With development of immunochemical methods for anlysis of serum proteins, quantitative determination of serum immunoglobulin levels and purification of them have been made possible in recent years. There are numerous reports about immunoglobulin levels in various diseases. A search of the literature reveals very few reports of quantitative immunoglobulin determinations in allergic dermatoses. The present study was conducted to find quantitative changes of serum immunoglobulins in a few allergic dermatoses. To quantify the IgG, IgA and IgM, one hundred and two sera were analysed form 30 normal control group, 30 contact dermatitis patients, 12 stopic dermatitis patients and 30 urticaria patients by modified Oudin's capillary tube method. The results are as follows. 1.In contact dermatitis the IgG was significantly increased to compare with control group(p<0.01) 2.In atopic dermatitis the IgA was significantly increased to compare with control group(p<0.01) 3.In urticaria the IgG was increased (p<0.05) 4.The IgM has no differences between allergic dermatoses and control group.
Blood Proteins ; Capillaries ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins ; Skin Diseases* ; Urticaria

The proteins, especially the 19S globulin (IgM) and 7S globulin (IgA) in the CO2 snow-induced blister fluids of 10 male healty volunteers were analyzed immunoelectrophoretically. The fnllawing results were obtained. 1) Compared with autologous serum, all blister fluids tested lacked some protein fraction lines. 2) The 19S globulin (lgM) line was absent in all of the blister fluids except one which was contaminated with blood. 3) The 7S globulin (IgA) line was present in all of the blister fluids when undiluted. In 1 : 2 dilution, however, it was absent, or of trace amount in a few cases.
Blister* ; Humans ; Male ; Volunteers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Comprehensive auditory evaluation often requires complex sounds in addition to pure tones. The sum of pure tones (harmonic stack) is a useful complex stimulus in examining auditory response interactions. In a harmonic stimulus, the phase relationship between pure tones may affect the results of auditory evaluation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of relative phases between harmonic frequencies on the latency of compound action potentials (CAP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relative phases between two frequencies of a harmonic were varied systematically and compound action potentials (CAP) were, then, recorded in guinea pigs in response to these stimuli. These latencies were compared with the latency to the harmonic complex with the relative phase of zero. RESULTS: The latency of the CAP was shifted within a restricted range to the stimuli with systematically varied phases. These relative phases between the two frequencies directly affected the temporal waveform of the harmonic stimulus although all of these stimuli exhibited the same frequency spectrum. Some phase spectra appeared to contribute more to the latency difference of the CAP. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicated that the phase relationship in a tonal complex is important to the latency of the CAP, and the phase should be controlled carefully in the objective auditory evaluation with tonal complex stimuli.
Action Potentials* ; Animals ; Guinea Pigs

Background and Objective: Fast and reliable methods of synthesizing various auditory stimuli have been demanded both in clinical and in experimental auditory evaluations. Computerized digital stimulus synthesis system was developed to achieve the accuracy of stimulus waveforms, the simplicity of controlling stimulus parameters, and the flexibility of generating complex stimuli. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The system consisted of an AD / DA Board (GW Instrument), Macintosh computer system (Apple Computer Inc), and custom-made timing devices to digitally synthesize auditory stimuli. Developed programs controlled various parameters of this hardware system in real time. RESULTS: The system generated pure tones (default frequency range: 0.001-25000 Hz), harmonic stacks (components up to 10 tones), white noises (with various Gaussian variances). These synthesized stimuli were controlled by systematically varying presentation parameters such as rise / fall times, presentation duration, repetition rates, and phase relationship between frequencies. Conclusions: This stimulus synthesis tool was fast, exact, and versatile in generating and controlling stimuli for the audiological evaluation.
Audiometry ; Computer Systems ; Noise ; Pliability

A total of 213 fine needle aspirations from pulmonary lesions in 193 patients performed from January, 1986 to March, 1989 were analyzed. The cytologic diagnoses were unsatisfactory in 10, negative in 60, atypical in 6, suspicious in 11 and malignant in 126 cases. The cytologic types of the malignant cases were 47 squamous cell carcinomas, 40 adenocarcinomas, 10 small cell carcinomas, 6 large cell carcinomas and 10 metastatic tumors. They were verified by the histologic confirmation in 31 cases and by the clinical data in the remainder. There were 5 false-negative cases and none was false-positive, representing 96% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Primary lung cancers were accurately typed in 73% of histologically confirmed case. Cell blocks, prepared in 99 cases, were helpful in tumor typing of 11 cases.
Neoplasm Metastasis ; Lung Neoplasms

Klinefelter syndrome is the most common form of male hypogonadism. It is characterized by small, firm testis, gynecomastia, a variable degree of eunuchoidism, azoospermia, elevated gonadotropin level. Increased frequency of diabetes mellitus, breast cancer, empysema, chronic bronchitis, varicose vein, germ cell neoplasia occurs in Klinefelter syndrome. We report a 19 year-old male patient with diabetes mellitus in association with Klinefelter syndrome, which was confirmed by chromosome analysis. The patient is being treated with insulin for diabetes mellius and with testostrone replacement for Klinefelter syndrome.
Azoospermia ; Breast Neoplasms ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Eunuchism ; Germ Cells ; Gonadotropins ; Gynecomastia ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Insulin ; Klinefelter Syndrome ; Male ; Testis ; Varicose Veins

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Expression of HMGI(Y), a nucleoprotein that binds to A/T rich sequences in the minor groove of the DNA helix, is observed in neoplastically transformed cells but not in normal cells. We have analyzed HMGI(Y) expression in the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and evaluated its clinicopathologic significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HMGI(Y) mRNA was measured by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining for HMGI(Y) was performed in the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. RESULTS: Expression of HMGI(Y) by immunohistochemical staining was observed in 35 of 40 (87.5%) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma samples, whereas normal mucosa and/or the mucosa adjacent to the tumor tissue showed negative or weakly positive staining (p<0.05). Semiquantification of HMGI(Y) by RT-PCR were 2.98+/-2.24 in cancer and 0.47+/-0.25 in normal tissue (p<0.001). High expression of HMGI(Y) was observed in well differentiated group and recurrent cases compared to the less differentiated group and/or non-recurrent cases (p<0.05). But no significant correlation was observed between the levels of HMGI(Y) expression and other clinical factors such as stage, tumor size and cervical lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSION: We think that the HMGI(Y) gene plays some roles in carcinogenesis and cellular proliferation of the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. HMGI(Y) gene can be used as a cancer marker, but the correlation between the gene expression and the prognosis of the cancer patient should be proved in the future studies.
Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Proliferation ; DNA ; Gene Expression ; Head* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Mucous Membrane ; Neck* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nucleoproteins ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger

PURPOSE: To compare the performance of a fixed bearing with a PFC Sigma with that of a rotating platform in a total knee arthroplasty performed on patients with a moderate to severe varus deformity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among the patients who had received a total knee arthroplasty with either a PFC sigma fixed bearing or a rotating platform between October 1998 to June 2002, 77 cases (53 patients) with a > 15degrees varus deformity were examined. The surgery time and the clinical ratings and the radiographic images for each patient were investigated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the knee score, functional score, activity level, or radiological findings. There were seven cases where friction sounds were produced from the insertions in the rotating platform whilst walking and there were three cases of lateral instability. CONCLUSION: The PFC sigma fixed bearing was more effective for stabilizing the knees with a moderate to severe varus deformity because the rotating platform had a friction sound from the insertions while walking and lateral instability.
Arthroplasty* ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Friction ; Humans ; Knee* ; Walking

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of posterior cruciate ligament retaining total knee arthroplasty on its clinical results in patients with varus deformity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed clinical and radiologic results of the 61 cases (39 patients) with varus deformity more than 15 degrees retrospectively. The average follow up period was 6.1 years (range, 5~8 years old). The cases were divided into posterior cruciate ligament retaining group A (42 cases) and substituted group B (19 cases). RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between two groups in Knee Society knee score (A group: 88.1, B group: 88.9), functional score (A group: 79.3, B group: 75.6) activity level (A group: 67.5, B group: 62.5), flexion contracture (A group: 4.5 degree, B group: 4.9 degree), tibiofemoral angle (A group: 4.7 degree, B group: 5.2 degree) and roentgenographic findings. Patients with PCL retaining knees showed significantly increased activity levels in going up and down stairs, and walking. CONCLUSION: It is considered that the preservation of the posterior cruciate ligament is better than the substitution of the ligament if technical problems are solved.
Arthroplasty* ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Contracture ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee* ; Ligaments ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Retrospective Studies ; Walking

PURPOSE: To analyze the clinical and roentgenographic results of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis after cemented total knee arthroplasty with posterior cruciate retention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since 1989, 53 cases of rheumatoid arthritis and 454 cases of osteoarthritis were followed up for average 7.3 years(range 5-14 years) after cemented total knee arthroplasty with posterior cruciate retention. RESULTS: There was no statistically difference in KSS knee score(A: 88.5, B: 92.2), functional score(A: 73.2, B: 79.3), activity level(A: 76, B: 80), flexion contracture(A: 4.5 degree, B: 4.3 degree), tibiofemoral angle(A: 4.8 degree, B: 4.7 degree) and roentgenographic findings. There were hyperextension of 4 cases in group A and 3 cases in group B, but instability was not found. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in clinical and radiological results between the osteoarthritic and rheumatoid arthritic group after cemented TKR with PCL retention. Therefore, cemented TKR with PCL retention could be used as a valuable method in treating rheumatoid arthritis.