Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase, hydrolyzes angiotensin I to the active angiotensin g and also inactivates bradykinin. Activity of ACE was first identified in plasrna by Skeggs et al in 1956. In 1975 Lieberman first reported elevation of serum ACE level in patients with active sarcoidosis and suggested clinical application of the assay to confirm a diagnosis of sarcoidosis and to serve as a guide for therapy. The author studied the serurn ACE levels in 21 syphilitic patients (11 men, 10 women) who showed positive responses in both VDRL and TPHA tests and 20 normal healthy controls (7 men, 13 women) by the spectrophotometric method described by Lieberrnan who modified Cushman and Cheungs method. Comparative studies of ACE levels in syphilitic group with normal control group and relationship among the age, sex and treatment were also conducted. The results were summarized as follows : Ages of the syphilitic patients and normal healthy control group ranged from 18 to 51 years (27 1+-8 98 years) and from 14 to 49 years (28 4+9 08 years) respectively. The mean serum ACE level in syphilitic patients was ll 33+-3 25 p/ml, which was significantly higher than that of normal healthy control group, 6 39+-2 RR p/ml, (p<0001) Of the 21 syphilitic patients, 15(71 4%) had ACE activity higher than the upper limit of normal (mean+1SD). There was no significant correlation between age and serum ACE level. -countinue-
Angiotensin I ; Angiotensins* ; Bradykinin ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A* ; Sarcoidosis ; Syphilis*

Monilethrix is a rare familiar disorder of unknown cause, occurring in either sex, and ueually confined to the scalp. In most cases it is manifested in early childhood. lt is characterized by localized or widespread dystrophy of hair and follicles, the shafts showing regular variations in diameter producing alternate "nodes" and "internodes" which confer a striking beaded or moniliform appearance on the hair. We experienced a case of monilethrix, which was associated with keratosis pilaris and occurred in three generations. The patient's one sibling, mother, 4 uncles and 2 aunts of mother side and grandmother with her sister were all affected with a similar diaorder of hair.
Family Characteristics ; Hair ; Humans ; Keratosis ; Monilethrix* ; Mothers ; Scalp ; Siblings ; Strikes, Employee

No abstract available.
Holoprosencephaly*

No abstract available.
Female ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal*

graft as a successful procedure that provides functional stabiIity. Complications reported include arthro5brosis, patellofemoral joint pain, patellar tendinitis, patellar tendon rupture, recurrent laxity, posterolateral instabi5ty, medial subluxation of the patella, chronic knee pain and painful neuroma. Among them, anterior knee pain was the rnost frequent eomplication. Authors performed arthroscopy assisted one tunnel technique for reconsction of the ACL using autogenous Bone Patellar tendon-Rone (BPTB) in 87 patients. Patients were divid@d into two groups based on the harvested side (knee) of the BPTB. Group 1 consisted of 45 cases of ipsilateral side and group 2 consisted of 42 cases of contralsteral side in harvesting the BPTB. The patients were foll4wed up for at least 12 months to determine whether using the BPTB harvested from the contralateral knee wguld reduce the anterior knee pain at the ACL reconstructed knee. Althaugh there were no statistically signifiqant differences between group 1 and 2 with regard to anterior knee pain, the prevalence of the anterior knee pain was less frequent in group 2 than group 1. This study showed that using the contralateral side harvested autogenous patellar tendon would be a possible protector for anterior knee pain and assists for early rehabilitation.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction* ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament* ; Arthroscopy ; Humans ; Knee ; Neuroma ; Patella ; Patellar Ligament* ; Patellofemoral Joint ; Prevalence ; Rehabilitation ; Rupture ; Tendinopathy ; Transplants

Moyamoya disease is a progressive occlusive cerebrovascular disease that can cause severe permanent disability. To minimize the ischemic deficit, various surgical methods have been tried. Six cases treated surgically are presented, 10 sides with encephaloarteriosynangiosis and 1 side with superficial temporal-middle cerebral artery anastomosis and encephalomyosynangiosis. Among these six cases, three cases were associated with intracerebral and intraventricular hemorrhage, and two cases were associated with intracerebral and intraventricular hemorrhage and demonstrable aneurysm, and the other was associated with cerebral infarction. All patient were reviewed and had not ischemic deficit or rebleeding during the follow-up period. The patient's clinical status and results are presented and literatures that have been reported are reviewed.
Aneurysm ; Cerebral Arteries ; Cerebral Infarction ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Moyamoya Disease

No abstract available.
Ankle* ; Chondromatosis, Synovial*

After spinal fixation using conventional stainless steel screw fixation system, postoperative evaluation of spinal canal and identification of screw positions are very difficult because of severe image halation on computerized tomography(CT) or magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). As a result, diagnosis is interfered in cases of screw malposition, infection, and when demonstration of spinal decompression is needed. For this reason, titanium implants have been developed. Titanium is neither magnetic nor paramagnetic, so it produces minimal artifacts on CT or MRI. Titanium pedicular screw system(DipasonTM) is one of these instruments. In this study, the authors investigated the compatibility of this instrument with CT and MRI postoperatively. The use of titanium pedicular screw system permits high quality image of spinal cord, nerve root and screws on CT and MRI.
Artifacts ; Decompression ; Diagnosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Cord ; Stainless Steel ; Titanium*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Listeria monocytogenes ; Listeria* ; Listeriosis* ; Meningitis ; Sepsis

Occult HBV infection is defined as the presence of HBV DNA in the liver (with or without detectable or undetectable HBV DNA in the serum) of individuals testing negative for HBsAg. Studies on occult HBV infection in hepatitis C patients have reported highly variable prevalence, because the prevalence of occult HBV infection varies depending on the hepatitis B risk factors and methodological approaches. The most reliable diagnostic approach for detecting occult HBV detection is through examination of liver DNA extracts. HCV has been suspected to strongly suppress HBV replication up to the point where it may be directly responsible for occult HBV infection development. However, more data are needed to arrive at a definitive conclusion regarding the role of HCV in inducing occult HBV infection. Occult HBV infection in chronic hepatitis C patients is a complex biological entity with possible relevant clinical implications. Influence of occult HBV infection on the clinical outcomes of chronic hepatitis C may be considered negative. However, recent studies have shown that occult HBV infection could be associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and contribute to the worsening of the course of chronic liver disease over time in chronic hepatitis C patients. Nevertheless, the possible role of occult HBV infection in chronic hepatitis C is still unresolved and no firm conclusion has been made up until now. It still remains unclear how occult HBV infection affects the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Therefore, in order to resolve current controversies and understand the pathogenic role and clinical impacts of occult HBV infection in chronic hepatitis C patients, well-designed clinical studies are needed.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications ; DNA, Viral/analysis ; Hepacivirus/genetics ; Hepatitis B/*complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/*complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha/therapeutic use ; Liver/virology ; Liver Neoplasms/complications