No abstract available.
Prune Belly Syndrome* ; Turner Syndrome*

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the autonomic nervous system function in chronic renal failure patients compared to normal control and to assess the effect of dialysis method and underlying diseases such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, on autonomic nervous system function in chronic renal failure patients. METHOD: We checked palm and sole skin temperature with digital thermometer, sympathetic skin responses and heart rate variability in chronic renal failure patients (77 persons) and normal control group (77 persons). RESULTS: The amplitude of sympathetic skin response (SSR) and heart rate variability (RRIV) of patients group showed statistically significant difference compared to control group (p<0.05). The diabetic patient group with chronic renal failure showed prolonged latency of SSR in sole but significant differences were shown in amplitude and RRIV (p<0.05). The hypertensive group with chronic renal failure showed prolonged latency of SSR in both palm and sole (p<0.05) but the amplitude and RRIV of those didn,t show statistical difference (p>0.05). CRF without diabetes mellitus and hypertension showed significant difference on amplitude of SSR and RRIV (p<0.05) but autonomic nervous system function tests showed no difference (p>0.05) between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis groups. CONCLUSION: SSR test and RRIV could be valuable measure to evaluate autonomic nervous system functions in the patients with chronic renal failure.
Autonomic Nervous System* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dialysis ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Renal Dialysis ; Skin ; Skin Temperature ; Thermometers

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to know the effects of long time bed immobilization on the heart rate variability and to know the correlation between the heart rate variability and other anthropometric parameters. METHOD: The subjects of this study were 60 normal sedentary persons as control group and 22 patients who had been immobilized for a long time because of musculoskeletal problems without any systemic diseases. The heart rate variabilities were measured through the R-R interval variation at rest, deep breathing and valsalva maneuver. These values were compared between control and patient group and were analysed for correlation with age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), amounts of smoking (pack years), spans of immobilization and physical activity scale (PAS). RESULTS: The mean heart rate variability of patients were 0.132+/-0.072, 0.216+/-0.109, and 0.289+/-0.171 in rest, deep breathing and valsalva maneuver respectively which were lower than the corresponding 0.176+/-0.085, 0.314+/-0.146, and 0.322 +/-0.174 of normal control group. The heart rate variabilities were negatively correlated with age, BMI and amounts of smoking but positively correlated with the height. The physical activity scale of preimmobilization state was negatively correlated with resting heart rate variability but was positively correlated with heart rate variability during deep breathing and valsalva maneuvering state. CONCLUSION: The long bed immobilization significantly decreased the heart rate variability and the heart rate variability could be used as a useful tool to measure the effects of immobilization on the heart.
Body Height ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Immobilization* ; Motor Activity ; Respiration ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Valsalva Maneuver

BACKGROUND: Differential diagnosis of thyroid nodule is important in deciding treatment modality and fine needle aspiration is a good method to do so. But, sometimes, it has limitation in use because of inadequate test material and difficulty in interpreting it. Among the study of oncogene and tumor suppresor gene on the origin of thyroid tumor, expression of Fra-1, one of AP-1 system, is increased in thyroid neoplasm. So there is a possibility that it would be used as a method for differential diagnosis of thyroid nodule. We tried to know whether presence or absence of Fra-1 expression can be used as a diagnostic method in differential diagnosis of thyroid nodule using immuno- histochemical(IHC) staining method. METHODS: In 4 types of thyroid tumor that was confirmed by histologic diagnosis after operation(30 cases of papillary cancer, 10 cases of follicular cancer, 16 cases of follicular adenoma, 18 cases of adenomatous goiter), IHC staining method was performed to evaluate the expression of Fra-1. RESULTS: In papillary and follicular thyroid cancer, the expression of Fra-1 was stronger than benign thyroid tumor, but there was no difference in Fra-1 expression between two types of carcinoma. Weak expression of Fra-1 was observed in all cases of follicular adenoma, and it was also weakly expressed in 6 out 18 cases of adenomatous goiter. CONCLUSION: The expression of Fra-1 was stronger in thyroid cancer than in benign thyroid adenoma, but it was impossible to differentiate thyroid cancer from benign thyroid adenoma by the presence or absence of Fra-1 expression using IHC staining method.
Adenoma ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Goiter ; Immunohistochemistry ; Oncogenes ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroid Nodule ; Transcription Factor AP-1

BACKGROUND: The differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules is very important in deciding the treatment modality and the fine needle aspiration is the best diagnostic method. But, there are some limitations in use because of inadequate test materials and difficulty in interpreting. According to the study of oncogene and tumor suppressor gene about the origin of thyroid tumor, expression of Fra-1, one of AP-1 complex, is increased in thyroid neoplasm, though not present in the normal tissue. So, there is a possibility that it will be used as a method for the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules. We tried to know whether presence or absence of Fra-1 expression can be used as a diagnostic method in differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules using the immunohistochemical (IHC) staining method. METHOD: In 4 types of thyroid tumor that were confirmed by histologic diagnosis after operation (18 cases of adenomatous goiter, 16 cases of follicular adenoma, 30 cases of papillary cancer, 10 cases of follicular cancer), IHC staining method was performed to evaluate the expression of Fra-1. RESULT: In papillary and follicular thyroid cancers, the expression of Fra-1 was stronger than in benign thyroid tumor, but there was no difference in Fra-1 expression between the two types of carcinoma. Weak expression of Fra-1 was observed in all cases of follicular adenoma, though it was weaker than in carcinoma, and it was also weakly expressed only in some cases (33%) of adenomatous goiter. CONCLUSION: The expression of Fra-1 was stronger in thyroid cancer than in benign thyroid tumor, but it was impossible to differentiate thyroid cancer from benign thyroid tumor by presence or absence of Fra-1 expression using IHC staining method.
Biopsy, Needle ; Comparative Study ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/*analysis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Diseases/metabolism/pathology ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*metabolism/*pathology ; Tissue Culture ; Tumor Markers, Biological/*analysis

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. There is evidence that IL-1beta is associated with the development of gastric cancer. Therefore, downregulation of H. pylori-mediated IL-1beta production may be a way to prevent gastric cancer. Withaferin A (WA), a withanolide purified from Withania somnifera, is known to exert anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. In the present study, we explored the inhibitory activity of WA on H. pylori-induced production of IL-1beta in murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) and the underlying cellular mechanism. Co-treatment with WA decreased IL-1beta production by H. pylori in BMDCs in a dose-dependent manner. H. pylori-induced gene expression of IL-1beta and NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3) were also suppressed by WA treatment. Moreover, IkappaB-alpha phosphorylation by H. pylori infection was suppressed by WA in BMDCs. Western blot analysis revealed that H. pylori induced cleavage of caspase-1 and IL-1beta, as well as increased procaspase-1 and pro IL-1beta protein levels, and that both were suppressed by co-treatment with WA. Finally, we determined whether WA can directly inhibit ac tivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. NLRP3 activators induced IL-1beta secretion in LPS-primed macrophages, which was inhibited by WA in a dose-dependent manner, whereas IL-6 production was not affected by WA. Moreover, cleavage of IL-1beta and caspase-1 by NLRP3 activators was also dose-dependently inhibited by WA. These findings suggest that WA can inhibit IL-1beta production by H. pylori in dendritic cells and can be used as a new preventive and therapeutic agent for gastric cancer.
Blotting, Western ; Caspase 1 ; Dendritic Cells* ; Down-Regulation ; Gastritis ; Gene Expression ; Helicobacter pylori ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-6 ; Macrophages ; NF-kappa B* ; Peptic Ulcer ; Phosphorylation ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Withania

PURPOSE: This article presents a retrospective study of treatment modality for children's diaphyseal forearm fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total 148 forearm fractures (October. 1997-October. 2001) were examined, of which 19 required operation, a teenager whose growth plate had closed was excluded from the study. 17 patients required intramedullary K-wire fixation, 2 patients required open reduction and plate fixation. Time to radiologic union, complications at the last follow up were evaluated. RESULTS: In 17 intramedullary K-wire fixation patients, the average time to union was 6 weeks and complications including 1 ulnar shortening, 1 pin infection, 1 osteomyelitis, which developed due to a patient's mistake. In 2 plating patients, average union time was 6 weeks with no complications. CONCLUSION: We think that the treatment method of pediatric forearm fracture should be decided upon based on the fracture site and type of fracture. Intramedullary K-wiring for diaphyseal forearm fracture is an effective method and we recommend that the wire is inserted across the physis in cases of diaphyseal fractures of the forearm bone close to the metaphysis. If the diaphyseal forearm fracture is refracture or a bony gap is shown at the fracture site, open reduction and plate fixation is needed. If reduction and fixation of the bone alone in a diaphyseal fracture of both forearm bones restores the stability of other fracture, fixation of the other bone can be avoided.
Adolescent ; Child* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forearm* ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Growth Plate ; Humans ; Osteomyelitis ; Retrospective Studies

Isolated left main coronary ostial stenosis is a very rare condition. In the majority of cases there are coexisting diseases in multiple coronary vessels. Here, a case of isolated left main coronary ostial stenosis due to an acute angle take-off, with clockwise rotation of the coronary sinus, confirmed by cardiac MRI is presented. A 44-year old female patient presented with an exertional and stabbing anterior chest pain. The patient had no premedical history. A coronary angiogram showed an isolated left main coronary ostial stenosis due to an acute take-off of the left main coronary artery. A cardiac MRI showed an acute angle take-off of the left main coronary artery, with clockwise rotation of the coronary sinus. The patient underwent surgical angioplasty of the coronary ostia, with a patch of autologous pericardium. This acute angle take-off may be due to rotation of the coronary sinus.
Adult ; Angioplasty ; Chest Pain ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Coronary Sinus* ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Pericardium

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (watermelon stomach) is a rare cause of chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, characterized endoscopically by a distinctive appearance of prominent red vascular folds traversing the gastric antrum and radiating to the pyloric sphincter; this appearance has been likened to the dark stripes on the surface of a watermelon. The etiology is unknown, and the usual presentations are iron-deficiency anemia and melena due to chronic gastric blood loss. Diagnosis is made by the characteristic endoscopic appearance and histologic findings. The treatment of choice is not known yet; surgical resection is curative method, but results from endoscopic treatment with heat probes or lasers are promising. We experienced a case of gastric antral vascular ectasia presenting with epigastric pain and melena in a 34-year-old female. The patient was treated with hemigastrectomy and Billroth II anastomosis.
Adult ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Citrullus* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia* ; Gastroenterostomy ; Hemorrhage ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Melena ; Pyloric Antrum ; Pylorus