PURPOSE: Intraventricular hemorrhage(IVH) is a major risk factor for neurodevelop- mental handicap in very low birth weight infant. So we carried out to determine the efficacy of indomethacin in reducing the incidence of intraventricular heorrhage in very low birth weight infant. METHODS: A prospective, random trial was carried out to determine the efficacy of indomethacin in preventing intraventricular hemorrhage. A total of 46 infants of less than 1500g birth weight admitted to NICU of IL Sin Christian Hospital from August 1995 to June 1997 were analyzed. Randomly, 23 infants were given indomethacin and 23 infants were not given as control group. Serial cranial ultrasound examination was performed. RESULTS: There were no differences in the birth weight, gestational age, sex, Apgar score, blood pressure, intake and output within the first 3 days between the indornethacin and control groups. Of 23 infants given indomethacin, four had germinal matrix or intraventricular hemorrhage, in comparison with 10 of 23 control infants(P=0.045). CONCLUSION: Prophylactic indomethacin lowers the incidence of IVH in very low birth weight infants.
Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Blood Pressure ; Gestational Age ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Indomethacin* ; Infant ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: The changes of serum TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 levels have been recently reported in some cancer patients but the clinical significance of these cytokines is not clearly established. To define the changes and clinical significance of these cytokines in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), serum levels of TNF- alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were measured. METHODS: The serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were measured before and after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) by enzyme immunoassay in 20 patients with HCC and 10 adult healthy subjects as controls. These patients were divided into two groups, no response (NR, 14 cases) and partial response (PR, 6 cases) on the basis of changes of tumor size, new growth foci on the ultrasonographic or CT findings, and serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein. RESULTS: Serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIft-2R and sICAM-1 were significantly higher in all patients with HCC than in those of adult healthy controls (p<0.01). Serum levels of TNF-alpha after TACE tended in to be higher in comparison with those before TACE in the NR group (p<0.1), but those were not significantly different between before and after TACE in the PR group. Serum levels of sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were not significantly different between after and before TACE in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM:-1 in patients with HCC before therapy are significantly increased, compared with those of the control group, and the measurement of serum TNF-alpha levels may become useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of hepatocellular carcinoma in the future.
Adult ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Cytokines ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

BACKGROUND: The changes of serum TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 levels have been recently reported in some cancer patients but the clinical significance of these cytokines is not clearly established. To define the changes and clinical significance of these cytokines in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), serum levels of TNF- alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were measured. METHODS: The serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were measured before and after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) by enzyme immunoassay in 20 patients with HCC and 10 adult healthy subjects as controls. These patients were divided into two groups, no response (NR, 14 cases) and partial response (PR, 6 cases) on the basis of changes of tumor size, new growth foci on the ultrasonographic or CT findings, and serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein. RESULTS: Serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIft-2R and sICAM-1 were significantly higher in all patients with HCC than in those of adult healthy controls (p<0.01). Serum levels of TNF-alpha after TACE tended in to be higher in comparison with those before TACE in the NR group (p<0.1), but those were not significantly different between before and after TACE in the PR group. Serum levels of sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were not significantly different between after and before TACE in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM:-1 in patients with HCC before therapy are significantly increased, compared with those of the control group, and the measurement of serum TNF-alpha levels may become useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of hepatocellular carcinoma in the future.
Adult ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Cytokines ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

Idiopathic neuralgic amyotrophy (INA) is known as Parsonage-Turner syndrome or idiopathic brachial plexitis and is characterized by sudden onset of severe limb pain, followed by weakness and atrophy of limb. There is no specific tests for the diagnosis of INA. The diagnosis of INA is mainly dependent on the clinical history and electrodiagnostic study. It is often confused with more common disorders such as acute cervical radiculopathy, rotator cuff tear, or acute calcific tendinitis. A few recent reports have revealed that magnetic resonance image (MRI) of brachial plexus and shoulder can be helpful in the diagnosis of INA. We report two cases of classic INA in which MRI enhanced specificity and confidence in the diagnosis. MRI of the brachial plexus and corresponding limb as well as cervical spine should be included in patients clinically suspected of INA.
Atrophy ; Brachial Plexus ; Brachial Plexus Neuritis* ; Diagnosis ; Extremities ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Radiculopathy ; Rotator Cuff ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Shoulder ; Spine ; Tendinopathy

Paraffinoma is a well known complication of previous paraffin injection into the subcutaneous layer that presents as various conditions including firm mass formation, edema, induration, ulceration, and skin necrosis. Paraffinoma can mimic neoplasm on physical examination and imaging studies and may complicate ultrasonographic diagnoses due to typical posterior shadowing and high echogenicity. When paraffinomas involve around the thyroid gland, the diagnosis of thyroid tumors is very difficult. We present a case of thyroid cancer, the evaluation of which was complicated by the presence of cervical paraffinoma.
Edema ; Hydrazines ; Necrosis ; Paraffin ; Physical Examination ; Shadowing (Histology) ; Skin ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Ulcer

Neuronal migrational disorders of the brain represent abnormalities in the formation of the neocortex caused by faulty migration of the subependymal neuroblasts. The neuroblasts normally migrate between the sixth and 15th gestational week and in doing so form the six-layered neocortex. When the migration does not occur in a normal fashion the resultant brain anomalies include lissencephaly, pachygyria, schizencephaly, hemimegalencephaly, heterotopia, and polymicrogyria. Neuronal heterotopia is a collection of nerve cells in abnormal locations as a result of arrest of their radial migration, improper formation, or destruction of the radial glial fiber. We reported a case of neuronal heterotopia with brief review of related literatures.
Agenesis of Corpus Callosum ; Brain ; Lissencephaly ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; Neocortex ; Neuronal Migration Disorders ; Neurons*

We compared genetic variations in the VP1 gene of foot-and-mouth disease viruses (FMDVs) isolated since 2000 from various region of the world. We analyzed relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) and phylogenetic relationship between geographical regions, and calculated the genetic substitution patterns between Korean isolate and those from other countries. We calculated the ratios of synonymously substituted codons (SSC) to all observed substitutions and developed a new analytical parameter, EMC (the ratio of exact matching codons within each synonymous substitution group) to investigate more detailed substitution patterns within each synonymous codon group. We observed that FMDVs showed distinct RSCU patterns according to phylogenetic relationships in the same serotype (serotype O). Moreover, while the SSC and EMC values of FMDVs decreased according to phylogenetic distance, G + C composition at the third codon position was strictly conserved. Although there was little variation among the SSC values of 18 amino acids, more dynamic differences were observed in EMC values. The EMC values of 4- and 6-fold degenerate amino acids showed significantly lower values while most 2-fold degenerate amino acids showed no significant difference. Our findings suggest that different EMC patterns among the 18 amino acids might be an important factor in determining the direction of evolution in FMDV.
Animals ; Capsid Proteins/*genetics ; Cattle ; Codon/*genetics ; Evolution, Molecular ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease/diagnosis/epidemiology/*virology ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Gene Frequency ; Geography ; Korea ; Phylogeography ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; RNA, Viral/*analysis ; Species Specificity

We compared genetic variations in the VP1 gene of foot-and-mouth disease viruses (FMDVs) isolated since 2000 from various region of the world. We analyzed relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) and phylogenetic relationship between geographical regions, and calculated the genetic substitution patterns between Korean isolate and those from other countries. We calculated the ratios of synonymously substituted codons (SSC) to all observed substitutions and developed a new analytical parameter, EMC (the ratio of exact matching codons within each synonymous substitution group) to investigate more detailed substitution patterns within each synonymous codon group. We observed that FMDVs showed distinct RSCU patterns according to phylogenetic relationships in the same serotype (serotype O). Moreover, while the SSC and EMC values of FMDVs decreased according to phylogenetic distance, G + C composition at the third codon position was strictly conserved. Although there was little variation among the SSC values of 18 amino acids, more dynamic differences were observed in EMC values. The EMC values of 4- and 6-fold degenerate amino acids showed significantly lower values while most 2-fold degenerate amino acids showed no significant difference. Our findings suggest that different EMC patterns among the 18 amino acids might be an important factor in determining the direction of evolution in FMDV.
Animals ; Capsid Proteins/*genetics ; Cattle ; Codon/*genetics ; Evolution, Molecular ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease/diagnosis/epidemiology/*virology ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Gene Frequency ; Geography ; Korea ; Phylogeography ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; RNA, Viral/*analysis ; Species Specificity

7 Korean dogs were anesthetized with oxygen and isoflurane in different concentrations (1 vo1.%, 2 vo1.%, 3 vo1.%). Cardiovascular effects of isoflurane in different concentrations were investigated. The results were as follow: 1) Heart rate was decreased significantly (p<0.05) following increase of isoflurane concentrations. 2) Mean arterial blood pressure was decreased significantly (p<0.05) following increase of isoflur- ane concentrations. 3) Cardiac index was decreased significantly (p<0.05) following increase of isoflurane concentra- tions. 4) Left ventricular stroke work index was decreased significantly (p<0.05) following increase of isoflurane concentrations. 5) Pumonary artery pressure and pumonary artery wedge pressure were decreased significantly (p<0.05) following increase of isoflurane, but there were no significant changes in central venous pressure, systemic vascular resistance and pulmonary vascular resistance.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Arteries ; Central Venous Pressure ; Dogs* ; Heart Rate ; Isoflurane* ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Stroke ; Vascular Resistance

No abstract available.
Humans