Nerve-root anomalies are very uncommon, and there symptoms and signs are nearly similar with those of disc herniation. So we can misdiagnois them for intervertebral disc herniation. The negative Lasegue' sign is the only distinct feature of the nerve root anomalies. The authors report a case of Nerve-Root Anomaly associated with disc herniation in lumbar 4-5 interspace, which was diagnosed preoperatively in myelogram and confirmed surgically.
Intervertebral Disc*

Encapsulated and free pus in the substance of the brain tissue following an acute purulent infection is known as brain abscess, and which is uncommon. The brain abscess arise either as direct extention from infections within the cranial cavity or as hematogenous metastasis from infections elsewhere in the body. Since 1945, the antibiotics associated use of steroid and mannitol have been available for the treatment of brain abscess, and the result are very hopeful. The common method of surgical treatment are consist of excision and drainage and the problem of the best operative procedure has been disputed on the many neurosurgical literatures for many years. Recently we had treated 2 cases of severe otogenic brain abscesses with semicomatose patient by drainage, and good was the result compared with the other literatures. Result; 1. One case with semicoma recovered completely without any neurologic sequelae, and the other case recovered with visual disturbance. 2. The best operative procedure for the severe brain abscess considered a drainage.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Brain Abscess ; Brain* ; Drainage* ; Hope ; Humans ; Mannitol ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Suppuration ; Surgical Procedures, Operative

In order to evaluate the possible roles of secretory proteases in the pathogenesis of amoebic keratitis, we purified and characterized a serine protease secreted by Acanthamoeba lugdunensis KA/E2, isolated from a Korean keratitis patient. The ammonium sulfate-precipitated culture supernatant of the isolate was purified by sequential chromatography on CM-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, and mono Q-anion exchange column. The purified 33 kDa protease had a pH optimum of 8.5 and a temperature optimum of 55 degrees C. Phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride and 4- (2- Aminoethyl) -benzenesulfonyl-fluoride, both serine protease specific inhibitors, inhibited almost completely the activity of the 33 kDa protease whereas other classes of inhibitors did not affect its activity. The 33 kDa enzyme degraded various extracellular matrix proteins and serum proteins. Our results strongly suggest that the 33 kDa serine protease secreted from this keratopathogenic Acanthamoeba play important roles in the pathogenesis of amoebic keratitis, such as in corneal tissue invasion, immune evasion and nutrient uptake.
Acanthamoeba/*enzymology/isolation & purification/pathogenicity ; Acanthamoeba Keratitis/*parasitology ; Animals ; Cornea/parasitology ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Korea ; Serine Endopeptidases/chemistry/*isolation & purification/*metabolism ; Substrate Specificity ; Temperature ; Virulence Factors

Cysts of accessory lacrimal gland are rare. They are generally retension cysts that result from obstruction of the excretory duct and are found between the palpebral conjunctiva and the levator aponeurosis. We experienced three cases of subconjunctival cyst in the upper fornix. Histopathological examination showed the cysts lined by two layers and occasionally one layer of epithelium. These cysts seem to be originated from Krause's gland, considering their anatomical location and histopathological findings.
Conjunctiva* ; Epithelium ; Lacrimal Apparatus

Chordoma arising from the notochordal remnants is a rare primary bone tumor in the cervicosacral region and is even more unusual in the thoracic region. The authors experienced a case of thoracic chordoma and report its CT and MR findings.
Chordoma* ; Notochord

Chordoma arising from the notochordal remnants is a rare primary bone tumor in the cervicosacral region and is even more unusual in the thoracic region. The authors experienced a case of thoracic chordoma and report its CT and MR findings.
Chordoma* ; Notochord

The combination of dacryocystography and computed tomography have been called as computed tomographic dacryocystography. The authors carried out computed tomographic dacryocystography using water soluble contrast media, Rayvist(R), in two patients with a mass around the lacrimal fossa. This radiologic technique demonstrated that the lacrimal system was not invaded by the tumor and was helpful in planning the surgical approach. The results of excisional biopsy of the mass revealed an epidermoid cyst in both cases.
Biopsy ; Contrast Media ; Epidermal Cyst ; Humans

We have experienced a case of cerebellar hemangioblastoma associated with polycythemia in 44-year old male adult who has suffered from the headache, chocked disc and visual disturbance for about 1 year and 4 months. A marked polycythemia was found but retinal angioma, cysts on the pancreas and kidney and then familial incidence were not detected. The signs of increased intracranial pressure was marked, accompanying the decreased visual acuity. Liver and spleen were not palpable. On bilateral carotid angiogram, it revealed a severe hydrocephalus, on Conray ventriculogram, obstruction of 4th ventricle by huge mass in the posterior fossa. The right vertebral angiography revealed a midline hen egg sized tumor mass which was highly vascular and was supplied mainly by PICA, SCA and PCA brances. Brain C-T scan showed the vascular mass in midline of posterior fossa by enhancement. We operated the cerebellar tumor which was solid. The uncontrollable bleeding was encountered. We performed the biopsy which revealed a hemangioblastoma. Inspite of the V-A shunt, the patient expired suddenly on 5th post-operative day.
Adult ; Angiography ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Cerebellar Neoplasms ; Headache ; Hemangioblastoma* ; Hemangioma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Incidence ; Intracranial Pressure ; Kidney ; Liver ; Male ; Ovum ; Pancreas ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Pica ; Polycythemia* ; Retinaldehyde ; Spleen ; Visual Acuity

Despite of their frequent occurrence among the brain tumor, meningiomas are rarely seen as a multiple growth, and the incidence of multiplicity in meningioma is about 2%, except for 6.7% in Horrax' series. The authors report a case of multiple meningiomas without evidence of von Recklinghausen's disease. The patient had suffered from the headache, chocked disc and right hemiplegia for about two years which had been aggravated in these two weeks before admission. Left carotid angiogram revealed as a parasagittal giant meningioma. On operation, we did not remove single giant meningioma, but six lumps of mass variably sized from walnut to hen egg, with success. The postoperative course was uneventful and the recovery from hemiplegia was dramatic.
Brain Neoplasms ; Headache ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Incidence ; Juglans ; Meningioma* ; Neurofibromatosis 1 ; Ovum

The activity and distribution of aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) and alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2) in adult Fasciola hepatica have been studied. Fasciola hepatica was fractionated by differential centrifugation into nuclear, mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions. The activity of GOT and GPT was measured by the method of Reitman and Frankel. Isozyme patterns of those enzyme were also examined by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The results obtained were as follows: The activity of aspartate and alanine aminotransferase was about 0.55 unit and 0.92 unit per 1 g of Fasciola hepatica, respectively. The activity of those enzymes was relatively low compared with those in mammalian tissues. The distribution of aspartate aminotransferase in the subcellular organelles showed that 71 percent of the activity was in cytosolic, 24 percent in mitochondrial and 5 percent was in nuclear fraction. About 22 percent of the total alanine aminotransferase activity was found in the mitochondrial fraction, about 66 percent in the cytosolic fraction. Aspartate aminotransferase from cytosolic fraction was separated into two types of isozymes, whereas alanine aminotransferase from cytosolic fraction gave only one active peak on DEAE-cellulose column chromatography.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Fasciola hepatica ; biochemistry ; enzyme ; aspartate aminotransferase ; alanine ; aminotransferase ; alanine aminotransferase