PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging findings of cerebral venous angiomas, and to compare those findings with those of cerebral angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the findings of gadolinium-enhanced MR images of 11 cases with angiographically proved cerebral venous angiomas. We obtained Tl-and T2-weighted images with gadoliniumenhanced Tl-weighted images at a 0.5 T MR imager with a spin-echo technique. We analyzed the location and signal intensity of the lesion, pattern of contrast enhancement, the distribution of draining veins and medullary veins before and after contrast enhancement, and then compared with the findings of cerebral angiography. RESULTS: The characteristic central tubular signal void structure showed low signal intensity on Tl-weighted images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images in all cases. After gadolinium enhancement, we could find a characteristic enhancement of all medullary and central veins in 7 cases. CONCLUSION: Gadolinium-enhanced MR image was useful in the diagnosis of venous angiomas especially in the detection of medullary veins. The invasive cerebral angiography could be replaced by this technique in this disease.
Central Nervous System Venous Angioma* ; Cerebral Angiography* ; Diagnosis ; Gadolinium ; Gadolinium DTPA* ; Hemangioma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Veins

BACKGROUND: Relative changes of astroglial volume constitute the major part of brain edema, which is related to delayed neuronal damage. Several factors including glutamate may contribute to astroglial swelling. Intravenous anesthetic, ketamine was known to restore neuronal damage by inhibiting NMDA receptor activity. Therefore, we decided to investigate the effect of ketamine on the astrocyte swelling by glutamate in the present study. METHODS: To analyze cell swelling in vitro, glial cell line, U1242MG was used. The effects of glutamate (1, 2, 3 mM), and glutamate with ketamine (1 mM) on the regulation of astrocyte volume were achieved by flow cytometry system. To eliminate the dead cells from experimental cell suspension and to assess cell viability, fluorescent dye propidium iodide was used. RESULTS: Glutamate addition (1, 2, 3mM) caused astroglial swelling both in calcium present and calcium absent buffer. The difference of cellular swelling dependent on glutamate concentration was only seen in calcium free buffer (p<0.05). Ketamine per se did not affect astroglial volume. However, when it was added to glutamate perfusion, 1 mM ketamine diminished cellular swelling by glutamate during first 10 minutes (p<0.05), and cellular shrinkage by glutamate after 1 hour incubation (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ketamine (1 mM) is effective in the regulation of astroglial volume alterations induced by glutamate in both short time and long time perfusion.
Astrocytes ; Brain Edema ; Calcium ; Cell Survival ; Flow Cytometry ; Glutamic Acid* ; Ketamine* ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neuroglia ; Neurons ; Perfusion ; Propidium

No abstract available.
Tetanus*

No abstract available.
Coxa Vara* ; Follow-Up Studies*

Authors presented the experience of Ender nail treatment for the humeral shaft fractures in 24 patients. The results of treatment in all were satisfactory, though there were four cases of delayed union. Bridging callus was formed at 8.2 weeks on an average. The average clinical union time was 14 weeks. No complications developed during nailing procedure. A case of radial nerve palsy after fracture recovered spontaneously. Longer nails which hit the end of medullary canal of distal fragment distracted the fracture gap, and resulted in delayed union in 4 cases. Therefore, it is recommended to use the proper size of nail to avoid the distraction effect of the inserted nail, and to use two nails at minimum for better fixation. However, when intramedullary Ender nailing is properly done, single nailing also can give consistently good anatomic and functional results.
Bony Callus ; Humans ; Humerus ; Paralysis ; Radial Nerve

BACKGROUND: As of alpha2-agonist, clonidine reduces generalized sympathetic outflow in nervous system and also reduces acetylcholine release at cholinergic terminals presynaptically. So clonidine premedication is possibly able to decrease muscle contraction and prolong the duration of neuromuscular blockers. Therefore, the aim of our current study is to investigate the effect of oral clonidine on the duration of vecuronium. METHODS: Forty patients (ASA I or II) sheduled for elective low abdominal or extrimities operation were randomly divided into 2 groups. Clonidine group (n=20) received 5 microgram/kg oral clonidine at 90 min before operation. Control group (n=20) received nothing. Neuromuscular transmission was measured with relaxograph. After injection of vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg, we measured onset time (the time from injection of vecuronium to decrease to the 25% of baseline value, duration 1 (the time interval between injection and recovery of the first twitch to 25% of the baseline value), and duration 2 (the time interval between second injection of 0.02 mg/kg vecuronium and recovery of the first twitch to 25% of the baseline value). RESULTS: There were no statistical differences between control and clonidine group in onset time (2.6 +/- 0.6 min vs 2.7 +/- 0.5 min), duration 1 (37.5 +/- 8.9 min vs 40.3 +/- 8.6 min) and duration 2 (22.0 +/- 6.8 min vs 24.4 +/- 6.1 min). CONCLUSIONS: Five microgram/kg of oral clonidine premedication did not prolong the duration of vecuronium.
Acetylcholine ; Clonidine* ; Humans ; Muscle Contraction ; Nervous System ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Neuromuscular Blocking Agents ; Premedication ; Vecuronium Bromide*

In order to determine the prevalence of Necator americanus, 182 fecal samples were collected from school children in the Taegu vicinity. These sample were subsequently cultured by the Harada-Mori technique. Necator americanus was differentiated from Ancylostoma duodenale using the bases of morphological characteristics of filariform larvae. Necator americanus was not found in the vicinity of Taegu.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda- Necator americanus ; epidemiology

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether cyclooxygenase [COX]-1 and COX-2 are expressed in the pregnant human uterine cervix and if they are expressed differentially between preterm and term pregnancies. METHODS: Fourteen patients delivered between 29 and 41 weeks of gestation were matched for obstetrical history and maternal age were divided into a preterm group who delivered between 29 and 36 weeks [n=7], and a term group who delivered between 37 and 41 weeks of gestation [n=7]. Immediately after vaginal delivery cervical biopsy samples were obtained and immunohistochemicaly stained for COX-1 and COX-2 and the degree of staining was evaluated by H-scoring system. RESULTS: Expression of COX-1 and COX-2 was found in all epithelial and stromal cells of uterine cervical tissues of pregnancy. The expression of COX-1 and COX-2 was significantly stronger in the term group compared to the preterm group in epithelial cells [HSCORE : 2.14+/-0.69 vs. 1.14+/-0.38 ; 3.71+/-0.76 vs. 1.86+/-0.90, p<0.05], but there was no significant differences in stromal cells [HSCORE : 3.43+/-0.53 vs. 2.86+/-0.38 ; 2.43+/-0.53 vs. 2.57+/-0.98, p>0.05]. CONCLUSION: In the pregnant human uterine cervix, COX-1 and COX-2 are found to be expressed, and both are strongly expressed in the cervical epithelial cells of term pregnancies compared to preterm pregnancies. It is suggested that the uterine cervix, under the control of prostaglandins, is actively involved in the process of labor, and that the role of COX-2 in epithelium is particularly significant in term pregnancies compared to preterm pregnancies.
Biopsy ; Cervix Uteri* ; Cyclooxygenase 1* ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Female ; Humans* ; Maternal Age ; Pregnancy* ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Prostaglandins ; Stromal Cells

BACKGROUND: Trimetazidine(Vastinan(R)) is a new antianginal agent of different action mechanism specifically targeted at the metabolic cellular consequences of myocardial ischemia. The clinical efficacy of the Trimetazidine in angina pectoris is still to be defined. METHOD: To determine the antianginal effect of trimetazidine in the treatment of ischemic heart disease, 15 patients with stable angina(12 male, 3 female, mean age : 59.3 years) were studied. In 6 cases as a single agent and in 9 cases as an additive regimen to conventional antianginal medications. Trimetazidine(20mg 3 times daily) was given for 30 days or more to evaluate the clinical effect. Graded exercise tests were carried out before the trial of Trimetazidine and on the 30th day of the treatment period. RESULTS: 1) The number of episodes of anginal attacks decreased from 4.2+/-2.7 to 2.0+/-0.5 a week(p<0.05) after treatment with Trimetazidine. 2) Trimetazidine also significantly increased the duration of total exercise from 12.1+/-4.7 min to 14.5+/-3.3 min(p<0.05), and the time to 1mm ST segment depression from 7.7+/-5.9 min to 11.7+/-5.2 min(p<0.05) on treadmill exercise by modified Bruce protocol. 3) Total workload (METs) and rate pressure double product(heart rate x systolic blood pressure) slightly increased, but the differences were not significant statistically. 4) No serious clinical side effects were observed during the treatment. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the Trimetazidine is an effective and safe as an antianginal drug in the treatment of stable angina patients as a single agent and as an additive regimen when the patients are refractory to conventional drugs.
Angina Pectoris ; Angina, Stable* ; Depression ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Trimetazidine