No abstract available.
Animals ; Foot* ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease* ; Hand* ; Paralysis*

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether embryonic stem (ES) cells can be established from isolated blastomeres of mouse embryos. METHODS: Blastomeres were separated from mouse (C57Bl/6J) 2- or 4-cell embryos. Isolated blastomeres or whole 4-cell embryos were co-cultured with mitosis-arrested STO feeder cells in DMEM supplemented with recombinant murine leukemia inhibitory factor and ES-qualified fetal bovine serum. After the tentative ES cell lines were maintained from isolated blastomeres or whole embryos, some of them were frozen and the others were sub-cultured continually. Characteristics of tentative ES cell lines as were evaluated for specific gene expressions with immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS: One ES cell line (3.0%) was established from isolated blastomere of 2-cell embryo and one cell line (4.0%) from isolated two blastomeres of 4-cell embryo. And five cell lines (16.7%) were established from whole 4-cell embryos. Both cell lines from isolated blastomere and whole embryo expressed mouse ES cells specific markers such as SSEA-1, Oct-4 and alkaline phosphatase. Marker genes of three germ layers were expressed from embryoid bodies of both cell lines. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that mouse ES cells could be established from isolated blastomeres, although the efficiency is lower than whole embryos. This animal model could be applied to establishment of autologous human ES cells from biopsied blastomeres of preimplantation embryos in human IVF-ET program.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Antigens, CD15 ; Blastocyst* ; Blastomeres* ; Cell Line ; Embryoid Bodies ; Embryonic Stem Cells* ; Embryonic Structures ; Feeder Cells ; Gene Expression ; Germ Layers ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor ; Mice* ; Models, Animal

PURPOSE: To evaluate diagnostic usefulness of ultrasonography(US) in pediatric patient with urinary tract infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five children with urinary tract infection underwent renal ultrasonography and voiding cystourethrography(VCUG). The imaging findings were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Renal sonograms were normal in 34 of 55 children(62%). Five of 34 patients with normal sonogram had vesicoureteral reflux of grade I to III on VCUG. Renal sonograms were abnormal in 21 of 55 children(38%). Sonographic findings included hydronephrosis, hyperechoic kidney, nephromegaly, atrophic kidney, renal abscess, and duplex ureter. Eleven of 21 patient with abnormal SOhogram had vesicoureteral reflux of grade I to IV on VCUG. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography is an useful and reliable initial screening examination in the investigation of children with UTI. Unfortunately US is neither sufficiently sensitive nor specific for detecting VUR. VCUG provides confirmative and valuable information about vesicoureteral reflux, and VCUG should be considered as a next modality for UTI. The combined use of sonography and VCUG provides more valuable information in urinary tract infection.
Abscess ; Child* ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography* ; Ureter ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract* ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

BACKGROUND: The goal of preoperative screening test is to reduce the perioperative morbidity by patients management in case of abnormal test results. But, in view of the low incidence of perioperative complication in otherwise healthy surgical population and cost of routine preoperative screening tests, further examination of their usefulness is required. METHODS: The charts of 1968 patients performed preoperative screening laboratory tests were reviewed to analyse the results of tests retrospectively. The preoperative screening laboratory tests are hemoglobin, platelet count, bleeding time, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, chest X-ray, electrocardiography (ECG), liver function test (LFT), urinalysis, BUN and creatinine. In cases of abnormal results obtained, further studies (pulmonary function test (PFT), arterial blood gas analysis (ABGA), 2D- echocardiography, holter ECG, coronary angiography and abdominal sonography) were analysed. RESULTS: The incidence of abnormal results of total preoperative screening test is 4.5%. The incidence of abnormal results of ECG, chest X-ray, LFT, hemoglobin, and others are 8.3%, 7.8%, 3.7%, 2% and less than 1% in order. For further study, PFT was done in 58 patients, ABGA in 72 patients, 2D-echocardiography in 96 patients, and Holter ECG in 6 patients. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that routine preoperative laboratory screening tests provided little information. Therefore, further studies would be necessary to evaluate the cost-benefit of preoperative screening test compared with the other methods such as history taking and physical examinations that is needed little cost.
Bleeding Time ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Coronary Angiography ; Creatinine ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Function Tests ; Mass Screening* ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Physical Examination ; Platelet Count ; Prothrombin Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax ; Urinalysis

BACKGROUND: The goal of preoperative screening test is to reduce the perioperative morbidity by patients management in case of abnormal test results. But, in view of the low incidence of perioperative complication in otherwise healthy surgical population and cost of routine preoperative screening tests, further examination of their usefulness is required. METHODS: The charts of 1968 patients performed preoperative screening laboratory tests were reviewed to analyse the results of tests retrospectively. The preoperative screening laboratory tests are hemoglobin, platelet count, bleeding time, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, chest X-ray, electrocardiography (ECG), liver function test (LFT), urinalysis, BUN and creatinine. In cases of abnormal results obtained, further studies (pulmonary function test (PFT), arterial blood gas analysis (ABGA), 2D- echocardiography, holter ECG, coronary angiography and abdominal sonography) were analysed. RESULTS: The incidence of abnormal results of total preoperative screening test is 4.5%. The incidence of abnormal results of ECG, chest X-ray, LFT, hemoglobin, and others are 8.3%, 7.8%, 3.7%, 2% and less than 1% in order. For further study, PFT was done in 58 patients, ABGA in 72 patients, 2D-echocardiography in 96 patients, and Holter ECG in 6 patients. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that routine preoperative laboratory screening tests provided little information. Therefore, further studies would be necessary to evaluate the cost-benefit of preoperative screening test compared with the other methods such as history taking and physical examinations that is needed little cost.
Bleeding Time ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Coronary Angiography ; Creatinine ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Function Tests ; Mass Screening* ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Physical Examination ; Platelet Count ; Prothrombin Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax ; Urinalysis

Malformations of umbilicus are a feature of many dysmorphic syndromes and the measurement of periumbilical skin length should be considered as the basic step in the description of the umbilical malformations. So, we measured the periumbilical skin length in the 103 normal neonates and obtained the following results. 1) The means (+SD) of the periumbilical skin length were the 11.7mm (+3.0) in the cranial site and the 8.2mm (+2.5) in the caudal site, and the cranial length was 3.5mm longer than the caudal length. 2) No difference was observed between the male and female groups in the periumbilical skin length. 3) Age was the only statistically significant variable associated with the periumbilical skin length and it was observed that the periumbilical skin length decreased according to the advance of age (hour).
Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Reference Values* ; Skin* ; Umbilicus

Congenital absence of nails usually occur as a rare isolated anomaly or combined with other ectodermal defects. This anomaly is regarded as an inherited disorder either dominantly or recessively but quite a few cases were reported as sporadically developed. The patient was a 2-month-old girl who had no nails on both her 2nd, 3rd toes but had rudimentary nails on her left big toe and both 4th toes at birth. We could not find any other congenital deformity, any family history of inherited diseases related to anonychia. Radiological findings revealed no visualization of both 4th distal phalanges, only. We report this case as congenital anonychia of a sporadic type which may have developed independently from an underlying bone abnormality. We also review other reported cases in the literature.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Ectoderm ; Female ; Hallux ; Humans ; Infant ; Parturition ; Toes*

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the differential effects caused by the interviewers and the days of the week using the 24-hour dietary recall method on the dietary evaluation of nutrient intakes. Thirteen subjects were interviewed by three trained interviewers on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The consumption of nutrients by the subjects during each day was assessed. The average intake of nutrients was found to be sufficient except in calcium, iron, and vitamin A. there was a significant difference between the food intake on the weekdays and that o the weekend. However, the were no significant differences between the interviewers assessments on the intake of nutrients consumed by the subjects. The standardization of the portion size, interview skill and experience may be a few of the reasons explaining the elimination of the potential error created by variations among the interviewers. This study suggests that repeated 24-hour recalls during weekdays and weekends may be a better method for estimating the nutrients consumed by the subjects.
Calcium ; Eating ; Interviews as Topic ; Iron ; Portion Size ; Vitamin A

BACKGROUND: Continuous interscalene block has been known to improve postoperative analgesia after arthroscopic shoulder surgery. This was a prospective study investigating the ultrasound-guided posterior approach for placement of an interscalene catheter, clinical efficacy and complications after placement of the catheter. METHODS: Forty-two patients undergoing elective arthroscopic shoulder surgery were included in this study and an interscalene catheter was inserted under the guidance of ultrasound with posterior approach. With the inplane approach, the 17 G Tuohy needle was advanced until the tip was placed between the C5 and C6 nerve roots. After a bolus injection of 20 ml of 0.2% ropivacaine, a catheter was threaded and secured. A continuous infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% 4 ml/hr with patient-controlled 5 ml boluses every hour was used over 2 days. Difficulties in placement of the catheter, clinical efficacy of analgesia and complications were recorded. All patients were monitored for 48 hours and examined by the surgeon for complications within 2 weeks of hospital discharge. RESULTS: Easy placement of the catheter was achieved in 100% of the patients and the success rate of catheter placement during the 48 hr period was 92.9%. Postoperative analgesia was effective in 88.1% of the patients in the post anesthetic care unit. The major complications included nausea (7.1%), vomiting (4.8%), dyspnea (4.8%) and unintended vascular punctures (2.4%). Other complications such as neurologic deficits and local infection around the puncture site did not occur. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasound-guided interscalene block with a posterior approach is associated with a success high rate in placement of the interscalene catheter and a low rate of complications. However, the small sample size limits us to draw definite conclusions. Therefore, a well-designed randomized controlled trial is required to confirm our preliminary study.
Amides ; Analgesia ; Catheters ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Nausea ; Needles ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Prospective Studies ; Punctures ; Sample Size ; Shoulder ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: Contrast media-induced nephropathy (CIN) following coronary angiography is associated with an increased mortality and morbidity. We investigated the incidence of nephrotoxicity, clinical characteristics, laboratory characteristics and risk factors of CIN in patients undergoing coronary angiography. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 555 patients who had undergone coronary angiography at the Sanggye Paik Hospital, from January 2004 to December 2005. We defined CIN as any increase in the creatinine value of more than 0.5 mg/dL or 50% of baseline value. RESULTS: Among 555 patients, CIN developed in 10 of 48 patients (20.8%) with renal insufficiency (serum creatinine > or =1.4 mg/dL) and in 7 of 507 patients (1.4%) without renal insufficiency (p<0.001). Decreased renal function, congestive heart failure, higher baseline uric acid, lower baseline albumin and age > or =65 years were the significant predictors of CIN. There were no statistical differences in contrast type and volume according to the development of CIN. CONCLUSION: Our data supported the assumption that renal insufficiency, congestive heart failure, hyperuricemia and anemia may be the risk factors of developing CIN.
Anemia ; Contrast Media ; Coronary Angiography ; Creatinine ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Uric Acid