The present study has been undertaken to investigate the values of serum lipids with hypertension and ischemic heart diseases. Serum lipids and lipoproteins were measured from 231 cases of hypertension, 23 cases of angina pectoris, 18 cases of acute myocardial infarction and 67 healthy adults together with normal value as controls. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The mean values of serum lipids in healthy adults were 111.0+/-41.3mg% for triglyceride, 171.2+/-33.5mg% for cholesterol, 175.1+/-36.3mg% for phospholipid, 479.9+/-82.6mg% for total lipid. The values of serum lipoproteins were 219.8+/-46.8mg% for beta-lipoprotein, 93.4+/-53.8mg% for pre beta-lipoprotein and 164.1+/-40.8mg% for alpha-lipoprotein. The values of cholesterol, triglyceride and beta-lipoprotein were gradually increased with aging. 2. The mean values of serum lipids in patients with hypertension were 176.3+/-94.5mg% for triglyceride, 199.7+/-36.9mg% for cholesterol, 207.8+/-38.0mg% for phospholipid, 601.9+/-139.9mg% for total lipid. The values of serum lipoproteins were 266.0+/-73.5mg% for beta-lipoprotein, 147.7+/-89.5mg% for pre-beta-lipoprotein and 187.7+/-56.7mg% for alpha-lipoprotein. The serum lipid values in patients with hypertension were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. 3. The mean values of serum lipids and lipoproteins in patients with angina pectoris were significantly higher than in healthy controls. 4. The serum lipid values in general were higher rather in patients with acute myocardial infarction than healthy controls, but the values of serum phospholipid, pre-beta-lipoprotein and alpha-lipoprotein in them were not significantly higher than those in healthy controls. 5. The values of serum HDL-cholesterol in patients with hypertension, anginal pectoris and acute myocardial infarction were lower than those in healthy controls. The values of serum HDL-cholesterol in all cases were in general higher rather in femal than male.
Adult ; Aging ; Angina Pectoris ; Cholesterol ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Lipoproteins ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Reference Values ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND: The neuropathy disability score (NDS) is a type of clinical grading method for diabetic polyneuropathy. In clinical practice, a nerve conduction study (NCS) is routinely employed as a non-invasive test for the evaluation of polyneuropathy. However, the consensus regarding the degree of abnormalities in NCS as a parameter for the severity of the disease is lacking. The objective of our study is to assess the relation between NDS and NCS parameters and thus verifying the reliability of our new NCS grading method in the representation of objective neurological defects. METHODS: Seventy three patients (man 31, women 42) with diabetes mellitus were included in the study. The NDS was scored in each patient by a single examiner and a NCS was performed on one side of extremities by an experiencedtechnician. Also, the gastrocnemius-soleus H-reflex was performed and analysed for the representation of a deep tendon reflex. The observed values of CMAP and CNAP were transformed into square root and log values. The transformed individual amplitudes and nerve conduction velocities were graded in relation to the mean normal values and standard deviations of our control group study. Then, the sum of the graded score was calculated in each individual and was correlated to the NDS using correlational analysis. RESULTS: There has been a significant linear relationship between NDS and our new NCS scoring system (Pearson's correlation coefficient r=0.703, p<0.01) CONCLUSIONS: The study showed significant correlations between NDS and our new grading system for NCS. Thus, NCS appears to reliably represent theobjective neurologic findings. In asddition, the quantititive grading of NCS would be useful in determining the grade of peripheral polyneuropathy in diabetic patients.
Consensus ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Neuropathies* ; Extremities ; Female ; H-Reflex ; Humans ; Neural Conduction ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Polyneuropathies ; Reference Values ; Reflex, Stretch

Statement of problem. Titanium is the most important material for biomedical and dental implants because of their high corrosion resistance and good biocompatibility. These beneficial properties are due to a protective passive oxide film that spontaneously forms on the surface. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the responses of osteoblast-like cells on different surface treatments on Ti discs. Material and Methods. Group 1 represented the machined surface with no treatment. Group 2 surfaces were sandblasted with 50microm Al2O3 under 5 kgf/cm2 of pressure. Groups 3 and 4 were sandblasted under the same conditions. The samples were treated on a titanium oxide surface with reactive sputter depositioning and thermal oxidation at 600degree C (Group 3) and 800degree C (Group 4) for one hour in an oxygen environment. The chemical composition and microtopography were analyzed by XRD, XPS, SEM and optical interferometer. The stability of TiO2 layer was studied by potentiodynamic curve. To evaluate cell response, osteoblast extracted from femoral bone marrow of young adult rat were cultured for cell attachment, proliferation and morphology on each titanium discs. Results and Conclusion. The results were as follows : 1.Surface roughness values were, from the lowest to the highest, machined group, 800degree C thermal oxidation group, 600degree C thermal oxidation group and blasted group. The Ra value of blasted group was significantly higher than that of 800degree C thermal oxidation group (P=0.003), which was not different from that of 600degree C thermal oxidation group (P<0.05). 2. The degree of cell attachment was highest in the 600degree C thermal oxidation group after four and eight hours (P<0.05), but after 24 hours, there was no difference among the groups (P>0.05). 3. The level of cell proliferation showed no difference among the groups after one day, three days, and seven days (P>0.05). 4. The morphology and arrangement of the cells varied with surface roughness of the discs.
Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Cell Proliferation ; Corrosion ; Dental Implants ; Humans ; Osteoblasts ; Oxygen ; Rats ; Titanium* ; Young Adult

A study has been conducted on developing questionnaire to serve as on site diagnostic tools for the early detection of neuropsychiatric impairment among workers chronically exposed to low-level organic solvents. Two drafts of tentative questionnaire have been developed as follows ; several question items were selected from questionnaires which were administered to workers exposed to organic solvents in previous studies and were grouped into each symptom category based on the presence of its association using Guttman scaling method, then these selected items were reviewed by neuropsychiatry specialists. The final draft of the questionnaire (total symptom score=36) was developed by selecting 33 question items which had more than a 0.88 Guttman coefficient of reproducibility in each symptom category from a pilot study in which these tentative questionnaires were administered to workers manufacturing soles. Three plants using organic solvents and one plant never using organic solvents as a control group were selected to test the reliability and validity of the developed questionnaires. The major organic solvent in the workplace environment detected by a personal air sampler and GC/MSD was toluene. The concentration of toluene in air from the department using organic solvent was statistically different from that of the department never using organic solvent. The concentration of toluene from almost all of the workplace did not exceed the allowable level. There was no statistically significant difference between the concentration of urinary hippuric acid from the workers of the department using organic solvent and that of the department never using it. Total symptom score of the plant never using organic solvents was 9.8 and those of the three plants using organic solvents were 15.6, 14.7, and 13.7 respectively. In order to evaluate the validity of the questionnaires, the workers from two different department of the plant in which usage of organic solvents are totally different were compared. The total symptom score was 17.8 for workers of the department using organic solvent and 13.5 for the department never using organic solvent and scores of each symptom group between exposure and non-exposure group also showed statistically significant difference. The finding that total symptom score of the usefulness of the developed questionnaire to assess the health effects of chronic exposure to organic solvents. The correlation coefficient, which was calculated to evaluate the test-retest reliability, was 0.581(p=0.001). The coefficient of Crohnbach which reflects the internal consistency of the questionnaire was 0.91. In conclusion, the reliability of the questionnaire was well maintained over the time lapse between the two administrations of the questionnaire and despite the seasonal difference.
Humans ; Neuropsychiatry ; Pilot Projects ; Plants ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reproducibility of Results ; Seasons ; Solvents ; Specialization ; Toluene

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is frequent in patients with acute leukemia and results in significant morbidity and mortality among neutropenic patients. Although the lung is a common site of this disease, pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum is rare as initial manifestations of IA. A 22-year-old male was admitted to the hospital due to aggrevated dyspnea, productive cough, fever and nasal bleeding. Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML, M2) was diagnosed. His clinical course was aggrevated despite patient was treated with empirical antibiotics. Chest X-ray and high-resolution computed tomography showed pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum on the left thorax. The clinical course was improved after closed thoracostomy and empirical amphotericin B therapy for the fungal infections was started. IA was pathologically diagnosed by his sputum contained a mucus plug. His symptoms and radiological lesions were completely resolved after amphotericin B therapy alone with a total doses of 2.58g. We report a case of IA complicated by pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum in acute myelogenous leukemia with the review of literatures.
Amphotericin B ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Aspergillosis* ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Epistaxis ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Lung ; Male ; Mediastinal Emphysema* ; Mortality ; Mucus ; Pneumothorax* ; Sputum ; Thoracostomy ; Thorax ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE: Cytomegalovirus(CMV) is the most common opportunistic viral agent encountered in AIDS and its relation to peripheral neuropathy and rapidly developing lumbosacral polyradiculopathy has been well documentated. CASE: A 30-year-old man with acquired immune deficiency syndrome presented with rapidly progressive paraplegia and voiding difficulty. Electrophysiologic studies revealed a lumbosacral polyradiculopathy with loss of bulbocavernous reflex and CSF examination showed polymorphonuclear pleocytosis with elevated protein level. Also, spinal T1-weighted MRI with gadolinium-DTPA showed enhancement of the pial lining of the conus medullaris, cauda equina, and lumbar nerve roots. Anti CMV titers were elevated in CSF and culture for CMV in both blood and urine was positive. The patient was treated with ganciclovir. CONCLUSION: We report a case of polyradiculopathy related to CMV in a patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS). It seems to be important to differentiate this unique syndrome from other causes of rapidly developing paraplegia syndromes among AIDS patients.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome* ; Adult ; Cauda Equina ; Conus Snail ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Ganciclovir ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Paraplegia ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Polyradiculopathy* ; Reflex

We report a non-obese patient suffering from spastic gait and right leg paresis caused by thoracic spinal cord compression secondary to spinal epidural lipomatosis. Although spinal epidural lipomatosis is most often associated with the administration of exogenous steroid or endogenous Cushing syndrome, obesity also has been reported as a possible cause. However, idiopathic(non-glucocorticoid induced) spinal epidural lipomatosis in non-obese healthy man is an extremely rare disease and dose not have any good explanation for the abnormal fat deposition in spinal epidural space. We recently experienced a patient with idiopathic thoracic epidural lipomatosis in whom MRI and histopathology established the specific diagnosis. With a case report, brief review of the disease including clinical feature, diagnostic procedure and therapeutic considerations is described.
Cushing Syndrome ; Diagnosis ; Epidural Space ; Gait Disorders, Neurologic ; Humans ; Leg ; Lipomatosis* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Obesity ; Paresis ; Rare Diseases ; Spinal Cord Compression

Gastrointestinal involvement has been reported to occur in about 5 to l0% of patients with lymphoma. The most common gastrointestinal site for a lymphoma is the stomach, followed by the small intestine and ileocecal region. When lymphoma is found in the esap us, generally it is with contiguous involvement of the gastric fundus, the cervical node, secondary to mediastinal lymph node compression, or a late manifestation of advanced desease. Such cases cannot be labeled as primary esophageal lymphoma. A search of the literature reveals that there have been about 20 or more published cases classified as esophageal lymphoma. However, more than ten cases are indistingishable from the case of distal esophageal involvement by gastric lymphoma. In 1935, Chiolero described a case of midesophageal stricture, which at autopsy was consistent with Hodgkin's disease for the first time. Berman reported an authentic case of primary histiocytic lymphoma confined to the lower esophagus. Only six or more cases were reported in literature until the present time. Here, a 30-year-old man with substernal discomfort was shown to have a mass lesion on the esophagus. The mass was proved to be malignant lymphoma on the histologic examination. This may be the first report dealing with spontaneous regression of maligant lymphoma of the esophagus possibly associated with the use of cimetidine.
Adult ; Autopsy ; Cimetidine ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Esophagus* ; Gastric Fundus ; Hodgkin Disease ; Humans ; Intestine, Small ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; Stomach

Carcinoid tumors arising in the extrahepatic bile duct are very rare, accounting for only 0.2%~2% of all gastrointestinal carcinoid tumord. We experienced one case of a carcinoid tumor in the common bile duct. A 43-years-old man was unexpectedly found to have a carcinoid tumor of the common bile duct. This patient had no obstructive jaundice, yet we thought that this tumor was a clinically malignant tumor, so we performed pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy. Pathologically, an ill-demarcated mass that measured 1.5x1.5cm in size had invaded into the pancreas. Immunohistochemically, the mass was founded to be chromogranin, synaptophysin and CD56 positive. The patient who underwent curative resection is alive and disease-free at time of this publication. This report also reviews the relevant literature on carcinoid tumors in the common bile duct.
Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Common Bile Duct* ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Pancreas ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Publications ; Pylorus ; Synaptophysin

We present a case of metameric arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in a neonate. The neonate appeared normal, except for a dimple and blue discoloration in the lower thoracic spine. Spinal ultrasonography revealed cutaneomeningiospinalangiomatosis in the thoracic spine. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed a definite metameric AVM at the T10-T11 level and a cutaneous hemangioma at T11. The neonate was conclusively diagnosed with spinal metameric AVM at the T10-T11 level. The neonate was asymptomatic with no, abnormal physical or neurological complications, including urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, or muscle weakness.
Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Fecal Incontinence ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscle Weakness ; Spinal Cord* ; Spine ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Incontinence