PURPOSE:The purposes of this paper are to analyse the degree of language delay according to the classification and the etiology of mental retardation and to assess the efficacy of language treatment in children who received language treatment. METHODS:The number of the subjects for the research is 79. The subjects had been diagnosed as children of mental retardation after a language development test from the language treatment center of the Chungnam National University Hospital from January, 2003 to December, 2007. We gathered the data concerning their main complaints, their etiology of mental retardation, their results of a language development test and an intelligence test, and their results of language treatment. RESULTS:The results of our analysis to the data are as follows: The distribution of mental retardation classified as mild, moderate, and severe is 51.9% of the subjects, 27.9% and 20.2% each. The etiology of mental retardation is distributed as postnatal(20.3%), prenatal(13.9%), prenatal(5.1%), and idiopathic(60.7%). According to the classification of mental retardation, receptive, expressive, and synthetic language show a significant difference. There is no significant difference in the etiology of mental retardation in statistics. Among 28 children taken a language test after language treatment, 14 mild mental retarded children made their language delay to be shortened by 19.9 months, 10 moderate mental retarded children made their language delay to be shortened by 7.2 months, and 4 severe mental retarded children reduced their language delay by 1.3 month. CONCLUSION:The more severe mental retardation is, the longer language delay occurred. But there is no significant difference to language delay according to the etiology of mental retardation. After language treatment, mild mental retarded children show the remarkable shortening of language delay, while moderate and severe mental retarded children are slightly shortening. Therefore, it is thought that more active language treatment is needed to mild mental retarded children.
Child ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Intelligence Tests ; Language Development ; Language Development Disorders ; Language Tests

The overt effects of the anticancer drugs such as cisplatin and taxol appear to be DNA modification and microtubule stabilization respectively. But the mechanism by which these drugs affect tumor cell cycle perturbation and their correlation to apoptosis and cytotoxicity are not well understood, especially in combined sequential treatment of cisplatin and paclitaxel (taxol). In this study, to elucidate the action mechanisms as a function of cell cycle changes and cytotoxicities and to determine the adequate treatment sequence of cisplatin and taxol to acquire more enhanced cytotoxic effects when they are combined, we evaluated the cell cycle perturbations and its correlation to cytotoxic effects, which is measured by the extents of apoptosis and the fractions of cellular debris and live cells after combination treatment of cisplatin and taxol changing their treatment sequences in NIHOVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cell line. Our results were as follows; (1) The accumulation in S phase inhibited the entrance of tumor cells to G2M phase when the cisplatin treatment was preceded to taxol in their combination. (2) The tumor cells were not accumulated in S phase but most of them entered to and accumulated in G2M phase and they were leading to cell death when the taxol treatment was preceded to cisplatin in their combination. (3) Apoptotic peaks in taxol pretreatment group were detected earlier and persisted longer than that of cisplatin pretreatment group. (4) The cytotoxicities represented by the decreased fractions of live cells and the increased fractions of cellular debris were higher in taxol pretreatment group than those of cisplatin pretreatment group. These results suggested that the taxol pretreatment is more effective in combination of cisplatin and taxol and the relative decrease in the cytotoxicity in cisplatin pretreatment group was considered to be derived from the inhibition of entrance of tumor cells to G2M and protected them from the action by taxol. From these results, we concluded that the taxol pretreatment will enhance the cytotoxic effects to tumor cells when cisplatin and taxol will be administered and it indicates that correlations between cell cycle perturbation, apoptosis and cell death have to be considered in the future combination treatment of other drugs and in the development of new treatment regimens.
Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle* ; Cell Death* ; Cell Line* ; Cisplatin* ; DNA ; Microtubules ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Paclitaxel* ; S Phase

PURPOSE: To assess the enhancement patterns of sellar and parasellar tumors at two-phase helical CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with pathologically proven sellar and parasellar tumors [meningioma (n=17), pituitary mocroadenoma (n=6), neurogenic tumor (n=5), cavernous angioma (n=1), chondrosarcoma (n=1), osteosarcoma (n=1), sphenoid carcinoma (n=1)] were included in this study. Two-phase helical CT was performed after the injection of 90 mL of contrast material at a rate of 3 mL/sec. Transverse helical CT scans were obtained during the early and late phases, with scanning delays of 30 and 120 seconds, respectively. Delayed coronal images were obtained after delayed axial images. Attenuation change and the enhancement patterns of the tumors were visually assessed; the former was also assessed quantitatively as the ratio of the CT number at late-phase axial and coronal scanning to that at early-phase scanning. RESULTS: Visual assessment of two-phase helical CT images revealed decreased attenuation in all 17 meningiomas, no change in all six pituitary macroadenomas and increased attenuation in 5 all five neurogenic tumors on late-phase axial scans as compared with early phase scans. Coronal images showed decreased attenuation in all 17 meningiomas, increased attenuation in all five neurogenic tumors and no change in four pituitary macroadenomas (66.7%). The ratio of CT numbers was significantly different between meningiomas, neurogenic tumors and pituitary macroadenomas(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: According to their histopathology, sellar and parasellar tumors showed characteristic enhancement patterns at two-phase helical CT. An analysis of the observed enhancement patterns can be useful in the differential diagnosis of juxtasellar tumors.
Chondrosarcoma ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Humans ; Meningioma ; Osteosarcoma ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

BACKGROUND: Up to 90% of neonates with congenital or perinatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection are asymptomatic, and little is known about CMV-associated thrombocytopenia after the neonatal period. We investigated the clinical findings of a series of infants diagnosed with CMV infection and thrombocytopenia. METHODS: From July 2005 to July 2008, infants aged younger than 6 months with thrombocytopenia were screened for CMV infection, using CMV IgM. Those who were positive for CMV IgM were then tested for CMV IgG via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for CMV and CMV pp65 Ag and urine culture. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and otologic and ophthalmologic evaluations were also performed. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients aged between 1 and 6 months (11 boys and 10 girls) were admitted and tested for CMV infection. Six patients (28.6%) were positive for CMV IgM; these were also positive for CMV IgG, CMV PCR, and urine culture, and 4 were also positive for CMV pp65 Ag. The median platelet count at admission was 6,500/microliter (range, 2,000-105,000/microliter). One patient (16.7%) was diagnosed with Evans syndrome and had calcifications on brain MRI. One patient had unilateral sensorineural hearing loss. CONCLUSION: Thrombocytopenia can be the main clinical manifestation of otherwise asymptomatic CMV infection after the neonatal period, and close follow-up of neurodevelopmental sequelae is needed.
Aged ; Brain ; Cytomegalovirus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hearing ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Platelet Count ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Thrombocytopenia

BACKGROUND: Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) accounts for 0.5-1% of soft tissue sarcomas, and often metastasizes to the lung. Cases of pulmonary ASPS of unknown primary site have rarely been reported in literature. METHODS: Here, we report three cases of metastatic pulmonary ASPS and three cases of presumably primary ASPS using immunohistochemistry and clinicoradiologic findings. RESULTS: All of the cases occurred in young females. Two of the cases had metastasized from soft tissue ASPS of the lower extremities, and one case had metastasized from one of the patient? femur bones. Immunohistochemical stains were applied to four cases that had available paraffin blocks. The tumor cells of all cases on which immunohistochemical stains were done were positive for vimentin (4/4, 100%). None of the tumors were positive for myoglobin, desmin, smooth muscle actin, progesterone receptor, estrogen receptor, thyroid transcription factor-1, S-100 protein, pancytokeratin, and HMB-45 antibodies. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that the rare pulmonary ASPS has nonspecific clinicoradiologic findings. In the immunohistochemical results, no differences existed between the presumably primary ASPS and the metastatic ASPS except for a higher Ki-67 labeling index in the latter (less than 0.1% vs. 30%). The higher index was not dissimilar to those of the extrapulmonary ASPS which showed a tumor with a low proliferation index, signifying a better prognosis and have a low potential to metastasize.
Actins ; Antibodies ; Coloring Agents ; Desmin ; Estrogens ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lower Extremity ; Lung* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myoglobin ; Paraffin ; Prognosis ; Receptors, Progesterone ; S100 Proteins ; Sarcoma ; Sarcoma, Alveolar Soft Part* ; Thyroid Gland ; Vimentin ; Viperidae

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of time-resolved contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (4D MRA) after stent-assisted coil embolization by comparing it with time of flight (TOF)-MRA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TOF-MRA and 4D MRA were obtained by 3T MRI in 26 patients treated with stent-assisted coil embolization (Enterprise:Neuroform = 7:19). The qualities of the MRA were rated on a graded scale of 0 to 4. We classified completeness of endovascular treatment into three categories. The degree of quality of visualization of the stented artery was compared between TOF and 4D MRA by the Wilcoxon signed rank test. We used the Mann-Whitney U test for comparing the quality of the visualization of the stented artery according to the stent type in each MRA method. RESULTS: The quality in terms of the visualization of the stented arteries in 4D MRA was significantly superior to that in 3D TOF-MRA, regardless of type of the stent (p < 0.001). The quality of the arteries which were stented with Neuroform was superior to that of the arteries stented with Enterprise in 3D TOF (p < 0.001) and 4D MRA (p = 0.008), respectively. CONCLUSION: 4D MRA provides a higher quality view of the stented parent arteries when compared with TOF.
Adult ; Aged ; Cerebral Arteries/pathology ; *Contrast Media ; *Embolization, Therapeutic ; Female ; Humans ; *Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Intracranial Aneurysm/*diagnosis/therapy ; *Magnetic Resonance Angiography/methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; *Stents ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: This study was designed to validate the usefulness of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II for predicting hospital mortality of critically ill Korean patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed data on 826 patients who had been admitted to nine intensive care units and were included in the Fever and Antipyretics in Critical Illness Evaluation study cohort. RESULTS: Among the patients enrolled, 62% (512/826) were medical and 38% (314/826) were surgical patients. The median APACHE II score was 17 (11 to 23 interquartile range), and the hospital mortality rate was 19.5%. Age, underlying diseases, medical patients, mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy were independently associated with hospital mortality. The calibration of APACHE II was poor (H=57.54, p<0.0001; C=55.99, p<0.0001), and the discrimination was modest [area under the receiver operating characteristic (aROC)=0.729]. Calibration was poor for both medical and surgical patients (H=63.56, p<0.0001; C=73.83, p<0.0001, and H=33.92, p<0.0001; C=33.34, p=0.0001, respectively), while discrimination was poor for medical patients (aROC=0.651) and modest for surgical patients (aROC=0.704). At the predicted risk of 50%, APACHE II had a sensitivity of 36.6% and a specificity of 87.4% for hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: For Koreans, the APACHE II exhibits poor calibration and modest discrimination for hospital mortality. Therefore, a new model is needed to accurately predict mortality in critically ill Korean patients.
*APACHE ; Aged ; Cohort Studies ; Critical Illness/mortality ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; *Intensive Care Units ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Most chronic hemodialysis units select heparin doses on an empirical basis. Too little heparin causes clotting in the extracorporeal circuit and too much heparin may lead to excessive bleeding. We conducted a prospective, randomized, repeated cross over study to evaluate the effect of two different heparin regimens. The empirical standard dose regimen (empirical heparinization, EH) was used for all patients, and the individualized dose regimen (individualized heparinization, IH) determined by measuring the activated clotting time (ACT) was performed for more adequate heparinization during hemodialysis. METHODS: Twenty-four outpatients with systemic heparinization who had been on hemodialysis for more than 3 months were enrolled. In both METHODS, anticoagulation was achieved with a loading dose and a continuous infusion of heparin. Each regimens were prescribed alternately, and repeated after 2 weeks later. The study evaluated pre-post dialytic Hgb, Hct, Platelet and predialytic albumin, heparin loading dose and infusion rate, ACT, total blood compartment volume (TBCV), visible blood clots, bleeding, pre-post dialytic and next predialytic BUN, predialytic Cr, URR, Kt/Vurea. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were analyzed in this study. Pre-post dialytic Hgb, Hct, Platelet and predialytic albumin, heparin loading dose were not significantly different between two methods. But heparin infusion rate were significantly increased in individualized heparinization than in empirical heparinization. Activated clotting times were prolonged and maintained adequately in individualized heparinization during hemodialysis. The loss of TBCV and visible blood clots were significantly decreased in individualized heparinization than in empirical heparinization. There was no bleeding complication in two methods. Pre-post and next predialytic BUN, predialytic Cr, URR, Kt/Vurea were not significantly different between two methods.0.CONCIUSION: We concluded that the individualized heparinization can maintain adequate anticoagulation than the empirical heparinization without any other problems and compromising the delivery dose of dialysis.
Blood Platelets ; Dialysis ; Hemorrhage ; Heparin* ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Prospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis*

BACKGROUND: Most chronic hemodialysis units select heparin doses on an empirical basis. Too little heparin causes clotting in the extracorporeal circuit and too much heparin may lead to excessive bleeding. We conducted a prospective, randomized, repeated cross over study to evaluate the effect of two different heparin regimens. The empirical standard dose regimen (empirical heparinization, EH) was used for all patients, and the individualized dose regimen (individualized heparinization, IH) determined by measuring the activated clotting time (ACT) was performed for more adequate heparinization during hemodialysis. METHODS: Twenty-four outpatients with systemic heparinization who had been on hemodialysis for more than 3 months were enrolled. In both METHODS, anticoagulation was achieved with a loading dose and a continuous infusion of heparin. Each regimens were prescribed alternately, and repeated after 2 weeks later. The study evaluated pre-post dialytic Hgb, Hct, Platelet and predialytic albumin, heparin loading dose and infusion rate, ACT, total blood compartment volume (TBCV), visible blood clots, bleeding, pre-post dialytic and next predialytic BUN, predialytic Cr, URR, Kt/Vurea. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were analyzed in this study. Pre-post dialytic Hgb, Hct, Platelet and predialytic albumin, heparin loading dose were not significantly different between two methods. But heparin infusion rate were significantly increased in individualized heparinization than in empirical heparinization. Activated clotting times were prolonged and maintained adequately in individualized heparinization during hemodialysis. The loss of TBCV and visible blood clots were significantly decreased in individualized heparinization than in empirical heparinization. There was no bleeding complication in two methods. Pre-post and next predialytic BUN, predialytic Cr, URR, Kt/Vurea were not significantly different between two methods.0.CONCIUSION: We concluded that the individualized heparinization can maintain adequate anticoagulation than the empirical heparinization without any other problems and compromising the delivery dose of dialysis.
Blood Platelets ; Dialysis ; Hemorrhage ; Heparin* ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Prospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis*

The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether the molecular defect of acid-base transporters in renal tubules is related to the functional defect of urinary acidification in distal renal tubular acidosis(RTA). We performed NH4Cl, furosemide, or bicarbonate loading test to evaluate renal acidification function, and immunohistochemistry using antibodies to H+- ATPase, Cl-/HCO3- exchanger(band-3 protein), and Na+/K+-ATPase in kidney tissue in 6 patients with RTA and renal cell carcinoma patients as normal controls. Kidney tissue was obtained either by percutaneous needle biopsy(RTA) or nephrectomy(NC). The results were as follows; 1) In all six RTA patients, proton secretory defect of distal acidification was shown by a failure to lower the urine pH after NH4Cl loading or furosemide test or abnormally low urine-blood pCO2 difference during bicarbonate loading. In two patients with RTA, proximal acidification defect was combined, which was demonstrated by increased fractional excretion of bicarbonate. 2) In normal control, intense H+-ATPase and band-3 protein staining was observed in collecting ducts. 3) In distal RTA patients, H+-ATPase and band- 3 protein staining was not demonstrable or markedly decreased in the intercalated cells of distal nephron. 4) In two patients who had both proximal and distal RTA, H+-ATPase staining was markedly decreased in the brush border of proximal tubules as well as the distal nephron. In conclusion, the defect of acid-base transporters in renal tubule was related with the functional defect of urinary acidification in distal RTA.
Acidosis, Renal Tubular* ; Adenosine Triphosphatases ; Antibodies ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Furosemide ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney ; Microvilli ; Needles ; Nephrons ; Protons