OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to emphasize the necessity of a standard in segmentation threshold and algorithm for measuring volume and surface area of mastoid air cell system (MACS). METHODS: First, we obtained axial computed tomography scans of 54 normal temporal bones from 27 subjects. Then, we manipulated Hounsfield units (HU) image data in DICOM (digital imaging and communications in medicine) files directly using our program. The volume and surface area of MACS were computed and compared at segmentation thresholds (HU) from -700 to 0 at intervals of 50 using 2 algorithms; square pixel based (SP) algorithm and marching square (MS) algorithm. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the volumes computed by SP and MS algorithms at each segmentation threshold. The surface area computed by SP algorithm, however, was significantly larger than that by MS algorithm. We could minimize this significant difference through a modification of the SP algorithm. As the lower HU threshold value was set, the smaller volume was measured. The surface area showed a plateau at a threshold of approximately -200 HU. The segmentation threshold had greater influence on the measured volume of MACS than the algorithm did. CONCLUSION: A standard method for measuring volume and surface area of MACS is thought to be necessary. We suggest that the MS algorithm and -200 HU of the threshold could be a standard in the measurement of volume and surface area of MACS.
Mastoid* ; Organ Size ; Temporal Bone

OBJECTIVETo analyze risk factors of marginal donors in living donor liver transplantation.

METHODS98 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) patients over the 7-year period from 2001 to 2007 in our transplantation center were retrospected. Potential risk factors, including donor age, gender-mismatch, steatotic donors and graft-recipient weight ratio (GRWR), and their relationship with 6-month patient survival rate were analyzed.

RESULTSThe 4 patients received livers with more than 30% steatosis died within 6 months, and 6-month survival rate was 91.7% in patients received livers with less than 30% steatosis. The 6-month survival rate was 86.9% and 87.8% in patients with grafts of GRWR more than 0.8% and in patients with graft of GRWR less than 0.8%, respectvely (x2=0.022, P more than 0.05), however, middle hepatic vein reconstruction significantly affected the survival rate of small-size-liver recipients (x2=10.612, P less than 0.01). Donor age and gender-mismatch were not associated with the survival rate of recipients (P more than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSteatosis is an important risk factor in living donor liver transplantation. Lower GRWR is not a limitation but we must reconsider its importance in liver transplantation. The donor age and gender-mismatch are not associated with the survival rate of recipients.

Nowadays, more and more parents are paying increasing attention to the penile length of their children. At present, the methods of measuring penile length mainly include manual measurement and ultrasonography. The former can be used to measure the flaccid, stretched and erected penile lengths, and its use for measuring the stretched penile length has been internationally accepted for its precise definition, unified description, and high repeatability. The latter, as a new method, is being gradually accepted for its imaging visualization and measurement accuracy. This article reviews different measurements of penile length in the mainstream literature of recent years, with an analysis of their advantages and disadvantages.
Child ; Humans ; Male ; Organ Size ; Penis ; anatomy & histology ; Reference Values

This tutorial reviews the principles of dose individualisation with an emphasis on target concentration intervention (TCI). Once a target effect is chosen then pharmacodynamics can predict the target concentration and pharmacokinetics can predict the target dose to achieve the required response. Dose individualisation can be considered at three levels: population, group and individual. Population dosing, also known as fixed dosing or “one size fits all” is often used but is poor clinical pharmacology; group dosing uses patient features such as weight, organ function and co-medication to adjust the dose for a typical patient; individual dosing uses observations of patient response to inform about pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics in the individual and use these individual differences to individualise dose.
Drug Monitoring ; Humans ; Individuality ; Organ Size ; Pharmacokinetics ; Pharmacology, Clinical

The skeletal muscle mass accounts for more than 40% of the body weight of healthy adults. The skeletal muscle not only plays an important role in physical activities but also affects the function of other organs as a secretory organ secreting multiple muscle factors. Therefore, it is important to maintain the normal quantity and function of skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle mass is the basis of skeletal muscle function and is often affected by many factors such as exercise and disease. Resistance exercise training induces increased protein synthesis in skeletal muscle cells, while limb disuse, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, cachexia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and many other pathological conditions lead to decreased protein synthesis or enhanced protein degradation of skeletal muscle cells. The process of skeletal muscle hypertrophy involves changes in multiple signaling pathways, such as IGF-1/PI3K/Akt, myostatin and G protein. On the other hand, activations of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, IGF-1/Akt/FoxO, autophagy-lysosomal pathway, NF-κB, and the glucocorticoid-mediated signaling pathways play important roles in regulating muscle atrophy. These signaling pathways regulate skeletal muscle mass and are modulated by some different conditions. This review briefly summarizes the signaling pathways of skeletal muscle mass control.
Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; physiology ; Muscular Atrophy ; Organ Size ; Signal Transduction

Objective: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the subchronic oral toxicity of sodium dehydroacetate (DHA-Na) and to determine the point of departure (POD), which is a critical factor in the establishment of an acceptable dietary intake. Methods: DHA-Na was administered once daily by gavage to Sprague-Dawley rats at dose levels of 0.0, 31.0, 62.0, and 124.0 mg/kg BW per day for 90 days, followed by a recovery period of 4 weeks in the control and 124.0 mg/kg BW per day groups. The outcome parameters were mortality, clinical observations, body weights, food consumption, hematology and clinical biochemistry, endocrine hormone levels, and ophthalmic, urinary, and histopathologic indicators. The benchmark dose (BMD) approach was applied to estimate the POD. Results: Significant decreases were found in the 62.0 and 124.0 mg/kg BW groups in terms of the body weight and food utilization rate, whereas a significant increase was found in the thyroid stimulating hormone levels of the 124.0 mg/kg BW group. Importantly, the 95% lower confidence limit on the BMD of 51.7 mg/kg BW was modeled for a reduction in body weight. Conclusion The repeated-dose study indicated the slight systemic toxicity of DHA-Na at certain levels (62.0 and 124.0 mg/kg BW) after a 90-day oral exposure.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Organ Size ; Pyrones ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PURPOSE: Kidney size (KS) is used to diagnose the patients with renal disease. When the length of a kidney is measured under 9 cm, it is considered to indicate an irreversible disease. Because glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decreases with age, the normal range of KS in the elderly is indefinite. Therefore, we measured KS in adults older than 80 years old and investigated correlated factors. METHODS: One hundreds six adults (51 men, 55 women: mean age 83+/-0.3) without renal disease were included. Their serum creatinine (Scr) levels did not exceed 1.3 mg/dL, and the calculated GFR were over 60 mL/min/1.73m2. Abdominal ultrasonography were performed to all of them and their body indexes (BI) were measured. RESULTS: 1) The mean length of kidney was 9.9+/-0.07 cm. 2) KS in the early eighties was larger than that of adults over ninety. 3) KS showed negative correlations with age and Scr, but a positive correlation with body surface area . 4) The calculated GFR showed correlations with the surface areas of both kidney (BK) by C-G equation and with the size of BK by MDRD equation. 4) The GFR calculated by MDRD and C-G equation presented inverse correlations with Scr, but only MDRD equation showed a statistic significance. CONCLUSION:In the elderly, KS may be smaller than that of younger adults. Other factors such as either surface area or volume of BK and BI should be considered to estimate the individual KS to decide whether the size is within normal range.
Adult ; Aged ; Body Size ; Body Surface Area ; Creatinine ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Kidney ; Male ; Organ Size ; Reference Values

This study investigated the protective effects of diallyl disulfide (DADS) against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced testicular toxicity in male rats. DADS was gavaged to rats once daily for 3 days at 100 mg/kg/day. One hour after the final DADS treatment, the rats were given a single intraperitoneal dose of 150 mg/kg CP. All rats were killed and necropsied on day 56 after CP treatment. Parameters of testicular toxicity included reproductive organ weight, testicular sperm head count, epididymal sperm motility and morphology, epididymal index, and histopathologic examinations. The CP treatment caused a decrease in body weight, testicular sperm head count, epididymal sperm motility, and epididymal index. The histopathological examination revealed various morphological alterations, characterized by degeneration of spermatogonia/spermatocytes, vacuolization, and decreased number of spermatids/spermatocytes in the testis, and cell debris and mild oligospermia in the ductus epididymis. In contrast, DADS pretreatment effectively attenuated the testicular toxicity caused by CP, including decreased sperm head count, epididymal sperm motility, and epididymal index and increased histopathological alterations in the testis and epididymis. These results indicate that DADS attenuates testicular toxicity induced by CP in rats.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Cyclophosphamide ; Epididymis ; Humans ; Male ; Oligospermia ; Organ Size ; Rats* ; Sperm Head ; Sperm Motility ; Testis

After infection of male mice with the plerocercoids (spargana) of Spirometra mansoni, serum levels of estrogen and testicular weight were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and weighing machine, respectively. The serum level of estrogen increased progressively in infected mice compared with normal controls, whereas the testicular weight of infected mice decreased significantly (P < 0.05). These results suggest that certain substances from spargana change the steroid hormone metabolisms in the host by unknown pathways, and chronic infection may contribute to change of the function of steroid hormone target organ, i.e., testis, in male mice.
Time Factors ; Testis/*parasitology/pathology ; Sparganosis/*complications ; Organ Size ; Mice ; Male ; Feminization/*parasitology ; Estrogens/blood ; Animals

The indications for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) were successfully expanded from pediatric to adult cases last 15 years. During this process, graft type has been shifted from left side liver to right side liver. Although the introduction of right lobe graft can successfully increase the actual graft size in LDLT, problem related to "small-for-size grafts" have gradually come to light. "Small-for-size syndrome", such as poor bile production, delayed synthetic function, prolonged cholestasis, and intractable ascites, leading to septic complications and higher mortality, are neither specific nor inevitable in low-weight liver grafts. Many factors other than actual graft weight contribute to the occurrence of "small-for-size syndrome". In the clinical setting, surgical modification targeting portal hemodynamics and tissue congestion is a key to overcome "small-for-size syndrome". Until now, several therapeutic options were reported, but further elucidation of the pathogenesis in "small-for-size syndrome" will be a solution for improving the outcomes in adult-to-adult LDLT.
Humans ; Liver/*pathology/*physiopathology ; Liver Transplantation/*adverse effects ; *Living Donors ; Organ Size ; Transplants