Mach bands, a visual phenomenon resulting from lateral inhibitory impulsess in the retina, are recognized aslucent or dense lines at the borders of different radiographic densities. A number of clinical situations have been described in which Mach bands may cause difficulty in radiographic diagnosis. Photodensitometric measurement of the film can differentiate the true change in film density from the Mach band which is an optical illusion. Authors present several examples of photodensitometric tracings of Mach bands, with the brief review of themechanism of their production.
Diagnosis ; Optical Illusions ; Retina

There have been increasing interests of diabetes in the realm of plastic surgery due to problems like foot ulcer as a complication, delayed wound healing or higher failure rates of flap surgery. Main pathology in diabetes is microvascular compromise as well as metabolic derangements. The disturbance in microvascular circulation results in ischemic environments in the body and acts as a main factor that determines the limit of reconstructive or aesthetic plastic surgery. A useful method to overcome such problems is the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which is known to be effective in the treatment of ischemic skin ulcer or osteoradionecrosis. However, there have been few studies on the survival of diabetic random skin flap or the effects of hyperbaric oxygenation directed to increase survival of such flap. In our study, we supposed that the survival of diabetic random skin flap was diminished owing to compromised microvascular pathology and blood rheology, and metabolic derangements, so we hypothesized that hyperbaric oxygen therapy has both reversible and irreversible effects on the survival of ischemic random skin flap in Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Increase of local transcutaneous oxygen concentration, O2 affinity in blood and dysmorphogenesis of red blood cells are reversible and relatively short-term effects and promotion of neoangiogenesis is irreversible or long-term effects. We intended to confirm that hyperbaric rats and to compare the effects between preoperative and postoperative hyperbaric oxygenation on the survival of such flap. And we expect the additional effects of hyperbaric oxygenation on metabolism in diabetic rat, such as lowering the blood glucose level and solving the arrested weight gain. We divided Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats into three groups: the first was non-treatment diabetic group, the second was preoperative hyperbaric oxygen treated diabetic group(100% O2, 2 atm, 90min, 15sessions, twice a day), and the third was postoperative hyperbaric oxygen treated group(100% O2, 2atm, 90min, 15sessions, twice a day). After elevation of random skin flap on dorsum of diabetic rats, we evaluated the extent of flap survival by measuring the necrotic areas at 3rd, 7th, 10th, and 13th postoperative days. At that time, we intended to evaluate both effects on flap survival by preoperative and postoperative hyperbaric oxygen therapy. As a result, flap survival of non-treated diabetic group was 41% at 13th postoperative days. In diabetic groups with preoperative and postoperative hyperbaric oxygen therapy, flap survival were increased to 64.6% and 62.4% respectively. Diabetic groups with hyperbaric oxygen therapy have a tendency of meaningful decrement in blood glucose level. However, there were no meaningful differences between preoperative and postoperative hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has no effective correlations with body weight changes. We conclude that hyperbaric oxygen therapy has some useful effects on the survival of diabetic random skin flap.
Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Body Weight Changes ; Erythrocytes ; Foot Ulcer ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation* ; Metabolism ; Osteoradionecrosis ; Oxygen ; Pathology ; Rats* ; Rheology ; Skin Ulcer ; Skin* ; Surgery, Plastic ; Weight Gain ; Wound Healing

The purpose of this investigation was to study the changes in the epiphyseal plate of growing mice by histological, histochemical and electron microscopic observation through the administration of radioactive isotope I which induced hypothyroidism. To confirm hypothyroidism induced, radioimmunoassay for triiodothyronine was carried out and the morphologic changes of thyroid gland were observed by a light microscope. Of the total of eighty ICR strain of mice, fifty received single intraperitoneal injection of 20ue/gm of radioactive isotope I which were dissolved in 0.2ml of saline. Thirty received single intraperitoneal injection of only 0.2ml of saline and these mice were used as control groups. At the end of first, second, third, fourth, sixth and eighth week after injection, both saline injected and I treated mice were sacrifised. The thyroid gland and epiphyseal plate being removed were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, alcian blue and with uranyl acetate lead citrate in each for histological, histochemical and electron microscopic studies, The results obtained are as follows: 1. The thickness of epiphyseal plate was narrowed in the I treated animals. In each zone of epiphyseal plate the cell size was reduced although the cell numbers of each cell column were not changed. This means that the reduction of thickness in the epiphyseal plate was due mainly to decreased cell size and scanty territorial matrix not to decreased cell number. 2. Alcianophility was markedly decreased ln proliferative zone, indicating that acid mucopolysaccharide diminished markedly or was absent in the proliferative zone. 3. In electron microscopic examination, the number of rough surfaced endoplasmic reticulum was decreased and their cisternae were narrowed. Decreasing tendency of dilatation and sacculation of cisternae, .reduced number of attached ribosomes on the endoplasmic reticulum, and atrophy of the Golgi apparatus with diminished number of its vesicles were noted, However glycogen particlea were accumulated. 4. The number and length of each trabeculae in the metaphysis just adjacent to the epiphyseal cartilage plate were reduced markedly, and occasionally chondrocytes which were not consumed by endochondral ossification were observed in the cartilage lattice.
Alcian Blue ; Animals ; Atrophy ; Cartilage ; Cell Count ; Cell Size ; Chondrocytes ; Citric Acid ; Dilatation ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Glycogen ; Golgi Apparatus ; Growth Plate ; Hematoxylin ; Hypothyroidism ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Mice ; Radioimmunoassay ; Ribosomes ; Thyroid Gland ; Tibia ; Triiodothyronine

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the relation between types of early diastolic notch and placental location and to evaluate the differences in perinatal outcomes. METHODS: We evaluated the Doppler waveform of the uterine artery in 149 pregnant women having an early diastolic notch after 26 weeks gestation, however we were unable to follow the obstetric outcomes in 20 women. Placental location was determined by transverse view of ultrasonography and classified as central and lateral placenta. The unilateral diastolic notches were divided into 3 groups depending on the placental location (ipsilateral: same side of the placenta, contralateral: opposite side of the placenta, and median: central placenta) RESULTS: In the bilateral notch group, the S/D ratio of the contralateral uterine artery was higher than the ipsilateral one(n=60, mean=3.22 Vs 2.80, p=0.0067). Of the 89 unilateral notches observed, the S/D ratio of the uterine artery in patients having early diastolic notch was higher compared to those without early diastolic notch.(t-test, mean=2.74,1.92, p=0.0001) Patients with bilateral notches were associated with poor perinatal outcomes significantly more than the patients with unilateral notches(p=0.003). Among the unilateral groups (ipsilateral: n=10, median: n=21, contralateral: n=58), there was no significant difference in perinatal outcomes. CONCLUSION: The early diastolic notch can be observed on both or either sides of the uterine artery independent on placental location. More bilateral notches were associated with poor pregnancy outcomes than unilateral notches. The pregnancy outcomes tended to be similar in unilateral notch irrespective of placental location, but showed worse outcomes than the control group. Careful analysis of the uterine artery in nonplacental side is necessary because of the frequent appearance of early diastolic notch and higher vascular resistance.
Female ; Humans ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnant Women ; Rheology* ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Artery* ; Vascular Resistance

No abstract available.

Although some recent studies showed that increased synthesis of vasodilatory prostaglandin E2 were possible factor in the maintenance of renal blood flow during the states of impaired renal perfusion. However this fact is not studied in cases of upper urinary tract calculi yet. This study is to estimate the value of urinary prostaglandin E2 in cases of upper urinary calculi. The amount of prostaglandin E2 in urinary excretion was measured by radioimmunoassay in ten cases of complete ureteral obstruction compared with normal side, in eleven cases of partial ureteral obstruction compare with normal side and in three cases of bilateral renal calculi. The results obtained were summerized as follows: 1. The values of urinary prostaglandin E2 were highly elevated in cases of bilateral renal calculi. 2. In ten cases of complete ureteral obstruction, the values of urinary prostaglandin E2 decreased in comparison with those of the normal side. 3. In eleven cases of partial obstructions of the ureter, urinary prostaglandin 2, values were elevated than those of the normal side.
Calculi ; Dinoprostone* ; Kidney Calculi ; Perfusion ; Radioimmunoassay ; Renal Circulation ; Ureter ; Ureteral Obstruction ; Urinary Calculi* ; Urinary Tract

Two types of tear secretion, basic and reflex, have been postulated. Basic secretion is thought to be a constant,slow secretion by the accessory lacrimal glands. Reflex secretion was defined as an increased rate of secretion caused by neural stimulation and thought to be secreted by the main lacrimal gland. The purpose of the present study is to measure the effect of general anesthesia and atropine on basal tear secretion in order to elucidate the association between basal tear secretion and autonomic nervous system. We studied the 84 cases of general operations that were performed between March 1998 and June 1998. Basal tear measurements were made before premedication, 5 minutes after injection of atropine, 10 minutes after general anesthesia and 1 hour after general anesthesia. Basal tear secretion was lower at 5 minutes after injection of atropine than before premedication and markedly decreased after induction of general anesthesia. Therefore, we think that basal tear secretion is closely related to the autonomic nervous system.
Anesthesia, General* ; Atropine ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Lacrimal Apparatus ; Premedication ; Reflex ; Tears*

No abstract available.
Hemoptysis*

Pertutaueous transluminal angioplasty is the treatment of choice for renovascular hypertension in cases due to the renal vascular occlusion which is not severe enough to pass dilatation catheter. The advantages of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty are the use of local anesthesia, its noninvasiveness without surgical risk, feasibility of repetition and shorter hospital days compared with surgical methods. We are presenting a case of renovascular hypertension due to atherosclerosis cured by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with the review of literatures.
Anesthesia, Local ; Angioplasty* ; Atherosclerosis ; Catheters ; Dilatation ; Hypertension, Renovascular*

Accessory breast is an ectopic breast tissue from developemental remnants. It sometimes begins to make symptoms, pain and swelling, during premenstrual period or pregnancy. For it has been known as a rere condition, it has occasionally misdiagnosed as a abnormal mass, such as lymphadenitis or hidradenitis. We have analyzed 52 accessory breast tissues prospectively, to document the characteristic findings of accessory breast. In summary, the characteristic sonographic findings of accessory breast were the presence of breast tissue superficial to the axillary fascia or underlying fascia if not in axilla, resembling the patient's own breast pattern, the presence of converging appearance of dilated ducts, presence of nipple and/or areola, the obliteration of inner wall of dermis, the obliteration of sucutaneous fat layer, and the downward displacement of axillary fascia or underlying fascia if not in axilla wighout interruption.
Axilla ; Breast* ; Dermis ; Fascia ; Hidradenitis ; Lymphadenitis ; Nipples ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies ; Ultrasonography