No abstract available.
Humans

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changing pattern of serum leptin level and the correlation between estradiol level during the clomiphene citrate challenge test(CCCT) or controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH) cycle. METHODS: Twenty-seven women who underwent CCCT and fourteen women who underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation were recruited to measure the serum leptin level. After correction of serum concentration with body mass index(BMI), changes of leptin level and correlation with serum estradiol level during CCCT and COH cycle were analyzed. RESULTS: Circulating leptin levels were significantly correlated with BMI at each time point in CCCT cycle(P<0.01). In CCCT cycle, leptin/BMI level was significantly increased at midluteal phase compared to that of menstrual cycle day 3 and 10(p<0.05). In women with regular menstruation, leptin/BMI level at midluteal phase was significantly higher than that of menstrual day 3 and 10, but this difference was not seen in women with irregular menstruation. The leptin/BMI level in COH cycle showed increasing tendency throughout ovarian stimulation. But there was no significant correlation between leptin/BMI and estradiol level in CCCT and COH cycle. CONCLUSION: There is a significant correlation between BMI and circulating leptin level. Midluteal leptin level is significantly higher than that of follicular phase in CCCT cycle, and there is an increasing tendency in leptin level after ovarian stimulation in CCCT and COH cycle without statistical significance. These findings suggest that circulating estradiol concentration has no major influence on circulating leptin level.
Clomiphene* ; Estradiol ; Female ; Follicular Phase ; Humans ; Leptin* ; Menstrual Cycle ; Menstruation ; Ovulation Induction

OBJECTIVES: Patients with schizophrenia often present idea of reference in social situations, but there has been a limitation in quantitatively measuring their reactions to the social stimuli. The aim of this study was to investigate behavioral characteristics of patients with schizophrenia in social situations in which idea of reference can be provoked. METHODS: Forty subjects with schizophrenia (21 males) and 26 healthy volunteers (17 males) performed the idea-of-reference-provoking task, which was composed of movie clips with scenes of two women sitting on a bench of 1 or 5 m away. The conditions consisted of "referential conversation", "non-referential conversation" or "no conversation". The reactions of the participants were rated by the questionnaires for self-referential perception, malevolent interpretation and anxiety reaction. RESULTS: There were significant group differences in the reactions on self-referential perception, malevolent interpretation and anxiety reaction. After the treatment, patients with schizophrenia showed improved scores of the reactions. In particular, score changes of malevolent interpretation and anxiety reaction in patients with schizophrenia were correlated with change of paranoia scale (rs=0.65, p<0.05 and rs =0.73, p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Patients with schizophrenia revealed self-referential bias and paranoid responses to social situations, which were improved after psychiatric treatment. Self-referential perceptions and paranoid responses may be state dependent rather than trait of schizophrenia.
Anxiety ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Paranoid Disorders ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Schizophrenia* ; Social Perception*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of the arterial phase of dynamic spiral CT in the detection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma compared with the late phase. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two phase spiral CT images of seventeen patients with pathologically proven pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas were compared retrospectively. CT scans were performed with 5mm collimation at 1:1 pitch table speed. Images of arterial and late phases were obtained at 35 seconds and 180 seconds after initiation of administration of 100mL of contrast material(3mL/sec), respectively. Images of the arterial phase were compared with those of the late phase. RESULTS: Images of the arterial phase showed sufficient contrast between the tumor and adjacent pancreatic parenchyma in 12 cases, insufficient in four cases, and no significant contrast in one case. Images of the late phase showed sufficient contrast in five cases, insufficient in five cases, and no significant contrast in seven cases. Images of the arterial phase was superior to that of the late phase in 12 patients(70.6%). In six of the 12 patients, only the images of the arterial phase showed contrast between the tumor and the adjacent parenchyma. The images of late phase showed only one case of three metastasis detected on the images of the arterial phase. CONCLUSION: The arterial phase of spiral CT is superior to the late phase that is comparable with conventional CT in the detection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We report a case of hypertrophic lupus vulgaris in the right knee of an 18-year-old man. The lesion, an erythematous scaly hypertrophic plaque, had grown for 12 years without any trestment leaving an atrophic scar. Histopathologically, the lesion consisted of s granuloma composed of epithelioid cells and lymphocytes. Lsboratory examinations including hematology, blood chemistry, urinalysis, and chest roentgenography were normal. The Mantoux test was strongly positive. Treatment with anti-tuberculosis medieation resulted in a good response.
Adolescent ; Chemistry ; Cicatrix ; Epithelioid Cells ; Granuloma ; Hematology ; Humans ; Knee ; Lupus Vulgaris* ; Lymphocytes ; Radiography ; Thorax ; Urinalysis

No abstract available.
Echinococcus* ; Liver*

OBJECTIVE: The laparoscopic appendectomy was developed as an alternative procedure to be used in acute appendicitis. Some surgeons dispute the advantages of laparoscopic procedures for acute appendicitis. Specifically, there are many controversies associated with perforated appendicitis. We reviewed the results of appendectomies to assess the feasibility of a laparoscopic appendectomy in acute appendicitis that included perforated appendicitis. METHODS: Three hundred thirty-nine consecutive patients with laparoscopic appendectomies, which include 27 patients with perforated appendicitis, were analysed. This study considered the lengths of the operation and the hospital stay. Differences in complications between non-perforated and perforated appendicitis were also evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 388 patients underwent appendectomies, 339 patients with laparoscopy and 49 patients with conventional open appendectomies, from April 1994 to June 1996. The mean duration of laparoscopic appendectomies was 48.9 minutes. This was slightly longer than that of open appendec tomies (44.9 minutes) in the same hospital. The duration of hospital stay was on the average of 4.9 days. Six patients (1.8%) were converted to conventional surgery because of difficult mobilization in 4 patients and uncontrollable bleeding in the remaining two. The surgeries on patients who were converted to conventional surgery were performed by rotating residents without staff supervision. Minor complications developed in eight patients (2.4%). In comparing the results between non-perforated and perforated appendicitis, durations of operation (47.3 vs. 78.3 minutes) and the hospital stay (4.6 vs. 8.6 days) were longer in perforated appendicitis. However, the complication rate (2.6 vs. 0%) was unexpectedly found to be lower in perforated appendicitis. CONCLUSIONS: The laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe, feasible procedure for acute appendicitis. It is an excellent procedure for perforated appendicitis and has minor complications compared to an open appendectomy with its large incision that is followed by a high rate of wound infection and/or post operative adhesion. There aree various reports on prospective randomized studies evaluating the benefits of a laparoscopic appendectomy compared to a conventional open appendectomy. The reports by laparo scopic surgeons in various centers are different with regard to operative time, postoperative recovery, morbidity, and postoperative complications. For complicated appendicitis, most surgeons are not in agree ment with the laparoscopic approach. We obtained excellent results with laparoscopic appendectomies in perforated appendicitis which included periappendiceal abscesses.
Abscess ; Appendectomy* ; Appendicitis ; Dissent and Disputes ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Organization and Administration ; Postoperative Complications ; Prospective Studies ; Wound Infection

No abstract available.
Gastrectomy* ; Stomach Neoplasms*

Several shorter-term alternatives for whole-day ambulatory monitoring of BP using Pressureometer III or standard sphygmomanometer were evaluated in 12 male hypertensive patients. Averages of BP reading at 8 AM once, consecutive 3 readings either by Pressurometer or manual, serial readings during 2-hr intervals of 8-10 AM and 2/4 PM were compared with that of 24-hr ambulatory, non-invasive BP readings. Both systolic and diastolic 2-hr Bp averages in the morning were correlated more strongly with 24-hour averages(r=0.91 and 0.91), than were those of the 3 readings(r=0.88 and 0.66) or single reading(r=0.49 and -0.35) alternatives. In conclusion, the average of serial readings obtained during 2-hr monitoring period from 8 to 10AM is a reliable predictor of 24-hr ambulatory BP and represents it more closely than the conventional single or multiple BP readings.
Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory* ; Humans ; Male ; Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Reading ; Sphygmomanometers

Operative reduction is not essential for mild to moderate spondylolisthesis, but some authors agree that reduction of spondylolisthesis is beneficial for widening of intervertebral canal and consequently for decompression of neural tissue even though the degree of slippage is grade I or II. In our institute, we sometimes reduced the slippage for these reasons. But at follow up study we would find redisplacement and the degree of it seemed to be associated with the kind of instruments. So we analyzed redisplacement rate according to the kind of instruments in 59 cases of spondylolisthesis that were followed more than one year. The conclusions were as follow; 1. There was no significant correlation between reduction and redisplacement rate with pathologic type, lesion site, age,iscectomy and clinical result at least in grade I or II spondylolisthesis (P>0.05). 2. The pedicle screw system was more useful in reduction and its maintenance than the Luque ring system (P<0.001). 3. Redisplacement was occurred mainly within 2 months after operation, 4. The cause of redisplacement after reduction seems to be associated with mechanical insecurity before consolidation of the grafted bone takes place.
Decompression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Spondylolisthesis* ; Transplants