Abnormal Fractal Correlation of Heart Rate in Children with Neurocardiogenic Syncope

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to determine short- and long-term fractal correlation behavior of heart rates during daily activity in patients with neurocardiogenic syncope. METHODS: Twenty five patients with histories of neurocardiogenic syncope episodes were included. Their analogue 24h ambulatory Holter electrocardiograms were analyzed. The tape was digitized and the digitized electrocardiograms were partioned into sections of one hour. Then their RR intervals were measured and 20,000 points of RRI were used. To quantify the fractal correlation behavior, we employed the detrended fluctuation analysis, and short-term(n16, alpha2) fractal scaling exponents were calculated. RESULTS: When compared to control, 24-hour average values of alpha1 and all alpha1 values at quarters of each day were significantly higher in patients with syncope. On the contrary, their 24-hour average value of alpha2 and all alpha2 values at quarters of each day were lower in patients with syncope. However, statistical significances were found in 24-hour average value of alpha2 and in alpha2 value at MN-6AM. CONCLUSION: In the syncope patients with neurocardiogenic syncope, short-term fractal scaling exponents of RR interval was significantly high throughout the day. Therefore, their RR intervals were smoother in the short term scale and had a tendency to continue in the same direction of increase or decrease, which may contribute to persistent decrease in heart rate during a syncopal attack.

Correlations among Tumor Microvessel Density, p53 Protein Expression, and Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Angiogenesis is a crucial step in tumor growth and progression, and regulated by the net balance between positive and negative angiogenic factors. Recent studies suggested that angiogenesis is controlled by p53 regulation. immunohistochemical study was carried out using monoclonal antibodies against p53 protein and CD34. In this study, immunohistochemical study was carried out using monoclonal antibodies against p53 protein and CD34 in order to determine the relationship between p53 protein expression and angiogenesis in squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tumor tissues from 35 cases of paraffin block specimens of head and neck cancers were used from the archives of Department of Pathology in Chonnam University hospital to study the relationship between p53 protein expression and angiogenesis. RESULTS: p53 protein expression was present in 20 (57.1%) of 35 cases and the median micro-vessel count (MVD) was 49.0 (9-126) in x200 microscopic field. MVD was 45.5 (20-126) in cases with p53 protein expression and 50.0 (9-108) in cases without p53 protein expression. There was no statistical significance between MVD and p53 protein expression. An inverse relationship was seen between MVD and primary tumor size. P53 protein expression was not associated with nodal metastasis and primary tumor size. CONCLUSION: There were no significant relations between MVD and p53 protein expression, nor among MVD, p53 and nodal metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The Effect of Air in a Sauna on Nasal Mucociliary Function / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There has been many attempts to find out the changes in the nasal mucociliary transport function under various conditions. In this study, we intended to determine if air in a sauna exerts any beneficial effect on the nasal mucociliary function using the saccharin method, which is regarded as the proper screening test for nasal mucociliary function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal healthy adults (16 men, 15 women) aged from 18 to 22 volunteered for this study. We measured each saccharin transit time (STT) twice, inside a room (25degreesC, 85%), a dry sauna (70degreesC, 85%), and a wet sauna (70degreesC, 100%), respectively. RESULTS: The average STT was 7.98+/-2.95 minutes at the room, 8.47+/-1.71 at the dry sauna, and 7.59+/-2.95 at the wet sauna. There was no meaningful relationships of STT among each condition (p=0.157). CONCLUSION: Air in a sauna has neither any beneficial effect on the nasal mucociliary function nor any harmful effect on it.

A Case of Acute Hydrocephalus Occurring after Operative Treatment on Nontraumatic Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea

Nontraumatic cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea is a very rare disease that comprises 3-4% of all CSF rhinorrhea cases. The principle treatment for CSF rhinorrhea is surgery because more conservative treatments usually fail. The authors executed extracranial repair of the fistula and sphenoid sinus obliteration with abdominal fat in a 33-year old male diagnosed with nontraumatic CSF rhinorrhea not accompanied by intracranial lesion. The CSF rhinorrhea stopped after the operation, but acute hydrocephalus developed on the postoperative second day, and a ventriculospinal shunt was performed. The authors report a case of acute hydrocephalus occurring after the repair of the CSF rhinorrhea, a development that, to our knowledge, has never been reported in the literature.