BACKGROUND: Pap smear is well known as a useful method for early detection of the cervical cancer and known to be widely performed by women. But the cervical cancer is the most common cancer in Korean women until now. So we surveyed to find out the status of womens practice and the result of Pap smear. METHODS: A questionnaire was filled up by the 270 women who had taken Pap smear from June to July in 1994 at the department of family medicine of Kyung Hee Medical Center. The family physicians gynecological findings at Pap srnear and the results of Pap smear were obtained. Af ter then we analyzed the data by SAS(Statistical Analysis System). The data which were not answered at each item were excluded in the analysis of each item. RESULTS: Among the 270 women, thirties were 98 persons(36.3%), forties were 115 persons(42.6%). The women who had never been taken Pap smear before were 34.6%. At the age performed Pap smear first, 30-39 years old was most common as of 39.8%. In the interval of Pap smear among the performed, 2 years interval was 36.8%. The medical facility usually being performed Pap smear was obstetrics and gynecological clinic as of 49.7%. At the opinion of int,erval which they think they should take Pap smear, the women answered that 1 year interval was appropriate were 50.7% and the opinions of the experienced group were statistically different from those of the non-experienced group(P<0.01). Gynecological findings showed normal in 74.8%, the cytological results of Pap smear showed class I as of 88.9%, class II 6.3%, class III 4.4% and class IV 0.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Almost of them knew correctly the appropriate interval of Pap smear they should take, but the practice rate was very low. They had good results in the final cytological results of Pap smear, but the cervical cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in Korean women until now. So they should continuously get public informations and be educated to take Pap smear at the appropriate interval for the reduction of death due to cervical cancer.
Female ; Humans ; Obstetrics ; Physicians, Family ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The purpose of this study was to aid in the prediction of tumor cell tolerance to radiotherapy and/or chomotherapy . For this study, cell surviving curves were obtained for mouse lymphoma YAC-1 cell line using semiautomated MTT assay. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10Gy were irradiated at a dose rate of 210cGy/min using 60Co Irradiator ALDORADO 8. After irra diation, YAC-1 cell lines(3X10(4) cells/ml) were exposed to bleomycin or cisplatin for 1 hour. The viable cells were determined for each radiation dose and/or each concentration of drug at the 4th day. And they w ere compared to control values. The obtained results were as follows: 1. The surviving curve with gentle slope was obtained after irradiation of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10Gy on YAC-1 cell line. 2. The cytotoxicity of bleomycin or cisplatin was increased significantly at all concentration of 0.2microgram/ml, microgram/ml an d 20microgram/ml on YAC-1 cell line (P<0.01). 3. There were no significant differences of surviving fractions among 4Gy, 6Gy, and 8Gy after irradiation of each radia tion dose with 2microgram/ml of bleomycin compared with irradiation only on YAC-1 cell line(P<0.05). 5. There were significant differences of surviving fractions between the groups of irradiation only and the groups of i rradiation with 2microgram/ml of bleomycin or cisplatin at all doses of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10Gy on YAC-1 cell line(P<0.05).
Animals ; Bleomycin ; Cell Line* ; Cisplatin ; Lymphoma ; Mice ; Radiation Tolerance* ; Radiotherapy

OBJECTIVE: To develop an immunoassay system for the rapid measurement of beta-hCG in serum sample, we designed an immunochromatographic assay-based one-step assay that uses two monoclonal antibodies to beta-hCG as a sandwich pair. METHODS: The assay system is composed of a test strip housed within a cartridge for sample application and a laser-fluorescence scanner for quantification. The strip contains a sample pad, an absorption pad, and a nitrocellulose membrane where a capture antibody is immobilized and antigen-antibody reaction occurs. Ten L of serum was added to 60 L of detector solution, and the mixture was loaded onto the well of the sample pad on the cartridge. After incubation for 12 min, the cartridge was scanned for quantification with the laser-fluorescence scanner. RESULTS: No cross-reactivity was observed between beta hCG antibodies and other pituitary hormones. The calibration curve displayed linearity (R2=1) at concentrations of 0-1,000 IU/L. Intra- and interassay imprecisions were determined with serum samples to be their CVs within <6% and <7%, respectively. Analytical recovery was 103-108.4% in serum samples at three different concentrations. There was high correlation between beta-hCG concentrations measured by Boditech system and those measured by Abbot AxSYM system. CONCLUSION: The new fluorescence assay system is a convenient and fast method and can be used as a good tool for detection and quantification of beta-hCG in serum samples. Furthermore, the portable system allows us to perform the tests on a sampling site in any places without bringing the samples to a laboratory.
Absorption ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Antigen-Antibody Reactions ; Calibration ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Collodion ; Fluorescence* ; Immunoassay ; Immunochromatography* ; Membranes ; Pituitary Hormones

Vestibular neuritis is the second most common cause of peripheral vestibular vertigo. The key signs and symptoms are the acute onset of sustained rotatory vertigo without hearing loss, postural imbalance with Romberg's sign, and peripheral type nystagmus. Head thrust and caloric tests show ipsilateral hyporesponsiveness, but hearing test shows normal. Either an inflammation of the vestibular nerve or labyrinthine ischemia was proposed as a cause of vestibular neuritis. Recovery after vestibular neuritis is usually incomplete. Despite the assumed viral cause, the effects of corticosteroids, antiviral agents, or the two in combination are uncertain. Bilateral vestibulopathy is a rare disorder of the peripheral labyrinth or the eighth nerve. The most frequent etiologies include ototoxicity, autoimmune disorders, meningitis, neuropathies, sequential vestibular neuritis, cerebellar degeneration, tumors, and miscellaneous otological diseases. The two key symptoms are unsteadiness of gait and oscillopsia associated with head movements or when walking. The diagnosis is made with the simple bedside tests for defective vestibulo-ocular reflex (head thrust and dynamic visual acuity tests). Bilateral vestibulopathy is confirmed by the absence of nystagmus reaction to both caloric and rotatory chair tests. The spontaneous recovery is relatively rare and incomplete. Vestibular rehabilitation is supportive of the improvement, but the efficacy of physical therapy is limited.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Antiviral Agents ; Caloric Tests ; Ear Diseases ; Ear, Inner ; Gait ; Head ; Head Movements ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Tests ; Inflammation ; Ischemia ; Meningitis ; Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Nerve ; Vestibular Neuronitis ; Visual Acuity ; Walking

Scleredema is a rare scleradematosis of unknown cause involving the face, neck, upper portion of the trunk, and proximal upper extremities. The clinical features of the disease are nonpitting indurated edema or stiffness of the neck, which may be sudden or insidious in onset. Diabetes mellitus and its complications have been frequently described to be associated with this disease. We present a case of scleredema developed on the nape, upper portion of the back and shoulder in 60-year-old man who had been suffered from diabetes mellitus for the past ten years.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Edema ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Scleredema Adultorum* ; Shoulder ; Upper Extremity

We experienced a case of 16-year-old female with verruciform xanthoma transformed from lesions of epidermal nevus syndrome. The biopsy specimen of yellowish brown to red verrucous papule on the right buttock showed 1) uniform and verrucous acanthosis without cytological atypia, 2) parakeratosis and hyperkeratosis,3) variable foci of superficial necrosis with crusting and microabscess in the granular layer, 4) rete ridge elongation and papillomatosis, 5) characteristic foam cells located within the papillary dermis, but not below the rete ridges. Our case was diagnosed verruciform xanthoma by histopathologic finding which occured as a secondary development in lesions of epidermal nevus syndrome.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Buttocks ; Dermis ; Female ; Foam Cells ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Nevus ; Papilloma ; Parakeratosis ; Xanthomatosis*

This study was performed to find out the effect projection errors on cephalometric linear and angular measurements according to head rotation during taking lateral cephalometric radiography. Seventeen skulls with permanent dentition and on gross asymmetry were obtained from the Department of Anatomy, Medical School, Chosun University. Total 527 x-ray films were taken with 1degrees interval from the reference position(0degrees) to 15degrees around the vertical axis (Z axis) which is perpendicular to the midpoint of the connecting the center of two ear rods in submento-vertex direction. Statistical analysis was performed by paired t-test if there were statistically significant differences between the mean of the reference position(0degrees) and that of each rotation angle. The following results were obtained. 1. The projection errors of angular measurements were smaller than those of linear measurements. 2. The projection errors of angular measurements including midline landmarks were smaller than those including bilateral landmarks. 3. The horizontal linear measurements were gradually decreased when the skull was rotated toward the film, but slightly increased and then decreased when the skull was rotated toward the focal spot. However, the changes were smaller in focal direction. 4. The projection errors of horizontal linear measurements were larger than those of vertical linear measurements. 5. The projection errors of vertical linear measurements were increased with increased distance form the rotation axis to vertical measurements. It is concluded that the use of angular measurements rather than linear measurements is recommended to minimize the projection errors.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Dentition, Permanent ; Ear ; Head* ; Radiography ; Schools, Medical ; Skull ; X-Ray Film

BACKGROUND: It is known that hyperglycemia increase oxidative stress. Korean type 2 diabetic patients usually appear to be insulin deficient and insulin resistant. The blood glucose control can be normalized by the intensive insulin therapy. It has been reported that hyperinsulinemia have harmful effects on oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to determine whether continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy by insulin pump affects the defense mechanism of oxidative stress in Korean type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: Fasting blood from eighty three subjects was collected prior to starting CSII therapy using portable insulin pump and after hospitalization for 2 weeks. Serum and red blood cell lipid peroxide concentrations were analyzed by Yagi's methods. Serum tocopherol and vitamin C concentrations were measured by HPLC. Red blood cell glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were also measured. RESULTS: The mean age of subjects were 50.0+/-10.9 years, and they had diabetes for 8.4+/-5.8 years. Their average body mass index was 23.4+2.7 kg/m2. Their blood glucose levels were not controlled by oral hypoglycemic agents, diet and exercise treatment. Patients were divided into two categories according to blood glucose levels prior to CSII treatment. One category consists of patients with less than 11.1 mmol/L of average daily blood glucose levels prior to CSII treatment (the controlled group). The other category consists of patients with more than 11.1 mmol/L of average daily blood glucose levels (the uncontrolled group). Patients in the uncontrolled group had higher serum lipid peroxide levels than those in the controlled group before CSII therapy. After 2 weeks of CSII therapy, oxidative stress was not changed in controlled and uncontrolled groups. Serum insulin levels of all patients were increased after CSII treatment, but the levels before and after treatments were in the normal range, not hyperinsulinemic. Also, serum insulin levels did not correlate with serum lipid peroxide levels regardless of CSII treatment. Average serum vitamin C levels were remarkably increased after the therapy in all patients, but average serum total tocopherol levels was not altered. Also, activities of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase were not significantly changed. CONCLUSION: The blood glucose levels were normalized with the normal ranges of serum insulin levels after two weeks of CSII treatment. However, serum lipid peroxide levels were not changed even though serum vitamin C levels were increased. It is concluded that the oxidative stress of Korean type 2 diabetic patients are not changed after two weeks of CSII treatment, but there may be possibility the longer duation of CSII therapy may gradually improve oxidative stress.
Antioxidants ; Ascorbic Acid ; Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Catalase ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Diet ; Erythrocytes ; Fasting ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Hyperinsulinism ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Insulin* ; Oxidative Stress* ; Reference Values ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Tocopherols

BACKGROUND: Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most serious nosocomial infection of intensive care units. Several studies have investigated the relationship between the interval of ventilator circuit changes and the incidence of pneumonia in foreign countries, but there are no reports about it in Korea yet. So we performed this study to compare the clinical and cost impact between 3 days and 7 days interval in ventilator circuit changes. METHODS: Seoul National University Hospital is a 1,500-bed, university affiliated, tertiary and acute care hospital. All patients admitted to medical intensive care unit (MICU) and surgical intensive care unlt (SICU) between April 1, 1998 and October 31, 1998, requiring mechanical ventilation were included. Patients were divided into two groups of a-cay circuit changes and weekly changes. Daily surveillance was conducted using the criteria of VAP of the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System. Incidence of VAP and risk factors for VAP were evaluated. Standard microbiologic methods were used for the identification of clinical and environmental isolates. Statistical analysis was done by SAS Program (version 6.12), analysis of difference in variables was performed using chi-square test and t-test. Analysis of odds ratios was done with logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: VAP developed at a rate of 12.2 per 1,000 ventilator-days in the 3 days change group and 15.6 per 1,000 ventilator-days in the weekly change group (P=0.7240). The only statistically significant risk factor of VAP was duration of mechanical ventilation, The risk of VAP in patients with more than 7 days was 2.23 times higher than in patients with 7 days and below (OR; 2.2296). Estimated annual savings of nursing time by extending ventilator circuit change interval from 3 days to 7 days were 26,806 min 48 sec and estimated savings of cost by reduction of nursing times was calculated as 6,701,700 won. CONCLUSIONS: Weekly ventilator circuit changes in patients undergoing ventilation therapy in the ICU do not contribute to increased the rates of VAP and are cost-effective.
Cross Infection ; Humans ; Incidence ; Income ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Nursing ; Odds Ratio ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated* ; Prospective Studies* ; Respiration, Artificial ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Ventilation ; Ventilators, Mechanical