No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Estrogens*

BACKGROUNDs: A retrospective study was performed to define objective radiologic parameters in diagnosing epiglottitis on soft-tissue lateral neck radiographic study. METHODS: Parameters of soft-tissue structures(epiglottis width, third vertebral body width, ratio of epiglottic width to third vertebral body width) in 30 adult patients compared with those of age and sex-matched controls with foreign body in throat whose radiographic reading was normal. RESULTS: Epiglottis width of more than 11mm, ratio of epiglottis width(EW) to the third vertebral body width(C3W) of more than 0.5 were, respectively, found to be 100% sensitive and specific in differentiating between patients with and without epiglottitis. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results suggest that EW/C3W ratio of more than 0.5, EW of more than 11mm, respectively, may be useful in the diagnosis of epiglottitis in adult patients.
Adult* ; Diagnosis* ; Epiglottis ; Epiglottitis* ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Neck ; Pharynx ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Current therapy for acute ischemic stroke is highly focused on neuroprotective agents, and many ion channel blockers have been challenged for experimental models. In this study, we tried to reveal the neuroprotective effect of lamotrigine, a voltage-sensitive sodium channel blocker, for transient global ischemia of Mogolian gerbil. METHODS: Lamotrigine (50mg/kg) was administered via gastric tube 30 minutes before and after global ischemia (for 10 min) under body temperature monitoring. Sham-operated and non-treated ischemia group were compared. Seven days after reperfusion, gerbils were killed with perfusion/fixation technique and representative sections were cut through the hippocampus. Hematoxylin-Eosin staining was done for microscopic examination and number of viable neurons in CA1 area was counted. RESULTS: Neuronal density was different between sham-operated (n=11), non-treated ischemic (n=11), and lamotrigine-treated (n=26) group (107.8+13.1/mm vs. 21.5+23.0/mm vs. 82.0+13.1/mm, p<0.01). Both pre-(n=17) and post-treated group (n=9) showed significant neuroprotective effect compared with non-treated group. Neuronal density of pre-treated group was slightly higher than in post-treated group, though statistically not significant (84.6+13.0/mm vs. 77.3+12.7/mm, p=0.13). CONCLUSION: These results show that lamotrigine may have some effects reducing the delayed neuronal death in transient global ischemia. Considering the mechanism of action, we suggest that activation of voltage-sensitive sodium channel and release of glutamate at early phase of ischemia may be related to the delayed neuronal death.
Body Temperature ; Cerebral Infarction ; Gerbillinae ; Glutamic Acid ; Hippocampus ; Ion Channels ; Ischemia* ; Models, Theoretical ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents* ; Reperfusion ; Sodium Channels ; Stroke

PURPOSE: MRI is known to be an effective imaging modality of the aorta and its role is steadily increasing in the evaluation of acquired aortic diseases including aortic dissections and aortic aneurysms. However, differentiation of the aortic dissections with thrombosed false lumen from the aortic aneurysm with mural thrombus in MRI has not been easy. Therefore, the authors tried to find the characteristic MR featrses which would to differentiate the two diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images of 6 patients with thrombosed aortic dissection and 7 patients with thrombosed aortic aneurysms were reviewed retrospectively and compared in regand to shape and extent of thrombus, dimension of aorta, and luminal flow signal. RESULTS: Thrombosed aortic dissections showed sharply demarcated crescent shaped aortic wall thickening of even thickness involving long segment of the aorta, whereas thrombosed aortic aneurysms showed irregular aortic wall thickening of uneven thickness localized in the short dilated segment of the aorta. Characteristically aortic aneurysm with mural thrombus showed eccentric intraluminal slow flow signal. In contrast to the signal void of the true lumen in aortic dissections, the residual lumen of the aortic aneurysm with mural thrombus revealed intraluminal signal due to slow flow. CONCLUSION: Familiarity to these MRI findings of thrombosed aortic dissections and aortic aneurysms may lead to the accurate differential diagnosis in majority of cases.
Aorta ; Aortic Aneurysm* ; Aortic Diseases ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Phenobarbital ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombosis

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) often precede cerebral infarcts as a warning symptom. But the studies revealing the frequency and the correlation between preceding TIAs and following infarcts are rare. According to the western data, about one-quarter of the patients with cerebral infarct have been supposed to have the previous history of TIAs. We prospectively studied the exact frequency, clinical presentation, and presumed causes of TIAs preceding cerebral infarct. Ninety five patients diagnosed as acute cerebral infarction were interviewed whether they had had previous episodes of TIA. 4 check-list using ordinary language was used, and NINDS diagnostic criteria was applied on the consensus between several neurologists. Seventeen patients (18%) had history of preceding TIAs. Carotid territory was affected in 11 patients (65%), while vertebrobasilar in 4(24%) and undetermined in 2. Duration was less than an hour in 10 patients(59%), and attacks were multiple in about half. Time interval between the last attack and infarction was less than one week in 10 cases(59%). Incidence of recent TIA ((1 month) was 22% in large artery disease(LAD), 11% In cardioembolism(CE), 9% in small-artery disease(SAD), and 7% in mixed etiology. Conclusion, TIAs preceding cerebral infarcts are not rare, but seems to be less common in Koreans than in Caucasians. As expected, atherothrombosis of large artery is supposed to be the leading cause of TIAs.
Arteries ; Cerebral Infarction ; Consensus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Ischemic Attack, Transient* ; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke ; Prospective Studies

Traumatic ventricular septal defect secondary to nonpenetrating chest trauma is very rare. We present one case of nonpenetrating traumatic ventricular septal defect with the review of the literatures.
Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Thorax*

There are some errors in the published article. The authors would like to make corrections in the original version of the article.

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Decompression* ; Head* ; Humans ; Osteonecrosis*

BACKGROUND: Transient global ischemia causes delayed neuronal death (DND) in the CA1 area, of which the mecha-nism is controversial. Induction of apoptosis-regulating proteins during the process of DND has been reported, howev-er ,the exact role of Bcl-2/Bax is not well understood. We tried to reveal the pattern of the Bax/Bcl-2 expression modi-fied by the duration of ischemia and hypothermia. METHODS: Global ischemia was induced in Mongolian gerbils for 2, 5, and 10 minutes under the temperature of 36 degrees C and 32 degrees C. Hippocampal sections were evaluated 48 hours after ischemia with H&E and immunohistochemical staining to Bcl-2/Bax. Viable neuronal density and semi-quantitative grading were compared. RESULTS: In the CA1 area, neurons were intact in 2 min ischemia, while partial or significant ischemic changes were observed in 5-10 min ischemia of 36 degrees C setting, which were less severe in 32 degrees C . Bcl-2 was posi-tive in 2 min ischemia, while negative in 5~10 min ischemia of 36 degrees C . Bax was negative in 2 and 10 min ischemia, while positive in 5 min ischemia. In 32 degrees C setting, Bcl-2 was also positive in 2 min ischemia and partially positive in 5- 10 min ischemia, although Bax expression was not different from 36 degrees C. CONCLUSIONS: The complex mechanism of DND, which is in the spectrum of apoptosis and necrosis, seems to be determined by the severity of ischemia. The bal-ance between Bcl-2 and Bax may determine the survival of neurons in mild to moderate ischemia. Further evidence remains to be determined by morphological and molecular biological methods.
Apoptosis ; Body Temperature* ; Gerbillinae ; Hypothermia ; Ischemia* ; Necrosis ; Neurons

PURPOSE: The accurate analysis of urinary stone components is fundamental for studying of the etiology of stone formation and it is essential for the treatment of urinary stone and its prevention. We compared the analysis of urinary stone components during the last two decades. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stone analysis was performed by Louis C. Herring and Company. The urinary stones were aobtained from January, 1986 to December, 2005. We compared the stone components of the first decade (Group A, 301 cases) with that of the second decade(Group B, 158 cases). RESULTS: The mean age was 47.2+/-14.5 in Group A and 46.0+/-10.2 in Group B(p=0.658). The ratio of males to females was 2.04:1 in Group A and 1.98:1 in Group B(p=0.888). Ureteral stones were the most common stones in both groups. Among all the components analyzed in Group A, calcium oxalate made up 73.1% of the total. Other components found in the stones were uric acid 12.3%, calcium phosphate 8.3%, magnesium ammonium 5.3%, ammonium acid urate 0.7% and cystine 0.3%. In Group B, calcium oxalate was only 56.3% of the total and uric acid was 22.2%, calcium phosphate was 11.4%, magnesium ammonium phosphate was 8.2%, ammonium acid urate was 1.3% and cystine was 0.6%. On comparison of the stones of the two groups, the incidence of calcium oxalate was decreased in Group A(73.1% vs 56.3%, p<0.001). However, the incidence of uric acid in Group B was increased(12.3% vs 22.2%, respectively, p=0.006). There were no notable statistical increases in the frequency of the other components(p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the incidence of calcium oxalate was decreased and that of the uric acid was increased in the recent decade. These changes of stone components probably resulted from the increased animal protein diet.
Ammonium Compounds ; Animals ; Calcium ; Calcium Oxalate ; Cystine ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Magnesium ; Male ; Ureter ; Uric Acid ; Urinary Calculi*