No abstract available.
Blood Platelets* ; Humans ; Platelet Aggregation* ; Plateletpheresis* ; Tissue Donors*

No abstract available.
Odontogenic Cyst, Calcifying* ; Odontoma*

No abstract available.
Odontogenic Cyst, Calcifying* ; Odontoma*

BACKGROUND: Because specific chromosomal abnormalities are associated with certain hematologic disorders, cytogenetic studies can help classifing the diseases, providing the clues of disease progression and being used to monitor remission after chemotherapy. In this study, cytogenetic analysis was performed. In acute and chronic leukemic patients in Korea and the results were compared with foreign cytogenetic reports, and the typical acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) associated chromosome aberrations were analysed by some calculated parameters to clarify if the specific chromosomal abberations in the specific types or subtypes of leukemias had diagnostic value or not. METHOD: Chromosome studies were done in bone marrow or peripheral blood samples by high resolution banding technique. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of finding or not finding a given aberration were calculated for followings : for the differential diagnosis between ALL and AML when a patient is known to have acute leukemia, for the differential diagnosis among AML and ALL FAB subtypes in a patient with known AML and ALL. RESULTS: The high positive predictive values (1.0) in the AML versus ALL comparison were found for -7, del(7) (q11-34q22-36), +8s, t(8;21) (q22;q22), t(15;17) (q22;q11), inv (16) (q13;q22) and -Y. Among the AML subtypes, the highest sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values were 0.85, 0.97, 0.94 for t(15;17) (q22;q11) in M3, respectively. The high positive predictive values and specificity in the ALL versus AML comparison were found for t(1;19) (q23;p13) ,t(4;11) (q21 ;23) and t(8; 14) (q24;q32) Among the ALL subtypes, the highest negative predictive value was 0.99 for t (8;14) (q24;q32) in L3. Among 398 CML cases, Philadelphia chromosome positive CML were shown in 81.9% that were classic t(9;22) (q34;all) (94.5%), complex variant traslocation(1.8%) and additional secondary chromosome aberrations (3.7%) . CONCLUSION: Total chromosomal aberration rate in acute and chronic leukemia in Korea was lower than that in foreign reports, but the patterns of chromosome aberrations were similar except for t(15;17) (q22;q11) in AML patients. Quantitativly calculated data of sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values in the specific chromosomal aberration might be used for diagnostic markers of acute leukemia.
Bone Marrow ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Cytogenetics* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Disease Progression ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Korea* ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Philadelphia Chromosome ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Lovastatin is a potent inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, which catalyzes the conversion of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A to mevalonate, anearly and rate-limiting step in the synthesis of cholesterol. We studied the therapeutic effect and safety of lovastatin in 18 patients with nonfamilial primary hypercholesterolemia. Patients received 20mg/day lovastatin therapy as a single evening dose. If the total cholesterol level exceeded 200mg/dl after 2weeks of lovastatin therapy, the dosage of lovastatin was doubled. Mean percent total cholesterol level reductions from baseline were 26.4% and 31.9% after 4, and 8 weeks of lovastatin therapy respectively. Mean percent HDL-cholesterol level increase from baseline were 12% and 13% after 4, and 8 weeks of lovastatin therapy respectively. Adverse effects attributable to lovastatin were mild and temporary and no patient was withdrawn from therapy. We concluded that lovastatin was a well tolerated and effective agent for the treatment of nonfamilial primary hypercholesterolemia. Further studies are needed to establish the long-term safety and effectiveness of this drug.
Cholesterol ; Coenzyme A ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Lovastatin ; Mevalonic Acid ; Oxidoreductases

No abstract available.
Uterus*

PURPOSE: Recently a marked increase in both clinical and research activity in the field of male sexual dysfunction has led to a better evaluation and more treatment options. The clinical distribution and prevalence of male sexual dysfunction is essential to further improve diagnostic as well as therapeutic options. For the evaluation of clinical characteristics of male sexual dysfunction, we performed this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two thousands male patients complaining sexual dysfunction visiting our hospital were reviewed. Chief complaints were classified as impotence, premature ejaculation, penile lesion, ejaculatory disorder, and orgasm disorder. We analyzed prior histories of management, associated diseases and treatment in our hospital. RESULTS: In age distribution, patients in their 40s were most common and 31.2% was under 40 years of age. Of the symptoms complained, erectile dysfunction was 61.8% and premature ejaculation with or without erectile dysfunction was 11.7% or 15.0%, respectively.40.4% had been managed for sexual dysfunction. Of them, 70.3% was managed by nonmedical or oriental means and 29.7% by physicians. 88.8% had associated diseases for sexual dysfunction. Diabetes was observed In 17.3%, cardiovascular disease in 13.8%, systemic disease in 20.8%. 68.8% was treated at our hospital. Of them, 64.7% was treated pharmacologically. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of male sexual dysfunction were relatively common in men under 40 years of age comprising nearly one third of the patients complaining sexual dysfunction. Most of the patients had prior histories of management by nonmedical means due to lack of insight. Many patients preferred pharmacologic treatment. Future change In patient's insight will direct the patient to seek care by an urologist.
Age Distribution ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Ejaculation ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Hospital Distribution Systems ; Humans ; Male* ; Orgasm ; Premature Ejaculation ; Prevalence

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Melena*

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical and radiological safety of 15 consecutive patients managed with plate and screw fixation systems applied to the cervical lateral mass. METHODS: 15 patients who underwent posterior cervical and T1 arthrodesis were reviewed from Jan 2002 to Dec 2004. Posterior cervical screw and plate fixation was applied on the lateral mass of the cervical spine. The authors have tried lateral mass screw fixation using a modified Magerl's technique (20 degrees lateral and 20~30 degrees rostral screw trajectory) under preliminary radiological study. The average patient age was 39.73 degrees+/-11.00 years, and the average follow-up period was 9.73 degrees+/-6.77 months. Computed tomography scans taken after surgery were reviewed to confirm the attempted screw trajectory correct and safety. RESULTS: Three of 93 lateral mass screws were malpositioned but clinical damage was not noted. Two of 8 pedicle screws on the T1 vertebrae were not placed on the correct pedicle area. Screw and plate loosening was observed in one case but was not subjected to an additional procedure because of maintained screw position observed during follow-up periods. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that lateral mass screw fixation using the Modified Magerl's technique on the cervical lateral mass may provide safe and effective application on the patients. In addition, the chance of incorrectly placed screws was higher in T1 pedicle screw fixation than in lateral mass screw fixation of the cervical area.
Arthrodesis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Spine

PURPOSE: The early carcinogenic effect of N-nitrosomorpholine (NNM) on acquisition of increased survival and growth was investigated using ex vivo culture of 5th to 10th week rat liver hepatocytes after NNM treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were fed with NNM (200 mg/l). Hepatocytes were isolated by two step perfusion techniques and grown on tissue culture. These ex vivo hepatocytes were then subjected to analysis of growth related signal molecules resided in nucleoli. RESULTS: One of the most characteristic differences of the NNM-treated liver from normal liver was genesis of megahepatocytes. These megahepatocytes survived approximately 2~3 times as long as normal hepatocytes in ex vivo conditions. There was also a significant increase in various nucleolar proteins, including Erk1/2, p38, hsp72 and nucleophosmin (B23). CONCLUSION: At promotion stage of tumorigenesis induced by NNM, it was possible to isolate and characterize abnormal hepatocytes. These abnormal hepatocytes showed increased survival in in vitro (ex vivo) than normal hepatocytes, although they were not immortal.
Animals ; Carcinogenesis ; Hepatocytes* ; Liver ; Nuclear Proteins ; Perfusion ; Rats*