PURPOSE: This study was to determine the effect of DHEA administration before, during, and after dexamethasone treatment on body weight and TypeI,II muscle weight of rat receiving dexamethasone treatment. METHOD: Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: control(C), dexamethasone(D), DHEA administration for 3days after dexamethasone treatment for 7days(7D+3DH), dexamethasone treatment for 7days after DHEA administration for 3days(3DH+7D), DHEA administration during dexamethasone treatment for 4days after dexamethasone treatment for 3days(3D+4DDH), DHEA administration during dexamethasone treatment for 7days(7DDH). Dexamethasone was injected by subcutaneously daily at a dose of 5mg/kg. DHEA was orally administered daily at a dose of 5mg/kg for 7 days. Soleus(TypeI) muscle, and both plantaris and gastro- cnemius(TypeII) muscles were dissected on the 7th day of experiment. RESULT: Body weight of both 3DH+7D group and 3D+4DDH group increased significantly compared with that of 7D group. Body weight of 7D+3DH group decreased significantly compared with that of 7D group, 7DDH group, 3DH+7D group and 3D+4DDH group. Muscle weight of both plantaris and gastro- cnemius tended to decrease compared with that of 7D group. Muscle weight of 7DDH group, 3D+4DDH group and 3DH+7D group increased significantly compared with that of 7D+3DH group. Muscle weight of gastrocnemius of both 3DH+7D group and 3D+4DDH group increased significantly compared with that of 7D group. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, it can be suggested that DHEA administration before and during dexamethasone treatment can increase both body weight and mass of atrophied TypeII muscle induced by dexa- methasone treatment.
Animals ; Body Weight* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone* ; Dexamethasone* ; Muscles* ; Rats* ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVES: To summarize the evidence regarding the association of parity and breast feeding duration with the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Korean women. This was because studies have been inconsistent regarding the effect of parity and breast feeding duration on the risk of osteoporosis. METHODS: A systematic literature search of relevant studies published by December 26, 2018 was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, RISS, KISS, KMbase, and KoreaMed. Outcome estimates of odds ratio (OR) or standardized mean difference were pooled with fixed or random-effect model. In case of heterogeneity, subgroup analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Seven cross-sectional studies (with 3,813 subjects) were included in the analysis. OR for osteoporosis was 1.43 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09–1.88, P = 0.010) in postmenopausal women with higher parity compared to those with less parity. Moreover, OR for osteoporosis was 1.93 (95% CI = 1.28–2.93, P = 0.002) in postmenopausal women with longer durations of breast feeding than in those with shorter durations of breast feeding. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that duration of breast feeding increased the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Korean women. More cohort studies with high quality research designs are needed to confirm our results.
Bone Density ; Breast Feeding ; Breast ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Osteoporosis ; Parity ; Population Characteristics ; Postmenopause ; Research Design

PURPOSE: To analyse the causes and radiologic findings in patients with mediastinitis and to evaluate theefficacy of chest CT scanning in patients with delayed diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen patients withhistopathologically(n=15) or cliniclly diagnosed(n=2) mediastinitis were involved in this study. Eleven of theformer group underwent surgery, and in four, tube drainage was performed. All underwent chest radiography and CTscanning, and in seven patients, the causes of delayed diagnosis were analysed. RESULTS: The most common cause ofmediastinitis was esophageal rupture (n=11). Others were extension from neck abscess to the mediastinum(n=3),complications after a Benthall procedure(n=1), tuberculous lymphadenitis (n=1) and mycotic aneurysm(n=1). Patientswith esophageal rupture suffered from underlying diseases such as esophageal cancer(n=2), iatrogenic esophagealrupture(n=2), Boerhaave's syndrome(n=2), and esophagitis(n=1). In patients with neck abscess(n=3), each wassecondary to infected cystic hygroma, Ludwig angina, or deep neck infection, respectively. On chest CT, patientswith esophageal rupture(n=11) had an abscess in the posterior mediastinum; nine abscesses extended to the cervicalarea along the retropharyngeal space, and the patient with Ludwig angina had an abscess involving all compartmentsof the mediastinum. Among the total of 17 patients, diagnostic delays were found in seven, while five hadspontaneous esophageal ruptures and two suffered complications after a Benthall procedure and Tbc lymphadenitis,respectively. The causes of diagnostic delay varied. Among seven patients, pnevmonia was initially diagnosed intwo, who were treated ; one had multiorgan failure, and one was suffering from pericardial effusion and lungabscess. In three other patients, chest radiographs initially showed non-specific findings, leading to delayed CTexamination. CONCLUSION: The most common cause of mediastinitis was esophageal rupture, and in these patients,chest radiographs and clinical symptoms were sometimes not specific. CT was valuable for the detection ofmediastinitis, and for early diagnosis can be the modality of choice.
Abscess ; Delayed Diagnosis* ; Drainage ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Ludwig's Angina ; Lymphangioma, Cystic ; Mediastinitis* ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Pericardial Effusion ; Radiography ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Rupture ; Thorax* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node

Objectives: : We estimated the overall and age-specific percentages of the Korean population with presumed immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as of April 2022 using the national registry. Methods: : We used the national coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and vaccination registry from South Korea, as described to define individuals with a previous history of COVID-19 infection, vaccination, or both, as persons with presumed immunity. Results: : Of a total of 53,304,627 observed persons, 24.4% had vaccination and infection, 58.1% had vaccination and no infection, 7.6% had infection and no vaccination, and 9.9% had no immunity. The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged at a time when the presumed population immunity ranged from 80% to 85%; however, nearly half of the children were presumed to have no immunity. Conclusion : We report a gap in population immunity, with lower presumed protection in children than in adults. The approach presented in this work can provide valuable informed tools to assist vaccine policy-making at a national level.

OBJECTIVE: The cytogenetic analysis for earlier detection of fetal chromosome aneuploidies is performed from chorionic villus using either long-term culture or direct chromosome preparation. To analyze the cause of pregnancy loss, we also attempt the cytogenetic study in product of conception(POC) using chorionic villi or fetal tissue. But the failure of analysis often occurs in direct preparation of villus cells and product of conception(POC). We studied to evaluate the clinical usefulness of FISH in uncultured chorionic villus cells of culture-failed cases. METHODS: According to the patient's indication, we performed FISH for chromosome 18, 21, X and Y in chorionic villi as well as POC and compared FISH results with their chromosomal studies. RESULTS: We found one trisomy 18 and one trisomy 21 in Chorionic Villus Sampling and one trisomy 18 and one monosomy X(45, X) in POC. The averages for accuracy of FISH were 83-91% and all cases are represented consistent results with their chromosomal studies. Among them, we could analyze using FISH only in 5 cases of culture failure including one case of monosomy X in POC. CONCLUSION: We could detect aneuploidy with uncultured chorionic villus cells in case of culture failure, using FISH, it may be the potential method to assist the cytogenetic study.
Aneuploidy ; Chorion* ; Chorionic Villi Sampling ; Chorionic Villi* ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Cytogenetics ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Fetus ; Monosomy ; Pregnancy ; Trisomy ; Turner Syndrome

Regional myocardial blood flow (rMBF) can be noninvasively quantified using N-13 ammonia and dynamic positron emission tomography (PET). The quantitative accuracy of the rMBF values, however, is affected by the distortion of myocardial PET images caused by finite PET image resolution and cardiac motion. Although different methods have been developed to correct the distortion typically classified as partial volume effect and spillover, the methods are too complex to employ in a routine clinical environment. We have developed a refined method incorporating a geometric model of the volume representation of a region-of-interest (ROI) into the two- compartment N-13 ammonia model. In the refined model, partial volume effect and spillover are conveniently corrected by an additional parameter in the mathematical model. To examine the accuracy of this approach, studies were performed in 9 coronary artery disease patients. Dynamic transaxial images (16 frames) were acquired with a GE AdvanceTM PET scanner simultaneous with intravenous injection of 20 mCi N-13 ammonia. rMBF was examined at rest and during pharmacologically (dipyridamole) induced coronary hyperemia. Three sectorial myocardium (septum, anterior wall and lateral wall) and blood pool time-activity curves were generated using dynamic images from manually drawn ROIs. The accuracy of rMBF values estimated by the refined method was examined by comparing to the values estimated using the conventional two-compartment model without partial volume effect correction. rMBF values obtained by the refined method linearly correlated with rMBF values obtained by the conventional method (108 myocardial segments, correlation coefficient (r)=0.88). Additionally, underestimated rMBF values by the conventional method due to partial volume effect were corrected by theoretically predicted amount in the refined method (slope(m)=1.57). Spillover fraction estimated by the two methods agreed well (r=1.00, m=0.98). In conclusion, accurate rMBF values can be efficiently quantified by t.
Ammonia* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Injections, Intravenous ; Models, Theoretical ; Myocardium ; Positron-Emission Tomography

The incidence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is known to be affected by sex hormone. Patients with Klinefelter's syndrome were reported to have abnormal sex hormonal metabolism and their chronic estrogenic stimulation seems to affect the pathogenesis of SLE. Therefore, association of SLE and Klinefelter's syndrome has been considered as a clue of the effect of sex hormone on SLE. We report the first case of Klinefelter's syndrome in a patient with SLE in Korea and discuss the association of SLE with Klinefelter's syndrome.
Estrogens ; Humans ; Incidence ; Klinefelter Syndrome* ; Korea ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Metabolism

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy or Rosai-Dorfman disease(RDD) is a rare type of histiocytosis syndrome, that presents in its most typical form as massive, painless, bilateral lymph node enlargement in the neck during the first or second decade of life. The disease involves extranodal site in over 25% to 43% of the cases, however cases of extranodal RDD without nodal disease have rarely been reported. The involved sites of extranodal RDD have been reported various that were orbit, ocular adnexae, head and neck, upper respiratory tract, breast, gastrointestinal tract, CNS, etc. A 35 year-old man was present with pleural pain on left anterior chest and anterior mediastinal mass, that underwent an excision to remove the suspected invasive thymoma, and the diagnosis was confirmed to extranodal Rosai-Dorfman disease.
Adult ; Breast ; Diagnosis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Head ; Histiocytosis ; Histiocytosis, Sinus* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Mediastinum* ; Neck ; Orbit ; Respiratory System ; Thorax ; Thymoma

OBJECTIVE: To determine the fetal aneuploidy in fetal blood cells from cordocentesis. METHODS: We analyzed their karyotype and performed fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH) for chromosome 18, 21, X, and Y in 14 cases of fetal blood cells from cordocentesis at Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University and Hamchoon Women's Clinic. RESULTS: In all cases we obtained the consistent results in both methods and were able to rapidly detect aneuploidy in uncultured fetal blood cells using FISH before karyotyping with culture for 48 hr. The averages for accuracy of FISH were from 84.6 % to 93.9%. CONCLUSION: In this study we suggest that the rapid detection in uncultured fetal blood using FISH is possible and that this diagnostic method will be clinically useful when rapid result would be demanded.
Aneuploidy* ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 ; Cordocentesis ; Fetal Blood* ; Fluorescence* ; Gynecology ; In Situ Hybridization* ; Karyotype ; Karyotyping ; Obstetrics ; Seoul