PURPOSE: A low birth weight (LBW) rate is associated with perinatal morbidity and mortality. Many different factors are related to birth weight and LBW. This study examined the effects of various factors on birth weight. METHODS: The study was conducted from January 1997 to August 1997 through direct interview with mother and medical history. Sample were drawn from 1,248 pairs of mothers and infants. The variables assessed included birth weight, gender, gestation age, birth order, maternal age, education, frequency of antenatal care, maternal complication and illness, parental smoking habit, alcohol and caffeine intake. The obtained data were coded and inputted into a computer using a SAS statistic package and estimated by multiple regression and logistic regression. RESULTS: The rate of LBW was 7.9% and premature rate was 3.4%. The variables affecting birth weight were maternal smoking habits, maternal complication and illness, gestation age, caffeine intake and gender. After adjusting for extraneous factors through multiple regression, we found that shortened gestation age, female infant, maternal complication and illness significantly played an important role in the decrease of birth weight. After logistic regression in the group of LBW infants, it was shown that the variables associated with LBW were maternal complication and illness, shortened gestation age, old age over 35 years, inadequate prenatal care, and female infant. CONCLUSION: Birth weight and LBW were more related to gestation age, gender, maternal complication and illness than maternal smoking habit, alcohol and caffeine intake.
Birth Order ; Birth Weight* ; Caffeine ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Logistic Models ; Maternal Age ; Mortality ; Mothers ; Parents ; Parturition* ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Care ; Smoke ; Smoking

A case of gallbladder empyema caused by Pediococcus pentosaceus is discussed. This appears to be the first reported case of gallbladder empyema caused by this organism. The laboratory method to identify this vancomycin-resistant gram-positive cocci and antimicrobial susceptibility of this organism are described.
Cholecystitis* ; Gallbladder* ; Gram-Positive Cocci ; Pediococcus*

We report 13 chromophobe renal cell carcinomas (10.8%) observed among 120 renal cell carcinomas in adults. The average age was 53 (range: 34-72) years old, and 6 were males and 7 females. The mean tumor size was 10 (range: 5-17) cm, mean nuclear grade 2.4, and mean Robson's stage was 1.9. There were two distinct histologic variants; typical variant (n=9) and eosinophilic variant (n=4). Both of them showed typical light microscopic features and positive reaction with Hale's colloidal iron and carbonic anhydrase II, a marker protein of intercalated cells of renal collecting ducts. A strong positive immunoreactivity for epithelial membrane antigen was noted in the cytoplasm in 12 of 13 tumors. Numerous microvesicles, 180~440 nm in diameter, were identified ultrastructurally. DNA aneuploidy was found in 3 out of 10 cases. Neither local recurrence nor metastasis have been identified during the following period of 4~144 (mean 48) months.
Adult ; Aneuploidy ; Carbonic Anhydrase II ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Colloids ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Humans ; Iron ; Male ; Mucin-1 ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of interferon alpha therapy with or without prednisolone in children with chronic hepatitis B. METHODS: Twenty-eight children (22 boys, 6 girls, mean age 130 months) had seropositive results for HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA; 11 had chronic persistent hepatitis and 17 had chronic active hepatitis. The patients were divided into two groups depending upon their inflammatory activity on liver biopsy, pretreatment serum ALT levels and HBV DNA levels. Fourteen children (group 1: chronic active hepatitis, ALT > or = 100 IU/L and HBV DNA < or = 100 pg/300 microliter) received interferon alpha 2a 5 MU/m2 of body surface three times weekly for 6 months. Fourteen children (group 2: chronic persistent hepatitis or chronic active hepatitis with ALT < 100 IU/L or HBV DNA > 100 pg/300 microliter) received prednisolone in decreasing daily doses of 60 mg/m2, 40 mg/m2, and 20 mg/m2, each for 2 weeks, followed after 2 weeks by interferon alpha 2a on the same schedule. At the end of therapy, 3 end points were analyzed: HBeAg seroconversion, serum ALT normalization rate and clearance of serum HBV DNA. RESULTS: At the end of treatment, HBe antigen-to antibody seroconversion was higher but not more significant in group 1 than group 2 (71.4% vs. 50.0%). Only one patient in group 2 who lost HBeAg, also cleared HBsAg. ALT normalization was similar in both groups (64.3% in group 1 vs. 55.6% in group 2). Clearance of serum HBV DNA was observed in 78.6% of patients in group 1 and 64.3% in group 2, but no significant differences. Complete response was similarly achieved in both groups (57.1% in group 1 vs. 50.0% in group 2). Interferon alpha therapy with prednisolone priming was well tolerated and all children finished therapy. CONCLUSION: The combined therapy with prednisolone followed by interferon alpha may be safe and effective in inducing a serological and biochemical remission of the disease in approximately 50% of children with chronic hepatitis B and with a high level of viral replication and less active disease. However, a controlled study should be performed to confirm these results.
Appointments and Schedules ; Biopsy ; Child* ; DNA ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha* ; Interferons ; Liver ; Prednisolone*

Cardiovascular respons follwing ethanol ingeation was conapared in two groups of male college studenta; 20 who ahowed visble facial flushing and 25 whe showed on flushing. Ethanol was administered as 25% Korean liquor (Kumbokju) a dose of 2ml per kg body weight, the heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate were measured. The reaults areas follows. The heart rate after ethanol ingestion increased significantly in both flushing and non-flushing groups. However, the degree of the heart rate increased in the flushing group was aignificantly higher than that in the non-flushing group. The blood pressure was decreased significantly from 40minutes after ethanol ingestion in both groups. Howyer, the flushing group showed higher systolic pressure, and lower diastalic pressure and mean arterial pressure than the non-flushing group. The reapiratory rate following ethanol administration was increased in the flushing group but decreased in the non-flishing group when compared with the resting respiratory rate. The results clearly indicate that a signifcant difference in cardiovascular resoponrses to ethanol exists the flushing and non-flushing groups. The flushing group shows a greater tachycardia and greater fall in. mean arterial pressure followig ethanol ingestion than the non-flushing group.
Male ; Humans

Clinical Protocols ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genioplasty ; Humans ; Malocclusion ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Osteotomy

Cleft Lip ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Intention ; Maxilla ; Mouth ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Orthopedics ; Palate ; Palate, Hard ; Palate, Soft ; Prosthodontics ; Rehabilitation

PURPOSE: Dermatolymphangioadenitis (DLA) is a common and serious complication of lymphedema which deteriorates lymphatic function. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of DLA by lymphoscintigraphy in patients with lower extremity lymphedema. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were 59 edematous lower extremities of 50 patients without previous episode of DLA and 12 lower extremities of 6 controls. Whole body images were acquired 1 min and 2 hr after subcutaneous injection of 37 MBq of Tc-99m-antimony sulfide colloid into interdigital spaces of both feet before therapy for lymphedema. The lymphosintigraphic and clinical variables were compared between groups were or without occurrence of DLA during clinical follow up. RESULTS: Thre were 20 episodes of DLA in 12 extremities during clinical follow-up (19+/-6 months). On univariate analysis, there were significant differences in ilioinguinal lymph node uptake, uptake pattern of main lymphatic vessel, clinical stage and therapy compliance between the two groups. After multivariate analysis, only the uptake pattern of main lymphatic vessel and therapy compliance were confirmed to be independent variables. In other words, non-visualized main lymphatic vessel and poor compliance to therapy were more frequent in extremities with subsequent occurrence of DLA. CONCLUSION: Lymphoscintigraphy can be used to predict the risk of DLA and may thus be helpful for determining the initial therapeutic plan in patients with lower extremity lymphedema.
Body Image ; Colloids ; Compliance ; Extremities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Lower Extremity* ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Vessels ; Lymphedema* ; Lymphoscintigraphy* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Assessment*

No abstract available.
Receptors, Nicotinic*

Human sparganosis is a rare parasitic disease infected by plerocercoid larva (sparganum) of Spirometra species. It was usually diagnosed accidentally. In this article, we report a 44-year-old woman reanl allofraft recipient on cyclosporine and prednisolone as the immunosuppressive agents. She presented an enlarging subcutaneous nodule in the left thigh for 20 days, which was excised in the belief that it was a seroma. Characteristic sparganum lava accompanied by granulomatous inflammation and cyst formation in the subcutaneous tissue were discovered under microscopic examination of the excised tissue. However, the infectious source was not clear.
Adult ; Allografts* ; Cyclosporine ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Inflammation ; Larva ; Parasitic Diseases ; Prednisolone ; Seroma ; Sparganosis* ; Sparganum ; Spirometra ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Thigh