No abstract available.
Rectal Prolapse*

No abstract available.
Rectal Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the urinary concentrations of hydroxyridinium crosslinks of collagen in patients with osteoarthritis(OA) or rheumatoid arthritis(RA), and to compare its clinical correlation with the classic indices of the disease activity of RA. METHODS: Concentrations of urinary pyridinoline (Pyd) and deoxypyridinoline(Dpd) were measured in urinary samples collected from 18 control patients, 35 patients with OA, 45 patients with RA by competitive enzyme immunoassay using microplate coated with monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: 1) Mean urinary concentrations of Pyd in OA patients were 33.5nmol/mmol creatinine, in RA patients were 50.0nmol/mmol creatinine which were higher than the values in controls (25.1 nmol/mmol creatinine). Also, mean concentrations of Dpd in OA patients were 9.2nmol/mmol creatinine, in RA patients were 10.1nmol/mmol creatinine which were higher than the values in controls(5.6nmol/mmol creatinine)(p<0.01). 2) Mean urinary concentration of Pyd was 50.0 nmol/mmol creatinine in RA patients, which was significantly higher than the values in OA(33.5 nnmol/mmol creatinine)(p<0.05), but the mean Dpd concentratians were not significantly different between the two groups. 3) The concentrations of urinary Pyd in RA patients was significantly correlated with the biologic markers indicating inflammatory activity such as ESR(r=0.68, p<0.001), CRP(r=0.72, p<0.001) and the number of tender joint(r=0.66, p<0.01) CONCLUSION: Urinary concentrations of Pyd and Dpd were significantly higher in OA and RA patients than in controls, Especially urinary Pyd concentrations were significantly increased in RA patients than in OA patients, and strongly correlated with disease activity index of rheumatoid arthritis. The mean Dpd concentration, bone specific analogue, in RA patients was not significantly different from that of OA patients and it was not correlated with disease activity index Thus measurement of urinary Pyd might provide a sensitive, noninvasive biochemical marker for studying activity of RA.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Biomarkers ; Collagen ; Creatinine ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Osteoarthritis

No abstract available.
Acetazolamide* ; Aneurysm* ; Brain* ; Humans ; Perfusion* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

No abstract available.
Femur* ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary* ; Tibia*

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to determine prevalence of potential heterogeneous vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (h-VRSA) among methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolated in Korea by using Mu-3 agar and to determine the effect of in vitro vancomycin exposure on the resistance. METHODS: MRSAs isolated in 1980-1999 were screened for the presence of VISA or h-VRSA using Mu-3 agar. MIC of vancomycin was tested by NCCLS agar dilution and broth microdilution tests. Suspected h-VRSA were selected by vancomycin-containing media and change of resistance was determined by population analysis. A strain with Mu50 type growth was serially exposed to 8 pg/ml of vancomycin containing media and change of the vancomycin resistance was determined. RESULTS: Among the 455 MRSA isolates, 18 (3.9 %) grew on selective brain heart infusion agar (BHIA), and 354 (77,8%) on Mu-3 agar, 66 (14.5%) with Mu3 type growth and 78 (17.1%) with Mu50 type growth. MIC of vancomycin was 11 pg/ml for some of the isolates when inocula were approximately 10' CFU, but VISA was not present when tested by NCCLS broth microdilution test. Exposure of the isolates to van-cornycin raised the MIC. Serial exposure once to 8 pg/ml of vancomycin resulted in significant decrease of cells susceptible to 8-12 pg/ml of vancomycin. CONCLUSION: VISA was not present among the test isolates, but 34.2% were suspected to be potential h-VRSAs, suggesting possible emergence of VISA if vancomycin was administered prolonged period. It is considered that suitable screening media are vancomycin containing BHIA for VISA and Mu-3 agar for h-VRSA. The isolates showing Mu50 type growth on Mu-3 agar are not always VISA, but rather h-VRSA.
Agar* ; Brain ; Heart ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Prevalence ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus* ; Vancomycin Resistance ; Vancomycin*

Acute mountain sickness is an illness caused by climbing to a high altitude without prior acclimatization. Neurological consequences, like parkinsonism following acute mountain sickness without lesion of brain MRI have been reported rarely. A healthy 56-year-old man presented with dysarthria and gait disturbance. Neurological examination revealed tremor of hands, limb rigidity, and bradykinesia. The symptoms developed approximately 30 days following a 3,500 m climb of the Annapurna in the Himalayas. Brain MRI did not reveal any abnormalities including globus pallidus. The parkinsonism symptoms persisted for about 3 months before a complete recovered was made. We suggest that parkinsonism can develop after climbing to a high altitude but that the symptoms can be transient if a brain MRI detects no abnormalities.

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Hyaluronic Acid* ; Osteoblasts* ; Osteogenesis*

Tufted angioma is a benign, slowly progressive angioma with typical histologic findings of small, circumscribed angiomatous tufts and lobules scattered in the dermis. More than 50% of cases occur during the first year of life, but rarely it develops late in life. There was only one reported case of tufted angioma after trauma in the English literature. We report a case of tufted angioma, which developed after electrocautery in a 61-year-old woman showing histologic features of typical tufted angioma.
Dermis ; Electrocoagulation* ; Female ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND: Isotonic crystalloid solutions have been intravascularly administered before spinal anesthesia for prevention of spinal anesthesia induced hypotension in TURP, however many investigators have suggested that synthetic colloids administered before spinal anesthesia is more effective than equal volume of crystalloid solutions. In this study, effect of 10% pentastarch comparing with eqaul volume of crystalloid solution before spinal anesthesia on cardiovascular response were examined. METHODS: 30 patients undergoing elective TURP were randomly allocated to receive either 7 ml/kg of isotonic saline (saline group) or 7 ml/kg of 10% pentastarch (pentastarch group) for 15 minutes before spinal anesthesia. Blood pressure, heart rate and central venous pressure (CVP) were measured before and after operation. RESULTS: In pentarstarch group, systolic blood pressure and CVP were significantly higher than saline group untill 55minutes and 15 minutes after spinal anesthesia respectively. CONCLUSIONS: 10% pentarstarch administered before spinal anesthesia is more effective than equal volume of isotonic saline in TURP with respect to preserving blood pressure and CVP.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Blood Pressure ; Central Venous Pressure ; Colloids ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives* ; Hypotension ; Research Personnel ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate*