PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and usefulness of the short-segment posterior instrumentation and fusion in the treatment of thoracolumbar spine fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two patients were treated by short-segment pedicle screw instrumentation and fusion between Oct. 1998. and Jan. 2004 by single surgeon. All patients were treated posteriorly and all the pedicle screws are monoaxial. Intraoperative rod bending and fixation technique was used to reduce the collapsed vertebral body and correct the kyphotic angle. The follow up duration is mean 2.1 year (1~6 year). The mean age is 40.2 year (18~60 year) old. The fractures were classified by Denis' classification and Load-Sharing Classification. Preoperative and postoperative changes of kyphotic angle and vertebral body height were measured. Denis' Pain Score and Work scales, Frankel neurologic grade were obtained during follow-up evaluation for patients. RESULTS: All the cases got solid bony union. Mean Load-Sharing Score was 7.3. Clinical results were good. The mean kyphotic angle was preoperatively 14.5 degree, immediate postoperatively 7.5 degree, and last follow up 9.2 degree. The mean anterior vertebral heights s were 60.8% preoperatively, 83.4% immediate postoperatively, and 79.5% last follow up. There was only one case of screw breakage but no revision operation due to loss of reduction. All the cases showed satisfactory clinical results. CONCLUSION: This study suggest that short-segment instrumentation and fusion using pedicle screw system for thoracolumbar spine fractures could lead to good results, if comminution of vertebral body is considered in the selection of approach.
Body Height ; Classification ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Spine* ; Weights and Measures

This study was carried out to investigate among adolescents (total = 729) the relationship between their self-esteem, body-cathexis, their attitudes toward the importance of their bodies, their anthropometric characteristics, their perceptions of their body shapes and their experiences with weight control. The results are summarized as follows: The mean values for self-esteem and body-cathexis were generally low, but these values were significantly higher among boys than girls (p < 0.01 - 0.001). However the mean values for their attitudes toward the importance of their bodies were relatively high and were significantly higher among girls than boys (p < 0.01). The mean values for Percent Ideal Body Weight (PIBW) and Body Mass Index (BMI) were normal and no significant differences between the genders were observed. The distribution of the PIBW and the BMI values showed a higher rate for normal weights among the girlsand a higher rate for underweightedness and obesity among the boys (p < 0.01). With regard to their perception of their body image, among the boys, their current figures were almost identical with their idea of an ideal figure, but among the girls, their idea of an ideal figure was thinner than their current figure. The girls were more dissatisfied with their own body image than the boys (p < 0.001). Fifty-four percent of the subjects had previous weight control experience, and the girls had significantly more experience than the boys (p < 0.001). Their main reason for practising weight control was to lose weight (65.3%). Those who had more weight control experience had lower satisfaction with their body shapes, higher PIBW, higher BMIs or currently had fatter figures. Their standard image of their figures was influenced by TV (40.3%) and friends (36.9%). There was a weakly positive correlation between their self-esteem and their satisfaction with their body shapes, and a weakly negative correlation between their satisfaction with their body shapes and their attitudes toward the importance of their bodies. These results suggest the necessity for an educational program for adolescents as to foster a positive body image. Such a program should consider psychological factors such as selfesteem, satisfaction with body shape and attitudes toward the importance of the body
Adolescent* ; Body Image ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Friends ; Humans ; Ideal Body Weight ; Obesity ; Psychology ; Weights and Measures

This study was conducted to investigate adolescents' body size and their concerns and perceptions about body image. Group means of heights and weights were 171.5cm and 60.3kg for boys and 159.3cm and 52.3Kg for girls. Body Mass Index(BMI) of the subjects were 20.5 for boys and 20.6 for girls. Only 11.5% of subjects were overweight or obese, however 42.5% of subjects had experienced weight control, and the main reason for weight control was to lose weight(80.6%). In concern for body image and frequency of eating distrubance ; females had more concern than males, the group who had attempted weight control had more concern than those who had not, and the group who were overweight had more concern than those who were under and normal weight. In perception about body image, using a set of nine figure drawings arranged from very thin to very heavy figures, subjects rated their current figure, considered figure(how they appeared to others), ideal figure, and attractive figure. For boys, the current, ideal, and most attractive figures were almost identical, but for girls, the ideal figure was significantly thinner than current figure and attractive figure was significantly thinner than current figure. The greater the preference for thinner figure as idal and attractive figure, the higher the concern for body image and frequency of eating distrubance. Thus it seems that a distorted perception of ideal body size affects adolescents' concern for body image and eating behaviors.
Adolescent ; Body Image* ; Body Size ; Eating ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Overweight ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVE: Precocious puberty leads to discrepancies between physical and chronological age. The aim of the present study was to evaluate behavioral patterns and social competences in 34 girls with idiopathic precocious puberty. METHODS: Height, body weight, and BMI were determined, and pubertal development was assessed. The Korean-child behavior checklist (K-CBCL) was completed by parents. RESULTS: 1) Body weight and BMI were significantly higher in precocious puberty group than in the control group. 2) T scores of total social competence and school scales of K-CBCL were significantly higher in the precocious puberty group than in the control group. 3) T scores of externalizing problems and total behavior problems of K-CBCL were also significantly higher in the precocious puberty group. 4) T scores of thought problems and attention problems of K-CBCL were significantly higher in the precocious puberty group than the control group. CONCLUSION: Although girls with precocious puberty had more behavioral problems, no significant differences were observed between the two study groups in terms of clinically-important T scores. However, the concerns of parents and patients regarding behavioral and emotional changes might be most important when evaluating psychosocial problems. Early recognition, sufficient understanding, communication with patients and parents regarding physical developmental difference from children in the same age, can improve the self-image of those with precocious puberty.
Body Height ; Body Weight ; Checklist ; Child ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Parents ; Puberty, Precocious ; Weights and Measures

This study aims at analyzing the articulator of human body and its composition using the Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI, 0.5 Telsa). The MRI images were photographed for 1cm per every cm of human body using TR 600ms and TE 20ms spin-echo sequence. For this test, 6 healthy male subjects were sampled. The subject's heights and weights were measured before photographing and then their entire bodies were photographed in the MRI whole body scanner which has a 56cm diameter. It took 90~120 minutes to scan every subject's body during scanning the subjects were allowed to put their both hand beside their femurs. According to his height, each subject were photographed for 180~200 MR slices and every image was analyzed on the tracing paper via X-ray reading View Box. Then, the traced images were all volumized through computer scanner and CAD program, and thereupon, each volume was multiplied by its density coefficient. The results of study can be summarized as follows ; The mass of the bones occupied 8.41±0.62kg, which accounted for 11% of the body mass. The femurs accounted for 19.73±2.73% of the bone mass in terms of bodily articulation. The muscle occupied 39.70±5.28kg which accounted for 51.28±8.98% of the body mass. The part which has the richest muscle mass was femur which accounted for 33.93±5.58% of entire muscle mass. The fat accounted for 24.61±11.6% of the body mass, among which the back waist including inside intestinal fat occupied 30.66±3.64%. It was suggested through this study that MRI analysis is the most suitable method to evaluate the composition of human body and that the data acquired through MRI analysis may apply as references to other indirect or estimated evaluation of human body.
Body Composition* ; Dental Articulators ; Femur ; Hand ; Human Body ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Methods ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Leptin is a hormone that involves control of body weight, energy expenditure and respiration. Leptin levels are high not only in obese patients, but also in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients, independent of body weight. Leptin levels decrease significantly following continuous nasal positive airway pressure treatment in OSAS patients without any change of body mass index (BMI). The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of surgical treatments on plasma leptin level in patients with OSAS and to investigate the relationship of the change of plasma leptin level with that of daytime sleepiness after surgical treatments. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We measured plasma leptin levels in patients diagnosed as OSAS before and 2 months after surgical treatment and also checked Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores before and after treatment. We then compared plasma leptin levels and ESS scores, scales of daytime sleepiness preoperatively with those obtained postoperatively. We checked the relationship between changes of plasma leptin level and those of ESS scores. RESULTS: The plasma leptin level decreased significantly after surgical treatment in patients with OSAS without any significant changes in BMI. Also, the change of serum leptin level after surgical treatment had a positive correlation with that of ESS scores. CONCLUSION: Leptin is a hormone affected by surgical treatment in patients with OSAS and its level has a positive correlation with daytime sleepiness, one of the symptoms of patients with OSAS.
Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Energy Metabolism ; Humans ; Leptin* ; Plasma* ; Respiration ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVETo search for a method for the precise measurement of human semen volume so as to provide reliable evidence for clinical semen analysis.

METHODSThe volumes of 492 semen samples collected from 137 donors by Zhejiang Human Sperm Bank were measured respectively by three different methods including electronic balance weighing, volumetric cylinder measuring, and combination of the two methods above. With the combined measuring method, the semen weight was first obtained by electronic balance weighing, then the semen density determined by volumetric cylinder measuring, and lastly the semen volume figured out by a formula. Paired sample t-test was used to compared the combined method with electronic balance weighing and volumetric cylinder measuring.

RESULTSThe mean volume of the 492 semen samples obtained by the combined measuring method was (3.46 +/- 1.17) ml, significantly lower than (3.75 +/- 1.21) ml from electronic balance weighing (P < 0.05) and markedly higher than (3.22 +/- 1.16) ml from volumetric cylinder measuring (P < 0.05). The mean semen density of the 492 samples was (1.0928 +/- 0.0761) g/ml, and the mean weight of the residual semen in the container used in volumetric cylinder measuring was (0.269 +/- 0.122) g.

CONCLUSIONSemen volume measured by electronic balance weighing is higher while that obtained from volumetric cylinder measuring is lower than the actual value. An accurate semen volume can be achieved by the combined measuring method, which, therefore, deserves to be widely used both clinically and in researches.

OBJECTIVE: The rapid therapeutic action of mood stabilizers is critical to the initial management of acute mania, because it enables to minimize the psychological sequelae of the patients commonly occurred in post manic episodes and to increase the compliance to the medications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topiramate as the combination regimen in the treatment of acute mania. METHODS: Twenty manic patients were selected through various screening tests. Ten patients were randomly assigned to valproate alone and the other ten patients to the combination of topiramate and valproate. Antipsychotics were not allowed and benzodiazepines were available as needed. Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Clinical Global Impression severity of illness scores (CGI-S) were used to evaluate the improvement of manic symptoms at pre-drug baseline and at 1st, 2nd, 4th and 8th week of post-drug. UKU side effect rating scales were done for assessment of drug-induced side effects. Additionally, body weights were checked at weekly basis to monitor the weight change. Repeated measures ANOVA was done to compare the effects between two groups. RESULTS: YMRS of topiramate combination groups were significantly decreased at 1st, 2nd weeks. There were no marked differences in side effects. There was significant weight decrease in topiramate combination group whereas the increase of weight in valproate alone group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the combination of topiramte may be used effectively and safely in treatment of acute mania and can be the good choice in manic patients with weight problem.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Benzodiazepines ; Bipolar Disorder* ; Body Weight ; Compliance ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Valproic Acid ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mirtazapine treatment in multicenter population consisting of Korean patients suffering from moderate-to-severe depression. METHODS: Total 163 of in and outpatients with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (DSM-IV) and 18 or over scores of 17-items Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) received treatment with mirtazapine (15-45 mg/day) for 6 weeks. Efficacy was assessed by HAMD, Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scales and statistical analyses were performed on the intent-to-treat sample (143 patients) using the last-observation-carried-forward method. In addition, reported adverse events, routine laboratory parameters, and vital signs were investigated to evaluate the safety of mirtazapine. RESULTS: Mean daily dose of mirtazapine was 28.4 mg. At the end of the study, the response rate (50% or more reduction from baseline in HAMD scores) was 75.5% and the remission rate (7 or less in HAMD score) was 42.7%. Mirtazapine treatment induced significant reduction in depressive symptoms at the 4(th) day and substantial reduction along the treatment period, as assessed by changes in HAMD, MADRS, BDI, and CGI scales. At the 4(th) day and first week of mirtazapine treatment, the mean HAMD-17 total score was significantly reduced compared that of the baseline and the response rates were 11.9% and 28.7%, respectively. Mirtazapine was well tolerated in general, and somnolence and sedation were the most common adverse events reported. In addition, there were no clinically relevant changes in laboratory parameters and vital signs, although body weight was increased. CONCLUSION: Although this trial had many limitations of open non-comparative study, mirtazapine was demonstrated to an effective treatment for moderate to severe major depressive disorder and was well tolerated. A potentially rapid onset of overall therapeutic efficacy of mirtazapine was suggested by significant changes in all major variables of efficacy after 4(th) day of treatment.
Body Weight ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Vital Signs ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: This study investigated and analyzed the life style of male white-collar workers and their perception of obesity to determine how to improve eating habits and prevent obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the questionnaires distributed to and collected from 300 male white-collar workers in Daegu, the survey was conducted from December 20, 2005 to February 28, 2006. Two hundred sets of collected questionnaires were used for the analysis, and SPSS WIN 12.0 was employed to analyze the data. RESULTS: Forty-two percent of subjects had weights ranging between 71 kg and 80 kg; 39.5%, weighted between 61 kg and 70 kg. The waist measurements of 64.5% of all respondents were between 32 and 34 inches. The lifestyle questions found that 54% of respondents were smokers and 88.5% drank alcohol. In addition, 62.5% of all respondents reported doing exercise, whereas 37.5% reported no exercise. CONCLUSION: The height and weight of 200 respondents were used to calculate the body mass index (BMI). Only 31.6% had a normal BMI, whereas 32% were found to be overweight, a condition likely to lead to obesity. Meanwhile, 36.5% of respondents were obese or morbidly obese.
Body Mass Index ; Daegu ; Eating ; Humans ; Life Style* ; Male* ; Obesity* ; Overweight ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Weights and Measures