Extracutaneous mastocytoma of colon: a case report and literature review

Extracutaneous mastocytoma is a rare benign tumor composed of mature mast cells and is located in tissues other than the skin. We report the case of a 61-year-old male who was diagnosed with extracutaneous mastocytoma via colonoscopic polypectomy and biopsy. To our knowledge, this was the first case of a solitary extracutaneous mastocytoma of the colon. We reported this case and reviewed the literature.

[Rectal Ulcer Developed in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus without Ischemic Colitis]

Rectal involvement by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is quite rare. Approximately 14 cases have been reported worldwide, but only one with ischemic colitis has been reported in Korea. A 17-year-old female patient was hospitalized with abdominal pain and hematochezia. Sigmoidoscopy revealed only a simple rectal ulcer without ischemic colitis. cytomegalovirus and bacterial infections were excluded. A sigmoidoscopic rectal biopsy indicated a rectal invasion by SLE, but the patient showed an acute worsening conditions that did not respond to treatment. This paper reports a case of rectal ulcer that developed in SLE without ischemic colitis with a review of the relevant literature.

[Pancreatic Panniculitis in Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis: Case Report and Review of Literature]

Pancreatic panniculitis is a rare complication characterized by subcutaneous fat necrosis associated with pancreatic disease. It has been postulated that pancreatic panniculitis is caused by the systemic activity of pancreatic enzymes that lead to microcirculatory disturbances. We report a 41-year-old heavy alcoholic woman with pancreatic panniculitis that coexisted with acute and chronic pancreatitis. She was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis and alcoholic liver cirrhosis 5 years ago. She presented with multiple, tender, erythematous, subcutaneous nodules with heat sensation on both lower legs. Laboratory evaluation revealed an increase in the serum blood amylase and lipase. Histopathologic findings showed fat necrosis with inflammation around the necrotic subcutaneous fat tissue. The lesions subsided gradually with an improvement of acute pancreatitis.

Multiple Pyogenic Liver Abscesses Caused by Microperforation of an Idiopathic Cecal Ulcer

Idiopathic cecal ulcer is a rare disease entity of unknown cause diagnosed by ruling out other known causes of cecal ulceration. The most common complication of an idiopathic cecal ulcer is bleeding; perforation, peritonitis, abscess, and stricture formation have been noted. The authors treated a 53-year-old woman who presented with fever and intermittent right upper quadrant abdominal pain. Multiple pyogenic liver abscess and a solitary cecal ulcer were diagnosed by radiologic, endoscopic, and pathologic examination, followed by laparoscopic cecectomy. After extensive study, we concluded that this patient's liver abscesses were a complication of the idiopathic cecal ulcer. Herein, we report a case of multiple pyogenic liver abscess caused by microperforation of idiopathic cecal ulcer.

[A Case of Paradoxical Reaction Development during Antituberculosis Therapy]

Paradoxical reaction during antituberculosis therapy is defined as aggravation of preexisting tuberculous lesions or the development of new lesions. A 24-year-old female college student diagnosed with abdominal and pulmonary tuberculosis presented with fever and abdominal pain after having been treated with antituberculosis agents for 4 months. Tuberculous mesenteric lymphadenitis was suspected on abdominal CT scan and enlarged necrotic abscess was also present. These findings were considered to be due to paradoxical reaction rather than treatment failure during antituberculosis treatment. Although laparoscopic bowel adhesiolysis and abscess drainage were performed, high fever and severe abdominal pain did not improve. However, the patient eventually made a completely recovery after corticosteroid therapy combined with antituberculosis agents. Herein, we report a case of paradoxical reaction which developed in a patient with abdominal and pulmonary tuberculosis during antituberculosis therapy.

Reduced critical rotation for resistive-wall mode stabilization in a near-axisymmetric configuration

Recent DIII-D experiments with reduced neutral beam torque and minimum nonaxisymmetric perturbations of the magnetic field show a significant reduction of the toroidal plasma rotation required for the stabilization of the resistive-wall mode (RWM) below the threshold values observed in experiments that apply nonaxisymmetric magnetic fields to slow the plasma rotation. A toroidal rotation frequency of less than 10 krad/s at the q=2 surface (measured with charge exchange recombination spectroscopy using C VI) corresponding to 0.3% of the inverse of the toroidal Alfvén time is sufficient to sustain the plasma pressure above the ideal MHD no-wall stability limit. The low-rotation threshold is found to be consistent with predictions by a kinetic model of RWM damping.

Rotational stabilization of resistive wall modes by the shear alfvén resonance

It is found that resistive wall modes with a toroidal number n = 1 in tokamaks can be stabilized by plasma rotation at a low Mach number, with the rotation frequency being lower than the ion bounce frequency but larger than the ion and electron precession drift frequencies. The stabilization is the result of the shear-Alfvén resonance, since the thermal resonance effect is negligible in this rotation frequency range. This indicates that tokamaks can operate at normalized pressure values beyond the no-wall stability limit even for low values of plasma rotation, such as those expected in fusion reactor scale devices.

Thermal insulation and SIDS-an investigation of selected 'Eastern' and 'Western' infant bedding combinations

BACKGROUND

Differences in the incidence of SIDS between 'Western' and 'Eastern' countries has been attributed to cultural practices, which may affect the infants care and thermal environment.

AIM

The purpose of this work was to estimate for selected 'commonly' used bedding, sleep positions and practices in Japan, Korea and New Zealand, the intrinsic 'dry' thermal resistance of bedding. Insulation levels are also discussed in the context of published information about the thermal environment in which the bedding is likely to be used.

METHOD

Selected Japanese, Korean and New Zealand bedding was loosely tucked over an infant manikin in the lateral, prone and supine sleep positions. Thickness in use was measured, and intrinsic 'dry' thermal resistance estimated using the Wilson Laing model which accommodates the effect on insulation of the three-dimensional arrangement of bedding combinations during use.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Thickness of under- and upper-bedding varied among countries with thickness and estimated 'dry' thermal resistance of the upper-bedding affected by the type/combination of bedding and the infants sleep position. Insulation levels are discussed in relation to environmental conditions within and among countries and between seasons. Further information on thermal environments, bedding combinations used and care practices within both Asian and Western countries is needed.

CONCLUSIONS

'Eastern' infants appear likely to be generally covered in bedding combinations of greater insulation than those used to cover 'Western' infants in comparable seasons. Differences existed between insulation of the Japanese and Korean bedding combinations investigated. Lower rates of SIDS apparent in 'Asian' populations do not appear attributable to use of lower levels of bedding insulation only.

Measurement of the resistive-wall-mode stability in a rotating plasma using active MHD spectroscopy

The stability of the resistive-wall mode (RWM) in DIII-D plasmas above the conventional pressure limit, where toroidal plasma rotation in the order of a few percent of the Alfve n velocity is sufficient to stabilize the n=1 RWM, has been probed using the technique of active MHD spectroscopy at frequencies of a few Hertz. The measured frequency spectrum of the plasma response to externally applied rotating resonant magnetic fields is well described by a single-mode approach and provides an absolute measurement of the damping rate and the natural mode rotation frequency of the stable RWM.

Internal kink instability during off-axis electron cyclotron current drive in the DIII-D tokamak

Experimental evidence is reported of an internal kink instability driven by a new mechanism: barely trapped suprathermal electrons produced by off-axis electron cyclotron heating on the DIII-D tokamak. It occurs in plasmas with an evolving safety factor profile q(r) when q(min) approaches 1. This instability is most active when ECCD is applied on the high field side of the flux surface. It has a bursting behavior with poloidal/toroidal mode number = m/n = 1/1. In positive magnetic shear plasmas, this mode becomes the fishbone instability. This observation can be qualitatively explained by the drift reversal of the barely trapped suprathermal electrons.