The author obtained index of red cell volume distribution width(RDW) and other red cell indices in 210 patients of various hematoncologic conditions and 200 healthy control group using, an automated blood analyzer, Coulter Counter Model S-plus II. This study performed to classify various etiologic anemia based on the MCV and RDW, to evaluate availability to the differential diagnosis in korean anemic distoders somewhat different from etiologies of anemias in foreginers. In the most of cases, the increase or decrease of MCV were always combined the pararell changes of MCH and MCHC: But the values of MCV and RDW were not correlated in control group and patient group. So the terms of heterogenous of homogenous anemia were meaningful morphologic classification than hypochromic or normochromic anemia. The heterogenous microcytic anemia contained iron deficiency anemia. In heterogenous normocytic anemia, myelophthisic anemia, acute leukemia were contained. In heterogenous macrocytic anemia, megaloblastic anemia, hemolytic anemia were contained. The homogenous microcytic anemia was observed in anemia of chronic disorders. In homogenous normocytic anemia, acute blood loss, chronic leukemia, multiple myeloma were contained. The aplastic anemia was belonged to homogenous macrocytic anemia. The diagnostic significance of RDW in hemoglobinopathies is most importhant. But this study was not contained hemoglobinopathies. Instead RDW was very helpful to differential diagnosis of most common anemias, iron deficiency anemia and anemia due to chronic disorders in Korea.
Anemia* ; Anemia, Aplastic ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Anemia, Macrocytic ; Anemia, Megaloblastic ; Anemia, Myelophthisic ; Cell Size ; Classification* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Hemoglobinopathies ; Humans ; Korea ; Leukemia ; Multiple Myeloma

A clinical review of 31 cases of multiple myeloma which were diagnosed by criteria of the SWOG between May 1983 and February 1990 at Yeungnam University Hospital was done. The results were as followings: 1. The peak incidence was in 7th decade and male to female ratio was 1.8:1. 2. The most common presenting symptom at first diagnosis was bone pain (58%), but fever, dyspnea, dizziness and palpable mass were also noted. 3. The distribution of laboratory findings as following diagnostic criteria of Southwest oncology group (SWOG): Plasmacytoma on tissue biopsy was noted 6 cases, bone marrow plasmacytosis with more than 10% plasma cells was 22 cases, monoclonal globulin spike on serum electrophoresis was 24 cases, lytic bone lesions was observed 22 cases. 4. Initial clinical stages were classified as 2 cases in stage I, 3 cases in stage II, 26 cases in stage III (84%). 5. Immunoelectrophoresis revealed the distribution of IgG 64%, light chain 22%, IgA 10%, Kappa to Lambda ratio of 1.1:1. 6. Hematologic & biochemical findings revealed anemia with <8.5% of hemoglobin in 42%, hypercalcemia with <10.6 mg% of serum calcium in 22%, azotemia >2.0 mg% of serum creatinine in 19%. 7. The multiple punched out lesion of bone x-ray examination were noticed skull (65%), rib (42%), L-spine (35%), pelvis (23%), T-spine (19%). The initial skeletal roentgenographic findings showed osteoporosis, osteolytic lesion and fracture in 55%, only osteolytic lesion in 23%, only osteoporosis in 10%. 8. Complications of multiple myeloma, such as 10 cases of renal impairment, 8 cases of infection, 16 cases of compression fracture of spine were observed.
Anemia ; Azotemia ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Calcium ; Clinical Study* ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness ; Dyspnea ; Electrophoresis ; Female ; Fever ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Immunoelectrophoresis ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Incidence ; Male ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Osteoporosis ; Pelvis ; Plasma Cells ; Plasmacytoma ; Ribs ; Skull ; Spine

Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative and granulomatous bacterial infection characterized by contiguous spread, abscess formation and sinus tract formation. There are four clinical forms according to the lesional site, as 1) cervicofacial, 2) thoracic, 3) abdominal, and 4) disseminated form. Recently, we experienced a case of 54 year-old patient with left mandibular actinomycosis. The pathognomonic findings of actinomycosis is sulfur granule with multiple filaments in Gram-stain and the treatment of actinomycosis is surgical excision of mass or sinus tract with massive antibiotics (esp. Penicillin) therapy for 6 to 12 months.
Abscess ; Actinomycosis* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacterial Infections ; Humans ; Penicillins ; Sulfur

No abstract available.
Multiple Myeloma* ; Pleural Effusion*

The purpose of this study was to examine the cytotoxicity of orthodontic wire which had an increased diameter through electroplating, and to evaluate its possible clinical applications. First, nickel plating was carried out on the commercially available stainless steel wire using an electroplating technique. For the comparison of the electroplated wire with ready made stainless steel wire and titanium or copper, each wire was incubated for 72 hours in a medium. The release of the metal ion was measured using ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrophotometer). Balb/c 3T3 mouse fibroblast was put on a microplate and placed in an incubated medium of 75%, 50%, and 20% dilation. An MTT analysis was used to compare with the medium only. The change in absorbency value of each wire group and the difference of absorbency value according to the change of dilution was measured. The results of ICP-AES analysis showed that great amount nickel ion was isolated from electroplated orthodontic wires and great amount copper ion was isolated from copper. The results of the MTT analysis showed that there was no difference in the absorbency value of titanium at any dilution. However, the electroplated wires (p < 0.001), the stainless steel wires (p < 0.05) and the copper (p < 0.001) were statistically significantly lower than those of medium only at all dilutions. Assessment as per ISO 10993, part 5, showed that electroplated wire was alloted to "moderate cytotoxic", the titanium and stainless steel wire were "non-cytotoxic". The results of this study indicate that the electroplated orthodontic wires need additional efforts to decrease cytotoxicity for their clinical applications.
Animals ; Copper ; Electroplating ; Fibroblasts ; Mice ; Nickel ; Orthodontic Wires* ; Plasma ; Stainless Steel* ; Titanium

BACKGROUND: Advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterized by progressive pulmonary hypertension leading to right heart dysfunction, which plays a important role in clinical evaluation but remains difficult and challenging to quantify. The noninvasive doppler echocardiographic value referred to as the Tei index has been suggested as a simple, reproducible and reliable parameter of the right ventricular function. The purpose of this was to assess the right ventricular function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using the Tei index and to evaluate its relationship with the pulmonary functional status. METHODS: The study population comprised of 26 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 10 normal control subjects. The Tei index was obtained by dividing the sum of the isovolumetric contraction and the relaxation tines by the ejection time using a pulsed-wave doppler. It was compared with the other available Doppler echocardiographic parameters of systolic or diastolic and with the pulmonary function of the patients. RESULTS: The Tei indices of the patients with COPD were significantly higher than those of normal subjects (0.45±0.17 vs. 0.27±0.03, p<0.01). The isovolumetric contraction time/ejection time(0.32±0.08 vs. 0.25±0.05, p<0.05), the isovolumetric relaxation time/ejection time(0.29±0.16 vs. 0.15±0.08, p<0.05) and the preejection period/ejection time (0.46±0.10 vs. 0.38±0.06, p<0.05) were prolonged and the ejection time (255.2±32.6 vs. 314.2±16.5 msec, p<0.05) was significantly shortened in patients with COPD compared to normal subjects. The tei indices were inversely correlated with the FEV1(r=-0.46, p=<0.05) and were prolonged significantly in patients with a severe obstructive ventilatory dysfunction(less than 35% of predicted FEV1) compared to those with a mild and moderate ventilatory dysfunction. The tei indices showed an inverse correlation with the ejection time (r=-0.469), the isovolumetric contraction time/ejection time(r=0.453), the isovolumetric relaxation time/ejection time(r=0.896) and the preejection period/ejection time(r=0.480). CONCLUSION: The tei index appeared to be a useful noninvasive means of evaluating the right ventricular function. It revealed a significant correlation with the pulmonary function in patients with COPD.
Echocardiography* ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Relaxation ; Ventricular Function, Right*

PURPOSE: To provide a case report of 1 patient (1 eye) who experienced recurrences of conjunctival papilloma and was treated with complete resection, electrocauterization, cryotherapy, intraoperative application of mitomycin C and postoperative topical mitomycin C. CASE SUMMARY: We evaluated the clinical course of a 42-year-old male with recurrent conjunctival papillomas on the left upper and lower tarsal conjunctiva who was treated 10 times with a simple resection over the past 8 years. The patient was treated with complete resection, electrocauterization, intraoperative application of mitomycin C and cryotherapy. Topical mitomycin C was applied for 1 month. There was no recurrence or complications for 12 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Complete resection, electrocauterization, intraoperative application of mitomycin C, cryotherapy and topical mitomycin C in patients with recurrent conjunctival papilloma was shown to be an effective treatment without recurrence and complications.
Adult ; Conjunctiva ; Cryotherapy ; Humans ; Male ; Mitomycin ; Papilloma ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: To provide a case report of 1 patient (1 eye) who experienced recurrences of conjunctival papilloma and was treated with complete resection, electrocauterization, cryotherapy, intraoperative application of mitomycin C and postoperative topical mitomycin C. CASE SUMMARY: We evaluated the clinical course of a 42-year-old male with recurrent conjunctival papillomas on the left upper and lower tarsal conjunctiva who was treated 10 times with a simple resection over the past 8 years. The patient was treated with complete resection, electrocauterization, intraoperative application of mitomycin C and cryotherapy. Topical mitomycin C was applied for 1 month. There was no recurrence or complications for 12 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Complete resection, electrocauterization, intraoperative application of mitomycin C, cryotherapy and topical mitomycin C in patients with recurrent conjunctival papilloma was shown to be an effective treatment without recurrence and complications.
Adult ; Conjunctiva ; Cryotherapy ; Humans ; Male ; Mitomycin ; Papilloma ; Recurrence

Tumor necrosis factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) has been reported to specifically kill malignant cells but to be relatively nontoxic to normal cells. One of disadvantages to previous in vivo protocols was the need for large quantities of TRAIL recombinant protein to suppress tumor growth. To evaluate the antitumor activity and therapeutic value of the TRAIL gene, we constructed adenoviral vectors expressing the human TRAIL gene (Ad.hTRAIL) and transferred them into malignant glioma cells in vitro and tumors in vivo, as an alternative to recombinant soluble TRAIL protein. The results show that TRAIL-sensitive glioma cells infected Ad.hTRAIL undergo apoptosis through the production and expression of TRAIL protein. The in vitro transfer elicited apoptosis, as demonstrated by the quantification of viable or apoptotic cells and by the analysis of cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Furthermore, in vivo administration of Ad.hTRAIL at the site of tumor implantation suppressed the outgrowth of human glioma xenografts in SCID mice. These results further define Ad.hTRAIL as an anti-tumor therapeutic and demonstrate its potential use as an alternative approach to treatment for malignant glioma.
Adenoviridae/*genetics ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/*genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression ; Gene Therapy/*methods ; Glioma/pathology/*therapy ; Humans ; Membrane Glycoproteins/*genetics ; Mice ; Mice, SCID ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/*genetics

During civil engineering construction near Sejong-ro, Jongro-ku, Seoul, cultural sites were found that are thought to have been built in the 15th century. This area was home to many different people as well as the leaders of the Yi dynasty. To gain further insight into the life styles of the inhabitants of the old capital, soil samples were collected from various areas such as toilets, water foundations, and drainage ways. Parasite eggs were examined by microscopy after 5 g soil samples were rehydrated in 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution. A total of 662 parasite eggs from 7 species were found. Species with the highest number of eggs found were Ascaris lumbricoides (n=483), followed by Trichuris trichiura (138), Trichuris vulpis (21), Fasciola hepatica (8), Clonorchis sinensis (6), Paragonimus westermani (4), and Metagonimus yokogawai (2). These findings indirectly indicate the food habits of the people in Yi dynasty.
Ascaris lumbricoides ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Drainage ; Eggs* ; Fasciola hepatica ; Food Habits ; Foundations ; Heterophyidae ; Korea* ; Life Style ; Microscopy ; Ovum* ; Paragonimus westermani ; Parasites* ; Seoul* ; Soil ; Trichuris ; Water