BACKGROUND: Exercise intensity may induce changes in inflammatory markers and adipocytokines. However, it is not clear whether acute exercise-induced change to adiponenctin is associated with inflammatory markers and other adipocytokines in obese middle-aged individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acute aerobic exercise on circulating adipocytokines and inflammatory markers in obese middle-aged women. METHODS: Using a crossover design, 10 obese middle-aged women (aged 48.4+/-5.1 years; body mass index 29.6+/-2.9 kg/m2) exercised on the treadmill at different durations and velocities at 60% and 80% maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) in order to equalize energy expenditure (400 kcal). Blood samples were drawn to measure glucose, insulin, fibrinogen, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and adiponectin concentrations. RESULTS: Glucose, fibrinogen, and hsCRP increased significantly (P<0.05) after exercise whereas homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance decreased significantly (P<0.05). Adiponectin, leptin, and TNF-alpha levels did not change significantly at immediate postexercise, and there were also no significant time x intensity interactions for all variables. The percentage change in adiponectin concentration from baseline to the end of exercise correlated with the percentage change in leptin concentration (r=-0.642, P<0.05) with 60% VO2max exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that, in obese middle-aged women, neither 60% nor 80% VO2max exercise alters adiponectin concentration, in spite of the changes to insulin resistance and inflammatory markers. However, after acute moderate exercise, adiponectin concentration may be associated with the change in leptin levels.
Adipokines ; Adiponectin ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cross-Over Studies ; Energy Metabolism ; Exercise ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Glucose ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Leptin ; Obesity ; Oxygen Consumption ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

PURPOSE: To investigate the measurement repeatability of peripapillary atrophy (PPA) parameters obtained by optic disc stereophotography (ODP) and evaluate the usefulness of PPA parameters to differentiate open-angle glaucoma (OAG) from normal eyes in patients with PPA. METHODS: Sixty-five eyes of 65 patients with PPA were examined. Disc area, cup area, rim area, vertical cup to disc (CD) ratio, CD area ratio, PPA area, zone beta (beta) area and zone alpha (alpha) area were obtained by ODP using intrinsic algorithms. The area under the receivers operating characteristic (AUROC) curves was used to compare the PPA parameters with that of the disc parameters to differentiate OAG from normal eyes. Two examiners analyzed PPA parameters to confirm reproducibility and repeatability of ODP. RESULTS: Vertical CD ratio (VCD), area CD ratio, zone beta area, zone beta area per PPA area, zone beta area per disc area and axial length were significantly larger in OAG patients (p < 0.05). Among PPA parameters, zone beta area per PPA area was strongly correlated with MD (r =-0.431) and PSD (r = 0.411). In addition, PPA (area) to disc area ratio showed the best diagnostic ability (AUROC curve value of 0.786) when comparing the OAG group to the normal group. PPA area and zone beta area obtained by ODP showed good reproducibility and repeatability (ICC > 0.997). CONCLUSIONS: The PPA measurement obtained by ODP has good reproducibility and consistency and can be a useful tool in monitoring PPA changes in glaucoma patients.
Atrophy* ; Glaucoma ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle ; Humans

Solitary osseous plasmacytoma accounts for 3-5% of plasma cell tumor and are assumed to have a fairly good prognosis, with long duration of relapse free survival after local irradiation. A 64 year old woman with a lytic lesion involving left iliac bone was diagnosed as a solitary plasmacytoma, with a negative work-up for coexisting plasma cell disorders. Three months after irradiation of 5,400 cGy, the patient was readmitted with hypercalcemia and mass in left forehead and left gingiva. New multiple osteolytic lesions were developed. A aspiration cytology of forehead mass and curetted specimen of right femur due to pathologic fracture revealed plasmacytoma. MRI of thoracolumbar spine revealed abnormal high signal intensity in the L2 body, T8 and T9 vertebrae. Serum protein electropheresis revealed monoclonal gammopathy of IgG-kappa type. This aggressive case of solitary plasmacytoma, evolving into multiple myeloma after brief duration of remission, is in sharp contrast with the natural course of a solitary plasmacytoma.
Female ; Femur ; Forehead ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Gingiva ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Paraproteinemias ; Plasma Cells ; Plasmacytoma* ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Spine

No abstract available.
Acetazolamide* ; Aneurysm* ; Brain* ; Humans ; Perfusion* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

PURPOSE: To report a case of abducens nerve palsy after a percutaneous nerve blocking procedure for trigeminal neuralgia. CASE SUMMARY: A 35-year-old female complaining of stabbing pain in the right maxillary area 4 months in duration was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia at a pain clinic. The patient underwent a percutaneous trigeminal nerve blocking procedure using alcohol at the right maxillary nerve. After the procedure, the patient was referred to an ophthalmologic service for horizontal diplopia and abduction defect of her right eye. Her corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, pupillary response, anterior segment and fundus were normal bilaterally. The patient had right esotropia of 38 prism diopters in primary gaze (70 prism diopters in right gaze, 20 prism diopters in left gaze) with limited abduction of -3 in the right eye. She was diagnosed with abducens nerve palsy of the right eye. Three months after initial presentation, the patient had intermittent esotropia of 4 prism diopters at right gaze and orthophoria at the other diagnostic gazes; she presented no diplopia. CONCLUSIONS: In the present case study, abducens nerve palsy following a percutaneous trigeminal nerve blocking procedure resolved over 3 months. Because the abducens nerve is adjacent to the trigeminal nerve near the foramen ovale based on anatomical structure, when performing a percutaneous trigeminal blocking procedure, the surgeon should be aware that deep needle puncture could cause abducens nerve palsy.
Abducens Nerve ; Abducens Nerve Diseases ; Diplopia ; Esotropia ; Eye ; Female ; Foramen Ovale ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Maxillary Nerve ; Needles ; Nerve Block ; Pain Clinics ; Punctures ; Trigeminal Nerve ; Trigeminal Neuralgia ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate frontal N30 status in Parkinson's disease (PD) and to examine the correlation between the amplitude of frontal N30 and the severity of motor deficits. METHODS: The frontal N30 was compared between 17 PD patients and 18 healthy volunteers. Correlations between the amplitude of frontal N30 and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score of the more severely affected side was examined. RESULTS: The mean latency of the N30 was not significantly different between patients and healthy volunteers (p = 0.981), but the mean amplitude was lower in PD patients (p < 0.025). There was a significant negative correlation between the amplitude of N30 and the UPDRS motor score (r = -0.715, p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: The frontal N30 status indicates the motor severity of PD. It can be a useful biomarker reflecting dopaminergic deficits and an objective measurement for monitoring the clinical severity of PD.
Evoked Potentials ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease*

Profound reduction of anterograde coronary flow with concomitant ischemia is seen occasionally during percutaneous coronary intervention despite technically successful procedure. We found interesting coronary flow pattern in a patient with acute myocardial infarction, showing angiographic no reflow phenomenon after direct PTCA. The coronary blood flow pattern of the angiographic no-reflow phenomenon in this case was characterized by minimal systolic flow and sharp deceleration of diastolic flow. Coronary flow reserve calculated by the ratio of adenosine induced maximal hyperemic velocity and basal velocity was reduced. The Dopplertipped guide wire was useful for observation of phasic coronary flow pattern of angiographic no-reflow phenomenon.
Adenosine ; Deceleration ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Myocardial Infarction* ; No-Reflow Phenomenon ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

We observed 62 patients who were admitted to the Pediatric Department of Severance Hospital for the treatment of pleurisy with effusion during the period of 11 years from Apr. 1965 to May 1975. The following results was obtained. 1) Age and sex incidence : 72.6% were between the age of 3 to 12 years. The sex ratio of male to female was 1.7:1. 2) Seasonal incidence : Effusion occured most commonly in the spring(33.9%) least often in the winter(17.8%). 3) Symptoms on admission in order were fever,(77.4%) cough,(61.3%) dyspnea,(40.3%) Chest pain, (27.4%) etc. 4) There was a contact history with tuberculous family in 17 cases(27.3%). P.P.D skin test was positive in 43 cases(69%). 5) The site of effusion was 60% on the right and 40% on the left. 6) In all cases, antitubeculous drugs were used. Among 54 cases treated with prednisolone, pleural fluid was disappeared completly in 21 cases within 2 weeks.
Chest Pain ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Pleurisy* ; Prednisolone ; Seasons ; Sex Ratio ; Skin Tests

We report a rare case of multiple cerebral aneurysms associated with an extracranial internal carotid aneurysm. This 59-year-old woman had a history of hypertension and a stroke. Brain CT scan and angiographic findings are presented.
Aneurysm* ; Brain ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Multicore myopathy is a rare congenital myopathy. The multicores consist of numerous small areas of decreased oxidative enzyme activity. The long axis of the lesion is perpendicular or parallel to the long axis of the muscle fiber. These cores are usually smaller than central cores. For this reason they are also called minicores. Although the multicores represent a nonspecific change in that they can be observed in malignant hyperthermia, muscular dystrophy, inflammatory myopathy, etc. Muscular weakness dating from early infancy is combined large proportion of the muscle fibers. In about half of the reported cases the muscular weakness has not been progressive, while in the others a slow progression has occurred. This 9-year-old boy presented with congenital nonprogressive myopathy associated with thoracic scoliosis and bilateral equinovarus deformity. The serum creatine phosphokinase and lactic dehydrogenase levels were normal. Electromyography showed "myopathic" features. The biopsy revealed a marked size variation in myofibers, ranging from 10 microns to 100 microns. A few small angular fibers and slight endomyseal fibrosis were also noted. There was type I fiber predominance. NADH-TR reaction disclosed more well-defined cores with loss of intermyofibrillary mitochondrial activity. These cores were usually located with loss of intermyofibrillary mitochondrial activity. These cores were usually located in the peripheral portions of the myofibers and the core size measured 10-30 microns in diameter. Electron microscopic examination revealed circumscribed areas of disintegrated Z band material and disorganized sarcomeric units near the sarcolemma. A decrease in the number of mitochondria and glycogen particles was noted.
Biopsy ; Child ; Histocytochemistry ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Muscles/pathology/ultrastructure ; Muscular Diseases/*pathology