OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine differential findings between Type I degenerative endplate changes and diskitis on MR images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images(T1, T2 weighted or Gradient echo) of L-spine in twelve patients with a Type I degenerative endplate change and nine patients with diskitis were reviewed for the morphologic and signal intensity changes of intervertebral disc, vertebral endplate and vertebral body. RESULTS: involvement of the marrow of one side of intervertebral disk was noted in 33%(4/12) of Type I endplate changes, and 11%(1/9) of diskitis. Decreased signal intensity of intervertebral disc was seen in 92% (11/12) of Type I endplate changes, and 11%(1/9) of diskitis on T2 weighted or Gradient echo image. Loss of intranuclear cleft signal was noted in 17%(2/12) of Type I endplate changes, and 78%(7/9) of diskitis. Even disc space narrowing was seen in all cases of Type I endplate changes, but uneven narrowing was seen in 44%(4/9) of diskitis. Only partial cortical disruption was noted in 42%(5/12) of Type I endplate changes, while partial or total cortical disruption was noted in 89%(8/9) of diskitis. The extent of marrow involvement more than 2/3 was noted in 8%(1/12) of Type I endplate changes, but 56%(5/9) of diskitis. The margin of signal intensity change was well defined in 33%(4/12) of Type I endplate changes, but that of diskitis was ill defined in all cases(9/9). Gadolinium enhancement was homogeneous in all cases(5/5) of Type I endplate changes, and 63%(5/8) of diskiris. CONCLUSION: We conclude that involvement of one side of endplate, decreased signal intensity of intervertebral disc on T2 weighted or gradient echo image, even narrowing of disc space, lesser extent of marrow involvement, well defined margin and homogeneous enhancement pattern are the findings of Type I degenerative endplate changes on MR images.
Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Discitis* ; Gadolinium ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

This study evaluated the microleakage and interfacial gap between enamel and composite resin under the dry and wet condition of the enamel surface. V shaped class 5 cavities were prepared on the occlusal portion of extracted human molars. Samples were divided into three groups: D group (air dry for 10-15 s), BD group (blot dry with moist cotton pellet), and DR group (air dry for 10-15 s and rewet with Aqua-Prep F for 20 s). Cavities were filled using Aelitefil composite resin after applied One-Step. Microleakage was tested by 2% methylene blue dye solution and the data were statistically analysed by Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test. Also Enamel-resin interface was observed under SEM. Group BD showed statistically lower microleakage than group D (p < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between group BD and DR (p > 0.05). At the enamel-resin interface, group D showed the gap of 2 microm thickness, but group BD and DR showed close adaptation. In conclusion, the use of blot dry and rewetting agent (Aqua-Prep F) resulted in decreased microleakage and improved adhesion between enamel and resin when using One-Step.
Dental Enamel* ; Humans ; Methylene Blue ; Molar

This study evaluated the marginal microleakage of five single step adhesives. Class V cavity preparations with occlusal margins in enamel and gingival margins in dentin were prepared on both buccal and lingual surfaces of extracted human molar teeth. Prepared teeth were randomly divided into five groups and restored using one of the single step adhesives and composite resins: Prompt L-Pop/Filtek Z-250 (Group 1), AQ Bond/Metafil CX (Group 2), One-Up Bond F/Palfique Toughwell (Group 3), Futurabond/Admira (Group 4), Xeno III/Spectrum TPH (Group 5). The restored teeth were thermocycled. Microleakage was assessed by dye penetration using 2% methylene blue dye solution. The teeth were bisected buccolingually and evaluated for microleakage under steromicroscope. The data were statistically analysed by Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney tests. The results of this study were as follows; 1. Microleakage of enamel margins in group 3 was statistically higher than that in groups 1, 2, 4, 5 (p < 0.05). 2. Microleakage of dentin margins in group 1 was statistically higher than that in groups 2, 5, and that in group 3 was statistically higher than that in groups 2, 4, 5 (p < 0.05). 3. Dentin marginal microleakage was higher than enamel marginal microleakage in all experimental groups. In conclusion, Prompt L-Pop showed the least leakage at enamel margin, and AQ Bond showed at dentin margin in this study. Marginal miroleakage in dentin was higher than that in enamel.
Adhesives* ; Composite Resins ; Dental Enamel ; Dentin ; Humans ; Methylene Blue ; Molar ; Tooth

Bronchial carcinoid tumor was a low grade malignant and it was regarded as predictable clinical course and good survivality after surgical resection. But despite of its low grade malignant potentiality, bronchial carcinoid tumor was clearly capable of metastasizing and causing death. We present 2 cases of bronchial carcinoid tumors. One of them was typical carcinoid tumor in 44 year-old female and another was atypical carcinoid tumor in 53 year-old male patient. Currative therapeutic procedure was performed by lobectomy and wedge resection.
Carcinoid Tumor* ; Female ; Humans ; Male

Death by drowning is one of the most common cause of death worldwide, and the diagnosis of fatal drowning through postmortem examination is not always confirmative. Although many autopsy findings of drowning have been described so far, all these macroscopical signs are non-specific and moreover disappear quite rapidly in the process of decomposition. The combination of autopsy findings and diatom test can provide useful indication for the tentative diagnosis of drowning, but the value of the diatom analysis is still argued. The aim of the present study is to investigate the diagnostic usefulness of diatom test for the drowning death in Korea. The authors reviewed the result of 87 cases of diatom test in the autopsy file and analyzed it by parameters of the common diatom species, monthly frequency, the difference between sea and land water, and the correlation between the test result and the decision of cause of death. The result revealed no definite seasonal variation of diatom detection or no species difference between sea water cases and fresh water cases. The detection rate of diatoms in systemic organs of all cases was 11.49% and that of drowning cases was 9.43%.
Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Diatoms ; Drowning ; Fresh Water ; Korea ; Seasons ; Seawater ; Water

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze treatment outcomes according to treatment modality for elderly patients over 75 years with unruptured intracranial aneurysm. Methods: Fifty-four elderly patients treated in a single tertiary institute between January 2010 and December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. We compared clinical outcome, radiological results, and complications between the coiling and clipping groups. Results: A total of 55 procedures were performed in 54 patients. Of 55 aneurysms, 44 were treated endovascularly and 11 were treated surgically. There was no significant difference in patient baseline characteristics including mean age, sex, and preexisting co-morbidity between the two groups. Even though there was no significant difference (p=0.373), procedure-related symptomatic complication occurred only in coiling group (3 out of 44 patients, 6.6%). Mortality rate was significantly higher in clipping group (1 out of 11 patients, 9.1%) than in coiling group (0%, p=0.044). Good clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0-2) at 90 days was achieved in 43 cases treated with coiling (97.7%), and 10 cases with clipping (90.9%, p=0.154). Conclusions Clipping is more invasive procedure and takes longer operation time, which might lead to unpredictable mortality in elderly patients. Coiling might have high procedure-related stroke rate due to tortuous vessels with atherosclerosis. Therefore, aggressive treatment of elderly patients should be carefully considered based on patient’s medical condition and angiographic findings.

BACKGROUND: It was reported that patients who have left ventricular hypertrophy have higher D allele frequency of angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene polymorphism, especially in Caucasian normotensive men. We studied to know whether genetic polymorphism of angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene is associated with the development of left ventricular hypertrophy in Korean people whose genotype frequency is quite different from that of Caucasians. METHODS: Total 156 patients were included in this study. Presence of hypertension was checked with the criteria that hypertensives are one whose blood pressures were all above 140/90 at least 3 times spanning 2 months or one who had been diagnosed as hypertension and on his medication. Left ventricular mass index(LVMI) was calculated using electrocardiogram by Rautaharju equation, and left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) was defined as LVMI was above 131g/m2 in male or above 110g/m2 in female. Genomic DNA was extracted from the mononuclear cell of each subjects and PCR was performed using new primers for the region of intron 16 and exon 17. RESULTS: Genotype frequencies of D/D genotype and D allele were 0.200 and 0.413 respectively in group with LVH(n=40), 0.103 and 0.392 respectively in group without LVH(n=116). There was no significant difference with each other group. However, when only the normotensives were included in this analysis, frequency of D/D genotype is significantly higher in group with LVH(0.231, n=26) than in group without LVH(0.076, n=79)(Fisher's exact test,p<0.05). There was no significant difference in genotype frequency between the normotensives(n=105) and the hypertensives(n=51). CONCLUSIONS: In Korean people, D allele of polymorphism of angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene is also associated with development of left ventricular hypertrophy in the normotensives and is not associated with essential hypertension.
Alleles ; Angiotensins* ; DNA ; Electrocardiography ; Exons ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Introns ; Male ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic

BACKGROUND: It was reported that patients who have left ventricular hypertrophy have higher D allele frequency of angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene polymorphism, especially in Caucasian normotensive men. We studied to know whether genetic polymorphism of angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene is associated with the development of left ventricular hypertrophy in Korean people whose genotype frequency is quite different from that of Caucasians. METHODS: Total 156 patients were included in this study. Presence of hypertension was checked with the criteria that hypertensives are one whose blood pressures were all above 140/90 at least 3 times spanning 2 months or one who had been diagnosed as hypertension and on his medication. Left ventricular mass index(LVMI) was calculated using electrocardiogram by Rautaharju equation, and left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) was defined as LVMI was above 131g/m2 in male or above 110g/m2 in female. Genomic DNA was extracted from the mononuclear cell of each subjects and PCR was performed using new primers for the region of intron 16 and exon 17. RESULTS: Genotype frequencies of D/D genotype and D allele were 0.200 and 0.413 respectively in group with LVH(n=40), 0.103 and 0.392 respectively in group without LVH(n=116). There was no significant difference with each other group. However, when only the normotensives were included in this analysis, frequency of D/D genotype is significantly higher in group with LVH(0.231, n=26) than in group without LVH(0.076, n=79)(Fisher's exact test,p<0.05). There was no significant difference in genotype frequency between the normotensives(n=105) and the hypertensives(n=51). CONCLUSIONS: In Korean people, D allele of polymorphism of angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene is also associated with development of left ventricular hypertrophy in the normotensives and is not associated with essential hypertension.
Alleles ; Angiotensins* ; DNA ; Electrocardiography ; Exons ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Introns ; Male ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic

Wheat is known as a causative agent of bakers' asthma, wheat-dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis and food allergies in infants and young children. However, there has been few cases of wheat-induced anaphylaxis in adult age. We report a case of wheat-induced anaphylaxis patient presented in an adult and two IgE-binding components(43 kDa and 48 kDa) were identified.
Adult* ; Anaphylaxis* ; Asthma ; Child ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Infant ; Triticum

Death certificate is one of the most important medical documents for public health surveillance and it serves a tool for national health statistics. The authors analyzed 125 cases of death certificate for suspicious death from 276 medico-legal autopsy cases. When compared to autopsy results, almost all death certificates were inaccurate and inadequate for estimation of cause of death and manner of death. To decide a man's cause of death or manner of death is not easy job, even though for forensic pathologist after completing dissection and toxicological analysis. The authors think that inadequate death certificate is originated from insufficient medical education system and imperfect postmortem examination system. It may cause covering up the serious crime. The authors assert to reform the issuing system of death certificate, especially separation of death certification by attending physician and certification for death on arrival cases. The summary of present study is as follows ; 1. 52 cases (41.6%) did not follow the new form of death certificate ruled by law. 2. 66 cases (52.8%) were undetermined on the manner of death in death certificate, 3. Matching rate of cause of death and manner of death between death certificate and autopsy result was 56.8% (71 cases) and 36.8% (46 cases), respectively. 4. There were many critical or trivial faults in writing of death certificate, for example omission of direct cause of death or manner of death determination or serial number, etc.