Damage Assessment Method of Reinforcement Concrete Building By Fuzzy Theory

 As reinforcement concrete building is composition material which reinforcement    bar and concrete work together, effect factors concerned with its damage are countlessly much and interrelationship between them is also very complex and indefiniteness. Until now many researches about the damage assessment of a building   has been performed but the problem accounting correctly damage of the reinforcement concrete building by connecting several of damage factors has not yet been solved.  In research a method accounting damage of reinforcement concrete building in the fuzzy integral way in consideration of fuzzy property existing in the damage assessment system of it has been newly suggested

Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Cervix with Sequential Metastasis to Different Sites: A Case Report

Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix is rare, and prognosis is very poor. Because of its rarity, effective treatment of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix has not been established. It has distinct patterns of metastasis, but can be successfully treated with radical surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. We report a 50-year-old woman who was diagnosed with large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix and underwent radical surgery followed by adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. She experienced recurrence several times and to different sites, with sequential metastasis to the lung, breast, and retroperitoneum, but nevertheless survived more than 5 years

Neurologic Recovery According to Early Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries

The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of early magnetic resonance imaging findings in predicting neurologic recovery at or below the injured level in traumatic cervical spinal cord injuries. Thirty patients with traumatic cervical spinal cord injuries were included. All of the patients received a magnetic resonance imaging and a neurologic examination in the emergency room, within 7 days of injury and at 6 months following the injury. To quantify neurologic recovery below the injured level, we modified clinical scales, particularly the motor ratio and the sensory ratio. We used the neurologic level to quantify recovery around the injured level. We assessed neurologic recovery according to MRI patterns and lesion extents. The pure hemorrhagic MRI pattern was not observed. In edematous and mixed types, the improvement of neurologic levels was not significantly different. The motor ratio and sensory ratio improved significantly more in edematous type patients than in mixed type patients. Based on MRI lesion extent, the improvement of neurologic levels was not significantly different, and motor ratio and sensory ratio improved significantly more in those with one or two segments involved than in those with more than two segments involved. In conclusion, early MRI pattern and lesion extent after traumatic cervical spinal cord injury may provide important information to help predict neurologic recovery, especially below the injured level

Nasal Hemangiopericytoma Causing Oncogenic Osteomalacia

Oncogenic osteomalacia is a rare cause that makes abnormalities of bone metabolism. Our case arose in a 47-year-old woman presenting a nasal mass associated with osteomalacia. We excised the mass carefully. After surgery, it was diagnosed as hemangiopericytoma and her symptoms related with osteomalacia were relieved and biochemical abnormalities were restored to normal range. We report and review a rare case of nasal hemangiopericytoma that caused osteomalacia

Subchronic oral toxicity of silver nanoparticles

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The antibacterial effect of silver nanoparticles has resulted in their extensive application in health, electronic, consumer, medicinal, pesticide, and home products; however, silver nanoparticles remain a controversial area of research with respect to their toxicity in biological and ecological systems.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This study tested the oral toxicity of silver nanoparticles (56 nm) over a period of 13 weeks (90 days) in F344 rats following Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test guideline 408 and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). Five-week-old rats, weighing about 99 g for the males and 92 g for the females, were divided into four 4 groups (10 rats in each group): vehicle control, low-dose (30 mg/kg), middle-dose (125 mg/kg), and high-dose (500 mg/kg). After 90 days of exposure, clinical chemistry, hematology, histopathology, and silver distribution were studied. There was a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the body weight of male rats after 4 weeks of exposure, although there were no significant changes in food or water consumption during the study period. Significant dose-dependent changes were found in alkaline phosphatase and cholesterol for the male and female rats, indicating that exposure to more than 125 mg/kg of silver nanoparticles may result in slight liver damage. Histopathologic examination revealed a higher incidence of bile-duct hyperplasia, with or without necrosis, fibrosis, and/or pigmentation, in treated animals. There was also a dose-dependent accumulation of silver in all tissues examined. A gender-related difference in the accumulation of silver was noted in the kidneys, with a twofold increase in female kidneys compared to male kidneys.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The target organ for the silver nanoparticles was found to be the liver in both the male and female rats. A NOAEL (no observable adverse effect level) of 30 mg/kg and LOAEL (lowest observable adverse effect level) of 125 mg/kg are suggested from the present study.</p

Cerebellar Hypoperfusion during Transient Global Amnesia: An MRI and Oculographic Study

Background and Purpose Transient global amnesia (TGA) is characterized by sudden anterograde and retrograde amnesia lasting for LIP to 24 hours. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) in cases of TGA and ischemia demonstrates a high frequency of high signal intensities restricted to the hippocampus, and this has been proposed as an etiology of TGA. The aims of this study were to characterize the DWI and single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) findings during the acute and recovered phases of TGA and to correlate the findings with oculomotor abnormalities. Methods Five consecutive patients with a clinical diagnosis of TGA underwent DWI and SPECT of the brain within 24 hours after symptom onset and again 3 days later. Eye movements were also recorded using three-dimensional video-oculography. Results In all patients, DWI disclosed small punctuate (1-3 mm), high-signal lesions in the lateral portion of the hippocampus. The initial SPECT also revealed hypoperfusion in the cerebellar vermis, which had recovered by the follow-up examination. Three patients showed saccadic hypermetria or impaired smooth pursuit only during the acute phase. Conclusions Our patients with TGA showed cerebellar vermian hypoperfusion in addition to ischemic insults to the lateral hippocampus. The oculomotor abnormalities observed in our patients support the Occurrence of cerebellar dysfunction during the TGA attack. J Clin Neurol 2009;5:74-80This study was supported by a grant of the Korean Health 21 R&D Project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (no. A050079).Yang Y, 2008, J CLIN NEUROL, V4, P59Sander K, 2005, LANCET NEUROL, V4, P437Lampl Y, 2004, ACTA NEUROL SCAND, V110, P75Tong DC, 2004, NEUROLOGY, V62, P2154Takeuchi R, 2004, EUR J NUCL MED MOL I, V31, P578, DOI 10.1007/s00259-003-1406-8Teicher MH, 2003, NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV R, V27, P33, DOI 10.1016/S0149-7634(03)00007-1Anderson CM, 2002, PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINO, V27, P231Asada T, 2000, PSYCHIAT CLIN NEUROS, V54, P691Pantoni L, 2000, ACTA NEUROL SCAND, V102, P275Jovin TG, 2000, J NEUROIMAGING, V10, P238Warren JD, 2000, J CLIN NEUROSCI, V7, P57Levitt JJ, 1999, AM J PSYCHIAT, V156, P1105Loeber RT, 1999, SCHIZOPHR RES, V37, P81Giedd JN, 1999, PROG NEURO-PSYCHOPH, V23, P571SCHMAHMANN JD, 1999, MOVEMENT DISORDERSBerquin PC, 1998, NEUROLOGY, V50, P1087Schmidtke K, 1998, J NUCL MED, V39, P155Ghelarducci B, 1997, ARCH ITAL BIOL, V135, P369HODGES JR, 1994, J NEUROL NEUROSUR PS, V57, P605HODGES JR, 1990, J NEUROL NEUROSUR PS, V53, P834HODGES JR, 1990, BRAIN, V113, P639HEATH RG, 1976, J NEUROL NEUROSUR PS, V39, P1037

A Case of a False-Positive Anti-Myeloperoxidase Antibody ELISA in a Patient with Hypothyroidism

We present a case of a false-positive anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibody result on an ELISA in a patient with anti-thyroid microsomal antibody (TMA)-positive hypothyroidism. A 41-year-old woman presented with dyspnea on exertion. The initial evaluation revealed pericardial effusion associated with hypothyroidism. In addition, microscopic hematuria with normal renal function and positive cytoplasmic anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (c-ANCA) on immunofluorescent assay were found. In further evaluation, elevated anti-TMA and MPO antibodies by ELISA. While no definite signs of vasculitis were present, the clinical state improved with thyroid hormone replacement and diuretics. Anti-MPO antibody was still positive in the follow-up tests, and microscopic hematuria persisted. On the basis of previous reports that thyroid peroxidase and MPO molecules contain cross-reactive epitopes that are exposed in denaturated molecules, we suggest that in a patient with anti-TMA-positive hypothyroidism, anti-MPO antibody might also be positive on ELISA without clinical signs of vasculitis