Purpose: To determine imaging findings among retired workers who were long-term exposed to asbestos. Lung and pleural diseases prevalence were studied on chest radiograph and HRCT. Materials and Methods: Eighteen workers who were long-term exposedto asbestos occupationally in shipyards were examined by chest radiographs (PA and lateral view) and HRCT (high-resolution computed tomography). Results: In 12 of 18 subjects (66.7%), asbestos-related pleural abnormalities were evident in diaphragmatic, lateral chest wall and costophrenic angle of the pleura on chest radiographs. The thickness of pleural plaques at the lateral chest wall varied. Diffuse pleural thickening was evident in 2 workers. Parenchymal abnormalities were not found on chest radiographs. On HRCT, pleural thickening wasob-served in 16 of 18 subjects (88.9%), in the areas of juxtavertebral, diaphragmatic, anterior, lateral, mediastinal and fissural pleura. Curvilinear subpleural lines representing early parenchymal asbestosis were found in the lower posterior lung in three of 18 subjects (16.7%). Conclusions: In long term asbestos-exposed workers, the asbestos-related pleural disease was 66.7% on chest radiographs and 88.9% on HRCT. The authors suggest that this group should be followed up periodically.
Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate extracts from mixed culture of Oriental medicines and cereal medium and mycelia of Trichloma matsutake and Cordyceps militaris by fermentation to develop new material for pharmaceutical products and medicinal food. Methods : To evaluate physiological activities of OCM extracts, we examined antioxidant activity(total polyphenol contents, electronic donating ability, SOD-like activity), β-glucan contents, nitric oxide production and cytotoxicity by MTT assay. Results : Total polyphenol contents of fermented OCM(UF) and non-fermented OCM(UM) extracts were more than 40% UM and UF of DPPH radical scavenging activity was 25.67%, 23.43% respectively. Total polyphenol content of non-fermented extract (UME) was 12.57%, while that of fermented extract(UFE) was 7.05%. SOD like activity showed UM 85.35%, UF 76.18%, UME 58.42%, UFE 72.21%. UME, and UFE 31.43%. β-glucan contents of UME and UFE were more than 40%. NO productions of UME, and UFE showed a LPS dose dependent tendency. Cytotoxicity on Raw 264.7 cell showed more than 90% viability. Inhibitory effect of UFE on HT1080 cell growth was higher than UME. Conclusions : These results showed that extracts from mixed culture of mushroom mycelium and OCM have physiological activities which can be used in pharmaceutical products and medicinal food.
We report a case of cauda equina syndrome following caudal anesthesia possibly caused by metastatic spine tumor. Male, 80-year-old, who had prostatic carcinoma with L3 and L4 spine metastasis was scheduled for bilateral orchiectomy. Twenty two-gauge needle was introduced at sacral hiatus and 15 ml of 2% lidocaine administered. The next morning, patient complained of perineal numbness and urination difficulty. During the next several day patient had episodes of fecal incontinence and motor weakness on both lower extremities. This case reminded us that neuroaxial blocks such as spinal, epidural and caudal anesthesia, should be used with extreme care in patients having neoplasm with high incidence of spine metastasis.