No abstract available.
Chitosan*

Optic nerve sheath meningioma arises from the arachnoid cap cell of optic nerve sheath and comprises most of primary orbital meningioma. We experienced a rare case of optic nerve sheath meningioma originating in the left orbit. A 44-year-old woman had suffered from visual disturbance in the left eye for 3 years and had only light perceptibility for the recent 6 months. The right eye was normal. Brain CT scan and MRI revealed a 2x0.8 cm sized fusiform solid mass in the left retrobulbar area. Under the impression of optic nerve tumor. excision of the mass including a small segment of the optic nerve was performed. The tumor was a yellowish firm, relatively well demarcated mass that encircled the optic nerve without infiltrating it. Microscopically it was a typical meningioma, meningothelial type. The recovery of visual acuity was impossible due to resection of optic nerve but there was no evidence of recurrence for u months.
Female ; Humans ; Meningioma

No abstract available.
Animals ; Chitosan* ; Eating* ; Mice*

OBJECTIVES: Anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) and lupus anticoagulant (LA) are acquired antiphospholipid antibodies (APAs), which are regarded as important risk factors far vascular thrombosis and recurrent fetal loss. Although the clinical relevance of APAs in dialysis patients is uncertain, recent studies have suggested that APAs are involved in bioincompatibility and thrombogenic complications in hemadialysis (HD) patients. METHOD: We performed a cross sectional study of ACA and LA in 50 stable HD patients and their 68 vascular accesses (52 native arteriovenous fistulae and 16 synthetic arterovenous grafts), with the analysis of factors associated with the presence of APAs and the retrospective evaluation of vascular access occlusion (VAO). LA was assessed by platelet neutralization method whereas IgG-ACA was measured by a solid phase ELISA. Values higher than 23GPLU/ml (IgG phospholipid units) were considered to be positive for IgG-ACA and positive values for LA was more than 8 seconds in prolongation of the clotting time with human platelet lysate. Vascular access survival was assessed by Kaplan- Meier method, RESULTS: The mean age of the subject (M:F 21:29) was 46 years and the mean duration of hemodialysis was 49 months. The frequency of VAO in entire subjects was 0.45+/-0.98 episodes/patient year. The median value of IgG-ACA was 16.0 GPLU/ml with a distribution from 2.7 to 46.1GPLU/ ml. The median titer of I.A was 4.5 (3.1-45.6) seconds. Fourteen patients (28%) were found to have at least one episode of VAO. In spite of comparable clinical and biochemical data according to the presence of VAO, the titers of IgG-ACA (13.6+/-7.7 vs, 20.3+/-8.7GPLIJ/ml, P<0.05) and LA (4.5+/-2.9 vs. 11.7 +/-12.6sec, P<0.05) were significantly higher in VAO group. Six out of 50 patients(12%) had an increased titer of IgG-ACA and LA was found in 11 patients(22%). No patients were positive for ACA and LA simultaneously. There was no significant difference in sex, etiology of ESRD, diabetic status, the dosage of heparin during HD or the amount of erythropoietin administered according to the presence of APAs. We could not find any significant correlation between the titer of APAs and age, duration of dialysis, blood pressure, platelet count and biochemical parameters. In the patients with positive ACA, the frequency of VAO was 1.05+/-0.12 episodes/patient year, which was significantly higher than patients without ACA (0.33+/-0.17 episodes/ patient year, P<0.05). In the patients with the presence of LA(1.06+/-0.43 vs. 0.12+/-0.06 episodes/ patients year, P<0.01). The median vascular access survival time in IgG-ACA positive patients (32.7 months) was significantly decreased compared to 66.8 months in IgG-ACA negative group. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the presence of APAs (ACA and/or LA) affects the event-free vascular access survival in HD patients. Therefore the evaluation of APAs status have to be included in the diagnostic strategies for the patients with recurrent VAO. Further studies are necessary to explore the pharmacologic intervention method to decrease APAs and prevent VAO in HD patients.
Antibodies, Anticardiolipin* ; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Pressure ; Dialysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Erythropoietin ; Heparin ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor* ; Platelet Count ; Renal Dialysis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thrombosis

No abstract available.
Humans ; Lymphocytes* ; Siblings* ; Sister Chromatid Exchange* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

Valproate is widely used because of broad spectrum of action, but it can produce an encephalopathy resulting from hyperammonemia even at the therapeutic range of valproate and is called as valproate-induced encephalopathy (VHE). Delay in recognition of VHE can result in the development of potentially life-threatening complications. Fortunately, it is reversible with discontinuing valproate. A 65-year-old man became progressively lethargic with impaired gait and poor cognitive function while taking valproate as alternative to zonisamide. Routine investigations of admission profiles were performed but revealed no abnormalities. Next, we checked serum ammonia level to identify other possible causes and detected hyperammonemia despite the therapeutic range of valproate in the absence of any abnormalities in liver enzymes. On cessation of valproate, he has achieved dramatic clinical improvement including the reversal of hyperammonemia. We confirmed the diagnosis of VHE. This emphasizes the importance of rapid diagnosis and proper management of VHE in order to prevent the neurological damage and minimize complications.
Aged ; Ammonia ; Gait ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Isoxazoles ; Liver ; Valproic Acid

Various surgical procedures have been described for correction of cicatricial entropion of the eyelid. Many of them fail to provide long-term correction and anatomic alteration which is the excessive scarring of the posterior lamella of the eyelid. Hard palate mucosa grafts provide a smooth mucosal surface to the cornea and buttress the scarred tissues of the posterior eyelid. Ten eyelids of eight patients underwent eyelid margin reconstruction using hard palate mucosa graft. Cicatricial entropions were secondary to chemical burn(2 patients), herpes zoster (1 patient), atopic dermatitis (1 patient), toxic epidermal necrolysis (1 patient) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (3 patients). Surgical results in ten eyelids were satisfactory. The grafts contracted minimaIly, and the palatal donor site healing was completed in 2-4 weeks.
Cicatrix ; Cornea ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Entropion* ; Eyelids ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane* ; Palate, Hard* ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants* ; Trichiasis

The gene encoding the 66 kilodalton (kDa) protein of Borrelia hermsii HS1 was cloned and sequenced. Chromosomal DNA was prepared from purified B. hermsii and used in construction of genomic library. The library was screened for positive clones by 314 bp DIG-labeled probe synthesized on the basis of the part of the sequence of B. hermsii. Positive clone was subcloned into p2ErO vector and was designated as pBH11. pBH11 were subcloned into pBluscript vector and were designated as pBH11-1 (500 bp), pBH11-2 (800 bp), pBH11-3 (600 bp) and pBH11-4 (800 bp). The plasmids were sequenced and determined the nucleotide sequence of p66. The open reading frame of the p66 consisted of 1803 base pairs coding for 600 amino acid protein. The basic information on the p66 gene of B. hermsii HS1 obtained from this study will be useful for further analysis and experiment of pathogenesis of the borrelia.
Base Pairing ; Base Sequence ; Borrelia* ; Clinical Coding ; Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; DNA ; Genomic Library ; Open Reading Frames ; Plasmids

No abstract available.
Chilaiditi Syndrome*

We successfully closed the isolated patent ductusarteriosus(PDA) in 2 female patients using the Rashkind Double-Disc Occlusion system. nonsurgical closure of PDA usin plug was introduced by Porstmann in 1968 through transfemoral artery catheter and using umbrella by Rashkind in 1977 througth venous site. There has been continued improvement and simplification of the equipment as well as in the implantation technique. Nowaday, a multicenter study was conducted to test the safety and effectiveness of this interventioal method in States. Successful closure rate was high but some problems were reported such as embolization, abnormal deployment and residual shunt. Residual shunt was visualized by aortography in our both cases immediately after intervention but continuous murmur could not be heard in both cases. Oxygen step-up disappeared immediately after occluder implantation in both cases. Complete occlusion was expected with thrombus in near future.
Aortography ; Arteries ; Catheters ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent* ; Female ; Humans ; Oxygen ; Thrombosis