To evaluate the possibility of Dacron patch for artificial sclera. Dacron(polyethylene terephthalate) which is readily available, biocompatable, safe, and inert synthetic material was implanted in the area of full-thickness scleral defect in rabbits. The histopathologic examinations showed that fibrovascular tissue invested into all interstices of Dacron filaments and fibroconnective tissue encapsulation around Dacron patch had strong connection with collagen fibers of recipient sclera at 4 weeks after graft There were no adverse reactions such as retinal detachment and fibrous proliferation into the vitreous cavity except mild inflammatory response of surrounding tissue at the early postoperative stage. As a result, Dacron graft showed successful firm adhesion to the recipient sclera without serious complications. Thus, We think that Dacron could possibly be used, instead of donor sclera, as artificial scleral graft material for the surgical treatment of perforating scleral diseases.
Collagen ; Humans ; Polyethylene Terephthalates* ; Rabbits* ; Retinal Detachment ; Sclera ; Scleral Diseases ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants*

Recently, a hydroxyapatite sphere has been increasingly used as a buried integrated orbital implant for the great improved motility of the prosthesis after enucleation. To allow more rapid ascess of vasculature into the hydroxyapatite implant, Dacron as a new synthetic wrapping material of the implant for anophthalmic sockets had been used and compared histologically with donor sclera in rabbits. At 4 weeks after implantation, fibrovascular ingrowth was found mainly near the scleral windows, where fibrosis extended 2 mm centrally in scleral-wrapped implants. In Contrast, in Dacron-wrapped implants, there was extensive fibrovascular infiltration through Dacron filaments and windows as well, making the hydroxyapatite sphere completely invested with fibrovascular tissue to the center within 4 weeks of implantation. Thus, Dacron as a new wrapping material appears to allow a more rapid vascularization into the hydroxyapatite implant than other collagen material without any serious complications, resulting in early rehabilitation with an artificial eye.
Collagen ; Durapatite* ; Eye, Artificial ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Orbital Implants ; Polyethylene Terephthalates* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Rabbits ; Rehabilitation ; Sclera* ; Tissue Donors*

Duodenal varix is a rare site of hemorrhage in patients with portal hypertension, but its rupture is a serious and often fatal event. They can be diagnosed by means of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, selective superior mesenteric artery angiography, slenoportogram. Especially, upper gastroduodenal endoscopy is the diagnostic procedure of choice in diagnosing duodenal varices. Treatment modalities for bleeding duodenal varices are sclerotherapy, varix ligation, portocaval shunt, and duodenal resection. Endoscopic sclerotherapy has limited success in controlling active duodenal varix. Endoscopic ligation with a detachable snare is a useful therapeutic measure in the treatment of bleeding duodenal varices. Wc report a patient with bleeding duodenal varix, successfully treated by means of endoscopic ligation with a detachable snare. The endoscopic examination showed spurting bleeding from dilated vessel at the third portion of the duodenum. We successfully controlled the bleeding duodenal varix by means of endoscopic ligation with a detachable snare.
Angiography ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Ligation* ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Rupture ; Sclerotherapy ; SNARE Proteins* ; Varicose Veins*

PURPOSE: The aim of the this study was to evaluate the effect of various perinatal conditions on TSH and thyroid hormone levels in cord blood. METHODS: Cord blood samples were collected from 130 neonates immediately after birth. TSH, T3, and free T4 levels were measured by the radioimmunoassay(RIA) method. The effects of gestational age, sex, birth weight, delivery method, perinatal asphyxia, maternal diabetes mellitus(DM), and preeclampsia on TSH and thyroid hormone levels were assessed by ANOVA test, Student t-test, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Birth weight and sex did not affect TSH and thyroid hormone levels. TSH level increased according to gestational age(P<0.05). TSH level was 4.42+/-0.66 microIU/mL in infants born vaginally, which was higher than that of cesarian section delivery(3.31+/-0.33 microIU/mL)(P<0.05). TSH level was 5.18+/-0.93 microIU/mL in asphyxiated newborns and 2.97+/-0.84 microIU/mL in non-asphyxiated newborns(P< 0.05). TSH level in infants with maternal DM(8.911+/-1.25 microIU/mL) was higher than that of infants without maternal DM(4.32+/-0.42 microIU/mL)(P<0.05). TSH level was 5.28+/-0.42 microIU/mL in infants with maternal preeclampsia and 3.65+/-0.46 microIU/mL in infants without maternal preeclampsia(P<0.05). Thyroid hormones were lower in infants with perinatal asphyxia(P<0.05). In asphyxiated infants, T3 level was 75.33+/-55.65 ng/mL and free T4 was 0.54+/-0.21 ng/mL. T3 and free T4 level was 109.85+/-41.77 ng/mL and 0.76+/-0.22 ng/mL each in infants without perinatal asphyxia. Among the perinatal factors, gestational age, 1 min Apgar score and maternal DM influenced TSH level independently. CONCLUSION: In our study, cord blood TSH and thyroid hormone levels were affected by perinatal stress events.
Apgar Score ; Asphyxia ; Birth Weight ; Fetal Blood* ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Parturition ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Hormones ; Thyrotropin

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Korean version of Interpersonal Reactivity Index (K-IRI). METHODS: A total of 484 participants were included in this study. Internal consistency and test/retest reliability (n=35) were examined. Criterion validity of the K-IRI was assessed against Affective Dimension of the 3D-Wisdom Scale. Factor analyses were also performed using principal component analysis with varimax rotation. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the K-IRI was 0.80, and test-retest reliability was 0.76. Criterion validity was evaluated by correlating the K-IRI with the Affective Dimension of 3D-Wisdom Scale (r=0.31). Factor analyses revealed factor structures similar to the original IRI. CONCLUSION: The K-IRI appeared to be a reliable and valid instrument for assessing empathy in the Korean population. This suggests that this scale may be applicable in clinical trials, research, and clinical practice.
Empathy ; Principal Component Analysis ; Reproducibility of Results

We investigated the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants in Korea using the Korean Neonatal Network (KNN) data. In total, 2,386 VLBW infants born from January 2013 to June 2014 were prospectively registered. BPD was defined as supplemental oxygen or positive pressure support at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA). The overall incidence of BPD was 28.9%, and the overall mortality rate in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) was 11.9%. To investigate recent changes in the incidence of BPD among VLBW infants, we compared the BPD rate in the present study with the latest nationwide retrospective survey conducted between 2007 and 2008. For comparison, we selected infants (23-31 weeks of gestation) (n=1,990) to adjust for the same conditions with the previous survey in 2007-2008 (n=3,841). Among the limited data on VLBW infants (23-31 weeks of gestation), the incidence of BPD increased by 85% (from 17.8% to 33.0%) and the mortality rate in the NICU decreased by 31.4% (from 18.8% to 12.9%) compared to those in the study conducted in 2007-2008. The current trend of increase in the incidence of BPD among infants can be attributed to the increase in the survival rate of VLBW infants.
Apgar Score ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/*epidemiology/mortality ; Databases, Factual ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn ; *Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate

Acardiac twin is a rare complication of multifetal gestation occurring in 1% of monozygotic twin pregnancies and 1 of 35,000 pregnancies. Acardia shows various other defects in addition to the absence of heart and the most common form is the acardius, acephalus, in which there is an absence of the fetal head and thoracic organs. The presence of an acardiac twin requires the normal (or "pump") twin to provide circulation for itself, as well as the acardiac (or "perfused") sibling. The mortality is 100% for the acardiac or perfused twin and for pump twin is about 50%, resulting from heart failure, prematurity, or cord entanglement. We report two cases of acardiac anomalies at 32 weeks gestation in 30 year-old primigravida woman and 26 weeks gestation in 30 year-old multigravida. A brief review of the literature is included.
Adult ; Female ; Head ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Siblings ; Twins, Monozygotic

There are several reports suggesting Helicobacter pylori can initiate and perpetuate idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and eradication of H. pylori can increase the platelet counts, however, the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with ITP is similar to that found in the general population and a recovery of thrombocytopenia after H. pylori eradication therapy has not been identified reliably. We report three different cases of H. pylori infected patients with ITP who recovered completely after eradication of H. pylori. The first case was refractory, the second was recurred after conventional treatment for ITP, and the third was treated with H. pylori eradication on first line treatment. We believe that the eradication of H. pylori is useful in some patients with ITP in Korea and well controlled randomized study is necessary for further identification of such population.
Helicobacter ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Korea ; Platelet Count ; Prevalence ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; Thrombocytopenia

No abstract available.
Perfusion* ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach*

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the additive effect of the Hedera helix (HH) and Rhizoma coptidis (RC) extracts mixture on antitussive and expectorant activities in animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expectorant assay was performed with phenol red secretion in mice trachea. Mice or guinea pigs were randomly divided into groups of 8 each, including negative and positive control groups. After gastric administration of the test extracts in mice, 2.5% phenol red solution (0.2 mL) was intraperitoneally injected. Trachea was dissected and optical density of tracheal secretion was measured. After gastric administration of the test extracts in guinea pigs, the antitussive activities were assessed using a citric acid-induced cough measurement. RESULTS: The extracts of HH and RC significantly increased tracheal secretion and inhibited cough. The mixture of HH and RC extracts in a 1:1 concentration at a dose of 200 mg/kg showed a more potent effect on phenol red secretion (25.25+/-3.14) and cough inhibition (61.25+/-5.36) than the individual use of each extracts [phenol red secretion; HH 13.39+/-4.22 (p=0.000), RC 20.78+/-2.50 (p=0.010), cough inhibition; HH 9.89+/-4.14 (p=0.010), RC 30.25+/-7.69 (p=0.000)]. A 3:1 ratio mixture of HH to RC demonstrated an optimal expectorant effect (p<0.001), and this mixture showed expectorant and antitussive effects in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence for antitussive and expectorant effect of a 3:1 mixture of HH and RC, which may be a useful therapeutic option for respiratory diseases.
Animals ; Antitussive Agents/*administration & dosage/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; *Behavior, Addictive ; Cough/*drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/*administration & dosage/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Ethanol ; Expectorants/*administration & dosage/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Guinea Pigs ; Hedera/*chemistry/metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts/*pharmacology ; Plant Roots/chemistry ; Trachea/drug effects/metabolism