No abstract available.
Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Prospective Studies*

No abstract available.
Biliary Atresia* ; Hepatitis*

Responses of mouse lymphocytes to the soybean paste fermented by Korean traditional fashion was examined to clarify its effects in cytokine production in vitro. A fraction of the soybean paste (KFSP-100) was prepared by precipitation with ammonium sulfate and by filtration through ultrafiltration membrane. KFSP-100 were added into cultures of fresh mouse splenic cells in vitro. KFSP-100 significantly enhanced the amount of IL-6 and TNF-a produced by macrophages and IL-6 and IFN-r produced by lymphocytes. Production of IL-12 by macrophages was not much affected by KFSP-100 treatments. The most noticeable finding was the fact that lymphocytes treated with KFSP-100 proliferated to an exceeding numbers (more than 10 times to the control) in 72 hours. The KFSP-100-induced proliferative response was specific to B cells since almost all of the KFSP-100-induced cells in the cultures of splenic cells were B cells. Furthermore, such a proliferative responses were equally observed only in cultures of purified B cells but not in cultures of T cells. In thermostability test, the biologically active components of the KFSP-100 is assumed to be either linear protein or glycoprotein. KFSP-100 did not induce agglutination of lymphocytes demonstrated by lectins in the same cells. These observations suggest that KFSP-100 may be a novel mitogen for B lymphocytes. The component (s) responsible for the B cell proliferation in KFSP-100 might be a factor gained by natural fermentation. None of the fractions of not fermented soybean paste prepared by the same methods demonstrate the same effect.
Agglutination ; Ammonium Sulfate ; Animals ; B-Lymphocytes ; Cell Proliferation ; Fermentation ; Filtration ; Glycoproteins ; Immunologic Factors* ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-6 ; Lectins ; Lymphocytes ; Macrophages ; Membranes ; Mice ; Soybeans* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Ultrafiltration

The subependymal giant-cell astrocytoma, a key feature of the tuberous sclerosis complex, has been reported in patients without obvious features of this condition. The tumor is a rare cerebral glioma that characteristically arise in the wall of lateral ventricle and as an intraventricular mass, causing hydrocephalus by obstruction of the foramen of Monro. We experienced a case of tuberous sclerosis in 9-year-old male patient who presented typical clinical manifestations and cortical tuber, subependymal giant-cell astrocytoma developing with hydrocephalus. Diagnosis was confirmed by brain CT and MRI. We applied surgical resection to remove the mass. Brief review and related literatures were also presented.
Astrocytoma* ; Brain ; Cerebral Ventricles ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Glioma ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus* ; Lateral Ventricles ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Tuberous Sclerosis*

No abstract available.
Asthma* ; Humans ; Prednisolone* ; Theophylline*

No abstract available.
Rhabdomyosarcoma* ; Urinary Bladder*

No abstract available.
Barium* ; Intussusception*

We have experienced a case of tuberculous abscess of the liver with empyema in a 12 years old boy. He was admitted with the chief complaints of pain and mass in the right upper abdomen of about 1 month duration and intermittent mild fever for 15 days. On examination, liver was palpable 5 cm below the right costal margin, and was tender and firm. Liver scan showed a cold area in the right posterior upper part of the liver. With the needle aspiration of the liver, 240 ml of yellowish-green pus was aspirated. The stained smears of the pus showed a large number of acid-fast bacilli, and the culture revealed a growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Our patient was cured successfully by the drainage of pus with the needle aspiration of the liver and antituberculous medication. We have presented here a rare case whose the diagnosis was made without the help of any operative procedure, and reviewed the literatures.
Abdomen ; Abscess* ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Empyema* ; Fever ; Humans ; Liver* ; Male ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Needles ; Suppuration ; Surgical Procedures, Operative

PURPOSE: To describe the early experience of analyzing variations and time trends in bladder volume of the rectal cancer patients who received bladder ultrasound scan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 20 consecutive rectal cancer patients who received whole pelvic radiotherapy (RT) and bladder ultrasound scan between February and April 2012. Before simulation and during the entire course of treatment, patients were scanned with portable automated ultrasonic bladder scanner, 5 times consecutively, and the median value was reported. Then a radiation oncologist contoured the bladder inner wall shown on simulation computed tomography (CT) and calculated its volume. RESULTS: Before simulation, the median bladder volume measured using simulation CT and bladder ultrasound scan was 427 mL (range, 74 to 1,172 mL) and 417 mL (range, 147 to 1,245 mL), respectively. There was strong linear correlation (R = 0.93, p < 0.001) between the two results. During the course of treatment, there were wide variations in the bladder volume and every time, measurements were below the baseline with statistical significance (12/16). At 6 weeks after RT, the median volume was reduced by 59.3% to 175 mL. Compared to the baseline, bladder volume was reduced by 38% or 161 mL on average every week for 6 weeks. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this study is the first to prove that there are bladder volume variations and a reduction in bladder volume in rectal cancer patients. Moreover, our results will serve as the basis for implementation of bladder training to patients receiving RT with full bladder.
Humans ; Observer Variation ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Ultrasonics ; Urinary Bladder

Focal fatty change of the liver is a nodular lesion which is a rarely described and poorly characterized entity. The hepatic nodule measured 1.4cm at its maximum diameter, was subcapsular in location and occurred adjacent to the falciform ligament. Microscopically it was composed of hepatic tissue with a preserved lobular architecture. The central venous structures and portal tracts with their triads were regularly placed. The cytoplasm of almost all of the hepatocytes within the nodule was replaced by macrovesicular fat vacuoles with the nuclei displaced. Several large abnormal vessels were found at the margin of the nodule. The nodule was discovered incidentally on postmortem examination of a female infant who proved, at autopsy, to have multiple cardiac anomalies and bronchopneumonia. The possible inadequate local tissue perfusion due to abnormal intrahepatic vessels at this particular location could be augmented by multiple cardiac anomalies culminating in focal ischemia and focal fatty change. When encountered in surgery or on gross examination, it could be confused with other space occupying lesions such as liver cell adenoma, abscess and metastatic lesions.
Fatty Liver/complications ; Fatty Liver/pathology* ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital/complications ; Hepatic Artery/abnormalities ; Human ; Infant