Melanosomes were isolated from the human hair by graded centrifugation and identified by transmission and scanning electron microscopic examination. Melanosomes were separated from the keratinous structures by treating with strong NaOH solution for 15 hours. The keratinous structures were removed by centrifugation ai 2,500xg and 3,500xg for 10 minutes respectively at 0 ℃. The isolated melanosomes were collected by centrifugation at 7,800xg at 0 ℃. Scanning electron microscopic examination made it possible to evaluate the global structure of purified melanosomes.
Centrifugation ; Hair* ; Humans* ; Melanosomes* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning

The new method is described of extracting various types of cataracts intracapsularly by means of a pencil-shaped metal instrument, named Krwawicz's model cryoextractor. This is refrigerated in a mixture of dry ice and methyl alcohol so that when the ice-coated tip is applied to the lens, the capsule and the underlying cataractous masses adhere firmly to its ball-shaped end and an easy intracapsular extraction is ensured. Fifty extractions of various types of cataracts have been performed by this method. In 49 cases the cataract could be extracted intracapsularly. In only one case did the capsule rupture but it was possible to remove the capsule and lens mass almost completely. The results of the fifty extractions by this method are given.
Cataract Extraction* ; Cataract* ; Dry Ice ; Methanol ; Rupture

A case of Coats' disease in 15 years old boy was presented with some clinical observation. This is a rare unilateral retinal disorder with hemorrhagic and exudative properties affecting otherwise healthy young boys. A brief review of literatures has also been described.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Male ; Retinaldehyde

Miliary osteoma cutis of the face is a form of primary osteoma cutis. We report a case of miliary osteoma cutis on the jaw of a 55-year-old female. She presented with several 2~3 mm sized, skin-colored firm papules over both lower jaws for 5 years. Skin biopsy was performed and the specimen showed numerous osteocytes and osteoblasts in the bony tissue which was located in the deep dermis.
Biopsy ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Female ; Humans ; Jaw ; Middle Aged ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocytes ; Osteoma ; Skin ; Skin Diseases, Genetic

Transfusion associated graft-versus-host disease is a rare but fatal disease reported after open heart surgeries mainly in Asian people.It can be prevented by pretransfusion gamma irradiation of the fresh whole blood. In this presentation,we report a case of transfusion associated graft-versus-host disease following coronary artery bypass surgery in a 61 year-old male patient.Postoperatively the patient was transfused urgently with 2 units of fresh whole blood from his two sons. He was discharged on postoperative 10 day with only symptom of mild diarrhea.Two days after discharge,he was readmitted because of persistent diarrhea,systemic erythema and high fever.On laboratory examinations,he showed findings of failure in liver,kidney, gastrointestinal tract,and bone marrow.Hemodynamically he deteriorated acutely and died of multiple organ failure on 17th postoperative day. This has been our first experience since we started open heart program at our hospital and we changed our policy for the transfusion of the fresh whole blood after this event.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blood Transfusion ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Erythema ; Graft vs Host Disease* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Thoracic Surgery*

We report a case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in a 7-year-old female patient who had complained of limitation of motion and pain on knee and ankle joints 5 months ago. She had been initially diagnosed as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and received prednisone (PDS), which delayed the accurate diagnosis of the disease. But finally she has been diagnosed with ALL by the bone marrow aspiration and biopsy being done after the discontinuation of PDS with the help of leukemic suspicion of radiologic study.
Ankle Joint ; Arthritis, Juvenile ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Knee ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* ; Prednisone

No abstract available.
Adult ; Anemia, Hemolytic/diagnosis/*etiology/therapy ; Colic/diagnosis/*etiology/therapy ; Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/*adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Lead Poisoning/diagnosis/*etiology/therapy ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome

Myotonic dystrophy 1 (DM1) is a multi-system disorder characterized by endocrine defects that include testicular and tubular atrophy, oligospermia and azoospermia, and increased follicle-stimulating hormone levels. We describe a rare case of DM1 presenting as infertility in a 29-year-old man.
Adult ; Atrophy ; Azoospermia ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Myotonic Dystrophy ; Oligospermia

Schwannomas rarely present as intraocular tumors and are often misdiagnosed as malignant melanoma. We describe a choroidal schwannoma confirmed by sclerouvectomy. A 30-year-old woman presented with a large nonpigmented intraocular mass of the choroid in the right eye and underwent surgical excision by sclerouvectomy. Histologically, the tumor was composed of a mixture of cellular solid components (Antoni A) and loose myxoid components (Antoni B). The tumor was eventually diagnosed as a schwannoma. Currently available ancillary studies are still of little value in definitively differentiating schwannomas from other choroidal tumors. In the case of atypical findings for a malignant melanoma, a benign neoplasm should be included in the differential diagnosis. This patient avoided enucleation by first having the mass excised. We are unaware of previous reports in which a choroidal schwannoma was diagnosed by surgical excision.
Adult ; Choroid/*pathology ; Choroid Neoplasms/*diagnosis/surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Eye Enucleation/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurilemmoma/*diagnosis/surgery

OBJECTIVES: Bacterial infections in the normally sterile environment of the middle ear cavity usually trigger host immune response, whereby the innate immune system plays a dominant role as the host's first line of defense. We evaluated the expression levels of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) -2, -4, -5, -9, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing proteins (NODs) -1 and -2, all of which are related to bacterial infection in pediatric patients with otitis media with effusion (OME). METHODS: The study sample consisted of 46 pediatric patients with OME, all of whom had ventilation tubes inserted. The expression levels of TLR-2, -4, -5, -9, NOD-1 and -2 mRNA in middle ear effusion were assessed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Difference of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) expression level by presence of bacteria, ventilation tube insertion rate, and effusion fluid character was assessed. RESULTS: All effusion fluid samples collected from patients with OME showed expression of TLR-2, -4, -5, -9, NOD-1, and -2 mRNA by PCR. However, we found no differences among expression levels of PRRs in relation to characteristics of exudates, presence of bacteria, or frequencies of ventilation tube insertion (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that exudates of OME patients show PRR expressions that are related to the innate immune response regardless of the characteristics of effusion fluid, presence of bacteria in exudates, or frequency of ventilation tube insertion.
Bacteria ; Bacterial Infections ; Ear, Middle ; Exudates and Transudates ; Humans ; Immune System ; Immunity, Innate ; Otitis ; Otitis Media ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome ; Proteins ; Receptors, Pattern Recognition ; RNA, Messenger ; Toll-Like Receptors ; Ventilation