Ascariasis is probably the most common helminthic infestation of man, but it seldom causes severe illness. Pathologic conditions of Ascaris may be caused by adult worms, eggs or larvae. We describe a case of Ascaris egg granulomas that were found incidentally on the surface of the liver in a 75-year-old woman who had undergone a segmentectomy for an intrahepatic stone. Grossly, there were several yellowish calcific nodules of 0.4 cm in diameter on the lateral surface of the left lobe of the liver. Microscopically, the lesions were located in the hepatic capsule and consisted of fibrocalific nodules with many eggs. The eggs were round to oval, thick-shelled and measured 50~75x30~50 um. Most of the morphologically preserved eggs were fertilized eggs, but they had smooth shells without external protein coats. This case is of interest for the unusual location of the lesion, the presence of eggs without mammillation, and the association with the intrahepatic stone.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung(CCAML) is a rare developmental anomaly characterized by an "adenomatoid" hyperplasia of terminal respiratory structures with formation of the cysts of varying sizes. CCAML is separated into three major types based on the gross and microscopic findings. We have analyzed 22 cases of CCAML, those consisted of 6 autopsy cases and 16 surgical specimens. Out of 22 cases, 5 cases were composed of large cysts(type I) and 9 cases had multiple small cysts(type II). Remaining one case revealed features of solid type(type III), and 7 cases were mixed form. There were 16 boys and 6 girls. All cases were below the age of 14 years. There was no clear-cut age difference between different types of CCAML. However, inflammation, fibrosis and pseudostratification of epithelium were often found in older age. All fetal autopsy cases of CCAML had hydrops fetalis and were associated with maternal hydramnios. One case of type III showed definite mucinogenic cells in the cysts unexpectedly, and one case of the mixed form(typeI+II+III) was found in a fetus of 22 weeks of gestational age. Above findings contradicted the classical description of the CCAML, and suggested that arbitrary classification into three types may not be the best way in understanding this condition.
Cysts

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (C.A.A) is characterized by the extracellular amyloid protein deposition in the vessel walls of the brain and meninges. It has been estimated to account for 5 to 10% of all primary, nontraumatic brain hemorrhage. We report two cases of C.A.A causing nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage in the frontal lobe. The first case was a 60-year-old female who was admitted for the left hemiplegia and dysarthralgia. Brain CT revealed right frontal lobe hemorrhage. The second case was a 72-year-old male who was admitted for amnesia and gait disturbance. Clinical impression was Alzheimer's disease. Brain MRI revealed multifocal small hemorrhage in the right frontal lobe. Microscopically, both cases showed dilated small arteries of superficial cortex and meninges with hyalinization. Some vessels showed microaneurysm and fibriniod necrosis. Congo-red stain also exhibited birefringence under polarized light. There was no evidence of Alzheimer's disease.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; Amnesia ; Amyloid ; Arteries ; Birefringence ; Brain ; Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy* ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Female ; Frontal Lobe ; Gait ; Hemiplegia ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meninges ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate mortality rates and risk factors in dementia patients in a rural cohort. METHODS: A total of 114 subjects with clinically diagnosed dementia were followed up for eight years from 1997 to 2005. Their mortality was compared with sociodemographic and clinical variables using the Cox proportional hazards models after adjusting age, sex, and education. RESULTS: During follow-up, the mortality rate of subjects was 80.2% and the mean (SD) duration of survival from at diagnosis to death was 4 years. Mortality in subjects with dementia depended on old age (relative risk [RR] : 1.05 ; 95% confidence interval [CI] : 1.01-1.08), male (RR : 1.61 ; CI : 1.00-2.59), low Clinical Dementia Rating scale (RR : 1.54 ; CI : 1.14-2.10), low Activities of Daily Living (RR : 0.72 ; CI : 0.59-0.89), low Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (RR : 0.83 ; CI : 0.75-0.92), no physical activity (RR : 0.44 ; CI : 0.28-0.70), smoking (RR : 1.74 ; CI : 1.05-2.89). CONCLUSION: Mortality in dementia depended on age, sex, CDR, ADL, IADL, physical activity, smoking. These findings have important implications that contribute to make the disease management of dementia patients.
Activities of Daily Living ; Cohort Studies ; Dementia* ; Diagnosis ; Disease Management ; Education ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality* ; Motor Activity ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a genetically trarlsmitted benign muscular dystrophy which has autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. It starts anytime within the first 30 years of life, and usually involves the face and shoulder girdle, and finally the pelvic muscles with very slow progression. Authors-report a fanily consisting of a father, two sons and one daughter, who had suffered from exertional dyspnea, weakness of facial muscle and winged scapulae, all wlth a slow progressive course. Two of these patients were biopsied arld confirmed light microscopically and electron microsopically.
Dyspnea ; Facial Muscles ; Fathers ; Humans ; Inheritance Patterns ; Muscles ; Muscular Dystrophies ; Muscular Dystrophy, Facioscapulohumeral* ; Nuclear Family ; Scapula ; Shoulder

There are many different approaches to ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block (US-SCBPB), and each has a different success rate and complications. The most commonly performed US-SCBPB is the corner pocket approach in which the needle is advanced very close to the subclavian artery and pleura. Therefore, it may be associated with a risk of subclavian artery puncture or pneumothorax. We advanced the needle into the central part of the neural cluster after penetrating the sheath of the brachial plexus in US-SCBPB. We refer to this new method as the "central cluster approach." In this approach, the needle does not have to advance close to the subclavian artery or pleura. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of the central cluster approach in US-SCBPB.
Brachial Plexus* ; Needles ; Pleura ; Pneumothorax ; Punctures ; Subclavian Artery ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: Many studies to reduce serum lipoprotein(a) are done because serum lipoprotein(a) has been known to be an independent risk factor of coronary artery disease along with age, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Till now, oral estrogen/androgen therapy, niacin analogue and plasmapheresis are known therapeutic methods. This study examined the relative effects of three antihyperlipidemic agents, acipimox, lovastatin, fenofibrate. METHODS: Among 70 subjects (male-19, female-51) with their serum cholesterol level of more than 240mg/dL, 56 subjects who were completed 2 months antihyperlipidemic treatment (acipimox-20, lovastatin-18, fenofibrate-18) were examined for baseline total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and lipoprotein(a) and were followed up 2 months later. RESULTS: Mean values of each group for acipimox, lovastatin, fenofibrate were as follows: total cholesterol (268.1+/-19.03, 287.1+/-36.42, 268.9+/-25.99), HDL cholesterol (43.5+/-10.99, 42.7+/-11.88, 37.9+/-8.20), triglyceride (226.1+/-165.03, 260.4+/-175.98, 234.3+/-124.33), LDL cholesterol (179.3+/-30.40, 192.3+/-41.52, 184.1+/-38.08), lipoprotein(a) (26.2+/-15.32,34.8+/-18.56,29.9+/-12.58). Mean percentile reduction of lipoprotein(a) was acipimox-41.4%(P<0.0001), lovastatin-22.2%(P<0.0001), fenofibrate-16.1%(P<0.05), and p value was less than 0.05 in the comparison of groups. Lipoprotein(a) showed no relations with age, sex, BMI, WHR, smoking, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL cholesterol. After 2 months treatment, mean reduction percentages of total cholesterol was acipimox-12.2%(P<0.0001), lovastatin-17.6%(P<0.0001), fenofibrate-8.85%(P<0.05). LDL cholesterol was acipimox-16.12%(P<0.0001), lovastatin-22.89%(P<0.0001), fenofibrate-12.06% (P<0.05). Triglyceride was acipimox-17.24%(P<0.0001), lovastatin-17.39%(P<0.0001), fenofibrate-9,78%(P<0.05). HDL cholesterol was elevated in acipimox-17.24%(P<0.05), lovastatin-16.10%(P<0.05) and fenofibrate-12.06(P<0.05). In total cholesterol(P<0.05) and LDL cholesterol(P<0.05), there were significant differences among 3 groups, but not in HDLcholesterol and triglycerides. CONCLUSION: In two months treatment of acipimox, lovastatin and fenofibrate in hyperlipidemic patients, lipoprotein(a), known for independent risk factor of coronary artery disease, was reduced significantly in the order of acipimox, lovastatin and fenofibrate.
Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Fenofibrate ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Lipoprotein(a)* ; Lovastatin ; Niacin ; Plasmapheresis ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides

The morphologic change of the mouse brain after exposure to magnetic field is studied. Our magnetic field model was a pulsed unipolar magnetic field with the flux density of 0.2 - 0.3 tesla and the frequency of 60 hertz. Twelve adult male mice were exposed to the magnetic field for 2, 4, 8, 12, 18 and 24 hours. After the exposure to the magnetic field mice were anesthetized with chloral hydrate, and paraformaldehyde was infused through the left ventricle for fixation. During exposure to the magnetic field, behavioral and weight changes of mice were observed. Mice became irritable and restless, especially during first 2 hours of the exposure. Microscopic and ultrastructural examination on the brain revealed nuclear chromatin clumping of the neuron in mice exposed to the magnetic field for more than four hours. The change was proportional to the exposed time and more prominent in the cerebral cortex. An immunohistochemical study for amyloid precursor protein (APP) was also performed. There was an increased expression of APP in the neuronal cytoplasm of the mouse brain exposed to the magnetic field for 4 hours or more. But the reaction was not proportional to the exposure time and reactive neuron was diffusely distributed through the whole brain. Anti-APP antibody reactivity was not correlated with the chromatin clumping. The mechanism of APP induction was postulated as stress-induced APP-gene induction, and the role of APP was presumed to protect the neuron against hazardous environment.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; Animals

PURPOSE: This study investigated the osteoconductivity of natural calcium carbonate-derived bone substitutes, hen eggshell (ES), and compared with those of commercial bone substitutes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Osseous defects created in the rat calvaria were filled with particulated ES(ES-1), ES with calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite surface layer (ES-2), Biocoral(Inoteb, France), and Bio-Oss(Geistlich Pharma, Wolhusen, Switzerland). After 4 and 8 weeks of healing, histomorphometic analysis was performed to evaluate the amount of newly formed mineralized bone area (NB%). RESULTS: Histologic and histomorphometric analysis showed new bone formation and direct bony contact with the grafted materials in all groups. At 4 weeks, Biocoral group showed greater NB% compared to Bio-Oss and ES-1 groups (P<0.05). At 8 weeks, Biocoral and ES-2 groups showed significantly greater NB% compared to Bio-Oss group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that natural calcium carbonate-derived bone substitutes with microporous calciumdeficient hydroxyapatite surface layer may be an effective materials treating osseous defects.
Animals ; Bone Substitutes ; Calcium ; Calcium Carbonate ; Durapatite ; Minerals ; Osteogenesis ; Rats ; Skull ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: The Korean HHBES, conducted in July 1995, was a nationwide population-based survey of the health and health-seeking behavior of Koreans. Prevalence of significant depressive symptomatology was measured by the Korean version of CES-D. METHOD: The Korean HHBES used a complex, multistage, stratified, clustered sampling scheme as a national probability sample. Using 1990 National Census data, 110 Primary Sampling Units were selected out of 185,149 sampling units in whole country after stratification by region. Of the 1,258 elderly aged 55 to 69 years who were sampled, 628 persons completed the CES-D. The response rate was 50%. RESULT: The caseness rates of cutoff score 16 (probable depression) and cutoff score 25 (definite depression), were 25.28 (male 19.10, female 29.32) and 10.81 (male 7.20, female 13.42). And mean CES-D score was 11.03. Women had significantly higher CES-D caseness rates than men (odds ration (O.R.)=1.227,95% confidence interval (C.I.) 0.793-1.901). Respondents without education also had higher rates than did respondents experienced any educational level (O.R.=1.442,95% C.I. 0.941-2.21). Respondents in disrupted marital status also had higher rates than did respondents with spouses (O.R.=1.362, 95% C.I. 0.885-2.168). Current employment seemed not to be a risk of depressive symptomatology in the elderly (O.R.=1.01,95% C.I. 0.624-1.636). Persons earning less than one million won a month had rates more than 6 times as high as any of the other income categories (O.R.=6.138, 95% C.I. 1.545-27.668). There were no clear trends in the area and age. CONCLUSION: Poverty was the only statistically significant risk factor of depression in Korean elderlys. One possible hypothesis is that poor health, physical disability, and social isolation are the major factors responsible for the observed inverse relationship between income and symptoms of depression in economically disadvantaged older populations. Much attention has to be paid to poor elderlys from the standpoint of mental health for the elderly.
Aged* ; Censuses ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Depression ; Education ; Employment ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Marital Status ; Mental Health ; Odds Ratio ; Poverty ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors* ; Sampling Studies ; Social Isolation ; Spouses ; Vulnerable Populations