The dendriform pulmonary ossification (DPO) is a rare condition of unknown origin in which branching mature bony spicules, usually containing marrow, are found within the alveolar septa. DPO manifests slow progression over many years or may remain unchanged; spontaneous regression has not been recorded. Most patients have no symptoms directly attributed to the ossification, although they may have symptoms due to the underlying fibrotic process. We experienced a case of DPO in 38 year-old-man who presented with cough and sputum for a month. The chest X-ray showed marked coarsened interstitial lung markings in both lungs, especially in the lower lobes. Open lung biopsy was done. Grossly, there were significant dendriform osseous structures. Histologically, branching arrays of mature bone were found in the interstitium and occasionally in alveolar spaces. Some bony trabeculae contained fatty or cellular marrow. The alveolar septa showed fibrous thickening with chronic inflammation. The transition between fibrosis and bone tissue was observed. Our case suggests that dendriform pulmonary ossification may be a rare special manifestation of chronic fibrosing interstitial inflammation of the lung. Osseous structures seem to derive from metaplastic bone formation in the vicinity of undergoing fibrous process.
Biopsy ; Bone and Bones ; Bone Marrow ; Cough ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Osteogenesis ; Sputum ; Thorax

In this study, the distribution and reisolation of Mycoplasma pneumoniae(Mp) were observed from the various tissues of BALB/c mice which were intraperitoneally pre-inoculated with Mp. In addition, the effect of Mp on the growth, phagocytic activities and nitric oxide production of microglial cells were also examined. The results were as follows; 1) Mp was reisolated from the various tissues such as lymph node, spleen, liver, kidney, brain and blood from one hour through 48 hours after intra-peritoneal inoculation of Mp in mice by the cultural method. Furthermore, it could also be confirmed from those tissues up to 72 hours by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody method. 2) There was no difference in the phagocytic activities between the control microglial cells and Mp stimulated microglial cells. 3) The growth of microglial cells in the medium was significantly increased by the stimulation with Mp compared with that of the control. 4) Nitric oxide production of mouse microglial cells was increased by the combined treatment if IFN-r and LPS or IFN-r and Mp or IFN-r, LPS and Mp, whereas, no increase was observed by either LPS or Mp alone. 5) Nitric oxide production of microglial cells primed with IFN-r was closely related with the dose of LPS and Mp in the dose dependent manner rather than that of the IFN-r. These results suggest that; i) Mp spreads to the various tissues of mice within one hour after intraperitoneal inoculation, ii) the growth of microglial cells increases by the infection of Mp, iii) microglial cells have phagocytic activities to C.albicans and iv) nitric oxide production of microglial cells was augmented by the infection of Mp. Increased nitric oxide production of microglial cells is regarded as an increase of the intracellular bactericidal activiteis of microglial cells. It is suggested, nonetheless, that the inflammatory response of the Mp infected tissues is augmented by the increase of nitric oxide.
Animals ; Brain ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Mice* ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Spleen

No abstract available.
Animals ; Astrocytes* ; Interleukin-1* ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-12* ; Interleukin-1beta* ; Interleukin-2* ; Interleukin-6* ; Melanoma* ; Mice* ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma*

Physiotherapy, psychotherapy, hormone therapy, chemical therapy, traditional surgical methods; amputation of painful extremities, cordotomy, leucotomy, rhizotomy, electrode insertion into the dorsal column of cord and acupuncture have been performed for therapeutic approaches to pain relief, but still there are problems in management of complete relief for the chronic pain today. At present, another new method of eliminating chronic pain is based on expanding the neurophysiologic aspect. Among the above mentioned therapeutic approaches to chronic pain relief, spinal barbotage seems to be least stressful to the patient and very effective in some cases. We have experienced a case of successful control of chronic pain by spinal barbotage for a 62 year old woman with metastatic colon carcinoma. The patient was well controlled chronic pain for 28 hours after the first spinal barbotage and for 3 weeks after the second spinal barbotage. It is considered that spinal barbotage is more simple, convenient and effective than other methods for intractable pain relief.
Acupuncture ; Amputation ; Chronic Pain ; Colon ; Cordotomy ; Electrodes ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pain, Intractable* ; Psychosurgery ; Psychotherapy ; Rhizotomy

OBJECTIVES: The number of healthcare institutions adopting smartphones continues to increase, implying that their utilization is undoubtedly gaining attention. Understanding the needs of smartphone users will provide a greater opportunity for successful information technology acceptance by expanding the scope of its utilization. This study focuses on how smartphones are accepted and utilized in hospitals and analyzes the factors influencing users' attitude, social influence, and intention of use. METHODS: For the study model, the researcher has mainly adopted the Theory of Reasoned Action and further modified and used the models of Technology Acceptance and Information Systems Success. To test the model empirically, a survey was conducted with 122 professionals on information development teams in Korean tertiary hospitals. RESULTS: The common smartphone usage modes were Internet searching, e-mail, scheduling, and social networking in consecutive order. Phone calls consisted of 51.4% of work-related purposes, while other functions, such as text message, Web browser, and scheduling, were mostly used for personal purposes. Costs, contents quality, innovation, ease of use, and support were shown to have statistically significant effects on user attitude, and social influence, portability, security, content quality, and innovation were significant. User attitude and social influence were both statistically significant with respect to intention of use, with user attitude greater than social influence. CONCLUSIONS: The participating staff were analyzed as having strong personal faith and principles, independent from their external environment. Timely information exchanges among medical staff will facilitate appropriate communication and improved health services to patients in need.
Consumer Health Information ; Delivery of Health Care ; Electronic Mail ; Health Information Management ; Health Services ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Intention ; Internet ; Medical Staff ; Smartphone ; Telecommunications ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Text Messaging ; Web Browser ; Wireless Technology

Myofibrosarcoma of the breast is a rare malignant mesenchymal tumor that has been reported in only four well documented cases so far. We report a case of myofibrosarcoma of the breast in an 88-year-old man who complained of a palpable mass for 1 year. Microscopically, the tumor consisted mainly of spindled cells, arranged in irregular fascicles and embedded in broad bands of dense hyalinized collagen. It showed ill-defined border infiltrating the adjacent adipose tissue, moderate cellular pleomorphism, and high mitotic rate (8~9/10 HPF). Immunohistochemical study confirmed myofibroblastic differentiation of the tumor cells with diffuse strong reaction for vimentin, smooth muscle actin, and fibronectin.
Actins ; Adipose Tissue ; Aged, 80 and over ; Breast* ; Collagen ; Fibronectins ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myofibroblasts ; Vimentin

No abstract available.
Humans ; Orthognathic Surgery*

Leiomyomas of vagina and vulva are rare solid tumors, but most common mesenchymal tumors in adult woman. Most of the reported cases have been benign. The tumors were firm, well-defined submucosal masses in a majority of patients. We experienced two cases of vulvar and vaginal leiomyoma, thus it is presented with a brief review of the cases and its literatures.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Vagina* ; Vulva*

BACKGROUND: Diverticulosis of the cecum and ascending colon is a rare disease in Western countries, it is more common in the Orient. Making the diagnosis preoperatively could be difficult, and the intraoperative assessment and decision of optimal treatments are difficult. METHODS: Therefore, we reviewed the patient's charts of diverticulosis of the cecum and ascending colon at our hospital from 1992 to 1997. RESULTS: During the past 5 years, a total of 53 cases of diverticulosis of the cecum and ascending colon had been treated at this hospital. Mean age was 41.8 years (range 20-70). The male to female ratio was 1.8 : 1. Frequent complaints were abdominal pain (46 cases, 86.8%), followed by diarrhea (5 cases, 9.3%), indigestion (4 cases, 7.5%), and bowel habits change (2 cases, 3.8%). Mean duration of illness was 3.5 days(range 24 hours~15 days). In non-surgical cases, diagnoses were established with barium enema, CT scan, or ultrasonography. The accuracy of these methods was 91%, 75%, and 25%. In surgical cases, the preoperative diagnoses were appendicitis(13 cases, 50.1%), diverticulitis (7 cases, 31.8%), and abscess (2 cases, 9.1%). Treatments of the cecum and ascending colon diverticulitis were conservative management (3 teases,58.5%) and surgical treatment (22 cases,41.5%). The operative procedures were right hemicolectomies (2 cases), ileocecal resections (2 cases), diverticulectomies (6 cases) and appendectomies only (11 cases). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that correct diagnosis of the diverticulitis of the cecum and ascending colon made before treatment is very important because correct assessment of diverticulitis intraoperatively is difacut. Liberal use of diagnostic modalities could facilitate to make correct diagnosis to set a proper plan for treatment.
Abdominal Pain ; Abscess ; Appendectomy ; Barium ; Cecum* ; Colon, Ascending* ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Diverticulitis ; Diverticulum* ; Dyspepsia ; Enema ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Rare Diseases ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

A 41-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for self-audible wheezing sound and dyspnea. On past history, she has been suffered from chest discomfort, and treated recurrently by other hospitals. But, there was no symptomatic improvement. A stridor and mixed wheezing sound was auscultated on whole lung field. PFT revealed fixed type or variable intra- & extra-thoracic air way obstructive pattern. By bronchoscopy & bronchogram, we found web-like structure on the distal trachea. A bronchoplasty was performed and the post-operative PFT showed slight improvement & she had no more complaints.
Adult ; Bronchoscopy ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Hemoptysis* ; Humans ; Lung ; Respiratory Sounds ; Thorax ; Trachea