No abstract available.
Intestinal Obstruction* ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*

The association rate of antibody with antigen has been reported to be greatly increased by lowering ionic strength. Low-ionic strength salt solution(LISS) method has been used for the detection of various alloantibodies. To investigate the sensitivity of LISS in indirect antiglobulin test, a comparison study of LISS with saline and albumin methods was conducted. A total of 32 patients' samples requested for indirect antiglobulin test were evaluated. Out of 32 patients with clinical immune hemolytic anemia, 11(34.3%) were positive in 37 degrees C saline antiglobulin test, 18(56.2%) in albumin antiglobulin test, 23(71.8%) in LISS antiglobulin test respectively. These results were statistically analyzed using non parametric Page's test for ordered alternatives. LISS method is more sensitive than 37 degrees C saline method or albumin method significantly (p<0.01).
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Coombs Test* ; Humans ; Isoantibodies ; Osmolar Concentration

No abstract available.
Hip Joint* ; Hip*

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the prevalence rate of tbe concomitant; atopic diseases in the patients with allergic rhinitis and, concurrently, the incidence of the atopic diseases in the families of the patients. A total of 40 patients who were referred to the department of dermatology, Kang Nam St. Marys Hospital, for the confirmative examinations of allergic srhiniti were taken for this study. The results were as follows, 1. The prevalence rate of concomitant atopic dermatitis in the sample patients was 22.5% and that of concomitant bronchial asthma was 12. 5% The prevalence rate of concomitancy with both diseases was 2.5% and that of concomitancy with atopic dermatitis and/or bronchial asthma was 37.5%. 2. The frequency of the associated manifestations, in descending order, was allergic conjunctivitis (30%), urticaria or angioedema (25%), insect sting (22.5%), oral symptoms (5%), migrane or headache (5%), immediate drug reactions (2.5%) and gastrointestinal symptoms (2.5%).
Angioedema ; Asthma ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dermatology ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Insect Bites and Stings ; Prevalence ; Rhinitis* ; Urticaria

No abstract available.

In order to evaluate the genotoxic hazard among workers potentially exposed to low level petrochemical substances, the analyses of micronuclei (MN) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in lymphocytes were performed in 46 male workers (as exposed group) and 46 nonexposed subjects (as control group). Mean frequencies of MN and SCEs (respectively, 12.9/1000 cells and 6.5/cell) in exposed group were very significantly higher than those (10.2/1000 cells and 5.4/cell) in control group. And there were also significant differences in mean frequencies of MN and SCEs adjusted for age, employment duration, smoking, and drinking between two groups. Median frequencies of MN and SCEs in exposed group were very significantly higher than those in control group. Frequencies of SCEs were higher in smokers than in non-smoker. Frequencies of MN in smokers, however, were similiar to those of non-smoker. Interaction between exposure and smoking on MN and SCEs induction was not observed. The results suggest that there is genotoxic hazard in high risk group like workers handling carcinogens in petrochemical plants and the analyses of MN and SCEs are useful biomarkers for the exposure to hazard substances even at the level below the exposure limit.
Biological Markers ; Carcinogens ; Drinking ; Employment ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Sister Chromatid Exchange ; Smoke ; Smoking

PURPOSE: To evaluate the findings and the role of CT in plexiform neuro-fibromatosis of the mediastinum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retropectively reviewed the CT scans of five patients with plexiform neurofibromatosis of the mediastinum. The CT scans were reviewed with attention to the distribution of the lesions, appearance and attenuation of mediastinal lesions, enhancement pattern after intravenous contrast infusion and associated findingssuch as intercostal neurofibroma. RESULTS: In all five patients CT scans demonstrated fusiform low attenuated masses which were oriented longitudinally and extended over multiple contiguous scans along the distribution of major mediastinal nerves. In four patients, mediastinal lesions appeared infiltrative, obliterating adjacent mediastinal fat plane. One patient had well defined fusiform masses along the major mediastinal nerves. Postcontrast enhanced CT scans revealed slight central enhancement in two patient and no contrast enhancement in three patients. Associated findings such as neurofibromas of intercostal nerves and sympathetic trunk, or subcutaneous neurofibromas were detected on CTscans in all five patients. CONCLUSION: Characteristic CT findings of low attenuation masses along the major mediastinal nerves are helpful to differentiate plexiform neurofibromatosis from mediastinal lymphadenopathy and to prevent from misreading as a malignant disease.
Humans ; Intercostal Nerves ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mediastinum* ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses* ; 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

Ketotifen, a benzocycloheptathiophene, has an orally effective antiallergic as well as antihistaminic properties. In pervious studies, Ketotifen has shown encouraging results on patient with allergic rhinitis, either perennial or seasonal. 39 patients with allergic rhinitis had been treated with Ketotifen 1 mg twice daily for 8 weeks. And we obtained following results. 1) The efficacy rate in sneezing attack was 73.5%, in nasal discharge 71%, in nasal obstruction 58%. 2) Some improvements in at least one of three-major symptoms were noted within 1 week in 30.7%, within 2 weeks in 55.8%, within 3 weeks in 66.7%, within 8 weeks in 87.2%. 3) Physical findings such as colour, swelling of turbinate, character of rhinorrhea were not improved significantly. 4) Side effect was observed only in one patient with abdominal pain and diarrhea, which was subsided after interruption of administration. These results suggested that Ketotifen was effective in treatment of allergic rhinitis.
Abdominal Pain ; Diarrhea ; Humans ; Ketotifen* ; Nasal Obstruction ; Rhinitis, Allergic* ; Seasons ; Sneezing ; Turbinates

PURPOSE: We performed the study prospectively to evaluate the advantage of fat suppression MR in the diagnosis of rotator cuff injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten symptomatic patients were studied with both conventional T2WI and FST2WI using chemical shift technique. Each image was analyzed for the assessnent of injuries, conspicuity of the lesion, the presence of effusion in subacromial bursae and joint space, and presence of humeral head injury. Arthroscopy was done in 4 patients following MRI. RESULTS: We could made presumptive diagnoses on FSMR as identical as on conventional MR in six cases(1 normal, 2 tendinitis, 2 partial thickness tear, 1 full thickness tear), two of them were confirmed by arthroscopic procedures. Two cases of partial thickness tear proved by arthroscopy were detected on FST2WI, whereas they were considered tendinitis on conventional T2Wl. There were another 2 cases who showed tendinitis on FSMR, but normal on conventional T2Wl. They, however, were not confirmed by either arthroscopy or surgical procedure. CONCLUSION: We found the FSMR were superior to conventional T2Wl in the conspicuity of lesions and detection of joint effusion and abnormalities on the humeral head. We think FSMR of the shoulder could have significant diagnostic advantages over the conventional spin-echo MR imaging.
Arthroscopy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Humeral Head ; Joints ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prospective Studies ; Rotator Cuff* ; Shoulder ; Tendinopathy