BACKGROUND: Routine renal function tests are not sensitive enough to detect early renal complication of diabetes. To detect the complication as soon as possible, we measured urine N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG) and evaluated in comparison with microalbumin and beta2-microglobulin(beta2-MG). METHODS: 87 patients with type II diabetes visited Catholic University Hospital of Taegu Hyosung during the period October 1995 to March 1996. We collected 24 hour urine samples and measured NAG, albumin excretion rate (AER), beta2-MG. urinalysis, BUN, creatinine(Cr) Cr clearance(CrCl), fasting and 2 hour postprandial blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 53+/-15 years old and their average disease duration was 5.8+/-5.0 years. Abnormal rates of each renal function tests were as follows : NAG/gCr 52.1%, AER 51.7%, CrCl 42.5%, BUN 18.4%, beta2-MG 13.8% and creatinine 6.9% in order. From 36 patients whose AER was within normal limit, 13 of them(36.1%) showed increased level of NAG/gCr. Of 38 patients with increased NAG/gCr results, the 31 patients (81.6%) recorded abnormal results of renal function tests. Among 87 patients studied 60 patients(68.5%) showed increased level of NAG/gCr or AER results. Compared with AER test alone. the combined tests with NAG/gCr increased 16.8% of detection rates of renal complication in type II diabetes. CONCLUSION: Urine NAG/gCr and AER tests were very useful for detecting the early renal complication of type n diabetes. As increase of NAG/gCr suggest the proximal tubule damage, it is necessary to have further evaluation about the proximal tubule damage of renal complication in type II diabetes.
Acetylglucosaminidase* ; Blood Glucose ; Creatinine ; Daegu ; Fasting ; Humans ; Urinalysis

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Neuroendocrine Cells*

PURPOSE: To evaluate surface configuration of intervertebral disc on three dimensional CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three dimensional surface images reconstructed from CTscans(1 mm thick) of 20discs in 14 healthy adults were reviewed. Disc surface was classified into peripheral and central zones in contact with consecutive peripheral ring and central endplate. Local irregularity incidence, pattern in radial, concentric, or mixed form, size, location, and extension were observed. Incidence and severity ranges in 4 grades of general irregularity, and peripheral width relative to central radius were evaluated. RESULTS: Normal disc mostly showed smooth surface with few display of small local irregularity(6/20) which was mainly radial in pattern(4/5), posterolaterally located(4/6), and confined within peripheral zone(5/6). General irregularity displayed(5/20) was all grade I and peripheral width was 0.82 of central radius. CONCLUSION: Normal disc shows smooth surface but few may display small local irregularity maybe due to very early degenerative change.
Adult ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Radius

BACKGROUND: As more than 80% of Korean hospital laboratories don't use glycerol blank for the triglyceride measurement, we investigated free glycerol interference on the measurement of triglyceride concentration. METHODS: We collected 237 specimens which had more than 300mg/dL of triglyceride measured by Abbott (without glycerol blank, USA) reagent from the 217 patients visiting Catholic University Hospital of Taegu Hyosung from September, 1995, to May, 1996. We retested them with Youngdong (without glycerol blank, Korea) reagent, and IRC reagent (with glycerol blank, Japan), and also measured free glycerol concentration with Youngdong reagent. Then we examined the clinical records of the patient showing increased glycerol concentration. RESULTS: Average triglyceride concentration measured by Abbott reagent was 448.0+/- 165.9 mg/dL and average glycerol interference to triglyceride concentration was 3.4+/- 6.7%, There were 8 patients (3.4%) who revealed more than 10 % of glycerol interference. Except these patients the average glycerol interference was 2.4+/- 1.4%. Among these 8 patients, 3 patients were treated with Frucenil and other 3 were with Intralipose(R), and the other 2 were diagnosed as diabetes and preeclampsia respectively. In vitro test, Frucenil mixed with serum in 1% (v/v) increased triglyceride concentration as high as 640.6% with Abbott reagent, but it did only 48.4% with IRC reagent. CONCLUSIONS: Triglyceride measurement by non glycerol blank method exceeded the recommended limit of National Cholesterol Education Program's precision, and this method extremely overestimated the triglyceride concentration for the patient with the glycerol containing fluid therapy. So all laboratories would be encouraged to use the glycerol blank method for triglyceride measurements.
Cholesterol ; Daegu ; Education ; Fluid Therapy ; Glycerol* ; Humans ; Laboratories, Hospital ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Triglycerides*

BACKGROUND: As more than 80% of Korean hospital laboratories don't use glycerol blank for the triglyceride measurement, we investigated free glycerol interference on the measurement of triglyceride concentration. METHODS: We collected 237 specimens which had more than 300mg/dL of triglyceride measured by Abbott (without glycerol blank, USA) reagent from the 217 patients visiting Catholic University Hospital of Taegu Hyosung from September, 1995, to May, 1996. We retested them with Youngdong (without glycerol blank, Korea) reagent, and IRC reagent (with glycerol blank, Japan), and also measured free glycerol concentration with Youngdong reagent. Then we examined the clinical records of the patient showing increased glycerol concentration. RESULTS: Average triglyceride concentration measured by Abbott reagent was 448.0+/- 165.9 mg/dL and average glycerol interference to triglyceride concentration was 3.4+/- 6.7%, There were 8 patients (3.4%) who revealed more than 10 % of glycerol interference. Except these patients the average glycerol interference was 2.4+/- 1.4%. Among these 8 patients, 3 patients were treated with Frucenil and other 3 were with Intralipose(R), and the other 2 were diagnosed as diabetes and preeclampsia respectively. In vitro test, Frucenil mixed with serum in 1% (v/v) increased triglyceride concentration as high as 640.6% with Abbott reagent, but it did only 48.4% with IRC reagent. CONCLUSIONS: Triglyceride measurement by non glycerol blank method exceeded the recommended limit of National Cholesterol Education Program's precision, and this method extremely overestimated the triglyceride concentration for the patient with the glycerol containing fluid therapy. So all laboratories would be encouraged to use the glycerol blank method for triglyceride measurements.
Cholesterol ; Daegu ; Education ; Fluid Therapy ; Glycerol* ; Humans ; Laboratories, Hospital ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Triglycerides*

Partial closure of an epiphyseal plate can reduce growth in length and cause angular deformationof the bone. The bone bridge between the epiphysis and the metaphysis, which inhibits growth, can be removed operatively, leaving a cavity, and improvement of the deformity by normal growth is then possible. Previous study have shown that silastic or bone cement diminished both the angular deformity and growth retardation to a highly significant degree. In the present study we wanted to test whether indomethacin and iliac apophysis as an interposition material could prevent bone bridge recurrence following operative removal in adolescent rabbits. It was designed by the concept that cartilage(iliac apophysis) has a specific inhibitory effect on bone formation and indomethacin inhibits bone resorption and bone formation in both heterotopic and orthotopic bone in rabbits. The following experimental groups were designed. Group 1 (N = 7) control group; no interposition material Group 2 (N = 7) iliac apophysis as an interposition material Group 3 (N = 7) only bone wax as an interposition material Group 4 (N = 7) bone wax with administration of indomethacin 10mg/kg/day The results of the study are as follows: 1. In control group, an osseous bridge were revealed as early as 2 to 3 weeks, and this bridging was found consistently in all control groups for the duration of the study. 2. The gmup using iliac apophysis as interposition material was found ineffective for prevention of the formation of epiphyseometaphyseal bone bridge. It was probably resulted from difficulty of its taking from iliac bone. 3. The group using administration of indomethacin after application of bone wax reduced both the angular deformity and growth retardation to a highly significant degree. From the results, it is recommended administration of indomethacin after insertion of silastic or bone cement as an interposition meterial in the elimination of transphyseal closure after physeal damage.
Adolescent ; Bone Resorption ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Epiphyses ; Growth Plate ; Humans ; Indomethacin ; Osteogenesis ; Rabbits ; Recurrence

Kainic acid[KA], a glutamic acid analogue, has been widely used as a excitotoxin in the study of neurotoxicity due to its ability to induce strong excitation and to increase intracellular calcium concentration of the mature central nervous system[CNS] neurons. However, it is not well known whether KA is also strongly cytotoxic to the neurons of the postnatal brain. We have injected KA into rats at different developmental stages and have investigated the changes in the expression of c-fos[transcriptional factor and a marker of neuronal activity], heat shock proetin 72[hsp 72, a neuronal injury marker], and glial fibrillary acidic protein[GFAP, a neuronal injury marker] mRNAs, which are known to be increased in KA-induced neurotoxicity, and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase [GAPDH, a house keeping gene] mRNAs with in situ hybridization histochemistry using specific riboprobes. The expression of c-fos mRNA was first identified in the CA3 area of hippocampus from 6hr after KA treatment in P7 rats. The c-fos mRNA-expressing area and the level of expression was gradually increased from P7 to adult. Hsp 72 mRNA was first expressed in the dentate gyrus and hippocampus from 6hr after KA treatment in P2l rats. In the adult rats, hsp 72 mRNA was broadly expressed in the brain at 2hr after KA treatment. The increase of GFAP mRNA expression was first identified in Pl4 rat brain from 6hrs after KA treatment, and by the development of brain it tends to appear earlier. The expression of GAPDH mRNA, however, did not show changes after KA treatment except for the adult rats showing a slight decrease at 12hr after KA treatment. These results suggest that KA may offer different level of cytotoxicity to the developing neurons by their developmental status and the difference may be correlated with the completion of synaptogenesis and increase of KA receptor.
Adult ; Animals ; Brain* ; Calcium ; Dentate Gyrus ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Glutamic Acid ; Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate ; Hippocampus ; Hot Temperature ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Kainic Acid* ; Neurons ; Neurotoxins ; Oxidoreductases ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Shock

PURPOSE: This study was done to determine the usefulness of serum pepsinogen (PG) levels as a screening method for gastric cancer, and to assess the relationships between serum PG and clinicopathologic factors of gastric adenocarcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum PG concentrations were measured in 94 subjects who were classified into (a) a control group (50 subjects) without abnormal endoscopic finding on a health checkup, or (b) a gastric cancer group (44 subjects) who had surgery at Daegu Catholic University Hospital between Nov. 2008 and May 2009. Receiver operator characteristic curves were utilized to select the most suitable test. Using different cutoff points, sensitivity and specificity were calculated. We compared preoperative serum PG levels with several clinicopathologic findings for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. RESULTS: The Serum PG I:II ratio was the most useful as a screening test. The sensitivity and specificity of PG screening for gastric cancer were, respectively, 81.8% and 82%. The cut off point correlated with the type of intestinal cancer (Lauren classification; P=0.003), tumor stage (P=0.001), and gastric adenocarcinoma with peritumoral chronic atrophic gastritis (P=0.036). CONCLUSION: Serum PG levels were found to be a potentially useful screening test and to correlate with clinicopathologic factors in gastric cancer patients. But, in order to use serum PG found in a health checkup for gastric cancer as a clinical application a large scale study is recommended.
Adenocarcinoma ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Humans ; Intestinal Neoplasms ; Mass Screening ; Pepsinogen A ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Mothers*

The clinical picture and CSF findings in cryptococcal meningitis may be identical with those of tuberculous meningitis. The differential diagnosis can be made by finding the budding yeast organism in the counting chamber of in stained smear, the detection of cryptococcal antigen in CSF by the latex agglutination test, and by culture of the fungus on Sabouraud agar. We experienced a case of cryptococcal meningitis in the 48 years old woman, which was confirmed by Indian ink preparation and culture.
Agar ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fungi ; Humans ; Ink ; Latex Fixation Tests ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal* ; Saccharomycetales ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal