Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistency of intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy is about 1 to 30,000 pregnancy in a natural cycle. However, the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy has steadily increased because of rising incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic surgery and the development of ovulation induction and assisted reproduction. Because heterotopic pregnancy is difficult to diagnose and it has high morbidity and mortality rate, one should always take this into consideration and should conduct careful and thorough gynecologic evaluation. We have experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a 29-year old woman who presented with acute abdominal pain in a natural cycle and report this case with a brief review of literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Ovulation Induction ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Reproduction

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide basic data on preventive child abuse program development. METHOD: Data were collected on 105 high-risk families of child abuse intervention was obtained from their main child rearer who raised the child under 18 years, olds during 10 months period from May, 2000 to March 2001. RESULT: The results were as follows : 1. Child abuse occurred in the subject's home, in the case of mild child abuse, 'throwing an object at the child' had the highest percentage 39.1%, in severe child abuse, 'rod, stick, belt, broom beating or using a variety of objects such as' had the highest percentage 49.5%, and in very severe child abuse, 'hospitalized by belting' had the highest percentage 3.8%. 2. The degree of child abuse potential showed high risk child abuse score with a mean of 213.3. The degree of beliefs in corporal punishment showed that subjects perceived corporal punishment of children positively with a mean of 32.2. 3. With respect to the child abuse potential, there were significant correlations with the subjects' age (r=.294, p=.002), education level (r=-.442, p=.000), and family income (r=-.355, p=.000). CONCLUSION: From this study not only child abuse occurrence but also child abuse potential were severely increased in poor livelihood families. Therefore to the high risk group, individual preventive approach must be applied.
Child ; Child Abuse ; Cytisus ; Education ; Humans ; Only Child ; Program Development ; Punishment

Intracranial lipomas located in the cerebellopontine angle are extremely rare. These tumors are maldevelopmental lesions which can cause slowly progessive neurological symptoms. The clinical management of these tumours differs significantly from other lesions in this region. A 45 year old man presented with a 3-month history of vertigo and tinnitus in the left ear. In T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, the lesion was hyperintense and did not enhance after application of gadolinium. The patient was treated with medical therapy with good response. We present a review of the literature, with particular regard to management. Conservative treatment is recommended and limited surgery is usually indicated if the patients suffer from disabling neurological symptoms and signs e.g., vertigo, nausea, trigeminal neuralgia, facial weakness or facial spasm.
Cerebellopontine Angle ; Ear ; Gadolinium ; Humans ; Lipoma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; Spasm ; Tinnitus ; Trigeminal Neuralgia ; Vertigo

PURPOSE: This study was to determine the effect of DHEA administration before, during, and after dexamethasone treatment on body weight and TypeI,II muscle weight of rat receiving dexamethasone treatment. METHOD: Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: control(C), dexamethasone(D), DHEA administration for 3days after dexamethasone treatment for 7days(7D+3DH), dexamethasone treatment for 7days after DHEA administration for 3days(3DH+7D), DHEA administration during dexamethasone treatment for 4days after dexamethasone treatment for 3days(3D+4DDH), DHEA administration during dexamethasone treatment for 7days(7DDH). Dexamethasone was injected by subcutaneously daily at a dose of 5mg/kg. DHEA was orally administered daily at a dose of 5mg/kg for 7 days. Soleus(TypeI) muscle, and both plantaris and gastro- cnemius(TypeII) muscles were dissected on the 7th day of experiment. RESULT: Body weight of both 3DH+7D group and 3D+4DDH group increased significantly compared with that of 7D group. Body weight of 7D+3DH group decreased significantly compared with that of 7D group, 7DDH group, 3DH+7D group and 3D+4DDH group. Muscle weight of both plantaris and gastro- cnemius tended to decrease compared with that of 7D group. Muscle weight of 7DDH group, 3D+4DDH group and 3DH+7D group increased significantly compared with that of 7D+3DH group. Muscle weight of gastrocnemius of both 3DH+7D group and 3D+4DDH group increased significantly compared with that of 7D group. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, it can be suggested that DHEA administration before and during dexamethasone treatment can increase both body weight and mass of atrophied TypeII muscle induced by dexa- methasone treatment.
Animals ; Body Weight* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone* ; Dexamethasone* ; Muscles* ; Rats* ; Rats, Wistar

BACKGROUND: Coal workers' pneumoconiosis is a fibrotic lung disease resulting from chronic inhalation of coal dust. The precise mechanism of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis is uncertain. However, a relationship between the stimulation of fibroblast proliferation and collagen production by mediators released from inflammatory and resident lung cells is thought to be a major factor. The transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β), a multifunctional cytokine and growth factor, plays a key role in the scarring and fibrotic processes due to its ability to induce extracellular matrix proteins and modulate the growth and immune function of many cell types. To determine the involvement of TGF-βin the development of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis, the TGF-β1 level in plasma was measured in patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis. METHODS: Plasma was collected from 40 patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (20 with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis and 20 with complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis) and from 10 normal controls. The ELISA method was used to measure the plasma TGF-β1 concentration. RESULTS: Compared to the control group (0.63±0.18 ng/mL), there was no significant difference in the plasma TGF-β1 level in patients with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis (0.64±0.17 ng/mL) (p>.05). However, in patients with complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis the plasma TGF-β1 level (0.79±0.18 ng/mL) was significantly higher than in patients with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis and control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The data suggests that TGF-β1 has some influence in the development of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis.
Cicatrix ; Coal* ; Collagen ; Dust ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Fibroblasts ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Plasma* ; Pneumoconiosis* ; Pulmonary Fibrosis

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine whether low intensity regular exercise following dexamethasone treatment could attenuate steroid-induced muscle atrophy. METHOD: 36 Wistar-rats(90-110g) were divided into six groups: control group(C), dexamethasone treatment group(D), sedentary group after normal sedentary period(C+S), sedentary group after dexamethasone treatment period(D+S), exercise group after normal sedentary period(C+E), and excercise group after dexamethasone treatment period(D+E). D, D+S, and D+E groups received dexamethasone injection(5mg/Kg) for seven days whereas C, C+S, and C+E groups received normal saline injection. Both C+E and D+E groups ran on a treadmill for 60 minutes/day(20minutes/4hours) at 15m/min and a 10degreegrade for seven recovery days. RESULT: Post-weight(body weight before muscle dissection) of D group significantly decreased by 16.03%, and that of D+E group significantly increased by 15.51% compared with pre-weight(body weight before steroid treatment). Type II muscle(plantaris and gastrocnemius) weights of D group were significantly lower than those of C group. Myofibrillar protein contents of type II muscles of D group tended to decrease comparing with C group. In D+E groups, body weights and relative weights of typeII muscles(muscle weight(mg)/post-weight(g)) tended to increase comparing with D+S group. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that steroid- induced muscle atrophy can be ameliorated through low intensity regular exercise after dexamethasone treatment.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Dexamethasone ; Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch ; Muscles* ; Muscular Atrophy ; Rats* ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this investigation was to analyze the association between ovarian tumor markers and the clinicopathologic features of ovarian mature cystic teratoma. METHODS: The medical records of 195 patients whose pathologic diagnosis were made as mature cystic teratoma after surgery from June, 2000 to July, 2006 at Ewha Womans University Mok-dong Hospital were reviewed. The proportions of elevation of each tumor marker were evaluated in all patients and CA19-9 which showed the greatest elevation rate was selected as a promising relevant tumor marker. The patients were alloted to either Group I showing elevated CA19-9 or Group II showing normal level of CA19-9. The relationship between CA19-9 level and demographic data or clinicopathologic features were investigated by usual statistical method. RESULTS: The mean age of all patients was 35.4+/-12.8, and the average size of tumor was 7.1+/-3.5cm. Bilaterality of the mature cystic teratoma was 12.8%. The proportion of the patients showing elevated levels was greatest in CA19-9 as 33.3% (65/195), compared with 12.0% in CA-125, 5.8% in CEA, 1.1% in AFP. Significant difference between Group I and Group II were found in age, parity, tumor size, and bilaterality. Bilaterality and tumor size were greater in Group I, and age and proportion of parous women were lower in Group I. On the other hand, the rate of ovarian torsion or laparotomy conversion showed no difference. Likelihood ratio for bilaterality which may be clinically used during surgical procedure were 2.2 for CA19-9 suggesting its potential role in gynecologic practice. CONCLUSION: This study shows that CA19-9 may be a useful tumor marker associated with tumor size and bilaterality in ovarian mature cystic teratoma. Further confirmative study with larger sample size is in need in order to establish its definite clinical role in ovarian mature cystic teratoma.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Medical Records ; Ovary* ; Parity ; Sample Size ; Teratoma* ; Biomarkers, Tumor

Oal contraceptives are one of the most frequently used methods of hormonal contraception. In general, oral contraceptives have proven to be safe for most women. However, the risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are increased in women taking oral contraceptives. We have experienced a case of a woman who had superior mesenteric venous (SMV) and portal vein thromboses on taking oral contraceptives with antithrombin III, protein C, and protein S deficiencies.
Antithrombin III* ; Contraception ; Contraceptive Agents ; Contraceptives, Oral* ; Female ; Humans ; Portal Vein ; Protein C* ; Protein S Deficiency* ; Protein S* ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Thrombosis ; Venous Thrombosis*

Re-188 is useful candidate for therapeutic radionuclide because it has a physical half life of 17 hours, contains beta ernissions suitable for therapy(maximum energy 2.12MeV) and emits a garnma ray that is suitable for quantitative diagnostic scanning(155keV). To use He-188 as a radionuclide compound of angioplasty balloon radiotherapy, we investigated the labelling method and biodistribution of Re-188- DTPA. We postulated that labeled Re-188-DTPA is preferable because it would be excreted via urinary system more easily than other compounds. To label Re-188 with DTI'A, 1ml of 222MBqI(6mCi) of Re-188 was added to DTPA solution(DTPA 20mg, SnC4 2HsO 10mg, pH 3.5) and boiled at 100C for 120min in water bath. pH was adjuted to 5 with 2.3Fo sodium acetate. I.abeling efficiency was measured using TLC-SG(acetone, saline). We evaluated biodistribution of Re-188-DTPA in sacrificed mice at 10 and 60 minutes after injection. We acquired images of kidneys, and drew tirne-activity r.urves in normal dogs and rats and calculated Trnax and Tl/2 in rats. The labelling efficiency was 95.7Yo on average. Labelling of Re-188-DTPA was stable(90% after 5hours) in vitro at room temperature. According to time-activity curves of dogs and rats, it took 15 to 20 minutes after injection for Re-188-DTPA to be washed out through kidneys. In conclusion, Re-188-DTPA was successfully labeled, Re-188-DTPA was stable in vitro and was excreted early via kidneys in animals. We could recornmend Re-188-DTPA as radionuclide of potential use in angioplasty balloon radiotherapy.
Angioplasty ; Animals ; Baths ; Dogs ; Half-Life ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Kidney ; Mice ; Pentetic Acid ; Radiotherapy ; Rats ; Sodium Acetate ; Water

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although CO2 laser turbinate surgery is known to be an effective method in reducing the nasal symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis, the long term effects have not yet been evaluated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the subjective and objective long term results of CO2 laser surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The charts and questionnaires of 49 patients who received laser surgery at our department from January 1994 to December 1999 were reviewed. Preoperative and postoperative nasal volume of 20 randomly selected patients were measured by acoustic rhinometry. Nasal mucosa of 10 patients before and after laser surgery yearly for 6 years were examined under light and electron microscopy. RESULTS: Watery nasal discharge, nasal obstruction and sneezing had improved significantly after laser surgery. Postoperative nasal volumes also increased significantly. Histological findings 6 years after laser surgery revealed focal squamous epithelium and regenerating ciliated columnar epithelium. Decreased goblet cells, fibrous proliferation and scarce vessels and glands were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: CO2 laser surgery proves to be an effective method in reducing the symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis for short and long periods.
Epithelium ; Goblet Cells ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Gas* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Nasal Mucosa ; Nasal Obstruction ; Rhinitis* ; Rhinometry, Acoustic ; Sneezing ; Turbinates* ; Surveys and Questionnaires