No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Embryonic Structures* ; Humans*

BACKGROUND: The Amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis Direct Test (AMTDT) has been developed for the direct detection of M. tuberculosis complex in respiratory specimens. Traditional methods for diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis such as the acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain have their well-known limitations. We investigated the usefulness of the AMTDT for a wide range of non-respiratory specimens to establish early diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS: 346 specimens (219 urine, 117 pleural fluid, 6 ascitic fluid, 2 lymph node, 1 gastric aspirate, and 1 pus specimens) from 340 patients referred from November 1997 to September 1998 were tested by the AMTDT. The AMTDT results were evaluated by comparing with clinical diagnosis and smear results. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the AMTDT were 82.9%, 93.8%, 64.2%, and 97.6%, respectively. There were no difference in sensitivity and specificity between pleural fluid and urine specimens. In 31 specimens from tuberculosis patients concurrently tested with AMTDT and stain, 15 were only AMTDT positive and 4 were only stain positive. Among the results considered to be false positive, 47.2% of cases were shown as being less than 150,000 relative light units (RLU). In 30 specimens from tuberculosis patients during or after treatment, all six of the patients with reactivation or aggravation were AMTDT positive, and one case was considered to be false positive. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates the efficacy of the AMTDT in diagnosing extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Prudent interpretation of the AMTDT's results is recommended in case of that being less than 150,000 RLU.
Ascitic Fluid ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Suppuration ; Tuberculosis

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Graft Survival ; Humans ; Renal Artery ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the relative diagnostic capability of magnetic resonance angiography(MRA) and CT angiography(CTA) in the evaluation of intracranial aneurysm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRA and CTA were performed in 14 intracranial aneurysms (Including four which were ruptured) confirmed in the II patients involved by conventional angiography(CA). The size(in largest dimension) of the aneurysms ranged between 3 mm and 20 mm and the mean was 10.5 mm. For MRA, the 3D TOF method, with magnetization transfer suppression, wasused at 1.5T. For CTA, twenty seconds after beginning the injection of contrast media(100mL with use of a power injector at the rate of 3 mL/sec), CT scanning(30-second exposure and 60-mm length) was performed with a table speed of 2 mm/sec and a section thickness of 2mm. The resulting data were reformatted by MIP. MRA and CTA were compared with regard to the detection of aneurysms and their neck, size, shape, direction, intensity and relationship to adjacent bony structures or vessels. RESULTS: All aneurysms were clearly visualized with CTA. Inone case with a 3-mm aneurysm, however, this was not defined on MRA. Of the 13 aneurysms demonstrated by both MRA and CTA, eight were seen equally well with both modalities. CTA was considered to be superior to MRA in fivecases, either because calcification in the aneurysm wall was seen only on CTA(n = 3) or because the relationship with adjacent bony structures were seen better with CTA(n = 2). With CTA, the intensities of the aneurysm were homogeneous in all cases ; with MRA, however, the intensities of three large aneurysms were different. CONCLUSION: MRA and CTA may be useful in the evaluation of intracranial aneurysm, CTA has specific advantages over MRA inthe evaluation of large aneurysms, calcification of aneurysm wall and relationship with adjacent bony structure.
Aneurysm ; Angiography* ; Cerebral Angiography ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography* ; Neck

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is known to mediate ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin inflammation However, there is still ambiguity as to which NOS isotype mediates the process in vivo. Furthermore, contradictory results have been reported on which cell types respond to UVB irradiation in vitro. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the change of inducible NOS (iNOS) expression in vivo as a result of UVB radiation on the skin of a rat. METHOD: To examine the time-course change in iNOS expression in the rat skin, the rats were exposed to 400 ml/cm2 of UVB radiation, and skin samples were taken at various time intervals up to 48 h. iNOS expression on the skin of a rat was evaluated by both Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: From Western blot analysis, UVB irradiation induced inducible NOS (iNOS) expression in the epidermis at 12-48 h postirradiation with a peak expression at 24 h. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that UVB-induced iNOS expression was localized to the epidermis and infiltrating inflammatory cells in the upper dermis of the rat. CONCLUSION: iNOS was induced by UVB irradiation on the skin of a rat, mainly in the epidermis. Therefore, iNOS is supposed to be one of the major mediators with regard to inducing an inflammatory response in UVB-irradiated rat skin in vivo.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Inflammation ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II* ; Rats* ; Skin*

Neoplasms of the nasophrynx are rare in neonates and infants. The most common nasopharyngeal tumor encountered in this age group is teratoma-neoplasm containing multiple heterotopic tissues. Four histologic types of nasopharyngeal teratoma occur-dermoid, teratoid, true teratoma, epignathiof which dermoid is most frequently seen. We have experienced a case of nasopharyngeal teratoma in a female neonate with signs and symptoms of upper airway obstruction. It was diagnosed by cervical. CT and confirmed as ture teratoma by histological examination. Nesopharyngeal teratoma was removed by contact Nd:YAG laser. In addition, we briefly reviewed the literature of neonatal nasopharyngeal teratoma.
Airway Obstruction* ; Choristoma ; Dermoid Cyst ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Teratoma*

The report of the M. pyramidalis was studied in 51 cadavers of Korean adults (male 33, female 18). Origin, insertion and number of this muscle were observed, and the length and breadth were also measured. The results were as follows : 1. The right pyramidal muscle was absent in one male cadaver, and the left pyramidal muscle was absent in two male cadavers. 2. In one male cadaver, pyramidal muscles of both sides had bifurcated origin. 3. In Korean adults, the average length of this muscle was 6.72cm in right, 7.05cm in left, and the breadth was about 2.0cm in both sides. The morphological index was 31.10 in right, and 29.55 in left. 4. In Korean male, the average length of this muscle was 1.93cm in right, 7.42cm in left, and the breadth was 1.93cm in right and 1.92cm in left. The morphological index was 28.70 in right and 26.58 in left. 5. In Korean female, the average length was 6.26cm in right, 6.38cm in left. and the breadth was 2.13cm in right and 2.12cm in left. The morphological index was 35.57 in right and 34.63 in left. 6. Compared with other human races, the pyramidal muscle was less frequently wanting in Asians (3.9%), including the Korean adults, than wanting in European (19.9%), American Whites (20.4%) and Negroes (15.1%). 7. The morphological index of this muscle was little differences existing in male of the human races, but this index was higher in Korean female (35.0) than in Japanese female (24.4) and in American female Whites (25.8). The morphological index was 32.3 in American female Negroes.
Adult* ; African Continental Ancestry Group ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cadaver ; Continental Population Groups ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Muscles

The incidence of mercury sensitivity in millitary personnel without contact dermatitis was investigated using the patch test with 1% ammoniated mercury and 0.1% thimerosal. A questionaire study relating to mercury exposure was also performed in 124 subjects. We also investigated whether the several vaccines curently in use in Korea contain mercury products. The results were as follows . 1. Ammoniated mercury sensitivity was in 10.8% and thimerosal sensitivity was 6.1% in all tested subjects, a similar percentage observed in patch test clinic of the authors. 2. Vaccination history was statistically related significantly, to the senstivity to mercury allergens (P<0.05). 3. All subjects sensitized to thimerosal were also allergic to ammoniated mercury, suggesting crosssensitivity. 4. Hepavax-B, D. P.T., Japanese encephalitis vaccine, and fluvax, currently in use in Korea, contain thimerosal as a preservative.
Allergens ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Encephalitis, Japanese ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Military Personnel* ; Patch Tests ; Thimerosal ; Vaccination ; Vaccines