We reviewed 92 eyes(65 patients) of diffuse diabetic macular edema which were treated with grid laser photocoagulation and followed up for more than 4 months from March 1992 to March 1997. There were improvements of visual acuity in 24 eyes(26.1%)and non changes in 50 eyes(54.3%), and 18 eyes(19.6%) showed worsened visual acuity. Initial visual acuity, presence of clinically significant macular edema and severity of retinopathy had not significant effects on visual outcome(P>0.05). Patients with grid photocoahulation without panretinal photocoagulation showed significantly good results than panretinal photocoagulation before or after grid photocoagulation(p<0.05).
Humans ; Light Coagulation* ; Macular Edema* ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND: Exercise intensity may induce changes in inflammatory markers and adipocytokines. However, it is not clear whether acute exercise-induced change to adiponenctin is associated with inflammatory markers and other adipocytokines in obese middle-aged individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acute aerobic exercise on circulating adipocytokines and inflammatory markers in obese middle-aged women. METHODS: Using a crossover design, 10 obese middle-aged women (aged 48.4+/-5.1 years; body mass index 29.6+/-2.9 kg/m2) exercised on the treadmill at different durations and velocities at 60% and 80% maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) in order to equalize energy expenditure (400 kcal). Blood samples were drawn to measure glucose, insulin, fibrinogen, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and adiponectin concentrations. RESULTS: Glucose, fibrinogen, and hsCRP increased significantly (P<0.05) after exercise whereas homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance decreased significantly (P<0.05). Adiponectin, leptin, and TNF-alpha levels did not change significantly at immediate postexercise, and there were also no significant time x intensity interactions for all variables. The percentage change in adiponectin concentration from baseline to the end of exercise correlated with the percentage change in leptin concentration (r=-0.642, P<0.05) with 60% VO2max exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that, in obese middle-aged women, neither 60% nor 80% VO2max exercise alters adiponectin concentration, in spite of the changes to insulin resistance and inflammatory markers. However, after acute moderate exercise, adiponectin concentration may be associated with the change in leptin levels.
Adipokines ; Adiponectin ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cross-Over Studies ; Energy Metabolism ; Exercise ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Glucose ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Leptin ; Obesity ; Oxygen Consumption ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

This study was designed to observe morphological changes of the renal cortex and medulla of the rat kidneys after intravenous Escherichia coli injection following unilateral ureteral ligation. A total of 105 white rats weighing about 180-200g were used in the experiments. Animals were divided into 3 groups: Escherichia coli injection without ureteral ligation (Group I), unilateral ureteral ligation without intravenous Escherichia coli injection (Group II), and intravenous Escherichia coli injection following unilateral ureteral ligation (Group III). Each group consists of 35 rats. In group I, each rat was injected with about 2 X 10 8 Escherichia coli through the tail vein. In group II, each rat was ligated on the left ureter with silk ligature completely. In group III, each left ureter was ligated and 2 X 10 8 Escherichia coli was injected through the vein of rat tail. Kidneys were obtained 4 hour, 1, 3, 5, 7 days, 2 and 4 weeks after injection of E. coli or ligation of ureter. Specimen of the left kidneys were observed with light microscopy stained with hematoxylin-eosin. 1. In group I, pyelonephritis developed from the 3rd day to the 7th day, after intravenous injection of E. coli, After the 7th day pyelonephritis tended to heal spontaneously. 2. In group II, pyelonephritis developed on the 3rd day after ureteral ligation and inflammatory changes were aggravated progressively thereafter. 3. In group III. renal inflammatory changes were more severe and it progressed faster than in group II. 4. In group II and III, the inflammatory changes were more severe in the renal medulla than in the cortex.
Animals ; Escherichia coli ; Injections, Intravenous ; Kidney* ; Ligation* ; Microscopy ; Pyelonephritis ; Rats* ; Silk ; Ureter* ; Veins

During 1964 to 1967, a survey of 30,534 persons for filariasis was made on all over the country with the following results: Among 24,816 draftees from all over the country in the army recruitment camp 155(0.63 %) were found infected with Brugia malayi. Cheju Do showed the highest microfilaria rate(3.5 %), North Kyongsang Do(1.4 %) the next and South Cholla Do(1.2 %) the third. Blood films from 2,308 inhabitants were examined and 407(17.6 %) showed microfilaria in Cheju Do. 30(3.1 %) out of 974 inhabitants in North Kyongsang Do were found to be infected. The microfilaria rates were 2.0 per cent for 400 inhabitants of Chindo island in South Cholla Do. However, no positive case of microfilaria was found in the inhabitants of Kokumdo among 1,820 persons examined in South Cholla Do and of Namhae island(among 165 persons examined) in South Kyongsang Do. The mean microfilarial density per 20 cu. mm of blood was 52.6 in the inhabitants of Cheju Do, 12.2 in North Kyongsang Do and 27.3 in Chindo island(South Cholla Do). Any distinct relationship between the incidence of positive cases of microfilariae and age or sex of the cases was not observed in Cheju Do. However, in Norh Kyongsang Do and South Cholla Do the microfilaria rate of the male group is higher than the one of the female group of the inhabitants. From the above survey results it turned out that filariasis was found throughout Southern Korea except Kyonggi Do and South Kyongsang Do. A total 30,534 persons examined, 601(2.0 %) were found to be infected by Brugia malayi. Therefore, it seems that there are some endemic foci of malayian filariasis in three main areas such as North Kyongsang Do, South Cholla Do and Cheju Do.
parsitology-helminth-nematoda-Brugia malayi ; filariasis ; epidemiology ; Army

No abstract available.
Congenital Abnormalities* ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing*

Isolated and severe left main coronary ostial stenosis is a rare case. In the majority of these patients ostial stenosis was associated with any of the conditions known to involve the coronary ostia. These conditions include syphilitic aortitis, Takayasu's aortitis, familial hypercholesterolemia, and aortic valve disease. A 34-year young female patient was presented with exertional and stabbing anterior chest pain. There was no history of syphilis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and smoking. Coronary angiogram showed isolated left main coronary ostial stenosis. Transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) showed acute angle takeoff of the left main coronary artery. She underwent surgical angioplasty of coronary ostia with a patch of autologous pericardium. After angioplasty, TEE showed dilatation of left main coronary ostium and her clinical symptom improved.
Angioplasty ; Aortic Valve ; Aortitis ; Chest Pain ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Coronary Vessels ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dilatation ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II ; Hypertension ; Pericardium ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Syphilis ; Syphilis, Cardiovascular

No abstract available.
Autoantibodies* ; DNA*

This is a rare case of cerebral metastasis from malignant fibrous histiocytoma(MFH) of the soft tissue. A 62-year-old man underwent craniotomy for resection of multiple intracerebral masses under the impression of metastatic brain tumor with unknown primary site. Preoperative investigation failed to detect any extracranial lesion. At six months after the operation and whole brain radiotherapy, right shoulder mass was detected to grow and excised. Specimen from the brain and shoulder lesions revealed identical pathological findings of malignant fibrous histiocytoma except existence of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)-positive cells only in brain lesions. Palliative radiotherapy was performed for subsequently developing metastatic lesions in skeletal system. At twelve months after initial diagnosis recurrent lesion at right shoulder was detected and chemotherapy is given. This case is unique because metastatic brain lesion from MFH is rare and also cerebral metastasis as an initial manifestaion of MFH has not been reported before. Another important finding is that there was expression of GFAP only in brain lesions but not in extracranial primary site lesion. Although the presence of GFAP-positive cells is thought as one of characteristic histological findings of primary intracrainal MFH, our observation supports the hypothesis that GFAP-positive cells in primary intracranial MFH may be nonneoplastic astrocytes secondarily involved by MFH.
Astrocytes ; Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Craniotomy ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Radiotherapy ; Shoulder

No abstract available.
Hip* ; Pyomyositis*

Variable manifestations of neurofibromatosis are properly defined as a hereditary, harmatomatous disorder, probably of neural crest origin, involving not only neuroectoderm and mesoderm but also endoderm, with the potential of appearing in any organ system of the body. Recently, we have experienced 3 cases of neurofibromatosis, one case associated with glioblastoma multiforme in left frontal lobe, another case associated with multiple neurofibromas in thoracic region and cauda equina, the third case associated with retroperitoneal neurofibroma and dural ectasia.
Cauda Equina ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Endoderm ; Frontal Lobe ; Glioblastoma ; Mesoderm ; Neural Crest ; Neural Plate ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses*