No abstract available.
Acoustics* ; Dysarthria*

The fashion of vascular anastomosis, end-to-end or end-to-side (E-to-S), are depended upon surgeon's preference or surgical situations. In E-to-S anastomosis two different methods of arteriotomy are applicable but it has been suggested the type, either elliptical or slit arteriotomy, play a different role in the flow hemodynamics. We thought that the difference is more considerable in microvascular surgery. This study examines the effects of elliptical versus slit arteriotomy on morphologic vessel patency. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups of ten rats each. Both carotid arteries were selected as a experimental model. During the procedures the rat brain was tolerable to ischemia and all animals were survived after operations. The morphologic analysis of anastomosis site was through resin-casting method with scanning electromicroscopic examination. The results showed notable difference between two groups in three-dimensional morphology at two-month of operation. This difference may affect the flow hemodynamics and long-term vessel patency. In microvascular anastomosis, the mortpologic difference of the elliptical arteriotomy is worse than slit arteriotomy which compromises the vessel circumference.
Animals ; Brain ; Carotid Arteries ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Male ; Models, Theoretical ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

No abstract available.
Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Necrosis* ; Radiotherapy* ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma*

No abstract available.
Anemia, Aplastic*

No abstract available.
Thoracoscopy*

A symbiotic relationship between humans and the microbiota is critical for the maintenance of our health, including development of the immune system, enhancement of the epithelial barrier, and acquisition of nutrients. Recent research has shown that the microbiota impacts immune cell development and differentiation. These findings suggest that the microbiota may also influence adjuvant and vaccine efficacy. Indeed, several factors such as malnutrition and poor sanitation, which affect gut microbiota composition, impair the efficacy of vaccines. Although there is little evidence that microbiota alters vaccine efficacy, further understanding of human immune system-microbiota interactions may lead to the effective development of adjuvants and vaccines for the treatment of diseases.
Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Humans ; Immune System ; Malnutrition ; Microbiota* ; Sanitation ; Vaccines

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to identify the association of food intake with bio-physiological indicators: blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio (WHR), cholesterol and urine sugar among rural people. METHODS: The subjects were 890 inhabitants from 14 towns of G County in Honam province. Data were collected by interview and self-reported with structured questionnaires from April 6th to 30th 2005. Data were analyzed with the frequency, percentage, t-test, chi-square-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test and ANCOVA using SPSS 12.0 program. RESULTS: Pre-hypertensive and hypertensive group was 27.0%, overweight and obese 27.1%, more than 0.90 in WHR 42.0%, more than 201 mg/dl of cholesterol 23.9%, and positive urine sugar was 8.7% in general. Among eleven food groups, fruit intakes were more effective in normotensive group than in the others. Vegetables, liquors, and milk products were 0.90 WHR more effective than the others. Milk products and liquors in BMI, and grains, beans and seaweed in low cholesterol group were more effective than the others. CONCLUSIONS: Bio-physiological indicators are related significantly only with fruits, milk products, meats, cereal and liquors among eleven food categories. Further study on the relationship between food intake, physical activities, smoking, drinking and lifestyle with bio-physiological indicators are suggested.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Drinking ; Edible Grain ; Eating ; Fabaceae ; Fruit ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Life Style ; Meat Products ; Milk ; Motor Activity ; Overweight ; Seaweed ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Vegetables ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Distortion of vowels in dysarthria associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis can be detected at the perceptual, physiological, and acoustical levels of analysis. Sound spectrography was used to analyse the formants of vowels which reflect position and space of articulatory organs. We analyse status and progression of dysarthria in 54 year old women with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using sound spectrography. Target formant frequencies were measured from select words containing the vowels /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/. Results revealed that dysarthric patient exhibited smaller vowel space areas and less systematic changes in vowel spaces for pronouncing different vowels in comparison with normal control. Changes of vowel formants in sound spectrographic analysis reflected progression of dysarthric symptom in this patient. We conclude that acoustic analysis of vowels using sound spectrography is a useful tool to visualize and quantitatively analyse the severity and progression of dysarthria due to paralytic articulatory organ.
Acoustics ; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ; Bulbar Palsy, Progressive* ; Dysarthria ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sound Spectrography*

BACKGROUND: Propafenone is a new class Ic antiarrhythmic compound.This study was performed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of propafenone by double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over comparison of propafenone and disopyramide in patients with stable ventricular ectopy. METHODS: All patients were included in the study if they had an average of at least 30 PVC/hr on a 24-hour Holter recordings. During the 1st 7 days, two placebo tablets(identical in apperance to the propafenone and the disopyramide tablets) were administrated in a double-blind manner(run-in period). Then 1st treatment period lasting 1 week with one verum and the other placebo, wish-out period of 3 day,2nd treatment period lasting 1 week with cross-over drugs were followed. RESULTS: Twenty patients were enrolled. During the run-in period, VPCs were reduced to 18%, compared to the baseline data before the administration of placebo.During the treatment period,propafenone 600mg/day reduced VPCs by 43% and disopyramide 400mg/day reduced VPCs by -10% Propafenone was effective(80% or greater reduction of VPCs) in 7 of 20 patients. Disopyramide was not effective in all patients. Propafenone and disopyramide produced no significant change of paired VPCs and VT events. Propafenone had no effect on heart rate. It increased the PR interval(7.9%;p<0.01) and QRS interval(5.2%;p<0.01). The drug did not change QTc interval(-1.1%) significantly. There were no cardiovascular side effects. Propafenone produced nausea in one patient. Disopyramide produced dysuria in 2 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Propafenone was more effective in controlling VPC than disopyramide, and there was no major limiting side effects.
Cross-Over Studies* ; Disopyramide* ; Dysuria ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Nausea ; Propafenone* ; Ventricular Premature Complexes*

Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) has become one of the major research subjects in medical imaging and diagnostic radiology. Many different CAD schemes are being developed for use in the detection and/or characterization of various lesions found through various types of medical imaging. These imaging technologies employ conventional projection radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, etc. In order to achieve a high performance level for a computerized diagnosis, it is important to employ effective image analysis techniques in the major steps of a CAD scheme. The main objective of this review is to attempt to introduce the diverse methods used for quantitative image analysis, and to provide a guide for clinicians.
Diagnostic Imaging ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Research Subjects