Lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) is defined as acute or chronic abnormal blood loss distal to the ligament of Treitz. The incidence of LGIB is only one fifth of that of the upper gastrointestinal tract and is estimated to be 21 to 27 cases per 100,000 adults per year. Acute bleeding is arbitrarily defined as bleeding of <3 days' duration resulting in instability of vital signs, anemia, and/or need for blood transfusion. Chronic bleeding is defined as slow blood loss over a period of several days or longer presenting with symptoms of occult fecal blood, intermittent melena, or scant hematochezia. Bleeding means that the amounts of blood in the feces are too small to be seen but detectable by chemical tests. LGIB is usually chronic and stops spontaneously. Bleeding stop (80%), but male gender and older patients suffer from more severe LGIB. The optimal timing of colonoscopic intervention for LGIB remains uncertain. Urgent colonoscopy may serve to decrease hospital stay. However, urgent colonoscopy is difficult to control, and showed no evidence of improving clinical outcomes or lowering costs as compared with routine elective colonoscopy.
Adult ; Anemia ; Blood Transfusion ; Colonoscopy ; Feces ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Length of Stay ; Ligaments ; Male ; Melena ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Vital Signs

No abstract available.
Adenoma* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Stomach Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: This study is for the evaluation of low tesla(0.064T) MR imaging diagnostic accuracy in the internal derangement of the knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the MR images of 36 injured knees of 35 patients. The presence of tear was determined by arthroscopy or surgery in all cases. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value of low tesla MRI for the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament injury were 83%, 88%, 86%, 77%, 91%, for the posterior cruciate ligament 75%, 95%, 86%, 92%, 83%, for the medial collateral ligament 83%, 96%, 92%, 91%, 92%, for the lateral collateral ligament 67%, 97%, 94%, 67%, 97%, for the menisci 75%, 93%, 89%, 75%, 93%. CONCLUSION: The low tesla MRI is an accurate method in detection and evaluation of the internal derangement of the knee.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Arthroscopy ; Collateral Ligaments ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Knee* ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that includes two main disease entities-ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Although the pathogenesis of IBD remains unclear, it is widely accepted that genetic, environmental and immunological factors are involved. Animal models of IBD are indispensable for the understanding of the pathogenesis and novel therapeutic applications for IBD. IBD animal models can be divided into several different categories, including models of spontaneous colitis (cotton-top tamarin colitis); inducible forms of colitis (using acetic acid, dextran sulfate sodium and indomethacin); an adoptive transfer model (CD45RB(high) transfer model); genetically engineered models (with IL-10 knockout or TCR-alpha chain knockout mice). However, there is no 'perfect' model for human disease. Investigators must make judicious choices when selecting a model for a particular study. In this review, an overview of the different IBD animal models is provided and the contribution of the models to the current understanding of disease mechanisms is discussed, with the ultimate goal to develop future therapeutic trials.
Acetic Acid ; Adoptive Transfer ; Animals ; Colitis ; Crohn Disease ; Dextran Sulfate ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Interleukin-10 ; Models, Animal ; Research Personnel

Understanding of the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is constantly evolving and, recently, a number of biologic agents that selectively target specific molecules or pathways to correct the imbalance of the gut immune system have been developed. Among them, an antibody to tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) is the first developed drug which has dramatically improved the management of patients with IBD. However, more than one-third of IBD patients do not respond to medications, and there is the problem of antibody formation. Therefore, enormous efforts have been made into the development of novel anti-cytokines and stem cell injection as an alternative to has been made. However, the efficacy and safety of stem cell treatment are under investigation. Some studies have reported very promising data; however, others have shown conflicting results. In addition, most trials involved a very small number of subjects and did not compare stem cell treatment with anti-TNF. The present paper reviews the function and therapeutic mechanism of stem cells for the treatment of IBD.
Antibody Formation ; Humans ; Immune System ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Stem Cells ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

No abstract available.
Colon ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18

No abstract available.
Capsule Endoscopy* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Luteolin, a flavone found in various Chinese herbal medicines is known to possess anti-inflammatory properties through its ability to inhibit various proinflammatory signaling pathways including NF-kappa B and p38 MAPK. In this study, we investigated the potential therapeutic effect of luteolin on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. MATERILAS AND METHODS: We used a transgenic mouse model expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the transcriptional control of NF-kappa B cis-elements. C57BL/6 NF-kappa BEGFP mice received 2.5% DSS in their drinking water for six days in combination with daily luteolin administration (1mg/kg body weight, 0.1ml vol, intragastric) or vehicle. NF-kappa B activity was assessed macroscopically with a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) camera and microscopically by confocal analysis. RESULTS: A significant increase in the Disease Activity Index (DAI), histological score (p<0.05), IL-12 p40 secretion in colonic stripe culture (p<0.05) and EGFP expression was observed in luteolin and/or DSS-treated mice compared to water-treated mice. Interestingly, a trend toward a worse colitis (DAI, IL-12p40) was observed in luteolin-treated mice compared to non-treated DSS-exposed mice. In addition, EGFP expression (NF-kappa B activity) strongly increased in the luteolin-treated mice compared to control mice. Confocal microscopy showed that EGFP positive cells were primarily lamina propria immune cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that luteolin is not a therapeutic alternative for intestinal inflammatory disorders derived for primary defects in barrier function. Thus, therapeutic intervention targeting these signaling pathways should be viewed with caution.
Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Weight ; Colitis* ; Colon ; Dextrans* ; Drinking Water ; Humans ; Interleukin-12 ; Luteolin* ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic* ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Mucous Membrane ; NF-kappa B ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Sodium*

Pseudomonas scleral abscess is characterized by acute onset and rapid progression to scleral perforation, and has a subsequent risk of endophthalmitis. After control of infection with appropriate antibiotics, graft surgery should be performed for reinforcing the defected sclera. We performed a scleral homograft on the eye with large necrotic sclera caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection after pterygium excisIon. And the results were remarkably good.
Abscess* ; Allografts* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Endophthalmitis ; Pseudomonas ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Pterygium* ; Sclera ; Transplants