Ossification and calcification of the spinal ligaments frequently cause pressure upon the spinal cord andnerve roots. Authors reviewed 150 cases of C-spine CT, 80 cases of T-spine CT, and 725 cases of L-spine CT whichwere carried out a Pusan Natina University Hospital for 2 years from May 1983 to May 1985. We analysed 34 caseswhich showed ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) and ligamentum flavum (OLF) of these 955cases. The results are follows: 1. The male ot female ratio of spinal ligamentous ossification was 26:8. The 5thdecade group (24.41%) was the most prevalent age group. 4th decade(26.4%), 6th decade(23.52%), 7th decade(11.76),3rd decade (8.8%), and 8th decade(2.94%) in that order. 2. Of 955 cases of spine CT, the incidence of OPLL was 25cases(21.51%) and that of OLF was 10 ases(1.05%). 3. Regional incidence of spinal ligamentous ossification was asfollows. 1) In case of OPLL, cervical area was 19/150(12.67%) and lumbar area was 6/725 (0.83%). 2) In cases ofOLF, Thoracic area was 3/80(3.75%) and lumbar area was 8/725(1.10%). 4. The most frequent length of OPLL was 4body length (32%) and the most frequent locations are C4 and C5(68%). The types fo OPLL were 15 cases(60%) ofsegmental type, 8 cases(32%) of continuous type, and 2 cases(8%) of mixed type in that order. All segmental typeswere degree 1 or 2 and most continuous and mixed type (80%) were degree 2 or 3 dural sac effect. 5. The number ofinvolved interlaminar spaces in OLF was 1 to 5 interspaces and most of OLF were found at low thoracic and lumbararea. 6. There could be noted high correlation between the spinal ligamentous ossification and degenerative discdisease, The incidence of associated disc disease was 18/25(72%) in OPLL and 8/10(80%) in OLF.
Busan ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ligaments ; Ligamentum Flavum ; Male ; Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament ; Spinal Cord ; Spine

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Lung Injury* ; Lung* ; Paraquat*

No abstract available.
Hemoptysis*

The effects of resin on the respiratory health have been investigated in 309 workers from four iron and steel foundries and the results compared with those from 122 workers who were not significantly exposed to resin gas and silica dust at the same industries. Phenol-formaldehyde resin was used in the core making and molding processes and workers were exposed to their decomposition products as well as to silica dist containing particulates The subjects were grouped according to formaldehyde, dust and other gas exposures, and smoking habits were considered also in the analysis. Standardized respiratory symptom questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers. Chest radiograph, pulmonary function tests, and methacholine challenge tests were done. Environmental measurements at the breathing zone were carried out to determine levels of formaldehyde, respirable dust and total dust. Foundry workers had a higher prevalence of symptoms of chronic bronchitis with chronic phlegm and chronic cough when exposed to dust. Exposure to gas was significantly associated with lowered FEV1 and obstructive pulmonary function changes. Exposure to formaldehyde and phenol gas was associated with wheezing symptom among workers, but FEV1 changes after methacholine challenge were not significantly different among different exposure groups. When asthma was defined as the presence of bronchial hyperreactivity with more than 20% decrease in FEV1 after methacholine challenge, 17 workers out of 222 tested had asthma. Fewer asthmatic workers were found among groups exposed to for maldehyde, gas and dust, which indicates a healthy worker effects in a cross-sectional study. The concentration of formaldehyde gas ranged from 0.24 to 0.43 ppm among studied foundries. The authors conclude that fornaldehyde and phenol gas from combust resin is probably the cause of asthmatic symptoms and also a selection force of those with higher bronchial reactivity away from exposures.
Airway Obstruction ; Asthma ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Cough ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dust ; Formaldehyde ; Fungi ; Healthy Worker Effect ; Iron ; Methacholine Chloride ; Phenol ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Respiration ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Respiratory Sounds ; Silicon Dioxide ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Steel

PURPOSE: We performed a retrospective study to compare the accuracy between conventional CT staging and intraoperative staging for advanced gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with advanced gastric cancer were included in this study during the recent 2 year-period. All were pre- and posto- peratively diagnosed as advanced gastric cancer. CTwas performed with G E 9800 and Somatom DR3 under conventional technique in 50 and with others in 10 referred patients. The CT staging for T and N category with emphasis on incurable factor, if not resacted, were performed. And we compared the accuracy between conventional CT and intraoperative staging. The final histo-pathologic staging was used as a gold standard. RESULTS: Accuracy of CT and operation for T4(n=l7) factor is 76.9 % and 86.2 % respectively. Overestimation rate for T4 was 9.3 % by CT and 6.1% by operation, and underestimation rate for was 13.8 % and 7.7 % respectively. Accuracy of CT and operation for N (n=60) factor was 50 % and 60 % respectively. Overestimation rate for N factor was 18.3 % by CT and 18.3 % by operation, and underestimation rate for N factor was 31.7 % and 21.7 % respectively. Correct Tand IM staging was possible only in 33% by CT and 38% by intraoperative assessment. CONCLUSION: Conventional CT and intraoperative staging for incurable T/N factor in advanced gastric cancer have a potential limitations, especially for N factor. Therefore, more reliable modality or technique such as dynamic scanning by spiral CT, transabdominal or endoscopic ultrasonography should be preoperatively performed to complement infrequent errors in intraoperative staging. Furthermore, a histology-oriented surgical approach seems essential in selecting the most appropriate surgical procedure.
Complement System Proteins ; Endosonography ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

Intramural hematoma(IMH) and penetrating aortic ulcer have been increasingly recognized as causes of acute aortic pathology in addition to aortic dissection. The presence of the intimal tear and a flap traversing the aortic lumen is considered to be a most reliable differential point of aortic dissection and IMH. Transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) has become a valuable modality for the diagnosis, prognosis and management of acute aortic syndrome with the unique advantages of portability and the ability to obtain high-resolution real time images. Endovascular Stent-graft placement over the primary entry tear may be an alternative to open surgery because it can close the intimal tear, which leads to thrombosis of the false lumen, excluding flow through the intimal tear and redirecting aortic flow exclusively into the true lumen. We report 88 year-old male with aortic dissection in descending thoracic aorta, successfully treated with endovascular Stent-graft implantation, which was mimicking intramural hematoma by its appearance and subclinical intimal tear diagnosed exclusively by TEE against other imaging studies.
Aged, 80 and over ; Aorta, Thoracic* ; Diagnosis ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Male ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Thrombosis ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: Endothelial cells (ECs) are exposed to continuous shear stress due to the blood flow. Heat shock protein (hsp) 70 is a well-known stress-response protein. The objective of this study is to investigate the expression of hsp70 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by shear stress. METHOD: The pattern of hsp70 was investigated by the in vitro laminar flow system and its image was analyzed by PV-WAVE software program. The image of heat shock-induced hsp70 expression was analyzed and compared with that of shear stress-induced hsp70 expression. RESULT: Under the condition of shear stress produced by flow, the ECs change their morphology and lineup along the flow direction. As to expression of flow stress-induced hsp70, it was accumulated in perinuclear region of endothelial cells, which is different from heat shock-induced hsp70 exression. CONCLUSION: ECs alignment along the direction of the flow shear stress and changes their phenotype are due to the remodeling of the actin microfilaments. Perinuclear expression of hsp70 may play an important roles in this shear stress induced remodeling response.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Endothelial Cells* ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature* ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Phenotype

The aortic dissection is an acute aortic syndrome, caused by an intimal tear and subsequent splitting of the media by the pulsatile blood flow. Though there would be differences in the origin of aortic dissection and therapeutic modalities, the intermediate and long-term prognoses are poor. Endovascular Stent-graft implantation is a revolutionary technique in the treatment of aortic dissection. The endovascular stent grafting in aortic dissection is less invasive and feasible method and is an effective tool for closing the entry site and promoting clot formation, reducing the size of the false lumen. Therefore, endovascular Stent-graft implantation makes possible the desirable remodelling of aorta. We report 33 year-old male with aortic dissection in the thoracic aorta, which was treated with endovascular Stent-graft implantation. Over the favorable remodelling, his dissection was healed completely by the endovascular treatment using Stent-graft.
Adult ; Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic* ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Humans ; Male ; Prognosis