This study was conducted to determine the correlation between weighted needle pinprick sensory threshold(PPT) and sensory nerve conduction tests. The subjects were 53 healthy controls, 31 diabetic patients without peripheral neuropathic symptoms(DM) and 36 diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathic symptoms(DN). PPT was measured on the index and little fingers, bilaterally, as well as under the lateral malleolus, bilaterally. In electrophysiologic assessment the left and right median, ulnar and sural nerves were studied. Each mean PPTs was high in order of controls, DM and DN. Age adjusted PPT was significantly different among three groups on right little finger(p<0.05) and left malleolus(p<(0.05), but not significantly different between DN and DM on other sites. Each sensory nerve conduction velocity and amplitude was statistically significantly different among three groups(p<0.05). Correlations of PPT with sensory nerve conduction velocity and amplitude were statistically significant on each site and ranged from -0.4203(left malleolus) to -0.5649(right index finger) and from -0.3897(left index finger) to -0.6200(right index finger), respectively. When electrophysiological study is not feasible, measurement of PPT may be helpful for the assessment of peripheral sensory neurological function.
Fingers ; Humans ; Needles* ; Neural Conduction* ; Sensory Thresholds* ; Sural Nerve

Abdominal actinomycosis is very rare infectious disease and seldom reported as a cause of abdominal mass. This disease is diagnosed by pathologic findings and culture result but it is very difficult to differentiate with other granulomatous illammatory disease, diverticular disease, malignancy, etc. The radiologic findings were non-specific and CT scan revealed the inflammatory mass with multiple small abscesses and fibrous change. The treatment of choice for actinomycosis is medical treatment with penicillin but surgical intervention may be needed when complication such as obstruction, fistula formation, abscess formation develop. We report a patient with abdominal actinomycosis that presented with transverse colonic obstruction and severe abdominal wall inflammation. This patient had no past operative history but got intrauterine contraceptive devices during last 10 years. We treated this patient by surgical resection and antibiotic therapy.
Abdominal Wall ; Abscess ; Actinomycosis* ; Colon* ; Colon, Transverse ; Communicable Diseases ; Fistula ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Intrauterine Devices ; Penicillins ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Occupational Diseases*

This study was performed to investigate the possibility of temporary threshold shift (TTS) of vibration sense could induced by exposure to high-frequency vibration or by work position taking by dentists in drilling or polishing. The vibratory perception thresholds (VPT) of 28 healthy men were measured on the index fingertip pulp of dominant hand at 250Hz. The vibrating tool used in test was a low-speed handpiece of 34,000 rpm. For the TTS test, the dominant hand was exposed to high-frequency vibration and to work position for five minutes, respectively. The VPTs before and after vibratory exposure were 23.5+/-3.5 dB, 30.8+/-4.2 dB, respectively and VPT after work position was 23.7+/-4.6 dB. The difference between before and after vibartory exposure was statistically significant (P<0.001). The correlation of height, weight and BMl with baseline VPTs was not statistically significant. Also, there was no difference of VPTs by smoking. These results suggest that high-frequency vibration from dental handpieces might cause the impairment of vibration sensation.
Dentists ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Sensation* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Vibration*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relation between different types of exposure to noise and a classic sign of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL); the audiometric notch. METHODS: A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was carried out in electronics sound inspectors exposed to continuous and impulsive type noises. The noise levels in the working environments, and the audiometric hearing threshold levels were measured. RESULTS: Electronics sound inspectors were exposed to impulsive noise ranging from 74.1 to 88.9 dBA. The hearing loss induced by impulsive noise was greater and was characterized by maximum loss at 6 kHz audiometric frequency, as opposed to the notch at 4 kHz that is typical of continuous noise. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the probable effect of impulsive noise on hearing should be considered even when the exposure is within the 85 dB equivalent A-weighted level. To diagnose NIHL it is important to elicit a detailed and accurate history of exposure to noise. Although the notch at 4 kHz is a well established clinical sign and may be valuable in confirming the diagnosis, the 6 kHz notch is variable and of limited importance.
Diagnosis ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; Hearing* ; Noise*

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was done to develop a predictive model of depression in rural elders that will guide prevention and reduction of depression in elders. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was done using face-to-face private interviews. Participants included in the final analysis were 461 elders (aged> or = 65 years). The questions were on depression, personal and environmental factors, body functions and structures, activity and participation. Decision tree analysis using the SPSS Modeler 14.1 program was applied to build an optimum and significant predictive model to predict depression in rural elders. RESULTS: From the data analysis, the predictive model for factors related to depression in rural elders presented with 4 path-ways. Predictive factors included exercise capacity, self-esteem, farming, social activity, cognitive function, and gender. The accuracy of the model was 83.7%, error rate 16.3%, sensitivity 63.3%, and specificity 93.6%. CONCLUSION: The results of this study can be used as a theoretical basis for developing a systematic knowledge system for nursing and for developing a protocol that prevents depression in elders living in rural areas, thereby contributing to advanced depression prevention for elders.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cognition ; Decision Trees ; Depression/*psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Questionnaires ; Rural Population ; Self Care ; Self Concept ; Sex Factors ; Social Behavior

This study was to find out whether the rendering screen difference affect to measuring distance in a CAD program according to three types of CAD programs. Materials and methods: The model presented in ISO 12836 for dental scanner evaluation was reduced by 70%. This model was repeatedly scanned 15times using Trios II (3Shape, Denmark). Using the output STL file, 3Shape CAD, inLab 15, and ExoCAD programs were used to measure the horizontal distance (H) and vertical distance (V) between adjacent point angle, and for each experiment, three groups were set according to the CAD program type. Statistical analysis was performed using One-way ANOVA test and post hoc was performed using Dunnett T3 test. Results: In the horizontal and vertical distance measurement, there was no difference in the average of the measured values between the three groups according to the CAD program (P>.05). Conclusion: There were no effect of the difference in the rendering screen in the horizontal and vertical linear distance measurements of the inlay model on the dental CAD program.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed with NW-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester ((L)-NAME), an inhibitor of EDRF production, and glibenclamide, which closes ATP dependent K+ channels, to determine their effects on hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in isolated perfused rat lungs ventilated with normoxia (21% O2, 5% CO2, balanced N2) and hypoxia (5% O2, 5% CO2, balanced N2). METHODS: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats (250 - 350 g) were divided into the control group (n = 10), glibenclamide group (n = 10), and (L)-NAME group (n = 10). In the control group, after the lungs were isolated and stabilized, they were exposed to angiotensin II and 3 consecutive hypoxias. In glibenclamide group, they were exposed to angiotensin II and 3 consecutive hypoxias, and exposed to 3 more hypoxias after injection of glibenclamide 10 uM. In the (L)-NAME group, they were exposed to angiotensin II and 3 consecutive hypoxias, and exposed to 3 more hypoxias after injection of (L)-NAME 100 uM. RESULTS: Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (deltaPpa) after the (L)-NAME 100nM injection was 12.5 +/- 1.1 mmHg, and it was significantly greater than that of the control group 4.2 +/- 1.1 mmHg (P < 0.05). Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (deltaPpa) after glibenclamide 10nM injection was 5.3 +/- 1.1 mmHg, and there was no difference with the control group, 4.2 +/- 1.1 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that (L)-NAME, an inhibitor of EDRF production, significantly increased hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, but glibenclamide, which closes ATP dependent K+ channels, did not affect hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in this model.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Angiotensin II ; Animals ; Anoxia ; Glyburide* ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasoconstriction*

Brucellosis is a zoonosis caused by several species of Brucella. Brucellosis is usually an acute or sub-acute febrile illness that histologically develops granulomatous inflammation. Brucella prostatitis is a very rare complication and is usually accompanied by epididymo-orchitis. We now report a case of histologically proven granulomatous prostatitis due to Brucella without clinical evidence of epididymo-orchitis. A 61-year-old farmer presented with myalgia, low back pain, and fever. A needle biopsy of the prostate was performed due to symptoms of urinary frequency and high prostate specific antigen levels (17.3 ng/mL). Histologically, the prostate showed granulomatous inflammation without caseous necrosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) studies of blood and prostatic tissue for Brucella were positive, while a PCR study for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was negative. The patient was treated with doxycycline and rifampin. A possibility of Brucella prostatitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of granulomatous prostatitis or prostatitis of unknown origin associated with or without epididymo-orchitis.
Biopsy, Needle ; Brucella ; Brucellosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Doxycycline ; Fever ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Low Back Pain ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Necrosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatitis ; Rifampin

In air leak syndrome, a significant portion of the volume delivered during a positive pressure breath can be lost through the leak. HFOV can achieve adequate ventilation at lower peak and/or mean intrapulmonary pressure than conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) and has been an effective treatment of already established air leak syndrome. We report a 1-day-old male infant with severe respiratory failure from pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, who was refractory to CMV with chest tube drainage. HFOV was applied to this patient for 114 hours, and improvement of oxygenation and ventilation as well as significant reduction of pneumothorax followed.
Chest Tubes ; Drainage ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Oxygen ; Pneumothorax ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Ventilation*