PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of magnetization transfer contrast(MTC) andfat-suppression(FS) in variable spin-echo and gradient-echo sequences for articular cartilage imaging and todetermine the optimal pulse sequences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using variable 7-pulse sequences, the knees of 15pigs were imaged Axial images were obtained using proton density and T2-weighted spin-echo (PDWSE and T2WSE),turbo spin-echo (TSE), multiplanar gradient-echo (MPGR), and 3D steady-state gradient-echo (3DGRE) sequences, andthe same pulse sequences were then repeated using MTC. Also T1-weighted spin-echo(T1WSE) and 3D spoiledgradient-echo(3DSPGR) images of knees were also acquired, and the procedure was repeated using FS. For each knee,a total of 14 axial images were acquired, and using a 6-band scoring system, the visibility of and thevisibilities of the the articular cartilage was analyzed. The visual effect of MTC and FS was scored using a4-band scale. For each image, the signal intensities of articular cartilage, subchondral bone, muscles, and salinewere measured, and signal-to-noise ratios(SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios(CNR) were also calculated. RESULTS: Visibility of the cartilage was best when 3DSPGR and T1WSE sequences were used. MTC imaging increased the negativecontrast between cartilage and saline, but FS imaging provided more positive contrast. CNR between cartilage andsaline was highest when using TSE with FS(-3 5 1 . 1 +/-15.3), though CNR between cartilage and bone then fell to-1 4 . 7 +/-10.8. In MTC imaging using MPGR showed the greatest increase of negative contrast between cartilage andsaline(CNR change=-74.7); the next highest was when 3DGRE was used(CNR change=-34.3). CNR between cartilage andbone was highest with MPGR(161.9 +/-17.7), but with MTC, the greatest CNR decrease(-81.8) was observed. Thegreatest CNR increase between cartilage and bone was noted in T1WSE with FS. In all scans, FS provided acartilage-only positive contrast image, though the absolute value of CNR was lower than that of MTC imaging. CONCLUSION: The most prominent effects of MTC and FS were seen in MPGR and T1WSE, respectively, though forcartilage, optimal high signal intensity and contrast can be achieved using 3DGRE with MTC, and 3DSPGR with FS.
Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular* ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Muscles ; Protons

Acrysof intraocular lens (IOL) (Alcon,Dallas,USA), the first commercially available foldable acrylic IOL, which was approved for marketing in the United states on December, 1994 and in the Korea on August, 1997.It is made with an acrylic/methacrylic polymer. Characteristics of the Acrysofistiguished from commonly used foldable silicon IOLs include improved elastic properties (not slippery when wet), slow and controlled unfolding, and a high refractory index resulting in a thinner lens. We experienced vacuolesin Acrysof IOLs which has no visual influence in 4 cases and report this unusual cases with a review of available literature.
Korea ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Marketing ; Polymers ; Silicones ; United States ; Vacuoles*

Aplasia cutis congenita is a rare disease presenting in the newborn infant as localized areas of skin defect. Its association with a number of congenital malformations is well documented. I observed a newborn infant with typical aplasia cutis congenita. The skin defect of my case was found on the posterior fontanelle without any congenital malformation. Diagnosis was made by history, clinical and histopathological findings.
Cranial Fontanelles ; Diagnosis ; Ectodermal Dysplasia ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Leprosy* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Lymphocytes* ; Rare Diseases ; Skin

This erratum is being published to revise the website address of the Korean Reference Genome Database (KRGDB) and correct two typographical errors in the article.

The combined congenital malformation of partiaI or complete absence of the pectoralis main muscle and webbing of the fingers, on the same side, was first described by Poland in 1841. The syndrome is not hereditary and is of unknown origin and is affects male more frequently than female. The clinical features are variable but always include congenital aplasia of the stemorostal head of the pectoralls major muscle and syndactyly. The syndectely should be treated by the age of one year and complened before the preschool age. A case of Poland's syndrome is presented with a brief review of literatures.
Female ; Fingers ; Head ; Humans ; Male ; Poland Syndrome ; Poland ; Syndactyly

The authors have reviewed 16 cases of the fracture of the femoral neck in children which were treated at Pusan Gospel Hospital during the period of 5 years from March 1975 to January 1980. 12 of the 16 fractures of femoral neck had sustained the injury by automobile accidents. The ratio between boy and girl was 1.6:1. There were five Type-II (Transcervical), nine Type-III (Cervicotrochanteric) and two Type-IV (In-tertrochanteric) femoral fractures by Delbets classiflcation. 2. cases of undisplaced and displaced Type-IV were treated with abduction plaster spics cast. 14 cases, which were displced and had associated injury, were reduced by closed reduction and internal fixation with hagie pin, cortical screw and cancellous screw under general anesthesia. 11 of 16 cases were followed for 7 months to 29 months, average 14 months. The results were rated according to criterias of the Ratliff. Satisfactory results were obtained in 9 cases and those of 5 cases were treated by closed reduction and internal fixation wlth cancellous screw. Pain was developed in a Type-II and Type-II due to loosening of metal devices for internal fixation.
Anesthesia, General ; Automobiles ; Busan ; Child ; Female ; Femoral Fractures ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Male ; Spine

Between May, 1984 and October, 1986, twenty patients were treated at Han-Ra Hospital of JejuCity and Chung-Ang University Hospital of Seoul with immediate internal fixation with or without bone graft of open fractures of the long bones within three days. Fractured bones were ten tibiae, six femurs, three humeri and one radius and ulna. The injuries were classified on the basis of extent of soft tissue injury as defined by Gustilo and Anderson and consisted of four TypeI injuries, five Type II injuries and eleven Type III injuries. All wounds were closed primarily and radiological follow up was qhecked every month till union occurred. The complications included two deep infections, one non-union and one amputation. This study demonstrates that immediate internal fixation with bone graft when necessary is a beneficial method of treatment of open fractures of the long bones if copious irrigation, adequate debridement and skillful internal fixation technique are given golden period after injury. The results were related to the severity of the initial soft tissue injury and surgical technique and the period of union was not related to the individual bone. Autogenous bone grafting at the time of immediate internal fixation in comminuted or segmental fractures in which interfragmental compression cannot be obtained is recommended.
Amputation ; Bone Transplantation ; Debridement ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Open ; Humans ; Methods ; Radius ; Seoul ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; Tibia ; Transplants ; Ulna ; Wounds and Injuries

A 35 year old woman, gravid 5, multiparous, was admitted to our department at 6 weeks and 5 days of gestation after being diagnosed with cervical pregnancy. Before the evacuation, the uterine arteries were embolized using angiographic techniques. As a result, dilatation and curettage were performed with minimal hemorrhage. We report one case of cervical pregnancy managed, successfully with preoperative uterine artery embolization and evacuation.
Adult ; Dilatation and Curettage ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Pregnancy* ; Uterine Artery Embolization* ; Uterine Artery*

BACKGROUND: Sunscreens have been used widely to prevent the photosensitive skin diseases, skin cancer, and skin aging. However, no sunscreen blocks all kinds of effects caused by ultraviolet light(UVL), and the effect of sunscreens on the impairment of immune function by UVL irradiation is controversial. OBJECTIVE: We try to evaluate the efficiency of sunscreens for blocking the depletion of LC induced by UVB irradiation. METHOD: The ATPase positive LCs were observed in the skin of hairless mice(Hr+/Kud) irradiated by UVB with or without topical application of sunscreens. Two commercially available sunscreens with respective SPF 8 and SPF 30 were applied to the dorsal trunk skin. The mice were irradiated with different increasing doses of UVB at a single time. RESULTS: The ATPase positive LCs in the irradiated dorsal and ear skin were significantly de-creased in densities according to the dosage, and apparently revealed a loss of their dendrites, granulation, and clumping from a UVB dose of more than 60mJ/Cm2. With both sun-screen treatment on the dorsal trunk before irradiation, the densities of LCs on the dorsal skin were significantly higher compared to the un-treated groups at all ranges of UVB doses in spite of a dose dependent decrease in their density. However there was no significant difference on their preventive effect between both sunscreens(SPF 8 and SPF 30) except at high UVB dos-es of more than 240mJ/Cm². CONCLUSION: The LC depletion induced by UVB can be partially protected through the topical application of a sunscreen at a UVB dose dependent fashion. However SPF(sun protective factor) dose not appear to be a good indicator for evaluating sunscreens immunologically.
Adenosine Triphosphatases ; Animals ; Dendrites ; Ear ; Langerhans Cells* ; Methods ; Mice ; Mice, Hairless* ; Skin ; Skin Aging ; Skin Diseases ; Skin Neoplasms ; Sunscreening Agents*

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged* ; Myofibroblasts