No Abstract available.
Infection Control*

OBJECTIVES: Health care workers(HCWs) are more likely to become infected with tuberculosis from patients in the hospital. When HCWs have an active tuberculosis infection, it is possible that they also become a source of infections to other HCWs and patients. METHODS: Tuberculin tests were performed with mantoux method using 5 units of tuberculin by infection control practitioners on Feb. 21, and Mar. 7, 1997. A total of 138 newly employed HCWs including 44interns and 94 nurses were tested. Results of skin test were interpreted by themselves according to the instructions. RESULTS: Among 138 personels, skin tests were negative in 27 personels (19.6%); 4 interns (9.1%) and 23 nurses (24.5%). There were 3 persons (2.2%) who had a history of tuberculosis which had been treated. CONCLUSION: The study showed that approximately 20% of newly employed HCWs had negative tuberculin skin test. Given the possibility of being infected with tuberculosis in the hospital, regular follow up of tuberculin skin test is warranted to protect HCWs,
Delivery of Health Care* ; Humans ; Infection Control Practitioners ; Skin Tests* ; Skin* ; Tuberculin Test ; Tuberculin* ; Tuberculosis

The purpose of this paper was to report clinical results and complications of high tibial osteotomy with fibular shaft osteotomy for medial unicompartmental osteoarthritis with varus deformity of the knee. Especially, the complications related to fibular shaft osteotomy were surveyed and analysed. Among one hundred and thirty-one cases which underwent high tibial osteotomy from Nov 1993 to May 1999, twenty-five cases underwent it combined with fibular shaft osteotomy and followed up at least more than 2 years. Average follow-up period were 47 months. Hospital for special surgery(HSS) knee score and femorotibial angle from weight bearing anteroposterior roentgenography of the knee were evaluated and measured. HSS knee score was improved from average 69 points preoperatively to 93 points in average at the final follow-up. Femorotibial angle was varus 2.9 degrees in average preoperatively and improved to valgus 8.1 degrees in average postoperatively and valgus 6.6 degrees at the final follow-up. Complications were tender- ness near to fibular shaft osteotomy in 9 cases, superficial peroneal nerve injury in 8 cases, non-union of fibu- lar osteotomy in 7 cases, non-union or delayed union of tibia osteotomy in 3 cases. High tibial osteotomy with fibular shaft osteotomy was a effective procedure in improving clinical results of osteoarthritis of the knee. However care must be taken to avoid complications rel#ated to fibular osteotomy
Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteotomy* ; Peroneal Nerve ; Radiography ; Tibia ; Weight-Bearing

Traumatic spondylolisthesis of the axis is the fracture of both pedicles and is called commonly as hangman' s fracture. The fractures with the anterior displacement more than 3mm and the angulation, more than 11 degrees were classified as unstable and the surgical methods were recommended for the treatment of the fractures. As for the surgical methods, anterior C2-3 fusion with plate fixation or transpedicular screw fixation were used. However, the differences between the clinical results of both methods were not reported in the literatures. In order to clarisy the clinical results of both methods, the authors evaluated the clinical results of 11 patients treated by anterior plate fixation and 7 patients treated by transpedicular fixation who were operated on between Mar. 1987 and,Jan: 1992. Minimum follow-up period was 12 months. 1. As the surgical complications, two cases of transient dysphagia in anterior fixation group and three cases of malinserted screw in transpedicular fixation group were observed. 2. Limitation of rotatory neck motion, less than 20 degrees in one direction was observed in four cases of transpedicular fixation group. 3. Anterior angulation, more than 10 degrees was noted in three cases of transpedicular group. 4. Mild intermittent neck pain was observed in two cases of anterior fixation group and two cases of transpedicular fixation group. Constant neck pain was present in three cases of transpedicular fixation group. 5. Over-all clinical results were excellent or good in all of anterior fixation group, and in four of seven transpedicular group. Although the clinical materials were limited in number, method of anterior plate fixation was recommended by the authors in the management of traumatic spondylolisthesis of axis, because of the easier technique and the better clinical results than the transpedicular screw fixation.
Deglutition Disorders ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Methods ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Prostate*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Prostate*

There are substantial evidences indiacting that anesthesia and surgery produce significant suppression of immune function. It is generally recognized that immunosuppressive manifestations such as lymphopenia, granulocytosis, decreased transformation to various antigens and impaired neutrophil chemotaxis could be followed by surgical operation. anesthetic agents may also have both direct and hormone-mediated indirect effects on immune systems. Recent evidences indicate that immunosurveillance mechanisms are not only important in the management of emerging infection and malignancy, but also critical to successful elimination of microscopic residual tumor after operation. This study was done to investigate the effeets of halothane anesthesia on T-lymphocyte subpopulations in patients undergoing hysterectomy. Lymphocyte, granulocytes and T-lymphoeyte subpopulations were counted before, during and after anestesia. The results showed that the decrease in the CD4+ cells (helper/inducer T-cells) was bigger than the decrease in the CD8+ cells (suppressor/ cytotoxic T-cells). CD3+ cells (total T-cells) and CD45R+ cells were also decreased. However, these decrease turned to normal values in 5 days. The overall result of this study suggest that anesthesia with halothane may bring temporal suppressive effect on the immunologic responses.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthetics ; Chemotaxis ; Granulocytes ; Halothane* ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Immune System ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Lymphopenia ; Monitoring, Immunologic ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Neutrophils ; Reference Values ; T-Lymphocytes

PURPOSE: Troglitazone (TRO) is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonist. TRO has antiproliferative activity on many kinds of cancer cells via G1 arrest. TRO also increases Cu2+/Zn2+-superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and catalase. Cell cycle, and SOD and catalase may affect on radiation sensitivity. We investigated the effect of TRO on radiation sensitivity in cancer cells in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three human cervix cancer cell lines (HeLa, Me180, and SiHa) were used. The protein expressions of SOD and catalase, and catalase activities were measured at 2-10 microM of TRO for 24 hours. Cell cycle was evaluated with flow cytometry. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate. Cell survival by radiation was measured with clonogenic assay. RESULTS: By 5 microM TRO for 24 hours, the mRNA, protein expression and activity of catalase were increased in all three cell lines. G0-G1 phase cells were increased in HeLa and Me180 by 5 microM TRO for 24 hours, but those were not increased in SiHa. By pretreatment with 5 microM TRO radiation sensitivity was increased in HeLa and Me180, but it was decreased in SiHa. In Me180, with 2 microM TRO which increased catalase but not increased G0-G1 cells, radiosensitization was not observed. ROS produced by radiation was decreased with TRO. CONCLUSION: TRO increases radiation sensitivity through G0-G1 arrest or decreases radiation sensitivity through catalase-mediated ROS scavenging according to TRO dose or cell types. The change of radiation sensitivity by combined with TRO is not dependent on the PPARgamma expression level.
Catalase ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; Cervix Uteri ; Chromans ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluoresceins ; Humans ; PPAR gamma ; Radiation Tolerance ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; RNA, Messenger ; Thiazolidinediones ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the spectrum of MR characteristics of cystic acoustic neurinomas and to correlate with pathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the MR findings of 12 patients with cystic acoustic neurinomas. The signal intensity and enhancement pattern of the cystic components as well as the location relative to the tumors were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 30 cysts were found in 15 acoustic neurinomas;28 were intratumoral cysts and the remaining two were extratumoral cysts. The signal intensity of all 28 intratumoral cysts was higher than that of CSF on Tl-weighted images, and isointense to CSF on T2-weighted images, while the signal intensity of the two extratumoral cysts was same as CSF on both Tl-weighted and T2-weighted images. Rim enhancement was seen in 27 of 28 intratumoral cysts but in none of the two extratumoral cysts. CONCLUSION: We concluded that intratumoral cyst was due to tumoral necrosis, hemorrhage or degenerative change and extratumoral cyst due to secondary arachnoid cyst formation.
Acoustics* ; Arachnoid ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Neuroma, Acoustic* ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Humans ; Pregnancy, Twin* ; Rheology* ; Twins* ; Umbilical Arteries*