No abstract available.
Bone Marrow* ; Microwaves* ; Plastics*

No abstract available.
Lymphadenitis* ; Pancytopenia*

No abstract available.
Thrombocythemia, Essential*

PURPOSE: In this study, we examined the difference in the treatment efficacy depending on the sympathetic activity in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). METHODS: In the current single-center, retrospective study, we evaluated a total of 66 male patients aged 40-70 years of age, presenting with LUTS, whose International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) exceeded 8 points. They had a past 3-month history of taking alfuzosin XL, and their heart rate variability (HRV) was measured before and after the treatment. In addition, we also recruited 39 healthy volunteers who visited a health promotion center for a regular medical check-up. They were aged between 40 and 70 years and had an IPSS of <8 points. We divided the patients with LUTS into two groups: the groups A and B, based on a low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio of 1.7, which was the mean value of the LF/HF ratio in the healthy volunteers. After a 3-month treatment with alfuzosin XL, we compared treatment outcomes, based on the IPSS and peak urine flow rate, between the two groups. RESULTS: A 3-month treatment with alfuzosin XL, comprising the measurement of the HRV, was performed for the 23 patients of the group A (23/38) and 17 of the group B (17/28). After a 3-month treatment with alfuzosin XL, total IPSS and IPSS questionnaire 2 and 5 were significantly lower in the group A as compared with the group B. But this was not seen in the group B. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in other parameters, such as maximal flow rate and IPSS storage subscore, between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the treatment efficacy was lower in patients with sympathetic hyperactivity as compared with those with sympathetic hypoactivity. Thus, our results will provide a basis for further studies to clarify causes of LUTS in a clinical setting.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Health Promotion ; Healthy Volunteers ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms* ; Male ; Prostate ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome*

No abstract available.
Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Respiratory Insufficiency*

It has recently become possible to record electrical activity originationg from abnormally conducting myocardium from the body surface with high-gain amplification and averaging technique. These signals, which result from delayed ventricular activation(late potentials), have been recorded in patients with documented ventricular tachyarrythmia. Several electrode lead system for detecting ventricular late potential were introduced. Pyramidal electrode lead system(PLS) is useful. Also interpretation of SAECG in the young could be of value in detecting those at risk for episodic ventricular tachycardia, but suffer from a lack of data in normal young people. There was no difference between normal values, determined by FLS and PLS at high pass filtering of 25 Hz and 80 Hz, but significant, difference was found in HFLAD and RMS-40 of 40 Hz (p<0.05). These results will provide a basis for interpretations of SAECG, determined by FLS and PLS in healthy young adults with normal QRS duration. SELECTION OF SUBJECTS: For this study, normal healthy young adult volunteers (age : mean 24 years) were recruited from the medical students at Yeungnam University Hospital, Internal Medicine. Twenty fourths male and seventeenths female subjects were selected. All subjects had normal resting ECGs as judged from both the standard 12 channel lead and echocardiography, and none had a history of cardiovascular disease. All subjects were considered to be in good general physical condition. SIGNAL-AVERAGED ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY: In order to obtain low noise recordings with a small number of averaging cycles, all subject ware asked to relax completely in the supine position. Silver/silver chloride electrodes were attached after the skin was cleaned with alcohol, to constitute classic flank lead system(FLS) and pyramidal lead system(PLS). Signals were recorded and processed using a commercially available microprocessor-augmented ECG cart(Marquette Electronics, USA) suitable for portable bedside recording.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography* ; Electrodes ; Female ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Male ; Myocardium ; Noise ; Patient Selection ; Reference Values ; Skin ; Students, Medical ; Supine Position ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Volunteers ; Young Adult*

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to evaluate the value of coronal reformatted images using multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) imaging in non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for the determination of lymph node (LN) metastasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chest CT scans using MDCT were performed in 43 patients with pathologically proven NSCLC. The images were reconstructed with a 3 mm thickness in the axial and coronal planes. The axial images were examined for LN metastasis with and without the coronal reformatted images by the consensus of two radiologists on two separate occasions. RESULTS: In total, 214 nodal groups were dissected, of which, 33 (15.4%) were pathologically proven as LN metastasis. The sensitivity of diagnosis was higher when assessing both the axial and coronal reformatted images compared to the axial images alone (51.5% vs. 33.3%), whereas the specificity and accuracy was lower when examining both the axial and coronal reformatted images (65.7% vs. 87.8% and 63.6% vs. 79.4%). Despite this, the additional coronal reformatted images provided additional anatomical information which was helpful in the assessment of accurate nodal stations and the decline of the pitfalls. CONCLUSION: The value of coronal reformatted images for the diagnosis of nodal metastasis in NSCLC may still be unclear; however, the coronal reformatted images may lend support to the axial images in being able to provide additional anatomical information.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Consensus ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) was found in several serotypes of E coli including 0157 serotype. Sorbitol-MacConkey agar: may be useful for the detection of E. coli 0157, but is not helpful for the detection of sorbitol-fermenting STEC other than 0157. Moreover, some strains of E. colt 0157 can ferment sorbitol. In this study, in situ hybridization using DNA probe of shiga toxin was used for the isolation of STEC from the PCR-positive stool and -Sequenbe analysis of a part of shiga toxin gene was performed. METHODS: The stool was incubated in LB broth overnight and DNA was extracted from the culture fluid. Multiplex PCR was performed with primers for stxl and stx2 genes. Specimen showed PCR-positive was incubated on MacConkey agar and colonies were blotted with nitrocellulose membrane. Digoxigenin-labelled DNA probe for shiga toxin was made by PCR and the positive colonies were detected with anti-digoxigenin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate and nitroblue tetrazolium. Agglutination test with antisera was performed for the serotying and VTEC-RPLA kit was used for the toxin production. Sequence analysis of PCR products was performed with automatic sequence analyser. RESULTS: An stxl-negative, but stx2-positive PCR was observed in a three-year-old girl, who visited Kumi Hospital on July 19, 1999 complaining of vomiting and diarrhea. The positive colonies were isolated by in situ hybridization using stx2-specific DNA probe. The titers of stxl and stx2 by VTEC-RPLA test were negative and 1:64, respectively. Agglutination for the serotyping was not observed with all of the 0 antisera. 160-nucleotide sequence of stx2 of this isolate was identical with bacteriophage 933W (GenBank X07865), except for the change (T-C) of 957th nucleotide and amino acid sequence was identical each other. CONCLUSIONS: For the sensitive detection of STEC from the stool of patients with diarrhea, multiplex PCR is recommended with stxl- and stx2-specific primers. And in situ hybridization should be performed in PCR-positive specimen for the isolation of STEC. This method may be helpful for the detection of STEC as the causative microorganisms in food-borne outbreak.
Agar ; Agglutination ; Agglutination Tests ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Bacteriophages ; Collodion ; Diarrhea ; DNA ; Escherichia coli ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; In Situ Hybridization ; Membranes ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Nitroblue Tetrazolium ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis* ; Serotyping ; Shiga Toxin ; Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli* ; Sorbitol ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) was found in several serotypes of E coli including 0157 serotype. Sorbitol-MacConkey agar: may be useful for the detection of E. coli 0157, but is not helpful for the detection of sorbitol-fermenting STEC other than 0157. Moreover, some strains of E. colt 0157 can ferment sorbitol. In this study, in situ hybridization using DNA probe of shiga toxin was used for the isolation of STEC from the PCR-positive stool and -Sequenbe analysis of a part of shiga toxin gene was performed. METHODS: The stool was incubated in LB broth overnight and DNA was extracted from the culture fluid. Multiplex PCR was performed with primers for stxl and stx2 genes. Specimen showed PCR-positive was incubated on MacConkey agar and colonies were blotted with nitrocellulose membrane. Digoxigenin-labelled DNA probe for shiga toxin was made by PCR and the positive colonies were detected with anti-digoxigenin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate and nitroblue tetrazolium. Agglutination test with antisera was performed for the serotying and VTEC-RPLA kit was used for the toxin production. Sequence analysis of PCR products was performed with automatic sequence analyser. RESULTS: An stxl-negative, but stx2-positive PCR was observed in a three-year-old girl, who visited Kumi Hospital on July 19, 1999 complaining of vomiting and diarrhea. The positive colonies were isolated by in situ hybridization using stx2-specific DNA probe. The titers of stxl and stx2 by VTEC-RPLA test were negative and 1:64, respectively. Agglutination for the serotyping was not observed with all of the 0 antisera. 160-nucleotide sequence of stx2 of this isolate was identical with bacteriophage 933W (GenBank X07865), except for the change (T-C) of 957th nucleotide and amino acid sequence was identical each other. CONCLUSIONS: For the sensitive detection of STEC from the stool of patients with diarrhea, multiplex PCR is recommended with stxl- and stx2-specific primers. And in situ hybridization should be performed in PCR-positive specimen for the isolation of STEC. This method may be helpful for the detection of STEC as the causative microorganisms in food-borne outbreak.
Agar ; Agglutination ; Agglutination Tests ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Bacteriophages ; Collodion ; Diarrhea ; DNA ; Escherichia coli ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; In Situ Hybridization ; Membranes ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Nitroblue Tetrazolium ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis* ; Serotyping ; Shiga Toxin ; Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli* ; Sorbitol ; Vomiting

Primary mediastinal choriocarcinoma is characteristically seen in young males presenting with the symptomes of cough, chest pale, and gynccomastia. A 33-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of severe dyspnea and chest pain which was aggravated rapidly 2 or 3 days ago. Posterior mcdiastinal mass measuring about 1 cm in diameter was seen in Chest P-A, left lateral view of chest, and chest CT. Serum beta-HCG level was markedly elevated up to 200,000 mIxt. Whole body CT and other studies could not find any lesion on ovary and uterus. But, a single nodule nEeasuring about 1 cm in diameter was identified in the brain CT. The tumor cells (syncytiotrophoblastic cells) from resected mass revealed positivity on i histochemical staining for beta-HCG. She was treated with EMA-CO after resection of tumor, But, 7 months later, she was readmitted and showed cerebral hemorrhage due to metastatic choriocarcinoma. She was operated again for the brain tumor, and was doing well for further 7 months.
Adult ; Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Chest Pain ; Choriocarcinoma* ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinum* ; Ovary ; Pregnancy ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Uterus