PURPOSE: The artificial erection is critical to chordee repair. We report the use of a natural erection induced by prostaglandin E(1)(PGE1) in the diagnosis and treatment of penile curvatu re as an alternative to artificial erection in children and adult patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pharmacological erection was induced 14 children with a mean age of 5 years (range 1-10) and 8 adults with a mean age of 33 years (range 18-58) to diagnose and repair anomalies, such as simple penile curvature, chordee with or without hypospadias, webbed penis and Peyronie's disease. Alprostadil (1-16ng) as a agent for induce erection was used exclusively, but no agents were routinely given to reverse the erection was used exclusively, but no agents were routinely given to reverse the erections. The dose injected intracavernosally was dependent on the patient's age, penile size and response, and ranged from 0.5 to 10 micrograms. Time to and adequacy of erection, detumescence, changes in blood pressure and pulse rate were monitored. RESULTS: A dilatation of erectile tissue was achieved within 8 minutes and was judged adequate in 2 and excellent in 20. The mean duration of erection was 107 minutes, while a prolonged erection, for up to 2.5 hours, occured on 2 patients who were treated conservatively. Detumescence were occurred when the corpora were opened, but re-erected penis after closure of corpora in 7 cases who treated with Nesbit's corporeal plication or fibrous plaque excision and dermal graft. Although there were the impression of increased bleeding, there were no specific changes in blood pressure or pulse rate. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacological erection in penile curvature is effective and reliable with no significant complications. Although PGE1 is expensive and induced slightly increased bleeding, pharmacological erection has the advantage of tumescence of the entire penis and consequently a constant and natural representation of chordee without corporeal or urethral injury. Therefore, the erection achieved by injecting PGE1 into the corpora cavemosa is a useful alternative to artificial erection in the diagnosis and treatment of penile anomalies.
Adult ; Alprostadil ; Blood Pressure ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypospadias ; Male ; Penile Induration ; Penis ; Transplants

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Proper proximal contact is important for maintaining and stabilizing the dental arch. However, the proximal contact strength (PCS) is not a constant value and can be affected by a variety of factors. PURPOSE: This study examined the influences of postural changes on the posterior PCS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve adults with a normal occlusion and had not undergone prosthetic treatment or proximal restoration were participated in this study. A metal strip was inserted into the proximal surface and removed at a constant velocity. The contact strength was measured in every contact point between canine to second molar in both arches. The PCSs were obtained initially in the upright position, secondly in the supine position and finally in the upright position again. All measurements were repeated after a 2 hour period. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Friedman test (P < .05). RESULTS: Generally, a decrease in PCS occurred when the posture was changed from the initial upright to supine position, while it increased when the posture was changed from the supine to upright position. A significant change was observed in all areas except for between the canine-first premolar in the maxilla and between the first molarsecond molar in the mandible areas. CONCLUSION: The posterior PCS, which dentists generally believe to be a static feature of occlusion, is affected significantly by posture.
Adult ; Bicuspid ; Dental Arch ; Dentists ; Humans ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Molar ; Posture ; Supine Position

No abstract available.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Preleukemia*

Familial periodic vertigo and ataxia is a rare, disabling condition of autosomal dominant episodes of vertigo and/or ataxia, sometimes associated with other brain stem symptoms such as diplopia, weakness and dysarthria. These attacks typically begin in early childhood or early adulthood, last for hours to days. Attacks may occur daily, or may be separated by longer intervals. We present a family with familial periodic vertigo and ataxia. A 20-year-old woman presented recurrent paroxysmal vertigo, nausea, vomiting and ataxia lasting for 2 to 4 hours since middle school age. Recently daily attacks disabled her from daily living activity. Neurologic examination in the attack-free interval revealed downbeat nystagmus at neutral position and bilateral gaze evoked coarse horizontal nystagmus. Her mother, 47-year-old female also had recurrent vertigo, ataxia and dysarthria lasting for 1 to 2 hours since childhood. Their symptoms are precipitated by fatigue, exertion, emotional stress and alcohol. Both patients showed good response to acetazolamide and flunarizine even though showed persistent objective nystamus
Acetazolamide ; Activities of Daily Living ; Ataxia* ; Brain Stem ; Diplopia ; Dysarthria ; Fatigue ; Female ; Flunarizine ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mothers ; Nausea ; Neurologic Examination ; Nystagmus, Pathologic ; Stress, Psychological ; Vertigo* ; Vomiting ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: There have been a few reports suggesting involvement of neutrophil as well as eosinophil in inducing bronchoconstriction aft,er inhalation of TDI. OBJECTIVE: In order to observe the source of chemokines in TDI-induced asthma, this investigation was designed to determine whether IL-8 and RANTES could be produced by human bronchial epithelial cells and whether dexamethasone had any effects on their production. Materials and METHODS: We cultured Beas-2B, a bronchial epithelial cell line, with five concentrations of TDI-human serum albumin (HSA) conjugate and compared them with those having no conjugate. The levels of IL-8 and RANTES in the supernatant were measured by ELISA. To evaluate the effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines, cells were incubated with peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) culture supernatant, which was derived from PBMC culture of a TDI -induced asthmatic subject under exposure to TDI-HSA conjugate, and then compared to those without PBMC supernatant addition. To evaluate the effect of dexamethasone, four concentrations of dexamethasone were pre-incubated and the same steps were repeated. RESULTS: There was significant production of IL-8 from bronchial epithelial cells with addition of TDI-HSA conjugate in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05, respectively), which was significantly augmented with additions of PBMC supernatant (p<0.05, respectively) at each concentration. RANTES production was negligible, however, it increased significantly with addition of PBMC supernatant and TDI-HSA conjugate in a dose response manner(p<0.05, respectively). Compared to the untreated sample, pre-treatment of dexamethasone induced remarkable inhibitions of IL-8 and RANTES production. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that IL-8 and RANTES released from bronchial epithelial cells may contribute to neutrophil and eosinophil recruitment occurring in TDI-induced airway.
Asthma ; Bronchoconstriction ; Chemokine CCL5* ; Chemokines ; Cytokines ; Dexamethasone ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophils ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Interleukin-8 ; Neutrophils ; Serum Albumin ; Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate* ; Toluene*

BACKGROUND: As single donor platelets (SDP) has been increasingly used, the quality of SDP, especially apheresis-induced platelet activation, has become a major issue. This study evaluated the activation of SDP platelets prepared with three different cell separators that are currently being used at the Korean Red Cross. METHODS: CD62p, CD63 and CD42 were measured in 35 units of SDP prepared with Amicus (Baxter, Deerfield, IL, USA), MCS+ (Haemonetics, Braintree, MA, USA), or Trima (Gambro BCT, Lakewood, USA) using flow cytometry. RESULTS: Expression of CD62p gradually increased with storage time, but no difference in expression was noted between cell separators. Expression of CD63 also increased with storage time and platelets prepared with the Amicus displayed significantly higher CD63 expression 72 and 120 hours after collection compared to those prepared with MCS+ and Trima. Expression of CD42b tended to decrease with storage time, but this was only significant for Amicus 120 hours after collection. No difference in CD42b expression was noted between cell separators. CONCLUSIONS: Platelet activation increased with storage time, and platelet activation was more pronounced in the platelets prepared with the Amicus. However, because in vitro results of platelet activation does not necessarily reflect in vivo platelet function and survival, additional studies are needed to clarify clinical effectiveness of activated platelets.
Blood Platelets* ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Platelet Activation* ; Plateletpheresis* ; Red Cross ; Tissue Donors

A lateral chest radiograph is frequently useful and sometimes decisive in detecting chest pathology. Certainparts, such as the posterior wall of the bronchus intermedius (PWBI) and subcarinal regions, can be evaluated onlyon lateral chest radiograph. The authors present and emphasize the findings of PWBI and subcarinal abnormalities. Abnormal PWBI, more than 3 mm thick, is seen in cases of minor degree of oblique position, pulmonary edema, inflammation, neoplasm and enlarged lymph nodes. It can also be seen in patients with subcarinal mass. The findings of subcarinal mass on lateral view are ill-defined increased opacity, fullness of the inferior hilarregion, doughnut sign, extra-density and thickening of the PWBI. Detection of changes in the PWBI and subcarinalregion may be the only diagnostic evidence of hilar and subcarinal disease and helps in its early detection priorto computed tomography.
Bronchi* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Pathology ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Thorax*

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by progressive death of motor neurons in the cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. Until now, many treatment strategies have been tested in ALS, but so far only Riluzole has shown efficacy of slightly slowing disease progression. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying ALS are multifactorial, with a complex interaction between genetic factors and molecular pathways. Other motor neuron disease such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and spinobulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) are also progressive neurodegenerative disease with loss of motor neuron as ALS. This common thread of motor neuron loss has provided a target for the development of therapies for these motor neuron diseases. A better understanding of these pathogenic mechanisms and the potential pathological relationship between the various cellular processes have suggested novel therapeutic approaches, including stem cell and genetics-based strategies, providing hope for feasible treatment of ALS.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis* ; Brain Stem ; Disease Progression ; Hope ; Motor Neuron Disease ; Motor Neurons ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Riluzole ; Spinal Cord ; Stem Cells

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

Most authorities including WHO recommended immununizing infants with BCG as early as possible in areas prevalent with tuberculosis, however the optimal time for immunization has not well been characterized. Therefore the investigation was undertaken by vaccinating various infant groups of different ages with BCG and subsequently evaluating for adverse effects and tuberculin reactions, in order to contribute to undestanding the optimal time for immunization. Four hundred eighty three infants from the newborn nursery and the well baby clinic of Hanyang University Hospital who had no family history of tuberculosis were divided into three groups; group I of infants immunized within 7 days after birth, group II of infants immunized at about 1 month of age and group III of infants immunized at about 3 months of age. To each infant 0.1 ml of BCG(Institute Merieux, France) was administered intradermaly and approximately 3 months later tuberculin skin test using 5 TU PPD (NIH, Korea) was performed. Adverse reactions following BCG vaccination such as temperature elevation, induration alone or with suppuration at or near the injection site, and lymph node enlargement were also analyzed. The summary of the results is as follows. 1) Distribution of diameters of induration on tuberculin skin test illustrated incomplete bimodal configuration in all three different age groups. The means 2 standard deviations of diameters of indurations distributed on the main bells were 10.07 4.52 mm in group I, 10.65 3.82 mm in group II, and 10.83 5.08 mm in group III, and were not significantly different. 2) Criteria for positive tuberculin reaction was diameters of indurations equal to or greater than 6mm, 2 standard deviations below the mean values of diameters of indurations on the main bells. 3) The positive tuberculin reaction rates of 85.8% in group II and 88.6% in group III were significantly greater than 74.1% in group I. 4) Incidence of complications following BCG vaccination including temperature elevation, induration with suppuration, and localized lymphadenopathy was not different among three groups and the serious complications such as temperature elevation and lymphadenopathy were minimal. The data indicate that it is appropriate to immunize infants with BCG at about one month of age and the incidence of complications following BCG vaccination was not different among three infant groups of different ages.
Humans ; Immunization ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mycobacterium bovis* ; Nurseries ; Parturition ; Skin Tests* ; Skin* ; Suppuration ; Tuberculin Test ; Tuberculin* ; Tuberculosis ; Vaccination*