PURPOSE: To evaluate normal variations and thus to avoid confusion in differentiation from lesions of the accessory structures (rhomboid fossa, foramen for supraclavicular nerve, conold tubercle) of the clavicle in chest radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied the variations of the clavicle in 300 chest radiographs (134 men, 166 women) and 355 dry bones (right 166, left 189; 151 men, 74 women, 130 unknown sex). RESULTS: In chest radiographs, the incidence of the depressed rhomboid fossa was 229 cases (39.5%;male 52.0%, female 29.9%);the flat type was 329 cases (56.9%;male 45.7%, female 65.7%);and the elevated type was 20 cases (3.5%; male 2.4%, female 4.3%). In the dry bones, the incidence of the depressed thombold fossa was 129 cases (57.3%;male 59.6%, female 52.7%);the flat type was 65 cases (28.9%;male 24.5%, female 37. 8%) ;and the elevated type was 31 cases (13.8%;male 15.9%, female 9.5%). The incidence of the foramen for supraclavicular nerve was 0.8% in chest radiographs, and 1.4% in the dry bones. The incidence of the elevated conold tubercle was 65.1% (male 64.0%, female 65.9%) in chest radiographs, and 96.9% (male 95.4%, female 100.0%) in the dry bones. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of the depressed rhomboid fossa in chest radiographs was higher in men and the right clavicle. The incidence of flat rhombo~d fossa in chest radiographs decreased according to increase of age. The foramen for supraclavicular nerve was occasionally found (0.8% in chest radiographs; 1.4% in the dry bones).
Clavicle* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Thorax*

PURPOSE: To evaluate normal variations and thus to avoid confusion in differentiation from lesions of the accessory structures (rhomboid fossa, foramen for supraclavicular nerve, conold tubercle) of the clavicle in chest radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied the variations of the clavicle in 300 chest radiographs (134 men, 166 women) and 355 dry bones (right 166, left 189; 151 men, 74 women, 130 unknown sex). RESULTS: In chest radiographs, the incidence of the depressed rhomboid fossa was 229 cases (39.5%;male 52.0%, female 29.9%);the flat type was 329 cases (56.9%;male 45.7%, female 65.7%);and the elevated type was 20 cases (3.5%; male 2.4%, female 4.3%). In the dry bones, the incidence of the depressed thombold fossa was 129 cases (57.3%;male 59.6%, female 52.7%);the flat type was 65 cases (28.9%;male 24.5%, female 37. 8%) ;and the elevated type was 31 cases (13.8%;male 15.9%, female 9.5%). The incidence of the foramen for supraclavicular nerve was 0.8% in chest radiographs, and 1.4% in the dry bones. The incidence of the elevated conold tubercle was 65.1% (male 64.0%, female 65.9%) in chest radiographs, and 96.9% (male 95.4%, female 100.0%) in the dry bones. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of the depressed rhomboid fossa in chest radiographs was higher in men and the right clavicle. The incidence of flat rhombo~d fossa in chest radiographs decreased according to increase of age. The foramen for supraclavicular nerve was occasionally found (0.8% in chest radiographs; 1.4% in the dry bones).
Clavicle* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Thorax*

Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma may present with a variety of radiographic and clinical appearances. The authors reviewed the radiographs of 17 patients with pathologically proven bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, retrospectively. Seven cases were of the localized form. Among the seven five showed a localized mass and two showed localized consolidation. Ten cases were of the diffuse form. Among the ten, three showed diffuse nodules, two showed diffuse consolidation, and five showed a combined pattern of nodules and consolidations. Progression of disease was observed in 9 patients. In these cases, localized forms progressed to a diffuse forms and nodular patterns progressed to a consolidation pattern. Seven cases of the diffuse form were given antituberculous medications on hospital admission. In summary, bronchioloalveolar carcinoma has varied radiographic patterns, and often mimicks other pulmonary diseases such as pulmonary tuberculosis.
Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar* ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Because changes in rat and dog hematological parameters according to storage conditions have been poorly documented, we sought to examine such changes. Blood analysis was performed using two hematology analyzers (ADVIA 2120i and Sysmex XN-V) after storage at room temperature and in cold storage for 5, 24, and 48 h, respectively. Interassay coefficients of variation for hematological parameters analyzed with the ADVIA 2120i and the XN-V showed similar. The levels of hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and platelet (PLT) showed significant variations with time in blood samples of rats and dogs. The leukocyte subpopulation showed high variation with storage conditions. The data for leukocyte differential counts obtained using the ADVIA 2120i, XN-V, and a manual differential counting procedure showed good agreement for neutrophils and lymphocyte counts, but monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils showed differences between the procedures. In conclusions, most rat and dog hematological parameters showed minimal changes; however, some showed high variation with storage time and temperature, especially PLT and leukocyte subpopulations. In conclusion, when performing hematological analysis in dogs and rats, it will be exactitude to analyze blood samples in fresh condition and at least within 24 h in the cold storage.
Animals ; Basophils ; Blood Platelets ; Dogs* ; Eosinophils ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Hematocrit ; Hematology ; Leukocytes ; Lymphocyte Count ; Monocytes ; Neutrophils ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Basal Ganglia ; Hypocalcemia*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis of polysaccharides extracts from polysaccharides extracts from Hedyotic diffusa (PEHD) on Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC)cell line CNE2 cells in vitro. METHOD: CNE2 cells treated with various concentrations of PEHD were detected by MTT assay at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. The apoptotic cells were analyzed by flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI staining. The expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 protein were examined by Western blotting method. RESULT: The growth of CNE2 cells were suppressed after treatment with PEHD (P < 0.05), MTT assay showed that the highest cell inhibition rate reached to 76.5%, the inhibition in the doses from 2 to 6 mg/ml showed dose-and-time-dependent. The percent of apoptosis in 4 and 6 mg/ml PEHD treatment groups for 48 h were 31.32%, 46.28%, respectively, and significantly higher than that in control groups, 4.86% (P < 0.01). After the cells being treated with PEHD for 48 h, the expression of Bax and caspase-3 protein increased, and the expression of Bcl-2 protein decreased gradually. CONCLUSION PEHD could inhibited the growth of CNE2 cells and was dose-and-time-dependent, the mechanism may involve induction of cell apoptosis, which was associated with the activation of Bax and caspase-3 protein and the down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein expression.
Apoptosis ; Carcinoma ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; Down-Regulation ; Hedyotis ; chemistry ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Polysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

Adhesives ; Burns ; Calcium Chloride ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Collagen ; Factor XIII ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive ; Fibrin ; Fibrinogen ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gingiva ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mouth ; Nose ; Polymers ; Skin Transplantation ; Skin ; Surgery, Oral ; Sutures ; Thrombin ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants ; Wound Healing

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the differences in career choice motives and moral reasoning ability between students in baccalaureate and graduate-entry medical programs. METHODS: Forty-five students from a baccalaureate program and thirty-eight students from a graduate-entry program participated in this study. The students were required to fill out both the Career Choice Motivation Inventory and Defining Issues Test(DIT). The Career Choice Motivation Inventory is a 20-item questionnaire, which investigates five dimensions: effect of others, job security, interest in science, service and working with people, and working condition. Independent t-test was performed to compare the two groups. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to investigate the relationship among variables. RESULTS: There were significant differences in career choice motivations between the two groups. Students in the graduate-entry program were more likely to be motivated by scientific interest and opportunities to care for people. Status and job security were stronger factors in the baccalaureate students. For the students in this program, there were positive associations among their motives- interest in medical science, serving people, and working condition. There was no significant difference in moral reasoning ability between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Students in the graduate-entry medical program seem to have more professional and altruistic motivations for entering medicine. Although there is nostatistical significance, graduate students have numerically higher moral reasoning abilities compared to their counterparts. These results validate that a graduate-entry program provides an important alternative for student selection.
Career Choice* ; Humans ; Motivation* ; School Admission Criteria ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Caffeine has been known to induce the contraction of rabbit aortic ring resulting from Ca2+ release from the intracellular stores. But in contrast, contraction of aortic ring induced by depolarizing agents or agonist was reported to be suppressed by caffeine. The present study was intended to examine the effect of caffeine on Ca2+ movement across the plasma membrane and actomyosin ATPase activity of vascular smooth muscle to elucidate the modes of action of caffeine on the vascular smooth muscle. Aortic ring preparation were made from the rabbit thoracic aorta and the endothelial cells were removed from the ring by gentle rubbing. The contractilty of the aortic ring was measured under varying conditions, and Ca2+ influx across the membranes of the aortic ring was measured with Ca2+ sensitive electrode with and without caffeine and the effect of caffeine on actomyosin ATPase activity were measured by modified Hartshrone's method. 45Ca wash out curves with and without caffeine were studied by Richard's method. The results were summarized as follows: 1) Caffeine inhibited the contractilty induced by norepinephrine. high K+, and histamine. but caffeine alone induced a transient contraction of vascular smooth muscle. The caffeine induced contraction was demonstrable even in the absence of external Ca2+. 2) Caffeine increased 45Ca efflux from vascular smooth muscle. 3) In the presence of propranolol, the inhibitory effect of caffeine on epinephrine induced contraction still persisted. 4) Caffeine decreased norepinephrine induced Ca2+ influx through the plasma membranes of aortic ring. 5) Caffeine decreased the actomyosin ATPase activity of vascular smooth muscle. From the above results, it is suggested that caffeine induces the contraction of vascular smooth muscle by release of Ca2+ from intracellular Ca2+ stone, but inhibits drug-induced contraction by decrease of Ca2+ influx across the plasma membranes and a decreased Ca2+ sensitivity of contractile protein in vascular smooth muscle.
Actomyosin* ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Caffeine* ; Cell Membrane ; Electrodes ; Endothelial Cells ; Epinephrine ; Histamine ; Membranes ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Myosins* ; Norepinephrine ; Propranolol

Congenital mesoblastic nephroma(CMN) is an important differential diagnosis of a renal mass occurring in the newborn or in early childhood. It was first described by Bolande as a separate disease entity distinct form Wilms' tumor. In 1974, Beckwith has predicted that this tumor has a pathologic spectrum with classic congenital mesoblastic nephroma at one extreme, unequivocally mallignant spindle cell sarcomas at the other, and intermediate "gray zone" lesions of indeterminate biologic significanse. In 1986, Joshi has described "atypical mesoblastic nephroma" as a potentially aggressive variant of CMN, which shows atypical gross and microscopic features such as hemorrhage, necrosis, high cellularity, and mitotic index. We report of a case of atypical mesoblastic nephroma presenting in a 38 days-old male infant. Grossly, the tumor involved the upper and midportion of the left kidney. On section, the cut surface was fleshy, grayish-white, and homogeneous. Microscopically, the tumorshowed high degree of cellularity and arrangement of fusiform cells in sheets and vague interlacing bundles. The individual tumor cells showed fusiform to oval nuclei, indistinct scanty pale-eosinophilic cytoplasm and many mitotic figures.
Infant ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Diagnosis, Differential