Acid-Base Status in Far-Advanced Pulmonary Tuberculosis

The objectives of this study is to define the scope of changes in acid-base status in far-advanced pulmonary tuberculosis and to sec whether this results could be utilized for an evaluation of pulmonary function in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The parameter of blood acid-base equilibrium was measured with method of Astrup in 20 far-advanced cases. The results obtained are as follows: I. PH 7. 432±0. 072 PCO, 38· 9±2. 7 mmHg, St. HCO, 25. 3±1. 0 mEq/L. Act. HCO, 25.O±I. 4 mEq/L Total CO, 26· 2±1. 4 mEq/L, B. E. 1. 6±1. 2 mEq/L, B. B. 49.2±3. I mEq/L 2. The above each parameter of acid-base equilibrium in advanced cases was found to be within normal limits. Plotting each value of the results On nomogram of Devenport, Siggaard-Andersen and Kintner, however, trends toward respiratory alkalosis in acid-base status could be easily recongized as a whole

A Study on the Frequency of HLA Antigens in Varions Diseases

The purpose of this study is to investigate distribution of the HLA antigens among Korean population and to elucidate any correlation between the HLA antigens and various human diseases. The subjects for this study consisted of 85 normal healthy persons, 28 patients with stomach cancer, 24 with liver cancer, and 32 with pulmonary tuberculosis. The diagnosis of cancer was confirmed either by the radiological, endo scopic, serologic or histopathologic findings, and patients with pulmonary tuberculosis included only those who had moderate advanced or far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. The detection of HLA antigens was carried out with the micortoxicity test devised by Tcrasaki, the lymphocytes being seperated from peripheral blood by density-gradient centrifugation in the Ficoll-Hypaque solution. The standard HLA antiserum used in this study was the T-serics antiserum provided by the Beringwerke company, West Germany. The antiserum included HLA-A 1, 2, 3, 9,10.11, and HLA-B 5,7,8,12. The positive and negative control sera were also used. The observed data are summarized as follows: 1. The detection rate of the HLA antigens was essentially the same among normal healthy persons. and patients with stomach cancer, liver cancer, and pulmonary tuberculosis. 2. In the normal control group, HLA·A2 and A3 were most frequently detected in the first segregation series, and HLA-B 12 and B 7 in the second segregation series, respectively. 3. In the group of stomach cancer, the most frequent HLA antigens were HLA-A2 and AIO in the first segregation series, and IlLA-B5 and B8 in the second segregation series, respectively. As compared with normal control group, IlLA-AIO was slightly increased and HLA-BI2 were markedly reduced in frequency among the patients with stomach cancer. 4. In the group of the liver cancer, the most frequent HLA antigens were HLA-A2 and AIO in the first segregation series, and HLA-B8 and BI2 in the second segregation series. As compared with the normal control group, the HLA-B7 was markedly reduced in frequency in the patients with liver cancer. 5. In the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, the most frequent HLA autigens were HLA-A2 and AIO in the first segregation series, and HLA-B5 and Bl2 in the second segregation series. As compared with the normal control group, HLA-B7 was slightly reduced and HLA-BI2 was markedly reduced in frequency in the patients with pulmonary tubeculosis

Myelination Cycle of the Developing Human Brains

It is often desirable to know the maturity of the fetal brains of a wide variety of gestational ages. Although myelination is known as an important process of regional maturation of the nervous system, it is still not clear whether myelination cycle is stereotypic enough to be a parameter of maturation in the fetal brains. We have studied a total of 123 brains and spinal cords of the Korean fetuses of gestational ages ranging from 12 to 44 weeks. These fetuses were products of artificial abortion. The brains and spinal cords were removed as soon as possible after delivery, and were fixed in 10% formalin. Representative blocks were taken from standardized portions of the nervous system. Through routine histological process slides were made and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Luxol-Fast-Blue for general morphology and myelin, respectively. Tables were made to list myelination process of all the major fiber-systems by different gestational periods. The listing of a fiber-system was based on microscopically demonstrated myelin tubules in certain area in more than half of the cases. Following conclusions were made. 1. The pattern of myelination in the developing central nervous system at various gestational periods. is not strictly stereotyped. However, there is a definite trend of an orderly process in which functionally allied systems were synchronized in an orderly sequence. 2. As gestation progresses, increasing number of cells with large pale vesicular nuclei appeared in thearea to be myelinated, prior to actual deposit of the material (myelin) stainable with Luxol Fast Blue. These myelination glial cells decreased gradually in number as myelination process advanced. 3. The myelination started in the anterior and posterior nerve roots of the spinal cords at 12 to 15weeks gestational period. The fiber-system mediating the general proprioceptive experience myelinates early and rapidly at 16 to 20 weeks gestational period. followed by the fiber-system mediating vestibular and acoustic modalities in the brain stem. Theexteroceptive( tactile and pain) somatic fiber-system myelinates later and slowly. These sensory pathways showed ascending (cephalad) progression of myelination. The corticospinal tract myelination then rapidly becomes apparent in a caudal direction through the brain stem and spinal cord. 4. Stainable myelin was rarely seen in the medullary substance of the cerebral hemisphere except along the course of fiber tract of the internal capsule and optic radiation even in full term fetuses

Morphologcal Study on Gyral Development of Fetal Brains

To evaluate the development of the convolutional pattern of the cerebral hemispheres a total of 123 brains of Korean fetuses of gestation ages ranging from 12 to 44 weeks was studied. The fetuses were products of artificial ahortions, and were proved to be normal after complete examination of fetuses and placentas. The brains were removed as soon as pos . sible after delivery, and were fixed in 10% formalin for one week before being examined for this study. It was quite consistent feature that gyral development started to appear from 20 weeks gestation age around the Sylvian fissure. The sequential develop· mental changes of the individual fissures, sulci and gyri of cerebral hemispheres throughout the gestational period are tabulated. It was concluded that the pattern of gyral development of Korean fetuses is comparable to that of other countries, and could be used as a parameter of maturation in the developing brains

A Case of Omental Cyst

A case of omental cyst in a 3 1/2 year old boy is presented, who has experienced recurrent episodes of bloody ascites and abdominal distension. The preoperative proper diagnosis was reached by ultrasonography, which showed septated fluid collection anterior to intestine, and by direct injection of radio-opaque dye into cystic cavity to differentiate multilocular cyst from ascites. Its operative and pathological findings are also described with brief review of literature on omental cyst