With the increasing use of PD as a replacement therapy in chronic renal failure, the number of complications related to PD also has increased. One of these is hydrothorax associated with pleuroperitoneal communications. Diagnosis is based upon confirming that the fluid in pleural space is dialysate. The chemical characteristics of the pleural fluid can help diagnose dialysate in pleural space. One can use dialysate mixed with dye (methylene blue, indigo). Peritoneographies with contrast and radionucleotides are safe, accurate, and reliable methods of diagnosing peritoneal defects. While these substances do not damage the peritoneum, their diffusion is low. We report 2 cases of hydrothorax associated with pleuroperitoneal communications in CAPD patients. We employed CT peritoneography and peritoneoscintigraphy to diagnose the hydrothorax associated with pleuroperitoneal leak.
Diagnosis ; Diffusion ; Humans ; Hydrothorax* ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Peritoneum

OBJECTIVES: The main purpose of this study was to investigate relationship between cumulative trauma disorders(CTDs) and the types of workstation and chair in workers with repetitive motion tasks. METHODS: The study subjects were 77 repetitive motion tasks workers at small manufacturing industries in Seoul and Gyung-gi district area. A questionnaire was used to obtain about health practice for prevention and prevalence of CTDs by worker. The type of Workstations and chairs in workers were measured and analyzed with prevalence of CTDs by logistic regression. RESULTS: Eighty-six percent of workers recognized that work posture was related to workstation and chair. Most employers and employees didn't follow the work practice guidelines for workers with repetitive motion tasks. The prevalence of CTDs was 64% by questionnaire. The prevalence of pain in shoulder, neck, back, and arm were 38%, 15%, 6%, and 5%, respectively, and the pain started after working an average duration of 16.5 months. The CTDs symptoms were significantly related to thickness of workstation, height of workstation, length of knee depth under workstation, height of back rest, height of seat pan, depth of sitting surface, width of sitting surface, and length from workstation surface edge to shoulder. By multiple regression analysis of each risk factor, prevalence of CTDs was highly correlated with height of back rest, height of seat pan, and depth of sitting surface. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that workstations should be made adjustable for height and chairs should be equipped with seat pan height control, enough sitting surface for depth and width, back rest height and angle control. The workers should use the right working postures, exercise for health, occupational health education, and rest breaks and the manager of company should be educated for the preventing of CTDs.
Arm ; Cumulative Trauma Disorders* ; Health Education ; Knee ; Logistic Models ; Neck ; Occupational Health ; Posture ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Shoulder

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of LH receptor in folliculogenesis, we confirm the expression level of LH receptor (LH-R) mRNA in human granulosa cells (GCs) and its expression levels were analyzed by comparison to embryo developmental rate and pregnancy rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: GCs were obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval from the patients undergoing IVF-ET program. The patients were divided into two groups: Group I (n=20) is poor responder (retrieved oocyte(s)< or =3ea), Group II (n=80) is normal responder (retrieved oocytes>3ea). After the extraction of total RNA, semiquantitative RT-PCR was performed and the expression level of LH-R mRNA was normalized by beta-actin. Statistical analysis was performed by using Chi(2) test, Student's t-test and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: In Group II, the relative values of LH-R mRNA (0.680 vs. 0.463, p<0.005) and pregnancy rate (54.7% vs. 23.1%, p<0.05) were significantly higher than in Group I. Number of retrieved oocyte(s) was gradually increased when the expression of LH-R mRNA was increased (p<0.05). But the quality of retrieved oocyte and transferred embryo were not related with the expression of LH-R mRNA. When the pregnancy rate was compared with FSH only group and FSH combined with hMG group in the ovarian stimulation protocol, FSH combined with hMG group was significantly higher than FSH only group in Group I (37.5% vs. 0%), and the expression of LH-R mRNA was significantly higher in hMG combined group than FSH only group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Expression level of LH-R mRNA has important role in ovarian function related with the response to gonadotrophin in human folliculogenesis. Furthermore these data might provide the evidence that additional use of hMG is helpful to poor responders.
Actins ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Oocytes ; Ovulation Induction ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy* ; Receptors, LH* ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger

PURPOSE: We reviewed the treatment results for the patients with locally recurrent rectal carcinoma. The object was to evaluate the treatment outcome and to identify the prognostic factors influencing the survival. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty-eight patients with locally recurrent rectal carcinoma treated principally with external-beam radiation therapy between 1982 to 1996 in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Paik and Hanyang Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Of these, 17 patients had initially abdominoperineal resection, 9 had low anterior resection, and 2 had local excision. No patients had received adjuvant radiation therapy for the primary disease. There were 14 men and 14 women whose ages ranged from 31 to 72 years (median age:54.5). Median time from initial surgery to the start of radiation therapy for local recurrence was 11 months (4~47 months). Radiation therapy was given with total doses ranging from 27 to 64.8 Gy (median=51.2 Gy). RESULTS: The median survival was 16.7 months. The 2-year and 5-year survival rates were 20.1%, 4.1% respectively. Upon multivariate analysis, overall survival was positively correlated with duration of intervals from initial surgery to local recurrence (P=0.039). Relief of pelvic symptoms was achieved in 17 of 28 patients (60.7%). Pain and bleeding responded in 40% and 100% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Patients with locally recurrent rectal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy have benefited symptomatically, and might have increased survivals with a small chance of cure. But, patient were rarely cured (median survival:10 months, 5-year survival:less than 5%). Overall survival was positively correlated with long intervals from initial surgery to local recurrence. Future efforts should be directed to the use of effective therapy for patients with locally recurrent rectal carcinoma and adjuvant therapy for patients with rectal cancer to reduce the incidence of pelvic recurrence.
Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy* ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Dilatation, Pathologic* ; Marfan Syndrome*

PURPOSE: To evaluate CT findings of tuberculous pneumonia mainly presenting as parenchymal consolidation. MATERIALS & METHODS: CT scans of twenty patients with tuberculous pneumonia were retrospectively reviewed. Analyses included the location, extent, and homogeneity of consolidation, presence of volume loss of involved lung and air-bronchogram, associated lesions suggesting previous tuberculous infection and evidence of bronchogenic spread. RESULTS: The location of consolidation revealed relatively even distribution without any specific predilection site. The areas of consolidation were irregular in margin (95%), inhomogeneous in attenuation (75%) including focal areas of low attenuation and multiple cavities within it. Volume loss (70%) of the involved lobe was associated. There were lesions suggesting previous tuberculous infection (95%) in the surrounding area and evidences of bronchogenic spread (100%) such as poorly-defined nodules and Iobular consolidations in the remote site from main consolidation. CONCLUSION: In tuberculous pneumonia, the areas of consolidation are irregular in margin and inhomogeneous in attenuation on CT scan. The evidences of bronchogenic spread and lesions suggesting previous tuberculous infection are almost always associated in the surrounding or remote site from main consolidation.
Humans ; Lung ; Pneumonia* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

This pilot study was performed to compare the functional and clinical results including complications after surgery in the open repair of Achilles tendon rupture with regard to the type of suture material. A consecutive series of twenty patients with acute Achilles tendon rupture who underwent open repair were enrolled in this pilot study. The patients were divided equally into 2 groups according to suture type. In the nonabsorbable suture group, No. 2 braided nonabsorbable polyethylene terephthalate sutures were used, and in the absorbable suture group, braided absorbable polyglactin sutures were used. The Korean version of the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and complications were assessed to evaluate functional and clinical result. Mean total Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) was 89.8 (range, 71.1~100) in the nonabsorbable suture group and 82.7 (range, 61.9~92.5) in the absorbable suture group (p=0.22). All patients returned to their previous life activity. The absorbable suture group had fewer postoperative complications (10%) than the nonabsorbable suture group (20%), but there was no significant difference between two groups (p=0.45). This pilot study showed that use of an absorbable suture for Achilles tendon repair had functional and clinical results comparable to those of the nonabsorbable suture. However, a use of an absorbable suture was associated with a lower incidence of complications than the use of nonabsorbable suture. Therefore, these results have to be confirmed in a randomized controlled cohort trial with larger population.
Achilles Tendon* ; Ankle ; Cohort Studies ; Foot ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pilot Projects* ; Polyethylene Terephthalates ; Polyglactin 910 ; Postoperative Complications ; Rupture* ; Sutures*

OBJECTIVE: The cordocentesis is regarded as an useful procedure for the prenatal evaluation of fetal disease, but it's complications are fetal loss, umbilical cord bleeding, umbilical cord hematoma, fetal bradycardia, fetomaternal hemorrhage, abruptio placentae, and chorioamnionitis due to it's invasiveness. The fetal bradycardia following cordocentesis is transient and self-limited in most cases, and the prevalence rate of fetal bradycardia following cordocentesis was reported to be between 1.5 and 13 per cent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of fetal heart rate pattern following cordocentesis with adverse pregnancy outcome. METHODS: We investigated retrospectively the fetal heart rate following cordocentesis, the Apgar score of neonate, the birth weight of neonate, gestational age at delivery, preterm delivery, intrauterine growth retardation, stillbirth, and chromosome analysis in 64 codocenteses between 1 February 2000 and 28 February 2001. Normal fetal heart rate was defined as 100 up to 170 bpm, fetal bradycardia as less than 100 bpm lasting one more minute, and fetal tachycardia as more than 170 bpm lasting one more minute. RESULTS: 1. Fetal heart rate pattern following the cordocentesis was normal in 53 cases (82.8%), bradycardia in 6 cases (9.4%) and tachycardia in 5 cases (7.8%). 2. The pregnancy outcome was well-being fetus at birth in 51 cases, terminated pregnancy in 5 cases, intrauterine growth restricted fetus in 5 cases, preterm birth in 1 case and intrauterine death in 2 cases. 3. Mean Apgar-1minute/-5minute scores in neonates were 8.4 +/- 0.2/9.3 +/- 0.2 in the normal fetal heart rate group, 6.8 +/- 1.7/7.6 +/- 1.9 in fetal bradycardia group and 8.4 +/- 0.2/9.4 +/- 0.2 in fetal tachycardia group, that showed no statistically significant difference between groups. 4. The gestational weeks at birth/birth weight were 38.9 +/- 0.4 weeks/3193 +/- 90 g in normal fetal heart rate group, 36.8 +/- 3.2 weeks/2733 +/- 340 g in bradycardia group and 40.0 +/- 0.2/3465 +/- 21 g in tachycardia group, that showed no statistically significant difference between groups. 5. The number of puncture at the same time of cordocentesis was one in 45 cases, two in 15 cases and three in 4 cases. 6. There was no difference in fetal heart rate pattern following cordocentesis between 60 cases of normal and 4 cases of abnormal cardiovascular findings sonographycally. 7. The karyotyping was normal in 60 cases and abnormal in 4 cases, each of which was 46,XY,inv(9),46,X,i(Xq)/45,X,47,XY,+mar, and 46,XX,t(7;15)(q10;q10) respectively. CONCLUSION: Fetal bradycardia or tachycardia following cordocentesis was not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Abruptio Placentae ; Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Bradycardia ; Chorioamnionitis ; Cordocentesis* ; Female ; Fetal Diseases ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Fetal Heart* ; Fetomaternal Transfusion ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Heart Rate, Fetal* ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Karyotyping ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Premature Birth ; Prevalence ; Punctures ; Retrospective Studies ; Stillbirth ; Tachycardia ; Umbilical Cord

Enlargement is an inherent property of X-rays which occurs when straight lines diverge from small a focal spot. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the validity of the correction of gonial angle width enlarged on frontal cephalogram, using frontal and lateral cephalograms taken orthogonally from each other. In 40 adult individuals, frontal and lateral cephalograms were taken at a 90 degrees angle using the Head Posture Aligner. The angle width was measured on the frontal cephalogram and subsequently, the corrected angle width was calculated using the magnification rate of two cephalograms. Measured and corrected angle widths were compared with the measurement from the 3D CT image. The measurement on the frontal cephalogram showed a 9.10 mm of enlargement on average, ranging from 7.92 to 11.31 mm. Corrected angle width measurement showed a 0.14 mm difference with the 3D CT image measurement, which was not statistically significant. The results of the study indicate that actual angle width can be approached through calculation using frontal and lateral cephalograms taken orthogonally with the help of the Head Posture Aligner. The study also showed that the magnitude of correction error did not show a significant correlation with the amount of menton deviation, and it suggests that the present correction method is valid even in individuals with severe facial asymmetry.
Adult ; Facial Asymmetry ; Head ; Humans ; Posture

Background Hippophae rhamnoides L.(HL) exerts antioxidant activities against various oxidative stress conditions.In this study,we investigated effects of extract from HL leaves (HLE) on cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG) of aged gerbils.Methods Aged gerbils (24 months) were divided into vehicle (saline)-treated-and HLE-treated-groups.The vehicle and HLE were orally administered with 200 mg/kg once a day for 20 days before sacrifice.Cell proliferation and neurobiast differentiation were examined in the DG using Ki67 and doublecortin (DCX),respectively.We also observed changes in immunoreactivities of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2),brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF),and phospho-glycogen synthase kinase-3-beta (p-GSK-3β) to examine their relation with neurogenesis using immunohistochemistry.Results The administration of HLE significantly increased the number of Ki67-positive cells and DCX-positive neuroblasts with well-developed processes in the SGZ of the DG of the HLE-treated-group.In addition,immunoreactivities of SOD1,SOD2,BDNF,and p-GSK-3β were significantly increased in granule and polymorphic cells of the DG in the HLE-treated-group compared with those in the vehicle-treated-group.Conclusions HLE treatment significantly increased cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation,showing that immunoreactivities of SOD1,SOD2,BDNF,and p-GSK-3β were significantly increased in the DG.These indicate that increased neuroblast differentiation neurogenesis may be closely related to upregulation of SOD1,SOD2,BDNF,and p-GSK-3β in aged gerbils.