An experimental study was performed to investigate. The subjects drank 0.5g/kg ethanol and performed 7 items of SPES(simple reaction time, color word stress, digit classification, finger tapping speed, numerical ability, symbol digit coding, memory digit span). 20 students of medical college participated in the study during August, 1996. After ethanol intake, performance of 4 items(simple reaction time, digit classification, finger tapping speed, symbol digit coding) significantly showed to be decreased. The function of perception - response speed and steady movement were found to be more sensitive to ethanol than that of short - term memory, numerical ability and specification of color. No significant association were found between smoking, alcohol drinking, BMI(body mass index) and the effects of ethanol on neurobehavioral performance.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia is a rare heart muscle disorder of unknown cause that primarily involves the right ventricle. It is characterized pathologically by fibrofatty replacement of the right ventricular myocardium. Clinical manifestations include structural and functional abnormalities of the right ventricle, electrocardiographic depolarization/repolarization changes, and presentation with sudden death or ventricular arrhythmias of right ventricular origin. It is one of the important causes of the ventricular arrhythmia or sudden death among apparently healthy young people. We report a case of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia with the review of the literature.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia* ; Death, Sudden ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Ventricles ; Myocardium

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis and proper therapy of malfunctioning prosthetic heart valves remain a challange. Transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) is the diagnostic procedure of choice for the evaluation of malfunctioning prosthetic heart valves. Howerver, TTE may be limited owing to poor acoustic windows. Some of these limitations can be overcome by transesophageal echocardiography(TTE). METHODS: The study comprised 33 consecutive patients(20 male and 13 famale patients, age range 20 to 59) in congestive heart failure after remote mitral valve replacement with bioprosthesis. The patients were examined between 1987 and 1994. All the 33 patients were studied by TTE and 19 patients among these patients furthermore by TEE. The morphology of the explanted bioprosthesis was confirmed by surgery in all cases. RESULTS: The abnormalities of the bioprosthesis were diagnosed correctly by TTE in 32 cases. The more detailed morphology of the valves could be observed by TEE(19 cases). Only in one case a small thrombus in left atrium was overlooked in TTE examination, on the otherhand it was detectedd by TEE. The severity grade of mitral regurgitation was estimatedca. I' severer by TEE in 8 cases. In all TEE examination spontaneous echocontrast was observed in left atrium. The bioprostheses from CE(Carpentier-Edwards) showed higher tendency to cuspal tearing and perforation. CONCLUSION: TTE is the diagnostic procedure of choice on patients with bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement. TTE examination confirms immediately clinical diagnosis of bioprosthetic failure. The transesophageal approach promises more detailed informations about lesions of the degenerated bioprosthetic valves and left atrium.
Acoustics ; Bioprosthesis ; Diagnosis* ; Early Diagnosis ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal* ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Heart Atria ; Heart Failure* ; Heart Valves ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve* ; Thrombosis

No abstract available.
Lymphomatoid Papulosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Tuberculosis*

No abstract available.
Lymphomatoid Papulosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Tuberculosis*

Aim. A neurobehavioral test for workers exposed to organic solvents in the workplace can be affected by many factors : age, education, motivation, ethnicity, etc. To apply more suitable neurobehavioral test for Korean workers, we evaluated the validity of several items of computerized and traditional neurobehavioral tests. Methods. We have applied eleven tests : four items of computerized neurobehavioral test(Swedish Performance Evaluation System) including Addition, Symbol-Digit, Digit Span, and Finger tapping speed, and seven items of traditional neurobehavioral test consisting of Addition, Digit-Symbol , Digit Span, Benton visual retention test, Pursuit aiming, Pegboard, and Tapping. These tests were performed on 96 workers exposed to solvents, and 100 reference workers. The concurrent and construct validities were evaluated by group difference, correlation with age, educational level, hippuric acid level, neurotoxic symptom, current exposure level, multitrait-multimethod matrix, factor analysis, and discriminant analysis. Results. Statistically significant differences were observed between the workers exposed to solvents and referents in computerized Symbol-Digit, Finger tapping speed, traditional Digit-Symbol and Pegboard. The computerized Symbol-Digit, traditional Digit-Symbol, Addition, Benton visual retention test, and Pegboard were found to be related to the age. The performance of computerized Symbol-Digit, Addition, and traditional Digit-Symbol were found to be related to the educational level significantly. The computerized Symbol-Digit, Finger tapping speed, and traditional Digit-Symbol were found to be related to hippuric acid, and neurotoxic symptom. The discriminability of Finger tapping speed, and Pegboard was better than the other tests. In discriminant analysis, the model with two variables, the computerized Symbol-Digit and Pegboard, classified almost 70 percent of the workers correctly. Conclusions. These results suggest that the computerized Symbol-Digit, Finger tapping speed, and Pegboard are more satisfactory for our purpose, and the Addition, Tapping, Benton visual retention test, and Pursuit aiming are less valid than other items. These may allow the reasonable selection of core neurobehavioral tests for workers exposed to solvents in Korea.
Education ; Fingers ; Korea ; Motivation ; Solvents

Posterior lumbar apophyseal fracture characterized by osteochondral fragments from posterior rim of a lumbar vertebral body, has often been misdiagnosed as herniated disc or spinal stenosis due to its similarity of symptoms. But recent use of CT scan facilitated the diagnosis of the lesion as a separate entity. This study was performed to verify the clinical characteristics, to find out the mechanism of injury and to determine the most effective method of diagnosis and treatment. Authors reviewed 17 patients(14 male, 3 female) who were subjected to surgical treatment at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital for posterior lumbar spophyseal fracture during the period of 1990-1992, and followed up for average of 1 year and 6 months(range 1 to 3 years). Thirteen patients (76%) were related to a history of trauma or strenuous physical activity prior to the onset of symptoms. The mechanism of injury was the rapid flexion with axial compression in 7, hyperextension in 4, and pure axial compression in 2 patients. The mean age at the time of injury was 20 years(range 10 to 31 years). All patients presented low-back pain radiating to lower extremities and 11 patients showed neurogenic intermittent claudication. The mean age at the time of surgical intervention was 23 years and 10 months(range 15 to 31 years), and the mean duration of symptoms was 3 years(range 2 months to 13 years). Simple X-ray revealed the lesion in only 3 cases but CT scan demonstrated the characteristic osteochondral fragment displaced posteriorly into the spinal canal and the corresponding defect with degenerative changes in all patients. The fracture occured through the superior apophyseal rim of L5 in 9 superior rim of L4 in 3, inferior rim of L4 in 2, inferior rim of L5 in, superior rim of L2 in 1, and superior rim of L1 in 2 patients. Two patients had concomitant fractures at two levels. All patients except one were treated with posterior decompression including the removal of the displaced fragment and posterolateral fusion with pedicular screws was carried out to prevent further degenerative change and instablilty. One patient with the lesion at the superior rim of L1 was treated by anterior decompression and fusion. All patients showed relief of pain and claudication with satisfactory results. One patient had partial tear of L4 root with slight weakness of greater toe dorsiflexion, but it recovered in 4 months. In conclusion, posterior lumbar spophyseal fracture predominantly affected young males and the most common causative mechanism was rapid flexion with axial compression. The CT scan facilitated identification of the lesion. The most frequently affected site was the superior rim of L5. Satisfactory results could be achieved bvy adequate posteriior decompression with the removal of the fragment and posterolateral fusion with pedicular screws.
Decompression ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Intermittent Claudication ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Methods ; Motor Activity ; Seoul ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Stenosis ; Tears ; Toes ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The incidence of colorectal cancer of Korea is much lower than that of Western countries, but has shown a tendency to a slight increase recently Barium enema is the most valuable, noninvasive and inexpensive method available to evaluate the size, shape and site of colorectal cancer. The authors reviewed and radiologically classified barium enema studies of 232 cases of colorectal cancer from Aug. 1967 to July 1982 at Presbyterian Medical Center, Jeon-ju , Confirmed clinically, operatively and pat hologically. The results were as follows; 1. The ratio of male and female was 1.3:1, and youngest was 13 year-old and the oldest 86 year-old. 2. The peak incidence occurred from 5th to 7th decades, accounting for 78% of all cases (181/232), and there was a relatively high incidence of the disease in patients below 30 years of age at 7.8% (18/232). 3. Rectum and rectosigmoid region are the most frequently involved regions (127/23 2:54.8%). 4. The positivity of barium enema examination was 4.0% (232/5807), and its accuracy was 96.5% (224/232) . 5. The radiologic findings were classified into 4 groups, and they were annular encircling 62.9% (146/232), polypoid fungating 26.8% (62/232), infiltrating 8.6% (20/232), and primary ulcerating 1.7% (4/232) in order of frequency. 6. The linear length of the cancer ranged from 1.5 Cm to 15 Cm , and the average length was 5.5 Cm. 7. There was no statistical correlation between the length of lesion, the site, and the radiologic findings, and stages of the lesion (P:0.750-0.250). 8. The majority of colorectal cancers was adenocarcinoma (217/232:93.6%).
Adenocarcinoma ; Barium ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Enema ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jeollabuk-do ; Korea ; Male ; Methods ; Protestantism ; Rectum ; Ulcer

158 cases of pulmonary metastasis having satisfactory histological proof of the primary malignant tumor, the frequency and pattern of which were analysed by conventional radiologically. The results are as follows: 1. The frequency of pulomonary metastasis according to the primary sites was 24%(38/158) hepatobiliary system,19.6%(31/158) gastrointestinal tract, 18.9%(30/158) uterine cervix and 12%(13/158) head and neck. 2. Pulmonary metastatic pattern showed nodular type 74% (117/158), granular type 10.1%(16/158), streaky type 9.5%(15/158),hilar enlargement 3.8%(6/158), patchy type 1.9% (3/158) and others 0.6%(1/158). Of all these type, nodular type was predominant. 3. The nodular type of pulmonary metastasis was classified into less than 10 nodules56.4%(66/17), 10-50 nodules 25.6%(30/117), more than 50, 17.9%(21/117), less than 1cm 12.8%(15/117) and more than5cm in 5.2%(1/117) of the cases. 4. The size of nodule was 1-3cm 36.6%(43/117), 2-3cm 20.5%(24/117), less than 1cm12.8%(15/117) and more than 5cm in 5.2%(1/117) of the cases. 5. Most cases of pulmonary metastasis involved bothlung fields 69.2%(110/58). Others were right lung field only 17.7% (28/158), left lung only 12.7%(20/158). 6. Theages between 40 and 70 represented 79.8%(126/158) of the cases and the raio of male and female was about 1.5:1.
Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Head ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Noninvasive prediction of pulmonary arterial pressure is of paramount importance in heart disease. To estimate pulmonary arterial pressure, several echocardiographic techniques, including abnormal pulmonary valve motion, prolongation of RV preejection period/RV ejection time ratio and contrast echocardiography have been proposed. Recently Doppler echocardiography has been known to detect intracardiac blood quantitatively. For assessment of the benefit of several indices by Pulsed Doppler echocardiography for mean pulmonary arterial pressure, 22 patients(mean pulmonary pressure> or =20mmHg; 11, <20mmHg; 11) were compared with the mean pulmonary arterial pressure by cardiac catheterization. In comparison of mean pulmonary arterial pressure(MPAP); 1) Right preejection period / RV ejection time RPEP/RVET;r=0.278 2) Right preejection period / Acceleration time RPEP/AT : r=0.654 3) Acceleration time(AT) AT=-1.55(MPAP)+154.37(r=-0.763) AT=-92.99(log MPAP)+239.41(r=-0.752) AT is less than 105 msec in 9 or 11 pulmonary hypertension and one of 11 normal individual. 4) Acceleration time/ RV ejection time AT/RVET=-136.36(MPAP)+83.31(r=-0.817) AT/RVET=-0.29(log MPAP)+0.81(r=-0.803) 5) (Right preejection period+Decceleration time) / AT (RPEP+DT)/AT=9.6(MPAP)-0.16(r=0.806) (RPEP+DT)/AT=3.86(log MPAP)-2.46(r=0.789) In conclusion AT/RVET, (RPEP+DT)/AT and Acceleration time of 105 msec are valuable indices to estimate mean pulmonary arterial pressure by Pulsed Doppler echocardiogram.
Acceleration ; Arterial Pressure* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed* ; Heart Diseases ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Pulmonary Valve