PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of a technetium-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine (Tc-99m MAG3) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) performed on transplanted kidney. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty renal transplant patients were included in this study. Planar scan was performed for 30 minutes using 555 MBq Tc-99m MAG3. A post-voiding SPECT scan was acquired on the third, seventh, fourteenth and twenty eighth day after transplantation. RESULTS: SPECT scan showed interpretable image quality in 26 of 30 patients (86.7%) and 84 in 120 scans (70%). Fourteen of 26 patients with interpretable SPECT image showed decreased or increased radioactivity, but only 5 had abnormal findings on the planar scan. Focal SPECT defects were seen in allografts with normal function (n=3), acute tubular necrosis (n=3), and acute rejection (n=2). The defects are thought to reflect focally underperfused renal parenchyme or, in normal allografts, an artifact from uneven radioactivity distribution. Four of 10 patients with renal arterial variation showed focally decreased radioactivity and SPECT helped guide further studies that confirmed the exact cause. Five of 10 patients with acute tubular necrosis or acute rejection showed focally decreased radioactivity, but its relation to the patients' clinical course was not clear. Focally increased radioactivity was observed in 5 allografts with normal function and 1 with double ureter in which local clearance delay was observed. CONCLUSION: Tc-99m MAG3 SPECT renal scan can detect additional focal abnormalities compared to planar scan. Further study is necessary to elucidate the exact clinical significance of the SPECT findings.
Allografts ; Artifacts ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Necrosis ; Radioactivity ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon* ; Ureter

Aspergilloma and Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA) are different types of spectrum of pulmonary aspergillosis. ABPA results from hypersensitivity reaction to Aspergillus species and is known to be usually associated with bronchial asthma and cystic fibrosis. Aspergilloma results from simple colonization of this fungus within cavitary lung lesion or bronchiectasis. But rarely some patients can present together with ABPA and aspergilloma. We experienced a case of ABPA associated with aspergilloma in a 38 year-old male. The diagnosis was confirmed by asthma, immediate cutaneous reactivity to A. fumigatus, IgG antibody to A. fumigatus, elevated total and specific IgE antibodies to A. fumigatus, central bronchiectasis and peripheral eosinophilia coincident with radiographic infiltrates. During follow-up management with steroid, left pneumonectomy was done because of spontaneous pneumothorax with persistent air-leak and multidrug resistance pulmonary tuberculosis in association with aspergilloma. His respiratory symptoms and ABPA activity was much more improved after removal of aspergilloma. These findings suggest that surgical resection of aspergilloma can be considered to reduce antigenic source of colonized fungi in ABPA patients when associated with aspergilloma.
Adult ; Antibodies ; Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary* ; Aspergillus ; Asthma ; Bronchiectasis ; Colon ; Cystic Fibrosis ; Diagnosis ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Eosinophilia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Lung ; Male ; Pneumonectomy ; Pneumothorax ; Pulmonary Aspergillosis ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

OBJECTIVE: To determine the normal values of flexor carpi radialis (FCR) H-reflex without facilitation, with facilitation and with facilitation & averaging. And to compare the three methods. METHOD: The FCR H-reflex was tested in 60 healthy people. 1) H-reflexes was recorded in the FCR muscle without facilitation. 2) H-reflexes was recorded in the FCR muscle with facilitation and facilitation was carried out by contracting the FCR muscle with 1 kg of weight. 3) FCR H-reflex was tested by repetitive stimulation with facilitation and the multiple responses were averaged. RESULTS: Without facilitation, FCR H-reflexes were elicited only in 24 people out of 60 people and with facilitation, FCR H-reflexes were elicited in all 60 people. The mean latencies and amplitudes of the three methods were measured and normal limits of latency difference and amplitude ratio were calculated. In the FCR H-reflex without facilitation, with facilitation and with facilitation & averaging, the normal limits of latency difference were 1.0 msec, 1.0 msec, 1.1 msec and normal limits of amplitude ration were 0.37, 0.22, 0.57. CONCLUSION: FCR H-reflex with facilitation and with facilitation & averaging might be useful in the clinical diagnosis.
Diagnosis ; H-Reflex* ; Reference Values

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a highly prevalent disorder that affects millions of men worldwide. ED is now considered an early manifestation of atherosclerosis, and consequently, a precursor of systemic vascular disease. This study was designed to investigate the effects of male silkworm pupa powder (SWP) on the levels of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression, nitrite, and glutathione (GSH); lipid peroxidation; libido; and erectile response of the corpus cavernosum of the rat penis. We induced ED in the study animals by oral administration of 20% ethanol over 8 weeks. The SWP-treated male rats were divided into 3 groups that were orally administered 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg. The libido of the SWP-administered male rats was higher than that of the ethanol control group. In addition, the erectile response of the corpus cavernosum was restored in males on SWP administration, to a level similar to that of the normal group without ED. The testosterone concentration did not increase significantly. The lipid peroxidation in the corpus cavernosum of the male rats administered SWP decreased significantly. In contrast, compared to the ethanol group, SWP-administered male rats showed increased GSH levels in the corpus cavernosum. The level of nitrite and NOS expression in the corpus cavernosum of SWP-administered male rats increased significantly. These results indicated that SWP effectively restored ethanol-induced ED in male rats.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; Bombyx ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Ethanol ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Libido ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Penis ; Pupa ; Rats ; Testosterone ; Vascular Diseases

Tetra cell adhesion molecule(T-CAM) is a new recombinant mixture of fibronectin and ig-h3. Fibronectin and ig-h3 are extracellular matriprotein involved in each phase of wound healing, and the combination of these materials may generate a synergistic effect in wound healing. Regenin is easily attainable from protein recombination. It can be developed as wound healing material, and also it has a good effect in cell adhesion and proliferation. We combined the chitosan with regenin or T-CAM at different concentration, which are gene recombination material. They were applied to the artificial wound of white rabbit to compare the healing effect in each group. Round full thickness skin defects, 3 cm in diameter, were made bilaterally on the dorsolateral aspect of New Zealand white rabbit. Experimental group was divided into 6 groups, according to concentration of T-CAM and regenin with chitosan-based dressing materials as followings; Group C: control group - oint material dressing, Group Ch: chitosan base only, Group T1: chitosan base in combination with 25 microgram/ml of T-CAM, Group T2: chitosan base in combination with 625 microgram/ml of T-CAM, Group R1: chitosan base in combination with 25 microgram/ml of Regenin, Group R2: chitosan base in combination with 625 microgram/ml of Regenin. Gross findings by means of percentage of wound contraction, percentage of wound epithelization and percentage of total wound healed area were compared with surface tracing of the remained wound area at the time of 7, 14, 21 days after wound formation. Wound biopsy were performed at the time of 7, 14, 21 days after wound formation. T1, T2 group and R1, R2 groups have less infiltration of inflammtory cell, fast appearance of new vessels, fibroblast, increased volume of collagen fiber comparing to C and Ch group. there's more statistical significance between T1 and T2 group. The same results were shown in Regenin group. In conclusion, our results suggest that T-CAM and Regenin have good effect in wound healing and higher concentration of T-CAM and Regenin is more effective in wound healing than lower concentration. In addition, comparision of same concentration of T-CAM and Regenin group presented almost same results.
Bandages ; Biopsy ; Cell Adhesion ; Characidae ; Chitosan* ; Collagen ; Fibroblasts ; Fibronectins ; New Zealand ; Porifera* ; Recombination, Genetic ; Skin ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*