PURPOSE: The current study was conducted in order to identify health and nutritional status of Korean underweight women in their twenties by comparing with normal, overweight, and obese women. METHODS: Data from the 2010~2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used in this study. Subjects were 897 women aged 20~29 years. Subjects were classified according to underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese groups based on body mass index. Health status was assessed using data from the health questionnaire and examination. Nutritional status was assessed using data from 24-hour dietary recall and a food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: The underweight group had higher education and exercised less than the obese group. Means of blood chemistry and blood pressure of the underweight group did not differ from those of the normal weight group. Means of fasting glucose, insulin, lipid profiles, blood cell counts, and blood pressure in the underweight group were different from those of the overweight or obese group. Proportions of delivery, breast feeding, and irregular menstruation in the underweight group were lower compared with the other groups. Except retinol intake, means of nutrient intake did not differ among four groups. There were significant differences among four groups in the intakes of cereals and eggs and frequency of consumption of dairy products. CONCLUSION: The current findings showed that health and nutritional status of underweight women in their twenties did not differ from those of normal weight women. In particular, health status of underweight women in their twenties was better than that of obese women of the same ages. Further study on health and nutritional status of extremely underweight women is necessary.
Blood Cell Count ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Breast Feeding ; Edible Grain ; Chemistry ; Dairy Products ; Education ; Eggs ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Insulin ; Korea* ; Menstruation ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Nutritional Status* ; Overweight ; Ovum ; Thinness* ; Vitamin A

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the vertical distance between umbilicus to aortic bifurcation on coronal view in Korean women and their relation with body mass index (BMI) and woman's age. METHODS: This retrospective study included 257 women who visited emergency center at university-based hospital from January to December 2011. All women underwent abdomino-pelvic computerized tomography (CT) due to various symptoms in a supine position. By using the electronic coronal CT images, the vertical distance between umbilicus and aortic bifurcation was measured. If aortic bifurcation was located below umbilicus, the distance was expressed as minus value (i.e., caudal to umbilicus). Age of woman, body weight, height and calculated BMI (kg/m2) were also recorded. RESULTS: Aortic bifurcation was located caudal to umbilicus in 52.9% and cephalad to umbilicus in 37.4%. The vertical distance had a negative relationship with BMI (r=.0.180, P=0.004), as well as woman's age (r=-0.382, P<0.001). However, a multivariate analysis revealed that the vertical distance had a significant negative relationship with woman's age (P<0.001) but not with BMI (P=0.510). An equation could be drawn to estimate the vertical distance by using woman's age and BMI: vertical distance (mm)=12.6-0.3x(age)-0.2x(BMI). CONCLUSION: The vertical distance from umbilicus to aortic bifurcation on coronal view showed a significant inverse correlation with woman's age, however, the distances varied widely. Most older or obese Korean women had aortic bifurcation caudal to umbilicus.
Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Supine Position ; Umbilicus*

Little informaition is available concerning the relation between the echocardiographic findings and the pulmonic to systemic flow ratio. Accordingly the author assessed the pattern of the systolic interventricular septal motion and the relation between the type of the systolic interventricular septal motion and the pulmonic to systemic flow ratio in 30 cases with catheterization evidence of secundum atrial septal defect employing the M-mode echocardiographic technique. The results were as follows: 1) Analysis of the pattern of the systolic interventricular septal motion (SESM) allowed classification of cases into 5 groups: Type 1A (4 cases)-Both the right (RS) and left (LS) sides of the interventricular septum move anteriorly during ventricular systole: Type1V (5 cases)-Both RS and LS of the interventricular septum move posteriorly during ventricular systole:Type 2A (9 cases)-LS of the interventricular septum moves posteriorly, while RS fo the interventricular septum remains relatively flat during ventricular systole; Type 2B (8 cases)-RS of the interventricular septum moves anteriorly, while LS of the interventricular septum remains relatively flat during ventricular systole;Type 3(4 cases)-SISM is the same as type 2 and the motion of the left ventricular posterior wall is relatively hyperactive. 2) The pulmonec to systemic flow ratio (Qp/Qs) was statistically different between type 1, 2, and 3 of SISm (Qp/Qs in type 3=2.3+/-0.33;Qp/Qs in type 2=3.4+/-0.79;Qp/Qs in type 3=5.1+/-1.37). 3) Qp/Qs was not different between type 1A and 1B (Qp/Qs in type 1A=2.3+/-0.28;Qp/Qs in type 1B=2.3+/-0.39) and between type 2A and 2B (Qr/Qs in type 2A=2.20+/-0.80; Qp/Qs in type 2B=3.7+/-0.76). 4) Tyep 2 in SISm predicts Qp/Qs> or =2.5(sensitivity=87.5%;specificity=100%;accuracy=90%), and type 3 in SiSm predicts Qp/Qs> or =4.0(sensitivity=40;specificity=100%;accuracy=80%). In conclusion, the pattern of the systolic interventricular septal motion (SISM) in the M-mode echocardiogram may be useful for the semiquantitative assessment of the pulmonic to systemic flow ratio (Qp/Qs) in cases with secundum atrial septal defect.
Catheterization ; Catheters ; Classification ; Echocardiography ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Systole

OBJECTIVES: Classification of data elements (DEs), which is used in clinical documents is challenging, even in across ISO/IEC 11179 compliant clinical metadata registries (MDRs) due to no existence of reliable standard for identifying DEs. We suggest the Clinical Data Element Ontology (CDEO) for unified indexing and retrieval of DEs across MDRs. METHODS: The CDEO was developed through harmonization of existing clinical document models and empirical analysis of MDRs. For specific classification as using data element concept (DEC), The Simple Knowledge Organization System was chosen to represent and organize the DECs. Six basic requirements also were set that the CDEO must meet, including indexing target to be a DEC, organizing DECs using their semantic relationships. For evaluation of the CDEO, three indexers mapped 400 DECs to more than 1 CDEO term in order to determine whether the CDEO produces a consistent index to a given DEC. The level of agreement among the indexers was determined by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: We developed CDEO with 578 concepts. Through two application use-case scenarios, usability of the CDEO is evaluated and it fully met all of the considered requirements. The ICC among the three indexers was estimated to be 0.59 (95% confidence interval, 0.52-0.66). CONCLUSIONS: The CDEO organizes DECs originating from different MDRs into a single unified conceptual structure. It enables highly selective search and retrieval of relevant DEs from multiple MDRs for clinical documentation and clinical research data aggregation.
Abstracting and Indexing as Topic* ; Classification ; Data Collection ; Information Dissemination ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; Registries* ; Semantics

OBJECTIVE: Gene expression microarrays become a widely used tool in biomedicine. With growing needs of microarray data sharing, there are efforts for the development of microarray standards. MAGE-OM(Microarray Gene Expression Object Model) is a data exchange model and MAGE-ML is an XML-based data exchange format. Most database, however, do not have a suitable structure for MAGE-ML storage and maximum use of the data. Therefore, we have created relational database implementing MAGE-OM for the storage of MAGE-ML with importing and exporting capabilities. METHODS: A relational schema is derived from MAGE-OM with simple object-relational mapping strategy to reduce complexity of MAGE-OM. Data transfer between database and MAGE-ML document is performed via MAGE-OM using the MAGE Software Toolkit(MAGEstk). RESULTS: Our database accepts microarray data as MAGE-ML files through web-based interface, classifying into two types of submission, array or experiment. MAGE-ML import-export function is flexible to accommodate changing data model by separating model definition and implementation layers. CONCLUSION: Standard-based implementation of gene expression database enhances the collection and the structured storage of large-scale gene expression data from heterogeneous data sources.
Information Storage and Retrieval ; Gene Expression* ; Information Dissemination

PURPOSE: In attempt to provide a feasible chemotherapeutic regimen for advanced gastric cancer patients, the combination of cisplatin, epirubicin, leucovorin and fluorouracil (PELF) has been developed. A trial was performed to confirm the clinical activity, in terms of response rate and toxicity and duration of survival, of the PELF combination chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 1995 to July 1997, patients with measurable unresectable and/or metastatic gastric cancer received PELF combination chemotherapy. The regimen consisted of cisplatin 40 mg/m2 IV on days 1 and 5; epirubicin 30 mg/m2 IV on days 1 and 5; 5-fluorouracil 300 mg/m2 and leucovorin 20 mg/m2 IV on days 1 through 4. The cycle was repeated every 3 weeks. RESULT: Among 21 evaluable patients, 1 patient achieved complete response (5.3%) and 8 patients, partial response (42.1%). The median survival of overall patients was 36 weeks, the median time to progression of 21 evaluable patients was 27 weeks. There was severe myelosuppression; leucopenia 73.1%, WHO grade 3~4 11.5% of cycles. Non-hematologic toxicities were also severe nausea or vomiting in 100% of patients, grade 3~4 13.0% of patients, alopecia in 91.3% of patients, grade 3~4 52.2% of patients. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the PELF combination is effective in overall response rates. However, it is not recommended for routine clinical use because of its toxicities. Further phase III study will be warranted.
Alopecia ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Epirubicin ; Etoposide* ; Fluorouracil* ; Humans ; Leucovorin* ; Nausea ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Vomiting

The previously reported repositioning methods have been known to be very difficult to be performed. A new external knotting technique was performed to reposition the dislocated intraocular lenses (IOLs). After 3-port vitrectomy, a 30 gauge injecting needle tip into which the thread end of a 10-0 polypropylene was put, was introduced into the vitreous cavity through the ciliary sulcus to make a loop having an external knot. After one haptic of the IOL was engaged into the loop, the thread was pulled back and tied to make a knot. After holding and pulling the haptic of the IOL with the intraocular forceps for proper position of the knot. Then it was sutured and fixed in sclera. The IOLs were kept in central position without complications. The final visual outcome was 0.8 and 0.3 respectively. This method might be safe and easy to correct the dislocated IOL.
Lenses, Intraocular* ; Needles ; Polypropylenes ; Sclera ; Surgical Instruments ; Vitrectomy

Formaldehyde is a colorless irritating gas of pungent odor, which is used as a disinfectant, antiseptic, deodorant, tissue fixative and embalming fluid, It is used in the formation of resins, alcohols and acids, and in permanent press processes in the textile industry. If formaldehyde is swallowed, severe abdominal pain and vomiting is immediately noted. Corrosive gastritis can follow with diffuse ulceration, fibrosis and contracture of the stomach, resembling linitis plastica, which may be severe enough to require gastrectomy. We report a case of cicatricial contracted stomach due to the ingestion of formalin.
Abdominal Pain ; Alcohols ; Contracture ; Deodorants ; Eating* ; Embalming ; Fibrosis ; Formaldehyde* ; Gastrectomy ; Gastritis ; Linitis Plastica ; Odors ; Stomach* ; Textile Industry ; Ulcer ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: We have evaluated the mutations of the OPTN gene, which has been reported to be associated with the normal tension glaucoma (NTG). METHODS: The OPTN gene was analyzed in 53 patients with NTG and 40 normal subjects. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples of each patients, exon 5 and exon 6 of the OPTN gene were amplified by PCR and DNA sequencing was performed. RESULTS: No mutation was found in normal subjects. But three kinds of point mutation (G412A, C459T in exon 5, G577C in exon 6) were found in 7 patients with NTG. CONCLUSIONS: We report the novel point mutations of OPTN gene in NTG patients. This shows the possibility of diagnosis of NTG by detecting the mutation of OPTN gene.
Diagnosis ; DNA ; Exons ; Glaucoma* ; Humans ; Low Tension Glaucoma ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVES: Extension of the standard model while retaining compliance with it is a challenging issue because there is currently no method for semantically or syntactically verifying an extended data model. A metadata-based extended model, named CCR+, was designed and implemented to achieve interoperability between standard and extended models. METHODS: Furthermore, a multilayered validation method was devised to validate the standard and extended models. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Community Care Record (CCR) standard was selected to evaluate the CCR+ model; two CCR and one CCR+ XML files were evaluated. RESULTS: In total, 188 metadata were extracted from the ASTM CCR standard; these metadata are semantically interconnected and registered in the metadata registry. An extended-data-model-specific validation file was generated from these metadata. This file can be used in a smartphone application (Health Avatar CCR+) as a part of a multilayered validation. The new CCR+ model was successfully evaluated via a patient-centric exchange scenario involving multiple hospitals, with the results supporting both syntactic and semantic interoperability between the standard CCR and extended, CCR+, model. CONCLUSIONS: A feasible method for delivering an extended model that complies with the standard model is presented herein. There is a great need to extend static standard models such as the ASTM CCR in various domains: the methods presented here represent an important reference for achieving interoperability between standard and extended models.
Compliance ; Health Records, Personal* ; Humans ; Methods ; Semantics