PURPOSE: Norepinephrine has modulatory effects on neuronal excitability and, in some cases, has a proconvulsant effect. Intraperitoneal imipramine treatment increases norepinephrine level, and to a lesser extent, dopamine and serotonin in brain dialysate from rats. We sought to determine the effects of imipramine on pilocarpine-induced seizures in the immature rats. METHODS: Right and left cortical and hippocampal electrodes were placed in 10~15 day old Sprague-Dawley rats. The following day 3-hour video EEG recordings were obtained to monitor electrographic seizures and status epilepticus induced by intraperitoneal injection of high dose(200mg/kg : HD) and low dose (75mg/kg : LD) pilocarpine. A first group of rats received HD pilocarpine alone(n=25), or pretreatment with 0.5(n=6). 1(n=6), 2(n=6), 5(n=6), or 10(n=11)mg/kg of imipramine. A second group of rats received LD pilocarpine alone(n=6) or pretreatment with 2mg/kg of imipramine (n=6). Data were analyzed using the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Treatment with HD pilocarpine alone resulted in electrographic seizures in 76%(n=19) and status epilepticus in 44%(n=11). In the HD pilocarpine group, status epilepticus was seen in 100% of rats pretreated 1, 2, and 5mg/kg imipramine. 90.9% of the rats pretreated with 10mg/kg of imipramine developed seizures and 36.4% developed status epilepticus. Imipramine at 0.5, 1,2, and 5mg/kg increased the incidence of seizures and status epilepticus in the HD pilocarpine group, but the incidence was statistically significant only for status epilepticus(p<0.05). The latency for the occurrence of first status epilepticus was 12.3+/-1.3 min in the HD pilocarpine alone group, and it was 21+/-3.8 min and 25.3+/-5.7 min in the group pretreated with 5 and 10mg/kg imipramine, respectively(p<0.02). Treatment with LD pilocarpine alone resulted in seizures in 50% and status epilepticus in 16.7%. In the LD pilocarpine group with imipramine 2mg/kg pretreatment, 83.3% had seizures and status epilepticus. Imipramine at 2mg/kg increased the incidence of seizures and status epilepticus in the LD pilocarpine group, but the increase was statistically significant only for status epilepticus(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Imipramine exhibits a proconvulsant effect at low doses and an anticonvulsant effect at high doses in the pilocarpine seizure model in immature rats. There may be a dose-dependent effect on monoaminergic receptors which results in increased neuronal excitability.
Animals ; Brain ; Dopamine ; Electrodes ; Electroencephalography ; Imipramine* ; Incidence ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Neurons ; Norepinephrine ; Pilocarpine ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seizures* ; Serotonin ; Status Epilepticus

No abstract available.
Epilepsy*

No abstract available.
Meningitis* ; Meningitis, Viral*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Melanocytes synthesize melanin pigment by the action of specific enzyme tyrosinase. Melanogenesis inhibitors such as ascorbic acid, kojic acid, arbutin, hydroquinone have been developed for use in cosmetic preparations for the skin hyperpigmentation,but they are still unsatisfactory to efficacy and tolerance. OBJECTIVES: In this study, the inhibitory effects of seaweed extract(SCH-T2)on tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis were investigated with B-16 melanoma cell line. METHODS: The patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups;control, diazepam, and ketorolac plus diazepam groups. Pain intensity was assessed 5 times at every ten minutes from the beginning of the peeling using visual analog scale(VAS). RESULTS: The seaweed was added with 21 organic solvents and extracted during 12 hours at 20-To evaluate the inhibitory effects of SCH-T2 on tyrosinase activity following to extraction time and temperature, this study was done at 4, 8, 12, 24, 72 hours and 4, 10, 20, 30, 40℃. Also, the effects of whitening agents (kojic acid, arbutin, licorice extracts,SCH-T2)on tyrosinase activity were compared by measuring the IC50,the concentration of the compound at which half of the original tyrosinase activity is inhibited. RESULTS: 1.The inhibitory effects of SCH-T2 on tyrosinase activity were high at 60-80% ethanol as an extraction organic solvent and showed increase in proportion to concentration following to extract concentration, but showed little differences following to extraction time and temperature. 2.SCH-T2 has relatively stronger inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity than arbutin and licorice extracts. 3. The inhibitory effects of SCH-T2 on melanogenesis following to extract concentration were greatly increased at more than 20㎍/ml. CONCLUSION: This study showed that SCH-T2 seaweed extract has strong inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity and melanogonesis. So, the results of this study suggest that SCH-T2 seaweed extract can be used as a new whitening agent.
Arbutin ; Ascorbic Acid ; Bleaching Agents ; Cell Line ; Diazepam ; Ethanol ; Glycyrrhiza ; Humans ; Ketorolac ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Seaweed* ; Skin ; Solvents

Intra- and extrahepatic bile duct can be invaded by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This is infrequent in HCC, but it can directly affect the clinical manifestation and prognosis. We present eight cases of HCCs with emphasis on the incidence and features of bile duct invassion on computed tomography (CT). Over a period of 22 months, abdominal CT was performed in 186 with HCC patients. Out of these, five cases of bile duct invasion by HCC were confirmed in our hospital and three in other hospitals. The eight cases were evaluated for the type, size and location. CT features of intraductal mass and ductal dilatation were evaluated. The incidence of bile duct invasion in HCC was 2.6%. Infiltrative type of HCC was seen in seven cases and six of these had mass 5-11 cm in size. The characteristic CT findings of bile duct invasion in HCC are mass in common hepatic duct with bulging contour(8/80, multiple intraductal masses in the intrahepatic ducts (5/8), and diffuse dilatation of intrahepatic ducts (7/8).
Bile Ducts* ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Bile* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Dilatation ; Hepatic Duct, Common ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prognosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We experienced a case of late infantile Batten's disease in a 4-year-7-month-old boy who was admitted to child neurology service of Kangnam St. Mary's hospital for evaluation of progressive psychomotor deterioration. He was in quite normal state of development until 3 years of age when his mother first became concerned because he showed such emotional change as crying and fear, Since then he acted strange and major motor milestones were progressively deteriorated, and eventually he was unable to walk and run at 4 years of age. At that time the patient began to have seizure and it was described as jerking movements of both arms simultaneously and generalized tonic clonic movements of upper and lower extremities. Denver developmental examination revealed a severe retardation in all his developmental milestones. On admission he has definitely mentally retarded, he had no speech and his vision was impaired. He had noted bilateral nystagmus. Fundi revealed pale sharp disc, dark degeneration of macula and marked attenuated retinal arterioles. Brain CT showed mild cortical atrophy. EEG showed paroxysmal burst spikes and slow waves which was compatible with myoclonic seizures. AEP and needle EMG studies were normal. A diagnosis of Batten's disease was made on the basis of brain biopsy which showed ballooning of the large neurons, granular lipopigment bodies in cytoplasm, bright fluorescence cytoplasmic granules under UV light and numerous dense bodies on EM finding. He died at the age of 12 years due to pneumonia.
Arm ; Arterioles ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Child ; Crying ; Cytoplasm ; Cytoplasmic Granules ; Diagnosis ; Electroencephalography ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Mentally Disabled Persons ; Mothers ; Needles ; Neurology ; Neurons ; Pneumonia ; Retinaldehyde ; Seizures ; Ultraviolet Rays

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of drinking patterns and the prevalence of hazardous drinking and alcohol use disorder with the assessment of alcohol policy needs in community population of urban city in Korea. METHODS: Data was collected from 1,000 residents in a single urban city in Korea, from June 1 to July 31, 2011 by a questionnaire. As research tools, socio-demographic characteristics composed of variables based on study purpose, alcohol problems and alcohol use disorder state scales composed with Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test(AUDIT) and Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener(CAGE), and the assessment of alcohol policy needs in community population questions were used. RESULTS: The lifetime experience of alcohol drinking was 97.4%. For the frequency of drinking, 21.9% of population responded 2 to 4 times per weekly. 24.4% of male had one time or more high risk drinking, defined as having four or more drinks in a sitting, per week. 51.6% experienced the first time drinking of alcohol in adolescence. The lifetime prevalence of hazardous drinking and alcohol use disorder were 14.9% and 3.3%, respectively using AUDIT. Alcohol use disorder were 9.6% with the CAGE scale. Problem drinking were 8.4% in this study. They requested the program such as prevention education(57.2%), construction of liaison system to treatment facilities( 50.1%), alcohol counseling and intervention(41.7%), and rehabilitation program(39.8%). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that alcohol problem and alcohol use disorder were much prevalent, and these problem started in the earlier age. It is necessary to develop an effective alcohol prevention program or policy with considering the needs in community population.
Adolescent ; Alcohol Drinking ; Counseling ; Drinking ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: Excitotoxic injury of the dendrites of inhibitory interneurons could lead to decrease in their synaptic activation, and explain subsequent local circuit hyperexcitability and epilepsy. A hallmark of dendrotoxicity at least in principal neurons of the hippocampus and cortex are focal or varicose swellings of dendritic abors. This research was designed to study morphologic changes of interneuron dendrite in kainate-treated hippocampal slice culture overtime. METHODS: Cultures aged 15-16 Equivalent Postnatal Days (EPD) were exposed to 10 microM kainic acid (KA), and analyzed at 0, 8, 24, 48, 72 hours after transient (1 hour) KA exposure. Neuronal injury was determined by morphologic changes of interneuron dendrites in area CA1 of DiI stained sections. RESULTS: 1) Transient (1 hour) exposure of hippocampal explant cultures to KA produced marked focal swellings of the dendrites of DiI stained interneurons in a highly reproducible manner. 2) The presence of focal swellings was reversible with kainate washout. The dendrites of KA treated explants were no longer beaded at 8, 24, 48, 72 hours after KA exposure. 3) There was no significant difference in the thickness of dendrites in DiI stained interneuron among 8hr, 24hr, 48hr and 72hr recovery group, compared with control group. CONCLUSION: The presence of focal swellings was reversible with kainate washout, and was not accompanied by interneuronal cell death.
Cell Death ; Dendrites* ; Epilepsy ; Hippocampus ; Interneurons* ; Kainic Acid ; Neurons

PURPOSE: During the childhood, Mantoux test is very popular for detecting tuberculous infection and also useful for evaluating the immunity against tuberculosis after BCG vaccination. But the response and conversion rate is affected by the age of vaccination, the quality of vaccine, the duration after vaccination and the frequency of the test. This study was performed to investigate the difference of the response and conversion rate, according to duration after vaccination, gestational age, sex and feeding type. METHODS: The subject was included 85 of infants (71 of full term infants, 14 of preterm infants) and was followed up 3 months, 9 months, 15 months after vaccination, from July, 1992 to June, 1994 in Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital. We injected intradermally the BCG vaccine (0.05ml) which was produced by National Institute of Health and PPD (5TU) was used as a testing material of Mantoux test. Injecting BCG and interpreting the result of the Mantoux test was done by the same person. RESULTS: 1) The positive conversion rates of Mantoux test which was done 3 month, 9 month and 15 month after vaccination were 26.8%, 53.5% and 60.6% in the full-term infant group, and 14.3%, 28.6%, and 50% in the preterm infant group. The conversion rate was significantly lower in preterm infant group as compared with that of the full-term infant group 3 months after vaccination. 2) The sizes of induration in Mantoux test, which was done 3 month, 9 month and 15 month after vaccination, are 7.2mm, 8.5mm, 9.4mm in the full-term infant group and 5.0mm, 6.6mm, 8.2mm in the preterm infant group. The size of induration was significantly lower in the preterm infant group as compared with that of the full-term infant group. 3) There is no difference in conversion rate of Mantoux test according to the sex, feeding type in both groups. 4) Complication rate for BCG vaccine is 9.9%, which is leaded by lymphadenitis, persistent ulcer, and febrile abscess as the order, in the full-term infant group and there are no complications in the preterm infant group. CONCLUSIONS: In those results, the size of induration and conversion rate is increased as the duration after vaccination, then lower conversion rate in the preterm infant group 3 months after vaccination may be due to immunological immaturity of preterm infant.
Abscess ; BCG Vaccine ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Lymphadenitis ; Mycobacterium bovis* ; Tuberculosis ; Ulcer ; Vaccination*