27 Myelographies with Iopamidol and 27 myelographies with metrizamide were performed in order to compare adverse reactions, radiographic quality and effects on vital signs of the two contrast media after injection into the spinal subarachnoid space. Headache and nausea were less severe using Iopamidol. The most striking difference was found in adverse neurobehavioral reactions and associated electroencephalographic abnormalities which were noted in 7.4% of the metrizamide group but were not seen with the use of Iopamidol. Iopamidol was more stable than metrizamide in CSF. Image quality and diagnostic accuracy of Iopamidol myelography was equivalent to metrizamide for intrathecal application.
Contrast Media ; Headache ; Iopamidol* ; Metrizamide ; Myelography* ; Nausea ; Strikes, Employee ; Subarachnoid Space ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND: Antituberculous therapy is set a short-term therpy used isoniazid(INH), rifampin(RFP), ethambutol(EMB), pyrazinamide(PZA) from 1970s' and treatment rate has been very improved. But drug interruption or irregular medication due to side effects and resistance of drug are serious problem to retreatment cases, specially. Ofloxasine(OFX), developed from Quinolone at 1980's is effective not only other respiratory infectious disease but also pulmonary tube rculosis. And this is useful drug instead of injection agents for retreatment patients who have side effects to other drugs, lived far distance from medical clinics. So, we will evaluate theffectiveness as four oral drags involving OFX. METHOD: A retrospective study was made through the regular follow up of smear positive cases,who treated by four drag, namely, prothionamide (PTA) cycloserine(CS), OFX, paraminosalicylic acid(PAS). RESULTS: 1) Out of 66case with positive sputum AFB smear, 42(64%)cases achieved the negative conversion. 2) Considering the negative conversion in all group, 34 case (52%) of sputum conversion occured within first 6 months, on the extent of diease was minimal, moderate, far advavanced pulmonary tuberculosis, sputum AFB smear negative response to treatment was 100%, 78% , 46% respectively. 3) The roentgenological improvement occured in 38(58%), extent of diease was minimal, moderately, far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis, Roentgenological improvement to retreatment was 75%, 64%, 46%. 4) When the duration of patients illness was less than 1 year, 1 to 3 years, 3 to 5 years and more than 5 years, sputum AFB smear negative response to retreatment was 100%, 88%, 80%, 52%. 5) On side effects, major problems are gastrointestinal troubles, mild liver function abnormality, psychotic problemes, and skin problem(urticaria, itching sensation). CONCLUSION: The duration & extents of patients illness was shorter & minimal, sputum AFB smear negative response rate was better. Radiologic response is better as shorter duration and minimal extent of diease. But, as diease is longer duration & far advanced, sputum negative conversion & Roentgenological improvement is poor and limited. The adverse reaction was mainly observed gastrointestinal troubles(indigestion, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) and are well controled by symptomatic management in most patients, as regard to tolerance to the secondary drugs.
Abdominal Pain ; Aminosalicylic Acid* ; Communicable Diseases ; Cycloserine* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Nausea ; Prothionamide ; Pruritus ; Retreatment* ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary* ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Antituberculous therapy is set a short-term therpy used isoniazid(INH), rifampin(RFP), ethambutol(EMB), pyrazinamide(PZA) from 1970s' and treatment rate has been very improved. But drug interruption or irregular medication due to side effects and resistance of drug are serious problem to retreatment cases, specially. Ofloxasine(OFX), developed from Quinolone at 1980's is effective not only other respiratory infectious disease but also pulmonary tube rculosis. And this is useful drug instead of injection agents for retreatment patients who have side effects to other drugs, lived far distance from medical clinics. So, we will evaluate theffectiveness as four oral drags involving OFX. METHOD: A retrospective study was made through the regular follow up of smear positive cases,who treated by four drag, namely, prothionamide (PTA) cycloserine(CS), OFX, paraminosalicylic acid(PAS). RESULTS: 1) Out of 66case with positive sputum AFB smear, 42(64%)cases achieved the negative conversion. 2) Considering the negative conversion in all group, 34 case (52%) of sputum conversion occured within first 6 months, on the extent of diease was minimal, moderate, far advavanced pulmonary tuberculosis, sputum AFB smear negative response to treatment was 100%, 78% , 46% respectively. 3) The roentgenological improvement occured in 38(58%), extent of diease was minimal, moderately, far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis, Roentgenological improvement to retreatment was 75%, 64%, 46%. 4) When the duration of patients illness was less than 1 year, 1 to 3 years, 3 to 5 years and more than 5 years, sputum AFB smear negative response to retreatment was 100%, 88%, 80%, 52%. 5) On side effects, major problems are gastrointestinal troubles, mild liver function abnormality, psychotic problemes, and skin problem(urticaria, itching sensation). CONCLUSION: The duration & extents of patients illness was shorter & minimal, sputum AFB smear negative response rate was better. Radiologic response is better as shorter duration and minimal extent of diease. But, as diease is longer duration & far advanced, sputum negative conversion & Roentgenological improvement is poor and limited. The adverse reaction was mainly observed gastrointestinal troubles(indigestion, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) and are well controled by symptomatic management in most patients, as regard to tolerance to the secondary drugs.
Abdominal Pain ; Aminosalicylic Acid* ; Communicable Diseases ; Cycloserine* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Nausea ; Prothionamide ; Pruritus ; Retreatment* ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary* ; Vomiting

This study was designed to evaluate the partially purified antigens which were fractionated from crude extract of Paragonimus westermani and to monitor the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in experimental cat paragonimiasis during the course of infection as well as before and after chemotherapy. Crude extract of 6-month-old adult P. westermani was fractionated to 5 antigens by successive applications of ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. And the cats, 10 in each group, were infected with 60, 30, 15, and 5 metacercariae, then the half of each group was treated with praziquantel 2 times in one day of 100 mg per kilogram of weight on 150 days after the infection. Sera were collected every 10 days. ELISA was performed with the concentration of 2 microgram/ml antigen, 100 times diluted sera and 1,000 times diluted alkaline phosphatase conjugated anti-cat IgG. The results were as follows: Absorbance by ELISA with proteins precipitated by differential concentration of ammonium sulfate was the highest at 51-65 per cent precipitate (PA2), followed by 0-50 per cent precipitate (PA1), 66-80 per cent precipitate (PA3), and 81-90 precipitate (PA4). Unprecipitated protein over 90 per cent ammonium sulfate (PA5) showed the lowest antigenicity. Fractionation of PA1, PA2, and PA3 through the DEAE-cellulose column did not differentiate the antigenic proteins. By passing through the Sephadex G-200 column, PAl and PA2 were fractionated to high molecular weight proteins and those of low molecular weight which showed high absorbance by ELISA (PA1-I, II and PA2- I, II). But PA3 was shown to have a fraction of high molecular weight proteins (PA3-I) which showed high antigenicity. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of PA1-I, PA1-II, PA2-I, PA2-II, PA3-I, and crude extract was performed. Fraction PA1-I was composed of proteins which had the molecular weight of 270 kilodaltons (KD) to 196 KD; of them 220 KD protein was major band. Fraction PA2- I was composed of 255-225 KD, and PA3-I, 255-240 KD, respectively. Fraction PA1-II and fraction PA2-II consisted of 30 KD proteins. Absorbance by ELISA began to increase within 10-20 days after the infection and reached the highest on 140-180 days, then made plateau thereafter. Absorbance by ELISA decreased after praziquantel treatment. In 60 metacercariae infection group, the absorbance had been decreasing, but remained within the positive range during observation period, while those of 30, 15, and 5 metacercariae infection groups turned to negative range. Fraction PA1-II showed the highest antigenicity in ELISA, then fraction PA2-I, fraction PA1-I , fraction PA2-II, fraction PA3-I and crude extract followed. In early phase of infection, the absorbance of fraction PA1-II showed more rapid increase than those of the other fractions and it came to positive range at 20-30 days after infection.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; immunology ; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ; Paragonimus westermani ; antigen

Corticosteroid, 5-fluorouracil and Mitomycin C(MMC) have been used to suppress proliferation of subconjunctival connective tissue. However, the various complication and undesirable side effects associated with the use of these drugs have prompted the search for alternative drugs with less toxicity. In present study, I have evaluated the effect of corticosteroid(dexamethsone sodium phophate), cyclooxygenase inhibitor(diclofenac sodium) and lipoxygenase inhibitor(nordihydroguaratic acid, NDGA) to inhibit human pterygial fibroblast proliferation in tissue culture. Human pterygial fibroblast were cultured and exposed to various concentration of each drug for 1, 2 and 3 days. Cell viability was measured using MTT assay. There was no different in antiproliferative activity between nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents(NSAIDs) and steroid. Dexamethasone caused inhibition of proliferation with LD 50 of 0.5mM by day 2, NDGA of 0.5mM by day 3 and diclofenac sodium of 1.0mM by day 3. These results suggest that NSAIDs may be useful as both antiproliferative and less toxicity agents.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal* ; Cell Survival ; Connective Tissue ; Dexamethasone ; Diclofenac ; Fibroblasts* ; Fluorouracil ; Humans* ; Lipoxygenase ; Mitomycin ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Sodium ; Steroids*

The purpose of the study was to investigate the characteristics of the pronunciation of Korean vowels in patients with class III malocclusion. 11 adult male patients with class III malocclusion(mean ages 22.3 years) and four adult males with normal occlusion(mean ages 26.5 years) were selected for the analysis of eight Korean monophthongs /i, e, e, a, eo, o, eu, u/. The values and relationships of F1, F2 and F3 were derived from the stable section of target vowel in each sentence, and the analysis using formant plots and vowel triangles' distance and area was conducted to find the features of two groups' vowel distributions. Consequently, it was identified that the pronunciation of males patients with class III malocclusion showed high values of F1 in the low vowels, high values of F2 in the back vowels, and remarkably low position of /a/. The vowel triangle suggested that the triangle areas of male patients with class III malocclusion were shown wider vertically and narrower horizontally than those of males with normal occlusion. These characteristics could reflect the structural features of class III malocclusion such as the prognathic mandible, low tongue position, and advancement of back position of the tongue.
Acoustics ; Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Malocclusion ; Mandible ; Tongue

Carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) in blood and CSF was reported to be increased in cases of nervous system neoplasms by some investigators. To evaluate the oncological diagnostic value of CEA in the neurosurgical conditions, this study has been performed on 24 nervous system neoplasms and 8 non-nervous system as well as 49 controls. In addition, alpha-fetoprotein was also measured on the same conditions because of its close oncologic nature and recent diagnostic application on the general surgical conditions. The CEA concentration in blood and CSF were determined by CEA Radioimmunoassay kit, and the alpha-fetoprotein in blood and CSF were determined by GammaDab kit. The result showed that concentration of CEA and alpha-fetoprotein was higher and seemed to diagnostic in Extra-CNS neoplasma. In nerovous system, however, these were the lower than we expected, although were higher than control. Moreever, these levels were not unique on same oncologic condition and rather somewhat variable. From these results, increased concentration of these itself may be considered suggestive of existence of nervous system neoplasm, but it does mean neither degree of malignancy nor its origin.
alpha-Fetoproteins* ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen* ; Central Nervous System ; Humans ; Nervous System Neoplasms ; Radioimmunoassay ; Research Personnel

The authors experienced on the use of bovine bone in 3 cases of interbody fusion employing the Cloward technique. Two patients were cervical fracture-dislocation and one patient was a case of lumbar spondylolysis. With use of bovine bone, iliac osteotomy is unnecessary, and this procedure is no problem of donor site pain and infection which can be possible in interbody fusion with iliac bone and rib graft. With the use of bovine bone the additional advantages are. 1) The operative procedure is simplified. 2) The time required for the operation is diminished. 3) Patient meralgia is eliminated completely. 4) The surgeon can have uniformly sized bones of a proven hardness on hand. 5) The epidural bleeding is showed through lattice of bovine bone.
Hand ; Hardness ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Osteotomy ; Ribs ; Spondylolysis ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

The mean values of the height, depth and lateral shifting of the spinous processes and the height of the intervertebral disc spaces of 100 patients were measured in the lumbar region. The application of microsurgical techniques in the operation for lumbar disc herniation clearly reduced the overall surgical trauma suffered by patient, but the spinous process might disturb the insertional course and multidirectional activities of the pituitary forceps due to a very small skin incision. The purpose of this study was to prove the relationships between intervertebral disc space and spinous process in the lumbar region. The results were as follows; 1) The height of the intervertebral disc space from L3-4 to L5-S1 intervertebral disc space was 12.63mm, 12.57mm and 11.71mm respectively. 2) The depth of the spinous process from L3 to L5 was 28.87mm, 27.87mm and 23.97mm respectively. 3) The lateral shifting of the spinous process from midline to the right side was 4.39mm, 4.35mm and 4.01mm at L3, L4 and L5 spinous process respectively and to the left side was 3.61mm, 3.70mm and 3.69mm at L3, L4 and L5 spinous process respectively. Conclusively, the lower part of the spinous process was overlapped above the intervertebral disc space at L3-4, L4-5 and L5-S1 intervertebral disc space. About 4mm of the lateral shifting of the spinous process was protruded to both right and left side in the insertional course(about 2-3cm) of the pituitary forceps. The spinous process might disturb the multidirectional activities and perpendicular insertion of the pituitary forceps. So, the removal of the spinous process to the midline was recommended to perform the complete removal of disc materials in microlumbar discectomy.
Diskectomy ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Lumbosacral Region ; Skin ; Surgical Instruments

We analysed ultrasonic findings of 54 brain scan cases(45 cases were performed through the anterior fontanelle and the temporoparietal thin bone and 9 through the surgical bone defect) and comparison of these pictures with those obtained in the same patients by CT scan showed prominent correlation. Ultrasonography was more sensitive to different histologic features and provided a more accurate depiction of the neuropathologic characteristics in most of cases. We conclude that ultrasonography of the brain was proven to be quite useful in the screening and follow up of neonates and infants under 15 months of age, and as a follow up method in post operative patients. It was also more accurate than CT scan in cases of abscesses and cystic lesions.
Abscess ; Brain* ; Cranial Fontanelles ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Mass Screening ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography