No abstract available.
Hyperostosis, Cortical, Congenital*

No abstract available.
Pyloric Stenosis, Hypertrophic*

No abstract available.
Osteopetrosis*

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus* ; DNA* ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hypercholesterolemia is a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis. We sought to evaluate the relation between hypercholesterolemia and plaque composition in patients with coronary artery disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Study subjects consisted of 323 patients (mean 61.5 years, 226 males) who underwent coronary angiography and virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound examination. Patients were divided into two groups according to total cholesterol level: hypercholesterolemic group (> or =200 mg/dL, n=114) and normocholesterolemic group (<200 mg/dL, n=209). RESULTS: Hypercholesterolemic patients were younger (59.7+/-13.3 years vs. 62.6+/-11.5 years, p=0.036), than normocholesterolemic patients, whereas there were no significant differences in other demographics. Hypercholesterolemic patients had higher corrected necrotic core volume (1.23+/-0.85 mm3/mm vs. 1.02+/-0.80 mm3/mm, p=0.029) as well as percent necrotic core volume (20.5+/-8.5% vs. 18.0+/-9.2%, p=0.016) than normocholesterolemic patients. At the minimal lumen area site, percent necrotic core area (21.4+/-10.5% vs. 18.4+/-11.3%, p=0.019) and necrotic core area (1.63+/-1.09 mm2 vs. 1.40+/-1.20 mm2, p=0.088) were also higher than normocholesterolemic patients. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that total cholesterol level was an independent factor of percent necrotic core volume in the culprit lesion after being adjusted with age, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol , hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and acute coronary syndrome (beta 0.027, 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.053, p=0.037). CONCLUSION: Hypercholesterolemia was associated with increased necrotic core volume in coronary artery plaque. This study suggests that hypercholesterolemia plays a role in making plaque more complex, which is characterized by a large necrotic core, in coronary artery disease.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Atherosclerosis ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Demography ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Linear Models ; Smoking

Pulmonary involvement is more common in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) than in any other connective tissue disease, and more than half of patients with SLE suffer from respiratory dysfunction during the course of their illness. Although sepsis and renal disease are the most common causes of death in SLE, lung disease is the predominant manifestation and is an indicator of overall prognosis. Respiratory disease may be due to direct involvement of the lung or as a secondary consequence of the effect of the disease on other organ systems.
Cause of Death ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Prognosis ; Sepsis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of reverse geometry lens (RGL) on correction of moderate degree myopia and cornea in patients of moderate-degree myopia. METHODS: 48 eyes of 82 eyes were chosen to wear reverse geometry lens and the remaining 34 eyes were fitted with rigid gas permeable (RGP) lens. The subjects were tested three days, one, two weeks, one, two and three months after fitting the lens. Uncorrected visual acuity, manifested refractive error, corneal thickness and corneal endothelial cell count were evaluated. corneal topography were performed. RESULTS: The uncorrected visual acuity was increased at 0.05 LogMAR after two weeks. and manifested refractive error decreased during the first months, thereafter stabilizing to -0.2 D (diopters). Corneal thickness was 540.4 micrometer and 583.0 micrometer in the center and mid-periphery, decreased to 505.2 micrometer and 572.7 micrometer, respectively, three months after RGL fitting (p<0.05). Endothelial cell count was 2663.5 cells/mm2 and 2541.5 cells/mm2 in the center and mid-periphery, 3 months after RGL fitting and endothelial cell count was not significantly different compared with that of pre-fitting. There was no statistical difference between RGL fitting group and RGP fitting group in the change of corneal endothelial cell count. CONCLUSIONS: RGL was found to be effective in correction of moderate-degree myopia. It had minimal effect on corneal endothelium, in short-term usage, however, the change of corneal thickness suggests that RGL fitting may effect on corneal epithelium and stroma.
Cornea* ; Corneal Topography ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium, Corneal ; Epithelium, Corneal ; Humans ; Myopia* ; Refractive Errors ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes of plasma MMP-2, -9 levels in preeclampsia between antepartum and postpartum periods, and compare with normotensive pregnant. METHODS: Plasma MMP-2, -9 levels were determined with enzyme-linked immunoassay in pregnant women with preeclampsia (n=20) compared to control group (normotensive pregnant women) matched by maternal age, gestational age, and parity (n=20). RESULTS: Women with preeclampsia presented significantly higher plasma level of MMP-2 before delivery [516.33 +/- 98.75 vs 384.55 +/- 93.84 (ng/mL), p=0.002]. In postpartum 24 hours, women with preeclampsia exhibited higher plasma MMP-2 level compared control group [534.77 +/- 158.67 vs 336.04 +/- 139.11 (ng/mL), p=0.002]. But the plasma level of MMP-9 was significantly lower in preeclampsia group before delivery [26.26 +/- 7.49 vs 45.00 +/- 20.31 (ng/mL), p=0.001]. In postpartum 24 hours, women with preeclampsia also speculated lower plasma MMP-9 level compared control group, but no existence of significance. CONCLUSION: Plasma MMP-2 concentration is significantly increased in preeclampsia before delivey and postpartum 24 hours. Plasma MMP-9 concentration is significantly decreased in preeclampsia before delivery.
Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Maternal Age ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; Parity ; Plasma* ; Postpartum Period* ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnant Women

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes of plasma MMP-2, -9 levels in preeclampsia between antepartum and postpartum periods, and compare with normotensive pregnant. METHODS: Plasma MMP-2, -9 levels were determined with enzyme-linked immunoassay in pregnant women with preeclampsia (n=20) compared to control group (normotensive pregnant women) matched by maternal age, gestational age, and parity (n=20). RESULTS: Women with preeclampsia presented significantly higher plasma level of MMP-2 before delivery [516.33 +/- 98.75 vs 384.55 +/- 93.84 (ng/mL), p=0.002]. In postpartum 24 hours, women with preeclampsia exhibited higher plasma MMP-2 level compared control group [534.77 +/- 158.67 vs 336.04 +/- 139.11 (ng/mL), p=0.002]. But the plasma level of MMP-9 was significantly lower in preeclampsia group before delivery [26.26 +/- 7.49 vs 45.00 +/- 20.31 (ng/mL), p=0.001]. In postpartum 24 hours, women with preeclampsia also speculated lower plasma MMP-9 level compared control group, but no existence of significance. CONCLUSION: Plasma MMP-2 concentration is significantly increased in preeclampsia before delivey and postpartum 24 hours. Plasma MMP-9 concentration is significantly decreased in preeclampsia before delivery.
Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Maternal Age ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; Parity ; Plasma* ; Postpartum Period* ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnant Women

BACKGROUND: Next-generation sequencing is increasingly used for taxonomic identification of pathogenic bacterial isolates. We evaluated the performance of a newly introduced whole genome-based bacterial identification system, TrueBac ID (ChunLab Inc., Seoul, Korea), using clinical isolates that were not identified by three matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) systems and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. METHODS: Thirty-six bacterial isolates were selected from a university-affiliated hospital and a commercial clinical laboratory. Species was identified by three MALDI-TOF MS systems: Bruker Biotyper MS (Bruker Daltonics, Billerica, MA, USA), VITEK MS (bioMérieux, Marcy l'Étoile, France), and ASTA MicroIDSys (ASTA Inc., Suwon, Korea). Whole genome sequencing was conducted using the Illumina MiSeq system (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA), and genome-based identification was performed using the TrueBac ID cloud system (www.truebacid.com). RESULTS: TrueBac ID assigned 94% (34/36) of the isolates to known (N=25) or novel (N=4) species, genomospecies (N=3), or species group (N=2). The remaining two were identified at the genus level. CONCLUSIONS: TrueBac ID successfully identified the majority of isolates that MALDI-TOF MS failed to identify. Genome-based identification can be a useful tool in clinical laboratories, with its superior accuracy and database-driven operations.
Genes, rRNA ; Genome ; Gyeonggi-do ; Mass Spectrometry ; Seoul