Respiratory distress syndrome of preterm infants remains a significant cause of morbidyty and mortality. Early, just after birth, prediction and recognition of RDS is so important. The precision and reliability of the stable microbubble test (SMR)and shake test as a predictor of respiratory distress syndrome were studied. A 110-neonate who was born at Chungnam National University Hospital between November 1991 to September 1992was selected randomely and studied. The results were as follows; 1) Among the 110 neonates, 13 cases were noticed as RDS. 2) Among the 13 infants with RDS, SMR results were zero and very weak in 11 cases, weak in 2 cases. Of the 97 infants with Non-RDS, 9 cases were weak, 88cases were medium and strong, positive predictive value and negative predictive value was 100%, 98% respectively. 3) Of the 13 infants with RDS, Shake test result were negative in 8 cases, 1+in 1 case, 2+in 1 case and 4+in 3 case. Of the 97 infants with Non-RDS, 3 cases were negative, 9 cases were 1+, 9cases were 2+ and 63 cases were 4+, positive predictive value and negative predictive value was 72.7%, 9 However, frequent relapses and severe side effects caused by such therapy necessitate development of a more specific and effective therapeutic regimen.Recently, a T cell derived cytokine, interleukin 4 (IL-4)is being recognized as a major cytokine up-regulating IgE production and response, while interferon- (IFN- )counteracts IL-4 actions to down-regulate the IL-4 induced IgE response. Hence, the present study is aimed to investigate the role of IL-4 in MCNS. Using freshly isol 4.9% respectively. We conclude that the rapidity, simplicity and reliability of the stable microbubble test is more useful as a bedside procedure in identifying of predicting the infants who are likely to develop RDS than shake test.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Interleukin-4 ; Microbubbles* ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: To determine whether resistive indices of the renal artery (RIR) or the splenic artery (RIS) can be used as predictors of bleeding in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: According to esophageal variceal bleeding episodes, 33 patients with cirrhosis were divided into two groups, a bleeder group (n=17) and a non-bleeder group (n=16). These two groups were compared with respect to five variables (age, spleen size, Child's score, RIS, and RIR). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the detection of bleeders were calculated using a cutoff value of 0.7 for RIR. RESULTS: The mean values of variables were higher for bleeders than for non-bleeders. With the exception of age, four variables were significantly correlated with bleeding (r=0.43 for spleen size; r=0.36 for Child's score; r=0.37 for RIS; p<0.05, respectively; r=0.63 for RIR, p<0.01). Only RIR was found to be significantly a predictive variable for bleeders (adjusted Odds ratio=19.9; 95% confidence interval: 1.3-306, p<0.05) when the RIR was more than 0.7. RIR had a sensitivity of 88.3% and a specificity of 75% with an accuracy of 81.8% at a cutoff value of 0.7 for identifying bleeders. CONCLUSION: A high RIR value will be useful in predicating esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.
Alcoholics* ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Fibrosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic* ; Renal Artery* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spleen ; Splenic Artery

PURPOSE: Platelet Rich Plasma(PRP) application is increasing with sinus inlay bone graft, but there is few research with radiographic ananlysis on effect of PRP in maxillary sinus. The author investigated the amount of bony changes of maxillary sinus for dental implantation among the patients with maxillary inlay graft. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With 10 patients who were treated with sinus inlay autologous bone grafting combined with PRP technique, and with 5 patients who were treated with sinus inlay grafting only without PRP, the panoramic radiographys which were taken at preoperation, immediate postoperation, 3months postoperation, and 4 months postoperation(a month after dental implantation)periods were analysed. The films had been scanned, and then proceeded throughout image analysis system. The bone density of maxillary grafted sites was compared with adjacent tooth enamel density and remeasured according to density luminosity of each film. The density changes on PRP group and bone graft only group were an lysed with non-parameteric statistics method. RESULTS: In PRP combined patients group, bone density on postoperation periods was increased totally. The remarkable enhanced change of bone density was observed on 3 months postoperation period, thereafter the increasing rate was slightly reduced . In only bone graft patients group, bone density on postoperation periods was also increased compared with preoperation period, but the bone density of 4 months postoperation period was decreased compared with 3 months postoperation period. The amount of bone density on PRP group was significantly changed according to periods in contrast to bone graft only group. CONCLUSION: The bone density on PRP group was remarkably increased at 3 months postoperation compared to bone graft only group and it was seemed to be associated with more new bone formation, less grafted bone resorption at bone grafted sites with PRP.
Blood Platelets* ; Bone Density ; Bone Resorption ; Bone Transplantation ; Dental Enamel ; Dental Implantation ; Dental Implants ; Humans ; Inlays ; Maxillary Sinus ; Osteogenesis ; Platelet-Rich Plasma ; Tooth ; Transplants

Esophageal schwannoma is very rare and almost of all cases are diagnosed as esophageal submucosal tumor preoperatively. Final diagnosis is made by postoperative immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of the surgical specimen. We experienced two cases of esophageal submucosal tumor, one was 63 year old female suffering from three months of dysphagia and another was 39 year old female complaining of two months of intermittent dysphagia. Two esophageal tumors were completely removed by esophagectomy and enucleation through right thoracotomy respectively. Postoperative IHC staining demonstrated S-100 positive without mitotic figures and confirmative diagnosed was made as benign esopphageal schwannoma.
Adult ; Deglutition Disorders ; Diagnosis ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; Esophagectomy ; Esophagus* ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neurilemmoma* ; Thoracotomy

No abstract available.
Appendicitis* ; Child* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Humans ; Pregnancy, Twin* ; Twins*

No abstract available.
Encephalitis* ; Prognosis*

No abstract available.
Cesarean Section* ; Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Chylothorax* ; Chylous Ascites*

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine whether transabdominal ultrasound can detect different hepatic stiffness between patients with cirrhosis and control subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sevent-three patients (Child-Pugh class A stage) with liver cirrhosis and 57 control subjects were included in this study. All patients were subdivided arbitrarily into two groups: early cirrhosis (n = 53) and overt cirrhosis (n = 20). Two sagittal images of the left lobe of the liver were obtained in the left hepatic vein level during the resting state and at full inspiration while pushing their belly out, by abdominal US (i.e., resting and stress image). The length between the inferior hepatic angle and the midpoint of the liver dome was measured in all images for the evaluation of liver distortion. The elongation was calculated by a formula: (L2-L1/L1) x 100(%); where L1 and L2 are the length of the liver for both the resting and stress image. The calculated elongated length (L2-L1, EL) and elongation rate were compared between cirrhotic patients and control subjects. RESULTS: For the control subjects, early cirrhosis, and overt cirrhosis groups, the mean ELs (elongation rate) were 2.34+/-0.98 cm (30.2+/-13.2%), 1.18+/-0.73 cm (14.9+/-9.5%) and 0.53+/-0.54 cm (6.3+/-6.6%), respectively. This difference among the three groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). A possible best cut-off value of liver elongation rate is 17% for the prediction of cirrhosis (sensitivity: 90%, specificity: 75.3%). CONCLUSION: The liver of patients with liver cirrhosis is stiffer than that of control subjects. Calculation of the elongation rate in the left lobe of the liver during a respiratory maneuver may be used as an ancillary method of US for the evaluation of liver cirrhosis.
Fibrosis ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Respiration