For 16 years after the finding of HIV as an agent of AIDS in 1981, HIV therapeutic drugs of reverse transcriptase inhibitors (AZT, ddI, ddC, d4T) and protease inhibitors have been developed. Recent studies also were focused on a combination therapy by using HIV therapeutic drugs or natural compounds. Korean red ginseng (KRG) of natural compounds has been well known as a good reinforcement agent in Asia. The percentage of CD3+CD4+ T cell in nine HIV-infected patients without KRG treatment averaged 17.8% on baseline and decreased 15.8% after 6 months, whereas the percentage of the cell in fifteen HIV-infected patients with KRG treatment averaged 15.3% on baseline and increased up to 18.9% after the same period. The average percentage of CD3+CD8+ T cell of KRG-nontreated and KRG-treated HIV patients increased after 6 months 47.8% to 50.7% and 44.7% to 51.4%, respectively; and the average percentage of B and NK cell in the KRG-nontreated and KRG-treated HIV patients decreased 9.4% to 7.9% and 13.0% to 9.7%, 8.9% to 8.5% and 16.2% to 11.6%, respectively, KRG, therefore, didn't have any effects on the CD3+CD8+ T cell, B cell, and NK cell. However, it seems that KRG has a potential activity for stimulating the
Asia ; HIV ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Panax* ; Protease Inhibitors ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the changes induced in the pharyngeal airway space by orthodontic treatment with bodily retraction of the mandibular incisors and mandibular setback surgery without extraction. METHODS: This retrospective study included 63 adult patients (32 men and 31 women). Thirty-three patients who had been treated via four-bicuspid extraction and bodily retraction of the mandibular incisors (incisor retraction, IR group) were compared with 30 patients who had been treated via mandibular setback surgery (MS group) without extraction. Lateral cephalograms were acquired and analyzed before (T1) and after treatment (T2). RESULTS: The superior pharyngeal airway space did not change significantly in either group during treatment. The middle pharyngeal airway space decreased by 1.15 ± 1.17 mm and 1.25 ± 1.35 mm after treatment in the IR and MS groups, respectively, and the decrease was comparable between the two groups. In the MS group, the inferior pharyngeal airway space (E-IPW) decreased by 0.88 ± 1.67 mm after treatment (p < 0.01). The E-IPW was larger in the MS group than in IR group at T1, but it did not differ significantly between the two groups at T2. No significant correlation was observed between changes in the pharyngeal airway space and the skeletal and dental variables in each group. CONCLUSIONS: The middle pharyngeal airway space decreased because of the posterior displacement of the mandibular incisors and/or the mandibular body. The E-IPW decreased only in the MS group because of the posterior displacement of only the mandibular body.
Adult ; Humans ; Incisor* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

It is known that humidity in the laser room might affect the outcomes of excimer laser refractive surgery. This study evaluated the outcomes of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)according to humidity changes in laser room. Hinged flap was made by SCMD turbokeratome and photoablation was performed by utilizing VISX 20/20 excimer laser system. The differences between targeted refraction and actual refractive error, namely, refractive correction errors (defined by authors)were calculated. We have divided LASIK patients into two groups. Group A consisting of 61 eyes of 31 patients underwent LASIK when laser room humidity was over 70% (average 73%) and Group B includes 49 eyes of 28 patients when laser room humidity was under 40% (average 35%). Each group was broken into two subgroups, that is high myopia (> or= -6 D)and mild to moderate myopia (< -6 D). The mean refractive correction errors in the high myopia (> or= -6 D)was 1.28+/-1.42 D in the group A (n=46 eyes)and 1.99 +/-1.38 D in the group B (n= 26 eyes). In both groups, the difference between two subgroups was statistically significant and high myopes group B was overcorrected compared with ones in group A (t-test, p<0.05). The mean refractive correction errors in the low to moderate myopia (< -6 D)was 0.38 +/-0.49 D in the group A (n=15 eyes)and 0.4 +/-0.38 D in the group B (n=23 eyes). In both subgroups, there was no statistically significant difference in mean refractive correction errors (t-test, p>0.05). The proper room humidity is critical for LASIK results, particularly in the high myopia (> or= -6 D)because humidity can affect outcomes of LASIK. Therefore, the humidity should be maintained properly for enhancement of surgical outcome predictability in the high myopia.
Humans ; Humidity* ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Lasers, Excimer ; Myopia ; Refractive Errors ; Refractive Surgical Procedures

OBJECTIVES: Despite the importance of human immunodefi-ciency virus(HIV) transmission through heterosexual contact, the features of heterosexual transmission has not been well studied in Korea. So we conducted a cross sectional study to determine the transmission rates in married couples and assess risk factors for male to female heterosexual transmission of HIV. METHODS: 169 HIV-infected males and their female sex partners were recruited from 1985 to June 1998. We examined female sex partners HIV infection status and interviewed male index partners and their female sex partners about demographic characteristics and sexual practices. We analysed heterosexual transmission rate by epidemiologic characteristics, disease status and sexual practices. And we assessed risk factors for HIV infection by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: 30 female sex partners were infected at enrollment, yielding an transmission rate of 17.8%. Among couples who had used condoms consistently, none of the female sex partners was infected with HIV. In univariate analysis the significant risk factors were full blown AIDS status (OR=4.1, 95% CI: 1.49-11.43) and low CD4 T cell count of index partners at enrollment (OR=7.8, 95% CI: 2.19-27.80). In multivariate analysis HIV-1 RNA levels was significant risk factor when adjusted by CD4 T cell counts and mean sexual contacts per month (OR=19.2, 95% CI: 1.03-357.59) CONCLUSION: The risk of male to female heterosexual transmission increased with advanced stages of HIV infection in the index male partners.
Cell Count ; Condoms ; Family Characteristics ; Female* ; Heterosexuality* ; HIV Infections ; HIV* ; HIV-1 ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors* ; RNA

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the differences in maxillomandibular transverse measurements at either the crown or the estimated center of resistance (CR), and to compare values between normal occlusion and Class III malocclusion groups. METHODS: Dental casts and computed tomography (CT) data from 30 individuals with normal occlusion and 30 with skeletal Class III malocclusions were evaluated. Using the casts, dental arch widths (DAWs) were measured from the cusp tips, and basal arch widths (BAWs-cast) were measured as the distance between the points at the mucogingival junction adjacent to the respective cusp tips. The BAWs determined from CT (BAWs-CT) images were measured from the estimated CRs of the teeth. RESULTS: None of the DAW measurements or maxillomandibular DAW differences showed statistically significant intergroup differences. In contrast, the maxillary BAWs-CT and BAWs-cast were lesser in the Class III malocclusion group than in the normal occlusion group. The mandibular BAWs-CT were significantly greater in the Class III malocclusion group than in the normal occlusion group. Moreover, the maxillomandibular BAW differences on both CT and cast showed significant intergroup differences in all transverse measurements. CONCLUSIONS: The maxillomandibular DAW differences showed no significant intergroup differences. In contrast, the maxillomandibular BAW differences on both CT and cast showed significant intergroup differences in all transverse measurements. The maxillomandibular BAW differences at the estimated CRs, measured using CT or casts, can reveal underlying transverse maxillary basal arch deficiencies in patients with skeletal Class III malocclusions.
Crowns ; Dental Arch ; Humans ; Malocclusion* ; Tooth

Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is a disorder characterized by clinical and laboratorial findings of hypoparathyroidism with high plasma parathyroid hormone levels due to resistance by target tissues. Neurologic complications of PHP are not uncommon but recurrent attacks of seizure during the postpartal period have yet to be reported. We report a case of subclinical pseudohypoparathyroidism with recurrent seizures in the postpartal period.
Hypoparathyroidism ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Plasma ; Postpartum Period ; Pseudohypoparathyroidism* ; Seizures*

BACKGROUND: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is expected to play a role in hemodynamic modulation. Its biologically inactive fragment, the 76-amino-acid N-terminal proBNP (NT-pro-BNP), was known as one of the biologic markers of congestive heart failure and other clinical situations. But, there are controversies about clinical significance of NT-pro-BNP in ischemic stroke. This study was performed to find the clinical significance of NT- pro-BNP in early stage of acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: NT-pro-BNP levels were measured in 610 consecutive patients who admitted to the department of neurology at Chonnam National University Hospital. 205 patients were excluded due to incomplete follow-up period (more than 2 weeks), systemic infection, and etc. 286 ischemic stroke patients and 119 patients as control subjects were enrolled. NT-pro-BNP levels between stroke group and control were analyzed. When the patients in stroke group had more than 300 pg/mL of NT-pro-BNP, they were regarded as high group and the others were low group. National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was checked at admission and 2 weeks later. Relationship between changes of NIHSS and the NT-pro-BNP level was also investigated. RESULTS: The NT-pro-BNP levels were significantly increased in ischemic stroke patients (830.87 pg/mL) compared with control group (378.27 pg/mL) (p=0.002). And the high levels of NT-pro-BNP in stroke patients were related to severity on admission and cardioembolic infarction. But there was no correlation between NT-pro-BNP and improvement of NIHSS. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, significant relationship between the severity of ischemic stroke and NT-pro-BNP was found. But NT-pro-BNP was not related to early prognosis of ischemic stroke.
Biomarkers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Infarction ; Jeollanam-do ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Neurology ; Prognosis ; Stroke*

Endometriosis is defined as an extrauterine growth of endometrial tissue and it is primarily limited in the pelvis but it can also occur in the pleural cavity as well as pulmonary parenchyme. The diagnosis of pulmonary endometriosis is usually based on the clinical history of recurrent hemoptysis in association with menstrual cycle and by histopathologic confirmation of endometrial tissue in the lung parenchyme. Pulmonary endometriosis was first reported by Lattes in 1956, and dozens of cases have been reported so far. We experienced a case of 25 year old single woman with a history of hemoptysis in association with her menstruation. The bleeding focus was localized with chest CT scan and repeated fibrooptic bronchoscopy and basal segmentectomy of the right lower lobe was performed. The resected specimen shows endometrial stroma and glands of early proliferative phase with respiratory epithelium on the laterobasal bronchus. Her postoperative course was uneventful with no recurrence of hemoptysis during 6 months of follow-up in the outpatient clinic.
Adult ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Bronchi ; Bronchoscopy ; Diagnosis ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemoptysis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lung ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Menstrual Cycle ; Menstruation ; Pelvis ; Pleural Cavity ; Recurrence ; Respiratory Mucosa ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Although the papillary thyroid carcinoma generally follows an indolent course characterized by slow growth and abscence of distant metastasis, distant metastases to extrathyroid organ may occur in the lung, bone and brain in about 5% of patients. The lung metastases are usually diagnosed by plain X-ray, chest CT and 131I whole body scan. However, we present a case of papillary thyroid carcinoma with microscopic pulmonary metastasis that could not be detected by conventional method, such as chest X-ray, chest CT and 131I whole body scan. A 62-year-old female visited due to traumatic hemopneumothorax. In the pathology of resected tissues from lacerated lung parenchyme, metastatic papillary carcinoma was diagnosed without evidence of abnormality in radiologic examination and we diagnosed and treated an asymptomatic papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Brain ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Female ; Hemopneumothorax ; Humans ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Pathology ; Thorax ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Whole Body Imaging

Primary aldosteronism is one of the most common cause of secondary hypertension and can be accompanied with hypokalemia. Rhabdomyolysis with hypokalemia in primary aldosteronism has been rarely reported. We describe a patient of primary aldosteronism who presented with limb-girdle type weakness.
Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism* ; Hypertension ; Hypokalemia* ; Rhabdomyolysis*