No abstract available.
Laser Therapy*

A survey on the prevalence of intestinal parasites was performed during the period from April to June of 1969, to evaluate the present status of parasitic infections in ROK Army soldiers. Stool specimens of 1,0l2 soldiers were collected from a camp located in Won-Ju area, and examined by the method of formalin-ether sedimentation technique. For protozoan cysts, examined slide was stained with Lugol's iodine solution and for eggs of Enterobius, the Graham's scotch cellulose tape anal swab technique was applied. The results obtained in this survey were as follows: Of the 1,012 soldiers examined, 95.0 percent were found infected by one or more intestinal parasites and 28.7 percent were found positive for protozoan cysts. The positive rates of each parasites were; A. lumbricoides 61.0 percent, T. trichiurus 73.4 percent, hookworm 17.5 percent, T. orientalis 9.5 percent, E. vermicularis 0.1 percent (from stool specimen), C. sinensis 8.8 percent, M. yokogawai 1.1 percent, Taenia sp. 1.0 percent (from stool), H. nana 0.3 percent and E. histolytica 7.4 percent. E. coli 12.6 percent, E. nana 5.9 percent, I. buetchlii 0.7 pecent, G. lamblia 6.1 percent, and C. mesnili 0.8 percent. From the anal swabs, eggs of Enterobius were recovered in 2.6 percent, and eggs of Taenia sp. showed positive rate of 1.5 percent.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda-nematoda-cestoda-protozoa ; epidemiology ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; Trichuris trichiurus ; hookworm ; Trichostrogylus orientalis ; Enterobius vermicularis ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Metagonimus yokogawai ; Taenia sp. ; Hymenolepis nana ; Entamoeba histolytica ; Entamoeba coli ; Endolimax nana ; Iodamoeba buetchlii ; Giardia lamblia ; Chilomastix mesnili

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary tuberculosis with a remaining cavitary lesion is considered to be a problem with the course of treatment. In particular, re-treatment cases tend to respond poorly to current anti-tuberculosis agents. Therefore the factors that are related with the poor closure of a cavitary lesion in pulmonary tuberculosis during treatment were evaluated. METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records and chest X-ray films of 68 patients who had chemotherapy for the pulmonary tuberculosis with cavitary lesions was made. All the patients had been followed up for more than 12 months at National Masan Tuberculosis Hospital as of Aug. 2000. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was 3.9:1. 72.4% of the patients were between 20 to 50 years of age. 66.2% of the cavitary lesions on the chest X-ray films were confined to the upper lung fields : 36.8% in the right upper lung field and 29.4% in the left upper lung field. 82.4% of the cavities were less than 40mm in their size, and 83.8% were less than 6mm thick. The cavitary lesions were closed in 48 cases and remained in 20 cases during a follow-up period of more than 12 months. The factors that are though to affect ot the outcomes of the cavities were age, past medication history, the number of unused drugs, and the number of sensitive drugs. CONCLUSION: In the treatment courses of pulmonary tuberculosis with cavitary lesions, the following factors are associated with less desirable outcome:an age over 45, a past medication history of more than 2 courses of treatment, The number of unused drugs not exceeding average 6 and the number of sensitive drugs not exceeding average 7.
Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitals, Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary* ; X-Ray Film

No abstract available.
Animals ; Capsaicin* ; Colon* ; Cytokines* ; Lung* ; Melanoma, Experimental* ; Mice* ; RNA, Messenger*

No abstract available.
Femoral Nerve* ; Humans ; Ossification, Heterotopic*

PURPOSE: To evaluate neurotoxic effects induced by oxygen-radicals, which were generated by adding xanthine oxidase(XO) and hypoxanthine(HX), and protective effects of glutamate receptor antagonist such as MK-801 and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline(CNQX). METHODS: Dissociated cell cultures were prepared from cerebrum of neonatal mouse. Tissues were dissected and diced into small pieces in phosphate buffered saline and were incubated at 37degrees C. Isolated cells were resuspended in Eagle's minimum essential medium and plated poly-L-lysine coated plastic coverslips in 96 well multichambers at a cell density of 3x105 cells/well. Cells were grown in a 5% CO2/95% air atmosphere at 37degrees C. Cytotoxic effects were examined in cerebral cortical neurons cultured for 3 hours in media containing various concentration of XO and HX. The protective effects of glutamate receptor antagonist were also examined by MTT assay and neurofilament enzymeimmunoassay(EIA). Microscopic examinations were also done. RESULTS: Oxygen radicals markedly induced decrement of the cell viability of cultured mouse cerebral cortical neurons in a dose-dependent manner. Midpoint cytotoxicity value was 30mU/ml XO/0.1mM HX, when mouse cerebral cortical neurons were incubated for 3 hours with various concentrations of XO and HX. The number of cells and neurites was decreased when cerebral cortical neurons were cultured for 3 hours in a medium containing 30mU/ml XO/0.1mM HX. MK- 801 was very effective in blocking oxidant-induced neurotoxicity, while CNQX falied to show any protective effect in these cultures. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that oxygen radicals are neurotoxic, and selective N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists such as MK-801 are very effective in protecting neurotoxicity induced by oxygen radicals in cultured cerebral cortical neurons of neonatal mouse.
6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione ; Animals ; Anoxia ; Atmosphere ; Cell Count ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Survival ; Cerebrum ; Dizocilpine Maleate ; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists* ; Glutamic Acid* ; Ischemia ; Mice* ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neurites ; Neurons* ; Oxidative Stress* ; Plastics ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Receptors, Glutamate* ; Xanthine

Carotid endarterectomy is superior to medical treatment in preventing secondary stroke in patients with symptomatic high grade carotid stenosis. Transluminal angioplasty is a promising procedure as an alternative treatment for these patients. We report two cases of carotid angioplasty with Palmaz-Schatz stent in patients with carotid artery occlusive disease. One patient presented with decreased right visual acuity because of retinal arterial embolism. The angiogram demonstrated a discrete tight stenosis of right internal carotid artery carotid stenting with Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent was performed without any significant complications. The other patient presented with recurrent episodes of cerebral infarction, for which he had undergone left carotid erdarterectomy 3-years ago. The carotid angiogram demonstrated tight stenoses of both internal carotid arteries. Carotid artery stenting was performed at left and right internal carotid arteries without any complications. We suggest that stenting may be an effective and safe therapeutic alternative to surgical treatment in some selected patients with carotid artery occlusive disease.
Angioplasty* ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Stenosis* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Embolism ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; Humans ; Retinaldehyde ; Stents* ; Stroke ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To compare the tissue reactions of various water-soluble and oil-based contrast agents on the endometrium, salpingeat mucosa, and peritoneum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three rabbits were used for evaluating the histologic reactions of uterine endometrium, salpinx, and peritoneum. Hysterosalpingography(HSG) was underwent in these rabbits by using Lipiodol, Hexabrix, Rayvist, Ultravist-300, Ultravist-370, and normal saline. Pathotogic results were obtained in each of the six groups from the uterine endometrium, salpingeal mucosa, and peritoneum without knowledge of the contrast agent used and time interval from HSG. RESULTS: Mild inflammations were observed in the endometrium, salpingeal mucosa, and peritoneum during the first week of HSG in all rabbits in which water-soluble contrast agents were used. Although there was no significant difference in the degree of inflammation among the groups using various contrast agents, the group with oil-based contrast agent(Lipiodoi) showed delayed absorption of contrast agent in the peritoneum, frequent intravasation, fat granuloma, peritoneal adhesion, or uterine infarction. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that water-soluble contrast agents can be used safely for HSG, but the use of oil-based contrast agent is questionable in safety and should be avoided in patients with tubal obstruction, salpingitis, or endometritis.
Absorption ; Contrast Media* ; Endometritis ; Endometrium* ; Ethiodized Oil ; Fallopian Tube Diseases ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Infarction ; Inflammation ; Ioxaglic Acid ; Mucous Membrane* ; Peritoneum* ; Rabbits ; Salpingitis

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: Urinary tract infection (UTI) in children is the most common disease during the infantile period, therefore early diagnosis and treatment are important. Pyuria is a useful clinical parameter for the initial diagnosis of a UTI. In this study we aimed to compare the clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings in relation to the duration of pyuria in infants with UTIs. METHODS: Three hundred seventy-four infants <12 months of age who were admitted between January 1995 and December 2005 for the first episode of a febrile UTI were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the duration of pyuria as follows: group 1, pyuria resolved <3 days after initial treatment; and group 2, pyuria lasted at least 3 days after initial treatment. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in relation to gender, age, total duration of fever, and organisms in the urine. Group 2 had a significantly higher peripheral blood leukocyte count (14,360.86+/-5,526.16 cells/mm3 vs. 11,822.55+/-5,687.26 cells/mm3, P<0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (32.81+/-19.34 mm/hr vs. 23.74+/-20.43 mm/hr, P<0.001), and C-reactive protein (6.84+/-5.68 mg/dL vs. 3.78+/-3.99 mg/dL, P<0.001) than group 1. There was a significantly higher incidence of hydronephrosis and a higher grade of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in group 2 compared to group 1. CONCLUSION: In infants with UTI, pyuria of longer duration is related to severe UTI and higher grade VUR, therefore aggressive radiologic studies may be necessary.
Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Child ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Incidence ; Infant ; Leukocyte Count ; Pyuria ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux