PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiologic findings for complete and partial ablation after percutaneous CT-guided transthoracic radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of lung VX2 tumor implanted in rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen rabbits with successfully implanted lung VX2 were used. Three rabbits as controls did not receive RFA while the other ten rabbits underwent RFA; 5 complete and 5 partial. RFA was performed using an internally cooled, 17-gauge electrode (Radionics, Burlington, MA) with a 1-cm active tip under CT guidance. Postprocedural CT was performed within 3 days, and we analyzed the ablated size, enhancement pattern, shape, margin, and complications of the complete and partial ablation groups. Rabbits were sacrificed after postprocedural CT with an overdose of ketamine, and pathologic findings of the ablated groups were compared with those of the control group. RESULTS: The size of the ablated lesions and the enhancement pattern differed between the completely and partially ablated groups on chest CT. The size of the ablated lesions was increased by 47.1% in the completely ablated group and by 2.1% in the partially ablated group. In the completely ablated group, VX2 tumor showed absolutely no enhancement, whereas only ablated pulmonary parenchyma outside VX2 showed mild enhancement on enhanced CT. In the partial ablated group, a part of VX2 became strongly enhanced on enhanced CT. On microscopic examination, the completely ablated group demonstrated that a viable tumor cell was not visible. In the partially ablated group, however, a viable tumor cell within the surrounding fibrous capsule on the peripheral area of the VX2 was observed. CONCLUSION: The important CT findings for evaluation of complete and partial RFA are the ablated size and enhancement pattern of the ablated lesion.
Animals ; Catheter Ablation ; Electrodes ; Ketamine ; Lung* ; Rabbits ; Tomography, Spiral Computed* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether polymorphisms of the Vitamin D receptor (VDR)gene,known to be associated with osteoporosis and/or osteoarthritis (OA) in Caucasians,might also relate to the risk of OA and osteoporosis in Korean postmenopausal women METHODS: A population of 130 postmenopausal women,including 76 healthy controls and 54 knee OA patients,were studied using anteroposterior radiographs of the knee,which were graded for OA according to the Kellgren classification system.The VDR genotype was determined by using polymerase chain reaction and by digestion with the three restriction enzymes Taq I,Bsm I,and Apa I.Femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD)was assessed in all participants by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry . RESULTS: VDR genotype frequency distributions in Koreans were much different from Caucasian's both in the OA group and the control group.Especially, "t t", "B B" and "A A" genotype were very rare,prominently differentiating from Caucasians.But within Koreans,no significant differences in VDR genotype frequencies were observed between OA cases and controls.VDR genotype was not significantly associated with the radiographic grades of OA.And there were no significant relationships of VDR genotype with BMD scores in each group. CONCLUSION: In Korean postmenoposal women,the VDR gene polymorphisms do not significantly contribute to an increased prevalence of knee OA or to differences in BMD.VDR genotype analysis would not be helpful for assessing the risk of knee OA in Koreans because :(1)there is no correlation of VDR genotypes with the radiographic severity of OA ;and (2)there is a more skewed distribution of VDR genotypes in Korean population compared to the Caucasian's .
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Bone Density ; Classification ; Digestion ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Knee* ; Neck ; Osteoarthritis* ; Osteoporosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Receptors, Calcitriol

There are some clinical evidences that hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection may cause IgA nephropathy. To evaluate clinical significances and pathogenetic roles of HBV infection in patients with IgA nephropathy, we studied that varius clinical and lab- oratory findings in 172 patients with IgA nephrop-athy as serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive (19 cases) and negative group (153 cases). The result was as following: 1) The incidence of positive serum HRsAg was 11.0%(19/172 cases) in patients with IgA nephropathy and it was higher than that of the randomized age-sex matched general population(4.1%) but has no significance statistically. 2) There was no significant differences in incidence of hypertension, serum levels of IgA, C3, SGOT, SGFf between HBsAg postive and negative group. 3) The cases of nephrotic range proteinuria (3.5g/ day) was more prevalent in HBsAg positive group (31.6%) than that in negative group(7.2%). significantly (p<0.05). 4) The cases of impaired renal function (serum creatinine more than 1.4mg/dL) were more frequent in HBsAg positive group (42.19%) than that in neg-ative group (13.1%) significantly(p<0.05).
Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Creatinine ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Incidence ; Prognosis ; Proteinuria

OBJECTIVE: The use of methotrexate for the treatment of cervical pregnancy is now common practice. Our study was performed to determine the risk factors when the primary methotrexate treatment of cervical pregnancy was failed. METHODS: From January 1985 to December 1999, we studied 32 women with cervical pregnancies who were treated with methotrexate intramuscularly according to a repeated intramuscular injections protocol. For evaluation of the efficacy of therapy, pretreatment serum concentrations of human chorionic gonadotropin, the size of the gestational mass, fetal cardiac activity, and the presence of fluid in the peritoneal cavity were measured. This findings were analyzed and compared by means of the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and student's t-test between the success and failure. RESULTS: There was no relation between the women's age, parity, the size of the conceptus, or the presence of fluid in the peritoneal cavity and the efficacy of treatment. A cervical pregnancy that presented with a serum human chorionic gonadotropin concentration of >or= 10,000mIU/ml, fetal cardiac activity was considered to be associated with a higher failure rate of primary methotrexate treatment. CONCLUSION: Among cervical pregnancies, a high serum human chorionic gonadotropin concentration and fetal cardiac activity were the important factors associated with failure of treatment with methotrexate.
Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Methotrexate* ; Parity ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Pregnancy* ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: Various sleep patterns may be shown in adolescents to be busy for studying. The aim of this study was to investigate sleep-wake patterns and to evaluate predictors of daytime sleepiness. METHODS: Among 1011 high school students living in Cheonan-si, demographic variables and self-reported questionnaires, including items about menstruation, Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) were admitted. RESULTS: total of 839 students (male=453, female=386) completed questionnaires. Significant differences in sleep pattern, categorized by score of MEQ (p=0.004), ESS (p<0.001), and BDI (p=0.012) were observed between male and female subjects. Logistic regression analysis showed that excessive daytime sleepiness was predicted by female [odds ratio (OR)=2.039, p=0.022] and sleep quality (OR=1.238, p=0.004). In the regression analysis of female students, dysmenorrhea (beta=0.108, p=0.029), eating of caffeine (beta=-0.114, p=0.019), MEQ (beta=-0.108, p=0.027), insomnia (beta=0.180, p=0.002), and depression (beta=0.116, p=0.029) might be associated with daytime sleepiness. CONCLUSION: In Korean high school students, female and sleep quality might be risk factors of daytime sleepiness. Daytime sleepiness was known to be related with cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, an education program for improving sleep quality in these adolescents should be considered for mental health.
Adolescent ; Caffeine ; Depression ; Dysmenorrhea ; Eating ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Menstruation ; Mental Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

PURPOSE: To investigate methods of isolating putative corneal epithelial stem cells from cultured limbal tissue. METHODS: Three extraction techniques were compared to identify an efficient method of obtaining a large number of viable corneal epithelial stem cells from the limbus. Limbal tissues were extracted by incubation at 37 degrees C or 4 degrees C for 1 or 16 hours, respectively, with 1.2U/ml dispase/trypsin or by treatment with 0.05% trypsin and 0.01% ethyldiaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) at 37 degrees C in single procedure. Collected cells were cultured on NIH/3T3-seeded plates, and colony forming efficiency (CFE) was evaluated. Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) was performed with a Coulter EPICS 753 after incubation with Hoechst 33342 and propidium iodide (PI). Hoechst negative cells were obtained using gates exhibiting low Hoechst blue with a 424/44 nm BP filter. Gated cells of each fraction were re-cultured to assess the capability of colony formation. RESULTS: The mean numbers of viable cells obtained from treatment with dispase and trypsin was 3x10(4) cell/ml and 8.06x10(5) cell/ml at 37 degrees C and 4 degrees C incubations; the number increased to 1.21x10(6) cell/ml with a trypsin/EDTA treatment (p<0.05). CFE was 9.67+/-2.13% and 6.63+/-2.35% in rabbit and human cells, respectively. Likewise, the Hoechst negative fraction was 3.61+/-0.42% and 5.21+/-4.91% in rabbit and human cells, respectively. The sorted Hoechst negative cells were cultured through four passages, forming small round colonies. In rabbit cells, the CFEs of Hoechst negative and positive fractions after FACS, were 12.67+/-2.24% and 1.17+/-6.13%, respectively (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Putative corneal epithelial stem cells were efficiently isolated from limbal tissue using a trypsin/EDTA extraction and FACS. This technique may be very useful in tissue engineered stem cell therapy.
Trypsin/pharmacology ; Stem Cells/*cytology/drug effects ; Rabbits ; Limbus Corneae/*cytology/drug effects ; Humans ; Epithelium, Corneal/*cytology/drug effects ; Edetic Acid/pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Count ; Animals

BACKGROUND: This study aimed at finding out how much the rate of the JNC-7 guideline was carried out, and assessed the degree of evidence based clinical practice patterns and the validity of the new guideline by comparatively analyzing primary care practice patterns in hypertensive patients. METHODS: A questionnaire regarding the management of hypertension was conducted by mail between May 15 and July 15, 2005, to 1,008 of the Korean Association of Family Medicine listed in the address book. There were 195 respondents with a response rate of 19.4%. RESULTS: Among the total respondents, 91.1% were aware of the new guideline and had received information mainly through training lectures and seminars. They said that the biggest difference between the new guideline from the previous one was the inclusion of prehypertension (62.3%), and 61.1% were using the new term prehypertension in their practice. The most frequency advice given to patients related to lifestyle modification were in the order of smoking cessation (44.8%), exercise (41.7%) and weight reduction (38.0%). Calcium channel blocker was the most commonly used (60.9%) as the first-line agent. When physicians failed to control blood pressure with the first medication in cases of stage 1 hypertension, 67.7% added other agents. In treating stage 2 hypertension, 59.9% started with a single agent and gradually added other agents. CONCLUSIONS: Family physicians in primary care clinics had a good understanding of the JNC-7 guideline. However, the rate at which they applied it in treatment was low. To effectively apply the guideline in actual treatments, aggressive education of practitioners and improvement on medical system and treatment guidelines are needed.
Blood Pressure ; Calcium Channels ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lectures ; Life Style ; Physician's Practice Patterns ; Physicians, Family ; Postal Service ; Prehypertension ; Primary Health Care* ; Smoking Cessation ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer is believed to progress through an adenoma-carcinoma sequence. However, recent evidence increasingly supports the existence of an alternative route for colorectal carcinogenesis through a serrated adenoma, which combines the architectural features of hyperplastic polyps with the cytological features of traditional adenomas. We assessed the characteristics and the endoscopic features of serrated adenomas and compared them with those of hyperplastic polyps and traditional adenomas in Korea. METHODS: The medical records of 344 consecutive patients who underwent a colonoscopic biopsy or polypectomy from January 2003 through August 2004 at Gyeongsang National University Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Serrated adenomas were seen in 12 cases (3.4%), and the most common site was the rectum (50%). Endoscopically in most cases, the serrated adenomas had small diameters (< or = 0.5 cm) and were single polyps. Morphologically, the serrated adenomas were flat and non-pedunculated. The coincidental rate of the carcinomas was 8.3%. CONCLUSIONS: According to this study, serrated adenomas are generally single, sessile adenomas with diameters less than 5 mm, and they are commonly observed in the left colon, especially in the rectum.
Adenoma* ; Biopsy ; Carcinogenesis ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Polyps ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: The donor selection criteria should ensure the safety of both the donors and the recipients of blood products. However, modifications may help promote more blood donors in keeping with the rapidly aging Korean population. Our goal was to gather opinions of the medical staff at blood centers on the current donor selection criteria. METHODS: A survey was sent out via email to 55 medical staff at hospital blood banks, the Korean Red Cross and Hanmaeum blood centers. The survey included 14~16 questions regarding age, weight, donation volume, donation interval and frequency, hemoglobin, blood pressure, pulse rate, and the level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). RESULTS: Survey responses from 38 out of 55 (69.1%) medical staff were analyzed. The donor selection criteria that showed significantly higher acceptable rates included the upper age limit (71%, P=0.009) and whole blood donation frequency and intervals (68%, P=0.023). The ALT level showed the highest unacceptable rate (84%, P<0.0001) and other criteria with significantly higher unacceptable rates included donor weight (68%, P=0.023) and donation volume (76%, P=0.001). Responses from medical staff at supply blood banks and hospital blood banks showed a significant difference regarding the use of parent/guardian consent forms in blood donors that were 16 years or younger (75% versus 41%, respectively; P=0.0368). CONCLUSION: This study outlines the perspectives of medical staff at blood centers regarding the current donor selection criteria. According to the survey, the ALT level, donor weight, and donation volume should be considered for revision. These results can be referenced in the future when proposing modifications to the donor selection criteria.
Aging ; Alanine Transaminase ; Blood Banks ; Blood Donors ; Blood Pressure ; Consent Forms ; Dietary Sucrose ; Donor Selection ; Electronic Mail ; Heart Rate ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Medical Staff ; Red Cross ; Tissue Donors

BACKGROUND: There has not been a comprehensive review to compare the international eligibility criteria for apheresis donation. This study assessed the international variations of the eligibility criteria for apheresis donors to help improve our national criteria for safer and more efficient screening of donors. METHODS: We reviewed the websites of the American Red Cross, Canadian Blood Service, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, New Zealand Blood Service, Japanese Red Cross Society, Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC), Health Sciences Authority of Singapore and the National Blood Service of the UK (NBS) and the European Union (EU). Only those criteria that were different from ours were analyzed. RESULTS: A considerable number of differences were identified between the international criteria and our criteria. The lower age limit was 17~18 years and the upper limit were 50~69 years for plasma donation and 50~59 years for platelet donation. The regulations for donation frequency ranged from none to 12~57 times/year for plasma and none to 12~24 times/year for platelets. The donation interval for plasma and platelets was 1~4 weeks. A minimum hemoglobin level of 12.5 g/dL was used in most countries, excluding the HKRC (11.5 g/dL for women). The NBS and EU had criteria regarding the volume of donation. CONCLUSION: Different international eligibility criteria for apheresis donors are used according to the characteristics of each country. Thus, the compiled data from various countries will provide the basis to improve our national eligibility criteria for apheresis donors.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blood Component Removal ; Blood Platelets ; European Union ; Hemoglobins ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; New Zealand ; Plasma ; Red Cross ; Singapore ; Social Control, Formal ; Tissue Donors