No abstract available.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Nifedipine* ; Plasma* ; Renin*

Fetal thymus may be the organ for NK cell maturation, but the in vivo evidences are few, Here, by analyzing NK cell receptor, we present that NK cells develop in fetal thymus and fetal liver and that NK cell receptor appears earlier than the expression CD16 or CD56. Moreover, the finding that the repertoire of NK cell receptor is different between fetal thymus and fetal liver lymphocytes suggests that the environmental factors may influence the NK cell receptor repertoire during NK cell maturation.
Killer Cells, Natural* ; Liver* ; Lymphocytes* ; Thymocytes* ; Thymus Gland

Femoral neuropathy may be associated with various etiologies and can cause severe walking disability. We present the case of a 25-year-old woman who underwent surgical repair for a patella fracture and complained of lower extremity pain, paresthesia, and weakness postoperatively. Electromyography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed partial peripheral neuropathy of the left femoral nerve associated with the patella fracture. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of femoral neuropathy associated with a patella fracture.
Adult ; Electromyography ; Female ; Femoral Nerve ; Femoral Neuropathy ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscle Weakness ; Paralysis ; Paresthesia ; Patella ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Walking

No abstract available.
Adenosine Triphosphatases* ; Renal Insufficiency*

PURPOSE: Ethanol is the most common toxic substance encountered clinically and is becoming increasingly important in forensic medicine. Generally, pre-treatment with an alcohol disinfectant such as isopropyl alcohol for blood sampling could influence evaluations and affect legal evidence. This study was performed to determine whether isopropyl alcohol affects the serum ethanol level. METHODS: Volunteers were prohibited from drinking alcohol and taking medication for 48 hours prior to participating. Pregnant volunteers and volunteers with abnormal liver enzymes or abnormal kidney function were excluded. Enrolled subjects had their blood collected from each arm to measure the alcohol concentration, one side was disinfected with povidone iodine and the other with isopropyl alcohol. After waiting one hour, they ingested 20g of alcohol and waited. After one hour, the serum ethanol levels were measured using the same method as the first sampling. RESULTS: Ten volunteers enrolled for this study. Without the alcohol intake, all serum ethanol levels were in the nondetectable range(<3 mg/dL) for both samples with either isopropyl alcohol or povidone iodine. After drinking alcohol, the serum ethanol level varied among individuals; the mean value of the serum ethanol levels in the alcohol preparation group was 21.08+/-4.85 mg/dL, which was significantly greater than that of the povidone iodine preparation group (19.71+/-5.47 mg/dL) (p=0.006). However, the Bland-Altman analysis showed that the precision of both groups was 1.230 mg/dL, which was less than the measurement error of the equipment (3.48 mg/dL). Therefore, there was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to the measurement error. CONCLUSION: Before alcohol intake, there was no influence on the blood alcohol concentration from the alcohol disinfection, and the result was reliable. After alcohol intake, the possible influence of pre-treatment alcohol on the serum ethanol level was less than the measurement error of the equipment used.
2-Propanol ; Alcohol Drinking ; Arm ; Disinfection ; Drinking ; Ethanol ; Forensic Medicine ; Kidney ; Liver ; Povidone-Iodine

No abstract available.
Humans ; Nephritis, Interstitial* ; Nephrotic Syndrome*

PURPOSE: To compare the actual and expected refractive errors of intraocular lens (IOL) implantation with vitrectomy in various conditions. METHODS: One hundred sixty-five eyes were divided into five groups: Group 1 had cataract extarction and IOL implantation only, Group 2 had cataract extraction and IOL implantion after vitrectomy, Group 3 had cataract extraction and implantation of an IOL with vitrectomy, Group 4 had cataract extraction and IOL implantaion with vitectomy and scleral encircling, and Group 5 had cataract extraction and IOL implantaion with vitrectomy and intraocular gas injection. The actual and expected refractive errors of IOL implantation were compared. RESULTS: Mean myopic shift was 0.15 diopter for group 1, 0.22 diopter for group 2, 0.20 diopter for group 3, 1.40 diopter for group 4, 0.91 diopter for group 5. CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy alone has no influence on refractive error but when scleral encircling or intraocular gas injection were performed with vitectomy, there were statistically significant myopic shifts.
Cataract ; Cataract Extraction ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular* ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Refractive Errors* ; Vitrectomy*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the change of the articular cartilage thickness resulting from physiological aging in normal Korean people without any disease in knee joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Voluntary participants of 81 cases, physically normal and free from knee joint disease at present or in the past, were chosen for our research program. The subjects were divided into young, middle and old age group respectively for the male and female; and articular cartilage thickness using MRI were measured. RESULT: Each of the three groups reveals the tendency of decrease in the thickness of the knee joint cartilage in all of the age groups along with the increase of the age. The cartilage thickness according to age for both sex, except for the tibial medial condyle, decreased significantly. For the male subjects, the degree of decrease in cartilage thicknes indicates difference in each sections. However, in case of female, the change of articular cartilage thickness in overall sections showed more significantly decreased in young to middle age group than in middle to old age group. CONCLUSION: The results revealed the normal articular cartilage thickness of knee and time that the thickness of articular cartilage was decreased with age. And we could evaluate the severity of degenerative change of articular cartilage by comparison to normal articular cartilage thickness.
Aging ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular* ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged

The goal of treatment in OME is normal aerated middle ear space. When the tympanogram convert to type A or C from type B in patients with OME, no further medication would be needed. But 1/3 of these patient had type B tympanogram again after 4 weeks follow up without medication. Many parameters-including age, sex, season, unilaterality, passive smoking, associated rhinitis etc-were concerned about the recurrence of OME. Ultra high frequency audiometry was added as a new parameter in recurrence of OME.
Audiometry* ; Ear, Middle ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Otitis Media with Effusion* ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis* ; Recurrence* ; Rhinitis ; Seasons ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution

Stensen's duct is located at the anterior border of the parotid gland below the zygomatic arch. It crosses the area between the masseter muscle and buccal fat pad, opening opposite to the second upper molar teeth. Because of such anatomical association by the Stensen's duct, we should search for any injuries on the Stensen's duct when there is deep facial laceration. This paper reports on a case of parotid sialocele which was caused by laceration of Stensen's duct. For treamtemnt, we made an internal fistula to the oral cavity in order to drain the sialocele
Adipose Tissue ; Fistula ; Lacerations ; Masseter Muscle ; Molar ; Mouth ; Parotid Gland ; Salivary Ducts ; Tooth ; Zygoma