No Abstract Available.
Adrenal Insufficiency* ; Hydrocortisone*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: To assess the clinical utility of new DNA extraction method, the authors attempted PCR using mycobacterial DNA extracted by Chelex 100 ion exchange resin method for 63 clinical samples in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and compared with proteinase K method, simultaneously. METHODS: We used Chelex 100 ion exchange resin for preparation of DNA. Decontaminated sputums were mixed with resin and incubated at 56degrees C and 100degrees C without opening tube. After centrifugation, supernatants were used directly as template for PCR. 245 bps in primary PCR and 188 bps in nested PCR were amplified and analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis EtBr staining. RESULTS: Chelex 100 ion exchange resin method is more simple, rapid and reliable than proteinase K method, and during sample preparation, carry-over contamination loss of amplificated DNA, influence of organic solvents and cross-contamination are diminished. The results of PCR products are interpreted more distinctively in Chelex 100 ion exchange resin method than proteinase K method. CONCLUSIONS: In the basis of the results, it could be suggested that extraction of mycobacterial DNA by Chelex 100 ion exchange resin is more simple, rapid reliable method than that of conventional method for detection of mycobacterial DNA in patients with tuberculosis by polymerase chain reaction.
Centrifugation ; Diagnosis* ; DNA* ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Endopeptidase K ; Humans ; Ion Exchange ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Solvents ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by excessive bone loss or osteopenia particulary in the axial skeleton at the site of fracture, such as the spine and proximal femur. Since the strength of both spine and femur is directly proportional to the bone mass, this osteoporosis always increases the risk of fracture. In this study, to evaluate whether a simple measurement of femoral geometry and BMD value are related with hip fracture, we obtained DEXA Scan (Lunar Expert-XL) of hip by retrospective study. DEXA scan was measured on 70 control people and 17 hip fracture patients aged 50 or older. The result is I. The mean Ward BMD value of hip fracture group is significantly lower than control group (Hip fracture group: 0.52g/cm2, Control group: 0.67g/cm2 P=0.0001) 2. The mean L-spine BMD value of hip fracture group is significantly lower than control group (Hip fracture group: 0.81g/cm, Control group: 0.97g/cm2 P=0.0002) 3. The mean femur axis length of hip fracture group is longer than control group (Hip fracture group: 6.77g/cm2, Control group: 6.57g/cm2 P=0.006) As a conclusion, the measurement of BMD and hip axis length in DEXA scan is an effective method for screening the hip fracture risk patient and BMD value of femur, hip axis length and L- spine BMD value are strongly associated with hip fracture.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra* ; Bone Density* ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Femur ; Hip* ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Skeleton ; Spine

The proposed factors that affect the prognosis of osteosarcoma are the patient's age, site and size of the primary lesion, pathologic features(type and grade), duration of symptoms, spread of disease (local or regional extension, distant metastasis) at diagnosis, the patient's sex, serum alkaline phos- phatase(ALP) and lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) levels, chromosomal number or DNA index, response to initial chemotherapy, location of the lesion on the bone, presence or absence of pathologic fracture, and mode of therapy. The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors that affect the 5-year survival rates of osteosarcoma. Total 25 patients were included in this study who had treated form Jan. 1988 to Apr. 1994. The overall 5-year survival rate of 25 patients was 65.43%, and the 5-year survival rates were sig- nificantly higher(P < 0.1) in the groups in which limb salvage operation with neoadjuvant chemothera- py were performed(66.67%), with longer duration of symptoms(>2 months; 83.33%), with lower serum level of LDH( < 300 U/L; 100%), and with smaller mass size( < 10cm; 72.92%). However there were no significant differences in the 5-year survival rates according to age and sex of the patients. We also suggest that the better prognosis will be observed in the patients with the favorable radiologic response to the preoperative chemotherapy.
Diagnosis ; DNA ; Drug Therapy ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Humans ; Limb Salvage ; Osteosarcoma ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

Many kinds of different treatment options for fecal incontinence such as biofeedback therapy, anterior or posterior sphincteroplasty, pelvic floor repair, gracilis or gluteus muscle transposition have been introduced. However, appropriate indications for these treatment options have not yet been delineated up to now. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to access the preoperative severity of fecal incontinence by physiologic tests to give an idea that indications of appropriate selection criteria and parameters for assess the outcome could be simultaneously considered by preoperatively objective physiologic data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 3, 1997 to, August 1, 1997 all patients with fecal incontinence who visited colorectal clinic in the Department of Surgery, Korea Veterans Hospital, were classified into two groups according to the severity of fecal incontinence (0~20): Group I (1~9), Group II (10~20) and compared them with the results of physiologic tests: anorectal manometry, endorectal ultrasound (ERU), cinedefecography, and pudendal nerve terminal motor latency (PNTML). Statistical analysis was performed by Student's-t test, and Chi-square test and p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The number of GI was 25, and GII was 22. There were no differences between the two groups in terms of age (GI: 57.7+/-14.5, GII: 61.4+/-14.0years), gender (male: female, 19:6, 16:6), cause (neurogenic; 11/25 (GI),7/22(GII), postanal surgery; 6/25,6/22) obstetric trauma (2/25, 2/22), anal trauma (1/25, 1/22) diabetes melitus (1/25, 2/22), rectal prolapse (2/25, 1/22), and others (2/25, 3/22), duration of fecal incontinence (64.4+/-82.2, 48.7+/-65.3 months), high pressure zone (3.3+/-1.7, 3.5+/-1.4 cm), mean resting pressure (50.5+/-27.0, 51.9+/-18.7 cm H2O), maximal resting pressure (88.4+/-50.6, 89.4+/-41.8 cm), maximal squeezing pressure (150.6+/-71.0, 129.7+/-59.5 cm H2O), rectoanal inhibitatory reflex (13/21, 8/21 positive), sensitivity (37.5+/-15.2, 41.8+/-29.0 cc), compliance (19.0+/-14.5, 21.4+/-39.4 cc/cm H2O) in anorectal manometric findings, anal sphincter defect (13/21, 15/22 positive), size of defect (60+/-26.30degrees, 71 +/-30.8degrees/360degrees), thickness of the external anal sphincter (3.46+/-0.78, 3.84 +/-1.02 cm), thickness of internal anal sphincter (1.58+/-0.79, 1.74+/-0.81 cm) in ERU, anorectal angle in rest (85.2+/-28.0degrees, 97+/-22.9degrees), squeeze (72+/-27.1degrees, 82 +/-19.7degrees), push (100+/-43.9degrees, 117.9+/-34.5degrees), length of perineal descent in rest (3.7+/-1.2, 3.6+/-1.7 cm), squeeze (2.9+/-1.5, 2.7+/-1.5 cm), push (7.9+/-3.5, 6.6+/-2.6 cm) in cinedefecography. However, rectal capacity in manometry (212.5+/-99.9, 155+/-51.5 cc, p<0.05), right PNTML (1.73+/-0.39, 2.71+/-0.83 ms, p<0.001), and left PNTML (1.83+/-0.43, 2.94+/-0.80 ms, p<0.001) were significantly increased in GII compare to those of GI. CONCLUSION: As the severity of fecal incontinence was increased, rectal capacity, right and, left PNTML were increased.
Anal Canal ; Biofeedback, Psychology ; Compliance ; Fecal Incontinence* ; Female ; Hospitals, Veterans ; Humans ; Korea ; Manometry ; Patient Selection ; Pelvic Floor ; Pudendal Nerve ; Rectal Prolapse ; Reflex ; Ultrasonography

Meconium peritonitis is an aseptic peritonitis caused by spill of meconium in the abdominal cavity through one or several intestinal perforations which have taken place during intrauterine life or early neonatal life. We experienced three cases of meconium peritonitis with ileal perforation in two cases 1 day-old male neonate and 2 day-old male neonate, respectively, which had the chief complaint of vomiting and abdominal distension. Literatures are reviewed, briefly.
Abdominal Cavity ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intestinal Perforation ; Male ; Meconium* ; Peritonitis* ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Lymphoma* ; Trachea*

Lupus vulgaris is most prevalent on exposed parts, especially the face but can also develop on exetremities. Lupus vulgaris originates from tuberculosis elsewhere in the body by hematogenous, lymphatic, or contiguous spread. A 19-year-old male patient came to our department. The patient had had many recurrent oozing and verrucous plaques and crusts on the left foot for one year. A skin biopsy from the lesion on the left dorsum of the foot showed scattered well defined granulomas consisting of the epithelioid cell clusters with Langerhans and foreign body type giant cells in the mid dermis. Caseation necrosis was slight. There were no bacilli on AFB staining. The multi test CMI for tuberculin was highly positive. A chest X-ray did not show any abnormal findings. The presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA was demonstrated by polymerase chain reactions (PCR) for detection of mycobacterial DNA from a routinely prepared paraffin-embedded skin specimen. Herein we report a very atypical case of lupus vulgaris confirmed by PCR.
Biopsy ; Dermis ; DNA ; Epithelioid Cells ; Foot ; Giant Cells, Foreign-Body ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Lupus Vulgaris* ; Male ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Necrosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin* ; Thorax ; Transplants* ; Tuberculin ; Tuberculosis ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Humans ; Insulin Resistance* ; Insulin*