The aim of this project was to use 3D scanning data collected at incident scenes and various evidence to 1) develop surveying methods based on 3D data consisting of overall and detailed scene evidence, captured by long-range and micros-canner, which can be shared by personnel working in different fields such as forensic medicine, video analysis, physical analysis, traffic engineering, and fire investigation; 2) create digital storage for human skeletons and set the foundation for virtual anthropology; and 3) improve the credibility of 3D evidence by virtual remodeling and simulation of incident scenes and evidence to provide a basis for advanced and high-tech scientific investigation. Two complete skeletons of male and female were scanned using 3D micro-scanner. Each bone was successfully reproduced and assembled in virtual space. In addition, recreating evidence scheduled for invasive examination by creating RP (rapid prototype) was possible. These outcomes could play an important role in setting up the new field of virtual anthropology. Case-specific surveying methods were developed through analysis of 3D scanning data collected by long-range surface scanners at the scenes of vehicular accidents, falls, shootings, and violent crimes. A technique and recording method was also developed for detecting forged seals by micro-scanning the pressure exerted on the seal. Appraisal methods developed in this project could be utilized to secure 3D data of human skeletal remains and incident scenes, create a standard for application, and increase objectivity, reproducibility, and accuracy of scanning methods. We plan to develop case-specific 3D data analysis techniques to improve the credibility of analysis at the NFS and to establish a 3D data collection and analysis team.
Crime ; Data Collection ; Female ; Fires ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Sciences ; Humans ; Male ; Skeleton ; Statistics as Topic

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Alcohol and the hepatitis B virus (HBV) exert synergistic effects in hepatocelluar carcinogenesis. We aimed to elucidate the clinical significance of the antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and occult HBV infection on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (LC). METHODS: Patients with alcoholic LC alone (n=193) or combined with HCC (n=36), who did not have HBsAg or antibody to hepatitis C virus were enrolled. Clinical data and laboratory data including anti-HBc were investigated at enrollment. The polymerase chain reaction was applied to HBV DNA using sera of patients with HCC or LC after age and sex matching. RESULTS: Patients with HCC were older (60+/-11 years vs. 53+/-10 years, mean+/-SD, P<0.001), more likely to be male (100% vs. 89%, P=0.03), and had a higher positive rate of anti-HBc (91.2% vs. 77.3%, P=0.067), and a higher alcohol intake (739+/-448 kg vs. 603+/-409 kg, P=0.076) than those with LC. Age was the only significant risk factor for HCC revealed by multiple logistic regression analysis (odds ratio, 1.056; P=0.003). The positive rate of anti-HBc and alcohol intake did not differ in age- and sex-matched subjects between the LC (n=32) and HCC (n=31) groups. However, the detection rate of serum HBV DNA was higher in the HCC group (48.4%) than in the LC group (0%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Anti-HBc positivity is not a risk factor for HCC. However, occult HBV infection may be a risk factor for HCC in patients with alcoholic LC.
Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Viral/blood ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis/epidemiology/*etiology ; DNA, Viral/analysis ; Female ; Hepatitis B/*complications/diagnosis ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens/*immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/immunology ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics/immunology/isolation & purification ; Hepatitis C/complications/diagnosis ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic/*complications/diagnosis/epidemiology ; Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis/epidemiology/*etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Alcohol may be a cocarcinogen in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. We investigated the effect of alcohol on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in liver cirrhosis (LC) caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV). METHODS: All patients with LC or HCC associated with HBV or alcohol, admitted between March 2001 and June 2005, were included. Patients were divided into three groups according to the etiology of LC: Alcohol (AL), HBV, or HBV+alcohol (HBV+AL). Age and laboratory data at the enrollment of study were analyzed. The logistic regression coefficiency for the prevalence of HCC was calculated by using variables such as age, gender, serologic markers, and etiology of LC. RESULTS: In LC patients (n=342), the proportions of AL, HBV, and HBV+AL groups were 44%, 39%, and 17%, respectively. The proportions of HCC in AL, HBV and HBV+AL groups were 17%, 55%, and 76%, respectively. Age at the diagnosis of HCC was younger in HBV+AL than in AL group (p=0.036). In logistic regression analysis for the risk factor of HCC, odds ratio of age was 1.056 (p<0.001). Odds ratios of HBV and HBV+AL group comparing AL were 8.449 (p<0.001) and 17.609 (p<0.001), respectively. Therefore, old age and chronic alcohol intake in patients with HBsAg were the risk factors of HCC. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic alcohol intake may be an additive factor for the development of HCC in patient with LC caused by HBV. However, a prospective cohort study is needed to confirm these findings.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*epidemiology/etiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*complications/epidemiology ; Hepatitis, Alcoholic/complications/epidemiology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/*complications/virology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic/*complications/epidemiology/virology ; Liver Neoplasms/*epidemiology/etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Regression Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Obstructive jaundice is most commonly attributed to a malignancy or stones affecting the common bile duct. Biliary tuberculosis and lymphadenitis around the periportal area have also been implicated but cases are quite rare. A 24 year old man presented with jaundice and abdominal pain for 3 days. Abdominal CT and ERCP revealed a stricture of the extrahepatic bile duct with multiple enlarged lymph nodes showing necrotic foci located at the periportal area. The colonoscopic biopsy showed evidence of M. tuberculosis. The patient was treated with ERBD insertion and oral anti-tuberculosis therapy. However, the abdominal pain recurred and there was progressive stenosis of the common bile duct. A bile duct resection with choledochojejunostomy was subsequently performed. Frozen sections revealed granulomatous inflammation with caseation necrosis, which was consistent with tuberculosis. We report a case of tuberculous cholangitis and lymphadenitis with obstructive jaundice that was managed surgically due to the progressive stricture of the bile duct.
Abdominal Pain ; Bile Ducts* ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Bile* ; Biopsy ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis* ; Choledochostomy ; Common Bile Duct ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Frozen Sections ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Jaundice ; Jaundice, Obstructive* ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphadenitis* ; Necrosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node ; Young Adult

The ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology. The major symptoms of ulcerative colitis are diarrhea, hematochezia, tenesmus, and abdominal pain. However, occasionally the arthritis, skin disorders, hepatobiliary inflammation, and uveitis are recognized systemic complications or extracolonic manifestations of ulcerative colitis. Though there have been rare reports of coexistent pulmonary and inflammatory bowel disease, the lung is not generally considered a target organ in ulcerative colitis. Since the first observation of pulmonary involvement in ulcerative colitis by Kraft in 1976, a few cases have been reported. We describe of a patient with ulcerative colitis and extracolonic manifestations in whom pulmonary involvement developed that was responsive to corticosteroid therapy.
Abdominal Pain ; Arthritis ; Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Diarrhea ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Lung ; Skin ; Ulcer* ; Uveitis

Complications of acute pancreatitis usually occur in pancreas and its contiguous organs. The prevalence of colonic invasion is rare, however, the consequence is fatal, with mortality above 50%. The initial symptoms and onset times are variable and major affected sites are transverse colon and splenic flexure. The spread of inflammatory exudates into the colon is the main mechanism of colonic invasion. If the colonic stenosis develops, it is necessary to manage it surgically. We report a case who arrived at the hospital with watery diarrhea and abdominal distension in the recovery period of acute alcoholic pancreatitis and was diagnosed as a colonic obstruction in the splenic flexure. The patient underwent loop ileostomy instead of the resection of the lesion because of severe adhesion around the splenic flexure. The patient died due to sepsis 5 days after the operation.
Acute Disease ; Colonic Diseases/*complications ; English Abstract ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction/*complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/*complications

PURPOSE: To evaluate the sonographic findings of calcific tendinitis around the hip. MATERIALS and METHODS: Ten patients (7 women and 3 men; mean age, 42 years; age range, 34-52 years) with a diagnosis of calcific tendinitis around the hip were evaluated. All the patients underwent radiography and sonography (color Doppler sonography in 6 patients). The sonographic findings were analyzed to determine the level of tendon thickening compared with the contralateral side as well as the shape and posterior acoustic shadowing of the calcification, and vascularity on color Doppler sonography. RESULTS: In all cases, sonography showed a thickening of the tendon compared with the contralateral normal tendon as well as hyperechoic calcific shadows within the thickened tendon. Intratendinous calcifications were mainly observed as a homogeneous ovoid hyperechoic shadow with or without acoustic shadowing. Color Doppler sonography showed increased vascularity within or around the thickened tendon in four of the six patients. CONCLUSION: Sonography is effective in detecting a thickening of the tendon as well as intratendinous calcification, and can be used to diagnose calcific tendinitis around the hip.
Acoustics ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hip* ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography ; Shadowing (Histology) ; Tendinopathy* ; Tendons ; Ultrasonography*

We report radiologic findings in a case of chest wall parachordoma in a 32-year-old male with right upper back pain. The plain radiograph and CT scan of the chest revealed a soft tissue mass in the right lateral chest wall with rib erosion. En-bloc surgical resection with chest wall reconstruction was performed.
Adult ; Back Pain ; Humans ; Male ; Ribs ; Thoracic Wall* ; Thorax* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The identification of fat density by unenhanced CT within an adrenal mass is highly suggestive of myelolipoma. Adrenal collision tumors which involve a myelolipoma are uncommon, though the involvement of adenomas and pheochromocytomas has been reported. We describe a case in which an adrenal collision tumor consisting of an adrenocortical carcinoma and myelolipoma, presented as a large fat-containing adrenal soft tissue mass.
Adenoma ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma* ; Myelolipoma* ; Pheochromocytoma

Amphiphysin I and II, proteins enriched in nerve terminals, form heterodimers and interact with dynamin and synaptojanin through their Src homology 3 (SH3) domain. In order to study the expression profile of Amphs in cells and tissues and the interaction state with other cellular molecules, we have prepared specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) designed to bait N-terminus, middle part, and C-terminus domains of Amph I, respectively by immunizing with the expressed smaller domain molecules using the GST gene fusion system. The expression of Amphs was found to be most abundant in PC12 cells, followed by B103 cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. Western blot analysis showed a relatively high level expression of Amphs that were found in both mouse and rat brain. There appeared to be some species difference in the expression pattern, i.e. Amphs are present more in the testis than in the lungs in rats, however, they are reversed in mice. Characterization of the mAbs revealed that clone 14-23 precipitated Amph I and II, whereas clone 8-2 could only precipitate Amph I. In addition, clathrin and dynamin in a complex with Amph were captured in the precipitate formed by mAbs and identified by the Western blot analysis. Cellular distribution of Amph was visualized with confocal immunofluorescence microscopy performed using the labeled-mAbs. Taken together, these results demonstrated that mAbs provided an excellent measure for studying Amphs' expression profile and their interacting proteins.
Animal ; *Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Blotting, Western ; Brain/metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Dimerization ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glutathione Transferase/metabolism ; Human ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/*chemistry/*immunology ; PC12 Cells ; Precipitin Tests ; Protein Binding ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Rats ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; src Homology Domains