The bony spur formation without degenerative change in the lumbar spines in the young age group is quite interesting and not uncommon. This bony spur is different from the degenerative spur in the old age group in shape and mechanism of formation. The authors analyzed 111 patients with such posterior lumbar bony spur for recent 3 years and 9 months. The authors concluded that posterioly located Schmorl's node is a main cause of the bony spur without degenerative change at lumbar region. The authors advocated 'Juvenile spur' as a new disease entity.
Humans ; Lumbosacral Region ; Spine*

Adhesive forces between the retina and the retinal pigment epithelium, which is mainta ined by active mechanisms unique for living animals, deteriorates rapidly after death and leads to spontaneous retinal detachment. Change of retinal adhesiveness in rabbits after death was investigated using a new method. Retinal detachment was induced by applying various levels of aspiration power from 0 to 1OO mmHg to the vitreous cavity using a vitrectomy instrument immediately after the rabbit was killed without enucleation. And the time required for creating the retinal detachment was measured. Retinal adhesiveness deteriorated and spontaneous retinal detachment occurred 28 minutes and 35 seconds after death confirming the active adhesion between the retina and the retinal pigment epithelium before death Increase of aspiration power led to shortening of time required for creating retinal detachment. From aspiration powers of 0 to 100 mmHg, the common logarithm of time required for retinal detachment was inversely proportional to the aspiration power [IogY = 1.45215 - 0.01113X, (R2=0.99041), X: aspiration power (mmHg), Y: time required for creating retinal detachment (minutes)]. Thus, presumed time of retinal detachment could be estimated between the aspiration powers of 0 to 100 mmHg.
Adhesiveness ; Adhesives* ; Animals ; Postmortem Changes* ; Rabbits ; Retina* ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Vitrectomy

No abstract available.
Mesenteric Artery, Superior* ; Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome*

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Phospholipase A (PLAq) is an rate-limiting enzyme hydrolyzing arachidonic acid from the sn-2 position of membrane phospholipids. In vitro studies demonstrated that the enzyme could be secreted into extracellular mileu by pro-inflammatory cytokines and endotoxin which were reported to have important roles in chronic liver diseases. This study was performed to know whether the enzyme is involved in the pathophysiology of the diseases. METHODS: The subjects were composed of 24 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 26 patients with liver cirrhosis and 14 healthy individuals. The PLAp activities wem measured in the sera of the subjects by detecting radioactivity of "C-fatty acid hydrolyzed from "C-labeled phosphotadylethanolamine by the enzyme. RESULTS: The activities of PLA were increased in the patients with chronic liver diseases, especially in the chronic hepatitis B patients with acute exacerbation and in the decompensated cirrhosis patients. Furthermore, their activities were closely related with the levels of transaminase in hepatitis group and with the levels of serum albumin in cirrhosis group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that extracellular PLA might be involved in the exacerbution and progression of the chronic liver diseases.
Arachidonic Acid ; Cytokines ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases* ; Liver* ; Membranes ; Phospholipases A2* ; Phospholipases* ; Phospholipids ; Radioactivity ; Serum Albumin

A 17-year-old woman had an extensive nevus comedonicus affecting the left sides of the breast, trunk, axilla, and upper extremity. Her condition was complicated by episodes of re-current cyst formation, secondary infection, and atrophic scars. We performed various therapeutic approaches include topical keratolytic agents, manual extraction of comedones, excision of smaller lesions, and systemic antibiotics but the response was unsatisfactory. We tried systemic isotretinoin and minocycline and the pustulation of the lesions was reduced. Herein we report a rare case of linearly arranged extensive nevus comedonicus.
Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Axilla ; Breast ; Cicatrix ; Coinfection ; Female ; Humans ; Isotretinoin ; Keratolytic Agents ; Minocycline ; Nevus* ; Upper Extremity

No abstract available.
Mortality*

No abstract available.
Lymphadenitis* ; Tuberculosis*

Melanoma is relatvely uncommon malignant tumor arising in the skin from epidermal melanocytes, from the junctional component of a cellular nevus or, rarely within a blue nevus and frequently metastasizes to regional lymph nodes first, followed by hematogenous spread to lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, adrenal, heart and brain. All melanoma patients are carefully evaluated according to several parameters. A complete history and physical examination are carried out, with particular attention being devoted to other pigmented tumors that the patient may have. The patient should be further evaluated to determine the presence or absence of metastases by chest X-ray examination, metastatic series or bone scan, liver function studies, liver scan, EKG, etc. Special factors such as age, sex, and race, as well as site, size, and growth rate of lesions are also evaluated. We had a case of 59 year-old male patient with disseminated malignant melanoma. Upon his first visit, we did not find any abnormality in his physical examination and routine laboratory findings except skin tumors on left heel and left leg.
Brain ; Continental Population Groups ; Electrocardiography ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Heart ; Heel ; Humans ; Leg ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma* ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nevus ; Nevus, Blue ; Pancreas ; Physical Examination ; Skin ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Estrogen deficiency accelerates loss of bone mass and changes lipid profile in the postmenopausal women, so that the osteoporosis and astherosclerosis were developed. But it has not enough studies including the premenopausal women. So we have investigated about the differences of body mass index(BMI), lipid profile and bone mineral density (BMD) with pre- and postmenopausal women. METHODS: We have evaluated 201 premenopausal women and 322 postmenopausal women out of total 651 who had visited Health Screening Center in the hospital of Eul-Ji Medical College from November, 1995 to July, 1996. RESULTS: The mean age of total subjects, premenopausal women, postmenopausal women were 51.9, 43.9, 56.8 years, respectively. The mean period after menopause was 8.1 years. Significant difference was seen in BMI, lipid profile and BMD according to age and menopause(P<0.01). BMI was related to lipid profile(P<0.01), but not to BMD(P>0.1). In postmenopausal women BMI, BMD and lipid profile were related to postmenopausal period (P<0.05). In viewing their correlations BMD had strong adverse correlations with factors such as age, menopause, and postmenopausal period. Lipid profile had weak positive correlations with factors such as age, menopause, BMI(P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The lipid profile are related to factors such as age, BMI, menopause, and postmenopausal period. The BMD is related to above factors except BMI. Prospective study is needed to evaluate the influence of estrogen on BMD and lipid metabolism. Thus, it helps to the prevention and treatment of the osteoporosis and hyperlipidemia in the postmenopausal women.
Bone Density* ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Lipid Metabolism ; Mass Screening ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis ; Postmenopause

Thermography is a sensitive and reliable method for diagnosis of radiculopathy. Skin temperature alterations of the involved dermatome named thermatone are diagnostic for sensory root involvement in radiculopathy which can be demonstrated by thermography. Digital infrared thermographic imaging system using computer is development and could measure thermal difference more exactly without hazards or discomforts to patient. Authors present 186 cases of thermographic evaluation in herniated lumbar disc disease by digital infrared thermographic imging system and the results are evaluated with literature review.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Radiculopathy ; Skin Temperature ; Thermography