No abstract available.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma*

We evaluated the clinical effects of Nicorandil in 27 patients (17 male and 10 female) with ischemic heart disease (17 patients of stable effort angina, 3 patients of unstable effort angina, 6 patients of spontaneous angina, 1 patient of variant angina) in terms of the effect on the anginal pain, electrocardiographic changes and side effects. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The pulse rate was not changed by the drug administration and blood pressure were decreased slightly by Nicorandil in a daily dose of 15 mg divided into 3 dose, but these decrease were not significant in statistical meaning. 2. Improvement in EKG changes was observed in 9 patients (69%) among the 13 patients who showed abnormal EKG initially. 3. Anti-anginal effect of nicorandil were excellent in 14 patients, good in 8 patients, fair in 3 patients and so the rate of global improvement was 82%. 4. Nicorandil had side effects in 7 patients, headache (4 patients), palpitation, ocular pain, edema, but these were transitory and tolerable except of one case who could not be continued because of severe headache.
Angina Pectoris* ; Blood Pressure ; Edema ; Electrocardiography ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Nicorandil*

No abstract available.

Many drugs can result in a variety of pathologic reactions in the lung, especially the cytotoxic drugs. Amongcytotoxic drugs bleomycin is a prototype. Bleomycin-related pulmonary toxicity is usually known as dose-dependent and can be enhanced with concurrent oxygen therapy, irradiation, or other chemotherapeutic agents. The incidence of bleomycin-induced pulmonary toxicity has been reported as varying from 2 to 46%, and 1% of fatal lung disease. We describe the radiographic and HRCT findings of bleomycin-related pulmonary toxicity developed in two patients: one in ovarian teratocarcinoma, the other malignant lymphoma patient. Chest radiographs and HRCT of these patients showed ground-glass opacities, consolidation, linear and reticular opacities, and interlobular septal thickening. These abnormalities were bilateral, and symmetrical and were found predominantly in the area of mid-and lower-lung zone.
Bleomycin ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung Diseases ; Lung* ; Lymphoma ; Oxygen ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Teratocarcinoma

In recent years, digital technology has been developed in dentistry, which denture frameworks can be manufactured using DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering) technique. A traditional impression method can be replaced by oral scanning and wax pattern production process can be achieved by the use of CAD/CAM techniques. The designed STL files can be sent to DMLS devices to fabricate final components of removable partial dentures (RPD). The advantages of digital dentistry are concision and precision. In this case study, a fracture of occlusal rests providing support and indirect retention was repaired by DMLS and laser welding techniques. It shows satisfactory results in adaptation accuracy and functional properties of the repaired denture.

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: It has been suggested that there is a differential response of the vasculature to systemic risk factors for atherosclerosis. We sought to evaluate the impact of hypertension on the carotid arterial wall using new methods that can measure each arterial wall layer. METHODS: The study subjects consisted of 163 patients who underwent carotid arterial scanning using high-resolution ultrasound that could measure the left carotid intima-media, intima, and media separately. The individual carotid arterial wall thickness was measured off-line by a new method using the Canny edge-detection algorithm. RESULTS: Hypertensive patients (n=79, mean age 61.8 years) had a higher prevalence of diabetes (31.6% vs 11.9%, p=0.004) and a lower level of HDL-cholesterol than did normotensive patients (41.8+/-11.0 mg/dL vs 45.7+/-10.0 mg/dL, p=0.019). Hypertensive patients had higher carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT, 0.81+/-0.21 mm vs 0.74+/-0.18 mm, p=0.003) and carotid medial thickness (CMT, 0.46+/-0.12 mm vs 0.42+/-0.09 mm, p=0.007) than did normotensive patients, whereas carotid intimal thickness (CIT) was not significantly different (0.34+/-0.04 mm vs 0.34+/-0.04 mm, p=0.196). Multivariate analysis revealed that the independent factors of CIMT were CMT (beta=0.915, p<0.001), hypertension (beta=0.076, p=0.008), age (beta=0.074, p=0.010), and sex (beta=-0.079, p=0.005). Pearson correlation coefficient between CIMT and CMT was higher (r=0.932, p<0.001 vs r=0.445, p<0.001) than that between CIMT and CIT. The correlation between CIMT and CMT was higher (r=0.940, p<0.001 vs r=0.910, p<0.001) in hypertensive patients than in normotensive patients, whereas that between CIMT and CIT was lower (r=0.344, p=0.002 vs r=0.583, p<0.001) in hypertensive patients. CONCLUSIONS: The increased CIMT is caused by increased CMT in hypertensive patients, and this finding is compatible with the medial hypertrophy seen in hypertension. The carotid medial layer should be the focus of attention in future studies looking at hypertensive patients.
Atherosclerosis ; Blood Proteins ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Tunica Media

BACKGROUND: The p53 and retinoblastoma(Rb) tumor suppressor genes are associated with the pathogenesis of several types of human cancer. Substantial. proportion of the primary lung cancers or cell lines have been reported to have the p53 and/or the Rb gene mutations. But so far there is no report on the analysis of the Rb gene polymorphism as one of the genetic susceptibility marker. This study was undertaken to establish the gene frequencies of the polymorphic genotypes of the p53 and Rb genes in Koreans to evaluate the possible involvement of these genotypes as a risk factor of lung cancer. METHODS: In this study 145 controls without previous and present tumor history and 128 lung cancer patients were subjected to analysis The two intragenic polymorphisms of the p53 gene(exon 4/AccII, intron 6/MspI) and one intron 17/XbaI polymorphism of the Rb gene were analysed by the method of polymersae chain react lion-restriction fragment length polymorphisms(PCR-RFLPS). The genotype of the intron 3/16 bp repeat polymorphism of p53 was determined by PCR and direct gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the genotype distributions of the p53 gene between lung cart cert patients and controls. But heterozygotes(Arg/Pro) of the exon 4/AcclII polymorphisms were slightly over-represented than controls, especially in the Kreyberg type I cancer, which was known 13 be associated with smoking. The intron 3/16 bp duplication and the intron 6/MspI polymorphisms were in complete linkage disequilibrium. About 95% of the individuals were homozygotes of the common alleles both in the 16 duplication and MspI polymorphisms, and no differences were deteced in the genotype distributions between lung cancer patients and controls. Overall genotype distributions of the Rb gene polymorphisms between lung cancer patients and controls were not significantly different However, the genotype distributions in the Kreyberg type I cancer were significantly different from those of controls(p=0.0297) or adenocarcinomas(p=0.0008). It was noticeable that 73.4% of the patients with adenocarcinomas were heterozygotes(r1/r2) whereas 39.2% of the Kreyberg type I cancer were heterozygous at this polymorphisms. In the lung cancer patients, significant differences were a]so noted between the high dose smokers and low dose smokers including non-smokers(p=0.0258). The relative risk to Kreyberg type I cancer was significantly reduced in the individuals with the genotype of r1/r2(odds ratio=0.46, 95%C.I.=0.25-0.86, p=0.0124). The combined genotype distribution of the exon 4/AccII of the p53 and the intron 17 Rb gene polymorphisms in Kreyberg type I cancers were significantly different from dose of controls or adenocarcinomas. The highest odds ratio were observed in the individuals with the genotypes of Arg/pro and r2/r2(odds ratio=1.97, 95%C.I.=0.84-4.59) and lowest one was in the patients with Arg/Arg, r1/r2 genotype(odds ratio=0.54, 95%C.I.=0.25-1.14). CONCLUSION: The p53 and the Rb gene polymorphisms modulate the risk of smoking induced lung cancer development in Koreans. However, the exact mechanism of risk modulation by these polymorphism remains to be determined. For more discrete clarification of associations between specific genotypes and lung cancer risk, the evaluations of these polymorphisms in other ethnics and more number of patients will be needed.
Adenocarcinoma ; Alleles ; Cell Line ; Electrophoresis ; Exons ; Gene Frequency ; Genes, p53 ; Genes, Retinoblastoma ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Introns ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Odds Ratio ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking

No abstract available.
Protein-Losing Enteropathies

BACKGROUND: The dot-like hippocampal signal intensity in diffusion-weighted MR images is well-known as a characteristic imaging feature in transient global amnesia, a neurological syndrome in which sudden forward-and-backward memory loss occurs that is slowly recovered within 24 hours. We here report on patients with this dot-like hippocampal hyperintensity who did not present with anterograde amnesia except for headaches. CASE REPORT: Two women without a specific medical history presented with sudden-onset headaches on the same day. Neither had any trauma or infection history before the symptom or any sudden emotional or postural changes. Brain MRI showed tiny hippocampal high signal intensity on diffusion-weighted images (DWI). CONCLUSIONS: Dot-like hippocampal lesions seen on DWI may be present without memory impairment, and more studies are needed to determine whether there is any association with headache as in this case.
Amnesia, Anterograde ; Amnesia, Transient Global* ; Brain ; Diffusion* ; Female ; Headache* ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Memory ; Memory Disorders

BACKGROUND: The relationship between viral hepatitis and lichen planus (LP) remains as a matter of controversy. Geographical variations are suggested to be a major factor influencing such association. Reliable figures from Korean patients are still lacking. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in Korean patients with lichen planus (LP) and to compare it with patients without LP. METHODS: The retrospective study was performed on 45 LP patients and 45 controls with matching age and gender. We examined for serological evidences of hepatic disease, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and anti-HCV seropositivity. Statistical analysis was calculated by using an unpaired t-test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: No significant differences between the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were observed between the two groups. The prevalence of HBsAg in LP patients (4.4%) was not significantly higher (p>0.05) than those of the control subjects (2.2%). None of the patients with LP nor the control subjects had Anti-HCV. CONCLUSION: Korean patients with LP did not have any significant associations with liver diseases or HBV, and HCV infections. Although a large-scale multicenter study is needed to support our results, it is not advisable for Korean patients with LP to be tested for liver functions or HBV, and HCV infections as part of a routine screening test.
Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Lichen Planus* ; Lichens* ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Function Tests* ; Liver* ; Mass Screening* ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies