No abstract available.

This study was conducted to determine the correlation between weighted needle pinprick sensory threshold(PPT) and sensory nerve conduction tests. The subjects were 53 healthy controls, 31 diabetic patients without peripheral neuropathic symptoms(DM) and 36 diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathic symptoms(DN). PPT was measured on the index and little fingers, bilaterally, as well as under the lateral malleolus, bilaterally. In electrophysiologic assessment the left and right median, ulnar and sural nerves were studied. Each mean PPTs was high in order of controls, DM and DN. Age adjusted PPT was significantly different among three groups on right little finger(p<0.05) and left malleolus(p<(0.05), but not significantly different between DN and DM on other sites. Each sensory nerve conduction velocity and amplitude was statistically significantly different among three groups(p<0.05). Correlations of PPT with sensory nerve conduction velocity and amplitude were statistically significant on each site and ranged from -0.4203(left malleolus) to -0.5649(right index finger) and from -0.3897(left index finger) to -0.6200(right index finger), respectively. When electrophysiological study is not feasible, measurement of PPT may be helpful for the assessment of peripheral sensory neurological function.
Fingers ; Humans ; Needles* ; Neural Conduction* ; Sensory Thresholds* ; Sural Nerve

Abdominal actinomycosis is very rare infectious disease and seldom reported as a cause of abdominal mass. This disease is diagnosed by pathologic findings and culture result but it is very difficult to differentiate with other granulomatous illammatory disease, diverticular disease, malignancy, etc. The radiologic findings were non-specific and CT scan revealed the inflammatory mass with multiple small abscesses and fibrous change. The treatment of choice for actinomycosis is medical treatment with penicillin but surgical intervention may be needed when complication such as obstruction, fistula formation, abscess formation develop. We report a patient with abdominal actinomycosis that presented with transverse colonic obstruction and severe abdominal wall inflammation. This patient had no past operative history but got intrauterine contraceptive devices during last 10 years. We treated this patient by surgical resection and antibiotic therapy.
Abdominal Wall ; Abscess ; Actinomycosis* ; Colon* ; Colon, Transverse ; Communicable Diseases ; Fistula ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Intrauterine Devices ; Penicillins ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVES: To examine emotional and psychological characteristics associated with suicide attempts in depressed patients. METHODS: A sample of 37 inpatients diagnosed with major depressive disorder or depressive disorder NOS was divided into two groups : lifetime suicide attempters(N=15 ; 40.54%), non-attempters(N=22 ; 59.46%). Beck Depression Scale(BDI), Beck Anxiety Scale(BAI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HDRS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale(HARS), and MMPI-2 were used to evaluate symptoms severity and psychological characteristics. RESULTS: Suicide attempters scored higher on the BDI though there were no group differences on the HDRS and on the both anxiety scales. Also they showed higher scores on the F, Fb, Pa, RC1, DEP, HEA, PK, AAS among MMPI-2 subscales. Our findings suggest that suicide attempters among depressed patients undergo more severe subjective distress and difficulties in adjustment than non-attempters. Also they were more hostile to others and showed lower trust. Lastly, they showed more somatic complaints and substance related problems. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that suicide attempters among depressed patients have distinct emotional and psychological characteristics. MMPI-2 would be helpful to assess suicidal risk of depressed patients.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Pyrrolidines ; Suicide ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVE: In the previous study, we compiled the differentially expressed genes during early folliculogenesis.1 Objective of the present study was to identify downstream target genes of transcription factors (TFs) using bioinformatics for selecting the target TFs among the gene lists for further functional analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By using bioinformatics tools, constituent domains were identified from database searches using Gene Ontology, MGI, and Entrez Gene. Downstream target proteins/genes of each TF were identified from database searches using TF database (TRANSFAC(R) 6.0) and eukaryotic promoter database (EPD). RESULTS: DNA binding and trans-activation domains of all TFs listed previously were identified, and the list of downstream target proteins/genes was obtained from searche of TF database and promoter database. Based on the known function of identified downstream genes and the domains, 3 (HNF4, PPARg, and TBX2) out of 26 TFs were selected for further functional analysis. The genes of wee1-like protein kinase and p21WAF1 (cdk inhibitor) were identified as potential downstream target genes of HNF4 and TBX2, respectively. PPARg, through protein-protein interaction with other protein partners, acts as a transcription regulator of genes of EGFR, p21WAF1, cycD1, p53, and VEGF. Among the selected 3 TFs, further study is in progress for HNF4 and TBX2, since wee1-like protein kinase and cdk inhibitor may involved in regulating maturation promoting factor (MPF) activity during early folliculogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: Approach used in the present study, in silico analysis of downstream target genes, was useful for analyzing list of TFs obtained from high-throughput cDNA microarray study. To verify its binding and functions of the selected TFs in early folliculogenesis, EMSA and further relevant characterizations are under investigation.
Computational Biology ; Computer Simulation* ; DNA ; Gene Ontology ; Maturation-Promoting Factor ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Protein Kinases ; Transcription Factors* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

No abstract available.
Animals ; Capsaicin* ; Ganglia, Spinal* ; Rats*

Paneth cell-rich carcinoma is essentially an adenocarcinoma with a predominance of Paneth cells. A 60-year-old male patient was admitted with a history of abdominal distension for several months. Endoscopic examination revealed a large ulceroinfiltrative tumor involving most of the areas of the stomach. The biopsy of the lesion confirmed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and total gastrectomy was followed. The submitted total stomach contained a diffuse infiltrative Borrmann type IV mass with ulceration, 8.0 3.5 cm, at the body along the lesser curvature. Microscopically, it was composed of Paneth cell differentiated cancer cells and poorly differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma cells. The Paneth cell differentiation was characterized by cytoplasmic coarse eosinophilic granules, which were PAS-positive and positive reaction for lysozyme. Electron microscopic examination showed numerous, spherical, electron-dense, homogeneous granules corresponding to those in Paneth cells as well as mucin granules in the signet-ring cells, and various intermediate forms in some cancer cells, which might be immature in the Paneth cell lineage.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Lineage ; Cytoplasm ; Eosinophils ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucins ; Muramidase ; Paneth Cells ; Stomach* ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: Both antithrombin III(ATIII) and Gabexate mesilate(Foy) are effective for the treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC). However, their mechanisms of action are slightly different, and combined effect of ATIII and Foy in premature infant with DIC has not been studied. We evaluated therapeutic efficacy of treatments with either ATIII or Foy alone or both in combination. METHODS: We studied 23 premature infants of gestational ages between 30 and 36 weeks with DIC. Group A(n=10) was treated by ATIII only, Group B(n=7) by Foy only and Group C(n=6) by both ATIII and Foy. Three groups were compared for volume of blood sampling and transfusion and hematologic data. RESULTS: Improvement of hematologic data(platelet, PT, aPTT, fibrinogen, FDP) was not significantly different among 3 groups. The mean volume of blood sampling during 5 days of treatment was 30 mL, 22.5 mL, and 30 mL, respectively. The mean volume of packed RBC transfusion was 12.8 mL, 9 mL, and 2.5 mL, respectively: and mean volume of platelet transfusion was 25.9 mL, 10 mL, and 0 mL, respectively, showing no significant statistical difference. But the mean volume of FFP transfusion was 141 mL only in group B, significantly higher compared to other groups. CONCLUSION: The combination therapy of ATIII and Foy significantly decreased the volume of FFP transfusion and may be more effective than monotherapy with ATIII or Foy alone in DIC of premature infant.
Dacarbazine ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation* ; Fibrinogen ; Gabexate* ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Platelet Transfusion ; Thrombin*

No abstract available.
Pigmentation*

No abstract available.
Pigmentation*