No abstract available.
Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa*

PURPOSE: Currently, various tools are used for the diagnosis of nonrelaxing puborectalis syndrome (NRPRS), one of major causes of chronic constipation. Defecography, electromyography (EMG), balloon expulsion test, and a colon transit time study one examples of such tools, but none can be said to be the most accurate and effective one. A diagnosis is only made when two or more examinations show positive findings simultaneously. The aim of this study is to assess the correlation between EMG and the manometric defecation index (DI), which is a relatively new parameter, for the diagnosis of NRPRS. METHODS: Forty-two chronically cornstipated patients without any history of anal or abdominal surgery underwent both anorectal manometric and EMG tests. The manometric defecation index (DI) was defined as the ratio between the peak rectal pressure and the peak anal pressure when the pressures were measured simultaneously during push by the catheter with longitudinally arranged side holes. The ratio of EMG activity was defined as the ratio between the peak amplitude during push and the peak amplitude during rest when EMG activities were measured by using an anal plug electrode. The two variables were compared prospectively, and their correlation was analyzed. RESULTS: The manometric DI and the ratio of EMG activit in 42 patients were 0.80+/-0.75 and 1.50+/-0.65, respectively. The correlation coefficient between the two variables was -0.50 (P= 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The manometric DI and the ratio of EMG activit were correlated significantly. Therefore, it can be said that the anorectal manometric test can replace the EMG test for diagnosis of NRPRS, which has less convenient access for most colorectal surgeons.
Catheters ; Colon ; Constipation ; Defecation* ; Defecography ; Diagnosis* ; Electrodes ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Time and Motion Studies

No abstract available.
Cor Triatriatum

Crohn's disease is a rare inflammatory bowel disease in Korea which requires a differential diagnosis with intestinal tuberculosis. In the early stages of Crohn's diseaae, the combiation of bowel wall edema and spasm produces intermittent obstructive manifestations, so the usual subjective symptoms were appeared long standing diarrhea, low grade fever and abdominal pain and distension. We recently experienced a case of Crohn's colitis with repeated bowel obstruction in female adult who underwent surgical resection.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Colitis ; Crohn Disease* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; Edema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Korea ; Spasm ; Tuberculosis

Crohn's disease is a rare inflammatory bowel disease in Korea which requires a differential diagnosis with intestinal tuberculosis. In the early stages of Crohn's diseaae, the combiation of bowel wall edema and spasm produces intermittent obstructive manifestations, so the usual subjective symptoms were appeared long standing diarrhea, low grade fever and abdominal pain and distension. We recently experienced a case of Crohn's colitis with repeated bowel obstruction in female adult who underwent surgical resection.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Colitis ; Crohn Disease* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; Edema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Korea ; Spasm ; Tuberculosis

A deep infection following a prosthetic joint replacement is a serious complication with an incidence ranging from 1 to 2% of patients undergoing total prosthetic surgery. The common invading organisms are staphylococci, streptococci and gram negative bacillus. A candida infection after a prosthetic joint replacement is very rare, and a diagnosis is difficult because of the indolent nature of the clinical symptoms and signs as well as its rarity. We report a case of candida infection after a TKA, which was treated successfully by a staged reimplantation.
Bacillus ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joints ; Replantation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence rate of low back pain (LBP) in the high school students and to analyze the differences and correlations with the spinal-pelvic structural variations and disability index with LBP. The subjects are 499 high school students (236 males, 263 females: mean age, 16.38 years). They were assessed for LBP with the numerical rating scale (NRS) and for disability with the Korean version Oswestry disability index (KODI). All subjects were to take the plain radiographic examination for spinal-pelvic structural variations including thoracic, lumbar, thoracolumbar Cobb's angle, lumbar lordotic curve, sacral slope, pelvic tilt and pelvic incidence. All subjects were divided into two groups by NRS scores (0, 1=no/minimum pain group [NMP group], 2-10=low back pain group [LBP group]). The prevalence rate of LBP of all subjects was 56.7% (n=283). NRS and total KODI scores were higher in the LBP group (3.38 cm/11.83%) than NMP group (0.07 cm/2.74%) (p<0.001). In the spinal-pelvic structural variations analysis, the thoracic Cobb's angle was significantly high in LBP group (p<0.05), but others were shown no differences between the both groups (p>0.05). NRS had significantly positive correlation with KODI (p<0.001). NRS and KODI did not demonstrate any correlations with spinal-pelvic structural variations (p>0.05). In conclusion, this study showed high prevalence rate of LBP in the high school students, but did not show significant correlations with the spinal-pelvic structural variations and disability index.
Back Pain ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Low Back Pain* ; Male ; Prevalence

No abstract available.
Aorta, Thoracic*

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the worldwide public health problem affecting about 300 million people. The envelope protein of HBV consists of three components known as preS1, preS2, and S antigen. According to the recent study, anti-HBs Ab showed effective neutralization ability against HBV from chronic hepatitis B and liver transplant patients, suggesting the possible development of therapeutic antibody. METHODS: Spleen cells immunized with S antigen of HBV were fused with myeloma cell line to obtain HBsAg specific monoclonal antibodies. High affinity antibodies against HBsAg (adr, ad and ay type) were selected by competitive ELISA method. Nucleotide sequence of the variable regions of monoclonal antibodies was analyzed by RT-PCR followed by conventional sequencing method. RESULTS: We produced 14 murine monoclonal antibodies which recognize S antigen of HBV. Two of them, A9-11 and C6-9 showed the highest affinity. The sequence analysis of A9-11 revealed that variable regions of the heavy chain and light chains are members of mouse heavy chain I (B) and light chain lambda 1, respectively. Likewise, the sequence analysis of C6-9 revealed that variable regions of the heavy chain and light chains are members of mouse heavy chain II (B) and light chain kappa 1, respectively. Neutralization assay showed that A9-11 and C6-9 effectively neutralize the HBV infection. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that A9-11 and C6-9 mouse monoclonal antibodies can be used for the development of therapeutic antibody for HBV infection.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal* ; Base Sequence ; Cell Line ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Liver ; Mice ; Public Health ; Sequence Analysis ; Spleen

Anti-p200 pemphigoid is an autoimmune subepidermal bullous disease characterized by circulating and tissue-bound autoantibodies directed against a 200 kD protein of the human dermis. We report a 78-year-old male who was presented with bullous eruptions on the trunk, extremities, which clinically resemble bullous pemphigoid, epidermolysis bullosa aquisita, linear IgA dermatosis or dermatitis herpetiformis. Oral muscosa of the lower lip was also affected. Histopathological examination of a skin biopsy specimen from the trunk revealed subepidermal blister and infiltration predominantly by neutrophils. Direct immunofluorescence revealed linear deposits of IgG, C3 and IgA at the basement membrane zone. Indirect immunofluorescence using salt-split skin showed that IgG antibodies bound on the dermal side. Immunoblotting with dermal extracts showed that the patient's IgG autoantibodies reacted with a 200 kD protein. The patient showed good response to dapsone.
Aged ; Antibodies ; Autoantibodies ; Basement Membrane ; Biopsy ; Blister ; Dapsone ; Dermatitis Herpetiformis ; Dermis ; Epidermolysis Bullosa ; Extremities ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Linear IgA Bullous Dermatosis ; Lip ; Male ; Neutrophils ; Pemphigoid, Bullous ; Skin