PURPOSE: To compare the effectiveness of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and discography in the diagnosis of internal disc derangement (IDD) . MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was confined to 90 discs of 30 patients diagnosed as IDD by MRI & disco-CT. We compared the pain nature of discogram, degree of annular tear in the disco-CT and degree of disc degeneration in MRI. The presence of HIZ (High Intensity Zone) in MRI was also compared with the pain of discogram. RESULTS: Those discs with more severe annular tears in the disco-CT showed more definite pain pattern in the discogram. More degeneration in the MRI was also correlated with more anatomical deterioration in disco-CT. Of the 27 discs with normal MRI, 6 (22%) showed severe pain provocation in discography. Of the 63 discs with degeneration in MRI, 14 (22%) showed no pain provocation in discography. Of all discs, HIZ was present in 16% (15/90) . When HIZ was present in a disc of a symptomatic patient, the possibility of it being a painful disc was 93%. CONCLUSION: In the diagnosis of IDD, MRI was helpful is seeing the degree of disc degeneration to rule out disc herniation or spinal stenosis. But the discogram is considered the only way for definite diagnosis of painful discs.
Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spinal Stenosis

No abstract available.
Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight*

To evaluate the change in valvular morphology and occurence and severity of mitral regurgitation produced by PMV, 45 patients(33 women and 12 men,mean age 38+/-10 years) were studied using two-dimensional(2-D) and Doppler echocaediography before and 1-2 days after this procedure. Mitral valve area after PMV increased in all patients, from 0.9+/-0.2 to 1.8+/-0.4cm2(P<0.0001). In valve area estimation, the correlation between Gorlin`s method and 2-Dechocardiography was better(r=0.61, p<0.0001) than that between Gorlin`s method and Doppler pressure halftime(r=0.38, P<0.01) before valvuloplasty, but after the procedure Gorlin`s and 2-D image valve area correlated less well(r=0.33, P<0.05) than Gorlin`s-Doppler pressure halftime correlation(r=0.46, P<0.002). Before PMV, 37 patients had no mitral regurgutation, 7 had grade 1 and 1 had grade 2 mitral regurgutation. After PMV, new mitral regurgutation occurred in 14 patients, increased in severity in 5 patients and so mitral regurgutation newly developed or increased in severity in 19(42%) patients. There were no differences between the patients with and those without an increase in mitral regurgutation after PMV, in age, sex, caediac rhythm, initial mitral valve area, increase in mitral valve area and fluoroscopic calcification. However, morphologic characteristics especially mobility(P<0.01) and thickening(P<0.05) of mitral leaflets were better pressured, and EBDA/BSA(effective balloon dilating area/body surface area) was significantly smaller(P<0.02) in patients without an increase in mitral regurgutation. Thus, an increase in mitral regurgutation after PMV might be related to the features of valve morphology especially and thickand EBDA/BSA.
Female ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mitral Valve Stenosis

To our knowledge, only one case of vaginal cavernous hemangioma in pregnancy has been reported all over the world and there is no report in Korea. The authors have experienced one case of vaginal cavernous hemangioma in pregnancy and report our case with a brief review of literature.
Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Korea ; Pregnancy* ; Vagina

BACKGROUND: Diphtheria epidemics in Russia have spread to all the other independent states of the former Soviet Union and East European countries around 1990s. One of the most important measures in preventing diphtheria is to maintain high levels of immunity in the population. We studied the diphtheria antibody levels of 1,086 participants to investigate herd immunity in Korea. METHODS: The tested 1,086 serum specimens were collected from healthy individuals from September 1995 to March 1996. Diphtheria antitoxin titers were measured by a micro cell culture method using Vero cells. Antibody titer of 0.01 IU/ml to neutralize diphtheria toxin is an internationally accepted protective level. RESULTS: We studied the diphtheria antitoxin titer levels of 1,086 cases consisting of 579 males and 507 females. The proportion of protective antitoxin level to diphtheria is 69.2%. Diphtheria antitoxin levels showed no significant difference between males and females. The highest seropositive rate was observed in the 5 to 9-year old age group(95.8%). The seropositivity rate declined with age. The lowest seropositive rate was observed in the 20~39 years of age, maximally 43.4 %. Over 40 years of age, the seropositive rates increased again. CONCLUSION: The antibody titers in the Korean population declined from 95.8% to below 50% with age in the 1~39 year-old age group. To maintain the rate of population with protective antibodies to diphtheria, we recommend Td booster immunization to adults with low antitoxin titers and continuous survey for antitoxin titers.
Adult ; Antibodies ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Child ; Diphtheria Antitoxin ; Diphtheria Toxin ; Diphtheria* ; Female ; Humans ; Immunity, Herd ; Immunization, Secondary ; Korea ; Male ; Russia ; USSR ; Vero Cells

Mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells are capable of undergoing chondrogenesis in vitro. To enhance this process, the human SOX9 (hSOX9) cDNA was delivered into mES cells and the clones overexpressing hSOX9 (denoted as mES-hSOX9 cells) were verified by Western blot analysis. The transcripts of collagen IIA (a juvenile form), aggrecan and Pax1 were expressed in mES-hSOX9 cells grown on feeder layers, suggesting the immediate effect of exogenous SOX9 on chondrogenesis. However, SOX9 overexpression did not affect the cell cycle distribution in undifferentiated mES cells. Upon differentiation, collagen IIB (an adult form) was detected in day 3 immature embryoid bodies. In addition, the overexpression of exogenous SOX9 significantly induced transcriptional activity driven by SOX9 binding site. Taken together, we for the first time demonstrated that constitutive overexpression of exogenous SOX9 in undifferentiated mES cells might have dual potentials to induce both chondrogenic commitment and growth capacity in the undifferentiated status.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation/genetics ; Cell Line ; *Chondrogenesis ; Collagen Type II/genetics ; Embryo/*cytology ; Enhancer Elements (Genetics)/genetics ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins/genetics ; Genetic Markers/genetics ; High Mobility Group Proteins/genetics/*metabolism ; Humans ; Lectins, C-Type/genetics ; Mice ; Paired Box Transcription Factors/genetics ; Proteoglycans/genetics ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Stem Cells/*metabolism/physiology ; Trans-Activation (Genetics) ; Transcription Factors/genetics/*metabolism

OBJECTIVE: p63 is a member of the p53 gene family. The main aim of this study was to compare p63 and p53 expression in precancerous lesions and invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. METHODS: Total 81 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (22 cases), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (42 cases) and invasive squamous cell carcinomas (17 cases) in the uterine cervix were stained by immunohistochemistry for expression of p63, p53 and topoisomerase II-alpha. RESULTS: p63 was statistically significant higher immunoreactivity according to progression of uterine cervical squamous lesions, but p53 was not significant. No statistical correlation was found between p63 and p53. Topoisomerase II-alpha index was statistically significant higher according to increase of p63 expression. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the expression of p63 protein may play a roles in progression and proliferative activities of the uterine cervical squamous lesions.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry

PURPOSE: We intend to define age-specific ranges for serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and to investigate the relationship of age to serum PSA in Korean healthy men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 1992 to February 1997, 7,718 Korean men aged 30 to 79 years visited to Soonchunhyang health promotion center and were examined with serum PSA. We evaluated serum PSA of 2,321 Korean healthy men aged 50 to 79 years(1,943 aged 50 to 59 years, 292 aged 60 to 69 years, and 86 aged 70 to 79 years) using Hybritech Tandem-R aasay. Statistical analysis was performed by simple linear regression analysis using SPSS. RESULTS: Average serum PSA of 2,321 Korean healthy men was 1.25+/-1.02ng/ml, and mean value for serum PSA for men aged 50 to 59 years was 1.18+/-0.95ng/ml; for 60 to 69 years, 1.48+/-1.19ng/ml; and 70 to 79 years, 1.99+/-1.18ng/ml. Age-specific reference ranges for serum PSA for men aged 50 to 59 years were 0-3.1ng/ml; for 60 to 69 years, 0-3.9ng/ml; and for 70 to 79 years, 0-5.5ng/ml, respectively. Serum PSA concentration was correlated with age(r=0.35, p-value<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The serum PSA concentration was correlated with age and age-specific reference ranges for serum PSA in Korean healthy men were lower than those in white men. Therefore, we suggest that age-specific reference ranges for serum PSA in Korean should be defined in order to increase the detection rate of localizing prostate cencer in younger ages, and to decrease the risk of missing prostate cancer in older ages.
Health Promotion* ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen* ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Reference Values*

Gastric angiodysplasia may be responsible for up to 2% to 6% of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Moreover, gastric angiodysplasia may be particularly difficult to treat and is usually associated with a high rebleeding rate. Bleeding due to gastric angiodypsplasia is usually treated by various endoscopic approaches, including argon and Nd:YAG laser photocoagulation, monopolar or biopolar electrocoagulation, heater probe, or injection. Associated complications of these methods, however, such as perforation, acute bleeding during the procedure, or delayed massive hemorrhage have been reported. Recently a few reports have been suggested that endoscopic ligation therapy is a safe, effective treatment for gastric angiodysplasia. A 70-year-old man, who had undergone subtotal gastrectomy for perforation of a duodenal ulcer for 20 years, was admitted due to melena and dizziness persisting for 1 week. A gastroscopy revealed a single angiodysplasia with active bleeding just above the anastomotic site of the remnant stomach. Endoscopic ligation therapy was performed successfully and the bleeding stopped immediately after endoscopic ligation. Since then, no recurrence of bleeding has been reported to date.
Aged ; Angiodysplasia* ; Argon ; Dizziness ; Duodenal Ulcer ; Electrocoagulation ; Gastrectomy ; Gastric Stump ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Gastroscopy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Ligation* ; Light Coagulation ; Melena ; Recurrence

Cryptococcosis is a systemic infection caused by the yeast-like fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, involving central nervous system, lung, skin, prostate and bone. We have experienced a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis without involving other organ in healthy person. A previously healthy 74-year old female patient was admitted due to cough, sputum, general weakness and perioral numbness. As compared with chest PA that was taken 1 year before admission, single nodule of left upper lobe was enlarged slightly. CT-guided needle aspiration and biopsy were done and cryptococcosis was diagnosed by pathology. After central nervous system infection was excluded, oral fluconazole was given for 12 weeks. The cryptococcoma was nearly disappeared with 12-weeks' treatment and did not relapse until 6 month later.
Aged ; Biopsy* ; Central Nervous System ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Cough ; Cryptococcosis* ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Female ; Fluconazole ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Lung ; Needles* ; Pathology ; Prostate ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Sputum ; Thorax