No abstract available.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the signal intensity and size of anterior pituitary gland in postpartum women, and to compare with those of control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 34 postpartum women(18-43 years, mean:27 years) and another 35 control nonpregnant women(20-29 years, mean :24 years), midsagittal Tl-weighted MR images were obtained. The signal intensity and height of the anterior pituitary gland were compared between the post-partum and normal control groups. RESULTS: In postpartum women, the signal intensity of the anterior pituitary gland relative to the pons was higher than that of the control gorup. Pituitary gland height of postpartum women was higher(5-11. 8mm, mean:8.18 +/- 1.8mm) than that of control group(2-9mm, mean :6.2 +/- 1.7mm). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the hyperintensity of the anterior pituitary gland on Tl-weighted image is a normal finding in postpartum women, which is useful in differentiation from pituitary abnormality.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Pituitary Gland ; Pituitary Gland, Anterior* ; Pons ; Postpartum Period*

No abstract available.
Transplants

Alkaline esophagitis is a postoperative complication of a gastrectomy due to gastroesophageal reflux. A lymph-node dissection around the abdominal esophagus, a truncal vagotomy, and dissection to the phrenoesophageal membrane are performed during a radical subtotal gastrectomy, resulting in anatomical and functional changes in the lower esophageal sphincter which is an important structure in the antireflux mechanism. This study evaluated the changes in the esophageal functions and the degree of esophageal reflux before and after a radical subtotal gastrectomy.Ten patients with a relatively early stage of stomach cancer were included, and esophageal manometric studies were performed on all patients before and after the radical subtotal gastrectomy. The pressure and the length of the lower esophageal sphincter and the function of the upper esophageal sphincter were measured. In addition, 24-hour ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring was done before and after the radical subtotal gastrectomy to obtain the percent of the total time for which pH<4, pH>7, and pH>8 and the pre-and post-operative values were compared. There was no significant difference between the pressure and the total abdominal length of the lower esophageal sphincter before the radical subtotal gastrectomy and those after the operation. The pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter was slightly decreased after the operation, but fell within the normal range (pre-op.: 19.7 3.2 mmHg; post-op.: 15.9 5.4 mmHg). There was no increase in the percent of the total time for which pH<4 and pH>8 in the 24-hour ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring. In conclusion, functional changes after a subtotal gastrectomy and alkaline reflux might not be affected by the anatomical derangement due to the surgical procedure itself.
Esophageal pH Monitoring ; Esophageal Sphincter, Lower ; Esophageal Sphincter, Upper ; Esophagitis ; Esophagus ; Gastrectomy* ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Membranes ; Postoperative Complications ; Reference Values ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Vagotomy, Truncal

Trichinellosis is a parasitic zoonosis of public health importance. It is caused by Trichinella spiralis which has a wide host range including humans. In the present communication, the ELISA technique was employed on a total of 803 blood samples from 7 selected pig breeding farms in 1996 for diagnosis and surveillance of trichinellosis. Out of the entire 803 samples, nine were found to be suspected while one was positive by ELISA. But western blot analyses employed for further confirmation have shown that all of 10 samples did not react to larval excretory-secretory product antigens. These results indicate that pig breeding farms included in the present study are free from trichinellosis. However, it does not mean Korea is free from trichinellosis since human trichinellosis has recently been reported. The necessity of continued surveillance for trichinellosis in both pigs and wild animals was discussed.
Animals ; *Animals, Domestic ; Antibodies, Helminth/*blood ; Biological Markers/blood ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*diagnosis/epidemiology ; Trichinella spiralis/*immunology ; Trichinosis/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*veterinary

No abstract available.
Blood Platelets* ; Female ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy*

Since fetal therapy is a newly developed field as a pioneer during the last few decades, initial activity before the year 2002 was based on successful case reports and case series. However, multicenter randomized controlled trial with the comparison to the previous standard treat should be needed for the establishment of new therapy. This philosophy of evidence-based clinical practice is now accepted after 2002. New randomized trials are being published in the literature. (eq. fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion for congenital diaphrag-matic hernia and laser treatment of the twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome) Another trends of fetal therapy are efficacy after the evaluation of long-term outcomes and minimal invasive access methods in both diagnosis and surgery. The option of middle cerebral artery doppler examination for the diagnosis of fetal anemia is newly available besides invasive repeated-cordocentesis. Measurement of cell-free fetal DNA levels in the maternal circulation rather than invasive chorionic villi sampling is gradually phasing into clinical use for non-invasive method to diagnose fetal single gene disorders. In Utero Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation offers a potential way to treat fetuses with immunodeficiency diseases among the congenital hematologic disorders. Successful Stem Cell Transplantation for other congenital hematologic disorders and specific gene therapy will hopefully come true in the near future after further developmental expansion of ethical, technical fields.
Anemia ; Chorionic Villi Sampling ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Female ; Fetal Therapies* ; Fetus ; Genetic Therapy ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hernia ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Philosophy ; Pregnancy ; Stem Cell Transplantation

No Abstract Available.
Cell Line* ; Humans* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

No Abstract Available.
Cell Line* ; Humans* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Lower Extremity*