The term "pineal anlage tumor" has been recently proposed and few cases have been reported. We report the first Korean case of pineal anlage tumor in a 6-year-old girl who complained of headache and vomiting for 2 months. Brain MRI revealed a well defined, lobulated, calcifying mass in the pineal region. Tumor was totally removed. Pathological examination revealed a primitive pineal parenchymal tumor with melanotic epithelial component that was similar to histologic findings of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy, so-called retinal anlage tumor and of the developing pineal gland. The tumor was composed mostly of small, undifferentiated cells, Flexner-Wintersteiner rosettes, and ganglionic differentiation. The tumor also contained the cartilage and skeletal muscle cells.
Brain ; Cartilage ; Child ; Female ; Ganglion Cysts ; Headache ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Neuroectodermal Tumor, Melanotic ; Pineal Gland ; Pinealoma ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare visual acuity and reading speed for Korean language between a diffractive bifocal and trifocal intraocular lens (IOL) of the same material and haptic design. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of the patients who had undergone bilateral cataract surgery with bifocal IOLs (AT LISA 801) on the both eyes (bifocal group) and trifocal IOLs (AT LISA tri 839 MP, trifocal group). The main outcome measures were the uncorrected distance, intermediate, and near visual acuity (uncorrected distance visual acuity [UCDVA], uncorrected intermediate visual acuity [UCIVA], and uncorrected near visual acuity [UCNVA]) and corrected distance, near, and distance-corrected intermediate visual acuity (corrected distance visual acuity [CDVA], corrected near visual acuity [CNVA], and distance-corrected intermediate visual acuity [DCIVA]) at last postoperative follow-up month. Reading speeds for Korean language were measured to check near visual function. RESULTS: Fourteen eyes (7 patients) were included in the bifocal group and 32 eyes of 16 patients in the trifocal group. There were no statistical differences between the two groups with respect to UCDVA, UCNVA, CDVA, and CNVA. However, UCIVA (0.35 vs. 0.22 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR], p < 0.01) and DCIVA (0.34 vs. 0.20 logMAR, p < 0.01) were significantly better in the trifocal group than in the bifocal group. The mean reading speed for logMAR 0.5 optotype (point 10) was 86.50 words per minute (wpm) in the bifocal group and 81.48 wpm in the trifocal group without a significant difference (p = 0.70). CONCLUSIONS: Trifocal IOLs provided the same level of distance and near visual acuity and reading speed as that of bifocal IOLs with better intermediate visual acuity.
Cataract ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular* ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Medical Records ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Visual Acuity

Mutation in the p53 suppressor gene is the most common genetic alteration found in human cancers including primary brain tumors. Ki-67 labeling index(LI) is known to be a marker of proliferating activity. The purpose of this study was to verify whether an immunohistochemical expression of p53 antibody and Ki-67 LI could be related to different clinicopathologic parameters including histologic grade, size, invasiveness and recurrence of the brain tumors. Materials were based on the 147 surgically resected brain tumors during the last two years. Of the 147 brain tumors, there were 35 astrocytic tumors, 35 meningiomas, 10 oligodendrogliomas, 7 craniopharyngiomas, 5 dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors, 4 medulloblastomas, 5 ependymomas, 23 pituitary adenomas, 9 schwannomas, and 14 other brain tumors. The p53 expression and Ki-67 LI were higher in malignant brain tumors including astrocytic tumors, medulloblastoma, PNET and gliosarcoma. The p53 positivity was correlated with histologic grades and tumor recurrence. The brain tumors with a high Ki-67 LI(>6%) also showed a close relationship to a higher histologic grading, radiological invasiveness and recurrence. There was no evident correlation with the age and tumor size with p53 expression and Ki-67 LI. These results suggest that p53 overexpression and high proliferation potential of the tumor cells are associated with the higher histologic grade and aggressive clinical course in the central nervous system tumors.
Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms ; Craniopharyngioma ; Ependymoma ; Genes, Suppressor ; Gliosarcoma ; Humans ; Medulloblastoma ; Meningioma ; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial ; Neurilemmoma ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; Oligodendroglioma ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: In children on anticancer chemotherapy, bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. We investigated febrile episodes and bloodstream infections in pediatric cancer patients to guide proper selection of empiric antibiotics for febrile pediatric hemato-oncologic patients. METHODS: All febrile episodes treated in the division of hematology-oncology, the department of pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, between July 2005 and June 2008 were reviewed. Episodes with and without bloodstream infections were compared. RESULTS: Forty cases (18.9%, 25 patients) of BSI occurred in 212 febrile episodes (63 patients). Thirty-seven cases (23.6%, 22 patients) of BSI occurred in 157 febrile episodes with neutropenia (54 patients). Microorganisms identified in BSI corresponded to 23 gram-positive bacteria (51.2%), 20 gram-negative bacteria (44.5%), and 2 fungi (4.4%). Rates of BSI between those who had received umbilical cord blood transplantation and those who had received transplantation from other source were significantly different (55.0% vs. 7.7%, P=0.001). No differences in mortality rate were observed among organisms in BSI patients. For febrile episodes the rate of BSI was higher among those with Chemoport than those with Hickman catheter (P=0.029) and gram-positive pathogens were more likely to be associated with Chemoport (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: The study showed the rate of BSI, distribution of pathogens with regard to neutropenia, transplantation, central venous catheters, and antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogens in order to help guide in the choice of optimal empiric antibiotics in pediatric febrile neutropenic hemato-oncologic patients.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteremia ; Catheters ; Central Venous Catheters ; Child ; Fetal Blood ; Fever ; Fungi ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Humans ; Neutropenia ; Pediatrics ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Hysterectomy*

Extrapelvic endometriosis is a rare disease. The majority of extrapelvic endometriosis cases involve scar tissue following obstetric and gynecologic procedures. We have treated two cases of extrapelvic incisional endometriosis. A 39 year old female patient with cyclic vaginal spotting after laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy due to uterine myoma and a 35 year old female patient with a painful palpable abdominal mass after cesarean section. Both underwent complete excision and were proven to have endometriosis by pathology. Here we report on both cases and review the medical literatures.
Adult ; Cesarean Section* ; Cicatrix ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal* ; Leiomyoma ; Metrorrhagia ; Pathology ; Pregnancy ; Rare Diseases

Pancreatic pseudocyst occurs as a complication of pancreatitis or trauma, which results in the escape of pancreatic enzymes from the parenchyma or ductal system of pancreas. At that time, serum amylase may have returned to normal level, and the patient may be subjectively asymptomatic. In this phase, the radiologic findings are relatively greater significance than laboratory data. In the conventional radiologic study, pancreatic pseudocyst have been frequently confused with other retroperitoneal mass, but recently with clinical application of ultrasound and CT scan, more accurate diagnosis can be obtained. The brief results are as follows; 1. Male to female ratio was 3:2 in 15 patients. Incidence was most common in young adult age. Most frequent symptom was epigastic pain, and which was noted in 11 cases of patients. 7 cases of patients had past history of abdominal trauma and past history of pancreatitis was only in 1 case. Most common laboratory finding was leukocytosis in 8cases of patients and elevated serum amylase was also noted in 7 cases. 2. In each 5 cases of patients, plain chest roentgenologic evidence of left side pleural effusion and hemidiaphragm elevation were observed. 3. On flat abdomen film, soft mass shadow was visualized in 8 cases of patients. On UGI series, evidence of retrogastric space widening was observed in 11 cases of patients. 4. The location of pseudocyst is mainly in body and tail of pancrease in 11 cases of patients. 5. More accruable diagnosis can be obtained through application of ultrasound and CT scan.
Abdomen ; Amylases ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Pseudocyst ; Pancreatitis ; Pancrelipase ; Pleural Effusion ; Tail ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; United Nations ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Cryptorchidism* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Male

PURPOSE: This study introduces a reading chart application for the iPad tablet in the Korean language and investigates the reading speed in a normal-sighted population according to age group. METHODS: Sixty-three Korean sentences were selected from textbooks for second grade elementary school students. A commonly used typeface in everyday printed material, “BatangChe,” was used. Letter size was presented in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) 0.0 to 1.0 at 0.1 logMAR steps at a reading distance of 40 cm. A third generation retina display iPad was used to present the chart, and the sentences were presented randomly for each size of letter. The subjects repeated the test silently (reading only) and out loud (reading and speaking) to prevent them from skipping reading words. Pilot testing followed in 65 normal vision adults under 60 years of age. RESULTS: The mean reading only speed for logMAR 0.5 optotype (point 10) was 121.1 ± 47.2 words per minute (wpm) for people in their 20s (n=21), 116.5 ± 38.3 in their 30s (n=27), 93.8 ± 12.6 in their 40s (n=9), and 56.5 ± 42.7 (n=8) in their 50s. There was a significant correlation between age and reading and speaking speed (r=−0.48, p<0.001). The mean reading only speed for logMAR 0.5 optotype (point 10) was 202.3 ± 88.4 wpm and the mean reading and speaking speed was 129.7 ± 25.9 wpm, with significantly different (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This Korean reading chart application could present a new standard when checking reading speed according to age groups.
Adult ; Humans ; Retina

Nicotine is one of the major components of cigarette smoking which causes various systemic and local diseases to human body. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of nicotine on bone mineralization in human fetal osteoblasts cell line(hFOB1). To compare the alkaline ph-osphatase(ALP) synthesis, hFOB1 were cultured with DMEM/F-12 1:1 Mixture and 100 pg/ml, 1 ng/ml, 10 ng/ml, 100 ng/ml, 1 microgram/ml, 10 microgram/ml, 100 microgram/ml of nicotine. And to compare the calcium accumulation, hFOB1 cultured for 23 days were quantified and photographed. ALP activity of hFOB1 exposed to nicotine was not significantly changed at a lower concentrations of nicotine, but was significantly decreased at a higher concentrations (10 microgram/ml, 100 microgram/ml) of nicotine (p<0.05). A quantified calcium acculation in hFOB1 was significantly decreased at 1, 10, and 100microgram/ml of nicotine (p<0.05). Significantly decreased calcium deposition was observed at 1, 10, and 100microgram/ml of nicotine. These results indicate that a higher concentration of nicotine show a negative effects on mineralization of hFOB1.
Calcification, Physiologic ; Calcium ; Human Body ; Humans* ; Nicotine* ; Osteoblasts* ; Smoking