No abstract available.
DNA* ; Vaccines, DNA*

OBJECTIVE: Estrogen is a major regulator/modulator of bone metabolism, and bone loss in estrogen deficiency is associated with increased bone turnover, But the mechanism for estrogen action on bone metabolism is still unknown. Recent studies have suggested that the increase in bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency is mediated by increased paracrine production of bone resorbing cytokines. Among cytokines, 1nterleukin-6(IL-6) is released from osteoblasts in estrogen deficiency and increases bone resorption by stimulation of osteoclastic activities and recruitment. Thus we performed this study to evaluate the effect of ovariectomies on bone mineral density and IL-6 in cultured monocytes of peripheral blood and bone marrow. METHODS: The experimental animals were 13 female Sprague-Dawley rats that were 8 weeks of age and weighed an average of 188.5 gram at the beginning of the study. Bilateral ovariectomies were performed in all rats from a ventral approach. Bone mineral density(BMD) of the total body, spine and level of IL-6 of cultured monocytes of peripheral blood and bone marrow were measured before and 8 weeks after ovariectomy. RESULTS: 1) BMD of total body and spine were lower after ovariectomy(0.257+/-0.069g/cm2, 0,208+/-0.005g/cm2) than before ovariectomy (0.276+/-0.005g/cm2, 0.229+/-0.011g/cm2), respectively (P<0.01). 2) Although IL-6 level of cultured monocytes in peripheral blood tended to be higher after ovariectomy than before ovariectomy, this difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). 3) IL-6 level of cultured monocytes in bone marrow was higher after ovariectomy(82.78+/-4.99pg/ml) than before ovariectomy(48.85+/-2.42pg/ml)(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: It is possible that increased production of IL-6 in estrogen deficiency induced by ovariectomy occurs in the local environment of bone or bone marrow rather than in the pheripheral blood and stimulates bone resorption.
Animals ; Bone Density* ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Resorption ; Cytokines ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Metabolism ; Monocytes ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoclasts ; Ovariectomy* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spine

We report a case of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in a 40-year-old man. He has suffered from generalized pruritus for 10 years. Seven months ago, multiple nodules developed over the scalp, face, and thigh. The physical examination showed thickened dystrophic twenty nails with brownish discoloration and lichenified, eczematoid lesions over the trunk and extremities. The skin biopsy revealed diffuse, extensive infiltrates of atypical lymphoid cells in the dermis, which appeared as T lymphocytes by immuno-histochemistry; approximately 90% of the tumor cells were CD3-positive, 80% were CD4-positive, and 60% CD45RO-positive. Laboratory analyses in the peripheral bload showed 18% atypical lymphocytes (Sezary cell), an elevated LDH(746 U/liter), and abnormal lymphocyte subset proportions(ratio of Th/Ts is 4.08). A bone marrow puncture revealed the infiltrations of lymphoid cells and computed tamo-graphy showed no evidence of other organ involvement except the swelling of bilateral inguinal lymph nodes. Spontaneous partial regression of the tumors ensued on the way of oral antihistamines and topical corticosteroids for the relief of the pruritus. The tumorous skin lesions and onychodystrophy disappeared completely with 6 cycles of systemic chemotherapy of CHOP(cyclophosphamide, doxoru-bicin, vincristine, and prednisone).
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Dermis ; Drug Therapy ; Extremities ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous* ; Physical Examination ; Pruritus ; Punctures ; Scalp ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thigh ; Vincristine

Chronic dermatological problems associated with lower limb amputation sites include local maceration, intertrigo, blistering and ulceration, contact dermatitis, tissue atrophy, verrucous hyperplasia, lichenification, callosities, epidermoid cyst formation, and malignant neoplasia. A 60 year-old male was presented with a verrucous oozing eruption of the amputation stump of the left leg. He had been involved in a railroad logging accident 30 years before, resulting in the loss of the left lower limb. He were a below-knee prosthesis (patellar-tendon hearing). We diagnosed him as verrucous hyperplasia by clinical and histological findings and then referred him to the division of rehabilitation for a refitting of his prosthesis, after which his eruption cleared two months later.
Amputation ; Amputation Stumps ; Amputees* ; Atrophy ; Blister ; Callosities ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Epidermal Cyst ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Intertrigo ; Leg ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostheses and Implants ; Railroads ; Rehabilitation ; Ulcer

No abstract available.
Peripheral Nerves* ; Rabbits* ; Regeneration*

To observed whether the specific IgG antibody test using ELISA was useful in diagnosis of presently ill patients of paragonimiasis, a total of 95 sera were tested. The sera were collected from 21 egg positive cases, 8 from positive reactors of intradermal test, 7 from Clonorchis infected, 9 from other parasitic diseases and 50 from apparently non-infected cases. By the result, the sensitivity of the test was 86% and the specificity was 100%. There were no cross reactions between Paragonimus antigen and other parastic infections. Specific IgG antibody test by micro-ELISA was concluded to be useful for mass screening of the presently ill paragonimiasis in the field.
parasitology-helminth-cestoda ; Spirometra sp. ; sparganum ; sparganosis ; immunology ; diagnosis ; ELISA

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging in determining the metastatic lymph nodes in uterine cervical carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty nine patients with histologically proven cervical carcinoma underwent Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging. One hundred and thirty-eight pelvic regions(69 right,69 left) in 69 patients were analyzed for lymph node metastases. Pelvic lymph nodes were considered to be abnormal if they were greater than lcm in diameter and were enhanced on postcontrast T1 weighted images. RESULTS: Metastatic lymph nodes were found in 22 pelvic regions by surgicopathologic examinations. On MR imaging there were 14 true positives, 106 true negatives, 10 false positives and 8 false negatives. Gd-DTPA enhanced MR image had an accuracy of 86.9%, a sensitivity of 58.3%, a specificity of 91.4%, a positive predictive value of 58.3% and negative predictive value of 92.9% in evaluation of pelvic lymph node metastases. CONCLUSION: MR imaging with contrast enhancement may be useful in the evaluation of pelvic lymph node metastases in patients with uterine cervical carcinoma.
Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pelvis ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Thrombosis of one or both renal veins occurs in a variety of settings such as trauma, dehydration, extrinsic compression, nephrotic syndrome, pregnancy, oral contraceptives or invasion by tumor. Nephrotic syndrome and certain carcinomas seem to predispose to the development of renal vein thrombosis. The most common carcinoma which is associated with renal vein thrombosis is the renal cell carcinoma. But, renal vein thrombosis associated with tumor other than renal cell carcinoma is extremely rare. Our patient was diagnosed as lung and uterine cervical cancer by histologic examination. The patient complained of left flank pain. Abdominal CT scan shows the dilated left renal vein filled with hypodense material and parenchymal infarction on the left kidney. Renal arteriography shows cut-off sign on a branch of the left renal artery. Inferior venacavography revealed contrast-filling defect in the left renal vein. To our knowledge, renal vein thrombosis with lung and uterine cervical carcinoma is the first report in English literature. So, we have presented a rare case of a renal vein thrombosis in a patient with lung and uterine cervical cancer.
Angiography ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Contraceptives, Oral ; Dehydration ; Flank Pain ; Humans ; Infarction ; Kidney ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Pregnancy ; Renal Artery ; Renal Veins* ; Thrombosis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Fatty Liver ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Incidence* ; Obesity

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine that the assessment of serum neuron specific enolase(NSE) could provide a reliable early predictor of neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest. METHODS: Prospective, observational study was performed from April 1996 to March 1998 at a university teaching hospital ED. Serum NSE concentrations were analysed twice at 24 and 48 hours after return of spontaneous circulation(ROSC). Neurologic outcome was categorized using cerebral performance category(CPC). RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients(16 were men) were enrolled during the study period. The mean age was 50.8 years. Nine(31%) of them showed good outcome defied as CPC 1-3, and 20(69%) patients showed bad outcome defied as CPC 4-5. In the good outcome group, the serum NSE was revealed 33.8+/-9.3 ng/ml at 24 hours, 34.0+/-4.73 ng/ml at 48 hours. While in the bad outcome group, it was 99.5+/-11.7 ng/ml and 114.6+/-15.8 ng/ml. The NSE at 48hr after ROSC was more prescise than that of 24hr. When the cutoff value of 50 ng/ml at 48 hr, the sensitivity was 82%, and specificity was 93%. CONCLUSION: This study suggest that the serum NSE may represent a valuable, noninvasive, and useful clinical tool for prediction of neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest.
Heart Arrest* ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Neurons* ; Observational Study ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase* ; Prospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity