healthy controls. All the subjects underwent the following clinical assessments: the OH questionnaire, head-up tilt test (HUTT) with transcranial Doppler (TCD), near-infrared spectroscopy, measurement of the change in oxygenated hemoglobin (ΔHboxy) during the squat-to-stand test (SST), measurement of the time derivative of total hemoglobin (DHbtot), and time taken to reach the peak (peak time [PT]) of DHbtot after restanding. Results: The mean flow velocity change (ΔMFV) in the TCD during the HUTT failed to differentiate between the PD-OH(+) and PD-OH(-) groups. The change in oxygenated hemoglobin ΔHboxy was greater in the PD-OH(+) group, which persisted for 9 min until the end of the HUTT only in the left hemisphere. During SST, PT was significantly delayed in the left hemisphere in PD-OH(+) patients. Conclusion Although TCD demonstrated no significant difference in ΔMFV, the parameters measured by near-infrared spectroscopy, such as ΔHboxy during HUTT and PT during the SST, significantly increased ΔHboxy or delayed PT in the left hemisphere of PD-OH(+). Positional changes have a detrimental effect on cerebral hemodynamics in patients with PD and OH, especially in the left hemisphere.

Objective: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is one of the most common autonomic dysfunctions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. However, many patients with OH are asymptomatic. Conversely, orthostatic dizziness (OD) is not always associated with OH. We investigated the effects of positional changes on cerebral perfusion in patients with PD and OH. Methods: We enrolled 42 patients, comprising 31 PD patients and 11 healthy controls. All the subjects underwent the following clinical assessments: the OH questionnaire, head-up tilt test (HUTT) with transcranial Doppler (TCD), near-infrared spectroscopy, measurement of the change in oxygenated hemoglobin (ΔHboxy) during the squat-to-stand test (SST), measurement of the time derivative of total hemoglobin (DHbtot), and time taken to reach the peak (peak time [PT]) of DHbtot after restanding. Results: The mean flow velocity change (ΔMFV) in the TCD during the HUTT failed to differentiate between the PD-OH(+) and PD-OH(-) groups. The change in oxygenated hemoglobin ΔHboxy was greater in the PD-OH(+) group, which persisted for 9 min until the end of the HUTT only in the left hemisphere. During SST, PT was significantly delayed in the left hemisphere in PD-OH(+) patients. Conclusion Although TCD demonstrated no significant difference in ΔMFV, the parameters measured by near-infrared spectroscopy, such as ΔHboxy during HUTT and PT during the SST, significantly increased ΔHboxy or delayed PT in the left hemisphere of PD-OH(+). Positional changes have a detrimental effect on cerebral hemodynamics in patients with PD and OH, especially in the left hemisphere.