No abstract available.
DNA* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

BACKGROUND: The verse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been widely used to analyze the bcr/abl fusion mRNA in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Fresh or cryopreserved cells may not always be available for molecular diagnosis. So we investigated the value of stored bone marrow aspirate smears as the sources of material for the detection of bcr/abl mRNA. METHODS: We extracted RNA using modified Chomczynski method, and amplified bcr/abl mRNA by RT-PCR from the 70 cases of bone marrow smear slides stored from 7 days to 7 years, which were comprised of 49 CML, 11 other chronic myeloproliferative disorders (CMPD) and 10 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Sensitivity of RT-PGR was tested using the slide smears prepared with 10(0)-10(6) K562 cells, and RT-PCR results losing each fresh bone marrow cellular suspension and slide smears in 24 patients were compacted. For major bcr/abl rearrangement, RT-PCR was performed by nested PGR afters GDNA synthesis losing downward primer and beta2-microglobulin was used as RNA controls. RESULTS: The sensitivity of RT-PCR for detecting bcr/abl mRNA was l02 cells per slide. Sixty one cases (86%) of 70 bone marrow aspirate smears showed positive results of beta2-micyoglobulin cDNA as an indicator of intact RNA. Thirty nine cases of 42 beta2-microglobulin cDNA positive CML bone marrow aspirate smears showed 29 b3a2 type mRNA and 10 b2a2 type mRNA. Nine cases of 11 bone marrow aspirate smear with other CMPD showed negative results of bcr/abl mRNA. Two cases of 10 ALL bone mallow aspirate smears had b2a2 type mRNA and b3a2 type mRNA, respectively. The results for detection of bcr/abl mRNA with fresh cell suspensions of 24 patients were same as the bone marrow aspirate smears storied for 7 days to 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicated that RNA obtained from bone marrow smears storied for less than 1 year was valuable as the source of RT-PGR for the detection of bcr/abl mRNA in CML and the bone marrow smears stored for much longer period ould be assailable as the specimens for retrospective analysis of specific gene alter-ation in other hematologic malignancy.
Bone Marrow* ; Diagnosis ; DNA, Complementary ; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Retrospective Studies ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger* ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase* ; Suspensions

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of emergency cervical cerclage in the treatment of advanced cervical incompetence, a prospective clinical trial was performed in 18 patients with advanced cervical incompetence at 20 to 25 weeks gestation. Modified McDonalds operation with or without transabdominal amniocentesis was used for cervical cerclage. Pregnancy was prolonged for a sufficient time to deliver viable fetuses in 56.3% of patients. The median procedure-to-delivery interval was 8.6 (range 0.1 to 20.5) weeks for the entire group, and 13.9 (range 6.5 to 20.5) weeks for 9 patients who achieved live birth. The median gestational age at delivery was 38.6 (range 28.3 to 41.0) weeks for the live infants. The median birthweight of the live infants was 3062 g (range 1050 to 3620 g). The lack of significant matemal morbidity combined with the results for the fetus-infant supports further efforts in this area.
Amniocentesis ; Cerclage, Cervical ; Emergencies* ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Live Birth ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies

The purpose of this study was to take the right direction and meet the requirements of newspaper function about child health through evaluation of child health information articles in newspapers. Data were collected 4 main daily newspaper by selecting child health information articles during 1 year from January 1 to December 31, 1998. The results of this study are as follows. The frequency according to health category, disease treatment(47.7%) topped followed by health maintenance?promotion(28.8%), growth?development(12.1%), disease prevention(11.4%). The frequency according to WHO international disease classification, infectious disease (23.6%) take most. In evaluation area of child health information, practical usage(3.78) topped followed by accuracy(3.68), comprehensiveness(3.64), clearness (3.48), concreteness(3.33).
Child ; Child* ; Classification ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Newspapers* ; Child Health* ; Periodicals

The purpose of this study was to take the right direction and meet the requirements of newspaper function about child health through evaluation of child health information articles in newspapers. Data were collected 4 main daily newspaper by selecting child health information articles during 1 year from January 1 to December 31, 1998. The results of this study are as follows. The frequency according to health category, disease treatment(47.7%) topped followed by health maintenance?promotion(28.8%), growth?development(12.1%), disease prevention(11.4%). The frequency according to WHO international disease classification, infectious disease (23.6%) take most. In evaluation area of child health information, practical usage(3.78) topped followed by accuracy(3.68), comprehensiveness(3.64), clearness (3.48), concreteness(3.33).
Child ; Child* ; Classification ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Newspapers* ; Child Health* ; Periodicals

No abstract available.
Health Promotion*

OBJECTIVE: To examine the synergistic effects of both computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CACR) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on cognitive function in patients with stroke. METHODS: The current double-blind, sham-controlled study enrolled a total of 11 patients who were newly diagnosed with stroke. The patients of the tDCS group (n=6) completed sessions of the Korean computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation program five times a week for 30 minutes a session during a mean period of 18.5 days concomitantly with the anodal tDCS over the bilateral prefrontal cortex combined with the CACR. The patients of the control group (n=5) also completed sessions of the sham stimulation during a mean period of 17.8 days. Anodal tDCS over bilateral prefrontal cortex (F3 and F4 in 10-20 EEG system) was delivered for 30 minutes at an intensity of 2 mA. Cathode electrodes were applied to the non-dominant arm. All the patients were evaluated using the Seoul Computerized Neuropsychological Test (SCNT) and the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination. RESULTS: Mann-Whitney U test revealed a significant difference between the two groups. The patients of the tDCS group achieved a significant improvement in the post/pre ratio of auditory continuous performance test and visual continuous performance test on the SCNT items. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the concomitant use of the tDCS with CACR to the prefrontal cortex may provide additional beneficial effects in improving the cognitive dysfunction for patients with stroke.
Arm ; Electrodes ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Pilot Projects* ; Prefrontal Cortex* ; Rehabilitation* ; Seoul ; Stroke*

No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

The association of major fetal malformations with amniotic bands has been known for many years. However, we are apt to ignore the possibility of amniotic band syndrome. In this case, fetal anencephaly was diagnosed at 17 weeks, menstrual age on the basis of sonographic findings. Following pregnancy termination, examination of the abortus rev- ealed the cerebral remnant which is similar to that found in dysraphic anencephaly, but collateral evidence of amniotic band was found. Therefore, when confronted with severe cranial or cerebral malformation amniotic band syndrome should be in the differential dia- gnosis.
Amniotic Band Syndrome* ; Anencephaly* ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Skin* ; Ultrasonography

This studly was perormed 10 define the role of compulerized quantitative analysis in ewalualion for overexpression of p53 by immunohistochemistry. Total and ladeled cells wers counted automatically using commercially available software for color-image analysis. In 16 uterine cerwical carcinomas, the p53 ladeling index calculted bycomputerized5quantitatiwe analysis was 9.22%+/-8.70% and by visual analysis 5.90+/-6.51%. The present results suggest that the computerized quantitative analysis may be valuadle in objective interetation of immunohistochemical expression of p53 and reliable than conventional ways of visual analysis.
Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry