Red blood cells that agglutinate with most normal adult sera but never with own sera are termed polyagglutinable and can be separated by patterns of lectin reactivity into various types. Among these polyagglutination, activation of the T cryptantigen occurs when carbohydrate structures on glycophorins A and B lose sialic acid and express the disaccharide Gal beta-l-3 GalNac which reacts with the peanut agglutinin, a lectin from Arachis hypogaea. T activation is a temporary condition due to exposure of the membrane antigen to the action of microbial neuraminidase. In T activated red cells, the following hazards, which are theoretically possible, are spontaneous polyagglutination of red cells in vitro, in vivo and severe blood transfusion reactions. We experienced a case of T activation in 6 month old girl with bacterial meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. The reactivity to lectins indicated the patient's red cells were T activated. We report a case of T activation in an infant with the review of literature.
Adult ; Arachis ; Blood Transfusion ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Glycophorin ; Humans ; Infant ; Lectins ; Membranes ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; N-Acetylneuraminic Acid ; Neuraminidase ; Peanut Agglutinin ; Streptococcus pneumoniae

Because melanocytes are found throughout the leptomeninges, primary melanotic pigmented tumors such as pigmented meningioma, malignant melanoma, melanoblastosis, and melanocytoma can arise from this region. Melanocytomas have been described in the literature as isodense or hyperdense compared with brain parenchyme, as seen on noncontrast-enhanced CT, and as showing relatively homogeneous enhancement. MR imaging demonstrates a high signal on T1-weighted images, and an iso to hypointense signal on T2- weighted images. We report the imaging findings of a melanocytoma that showed hyperdense attenuation on precontrast CT with homogeneous enhancement and hyperintense signal intensity on T1-weighted images and dark signal intensity enhancement on T2-weighted images, and also review the literature.
Brain ; Cerebellopontine Angle* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma ; Meninges ; Meningioma

We experienced nutiple brain abscess in two neonates. Diagnosis was made CT scan, Which revealed multiple ring-like enhancing leason in both frontoparietal and left posterior parietal cerebral parenchyme. Therapy was consisted of systemic antibiotic treatment and CSF V-P shunt operation due to complicated hydrocephalus. One neonate was died and the other neonate has been followed up due to convulsion and neurological sequale.
Brain Abscess* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Infant, Newborn* ; Rabeprazole ; Seizures ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: We prospectively compared the response to blind and ultrasound-guided glenohumeral injection of corticosteroids for treatment of shoulder stiffness. METHODS: A total of 77 patients with shoulder stiffness between April 2008 and March 2012 were recruited. Patients were randomized to receive either a blind (group 1, n=39) or ultrasound-guided (group 2, n=38) glenohumeral injection of 40 mg triamcinolone. The clinical outcomes and shoulder range of motion (ROM) before injection, at 3, 6, and 12 months after injection and at the last follow-up were assessed. The same rehabilitation program was applied in both groups during the follow-up period. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in demographic data on age, sex, ROM, and symptom duration before injection between groups (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in ROM including forward flexion, external rotation at the side, external rotation at 90o abduction, and internal rotation, visual analogue scale for pain and functional outcomes including American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Simple Shoulder test between the two groups at any time point (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the current data, the result of ultrasound-guided glenohumeral injection was not superior to that of blind injection in the treatment of shoulder stiffness. We suggest that ultrasound-guided glenohumeral injection could be performed according to the patient's compliance and the surgeon's preference. Once familiar with the non-imaging-guided glenohumeral injection, it is an efficient and reliable method for the experienced surgeon. Ultrasound could be performed according to the surgeon's preference.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Compliance ; Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rehabilitation ; Shoulder Joint* ; Shoulder* ; Triamcinolone ; Ultrasonography*

Epidermal cysts may develop on any part of the body. Most of them are thought to occur following inflammation of the epithelium of the hair follicle. These found on the palm and sole where the hair follicle is absent have been considered to developmant of following a traumatic inclusion of the epidermis into the Dermis. Because only a few cases w re known to be related to preceding trauma, the latter assumption has been questioned. Reerly, the HPV-like virions and papillomavirus genus-speciric antigen were detected in the epicrml cyst of the sole in some reports. 1 our cases of plantar epidermal cyst were studied for the presence of human papillomavirus using conventional histologic and immunohistochemical examinator Histologic examination showed three characteristic findings, that is, intracytoplasmic eosinophil odies in the cyst wall, parakeratosis within the cyst caviti, and vacuolar structures disperse the wall and cavity. In all of the cases, immunohistochernical staining was positive for papule evirus antigen. These findings suggest an etiologic as.iation between the papillomavirus infection and plantar epidermal cyst.
Dermis ; Eosinophils ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Epidermis ; Epithelium ; Hair Follicle ; Humans* ; Inflammation ; Papilloma* ; Papillomavirus Infections ; Parakeratosis ; Virion

PURPOSE: Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy(HOA) is a clinical syndrome consisting of clubbing, periostitis and synovitis. Most frequent causes of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy are intrathoracic neoplasms, among which the bronchogenic carcinoma ranks the highest. But computed tomographic evaluation of intrathoracic neoplasm associated with HOA has been seldom reported. The purpose of this study is to evaluate CT findings of intrathoracic neoplasm associated with HOA, and to infer possible mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven cases of intrathoracic neoplasm associated with HOA were included in our study. Diagnoses of HOA were made by Tc99m bone scintigraphy or plain radiography. The findings of chest CT scans were reviewed retrospectively, with main interests on their size, location and internal characteristics, ect. RESULTS: Seven cases of intrathoracic neoplasm consisted of five bronchogenic carcinomas and two thymic tumors. The size of intrathoracic tumors were relativelY, large ranging from 6cm to 13cm(average 8.0cm). All thoracic neoplasms showed wide pleural contact, and one of them invaded thoracic wall. The range of length of pleural contact was 5-18cm(average 9.9cm). All of seven patients had internal necrosis, and one of them showed cavitation in thoracic mass. CONCLUSION: lntrathoracic neoplasms associated with HOA had a tendency to be large, to contain internal necrosis, and to widely abut the thoracic pleura.
Carcinoma, Bronchogenic ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Periostitis ; Pleura ; Radiography ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Synovitis ; Thoracic Neoplasms ; Thoracic Wall ; Thymus Neoplasms ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To characterize strain-specific differences in radiation response in murine tissues with different radiosensitivity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six-week old male mice of 2 strains, C57Bl/6J and C3H/HeJ, were given whole body gamma-radiation with a single dose of 10 or 25 Gy. At different times after irradiation, mice were killed and tissues with different radiosensitivity, thymus and liver, were collected. Each tissue sample was stained with hematoxylin and eosin and apoptotic cells were scored. Expression of p53, Bcl-2, Bcl-x, and Bax was analysed by western blotting and densitometry. RESULTS: Radiation induced massive apoptosis in thymus with a peak level at 8 h after radiation. With 10 Gy irradiation, apoptotic indices in C57Bl/6J and C3H/HeJ were 81.0 2.5% and 59.4 4.0%, respectively (p<0.05). Radiation upregulated the expression of p53, Bcl-x, and Bax, but not Bcl-2; p53 with a peak level of 2.5 fold (C57Bl/6J) and 1.4 fold (C3H/HeJ) at 4 h, Bax with a peak level of 2.6 fold (C57Bl/6J) and 1.3 fold (C3H/HeJ) at 8 h, and Bcl-x with a peak level of 11.1 fold (C57Bl/6J) and 8.2 fold (C3H/HeJ) at 8 h after radiation. In liver, however, radiation-induced apoptosis was minimal (peak apoptotic index of 2.1% in C57Bl/6J and 1.7% in C3H/HeJ). None of p53, Bcl-2, Bcl-x, and Bax was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Induction of apoptosis and regulation of related genes by radiation were tissue specific. Strain difference of radiation-induced apoptosis was well coupled with theinduction of related genes in thymus, a radiosensitive tissue. This study shows that quantitative difference of radiation induced apoptosis by strain is regulated at the gene level with the involvement of multiple genes.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Densitometry ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Mice ; Radiation Tolerance ; Thymus Gland

This study was performed to assess the recurrence rate and the factors related with the recurrence of leprosy and to use the data obtained from the present study for the basis for the prevention of leprosy, among those leprosy patients who were registered and managed by a Catholic Skin Clinic located in the Taegu metropolitan city between January of 1960 to October of 1999. We conducted the present study with 1,245 leprosy patients except 31 who were being treated for active leprosy. Using a structured record sheet, the data were collected using the chart of the patient, and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS program ver 9.0 and Fisher's exact test and chi-square-test was performed. Among 1,245 subjects, the sex distribution was 690 males (55.4%) and 555 females (44.6%). The age at the time of initial occurrence of leprosy was the most prevalent in patients' teen years with 528 patients(42.3%) followed by in their 20's with 366 patients (29.3%). The most prevalent type of leprosy at the initial occurrence of leprosy was type L with 730 patients(58.6%), and the condition of the bacteria at the time of initial occurrence of leprosy was negative in 509 patients(40.8%) and positive in 285 patients(22.9%). The overall recurrence rate was 13.2%. According to gender, males showed the recurrence rate of 15.7% and females 10.1%, showing a higher recurrence rate in males. The recurrence rate according to the type of leprosy was 31.6% of I type with the most prevalence. Among those patients who were initially diagnosed with mycobacterium leprae, 21.1% showed recurrence, and the recurrence rate was significantly higher than in negative mycobacterium leprae patients with 3.3%. The recurrence rate according to the age of initial occurrence of leprosy was the highest in those patients who developed leprosy in their teen years with 17.2%, followed by those who had leprosy in between 20-29 years with 13.4%. According to the administered medication, among those 152 patients who took DDS alone, showed 90.8% recurrence rate; among 1,009 patients took in DDS and switched to MDT, 2.5% showed recurrence; and among patients who were treated with MDT, only 1.2% showed recurrence with the lowest level of recurrence rate. With these results, in the case of DDS treatment cases, in male patients, the positive mycobacterium leprae patients at the time of initial occurrence of leprosy, the type of leprosy being I, and the age of the initial occurrence of leprosy being low; it is important to raise the compliance through education and follow-up. In the future, extensive and in-depth studies are needed to be done in the recurrence of leprosy to elucidate the factors of recurrence and the plans to prevent recurrence need to be established from the public health and policy areas.
Adolescent ; Bacteria ; Compliance ; Daegu ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Leprosy* ; Male ; Mycobacterium leprae ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Recurrence* ; Sex Distribution ; Skin

This study was performed to assess the recurrence rate and the factors related with the recurrence of leprosy and to use the data obtained from the present study for the basis for the prevention of leprosy, among those leprosy patients who were registered and managed by a Catholic Skin Clinic located in the Taegu metropolitan city between January of 1960 to October of 1999. We conducted the present study with 1,245 leprosy patients except 31 who were being treated for active leprosy. Using a structured record sheet, the data were collected using the chart of the patient, and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS program ver 9.0 and Fisher's exact test and chi-square-test was performed. Among 1,245 subjects, the sex distribution was 690 males (55.4%) and 555 females (44.6%). The age at the time of initial occurrence of leprosy was the most prevalent in patients' teen years with 528 patients(42.3%) followed by in their 20's with 366 patients (29.3%). The most prevalent type of leprosy at the initial occurrence of leprosy was type L with 730 patients(58.6%), and the condition of the bacteria at the time of initial occurrence of leprosy was negative in 509 patients(40.8%) and positive in 285 patients(22.9%). The overall recurrence rate was 13.2%. According to gender, males showed the recurrence rate of 15.7% and females 10.1%, showing a higher recurrence rate in males. The recurrence rate according to the type of leprosy was 31.6% of I type with the most prevalence. Among those patients who were initially diagnosed with mycobacterium leprae, 21.1% showed recurrence, and the recurrence rate was significantly higher than in negative mycobacterium leprae patients with 3.3%. The recurrence rate according to the age of initial occurrence of leprosy was the highest in those patients who developed leprosy in their teen years with 17.2%, followed by those who had leprosy in between 20-29 years with 13.4%. According to the administered medication, among those 152 patients who took DDS alone, showed 90.8% recurrence rate; among 1,009 patients took in DDS and switched to MDT, 2.5% showed recurrence; and among patients who were treated with MDT, only 1.2% showed recurrence with the lowest level of recurrence rate. With these results, in the case of DDS treatment cases, in male patients, the positive mycobacterium leprae patients at the time of initial occurrence of leprosy, the type of leprosy being I, and the age of the initial occurrence of leprosy being low; it is important to raise the compliance through education and follow-up. In the future, extensive and in-depth studies are needed to be done in the recurrence of leprosy to elucidate the factors of recurrence and the plans to prevent recurrence need to be established from the public health and policy areas.
Adolescent ; Bacteria ; Compliance ; Daegu ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Leprosy* ; Male ; Mycobacterium leprae ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Recurrence* ; Sex Distribution ; Skin

Sinusitis manifested as symptomatic imflammation of the paranasal sinuses is a common pediatric diagnosis. Many studies have focused more directly on the question of relationship between allergy and sinusitis but the relevance of the relationship between allergy and sinusitis still needs further examination, The purpose of this study is to assess of relationship of allergy to extent or severity of sinusitis. A clinical evaluation was performed on 199 children, age 2 to 15 years, in whom the diagnosis of sinusitis was confirmed by paranasal sinus radiographic assessment at our hospital Pediatric OPD and in the ward from July 1991 to June 1993. The results were as follows: 1) Male was more prominent than female (M:F ratio 1.76:1). The age distribution, 100 cases(55.2%) of the total case were 4-7 year old. 2) The symptoms were coughing, most common (77,9%), rhinorrhea, nasal discharge and nasal stuffiness, in decreasing order. The clinical signs were postnasal drip (62.8%), most common, throat injection, wheezing sound, and allergic shiner in decreasing order. Eighty eight patients were evaluated acute and compared with 111 patients with chronic sinusitis. 3) Comparable study between two groups were summarized as follwos: (1) There was no significant difference in age and sex distribution between acute and chronic group. (2) The lowest seasonal incidence of acute group was seen in summer and autumn but there was no significant variation between both group (p>0.05). (3) Allergc disease was more prevalent in chronc group than acute group (p<0.05). Asthma incidence was higher in chronic group than acute group (p<0.05). (4) The frequency of total IgE level checked by PRIST higher than 200 IU/ml in acute group and chronic group was 23.2% and 42.3%, respectively (p<0.05). The incidence of positive skin prick test in acute group and chronic group was 25.0% and 46.5% respectively (p<0.05). (5) Otitis media, nasal polyp and adenoid hypertrophy incidence were higher in chronic group than acute group (p<0.05). (6) There was no significant difference if ESR between both groups. The eosinophilia in peripheral blood higher than 5% in the acute group and chronic group was 15.9% and 42.3% respectively (p<0.05). (7) The patients with chronic group had more severe involvement of the paranasal sinuses than acute group (p<0.05). (8) There were no significant difference in chest radiographic findings and follow up paranasal sinus radiographic findings after treatment (P>0.05).
Adenoids ; Age Distribution ; Asthma ; Child* ; Cough ; Cyprinidae ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophilia ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Hypertrophy ; Immunoglobulin E ; Incidence ; Male ; Nasal Polyps ; Otitis Media ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Pharynx ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Respiratory Sounds ; Seasons ; Sex Distribution ; Sinusitis* ; Skin