This study was designed to investigate factors related to recovery from cerebrovascular accidents(CVA). Medical charts of 100 CVA patients(40 males and 60 females) who had been treated at Bul-Guang hospital in Teagu from June to December 1994 were reviewed to assess their recovery from CVA. Not only types of CVA, blood pressure and serum cholesterol and triglyceride were factors affecting recovery from CVA, but also smoking and drinking status and food preference seemed to be important factors. The percentages of recovered patients were higher in the order of cerebral thrombosis(83.3%), subarachnoid hemorrhage(57.1%), cerebral embolism(50.0%), and cerebral hemorrhage(26.7%). Recovery rates of patients with serum cholesterol below 200mg/dl, 200-239mg/dl, over 240mg/dl were 81.8%, 66.6%, and 16.6% respectively. Recovery rates of patients with serum triglyceride below 160mg/dl, 160-209mg/dl, and oover 210mg/dl were 84.6%, 72.8%, and 35.7% respectively. Patients with standard weight recovered better than those with overweight or obesity. Recovery rates of underweight, standard weight, overweight and obesity patients were 73.3%, 85.7%, 45.8%, and 31.6% respectively. Smoking and drinking seemed to be important factors which inhibited recovery from CVA. Patients preferring spiced foods were recovered better than those preferring salty or pungent foods.
Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Drinking ; Food Preferences ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spices ; Stroke* ; Thinness ; Triglycerides

We report a case of light chain deposition disease in a 59-yr-old female showing deposition of monoclonal light chain in the kidney and bone marrow accompanied with a schistocytosis, the morphologic finding of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. The immunofluorescence examination of the kidney revealed strongly stained kappa-light chain deposits on the glomerular mesangium and capillary wall, tubules, and vessel wall. The electron microscopy demonstrated electron-dense deposits on the glomerular basement membrane and mesangium. Anemia was observed with schistocytosis and Howell-Jolly body in the peripheral blood smears. The immunohistochemical examination of the bone marrow showed the presence of kappa-light chain deposits in scattered plasma cells and thickened vessel wall in the absence of a prominent plasma cell proliferation. Although an immunofixation electrophoresis failed to detect a monoclonal gammopathy, the presence of monoclonal protein could be identified by an abnormal kappa/lambda ratio on the serum free light chain analysis.
Anemia, Hemolytic/complications/*diagnosis ; Bone Marrow/*pathology ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Light Chains/*analysis ; Kidney Glomerulus/*pathology/ultrastructure ; Middle Aged ; Paraproteinemias/complications/*diagnosis/immunology

Non-neuronal high affinity binding sites for benzodiazepines have been found in many peripheral tissues including cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle, and have been designated as 'peripheral benzodiazepine receptor'. Benzodiazepines have been shown to induce relaxation of the ileal, vesical, and uterine smooth muscles. However, it is still unclear about possible involvement of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor on the contractility of trachealis muscle. This study was performed to investigate the role of the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor on the contractility of canine trachealis muscle. Canine trachealis muscle strips of 15 mm long were suspended in an isolated organ bath containing 1 ml of physiological salt solution maintained at 37degreeC, and aerated with 95% O2/5% CO2. Isometric myography was performed, and the results of the experiments were as follows: Ro5-4684, FGIN-1-27 and clonazepam reduced a basal tone of isolated canine trachealis muscle strip concentration dependently, relaxant actions of Ro5-4684 and FGIN-1-27 were antagonized by PK11195, a peripheral benzodiazepine receptor antagonist. Flumazenil, a central type antagonist, did not antagonize the relaxant action of peripheral type agonists. Saturation binding assay of (3H)Ro5-4864 showed a high affinity (Kd = 5.33 +/- 1.27nM, Bmax = 867.3 +/- 147.2 fmol/mg protein) binding site on the canine trachealis muscle. Ro5-4684 suppressed the bethanechol-, 5-hydroxytryptamine- and histamine-induced contractions. Platelet activating factor (PAF) exerted strong and prolonged contraction in trachealis muscle strip. Strong tonic contraction by PAF was attenuated by Ro 5-4684, but not by WEB 2086, a PAF antagonist. Based on these results, it is concluded that the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor mediates the inhibitory regulation of contractility of canine trachealis muscle.
Baths ; Benzodiazepines* ; Binding Sites ; Clonazepam ; Flumazenil ; Muscle, Smooth ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Myocardium ; Myography ; Platelet Activating Factor ; Receptors, GABA-A* ; Relaxation

PURPOSE: To investigate the color vision defect in diabetic patients using the SNU computerized color test (SCCT). METHODS: From May to September 2003, diabetic patients with visual acuity 0.6 or better underwent various examinations including biomicroscopy, fundus photography, Ishihara color test, Hardy?Rand?Rittler (HRR) test, Seohan computerized hue test (SCHT), and SNU computerized color test. The SCCT was developed by using the Matlab 6.0 program. RESULTS: A total of 160 eyes of 82 diabetic patients were included. Thirty-two patients had no diabetic retinopathy, 19 had mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), 12 had moderate NPDR, 12 had severe NPDR, and 7 had proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). In the all diabetic patients, the average total error score (TES) of SCHT was 189 and that of SCCT was 8.5; in patients without diabetic retinopathy, the scores were 125 and 3.64; in patients with mild NPDR, 185 and 8.16; in patients with moderate NPDR, 209 and 11.1; in patients with severe NPDR, 288 and 15.6 ; and in patients with PDR, 324 and 17.6 respectively. On the HRR test, patients without diabetic retinopathy had 1 tritan defect; those with mild NPDR 2 tritan, 2 protan, and 2 deutan defects: those with moderate NPDR, no color defects ; and those with severe NPDR, 2 tritan, and 2 protan defects, and 1 deutan defect. CONCLUSIONS: In diabetic patients, TES of SCHT and SCCT was higher according to the severity of diabetic retinopathy. SCHT and SCCT were more useful than HRR test.
Color Vision Defects* ; Color Vision* ; Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Humans ; Photography ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the characteristics and classification of congenital color vision deficiency (CVD) by the SNU computerized color test (SCCT) that was developed to sufficiently utilize the advantages of a computer. METHODS: Hardy-Rand-Rittler test (HRR test), Nagel anomaloscope and SCCT were performed on 60 eyes of 30 CVD patients and 30 normal subjects and the results were compared. RESULTS: In normal subjects, the error scores were all zero at all colors by SCCT. By SCCT protan color defectives showed a peak at hue 0 red in 7 eyes (29.2%), at hue 150 green in 3 eyes (12.5%), at hue 180 green in 18 eyes (75%), and at hue 330 red in 2 eyes (8.3%). By SCCT, deutan color defectives showed a peak at hue 0 red in 2 eyes (5.6%), at hue 150 green in 24 eyes (66.7%), at hue 180 green in 2 eyes (5.6%), and at hue 330 red in 23 eyes (63.9%). CONCLUSIONS: SCCT showed specific axes in CVD patients, with accuracy and high sensitivity to diagnosis. SCCT appears to be useful clinically as a color vision test to diagnose and classify CVD patients.
Classification* ; Color Vision Defects* ; Color Vision* ; Diagnosis ; Humans

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study compared the results of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in inflammatory bowel disease and tuberculous colitis as evident by immunochemical staining and real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). METHODS: Patients with ulcerative colitis (n=18), Crohn's disease (n=7), tuberculous colitis (n=7) and 10 normal controls were included. Biopsied colonic mucosa was simultaneously used for immunohistochemical staining and real time PCR. RESULTS: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease and tuberculous colitis showed high COX-2 expression by both methods compared to the normal controls. In Crohn's disease patients, the real time PCR value correlated well staining grade; this correlation was not evident in ulcerative colitis patients. In real time PCR, grossly normal colonic mucosa in ulcerative colitis also showed higher expression of COX-2 than normal mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: Real time PCR value of COX-2 is more representative of inflammation state in inflammatory bowel disease than the value from immunohistochemical staining.
Colitis ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Colon ; Crohn Disease ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Mucous Membrane ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction