No abstract available.
Cough* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration*

This study was undertaken to identify the protein antigens reacting with IgM antibodies in the sera of various stages of syphilis before and after treatment, employing sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), immunoblotting and immunoperoxidase stain. The results were as follows : 1. Before treatment, the most strongly reacting antigens of T. pallidam precipitated by IgM antibodies in the sera of patients were polypeptides of molecular weights 47,000, 34,000 and 29,500. So it was observed that those were the major antigens of T. pallidum reacting with IgM antibodies. 2. After observing protein antigens of T. pallidum reacting with IgM antibodies in the sera of patients with syphilis before and after treatment, it was seen that in primary, secondary and early latent syphilis there was a loss of several antigens and s decrease in reactivity, but no changes occurred in late latent and reinfected syphilis. 3. From the observation of the reaction between serum antibodies of patients with trested syphilis and major antigens of T. pallidum, an evident decrease in reactivity was observed only with protein antigen of molecular weight 47,000 which reacts with IgM antibody. From the above results, it could be concluded that of molecular weight 47,000 could contribute to the assessment of the diagnosis of syphilis and the efficacy of treatment.
Antibodies* ; Diagnosis ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin M* ; Molecular Weight ; Peptides ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate ; Syphilis* ; Syphilis, Latent ; Treponema pallidum* ; Treponema*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Gastroenteritis* ; Humans ; Rotavirus*

This study was conducted to identify the protein antigens reacting with IgG antibodies in the sera of variaus stages of syphilis before treatment, the antigens common to both Treponema pallidum and Treponema phagedenis, and the antigens specific only to T. pzllidum, employing sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS PAGE) and immunoblotting. Before treatment, the most strongly reacting antigens of T. pallidum precipitated by IgG antibodies in the sera of patients were polypeptides of molecular weights 47, 000, 36,500, 15,500 and 14,000. Eleven antigens common to both T. palbdum and T. phagedenis were observed, and antigens of molecular weights 86,500, 68,500,15,500 and 14,000 showed to be specific only to T. pallidum. From the results obtained, it could be concluded that of the major antigens of T. pallidum, the antigens of molecular weights 15,500 and 14,000 could serve to develop newer serologic tests for syphilis.
Antibodies* ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Molecular Weight ; Peptides ; Serologic Tests ; Sodium ; Syphilis* ; Treponema ; Treponema pallidum

No abstract available.
Wilms Tumor*

Estrogen replacemetn therapy is known to reduce the incidence of cardio-ascular disease in postmenopausal women, and its beneficial effect is thought to be mediated in part by favorable changes in serum lipoprotien levels. However, the long-term effects on serum lipoproein levels of estrogen in low doses currently used have not been precisely evaluated in Korea. In postmenopausal women with uterus, progestogen should be added to protect the endometrium from the hyperplasia or carcinoma induced by unopposed estrogen. However, progestogens may adversely influence the beneficial effects of oral estrogen. To evaluate the impacts of progestogen on the lipid and lipoprotein levels during estrogen replacement therapy, we conducted the 1-year trial of conjugated equine estrogen(Premarine, 0.625mg/day) with or without cyclic prgoestogen(medroxy-progesterone acetate: MPA, 10mg/day for 12 days) in 120 postmenopausal women. Serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol levels in fasting state were measured in all subjects before treatment and at 12 months during treatment. The value of post-treatment levels were compared with that of baseline levels. In patients who received either premarine only or premarine plus MPA, serum HDL cholesterol levels increased significantly. While premarine plus MPA group showed a smaller increase in HDL cholesterol than premarine only group. And premarine plus MPA group showed a significant decrease in LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglyceride. While premarine only group showed a significant decrease in LDL cholesterol, but no statistical significance in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These results suggest that the addition of MPA at the daily dose of 10mg for 12 days cyclically in estrogen repalcement treatmetn appears to lessen the change to lipid and lipoprotein levels induced by unopposed estrogen, therefore maintain the longterm favorable effects on serum lipoprotein levels in postmenopausal women.
Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Endometrium ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy* ; Estrogens* ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lipoproteins* ; Menopause ; Progestins ; Triglycerides ; Uterus

Parkinson's disease is a relatively common neurologic disorder that afflicts approximately 1% of the population over 50 years old. Many drugs currently used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease may interact with anesthetic drugs. Brief interruption of levodopa during surgery may result in exacerbation of Parkinson's symptoms. However, safe and effective way to administer levodopa during surgery are not widely known. We report the perioperative treatment of a patient with Parkinson's disease by using intraoperative administration of levodopa through nasogastric tube and feeding jejunostomy tube. This method of levodopa administration successfully prevented the exacerbation of Parkinsonian symptoms.
Anesthetics ; Humans ; Jejunostomy ; Levodopa* ; Middle Aged ; Nervous System Diseases ; Parkinson Disease*

Paget bone disease(PBD) is usually focal, but can be wide spread disorder of the skeletal remodeling characterized by greatly increased osteoclast size and activity. It has extremely variable prevalence worldwide, being common in England and northern European countries and areas populated by their descendants, but strikingly uncommon in Asia, the middle east, Africa and Scandinavia. It's occurrence also shows familial clustering, some postulates autosomal dominant inheritance. Many studies have shown that paramyxoviruses may play a critical role in the etiology of this disorder. However, the precise etiology of PBD remains unknown.We describe a kindred with PBD in 3 successive generations. The propositus, a 55-year-old man, has panostotic PBD and giant cell reparative granuloma of pagets disease involving his head, mandible, abdomen and ileum, rare tumorous complication of Paget's disease. Bowed limbs were first noticed at age 25 years, and progressed for 20 years. Giant cell reparative granuloma began manifesting at age 45 years, and responded dramatically to high-dose dexamethasone therapy. His pretreatment biochemical finding were remarkable for elevated serum ALP, 765(normal 66-220 u/L) and osteocalcin, 154(normal 6.3-30.7 mg/ml), but normal serum calcium, phosphorous, 250HD and PTH. A nondecalcified iliac crest specimen demonstrated classic histopathologic 25OHD and PTH. A nondecalcified iliac crest specimen demonstrated classic histopathologic changes of PBD on light microscopy. His decreased father had a similar degree of bony deformities beginning at age 20 years, but had not been examined. His two asymptomatic daughters, 20 and 24-year-old, were both found to be affected with widespread PBD by bone scan, radiographic study, and their serum ALP levels, 939 and 435U/L, respectively. This is the first report of familial occurance of PBD and a case of giant cell reparative granuloma of Paget's disease in Korea, where PBD is very rare.
Abdomen ; Africa ; Asia ; Bone Diseases ; Calcium ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dexamethasone ; England ; Extremities ; Family Characteristics ; Fathers ; Giant Cells ; Granuloma ; Head ; Humans ; Ileum ; Korea ; Mandible ; Microscopy ; Middle Aged ; Middle East ; Nuclear Family ; Osteocalcin ; Osteoclasts ; Pedigree ; Prevalence ; Scandinavian and Nordic Countries ; Wills ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to compare three different measures of the elderly human brain; the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) histogram, the percentage of brain parenchymal volume, and the volume of T2 hyperintense areas in terms of correlations with the study subjects' neurocognitive performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five healthy community-dwelling elderly volunteers aged 60-82 years underwent dual fast spin-echo (FSE) imaging and magnetization transfer imaging. A semi-automated technique was used to generate the MTR histogram, the brain parenchymal volume, and the T2 lesion volume. The subjects' neurocognitive performance was assessed by using the Korean-Mini Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) and additional tests. The peak height of the MTR (PHMTR), the percentage of brain parenchymal volume (PBV), and the normalized T2 lesion volume (T2LV) were compared between the normal group (Z score on the K-MMSE > or = -2, n=23) and the mild cognitive impairment group (Z score on the K-MMSE < -2, n=12), and these parameters were correlated with age and various neurocognitive performance scores. RESULTS: The PHMTR was significantly lower in the cognitively impaired subjects than the PHMTR in the normal subjects (p = 0.005). The PBV scores were lower in the cognitively impaired subjects than in the normal subjects (p = 0.02). The T2LV scores were significantly higher in the cognitively impaired subjects (p = 0.01). An inverse correlation was found between the PHMTR and T2LV (r = -0.747, p < ; 0.001), and also between the PBV and T2LV (r = -0.823, p < ; 0.001). A positive correlation was observed between the PHMTR and the PBV (r = 0.846, p < 0.001). Scores on the various neurocognitive tests were positively correlated with the PHMTR (6 of 7 items) and the PBV (5 of 7 items), and they were negatively correlated with the T2LV (5 of 7 items). CONCLUSION: Our findings of a correlation among the PBV, the T2LV, and the PHMTR suggest that MTR histograms and the PBV and T2LV can be used as a reliable method and valid statistical tool, respectively, for quantifying the total lesion burden in an aging brain.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aging/*pathology ; Brain/*pathology ; Cognition Disorders/diagnosis/*pathology ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Human ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Neuropsychological Tests ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

PURPOSE: To assess the relationship between splenic transient inhomogeneous contrast enhancement(CE) on the arterial phase of spiral CT, and splenic volume, and to classify the CE pattern in liver cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We measured the splenic volume of 120 patients, 60 showed inhomogeneous splenic CE on arterial phase,and 60 showed homogeneous splenic CE. CT scans with intrinsic splenic pathology were excluded. Sixteen patients with clinically confirmed liver cirrhosis were included. Splenic volumes of the inhomogeneous and homogeneous CE group were compared. The inhomogeneous group was divided into three grades according to areas of non-enhanced portion (grade I, focal geographic ; grade II, multifocal patchy, grade III, extensive serpentine inhomogeneous CE) , and these were correlated with splenic volume. RESULTS: Among the 60 inhomogeneous CE scans, 23 cases(38.3%) showed splenomegaly (spleen volume>220cm3); in contrast, this applied to only 8 cases (13.3%) of the 60 homogeneous CE scans. Mean splenic volume in the inhomogeneous CE group (226.74+/-129.78cm3) was greater than in the homogeneous CE group (184.56+/-77.44cm3) (p<0.033). A larger splenic volume and extensive inhomogeneous CE(grade III) were noted, and most liver cirrhosis patients(14/16) were grade III. Three such patients who had shown inhomogeneous splenic CE on arterial phase showed inhomogeneous CE even on portal phase. CONCLUSION: Inhomogeneous splenic CE on arterial phase was more common in cases of an enlarged spleen, and more extensive in liver cirrhosis. These findings suggest hemodynamic change of the spleen may be a contributory factor.
Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Pathology ; Spleen* ; Splenomegaly ; Tomography, Spiral Computed* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed