No abstract available.
Depression* ; Mass Screening* ; Primary Health Care*

Genes of cancer-associated testis antigens (CTAs) are expressed in various cancer tissues. In order to use CTAs as cancer diagnosis marker, we developed molecular method for detection of CTAs transcripts in tissue. In order to know the applicability of DNA of cancer-associated testis antigens (CTAs) on cancer diagnosis, molecular diagnostic methods for detection of gene expression of melanoma antigen gene (MAGE), GAGE, and B melanoma antigen (BAGE) was studied. After comparing DNA sequences of CTAs, S1/AS1 and S2/AS2, GAGE-S/ GAGE-AS, and BAGE-S/BAGE-AS primers were designed for the detection of MAGEs, GAGEs and BAGEs, respectively. The gene expression of CTAs in cancer cell lines, head and neck cancer tissues, ovary cancer tissue, and peritoneal cells of gastric cancer patients were investigated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using these primers. The MAGEs, GAGEs and BAGE genes were expressed in 8/8 (100%), 5/8 (62.5%) and 1/8 (12.5%) of head and neck cancer tissues, respectively. The gene expression of MAGEs were also detected in 8/10 (80%) of ovary cancer tissues and in 9/10 (90%) of peritoneal cells of gastric cancer patients in RT-PCR test using S1/AS1 primers. The results of this study suggest that molecular diagnosis method using CTAs genes, especially RT-PCR using S1/AS1 primer combination, is useful for diagnosis of cancer and it will be used for the prediction of cancer progression or regression and metastasis in future.
Base Sequence ; Cell Line ; Diagnosis* ; DNA ; Gene Expression ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Pathology, Molecular ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Testis*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical aspects associated with the preoperative and postoperative state of blow-out fractures in preschool children. METHODS: The authors of the present study retrospectively reviewed 11 cases of blow-out fracture repaired by orbital reconstruction. RESULTS: The most common cause of fracture was a traffic accident (45%); there were 7 cases (63%) of inferior wall fracture and 7 cases (63%) of trapdoor-type fracture. All patients with trapdoor-type fractures had nausea and vomiting. After the operation, the majority of patients (88%) had mild ocular motility restriction and diplopia. CONCLUSIONS: In preschool children, systemic symptoms such as nausea and vomiting presented frequently. In addition, complications such as restriction in ocular movement and diplopia often developed postoperatively.
Accidents, Traffic ; Child, Preschool ; Diplopia ; Humans ; Nausea ; Orbit ; Orbital Fractures ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Vomiting

Five cases of intracranial lipoma diagnosed by MR are presented. MR imaging was performed on a 0.2T permanent unit using T1 weighted, proton density-weighted, and T2 weighted spin echo sequences. In two patients, gadolinium-enhanced T1 weighted image was also obtained. The lipomas were located dorsolaterally to the splenium of the corpus callosum (n=1), inferior to the splenium (n=2), in quadrigeminal plate(n=1) and in the presumed corpus callosum area in the case of agenesis of corpus call?um (n=1). The size and shape of the lipomas were variable. No contrast enhancement was seen in post contrast study. Sagittal T1 weighted image appeared to be the most useful imaging plane for the demonstration of the relationship between the lipoma ad the adjacent normal structures. The Homogenous signal intensity paralleling the fat signal and the characteristic location of the lesion are considered to be helpful in the differential diagnosis from dermoid cyst or teratoma.
Corpus Callosum ; Dermoid Cyst ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lipoma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Protons ; Teratoma

Five cases of intracranial lipoma diagnosed by MR are presented. MR imaging was performed on a 0.2T permanent unit using T1 weighted, proton density-weighted, and T2 weighted spin echo sequences. In two patients, gadolinium-enhanced T1 weighted image was also obtained. The lipomas were located dorsolaterally to the splenium of the corpus callosum (n=1), inferior to the splenium (n=2), in quadrigeminal plate(n=1) and in the presumed corpus callosum area in the case of agenesis of corpus call?um (n=1). The size and shape of the lipomas were variable. No contrast enhancement was seen in post contrast study. Sagittal T1 weighted image appeared to be the most useful imaging plane for the demonstration of the relationship between the lipoma ad the adjacent normal structures. The Homogenous signal intensity paralleling the fat signal and the characteristic location of the lesion are considered to be helpful in the differential diagnosis from dermoid cyst or teratoma.
Corpus Callosum ; Dermoid Cyst ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lipoma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Protons ; Teratoma

Lipomas are common soft tissue that are usually located in the subcutaneous tissue. And intramuscular lipomas commonly arise in the upper and lower extremities, where they usually involve the large muscles. Intramuscular lipoma, also referred to as an infiltrating lipoma, is an unusual benign slow growing tumor composed of mature fat cell interdigitating with skeletal muscle. However, intramuscular lipomas are exceedingly rare in the face. We have been experienced a case intramuscular lipoma that located in the malar area. Because of the rarity of these tumors and their propensity to recur without adequate surgery, the case report is presented here. Achievement of surgical margin is essential as the recurrent rate may be as high as 15% to 62.5% without complete excision.
Adipocytes ; Lipoma* ; Lower Extremity ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Subcutaneous Tissue

BACKGROUND: Chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (chronic ITP) is the most common autoimmune disease for blood elements. Some patients recovered spontaneously during follow up of disease. We investigated the difference of related clinical parameters between spontaneous remission and no remission.METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively medical records from January 1994 to December 2010. We analyzed clinical parameters such as age, sex, initial platelet count, response to initial treatment, maintenance therapy, and platelet counts at post-diagnosis with regular period in children with or without spontaneous remission.RESULTS: This study was enrolled for 49 children with chronic ITP. Median age was 3.5 years (0.1-17.3). Male to female ratio was 1:1.9. Initial treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin was received in 36 children (73.3%). Spontaneous remission was shown in 23 children (46.9%) during study period with 4.4 year of median follow up. The relevant factors of remission were observed in younger age at diagnosis, maintenance therapy, and platelet counts at post-diagnosis 1 year, 2 years, 3 years (P<0.05). The most significant parameter for spontaneous remission was platelet count at post-diagnosis 6 months in Kaplan-Meier estimate (P=0.047, RR: 3.47, 95% CI: 1.03-24.04).CONCLUSION: Spontaneous remission was shown in about half of patients with chronic ITP. This remission was related with younger age, maintenance therapy, and platelet count at post-diagnosis 6 months. These results suggest that regular follow up with maintenance therapy may be required for management of chronic ITP in children.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Medical Records ; Platelet Count ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; Remission, Spontaneous ; Retrospective Studies

Nerve conduction study has been an important part of electrodiagnosis and has been utilized as a clinical diagnostic technique in diabetic neuropathy. But conduction study of the more proximal segment has been a few reports. This study demonstrated segmental method for obtaining orthodromic motor nerve conduction and mixed nerve conduction, and antidromic distal sensory nerve conduction in diabetic group and normal group. The purpose of the study was to determine diagnostic value of segmental nerve conduction in diabetic neuropathy. The results were as follows: 1. Significant difference at P<0.01 between diabetic group and normal group; in median motor terminal latency, median motor nerve conduction velocity at axilla-elbow segment and elbow-wrist segment, median sensory nerve conduction velocity at wrist-elbow segment, ulnar motor and sensory conduction velocity at wrist-elbow segment, posterior tibial motor nerve conduction velocity at popliteal fossa-ankle segment, peroneal motor nerve conduction velocity at fibula head-ankle segment. 2. No significant difference at P>0.05 between diabetic group and normal group; in ulnar motor terminal letency, ulnar sensory nerve conduction velocity at axilla-Erb's point segment and finger-wrist segment, peroneal motor terminal latency and peroneal motor nerve conduction velocity at popliteal fossa-fibula head segment, posterior tibial motor terminal latency, sural sensory nerve conduction velocity. 3. The nerve conduction of proximal segment is more statistically significant than that of distal segment.
Diabetic Neuropathies ; Electrodiagnosis ; Fibula ; Head ; Neural Conduction*

BACKGROUND: This study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of desferrioxamine as a chelating agent in iron overloaded patients with severe aplastic anemia due to multiple transfusion. METHODS AND MATERIALS: From Oct. 1995 to Aug. 1996, 15 patients with aplastic anemia, diagnosed from May 1995 to Jan. 1996 at St. Mary's Hospital, who had a transfusional hemosiderosis were included in this study. They received 19 courses of high-dose desfer-rioxamine therapy for 6 days(20 to 30 mg/kg daily as a 24-hour intravenous infusion) . Before and after treatment, we measured serum ferritin, iron, TIBC, 24-hour urinary excretion of iron. RESULTS: 1) The range of iron load before treatment was between 4.5 and 20.0 gram. 2) Because of limit of detection(1,800 microgram/L), it was difficult to compare the changes of serum ferritin level after therapy to those of before therapy. 3) There was no significant differences between the levels of serum iron before and after therapy(214.3+/-62.8 vs 220.0+/-53.3). And there was no significant differences between TIBC before and after therapy(235.8+/-64.6 vs 259.4+/-60.1). 4) Iron/TIBC ratios were significantly deceased after desferrioxamine treatment compared to those of before therapy(0.90+/-0.04 vs 0.85+/-0.04, P<0.001) and mean urinary excretions of iron were increased by high-dose desferrioxamine compared to those by test dose(6.5+/-7.6 vs 29.1+/-14.3, P<0.001) CONCLUSION: High-dose desferrioxamine therapy is very effective for chelating and excretion of iron in iron overloaded patients with severe aplastic anemia due to multiple transfusion. A repeat administration of desferrioxamine is necessary for the iron overloaded patient to eliminate the risk of a transfusional hemosidersis.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Deferoxamine* ; Ferritins ; Hemosiderosis* ; Humans ; Iron ; Iron Overload

Congenital myotonia is a benign familial disorder, main problem is muscle stiffness, delayed relaxation of skeletal muscles after voluntary contraction or following mechanical or electrical stimulation. Although weakness is always present with progression of myotonic dystrophy, many patients with myotonia congenita never develop weakness. In the autosomal dominantly inherited form of congenital myotonia (Thomsen's disease), symptoms revolve around myotonia but weakness is not present. However, in the autosomal recessive (Becker's) type congenital myotonia, mild weakness and marked muscle hypertrophy is common. We report two cases of sporadic developing Becker's type congenital myotonia with electrophysiologic and muscle biopsy findings and review of literatures.
Biopsy ; Electric Stimulation ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Myotonia ; Myotonia Congenita* ; Myotonic Dystrophy ; Relaxation