No abstract available.
Adrenalectomy*

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated changes of Biochemical Markers of Bone turnover in Pre-, Peri-and Postmenopausal Women METHOD: The levels of Urinary deoxypyridinoline(Dpd), serum total alkaline phosphatase(TALP), osteocalcin(OC), serum calcium(Ca++) and phosphorus(P) were determined. Bone mineral density(BMD) were also measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) RESULTS: There were negative correlation between Biochemical markers of bone turnover and BMD, Biochemical markers of bone turnover in osteoporosis group were significantly higher than normal groups. Biochemical marker of bone turnover except serum calcium increased after menopause and remains elevated in late postmenopausal and elderly women. An increased bone turnover rate to sustained serum calcium in constant level is related to a high rate of bone loss in postmenopausal women and to a decreased bone mass in elderly women. CONCLUSION: Bone turnover increased not only at the time of menopause but also in the elderly women. This subsequent abnormalities of bone resorption and formation in the elderly women suggest their potential role in osteoporosis.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aged ; Biomarkers* ; Bone Resorption ; Calcium ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis

The multifactorial etiology of BCC(basal cell carcinoma) are incompletely understood, including factors leading to multiple lesions in some patients. Cases of multiple BCCs reported in the literature have been associated with UV irradiation, inorganic arsenic poisoning, X-ray therapy, hematologic malignancy and several genodermatoses such as nevoid BCC syndrome, albinism, xeroderma pigmentosum. Multiple BCCs presented on the sun-protected areas, lacking predisposing risk factors which have been known, is rare skin condition. However, it suggests that there may be an unknown genetic susceptibility to the development of multiple BCCs. We report a rare case of multiple BCCs, which had developed only on the sun-protected areas in 64-year-old man, without any known predisposing causes.
Albinism ; Arsenic Poisoning ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Skin ; X-Ray Therapy ; Xeroderma Pigmentosum

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Transfection of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome requires the cloning of tandem HBV sequences inserted into a plasmid vector, which is usually screened for by the restriction enzyme digestion of plasmid minipreparation from at least a dozen of bacterial colonies. The aim of this study was to develop a simple alternative screening method for bacterial colonies harbouring tandem HBV sequences by a PCR. METHODS: A set of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer was designed to detect the bacterial colonies harbouring "head to tail" dimeric HBV DNA. PCR which amplifies the head to tail junction site of two tandem HBV molecules was performed. RESULTS: PCR products with appropriate size (1.2kb) were obtained. The accurate detection by PCR screening technique was confirmed by enzyme digestion. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PCR screening technique is a simple and rapid method for the identification of bacterial colonies containing tandem HBV sequences.
Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; Digestion ; DNA ; Genome ; Head ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans* ; Mass Screening* ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Transfection

The repair of striated muscle after acute trauma occurs simultaneously by the regeneration of disrupted muscle and formation of connective scar. But, there had been no attention concerning effects of local anesthetics on the degeneration and regeneration process of the injured muscle. The author induced a constant contusion injury on the calf of rats. Lidocaine and/or epinephrine was intramuscularly injected at the site of injury. Morphological and histochemical observation was conducted and the results were as follows: 1. Traumatized striated muscle showed evidences of the healing process for upto 90 days. 2. Morphological and histochemical changes in the traumatized muscle became more severe after the injection of lidocaine and/or epinephrine. 3. Formation of collagenous scar tissue significantly increased after injection of lidocaine and/or epinephrine. Injection of lidocaine or epinephrine developed similar amount of scar after 15 days. 4. Cross section area of the regenerated muscle fibers decreased in the injection groups than in the control groups. Atrophy was significant on day 90 in all types of fiber after injection of the mixture of lidocaine and epinephrine, and in type B after injection of epinephrine. In conclusion, injection of the lidocaine and epinephrine inhibited regeneration of the traumatized striated muscle. Mixture of the drugs showed more inhibitory effect than a single drug.
Anesthetics, Local ; Animals ; Atrophy ; Cicatrix ; Collagen ; Contusions ; Epinephrine ; Lidocaine ; Muscle, Striated ; Rats ; Regeneration

No abstract available.
Spondylitis, Ankylosing*

No abstract available.
Classification*

Prostakath represents a new idea. The spiral shaped spring inserted in the prostatic urethra keeps the enlarged prostatic lobes compressing the urethra so far apart that self voiding is possible. The physiologic function of the external sphincter is maintained due to the special form of the spiral. Prostakath was inserted in 13 patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy who had long-term indwelling bladder catheters and anesthetic contraindications to an operation. Of the 13 patients 1 did not reach 3 months of follow-up due to removal of Prostakath. The remaining 12 patients were followed with clinical evaluation. urine cultures, retrograde urethrography and urine flow rates at 1 day and 3 months. Final evaluation at 3 months showed normal voiding in 83% of the patients with an absence of significant residual urine in all. In 8 patients (67%) urinary flow rates varied between 10 and 20cc per second and in the remaining it was less than 10cc per second. In 92 % of the patients follow up urine cultures were negative. We believe that placement of Prostakath permits selected patients to be freed from long-term indwelling bladder catheters. This is a valid alternatives a prostatic operation in high risk patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy.
Catheters ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Urethra ; Urinary Bladder

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether T1-201 reinjection distinguishes viable from non-viable myocardium in patients with reverse redistribution after acute myocardial infarction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 42 patients with acute myocardial infarction (age, 55+/-12 years). Eighteen (43%) out of 42 showed reverse redistribution on dipyridamole stress-4 hour redistribution T1-201 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). T1-201 reinjection was performed at 24 hours. Reverse redistribution was defined as worsening of perfusion defect at 4 hour delayed scan. All patients underwent follow-up echocardiography in 4 months to assess regional wall motion improvement. T1-201 uptake on reinjection images were analyzed for the prediction of myocardial wall motion improvement. RESULTS: Of 36 segments with reverse redistribution, 17 segments showed normal wall motion on echocardiography, while 19 segments showed all motion abnormalities. Of 19 the segments with reverse redistribution, 11 (58%) showed enhanced uptake after 24 hour reinjection. Myocardial wall motion was improved in 10 of 11 segments (90%) with enhanced uptake on reinjection. Wall motion improvement was not seen in 5 of 8 segments (63%) without enhanced thallium uptake. When myocardial viability was assessed by the uptake on reinjection image, nine of 10 segments (90%) with normal or mildly decreased uptake showed improved wall motion. Wall motion was not improved in 5 of 9 segments (56%) with severely decreased uptake. CONCLUSION: In patients with acute myocardial ifarction, T1-201 reinjection imaging on myocardial segments with reverse redistribution has a high positive predictive value in the assessment of myocardial viability.
Dipyridamole ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardium* ; Perfusion ; Thallium* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon