No abstract available.
Arachidonic Acid* ; Ear, Middle* ; Humans* ; Otitis Media with Effusion*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the CT findings of thyroglossal duct cysts MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with pathologically proved thyroglossal duct cysts were included in the study. CT scans were assessed'retrospectively for shape, size, location, density of the central portions, septations, rim enhancement, changes in the adjacent fascial planes and investment within the strap muscles in the infrahyoid cysts. RESULT: Thirteen cases of thyroglossal duct cysts were seen as round or oval cystic masses, two cases of them were seen as irregular-shaped Iobulated cystic masses, and one case was seen as ovoid soft tissue mass. The cysts were from 1.4 to 5.7cm in diameter(mean, 2.6cm). The cyst was infrahyoid in 15 cases and suprahyoid in one case. The cyst was located in midline in eight cases, off midline in four cases, and both midline and off midline in four cases. The density of the central portions ranged from 15 to 82HU(mean, 32HU). Septations were noted in four cases. Rim enhancement was seen in 14 cases(93%), and heterogenously enhancing soft tissue mass was seen in one case. In four cases, abnormal fascial planes were observed. All but one of the infrahyoid cysts(14/15) were embedded within the strap muscles, and one case of them was located anteriorly to strap muscles. CONCLUSION: CT permits one to make the diagnosis a thyroglossal duct cyst with a high degree of accuracy, as it can differentiate thyroglossal duct cysts from the other anterior neck masses by their typical location, characteristic morphology, and investment within the strap muscles.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Investments ; Muscles ; Neck ; Thyroglossal Cyst* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of vitamin E on the cadmium accumulation in body, cadmium excretion and detoxification functions in chronic cadmium poisoned rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing 100+/-10 g were randomly assigned to one normal group and three cadmium poisoned groups. Cadmium poisoned groups were classified to vitamin E free diet (Cd-0E group), vitamin E 40 mg/kg diet (Cd-400E group) and 400 mg/kg diet (Cd-400E group) according to the levels of vitamin E supplement. Animals were maintained on 0, 40 mg and 400 mg vitamin E/kg diets for 20 weeks and simultaneously administered 50 ppm Cd2+ dissolved in the drinking water. Body weight, food intakes and food efficiency ratio were significantly decreased in all cadmium groups, compared with those of normal group. The accumulation of cadmium in rat liver, kidney and blood was reduced by sufficient vitamin E supplementation. The metallothionein (MT) content in liver and kidney were increased in all cadmium groups compared with that of normal group. The ratio of cadmium absorption and retention were significantly decreased in vitamin E supplementation groups. Accordingly, vitamin E supplementation resulted in an excretion of cadmium in urine and feces and a lowered accumulation of cadmium in liver and kidney. It can be suggested that increased MT synthesis lead to the significant decrease in cadmium absorption and retention rations.
Absorption ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Cadmium* ; Diet ; Drinking Water ; Feces ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Male ; Metallothionein ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vitamin E* ; Vitamins*

Of several possible configurations of pin fixation of a displaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children, the medial and lateral crossed pinning technique has been known to provide the greatest resistance to gross rotational displacement. A new technique with ipsilateral two lateral crossed pins was devised so as to avoid the ulnar nerve injury with good stability for fracture site. During the period from 1992 to 1994, 18 children with displaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus were treated by closed reduction and ipsilateral two lateral crossed pinning. Eighty nine percents of the final results were satisfactory. There were no ulnar nerve injuries and fixation loss in all cases from the treatment. This is a safe, simple and reliable technique for providing the good stability of fracture site as well as avoiding the ulnar nerve injury.
Child ; Humans ; Humerus ; Ulnar Nerve ; Ulnar Neuropathies ; United Nations

BACKGROUND: Ventrlcular tachyarrhythmias are major cause of sudden cardiac death in patients after myocardial infarction and their accurate detection seems to be important in prevention of sudden cardiac death. Clinical findings, treasmill test, holter monitoring and coronary angiography have been used to search for high risk group in sudden cardiac death. Recently electrographysiologic stimulation has been to this, but it is not practical, because of high cost and invasiveness. Signal averaged electrocardiogram(SAECG) may be helpful in prediction of high risk group in sudden cardiac death. So we try to know the values of SAECG in Korean patients without heart disease. RESULTS: 1) The mean value and standard deviation of Time domain analysis is as follows ; fQRS : 106.8+/-12.3ms, RMS : 36.2+/-21.5(micro)V, LAS : 27.2+/-8.1ms. 2) The mean value and standard deviation of Spectral turbulence analysis is a follows ; LSCR : 58.6+/-3.9, ISCM : 95.2+/-0.8, ISCSD : 71.8+/-15.7, SE : 6.9+/-1.8. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference between male and female. Time domain analysis shows significant differences among each hour but spectral turbulence analysis did not. Spectral turbulence analysis shows high specificity.
Coronary Angiography ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Electrocardiography* ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; Female ; Heart Diseases* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tachycardia

Procoagulant or impaired fibrinolytic states as well as inflammatory reactions mediated by cytokines are likely involved in the pathogenesis of acute ischemic stroke. We examined the potential relationship between interleukin 6 (IL-6) and hemostatic markers. The procoagulant and fibrinolytic states were assessed in 46 patients with acute stroke by measuring plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), and plasminogen-antiplasmin complex (PAP). Circulating IL-6 levels were measured using ELISA (Quantikine, R and D systems, MN, USA). Circulating IL-6 (mean, 26.5 pg/mL) and PAI-1 (mean, 19.9 ng/mL) levels were higher in patients with acute stroke than in healthy subjects (mean, 3.0 pg/mL, 10.4 ng/mL, respectively). TAT levels were statistically different according to the etiologic subtypes of stroke (atherogenic, 2.5 ng/mL; lacunar 3.2 ng/mL; cardiogenic 9.9 ng/mL, p = 0.021). Neither procoagulant levels nor fibrinolytic markers significantly correlated with circulating IL-6 levels. Our findings suggest that elevated proinflammatory cytokines during the initial hours of ischemic stroke may be an independent pathogenic factor or a consequence of the thrombotic event with no relationship to the procoagulant or fibrinolytic states.
Thrombosis ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombin/chemistry ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1/blood ; Phospholipids/chemistry ; Models, Statistical ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Ischemia/*blood/*pathology ; Interleukin-6/*blood/metabolism ; Humans ; Hemostasis ; *Fibrinolysis ; Female ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Cytokines/metabolism ; Coagulants/*metabolism ; Cerebrovascular Accident/*blood/*pathology ; Blood Coagulation Factors/metabolism ; Antithrombins/chemistry ; Aged ; Acute Disease

The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between factor XIII (FXIII) activity and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) parameters and also to evaluate the clinical usefulness of DIC diagnosis. Citrated plasma from eighty patients with potential DIC was analyzed for FXIII activity. The primary patient conditions (48 male and 32 female, mean age, 51 years) were malignancy (n = 29), infection (n = 25), inflammation (n = 6), heart disease (n= 3), thrombosis (n = 2), injury (n = 2), and other miscellaneous conditions (n = 13). FXIII testing was performed using the CoaLinkTM FXIII Incorporation Assay Kit (PeopleBio Inc.). Among 80 patients who were suspected to have DIC based on clinical analysis, 46 (57.5%) fulfilled the overt DIC criteria (DIC score > = 5) according to the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. FXIII levels in the plasma were significantly decreased in overt DIC compared to non-overt DIC patients (mean 75.1% and 199.7% respectively, p < 0.0001). Interestingly, we found a significant inverse correlation between DIC scores and FXIII activity. In addition, FXIII activity significantly correlated with other hemostatic markers that included platelet count, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, and D-dimer. FXIII levels were significantly lower in patients with liver or renal dysfunction. In conclusion, FXIII cross-linking activity measurements may have differential diagnostic value as well as predictive value in patients who are suspected to have DIC.
Prothrombin Time ; Platelet Count ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Liver Diseases/pathology ; Liver/pathology ; Kidney Diseases/pathology ; Kidney/pathology ; Inflammation ; Humans ; Hemostasis ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products/biosynthesis ; Female ; Factor XIII/*biosynthesis ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation/*blood/*diagnosis ; Cross-Linking Reagents/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Blood Coagulation Tests ; Aged ; Adult

PURPOSE: The magnetic resonance(MR) appearance of 23 biopsy-proven meningiomas were retrospectively evaluated and correlated with histologic pattern ;fibroblastic, transitional, syncytial, angioblastic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty three patients with biopsy-proven meningiomas were examined with MR imaging over a 3 years period. Images were assessed for average T1, T2 intensity score(1-5), degree of edema, calcification, cyst formation or necrosis, and dural tail sign. RESULTS: Tl-weighted images showed only one significant correlation between fibroblastic type and angiobiastic type (p<0.04). Angioblastic type was more hypointense than gray matter(1.83/isointense to gray 3) on T1-weighted image. Syncytial and angioblastic tumors had average T2 intensity scores much higher than those of fibroblastic and transitional types. All three cases of angioblastic tumors had shown severe edema. Calcified lesions were much more common in transitional and fibroblastic types than in syncytial and angioblastic types. CONCLUSION: MRI is a helpful diagnostic imaging modality with good correlation between its MR findings and histologic patterns.
Diagnostic Imaging ; Edema ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Meningioma* ; Necrosis ; Retrospective Studies

Androgen insensitivity syndrome is a genetic syndrome characterized by complete or partial resistance of end organs to the peripheral effect of androgen. The phenotype of this condition is female, despite the normal male karyotype 46,XY. This is the third most common cause of primary amenorrhea after gonadal dysgenesis and mullerian agenesis. There is a congenital insensitivity to androgens, transmitted by means of a maternal X-linked recessive gene responsible for the androgen intracellular receptor. Prophylactic gonadectomy in usually performed due to increased risk for development of malignancy and possible virilization. Pelviscopy provides a minimally invasive technique for the accurate diagnosis and also provides the opportunity for therapeutic management of these patients. Recently we experienced two cases of this syndrome and removed the gonad by pelviscopic surgery, so we presented them with brief review of literature.
Amenorrhea ; Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome* ; Androgens ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Genes, Recessive ; Gonadal Dysgenesis ; Gonads ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Male ; Phenotype ; Virilism

This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidative effects of Paeonia lactiflora (PL) seeds on antioxidative defense system and lipid peroxidation of liver in rats fed high-cholesterol diet. Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing 100+/-10g were randomly assigned into five experimental groups fed 0.5% cholesterol ; HC group which was not supplemented PL seeds extract, 0.1% methanol extract diet group (MP1 group), 0.2% methanol extract diet group (MP2 group), 0.05% ether-souble fraction diet group (EP1 group) and 0.1 % ether-souble fraction diet group (EP2 group). Experimental diets were fed ad libitum to the rats for 3 weeks. The activity of hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) was not significantly different among all the high cholesterol diet groups. The hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSHpx) activity in MP2 group was increased to 27% compared to HC group. The activity of hepatic catalase (CAT) was not significantly different among the all high cholesterol diet groups. The hepatic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity in the EP1 and EP2 groups were increased to 12% and 13%, respectively, as compared to HC group. The levels of hepatic TBARS in the MP1, MP2, EP1 and EP2 groups were reduced by 18%, 21%, 20% and 23%, respectively, as compared with HC group. The contents of lipofuscin in liver was not significantly different among all the experimental groups. The results indicated that PL seeds extract may be reduced oxidative damage by activating antioxidative defense system of hepatic in rats fed high-cholesterol diets.
Animals ; Catalase ; Cholesterol ; Diet* ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Glutathione Transferase ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Lipofuscin ; Liver* ; Male ; Methanol ; Paeonia* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances