The authors evaluated high resolution computed tomographic (HRCT) findings of the isolated rabbit lungs with paraquat poisoning, and the findings were correlated with pathologic specimens. The purposes of this study are 1) to obtain the HRCT findings of the normal rabbit lung, 2) to find out if pulmonary pathology can be induced in rabbits by paraquat, and 3) to correlate the HRCT findings to those of pathology. Thirty rabbits were divided into three groups: group I included four control rabbits; group II included 16 rabbits given paraquat intraperitoneally(IP group); and group III included 10 rabbits given paraquat intravenously(IV group). The rabbits were sacrificed seven, 10 and 14 days after injection of various amount of paraquat, and then the lungs were isolated for HRCT and pathologic studies. Gross and microscopic findings of the three groups of control and paraquat-injected rabbit lungs were correlated with HRCT findings. Pulmonary congestion, mild thickening of alveolar walls and septae, and multifocal micro-atelectasis were the main pathologic findings of the lungs in both groups of the rabbits. Pulmonary hemorrhage was noted in five (31%) of 16 rabbits of IP group and three (30%) of 10 IV group. Pulmonary edema was seen in one rabbit (6%) of IP and four (40%) of IV group. Typical pulmonary fibrosis was seen in one rabbit of IP (6%) and IV (10%) group, respectively. There was no correlation between the amount of paraquat and frequency of the pulmonary pathology. Pulmonary fibrosis was seen at least one week after the paraquat injection. On HRCT, pulmonary hemorrhage and edema appeared as diffuse air-space consolidation and pulmonary fibrosis as linear or band-like opacities. However, minimal changes such as mild congestion.
Edema ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Hemorrhage ; Lung* ; Paraquat ; Pathology ; Poisoning ; Pulmonary Edema ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Rabbits

No abstract available.
Intestinal Obstruction*

Purpose: To examine the usefulness of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) density for selection of biopsy candidates with serum PSA levels between 4-10ng/ml, and determine the optimal PSA density (PSAD) cut off value for use in clinical practice. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 705 patients with serum PSA levels between 4-10ng/ml. The patients were divided into the prostate cancer and the non-prostate cancer groups. The PSA level and PSAD in predicting prostate cancer were compared. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated, and utilized to evaluate the optimal PSAD cut off value. Results: One hundred and nineteen and five hundred and eighty six patients had prostate and non-prostate cancers, respectively, on pathological examination. The mean PSA values were not significantly different; 6.9 and 7.0ng/ml, respectively (p>0.05). However, the mean PSAD values were 0.168 and 0.213ng/ml/cc; significantly higher in the prostate cancer group than the BPH group (p<0.05). The ROC curves for the PSA level and PSAD demonstrated superior benefit for the PSAD. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values of a PSAD cut off of 0.15ng/ml/ cc were 73.1, 45.9 and 21.5%, respectively. A PSAD cut off of 0.17ng/ml/cc showed the highest sensitivity and specificity, with sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values of 63.9, 59.2 and 24.1%, respectively. Conclusions: The PSAD seems to be useful in the selection of biopsy candidates with serum PSA levels between 4-10ng/ml, and a PSAD cut off of 0.17ng/ml/cc would seem to be preferable to 0.15ng/ml/cc.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen* ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

We performed an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) position emission tomography (PET) in two patients with complex partial status epilepticus (CPSE). Ictal FDG studies usually occur by chance, because of the unpredictable nature of seizures and the short half-life of flourine-18. In addition to that, ictal PET studies are often contaminated by postictal hypometabolism due to the relatively long FDG uptake period. We experienced two patients with prolonged states of mental confusion. During the confused state, eletrophysiologic and neuroimaging studies were done to confirm the diag-nosis of CPSE. Ictal PET studies showed hypermetabolism during status epilepticus compared with interictal PET. There has been no case report about ictal PET in Korea. We present two cases of ictal PET with a review of the literature
Half-Life ; Humans ; Korea ; Neuroimaging ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus*

We performed an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) position emission tomography (PET) in two patients with complex partial status epilepticus (CPSE). Ictal FDG studies usually occur by chance, because of the unpredictable nature of seizures and the short half-life of flourine-18. In addition to that, ictal PET studies are often contaminated by postictal hypometabolism due to the relatively long FDG uptake period. We experienced two patients with prolonged states of mental confusion. During the confused state, eletrophysiologic and neuroimaging studies were done to confirm the diag-nosis of CPSE. Ictal PET studies showed hypermetabolism during status epilepticus compared with interictal PET. There has been no case report about ictal PET in Korea. We present two cases of ictal PET with a review of the literature
Half-Life ; Humans ; Korea ; Neuroimaging ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus*

No abstract available.

Megaloblastic anemia induced by Vitamin B12 deficiency is a disorder caused by impaired DNA synthesis. It has been previously thought to be rare in children, however, recent studies suggest that this condition is more common than previously recognized. Deficiency can lead to a wide spectrum of hematologic and neuropsychiatric disorders. Especially in children, it often presents with nonspecific manifestations, such as developmental delay, irritability, weakness, and failure to thrive. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment might resolve these complications, but permanent neurologic damage may have already occurred. We experienced two cases of Megaloblastic Anemia induced by Vitamin B12 deficiency and report them with a brief review of the literature.
Anemia, Megaloblastic* ; Child* ; DNA ; Early Diagnosis ; Failure to Thrive ; Humans ; Megaloblasts* ; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency* ; Vitamin B 12* ; Vitamins*

gamma-Glutamyltransferase(GGT: E.C. 2.3.2.2.) is a glycoprotein enzyme which is involved in glutathione metabolism and amino acid transport through the plasma membrane. It is distributed widely in several organs including liver, kidney, pancrease and brain. GGTs derived from the brain of Wister rats and BALB/c mice were biochemically purified to a specific activity of 4246.2, 862.1 units per mg of protein, a purification folds 93.7, 43.8 and the final yield 65.8, 44.0% respectively. Electrophoretic pattern of purified GGTs from rats and mice brain shows very similar protein fraction each other. We have produced six monoclonal antibodies(GGT-Mab 1-6) against 2-acetamidogluorene treated rat liver GGT. Using these GGT-Mab 1-6 we performed immunohistochemistry(IHC) to study the distribution of GGT isozymes in normal tissues of rat brain and in neoplastic tissues of human brain. The results indicated that human brain GGT was localized in pericytes of blood-brain barrier, especially in the blood-rich portion of the brain(e.g. cerebellum of rat, meningioma and craniopharyngioma of human). Therefore these Maps may be used to evaluate the distribution of GGT isozymes in different tissues.
Animals ; Antibodies* ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Blood-Brain Barrier* ; Brain ; Cell Membrane ; Cerebellum ; Craniopharyngioma ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase* ; Glutathione ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Isoenzymes ; Kidney ; Liver ; Meningioma ; Metabolism ; Mice ; Pancreas ; Pancrelipase ; Pericytes* ; Rats

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study is to assess the pulmonary airway reactivity in asthmatic patients directly and noninvasively by using high-resolution CT(HRCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 130 bronchial luminal areas were measured by HRCT in 16 asthmatic patients before and after inhalation of bronchodilator (Salbutamol sulfate). The change of bronchial luminal area on HRCT was analyzed and correlated with the change of forced expiratory volume in 1 second(FEV1) on pulmonary function test in each patient. RESULTS: The mean percentage of increase in luminal areas of the 130 bronchi after bronchodilator inhalation was 95.4 +/- 103.3%. The group with the smallest luminal areas (lesser than 1.35mm2) was more sensitively increased in area than the group with the largest areas (equal or larger than 3.72 mm2) ;183.5% versus 63.5%. The mean percentage of increase in FEV1 was 21.7% and there was no statistically significant correlation between the increased degrees of luminal areas and that of FEV1(r=-0.04). CONCLUSION:We can measure the bronchial luminal area directly and noninvasively with HRCT and can also estimate the degree of airway reactivity in asthmatic patient by measuring of the changes of bronchial luminal areas after administration of bronchodilator.
Asthma* ; Bronchi ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Phenobarbital ; Respiratory Function Tests

PURPOSE: Conventional hemorrhoidectomy is inevitably painful as a result of an anodermal wound. Circumferential stapled hemorrhoidectomy may be associated with less postoperative pain than conventional hemorrhoidectomy. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether a circumferential stapled hemorrhoidectomy, which uses PPH (Procedure for Prolapse and Hemorrhoids), offers any advantage over the conventional hemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical results of hemorrhoidectomy of 122 patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids. There were two categories of patients: those receiving a circumferential stapled hemorrhoidectomy (n=50) and those receiving a conventional hemorrhoidectomy (n=72). The majority of cases were carried out under spinal anesthesia. The operation time, hospital stay, pain score, complications, and the number of days before returning to normal activity were recorded. A follow up was done using a questionnaire or through a telephone interview two weeks and six weeks after the operation. RESULTS: The mean distance from the dentate line to the completion line of stapling was 1.3+/-0.1 cm. There were two cases of the incomplete doughnut. The circumferential stapled hemorrhoidectomy took less time to perform (20.5+/-4.5 vs. 24.3+/-7.1 min). The mean visual analogue pain score (0~10) on the 2nd day and two weeks after operation was lower in the stapled group (4.1 and 1.5 vs. 6.1 and 3.1)(P<0.05). The stapled group had a shorter duration of hospital stay (4.1 days vs. 5.3 days)(P<0.05) and had a faster recovery to normal activity (7.6 days vs. 13.6 days)(P<0.05). Circumferential stapled hemorrhoidectomy controlled the symptoms of prolapse, pain, and bleeding in all patients. There were 2 cases of urinary retention in both groups, respectively, but there were no postoperative bleeding. CONCLUSION: Even though long term follow up is required, no major complications were observed in our series. The results of our experience for circumferential stapled hemorrhoidectomy appear encouraging. We assume that circumferential stapled hemorrhoidectomy is a safer and faster technique which can replace conventional hemorrhoidectomy techniques.
Anesthesia, Spinal ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhoidectomy* ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Length of Stay ; Pain, Postoperative ; Prolapse ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Urinary Retention ; Wounds and Injuries