Diagnostic ; Neisseria ; Gonorrhea ; Comparative Study

The “Kokon Hoi” was compiled by Koga Tsugen and was the most widely used formulary in the Edo era. Here are the results of this author's examination of various “Kokon Hoi” editions.1) Koga Tsugen received the source book of “Kokon Hoi” from the publisher Umemura, and compiled “Sanpo Kokon Hoi”.2) The original edition of “Kokon Hoi” was published by Umemura in around1692. This edition was a lengthwise book and contained 1263 prescriptions, which is the fewest of all the editions examined here.3) Umemura published an expanded edition of the original “Kokon Hoi” around1696. This was an oblong book, and included almost all of the prescriptions of the original “Kokon Hoi” with an additional 273 prescriptions.4) At the request of Umemura, Koga Tsugen published “Sanpo Kokon Hoi” with an additional 348 prescriptions in 1733, and subsequently, “Jutei Kokon Hoi” with an additional 43 prescriptions in 1747. “Jutei Kokon Hoi” was then reprinted in the years 1780, 1808 and 1862.
Books ; Editions ; Comparative Study ; historical period ; seconds

A daily count of air borne pollen was done within the city limits of Seoul, Korea for a period of two years (1984-1985) using Durham's Gravity Sampling Device. Two major pollen seasons, March through May, and the month of September, were easily distinguishable. The concentration of the different types of pollen as well as all of the pollens combined varied similarly both years to a significant degree. The pollen types found in the greatest numbers were Alnus (March), Populus (April), Quercus (April-May), Pinus(May), grasses (September), and weeds (September). The main weed pollens detected in September, sagebrush, ragweed and Japanese hop would also be considered to be important allergenic pollens of respiratory allergy in Korea. The results of the survey are discussed in the light of especially relevant published literature.
Air Pollution/analysis* ; Comparative Study ; Human ; Korea ; Pollen/analysis* ; Seasons

The clinical bacteriology laboratory has to be prepared to isolate and identify anaerobes as the implication of anaerobes in clinical infections is increasing. Although many types of thioglycollate media have been widely used for the enrichment growth of anerobes, different types are known to have different growth supporting ability. GAM is a recently developed medium, which is said to support a good growth of anaerobes. This study was made to compare GAM and the commonly used thioglycollate medium. It was found that BTM was superior to FTM, but GAM was showing the heaviest growth after a short incubation time. Hemoglobin powder added to FTM or BTM greatly improved growth of Bacteroides without impairing the clarity of the media. Supplementation of FTM with 1/4 strength each of BHI and TSB, and 1000 mg of hemoglobin per liter of medium improved growth of anaerobes. Among all of the tested media, GAM gave the best results for the cultivation of anaerobes including Bacteroides and Fusobacterium.
Anaerobiosis ; Bacteria/growth & development* ; Comparative Study ; Culture Media* ; Hemoglobins ; Thioglycolates*

Pulmonary Function tests are widely used in clinical practice in the assessment of a variety of patients. the values obtained in this test are obtained using the standard formula made by Morris et al based on the age and height of Caucasian population.

in this study, a comparison was made of the PFT results of 358 patients using both the Morris Standard formula and those made by Roa et al based on a filipino population, using the statistical program MICROSTAT. results revealed a statistically significant difference in practically all variables, except for the FEV% and the FVC in males, this means therefore that the filipino standard developed by Roa et al should be used since the final patient classification significantly changes.

Ultrastructural changes were induced in rat liver by the single administration of aflatoxin B1 and G1. These were assessed at intervals of 1, 6, 18, 24 and 48 hours and 1, 4 and 8 weeks. It would appear that administration of aflatoxin B1 induced a marked nucleolar alteration seen from 6 hours after the injection. No significant alterations were noted in animals treated with a small amount of aflatoxin G1, but injection of a larger amount of aflatoxin G1 induced nucleolar alterations similar to aflatoxin Bl treatment. The nucleolar change was characterized by segregation of the granular and fibrillar elements. All three groups showed cytoplasmic changes, such as dilation of rough endoplasmic reticulum with detachment of ribosomes, hyperplasia of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, increased numbers of lipid droplets and microbodies. Autoradiographic studies have shown the absorbtion of both aflatoxin B1 and G1 in parenchymal cells, but aflatoxin Bl was absorbed more intensely than Gl, especially in the nucleus. Autoradiographic findings in electron microscopy showed a marked difference in the size grains between aflatoxin B1 and G1, aflatoxin G1 being 1arger than aflatoxin B1.
Aflatoxins/toxicity* ; Animal ; Autoradiography ; Comparative Study ; Liver/drug effects ; Liver/pathology* ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Rats

Ultrastructural changes were induced in rat liver by the single administration of aflatoxin B1 and G1. These were assessed at intervals of 1, 6, 18, 24 and 48 hours and 1, 4 and 8 weeks. It would appear that administration of aflatoxin B1 induced a marked nucleolar alteration seen from 6 hours after the injection. No significant alterations were noted in animals treated with a small amount of aflatoxin G1, but injection of a larger amount of aflatoxin G1 induced nucleolar alterations similar to aflatoxin Bl treatment. The nucleolar change was characterized by segregation of the granular and fibrillar elements. All three groups showed cytoplasmic changes, such as dilation of rough endoplasmic reticulum with detachment of ribosomes, hyperplasia of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, increased numbers of lipid droplets and microbodies. Autoradiographic studies have shown the absorbtion of both aflatoxin B1 and G1 in parenchymal cells, but aflatoxin Bl was absorbed more intensely than Gl, especially in the nucleus. Autoradiographic findings in electron microscopy showed a marked difference in the size grains between aflatoxin B1 and G1, aflatoxin G1 being 1arger than aflatoxin B1.
Aflatoxins/toxicity* ; Animal ; Autoradiography ; Comparative Study ; Liver/drug effects ; Liver/pathology* ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Rats

Adult ; Balloon Dilatation/*methods ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Mitral Valve Stenosis/*therapy

OBJECTICE: To compare the use of conventional, real-time compound, and pulse-inversion harmonic imaging in the evaluation of breast nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two breast nodules were included in this study, conducted between May and December 2000, in which conventional, real-time compound, and pulse-inversion harmonic images were obtained in the same plane. Three radiologists, each blinded to the interpretations of the other two, evaluated the findings, characterizing the lesions and ranking the three techniques from grade 1, the worst, to grade 3, the best. Lesion conspicuity was assessed, and lesions were also characterized in terms of their margin, clarity of internal echotexture, and clarity of posterior echo pattern. The three techniques were compared using Friedman's test, and interobserver agreement in image interpretation was assessed by means of the intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: With regard to lesion conspicuity, margin, and internal echotexture of the nodules, real-time compound imaging was the best technique (p < 0.05); in terms of posterior echo pattern, the best was pulse-inversion harmonic imaging (p < 0.05). Real-time compound and pulse inversion harmonic imaging were better than conventional sonography in all evaluative aspects. Interobserver agreement was greater than moderate. CONCLUSION: Real-time compound and pulse-inversion harmonic imaging procedures are superior to conventional sonography in terms of both lesion conspicuity and the further characterization of breast nodules. Real-time compound imaging is the best technique for evaluation of the margin and internal echotexture of nodules, while pulse-inversion harmonic imaging is very effective for the evaluation of the posterior echo patterns.
Breast Neoplasms/*ultrasonography ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Fibrocystic Disease of Breast/*ultrasonography ; Human ; Middle Age ; Ultrasonography, Mammary/*methods

This study was undertaken to determine if better results could be achieved by comparing the results of a thoracic sympathetic ramicotomy (division of rami communicantes) with a conventional thoracic sympathicotomy (division of sympathetic trunk) for treating essential hyperhidrosis. From August 2001 to February 2002, 29 consecutive patients underwent surgery of the sympathetic nerves in order to treat severe essential hyperhidrosis. Of these patients, a ramicotomy was performed under VATS (VATS-R) in 13 patients, sympathicotomy under VATS (VATS-S) in 13, a unilateral ramicotomy and contralateral sympathicotomy under VATS (VATS-RS) in 2 and a sympathicotomy via a thoracotomy (T-S) in 1. There was no significant difference between the VATS ramicotomy group (VATS-R, n=13) and VATS sympathicotomy group (VATS-S, n=13) in terms of gender, pleural adhesions or comorbidities. However, the age of the VATS-S group at surgery was higher than that of the VATS-R group (p=0.050). The operation times, and hospital stays of the groups were 51.5 and 41.9 minutes, and 2.0 and 2.3 days, respectively. The recurrence rate of the operated sites according to the surgical methods (ramicotomy and sympathicotomy regardless of VATS) was 21.4% (6/28) in the ramicotomy group and 6.7% (2/30) in the sympathicotomy group, but there was no statistical significance (p=0.101). This study compared the dryness of the enervated sites and the severity of compensatory sweating among the ramicotomy (n=11, excluded 2 re-operated cases from 13 VATS-R), sympathicotomy (n=14, VATS-S 13 and T-S 1) and the synchronous or metachronous ramicotomy/sympathicotomy groups (n=4, included 2 reoperated cases of VATS-R). The sympathicotomy group had an over-dryness of the enervated sites (dryness 1.4, from 1 to 3; 1: over-dried, 2: humid, 3: persistent sweating) and complained of severe compensatory sweating (severity 3.5, from 1 to 4; 1: absent, 2: mild, 3: embarrassing, 4: disabling). However, the patients whounderwent a ramicotomy maintained some humidity of the enervated sites (dryness 2.0, p=0.012) and showed milder compensatory sweating (severity 2.7, p=0.056) than those in the sympathicotomy group. Furthermore, the dryness of the ramicotomy side was different from that of the sympathicotomy side in 3 out of 4 ramicotomy / sympathicotomy (R+S) patients (the side of the ramicotomy was humid and that of the sympathicotomy was over-dried). The average dryness and the compensatory sweating at these sites were in the midst of the two groups (dryness and severity 1.6 and 3.0, respectively). A ramicotomy can prevent over-dryness of the enervated area and decrease the severity of compensatory sweating through the selective division of the rami communicantes of the thoracic sympathetic ganglia. Postoperatively, almost all ramicotomy patients had no functional problems in daily life or in their occupational activity, because they could maintain hand humidity. Moreover, they showed no more than a mild degree of compensatory sweating and reported high long-term satisfaction rates. Therefore, a sympathetic ramicotomy rather than a conventional sympathicotomy is recommended as a more selective and physiologic modality for treating essential hyperhidrosis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Human ; Hyperhidrosis/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Sympathectomy ; *Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted