No abstract available.
Anesthesia* ; Humans ; Outpatients*

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Endogenous excitatory amino acid has been implicated in neuronal damages occurred neurotransmitter in the CNS, Exerts its neurotoxic activity primarily by binding to the NMDA receptor, one of the three glutamate receptors, We evaluated the effect of MK-801, a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, on both Fos expression and neuronal damages in lithium-pilocarpine induced status epilepticus rat model. METHODS: Seizured was induced in rats by lithum pretreatment followed by low dose of pilocarpine (30 mg/kg, ip). MK-801 (1 mg/kg) was treated 15 min before (MK-801 Pre group, N=5) or 20 min after the injection of pilocarpine (MK-801 Post group, N-5). Saline, instead of MK-801, was injected for the Control group (N=5). RESULTS: Seizure-induced neuronal damages, which was evaluated by the counting of the number of viable pyramidal cells in the area of CA1 and CA3 of the hippocampus, were significantly inhibited by MK-801 in both MK-801 Pre and Post groups. This protective effect of MK-801 was observed only in the CA1 area and was not typical in the CA3 area in both groups, and there was no differences in MK-801 activity between Pre and Post group. We also examined the expression of Fos, which has been known to be involved in long-term neuronal plasticty or delayed neuronal insults, by the immunohistochemical analysis in the hippocampus and thalamus. Pilocarpine induced Fos expression significantly in the Control group and moderately in the MK-801 Post groups, whereas, it was completely blocked by the pretreatment of MK-801 in hippocampus. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that MK-801 prevented the hippicampal cells from neuronal damages as well as inhibited Fos expression in the pilocarpine-induced rat seizure models. These results suggest the roles of NMDA receptor and Fos protein in seizure-related hippicampal damages.
Animals ; Dizocilpine Maleate* ; Excitatory Amino Acids ; Hippocampus* ; Models, Animal ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neurons* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Pilocarpine ; Pyramidal Cells ; Rats ; Receptors, Glutamate ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus* ; Thalamus

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The hypothesis that brain is a nonlinear dynamic system exhibiting deterministic chaos has offered new methods to the investigation of information processing in the brain by analysis and classification of EEG signals. We used the first positiveLyapunov exponent (L1) which is one of indicator of nonlinear dynamic to evaluate the brain function in chemical seizure models METHODS: Lithium-Pilocarpine induced seizure model and kainic acid induced seizure model are used. From serial EEG according to seizure stages. 32.768 sec of data (16.384 data point) were recorded and digirized by a 12-bit analog-digital converter in an IBM PC. The data from serial EEG according to seizure stageswere analyzed for determining the L1. We used the time delays calculated by the method of mutual information to reconstruct the attactor. Time delays of 46-58 msec and enbedding dimensions of 13-19 were used for chemical seizure model. The L1 were calculated for 4 channels. RESULTS: The averaged valued of L1 were serially decreased in both lithium-pilocarpin model and kainic acid model according to increasing seizure stages. CONCLUSION: Our results reveal the decrease of the chaotic activity according to increasing seizure stage. It is suggested that the brain has decreased information procedding and a less flexible neural network during seizure. However further evaluation is required because the significance of these changes are not confirmed.
Animals ; Automatic Data Processing ; Brain ; Classification ; Electroencephalography* ; Kainic Acid ; Nonlinear Dynamics ; Rats* ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus*

Inhibitory motor seizure or ictal hemiparesis is very infrequent seizure type and sometimes difficult to differentiate from acute cerebrovascular disease. We report two patients with hemiparesis as manifestation of status epilepticus. One patient showed epileptic discharge on midline frontocentral region by EEG-Video monitoring, another patient showed continuous slowing wave associated with hyperperfusion findings of brain SPECT on left fronto-temporo-parietal region. Both patients showed normal brain imaging.
Brain ; Humans ; Neuroimaging ; Paresis* ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

PURPOSE: Our examination was designed to determine the diagnostic properties of the cutoff point for the prediction of bacteremia in febrile children less than 3 years of age. Cutoff point is the value that simultaneously maximizes both sensitivity and specificity. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of febrile children, less than 3 years of age, who clinically have no identifiable source of fever. Peripheral blood leukocyte count(WBC), absolute neutrophil count(ANC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) and C-reactive protein(CRP) were measured at the same time. All patients received blood culture, urine culture and/or CSF culture. Bacterial infection was defined as single pathogen isolated from the CSF or blood or a urinary tract infection (UTI). Patients were dichotomized into two groups: those with bacterial infection and no bacterial infection. We analyzed the characteristics of the children in the two groups. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients(44 males; 27 females) were enrolled in the study. Twenty patients (28%) had a serious bacterial infection(twelve urinary tract infection, five bacteremia, three meningitis) and fifty-one(72%) had no serious bacterial infection. WBC, ESR and CRP were significantly different between the two groups(P<0.05). The cutoff point of WBC, ESR and CRP were 20,000/mm3, 30 mm/hr and 3.0 mg/dL, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of each cutoff point were WBC(75%, 75%), ESR(79%, 68%) and CRP(83%, 77%), respectively. CONCLUSION: These data show the ability of predictors to identify febrile children less than 3 years of age with bacterial infection. Febrile children who reach the cutoff point must be treated intensively and those who do not reach the cutoff point can be carefully managed without administering antimicrobial agents.
Anti-Infective Agents ; Bacteremia ; Bacterial Infections* ; Blood Sedimentation ; Child* ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Male ; Neutrophils ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urinary Tract Infections

PURPOSE: To assess variable clinical findings and risk factors of radiation retinopathy and to evaluate the effects of laser photocoagulation. METHODS: We reviewed the medical charts of 55 patients who received fractionated external-beam radiation during the treatment of head and neck tumors and who had a minimum of 2 years of follow-up from January 1996 to June 2002. RESULTS: Thirteen eyes in 8 patients developed radiation retinopathy. The mean time to the onset of symptoms attributable to retinal ischemia was 28 months (range, 15 to 43 months). The most common initial visual symptom was decreased visual acuity. Retinal hemorrhages, hard exudates and cotton wool spots were frequently observed fundus findings, and capillary non-perfusion on fluorescein angiography was the invariable findings. The mean total radiation dose was significantly higher in the retinopathy positive group (66.9+/-5.7 Gy) than in the retinopathy negative group (55.4+/-15.8 Gy) (P<0.05). Laser photocoagulation was performed in nine eyes of which 7 had good prognosis for retaining and regaining good central vision at the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Although radiation retinopathy is infrequent, the long-term visual outcome is good with adequate laser photocoagulation treatment when detected early by close and regular follow-up.
Capillaries ; Exudates and Transudates ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Light Coagulation ; Neck ; Prognosis ; Retinal Hemorrhage ; Retinaldehyde ; Risk Factors ; Visual Acuity ; Wool

An 83-year-old woman was scheduled for a second transurethral resection of a bladder tumor. The preoperative electrocardiogram evaluation revealed atrial fibrillation with a slow ventricular response (ventricular rate: 59 /min). After intravenous injection of 1% lidocaine 40 mg and propofol 60 mg, the ventricular rate increased to 113 beats/min and then fell rapidly to 27 beats/min. Blood pressure was 70/40 mmHg. Later an atrial fibrillation rhythm, with a ventricular rate of 100-130 beats/min, was observed together with a sinus pause and sinus rhythm with a ventricular rate of 40-50 beats/min. An external pacemaker was applied and set at 60 mA, 40 counts. After the patient regained consciousness, she presented an alert mental state and had no chest symptoms. She was discharged 2 weeks later without complications after insertion of a permanent pacemaker.
Aged, 80 and over ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Blood Pressure ; Consciousness ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Lidocaine ; Propofol ; Sick Sinus Syndrome ; Thorax ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the bladder is an unusual benign lesion arising from the bladder submucosa. This benign lesion must be differentiated histologically from several malignant lesions of the bladder. Complete surgical excision, either by transurethral resection or partial cystectomy, appears to be curative. We report a case and describe the clinical presentation, and radiographic and histological findings.
Cystectomy ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell* ; Urinary Bladder*

Four hundred and sixty five randomly selected clones from a cDNA library of Blattella germanica were partially sequenced and searched using BLAST as a means of analyzing the transcribed sequences of its genome. A total of 363 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were generated from 465 clones after editing and trimming the vector and ambiguous sequences. About 42% (154/363) of these clones showed significant homology with other data base registered genes. These new B. germanica genes constituted a broad range of transcripts distributed among ribosomal proteins, energy metabolism, allergens, proteases, protease inhibitors, enzymes, translation, cell signaling pathways, and proteins of unknown function. Eighty clones were not well-matched by database searches, and these represent new B. germanica-specific ESTs. Some genes which drew our attention are discussed. The information obtained increases our understanding of the B. germanica genome.
Sequence Alignment ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Male ; Female ; *Expressed Sequence Tags ; Blattellidae/*genetics ; Base Sequence ; Animals

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the usefulness of second-look ultrasounds performed on suspicious lesions found from breast MRIs which were taken as preoperative evaluations of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May 2008 to July 2011, second-look ultrasounds were performed for 98 lesions in 80 patients that were initially detected on preoperative breast MRIs for known breast cancer. In this study, identification was made on the findings from second-look ultrasounds on the target lesions. The histopathological results were used to assess the effects of second-look ultrasounds on the treatment plans for patients, in the context of operation records. RESULTS: Among the total 98 lesions, sonographic correlation was made in 85 lesions (87%). In total, 82 lesions were identified with histopathological results. Among them were 18 malignancies (22%) and 64 benign lesions (78%). Sonographically-correlated lesions showed a higher prevalence for malignancy (20% [17/85]) than non-correlated lesions (8% [1/13]). From 44% (43/98) of the total target lesions, the unnecessary expansion of the extent of surgical resection was suppressible through second-look ultrasounds. CONCLUSIONS: Second-look ultrasounds subsequent to breast MRIs in patients with breast cancer are useful for preoperative evaluation and enables them to make the histopathological confirmation of suspicious lesions conveniently found from breast MRIs.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prevalence