No abstract available.
Cleft Palate* ; Muscles* ; Palate, Soft*

Sphenoid sinus aspergillosis is notorious for its serious complications, such as permanent cranial nerve deficits and possible death. The most common associated symptoms are headache, followed by visual changes, and cranial nerve palsies. Because of an insidious onset, frequently resulting in missed and delayed diagnosis, sphenoid sinus aspergillosis is a potentially lethal medical condition. We report a case of visual loss secondary to isolated sphenoid sinus aspergillosis. A 69-year-old man presented to our hospital with the complaint of headache. The headache started one year previously and was described as severe dull pain localized bilaterally to the temporo-orbital region. The patient took daily NSAIDs for the pain. The neurological examination was normal. The MRI of the brain showed a left sphenoid sinusitis. A transnasal endoscopic superior meatal sphenoidotomy was performed. Aspergillosis was confirmed after a surgical biopsy was obtained. The patient was discharged from hospital without antifungal therapy. One month later, the patient complained of headache and loss of vision bilaterally. The orbital MRI showed a left cavernous sinus and bilateral optic nerve invasion. The loss of visions was permanent. In our case, the diagnosis was delayed; antifungal agents were not administered after surgery and the patient lost his vision as a result. Therefore, early diagnosis and proper treatment are important. Although the treatment of an invasive type of aspergillus has not been established, surgical removal of a nidus and aggressive antifungal therapy are recommended.
Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Antifungal Agents ; Aspergillosis* ; Aspergillus ; Biopsy ; Blindness* ; Brain ; Cavernous Sinus ; Cranial Nerve Diseases ; Cranial Nerves ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Headache* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurologic Examination ; Optic Nerve ; Orbit ; Sphenoid Sinus* ; Sphenoid Sinusitis

The present study was intended to examine the effect of sodium vanadate on contractility of vascular smooth muscle. Aortic ring preparations were made from the rabbit thoracic aorta and endothelial cells were removed from the ring. The contractility of the aortic ring was measured under various conditions. The results were summarized as follows; 1) Sodium vanadate induced contraction of vascular smooth muscle in a dose-dependent fashion. 2) The contractile effects were not blocked by treatments with adrenergic blocking agent(phentolamine) and indomethacin, indicating the direct action of the drug on vascular smooth muscle. 3) In the presence of ouabain, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase inhibitor, sodium vanadate still increased the contractility of vascular smooth muscle. 4) Treatment with 4.4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2.2'-disulfonic acid(DIDS) blocked completely the contractile effects of sodium vanadate. 5) In the presence of verapamil, lanthanum and ryanodine, the contractility of the vascular smooth muscle by sodium vanadate was decreased. From the above results. it was suggested that sodium vanadate acts directly on vascular smooth muscle and causes contraction. It was probably due to inhibition of Ca(++)-ATPase in plasma membrane as well as increasing the release of Ca(++) from sarcoplasmic reticulum and Ca(++) influx across the plasma membrane, but not inhibition of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Cell Membrane ; Endothelial Cells ; Indomethacin ; Lanthanum ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Ouabain ; Ryanodine ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum ; Sodium* ; Vanadates* ; Verapamil

Erythema nodosum has been known to be frequently associated with some kind of drug, infections with streptococci, mycobacteria, lymphogranuloma venerum and certain unknown pathogenic processes such as sarcoidosis, iilcerative colitis and regional enteritis. However, the association of erythema nodosum with leukemia has rarely been reported. Erythema nodosum with leukemia has been divided into leukemia cutis with specific infiltration of atypical leukemic cells and leukemid with non specific infiltration of normal infilammatory cells. We report herein a case of the very rare but typical erythema nodesum showing nonspecific infiltrative panniculitis as an initial manifestation of chronic myelocytic leukemia.
Colitis ; Crohn Disease ; Erythema Nodosum* ; Erythema* ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive* ; Panniculitis ; Sarcoidosis

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow* ; Humans

Intussusception is common cause of intestinal obstruction in children. Most of intussusceptions can be treated with non-operative reduction using air or barium. However, about 10% patients need operative treatment due to failure of reduction, peritonitis, and recurrence after reduction. We introduce our experience of laparoscopic surgery for intussusception. From April 2010 to March 2013, we reviewed 57 children who diagnosed intussusception. Twelve patients underwent an operation. The cause of operation was 7 of failure of air reduction and 5 of recurrence after air reduction. Median age was 21.5 months (range: 5.0~57.7 months) and 11 children (91.7%) underwent successful laparoscopic reduction. Median operating time was 50 minutes (range: 30~20 minutes) and median hospital days was 4.5 days (range: 3~8 days). One patient had a leading point as a heterotopic pancreas and underwent bowel resection through conversion. There was neither intra-operative nor postoperative complication. Laparoscopic reduction for intussusception can bring an excellent cosmetic effect with high success rate.
Barium ; Child* ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Intussusception* ; Laparoscopy* ; Pancreas ; Peritonitis ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence

The species composition, population density, and seasonal prevalence of vector mosquitoes in an inland area of Kyungpook province were studied, based on light trap and human bait trap collections, and the recent patterns of infestation for infective larvae of Brugia malayi in these vector hosts were investigated from May to November in 1985. Nine species in four genera of mosquitoes were collected by light trap, human bait trap, and/or by nets. Anopheles sinensis Wiedemann was the most abundant species collected by light traps during this year. Culex tritaeniorhychus Giles was the second abundant species, and Aedes vexans nipponii(Theobald) ranked third in total abundance. The earlist time when A. sinensis were found was the middle of May. At that time the temperature ranged from 14.3 C to 22.8 C and the humidity 53-90 per cent. The month of highest average nightly catch was July, when the temperature was betweeen 21.5 C and 30.6 C and the humidity 72-91 per cent. The peak time of biting activity of mosquitoes was different in each month, i.e. between 22:00-23:00 in July, and 20:00-21:00 hours in September, when the temperature was between 24.3 C and 26.5 C and the humidity 73-88 per cent in the field. While infective larvae of B. malayi were reported to have been found in one species of mosquito in 1975, no larvae were found in any species collected in this survey.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; arthropoda ; Brugia malayi ; Anopheles sinensis ; epidemiology

No abstract available.
Hysterectomy*

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), an acetylated form of L-carnitine, is able to influence the activity of cholinergic neurons, cell membrane stabilization and enhancing mitochondrial function. A 52-year-old woman was referred to neurology clinic for memory impairment within 1 year. She was administered ALC as dose of 1,500 mg per day for improving memory decline. After 14 days from administrating ALC, she complained vivid dreams at every night. Vivid dream was disappeared after ceasing ALC. Another patient, a 72-year-old man, visited neurology clinic for cognitive decline for 2 years. After 20 days from administering ALC with dose of 1,500 mg per day, he also suffered from vivid dreams at every night. His previous stable sleep was also restored after ceasing ALC. ALC supplementation may present vivid dreams as a side effect. Possibility of vivid dream as a side effect should be considered during the management with oral ALC.
Acetylcarnitine* ; Aged ; Carnitine ; Cell Membrane ; Cholinergic Neurons ; Dreams* ; Female ; Humans ; Memory ; Middle Aged ; Neurology

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of Dual Echo in State(DESS) image in the diagnosis of chondromalacia of the knee compared with turbo spin-echo MR images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 26 patients with chondromalacia of the knee. MR imaging was obtained with a 1.5T imager. Sagittal and coronal double echo T2 weighted images(TR/TE 3000~4200/16-96msec, FOV 140-160140-160mm, matrix size 180256, slice thickness 4.0mm, interslice gap 0.5mm), and sagittal DESS image(TR/TE 25.4/9.0msec, flip angle 35-45, FOV 150-160150-160mm, matrix size 192256, effective slice thickness 1.5mm) were obtained. Cartilage lesions were staged according to a modified scheme proposed by Outerbridge: grade 0, normal; grade 1, softening or/and we swelling; grade 2, mild surface fibrillation or/and less than 50% of cartilage thickness; grade 3, severe surface fibrillation or/and loss of more than 50% of cartilage thickness but without exposure of subchondral bone; and grade 4, complete loss of cartilage with subchondral bone exposure. Gradings were determined by two readers with consensus, and patellofemoral, medial and lateral tibiofemoral compartments were evaluated. RESULTS: Arthroscopic findings revealed grade 1 in seven cases, grade 2 in 21 cases, grade 3 in six cases, and grade 4 in 18 cases. Sensitivity of turbo spin-echo MR images was as follows: 0%, 14%, 0%, 61% in each grade, and sensitivity of DESS image was as follows; 0%, 33%, 50%, 67% in each grade(p=0.001). In the detection of chondromalacic lesions regardless of gradings, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of conventional MR image were 59.6%, 88.6%, 78.8% and of DESS image,73.1%, 88.4%, 82.2%(p=0.007). CONCLUSION: For chondromalacia of knee joints, DESS images showed higher sensitivity than turbo spinehco MR images. Therefore, DESS images will be helpful for diagnosis of chondromalacia of knee joints.
Cartilage ; Cartilage Diseases* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity