No Abstract Available.
Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic* ; Fatigue* ; Prevalence*

BACKGROUND: The positive reactions of carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) show varying degrees in the tissue of all sweat gland neoplasms by immunohistochemistry. The CEA secreted from sweat glands presents a high value, compared with that of serum. OBJECTIVE: The study was to evaluate the sweat CEA value in relation to serum CEA value by sex, smoking status and blood type in healthy subjects. METHOD: Fifty-two healthy subjects(M : 43, F :9) aged 21-30, participated in the study. 2ml sweat was collected from the face and chest after intense exercises and 3ml blood was collected from their antecubital veins. Roche Core CEA enzyme immunoassay was used for the measurement of sweat and serum CEA. RESULTS: Sweat CEA values were 102.0+4100.5ng/ml in males and 70.6+458.5ng/ml in females, with their mean valueof 96.6+/-94.9ng/ml. Sweat CEA values were 108.3+/-103.5ng/ml in 27 smokers and 83.9+/-84.8ng/ml in 25 nonsmokers(p>0.05, t-test). Sweat CEA values were higher among the males and the smokers. Serum CEA values were 2.5+/-1.7ng/ml in males and 1.6+/-0.8ng/ml in females, with its mean value of 2.4+/-1.6ng/ml. There was no difference between serum values of smokers and nonsmokers. Sweat CEA values were about 40 times higher than those of serum, with no correlation of sweat and serum CEA(correlation coefficient=-0.16, P>0.05). In the blood type study, sweat CEA values were 123.1+/-131.8ng/ml in A type and 66.1+/-55.0ng/ml in B type(P>0.05), whereas serum CEA values were higher in AB type and lower in O type(P<0.05, ANOVA). CONCLUSION: Sweat CEA values are extraordinarily high in contradistinction to serum. Sweat CEA values are not affected by sex, smoking status and blood type. There seems to be no association between CEA values of sweat and serum.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen* ; Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sweat Gland Neoplasms ; Sweat Glands ; Sweat* ; Thorax ; Veins

Drowning is a leading cause of accidental deaths worldwide, but its pathological diagnosis remains a challenge for forensic pathologists owing to a lack of pathognomonic findings in drowning deaths and inconclusive autopsy findings caused by postmortem changes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the pathway taken by inhaled drowning medium through the airway after death in a variety of experimental conditions, including underwater pressurization. We used methylene blue dye to monitor the spread of drowning medium to the lungs. Results of theses experiments demonstrated that it is possible for a significant amount of downing medium to enter the airway during immersion after death. Our results suggest that autopsies of immersed bodies and interpretation of these findings should be performed with special care.
Animal Experimentation* ; Animals* ; Autopsy ; Diagnosis ; Drowning* ; Immersion ; Inhalation* ; Lung ; Methylene Blue* ; Postmortem Changes

No abstract available.
Matrix Metalloproteinase 9

Although anterior fusion has several advantages in the management of fracture-dislocations of cervical spine than posterior methods, it has not been used in common. Because, it does not give sufficient stability to prevent the dislodgment of the graft and angular deformity and it requires prolonged rigid external immobilization. In order to promote the stability and to reduce the external support, authors have fixed with plate and screws in anterior spine fusion for various type of fracture-dislocations of cervical spine, and report the results of 29 consecutive cases. Minimum follow-up period was 6 months (Av. 12mos.). Two level fixation after anterior decompression by corpectomy was done in 7 cases. Ambulation was started from the day after operation with aid of orthosis, regardless of the neurological status. Bone union was observed in all, but one expired case, within 2–3 months. There was no failure in fixation and no worsening in neurology. Improvement of neurological status were observed in 17 patient during and follow up periods of treatment, among 23 patient with neurological symptoms on arrival. The observed complications of hoarseness(2 csses), dysphagia(2 cases) and Horner's syndrome(1 case) were improved later, but the patient with pneumonia was expired one month after operation. It is concluded that the procedure is a safe and better alternative for the fracture-dislocations including flexion injury between C2-T1, because it provides good stability, rapid union, short external support and possibility of neural decomprssion.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Decompression ; Dislocations ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Neurology ; Orthotic Devices ; Pneumonia ; Spine ; Transplants ; Walking

No abstract available.
Aminosalicylic Acid* ; Cycloserine* ; Prothionamide* ; Retreatment* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

No abstract available.

Endometriosis is an enigmatic disease of menstruating females affecting the reproductive life. We report herein a case of perineal endometriosis in a 33-year-old woman. The patient presented two rounded, thickened plaques bilaterally on the perineum for about four year. The plaque on the right side was located mainly at the episiotomy scar. Histologic examination showed confirmative feature of glandular structures embedded in the cellular stroma and predecidual changes of late secretory phase of endometrium. Radical operation of total hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy and partial excision of perineal lesions were performed. There was complete resolution with no relapse by the 6-month follow-up. This is of a very rare occurrence and three cases have been reported in the Korean literatures up to date.
Adult ; Cicatrix ; Endometriosis* ; Endometrium ; Episiotomy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Ovariectomy ; Perineum ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of balloon catheter dilatation in the treatment of esophageal achalasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients(three males and four females) with esopha-geal achalasia were treated with balloon catheter dilatation. Balloon catheters of variable sizes were used depending on patient's conditions. The patients were followed up over a period of 12-39months. RESULTS: Balloon catheter dilatation in esophageal achalasia was successful in all patients without esophageal perforation. All patients were relieved from dysphagia. Recurrence was not found in 5 patients on long term follow-up study, but was seen in 2 patients after 18 and 21 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Balloon catheter dilatation was a safe and effective method in the treatment of esophageal achalasia with low recurrence rate of 29% on follow-up study.
Catheters* ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dilatation* ; Esophageal Achalasia* ; Esophageal Perforation ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Male ; Recurrence

We reported herein a rare case of a 65-year-old female who lead intestinal tuberculosis of about 2 months duration, with little late development of metastatit berculosis abscess of the skin. The lesions were egg tow wolnut-sized abscesses or nodules occu in, on the back, right flank and lower abdomen with no pain or mild tenderness. Physical exami saion was unremarkable on dissemination of other sites. The tuberculin test was negative. The skin esions were diagnosed by clinical, histopathologic features, and positive results for Mycobactc iuntuberculosis in smear.; and cultures in the pus discharge: as well as polymerase chain reaction nethod on the nodular lesion. A barium enema showed the findings of intestinal tuberculosis, with positive culture in the stool. A combined treatment was intituted. During the initial 4 month, utaneous lesions did not respond and in some cases worsened with the multidrug of isoniazicr fampin, pyrazinamide and streptomycin, all of which were surgically excised. Thereafter, the drugs of isoniazid and rifampin were further administered for ahout 14 months, with the complete resecution of both lesions and the systemic symptomatolo. There was no relapse at follow-up after 6 months.
Abdomen ; Abscess* ; Aged ; Barium ; Enema ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Ovum ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pyrazinamide ; Recurrence ; Rifampin ; Skin* ; Streptomycin ; Suppuration ; Tuberculin Test ; Tuberculosis*