No abstract available.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Lymphoma*

Posterior epidural migration of a sequestrated intervertebral lumbar disc is rare with only five cases ever reported in the literature so far. The objective of this paper is to report our experience of such a extremely rare case with a review the literature

No abstract available in English.
Clinical Study ; Dislocations ; Spine

HLA antigen expression can show close relationship with some kinds of tumor cell immunologically. We investigated the relationship between the grade of bladder transitional cell carcinoma and HLA-DR expression to demonstrate the prognostic significance. Paraffin-embedded samples from 25 human transitional cell carcinoma cases were examined for the expression of MHC class R antigen with monoclonal antibody directed against HLA-DR using immunohistochemical methods. The tumors were classified according to the Ash grading system and the degree of the peritumoral mononuclear infiltrates. Both diffuse cytoplasmic and membrane HLA-DR staining were observed in 6 or 17 low grade (Grade I, II) tumors. All 8 high grade (Grade II IV)transitional cell carcinoma exhibited negative staining for HLA-DR antigen. Apart from the relatively high incidence of the positive expression of HLA-DR in low grade tumors, no clear statistical relationship was found between the expression or HLA antigens and the tumor grade. From these results, it may be suggested that the low grade transitional cell carcinoma shows a high incidence of HLA-DR expression and prognostic significance induced by immune response; T cell-mediated immune response against TCC proliferation is evoked. But the significance of these findings remains speculative at present. Therefore, further study should be performed to demonstrate the prognostic importance of HLA-DR expression in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Cytoplasm ; HLA Antigens ; HLA-DR Antigens* ; Humans* ; Incidence ; Membranes ; Negative Staining ; Urinary Bladder

No abstract available.
Humans

MicroRNA polymorphisms may be associated with carcinogenesis or immunopathogenesis of infection. We evaluated whether the mircoRNA-604 (miR-604) polymorphism can affect the persistence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and the development to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic HBV infection. A total of 1,439 subjects, who have either past or present HBV infection, were enrolled and divided into four groups (spontaneous recovery, chronic HBV carrier without cirrhosis, liver cirrhosis and HCC). We genotyped the precursor miR-604 genome region polymorphism. The CC genotype of miR-604 rs2368392 was most frequently observed and T allele frequency was 0.326 in all study subjects. The HBV persistence after infection was higher in those subjects with miR-604 T allele (P=0.05 in a co-dominant and dominant model), which implied that the patients with miR-604 T allele may have a higher risk for HBV chronicity. In contrast, there was a higher rate of the miR-604 T allele in the chronic carrier without HCC patients, compared to those of the HCC patients (P=0.03 in a co-dominant model, P=0.02 in a recessive model). The T allele at miR-604 rs2368392 may be a risk allele for the chronicity of HBV infection, but may be a protective allele for the progression to HCC in chronic HBV carriers.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Base Sequence ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/etiology/*genetics/pathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Demography ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; *Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B Antibodies/blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens/blood ; Hepatitis B virus/metabolism ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/complications/*genetics/virology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/etiology/*genetics/pathology ; Male ; MicroRNAs/*genetics/metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Acetic Acid

PURPOSE: To determine clinical outcomes of mini Monoka silicone monocanalicular lacrimal stent (from now, mini Monoka stent) in canalicular injury. METHODS: From June 1996 to December 2001, mini Monoka stent was used in 70 eyes(77 canaliculi) of superior, inferior and bicanalicular injury. Mini Monoka stent was shortened about 20 mm with round tip and intubated. Punctal fixation suture was not done. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 7.9+/-1.0 months (4-12 months). The outcome of our repair was judged by the existence of epiphora, dye disappearance test, probing and irrigation. In 57 eyes (81.4%), there was no epiphora. In 11 eyes (15.7%), epiphora was developed only after certain stimuli. In 2 eyes (2.9%), there was epiphora at all times. Postoperative complications were premature stent loss 6 eyes (8.6%), conjunctival injection 3 eyes (3.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The intubation of mini Monoka stent for the lacerated canaliculus is the simply operative procedure in the outpatient department. The shortening of mini Monoka stent made this procedure easier. Despite no punctal fixation suture, the occurrence rate of the premature stent loss was not higher than that for published reports of mini Monoka stent.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intubation ; Lacerations* ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases ; Outpatients ; Postoperative Complications ; Silicones* ; Stents* ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Sutures

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence of persistent diplopia and enophthalmos and possible risk factors leading to their occurrence in patients who had orbital blowout fracture repair. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated clinical features in 76 eyes of 76 patients with orbital blowout fracture, who were repaired surgically after its diagnosis from March 1995 to November 2001. We analysed the relationship between persistent diplopia and enophthalmos after reconstruction and timing of surgery, patient age, fracture location, fracture size and alloplast material. RESULTS: Postoperatively, 11 patients (22.9%) expirienced diplopia and enophthalmos persisted in 11 (28.2%) patients. Timing of surgery, patient age, fracture location, fracture size was found to be significant for the development of postoperative diplopia but alloplast material was not significant for the development of postoperative diplopia (p>0.05). Timing of surgery and fracture size was found to be significant for the development of postoperative enophthalmos but patient age, fracture location and alloplast material was not significant for the development of postoperative enophthalmos (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We believe that timing of surgery is important prognostic factor that decreases the incidence of persistent diplopia and enophthalmos after surgical repair of blowout fracture. In addition, this study will provide important prognostic informations that can be of benefit to both patients and surgeon in performing surgical repair of blowout fracture.
Diagnosis ; Diplopia* ; Enophthalmos* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Orbit ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: People who were born in different years, that is, different birth cohorts, grow in varying socio-historical and dynamic contexts, which result in differences in social dispositions and physical abilities. METHODS: This study used age-period-cohort analysis method to establish explanatory models on healthcare expenditure in Korea reflecting birth cohort factor using intrinsic estimator. Based on these models, we tried to investigate the effects of ageing population on future healthcare expenditure through simulation by scenarios. RESULTS: Coefficient of cohort effect was not as high as that of age effect, but greater than that of period effect. The cohort effect can be interpreted to show ‘healthy ageing’ phenomenon. Healthy ageing effect shows annual average decrease of −1.74% to 1.57% in healthcare expenditure. Controlling age, period, and birth cohort effects, pure demographic effect of population ageing due to increase in life expectancy shows annual average increase of 1.61%–1.80% in healthcare expenditure. CONCLUSION: First, since the influence of population factor itself on healthcare expenditure increase is not as big as expected. Second, ‘healthy ageing effect’ suggests that there is a need of paradigm shift to prevention centered-healthcare services. Third, forecasting of health expenditure needs to reflect social change factors by considering birth cohort effect.
Cohort Effect ; Cohort Studies ; Delivery of Health Care ; Forecasting ; Health Expenditures ; Korea ; Life Expectancy ; Methods ; Parturition ; Population Dynamics ; Social Change