No abstract available.
Animals ; Calcium Channels* ; Calcium* ; Rats*

OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of a pressure algometer to measure pressure pain threshold (PPT) for diagnosis of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) in the upper extremity and trunk muscles. METHOD: A group of 221 desk workers complaining of upper body pain participated in this study. Five physiatrists made the diagnosis of MPS using physical examination and PPT measurements. PPT measurements were determined for several muscles in the back and upper extremities. Mean PPT data for gender, side, and dominant hand groups were analyzed. Sensitivity and specificity of Fischer's standard method were evaluated. PPT cut-off values for each muscle group were determined using an ROC curve. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha for each muscle was very high. The PPT in men was higher than in females, and the PPT in the left side was higher than in the right side for all muscles tested (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in PPT for all muscles between dominant and non-dominant hand groups. Diagnosis of MPS based on Fischer's standard showed relatively high specificity and poor sensitivity. CONCLUSION: The digital pressure algometer showed high reliability. PPT might be a useful parameter for assessing a treatment's effect, but not for use in diagnosis or even as a screening method.
Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Muscles ; Myofascial Pain Syndromes ; Pain Threshold ; Physical Examination ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Upper Extremity

Solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) are rare spindle-cell neoplasms that are found principally in the pleura, and extrathoracic SFTs are even less common. We report here on a case of malignant solitary fibrous tumor in the perianal region. A 47-year-old man was referred to our hospital for surgical treatment of an incidentally discovered perianal mass. Pelvic MRI showed a slightly lobulated solid mass with central necrosis in the ischiorectal fossa. We performed complete removal of tumor with using a postanal approach. The resected specimen was 6.5x5.0x5.0 cm in size, and it was an elastic solid tumor with invasion to the surrounding muscle structures. Histologically, the tumor was composed of a patternless proliferation of spindle cells with a collagenous matrix and the tumor cells showed increased cellularity, cellular pleomorphism and frequent mitotic figure. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for CD34 and negative for desmin, which indicated malignant SFT. We report here on a rare case of malignant SFT in the perianal region along with a review of the literature.
Collagen ; Desmin ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Pleura ; Solitary Fibrous Tumors*

Bullous pemphigoid may, very rarely, occur in infants, although it is usually a bullous disease of the elderly which is characterized by subepidermal bullae on erythematous and normal skin. We describe an infant with severe subepidermal blistering disorder with typical features for bullous pemphigoid.
Aged ; Blister ; Humans ; Infant* ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Skin

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of intraocular lens (IOL) power prediction for cataract surgery with open angle glaucoma (OAG) and to identify preoperative angle parameters correlated with postoperative unpredicted refractive errors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised 45 eyes from 45 OAG subjects and 63 eyes from 63 non-glaucomatous cataract subjects (controls). We investigated differences in preoperative predicted refractive errors and postoperative refractive errors for each group. Preoperative predicted refractive errors were obtained by biometry (IOL-master) and compared to postoperative refractive errors measured by auto-refractometer 2 months postoperatively. Anterior angle parameters were determined using swept source optical coherence tomography. We investigated correlations between preoperative angle parameters [angle open distance (AOD); trabecular iris surface area (TISA); angle recess area (ARA); trabecular iris angle (TIA)] and postoperative unpredicted refractive errors. RESULTS: In patients with OAG, significant differences were noted between preoperative predicted and postoperative real refractive errors, with more myopia than predicted. No significant differences were recorded in controls. Angle parameters (AOD, ARA, TISA, and TIA) at the superior and inferior quadrant were significantly correlated with differences between predicted and postoperative refractive errors in OAG patients (-0.321 to -0.408, p<0.05). Superior quadrant AOD 500 was significantly correlated with postoperative refractive differences in multivariate linear regression analysis (β=-2.925, R²=0.404). CONCLUSION: Clinically unpredicted refractive errors after cataract surgery were more common in OAG than in controls. Certain preoperative angle parameters, especially AOD 500 at the superior quadrant, were significantly correlated with these unpredicted errors.
Biometry ; Cataract* ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle* ; Humans ; Iris ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Linear Models ; Myopia ; Refractive Errors* ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

Although continuous low-dose (metronomic [MET]) therapy exerts anti-cancer efficacy in various cancer models, the effect of long-term MET therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. This study assessed the long-term efficacy of MET on suppression of tumor growth and spontaneous metastasis in a rat model of HCC induced by administration of diethylnitrosamine for 16 wk. The rats were divided into 3 groups: MTD group received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 40 mg/kg cyclophosphamide on days 1, 3, and 5 of a 21-day cycle; Control and MET groups received i.p. injections of saline and 20 mg/kg cyclophosphamide twice a week, respectively. Anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic effects and anti-metastatic mechanisms including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) were evaluated. Twelve wk of MET therapy resulted in a significant reduction in intrahepatic tumors than control or MTD therapy. The MET group had fewer proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells and decreased hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha levels and microvessel density. Lung metastases were detected in 100%, 80%, and 42.9% in the control, MTD, and MET groups, respectively. MET therapy significantly decreased expression of TIMP-1, MMP-2 and -9. For mediators of pro-MMP-2 activation, MET therapy induced significant suppression in the TIMP-2 and MMP-14 level. The survival in the MET group was significantly prolonged compared to the control and MTD groups. Long-term MET scheduling suppresses tumor growth and metastasis via its potent anti-angiogenic properties and a decrease in MMPs and TIMPs activities. These results provide a rationale for long-term MET dosing in future clinical trials of HCC treatment.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents/*administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/chemically induced/*drug therapy/mortality/pathology ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Cyclophosphamide/*administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Diethylnitrosamine ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/*drug effects ; Liver Cirrhosis/chemically induced ; Liver Neoplasms/chemically induced/*drug therapy/mortality/pathology ; Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy/pathology/secondary ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinases/metabolism ; Neovascularization, Pathologic/enzymology/physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Survival Analysis ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases/metabolism ; Tumor Burden/drug effects

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) pemphigus is a rare variant of an autoimmune bullous disease with IgA antibodies. IgA pemphigus is divided into 2 major subtypes: the subcorneal pustular dermatosis (SPD) type and intraepidermal neutrophilic (IEN) dermatosis type. We documented a case of an 18-year-old woman with recurrent generalized blisters and pustules that were especially severe in the intertriginous areas. Some half-and-half blisters and coalesced pustules in an annular pattern with crusts were simultaneously observed. A biopsy specimen from one of the half-and-half blister lesions showed intraepidermal separation with multiple neutrophils. Direct immunofluorescence staining revealed lace-like intercellular deposition of IgA in the entire epidermis. IgA antibody deposits were also observed in the patient's serum. The eruptions cleared with systemic steroids and colchicine 0.6 mg for 1 week, and the patient remained in partial remission at the 8-month follow-up. Herein, we report a case of IEN-type IgA pemphigus, clinically mimicking SPD with half-and-half blisters.
Adolescent ; Antibodies ; Biopsy ; Blister ; Colchicine ; Epidermis ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulins ; Neutrophils ; Pemphigus ; Skin Diseases ; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous ; Steroids

Sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation (SANT) is a rare, benign vascular neoplasm. Most patients have no clinical symptoms, and the tumors are usually discovered incidentally on abdominal computed tomography or ultrasonography. Some studies have reported the clinical features and imaging findings of SANT, but the diagnosis is based on histopathologic examination of a tissue specimen obtained at splenectomy. We report herein an incidentally discovered case of SANT and review the related literature.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Spleen* ; Splenectomy ; Splenic Neoplasms ; Ultrasonography ; Vascular Neoplasms

Ureteroscopy has been used widely to remove ureteral calculi, especially distal ureter stones. Also extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) has widened its applicability to ureter stones including distal ureter stones. In this study we tried to evaluate the exact role of ureteroscopic manipulation to get rid of ureter stones in the era of ESWL. Success rates and complications of 111 ureteroscopic stone removal procedures performed from December 1986 to May 1995 and those of another 369 patients managed with ESWL from May 1989 to May 1995 were analyzed. Success was defined as complete removal of the stones or residual stones less than 2 mm, immediate postoperatively in ureteroscopic manipulation and 2 weeks after ESWL. The success rate of the ureteroscopic manipulation was 38.9% (7/18), 46.2% (6/13) and 67.5% (54/80) in upper, middle and lower ureter stones, respectively. According to the size of the stone, success rate was 72.4% (21/29), 63.5% (40/63) and 14.3% (9/63) when it was less than 5 mm, 6 to 10 mm and larger than 10 mm. So the overall immediate postoperative success rate of ureteroscopic stone removal was 60.4%, and in another 8.9% of the patients the residual fragmented stones were expelled spontaneously in one month after the procedure. Complications were found in 9.9% of the procedures, including 5 mucosal avulsions and 2 ureteral strictures Success rate of the single session of ESWL was 64% without any differences regardless of the location of the stones in ureter, and it increased up to 88% when another 2 more sessions were tried. Success rate of the single session of ESWL according to the size of the stone was 91.7% (22/24), 67.9% (144/215) and 53.89S (70/130) in stones less than 5 mm, 6 to 10 mm and more than 10 mm, respectively. Complications were found in 3.4% of the patients, including 1.7% of steinstrasse and 1.4% of severe nausea and vomiting. From these observations we can conclude that it seems to be mandatory to renovate the indications of the ureteroscopic stone removal procedures in the era of ESWL.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Nausea ; Shock ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Calculi* ; Ureteroscopy ; Vomiting

A 79-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for shoulder pain. A physical examination revealed a tender right shoulder with limitation of active, and preservation of passive, motion. She had undergone a cerebral angiography with coil embolization two months prior to admission. After the procedure, she was presented with pain in the right upper arm and shoulder. Due to persistent shoulder pain, an MRI of the shoulder was performed, and osteonecrosis of the humeral head was detected. We present a case of osteonecrosis of the humeral head after cerebral angiography.
Aged ; Arm ; Cerebral Angiography* ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Female ; Humans ; Humeral Head* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Osteonecrosis* ; Physical Examination ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Pain