Vitamin A and its metabolite, retinoic acid, have been recommended for the treatment of psoriasis, ichthyosis, acne vulgaris and Darier's disease which resulted from abaormal regulatory function of keratinocytes. In recent years retinoic acid analogs (retinoids) have been synthesized and shown to be more potent and less toxic than retinoic acid. Since these drugs are therapeutically effective for skin diseases, only with longterm adminiatration of large doses, their toxicities must be seriously considered. The liver is the main site for both storage and excretion of vitamin A and ita derivatives, which may produce injury to the liver and other organs as a result of excess of lysosomal enzyme control. Fatty vacuoles, infiltration of inflammatory cells, focal necrosis, increase in lysosomal enzymes, distension of the RER, decrease in the ribosomes, swelling of the mitochondria, and proliferation of the SER within the hepatocytes have been observed in livers of vitamin A- as well as retinoic acid-treated rats. Its excess may also cause mucous metaplasia of secretory cells of the pancreas. (countinued...)
Acne Vulgaris ; Amphotericin B* ; Animals ; Darier Disease ; Hepatocytes ; Ichthyosis ; Keratinocytes ; Liver ; Metaplasia ; Mitochondria ; Necrosis ; Pancreas ; Psoriasis ; Rats ; Ribosomes ; Skin Diseases ; Tretinoin ; Vacuoles ; Vitamin A ; Vitamins

Cranocsynostosis is the term that designates premature fusion of one or more sutures in either the cranial vault or cranial base. Especially scaphocephaly, brachycephaly and trigonocephaly are included in simple symmetric craniosynostosis. In simple symmetric craniosynostosis, the functional deformity is rare, but deformity in external appearance is always a serious problem. The purpose of forehead reshaping in simple symmetric craniosynostosis is recovery of normal cerebral growth and improvement of cranial cosmetic problem by restoration of normal calvarial anatomic structure. Various surgical methods have Bbeen developed in an effort to correct craniosynostosis. Cranial vault remodeling with or without supraorbital band advancement is a widely accpeted method of correcting simple symmetric craniosynostosis. However, the standardized surgical method has not yet been estabilished in reshaping the forehead during cranial vault remodeling of simple symmetric craniosynostosis. The authors developed a new osteotomy method, the bull's osteotomy, which is a limited osteotomy for cranial vault remodeling. It produces posterior tilting of a prominant forehead as well as increased biparietotemporal distance for effective forehead reshaping. We applied this techriaue in 8 scaphocephaly and 2 brachycephaly patients under 5 years of age who have not yet reached bony consolidation. All patinets obtained satisfactory results with properly corrected deformity and no relapse was observed during the follow-up period. This new osteotomy method is simple and effective and a consistant surgical outcome is expected. particularly the contour of the forehead on the frontotemporal area is corrected to have a smooth and natural curvature. Based on our experience using bull's osteotomy, we offer this new surgical technique for managing simple symmetric cranoisynostosis patients.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Craniosynostoses* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forehead* ; Humans ; Osteotomy* ; Recurrence ; Skull Base ; Sutures

In management of foot deformity, the operative procedures such as tendon transplantation and bone stabilization are of the relatively recent origin. The first tendon transfer was performed by Nicoladoni in 1881. Since that original report, a voluminous literature was appeared on the subject of tendon trasplantation. During the period, from Jan. 1960 to May. 1992, we have done clinical studies of the 189 feet on 167 patients who had been undergone tendon transfer. The results are as followes, 1. Residual poliomyelitis, leprosy, cerebral palsy and club foot are common etiology. Among them, residual poliomyelitis was the most common, especially in 1960 to 1969. Recently trauma and aged leprosy were increased. 2. Among 189 feet, the equinovaurs deformities were 90 cases. 3. Posterior tibial tendon, peroneus tendons, anterior tibial tendon, Achilles tendon and extensor hallucis tendon were transferred. 4. Posterior tibial tendon was mostly used. 5. The evaluation for surgery, for Good to Excellent was 114 feet 60. 3% 6. The poor results were noticed in the cases of the calcaneal deformity and showed in the age below 5 years old.
Achilles Tendon ; Cerebral Palsy ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Foot Deformities ; Foot ; Humans ; Leprosy ; Poliomyelitis ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Tendon Transfer ; Tendons

A wedge shape compensating filter composed of aluminium was made to equalise the density of lung and mediastinum. Total 68 patients were taken chest tomograph with compensating filter and the radiographic findings were correlated with the pathologic, bacteriologic prove or the clinical course. This simple device was turned out to be very useful in certain disease categories, especially central type of bronchogenic carcinoma.
Carcinoma, Bronchogenic ; Humans ; Lung ; Mediastinum ; Thorax

Pneumocystis carinii is a pulmonary pathogen of immunocompromised humans or other mammals. Its infection results from activation of organisms involved in latent infection or from new infection through the air. Almost all children are known to be infected within 2 to 4 years of birth, though prenatal transplacental transmission has not yet been demonstrated. In this study we observed experimental P. carinii infection in neonatal rats, thus investigating the possibility of transplacental vertical transmission by Diff-Quik staining of the lung impression smears and in-situ hybridization for lung sections. The positive rate of P. carinii infection in immunosuppressed maternal rats was 100%, but that in normal maternal rats was 0%. Cystic forms of P. carinii were observed in three of six 1-week old neonatal rats born of heavily infected mothers, but none of them was positive by in-situ hybridization. Five weeks after birth, cystic forms were detected in four neonatal rats. In the lobes of the lungs, no predilection site of P. carinii was recognized. Counts of cystic forms on smears and the reactivity of in-situ hybridization in the lungs of neonatal rats were significantly lower than in maternal rats. The present findings suggest that P. carinii is rarely transmitted through the placenta and proliferates less successfully in the lungs of neonatal rats than in mothers.
Animal ; Animals, Newborn/microbiology* ; Disease Transmission, Vertical* ; Female ; Immunocompromised Host ; Lung/microbiology ; Male ; Opportunistic Infections/transmission* ; Opportunistic Infections/complications ; Pneumocystis carinii/isolation & purification ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis carinii/transmission* ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis carinii/complications ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The caudal anesthsia is most commonly used for benign anorectal surgery, The combination of long-acting anesthetics and opiates has been used for longer duration and successful control of postoperative pain. But the side effects of peridural anesthesics and morphine have commonly occured in caudal anesthesia. This study was performed to assess the difference in clinical effects between peridural mepivacaine and bupivacaine with morphine. METHODS: We evaluated the clinical effects in 60 patients who had anal operation with Jack-Knife position under caudal anesthesia. We divided randomly these 60 patients into two groups, M and B groups (in each group, 30 patients included). Group M (n=30) was given 2% mepivacaine 20 ml with morphine 2 mg caudally, and Group B (n=30) was given 0.5% bupivacaine 20 ml with morphine 2 mg in the same manner. We measured the onset time, duration, postoperative analgesia, and side effects including urinary retention. RESULTS: The onset time for analgesia was significantly shorter in group M than in group B. The duration of postoperative pain complaints was significantly longer in group M than in group B. The postoperative analgesic effects and side effects were not significantly different between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Caudal mepivacaine and morphine mixture is effective for control of postoperative pain without significant side effects.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia, Caudal* ; Anesthetics ; Bupivacaine* ; Humans ; Mepivacaine* ; Morphine* ; Pain, Postoperative ; Urinary Retention

BACKGROUND: Both atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia may progress to gastric dysplasia. This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing progression of atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia to dysplasia. METHODS: People diagnosed with atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia for the first time received a follow-up endoscopy and were investigated for the cumulative incidence rate of gastric dysplasia by age, gender, smoking habit, alcohol intake, rice consumption and family history of stomach cancer. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence rate increased with age, consuming > or =3 bowls of rice per day and family history of stomach cancer. Multivariate analysis showed that the cumulative incidence rate of gastric dysplasia increased in subjects >61 years (RR=2.54, P=0.014), in those consuming > or =3 bowls of rice per day (RR=1.46, P=0.021) and in those with a family history of stomach cancer (RR=1.31, P=0.037). CONCLUSIONS: More active management, such as intensive endoscopic follow-up examinations, lifestyle change and education regarding gastric dysplasia, are required in those older than 61 years, having a higher intake of grain or with a family history of stomach cancer.
Edible Grain ; Endoscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Humans ; Incidence ; Life Style ; Metaplasia ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Angelica*

No abstract available.
Hyperthyroidism* ; Muscular Diseases*

We performed radionuclide ventriculography before and within 1 week after percutaneous mirtal valvuloplasty(PMV) to evaluate left ventricular(LV) function in 20 patients(3 males and 17 females, mean age of 38±10 years) who were pure mitral stenosis before PMV and less than grade 1 mitral regurgitation developed after PMV. 9 out of 20 patients had atrial fibrillation and 3 patients developed a small left-to-right shunt(Qp/Qs<1.5)after PMV using double-balloon technique resulted in a increase in mitral valve area(0.9±0.3 to 2.1±0.8mm
Atrial Fibrillation ; Cardiac Output ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Radionuclide Ventriculography ; Stroke Volume