No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Humans ; Pathology, Surgical* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule*

No abstract available.
Spine*

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is one of the treatment options used for patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), although its effectiveness is controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ESWT in the treatment of MPS in terms of pain relief and functional improvements. METHODS: We assessed 93 patients with MPS who underwent ESWT from March 2009 to July 2014. After exclusion of 25 patients with shoulder diseases, 68 patients were enrolled in the study. The mean follow-up period was 7.5 months (± 4.2 weeks), and the average duration of symptoms was 5 months (range, 2-16 months). ESWT was applied to intramuscular taut bands and referred pain areas once a week for 3 weeks. Visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores were obtained at an initial assessment and at the 6-week, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up assessments. RESULTS: VAS pain scores and ASES scores improved significantly after 3 sessions of ESWT (p<0.05). Both scores were improved, although not significantly, after 6 weeks (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ESWT is an effective treatment option for patients with MPS.
Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Myofascial Pain Syndromes* ; Pain, Referred ; Shock* ; Shoulder ; Visual Analog Scale

To understand the role of Transglutaminase K(TGase K) in skin diseases, the expression of TGase K protein was studied in hyperkeratotic inflammatory skin diseases, and in several different kinds of benign and malignant skin tumors. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the TGase K protein with a new anti-human TGase K polyclonal antibody. This antibody showed the same immuno- histochemical staining pattern as in previously published immunofluorescence data with the exception that the immunohistochemical stain showed a slightly weaker stain in the granular layer. However, the staining intensity was decreased in psoriasis, which is opposite for results obtained with the widely used TGase K monoclonal antibody B.C1. In other hyperkeratotic inflammatory skin diseases, like pityriasis rubra pilaria, lichen planus, and pityriasis rosea, the staining patterns were similar while the staining intensity was decreased, compared to normal epidermis. Squamous cell carcinoma showed a diffuse staining pattern in tumor cells with a small intensity increase in well differentiated tumor cells. However, in actinic keratosis and Bowen's disease, which are thought to be precursors of squamous cell carcinoma, the staining intensity was weak. The tumor cells of basal cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, and seborrheic keratosis showed a weak staining intensity.
Bowen's Disease ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Epidermis ; External Fixators ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Keratosis, Seborrheic ; Lichen Planus ; Melanoma ; Pityriasis ; Pityriasis Rosea ; Psoriasis ; Skin Diseases* ; Skin*

An echogenic lobulated round mass in the head of pancreas was found during abdominal ultrasonography for routine checkup on a 34 year-old man. CT and MRI showed characteristic findings of lipoma. Clinical followup confirmed intrapnacreatic lipoma, which had been reported only once proviously. This lesion should be added to the list of benign connective tissue tumor of the pancreas.
Connective Tissue ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Lipoma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pancreas ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Collagen* ; Insulin* ; Rats* ; Streptozocin*

BACKGROUND: We studied the antibiotic sensitivities to the causative microorganisms of acute simple urinary tract infection for recent 3 years. METHODS: We analyzed 112 microorganisms and their antibiotic sensitivities of the 104 patients who were admitted to or visited the Department of Urology, Catholic University St. Marys Hospital and had more than 10cfu/mL on urine culture from June 1996 to January 1999 retrospectively. RESULTS: The chance of gram negative and positive as causative microorganisms was 72.3% and 27.7% respectively. The most common pathogenic microorganisms were Escherichia coli (67.0%) followed by a-hemolytic streptococci, Entercoccus. In gram negative acute UTI, imipenem, sulperanzone showed relatively higher sensitivity, while cotrimoxazole, ampicillin showed relatively lower sensitivity. In gram positive, vancomycin, penicillin showed relatively higher sensitivity, while ampicillin, imipenem showed relatively lower sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: We consider that gram negative microorganisms, especially E. coli, is the main cause of acute simple UTI. But, we should be concerned about the increase of gram positive organisms and other gram negative organisms besides E. coli. Regarding to the choice of adequate drug in the treatment of UTI, it is necessary to consider the change of pathologic microorganisms.
Ampicillin ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Imipenem ; Penicillins ; Retrospective Studies ; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract* ; Urology ; Vancomycin

GDC embolization has been performed selectively since 1991 in patients with intracranial aneurysms and made remarkable technical and clinical advances in recent years. But until now, this procedure lacks an adequate long-term follow-up study. Also, clear mechanism and evidence of electrothrombosis and endothelialization of aneurysm neck, the incidence of vasospasm after GDC embolization are still controversial. Here we critically reviewed the published literatures pertaining to the GDC embolization in order to gain a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of forementioned controversies. Also from November 1997 to April 1999, we treated 12 patients of intracranial aneurysms with GDC embolization. In conclusion, although certain shortcomings and controversies are still remain, the GDC embolization can be an alternative, supportive and attractive therapeutic modality in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Not only to improve outcome of intracranial aneurysms but also fulfill the patient's requirement, we need cooperations and cross-training with the interventional neuroradiology and rigorous academic evaluation on anatomy of cerebral vasculature and pathophysiology of cerebrovascular disorders.
Aneurysm ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; Embolization, Therapeutic* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Neck

Calpain I (mu-calpain) and II (m-calpain) are well known calcium-activated neutral cysteine proteases. Many reports have shown that activation of calpain is related to cataract formation, neuronal degeneration, blood clotting, ischemic injuries, muscular dystrophy and cornified cell envelope (CE) formation. Here, we report that insoluble CE formation was reduced after treatment with calpain I inhibitor (N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal) on normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK), whereas serine and thiol protease inhibitors had no effect on the reduction of CE. When NHEK cells were confluent, keratinocytes were treated with various concentrations (0.5 microM-0.5 mM) of calpain I inhibitor or serine and thiol protease inhibitors under calcium induced differentiation. Insoluble CE formation was reduced about 90% in the 50 microM calpain inhibitor I treated group by day 9 of culture, whereas insoluble CE was reduced only 10% in the same condition. Interestingly TGase activity was blocked by 90% in the 0.5 mM calpain inhibitor treated group within 72 h, whereas TGase activity was retained by 80% in the 0.5 mM serine protease inhibitor treated group at 7 day treatment. Therefore it can be suggested that cysteine protease calpains might be responsible for the activation of the TGase 1 enzyme to complete insoluble CE formation during epidermal differentiation.
Calcium/pharmacology ; Calpain/metabolism* ; Calpain/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Cell Differentiation ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Epidermis/metabolism ; Human ; In Vitro ; Keratinocytes/metabolism ; Keratinocytes/enzymology ; Protease Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Protein-Glutamine gamma-Glutamyltransferase/metabolism* ; Protein-Glutamine gamma-Glutamyltransferase/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Tissue Culture

No abstract available.
Jaw*