The mineral content and width of bone can be determined noninvasively by “bone densitometer”, which measures the absorption by bone of a monoenergetic photon beam that originates in a radioactive source(Iodine-125 at 27.3 Kev). The intensity of the beam transmitted by the bone is measured by a scintillation detector. The bone mineral density is obtained from dividing the bone mineral content by bone width. Since Cameron and Sorenson, in 1963, first described the photon absorptiometry, many investigators have studied this method and applied it clinically. In order to determine the bone density of normal koreans, and compare it with that of fracture risk group, we measured the bone density of the distal one third of the nondominant radius in 152 normal persons(55 male, 97 female), and 54 patients(23 male, 31 female) having the risk of spontaneous fracture from the third to seventh decades. This data were also compared with those of normal Caucasians. The results were as follows. 1. The average bone densities(gm/cm2) of normal men from the third to the seventh decades were 0.773 ±0.055, 0.749 ±0.070, 0.770 ±0.060, 0.797 ±0.053, 0.664 ±0.126, respectively and those of normal women were 0.680 ±0.058, 0.680 ±0.036, 0.674 ±0.052, 0.608 ±0.084, 0.523 ±0.093, respectively. 2. The average bone densitied(gm/cm2) of fracture risk men from the third to seventh decades were 0.647 ±0.072, 0.719 ±0.050, 0.729 ±0.085, 0.699 ±0.064, 0.562 ±0.049, respectively and those of fracture risk women were 0.603 ±0.049, 0.061 ±0.021, 0.326 ±0.034, 0.494 ±0.045, 0.430 ±0.035, respectively. 3. There were statistically significantly differences in the bone densities between the normal population group and the fracture risk group. 4. The average bone densities(gm/cm2) of normal koreans were lower than those of normal Caucasians by 0.115 ±0.023 in male, and 0.091 ±0.005 in female. 5. We belive that bone densitometer is an effective tool in early detection and treatment in metabolic bone deseass including osteoporosis.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Absorption ; Bone Density ; Female ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Miners ; Osteoporosis ; Population Groups ; Radius ; Research Personnel

No abstract available.
Animals ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy* ; Rats* ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute* ; Pregnant Women*

BACKGROUND: Although the incidence of postoperative residual curarization (PORC) following the use of intermediate-acting neuromuscular blocking agents is lower than that of longer-acting neuromuscular blocking agents, it has been reported in many studies. We compared the incidence of PORC following either rocuronium or vecuronium given by intermittent bolus or continuous infusion dosing. METHODS: Ninety-eight patients were included in this study. Neuromuscular blocking drugs were administered based solely on clinical criteria, and the reversal agent pyridostigmine was given to all patients. Residual block following rocuronium infusion (Group R-I), rocuronium bolus (Group R-B), vecuronium infusion (Group V-I), or vecuronium bolus dosing (Group V-B) was evaluated on arrival in the postanesthesia care unit. Neuromuscular function was assessed acceleromyographically (using TOF-Watch(R) to measure the train-of-four (TOF) ratio) and also clinically. PORC was defined as a TOF ratio of < 0.8. RESULTS: The incidence of PORC on arrival in the postanesthesia care unit was 20% in Group R-I, 23% in Group R-B, 42% in Group V-I, and 19% in Group V-B. Mean TOF ratio in Group V-I was less than those of the other groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PORC is still common following vecuronium or rocuronium, even after the block is antagonized, if neuromuscular blocking agents are administered according to clinical criteria alone.
Anesthesia Recovery Period ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Neuromuscular Blocking Agents ; Pyridostigmine Bromide ; Vecuronium Bromide*

BACKGROUND: During a 1-month period in 2005 , a series of 4 Leclercia adecarboxylata and 8 Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremias were reported from patients admitted to the emergency room. METHODS: An outbreak of L. adecarboxylata and P. aeruginosa bacteremia that occurred from February to March 2005 was investigated. The infection control nurse reviewed medical records and observed the procedures of blood cultures at the clinical microbiology laboratory. Specimens were obtained for investigational cultures from alcohol sponge, tray, sink, water of sink, saline cotton, microscope, computer, and telephone. RESULTS: L. adecarboxylata was isolated from 4 patients and P. aeruginosa from 8 patients during a 1-month period. Observation of the culture procedure revealed that saline cotton was used to prevent betadin skin discoloration. The culture of the saline solution yielded a heavy growth of P. aeruginosa, which was not isolated from any other specimens. CONCLUSIONS: This was a pseudoepidemic caused by contaminated saline cotton. The use of the saline cotton was stopped, and during the follow-up period of 3 months, no additional L. adecarboxylata or P. aeruginosa bacteremia were reported.
Bacteremia ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Enterobacteriaceae* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Medical Records ; Porifera ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Skin ; Sodium Chloride ; Telephone ; Water

The diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease is based on the morphologic identification of Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells and its variants in paraffin-embedded sections. The origin of RS cells remains a subject of controversy, and cells resembling RS cells are observed in some non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of T-cell lineage. In this study, eighteen cases of Hodgkin's disease (3 nodular sclerosis, 6 diffuse lymphocyte predominance, and 9 mixed cellularity) were studied with peanut agglutinin(PNA), anti-Leu-M1(CD15), LN2(CD74), Ber-H2(CD30) and bauhinia purpurea (BPA) by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex(ABC) method in paraffin-embedded sections. RS cells and their variants revealed positive reactions with one or more of the reagents in all examined cases. BPA staining was positive in 17 of 18 cases (94.4%), PNA staining was positive in 9 of 18 cases (50.0%), Leu MI was positive in 7 of 18 cases(38.9%), Ber-H2 was positive in 11 of 18 cases (61.1%), and LN2 was positive in 8 of 18 cases(44.4%). The staining properties of examined markers were recognized as paranuclear, diffuse cytoplasmic and cellular membranous patterns, but LN2 disclosed diffuse cytoplasmic staining in the positive cells. BPA also showed dense cytoplasmic staining reaction with macrophage-histiocytes. BPA reactivity was not affected by fortnalin fixation or paraffm embedding. Thirty six cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas(IO T-cell and 26 B-cell type) were also examined. The neoplastic cells of those cases did not stain positive with BPA, PNA, and Leu-Mi, but stained positively with LN2 in 3 cases of T-cell lymphomas and 14 cases of B-cell lymphomas, and BeT-H2 in T-cell lymphomas. In conclusion, to facilitate the detection of RS cells and related variants in paraffm sectionse of Hodgkin's disease, BPA can be used as a useful marker because of its high-detection rate, reproducible staining pattem, and resistance to fixative.

BACKGROUND: Propofol is used worldwide for its sedative effective; nonetheless, has the serious side effect of respiratory depression. An increased blood concentration of propofol is well known to be associated with increased respiratory depression. However, there are no studies of the effect site concentration inducing respiratory depression. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect site concentration inducing respiratory depression of propofol when sedating a patient after spinal anesthesia. METHODS: This study included thirty seven males who received operations with spinal anesthesia, which was performed on L3-4 and L4-5. All patients were monitored with the bispectral index and were continuously infused with propofol using target controlled infusion. Respiratory depression was diagnosed when one of the following was evident without upper respiratory obstructive signs: a greater than 20% increase of end tidal carbon dioxide from baseline pressure or pulse oximetry oxygen saturation lower than 95%. We obtained the EC5, EC10, and EC50 of the effect site propofol for respiratory depression. RESULTS: The EC5 of propofol for respiratory depression was 3.09 mcg/ml (95% CI, 2.60-3.58). The EC10 of propofol for respiratory depression was 3.18 mcg/ml (95% CI, 2.57-3.80). The EC50 of propofol for respiratory depression was 3.99 mcg/ml (95% CI, 2.36-5.61). CONCLUSIONS: The EC5, EC10, and EC50 of effect site propofol for respiratory depression during spinal anesthesia were 3.09 mcg/ml ,3.18 mcg/ml, and 3.99 mcg/ml, respectively.
Anesthesia, Spinal ; Carbon Dioxide ; Humans ; Male ; Oximetry ; Oxygen ; Propofol ; Respiratory Insufficiency

PURPOSE: To investigate whether changes in plasma concentrations of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) could be used to identify the development of radiation-induced pneumonitis in the lung cancer patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Seventeen patients with lung cancer (11 NSCLC, 6 SCLC) were enrolled in a prospective study designed to evaluate clinical and molecular biologic correlation of radiation-induced pneumonitis. The study began in May 1998 and completed in July 1999. All patients were treated with radiotherapy with curative intent : 1.8 Gy per day, 5 fractions per week. Serial measurements of plasma TGF-beta1, TNF-alpha and IL-6 were obtained in all patients before, weekly during radiotherapy and at each follow-up visits after completion of treatment. These measurements were quantified using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All patients were evaluated for signs and symptoms of pneumonitis at each follow-up visit after completion of radiotherapy. High resolution CT (HRCT) scans were obtained when signs and symptoms of pneumonitis were developed after completion of radiotherapy. RESULTS: Thirteen patients eventually developed signs and symptoms of clinical pneumonitis while four patients did not. TGF-beta1 levels were elevated in all 13 patients with pneumonitis, which showed characteristic pattern of elevation (38.45 ng/ml at pretreatment, 13.66 ng/ml during radiotherapy, then 60.63 ng/ml at 2-4 weeks after completion of radiotherapy). The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were also elevated in the group of patients who developed pneumonitis but the pattern was not characteristic. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in plasma TGFbeta-1 levels before, during and after radiotherapy appears to be a useful means by which to identify patients at risk for the development of symptomatic pneumonitis. Other cytokines like TNF-alpha and IL-6 shows no meaningful changes in association with radiation pneumonitis.
Cytokines* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Plasma* ; Pneumonia* ; Prospective Studies ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; Radiotherapy ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR) and TGF beta1 have been known as a central regulator in airway remodeling. There have been some reports demonstrating expression of EGFR and TGF beta1 in airway mucosa of asthmatic patients. However, the expression of EGFR and TGF beta1 in bronchial epithelium of TDI-induced asthmatics has not been observed. The aim of this study was to observe expression of EGFR and TGF beta1 and evaluate their roles in pathogenic mechanism of TDI-induced asthma. METHODS: EGFR and TGF beta1 expression were compared using immunohistochemistry technique in bronchial mucosa from 22 subjects with TDI-induced asthma(group I: 10 newly diagnosed, group II: 12 TDI-induced asthma patients with persistent asthma symptoms for more than 5 years after diagnosis), 7 non-asthmatics undergoing pneumonectomy from lung tumor, and 3 healthy subjects. The intensity of expression was analyzed by two observers. The grade of intensity was presented from 0 to 3. Subepithelial basement membrane (SBM) thickness was measured using an image analyzer. RESULTS: EGFR expression was significantly higher in asthmatic patients than in wntrois (p>0.05), while no significant difference were nosed in TGF beta1 expression (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in EGFR expression between group I and II (p>0.05). However, grade of TGF beta1 expression was significantly higher in group II than those of group I (p<0.05). There was a significant difference in EGFR/TGF beta1 ratio between between group I and II (2.31+/-0.27 vs 1.28+/-0.11, p<0.05). SBM thickness of TDI-induced asthma was significantly higher than those of non-asthmatics (p<0.05), while there was no significant difference between group I and II (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that EGFR and TGF beta1 may contribute to pathogenesis of TDI-induced asthma. However, further studies are required to evaluate the role of EGFR and TGF beta1 in the pathogenesis of TDI-induced asthma.
Airway Remodeling ; Asthma* ; Basement Membrane ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; Mucous Membrane* ; Nose ; Pneumonectomy ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate* ; Toluene* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1* ; Transforming Growth Factors*

PURPOSE: Unresectable hepatic metastases of colorectal cancer does not seem to be amenable to the various treatment modalities. We modified hepatic intraarterial chemotherapy by different installation of port and regimen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 1989 to December 1995, 27 patients of colorectal cancer with unresectable liver metastases were randomly allocated into either hepatic intraarterial (HA, 11 patients) or systemic intravenous (IV, 16 patients) chemotherapy after primary tumor resection. Chemo-port was installed with preservation of hepatic arterial flow. One cycle of HA regimen included 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin-C (MMC) with or without leucovorin (LV) for 14 days every month. The IV regimen included 5-FU and LV for 5 days every month. Both HA and IV chemotherapy were continued from 6 to 12 cycles. RESULTS: The response exceeding partial remission was experienced in six patients (55%) among 11 patients in the HA group, while only two (13%) patients showed response among sixteen patients in the IV group. One year survival was not different between two groups. Although lethal toxicity was not found, patients showed marked increase of the performance scale (ECOG) in both groups. CONCLUSION: Although survival benefit was not prominent, higher response rate with tolerable complication was found in the HA group. Prudent selection of effective drugs and combination of systemic chemotherapy are needed to improve the survival with minimal complication.
Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Drug Therapy* ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; Liver ; Mitomycin ; Neoplasm Metastasis*