BACKGROUND: Elevated plasma homocysteine concentrations are an independent risk factor for vascular disease. The metabolism of homocysteine is closely related to vitamin B12 and folic acid. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the correlation between homocysteine and vitamin B12 as well as folic acid in patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: Sixteen patients, in whom coronary angiography revealed more than 50% of stenosis at least in one coronary vessel, were enrolled as the patient group, and sixteen hypertensive subjects were selected as the control group. Blood was collected in the peripheral vein to measure the concentrations of homocysteine, vitamin B12, and folate. We evaluated the correlation between homocysteine, vitamin B12 and/or folate in both groups. RESULTS: Total plasma homocysteine concentrations were higher in the coronary artery disease group than in the control group. There were no significant differences in the folate and vitamin B12 levels between the coronary artery disease group and the control group. In the control group, the concentrations of homocysteine showed negative correlation with both vitamin B12 and folate concentrations, but similar trends were not observed in the coronary artery disease group.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels ; Folic Acid* ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Plasma* ; Risk Factors ; Vascular Diseases ; Veins ; Vitamin B 12*

The authors have experienced with a case of orbital abscess that was thought to be an orbital tumor. The patient was a 5 year old Korean boy who had exophthalmos in the right eye, but he did not have definite signs of inflammation. On the orbital venogram, there was a space occupying lesion in the lateral and posterior portion of the right eye. To obtain the precise diagnosis of the lesion, we made a surgical approach and drainage of the pus was performed. The pus culture yielded coagulase-positive Staphylococcus. The literature relating to orbital abscess was briefly reviewed.
Abscess* ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Exophthalmos ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Orbit* ; Staphylococcus ; Suppuration

The incidence of periampullary cancer has been steadily rising in Korea. In the present study, we have reviewed 766 cases of surgically treated periampullary cancers, including 122 cases of our own, which were published in the Korean literature from 1984 to 1992. The 6th decade was the most prevalent age group, occupying 38% of the patients. The ratio of male of female was 1.7 to 1. Approximately 60% of lesion located at the head of the pancreas. Computed tomography which had 85% sensitivity was the most commonly employed modality for a diagnosis. The diagnostic sensitivity of percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography was 72%, of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was 71%, and of ultrasonography was 54% in order of frequency. Tumor markers such as CA-19, CEA, and CA-125 were also studied in pancreatic cancer. The combinations of these markers recorded a higher positivity than using solely. The resection rate for lesions at the head of the pancreas was 21%, and that of distal common bile duct, ampulla of vater, and duodenum were 37%, 85%, and 50%, respectively. The morbidity and mortality rates after pancreatoduodenectomy were 44% and 12%, respectively. TNM staging revealed 66% of patients were in stage III, 26% in stage I, and 8% in stage II. The actual 5-year survival rates for cancer of the head of the pancreas was 11%, and that of duodenal cancer, distal choledochal cancer, and ampullary cancer were 21%, 18%, and 15%, respectively. In nonresected group, none survived over 18 months after treatment. Relatively high portion of lymph node metastatic patients may explain the poor survival observed in our series.
*Ampulla of Vater ; Common Bile Duct Neoplasms/epidemiology/mortality/*surgery ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Software ; Survival Rate

Most common annoyant for angular blepharitis has long been known as a diplobacillus of Morax-Axenfeld since 1897. Bacteriological study has been done on 56 patients (102 eyes) being suffered from angular blepharitis clinically diagnosed in the Dept. of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine. Most angular blepharitis involved bilaterally (82%), 34 cases of angular blepharitis were seen in the nasal canthus (61%). Staphylococcus epidermidis was isolated from 50 eyes (49%) with angular blepharitis and staphylococcus au reus from 41 eyes (40%). No diplobacillus of Morax-Axenfeld was demonstrated in the culture from angular blepharitis.
Blepharitis* ; Humans ; Ophthalmology ; Staphylococcus ; Staphylococcus epidermidis

Controlled hypotension has been used to facilitate the surgical procedure and to reduce blood loss. This study was performed to compare the change of the cardiovascular systerm and intracranial pressure following the controlled hypotension induced by isoflurane, sodium nitroprusside, and labetalol in 28 cats. The results were as follows. 1) Heart rate was decreased with the isoflurane-induced hypotension, increased with the sodium nitroprusside-mduced hypotension. Both were not significant, but labetalol-induced hypotension increased heart rate significantly(P< 0.05). 2) Intracranial pressure was increased with isoflurane, sodium nitroprusside, and labetalol-induced hypotension significantly(P< 0.05), but there was significantly small per cent ehange in labetalol-induced hypotension than sodium nitroprusside-induced hypotension(P< 0.05). 3) Cerebral perfusion pressure was decreased with isoflurane, sodium nitroprusside, and labetalol-induced hypotension significantly(P< 0.01), but there was significantly small per cent change in labetalol-induced hypotension than isoflurane or sodium nitroprusside-induced hypotension(P < 0.01, P< 0.001).
Animals ; Cats* ; Heart Rate ; Hypotension* ; Hypotension, Controlled ; Intracranial Pressure ; Isoflurane* ; Labetalol ; Nitroprusside* ; Perfusion ; Sodium*

Controlled hypotension has been used to facilitate the surgical procedure and to reduce blood loss. This study was performed to compare the change of the cardiovascular systerm and intracranial pressure following the controlled hypotension induced by isoflurane, sodium nitroprusside, and labetalol in 28 cats. The results were as follows. 1) Heart rate was decreased with the isoflurane-induced hypotension, increased with the sodium nitroprusside-mduced hypotension. Both were not significant, but labetalol-induced hypotension increased heart rate significantly(P< 0.05). 2) Intracranial pressure was increased with isoflurane, sodium nitroprusside, and labetalol-induced hypotension significantly(P< 0.05), but there was significantly small per cent ehange in labetalol-induced hypotension than sodium nitroprusside-induced hypotension(P< 0.05). 3) Cerebral perfusion pressure was decreased with isoflurane, sodium nitroprusside, and labetalol-induced hypotension significantly(P< 0.01), but there was significantly small per cent change in labetalol-induced hypotension than isoflurane or sodium nitroprusside-induced hypotension(P < 0.01, P< 0.001).
Animals ; Cats* ; Heart Rate ; Hypotension* ; Hypotension, Controlled ; Intracranial Pressure ; Isoflurane* ; Labetalol ; Nitroprusside* ; Perfusion ; Sodium*

The antioxidant effects of HS-1580 derived from Brown seaweeds in comparison with NOS inhibitor, L-NAME, were tested in the Parkinson's disease animal model. C57BL/6 mice were implanted with osmotic pump containing vehicle, HS-1580 or L-NAME intraperitoneally 2 days before MPTP injection. The Parkinson's animal model were prepared by intraperitonal injection of MPTP (20 mg/kg, 4 times with 2 hours intervals in a ay).The mice were perfused with Zamboni fixative 2 days or 7days after MPTP injection. The 30 micrometer cryostat section were immunostained with free-floating method. Rabbit anti-tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)and rat anti-mouse MAC-1 were used as the primary antibodies. The following results were obtained. The number of TH-immunoreactive (ir)neurons in substantia nigra (SN)and the relative density of TH-ir axon terminals in striatum were decreased by MPTP injection. But the ecrease was significantly attenuated with 10%HS-1580 or L-NAME (50 mg/kg)pretreatment before MPTP injection. MAC-1-ir activated microglia were observed in substantia nigra 2 days after MPTP injection. Activated microglia were showed as thickened processes with round cell bodies. The morphological changes of MAC-1-ir activated microglia were inhibited by HS-15980 or L-NAME pretreatment before MPTP injction. Above results mean that the damage of nigrostriatal dopaminergic system was rescued by pretreatment of HS-1580 or L-NAME in MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease animal model.
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine ; Animals* ; Antibodies ; Antioxidants ; Mice ; Microglia ; Models, Animal* ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Parkinson Disease* ; Presynaptic Terminals ; Rats ; Specific Gravity ; Substantia Nigra

No abstract available.
Seroepidemiologic Studies*

PURPOSE: Most men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of high-performance system (HPS) laser photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) for the treatment of BPH in men with detrusor underactivity (DU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 2009, 371 patients with BPH were divided into 2 groups according to the findings of preoperative urodynamic study: 239 (64.4%) patients with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and 132 (35.6%) patients with bladder outlet obstruction with detrusor underactivity (BOO+DU). 120 W HPS laser PVP was performed to resolve the BOO. The perioperative data and postoperative results at 1 month and 12 months, including the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), maximum urinary flow (Qmax), and postvoid residual urine (PVR) values, were evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with the preoperative parameters, significant improvements in IPSS, Qmax, and PVR were observed in each group at 1 and 12 months after the operation. In addition, IPSS, Qmax, and PVR were not significantly different between the BOO and BOO+DU groups at 1 and 12 months after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery to relieve BOO in the patients with BPH seems to be an appropriate treatment modality regardless of the existence of DU.
Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction ; Urodynamics ; Volatilization

A case of sphenoid sinus mucoceles that also partially involved posterior ethmoid and frontal sinuses is described. Diplopia following severe headache of sudden onset developed to 43 year old man. MRI revealed high signal intensity either on T1WI and on T2 WI. The mucoceles of sphenoid sinus and ethmoid sinus were removed by transnasal simple drainage and the postoperative result was satisfactory.
Adult ; Diplopia ; Drainage ; Ethmoid Sinus ; Frontal Sinus ; Headache ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mucocele* ; Sphenoid Sinus*