No abstract available.
Dyskeratosis Congenita*

Compression of the left renal vein (LRV) between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta has been termed the nutcracker syndrome. The entrapment of the left renal vein is not easily detectable by ordinary diagnostic procedures. We report 2 cases of the nutcracker syndrome with symptoms ( / ) diagnosed by phlebography and pressure measurement. In both cases, no remarkable findings were obtained from medical history and physical examination. Profuse collaterals from a left renal vein in one case with no symptom were observed in venous phase of renal angiography. In the other case, recurrent left flank pain and microscopic hematuria developed. In both cases, the diagnosis of "nutcracker phenomenon" was presumed by renal venography with measurement of pressure gradient between left renal vein and inferior vena cava. Awareness of the pathophysiology of the nutcracker syndrome ensures an early diagnosis. New diagnostic modalities are demanded for atypical cases.
Angiography ; Aorta ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Flank Pain ; Hematuria ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Phlebography ; Physical Examination ; Renal Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior

As a adjuvant, 99m Tc-IDA complex cholescintigraphy has been used to differentiate the causes of jaundice,hepatocellular jaundice from the obstructive jaundice. So we conducted the retrospective study from the 41 casesof cholescintigraphy from the Mar, 83 to Sept. 84 at the Dept. of radiology in the Sonnchyunhyang university todetermine the etiology and differential points in the diagnosing the Jaundice. The following results wereobtainend; 1. As a 1st-ordered parameter, the leading edge hepatic parenchymal transit time was very significant in differentiating the causes of jaundice, among the hepatocellular jaundice, obstructive jaundice due to tumor,and obstructive jaundice due to cholelithiasis. (P<0.01 by X2-test) 2. As a 2nd-ordered parameter, hepaticclearance was very significant in differentiating the hepatocellular jaundice from the jaundice due to partialbiliary obstruction. (P>0.01 by t-test) 3. The difference in hepatic clearance between the biliary obstruction dueto tumor and that of the cholelithiasis, was not significant. (P>0.05 by X2-test) 4. The difference in bile ductdilatation among the hepatocellular jaundice obstructive jaundice due to tumor, and obstructive jaundice due tocholelithiasis, was singnificant in differentiating the causes of jaundice. (P<0.05 by X2-test) 5. Intrahepaticstone showed scintigraphic pooling with partial stasis. 6. Cholescintigraphy was useful to differentiated the Rotor's syndrome from the Dubin-Johnson syndrome, supplying the additional criteria.
Bile ; Cholelithiasis ; Jaundice ; Jaundice, Chronic Idiopathic ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether there is a significant effect of growth hormone(GH) treatment with diet and exercise over the diet and exercise alone in obese non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM). METHOD: Twenty obese NIDDM adults were studied. We measured the body weight, body composition and exercise capacity before and after 12 weeks of treatment program. The subjects were assigned in a double-blind manner either to the diet, aerobic exercise with placebo treatment group(group A) or to the diet, aerobic exercise with GH treatment group(group B) for twenty-week period. Two groups were compared for the demographic data. RESULTS: After 12-weeks of treatment program, each group showed a significant weight loss (group A: 8.54+/-2.29 kg vs group B: 7.14+/-2.99 kg) than before the treatment, however there was no significant weight loss between two groups. After 12-weeks, the fat fraction of body weight loss was significantly higher in group B than group A(0.80+/-0.40%kg versus 0.55+/-0.30%kg). After 12-weeks, the maximal oxygen consumption was similarly increased in both groups(23.75% in the group A versus 29.2% in the group B). After 12-weeks, the peak torque was similarly increased in both groups(9.7% in the group A versus 17.3% in the group B). After 12-weeks, the endurance was similarly increased in both groups(10.1% in the group A versus 8.1% in the group B). CONCLUSION: Both group A and B showed a significant weight loss and resulted in a comparable gain in the muscle strength, endurance, and maximal oxygen consumption. The addition of GH in a low dose to a the calorie-restricted diet and aerobic exercise resulted in a significant fat loss especially around the visceral area.
Adult ; Body Composition ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diet* ; Exercise ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Muscle Strength ; Obesity ; Oxygen Consumption ; Torque ; Weight Loss

No abstract available.
Humans ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

No abstract available.
Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the compatability of high school students' desks and chairs to the fittness of their physique, to examine the factors related the posture and pain while they use the classroom desks and chairs, and to analyze the curvature of spine in sitting position. METHOD: Measurements of the dimensions of desks and chairs and a written survey to question students' habits regarding to the usage of classroom desks and chairs along with the physical examinations of spine including the analysis of spine curvature in sitting position with an electrogoniometer. RESULTS: Seven hundred forty nine among 831 male students, and 1,017 among 1,074 female students, complained of discomforts associated with the usage of classroom desks and chiairs. An examination of spine in sitting position using an electrogoniometer showed that both male and female subjects displayed the spine curvatures in the order of thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and scoliosis. All subjects displayed pain in the order of low back(38.8%), posterior neck(23.9%), shoulder and elbow joints(15.8%), and buttock(15.7%). CONCLUSION: The study revealed an urgent need for the adaptation of classroom desks and chairs according to the growing physique of the adolescents. A majority of the teenaged subjects experienced the discomfort from the use of improper funiture and a poor posture. Authors highly recommend a formal education to the students regarding the importance of proper posture and the usage of adjustable desks and chairs.
Adolescent* ; Animals ; Education ; Elbow ; Female ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Lordosis ; Male ; Physical Examination ; Posture ; Scoliosis ; Shoulder ; Spine

Pregnolone[5beta-pregnan-3alpha-ol-one(5beta3alpha)] and allopregnanolone [(5alpha-pregnan-3alpha-ol-20-one(5alpha3alpha))] are neuroactive steroids that are reduced metabolites of progesterone. It was reported that Neuroactive steroids may have anxiolytic and anticonvulsant action similar to benzodiazepines and barbiturates. Therefore, the present study was designed to assess the interaction of steroids with GABAA-benzodiazepine receptor complex. The effect of steroids on the ligands binding to GABAA receptor complex was investigated using rat cortices. 5beta3alpha and 5alpha3alpha enhanced the binding of [3H] flunitrazepam to GABAA receptor, but testosterone, progesterone and dexamethasone did not. GABA also showed the enhancement of [3H] flunitrazepam binding, but did not show the additive effect. Unlike to GABA, 5beta3alpha and 5alpha3alpha did not affect on the [3H] muscimol binding to rat cortices. From these findings, it can be concluded that Neuroactive steroids are potent positive modulators of the GABA A receptor, and do not act at GABA binding site.
Animals ; Barbiturates ; Benzodiazepines ; Binding Sites ; Dexamethasone ; Flunitrazepam ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Ligands ; Muscimol ; Pregnanolone ; Progesterone ; Rats ; Receptors, GABA-A ; Steroids* ; Testosterone

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular mortality in patients with atherosclerosis can be reduced by treatment with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors. This proven effect is probably due, not only to the cholesterol lowering effect, but also to the non-lipid-lowering mechanisms elicited by the action of statins. These results, however, were achieved with high or usual doses of statin therapy, whereas similar results with low dose statins are rare. The aims of this study wereas to investigate the changes ofin cholesterol level and the inflammatory markers, Interleukin-6(IL-6), and C-Reactive protein (CRP), in unstable angina patients with hypercholesterolemia, using low dose simvastatin therapy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighteen unstable angina patients (55+/-6 years, M : F=10 : 8, Baunwald class IIIb) with hypercholesterolemia (a LDL -cholesterol level over 100 mg/dL) were evaluated. A Llow dose of simvastatin (5 mg) was administrated for 4 weeks. The changes of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol and the inflammatory markers, IL-6, and CRP, were all elevated from the baseline following 4 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: The baseline mean values of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, and HDL-cholesterol were 237.1+/-56.9 mg/dL, 131.9+/-39.0 mg/dL, 168.3+/-20.4 mg/dL, and 50.0+/-3.8 mg/dL, respectively. The baseline mean values of IL-6 and hs CRP were 6.842+/-6.661 pg/mL, and 0.866+/-1.083 mg/dL, respectively. Following the 4 weeks of simvastatin treatment, the levels of total cholesterol, LDL- cholesterol, triglyceride, and HDL-cholesterol were 200.8+/-47.5 mg/dL, 101.6+/-35.4 mg/dlL, 155.8+/-18.6 mg/dL, and 47.0+/-2.3 mg/dL, respectively, giving percentage changes of -17.6% (p<0.01), -24.7% (p<0.01), -1.3% (p>0.05), and -2.1% (p>0.05), respectively. Following the 4 weeks of treatment, the levels of IL-6 and hs CRP were 6.955+/-5.555 pg/mL, and 0.753+/-0.571 mg/dL, respectively, giving percentage changes of 51.8 (p>0.05), and 36.5% (p>0.05), respectively. There was no significant correlation between the level of LDL-cholesterol and the levels of IL-6, or hs CRP at the baseline, or post-treatment. There was also no significant correlation between the change of LDL-cholesterol and the changes of IL-6 or hs CRP levels during the simvastatin therapy. There was no significant correlation between the levels of IL-6 and hs CRP at the baseline or ost-treatment. CONCLUSION: Our data showed that in patients with unstable angina patients with coupled with hypercholesterolemia, low dose statin therapy has a cholesterol lowering effect, but no effect on inflammation.
Angina, Unstable* ; Atherosclerosis ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cholesterol* ; Coenzyme A ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6* ; Mortality ; Oxidoreductases ; Simvastatin* ; Triglycerides

PURPOSE: The role of peritoneal washing cytology in determining further treatment strategies after surgery for gastric cancer remains unclear. One reason for this is the fact that optimal procedures to increase the accuracy of predicting peritoneal metastasis have not been established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cytology using samples harvested from two different abdominal cavity sites during gastric cancer surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively recruited 108 patients who were clinically diagnosed with locally advanced gastric cancer (higher than cT1 stage disease). Peritoneal washing fluids were collected from the pouch of Douglas and the subphrenic area. Patients were prospectively followed up for 2 years to determine the recurrence and survival rates. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients dropped out of the study for various reasons, so 75 patients were included in the final analysis. Seven patients (9.3%) showed positive cytology findings, of whom, three showed peritoneal recurrence. Tumor size was the only factor associated with positive cytology findings (P=0.037). The accuracy and specificity of cytology for predicting peritoneal recurrence were 90.1% and 94.2%, respectively, whereas the sensitivity was 50.0%. The survival rate did not differ between patients with positive cytology findings and those with negative cytology findings (P=0.081). CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal washing cytology using samples harvested from two different sites in the abdominal cavity was not able to predict peritoneal recurrence or survival in gastric cancer patients. Further studies will be required to determine whether peritoneal washing cytology during gastric cancer surgery is a meaningful procedure.
Abdominal Cavity ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Peritoneum ; Prospective Studies* ; Recurrence* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate