Neuroblastoma stage IV-S patients have frequent spontaneous remission and high survival rate. Many investigators have recommended minimal or no therapeutic intervention ; however, some patient do experience progressive disease and ultimately die of neuroblastoma. We experienced a case of stage IVS neuroblastoma with N-myc amplification and coagulopathy. This patient has treated with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy, then remained disease free for 1 year on the follow up till March, 1997.
Drug Therapy, Combination ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neuroblastoma* ; Remission, Spontaneous ; Research Personnel ; Survival Rate

This study was conducted to measure the degree of Korean Gender Egalitarianism among the students from six different high schools(132 girls, 127 boys) in Sunchon si, Chunnam province from Dec. 7th to Dec. 15th in 1999. The survey on gender egalitarianism was done in relation to the public understanding of the subject matter, parents' hug times, and parent's communication skills. Korean gender egalitarianism scale was standardized by Korea Woman Developmental Institutes in 1999. The data was analyzed by SAS program. Results were as follows: 1) Generally, girls are more conscious of gender egalitariannism than boys(t=-13.79, p < .001). Above all, the younger the students are, the more they feel equal(F=8.01, p < .01). In sibling cases, two sisters have the highest level of gender egalitarianism while two brothers have the lowest level of gender egalitarianism(F=9.20, p < .001). Students who come from religious families are more inclined to demonstrate gender equality(t= 2.42, p < .05). However, there is no diffrence in relation to the parents' ages or academic background or harmony within the family. 2)There is no difference that girls and boys generally communicate with their parents. In ages, 17 years old students communicate more than 18, 19 with parents(father F=3.97 p < .05?mother F=5.31, p < .01). That is, the younger students can communicate with their mothers more often than the older ones. In sibling cases, two sisters have more openly communication to parents while two brothers have(F=2.84, p < .05). Students communicate with their parents regardless of parents' academic background. But those from the family in harmony have more open chance to communicate than those who are not in hamony(father F=21.66, p < .001?mother F=13.37, p < .001). They can comm -unicate with their parents better when their fathers hug them than when they didn't get hugs(father t=-4.76, p < .001? mother t=-2.34, p < .05). They can also communicate with their patents better when their mothers hug them once or more than when they didn't get hugs(father t=-3.78, p < .001?mother t=-5.64, p < .001). 3) There is no diffrence whether the father hugs or not, but the mother's hug is very important because students whose mothers hug them once or more have significantly more gender egalitarianism than those students whose mothers didn't do(t=-3.98, p < .001). Based upon these results, it is recommended that we reconsider the role of gender in the socialization of high school students and also include gender egalitarianism in sex education. In this context, further study should be done for the improvement of students' communication within the framework of egalitarianism based upon parents' hugs(semi-language). Continued study is especially important in regards to the mother's hug and its enhancement of the students' gender egalitarianism.
Academies and Institutes ; Adolescent ; Fathers ; Female ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Korea ; Mothers ; Parents ; Sex Education ; Siblings ; Socialization ; Child Health

This study was conducted to measure the degree of Korean Gender Egalitarianism among the students from six different high schools(132 girls, 127 boys) in Sunchon si, Chunnam province from Dec. 7th to Dec. 15th in 1999. The survey on gender egalitarianism was done in relation to the public understanding of the subject matter, parents' hug times, and parent's communication skills. Korean gender egalitarianism scale was standardized by Korea Woman Developmental Institutes in 1999. The data was analyzed by SAS program. Results were as follows: 1) Generally, girls are more conscious of gender egalitariannism than boys(t=-13.79, p < .001). Above all, the younger the students are, the more they feel equal(F=8.01, p < .01). In sibling cases, two sisters have the highest level of gender egalitarianism while two brothers have the lowest level of gender egalitarianism(F=9.20, p < .001). Students who come from religious families are more inclined to demonstrate gender equality(t= 2.42, p < .05). However, there is no diffrence in relation to the parents' ages or academic background or harmony within the family. 2)There is no difference that girls and boys generally communicate with their parents. In ages, 17 years old students communicate more than 18, 19 with parents(father F=3.97 p < .05?mother F=5.31, p < .01). That is, the younger students can communicate with their mothers more often than the older ones. In sibling cases, two sisters have more openly communication to parents while two brothers have(F=2.84, p < .05). Students communicate with their parents regardless of parents' academic background. But those from the family in harmony have more open chance to communicate than those who are not in hamony(father F=21.66, p < .001?mother F=13.37, p < .001). They can comm -unicate with their parents better when their fathers hug them than when they didn't get hugs(father t=-4.76, p < .001? mother t=-2.34, p < .05). They can also communicate with their patents better when their mothers hug them once or more than when they didn't get hugs(father t=-3.78, p < .001?mother t=-5.64, p < .001). 3) There is no diffrence whether the father hugs or not, but the mother's hug is very important because students whose mothers hug them once or more have significantly more gender egalitarianism than those students whose mothers didn't do(t=-3.98, p < .001). Based upon these results, it is recommended that we reconsider the role of gender in the socialization of high school students and also include gender egalitarianism in sex education. In this context, further study should be done for the improvement of students' communication within the framework of egalitarianism based upon parents' hugs(semi-language). Continued study is especially important in regards to the mother's hug and its enhancement of the students' gender egalitarianism.
Academies and Institutes ; Adolescent ; Fathers ; Female ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Korea ; Mothers ; Parents ; Sex Education ; Siblings ; Socialization ; Child Health

A 34 year-old woman was hospitalized with anterior chest pain and indigestion. Chest radiograph and computed tomogram revealed a sewing needle in the cardiac cavity. She had no histories of surgical intervention, drug abuse, or acupuncture. We removed the needle from the right ventricle under cardiopulmonary bypass.
Acupuncture ; Adult ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Chest Pain ; Dyspepsia ; Female ; Foreign Bodies* ; Heart Ventricles* ; Humans ; Needles* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Substance-Related Disorders

No abstract available.
Asphyxia* ; Phenobarbital* ; Seizures*

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in-vitro efficacy of the active ingredients of dentifrice following treatment time. The whitening effect was evaluated by a change in lightness value relative to the contact time of hydrogen peroxide, by using artificially stained hydroxyapatite discs. The anti-calculus effect was assessed based on the amount of calcium eluted from the human dental calculus by sodium pyrophosphate. Remineralization was evaluated by the Vickers hardness test following the application of sodium fluoride to bovine enamel. In order to view dentinal tubules occlusion, the formation of insoluble calcium salts by bovine dentin specimens was observed using scanning electron microscopy. Change in lightness value (ΔL) was 5.50±1.51 after 1 min of treatment, 5.73±0.43 after 3 min, 8.64±0.24 after 10 min, 18.93±0.76 after 30 min, and 27.35±0.54 after 60 min. The amount of calcium eluted from the human dental calculus was 4.23±0.14 ppm after 1 min of treatment, 4.51±0.04 ppm after 3 min, 12.12±0.16 ppm after 10 min, 17.85±0.81 ppm after 30 min, and 25.15±0.32 ppm after 60 min. The Vickers hardness change value (ΔVHN) was 1.96±1.44 after 1 min, 1.52±1.06 after 3 min, 9.06±0.15 after 10 min, 10.83±5.13 after 30 min, and 12.55±2.09 after 60 min. Partial dentinal tubules occlusion was observed at 10 min and complete occlusion was evident at 60 min. In summary, the use of patch type dentifrices for 10, 30, or 60 min were 1.57 to 8.26 times more effective than using the paste type dentifrices for 1 to 3 min. Based on these findings, it is reasonable to expect that the use of patch type dentifrices for 10 min would lead to remineralization, anti-calculus and dentinal tubules occlusion effects, and that use for 30 min would result in a whitening effect.
Calcium ; Dental Calculus ; Dental Enamel ; Dentifrices* ; Dentin ; Durapatite ; Hardness ; Hardness Tests ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Salts ; Sodium ; Sodium Fluoride

PURPOSE: Autogenous fascia lata of distal thigh is the best material for repairing ptosis with poor levator function. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the complications associated with autogenous fascia lata harvesting on the distal thigh for frontalis suspension surgery. METHODS: We reviewed the medical charts of ptosis patients who underwent frontalis suspension surgery with autogenous fascia lata from March 2001 to March 2003. Fifteen patients, with at least 1-year follow-up, were included. RESULTS: Postoperative functional complications related with walking were pain on walking in 10 patients (67%), limping in 6 (40%), muscle weakness in 2 (12%), and limitation of knee motion in 1 (7%). Complications related- with the wound were tenderness in 8 patients (53%), an unsightly scar on harvesting site in 8 (53%), inflammation in 1 (7%), muscle herniation in 1 (7%), and hypoesthesia around the wound in 1 (7%). CONCLUSIONS: Except for the scar, most of postoperative complications were resolved during the early follow-up period. The only long-term complication was the cosmetic problem of an unsightly scar on the harvesting site. For which careful suture on the wound site and fascia lata harvesting on the proximal thigh are recommended.
Cicatrix ; Fascia Lata* ; Fascia* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Inflammation ; Knee ; Muscle Weakness ; Postoperative Complications ; Sutures ; Thigh* ; Walking ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: To evaluate the frequently of low ahetenuation area in enhanced CT scans of non-Hodgkin lymphoma(NHL) and to find out if there is any pertinent relationship between this and the histopathologic classification. MATERIALS & METHODS: The authors reviewed CT scans in the newly diagnosed 53 patients with NHL. We defined the-low attenuation area as the one with CT attenuation value lower than that of the muscle, surrounding lesion, or other lymph nodes after contrast enhancement. NHL with the low attenuation areas were correlated with the histopathologic findings according to the classification based on the Working Formulation and the frequency of the lesion was evaluated. RESULT: Of the 53 patients, the low attenuation area was found in 13 patients (25%) at CT. The histopathologic classification could be made in 12 patients, among whom one patient was classified as low grade, six as intermediate grade, and five as high-grade. Concerning the specific cell typing, the diffuse large cell type was most common in intermediate-grade NHL seen in five patients and the large cell, immunoblastic type was most common in high-grade NHL seen ih three patients. CONCLUSION: The authors concluded that the low attenution area within lymphoma is not an infrequent finding at CT, and there was no stastistically significant correlation between this finding and the prognostic grading of the Working Formulation.
Classification ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a genetic disorder of the melanin pigment system in which melanin synthesis is reduced or absent in the skin, hair, and eyes. OCA is classified into two major types, and tyrosinase-related OCA can be produced by mutations of the structural gene for tyrosinase enzyme (TYR gene). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the segregation of mutant alleles of the TYR gene in tyrosinase-negative and tyrosinase-positive Korean OCA patients and families. METHODS: We amplified exon I, II, and III of the TYR gene of Korean OCA patients and their families by polymerase chain reactions (PCR), and analyzed the mutations by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis in exon I and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analyses in exon II and exon III. RESULTS: Two tyrosinase-negative cases showed mutations in exon I. Four tyrosinase-nega-tive cases and one tyrosinase-positive case showed mutations in exon II, and one tyrosinase-neg- ative case showed mutations in exon III. In summary, we found three kinds of mutation in four tyrosinase-negative OCA patients and one tyrsinase-positive OCA patient. CONCLUSIONS: RFLP and SSCP analysis can provide a basis for a rapid and sensitive screening system to detect TYR gene mutations of Korean OCA patients and their families.
Albinism, Oculocutaneous* ; Alleles ; Exons ; Hair ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Melanins ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Skin

PURPOSE: To determine the side effects of short-term high-dose methylprednisolone therapy (pulse methylprednisolone therapy), which was used to treat patients with optic neuritis, traumatic optic neuropathy, orbital pseudotumor, and orbital myositis. METHODS: All 27 patients treated with pulse methylprednisolone therapy from June 2005 to June 2006 were included in this study. Each patient was injected with 1 g per day of methylprednisolone intravenously, administered in 250 mg doses every 6 hours, for 3 days. We measured body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, HbA1c, blood pressure, and intraocular pressure. In addition, we performed slit lamp examination and chest X-ray. RESULTS: The average age of the 27 patients was 35.8 years, including 16 males and 11 females. Thirteen patients had optic neuritis, 10 patients had traumatic optic neuropathy, 3 patients had orbital pseudotumors, and 1 patient had orbital myositis. Before treatment, the average of body mass index (BMI) was 23.09 (kg/m2), but at 3 months after treatment it was 23.73 (kg/m2). All patients had fasting glucose levels higher than the normal range during the treatment. However, all fasting glucose levels returned to within the normal range at 3 months after treatment, except in 1 patient. In addition, a major complaint among patients was an increase in body weight. CONCLUSIONS: We performed a close observation of controlled diet and exercise on patients who were treated with pulse methylprednisolone therapy because we knew it would have a hyperglycemic effect. An increase in body weight is the most common complaint of steroid therapy. Even after treatment is completed, it is important to monitor glucose level and weight.
Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Diet ; Eye ; Eye Diseases ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Methylprednisolone ; Optic Nerve Injuries ; Optic Neuritis ; Orbit ; Orbital Myositis ; Orbital Pseudotumor ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Reference Values ; Thorax