No abstract available.
Heart Valve Prosthesis* ; Heart Valves*

No abstract available.
Tetralogy of Fallot*

No abstract available.
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

PURPOSE: A laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for gallbladder disease. The aim of this study is to analyse 2,239 cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and observe the changes of 15th-year gallbladder disease. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 2,239 patients that underwent a LC by a single surgeon, from March 1993 to December 2007. We divided it into 3 groups; group 1 was from March 1993 to December 1996 and group 2 was from January 1998 to December to 2001, group 3 was from January 2003 to December 2007. RESULTS: The mean age, hospital stay, mean operation time and conversion rate was decreased. Gallbladder cancer of group 1 was 0.6%, group 2 was 0.5%, and group 3 was 1.6% (P<0.05). Gallbladder polyps of group 1 was 3.3%, group 2 was 5.1%, and group 3 was 11.8%. There was statistically significance (P<0.05). Gallstone was significantly decreased (group 1 was 98.1%, group 2 was 97.6%, group 3 was 92.8%) in proportion, pigment stone was significantly decreased (group 1 was 31.5%, group 2 was 27.5%, group 3 was 21.7%) and Cholesterol & Mixed stone was significantly increased (group 1 was 68.2%, group 2 was 72.5%, group 3 was 78.3%)(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: As surgical experience increased with a rising number of cases, the conversion rate, complications, hospital stay and mean operation time was decreased. Pigment gallstone was decreased and cholesterol gallstone was increased owing to western diet, old age and fatness.
Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Gallbladder ; Gallbladder Diseases ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; Gallstones ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Polyps ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: It was demonstrated that ultraviolet(UV) B light induces the release of IL-1α in cultured human epithelial cell line and augmentation of GM-CSF production by UVB is reported to be mediated by IL-1α in the murine keratinocyte cell line Pam 212. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of UVB on kinetic profile of IL-1 and GM-CSF mRNA expression and to see whether synthesis of GM-CSF by UVB can be completely inhibited by blocking IL-1α mediated pathway. METHODS: We used a competitive RT-PCR for measuring cytokine gene expression in epithelial cell line after UV radiation. RESULTS: The IL-1α mRNA increased as early as 1h after UV irradiation, and then decreased at 3h after the irradiation. Thereafter, the response of IL-1α mRNA was upregulated with a second peak at 6h after the UV irradiation. However, mRNA for GM-CSF increased at 1h after UV light exposure and anti-IL-1α antibodies could only partially inhibit UV-augmented GM- CSF production. CONCLUSION: UVB induced GM-CSF production seemed to be mainly mediated by UVB induced IL-1α but these results suggest that UVB may also induce GM-CSF production through an IL-1α independent pathway.
Antibodies ; Cell Line ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gene Expression ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 ; Keratinocytes ; RNA, Messenger ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Up-Regulation*

McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is a sporadic disease classically including polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, cafe -au-lait spots, sexual precocity, and other hyperfunctional endocrinopathies. Recent investigations suggest an etiological role for activating embryonic somatic missense mutations in the gene for the a subunit of Gs (Gsa), the G protein that stimulates adenylyl cyclase. DNA from bone, ovary, and blood was analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. A embryological somatic mutation of Gsa gene encoding substitution of a Cys for Arg at amino acid 201 from cells of dysplastic bone and ovary was observed, and the distribution of mutant gene reveals mosaic pattern. We report a case of McCune-Albright syndrome with an activating mutation at codon 201 of Gsa subunit on ovary and bone tissue that was experienced recently.
Adenylyl Cyclases ; Bone and Bones ; Codon ; DNA ; Female ; Fibrous Dysplasia, Polyostotic* ; GTP-Binding Proteins* ; Mutation, Missense ; Ovary ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Intraocular tension may be acutely changed by many drugs and by various physiologic events. AN acute rise in intracoular tension may be catastrophic if it occurs when the globenis open and leads to expulsion of contents. Most general anesthetics cause a decrease in intraocular pressure, although a few causes increased intraocular pressure. Midazolam is a 1,4-benzodiazepin derivative synthesized by Walser and Freyer in 1975. Earlier studies with midazolam have demonstrated it efficacy for induction of anesthesia and premedication. It is also desirable to know if all anesthetic agents which produce general anesthesia and which are pharmacologically different affect intraocular pressure in a similar manner. Therefore investigation of the influence of midazolam on intraocular pressure in 25 patients was undertaken at the Department of Anesthesiology, Hanyan University. All patients had no known eye abnormalities. The patients were not premedicated. In all patients the intraocular pressure was measured before induction of anesthesia, after instilling a 0.5% tetracaine into the conjunctival sac. A second reading was taken after induction of midazolam (0.2mg/kg of body weight) and a third after injection of succinylcholine(1mg/kg of body weight) and a fourth after endotracheal intubation. A Schiotz tonometer with a 5.5gm and a 7.5gm weight was used. In addition to the tonometric determination, the blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate were recorded before and after induction of midazolam. An attempt was tried to keep the intraocular pressure changed as many and to minimize the other factors affecting intraocular pressure. To achieve this, supine position and constant gas flow was maintained. Special care was taken to avoid pressure on the patients eye and to maintain a fully patent airway to prevent respiratory disturbances leading to straining and increased venou pressure. Endotracheal intubation was performed with the aid of succinylcholine to avoid cough or laryngospasm. The results of the observation with the above mentioned method were tested by student t-test statistically. Each patient acted as his own control. There was a fall in intraocular pressure in 17 patients among 25 patients(average 1.8mmHg), but no significant change followed by the use of midazoam. The blood pressure variations were between 10 and 40 mmHg, during the course of anesthesia and could not be related to intraocular pressure changes. Intraocular pressure changes had no relation to pulse and respiratory rate variations. This finding indicated that benzodiazepine as a class of drugs have well described muscle relaxant properties that are primarily central(supraspinal)rather than peripheral(myoneural) in action. There was a rise in intraocular pressure in 19 patients among 25 patients, followed by the use of succinylcholine and 23 patients among 25 patients, after endotracheal intubation. According to Feldman and Crawley, diazepam potentiated the myoneural blocking effects of gallamine and antagonizes the effects of succinylcholine. Nevertheless Dretchen demonstrated that the clinical doses of diazepam did not potentiated the muscle relants. Our finding showing no apparent succinylcholine interaction with midazolam are consistent with the finding of Dretche.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesiology ; Anesthetics ; Anesthetics, General ; Benzodiazepines ; Blood Pressure ; Cough ; Diazepam ; Eye Abnormalities ; Gallamine Triethiodide ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngismus ; Midazolam* ; Premedication ; Respiratory Rate ; Succinylcholine ; Supine Position ; Tetracaine

BACKGROUND: Vasodilators including angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor(ACEI) have been suggested to reduce left ventricular volume and to improve left ventricular performance in patients with moderate to severe regurgitant valvular heart diseases. However, long-term effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor upon left ventricular size and function in asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic patients with chronic mitral regurgitation remain to be elucidated. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Forty five patients with moderate to severe chromic mitral regurgitation on echocardiography and mild or no symptoms were studied. Serial changes of left ventricular dimension and ejection fraction were analyzed retrospectively using M-mode echocardiography in patients treated with ACEI(ACEI group, n=21) and in patients treated with other medications except ACEI or with no medication(non-ACEI group, n=24). RESULTS: The mean duration of follow-up was 30+/-15 months. ACEI group showed trends of decreasing left ventricular end-systolic dimension(LVESD) and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension(LVEDD) and a trend of increasing ejection fraction(EF), though statistically insignificant when compared to those of before-treatment or non-ACEI group. In patients with larger initial LVESD(>35mm), LVEDD was reduced(the percent changes of LVEDD 2 and 3 years after ACEI treatment were -4.2# and -4.4%) that was significantly different from those of non-ACEI group(+3.4% and +3.4% each)(p<0.05). In patients with larger initial LVEDD(>60mm), the percent changes of LVEDD 2 and 3 years after ACEI treatment were -4.9% and -5.8%, and in patients with initial EF less than 60%, the percent change of LVEDD 2 years after ACEI treatment was -0.57%. Those changes were also statistically significant compared to those of non-ACEI group(p<0.05 each). CONCLUSION: In mildly symptomatic chronic mitral regurgitation patients, especially whose left ventricular dimension is increase, long-term ACEI therapy seems to be effective in preventing left ventricular dilatation or in reducing left ventricular volume and such therapy may have a beneficial effect on the natural history of such patients.
Angiotensins* ; Dilatation ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Natural History ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A* ; Retrospective Studies ; Vasodilator Agents