BACKGROUND: The recent surge of tuberculosis in association with AIDS and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in the world has made even apparent the need for more rapid and accurate technologies of detecting and characterizing mycobacteria in the clinical microbiology laboratory. The BACTEC radiometric method which is known rapid alternative to traditional culture methods has been reported to be useful for the rapid detection and identification of mycobacteria from clinical specimens. I report the experience for the use of the BACTEC 460TB for detection of mycobacteria from clinical specimens. METHODS: All clinical specimens received in the department of clinical pathology from July 1993 through August 1994 were used for this study. Smears were prepared and stained for acid-fast bacilli(AFB) by Ziehl-Neelson method Middlebrook 7H12 medium(BACTEC 12A) containing a 14C-labeled palmitic acid was used as the basal medium. Quantitation of the liberated 14CO2 was used as a measure of cell growth. A BACTEC 460TB instrument was used for the detection and quantitation of 14CO2 liberated in the culture bottle. NAP tests for differentiating the M. tuberculosis complex from mycobacteria other than tuberculosis(MOTT) were performed. RESULTS: A total of 111(9.6%) mycobacterial isolates were recovered from 1.151 clinical specimens. The sensitivity of the BACTEC 460TB for detecting M. tuberculosis in acid-fast smear-positive specimens was 93.8%. The mean time required for the primary isolation of mycobacteria(GI of > or =10) was 9.8 days and the mean detection time of M. tuberculosis complex was 19.3 days. In according to the acid-fast smear results, the mean detection times of M tuberculosis complex in smear-positive and smear-negative specimens were 14.9 days and 20.9 days, respectively. The mean detection time of M. tuberculosis complex in smear-positive specimens was better for respiratory specimens(14.7 days) than for extrapulmonary specimens(21 days). All 111 isolates were susceptible to rho-nitro-alpha-acetylamino-beta-hydroxypropiophenone(NAP) and the contamination rate was 4%. CONCLUSIONS: The BACTEC radiometric method for detecting and characterizing mycobacteria requires expensive instrument and reagents using radioisotope and additional expenditure of time and effort, but The BACTEC 460TB is extremely useful for the rapid detection, isolation and identification of clinically important mycobacteria in clinical laboratory.
Health Expenditures ; Indicators and Reagents ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Palmitic Acid ; Pathology, Clinical ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant

This study was performed for the purpose of evaluation of plasma PGE2, levels in patients with gastric carcinomas. To carry out this study twenty-one gastrectomy patients with gastric carcinoma were selected. Serial plasma PGE2 levels were measured before and after operation by radioimmunoassay. Plasma PGE2 was also measured in five normal healthy volunteers or of patients with gastric ulcer. The conclusion drawn therefrom were as followed: 1) In normal healthy volunteers, plasma PGE2 level was 50.2+/-16.5 pg/ml which ws higher than that of parients with gastric ulcer, 20.7+/-15.4 pg/ml, (p<0.001). 2) In patients with diffuse type of gastric carcinoma, preoperative and postoperative plasma PGE2 levels were 25.7+/-12.1 pg/ml, and 23.1+/-8.7 pg/ml, rewpectively. In parients with intestinal type of gastric carcinoma, preoperative and postoperastive plasma PGE2 levels were 26.2+/-8.9 pg/ml and 24.1+/-11.2 pg/ml, respectively. In both types of gastric carcinoma, plasma PGE2 levels were lower than that of normal healthy volunteers and there was no significant difference compaired with the levels in patients with gastric ulcer. 3) In diffuse and intestinal types of gastric carcinoma, postoperative PGE2 levels were lower that those of preoperative state but it was not significant. 4) In early and advanced gastric carcinoma, preoperative PGE2 levels were 29.0+/-11.7 pg/ml and 24.8+/-9.9 pg/ml, respectively. There was no significant difference by the depth of invasion. From the result as mentioned above, it is concluded that plasma PGE2 levels of patients with gastric carcinoma and it is presumable that there is a factor decreasing plasma PGE2 levels in patients with gastric carcinoma or ulcer.

An extremely unusual case of epidermoid cyst showing diffuse parakeratosis and aggressive clinical behavior is presented. A destructive bone lesion with surrounding ill-defined soft tissue lesion was found by computed tomography in a 63 year-old man complaining of painful swelling of the right buttock. He had a history of surgical excision twice for epidermoid cysts of soft tissue of the right hip during recent one year. On aspiration cytology, the aspirate was highly cellular and mostly composed of desquamated nucleated squamous cells. Operation finding revealed that the iliac bone was irregularly destroyed and filled with gray-white cheesy material and necrotic bone debris. Adjacent gluteus muscle showed scattered gray-white lesions. The curettage specimen showed bone necrosis and desquamated squamous cells filling the marrow spaces. The lesion within muscle revealed epidermoid cyst with diffuse parakeratosis.
Child ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Cysts

Nerve palsy as a complication of hematoma following total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a rare development. Although rare, this complication can cause permanent nerve palsy. The authors experienced a case of recovery from sciatic nerve palsy after emergency evacuation of a hematoma. The expanding thigh hematoma was due to anticoagulation treatment for prevention of venous thromboembolism after total hip arthroplasty. After 10 months from the operation, the patient regained complete motor power and leads an ordinary life. The authors would like to emphasize the danger of hematoma following anticoagulation therapy for prevention of venous thromboembolism after total hip arthroplasty.
Arthroplasty ; Emergencies ; Hematoma ; Hip ; Humans ; Paralysis ; Sciatic Nerve ; Sciatic Neuropathy ; Thigh ; Venous Thromboembolism

Idiopathic orbital myositis, a subgroup of inflammatory orbital pseudotumor may occur with acute-onset periorbital pain, diplopia, and, in most cases, eyelid swelling. Proptosis, extraocular muscle motility restrictions, and response to oral prednisolone administration were characteristic. Although the CT appearance of orbital myositis is often helpful, the findings are not pathognomonic: correlation with history, clinical finding, and therapeutic response must be considered in making the diagnosis. The results of corticosteroid therapy on the orbital pseudotumor caused by orbital myositis were as follows: 1. The effect of corticosteroid was more effective in single extraocular muscle involvement than in that of a multiple extraocular muscle. 2. Early age of onset and early treatment after symptom increased the effectiveness of corticosteroid therapy.
Age of Onset ; Diagnosis ; Diplopia ; Exophthalmos ; Eyelids ; Orbit* ; Orbital Myositis* ; Orbital Pseudotumor* ; Prednisolone

In recent years, treatment using implants has become common. Since 2016, dental implants have been insured as part of strengthening health insurance coverage. Consequently, the demand for implants is increasing. Accordingly, the importance of implant maintenance has been emphasized. Of which, implant retrievability is an important factor in implant success. Although the screw-retained type is an advantageous easy-to-retrieve prosthesis, an occlusal point cannot make it to the central axis of the implant. Thus, we aimed to introduce an implant setting method (screw hole indexing) that enables the maintenance of the proper occlusal point and enables retrievability by marking the screw holes of the implant.

In recent years, treatment using implants has become common. Since 2016, dental implants have been insured as part of strengthening health insurance coverage. Consequently, the demand for implants is increasing. Accordingly, the importance of implant maintenance has been emphasized. Of which, implant retrievability is an important factor in implant success. Although the screw-retained type is an advantageous easy-to-retrieve prosthesis, an occlusal point cannot make it to the central axis of the implant. Thus, we aimed to introduce an implant setting method (screw hole indexing) that enables the maintenance of the proper occlusal point and enables retrievability by marking the screw holes of the implant.

In recent years, treatment using implants has become common. Since 2016, dental implants have been insured as part of strengthening health insurance coverage. Consequently, the demand for implants is increasing. Accordingly, the importance of implant maintenance has been emphasized. Of which, implant retrievability is an important factor in implant success. Although the screw-retained type is an advantageous easy-to-retrieve prosthesis, an occlusal point cannot make it to the central axis of the implant. Thus, we aimed to introduce an implant setting method (screw hole indexing) that enables the maintenance of the proper occlusal point and enables retrievability by marking the screw holes of the implant.

In recent years, treatment using implants has become common. Since 2016, dental implants have been insured as part of strengthening health insurance coverage. Consequently, the demand for implants is increasing. Accordingly, the importance of implant maintenance has been emphasized. Of which, implant retrievability is an important factor in implant success. Although the screw-retained type is an advantageous easy-to-retrieve prosthesis, an occlusal point cannot make it to the central axis of the implant. Thus, we aimed to introduce an implant setting method (screw hole indexing) that enables the maintenance of the proper occlusal point and enables retrievability by marking the screw holes of the implant.

Although there have been a few reports of cases in which cancer cells of extrauterine origin were observed in vaginal smears, such findings are relatively uncommon. We recently experienced a case of ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma diagnosed by cervicovaginal smear in a 56-year-old woman in routine work-up of carcinoma peritonei. The cellular features were several scattered cellular clusters of adenocarcinoma cells in clear background without tumor diathesis. Psammoma body was not present. Exploratory laparotomy confirmed the diagnosis of bilateral ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma with multiple metastases.
Adenocarcinoma ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; Diagnosis ; Disease Susceptibility ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Laparotomy ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thyroid Gland ; Vaginal Smears