The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the usefulness of intraoperative fine needle aspiration (FNA) of pancreatic lesions in 30 patients. A conclusive diagnosis was done in 27 patients and the diagnoses of three patients were deferred. No complications followed the procedure. Based on histologic findings of the resected specimens in 20 cases and of cell blocks in 10 cases, the final diagnoses were adenocarcinoma in 19 cases, chronic pancreatitis in nine cases and tuberculosis in two cases. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy were 95%, 100% and 96% resepectively and there were no false positives. The smear of aspirate was stained with toluidine blue and examined by light microscope. The presence of there-dimensional clusters of disoriented cells and the increased nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio with large prominent nucleoli were the most helpful criteria for a diagnosis of malignancy in the pancreas. The intraoperative FNA of pancreatic lesions was considered as a simple, safe, and highly specific and sensitive tool in differentiating benign from malignant lesions. The intraoperative FNA can be recommended as the first tool of choice of intraoperative diagnostic procedure in lesions of the pancreas.
Child ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Adenocarcinoma

The authors observed 5 cases with leukonychia striata caused by Trichophyton rubrum infection. They were 4 males and 1 female in the 28-32 years age group. In 4 of the 5 cases the lesions disappeared in 1-3 months with treatment-avulsion of the involved nails followed by oral griseofulvin 500mg/day, one case did not have follow-up observation.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Griseofulvin ; Humans ; Male ; Trichophyton*

BACKGROUND: The study was designed to provide a comprehensive comparison of the nerve conduction velocities(NCVs) and current perception thresholds(CPTs) in evaluating the clinical severity of diabetic neuropathy. METHODS: The seventy-eight individuals(mean age : 43.5 years, M:F = 40:38) with diabetes neuropathy of varying degrees of severity were selected after exclusion of any other potential causes of peripheral neuropathies or radiculopathies. Detailed, scored neurological symptoms(symptom score . 0-10) and physical examination(physical score : 0-48), emphasizing sensory assessment, were performed in all subjects. In addition, NCVs of motor and sensory nerves, CPTs at 5, 250, 2000Hz of the upper and lower extremities were determined. Non-parametric correlation analysis(Spearman rho) was performed as a measure of association of symptoms and physical score with the various electrodiagnostic variables. RESULTS: Correlations between physical scores(PS) and symptom scores(55) and NCVs were significant. In most parameters, but their values of coefficients were relatively weak(rho = 0.12-0.41), particularly for the correlations of symptom scores with the motor NCVs. But, correlations of the 55 and PS with CPTs were higher than with NCVs[rho(ss): 0.25-0.38, rho(PS) : 0.32-0.60]. The correlations between PS and subgroups of CPTs were significant, but those between SS, PS and NCV were insignificant. Among the 3 types of frequencies, CPTs at 5Hz was the most effective discriminator in the lowest physical and symptom scores. CONCLUSIONS: CPT measurements were more effective as discriminators of both symptomatic and physical status than NCV measurements. So, the supplementary use of CPT testing may improve the quantitative assessment of this condition.
Diabetic Neuropathies* ; Lower Extremity ; Neural Conduction ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Radiculopathy

A simple, rapid and selective liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is developed and validated for quantification of venlafaxine in human plasma with simple liquid-liquid extraction step consisted of extraction with ether and dichloromethane for 10 min and mixing with 1 M sodium acetate in human plasma using fluoxetine as an internal standard (IS). The analyte are separated using an isocratic mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 5 mM ammonium formate (4/3, v/v) on a isocratic YMC hydrosphere C18 (2.0x50.0 mm, 3.0 microm) column and analyzed by MS/MS in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using the transitions of respective [M+H](+) ions, m/z 278.2-->260.3 and m/z 310.1-->148.1 for quantification of venlafaxine and IS, respectively. The standard calibration curves showed good linearity within the range of 1.0-200.0 ng/mL (r2=0.9986, 1/chi2 weighting). The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 1.0 ng/mL. The retention times of venlafaxine and IS were 0.6 min and 0.7 min that means the potential for the high-throughput potential of the proposed method. In addition, no significant metabolic compounds were found to interfere with the analysis. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for the concentrations over the standard curve range. The validated method was successfully applied to bioequivalence study after 75-mg of venlafaxine sustained-release (SR) capsule in 24 healthy Korean subjects.
Ammonium Compounds ; Calibration ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Ether ; Fluoxetine ; Humans ; Ions ; Liquid-Liquid Extraction ; Methylene Chloride ; Pharmacokinetics ; Plasma* ; Sodium Acetate ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Therapeutic Equivalency* ; Venlafaxine Hydrochloride

Teratogenic effects of a diphenylhydantoin on the neurulation of the explanted early chick embryos were studied using the punched-out filter paper explantation technique. The 6th to 9th Hamburger and Hamilton staged chick embryos were explanted and cultured in the Ham's F-10 media treated with 15 microgram/ml, 30 microgram/ml, 60 microgram/ml, 90 microgram/ml, 120 microgram/ml of diphenylhydantoin in the CO2 incubator for 6-9 hours. The morphological chracteristics and the ultrastructural changes of the neuroepithelium of early chick embryos were compared with the control and experimental group using the stereomicroscope and the electron microscope. Of th 40 chick embryos cultured in the Ham's F-10 media without drug, 37 embryos(92.5%) developed normally and 3 embryos(7.5%) developed abnormally in 94 embryos(61.4%). The frequent anomalous features of the embryos were deformities of the neural folds in the cranial regions, failure of neural tube closure, dispersion of somites and developmental arrest. The scanning electron microscopic findings of neuropithelial cells of abnormally developed embryos were diminished surface blebs and microvilli, flattened and smooth cellular surfaces, and irregular size of cells. The transmission electron microscopic findings of neuroepithelial cells of abnormally developed embryos showed no significant changes of the development of intracellular organelles except the smooth cellular surface and mild underdevelopment of microfilaments.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Animals ; Blister ; Chick Embryo* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Embryonic Structures ; Incubators ; Microvilli ; Neural Crest ; Neural Tube ; Neuroepithelial Cells ; Neurulation* ; Organelles ; Phenytoin* ; Somites

Congenital M llerian anomalies of uterus are so infrequently encountered and endometriosis, primary infertility, hematometra, and urinary tract anomalies are claimed to be common complaints in women with unicornuate uterus. We report one case of rudimentary horn associated with agenesis of right kidney and pelvic endometriosis which is presented with brief review of literature about anomaly of the female genital tract.
Animals ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Hematometra ; Horns* ; Humans ; Infertility ; Kidney* ; Urinary Tract ; Uterus

Neurofibromatosis type I is one of the most common autosomal dominant disorders, characterized by cafe au-lait spots, axillary freckling, Lisch nodules in the iris, multiple neurofibromas and the bone involvement with pseudoarthrosis, and the bowing of long bones. Also, osteogenesis imperfecta type I is one of the common disorders of connective tissues with autosomal dominant inheritance, characterized by osteoporosis, osseous fragility with multiple fractures, blue sclerae, deafness and imperfect dentinogenesis. Although both diseases have autosomal dominant inheritance, there have been no reports of patients with combined diseases. This case is to represent a patient of ostogenesis imperfecta type I and neurofibromatosis type I combined with familial inheritance referring to medical documents.
Connective Tissue ; Deafness ; Dentinogenesis ; Humans ; Iris ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Neurofibromatosis 1* ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta* ; Osteogenesis* ; Osteoporosis ; Pseudarthrosis ; Sclera ; Wills

BACKGROUND: Ichthyosis is the name of a group of disorders characterized by a generalized, persistent, non-inflammatory scaling disorder of the skin. Filaggrin is an intermediate filament associated protein which functions to aggregate keratin intermediate filaments in the stratum corneum of mamrnalian epidermis. It is synthesized as a large precursor protein, profilaggrin, that consists of multiple filaggrin units and is localized in keratohyalin granules(KHG). Some reports elucidated the pathogenetic role of filaggrin in ichthyosis, especially autosomal-dominant ichthyosis(ADI). OBJECTIVE: We conducted an immunohistochemical study in order to observe the relationship between clinical phenotypes of various ichthyosiform dermatoses and the exprassion of filaggrin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinically and histopathologically proven ADI, lamellar exfoliation of the newborn, lamellar ichthyosis, epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, and acquired ichthyosis cases were included in this study. Using monoclonal mouse anti-human filaggrin antibodies, an immunohisto-chemical study was performed with formalin-fixed, parraffin-embedded involved skin tissues via the ABC technique. RESULTS: Filaggrin was staind linearly or in a punctuate pattern along the granular cell layer of the normal epidermis. The expression of the filaggrin was decreased or partly absent in the skin tissue of ADI in accordance with the changes of KHGs. Similar immunoreactivities with filaggrin antibodies were noted in the skin of acquired ichthyosis. In lamellar exfoliation of the newborn, filaggrin was staineil from the stratum granulosum to the mid-layer of the stratum corneum with basket-weave byperkeratosis. Filaggrin was intensely and focally labelled in the normal acrosyringium of the lamellar ichthyosis from the granular layer to the mid horney layer. A decreased positive immunorcactivity was observed in the interfollicular stratum granulosum. A strong immunoreactivity was noted in the area with relatively normal KHGs of epidermolytic hyperker atosis, and a decreased l membranous staning pattern was observed in the layer with degenerated vacuolar KHGs. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that decreased expression of filaggin may play a causative role in the pathogenesis of ADI. However in lamellar exfoliation of the newborn, lamellar ichthyosis, epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, and acquired ichhtyosis, the altered expression of filaggrin must reflect the changes of KHGs in the stratum granulosum.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Hyperkeratosis, Epidermolytic ; Ichthyosis ; Ichthyosis, Lamellar ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant, Newborn ; Intermediate Filaments ; Mice ; Phenotype ; Skin ; Skin Diseases*

PURPOSE: Acute symptomatic seizure is defined as a temporary seizure together with acute systemic, metabolic, or toxic insult in association with an acute central nervous system insult. And unprovoked seizure is defined as seizure without provocating factors. We studied the risk factors of unprovoked seizures after acute symptomatic seizure in children. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of one hundred and ten children with acute symptomatic seizures who were admitted to the pediatric department of Chungbuk National University Hospital between January, 1998 and December, 2003. We analyzed overall risk factors of unprovoked seizures after acute symptomatic seizures involving etiology, incidence, type of seizure, duration and neuroimaging. RESULTS: We analyzed records of 110 children with acute symptomatic seizures aged from 1 month to 17 years. 24 children had unprovoked seizures (21.8%) after acute symptomatic seizures. Causes in order of frequency were encephalopathy, central nervous system infection, brain tumor, cerebrovascular disease. The risk of unprovoked seizure was significantly greater for those with status epilepticus (68.4%) than without status epilepticus, with partial seizure (64.7%) than generalized seizure. And the risk of unprovoked seizure was strongly associated with abnormal finding of electroencephalogram (79.1%) and neuroimaging (41.6%). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the leading cause of subsequent unprovoked seizure in children with acute symptomatic seizure was encephalopathy and age specific incidence was high in the group aged 24-72 months. The risk for subsequent unprovoked seizure was greater for those with partial seizure, status epilepticus, abnormal finding of neuroimaging and electroencephalography.
Brain Neoplasms ; Central Nervous System ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Child* ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neuroimaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Seizures* ; Status Epilepticus

PURPOSE: Acute symptomatic seizure is defined as a temporary seizure together with acute systemic, metabolic, or toxic insult in association with an acute central nervous system insult. And unprovoked seizure is defined as seizure without provocating factors. We studied the risk factors of unprovoked seizures after acute symptomatic seizure in children. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of one hundred and ten children with acute symptomatic seizures who were admitted to the pediatric department of Chungbuk National University Hospital between January, 1998 and December, 2003. We analyzed overall risk factors of unprovoked seizures after acute symptomatic seizures involving etiology, incidence, type of seizure, duration and neuroimaging. RESULTS: We analyzed records of 110 children with acute symptomatic seizures aged from 1 month to 17 years. 24 children had unprovoked seizures (21.8%) after acute symptomatic seizures. Causes in order of frequency were encephalopathy, central nervous system infection, brain tumor, cerebrovascular disease. The risk of unprovoked seizure was significantly greater for those with status epilepticus (68.4%) than without status epilepticus, with partial seizure (64.7%) than generalized seizure. And the risk of unprovoked seizure was strongly associated with abnormal finding of electroencephalogram (79.1%) and neuroimaging (41.6%). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the leading cause of subsequent unprovoked seizure in children with acute symptomatic seizure was encephalopathy and age specific incidence was high in the group aged 24-72 months. The risk for subsequent unprovoked seizure was greater for those with partial seizure, status epilepticus, abnormal finding of neuroimaging and electroencephalography.
Brain Neoplasms ; Central Nervous System ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Child* ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neuroimaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Seizures* ; Status Epilepticus