Myopathy in primary aldosteronism in relatively rare disease in Korea. A 42-year-old woman with hypokalemic periodic paralysis, proximal muscle weakness and hypertension was found to have myopathy associated with adenoma in the right adrenal gland. She showed marked elevation of muscle enzymes and myopathic pattern in EMG.
Adenoma ; Adrenal Glands ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Hypertension ; Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis ; Korea ; Muscle Weakness ; Muscular Diseases* ; Rare Diseases

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcome of external bracket fixation in the treat- ment of complex tibia diaphysis fracture involving intra-articular fractures.Methods Forty-two cases of complex tibia diaphysis fracture with proximal and distal intra-articular fractures treated surgically in our hospital from January 1999 to January 2004 were analyzed.The complex tibia diaphysis fractures were categorized according to the AO classification as type C2 (multiple segments fracture) and type C3 (ir- regular fracture),proximal and distal intra-articular fractures in 23 and 19 cases,respectively.Definite operation was done within one week.Twenty-two cases were treated with simple external fixator,and 20 cases treated with screws and external fixator.Results All the 42 cases were followed-up regularly. According to AO evaluation of the knee and ankle joint movement,83% (35/42 cases) of the cases gained satisfactory functional outcome,14% (6/42 cases) had quite satisfactory results and 2% (1/42 case) had unsatisfactory functional outcome.Conclusion External bracket fixation can obtain outcome of relative length of the tibia and fibula,tube structure reconstruction,smoothness of the articular surface and the parallel and symmetric relation of knees and ankles for complex tibia diaphysis fracture with proxi- mal and distal intra-articular fracture.The arthritis resulting in pain in movement and restriction of func- tion is considered to be the most important factor affecting the joint function.Early functional exercise is important for best recovery of knee and ankle function.

Objective To study the radiation dose level and dose distribution of leakage and scattering radiation in a helical tomotherapy (TOMO) room,and to identify the dose distribution characteristic which is different from the conventional radiotherapy so as to provide scientific data for the radiation protection of TOMO.Methods A helical tomotherapy facility typed Tomotherapy Hi-Art was employed as the radiotherapy device.The air kerma from leakage radiation and scattering radiation distributed on the couch plane and in TOMO room were detected mainly by GR-200A TLDs of LiF(Mg,Cu,P),while 100 Gy were being accumulated under the condition of simulation radiation treatment.Then,the leakage radiation ratio and scattering-leakage radiation ratio (the ratio of site radiation dose to isocenter standard output dose) were calculated.Results The radiation level and dose distribution of leakage radiation and scattering radiation in the TOMO treatment room were in bilateral symmetry to the rotation isocenter and the treatment couch longitudinal axis,and the radiation level in front of the radiotherapy device was significantly higher than that of the rear of the TOMO equipment.In the plane of treatment couch,the maximum leakage radiation ratio at the position 100 cm away from the isocenter was only 1.3 × 10-4,and the mean value of the leakage radiation ratio at the position 300 cm away from the isocenter was lower than 2.0 × 10-5.The scattering radiation at 200-300 cm away from the isocenter was accounted for 25％-30％ of the leakage radiation from the responding sites,and the indoor scattering radiation decreased faster than leakage radiation with the distance from the isocenter.Conclusions The radiation level of leakage and scattering in a TOMO room is significantly lower than that in a conventional radiotherapy room.

AIM: To identify the novel nuclear export signal by analyzing the DNA sequences and detecting the cell localization of different adenovirus ElA - associated protein BS69 isoforms. METHODS:BS69 DNA sequences in Emsebl database were blasted and the sequence of amino acids was aligned with the typical nuclear export signal. Different BS69 isoform fragments were cloned into pcDNA3.1 vector and transfected into Cos7 cells. The BS69 localization was observed by immunostaining and the function was verified by Western blotting. RESULTS: A novel nuclear export signal was found in BS69 isoform 2 but not in isoform 1.The isoform 2 was localized in cytoplasm and isoform 1 in nucleus, which was also consistent with the DNA sequence. The isoform 2 was involved in LMP1 - activated JNK phosphorylation whereas the isoform 1 was not. CONCLUSION: Different BS69 isoforms have different cellular localization. BS69 isoform 2 is localized in cytoplasm, interacting with Epstein - Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 and may be involved in nasopharyngeal carcinoma development.However, the isoform 1 is localized in nucleus and plays important roles in transcription.

No abstract available.
Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnosis, surgical procedure and clinical outcome of cervical intraspinal benign neoplasm.

METHODSTwenty-two cases confirmed pathologically were reviewed included 16 males and 6 females with an average age of 43.8 years old ranging from 18 to 56 years. Symptoms mainly included neck pain, numbness and weakness of the extremities, urinary and fecal incontinence, pyramid signs, etc. All underwent X-ray, CT and MRI, 11 cases were diagnosed as neurilemomas, 4 neurofibromas, 3 spinal meningiomas, 2 intraspinal cysts and 2 lipomas. The tumors were removed completely in 18 cases, above 60% in 3 cases and 25% with biopsy in 1 case. Cervical stability in 11 cases was restored after removal of tumors.

RESULTSAll were followed-up for from 6 to 84 months(means 12.5 months). Symptoms improved in 20 cases and stable in 1 case and worsened in 1 case postoperatively according to JOA scoring system. Two patients recurred and were treated with second surgery. JOA scoring was (6.52 +/- 1.10) before operation, (11.42 +/- 0.79) after operation, there was statically significance (t = 21.38, P < 0.001). The average recover ratio of total was (46.7 +/- 2.46)%, cervical stability was (62.37 +/- 3.58)%, the other methods was (41.21 +/- 4.63)%. The results of JOA were excellent in 18 cases, good in 2, fair in 1 and poor in 1.

CONCLUSIONThe surgical exairesis for cervical intraspinal benign neoplasm has low post-operative recurrence. The main reason of recurrence is not removed the tumor completely. MRI is regarded the effective method which is helpful in differential diagnosis and surgery guidance.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cervical Vertebrae ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Neoplasms ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE To observe the effect of baicalin on Aβ25-35 induced learning and memory deficits and changes in autophagy-related genes in mice so as to explore the related mechanisms of Alzheimer disease (AD) treatment . METHODS C57 mice were administered with 3μL Aβ25-35 3 mmol·L-1 by intracerebroventricular injection to establish an AD model. Baicalin was given by intracerebroventricular injection at the dose of 25, 50 and 100 mg · kg-1 for 15 d, respectively. The total distance and the central grid residence time were measured in the open-field test. The escape latency and the time to reach the platform were monitored in the Morris water maze trial. The autophagic vacuoles in the hippocampus of the mice were observed by transmission electron microscopy before the protein expressions of microtu?bule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin1 in brain tissue were analyzed by Western blot?ting assay. RESULTS Intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ25-35 could reduce the total distance from (3984±321)cm to (2790±306)cm and extend central grid residence time from (3.6±1.2)s to (8.8±2.9)s in the open-field test. The escape latency of water maze also increased from (22.0 ± 1.9)s to (38.8 ± 2.2)s. Autophagic vacuoles or late autophagic vacuoles and increased Beclin1 and LC3 and protein level were observed in the hippocampus after Aβ25-35 injection. Intraperitoneal injection of Baicalin 50 and 100 mg · kg-1 for fifteen consecutive days extended the total distance in open-field test to (3705 ± 337)cm and (3968 ± 448)cm, respectively, while the central grid residence time was reduced to (5.6 ± 1.8)s and (3.9±1.5)s, respectively. The total time taken to reach the platform in water maze test was reduced to (28.6± 1.9)s, (22.9 ± 1.7)s. Mitochondrial swelling, vacuolar membrane structure or autophagic vacuoles were visible in the hippocampus. LC3 and Beclin1 protein expression was significantly up-regulated(P<0.01). CONCLUSION Baicalin shows protective effect against Aβ25-35 induced learning and memory deficits, and this effect may be related to the activation of autophagy in the mouse hippocampus.

OBJECTIVES: We wanted to investigate the relationship between job stress and liver dysfunction in Korean male white collar workers. METHODS: A total of 700 male white collar workers who worked at one electronic institute and who participated in an annual surveillance program were recruited: 664(94.9%) workers were initially recruited and the data for 36 workers was excluded due to poor responses and a past history of liver disease. The questionnaire survey included the participants' general characteristics, the job-related factors, the health-related behaviors and job stress. Job stress was assessed using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form (KOSS-SF). We merged the job stress data with the individual liver function results by conducting annual surveillance. Multiple logistic regression analysis with adjusting it for the confounding variables, including alcohol drinking and the body mass index (BMI), was used to evaluate the relationship between job stress and liver dysfunction. RESULTS: After adjustment for the confounding variables, the proportion of liver dysfunction cases was significantly higher in the groups with a high level of job stress, as assessed by the 'job demands and total score'. After conducting a stratified analysis with considering alcohol drinking and the BMI, the prevalence odds ratio of liver dysfunction was higher in the groups with a high level of job stress, as assessed by the 'job demands and total score'. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the level of job stress (and especially that assessed by the job demands and total score) is related to liver dysfunction. Thus, further preventive efforts and studies are needed to reduce job stress and address liver dysfunction.
Alcohol Drinking ; Body Mass Index ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: We wanted to investigate the relationship between job stress and liver dysfunction in Korean male white collar workers. METHODS: A total of 700 male white collar workers who worked at one electronic institute and who participated in an annual surveillance program were recruited: 664(94.9%) workers were initially recruited and the data for 36 workers was excluded due to poor responses and a past history of liver disease. The questionnaire survey included the participants' general characteristics, the job-related factors, the health-related behaviors and job stress. Job stress was assessed using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form (KOSS-SF). We merged the job stress data with the individual liver function results by conducting annual surveillance. Multiple logistic regression analysis with adjusting it for the confounding variables, including alcohol drinking and the body mass index (BMI), was used to evaluate the relationship between job stress and liver dysfunction. RESULTS: After adjustment for the confounding variables, the proportion of liver dysfunction cases was significantly higher in the groups with a high level of job stress, as assessed by the 'job demands and total score'. After conducting a stratified analysis with considering alcohol drinking and the BMI, the prevalence odds ratio of liver dysfunction was higher in the groups with a high level of job stress, as assessed by the 'job demands and total score'. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the level of job stress (and especially that assessed by the job demands and total score) is related to liver dysfunction. Thus, further preventive efforts and studies are needed to reduce job stress and address liver dysfunction.
Alcohol Drinking ; Body Mass Index ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires