No abstract available.
Electrocardiography* ; Humans ; Pharynx* ; Sensation*

No abstract available.
Malingering*

No abstract available.
Otitis Externa*

No abstract available.
Head* ; Myocutaneous Flap* ; Neck*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis*

This study investigated the effects of vitamin C supplementation on the nutritional iron status of 31 adolescent girls, aged 12-15 years, with low hemoglobin levels. They were randomly divided into four groups, and for two groups daily150 mg or 900 mg of L-ascorbic acid(AsA) was given in three equal doses at three meals during 9 weeks. To another group daily 60 mg iron as ferrous sulfate was given in the same way as AsA. The control group was given sugar placebo. Body iron status was monitored through the determination of Hb, Hct, MCHC, and serum ferritin concentrations. Dietary AsA and iron intakes were measured from food consumption surveys performed by 3-day 24-hour recalls. The amount of absorbed iron was estimated from the model of Monsen et al. The average amounts of food iron for four groups were 12.3- 15.0 mg and 11.1 - 18.9 mg at initial and at final period of the supplementation trial, respectively. The tentatively estimated amount of absorbed iron was significantly increased in the 900 mg AsA and iron supplementing groups, but not in the 150 mg AsA and placebo groups. Both Hb and MCHC were improved to above normal levels in all groups except the placebo group. Hct was elevated only in the AsA 900 mg group whose Hct was relatively lower than the other groups. Serum ferritin concentrations of the four groups, which were as low as 8.50 - 14.39ng/mL on average at the intial periods, augmented significantly to 20.18ng/mL and 26.63ng/mL in the 900 mg AsA and iron groups, respectively. Serum ferritin was not elevated in either the AsA 300 mg group or the placebo group. The above data indicated that the daily supplementaion of 150 mg AsA to the meals containing 12-15 mg iron per day promoted Hb levels of adolescent girls with low Hb, and the 900 mg AsA supplementing improved not only Hb level but also body iron store. A supplementation of 60 mg iron per day appeared to be slightly more effective in improving the iron status in comparison to the 900 mg AsA supplement.
Adolescent* ; Ascorbic Acid* ; Female* ; Ferritins ; Humans ; Iron* ; Meals ; Vitamins*

No abstract available.
Amino Acid Sequence* ; HIV* ; Phenotype*

Benzene and toluene, which are widely used aromatic hydrocarbons in workplace, are recently proved to cause health hazards due to their toxic effects. This study investigated the influence of toluene on the urinary excretion of benzene metabolite by administering short term exposure limit(STEL) of these compounds(i.e., 13.8mg/kg of benzene and 108.8mg/kg of toluene) intraperitoneally into Sprague-Dawley rats. After administration, urinary phenol concentration of rat was measured by gas chromatography for every three hours. Data were analyzed by non-parametric statistical methods using Kruskal-Wallis multi-sample test and Mann-Whitney U test. The following results were obtained: 1. Administration of STFL-benzene increased urinary phenol concentration in rats. 2. Urinary phenol concentration was increased logarithmically according to the dosage of benzene. 3. Excretion of phenol in urine was decreased when benzene and toluene were administered simultaneously compared with administering benzene alone. In Summary, these results reveal that administration of STEL of toluene has antagonistic effect of urinary excretion of benzene metabolite in rats.
Animals ; Benzene* ; Chromatography, Gas ; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Metabolism* ; Phenol ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Threshold Limit Values ; Toluene

BACKGROUND: The skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) exhibits a striking susceptibility to colonization with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Superantigens produced by S. aureus and their specific IgE antibodies are thought to be important precipitating factors of AD, but there are few reports evaluating these 2 factors at the same time, particularly in adult AD patients. OBJECTS: Our purpose was to investigate the differences in the culture degree of S. aureus from the lesion, non-lesion, and control group of child and adult AD patients, to research the correlation between the exotoxin production, total IgE, anti-SEA IgE and the disease severity by SCORAD index, to ascertain the differences between child and adult AD patients. METHODS: The clinical severity of 30 child (2 to 15 years of age) and 30 adult patients (16 to 40 years of age) with AD was evaluated by using SCORAD index. S. aureus was isolated from lesional and non-lesional skin of AD patients, and from healthy controls. Staphylococcal exotoxins were detected by using reversed passive latex agglutination toxin detection kits. Anti-SEA IgE antibody was determined by using AlaSTATt assay RESULTS: S. aureus colonizations were found in 11 (36.7%) of the lesional skin, in 5 (16.7%) of the non-lesional skin of 30 child AD patients, and in 26 (86.7%), in 20 (66.7%) of 30 adult AD patients, respectively. The colonization rates of S. aureus in child patients were much lower than those in adult patients, both form lesional skin and non-lesional skin. Staphylococcal exotoxins were detected in 5 (45.5%) of the 11 colonizations from lesional skin, in 2 (40%) of the 5 colonizations from non-lesional skin of children, and in 10 (38.5%) of the 26 colonizations, in 9 (45%) of the 20 colonizations of adults, respectively. Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) was most frequently detected in both groups. S. aureus colonization was correlated with the severity of AD in childhood, but not in adulthood. However, there were no statistical significances between severity of AD and others such as exotoxin production, and the level of total IgE and anti-SEA IgE in both groups. CONCLUSION: The colonization of S. aureus was more common in adult AD patients than child AD patients. Anti-SEA IgE level was much higher in adult AD patients than in child AD patients. It is tempting to speculate that the colonization of S. aureus and exotoxin production might be related to the disease. duration rather than clinical severity of AD.
Adult ; Agglutination ; Antibodies ; Child ; Colon ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Enterotoxins* ; Exotoxins* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Latex ; Precipitating Factors ; Skin ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Strikes, Employee ; Superantigens

We herein report a 4-year-old boy with infantile digital fibrornatosis developing on the distal & middle phalanx portion of the right index & ring fingers, and the middle phalanx portion of the right middle finger, which started at the age of 5 months after birth. Biopsy specimen taken from the right middle finger showed the proliferating collagen bundles and fibroblasts in the dermis and eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions within the fibroblasts. Although we attempted to treat tbe patient with intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide suspension and cryotherapy 5 times biweekly, there was no signifit effect.
Biopsy ; Child, Preschool ; Collagen ; Cryotherapy ; Dermis ; Eosinophils ; Fibroblasts ; Fibroma* ; Fingers ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Injections, Intralesional ; Male ; Parturition ; Triamcinolone Acetonide