BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There are caloric test, SCEP, DP in Step velocity and VOR asymmetry in SHA test as parameters for evaluation in unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy in parameter of vestibular function test. The aim of this study is to assess the correlation between these parameters and intensity of spontaneous nystagmus in vestibular neuritis. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We evaluated 75 patients who were diagnosed as vestibular neuritis with 3 degree spontaneous nystagmus at vestibular function test lab from January 2000 to July 2005 in Dankook university hospital. The correlations between direction and intensity of spontaneous nystagmus and monothermal caloric test, SCEP and DP in step velocity, VOR asymmetry (0.01, 0.04, 0.16 Hz) in SHA test were analysed. And correlations according to sex, age were also analysed. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient between intensity of spontaneous nystagmus and monothermal caloric test was 0.60. The correlation coefficient between intensity of spontaneous nystagmus and SCEP was 0.35. The correlation coefficient between intensity of spontaneous nystagmus and Tc DP was 0.36 and it showed no significant correlation. The correlation coefficient between intensity of spontaneous nystagmus and VOR asymmetry (0.01, 0.04, 0.16) was 0.57, 0.46, 0.51, respectively and there was higher correlation in man, age under 60. CONCLUSION: Intensity of spontaneous nystagmus showed close relations to monothermal caloric test, VOR asymmetry of SHA, Tc DP, SCEP DP in sequence. In addition, young male patients tends to be closely related to intensity of spontaneous nystagmus.
Caloric Tests ; Humans ; Male ; Vestibular Function Tests* ; Vestibular Neuronitis*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Cervical Ripening* ; Female ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: This study was to compare the characteristics between parthenogenetic mES (P-mES) cells and in vitro fertilization mES cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Mouse oocytes were recovered from superovulated 4 wks hybrid F1 (C57BL/6xCBA/N) female mice. For parthenogenetic activation, oocytes were treated with 7% ethanol for 5 min and 5microgram/ml cytochalasin-B for 4 h. For IVF, oocytes were inseminated with epididymal perm of hybrid F1 male mice(1x106/ml). IVF and parthenogenetic embryos were cultured in M16 medium for 4 days. Cell number count of blastocysts in those two groups was taken by differential labelling using propidium iodide (red) and bisbenzimide (blue). To establish ES cells, blastocysts in IVF and parthenogenetic groups were treated by immunosurgery and recovered inner cell mass (ICM) cells were cultured in LIF added ES culture medium. To identity ES cells, the surface markers alkaline phosphatase, SSEA-1, 3, 4 and Oct4 staining were examined in replated ICM colonies. Chromosome numbers in P-mES and mES were checked. Also, in vitro differentiation potential of P-mES and mES was examined. RESULTS: Although the cleavage rate (> or =2-cell) was not different between IVF (76.3%) and parthenogenetic group (67.0%), in vitro development rate was significantly low in parthenogenetic group (24.0%) than IVF group (68.4%) (p<0.05). Cell number count of ICM and total cell in parthenogenetic blastocysts (9.6+/-3.1, 35.1+/-5.2) were significantly lower than those of IVF blastocysts (19.5+/-4.7, 63.2+/-13.0) (p<0.05). Through the serial treatment procedure such as immunosurgery, plating of ICM and colony formation, two ICM colonies in IVF group (mES, 10.0%) and three ICM colonies (P-mES, 42.9%) in parthenogenetic group were able to culture for extended duration (25 and 20 passages, respectively). Using surface markers, alkaline phosphatase, SSEA-1 and Oct4 in P-mES and mES colony were positively stained. The number of chromosome was normal in ES colony from two groups. Also, in vitro neural and cardiac differentiation derived from mES or P-mES cells was confirmed. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that P-mES cells can be successfully established and that those cell lines have similar characteristics to mES cells.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Antigens, CD15 ; Bisbenzimidazole ; Blastocyst ; Cell Count ; Cell Line ; Embryonic Stem Cells* ; Embryonic Structures ; Ethanol ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Humans ; Male ; Mice* ; Oocytes ; Propidium

No abstract available.
Statistics as Topic*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Aminoglycosides, a commonly used antibiotic agent, destroys the sensory hair cells in the cochlear and vestibular system leading to irreversible hearing loss and balance problem. Minocycline, a second-generation tetracycline antibiotic, has been known to possess anti-apoptotic properties in addition to its antimicrobial action. We hypothesized that minocycline would attenuate aminoglycosides induced vestibulotoxicity in rat utricles. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Utricular maculae prepared from postnatal day 3-4 rats were treated with neomycin alone or in combination with minocycline. For hair cell count, utricles were stained with phalloidin-FITC. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was assessed using the fluorescent probe, hydrofluorescent diacetate acetyl ester (H2DCFDA). Caspase-3 activity was also examined using the fluorescent caspase-3 substrate. RESULTS: Neomycin induced dose-dependent loss of utricular hair cells. Minocycline reduced ROS production and caspase-3 activation in neomycin treated utricular hair cells. CONCLUSION: Minocycline has protective effect in neomycin induced ototoxicity in rat utricle by inhibiting ROS production and caspase-3 activity.
Aminoglycosides ; Animals ; Caspase 3* ; Cell Count ; Hair ; Hair Cells, Vestibular* ; Hearing Loss ; Minocycline* ; Neomycin ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species* ; Saccule and Utricle ; Tetracycline

Rhinocerebral mucormycosis, a rare opportunistic invasive fungal infection, is known to be fatal and aggressive. It is characterized by an aggressive necrotizing infection spreading from the nose to the paranasal sinuses, orbit, and the brain. This disease is most often associated with diabetic ketosis but can be seen with uremic acidisis, leukemia, malnutrition, AIDS, steroid, antimetabolic or antibiotic therapy, severe burn, septicemia, and treatment with immunosuppressive medications. Early clinical recognition of this potentially fatal disease is essential before irreversible changes occur. We report in this study about a 40-year-old man with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus who developed mucormycosis which involved unilateral paranasal sinus, orbit, and selective cranial nerves (especially, hypoglossal nerve). Despite of treatment he died from an abruptly developed acute respiratory distress syndrome that might be caused by mucormycotic hematogenous dissemination 33 days after admission.
Adult ; Brain ; Burns ; Cranial Nerve Diseases* ; Cranial Nerves* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Ketoacidosis ; Humans ; Hypoglossal Nerve ; Leukemia ; Malnutrition ; Mucormycosis* ; Nose ; Orbit ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Sepsis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Oxygen free radicals are generated markedly in various infected condition, and these molecular species were identified as potent pathologic agents. The activities of various antioxidant enzymes have close relationships to genereration and metabolism of oxygen free radicals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the generation of superoxide radicals and activities of antioxidant enzymes and to compare histopathological changes in influenza A virus-induced maxillary sinusitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experimental viral infection was induced in New Zealand white rabbits by inoculating 0.3 ml of influenza A virus. Maxillary sinus mucosa were examined with a light microscope and the generation of superoxide radicals and activity of antioxidant enzymes were measured at the intervals up to 28 days after inoculation. RESULTS: The mucosal changes deteriorated and reached maximum at seven days after inoculation. The first day of inoculation, mononuclear phagocytes and neutrophils began to be found in subepithelial layer. We also found that capacity of oxygen generation increased about one and a half fold compared with the non-infected control group. The activity of SOD, GSH-Px and CAT, which are specific scavengers of oxygen radicals, peaked at three, five, and seven days after viral inoculation, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that oxygen free radicals play an improtant role in the histopathologic damage in the early stage of influenza A viral infection, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes are enhanced by the generation of superoxide radicals. It is also indicated that antioxidant enzymes may have a therapeutic potential for this viral infection and other conditions associated with free radicals.
Animals ; Catalase ; Cats ; Free Radicals ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Influenza A virus ; Influenza, Human* ; Maxillary Sinus ; Maxillary Sinusitis ; Metabolism ; Mucous Membrane ; Neutrophils ; Oxygen ; Phagocytes ; Rabbits* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Sinusitis* ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Food restriction increases life span, reduces aging rate and affects a wide variety of biological functions. Neurotransmitter is a substance released from the axon terminal of a presynaptic neuron on excitation, which diffuses across the synaptic cleft to either excite or inhibit the target cell. The nervous system makes use of neurotransmitters for signaling. We investigated the change of immunoreactivity of neuropeptides in olfactory bulb of rat after food restriction. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Of 10-week old Sprague-Dawley rats used in this study. six rats were killed at the beginning of the experiment. Thirty rats which had been restricted to only half of their normal voluntary mean food intake (12 g instead of 24 g per day) were killed at 3 days, 1, 2, 4 and 9 weeks after food restriction (n=6 per time point). Olfactory bulbs of the rats were cut into 40 micrometer-thick coronal sections and immunostained. RESULTS: On the layers of glomerular, outer plexiform, granular cell and subependymal zone of olfactory bulb, immunoreactivities of cholecystokinin (CCK), tyrosine hydrolase (TH), and neuropeptide-Y (NPY) were increased at one week of food restriction. On all layers, immunoreactivities of CCK and TH were increased at 2 weeks of food restriction. However, immunoreactivity of NPY was increased on the only layers of glomerular, and granular cell of olfactory bulb at week 2. After 4th week, the immunoreactivity of NPY was the same as the control group; after 9th week, the mmunoreactivity of CCK and TH were the same as the control group. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that CCK, TH, and NPY could be expressed in different manners on the layers of olfactory bulb of rat after food restriction, and that food restriction may improve olfactory sensitivity owing to the change of neuropeptides.
Aging ; Animals ; Cholecystokinin ; Eating ; Nervous System ; Neurons ; Neuropeptides* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Olfactory Bulb* ; Presynaptic Terminals ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tyrosine

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of glucosamine sulfate in the treatment of patients with knee osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a double blind, randomized controlled trial design, patients with clinical and radiographic evidence of knee osteoarthritis were recruited into 3 groups, The glucosamine group of 43 patients was treated with glucosamine 550mg capsule and the placebo group of 27 patients with rice powder 250mg and lactose 250mg capsule, three times daily for 12 weeks. The NSAID group of 26 patients was treated with etodolac(lodine(R) 200mg capsule three times daily for 6 weeks. Clinical and radiographic change was evaluated by assessing the Lysholm knee score, pain score, passive range of knee motion, deformity of the knees, Kellgren-Lawrence radiographic scale and width of the tibio- femoral joint space in weight bearing radiography. RESULTS: In the glucosamine group, significant improvement was found in Lysholm knee score since 6 weeks of treatment and in pain score since 9 weeks compared with the placebo group, but not in radiographic indices. In the NSAID group, both Lysholm knee score and pain score were significantly improved than other groups since 3 weeks of treatment. In both glucosamine and NSAID groups, significant improvement was not found in passive range of motion and deformity of the knees. CONCLUSION: The effect of glucosamine was lower and slower than NSAlD in the treatment of the patients with knee osteoarthritis and improvement of Lysholm knee score was expected with long-term use of glucosamine over 6 weeks and pain-relief over 9 weeks.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Glucosamine* ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee* ; Lactose ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteoarthritis, Knee* ; Radiography ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Weight-Bearing