• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.35 no.10
• /
• pp.745-749
• /
• 2002

Cardiac rhabdomyoma is a rare type of benign tumor affecting the heart. There are a few previous reports of intracardiac rhabdomyomas causing ventricular arrythmia. We describe a 1-year-old female tuberous sclerosis patient who was presented with a ventricular tachycardia. Diagnostic echocardiography revealed two masses in the left ventricular outflow tract originating from the ventricular septum. The masses were surgically resected through aortotomy using cardiopulmonary bypass and the masses appeared benign. The pathology was that of a cardiac rhabdomyomas. Postoperative course was uneventful and the ventricular tachycardia was controlled.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.67-67
• /
• 2003

Minocycline is known to protect neurons from microglia-mediated cell death in many experimental models of brain diseases including ischemic stroke, Huntingtons disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinsons disease. When the activity of caspases was assessed using their fluorescent peptide substrates, activation of caspase-2, 3, 8, and 9 was evident within 2 8 hr following oxidative insult with 0.5 mM hydrogen peroxide in PC12 cells. Minocycline significantly attenuated activation of these caspases up to 18 hr, resulting a significant increase in the cell viability as assessed by MTT assay as well as trypan blue staining. However, cleavage of alpha-spectrin and a cdk5 activator p35, which are known to be substrates for calpain, remained unchanged in the presence of minocycline, suggesting that minocycline did not block caspase-3-independent cell death or necrosis. Moreover, co-treatment with minocycline and a calpain inhibitor calpeptin synergistically inhibited hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death. These data suggest that minocycline directly inhibited apoptosis, but not necrosis, after oxidative insult in PC12 cells.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.205-209
• /
• 2017

Transmembrane Protein 39A (TMEM39A) is a member of TMEM family. The understanding about this protein is still limited. The earlier studies indicated that TMEM39A was a key mediator of autoimmune disease. TMEM39A seems to be involved in systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis in numerous of populations. All of these works stop at insufficient information by using gene functioning methods such as: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and/or follow-up study. It is the fact that the less understood of TMEM39A actually is the attraction to the scientist in near future. In this review the current knowledge about TMEM39A and its possible roles in cell biology, physiology and pathology will be described.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.29-32
• /
• 2007

Recurrent transverse myelitis is a rare manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus. Recurrent transverse myelitis presents the biggest diagnostic problem, since it is common manifestation of multiple sclerosis. But it can also be the only feature or first manifestation in systemic lupus erythematosus. Neurological manifestations and magnetic resonance imaging can be indistinguishable, and there are no specific diagnostic tools. Here we describe a 59-year-old female having a systemic lupus erythematosus with recurrent transverse myeltitis. No uniform therapeutic protocol exists for systemic lupus erythematous with transverse myelitis, and the prognosis is usually poor. We suggest that aggressive treatment (usually with pulses of methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide) might improve the prognosis of systemic lupus erythematosus with transverse myeltis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.564-568
• /
• 2000

The authors present a rare case of subependymal giant cell astrocytoma which successfully treated with endoscopic tumor resection. A 15-year-old boy was presented with multiple episode of generalized seizure and intermittent headache for 5 years. The patient had facial adenoma sebaceum, multiple nevi on his back, and mental retardation. Cerebral MRI scans showed a round tumor located at the frontal horn of right ventricle near the foramen monro. The tumor was totally removed with endoscopic procedure and histologically confirmed as a subependymal giant cell astrocytoma. Subependymal giant cell astrocytomas can cause all the clinical problems that are associated with other types of intracranial tumor. However, surgical indication is not well standardized, because of the lack of basic knowledge about the tumor and the likelihood of surgical morbidity. We believe that endoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive technique, can circumvent the surgical disadvantage while achieving the surgical goal.

• International Neurourology Journal
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.268-274
• /
• 2018

Purpose: To describe a technique for urodynamic diagnosis of detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (DSD) using urethral pressure measurements and examine potential associations between urethral pressure and bladder physiology among patients with DSD. Methods: Multiple sclerosis (MS) and spinal cord injured (SCI) patients with known DSD diagnosed on videourodynamics (via electromyography or voiding cystourethrography) were retrospectively identified. Data from SCI and MS patients with detrusor overactivity (DO) without DSD were abstracted as control group. Urodynamics tracings were reviewed and urethral pressure DSD was defined based on comparison of DSD and control groups. Results: Seventy-two patients with DSD were identified. Sixty-two (86%) had >20 cm $H_2O$ urethral pressure amplitude during detrusor contraction. By comparison, 5 of 23 (22%) of control group had amplitude of >20 cm $H_2O$ during episode of DO. Mean duration of urethral pressure DSD episode was 66 seconds (range, 10-500 seconds) and mean urethral pressure amplitude was 73 cm $H_2O$ (range, 1-256 cm $H_2O$). Longer (>30 seconds) DSD episodes were significantly associated with male sex (81% vs. 50%, P=0.013) and higher bladder capacity (389 mL vs. 219 mL, P=0.0004). Urethral pressure amplitude measurements during DSD were not associated with significant urodynamic variables or neurologic pathology. Conclusions: Urethral pressure amplitude of >20 cm $H_2O$ during detrusor contraction occurred in 86% of patients with known DSD. Longer DSD episodes were associated with larger bladder capacity. Further studies exploring the relationship between urethral pressure measurements and bladder physiology could phenotype DSD as a measurable variable rather than a categorical observation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.62 no.3
• /
• pp.353-360
• /
• 2019

Epilepsy surgery that eliminates the epileptogenic focus or disconnects the epileptic network has the potential to significantly improve seizure control in patients with medically intractable epilepsy. Magnetic resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) has been an established option for epilepsy surgery since the US Food and Drug Administration cleared the use of MRgLITT in neurosurgery in 2007. MRgLITT is an ablative stereotactic procedure utilizing heat that is converted from laser energy, and the temperature of the tissue is monitored in real-time by MR thermography. Real-time quantitative thermal monitoring enables titration of laser energy for cellular injury, and it also estimates the extent of tissue damage. MRgLITT is applicable for lesion ablation in cases that the epileptogenic foci are localized and/or deep-seated such as in the mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and hypothalamic hamartoma. Seizure-free outcomes after MRgLITT are comparable to those of open surgery in well-selected patients such as those with mesial temporal sclerosis. Particularly in patients with hypothalamic hamartoma. In addition, MRgLITT can also be applied to ablate multiple discrete lesions of focal cortical dysplasia and tuberous sclerosis complex without the need for multiple craniotomies, as well as disconnection surgery such as corpus callosotomy. Careful planning of the target, the optimal trajectory of the laser probe, and the appropriate parameters for energy delivery are paramount to improve the seizure outcome and to reduce the complication caused by the thermal damage to the surrounding critical structures.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.327-333
• /
• 2021

Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) uses strong magnetic field to image the cross-section of human body and has excellent image quality with no risk of radiation exposure. Because of above-mentioned advantages, MRI has been widely used in clinical fields. However, the noise generated in MRI degrades the quality of medical images and has a negative effect on quick and accurate diagnosis. In particular, examining a object with a detailed structure such as brain, image quality degradation becomes a problem for diagnosis. Therefore, in this study, we acquired T2 weighted 3D data of multiple sclerosis disease using BrainWeb simulation program, and used quantitative evaluation factors to find appropriate slice thickness among 1, 3, 5, and 7 mm. Coefficient of variation and contrast to noise ratio were calculated to evaluate the noise level, and root mean square error and peak signal to noise ratio were used to evaluate the similarity with the reference image. As a result, the noise level decreased as the slice thickness increased, while the similarity decreased after 5 mm. In conclusion, as the slice thickness increases, the noise is reduced and the image quality is improved. However, since the edge signal is lost due to overlapped signal, it is considered that selecting appropriate slice thickness is necessary.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.10.1-10.17
• /
• 2024

In this review, we will explore the intricate roles of cytokines and vascular endothelial growth factors in autoimmune diseases (ADs), with a particular focus on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS). AD is characterized by self-destructive immune responses due to auto-reactive T lymphocytes and Abs. Among various types of ADs, RA and MS possess inflammation as a central role but in different sites of the patients. Other common aspects among these two ADs are their chronicity and relapsing-remitting symptoms requiring continuous management. First factor inducing these ADs are cytokines, such as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-17, which play significant roles in the pathogenesis by contributing to inflammation, immune cell activation, and tissue damage. Secondly, vascular endothelial growth factors, including VEGF and angiopoietins, are crucial in promoting angiogenesis and inflammation in these two ADs. Finally, placental growth factor (PlGF), an emerging factor with bi-directional roles in angiogenesis and T cell differentiation, as we introduce as an "angio-lymphokine" is another key factor in ADs. Thus, while angiogenesis recruits more inflammatory cells into the peripheral sites, cytokines secreted by effector cells play critical roles in the pathogenesis of ADs. Various therapeutic interventions targeting these soluble molecules have shown promise in managing autoimmune pathogenic conditions. However, delicate interplay between cytokines, angiogenic factors, and PlGF has more to be studied when considering their complementary role in actual pathogenic conditions. Understanding the complex interactions among these factors provides valuable insights for the development of innovative therapies for RA and MS, offering hope for improved patient outcomes.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.507-511
• /
• 1980

Most cases of plasma-cell granuloma occur in adult skeleton system. They usually present as a single lesion, but multiple lesions are not uncommon. Roentgenographically, the lesions are lytic, sclerotic or mixed, but in the majority there is some degree of sclerosis. No specific etiologic agent is known, but it is postulated that the reaction may be associated with a variety of organisms of low-grade virulence. Certain organisms have long been known to produce predominantly plasmacytic infiltrate, notably spirochetes, mycobacteria and some exotic viruses. It is most important, however, that this entity, plasma-cell granuloma, be distinguished from multiple myeloma so those potentially life-threatening chemotherapeutic agents are not prescribed. Histologically, aggregates of chronic inflammatory cells are intermingled with the meets of plasma cells, and note the markedly thickened bone trabeculae in surrounding bone. We experienced a case of plasma-cell granuloma of right 7th. rib, occurring in 32 year old male and reported it with review of literatures.