No abstract available.
Digoxigenin* ; DNA* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis*

Fetal bilateral renal agenesis is a lethal congenital anomaly. An early and reliable prenatal diagnosis is extremely important as it may offer options for pregnancy termination as early as possible. The criteria for the ultrasonographic diagnosis of bilateral renal agenesis are severe oligohydramnios, nonvisualization of the bladder, and the empty renal fossa. However, severe oligohydramnios makes it difficult to diagnose the disease because of poor sonographic resolution. We present two cases of bilateral renal agenesis, one is diagnosed by ultrasonography after amnioinfusion at 24 weeks gestation, the other is diagnosed postnatally after term delivery.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Oligohydramnios ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder

Most of the breast cancer revealed mass and/or microcalcifications on mammography. We analyzed morphologic characteristics of the masses and microcalcifications on mammography which confirmed as breast cancer pathologically. Of all 54 cases, 4 patients (7%) showed microcalcification only, 27 patients (50%), mass only, and the other 23 patients (43%), both microcalcification and mass on the mammography. The margin of the breast mass were ill-defined in 37 cases, well-defined in 8 cases, and well-defined with surrounding infiltration in 5 cases. The morphologic characteristics of the microcalcification were punctate-linear-V shape in 11 patients, punctate-linear shape in 9 patients, and punctate shape in 7 patients.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Mammography

BACKGROUND: It is known that left ventricular(LV) wall motion is not uniform even in normal heart, and the restoring forces make phase differences between LV wall motion and mitral flow velocity during rapid filling period. METHOD: To investigate the regional nonuniformity and restoring forces in 46 patients with hypertension(HT)(group:normal wall thickiness.n=12,II:LVH with fractional shortening(FS)>25%. n=22. III:FS<25%.n=12). We measured the time intervals from A2 to peak thinning rate point of LV posterior wall(A2-(-)dpw/dt).to mitral flow starting point (IRT).and to peak mitral flow velocity(A2-E) by M-mode and Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: The noniformity((-)dpW/dt-dL/dt)and phase differance((-)dpw/dt-E) were increased in HT(control:HT.22+/-7.8 vs. 49+/-5.2msec, 63+/-4.5 vs, 86+/-6.2msec, p<0.05 respectively).In group comparison, nonuniformity increased in group II and III(group I: group II, III, 35+/-5.1 vs. 50+/-7.1,70+/-14msec, p<0.05 respectively). but phase difference increased only in group II(groupII: group I, III, 93+/-6.0 vs. 75+/-5.2, 80+/-20msec, p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: We interpreted these data that in HT with hypertrophy or not, the nonuniformity of LV wall motion working on the restoring forces which can be expressed as phase difference between LV wall motion and mitral flow. But in HT with hypertensive heart failure group, no significant changes of phase difference and it's suggest that other mechanism could be also working on early diastolic filling.
Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertrophy

BACKGROUND: A regional wall motion nonuniformity and a phase difference between LV posterior wall motion and transmitral flow are present during normal rapid filling period and are thought to be an evidence for involvement of ventricular restoring forces. To assess the role of nonuniformity on diastolic funtional impairment of asymmetric septal hypertrophy(ASH), the time relations between left ventricular regional wall motions and filling velocity were studied. METHOD: We measured the time intervals from A2 to peak rate of LV posterior wall(short axis) thinning(A2-(-)dpw/dt), peak rate of medial mitral annulus (long axis dimension) lengthening(A2-dL/dt) and peak mitral flow(A2-E) by M-mode and Doppler echocardiography. Result: In ASH patients, A2-(-)dpw/dt(106+/-6msec, mean SE) and the regional wall motion nonuniformity((-)dpw/dt-dL/dt, 89+/-11msec, mean SE) were increased significantly when compared with normal control values(88+/-4, 28+/-5msec, mean SE, p<0.01,respectively).In normal controls, peak mitral flow velocity lagged peak rate of regional wall motion, so the phase differences were present((-)dpw/dt-E :71+/-8msec, dL/dt-E:44+/-6msec). In ASH patients, (-)dpw/dt-E was present(90+/-16msec) but dL/dt-E was not present or reversed(-21+/-18 msec). So these chacteristic phase differences were disturbed. CONCLUSION: These data suggested that the relaxation nonuniformity of regional wall motion in ASH may act as an energy dissipating factor of restoring forces during rapid filling period.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Humans ; Relaxation

BACKGROUND: Hemodilution reduces the concentration of clotting factors in blood and this may induce some degree of impairment of coagulation. But there are some evidence that hemodilution may induce a hypercoagulable state. The goal of this study is to investigate the changes of coagulation status during progressive hemodilution. METHODS: Whole Blood was diluted by 10% increment to 80% with 0.9% normal saline. At each 10% dilution blood coagulation status was analysed using thrombelastography (TEG) and was compared with that of an undiluted control specimen obtained concurrently from the same patients. RESULTS: Hemodilutions up to 40% decrease r and K times and increase values of MA and angle. Hemodilutions more than 70% increase r and K times and decrease values of MA and angle. CONCLUSIONS: Hemodilutions up to 40% increase coagulability and hemodilutions more than 70% decrease coagulability of whole blood in vitro.
Blood Coagulation ; Hemodilution* ; Humans ; Thrombelastography

"Background: In using the Double-lumen tube (DLT), knowing the minimum bronchial cuff volume (MCV) for an effective air-tight seal will be useful; to provide a collapse of the lung; and to avoid pressure damage. The aims of the present study are thus three-fold: to measure the MCV; to measure the diameter of left main bronchus (LMBD); and to prove any relationships between two parameters. METHODS: One hundred men and forty women who needed intubation of left-sided DLT were enrolled in this study. 37 Fr DLTs were used in male patients, and 35 Fr DLTs were used in female patients. We evaluated the MCV by air bubble method and measured the LMBD in chest PA. We also evaluated the pressure/volume characteristics of the bronchial cuffs by control inflator. RESULTS: 29 patients of 100 patients (29%) exhibited persistent air leakage in 2.5 ml cuff volume in male patients (group of MCV >2.5). On the contrary, 18 patients of 40 patients (45%) did not require any cuff volume in female patients (group of MCV 0). The mean LMBD were 13.23 1.45 mm in male and 11.09 0.96 mm in female. There were significant positive correlations between MCV and LMBD in both sex and their respective correlation coefficients were 0.264 (P=0.008) in male and 0.484 (P=0.002) in female. The equations of linear regression were: LMBD = 12.394 0.429xMCV in male, LMBD = 10.725 0.438xMCV in female. CONCLUSIONS: The MCV of the brochial cuffs in left-sided DLTs has significant relationships with the LMBD measured in chest PA.
Bronchi ; Female ; Humans ; Intubation ; Linear Models ; Lung ; Male ; Thorax

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Isoflavones (ISFs) are effective in preventing bone loss, but not effective enough to prevent osteoporosis. Mixtures of soy ISF and lecithin (LCT) were prepared and characterized in an attempt to improve the bone loss.MATERIALS/METHODS: The daidzein (DZ) and genistein (GN) solubility in soy ISF were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The change in the crystalline characteristics of soy ISF in LCT was evaluated using X-ray diffraction analysis.Pharmacokinetic studies were conducted to evaluate and compare ISF bioavailability. Animal studies with ovariectomized (OVX) mice were carried out to estimate the effects on bone loss. The Student's t-test was used to evaluate statistical significance. RESULTS: The solubility of DZ and GN in LCT was 125.6 and 9.7 mg/L, respectively, which were approximately 25 and 7 times higher, respectively, than those in water. The bioavailability determined by the area under the curve of DZ for the oral administration (400 mg/kg) of soy ISF alone and the soy ISF-LCT mixture was 13.19 and 16.09 µg·h/mL, respectively. The bone mineral density of OVX mice given soy ISF-LCT mixtures at ISF doses of 60 and 100 mg/kg daily was 0.189 ± 0.020 and 0.194 ± 0.010 g/mm3 , respectively, whereas that of mice given 100 mg/kg soy ISF was 0.172 ± 0.028 g/mm3 . The number of osteoclasts per bone perimeter was reduced by the simultaneous administration of soy ISF and LCT. CONCLUSIONS The effect of preventing bone loss and osteoclast formation by ingesting soy ISF and LCT at the same time was superior to soy ISF alone as the bioavailability of ISF may have been improved by the emulsification and solvation of LCT. These results suggest the possibility of using the combination of soy ISF and LCT to prevent osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Isoflavones (ISFs) are effective in preventing bone loss, but not effective enough to prevent osteoporosis. Mixtures of soy ISF and lecithin (LCT) were prepared and characterized in an attempt to improve the bone loss.MATERIALS/METHODS: The daidzein (DZ) and genistein (GN) solubility in soy ISF were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The change in the crystalline characteristics of soy ISF in LCT was evaluated using X-ray diffraction analysis.Pharmacokinetic studies were conducted to evaluate and compare ISF bioavailability. Animal studies with ovariectomized (OVX) mice were carried out to estimate the effects on bone loss. The Student's t-test was used to evaluate statistical significance. RESULTS: The solubility of DZ and GN in LCT was 125.6 and 9.7 mg/L, respectively, which were approximately 25 and 7 times higher, respectively, than those in water. The bioavailability determined by the area under the curve of DZ for the oral administration (400 mg/kg) of soy ISF alone and the soy ISF-LCT mixture was 13.19 and 16.09 µg·h/mL, respectively. The bone mineral density of OVX mice given soy ISF-LCT mixtures at ISF doses of 60 and 100 mg/kg daily was 0.189 ± 0.020 and 0.194 ± 0.010 g/mm3 , respectively, whereas that of mice given 100 mg/kg soy ISF was 0.172 ± 0.028 g/mm3 . The number of osteoclasts per bone perimeter was reduced by the simultaneous administration of soy ISF and LCT. CONCLUSIONS The effect of preventing bone loss and osteoclast formation by ingesting soy ISF and LCT at the same time was superior to soy ISF alone as the bioavailability of ISF may have been improved by the emulsification and solvation of LCT. These results suggest the possibility of using the combination of soy ISF and LCT to prevent osteoporosis.

Purpose: This study aims to explore and deeply understand the essence of the nursing experiences of ward nurses who have cared for foreign inpatients. Methods: In this study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 nurses at a tertiary hospital in Seoul from May 1 to June 30, 2023. The collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method. Results: The nursing experiences of ward nurses caring for foreign inpatients yielded five theme clusters-"A welcome yet challenging encounter," "A journey to navigate language barriers," "New competencies needed to face unfamiliar cultures," "Exerting every possible effort," and "Discovering and embracing the value of coexistence"-along with 11 themes. Ward nurses found caring for foreign inpatients challenging due to cultural differences and language barriers, which often felt burdensome.Nonetheless, they accepted it as a necessary duty, handling additional tasks beyond basic care to support patient recovery. Despite communication challenges, they strived to provide the best care, demonstrating self-efficacy in respecting cultural differences, which fostered a sense of accomplishment and pride in their roles. Conclusion This study identified the complex emotions and challenges experienced by ward nurses caring for foreign inpatients and the process of overcoming these obstacles and building a sense of pride. These findings can serve as an important reference for understanding how ward nurses adapt to their roles in caring for foreign patients and provide foundational data for improving nursing environments to enhance the quality of care for foreign inpatients.