No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Anti-Bacterial Agents*

No abstract available.
Arthrography*

PURPOSE: Mecnoium obstruction in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI), which delays enteral feeding and is one of the major causes of bowel obstruction, can be diagnosed and treated with hyperosmolar water-soluble contrast enema. The purpose of this study was to observe the clinical findings of meconium obstruction, the improvement of small bowel obstruction after contrast enema, and the complications related to the enema. METHODS: Hypersolmolar water-soluble contrast enemas were performed in 14 VLBWIs with meconium obstruction. Clinical findings, radiologic findings, feeding intolerance, effectiveness, and complications of enemas were observed. Also, clinical findings related to meconium obstruction were compared with 18 VLBWIs without meconium obstruction. RESULTS: 1) Fourteen VLBWIs with meconium obstruction had significantly lower 5 minutes Apgar scores than 18 VLBWIs without meconium obstruction (p<0.05). Moreover, the day of last meconium passing, and the day of the first trial and full enteral feeding were delayed significantly. 2) A total of 18 enemas were performed in the 14 infants. The contrast medium passed the ileocecal valve and reached the terminal ileus in 12 enemas. Of the 12 enemas, 11 were successful, but 1 infant underwent an ileotomy, even though the contrast medium reached the terminal ileum. 3) Intestinal obstruction was not relieved in three of five infants, in whom the contrast medium failed to pass the ileocecal valve. Obstruction was relieved after repeated enemas in which the contrast medium reached the terminal ileum. 4) No complications associated with water-soluble contrast enemas were observed. CONCLUSION: Hyperosmolar water-soluble contrast enema is considered to be safe and therapeutic for meconium obstruction in VLBWIs.
Contrast Media ; Enema ; Enteral Nutrition ; Humans ; Ileocecal Valve ; Ileum ; Ileus ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Meconium

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to measure radiographic joint space width and to estimate erosion in the hands of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It showed that joint space width, homogeneity, and invariant moments are parameters to discriminate between the normal and the rheumatoid joint. METHODS: In order to measure the joint space width and to estimate erosion in the finger joint, 32 radiographic images were used - 16 images for training and 16 images for testing. The joint space width was measured in order to quantify the joint space narrowing. Also, homogeneity and invariant moments was computed in order to quantify erosion. Finally, artificial neural networks were constructed and tested as a classifier distinguishing between the normal and the rheumatoid joint. RESULTS: The joint space width of normal was 1.04+/-0.15 mm and the width of patients with rheumatoid arthritis was 0.94+/-0.15 mm. The Homogeneity of normal was 16568.83+/-2669.83 and invariant moments were 6843.45+/-2937.55. They were statistically difference (p<.05). Using these characteristics, artificial neural networks showed that they discriminate between normal and rheumatoid arthritis (AUC=0.91). CONCLUSION: Measuring joint space width, estimating homogeneity, and invariant moments provide the capability to distinguish between a normal joint and a rheumatoid joint.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Finger Joint ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints

A 53-year-old Asian woman was treated with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for lupus erythematosus. Within a few years, she noticed circle-shaped shadows in her central vision. Upon examination, the patient's visual acuity was 20 / 25 in both eyes. Humphrey visual field (HVF) testing revealed a central visual defect, and fundoscopy showed a ring-shaped area of parafoveal retinal pigment epithelium depigmentation. Fundus autofluorescence imaging showed a hypofluorescent lesion consistent with bull's eye retinopathy. Adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AO-SLO) revealed patch cone mosaic lesions, in which cones were missing or lost. In addition, the remaining cones consisted of asymmetrical shapes and sizes that varied in brightness. Unlike previous studies employing deformable mirrors for wavefront aberration correction, our AO-SLO approach utilized dual liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulators. Thus, by using AO-SLO, we were able to create a photographic montage consisting of high quality images. Disrupted cone AO-SLO images were matched with visual field test results and functional deficits were associated with a precise location on the montage, which allowed correlation of histological findings with functional changes determined by HVF. We also investigated whether adaptive optics imaging was more sensitive to anatomical changes compared with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.
Chloroquine/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Image Enhancement/*methods ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/drug therapy ; Macula Lutea/drug effects/*pathology ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmoscopy/*methods ; Retinal Diseases/chemically induced/*diagnosis

A 53-year-old Asian woman was treated with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for lupus erythematosus. Within a few years, she noticed circle-shaped shadows in her central vision. Upon examination, the patient's visual acuity was 20 / 25 in both eyes. Humphrey visual field (HVF) testing revealed a central visual defect, and fundoscopy showed a ring-shaped area of parafoveal retinal pigment epithelium depigmentation. Fundus autofluorescence imaging showed a hypofluorescent lesion consistent with bull's eye retinopathy. Adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AO-SLO) revealed patch cone mosaic lesions, in which cones were missing or lost. In addition, the remaining cones consisted of asymmetrical shapes and sizes that varied in brightness. Unlike previous studies employing deformable mirrors for wavefront aberration correction, our AO-SLO approach utilized dual liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulators. Thus, by using AO-SLO, we were able to create a photographic montage consisting of high quality images. Disrupted cone AO-SLO images were matched with visual field test results and functional deficits were associated with a precise location on the montage, which allowed correlation of histological findings with functional changes determined by HVF. We also investigated whether adaptive optics imaging was more sensitive to anatomical changes compared with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.
Chloroquine/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Image Enhancement/*methods ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/drug therapy ; Macula Lutea/drug effects/*pathology ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmoscopy/*methods ; Retinal Diseases/chemically induced/*diagnosis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the normal morphometric landmarks of the uniting and dividing points of the brachial plexus (BP) in the periclavicular region to provide useful guidance in surgery of BP injuries. METHODS: A total of 20 brachial plexuses were obtained from 10 adult, formalin-fixed cadavers. Distances were measured on the basis of the Chassaignac tubercle (CT), and the most lateral margin of the BP (LMBP) crossing the superior and inferior edge of the clavicle. RESULTS: LMBP was located within 25 mm medially from the midpoint in all subjects. In the supraclavicular region, the upper trunk uniting at 21 +/- 7 mm from the CT, separating into divisions at 42 +/- 5 mm from the CT, and dividing at 19 +/- 4 mm from the LMBP crossing the superior edge of the clavicle. In the infraclavicular region, the distance from the inferior edge of the clavicle to the musculocutaneous nerve (MCN) origin was 49 +/- 1 mm, to the median nerve origin 57 +/- 7 mm, and the ulnar nerve origin 48 +/- 6 mm. From the lateral margin of the pectoralis minor to the MCN origin the distance averaged 3.3 +/- 10 mm. Mean diameter of the MCN was 4.3 +/- 1.1 mm (range, 2.5-6.0) in males (n = 6), and 3.1 +/- 1.5 mm (range, 1.6-4.0) in females (n = 4). CONCLUSION: We hope these data will aid in understanding the anatomy of the BP and in planning surgical treatment in BP injuries.
Adult ; Brachial Plexus ; Cadaver ; Clavicle ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Median Nerve ; Musculocutaneous Nerve ; Pectoralis Muscles ; Ulnar Nerve

PURPOSE: Thyroid hormone is essential for development of the brain in early life. Thyroid dysfunction is more common in the first 2-4 postnatal weeks of life in premature infants than in term infants. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and clinical course of thyroid dysfunction in prematurity. METHODS: Premature infants admitted to and given neonatal screenings at Dankook University Hospital between April 1999 and March 2008 were included in this study. We retrospectively reviewed medical records and categorized subjects into six groups: normal, hypothyroidism, hyperthyrotropinemia, hypothyroxinemia, delayed onset of hypothyroidism, and delayed onset of hyperthyrotropinemia. METHODS: Among 599 subjects, 136 (23%) had initially abnormal thyroid function test (TFT); transient hypothyroxinemia was the most frequent condition (118, 20%). In addition, 8 (17%) of 46 subjects with initially normal TFT levels showed delayed onset of hyperthyrotropinemia with or without low free thyroxine (fT4). Thyroxine was prescribed for 10 patients (1.7%) due to low fT4 levels but was discontinued in 9 patients during follow-up. Thyroid scan confirmed ectopic thyroid in one patient. CONCLUSION: Thyroid dysfunction was frequently seen in premature infants, but most of the conditions were transient. In addition, some infants showed delayed TSH elevation on routine follow-up. Therefore, a recheck of the thyroid function of premature infants at 3-4 weeks is recommended, even if normal thyroid function is initially seen, especially in prematurity of less than 33 weeks of gestational age or birth weight of less than 2,500 grams.
Birth Weight ; Brain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Medical Records ; Neonatal Screening ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Dysgenesis ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroxine

PURPOSE: Thyroid hormone is essential for development of the brain in early life. Thyroid dysfunction is more common in the first 2-4 postnatal weeks of life in premature infants than in term infants. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and clinical course of thyroid dysfunction in prematurity. METHODS: Premature infants admitted to and given neonatal screenings at Dankook University Hospital between April 1999 and March 2008 were included in this study. We retrospectively reviewed medical records and categorized subjects into six groups: normal, hypothyroidism, hyperthyrotropinemia, hypothyroxinemia, delayed onset of hypothyroidism, and delayed onset of hyperthyrotropinemia. METHODS: Among 599 subjects, 136 (23%) had initially abnormal thyroid function test (TFT); transient hypothyroxinemia was the most frequent condition (118, 20%). In addition, 8 (17%) of 46 subjects with initially normal TFT levels showed delayed onset of hyperthyrotropinemia with or without low free thyroxine (fT4). Thyroxine was prescribed for 10 patients (1.7%) due to low fT4 levels but was discontinued in 9 patients during follow-up. Thyroid scan confirmed ectopic thyroid in one patient. CONCLUSION: Thyroid dysfunction was frequently seen in premature infants, but most of the conditions were transient. In addition, some infants showed delayed TSH elevation on routine follow-up. Therefore, a recheck of the thyroid function of premature infants at 3-4 weeks is recommended, even if normal thyroid function is initially seen, especially in prematurity of less than 33 weeks of gestational age or birth weight of less than 2,500 grams.
Birth Weight ; Brain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Medical Records ; Neonatal Screening ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Dysgenesis ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroxine