No abstract available.
Ciprofloxacin* ; Enoxacin* ; Humans* ; Metabolism* ; Theophylline*

No abstract available.
Foreign Bodies* ; Pneumonia, Aspiration*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to describe the findings of the transligamnetous type of the herniated lumbar disc (HLD) with magnetic resonance MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the MR images of surgically proven 20 cases of transligamentous type of HLD from January 1, 1992 to August 20, 1992. The MR imaging was performed with 1. 0T MR unit, using sagittal spin echo (SE) and axial gradient echo (GE) techniques. RESULTS: The results were as follows;1) the interruption of black line of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) was identified in 19 levels and 17 levels in sagittal SE and axial GE images, retrospectively;2) the widening of adjacent epidural fat space was demonstrated in 16 cases of central or posterolateral HLD. The herniated disc material, as compared with the parent intervertebral disc, showed intermediate signal intensity (SI) in 19 and low SI in 1 level on T1WI, high SI in 10, intermediate SI in 7, low SI in levels on T2WI, and high SI in 10, intermediate SI in 9, low SI in 1 level on GE images. CONCLUSION: The most important sign of the transligamentous type HLD on MRI was the interruption of the black line with additional finding of the widening of adjacent epidural fat space. The MR signal intensity of the herniated disc was variable. Axial GE image was valuable for the evaluation of the direction of HLD and it relationship with neural structure, but had no addiational information for the degree and biochemical change of HLD over SE image.
Financial Management* ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Longitudinal Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Parents ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to describe Magnetic Resonance(MR) findings of two epidural cavernous malformations of the spine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR imaging was performed in 2 patients(29-year-old man and 54-year-old woman). Sagittal T1 -, T2-weighted images and Gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced axial and sagittal images were acquired. Two patients had surgery and MR findings were compared with surgical and histopathological findings. RESULTS: MR imaging showed high- and low-signal intensity components of these lesions that were characteristic of an epidural cavernous malformation in one case. The other case showed a high signal intensity on T2- and strong enhancement on Gd-enhanced T1 -weighted images. We think that the former may be due to mixed subacute and chronic hemorrhage and the latter may be due to blood within the endotheliumlined sinusolds without hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: These findings were well correlated with the surgical and histo-pathological findings of cavernous malformation.
Gadolinium ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Middle Aged ; Spine*

The optic canal fracture has been recognized as a clinical entity for quite sometime, and is, by no means, a rare condition. We were aware of it for last several years, and have collected five radiographically proved cases from the records. Interestingly enough, two of these patients were involved in motor-cycle accidents and revealed abrasion over the lateral end of the homolateral eye brow. Only one of these five patients had partial recovery of his vision.
Humans

The fibrillar coat of Candida albicans is of interest as its significance in antigenicity, antiphagocytosis, and adherence to host tissues. The partial biochemical properties and ultrastructure of fibrillar coat induced by rabbit sera were examined. The induced fibrillar layer was destroyed by treatments of lyticase, proteinase K and dithiothreitol. The total protein concentration of fibrillar cell wall lysate was higher than that of non-fibrillar cell wall lysate, but the total sugar concentration was similar. On SDS-PAGE analysis, the protein profiles between in fibrillar cells and in non-fibrillar cells were shown to be different. In fibrillar cells, the major bands of cell wall lysate were 83, 66, 54, 47, 33, and 26 kDa in dithiothreitol-treated lysate. The proteins of 26 and 19 kDa were predominant in lyticase-treated lysate. Although the fibrillar thickness and protein amount of cell wall lysate were increased in according to the incubation time, the protein profiles did not changed. These results suggest that the proteins of 83, 66, 54, 47, 33, 26, and 19 kDa may be major constituents of fibrillar coat in C. albicans.
Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Cell Wall ; Dithiothreitol ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Endopeptidase K

Purpose: The ideal neurourophysiologic investigatory technique would objectively and quantitatively evaluate functional status of all parts of the neurologic network involved in obtaining and maintaining penile erection. We assessed electrical activity of the corpus cavernous smooth muscle in normal and neurogenic erectile dysfunction men using SPACE. Material and Methods: A total of 39 normal subjects and 40 neurogenic erectile dysfunction patients underwent single potential analysis of cavernous electricity(SPACE) with a 2-channel EMG amplifier and surface electrodes. The electrical potentials were processed with the cut off frequencies at 0.3 - 32 Hz, a paper speed of 0.5cm/sec, and a range of amplitude of 0.5mV. Results: In 35 of 39 normal subjects(89.7%) and 5 of 10 incomplete suprasacral spinal cord injury patients, similar single potentials of uniform shape were recorded. In patients with peripheral autonomic denervation, irregular shape potentials with higher frequency and lower amplitude were found. In 3 of 5 patients with long standing diabetes(over 15 years), SPACE shows electrical silence. Conclusion: These results suggest that SPACE test is a useful noninvasive and reproducible method for evaluating cavernous innervation in erectile dysfunction. Furthermore, the single potential means intact cavernous innervation.
Autonomic Denervation ; Electrodes ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Penile Erection ; Spinal Cord Injuries

In the present study, we investigated the differences in the levels of expression of virulence factors between blood isolates of Candida albicans and commensal strain isolated from the oral cavities of health volunteers, and correlations between virulence factors. Blood isolates of 33 and commenal isolates of 71 were characterized by putative virulence factors such as proteinase production (PROT), an ability to adhere to epithelial cells (ADH), cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), phospholipase production (PLASE), and hyphal transition (GERM). In PROT, ADH, CSH, and PLASE, the means of expression of blood isolates were higher compared with those of commensal isolates, however statistical significance was only shown in CSH (p=0.036). On the contrary, mean expression of GERM of blood isolates was lower than that of commensal isolates. Of relationships between virulence factors, although a negative correlation of PROT with CSH was obtained, the correlation was relatively low (r=-0.316, p=0.001). These results suggest that higher expression of CSH is a more distinguishing character in virulent blood isolates of C. albicans and that the expression of virulence factors are independent.
Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Epithelial Cells ; Healthy Volunteers* ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Phospholipases ; Virulence Factors ; Virulence* ; Volunteers

The antimicrobial agents reduced infectious diseases significantly. However, antibiotic resistance has followed for almost every antimicrobial agent. Especially, Staphylococcus aureus was one of the most notorious for the multidrug resistance. Streptomyces sp. 681 has been selected for antibiotic-producing strain against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from 1,000 strains of Actinomycetales which had been isolated from soil. In antimicrobial susceptibility test, all of the test strains were susceptible to vancomycin. However, most strains of Staphylococcus aureus were found to be resistant to methicillin. Ninety eight (75%) strains out of 129 strains showed multiple resistance pattern to more than 5 antimicrobial agents. The MIC values of the purified antibiotic (K-681) were 1-32 ug/ml against Gram-positive bacteria compared to >128 ug/ml against Grarn-negative bacteria or fungi. The MIC was 8 ug/ml for 90% of the 129 clinical isolates of S. aureus. The antibiotic showed no cytotoxicity against P 388, HeLa, and S180 at the concentration of 500 ug/ml.
Actinomycetales ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Bacteria ; Communicable Diseases ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Fungi ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Methicillin ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Soil ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus* ; Streptomyces* ; Vancomycin

Intraspinal neurenteric cysts are rare congenital lesions that results from abnormal separation of germ layers in the third week of embryonic development, which may cause spinal compression. Although, the diagnosis of neurenteric cyst was very difficult prior to operation, MRI has proven to be a useful imaging modality in detection, localization and characterization of intraspinal neurenteric cysts. We recently experienced intraspinal neurenteric cyst in two patients who presented with progerssive quadriparesis. Myelography, CT myelography and MRI were taken and complete excision was performed. The MRI findings are presented and the literature is reviewed.
Diagnosis ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Germ Layers ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Myelography ; Neural Tube Defects* ; Pregnancy ; Quadriplegia