Meningioma is the most common neoplasm of central nervous system which is hardly diagnosed by cytologic examination. However, preoperative cytologic diagnosis can be easily made in the case of extracranial meningioma, especially in head and neck lesion. We recently experienced a case of fine needle aspiration cytology of meningioma in submandibular area of a 24 year-old male patient. The smear revealed high cellularity in the clean background. Individual tumor cell of nests or syncytium had round or oval nuclei with fine chromatin and moderate amount of lightly stained cytoplasm with indistinct mar- gin. Characteristic cellular whorls, intranuclear inclusions and scattered psammoma bodies made it easy to diagnose a meningioma.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Central Nervous System ; Chromatin ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis ; Fanconi Syndrome* ; Giant Cells ; Head ; Humans ; Intranuclear Inclusion Bodies ; Male ; Meningioma ; Neck ; Salivary Glands ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To evaluate protective mechanism of melatonin against radiation damage and its relationship with apoptosis in mouse jejunum. MATERIALS AND METHODS:' 168 mice were divided into 28 groups according to radiation dose and melatonin treatment. To analysis crypt survival, microcolony survival assay was done according to Withers an (l Elkind's method. To analysis apoptosis, TUNEL assay was done according to Labet-Moleur's method. RESULTS: Radiation protection effect of melatonin was demonstrated by crypt survival assay and its effect was stronger in high radiation dose area. Apoptosis index with 8 Gy irradiation was 18.4% in control group and 16.5% in melatonin treated group. After 18 Gy, apoptosis index was 17.2% in control group and 15.4% in melatonin treated group. Apoptosis index did not show statistically significant difference between melatonin treated group and control group. CONCLUSION: Melatonin shows clear protective effect in mouse jejunum against radiation damage but it.', protective effect seems not to be related with apoptosis protection effect.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Cell Survival* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Jejunum ; Melatonin* ; Mice* ; Radiation Protection

We have analyzed 785 ICU patients admitted between May 24, 1989 and April 30, 1990, to obtain better guidance and management in the ICU. The results of analysis are as follows: 1) Total number of patients was 785; 459 male and 326 female. The number of patients admitted was 337 (42.9%) from the Department of neurosurgery, 259 (33.0%) from internal medicine and 70 (8.9%) from genreal surgery. 2) 183 patients were involved in 51~60 age group, 166 in 61~70 age group, 138 in 41-50 age group and 85 in over 71 age group. 3) The number of patients by admission days was 223 (28.4%) in 3~4 days group, 197 (250%) in 1~2 days group and 128 (16.3%) in 5~6 days group. 4) The total number of expired patients was 103 (mortality rate, 13,1%); 66 male and 37 female. The expired 63 patients admitteed in ICU due to medical problems and 40 patients due to surgical problems. The number of expired patients was 54 (52.4%) from the Department of internal medicine, 31 (30.1%) from neurosurgery and 5 (4.9%) from general surgery. 5) The highest mortality group was 51~60 age group by age and 1~2 days group by duration of admission.
Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Internal Medicine ; Male ; Mortality ; Neurosurgery

In order to evaluate the effects of trichloroethylene (TCE) on the central and autonomic nervous system, the brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and the electrocardiographic R-R interval variability (CV(rr)) were measured in three groups of workers (11) working in TCE degreasing process, workers (4) exposed to lead and two groups of workers (12) not exposed to any kinds of neurotoxicants. Two components of the CVrr reflecting parasympathetic activity (C-CV(rsa)) and sympathetic and parasympathetic activities (CCV(mwsa)) were examined. The TCE workers were exposed to TCE at the level of less than 1 hour per week while the degreasing material was changed. There were no differences in the latencies of BAEPS and CV(rr) and the components of the CV(rr) between control and TCE and lead groups. However, two lead workers had the blood lead level of less than 60 g/dl recommended as present biological guideline by the Ministry of Labor, showed the delayed latencies of V5 and I-V in BAEP. This results suggested that intermittent TCE erposure didn't affect the auditory nervous pathway and the autonomic nervous system, however, lead exposure might affect the central nervous system at the level of less than 60 g/dl in blood lead.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Brain Stem* ; Brain* ; Central Nervous System ; Electrocardiography ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem* ; Trichloroethylene*

In order to evaluate the confounding factors of neurobehavioral tests and the neurobehavioral effects in the workers exposed to organic solvents, NCTB was carried out on 100 workers. 46 workers had never been exposed to neurotoxic substances, and the others were being exposed to the solvents, mainly toluene. Simple reaction time, digit symbol, Santa Ana dexterity test and persuit aiming were different with age in non exposure group. Simple reaction time was carried out well in males, and digit symbol and persuit aiming were in females. There was no difference at educational level when the subject was educated over 12 years. Santa Ana dexterity and Benton visual test differed according to exposure level to toluene, however simple reaction time didn't. The acute neurotoxic effect was not excluded in this study. But, NCTB could be used to evaluate and prevent neurobehavioral changes in workers exposed to neurotoxic solvents in Korea.
Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Reaction Time ; Solvents* ; Toluene

Induction of general anesthesia with tracheal intubation is routine proeedure but causes varying degrees of sympathetic stimulation such as increases in blood pressure and heart rate. Many approaches have been tried to attenuate these hemodynamic responses To evaluate the effects of clonidine, a-2 adrenergic receptor agonist, on the hemodynamic changes induced by intubation, we administered clonidine(5 ug/kg, P.O.) 90 minutes before induction of anesthesia. We measured systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and heart rate before premedication, before induction, after intubation and 5, 10 minutes after intubation and compared with control group. The results were as follows: 1) After intubation systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased significantly in both group(P<0.05) but the increasing rate was significantly less than in clonidine group. (P<0.05) 2) After intubation the increaae in heart rate in clonidine group was significantly less than in control group (p<0.05). 3) The trend of increase in heart rate in clonidine group was more stabilized than control group. 4) Systolic blood pressure and heart rate in clonidine group were significantly decreased in preinduction period after premedication.
Adrenergic Agonists ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Blood Pressure ; Clonidine* ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Intubation* ; Premedication

BACKGROUND AND OBJECT: Cheiro-oral syndrome (COS) is characterized by a sensory disturbance in the unilateral hand and ipsilateral mouth corner. It is usually due to a lesion in the parietal cortex, thatamocortical projections, thalamus, or rarely brain stem. However, the syndrome is relatively unknown and rarely mentioned in most neurological textbooks. We presented ten cases of COS with a review of the clinical symptoms and signs and the neuroradiological methods used to demonstrate the responsible site. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 10 patients with stroke who showed restricted sensory disturbance on the one hand and ispilateral mouth. The study forms consisted of clinical manifestaion, neurological examination, electrophysiological, and neuroradiologic studies. Computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging identified lesion in the thalamus in 5, brain stem in 3, and corona radiata in 1 patient. But, the anatomical responsible site for one case was not founded. Infarction had occurred in nine cases and hemorrhage in one. Seven of the 10 patients showed sensory disturbances restricted to the perioral area, hands, fingers when they were first examined; the remaining patients complained more diffuse sensory disturbances at first, but it had become restricted to perioral and fingers, usually within 2-3 weeks. The durations of symptom varied from 5 days to more than 15 months and these symptoms were improved within 2-3 weeks to 4 months in treated patients. CONCLUSION: When the symptoms and signs of the COS were presented, especially if a history of migraine is lacking, neuroradiological methods such as CT or MRI should be undertaken to localize and diffentiate the nature of lesion.
Brain Stem ; Fingers ; Hand ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Migraine Disorders ; Mouth ; Neurologic Examination ; Rabeprazole ; Stroke ; Thalamus

BACKGROUND: In Korea, tuberculosis is resistant to isoniazid (INH) and/or rifampicin (RIF) in more than 10% of cases. To prevent the spread of resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains, it is crucial to develop more rapid resistance detection methods. METHODS: To determine the feasibility of using direct sequencing for detecting INH- and RIF-resistant strains, the katG gene, the regulatory region of the inhA gene, and the 81-bp hot-spot region of the rpoB gene from 95 culture isolates and 46 respiratory specimens were sequenced. Total 141 culture isolates were classified by conventional drug susceptibility testing (DST) as INH(R)/RIF(R) (N=30), INH(R)/RIF(S) (N=23), INH(S)/RIF(R) (N=15), and INH(S)/RIF(S) (N=73). RESULTS: Compared with phenotypic DST, the overall sensitivity and specificity of sequencing were 83.0% (44/53) and 96.6% (85/88), respectively, for INH resistance, and 93.3% (42/45) and 100% (96/96), respectively, for RIF resistance. The rates were similar between culture isolates and respiratory specimens. Interestingly, three specimens with inhA -15C>T mutation were susceptible to INH by conventional DST. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of mutations in the katG codon 315, the inhA regulatory region, and the hot-spot region of rpoB would be useful for rapid detection of INH and RIF resistance in Korea.
Antitubercular Agents/*pharmacology ; Bacterial Proteins/*genetics ; Catalase/*genetics ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ; Genotype ; Humans ; Isoniazid/*pharmacology ; Mutation ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Oxidoreductases/*genetics ; Republic of Korea ; Rifampin/*pharmacology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sequence Analysis, DNA/*methods

Primary cardiac sarcoma is a rare disease in adults. It is also associated with poor prognoses, due to diagnostic delay, therapeutic difficulty, and high metastatic potential. The coincidence of pregnancy and a primary cardiac intimal sarcoma is extremely rare. We report a pregnant woman at 27(+5) weeks gestation who was admitted to the hospital with acute-onset dyspnea. A mass was found on the left atrium by transthoracic echocardiography. Subsequently, the intracardiac mass was removed, and mitral valve replacement and modified DeVega tricuspid annuloplasty were performed. The patient was diagnosed with a undifferentiated sarcoma, and gave birth to a 1,230 g living baby boy by Caesarean section from preterm contraction at 29(+5) weeks gestation. The patient then received systemic chemotherapy. However, 10 months after the initial clinical onset, the patient suddenly died. Surgery is the standard treatment for cardiac tumors, and their removal should always be attempted, even in pregnant women. Although the overall survival rates of the patients are rather poor, palliative cardiac surgery allows the prolonging of pregnancy, until an acceptable fetal viability level is reached.
Sarcoma/*surgery ; Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic/*surgery ; Pregnancy ; Humans ; Heart Neoplasms/*surgery ; Female ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Adult

No abstract available.
Humans ; Hypertension* ; Perindopril*