No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Echocardiography*

Extra-capsular synovial chondroma is a rare condition in which metaplastic cartilaginous mass is formed by the cartilage nodule within the synovial connective tissue break through the joint capsule and continue to proliferate. The authors have experienced a case of giant extracapsular synovial chondroma, affecting the knee joint of 54 years old woman. A case of giant extra-capsular synovial chondroma is reported with brief review of literature.
Cartilage ; Chondroma ; Connective Tissue ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Capsule ; Knee Joint ; Knee

The origins of medullary carcinoma and papillary carcinoma of thyroid are embryologically different. We report a case of simultaneous occurrence of medullary carcinoma and papillary carcinoma of the thyroid in the same thyroid gland. In this case, the occurrence of the two tumors may be a coincidence, does not have embryological or genetical significance.
Carcinoma, Medullary ; Carcinoma, Papillary* ; Thyroid Gland*

STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed the segmental mobility of the lumbar spine after anterior stabilization in the thoracolumbar spinal fractures, and the data were compared with those obtained from an asymptomatic control group. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of anterior stabilization on the unfused segments of the lumbar spine. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Spinal fusions are commenly used to stabilize unstable motion segments and to help the maintenance of correction afforded by the instrumentation applied in surgery for spinal deformity or injuries. How the presence of the fusion effects upon the remaining infused spine is not well understood. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We measured the segmental deformations of the lumbar spine radiologically, from maximum flexion to maximum extension, right and left maximum lateral bending, in 20 asymptomatic volunteers( the control group ) and 30 patients who had the anterior stabilization of the thoracolumbar spinal fractures(the study group). We assessed the percentage of segmental deformations which were obtained by multipling one hundred after the segmental deformation value was divided by the total lumbar deformation value. We made the comparison between the White and Panjabi's results and the control group, between the control group and the study group, between the segmental deformations and the percentage of segmental deformations. RESULTS: In the control group , the segmental deformations were smaller than those of the corresponding segmenus in the White and Panjabi's results. In the flexion-extension rotation of the lumbarspine, the segmental deformations had a tendency to increase from cephalad to caudal in the controland study group. In the residual lumbar spinal mobility, the segmental deformations of the study group had decreased rather than those of the control group. Especially the segmental deformation below the juxtafused segment had increased more than those of the corresponding segment of the control group in the right lateral bending rotation. The residual lumbar spinal mobility tended to decrease from T12 vertebral stabilization to L2 vertebral stabilization. CONCLUSION: The unfused segments had accommodated a greater percentage of segmental deformations in spite of diminishing the segmental deformations in comparison with those of the corresponding control subjects. It suggests that the greater percentage of segmental deformations predisposes to early degeneration of unfused segments.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Humans ; Spinal Fractures* ; Spinal Fusion ; Spine

No abstract available.
Animals ; Liver* ; Rats*

We report a case of Fournier's gangrene following long-term use of an unqualified vacuum erection device in a 40-year-old man.
Adult ; Fournier Gangrene* ; Humans ; Male ; Penis* ; Scrotum* ; Vacuum*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Antibody Formation* ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Mice* ; Poly I-C*

No abstract available.
Captopril* ; Child* ; Humans ; Nephrotic Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Captopril* ; Child* ; Humans ; Nephrotic Syndrome*

Beta-lapachone (beta-Lap; 3,4-dihydro-2, 2-dimethyl-2H-naphthol[1, 2-b]pyran-5,6-dione) is a novel anti-cancer drug under phase I/II clinical trials. beta-Lap has been demonstrated to cause apoptotic and necrotic death in a variety of human cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The mechanisms underlying the beta-Lap toxicity against cancer cells has been controversial. The most recent view is that beta-Lap, which is a quinone compound, undergoes two-electron reduction to hydroquinone form utilizing NAD(P)H or NADH as electron source. This two-electron reduction of beta-Lap is mediated by NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), which is known to mediate the reduction of many quinone compounds. The hydroquinone forms of beta-Lap then spontaneously oxidizes back to the original oxidized beta-Lap, creating futile cycling between the oxidized and reduced forms of beta-Lap. It is proposed that the futile recycling between oxidized and reduced forms of beta-Lap leads to two distinct cell death pathways. First one is that the two-electron reduced beta-Lap is converted first to one-electron reduced beta-Lap, i.e., semiquinone beta-Lap (SQ).- causing production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which then causes apoptotic cell death. The second mechanism is that severe depletion of NAD(P)H and NADH as a result of futile cycling between the quinone and hydroquinone forms of beta-Lap causes severe disturbance in cellular metabolism leading to apoptosis and necrosis. The relative importance of the aforementioned two mechanisms, i.e., generation of ROS or depletion of NAD(P)H/NADH, may vary depending on cell type and environment. Importantly, the NQO1 level in cancer cells has been found to be higher than that in normal cells indicating that beta-Lap may be preferentially toxic to cancer cells relative to non-cancer cells. The cellular level of NQO1 has been found to be significantly increased by divergent physical and chemical stresses including ionizing radiation. Recent reports clearly demonstrated that beta-Lap and ionizing radiation kill cancer cells in a synergistic manner. Indications are that irradiation of cancer cells causes long-lasting elevation of NQO1, thereby sensitizing the cells to beta-Lap. In addition, beta-Lap has been shown to inhibit the repair of sublethal radiation damage. Treating experimental tumors growing in the legs of mice with irradiation and intraperitoneal injection of beta-Lap suppressed the growth of the tumors in a manner more than additive. Collectively, beta-Lap is a potentially useful anti-cancer drug, particularly in combination with radiotherapy.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Benzoquinones ; Cell Death ; Electrons ; Humans ; Hydroquinones ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Leg ; Mice ; NAD ; Naphthoquinones ; Necrosis ; Radiation Tolerance ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Recycling ; Substrate Cycling