Effects of Whole Body Vibration Exercise on Lower Extremity Muscle Activity and Balance Ability in Football Player with Chronic Ankle Instability

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of whole body vibration exercise (WBVE) on lower extremity muscle activity and balance ability according to different methods of exercises in football player and use it as basic data for the rehabilitation training of chronic ankle instability. METHODS: Thirty subjects were randomly divided into two groups: the two groups, which each group have 15 members, are WBVE group and neuromuscular training (NMT) group according to training method. The exercise program was conducted for six weeks. Subjects were measured on lower extremity muscle activity and balance ability. RESULTS: The muscle activity increasement of the WBVE group was significantly higher than that of the NMT group (p < 0.05) and the balance ability decreasement of the WBVE group was significantly higher than that of the NMT group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings of this study suggest that WBVE may have a beneficial effect on improvement of lower extremity muscle activity and balance ability in football player with chronic ankle instability.

Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis Using Scoring System: Compared with the Alvarado Score

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the usefulness of a new scoring system in diagnosing acute appendicitis which expresses the patient's symptoms, physical examination, and laboratory findings more clearly and objectively. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted with 314 patients who were hospitalized with suspicion of acute appendicitis. After analyzing the symptoms, physical examination, and laboratory findings, 10 meaningful variables were selected, each of which were scored separately. The diagnostic value of the new scoring system was evaluated, and analyzed in comparison to the preexisting Alvarado score. RESULTS: Ten variables including vomiting, migration pain, fever, Dunphy's sign, Rovsing's sign, tenderness, rebound tenderness, increased white blood cell counts, increased neutrophil proportion, and increased CRP levels were associated with acute appendicitis. The new scoring system is developed by applying 1 point for each variable, with a total score of 10 points. In the new scoring system, a score above 5 points had sensitivity of 0.75, specificity of 0.73, positive predictive value of 0.92, and diagnostic accuracy of 0.71. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.80, which is larger than 0.72 of the preexisting Alvarado score, and thus has a higher diagnostic accuracy. As acute appendicitis progresses, the average score tends to become significantly higher (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: The new scoring system, which objectively reflects the clinical variables of the patient's symptoms, physical examination and laboratory findings, will be useful in accurately diagnosing acute appendicitis and in quickly deciding a therapeutic policy in patients with right lower abdominal pain.

Increased Expression of Cyclooxygenase-2 Protein in Human Thyroid Tumor / 대한내분비외과학회지

PURPOSE: Thyroid tumor is one of the most common endocrine tumors, and yet little is known about its molecular process of development and progression. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, the inducible form of the COX enzyme for prostaglandin synthesis, is up-regulated in gastrointestinal cancers and is a key mediator of epithelial cell growth. Regular intake of aspirin or other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a decreased incidence of colorectal, esophageal, gastric, and lung cancer. We sought to determine the involvement of COX-2 in human thyroid cancer. METHODS: COX-2 protein was assayed in thyroid tissue of 64 which were inflammatory disease and benign tumor and malignant tumor with or without metastasis patients by using immunohistochemistry and Western Blot analysis. RESULTS: COX-2 protein was not expressed in normal thyroid tissue. But COX-2 protein was expressed strongly in inflammatory tissue. Expression of COX-2 was very high in both benign and malignant tumor. There is no difference in pathology and malignant potential or existence of metastasis. CONCLUSION: There was no correlation between clinicopathological characteristics of thyroid tumor and intensity of COX-2 protein expression. In addition, there was no difference of expression of COX-2 between inflammatory thyroid disease and thyroid tumor. This study indicates that COX-2 protein over expression may contribute to an early event of gastric cancer development, and it further suggests that selective inhibition of COX-2 may provide a chemopreventive effect against thyroid cancer.