PURPOSE:Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, and stomach is the major site of ghrelin secretion. The purpose of this study is to compare the serum ghrelin concentrations between patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and normal adults. We studied also whether serum ghrelin levels in the patients with type 2 DM are correlated with body mass index (BMI), serum insulin, lipid profiles, and creatinine levels. METHODS:Forty patients with type 2 DM and forty normal adults were included in this study. We measured heights and weights of the subjects and calculated their BMIs. Blood samples were obtained to measure the ghrelin concentration and their sera were stored at -20degreeC until used. In all subjects, serum ghrelin levels were measured using the commercially available Ghrelin(human) EIA kit. RESULTS:No differences of mean values were detected between the control group and the type 2 diabetic group for age, body weight, BMI, and the levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, and creatinine. But ghrelin level of the type 2 diabetic group (71.1+/-30.5 ng/L) was significantly lower than the control group (139.7+/-36.9 ng/L). In the control group, the ghrelin level showed positive correlation with HDL cholesterol (Pearson's correlation coefficient=0.37, P<0.05). In the diabetic group, the ghrelin level showed weakly positive correlation with insulin concentration. However, there was no significant relationship between serum ghrelin and various parameters in the diabetic patients group. CONCLUSION: In this study, ghrelin concentration in type 2 diabetic patients was lower than that in the control group. In the control group, serum ghrelin concentrations were positively correlated with HDL cholesterol. In the type 2 diabetic group, there was no significant correlation between insulin and ghrelin concentrations.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Ghrelin* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Receptors, Ghrelin ; Stomach ; Triglycerides ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: The cell mediated immunity has an important role in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. sIL-2R has been known as a sensitive marker of T lymphocyte activation. Elevated serum levels of sIL-2R have been found in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, organ transplantation, autoimmune diseases, and various granulomatous diseases. Elevated levels of sIL-2R have been also found in the seam and pleural fluid of the patients with tuberculosis. To evaluate the diagnostic value of sIL-2R in the differentiation of tuberculous pleurisy and. nontuberculous pleurisy. We measured the level of sIL-2R in the sera and pleural fluids of 12 patients with tuberculous pleurisy and 32 patients with nontuberculous pleurisy. METHOD: Samples of pleural fluid and serum were centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 10 min to remove cell pellets. Soluble R-2R was measured with a sandwitch enzyme immunoassay using the Cellfree r Interleukin-2 Receptor Test kit( T-cell science, Inc. Cambridge, MA). RESULTS: The results obtained were as follows: 1) The sIL-2R level in pleural fluid of the patients with tuberculous pleurisy was higher than that of patients with nontuberculous pleurisy(P<0.005). 2) When the sIL-2R level above 5,000 u/ml in pleural fluid was used as the cut-off value to diagnose tuberculous pleurisy, it had a sensitivity of 84.6% and a specificity of 90.9%. 3) The sIL-2R level in the sera of the patients with tuberculous pleurisy was higher than that of patients with bacterial pleural effusions and normal control group(P<0.05) and there was no difference of levels compared with malignant pleural effusions and transudative pleural effusions(P>0.05). 4) In patients with tuberculous pleurisy, the mean concentration of sIL-2R in pleural fluid was higher than that in serum(P<0.005). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the measurement of elevated levels of pleural fluid sIL-2R in tuberculous pleurisy may be useful in the differential diagnosis between patients with tuberculous pleurisy and nontuberculous pleurisy.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Interleukin-2* ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; Organ Transplantation ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; Pleurisy* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; T-Lymphocytes ; Transplants ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pleural*

No abstract available.
Iron* ; Skin Pigmentation*

No abstract available.
Occupations

The main trend moves towards early excision and skin grafting as treatment for the deep second degree burns and the third degree burns. The ability to excision & skin grafting. This study prospectively evaluated the ability of laser doppler flow measurements obtained within 72 hours after burn injury to predict the depth of burn wounds. A Periflux system 4001 laser doppler flowmetry had been used to measure cutaneous microflow circulation of 100 selected points of burn wounds in 44 admitted patients from March 1993 to February 1994. The mean value of superficial second degree burn checked by laser doppler was 194.6 perfusion unit(PU). The deep second degree burn was 59.7 PU and third degree burn was 5.1 PU. The blood flow of more than 100 PU reliably predicted the superficial second degree burn with 90.2 percents accuracy. The blood flow between 100 PU and 10 PU predict the deep second degree dermal burn with 96.2 percents accuracy. That of less than 10 PU predict the third degree burn with 100 percents accuracy. There was also a significant correlation between initial flow measurements and the depth of burn wounds. We conclude that laser doppler flow measurements performed early after burn injury are useful in predicting the depth of burn wounds. The laser doppler flowmetry has the advantage of being easy to use, noninvasive, provide immediate result for early determination of burn depth. The laser doppler flowmetry is useful in selecting patients for early excision and grafting of burn wounds.
Burns* ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry* ; Perfusion ; Prospective Studies ; Skin Transplantation ; Transplants ; Wounds and Injuries

Gunshot injuries can range from the most minor to the life-threatening. Multidisciplinary care is required for successful management of patients, In the acute phase, care may involve emergency surgeons, anaesthesists, neurosurgeons, ophthalmic surgeons, vascular surgeons, ENT specialist in addition to the oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Afterwards, definitive treatment of facial gunshot injuries depends ultimately on the abilities and skills of the oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and their appreciation of such injuries. The timing and sequence of the surgical procedures used for reconstruction and rehabilitation of maxillofacial gunshot injuries are crucial to a successful outcome and aesthetic result. If incorrect, they may lead indefinitely to infection, graft rejection, wound dehiscence with consequent multiple revisional operations and complication which will prolong hospital stay and increase treatment costs and morbidity on those patients. We present a gunshot case of a 46-year-old man who tried to commit sucide, and have avulsive and penerating wounds on the face and the neck. We removed the scattered bullets and fragments successfully and the wounds were closed primarily.
Emergencies ; Facial Injuries ; Graft Rejection ; Health Care Costs ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Rehabilitation ; Specialization ; Wounds and Injuries ; Wounds, Gunshot*

We propose the various Telemedicine applications on the DooRae (Distributed Object Oriented Multimedia Application Crafting Environment for Collaboration) framework(or platform). DooRae-Telemedicine supports the application development of the collaborative multimedia environment connected with the network(LAN, MAN, WAN) in the CBM(Computer based Multimedia) based. Also, it is not restrict on space between a doctor(s) and a patient(s) into cyberspace made by network. The kinds of Telemedicine in this paper have different distinction, and the development of these application system is possible on DooRae environment. DooRae-Telemedicine has a interaction, various communication type, a question and an answer, multi-session, application sharing and whiteboard which resembles chalkboard. Also, various supplementary functions such as video conference and voice conference for DooRae-telemedicine are what makes face-to-face medicine effective. Also it supports real or non-real type. The operating system developed on windows 95 and windows NT This research has been done creating multimedia-based telemedicine system for home PCs in network environment. Most of telemedicine used hardware and exclusive line of high cost as CATV broadcasting technique. But DooRae-telemedicine will contribute to change the Home-PC for better use of collaborations among doctor and patients through various modes o interactions in cyberspace.
Cooperative Behavior ; Humans ; Multimedia* ; Telemedicine* ; Voice

Adolescent ; Busan ; Cartilage ; Cleft Lip ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Ear Cartilage ; Humans ; Lip ; Nose ; Orthopedics ; Puberty ; Rhinoplasty ; Surgery, Oral ; Transplants

Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma (PIOSCC) is very rare type of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) that occurs within the jaw and arises from remnants of odontogenic epithelium with no connection to the oral mucosa. This study reports two cases of PIOSCC of the mandible. Reported in this article are two cases of PIOSCC of the mandible that were treated with resection and reconstruction using a fibular free flap. The first case was a 36-year-old male patient who complained of right mandibular pain. Computed tomography (CT) and panoramic radiograph revealed a large radiolucency in the mandibular ramus area. At first, an odontogenic keratocyst was tentatively diagnosed, and an excision procedure was carried out at another clinic. A final biopsy after cyst enucleation revealed well-differentiated SCC, so we proceeded with segmental mandibulectomy and reconstruction using a fibular free flap. The second case was a 48-year-old male patient with left mandibular pain. CT and panoramic radiograph revealed irregular radiolucency in the mandibular angle area near tooth #38. At first, osteomyelitis was tentatively diagnosed, and a curettage was carried out. A later biopsy revealed well-differentiated SCC, so segmental mandibulectomy and reconstruction with a fibular free flap were secondarily performed. Our two cases have had no recurrence. The facial appearance of both patients is satisfactory, and the neo-mandibular body created using a fibular bone transfer displays adequate bony volume.

During recent decades, the three-dimensional (3D) approach in orthognathic surgery were introduced and adopted in clinical practice, providing practical advantages to orthognathic surgeons. Even when the 3D approach is assessed based on the current state of technological development, it has advantages in orthognathic surgery and has become an essential method. It is not sure what to come next in the development of the 3D approaches, It is clear that the 3D approach represents a milestone in the development of orthognathic surgery.