No abstract available.
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency* ; Iron*

To assess the role of anorectal physiologic study for the diagnosis of chronic idiopathic constipation. METHODS: A retrospective study of 81 constipated patients (23 male, 58 female) of mean age 48 16.6 (16~83) years who had no abnormalities in colonoscopy, barium enema, and rectal exam was done. 81 patients underwent defecography and cine-defecography, of which 66 patients underwent anal manometry, 52 patients underwent colonic transit time study (CTT), and 27 patients underwent anal plug electromyography (EMG). RESULTS: Nonrelaxing puborectalis syndrome (NRPR), rectocele, rectal intussusception, anal dyschezia, and sigmoidocele were observed in 27 (33.3%), 26 (32.1%), 14 (17.3%), 3 (3.7%), and 2 (2.5%) of the patients, respectively. Normal cinedefecography finding was observed in 21 (25.9%) patients. More than one abnormal finding was found in 11 (13.6%) patients. Abnormal findings included colonic inertia in 6 (11.5%) patients and pelvic outlet obstruction in 2 (3.8%) patients. Normal colon transit time was observed in 44 (84.6%) patients. Anal hypertonia was observed in 23 (34.8%) patients by anal monometry, of which 3 patients were diagnosed with anal dyschezia in cinedefecography. 13 (48.1%) patients were diagnosed with NRPR in anal plug EMG. The correlation rate between cinedefecography/EMG, defecography/CTT, and CTT/EMG were 81.5%, 61.5%, and 51.9% respectively in the diagnosis of NRPR. Sensitivities of the three tests were 72.7% for cinedefecography, 66.7% for EMG, and 7.7% for CTT in diagnosing NRPR (p<0.05). Positive predictive values of the three tests were 80% for anal plug EMG, 72.7% for cinedefecography, and 50% for CTT in the diagnosis of NRPR. CONCLUSIONS: Defecography and EMG were complements each of the other in diagnosis of pelvic outlet obstruction especially NRPR, but CTT has no role.
Barium ; Colon ; Colonoscopy ; Complement System Proteins ; Constipation* ; Defecography ; Diagnosis* ; Electromyography ; Enema ; Humans ; Intussusception ; Male ; Manometry ; Rectocele ; Retrospective Studies ; Time and Motion Studies

The importance of Toxoplasma gondii in human disease stimulated a number of electron microscope studies on the structure of this protozoan parasite. Gustafson et al. first studied the fine structure by means of thin sections in 1954. Many other papers havs subsequantly appeared. It is well known that Toxoplasma gondii has two stages in its life cycle-the proliferative forms and the cyst. The purpose of the electron microscopical work reported here was to study the fine structure of Toxoplasma gondii with recent techniques clarifying the correlation between the proliferative forms and cyst. RH strain and KM strain as proliferative forms on the one hand and Beverley strain as a cyst form of Toxoplasma gondii on the other hand were used throughout this study. The conoid, toxoneme, nucleus, nucleolus, osmiophilic granules, mitochondria and vacuoles were found in RH strain as wsll as in KM strain and Beverley strain. The endoplasmic reticulum was found in the cytoplasm of RH strain and KM strain. It was better developed in KM strain than in RH strain. The outside contour of the organism of Beverley strain was somewhat irregular and toxoneme of this organism was better developed than in the other two strains. Vacuoles were found in RH strain, KM strain and Beverley strain. Furthermore, tube-like bodies were observed in the vacuoles of the organism of RH strain. In KM strain, two organisms of the same size were demonstrated in the leucocytes. It was presumed that they were products of longitudinal division.
parasitology-protozoa- Toxoplasma gondii ; electron microscopy

A 21-year-old man presented with a 7 days history of fever. Careful clinical examination led to the discovery of left supraclavicular lymphadenopathy without hepatosplenomegaly. Serologic tests for Ebstein-Barr virus, HIV, hepatitis type B & C, syphilis and typhoid fever were negative. Blood, urine, and stool cultures yielded no growth. Histologically, the process mainly involved the connective tissue framework of the lymph node, sharing the features of inflammatory pseudotmor(IPT) of other organs: a storiform growth pattern, increased vascularity with associated vascular lesions, and a polymorphous inflammatory infiltrate in a collagen-rich stroma. Immunohistochemical study for spindle cells showed positive reaction for actin and vimentin but not for desmin, and lymphoid cells revealed polyclonality. Characteristics of mass formation, and the inflammatory nautre of the process enabled us adopt the term IPT which should be differentiated from hematolymphoid proliferative disorder or mesenchymal neoplasia.
Male ; Humans

Pheochromocytoma is a hazardous and dramatic cause of hypertension. This potentially lethal neoplasm originates in most cases in the adrenal medulla and less frequently in the cells of the extraadrenal paraganglion system which are disseminated along the paravertebral axis from the pelvis to the base of the skull. The organ of Zuckerkandl is paraganglia lying the abdominal aorta with highest incidence in the region of the inferior mesenteric artery and usually degenerate shortly after birth. In the literature, and additional one case of pheochromocytoma arising from the organ of Zuckerkandl associated with intracerebral hemorrhage which was treated recently in the Kyung Hee University Hospital is presented in this report.
Adrenal Medulla ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Deception ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior ; Para-Aortic Bodies* ; Parturition ; Pelvis ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Skull

During 1 year and 9 month period, from September, 1980 to June, 1983, retrospective study was performed on 35 patients with Mitral Valve Prolapse at Kyung Hee University Medical Center. And the following results were obtained; 1) The mitral valve prolapse syndrome presents with various cardiovascular symptoms including dyspnea(63%), palpitation(49%), chest pain(34%), syncope and dizziness(11%). 2) Of 35 patients with MVP, 17 cases were isolated MVP, 13 cases were associated with cardiovascular disorders and 5 cases were associated with non-cardiovascular disorders. 3) Electrocardiographic abnormalities were found in 20 patients with MVP. The most common abnormality was ST-T change and atrial fibrillation, VPB, RBBB, first degree A-V block and W-P-W syndrome were also noted. 4) QTc interval prolongation was more common in serverely symptomatic patients with MVP. 5) 18 cases in 35 patients showed systolic click or murmur on phonocardiography. 6) Of 35 patients with MVP, 19 patients demonstrated prolapse of the anterior leaflet, 11 patients demonstrated prolapse of posterior leaflet and 5 patients demonstrated prolapse of the both leaflets. 7) There were severe derangement on echocardiography in severely symptomatic patients were MVP.
Academic Medical Centers ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Prolapse* ; Mitral Valve* ; Phonocardiography ; Prolapse ; Retrospective Studies ; Syncope ; Thorax

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis(IHPS) is one of the most common causes of nonbilious vomiting in early infancy, and is caused by hypertrophied pyloric muscle but its exact etiology and pathogenesis are still unknown. Fredet-Ramstedt pyloromyotomy has been accepted as the treatment of choice for IHPS. Atropine is a cholinergic blocking agent with potent antimuscarinic activity that decreases peristaltic contractions by relaxing smooth muscles. We treated a case of IHPS in a 33-day-old male infant by administering atropine sulfate intravenously. One day after atropine sulfate administration, he did not vomit any more. Ultrasonograms of the pyloric canal which were done on eight days and three weeks after atropine treatment revealed no limitation in the passage of gastric content, and no changes in the muscle thickness and length of the pyloric canal. Thereafter, he did not show up at follow ups, we received his mother's answer through phone that he did not suffer from vomiting and he was growing well at 5 months of age.
Atropine* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth ; Pyloric Stenosis, Hypertrophic* ; Ultrasonography ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVE: Atrophy and a high T2 signal of the hippocampus are known to be the principal MR imaging findings of hippocampal sclerosis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not individual MRI findings correlate with surgical outcome in patients with this condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative MR imaging findings in 57 consecutive patients with pathologically-proven hippocampal sclerosis who underwent anterior temporal lobectomy and were followed-up for 24 months or more were retrospectively reviewed, and the results were compared with the postsurgical out-come (Engel classification). The MR images included routine sagittal T1-weighted and axial T2-weighted spin-echo images, and oblique coronal T1-weighted 3D gradient-echo and T2-weighted 2D fast spin-echo images obtained on either a 1.5 T or 1.0 T unit. The images were visually evaluated by two neuroradiologists blinded to the outcome; their focus was the presence or absence of atrophy and a high T2 hippocampal signal. RESULTS: Hippocampal atrophy was seen in 96% of cases (55/57) [100% (53/53) of the good outcome group (Engel class I and II), and 50% (2/4) of the poor outcome group (class III and IV)]. A high T2 hippocampal signal was seen in 61% of cases (35/57) [62% (33/53) of the good outcome group and 50% (2/4) of the poor outcome group]. All 35 patients with a high T2 signal had hippocampal atrophy. `Normal' hippocampus, as revealed by MR imaging, occurred in 4% of patients (2/57), both of whom showed a poor outcome (Engel class III). The presence or absence of hippocampal atrophy correlated well with surgical outcome (p<0.01). High T2 signal intensity did not, however, significantly correlate with surgical outcome (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with a high T2 hippocampal signal, hippocampal atrophy is more common and correlates better with surgical outcome. For the prediction of this, it thus appears to be the more useful indicator.
Adult ; Atrophy ; Female ; Hippocampus/*pathology/*surgery ; Human ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Age ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclerosis ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Artemisia*

Genes encoding for the premembrane and envelope (prME), envelope (E) and nonstructural protein (NS1) of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) were cloned. Each protein was expressed in baculovirus expression system. Of the three proteins expressed in baculovirus system, only prME had hemagglutination activity. The prME (72 and 54 kDa), E (54 kDa) and NS1 (46 kDa) proteins could be detected by Western blotting in the recombinant virus infected cells. Immunogenicity of the recombinant proteins obtained from infected Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-9) cells was examined in mice. The 3 week-old ICR mice immunized intraperitoneally with three recombinant proteins three times were challenged with a lethal JEV. A survival rate was increased from about 7.7% in unimmunized mice to 92.3% in E + prME and only E groups. The complete protection was shown in prME and live vaccine inoculated groups, respectively. We also measured neutralizing antibody and three immunoglobulin subtypes of IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b in the sera of mice before and after challenge. Titers of IgG1 antibodies were approximately two to three times higher than that of IgG2b antibodies in all the immunized groups as compared to the control group. However, IgG2a antibody level somewhat increased after challenge, indicating T-helper type 1 (Th1) cell response. The results of this study can provide useful information for developing efficacious subunit vaccine against JEV.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral/blood ; Baculoviridae/genetics ; Blotting, Western ; Cloning, Molecular ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese/genetics/*immunology ; Encephalitis, Japanese/*immunology/prevention&control ; Female ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulin Isotypes/blood ; Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines/*immunology/standards ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Proteins/genetics/immunology ; Viral Envelope Proteins/genetics/*immunology ; Viral Matrix Proteins/genetics/*immunology ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins/genetics/*immunology