PURPOSE: To evaluate MRI findings of Guillain-Barre syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In six patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome diagnosed by clinical, cerebrospinal fluid and electrophysiologic findings, a retrospective review of MR findings was conducted. Follow-up MRI scans were carried out in two patients showing minimal clinical improvement. RESULTS: Marked or moderate enhancement of thickened nerve roots was seen in all cases on gadopentetate dimeglumine enhanced axial T1-weighted images. Two patterns were seen ; one was even enhancement of both anterior and posterior nerve roots (n=1) and the other was enhancement of anterior nerve roots only (n=5). Enhancement and thickness of nerve roots was seen to have slightly decreased on MRI follow-up at 32 and 50 days ; clinical and electrophysiologic examination showed minimal improvement. CONCLUSION: Although MRI findings of nerve root enhancement are nonspecific and can be seen in neoplastic and other inflammatory diseases, the enhancement of thickened anterior nerve roots within thecal sac suggests Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Retrospective Studies

Mycelium of Hericium erinaceum isolate KU-1 was cultured in liquid medium (HL medium) and solid medium (Ko medium) at pH 4.0 in 28degrees C. 1.0% glucose or fructose was the most favorable carbon source, and 0.2% amonium acetate or NaNO3 was an exellent nitrogen source for mycelial growth as well as production of antimicrobial substances. The mixture of saw dust 70% with rice bran 30% (SR medium) was the substrate for formation of sporophores. The active substrates in extracts from mycelium, culture filtrate and fruiting body were separated by TLC. The solvent for TLC was EtOAc: Chloroform: MeOH (10 : 5 : 10). Phenol-like substances appeared at Rf 0.5~0.9, and fatty acid-like substances appeared at Rf 0.1~0.2. The purified materials from the extracts showed antimicrobial effects to Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans and Microsporum gypseum. The S. aureus was the most inhibited. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of purified white powder and the Hercenone derivatives against S. aureus were 5.65microg/ml and 1.85microg/ml, respectively.
Aspergillus niger ; Bacillus subtilis ; Candida albicans ; Carbon ; Chloroform ; Dust ; Escherichia coli ; Fructose ; Fruit ; Glucose ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Microsporum ; Mycelium ; Nitrogen ; Staphylococcus aureus

Primary malignant laryngeal lymphoma is rare. In this case, diffuse wall thickening of the vocal cord and infraglottic larynx was seen on initial CT scan. After chemotherapy, follow-up CT neck scans showed a marked decrease of diffuse wall thickening of the vocal cord and infraglottic larynx ; diffuse laryngeal wall thickening is, however, a nonspecific finding which can be seen in other disease processes. If clinical evidence of infection and inflammation or remarkable change after antibiotics treatment is not definite, biopsy should be performed to rule out laryngeal lymphoma.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biopsy ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Inflammation ; Larynx* ; Lymphoma* ; Neck ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vocal Cords

Desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma is an uncommon variety of ganglioglioma that shows evidence of glial andganglionic differentiation accompanied by an extreme desmoplastic reaction. A 16-month-old girl was ad-mitted witha six-day history of left hemiparesis. MR imaging demonstrated a large multiseptated cystic mass, with a solidportion, in the white matter of the right frontotemporoparietal lobe. After contrast injections, the solid portionwas clearly enhanced. The presence of desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma was confirmed by surgical resection. Wedescribe the characteristic radiologic and pathologic features of desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma, andinclude a a review of the literature.
Female ; Ganglioglioma* ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Paresis

To evaluate the maternal and fetal effects of propanidid, clinical observations were carried out in 160 cases of Cesarean section out of 4, 230 deliveries made during the past three years. Upon having the obstetricians ready for incision, 10ml. of 5 per cent propanidid and 40mg. of succinylcholine chloride were administered intravenously, and surgery was begun almost simultaneously with endotracheal intubabation. Thereafter, anesthesia was maintained with N2O-O2-fluothane, N2O-O2 -ether, or ether-O2 in semiclosed circle absorption system. Umbilical cord was ligated within 3-5 minutes after the commencement of induction. This method of anesthesia did not seriously affect the maternal respiration or circulation, and Apgar scores were good or fair in the majority of cases. No undesirable side effects or complications directly attributable to propanidid were encountered.
Absorption ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Methods ; Pregnancy ; Propanidid* ; Respiration ; Succinylcholine ; Umbilical Cord

PURPOSE: The differential diagnosis between Modic type I degenerative spine and infectious spondylitis sometimes is difficult, because the affected bone marrows in both disease show similar signal intensity on conventional MR imaging. We evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-wighted MR imaging for differential diagnosis between Modic type I degenerative spine and infectious spondylitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The spin-echo and diffusion-weighted MR images of eight patients with Modic type I degenerative spines and 14 patients with infectious spondylitis diagnosed by clinical findings or CTguided biopsies were analyzed. The diffusion-weighted imaging sequence was based on reversed fast imaging with steady-state precession (PSIF). Signal intensity changes of the vertebral bone marrow on conventional spin-echo and diffusion-weighted MR imaging were compared between degenerative spine and infectious spondylitis. RESULTS: On T1-weighted images, the affeted bone marrow in both disease showed hypointense signals. On T2-weighted images, all of type I degenerative spine and 11 of infectious spondylitis showed hyperintensity, and three of infectious spondylitis showed heterogeneous mixed signal intensity. On diffusionweighted MR images, all of type I degenerative spine were hypointense with peripheral high signal intensity to normal vertebral body, but infectious spondylitis was hyperintense (n=11) and hypointense (n=3). CONCLUSION: Diffusion-weighted MR imaging is useful to differentiate Modic type I degenerative spine from infectious spondylitis. On diffusion-weighted images, the high singal intensity of bone marrow suggests infectious spondylitis, whereas the low signal intensity of bone marrow with peripheral focal high signal intensity suggests type I degenerative spine.
Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spine* ; Spondylitis*

BACKGROUND: The rising prevalence of asthma worldwide may be associated with the rising prevalence of obesity in developed nations. Although several studies have suggested a relationship between asthma and obesity, controversy still remains. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between obesity and asthmatic factors such as atopy, eosinophilia, serum total Ig E and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in chronic cough patients. METHODS: This study was a retrospective, observational study in two centers done between January 2007 and June 2008. The subjects included individuals who had a chronic cough. We examined body mass index (BMI) to measure obesity and pulmonary function. We did a metacholine provocation test for airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), a skin prick test for atopy, and tests for blood eosinophils and serum IgE. RESULTS: A total of 1022 subjects were included. Airway hyperresponsiveness was not related with obesity (p=0.06), and atopy incidence was significant higher in non obese patients (p=0.00). There was no significant difference in serum IgE and blood eosinophil counts between obese and non obese patients. Forced expiratory volue in one second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) was significantly reduced in obese patients (p=0.03), but FEV1 and FVC were no significant difference between obese and non obese patients. CONCLUSION: There is no relationship between obesity and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The nonobese group appears to have more atopy. The relationship between obesity and bronchial hyperresponsiveness and atopy need further investigation.
Asthma ; Body Mass Index ; Cough ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Developed Countries ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Incidence ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Vital Capacity

The periodontal ligament(PDL) is a unique tissue that is crucial for tooth function. However, little is known of the molecular mechanisms controlling PDL function. PDL-specific protein;PDLs22 had been previously identified as a novel protein isolated from cultured human PDL fibroblasts using subtraction hybridization between human gingival fibroblasts and PDL fibroblasts. The aim of this study was to examine the expression pattern and tissue localization of PDLs22 protein in embryonic and various postnatal stages of developing mouse using immunohistochemical staining. Embryos (E18) and postnatal (P1, P4, P5, P15, P18) were decapitated and the heads were fixed overnight in a freshly prepared solution of 4% paraformaldehyde. Some specimens were decalcified for 2~4 weeks in a solution containing 10% of the disodium salt of ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA). Next, tissues were dehydrated, embedded in paraffin and sectioned serially at 6micrometer in thickness. Polyclonal antiserum raised against PDLs22 peptides, ISNKYLVKRQSRD, were made. The localization of PDLs22 in tissues was detected by polyclonal antibody against PDLs22 by means of immunohistochemical staining. The results were as follows; 1. Expression of PDLs22 protein was not detected in the tooth germ of bud and cap stage. 2. At the late bell stage and root formation stage, strong expression of PDLs22 protein was observed in developing tooth follicle, osteoblast-like cells, and subodontoblastic cells in the tooth pulp, but not in gingival fibroblasts, ameloblasts and odontoblasts of tooth germ 3. In erupted tooth, PDLs22 protein was intensely expressed in PDL and osteoblast-like cells of alveolar bone, but not in gingival fibroblasts, mature osteocytes and adjacent salivary glands. 4. In the developing alveolar bone and mid-palatal suture, expression of PDLs22 protein was seen in undifferentiated mesenchymal cells and osteoblast-like cells of developing mid-palatal suture, but not in mature osteocytes and chondrocytes. These results suggest that PDLs22 protein may play an important role in the differentiation of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells in the bone marrow and PDL cells, which can differentiate into multiple cell types including osteoblasts, cementoblasts, and PDL fibroblasts. However, more researches should be performed to gain a better understanding of the exact function of PDLs22 protein which related to the PDL cell differentiation.
Ameloblasts ; Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Cell Differentiation ; Chondrocytes ; Dental Cementum ; Embryonic Structures ; Fibroblasts ; Head ; Humans ; Mice* ; Odontoblasts ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocytes ; Paraffin ; Peptides ; Periodontium* ; Salivary Glands ; Sutures ; Tooth Germ ; Tooth*

PURPOSE: To evaluate a scoring system based on ultrasonographic findings as a means of distinguishing between benign and malignant solid breast masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Histopathologically confirmed benign (n=102) and malignant (n=73) breast masses which ultrasonographic findings of histopathologic masses were reviewed for shape, border, internal echo, boundary echo, posterior echo, lateral echo, and ratio of transverse to anteroposterior diameter. There were statistically significant (p < 0.001 ; chi-square test) differences in each feature for benign and malignant lesions. The findings suggesting benignancy, equivocality, and malignancy of the masses were scored as 0, 1, and 2 respectively. The scores for all features were summed for each lesion. An ROC curve was obtained. RESULTS: When the score was 6, five benign and seven malignant cases were found. Scores of 0 and 1 indicated benign masses and a score above 11, malignancy. The turning point was a score of 6, so a score above 7 suggests malignancy. CONCLUSION: A ultrasonographic scoring system can be used to characterise breast masses. A score of a mass above 7 suggests probable malignancy and a score below 5 suggests benignancy.
Breast* ; ROC Curve ; Ultrasonography*

Teratoma is one of germ cell tumor, common neoplasm in women of reproductive age, but it can arise at any age. Its malignant transformation is rare, less than 2%, frequently at older age. Nearly all the cases are squamous, sarcomatous and adenomatous transformation. Here we present a case of mixed transformation, adeno-squamous cell carcinoma with brief review of the concerned literature.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Female ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Teratoma*