Voltage dependent calcium channels mediate wide variety of physiological functions including neurotransmitter release, neurite outgrowth, and gene expression in neurons. omega-Conotoxin-sensitive N-type calcium channels are exclusively expressed in nervous system and involved in the control of neurotransmitter release from neurons. In this experiment, I have investigated human chromosomal location and rat neuronal distribution of N-type voltage dependent calcium channel alpha1, subunit [alpha1B]. I have localized human alpha1B subunit gene to the long arm of chromosome 9[9q34] by fluorescent in situ hybridization. The distribution of rat alphaB1 subunit mRNA has been examined in the rat brain by in situ hybridization histochemistry and high level of alpha1B subunit mRNA has been observed in olfactory bulb, anterior olfactory nucleus, cerebral cortex, piriform cortex, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, parabrachial nucleus, and cerebellum and low level of expression was also found in other areas of rat brain.
Animals ; Arm ; Brain* ; Calcium Channels* ; Calcium Channels, N-Type ; Calcium* ; Cerebellum ; Cerebral Cortex ; Dentate Gyrus ; Gene Expression ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Nervous System ; Neurites ; Neurons ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Olfactory Bulb ; Rats ; RNA, Messenger

A case of nutcracker syndrome which was initially diagnosed by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is reported. On preoperative MRA in an 18-year-old male patient with gross hematuria, left renal vein was obliterated at the level of superior mesenteric artery and there was no connection with inferior vena cava. The follow-up MRA after surgical correction with external prosthesis demonstrated entire course of left renal vein without evidence of obstruction which might suggest a possible usage of MRA for a non-invasive diagnosis of nutcracker syndrome.
Adolescent ; Angiography* ; Diagnosis* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Male ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Prostheses and Implants ; Renal Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior

A case of nutcracker syndrome which was initially diagnosed by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is reported. On preoperative MRA in an 18-year-old male patient with gross hematuria, left renal vein was obliterated at the level of superior mesenteric artery and there was no connection with inferior vena cava. The follow-up MRA after surgical correction with external prosthesis demonstrated entire course of left renal vein without evidence of obstruction which might suggest a possible usage of MRA for a non-invasive diagnosis of nutcracker syndrome.
Adolescent ; Angiography* ; Diagnosis* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Male ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Prostheses and Implants ; Renal Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior

Cytokine production was studied in thyroid fine needle aspirates and peripheral blood and the production of interferon-gamma by peripheral blood mononuclear cell(PBMC) culture in response to interleukin-2(IL-2) stimulation was also studied from patients with hyperthyroidism, non toxic goiter, thyroid nodule. The expression of glycer aldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH), interleukin-1beta(IL-1beta), IL-2, interleukin-8(IL-8), platelet- derived growth factor-A(PDGF-A) and interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma) chain was assessed by RT-PCR(reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) in fine needle aspirates of thyroid and peripheral blood mononuclear cell : the samples were obtained from 7 patients with hyperthyroidism, 6 patients with non toxic goiter, 7 patients with thyroid nodule. A dose of IL-2(25 U/ml) was utilized to induce IFN-gamma production by PBMC from all patients.The results were as follows:1) In case of cytokine expression of fine-needle aspirates, GAPDH and IL-1beta, IL-8 were expressed highly but IFN-gamma, IL-2 were not expressed in hyperthyroidism and non-toxic goiter, thyroid nodule. PDGF-A was expressed in hyperthyroidism and thyroid nodule but not in non toxic goiter. 2) In case of cytokine expression of PBMC, GAPDH, IL-1beta were expressed in hyperthyroidism and non toxic goiter, thyroid nodule and highly expressed after IL-2 stimulation than before. But PDGF-A was more expressed in non toxic goiter and thyroid nodule than hyperthyroidism. Also, IFN-gamma was less expressed in thyroid nodule than hyperthyroidism and non toxic goiter. 3) The incremental increase in IFN-gamma value in supernatants of PBMC culture was significantly higher in patients with non toxic goiter than that in PBMC from hyperthyroidism and thyroid nodule(p<0.05).Therefore it seems that the cytokine production was found in hyperthyroidism and non toxic goiter and thyroid nodule. There were variability in their distribution each other, in general, higher expressed in hyperthyroidism than non toxic goiter. And RT-PCR Method that employed should be sufficiently sensitive to permit the analysis of cytokine gene expression in fine needle aspiration biopsies from patients with thyroid disease.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Cell Culture Techniques ; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases ; Gene Expression ; Goiter ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Interferon-gamma ; Interferons ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-8 ; Methods ; Needles ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Nodule

The amyloid deposition observed in secondary amyloidosis frequently involves the thyroid gland, but rarely is a goiter responsible for this. We report here the pathologic findings of a case of amyloid goiter with involvement of a parathyroid gland in an euthyroid patient. The patient presented with an enlarged thyroid, symptoms of upper airway obstruction and dysphagia.
Airway Obstruction ; Amyloid* ; Amyloidosis ; Deglutition Disorders ; Goiter* ; Humans ; Parathyroid Glands ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Thyroid Gland

A neuroendocrine carcinoma of the anal canal is a very rare entity; however, this type of tumor is known for its aggressive progression and poor prognosis. We describe the case of a 58-year-old female with a neuroendocrine carcinoma arising in the anal canal. The tumor was found in the anal canal with multiple liver metastases. The patient died due to massive liver metastases 11months after diagnosis and operation. For its rarity and clinical significance, we report the case with a review of the literature.
Anal Canal* ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis

Odontogenic gingival epithelial hamartoma (OGEH) is an extremely rare lesion characterized by an abnormal proliferation of odontogenic epithelium. This lesion is thought to arise from the rest of the dental lamina lying dormant in the gingival tissue after odontogenesis. Distinguishing OGEH from the granular cell variant of ameloblastoma and central odontogenic fibroma is important. To date, only eleven cases have been reported, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. We report here on a case of OGEH, where the epithelial strands in the lesion were conspicuously positive for the antisera of cytokeratin 19 and ameloblastin. Tumor cells intensely expressed ameloblastin mRNA by in situ hybridization. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of OGEH to which ameloblastin immunohistochemical stain and in situ hybridization were applied. Although our study is limited to a single case, the coexpression of cytokeratin 19 and ameloblastin might indicate the origin and specific cytodifferentiation of OGEH is quite different and unique, when contrasted to other odontogenic tumors.
Ameloblastoma ; Deception ; Epithelium ; Fibroma ; Hamartoma* ; Immune Sera ; Immunohistochemistry* ; In Situ Hybridization* ; Keratin-19 ; Odontogenesis ; Odontogenic Tumors ; RNA, Messenger

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of glaucoma in the population of the rural Korean town, Sangju. METHODS: Residents of Sangju aged greater than 50 years old were included in this study. Participants completed an interview examining their medical and ophthalmic history Information was collected on the participants' uncorrected and best corrected vision scores, slit lamp examination results, angle width measurements using the Van Herick technique, gonioscopy if the angle width was less than 1 / 4 angle, intraocular pressure (IOP) assessed with the Goldmann applanation tonometry, optic disc examination results, and a visual field test results using frequency-doubling perimetry in cases in which glaucoma was suspected. Glaucoma was diagnosed according to the criteria described by the International Society for Geographic and Epidemiological Ophthalmology. RESULTS: 1,118 residents aged greater than 50 years were examined initially from a population of 2,984 people. Of these, 671 subjects (60%) participated in this study. The prevalence of glaucoma was determined to be 3.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-4.8). Open-angle glaucoma with low IOP was determined to be the most common form with a prevalence rate as high as 2.5% (95% CI, 1.8-3.7). Additionally, primary angle closure glaucoma was determined to have a prevalence rate of 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1-0.9). Open-angle glaucoma with low IOP accounted for 94.4% of the open-angle glaucoma cases. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of glaucoma among the population of rural Sangju was 3.4%, and open-angle glaucoma with low IOP was the most common form accounting for 94.4% of the total number of cases.
Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Glaucoma/*epidemiology/physiopathology ; Humans ; *Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; *Rural Population ; *Urban Population

BACKGROUND: Closure of a secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) is possible through surgical intervention or device placement. During surgical intervention, concomitant pathologies are corrected. The present study was conducted to investigate the outcomes of surgical ASD closure, to determine the risk factors of mortality, and establish the effects of concomitant disease correction. METHODS: Between October 1989 and October 2009, 693 adults underwent surgery for secundum ASD. Their mean age was 40.9±13.1 years, and 199 (28.7%) were male. Preoperatively, atrial fibrillation was noted in 39 patients (5.6%) and significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in 137 patients (19.8%). The mean follow-up duration was 12.4±4.7 years. RESULTS: There was no 30-day mortality. The 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-year survival rates were 99.4%, 96.8%, 94.5%, and 81.6%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, significant preoperative TR (hazard ratio [HR], 1.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09 to 3.16; p=0.023) and preoperative age (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.06; p=0.001) were independent risk factors for late mortality. The TR grade significantly decreased after ASD closure with tricuspid repair. However, in patients with more than mild TR, repair was not associated with improved long-term survival (p=0.518). CONCLUSION: Surgical ASD closure is safe. Significant preoperative TR and age showed a strong negative correlation with survival. Our data showed that tricuspid valve repair improved the TR grade effectively. However, no effect on long-term survival was found. Therefore, early surgery before the development of significant TR mat be beneficial for improving postoperative survival.
Adult ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pathology ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Tricuspid Valve ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to demonstrate the temporal trends in perinatal outcomes of triplet pregnancies over the last two decades. METHODS: The medical records of patients with triplet pregnancies at two Korean tertiary-care hospitals from 1992 to 2012 were retrospectively reviewed in regard to maternal and neonatal outcomes. The study was divided into two periods for analysis: period I (1992–2001) and period II (2003–2012). RESULTS: Over a 21-year period, 65 women with triplet pregnancies and 185 neonates were analyzed. Period II, when compared with period I, was associated with improved maternal outcomes, characterized by a decreased incidence of preeclampsia (31.8% vs. 2.3%, P=0.002) and anemia (68.2% vs. 30.2%, P=0.003) during pregnancy. Regarding neonatal aspects, the composite morbidity of period II was significantly decreased compared with that of period I, as assessed with a generalized estimating equation for logistic regression (26.2% vs. 8.1%, P=0.03). Multivariable analysis revealed that the gestational age at delivery and the period were significantly associated with the composite neonatal morbidity (P<0.001 and 0.007, respectively). CONCLUSION: Improved neonatal morbidity was associated with a higher gestational age at delivery and with the more recent decade.
Anemia ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy, Triplet ; Premature Birth ; Retrospective Studies ; Triplets