PURPOSE: To evaluate the ultrasonographic and CT findings of hepatosplenic tuberculosis MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the ultrasonographic and CT findings of confirmed hepatosplenic tuberculosis in 12patients. Six were men and six were women ; their average age was 41, and most were in their twenties. Lesions ofthe liver and spleen, as well as associated findings such as abdominal tuberculosis and other organ involvement oftuberculosis were analyzed. RESULTS: There were three cases of hepatic tuberculosis, seven of splenictuberculosis, and two of hepatosplenic involvement of tuberculosis. On the basis of the ultrasonographic and CTfindings, hepatosplenic tuberculosis was classified as one of two patterns : miliary or micronodular, ormacronodular. The micronodular type was more common (9/12 cases) being characterized by innumerable micronodules,and with easy coalescence in the liver and spleen in five of the nine cases. The macronodular type of low densitymass was noted in the other three patients. Splenomegaly was noted in 12 cases and hepatomegaly in ten. Pulmonarytuberculosis-including the miliary type(n=5)-was noted in eight patients. Associated abdominal tuberculosis suchas lymphadenopathy with central low density and peripheral rim enhancement (n=6), tuberculous peritonitis(n=3),highly attenuated ascites(n=6), adrenal tuberculosis(n=1), renal tuberculosis(n=1), ovarian abscess(n=1), psoasabscess(n=1), and systemic tuberculosis such as central nervous system tuberculoma(n=2), cervicallymphadenopathy(n=4) and tuberculous spondylitis(n=1) were noted. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography and CT werevaluable in the detection and diagnosis of hepatosplenic tuberculosis
Central Nervous System ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Spleen ; Splenomegaly ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal ; Tuberculosis, Hepatic ; Ultrasonography

No Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin (Visudyne(R), Norvatis Ophthalmics AG, Hettingen, Switzerland), a benzoporphyrin derivative, in the treatment of corneal neo-vascularization (CN) in a rabbit eye model. METHODS: CN was induced by placing instrastromal sutures in the cornea. Two weeks after suturing, verteporfin was administrated intravenously and 1 hour later, the right eye (treated group) was exposed to a laser with a 689 nm wavelength, and the left eye was used as the control. The changes in CN were analyzed using biomicroscopy and optical microscopy in twelve rabbits. RESULTS: The mean percentages of the neovascular area in the control and treated groups were 96.4 +/- 1.9% and 90.3 +/- 3.5% (P=0.009) at three days after the PDT, 88.6 +/- 4.6% and 71.6 +/- 6.2% (P<0.001) at one week, and 76.8 +/- 4.4% and 43.6 +/- 15.1% (P<0.001) at two weeks, respectively. Optical microscopy showed significant differences between the control and treated group in terms of the area and number of CN (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PDT with verteporfin is a safe and effective procedure for regressing CN. However, a further study will be necessary.
Animals* ; Cornea ; Corneal Neovascularization* ; Microscopy ; Photochemotherapy* ; Rabbits ; Sutures

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiologic features of fibrothecoma of the ovary, which is a rare solid tumor originating from the ovarian sex cord-stroma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The radiologic findings of 29 patients with pathologically-proven fibrothecoma of the ovary were retrospectively evaluated for bilaterality, size, shape, margin, echogenecity, CT attenuation, signal intensity on magnetic resonance imaging, calcification, and amount of ascites. RESULTS: All fibrothecomas were unilateral, and had well defined margins. The diameter of the mass was 4-18(mean, 9.6)cms. Elghteen of 29 tumors were round or oval with a smooth margin, and eleven were lobulated. The internal architecture of the tumor was purely solid in 21 patients, predominantly solid in six, and pre-dominantly cystic in two. A broad spectrum of sonographic features was apparent, including a homogeneously hypoechoic mass (with posterior shadowing in four cases, and without posterior shadowing in ten), a homoge-neously hyperechoic mass in seven cases, an anechoic mass with septatations in two, and a mixed echoic mass in six. On precontrast CT scans, the mass was isodense to the uterine myometrium in eight of nine cases, while on postcontrast scans the lesion was slightly hypodense to the myometrium in seven cases and isodense in one. On T1-weighted MR images, nine of ten cases showed a relatively homogeneous low signal intensity, while on T2-weighted images, signal intensity was homogeneously low in two patients and predominantly low with focal high intensity in seven of the other eight. On gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images, most tu-mors showed slight heterogeneous enhancement. Calcifications were present in two cases, and in two others there was a large amount of ascites. CONCLUSION: The characteristic finding of ovarian fibrothecomas is a well-defined, oval or lobulated homoge-neously solid mass, which on CT scans enhances less than uterine myometrium and demonstrates a predomi-nantly low signal intensity on both T1- and T2-weighted images. However, a predominantly solid mass with cystic components or a predominantly cystic mass may also be presented.
Animals ; Ascites ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mice ; Myometrium ; Ovary ; Retrospective Studies ; Shadowing (Histology) ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: This study describes the CT findings of changes in the maxillary sinus after the Caldwell-Luc procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The maxillary sinus-related findings in 35 cases among 20 patients(17 cases in 10 males and 18 cases in 10 females)who had undrgone the Caldwell-Luc procedure mean 14.6 years earlier were reviewed. CT scans were obtained in the axial and coronal planes, with 5mm thickness. By means of the t test, changes in the size of the bony wall of the maxillary sinus, as well as antral volume change, were compared with the normal maxillary sinus group(41 male and 23 female cases). Males and females were compared separately, and surgical bony defect of nasolabial antrotomy and nasoantral window, fibroosseous proliferation, compartmentation and mucosal thickening of the postoperative maxillary sinus were evaluated, as were findings of chronic or recurrent maxillary sinusitis and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Naso-labial antrotomy was clearly identified in 27 of 35 cases, and irregular bony surface in the remaining eight, as were 27 bony defects and one irregular bony margin among a total of 28 cases of nasoantral window. Due to shortening of the height of the orbit, reductions in maxillary width, nasoantral communication width and anteroposterior diameter of the maxilla, and widening of the width of the inferior meatus, the maxillary sinus tended to become hypoplastic and centripetally contracted. Reduced cavitary volume of the maxillary sinus was noted(p<0.05), and fibro-osseous proliferation(n=29), compartmentation(n=11), and mu-cosal thickening(n=22) of the postoperative maxillary sinus were also seen. There were findings of chronic si-nusitis(n=22), as well as complications of postoperative mucocele(n=3) and oroantral fistula(n=2) of the maxillary sinus. CONCLUSION: The characteristic maxillary sinus-related findings seen after the Caldwell-Luc procedure are helpful in distinguishing postoperative change from recurrent paranasal diseases and resulting complications.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Maxilla ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Maxillary Sinusitis ; Orbit ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Postoperative Complications ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify stress levels due to end-of-life care, coping strategies, and psychological well-being among nurses in neonatal intensive care unit, and to investigate the effect of stress levels and coping strategies on their well-being. METHODS: A total of 128 nurses in the neonatal intensive care units of general hospitals in B city participated. The data were collected using a self-report questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, ANOVA, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression with SPSS version 22.0. RESULTS: The coping strategy that nurses most often used was seeking social support. The factors affecting the well-being of the participants were wishful thinking, problem-focused coping and seeking social support, in order. Those 3 variables explained 21 % of the total variance in psychological well-being. Problem-focused coping and seeking social support were positively associated with psychological well-being, while wishful thinking showed a negative association. CONCLUSION: In order to improve the psychological well-being of nurses in neonatal intensive care units, it is necessary to provide nurses with a program to build a social support system and to improve their problem-based coping skills.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Hospitals, General ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal* ; Stress, Psychological ; Terminal Care ; Thinking

Anaphylaxis is the most common systemic allergic reaction caused by bee stings. Delayed-type allergic reactions, including serum sickness, occur much less frequently. We report a 27-year-old man who developed serum sickness reaction nine days after multiple bee-stings. He had complained of erythematous skin rash, fever, arthralgia, myalgia and proteinuria. High specific IgE to bee venoms (honeybee, yellow jacket, yellow hornet) were observed by CAP system and C3, C4 and circulating immune complex levels measured by C1q binding assay showed normal values. We report a case of serum sickness reaction caused by multiple bee stings.
Adult ; Anaphylaxis ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Arthralgia ; Bee Venoms ; Bees ; Bites and Stings ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Insect Bites and Stings ; Myalgia ; Proteinuria ; Reference Values ; Serum Sickness* ; Wasps

BACKGROUND: Alcohol use is a major source of health problem. The social and economic costs related to alcohol use are enormous. Thus, alcohol use is a public health issue. Previous studies on alcohol use were based on hospitalized patients(especially alcoholics) or community subjects, but national survey is lacking. In this study, we describe alcohol use among the Koreans. METHODS: Household telephone survey was carried out using multistage stratified random sampling methods from April to May, 1997. fifteen to sixty-nine year old subjects were randomly selected from household and asked to report type, quantity and frequency of alcoholic beverage consumption. RESULTS: The prevalences of alcohol drinking during the last month were 64.0% for mea 37.8% for women and 64.7% for those in their and twenties, and it decreased with increasing age. In multivariate logistic regression model, men, the unmarried, those in their twenties, administrative and professional personnel were associated with higher prevalence of alcohol drinking. Proportions of Nearly daily drinker were 16.5% for men, 2.2% for women, and more than 20% for those in their forties and over and in creased with increasing age. Mean alcohol consumption was 56 grams for men, 12 grams for women Heavy drinkers, defined as average intake of 30 grams or more per day, were found in 23.4% of men and 2.4% of women.. The most widely consumed beverages were soju, beer and makuli. In multivariate logistic regression model, men, the unmarried, those in their twenties, and administrative and professional personnel were highly associated with heavy drinking. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalences of alcohol drinking during the last month was 49.0%. The proportion of heavy drinker was 11.4%. Men, the unmarried, those in their twenties, and administrative and professional personnel were highly associated with heave drinking. Therefore, efforts should be made to reduce heavy alcohol drinking among the risk groups.
Alcohol Drinking ; Alcoholic Beverages ; Beer ; Beverages ; Drinking ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Single Person ; Telephone

Systemic sclerosis as a connective tissue disease could affect all internal organs of the body and could also manifest as a cutaneous lesion. Cardiac involvement leading to cardiac manifestations in systemic sclerosis patients is not rare. However, cardiac amyloidosis combined with systemic sclerosis is extremely rare. Although there were no definite treatment options in this case, symptomatic treatment is the cornerstone of the management plan. In this case report, we described a correct diagnosis and symptomatic medical care of early reactive cardiac amyloidosis with systemic sclerosis and summarize the current state of the relevant literature.
Amyloidosis* ; Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Scleroderma, Systemic*

BACKGROUND: The signal pathways and their precise roles for acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by endotoxin (ETX) has not been established. Since there has been several in vitro experiments suggesting that activation of protein kinase C (PKC) pathway may be responsible for endotoxin-induced inflammatory reaction, we performed in vivo experiments in the rats with the hypothesis that PKC-inhibition can effectively prevent endotoxin-induced acute lung injury. METHODS: We studied the role of PKC in ETX-induced ALl using PKC inhibitor (staurosporine, 5Th) in the rat. Specific pathogen free male Sprague-Dawley weighted from 165 to 270g were used for the study. Animals were divided into the normal control (NC)-, vehicle control (VC)-, ETX-, PMA (phorbolmyristateacetate)-, STP+PMA-, and STP+ETX-group. PMA (50mg/kg) or ETX (7mg/kg) was instilled through polyethylen catheter after aseptic tracheostomy with and without STP (0.2mg/kg) pretreatment. STP was injected via tail vein 30mm before intratracheal injection (IT) of PMA or ETX. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was done 3- or 6-hrs after IT of PMA or FTX respectively, to measure protein concentration, total and differential cell counts. RESULTS The results were as follows. The protein concentrations in BALF in the PMA- and ETX-group were very higher than that of VC-group (p<0.001). When animals were pretreated with STP, the %reduction of the protein concentration in BALF was 64.8 8.5 and 30.4 2.5% in the STP+PMA- and STP+ETX-group, respectively (p=0.028). There was no difference in the total cell counts between the PMA-and VC-group (p = 0.26). However the ETX-group showed markedly increased total cell counts as compared to the VC- (p=0.003) and PMA group (p=0.0027), respectively. The total cell counts in BALF were not changed after pretreatment with STP compared to the PMA- (p=0.22) and ETX-group (p=0.46). The percentage of PMN, but not alveolar macrophage, was significantly elevated in the PMA-, and ETX-group. Especially in the ETX-group, the percentage of PMN was 17 times higher than that of PMA (p<0.001). The differential cell counts was not different between the PMA and STP+PMA. On the contrary the STP+ETX-group showed decreased percentage of PMN (p = 0.016). There was no significant relationship between the protein concentration and the total or differential cell counts in each group. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with PKC-inhibitor (staurosporine) partially but significantly inhibited ETX-in-duced ALI.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Catheters ; Cell Count ; Humans ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; Male ; Protein Kinase C* ; Protein Kinases* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Signal Transduction ; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms ; Staurosporine ; Tracheostomy ; Veins