PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiologic and clinical outcomes of AO type C pelvic ring injury and identify the prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 53 patients who were treated for AO type C pelvic ring injury from January 2002 to February 2010. Mean age and mean follow-up duration were 42.4 years and 14 months, respectively. We had 8 cases of AO type C1-1, 19 cases of C1-2, 11 cases of C1-3, 6 cases of C2 and 9 cases of C3 injury. We analyzed type of fracture, displacement, method of fixation and associated injuries. Radiologic outcome was evaluated with Matta and Saucedo criteria and clinical outcome was evaluated using Majeed score. RESULTS: The average Majeed score was 86.2 distributing as 36 excellent cases, 15 good cases and 2 fair cases. Using radiologic Matta and Saucedo criteria, patients were divided as 31 excellent cases, 17 good cases and 5 fair cases. There was no significant difference between the outcomes of anterior, posterior and antero-posterior fixation. Neurologic injury was the reason for an unsatisfactory functional outcome. We identified two cases with complication, one with postoperative infection and the other with nonunion following anterior-posterior fixation. CONCLUSION: Satisfactory radiologic and clinical outcomes were obtained with open reduction and internal fixation in the management of AO type C pelvic ring injuries. Neurologic injuries affected the clinical outcome.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Pelvis

Kidney transplantation using living donors has been performed in our hospital since the very start in 1979. In recent years, we have expanded living donor pool, including unrelated one, because the number of cadaveric donors is insufficient. A very important issue in living kidney donor transplantation is whether the donation is safe or not for the donor. The aim of this study was to examine the long-term impact of uninephrectomy on the renal function, blood pressure, and proteinuria in living kidney donors. We could followed 59 donors who had donated a kidney more than 10 years ago. Among these 59 donors, 19 donors visited hospital and were undertaken physical examination and laboratory evaluation. We checked blood pressure, BUN/creatinine, 24 hours urine protein, and creatinine clearance to these donors. The rest 40 donors were traced by telephone survey for medical history and survival. The mean duration of follow-up were 12.8 +/-2.6 and 13.2+/- 2.5 years, respectively in both group of the donors. The mean age at last follow-up were 44.3+/- 11.2 and 46.7+/- 11.1 years old, respectively. Actually 2 patients proved to have well controlled hypertension with anti-hypertensive medications. Mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 129+/- 19 and 82+/- 11 mmHg in 19 donors, which showed no difference from general population compared with nationwide survey of blood pressure. There were no difference of BUN/creatinine, 24 hours urine protein, and creatinine clearance between pre-nephrectomy and follow-up values. There was one patient death in the telephone surveyed group, who died of stomach cancer. No body had specific medical illness and took hypertensive medication in the telephone surveyed group. We could not demonstrate any deterioration of renal function and development of uninephrectomy induced hypertension in living kidney donor more than 10 years after kidney donation.
Blood Pressure ; Cadaver ; Creatinine ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Living Donors ; Physical Examination ; Proteinuria ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Telephone ; Tissue Donors*

No abstract available.

Synthetic compounds that are used in the clinic to regulate skin hyperpigmentation, such as arbutin, hydroquinone, and kojic acid, are only moderately effective. But, their use is limited by side effects. As part of an effort to overcome the limitations, we developed resveratrol-enriched rice (RR) using genetic engineering technique. Each of resveratrol and rice has been reported to produce anti-melanogenic effects. Therefore, we hypothesized that RR would show more anti-melanogenic effects than those of resveratrol or rice alone. Anti-melanogenic effect of RR was done by using melan-a mouse melanocytes. The depigmenting efficacy was then observed following topical application of the RR to UVB-stimulated hyperpigmented dorsal skin of guinea pigs. Treatment with RR extract resulted a 21.4 +/- 0.7% decrease in tyrosinase expression at melan-a cells. Colorimetric analysis showed a significantly lower depigmenting value by day 9 following treatment with RR in UVB-irradiated guinea pigs the dorsal skin (p<0.01), indicating that RR produced a depigmentation effect. By staining with Fontana-Masson stain, we found that the RR-treated group had more effect histopathologically in epidermal melanin production than resveratrol or rice alone-treated group. RR was associated with reduction in the levels of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), and downregulation of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein (TRP-2) expression, leading to inhibit epidermal melanin production by western blot analysis. This study suggests that the resveratrol-enriched rice may be a promising candidate in regulating skin pigmentation with UVB exposure.
Animals ; Arbutin ; Blotting, Western ; Down-Regulation ; Genetic Engineering ; Guinea Pigs* ; Hyperpigmentation ; MART-1 Antigen ; Melanins* ; Melanocytes ; Mice ; Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Skin Pigmentation ; Skin*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of LH receptor in folliculogenesis, we confirm the expression level of LH receptor (LH-R) mRNA in human granulosa cells (GCs) and its expression levels were analyzed by comparison to embryo developmental rate and pregnancy rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: GCs were obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval from the patients undergoing IVF-ET program. The patients were divided into two groups: Group I (n=20) is poor responder (retrieved oocyte(s)< or =3ea), Group II (n=80) is normal responder (retrieved oocytes>3ea). After the extraction of total RNA, semiquantitative RT-PCR was performed and the expression level of LH-R mRNA was normalized by beta-actin. Statistical analysis was performed by using Chi(2) test, Student's t-test and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: In Group II, the relative values of LH-R mRNA (0.680 vs. 0.463, p<0.005) and pregnancy rate (54.7% vs. 23.1%, p<0.05) were significantly higher than in Group I. Number of retrieved oocyte(s) was gradually increased when the expression of LH-R mRNA was increased (p<0.05). But the quality of retrieved oocyte and transferred embryo were not related with the expression of LH-R mRNA. When the pregnancy rate was compared with FSH only group and FSH combined with hMG group in the ovarian stimulation protocol, FSH combined with hMG group was significantly higher than FSH only group in Group I (37.5% vs. 0%), and the expression of LH-R mRNA was significantly higher in hMG combined group than FSH only group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Expression level of LH-R mRNA has important role in ovarian function related with the response to gonadotrophin in human folliculogenesis. Furthermore these data might provide the evidence that additional use of hMG is helpful to poor responders.
Actins ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Oocytes ; Ovulation Induction ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy* ; Receptors, LH* ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger

BACKGROUND: Complicated pleural space occupying lesions (SOL) have been treated by thoracentesis, closed thoracotomy drainage (CTD) or surgical intervention with using a video thoracosocpe or open thoracotomy depending on the extent of the disease. With the development of video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication have revealed good results as compared to those for open thorcotomy. To assess the effectiveness of VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication, we retrospectively analyzed the medical record and radiologic findings of the patients with complicated pleural SOL and who were treated by this surgery. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From May 1996 to April 2006, 64 patients (mean age: 41.8 years) with complicated pleural SOL underwent 65 VATS. To analyze the surgical outcome, we classified the postoperative findings on the simple chest X-rays into 4 classes as Class I: no or minimal pleural lesion, Class II: blunting of the cardiophrenic angle and mild pleural thickening, Class III: an elevated diaphgram or persistent lung collapse and Class IV: complicated or recurrent effusion. RESULT: Before VATS, the patients underwent the diagnostic or therapeutic procedures: single or repeat diagnostic tapping for 41, thoracoscotomy drainage for 11, pigtail catheter drainage for 10 and intrapleural fibrinolytics for 10. The mean duration between the onset of symptom and surgery was 18.4 days. There was neither mortality nor severe complications. The surgical outcomes were class 1 for 28, class 2 for 13, class 3 for 19 and class 4 for 5. There were statistically significant differences between the symptom duration and the classes, and between the operation time and the classes. CONCLUSION: VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication are effective, safe treatments for managing complicated pleural SOL, and an earlier operation is needed for obtaining a better surgical outcome.
Catheters ; Drainage ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Pleural Effusion ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is a global public health concern owing to its increasing prevalence and socioeconomic burden. However, few studies have assessed the economic impact of atopic dermatitis in Korea. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a cost analysis of atopic dermatitis and evaluated its economic impacts on individual annual disease burden, quality of life, and changes in medical expenses with respect to changes in health related-quality of life. METHODS: The cost analysis of atopic dermatitis was performed by reviewing the home accounting records of 32 patients. The economic impact of the disease was evaluated by analyzing questionnaires. To handle uncertainties, we compared the results with the data released by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Board on medical costs claimed by healthcare facilities. RESULTS: The direct cost of atopic dermatitis per patient during the 3-month study period was 541,280 Korean won (KRW), and expenditures on other atopic dermatitis-related products were 120,313 KRW. The extrapolated annual direct cost (including expenditures on other atopic dermatitis-related products) per patient was 2,646,372 KRW. The estimated annual indirect cost was 1,507,068 KRW. Thus, the annual cost of illness of atopic dermatitis (i.e., direct+indirect costs) was estimated to be 4,153,440 KRW. CONCLUSION: The annual total social cost of atopic dermatitis on a national level is estimated to be 5.8 trillion KRW.
Cost of Illness ; Costs and Cost Analysis ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND/AIMS: H. pylori has been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, and gastric cancer. The mode of H. pylori spread among individuals still largely unknown, but three possibilities such as fecal-oral, oral-oral, and gastro-oral transmission were reported. We were not exclusive possibility of H. pylori infection via endoscopic equipmemt, because endoscope was inserted directly into the gastrointestinal tract. METHODS: Fifty eight patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms, who had visited Pusan National University Hospital from February 1999 to May 1999 were examined endoscopically and two biopsies were taken in each antrum and fundus for rapid urease test. After endoscopy, we collected the washing fluid from the surface and channel of the endoscope before and after cleaning and disinfection. Then we examined H. pylori contamination by H. pylori DNA PCR. RESULTS: The numbers of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer with duodenal ulcer, and gastric cancer were 15, 20, 18, 3, and 2, respectively. The positive rates were 84.5% (49/58) with CLO test, 58.6% (34/58) with H. pylori DNA PCR of the washing fluid of the endoscope surface and channel. In patients with CLO test positive, the positive rates of H. pylori DNA PCR is 44.9% (22/49) in endoscope channel, 24.5% (12/49) in surface before disinfection, but H. pylori DNA was not detected in any cases after washing and disinfection recommended by The Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that endoscopes were frequently contaminated by H. pylori during procedures performed on H. pylori-positive patients and were a potential source of nosocomial spread of the infection. However, this study also shows that the risk of endoscopic transmission of H. pylori infection could be minimized when appropriate cleaning and disinfection techniques were used.
Biopsy ; Busan ; Disinfection ; DNA ; Duodenal Ulcer ; Endoscopes* ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Gastritis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Stomach Ulcer ; Urease

OBJECTIVES: This study measures serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in tire-manufacturing workers, and attempts to find occupational or non-occupational factors that related to their PSA levels. METHODS: A total of 1,958 healthy male workers (1,699 were production workers and 259 were office workers) took PSA measurement for analysis. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, body mass index, hypertension, regular exercise, alcohol drinking and smoking, which were significantly related to serum PSA levels or known related factors of serum PSA levels, the geometric mean PSA levels were significantly high in the office workers (p = 0.017), the older age group (p < 0.001), the group with hypertension (p = 0.046) and the group of individuals that do not exercise regularly (p = 0.015) and the office workers were more likely to have a serum PSA level of > or =4.0 (OR 7.73, 95% CI: 2.78-21.46) or 2.5 ng/mL (OR 2.74, 95% CI: 1.49-5.08). After stratifying by age and adjusting aforementioned covariates, office workers 50 years of age and older had the significantly higher geometric mean PSA levels (p = 0.017) and were more likely to have a serum PSA level of > or =4.0 ng/mL (OR 12.90, 95% CI: 3.65-45.64) or 2.5 ng/mL (OR 3.90, 95% CI: 1.64-9.25) than production workers 50 years of age and older. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that serum PSA levels were significantly higher among the group with hypertension or the group of individuals that did not exercise regularly or group of office workers who were considered to have lesser physical activities.
Alcohol Drinking ; Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Occupations ; Prostate-Specific Antigen* ; Sedentary Lifestyle ; Smoke ; Smoking

Laparoscopic management is the ideal form of treatment for tubal pregnancy, most common type of ectopic pregnancy. Not only abdominal pregnancy including intraligamentary pregnancy is an rare form of ectopic pregnancy, but intraligamentary pregnancies are usually diagnosed and managed by emergency explorative laparotomy. We present the case of an intraligamentary pregnancy of a 28-year-old woman managed by laparoscopic treament without any complication.
Adult ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Abdominal ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Pregnancy, Tubal