BACKGROUND: Our purpose was to assess the utility of prenatal triple-marker (alpha- fetoprotein (AFP), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and unconjugated estriol (uE3) testing for chromosomal abnormalities in women with Down syndrome screen-positive results. METHODS: Total 1,082 women between 15 and 21 weeks' gestation received second trimester Down syndrome risk evaluation by triple marker testing. AFP, beta-hCG and uE3 were measured by Coat-A-Count(R) IRMA (Diagnostic Products Corporation, LA, USA), The risk for Down syndrome was calculated using a commercially available software program (AFP Expert; Benetech Medical System, Toronto, Canada) by use of a Down syndrome risk cutoff value(1:270 at midtrimester). Karyotypes were reviewed for 32 (54.2%) of these patients who received prenatal chromosome analysis. RESULTS: Fifty nine (5.5%) patients of the 1,082 women screened were identified as positive. Two chromosome abnormalities (47,XYY and 46,XX, int (9) ) were found in the 32 patients who underwent prenatal chromosome analysis (6.3%). Any cases on the abnormal serum tests torn out not to be associated with trisomy 21. CONCLUSIONS: Although triple marker screen appears to be an effective method detecting chromosome abnormalities there is a high false positive rate. Therefore, new screening test that reduce false positive rate is need to be introduced.
Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Down Syndrome ; Estriol ; Female ; Fetal Proteins ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Prenatal Diagnosis*

No abstract available.
Dental Offices* ; Dentists* ; Hair* ; Humans ; Scalp*

No abstract available.
Appointments and Schedules* ; Erythrocytes*

No abstract available.
Appointments and Schedules* ; Erythrocytes*

The gene encoding F protein of CBP-1 strain, a heat-stable Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolated from the diseased pheasants in Korea, was characterized by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), nucleotide and amino acid sequences. Virus RNA was prepared from the chorioallatoic fluid infected with NDV CBP-1 virus and cDNA was amplified by RT-PCR, cloned and sequenced to analyze. The PCR was sensitive as to detect the virus titer above 25 hemagglutination unit. 1.7kb (1,707bp) size of the cDNA was amplified and cloned into BamHI site of pVL1393 Baculo transfer vector. The nucleotide sequences for F protein were determined by dye terminator cyclic sequencing using four pairs of primers, and 553 amino acid sequences were predicted. In comparison of the nucleotide sequence of F gene of CBP-1 with those of other NDV strains, the homology revealed 88.8%, 98.5% and 98.7% with Kyojungwon (KJW), Texas GB and Beaudette C strains, respectively. As the deduced 553 amino acid sequences of F protein of CBP-1 were compared with those of other NDV strains, the homology appeared 89.9%, 98.7% and 98.9% with KJW, Texas GB and Beaudette C strains, respectively. The putative protease cleavage site (112-116) was R-R-Q-K-R, indicating that CBP-1 strain is velogenic type. The amino acid sequences include 6 sites of N-asparagine-linked glycosylation and 13 cysteine residues. These data indicate that the genotype of CBP-1 strain is more closely associated with the strains of Texas GB and Beaudette C than KJW strain.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Base Sequence* ; Clone Cells ; Cloning, Molecular* ; Cysteine ; DNA, Complementary ; Genotype ; Glycosylation ; Hemagglutination ; Korea ; Newcastle disease virus* ; Newcastle Disease* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA ; Texas ; Viral Load

OBJECTIVES: We attempted to investigate personality characteristics influencing insight acquisition in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Tridimensional personality questionnaire(TFQ) for neurobiologically based personality characteristics assessment and Barron's ego strength test were administrated to 30 patients with schizophrenia who had good insight and 30 patients who had poor insight. Each group was also compared with 453 normal health controls. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between good and poor insight acquisition groups on ego strength. Poor insight acquisition group showed significantly higher reward dependence dimension on Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire than good insight acquisition group, though the other two personality dimensions showed no difference. The good insight group showed no difference on three TFQ dimensions from normal healthy control group. However, the poor insight group demonstrated higher score in reward dependence dimension than the healthy control group but not in the other two dimensions. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that neurobiologically determined personality characteristics rather than ego strength would be closely related with insight acquisition in schizophrenia. Reward dependence as groups of behavioral characteristics, mainly derived from central norepinephrine mediated behavior would be related with insight formation. The roles of norepinephrine in schizophrenia have not been lolly understood yet. Further understandings regarding insight formation process and role of norepinephrine In schizophrenia could give some clues on insight acquisition in patients with schizophrenia.
Ego ; Humans ; Norepinephrine ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reward ; Schizophrenia*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the preterm labor & preterm infants care in Kwangju and Chonam. METHODS: A study was conducted for 2,360 newborns who were born at four main hospitals in Kwangju and chonam from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1997. Data were collected by review of hospital records. RESULTS: 1. The survival rate was 6.90% at 23~34 weeks, 38.60% at 27~28weeks and 90.67% after 31wks. 2. The survival rate divided according to birth weight were 8.89% below 1,000gm, 57.14% in 1,001~1,500gm, 86.75% in 1,501~2,000gm and 93.37% over 2,000gm respectively. 3. Clinical causes of neonatal death were RDS(48.84%) hyperbilirubinemia (20.74%), sepsis(11.95%) and pneumonia(9.67%). 4. Incidence of RDS was 23.22% and it's neonatal mortality was 36.28%. CONCLUSION: The survival rate of preterm birth in Kwang-Ju and Chon-nam was still lower than data from advancing countries, and main cause of neonatal death was respiratory distress syndrome.
Birth Weight ; Female ; Gwangju* ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Premature Birth ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: Pediatric sedation is an important factor for obtaining the images of good quality. We performed this study to analyze the efficacy of our sedation protocol using chloral hydrate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected prospectively 151 sedation records of children(1 day-15 years old), who were sedated with chloral hydrate for MR(n=112) or CT(n=39) studies. We initially administered 50mg/Kg orally(n=94) or rectally(n=57) 30 minutes before the scheduled examinations, and then administered additionali dose (second dose :25-35mg/Kg, third dose:10-15mg/Kg) to patients whom initial dose failed to sedate. RESULTS: Satisfactory sedation was achieved by initial administration in 109 patients(72%) without si difference between oral(per oral: P.O.) and rectal(per rectal: P.R.) administration. Second dose was required in 28% and third dose in 5%. MR and CT examinations required second dose in 36(32%) and 6 patients(15%), respectively. P.O. -patients vomited in 5%. P.R. -patients defecated in 22% after initial administration. There were no other serious complications. Time interval from the drug administration to the start of examinations was 33 minutes in initial-dose-group and 64 minutes in additional-dose-group. Two patients could not complete MR examination due to early arousal. Prolonged sedation, requiring more than 30 minutes for alertness after MR and CT examinations, was encountered in twenty(18%) and two patients(5%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Our protocol using chloral hydrate(P.O. or P.R.) is thought to be an effective and safe method for pediatric sedation for MR or CT imaging.
Arousal ; Child* ; Chloral Hydrate* ; Humans ; Prospective Studies

Squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) is a recognized late complication of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus(CDLE). There are many case reports of SCC in white patients with chronic DLE. However, it is uncommon in blacks and Asians. The etiology of squamous cell carcinoma is multifactorial. The predisposing factors for the development of SCC in these patients include actinic keratosis, Bowen's disease, burn scars, arsenic keratosis, and chronic discoid lupus erythematosus. Of these causes, SCC developing in the lesions of CDLE is very rare. We report a patient who has been evaluated for ten years with a diagnosis of discoid lupus erythematosus and has squamous cell carcinoma.
African Continental Ancestry Group ; Arsenic ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bowen's Disease ; Burns ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Causality ; Cicatrix ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Keratosis ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid*

No abstract available.
Paragonimiasis*