To evaluate the relationship between arteriolosclerosis and diabetic retinopathy, we graded the levels of diabetic retinopathy and arteriolosclerosis and compared each other in 255 patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes. And we also measured serum lipid levels and checked other risk fac-tors for diabetic retinopathy. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. Patients with advanced arteriolosclerosis were at higher risk of severe diabetic retinopathy. And patients with elevated plasma total cholesterol, LDL-C, TG had more severe levels of diabetic retinopathy than whose lipid levels were normal. These results suggested that advanced arteriolosclerosis and elevated serum lipid levels are associated with severe diabetic retinopathy. For preventing visual threatening complications of diabetic retinopathy, the degree of arteriolosclerosis and serum lipid levels should be carefully monitored in the evaluation of diabetic retinopathy.
Arteriolosclerosis ; Arteriosclerosis* ; Cholesterol ; Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Humans ; Plasma

PURPOSE: We investigated the possible inhibitory effect of aspirin during the initiation and post initiating stages on N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN) induced bladder carcinogenesis in female rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups. Group A received 0.05% BBN in drinking water for 12 weeks. Group B re ceived 0.05% BBN in drinking water with 0.5% aspirin in the diet for 12 weeks. Group C received control diet without added chemicals. The rats were sacrificed after 12 weeks. For identification of chemopreventive effect of aspirin, apoptosis was detected by in situ cell death detection method. The apoptotic index (AI) was calculated from the ratio of typical apoptotic cells relative to the total cells from observation of at least 1000 cells in each preneoplastic lesion among the groups. RESULTS: All cases of group A showed multiple lesions of simple and focal hyperplasia. The incidence of papilloma was 80% in group A. All cases of group B also showed multiple lesions of simple and focal hyperplasia but the incidence of papilloma was decreased to 20%. The total numbers counted of focal hyperplasia and papilloma lesions were significantly reduced in group B than in group A (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). The mean AI in group A and B sequentially increased in preneoplastic lesions, as compared to that in the normal epithelium of the rat bladder. Significant differences in AI in the lesions of simple and focal hyperplasia between group A and B were noted (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The result suggests that aspirin significantly decreases the incidence of precancerous lesions and it can act as a chemopreventive agent for precancerous lesions of urinary bladder.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Aspirin* ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Death ; Diet ; Drinking Water ; Epithelium ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Papilloma ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder*

No abstract available.

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by excessive bone loss or osteopenia particulary in the axial skeleton at the site of fracture, such as the spine and proximal femur. Since the strength of both spine and femur is directly proportional to the bone mass, this osteoporosis always increases the risk of fracture. In this study, to evaluate whether a simple measurement of femoral geometry and BMD value are related with hip fracture, we obtained DEXA Scan (Lunar Expert-XL) of hip by retrospective study. DEXA scan was measured on 70 control people and 17 hip fracture patients aged 50 or older. The result is I. The mean Ward BMD value of hip fracture group is significantly lower than control group (Hip fracture group: 0.52g/cm2, Control group: 0.67g/cm2 P=0.0001) 2. The mean L-spine BMD value of hip fracture group is significantly lower than control group (Hip fracture group: 0.81g/cm, Control group: 0.97g/cm2 P=0.0002) 3. The mean femur axis length of hip fracture group is longer than control group (Hip fracture group: 6.77g/cm2, Control group: 6.57g/cm2 P=0.006) As a conclusion, the measurement of BMD and hip axis length in DEXA scan is an effective method for screening the hip fracture risk patient and BMD value of femur, hip axis length and L- spine BMD value are strongly associated with hip fracture.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra* ; Bone Density* ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Femur ; Hip* ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Skeleton ; Spine

A survey of the literature on the treatment of ruptures of deltoid ligament associated with fracture of distal part of fibula is controversial. Some authors advocated surgical repair of the ruptured deltoid ligament based on the theoretical consideration, while others advocated non-operative treatment based on the clinical consideration. We studied the results in forty-five patients who were treated for disruption of the deltoid ligament and a distal fibular fracture. The length of follow-up in our series was twelve to twenty-four months, with an average of fifteen months. When the fibular fracture was adequately reduced and medial clear space was returned to its normal width, the 91 percents both of patients of being treated with repair of deltoid ligament and patients of being treated without repair had a good or excellent results.
Clinical Study ; Fibula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Rupture

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of acupuncture on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) at acupoints suggested by oriental medicine to be related to the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rest/acupuncture-stimulation Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT using a same-dose subtraction method was performed on 54 normal volunteers (34 males, 20 females, age range from 18 to 62 years) using six paradigms: acupuncture at acupoints GV. 20, GV. 26, LI. 4, ST. 36 and SP. 6. In the control study, needle location was chosen on a non-meridian focus 1 cm posterior to the right fibular head. All images were spatially normalized, and the differences between rest and acupuncture stimulation were statistically analyzed using SPM for Windows . RESULTS: Acupuncture applied at acupoint GV. 20 increased rCBF in both the anterior frontal lobes, the right frontotemporal lobes, and the left anterior temporal lobe and the left cerebellar hemisphere. Acupuncture at GV. 26 increased rCBF in the left prefrontal cortex. Acupuncture at LI. 4 increased rCBF in the left prefrontal and both the inferior frontal lobes, and the left anterior temporal lobe and the left cerebellar hemisphere. Acupuncture at ST. 36 increased rCBF in the left anterior temporal lobe, the right inferior frontal lobes, and the left cerebellum. Acupuncture at SP. 6 increased rCBF in the left inferior frontal and anterior temporal lobes. In the control stimulation, no significant rCBF increase was observed. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated a correlation between stimulation at each acupoint with increase in rCBF to the corresponding brain areas.
Acupuncture Points* ; Acupuncture* ; Brain* ; Cerebellum ; Female ; Frontal Lobe ; Head ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Needles ; Prefrontal Cortex ; Temporal Lobe ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

This is a case report of "Top of the basilar" syndrome with left subclavian occlusion in 25 year old man who shows typical symptoms of vertebral-basilar insufficiency including pseudosizth, upward gaze palsy, cerebellar symptoms and somnolence, etc.
Adult ; Humans ; Paralysis ; Subclavian Artery*

This is a case report of "Top of the basilar" syndrome with left subclavian occlusion in 25 year old man who shows typical symptoms of vertebral-basilar insufficiency including pseudosizth, upward gaze palsy, cerebellar symptoms and somnolence, etc.
Adult ; Humans ; Paralysis ; Subclavian Artery*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate characteristics of static and dynamic parameters in patients with degenerative flat back (DFB) and to compare degree of their improvement between successful and unsuccessful surgical outcome groups METHODS: Forty-seven patients with DFB were included who took whole spine X-ray and three-dimensional motion analysis before and 6 months after corrective surgery. Forty-four subjects were selected as a control group. As static parameters, thoracic kyphosis (TK), thoracolumbar junction (TLJ), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), and pelvic tilt (PT) were measured. As dynamic parameters, maximal and minimal angle of pelvic tilt, lower limb joints, and thoracic and lumbar vertebrae column (dynamic TK and LL) in sagittal plane were obtained. RESULTS: The DFB group showed smaller TK and larger LL, pelvic posterior tilt, hip flexion, knee flexion, and ankle dorsiflexion than the control group. Most of these parameters were significantly corrected by fusion surgery. Dynamic spinal parameters correlated with static spinal parameters. The successful group obtained significant improvement in maximal and minimal dynamic LL than the unsuccessful group. CONCLUSION: The DFB group showed characteristic lower limb and spinal angles in dynamic and static parameters. Correlation between static and dynamic parameters was found in spinal segment. Dynamic LL was good predictor of successful surgical outcomes.
Animals ; Ankle ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joints ; Knee ; Kyphosis ; Lordosis ; Lower Extremity ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Spinal Fusion ; Spine ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Fanconi Anemia*