PURPOSE: In order to elucidate the actual mechanism and the optimal concentration of Lamotrigine(LTG) that suppresses epileptiform discharges, we observed epileptiform discharges from hippocampal slices of immature rat in 4-aminopyridine(4-AP) added Mg2+ - free medium of artificial cerebrospinal fluid(aCSF) with various LTG concentrations. METHODS: We divided 19-23 day-old Sprague-Dawley rats into 4 groups; control group(n=12) and 3 LTG groups depending on the concentrations of LTG such as 400 (n=9), 800(n=7), and 1,000(n=8) microM. The rats were anesthetized and their brains were taken, soaked in aCSF(NaCl 125 mM, KCl 2.5 mM, NaH2PO4 2 mM, MgSO4 1.25 mM NaHCO3 25 mM, CaCl2 2 mM, Glucose 10 mM, pH 7.3-7.4). And then the brains were cut into 400 microm hippocampal slices by a vibratome. The slices of control group were soaked in 200 microM 4-AP added Mg2+ -free medium of aCSF for 1 hour, and then extracellular recordings were performed in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal region. The slices of LTG groups were soaked in the solution containing 400, 800, and 1,000 microM LTG, then extracellular recordings were performed. RESULTS: Interictal discharges were observed in all the control and the LTG groups. The latency to the first interictal discharges after 4-AP addition was 52.7+/-26.9 sec in control group, but was 225.0+/-28.2 sec in 800 microM and 322.1+/-116.4 sec in 1,000 microM group of LTG(P<0.05). The duration of interictal discharges was 64.6+/-35.6 sec in control group, but was the shortest in 800 microM group of LTG at 39.3+/-12.6 sec. Ictal discharges were observed in all of control and 400 microM group, but the frequency was decreased as the concentration of LTG increases, 57.1% in 800 microM, 12.5% in 1,000 microM group. The latency to ictal discharge after 4-AP addition was 142.1+/-52.6 sec in control group, but increased as the concentration of LTG increases, 304.4+/-84.5 sec in 400 microM group and 689.8+/-213.1 sec in 800 microM group(P<0.05). The duration of ictal discharges was 1,534.7/-339.3 sec in control group, but decreased as the concentration of LTG increases, it was 126.5+/-76.1 sec in 800 microM group(P <0.05) and 42 sec in 1,000 microM group. CONCLUSION: The antiepileptic effects of LTG were most significant when the concentration, inhibiting epileptiform discharges induced by 4-AP and Mg2+ -free medium in hippocampal slices of immature rats, was 800 microM or higher. Although the basic pharmacologic mechanism of LTG is the inhibition of sodium channel, it may also work on potassium channel at higher concentrations.
4-Aminopyridine* ; Animals ; Brain ; Glucose ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Potassium Channels ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium Channels

Miller-Dieter syndrome consists of severe type I lissencephaly, abnormal facial appearance, and sometimes other birth defects. Lissencephaly is a brain malformation manifested by a smooth cerebral surface, thickened cortical mantle, and microscopic evidence of incomplete neuronal migration. It comprises the agyria-pachygyria spectrum of malformation, thus excluding polymicrogyria and other cortical dysplasia. Type I lissencephaly results from abnormal migration between about 10 and 14 weeks gestaion. The brain is often small, and the ventricle is enlarged posteriorly The corpus callosum may be small or absent. The structural pattern of the cerebral hemispheres and ventricles is distintly immature, reminiscent of fetal brain. The superficial cellular layer resembles an immature cortex, with some separation into zones similar to layers III, V, and VI of normal cortex, although the cell population is decreased. In 1963 Miller described a malformation syndrome in a brother and sister with postnatal growth deficiency, craniofacial defects, and serious abnormalities of neurologic function. Autopsy at 3 and 4month of age, respectively, revealed lissencephaly. Subsequently, Dieker reported four additional patients with this disorder and referred to it as the 'lissencephaly syndrome'. We have experienced a case with this syndrome. Then we report this rare case with brief review of literature.
Autopsy ; Brain ; Cerebrum ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Corpus Callosum ; Humans ; Lissencephaly ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; Neurons ; Siblings

H.S.G. has been proven to be an important diagnsotic method in clinical gyencology for under 50 yrs. It isvaluable in the investigation of the uterine and tubal factors of female infertility. Hysterosalpingograms of 81 patients with infertility were analysed and following brief results were obtained. 1. Ratio between primary andsecondary infertility was 3:5, 2ndary infertility was more frequent. 2. Age distribution was more frequnet under 30 years of age than over 30 years of age. 3. Abnormal uterine finding was only seen in 18 cases, abnormal tubalfinding was only seen in 25 cases and combined uterine and abnormalities were seen in 14 cases. 4. Abnormaluterine findings were malposition (12 cases), filling defect (5), spastic uterus(5), irregular contour (3),arcuate uterus(3), dideplphia(1), in order of frequency. 5. Abnormal tubal findings were hydrosalpinx (21 cases), occlusion(19), intravasation (6), beaded appearance(3), & diverticula(2) , in order of frequency. 6. Negativefinding in both uterus and tube was seen in 23 cases. 7. In 2 cases, pregnancy after the H.S.G. examination wasconfirmed.
Age Distribution ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Female ; Methods ; Muscle Spasticity ; Pregnancy ; Uterus

Purpose: To investigate the differences in the frequency of post-fitting denture check-ups based on gender, age, insurance status, denture arch, and type among patients aged 65 and above. Methods: This research analyzed 988 patients from National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital’s Department of Prosthodontics, who had denture fittings over the last 10 years. Variables including gender, age, insurance status and type, denture arch, and denture type were assessed. Statistical analyses were performed at a 5% significance level. Results: The study incorporated 988 dentures, revealing a median of 3 check-ups post-fitting. Male patients significantly had more visits than females (P = .017), and those with full metal dentures visited significantly more than those with partial dentures (P = .005). Other variables were not significantly influential on the post-fitting check-up frequency. Conclusion Within this study’s confines, an increase in denture adjustment sessions was observed for male patients and those with full metal dentures.

Idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis (IHP) is a rare, chronic nonspecific and granulomatous inflammatory disorder of the dura with unknown etiology. The diagnosis can be established by open biopsy and exclusion of all other specific granulomatous and infectious diseases. We report a typical case of spinal IHP occurring in a long segment of cervical and thoracic dura from C6 to T8. The patient was 56-yr-old female, who had been suffered from pain on her upper back and both arms for 3 months and recent onset motor weakness of both legs. During the 9 months of follow-up period, she experienced the improvement of her neurologic symptoms with combined therapy of partial excision and corticosteroid medication. Since early surgical intervention and subsequent pulse ste-roid therapy are mandatory for this disease to avoid irreversible damage of nervous system, the identification of this unique disease entity is essential on frozen diagnosis. A few cases have been reported in Korean literature.
Case Report ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Human ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningitis/diagnosis/*pathology/therapy ; Middle Age ; Spinal Diseases/diagnosis/*pathology/therapy

Fibrolamellar hepatocelluar carcinoma is a distinct clinicopathologic variant of hepatocellular carcinoma. We describe here the sonographic and CT findings of fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma in a 17-year-old patient that mimicked hepatic malignant lymphoma due to the multiple small hypoattenuating nodules and extensive lymphadenopathy that we observed. We also include a review of the relevant literatures.
Adolescent ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Lymphoma* ; Ultrasonography

Granulocytic sarcoma is an uncommon clinical condition that usually occurs in the bone, periosteum, soft tissue, lymph node and skin, and this is rarely seen in the gastrointestinal tract. To the best of our knowledge, few cases of granulocytic sarcoma in the small bowel have been reported in the English literature. We present here a case of nonleukemic granulocytic sarcoma of the ileum in a 42-year-old patient who had no evidence of blood or bone marrow involvement that would have been suggestive of acute leukemia or myeloproliferative disorders.
Adult ; Bone Marrow ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Ileum* ; Leukemia ; Lymph Nodes ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; Periosteum ; Sarcoma, Myeloid* ; Skin

The septo-optic dysplasia, or de Morsier syndrome is a developmental anomaly characterized by involvement of the septum pellucidum, optic system and hypothalamic-pituitary axis. We had experienced a case of septo-optic dysplasia in 8 month-old female. A magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed isolated absent septum pellucidum. And ophthalmoscopic examination showed right optic nerve hypoplasia, exotropia of right eye.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Brain ; Exotropia ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Optic Nerve ; Septo-Optic Dysplasia* ; Septum Pellucidum

Hamartoma is a very rare congenital tumor. A few cases of hamartomatous pol yps in the stomach were reported. Most of harrurtomatous polyps in the stomach occur in patients of polyposis coli. We have experienced four cases of gastric hamartomatous polyps without polyposis coli. There are some differences between previously reported cases and ours. In our casee, the distribution of age is from fourth to ninth decade, men and women ratio is 1: 1. The number of polyps are one in three cases and two in one case. The size of polyps is from 5mm to 12 mm. The location of polyps are various, but most common in antrum. We have experienced four cases which were different from previously reported ones and report them with a brief review of literatures.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Female ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Male ; Polyps* ; Stomach

Hamartoma is a very rare congenital tumor. A few cases of hamartomatous pol yps in the stomach were reported. Most of harrurtomatous polyps in the stomach occur in patients of polyposis coli. We have experienced four cases of gastric hamartomatous polyps without polyposis coli. There are some differences between previously reported cases and ours. In our casee, the distribution of age is from fourth to ninth decade, men and women ratio is 1: 1. The number of polyps are one in three cases and two in one case. The size of polyps is from 5mm to 12 mm. The location of polyps are various, but most common in antrum. We have experienced four cases which were different from previously reported ones and report them with a brief review of literatures.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Female ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Male ; Polyps* ; Stomach