No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Insulin* ; Lipoproteins* ; Pregnant Women* ; Triglycerides*

OBJECTIVE: We performed the transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluation of uterine cervix and fetal fibronectin in cervicovaginal secretions in women after 37 complete weeks of gestation to predict the onset of labor. METHODS: Total 80 primiparous or multiparous women were divided into two groups on the duration between evaluation and onset of labor. The biometric analysis of uterine cervix(cervical index, endocervical length, funneling, funnel length and width) was done by transvaginal ultrasonography. The cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin was measured by fetal fibronectin immunoassay (ELISA kit, Adeza Biochemical, USA). The efficacy of these method was analyzed with Pearson chi-square test, receiver-operator characteristic curves, and multiple logistic regression test. RESULTS: 1) There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between two groups. 2) Group 1(onset of labor within 7 days after evaluation) showed significantly shorter endocervical length(Group 1: 2.33+/-0.75cm,Group 2: 2.93+/- 0.42cm, p=0.013), higher value of cervical index(Group 1: 1.27+/-0.67, Group 2: 0.62+/-0.34, p=0.008) and higher level of fetal fibronectin(Group 1: 98.65+/-11.34ng/ml, Group 2: 13.37+/- 2.7ng/ml, p=0.004). 3) The ROC curve analysis showed that a level of endocervical length <2.64mm, cervical index> 0.7, fetal fibronectin> 60ng/ml had the diagnostic performance in predicting group 1. Fetal fibronectin level in cervicovaginal secretion> 60ng/ml showed the highest diagnostic index in predicting the onset of labor within 7 days(p<0,001, odds ratio=21.3). CONCLUSION: Cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin predicts delivery within 7 days more accurately than cervical index, endocervical length. Combine use of these tests improve the diagnostic efficiency and allowed prediction of onset of labor, identifying a subgroup of patients who may require aggressive treatment.
Cervix Uteri ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Female ; Fibronectins* ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Logistic Models ; Pregnancy* ; ROC Curve ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation* ; Osteomyelitis* ; Rats*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficiency, success rate and abortion time between the live and the dead fetus in second trimester pregnancy termination with intravag-inal misoprostol. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 45 pregnant women between 18-29 weeks of gestation with medical, obstetric, or genetic reasons for termination were recruited to receive 50 ug misoprostol inserted intravaginally (posterior fornix) every 4 hours. RESULTS: The success rate of complete termination(abortion) within 12 and 24 hours in dead fetuses were 78.2% and 95.6%, respectively, while in live fetuses were 36.3% and 90.9%, respectively. The mean abortion time of the dead fetus group (10.31+/-3.43 hours) was significantly less than that of the live fetus group (14.20+/-3.31 hours). No serious complications occurred in terms of hemorrhage, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. CONELUSION: Intracervicovaginal misoprostol is a safe and effective method for second trimester pregnancy termination. The abortion time is less in dead fetus pregnancy than that in the live fetus pregnancy.We used 50 ug tablets of misoprastol every four hours. But, we suspect that the regimen of 100ug misoprostol inserted intracervicovaginally every eight hours will beis the proper and optimal method for pregnancy termination.
Diarrhea ; Female ; Fetus* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Misoprostol* ; Nausea ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnant Women ; Tablets ; Vomiting

In order to assess the difference of healing of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the knee according to the treatment methods, in vivo animal experiment using a rabbit model was perfoimed. Thirty six MCLs in eighteen rabbits were surgically transected at the mid-portion and treatm nt was done with two different methods, e.g. immobilization wiih plaster cast in right knees (Group I ), and non-immohilization in left knees (Group 2 ). Five rabhits were used as normal controis. To evaluate the biomechanical property of the femur-MCL-tibia complex (FMTC) in time progression, tensile stress tests using material testing machine (Model 8511, Instron company, 1993) were done at 6, 10, l2 weeks postoperatively and the results were as follows. 1. The ultimate load and stiffness (structural property) of the FMTC increased with time in both groups, but group ][ showed significantly higher values than group I . 2. The material property of the MCL checked by stress-strain curve showed higher Young s modulus in group ][ than in group ] . As a results, joint motion seems to improve the biomechanical propeity of the healed MCL.
Animal Experimentation ; Casts, Surgical ; Collateral Ligaments* ; Exercise Test ; Immobilization* ; Joints ; Knee ; Ligaments* ; Rabbits*

Sixteen cases under the age of 19 were underwent surgical treatment for hernlated lumbar intervertebral disc over 10 years of period in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Catholic Medical College. The results were obtained as follows: 1. The incidence was 5.2% of all herniated lumbar intervertebral disc patients who treated surgically, but no sexual predilection. 2. Nine cases (56.3%) had a definite previous history of injuries. 3. Average intervals between the onset of clinical symptoms and the operation were 9.2 months. 4. Neurologic deficits are less severe and frequent (8 cases, 50%) but the clinical symptoms do not differ from than that of the adult. 5. 7 cases (43.8%) revealed definite reptured lumbar intervertebral discs and 5 cases (31.3%) are diffuse buldging of annular fibers in operative findings. 6. According to histopathological study, 8 cases show degenerative fibrocartilagenous changes in surgical specimen. 7. The radiological abnormalities of lumbar spine are less common than that of the adult. 8. Excellent or good results were found in 12 cases (75%) but two cases required a further surgical procedure. 9. In generally, hernlated Iumbar intervertebral disc in teenagers show better results and more rapid recovery of clinical symptoms by surgical treatment, and less residual symptoms than that of the adult.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Clinical Study ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intervertebral Disc ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Spine

To evaluate the relationship between arteriolosclerosis and diabetic retinopathy, we graded the levels of diabetic retinopathy and arteriolosclerosis and compared each other in 255 patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes. And we also measured serum lipid levels and checked other risk fac-tors for diabetic retinopathy. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. Patients with advanced arteriolosclerosis were at higher risk of severe diabetic retinopathy. And patients with elevated plasma total cholesterol, LDL-C, TG had more severe levels of diabetic retinopathy than whose lipid levels were normal. These results suggested that advanced arteriolosclerosis and elevated serum lipid levels are associated with severe diabetic retinopathy. For preventing visual threatening complications of diabetic retinopathy, the degree of arteriolosclerosis and serum lipid levels should be carefully monitored in the evaluation of diabetic retinopathy.
Arteriolosclerosis ; Arteriosclerosis* ; Cholesterol ; Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Humans ; Plasma

No abstract available.
9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene* ; Carcinogenesis* ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation* ; Submandibular Gland*

The depth of wound level is as important as the level of the tendon injury itself. And the timing of the operative procedure is an important factor. As a rule, tendons injured outside of the flexor sheath yield much better results than those injured within the sheath. The nutritional supply of the flexor tendons is not completely understood. Many elaborate studies have outilned the vascular anatomy of these tendons, and not all authors are in agreement. It is now clear that synovial fluid within the sheath supplies nutrition to the tendon much as synovial fluid in a joint supports cartilage. With this in mind, the present study was designed to determine the effect of exposing tendons for varying periods of time on the viability of the tendon and sequential morphological changes. The results are as follows: 1. Twelve hours after tendon sheath removal, collagen fibrillar dissociation and irregular surface of the tendon sheath were noted on the chicken flexor tendons by electronmicroscopy. 2. Superficial tenocyte necrosis was created after 24 hours of tendon exposure. 3. At 3 days, inflammatory cell infiltration and thickening of the outer synovial layer were noted. After 7 days, fibrosis of the degenerated tendon started from the exposed surface. 4. The fibrous connective tissue and new blood vessel infiltration into the tendon were progressed after 7 days. From these morphological results, any interference with the synovial environment leads to a regressive change of the flexor tendons immediately. It is suggested that delayed primary wound covering procedure within three days an after exposed tendon injury is ideal, and it should by done at least 7 days after tendon exposure.
Blood Vessels ; Cartilage ; Chickens ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Equipment and Supplies ; Fibrosis ; Joints ; Necrosis ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Synovial Fluid ; Tendon Injuries ; Tendons ; Wounds and Injuries

Five cases of intracranial lipoma diagnosed by MR are presented. MR imaging was performed on a 0.2T permanent unit using T1 weighted, proton density-weighted, and T2 weighted spin echo sequences. In two patients, gadolinium-enhanced T1 weighted image was also obtained. The lipomas were located dorsolaterally to the splenium of the corpus callosum (n=1), inferior to the splenium (n=2), in quadrigeminal plate(n=1) and in the presumed corpus callosum area in the case of agenesis of corpus call?um (n=1). The size and shape of the lipomas were variable. No contrast enhancement was seen in post contrast study. Sagittal T1 weighted image appeared to be the most useful imaging plane for the demonstration of the relationship between the lipoma ad the adjacent normal structures. The Homogenous signal intensity paralleling the fat signal and the characteristic location of the lesion are considered to be helpful in the differential diagnosis from dermoid cyst or teratoma.
Corpus Callosum ; Dermoid Cyst ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lipoma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Protons ; Teratoma