Tissues obtained by transurethral prostatectomies were evaluated histologically and correlated with the clinical findings and the transrectal ultrasonographic pictures of 104 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the following histology. predominantly glandular types (30 patients), predominantly stromal types (35 patients) and mixed types which have equal proportions of glandular and stromal hyperplasia (39 patients). The average age was highest in the glandular group. Postoperative obstructive symptom scores were significantly lower in the stromal type as compared to the glandular and the mixed type. The maximal flow rates at three months following the operations were highest in the stromal type. In comparison of the histologic findings with preoperative transrectal echographic pictures, the transverse and the longitudinal diameter of the transitional zone were significantly lower in the stromal type than in the glandular and the mixed type. The weight of transitional zone was significantly smaller in the stromal type than in the glandular and the mixed type. The echogenicity showed hyperechoic and isoechoic pattern in the stromal and the mixed type and hypoechoic and isoechoic pattern in the glandular type. The echographic homogeneity, the frequency of prostatic calculi and cyst formation, and the margination of the transitional zone did not show any significant difference among each group. In conclusion, the histologic types of BPH have correlations with the clinical findings and the transrectal ultrasonographic pictures. Furthermore precise interpretation of the histologic types of BPH by transrectal ultrasonography will be helpful in decision making about the treatment modality and in prediction of the clinical progress after some treatment for the patients with BPH.
Calculi ; Decision Making ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Ultrasonography

Retroperitoneal lipoma probably constitute the group of the most massive solid abdominal tumors; their etiology is unknown; their symptoms insidious; and recurrence and sarcomatous change frequent. The clinical diagnosis was made by clinical symptoms, physical findings and radiologic evaluation such as intravenous urography, ultrasonography, computed tomography, angiography and so on. Abdominal CF scan provided clinically the most useful information regarding the state of tumors and also their effect on adjacent structures and shows homogenous appearing fat tissue with a low attenuation coefficient identical to that found in the subcutaneous fat. We present a case of treatment for a huge retroperitoneal lipoma in a 46-year-old man.
Angiography ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lipoma* ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Ultrasonography ; Urography

Renal leiomyoma, a rare benign tumor, is a challenging diagnostic and therapeutic condition. The preoperative diagnosis of renal leiomyoma is very difficult, and the only definite method to distinguish between a leiomyoma and other renal tumor is postoperative microscopic evaluation. We report a case of leiomyoma of the kidney which was managed by radical nephrectomy under the impression of malignant renal mass which was incidentally found by ultrasonographic examination for health check in a 43-year-old woman.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Leiomyoma* ; Nephrectomy

We report our experience with the diagnostic, clinical and biochemical findings, complications and maternal-perinatal outcome in a case of acute fatty liver of pregnancy. A 31-year-old multipara presented herself at 35 weeks' gestation with general malaise, gastroesophageal reflux, jaundice, hepatorenal dysfunction and disseminated intravascular coagulation. An abdominal ultrasound revealed a mild fatty liver. A tentative diagnosis of acute fatty liver of pregnancy was made, and immediately a healthy male infant weighing 2330 gm was delivered by emergency cesarean section. On 1, 2 and 6 days after delivery, oliguria, acute respiratory distress syndrome and pancreatitis developed, respectively. Abnormal levels of AST/ALT, creatinine, fibrinogen, PT/PTT and platelet recovered to normal ranges 7-10 days after delivery. Serum amylase and lipase became normal 24 days after delivery with conservative treatment. Ventilator care for acute respiratory distress syndrome continued up to 49 days after delivery, when total bilirubin, ammonia, alkaline phosphatase, r-GT, and AST/ALT began to normalize. The discharge was recommended on the 88th postpartum day. Our result suggests that acute fatty liver of pregnancy can be diagnosed on the basis of clinical and laboratory findings. Prompt delivery, intensive supportive care and awareness of its complications can markedly improve maternal and perinatal outcome.
Adult ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Ammonia ; Amylases ; Bilirubin ; Blood Platelets ; Cesarean Section ; Child* ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; Emergencies ; Fatty Liver* ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Infant ; Jaundice ; Lipase ; Male ; Mothers* ; Oliguria ; Pancreatitis ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy* ; Reference Values ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult* ; Ultrasonography ; Ventilators, Mechanical

Growing numbers of studies employ cell line-based systematic short interfering RNA (siRNA) screens to study gene functions and to identify drug targets. As multiple sources of variations that are unique to siRNA screens exist, there is a growing demand for a computational tool that generates normalized values and standardized scores. However, only a few tools have been available so far with limited usability. Here, we present siMacro, a fast and easy-to-use Microsoft Office Excel-based tool with a graphic user interface, designed to process single-condition or two-condition synthetic screen datasets. siMacro normalizes position and batch effects, censors outlier samples, and calculates Z-scores and robust Z-scores, with a spreadsheet output of >120,000 samples in under 1 minute.
High-Throughput Screening Assays ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering

The purpose of this study was to investigate the operational characteristics of the contract-managed highschool foodservice and to analyze the factors to effect the menu price. The data was collected from 249 highschools in Seoul. The results are as follows; Those surveyed highschools were established as 1 national, 74 public, and 174 private institution. Highschools were classified as 176 academic, 66 vocational, and 7 specific purposed institution. Students were organized as 70 boys', 23 girls', and 41 coeducational highschools. Most highschool started contract-managed highschool foodservice from 1999 and the period of foodservice contract was most 3 years and the operation styles in food distribution were 96 classrooms, 105 dining halls and 17 classrooms combined dining halls. The scale of contract foodservice management companies was 63.1% small and medium and 36.9% large enterprises. The surveyed highschools had the average meal price 2,141 won per meal and they had 1,518 pupils on the register. The participating rate to the foodservice was 68.5%. The facilities investment cost of the contract foodservice management company was 179,204,230 won for private institutions and was 138,119,010 won for national&public institutions. The period of the contract was 3.22 years in private institutions, which was significantly higher than national&public institutions which showed 2.85 years. The commissary foodservice schools had higher facilities investment cost than conventional foodservice schools. Classrooms foodservice had higher participating foodservice rate than Dining halls. The investment cost for facilities showed high in order of girls', boys', and coeducational high schools, and the number on the register and the number participating in the foodservice showed high in order of boys', girls', and coeducational high schools. The number on the register showed the highest in academic and vocational schools, specific purposed institutions in sequence, and the number participating in the foodservice showed high in order of academic schools, specific purposed institutions and vocational. However, the participating foodservice rate showed high in specific purposed institution, academic and vocational schools in order, and the meal price, the investment cost for facilities showed high in specific purposed institution, academic and vocational schools in sequence. Regionally, the district south of Han river had the average meal price 2,266.13 won, which showed higher in the eastern part which had 2,033.33 won. The western part had the average investment cost for facilities of 233,331,060 won, and the central district 126,137,140 won. The number on the register showed 1845.68 in the eastern part and 1308.00 in Dong-Jak area, that had clear differences among areas. When the period of the contract went longer, the investment cost for facilities had a tendency to increase. The significant differences were existed among meal price, the investment cost for facilities, the number on the register, the number participating in the foodservice, and the participating foodservice rate. The investment cost for facilities had increased according to the number participating in the foodservice and the participating foodservice rate. And the large enterprises showed higher participating foodservice rate than the small and medium enterprises.
Costs and Cost Analysis ; Humans ; Investments ; Meals ; Pupil ; Rivers ; Seoul*

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms in the largest number of Korean individuals examined to date. We analyzed cross-sectional data collected from 229,595 Korean adults aged 19 yr and above who participated in a Korean Community Health Survey conducted in 2009. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used as the measurement tool for depressive symptoms (CES-D score over 16) and definite depression (CES-D score over 25). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify associations between sociodemographic factors and depressive symptoms. The percentages of depressive symptoms and definite depression in the total study population were 11% (7.8% for men, 14.0% for women) and 3.7%, (2.4% for men, 5.0% for women), respectively. Female gender, older age, disrupted marital status, low education and income level, multigenerational household composition and metropolitan residence were associated with greater risk of depressive symptoms. The present study provides a valid prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms, using the largest representative sample of the Korean general population to date. Various sociodemographic factors contribute to the prevalence and effects of depressive symptoms in Korea.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression/*epidemiology ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Marital Status ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Social Class ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: We examined the success rate and adverse effects of ultrasound-guided axillary and supraclavicular approach brachial plexus block. METHODS: From December 2013 to February 2014, 580 cases of patients received ultrasound-guided axillary approach or supraclavicular approach brachial plexus block. All blocks were performed by one anesthesiologist under ultrasound visualization using 0.2% or 0.75% ropivacaine 1% lidocaine with epinephrine in 1:200,000 as the anesthetic mixture. RESULTS: Failure rate of ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block was 1.2% and 0.2% in axillary and supraclavicular approach, respectively. In supraclavicular approach brachial plexus block, Honer's syndrome was observed in 17.9%, chest discomfort in 14.9%, and arterial puncture in 1%. There was no adverse effect in axillary approach brachial plexus block. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block serves higher success rate and lower occurrence rate of adverse effect and makes it useful for hand and upper extremity surgery. Supraclavicular approach has relatively higher success rate and lower rate of adverse effect than axillary approach.
Brachial Plexus* ; Epinephrine ; Hand ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Punctures ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography ; Upper Extremity

BACKGROUND: Nickel-sensitive patients may suffer from persistent dermatitis even if they avoid cutaneous contact with nickel-plated items. Therefore, an endogenous cause of nickel-induced dermatitis has been suggested. In Western countries, many studies suggested that reduction of dietary intake of nickel might benefit nickel-sensitive patients. OBJECT: We measured the nickel content of Korean foods, since a nickel-restricted diet is essential for nickel-sensitive patients. METHOD: We ground the food, then nitric acid, sulphuric acid, and fluoric acid were added to the ground foods to dissolve organic matter. We then measured nickel content in these samples using Inductive Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry. RESULTS: A green tea bag contained 235.57mg Ni/kg, a black tea bag 62.79mg Ni/kg, chocolate 27.87mg Ni/kg, crisps 12.70mg Ni/kg, wheat flour 12.15mg Ni/kg, Welsh onion 0.026mg Ni/kg, garlic 0.016mg Ni/kg, milk 0.004 mg Ni/kg, egg 0.002mg Ni/kg, and salt 0.0mg Ni/kg. CONCLUSION: High nickel concentrations were found in green tea bag, chocolate, crisps, wheat flour, coffee bean, peanuts, and kimchi etc. On the other hand, rice, barley and spice had low content of nickel. Formulation of nickel-restricted diet using these results is expected to be helpful in the treatment of nickel-sensitive patients.
Arachis ; Cacao ; Coffee ; Dermatitis ; Diet ; Flour ; Garlic ; Hand ; Hordeum ; Humans ; Milk ; Nickel* ; Nitric Acid ; Onions ; Ovum ; Spectrum Analysis ; Spices ; Tea ; Triticum

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the effects of intravesical instillation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors on the cyclophosphamide-induced overactive bladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 40 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups; the control group, the overactive group, and the COX-2 inhibitor treated group. Cystometrograms (CMG) were performed and the contraction interval, inter-contraction interval, contraction time and contraction pressure were measured. After CMG, the bladders of each group were dissected out, and weighed. RESULTS: On CMG, the contraction interval and inter-contraction interval for the overactive group were significantly decreased compared with the control group. After treatment with COX-2 inhibitor, the contraction interval and inter-contraction interval were significantly increased compared with the overactive group (p<0.05). The contraction time in the overactive group was significantly increased compared with the control group, and it was also decreased in the COX-2 inhibitor treated group compared with the overactive group (p<0.05). The contraction pressure in the overactive group and the COX-2 inhibitor treated group were significantly increased compared with the control group. There were no significant differences between the overactive and COX-2 inhibitor treated groups. The bladder weights of the overactive and COX-2 inhibitor treated groups were significantly increased compared with the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Intravesical instillation of COX-2 inhibitor can suppress cyclophosphamide-induced detrusor overactivity. Therefore, intravesical instillation of COX-2 inhibitor may be considered as a possible treatment for the overactive bladder.
Administration, Intravesical* ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors ; Cyclooxygenase 2* ; Cyclophosphamide ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive* ; Weights and Measures