By using (99m)Tc-Pertechnetate, we evaluated the thyroid function of 136 persons with uptake slopeindex(U.S.I.) which was calculated by computerized dynamic flow study. Also, we compared our results of U.S.I.with those of established ¹³¹I-24 hr uptake % in given materials by comparative analysis of their correlation with the hormonal values of T3, T4, Free T4. The results wre as follows: 1. The U.S.I. of euthyroidismal group and hyperthyrodismal group were 4.87±2.26, 27.67±9.56 respectively. The ¹³¹I-24 hr uptake % of above groups were29.22±10.23, and 71.45±15.51. So the differentiation of the two groups could be done more easily by using (99m)Tc-Pertenchnetate U.S.I. than by using ¹³¹I-24 hr uptake %. 2. The correlation rates between (99m)Tc-Pertechnetate U.S.I. and other laboratory hormon levels, T3, T4, Free T4, ar almost parallel with thosebetweeen ¹³¹I-24 hr uptake % and the values of T3, T4, Free T4. Also the direct correlation rate between (99m)Tc-Pertechnetate U.S.I. and ¹³¹I-24 hr uptake % was 0.898. So, the method of thyroidal function evaluation by (99m)Tc-Pettechnetate U.S.I. is very reliable. 3. The (99m)Tc-Pertechnetate U.S.I. is very helpful to evaulate thefunctions of each lobe respectively incases of having obviously different radioactivity between both lobes. 4. (99m)Tc-Pertechnetate used dynamic thyroid function study and scan can be performed during the short time without preparation and especially helpful in debilitating patient and patients under antithyroid drug therapy, who need repetitive follow-up examination.
Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Methods ; Radioactivity ; Thyroid Gland

Radioimmunoassay for the measurenment of plasma renin activity (PRA) was performed in 43 normal Koreans and 67 patients with essential hypertension. Urinary sodium excretion rates were measured in the concurrently collected 24 hour urine samples as an index of their sodium balance. The results were as follows: 1. There was an inverse correlation between 24 hour sodium excretion and PRA. The normal values of PRA in supine position ranged from 1.0 to 7.0 ng/ml/hr. When 24 hour sodium excretion were between 50 to 150 mEq. PRA in elderly persons tended to be low. 2. Of the 67 patients with essential hypertension, PRA was low in 20 cases (29.9%), normal in 36 (53.7%), and high in 11 cases (16.4%). 3. In the normal and high renin groups, who tended to be younger in ages, blood urea nitrogen was slightly higher than in low renin group, and hypertensive retinopathy was more prevalent in normal and high renin groups. 4. There were 17 cases with cardiovascular complications(12 with cerebrovascular accidents, 5 with heart failure): 6 in low renin group (30%), 9 in normal (25%) and 2 in high renin group (18.2%). There was no evidence that more frequent complications developed in higher renin groups.
Aged ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertensive Retinopathy ; Plasma* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Reference Values ; Renin* ; Sodium ; Stroke ; Supine Position

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Gelatin*

No abstract available.
Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Paraproteinemias ; Vasculitis

Pregnolone[5beta-pregnan-3alpha-ol-one(5beta3alpha)] and allopregnanolone [(5alpha-pregnan-3alpha-ol-20-one(5alpha3alpha))] are neuroactive steroids that are reduced metabolites of progesterone. It was reported that Neuroactive steroids may have anxiolytic and anticonvulsant action similar to benzodiazepines and barbiturates. Therefore, the present study was designed to assess the interaction of steroids with GABAA-benzodiazepine receptor complex. The effect of steroids on the ligands binding to GABAA receptor complex was investigated using rat cortices. 5beta3alpha and 5alpha3alpha enhanced the binding of [3H] flunitrazepam to GABAA receptor, but testosterone, progesterone and dexamethasone did not. GABA also showed the enhancement of [3H] flunitrazepam binding, but did not show the additive effect. Unlike to GABA, 5beta3alpha and 5alpha3alpha did not affect on the [3H] muscimol binding to rat cortices. From these findings, it can be concluded that Neuroactive steroids are potent positive modulators of the GABA A receptor, and do not act at GABA binding site.
Animals ; Barbiturates ; Benzodiazepines ; Binding Sites ; Dexamethasone ; Flunitrazepam ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Ligands ; Muscimol ; Pregnanolone ; Progesterone ; Rats ; Receptors, GABA-A ; Steroids* ; Testosterone

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective radiological assessment was performed using computerized tomography measurements. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the dimensions of the neural foramen after anterior interbody fusion with posterior fixation in spondylolisthesis. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Anterior lumbar interbody fusion distracts the height and width of the neural foramen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anterior interboody fusion with posterior fixation was performed in twenty-five patients. The sagittal parameters were the height and area of the neural foramen. The fused lumbar segments was imaged in the direct sagittal projections in a CT (SOMATOM Senstaion; SIMENS, Germany) and 1-mm slice thickness before surgery and after solid fusion. Computer digitation was used for the measurements independently by three different observers. Statistical analysis was performed using a Wilcoxon signed test and a paired T-test to determine the correlation between the measurements, and Pearson correlation to determine the level of interobserver and intraobserver agreement. RESULTS: After anterior interbody fusion and posterior fixation, the height and the area of the neural foramen had increased significantly by 15.5+/-14.0%(p.0.001) and 23.2+/-17.7%(p.0.001). There was a significant confidence in interobserver (0.9466~0.9996) and intraobserver(0.8896~0.9991) agreement. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior interbody fusion significantly increased the changes in the dimensions of the neural foramen. Anterior distraction and decompression with anterior interbody fusion increased the area of the neural foramen This study shows that anterior interbody fusion can be used to decompress the neural foramen in the spondylolisthesis.
Decompression ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Spondylolisthesis*

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study OBJECTIVE: To use MRI to assess intervertebral disc degeneration at adjacent levels after spinal fusion and after discectomy. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Degeneration of adjacent intervertebral discs following lumbar spinal fusion is one of the principal reasons for considering motion preservation techniques, such as placement of an artificial disc. Much attention has recently been directed toward disc morphometric studies using MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six patients who underwent spinal surgery for lumbar degenerative disease and who underwent a minimum of 2 years of follow-up MRIs were included in this study. Thirty-four patients were included in the lumbar fusion study group, and 22 patients were included in the discectomy control group. The MRI Thompson classification was used to grade both upper and lower adjacent disc degeneration preoperatively and at the time of last follow-up. RESULTS: There were significant changes in Thompson degenerative grade in the upper adjacent levels for both the fusion group patients and in the discectomy group patients. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to either the upper or lower adjacent levels (p=0.146 and 0.350, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In this short-term study comparing MRI outcomes in spinal fusion and discectomy patients, no significant difference in adjacent disc degeneration was observed between the two group.
Case-Control Studies ; Diskectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fusion

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective radiologic assessment OBJECTIVES: To assess the clinical importance of MRI for the diagnosis of posterior spinal ligament complex injuries in thoracolumbar fractures. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Evaluation of spinal instability is important in thoracolumbar fractures. When simple radiography and CT alone are performed, spinal instability may be missed, especially that involving the posterior spinal ligament complex. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-seven patients who were evaluated using simple radiography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between March 1994 and March 2003 were included in the study. The local kyphotic angle was measured on lateral radiography, and it was then compared to the fracture pattern on MRI. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA. RESULTS: There was no correlation between the local kyphotic angle on radiography and fracture involvement on MRI (p=0.106). In 41 patients who were found to have involvement of the anterior column on CT, 25 had anterior column involvement, 4 had middle column involvement, and 12 had posterior column involvement on MRI. In 36 patients who were found to have involvement of the middle column on CT, 17 had involvement of the middle column and 19 had involvement of the posterior column on MRI. The fractures of the ten patients who were found to have posterior column involvement on CT were all seen on MRI. The coincidence of fracture patterns between CT and MRI, which was evaluated using Cohen's Kappa analysis, was 0.434. The sensitivity of CT compared with MRI was 0.741 in the middle column and 0.243 in the posterior column. CONCLUSIONS: Many thoracolumbar fractures are missed on both simple radiography and CT. MRI is essential for accurate diagnosis of posterior spinal ligament complex injuries, especially when there is involvement above the middle column, or when canal encroachment is seen on CT.
Humans ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures

Myeloperoxidase (MPO), an iron-containing heme protein localized in the azurophilic granules of neutrophils and in the lysosomes of monocytes, is involved in the killing of several micro-organisms and foreign cells, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, red cells, and malignant or nonmalignant nucleated cells. We experienced a case of myeloperoxidase deficiency in a 10-month-old male patient with recurrent skin abscess. His leukocyte count was 12,340/microliter with 35% neutrophils. Compared with normal control neutrophils, the patient's neutrophils in the peripheral blood showed normal chemotaxis and phagocytic activity, increased respiratory burst activity in the stimulation with PMA, but, revealed the decreased microbial killing activity. These findings were suggestive of neutrophil granular defects such as myeloperoxidase deficiency and other specific granule content deficiency. The patient's neutrophils showed partially decreased MPO activity in the MPO stain.
Abscess ; Bacteria ; Chemotaxis ; Fungi ; Hemeproteins ; Homicide ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukocyte Count ; Lysosomes ; Male ; Monocytes ; Neutrophils* ; Peroxidase* ; Respiratory Burst ; Skin

Background: Videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) is currently considered the gold standard to precisely diagnose and quantitatively investigate dysphagia. However, VFSS interpretation is complex and requires consideration of several factors. Therefore, considering the expected impact on dysphagia management, this study aimed to apply deep learning to detect the presence of penetration or aspiration in VFSS of patients with dysphagia automatically. Methods: The VFSS data of 190 participants with dysphagia were collected. A total of 10 frame images from one swallowing process were selected (five high-peak images and five low-peak images) for the application of deep learning in a VFSS video of a patient with dysphagia. We applied a convolutional neural network (CNN) for deep learning using the Python programming language. For the classification of VFSS findings (normal swallowing, penetration, and aspiration), the classification was determined in both high-peak and lowpeak images. Thereafter, the two classifications determined through high-peak and low-peak images were integrated into a final classification. Results: The area under the curve (AUC) for the validation dataset of the VFSS image for the CNN model was 0.942 for normal findings, 0.878 for penetration, and 1.000 for aspiration. The macro average AUC was 0.940 and micro average AUC was 0.961. Conclusion This study demonstrated that deep learning algorithms, particularly the CNN, could be applied for detecting the presence of penetration and aspiration in VFSS of patients with dysphagia.