The induction agents produce various effects to cardiovascular system. Among these, thio- pental, propofol, and etomidate produce reduction in cardiac output and peripheral vascular resistance. As a result severe systemic arterial hypotension is evoked. This phenomenon results from combined effects of CNS, cardiovascular and peripheral vascular systems. The purpose of this study was to obeserve direct effects of thiopental, propofol, etomidate in isolated rat aorta and pulmonary artery. Isometric tension was recorded in rat aortic and pulmonary artery ring preparation contracted by norepinephrine(1.8x10-6) . Thereafter thiopental, etomidate, propofol was added to organ bath. And the contractile or relaxing response was observed. Thiopental relaxed aortic ring by 3.6+/-1.3%(low dose), 3.9+/-1.4%(high dose), etomidate relaxed aortic ring by 2.0+/-0.7%(low dose), 5.4+/-2.8% (high dose), respectively. It was statistically insignificant. However, propofol relaxed aortic ring by 12.7+/-3.8%(low dose), 14.7+/-2.7%(high dose), respectively(p <0.05). Thiopental relaxed pulmonary artery ring by 4.8+/-1.1%(low dose), 5.1+/-2.3%(high dose), etomidate relaxed pulmonary artery ring by 4.8+/-1.1%(low dose), 5.1+/-2.3%(high dose), respectively. It was statistically insignificant. However, propofol relaxed pulmonary artery ring by 8.4+/-2.4%(low dose), 10.4+/-3.6(high dose), respectively( p<0.05). The results suggest that hypotension after propofol administration was due to direct vascular smooth muscle relaxation.
Animals ; Aorta* ; Baths ; Cardiac Output ; Cardiovascular System ; Etomidate* ; Hypotension ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Propofol* ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Rats* ; Relaxation ; Thiopental* ; Vascular Resistance

Stomatognathic system is a complex one that is composed of TMJ, neuromuscular system, teeth and connective tissue, and all its components are doing their parts to maintain their physiological relationships. Mandible, in particular, performs various functions such as mastication, speech, and deglutition, the muscular activities that determine such functions are signalled by numerous types of proprioceptors that exist in periodontal membrane, TMJ, and muscles to be controlled by complicated pathways and mechanics of peripheral and central nervous system. Orthodontic treatment, especially when accompanied by orthognathic surgery, brings dramatic changes of stornatognat is system such as intraoral proprioceptors and muscle activities and thus, changes in patterns of mandibular function result The author tried to analyze changes in patterns of mandibular movement and physiologic activities of surrounding muscles in Skeletal Class III ortlrognathic surgery patients who presently show a great increase in numbers. The purpose of this study was to draw some objective guidelines in evaluating funclierual aspects of orthognathic surgery patients. Mandibular functional analysis using Biopak was performed for skeletal Class III prognathic patients who underwent IVRO(lntraoral Vertical Ramus Osteotmy), and the following results were obtained: 1. Resting EMG was greater in pre-surgical group than the control group, and it showed gradual decrease after the surgery. Clenching EMG of masseter and anterior temporalis of pre-surgical group was smaller than those of control group, they also increased post-surgically, and significant difference was found between pre-surgical and post-surgical(6 months) groups. 2. Resting EMG of anterior ternporalis was greater than that of all the other muscles, but there was no significant difference. Clenching EMG of anterior temporalis and masseter were greater than those of the other muscles with statistical difference. In swallowing, digastric muscle showed the highest EMG with statistical significance. 3. Limited range of mandibular movement was shown in pre-surgical group. Significant increase in maximum mouth opening was observed six months post-surgically, and significant increase in protrusive movement was observed three months post-surgically
Central Nervous System ; Connective Tissue ; Deglutition ; Humans ; Mandible ; Mastication ; Mechanics ; Membranes ; Mouth ; Muscles ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Osteotomy* ; Stomatognathic System ; Temporomandibular Joint ; Tooth

PURPOSE: We intended to decrease late CNS reaction after radical radiotherapy for an intracranial germinoma by using combined neoadjuvant chemotherapy and involved-field radiotherapy. The efficacy in terms of its acute toxicity and short-term relapse patterns was analyzed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients were treated with combined neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy between 1995 and 2001. The chemotherapy regimen used was the Children's Cancer Group (CCG) 9921A (cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, VP-16, vincristine) for 5 patients younger than 16 years, BEP (bleomycin, VP-16, cisplatin) for 12 patients, and EP (VP-16, cisplatin) for 1 patient. The radiotherapy covered the whole craniospinal axis for 5 patients, the whole brain for 1, and the partial brain (involved field) for 12. the primary lesion received tumour doses between 3,960 and 5,400 cGy. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was 16:2 and the median age was 16 years old. The tumors were located in the pineal gland in 12 patients, in the suprasellar region in 1, in the basal ganglia in 1, in the thalamus in 1. Three patients had multiple lesions and ventricular seedings were shown at MRI. In 3 patients, tumor cells were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid and MRI detected a spinal seeding in 2 patients. The response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was complete remission in 5 patients, partial remission in 12, and no response in 1. However, after radiotherapy, all except 1 patient experienced complete remission. The toxicity during or after chemotherapy greater than or equal to grade III was remarkable; hematologic toxicity was observed in 11 patients, liver toxicity in none, kidney toxicity in none, and gastrointestinal toxicity in one. One patient suffered from bleomycin-induced pneumonitis. Radiotherapy was therefore stopped and the patient eventually died of respiratory failure. The other 17 are alive without any evidence of disease or relapse during an average of 20 months follow-up. CONCLUSION: A high response rate and disease control was experienced, which was the same as observed other studies and the morbidity from chemotherapy-induced toxicity was similar. With these results, the results from adjuvant chemotherapy and involved-field radiotherapy cannot be concluded to be equal to those from extended-field radiotherapy. The long term follow-up study on later complications are required in order to draw definite conclusions on the optimal management with minimum side effects.
Adolescent ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cyclophosphamide ; Drug Therapy* ; Etoposide ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Germinoma* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Pineal Gland ; Pneumonia ; Radiotherapy* ; Recurrence ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Thalamus

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether serum testosterone to estradiol ratio was decreased in infertile men and whether this condition can be corrected with oral aromatase inhibitor. METHOD: The serum testosterone to estradiol ratio of 26 men with testicular failure were compared with those of normal semen analysis parameter, 89 control reference group. All of 26 testicular failure group were diagnosed with the previous testicular biopsy. Then 46 men with oligospermia and/or asthenospermia were selected and treated with 1 mg of the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (Arimidex(R)) orally once daily for 3 months. Testosterone to estradiol ratio and semen analyses were evaluated during anastrozole therapy. RESULTS: The testosterone level of testicular failure group was significantly lower and the testosterone to estradiol ratio was more decreased than normal semen parameter group. Forty six on-anastrozole group had significantly lower testosterone (4.6 versus 5.7 ng/ml, p<0.01) and higher estradiol (15.9 versus 23.4 pg/ml, p<0.01) than pre-anastrozole group, resulting in a decreased testosterone to estradiol ratio (0.21+/-0.07 versus 0.39+/-.15, p<0.01). Semen analyses before and during anastrozole treatment revealed significant increases in sperm count (35.5 versus 52.2 million sperm per ml, p<0.01) and motility (22.9% versus 29.3%, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We identified infertile men with testicular failure had hormonal changes characterized by a decreased serum testosterone to estradiol ratio. The ratio can be corrected with aromatase inhibitor, resulting in a significant improvement in semen parameters.
Aromatase* ; Biopsy ; Estradiol ; Humans ; Infertility ; Male* ; Oligospermia ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Spermatozoa ; Testosterone

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether serum testosterone to estradiol ratio was decreased in infertile men and whether this condition can be corrected with oral aromatase inhibitor. METHOD: The serum testosterone to estradiol ratio of 26 men with testicular failure were compared with those of normal semen analysis parameter, 89 control reference group. All of 26 testicular failure group were diagnosed with the previous testicular biopsy. Then 46 men with oligospermia and/or asthenospermia were selected and treated with 1 mg of the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (Arimidex(R)) orally once daily for 3 months. Testosterone to estradiol ratio and semen analyses were evaluated during anastrozole therapy. RESULTS: The testosterone level of testicular failure group was significantly lower and the testosterone to estradiol ratio was more decreased than normal semen parameter group. Forty six on-anastrozole group had significantly lower testosterone (4.6 versus 5.7 ng/ml, p<0.01) and higher estradiol (15.9 versus 23.4 pg/ml, p<0.01) than pre-anastrozole group, resulting in a decreased testosterone to estradiol ratio (0.21+/-0.07 versus 0.39+/-.15, p<0.01). Semen analyses before and during anastrozole treatment revealed significant increases in sperm count (35.5 versus 52.2 million sperm per ml, p<0.01) and motility (22.9% versus 29.3%, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We identified infertile men with testicular failure had hormonal changes characterized by a decreased serum testosterone to estradiol ratio. The ratio can be corrected with aromatase inhibitor, resulting in a significant improvement in semen parameters.
Aromatase* ; Biopsy ; Estradiol ; Humans ; Infertility ; Male* ; Oligospermia ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Spermatozoa ; Testosterone

OBJECTIVE: To gain basic information regarding the biologic stability of plasma ion-implanted miniscrews and their potential clinical applications. METHODS: Sixteen plasma ion-implanted and 16 sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) miniscrews were bilaterally inserted in the mandibles of 4 beagles (2 miniscrews of each type per quadrant). Then, 250 - 300 gm of force from Ni-Ti coil springs was applied for 2 different periods: 12 weeks on one side and 3 weeks contralaterally. Thereafter, the animals were sacrificed and mandibular specimens including the miniscrews were collected. The insertion torque and mobility were compared between the groups. The bone-implant contact and bone volume ratio were calculated within 800 microm of the miniscrews and compared between the loading periods. The number of osteoblasts was also quantified. The measurements were expressed as percentages and analyzed by independent t-tests (p < 0.05). RESULTS: No significant differences in any of the analyzed parameters were noted between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary findings indicate that plasma ion-implanted miniscrews have similar biologic characteristics to SLA miniscrews in terms of insertion torque, mobility, bone-implant contact rate, and bone volume rate.
Animals ; Mandible ; Nickel ; Osteoblasts ; Plasma ; Population Characteristics ; Titanium ; Torque

No abstract available.
Transplantation* ; Tuberculosis*

No abstract available.
Transplantation* ; Tuberculosis*

With growing needs of microarray data sharing, there are efforts for the development of microarray standards. The standard data exchange model, MAGE-OM (Microarray Gene Expression Object Model) is an object-oriented conceptual model for microarray expression data. MAGE-OM database system is applicable for storage of the associated XML data exchange format MAGE-ML (Microarray Gene Expression Markup Language) and for higher level analysis and integration with biomedical resources. We have implemented MAGE-OM in both frame-based ontology and relational database to exploit the great modeling power of MAGE-OM and compared them in terms of consistency, efficiency and flexibility to the data model. Two implementations showed considerable difference in representing relationships among classes. The ontology in the frame-based system nearly matched the object-oriented model, but performance may become problematic as the database grows. The relational database schema was preferable for performance but it is difficult to guarantee the consistency to the conceptual object level. Our relational schema is also shown to be simplified and provide improved efficiency in comparison with recently published database Array Express at the European Bioinformatics Institute. These design approaches would be helpful to understand the suitability and limitations of each implementation in the context of building standard-compliant database for microarray.
Computational Biology ; Gene Expression ; Information Dissemination ; Pliability

OBJECTIVE: This study compared three prominent midsagittal planes (MSPs) to identify the MSP that best approximates the true symmetrical MSP. METHODS: Forty-three patients (mean age, 23.0 ± 8.20 years) were grouped as follows: group 1 consisted of 10 patients with skeletal Class I and a menton (Me) deviation of < 2 mm; group 2, 11 patients with skeletal Class III and a Me deviation < 2 mm; group 3, nine patients with skeletal Class III and a Me deviation of 2 to less than 4 mm; and group 4, 13 patients with skeletal Class III and an Me deviation ≥ 4 mm. The candidate MSPs were established by three-dimensional (3D) cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) reorientation methods (RMs): (1) the MSP perpendicular to the Frankfort horizontal (FH) plane while passing through the crista galli and basion; (2) the MSP including the nasion, incisive foramen, and basion; (3) the MSP including the nasion, anterior nasal spine, and posterior nasal spine. The mean absolute distances (MADs) to the MSPs were calculated from the coordinates of 1,548 points on 129 CBCT images. The differences in the values of the 3D coordinates among RMs were compared. RESULTS: The MADs of the three RMs showed significant differences (p < 0.05). Most of the differences in values of the coordinates were not significant among RMs. CONCLUSIONS Although the differences in distance among the three MSPs were minor, the MSP perpendicular to the FH plane while passing through the crista galli and basion best approximated the true symmetrical MSP.