No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cytosol* ; Humans* ; Receptors, Steroid*

Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) leads to gastritis, but the majority of infected persons are asymptomatic, and it has been recently described that the ability of H. pylori to cause more severe disease is related to the presence of the cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA). We investigated the prevalence of cagA-bearing strains in a group of H. pylori-positive gastritis, and compared the morphologic differences between cagA-positive and cagA-negative cases on H&E stained slides. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for detection of H. pylori and cagA of 62 gastric biopsy specimens were performed. All the slides were analyzed by the updated Sydney system. Forty eight (77.4%) were PCR positive for H. pylori and thirty four (54.8%) were positive for cagA. There were no significant differences in numbers of H. pylori, degree of infiltration of mononuclear cells and degree of atrophy between cagA-positive and cagA-negative groups. The rates of neutrophilic infiltration and intestinal metaplasia were significantly higher in cagA-positive group than in cagA-negative group. In conclusion, the detection of H. pylori by PCR method is more sensitive than that of microscopic examination and H. pylori strains possessing cagA are associated with an enhanced induction of severe gastritis.
Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Gastritis* ; Helicobacter pylori ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Metaplasia ; Neutrophils ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence

OBJECTIVE: Increasingly it is being recognized that genetic factors play a significant role in causing malformation. There are many available prenatal diagnostic methods including cytogenetic karyotyping using amniocentesis and cordocentesis, fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH), and primed in situ labelling(PRINS). Our purpose was to attempt to discuss the clinical use of cytogenetic karyotyping, FISH, and PRINS. METHODS: We conducted 222 cases of cytogenetic karyotyping using amniocentesis and cordocentesis, l0 cases of FISH, and 10 cases of PRINS from January 1996 to July 1998 at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. Age distribution, chromosomal abnormalities by age group, indication, karyotype, and baby outcomes were performed. RESULTS: Overall incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was 7.7%(17cases) and chromosomal abnormalities were most frequently noted in 30-34 year old women and 35-39 year old women(2.3%, respectively). Among 222 cases, 25-29 year old women were highest(30.2%). Chromosomal abnormalities among cytogenetic karyotyping cases were Down syndrome, Edward syndrome, Patau syndrome, Deletion(8), Inversion(9), etc. The 5 cases of healthy baby among chromosomal abnormalities were delevered. Among 213 cases of karyotyping using amniocentesis, abnormal karyotyping cases were 15 cases. Among 15 cases, 8 cases were terminated and 5 cases of healthy baby were delivered. Among 9 cases of karyotyping using cordocentesis, 2 cases of chromosomal abnormalities(Edward, Down syndrome) were found and 3 cases healthy baby were delivered. Among 10 cases of FISH results, 6 case of FISH results were the same with G-banding and were different from G-banding. Among 10 cases of PRINS results, we got the PRINS results from 7 cases. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that cytogenetic karyotyping, FISH, and PRINS are very useful to detect chromosomal abnormalities.
Age Distribution ; Amniocentesis ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cordocentesis ; Cytogenetics* ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Fluorescence* ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization* ; Incidence ; Karyotype ; Karyotyping* ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Primed In Situ Labeling

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis and treatment of hypertension is imperative to prevent the complications associated with this condition. The development of accurate and convenient methods of blood pressure measurement, therefore, is indispensible. At present, the JNC V has acknowledged the use of automatic sphygmomanometer that can be used without the help of someone else. We compared automatic oscillometric sphygmomanometers manufactured by Sein Electronics, korea(SE-7000 and SE-5000) with the standard Korotkoff auscultatory mercuy sphygmomanometer meter. The correlation between these two methods were calculated to determine whether these products could actually be used in clinical practice. This study was undertaken to ensure the clinical evaluation of these two products and standardization of an antomatic sphygmomanometer in korea before it is actually used. METHODS: The study included eighty-three patients, ranging in age from 14 to 81 years, who were admitted to Hanyang University Hospital in October, 1995. The blood pressure measured by the automatic oscillometric sphygmomanometer(SE-7000) in the right arm and was compared with that measured by the standard mercury sphygmomanometer(baumanometer) in the left arm. Also the blood pressure measured by the automatic oscillometric sphygmomanometer(SE-5000) at the wrist was compared by the baumanometer in the same side arm. The correlation between these methods were determined by the paired Student`s t-test and by the simple liner regression method. RESULTS: The p value of systolic blood pressure between two methods(SE-7000 and baumanometer) in the both arms was 0.896 and correlation coefficient was 0.8286. The p value of diastolic blood pressure between this two methods was 0.352 and correleation coefficient was 0.7455. The p value of systolic blood pressure between two methods(SE-5000 and baumanomter) by the arm and the wrist was 0.00018 and correlation coefficient was 0.8588, the p value of diastolic blood pressure between this two methods was 0.000048 and correlation coefficient was 0.5944. CONCLUSION: The blood pressure measured by the SE-5000 at the wrist was statistically different from that measured with the baumanometer in the arm. Further studies are necessary to use this product in clinical practice. However, the systolic and diastolic blood pressures measured with the SE-7000 in the arm were relatively similar to those measured by the baumanometer enabling this products to be effectively used in clinical practice.
Arm ; Blood Pressure ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Sphygmomanometers* ; Wrist

OBJECTIVE: Glutamate is a key excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, and its excessive release plays a key role in the development of neuronal injury. In order to define the effect of nimodipine on glutamate release, we monitored extracellular glutamate release in real-time in a global ischemia rat model with eleven vessel occlusion. METHODS: Twelve rats were randomly divided into two groups: the ischemia group and the nimodipine treatment group. The changes of extracellular glutamate level were measured using microdialysis amperometric biosensor, in coincident with cerebral blood flow (CBF) and electroencephalogram. Nimodipine (0.025 microg/100 gm/min) was infused into lateral to the CBF probe, during the ischemic period. Also, we performed Nissl staining method to assess the neuroprotective effect of nimodipine. RESULTS: During the ischemic period, the mean maximum change in glutamate concentration was 133.22+/-2.57 microM in the ischemia group and 75.42+/-4.22 microM (p<0.001) in the group treated with nimodipine. The total amount of glutamate released was significantly different (p<0.001) between groups during the ischemic period. The %cell viability in hippocampus was 47.50+/-5.64 (p<0.005) in ischemia group, compared with sham group. But, the %cell viability in nimodipine treatment group was 95.46+/-6.60 in hippocampus (p<0.005). CONCLUSION: From the real-time monitoring and Nissl staining results, we suggest that the nimodipine treatment is responsible for the protection of the neuronal cell death through the suppression of extracellular glutamate release in the 11-VO global ischemia model of rat.
Animals ; Biosensing Techniques ; Brain ; Cell Death ; Electroencephalography ; Glutamic Acid ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Hippocampus ; Ischemia ; Microdialysis ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Nimodipine ; Rats ; Salicylamides

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastric mucus should be removed before endoscopic examination to increase visibility. In this study, the effectiveness of premedication with pronase for improving visibility during endoscopy was investigated. METHODS: From April 2010 to February 2011, 400 outpatients were randomly assigned to receive endoscopy with one of four premedications as follows: dimethylpolysiloxane (DMPS), pronase and sodium bicarbonate with 10 minutes premedication time (group A, n=100), DMPS and sodium bicarbonate with 10 minutes premedication time (group B, n=100), DMPS, pronase and sodium bicarbonate with 20 minutes premedication time (group C, n=100), and DMPS and sodium bicarbonate with 20 minute premedication time (group D, n=100). One endoscopist, who was unaware of the premedication types, calculated the visibility scores (range, 1 to 3) of the antrum, lower gastric body, upper gastric body and fundus. The sum of the scores from the four locations was defined as the total visibility score. RESULTS: Group C showed significantly lower scores than other groups (p=0.002). Group C also had the lowest frequency of flushing, which was significantly lower than that of group D. Groups C and D had significantly shorter durations of examination than groups A and B. CONCLUSIONS: Using pronase 20 minutes before endoscopy significantly improved endoscopic visualization and decreased the frequency of water flushing.
Dimethylpolysiloxanes ; Endoscopy ; Flushing ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Mucus ; Outpatients ; Premedication ; Pronase ; Sodium Bicarbonate ; Unithiol

Fatty liver is caused by derangement of fat metabolism and can be reversed by removal of contributing factors. The contributing factors of fatty liver is known to be overweight, chronic alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, malnutrition, and drug abuse such as tetracycline. This study was carried out on 1335 persons who visited 'Soon Chun Hyang Human Dock Center' from March to June 1990. In analysis of the data, prevalence of fatty liver diagnosed by ultrasonogram by age and sex, laboratory finding between fatty liver group and normal group, and odds ratio of known contributing factors, were compared. The results obtained are as following; 1) The prevalence rate of fatty liver diagnosed by ultrasonogram is 29.6% in male and 11.5% in female. 2) Age groups with high prevalences are 40~50's in male (32.0%) and 50's in female (24.5%). 3) The fatty liver shows significant association with style (p<0.05), whereas not with hepatitis B-virus surface antigen (p>0.05). 4) All laboratory values except alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin are elevated significantly in accordance with the degree of fatty liver (p<0.01). 5) Fatty liver diagnosed by ultrasonogram showed so strong associations with body index, triglycerides and gamma-glutamyl transferase for males, and body index and fasting blood sugar for females that these factors may be used as supplementary data in establishing diagnosis of fatty liver. 6) Odds ratio of contributing factors are as follows; If the odds ratio of below 29 year of age is 1.0 then that of 30~39 is 1.74 (p=0.33), 40~49 is 2.47 (p=0.10), 50~59 is 2.86 (p=0.0570), over 60 is 1.81 (p=0.34). If the odds ratio of female is 1.0 then that of male is 5.67 (p<0.01). If the odds ratio of body index below zero is 1.0 then that of 0~9 is 5.08 (p<0.01), 10~19 is 12.37 (p<0.01), 20~29 is 29.19 (p<0.01), 30 above is 154.02 (p<0.01). If the odds ratio of below 99 mg/dl FBS is 1.0 then that of 100~120 is 106 (p=0.76), over 120 is 1.91 (p=0.02). If the odds ratio of below 29 micron/1 gamma-GT is 1.0 then that of 30~s59 is 2.11 (p<0.01), 60~90 is 1.87 (p<0.05), 90 above is 1.69 (p=0.15). If the odds ratio of below 149 mg/dl TG is 1.0 then 150~199 is 1.49 (p=0.05), 200~250 is 1.09 (p=0.77), 250 above is 2.53 (p<0.01). In summary, early diagnosis of fatty liver could be made by ultrasonogram supplemented with body index and serum triglyceride. The fatty liver could be preventive by avoiding contributing factors such as obesity, alcohol intake, high blood sugar appropriately.
Alcoholism ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Antigens, Surface ; Bilirubin ; Blood Glucose ; Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Fasting ; Fatty Liver* ; Female ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Male ; Malnutrition ; Metabolism ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Overweight ; Prevalence* ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Tetracycline ; Transferases ; Triglycerides ; Ultrasonography*

We report a case of hyper vascular metastatic thyroid carcinoma of the jugular fora-men simulating a glomus jugulare tumor. Computed tomography(CT) revealed areas of irregular lytic bony destruction of the left jugular foramen, as well as characteristic in vasion routes of a glomus jugulare tumor. Magnetic resonance(MR) imaging and angiography demonstrated a hypervascular mass similar to a glomus tumor.
Angiography ; Glomus Jugulare Tumor* ; Glomus Jugulare* ; Glomus Tumor ; Thyroid Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy(ARVC) is a progressive cardiac muscle disease characterized as progressive fibrofatty replacement of the right ventricle, severe ventricular arrhythmia, and sudden death. However, there is no report of ARVC as a cause of sudden death in Korea. METHODS and RESULTS: Postmortem studies were done to 115 cases of sudden unexplained death at department of legal medicine, school of medicine, Kyungpook national university in year 1999. We identified 7 cases(6%) of typical ARVC with no other identifiable cause of sudden death. The subjects included 5 males and 2 females, ranging in age from 19 to 41 years (mean 29.7 years). All were found dead at bed (5 cases) or workshop (2 cases). Five cases were fibrofatty types and two cases were fatty types. Right ventricular aneurysm, inflammatory infiltrates and left ventricular involvement were found in 4, 2 and 1 cases, repectively. Two cases had family history of sudden death before age 40. No one was suspected of having cardiovascular disease or ARVC before death. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that ARVC in Taegu-Kyungpook area may be more frequent than previously thought. ARVC may be a major cause of sudden unexplained death.
Aneurysm ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Death, Sudden ; Education ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Myocardium

No abstract available.
Blood Pressure* ; Pancreatectomy* ; Subclavian Artery* ; Subclavian Steal Syndrome*