To analyze the effects of the characteristics of the systolic anterior motion(SAM) of the mitral valve on the left ventricular outflow pressure gradient and to determine the relation between the anatomical characteristics of the left ventricle and the left ventricular outflow pressure gradient, mitral valve and left ventricular M mode echocardiogram and continuous wave Doppler echocardiogram of the left ventricular outflow tract were recorded in 7 patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy(HOCM), aged 19 to 66 years(mean 37 years). Mitral-septal distance at the closest apposition(S-SAM;1.1+/-2mm), duration of mitral-septal apposition(89+/-20 msec), time interval from the peak of the R-wave to initial apposition of the mitral valve against the interventricular septum(R-SAM interval ; 222+/-32 msec) and left ventricular posterior wall thickness(LVPWT; 1.1+/-0.5mm) were observed on mitral valve and left ventricular M-mode echocardiograms and peak flow velocity in the left ventricular outflow(V-LVOT; 3.5+/-1.5 m/sec) was measured from the Doppler echocardiograms of the left ventricular outflow tract. V-LVOT was correlated significantly with degree of mitral-septal apposition(r=-0.70, p<0.05), duration of mitral-septal apposition(r=0.74, P<0.05), R-SAM interval(r=-0.80, p<0.05) and LVPWT(r=0.78, p<0.05). These results suggest that the closer apposition of mitral valve against interventricular septum, the more prolonged mitral-septal apposition, the earlier onset of SAM of the mitral valve and the thicker the left ventricular posterior wall, the more increase the LV outflow pressure gradient in HOCM.
Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Mitral Valve*

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the scapulothoracic mobilization on subject with lateral epicondylalgia. This was done through lateral slide scapular test, grip strength, visual analogue scale, glenohumeral joint external rotation range of motion. Methods: Before the experiment, Lateral slide scapular test, grip strength, visual analogue scale, glenohumeral joint external rotation range of motion were measured. Scapulothoracic joint mobilization was applied and then measurements were taken again to compared the changes. Results: After applying the scapulothoracic joint mobilization, lateral slide scapular test, grip strength, visual analogue scale, glenohumeral joint external rotation range of motion significantly improved. Conclusion This study found that the scapulothoracic mobilization was effective in improving functional aspects and pain on subject with lateral epicondylalgia. The results suggest that the scapulothoracic joint mobilization is a significant considered intervention method that could be used for subject with lateral epicondylalgia.

PURPOSE: We investigated the effectiveness and safety of DA-3030 for prophylatic use in patients receiving chemotherapy for malignant disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy cancer patients were randomized to receive chemotherapy alone (36 patients) or with DA-3030 administered (34 patients) after stratified block randomization according to chemotherapeutic regimen. DA-3030 was subcutaneously administered at the dose of 100 pg/m/day for 10 days from 24 hours after the completion of chemotherapy. RESULTS: Of the 70 enrolled patients, 62 patients were evaluable. The neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count [ANC] <1,000/mm) occurred in 9 of 32 (28.1%) of the DA-3030 group and 21 of 30 (90.0%) of the control group, giving relative risk for control group of 0.154 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.05 to 0.45; p-0.0001). Severe neutropenia (ANC 500/mm') occurred in 4 of 32 (12.5%) of the DA-3030 group and in 20 of 30 (66.7%) of the control group (relative risk for control group of 0.316 [95% CI, 0,18 to 0.55]; p=0.0001). The mean duration of neutropenic period (+/-standard error) was 1.13+/-0.34 days in the DA-3030 group and 6.73+/-0.69 days in the control group respectively, and was significantly shorter in the DA-3030 group (p<0.0001). And, there was higher nadir ANC in the OA-3030 group than that in the control group (p=0.0001); the mean nadir ANC was 2,547+/- 343/mm and 442+/-120/mm, respectively. The DA-3030 group had significantly higher incidence of myalgia in comparison to the control group (43.8% compared with 3.3%; p=0.001). However, it was tolerable and was easily managed by conservative therapy CONCLUSION: The use of DA-3030 was effective in preventing chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.
Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myalgia ; Neutropenia* ; Neutrophils ; Random Allocation

No abstract available.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Fundus Oculi ; Hamartoma/*congenital/diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Retinal Diseases/*congenital/diagnosis ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium/*pathology ; Retinal Telangiectasis/*diagnosis ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Young Adult

We evaluated the safety, stability, predictability and efficacy of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) with Schwind excimer laser for one year. We performed one-step procedures on 114 eyes of 92 patients. They were divided into three groups according to their manifest refractive error (spherical equivalent): Group ! (<-5 D, 39 eyes) , Group I (-5. 01 to -8 D, 40 eyes) , or Group III (>-8.01 D, 35 eyes). One year after PRK, uncorrected visual acuity of 0.8 or better was achieved in 95% of eyes in group I, 97% of eyes in group I and 63% of eyes in group III. In the group I , 90% of eyes were within +/-1 D of attempted correction, as were 95% in group II and 63% in group III. Complications were corneal haze above grade 2(8.8%), temporarily increased intraocular pressure (18.4%), central island (14.9%), eccentric ablation more than 0. 5mm(34.2%) and halo (0.9%). We conclude that the Schwind excimer laser PRK appears to be 8 safe and relatively accurate procedure to correct low to moderate myopia, but long-term and more frequent follow-up is needed for high myopia.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lasers, Excimer ; Myopia ; Photorefractive Keratectomy ; Refractive Errors ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of basic epidemiological information on bacterial meningitis in children and adults in Korea. Therefore, more research is needed to investigate the causative organisms, clinical manifestations, and prognosis in Korean children and adults. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively 148 medical records with final diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. The diagnosis of bacterial meningitis was based on culture-positive cases. RESULTS: Out of a total 148 patients, 71 were children and 77 were adults. In the children with community acquired meningitis, infection-related meningitis was the most common predisposing factor (23.3%). In adults, otitis media was the most common (21.7%). There were more frequent seizures in children than adults (38.1%, 17.1%, p<0.05). In community-acquired meningitis, Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common type. However, in nosocomial meningitis, gram-negative bacilli was the most common type. The prognostic factors associated with mortality rate in adults were old age (>50 years), seizure (p<0.05), and mental change (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although a causative organism is not documented, we believe that our study will help to properly treat acute bacterial meningitis in children and adults regardless if it is community acquired or nosomial.
Adult ; Causality ; Child ; Cross Infection ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Bacterial* ; Meningitis, Pneumococcal ; Mortality ; Otitis Media ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures

PURPOSE: Resistance to anticancer chemotherapeutic drug remains a major obstacle in cancer chemotherapy. Multidrug-resistance(MDR) gene overexpression and detoxification by glutathione are believed to be involved in adriamycin and cisplatin resistance. We investigated change of p-glycoprotein(MDR gene product) expression, cellular glutathione content and glutathione peroxidase and glutathione transferase activities by hyperthermia to elucidate the synergistic mechanism of hyperthermia with chemotherapeutic agent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human renal cell carcinoma cell lines, Caki-1 and A-498 were used. Control temperature was 37OC and hyperthermia of 43OC was applied in 2 and 4 hours durations. P-glycoprotein expression was measured by flowcytometric examination using monoclonal antibody to p-glycoprotein. Glutathione content and activities of glutathione peroxidase and transferase were measured by biochemical methods. RESULTS: Glutathione content and activities of glutathione peroxidase and transferase were not changed by hyperthermia. However, p-glycoprotein expression was reduced by hyperthermia of 43OC. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that reduced p-glycoprotein expression by hyperthermia causes increased intracellular accumulation of chemotherapeutic agent by decreasing drug efflux mechanism and plays an important role in synergistic effect with adriamycin and cisplatin cytotoxicities.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Cell Line ; Cisplatin ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy ; Fever* ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Glutathione Transferase ; Glutathione* ; Humans* ; P-Glycoprotein* ; Transferases

The authorsinvestigated the effects of UV-B and amniotic membrane graft about PRK induced inflammatory cell infiltration into corneal stroma, lipid peroxidation and keratocyte apoptosis. Total 20 white rabbits were divided into 5 groups; 1)mechanical epithelial removal, 2)epithelial removal and UV-B irradiation, 3)PRK only, 4) PRK and UV-B irradiation, 5)Amniotic membrane graft after PRK and UV-B irradiation. All corneas were harvested after 24hrs. H & E stain for PMNs infiltration, MDA immunohistochemical stain for lipid peroxidation and TUNEL stain for keratocyte apoptosis were performed. UV-B had little effect on infiltration of inflammatory cell into corneal stroma, lipid peroxidation and keratocyte apoptosis. Amniotic membrane suppressed infiltration of PMNs into corneal stroma, lipid peroxidation and keratocyte apoptosis. Environmental UV-B exposure should not be avoided after PRK. Amniotic membrane graft is beneficial to reduce keratocyte apoptosis and related corneal haze.
Amnion* ; Apoptosis* ; Cornea ; Corneal Stroma ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Inflammation* ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Membranes ; Rabbits ; Transplants

OBJECTIVE: To test if the intake of H2 receptor antagonists (H2-RAs) increases the risk of gastric cancer in the elderly. METHODS: The source population for this study was drawn from the responders to a questionnaire survey administered to the Korea Elderly Pharmacoepidemiological Cohort (KEPEC), who were beneficiaries of the Korean Medical Insurance Corporation, were at least 65 years old, and residing in Busan in 1993. The information on H2-RAs exposure was obtained from a drug prescription database compiled between Jan. 1993 and Dec. 1994. The cases consisted of 76 gastric cancer patients, as confirmed from the KMIC claims data, the National Cancer Registry and the Busan Cancer Registry. The follow-up period was from Jan. 1993 to Dec. 1998. Cancer free controls were randomly selected by 1:4 individual matching, which took in to consideration the year of birth and gender. Information on confounders was collected by a mail questionnaire survey. The odds ratios, and their 95% confidence intervals, were calculated using a conditional logistic regression model. RESULTS: After adjusting for a history of gastric ulcer symptoms, medication history, and body mass index, the adjusted OR (aOR) was 4.6 (95% CI=1.72-12.49). The odds ratio of long term use (more than 7 days) was 2.3 (95% CI=1.07-4.82). The odds ratio of short term use was 4.6 (95% CI=1.26-16.50). The odds ratio of parenteral use was 4.4 (95% CI=1.16-17.05) and combination use between the oral and parenteral routes (aOR, 16.8; 95% CI=1.21-233.24) had the high risk of gastric cancer. The aOR of cimetidine was 1.7 (95% CI=1.04-2.95). The aOR of ranitidine was 2.0 (95% CI=1.21-3.40). The aOR of famotidine was 1.7 (95% CI=0.98-2.80). CONCLUSION: The intake of H2-RAs might increase the risk of gastric cancer through achlorhydria in the elderly.
Achlorhydria ; Aged* ; Body Mass Index ; Busan ; Case-Control Studies* ; Cimetidine ; Cohort Studies ; Drug Prescriptions ; Famotidine ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Odds Ratio ; Parturition ; Pharmacoepidemiology ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Ranitidine ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach Ulcer

The zinc finger protein ZBTB48 is a telomere-associated factor and renamed it as telomeric zinc finger-associated protein (TZAP). It binds preferentially to long telomeres competing with TRF1 and TRF2. However, its expression in cancers has not been performed. In the present study, we analyzed the prognosis of TZAP expression in 22 kinds of cancers by using TCGA data analysis. TZAP expression had a prognostic value in cervical, colon, and pancreatic cancers. When sorting the patients differently, it got the significance in bladder, breast, kidney, brain, and lung cancers. TZAP expression was associated with better prognosis in bladder, breast, cervical, lung, and pancreatic cancers. However, it showed poorer survival results in colon, kidney, and brain cancers. This result suggested that TZAP expression appears to be a possible prognosis marker in various cancers.
Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Breast ; Colon ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; Statistics as Topic* ; Telomere ; Urinary Bladder ; Zinc ; Zinc Fingers