The simple chest X-ray study is essential in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, especially primary pulmonarytuberculosis. Authers analyzed the chest films and tuberculin tests of 521 cases which are suspected primarypulmonary tuberculosis coinically, from Jan. 1978 to Nov. 1982 at Seoul Red Cross Hospital. The results are asfollows; 1. Among the total 521 cases, the 115 cases of chst film reveal 245 probable pulmonary tuberculouslesions. 2. The coincidence of the parenchymal and lymphnodal involvement are observed in 40 cases (34.8%) with137 lesions(55.9%), parenchymal only in 23 cases (20.0%) with 25 lesions(10.2%) and lymphnodal only in 52 cases(45.2%) with 83 lesions(33.9%). 3. In observing the distribution of the 83 parenchymal lesions, the right lung istwo times as common as that of the left, being the highest in the RLL field with 41 lesions(49.4%), the lowest inthe LLL field with 3 lesions(3.6%). 4. In observing the distribution of the 162 lymphnodal lesions, there are 95lesions(58.6%) in the right and 67 lesions(41.4%) in the left, involving hilar nodes with 150 lesions(92.6%) andmediastinal nodes with 12 lesions(7.4%). The incidence of unilateral involvement is 13 cases (11.3%) and bilateral79 cases (68.7%). 5. Among the total 245 lesions, 141 lesions(57.9%) are smaller than rice in size, 120lesions(49.0%) are amophous in shape and 186 lesions(75.9%) are mainly calcific in density. According to theincrease of age, count and detection rate of the lesion on the chest film are increased. 6. Tuberculin testsshowed 26.1% negative rate in 115 tuberculous cases, and 51% positive rate in 406 negative chest cases.
Diagnosis ; Incidence ; Lung ; Red Cross ; Seoul ; Thorax ; Tuberculin ; Tuberculin Test ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

In the 88 cases of biliary disease, which was proven in Seoul Red Cross Hospital from Jan. 1980 to Dec. 1981,comparative studies were made with oral and IV cholecystocholangiographic findings and ultrasonographic findings.The resuslts were ; 1. In the 18 cases of GB stones, there are 17 cases (94.4%) of positive findings incholecysto-cholangiography with detection of stone in 7 cases (38.9%), while in sonographic study, 16 cases(88.9%) are shown positive findings with detection of stones in 11 cases (61.1%). 2. In the 17 cases of acalculouscholecystitis, the diagnostic accuracy is 88.2% in cholecystocholangiography and 64.7% in sonography. 3. In the 7cases of CBD stones, all cases are shown positive findings in cholecystocholangiography with detection of stone inonly one case (14.3%), while 6 cases (85.7%) of positive findings are shown in sonography with detection stone inall cases. 4. I.V. cholanagiography is more accurate diagnsotic procedure rather than oral GB study in the casesof poor or non-functioning GB. 5. Sonography is the choice of procedure in the diagnosis of stones, while in thecases of colecystitis, cholecystocholangiography is more useful diagnostic procedure.
Diagnosis ; Red Cross ; Seoul ; Ultrasonography

The benefits of radio-chemotherapy in HIV-negative primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphomas were analyzed in 40 patients, who received radiotherapy to the brain or craniospinal axis with the total dose of 4460-5940 cGy to the primary tumor. Radiotherapy was followed by systemic chemotherapy, mainly with the cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (CHOP) regimen, in 16 of the patients. Follow-up ranged from four to 95 months with a median of 15 months. The relapse rate was 72.5%, and 83% of the relapses occurred within the radiation field. Median survival was 19 months and the two-year survival rate was 41%. Survival was significantly influenced by treatment method and radiation dose when measured by univariate analysis; median survival and the two-year survival rate was 29 months and 63% after radio-chemotherapy, while 13.5 month and 29% after radiotherapy alone (p= 0.027), and 22 months and 49% with doses of 50 Gy or more, but 12.5 months and 13% with doses less than 50 Gy (p=0.009). However, statistical significance was lost in multivariate analysis. These results might suggest the short-term efficacy of radio-chemotherapy, however, cautious observation is needed to confirm long-term effects.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents, Combined/therapeutic use* ; Antineoplastic Agents, Combined/adverse effects ; Bleomycin/administration & dosage ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms/therapy* ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms/mortality ; Cyclophosphamide/administration & dosage ; Disease-Free Survival ; Doxorubicin/administration & dosage ; Epirubicin/administration & dosage ; Female ; Human ; Lymphoma/therapy* ; Lymphoma/mortality ; Male ; Mechlorethamine/administration & dosage ; Methotrexate/administration & dosage ; Middle Age ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prednisolone/administration & dosage ; Procarbazine/administration & dosage ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant/adverse effects ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Failure ; Vincristine/administration & dosage

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the colonic mucosa that characteristically affects the rectum and involves the large bowel in a contiguous distribution. Upper gastrointestinal inflammation was not believed to be present in UC, but a few recent studies have reported a high incidence of gastroduodenal inflammation in patients with UC, although such occurrences are apparently rare and the stomach and duodenum are not generally considered target organs in UC. Here, we present the case of a 29.year.old man with UC who was found to have diffuse ulcerative duodenitis with endoscopic and histologic features identical to UC
Colitis, Ulcerative ; Colon ; Duodenitis ; Duodenum ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Mucous Membrane ; Rectum ; Stomach ; Ulcer

In this investigation, we made a study of the efficacy of luteolin (a flavonoid found in plants such as vegetables, herbs and fruits) on vascular contractibility and to elucidate the mechanism underlying the relaxation. Isometric contractions of denuded muscles were stored and combined with western blot analysis which was conducted to assess the phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase targeting subunit 1 (MYPT1) and phosphorylation-dependent inhibitory protein for myosin phosphatase (CPI-17) and to examine the effect of luteolin on the RhoA/ROCK/CPI-17 pathway. Luteolin significantly alleviated phorbol ester-, fluoride- and thromboxane mimetic-elicited contractions regardless of endothelial nitric oxide synthesis, implying its direct effect on smooth muscle. It also significantly alleviated the fluoride-elicited elevation in pCPI-17 and pMYPT1 levels and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate-elicited in-crease in pERK1/2 level, suggesting depression of ROCK and PKC/MEK activity and ensuing phosphorylation of MYPT1, CPI-17 and ERK1/2. Taken together, these results suggest that luteolin-elicited relaxation includes myosin phosphatase reactivation and calcium desensitization, which seems to be arbitrated by CPI-17 dephosphorylation via ROCK/PKC inhibition.

Heptaplatin is a recently developed platinum derivative. This agent has been reported to have a response rate of 17% as a single agent, and tolerable toxicity in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a combination of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and heptaplatin in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Forty-seven chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced or recurred gastric cancer were recruited. 5-FU was administered over 120 hr by continuous intravenous infusion from day 1 to 5, at a daily dose of 1,000 mg/m2 and heptaplatin was administered over 1 hr by intravenous infusion on day 1 at 400 mg/m2, and this cycle was repeated every 4 weeks. The response rate was 21%, median progression-free survival was 1.9 months (95% CI, 1.6 to 2.2 months). Median overall survival was 6.2 months (95% CI, 4 to 8.4 months) and the 1-yr survival rate was 29% for all patients. The most frequent toxicity was proteinuria. Toxicities were generally mild and reversible. This study demonstrates that the combination of 5-FU/heptaplatin combination is less active but tolerated in patients with advance gastric cancer.
Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/*therapeutic use ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Fluorouracil/*administration & dosage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Human ; Male ; Malonates/*administration & dosage ; Middle Aged ; Organoplatinum Compounds/*administration & dosage ; Stomach Neoplasms/*drug therapy ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

Microsporum (M.) ferrugineum has almost disappeared in Korea after three cases of tinea capitis that were reported in Jeonbuk province in 1993. It was most common cause of tinea capitis in Korea until 1970s. M. ferrugineum produces abundant chlamydospores. Another characteristic of the species is the production of distorted faviform hyphae and long, straight hyphae with thick septa that resemble segments of bamboo. We report a case of 27-year-old female with tinea corporis caused by M. ferrugineum.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Korea ; Microsporum ; Tinea ; Tinea Capitis

Intraventricular arachnoid cyst has been rarely reported. Here we present two cases of symptomatic intraventricular arachnoid cysts in the fourth ventricle and right lateral ventricle. The first patient was a 38-year-old female who complained of headache and left facial hypesthesia. Computed tomography and MR scan revealed large cystic lesion in the fourth ventricle. After cyst wall removal, facial hypesthesia disappeared immediately and headache improved slowly. The second patient was a 9-year-old girl who complained of headache, vomiting and paresthesia in her right low extremity. Cystic lesion in the right lateral ventricle was detected in the CT and MR scan. The symptoms improved after cyst wall removal. Surgical findings of these two cases showed that the cyst walls were attached firmly to the choroid plexus. Symptomatic intraventricular arachnoid cyst must be treated appropriately and we recommend complete cyst wall removal.
Adult ; Arachnoid Cysts* ; Arachnoid* ; Child ; Choroid Plexus ; Extremities ; Female ; Fourth Ventricle ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Lateral Ventricles ; Paresthesia ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of pravastatin, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Methods and RESULTS: Pravastatin 5 mg was administered twice daily for 12 weeks in twenty five patients(12 male, 13 female) with hypercholesterolemia(>240 mg/dl). Compared with pretreatment levels, pravastatin significantly decreased levels of total cholesterol(281+/-41mg/dl versus 218+/-31mg/dl) by 22% and LDL-cholesterol(199+/-46mg/dl versus 137+/-37mg/dl) by 31% with significantly decreased total-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio(7.1+/-3.0 versus 5.1+/-1.6) and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio(5.1+/-2.5 versus 3.3+/-1.4) (p<0.005, respectively). During pravastatin treatment, the level of Apo B(164+/-38mg/dl versus 123+/-20mg/dl) was decreased significantly by 24% with significantly decreased Apo B/Apo A-1 ratio(1.4+/-0.5 versus 1.0+/-0.3) (p<0.005, respectively). No serious side effects were found. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the present study show that pravastatin is an effective and well-tolerated cholesterol-lowering agent.
Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Male ; Oxidoreductases ; Pravastatin*

Asbestosis is the disease of pulmonary fibrosis caused by the inhaled asbestos fibers, and could be diagnosed clinically, in the case of exposure history to asbestos is proved, by clinical symptoms of dyspnea or dry cough, physical examination findings, and the radiographic features. But many other inorganic dusts would show similar findings in the chest radiogram and sometimes the exposure history is obscure, so for the exact diagnosis of asbestosis lung biopsy is needed. In Korea, there have been some reports of survey in the workplace where asbestos is handled or of asbestos related diseases. This is a case report of asbestosis with accompanying pleural plaques, who had the occupational exposure to asbestos for 30 years and the consistent clinical, radiographic and pathological findings in the lung tissue obtained by the videoscope assisted thoracoscopic biopsy(VATS).
Asbestos ; Asbestosis* ; Biopsy ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dust ; Dyspnea ; Korea ; Lung ; Occupational Exposure ; Physical Examination ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Thorax