PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to test the validity of hypothesis that the index finger and ring finger ratio (2D:4D) is related with men's semen quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We set two groups of healthy young male student (mean age 23.9) who have different 2D:4D ratio from different departments of Chosun University. One group consists of 26 men whose 2D:4D ratio is higher than 1 (mean 1.06), and the other group consists of 33 men whose 2D:4D ratio is lower than 1 (mean 0.94). Their semen was collected by masturbation and examined. RESULTS: A comparative analysis revealed that there is no relation between semen quality and the 2D:4D ratio. The group of 2D:4D> or =1 showed a semen volume of 3.66+/-1.64 ml, on the other hand, the group of 2D:4D<1 showed a semen volume of 3.73+/-1.40 ml. No statistical correlation was found (p=0.82). The view of sperm count and motile sperm in single ejaculated semen also showed no statistically significance with 2D:4D ratio (p=0.84, p=0.43, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The 2D:4D ratio has no statistically significant correlation with the semen quality of health young male. Thus, measurements of finger length cannot be a reliable indicator of semen quality and testicular function.
Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Masturbation ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Spermatozoa

BACKGROUND: The purpose decortication is to eliminate the infection focus and to improve the decreased lung function due to chronic empyema. However, lung function is not improved in all cases. It would be clinically useful it we could predict preoperatively whether lung function would improve after decortication. The purpose of this study is to find useful indices for predicting the possible improvement of lung function after decortication. METHOD: The medical records of 37 tuberculous empyema patients who underwent pleural decortication were analyzed retrospectively from 1990 to 1996. The measurements of preoperative and postoperative forced vital capacity(FVC) were used for evaluating the effects of decortication. RESULTS: The sex ratio was 29 : 8 (male to female), and the median age was 34 years. The time interval between the formation of empyema and operation was 1 month to 30 years. Postoperative pulmonary function test was performed 5.4±2.6 months later. FVC(forced vital capacity) was significantly increased from 2.77±0.67(L) to 2.95± 0.81(L). Interestingly, postoperative pulmonary function was significantly improved in patients who were less than 40 years old, within 4 months after diagnosis of tuberculous empyema, in the group with FVC of less than 60% of the predicted value and in the absence of calcification. CONCLUSION: The improvement of lung function after decortication was expected in patients younger than 40 years old, within 4 months after diagnosis of tuberculous empyema, in the group having less than 60% of the predicted FVC, without calcification.
Diagnosis ; Empyema ; Empyema, Tuberculous* ; Humans ; Lung ; Medical Records ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Ratio

PURPOSE: To investigate the general clinical features of congenital cataracts and to determine their relationship to visual prognosis and surgical complications according to age at operation and surgical procedure adopted. METHOD: We retrospectively evaluated 92 eyes in 61 patients with congenital cataracts who underwent cataract surgery between January 1996 and December 2006. The demographic data, surgical technique, post-operative complications, and final visual prognosis were evaluated. RESULTS: The average age at surgery was 3.17 years (range 1 month to 11 years), and the mean follow-up was 40.02 months (range 6 to 46 months). Of the 56 eyes that could be checked for visual acuity after cataract extraction, 29 (51.7%) had a BCVA of > or =0.5 at last visit. Unilateral congenital cataracts (p=0.025) and congenital cataracts with strabismus (p=0.019) showed significantly poorer visual outcomes. Patients with nystagmus also experienced a poor visual outcome; 6 patients (67%) had a BCVA of <0.1. Posterior cataracts had the worst visual prognosis (p=0.004). No statistically significant differences in posterior capsular opacity (p=0.901) or synechia formation (p=0.449) were observed between surgical techniques, but children younger than one year showed a higher tendency for PCO and synechia formation. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior vitrectomy did not reduce postoperative complications. Higher rates of complications (PCO, posterior synechia) developed in children younger than one year of age.
Capsulorhexis/methods ; Cataract/classification/*congenital ; Cataract Extraction/*methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; *Lens Implantation, Intraocular ; Male ; Nystagmus, Pathologic/complications ; Postoperative Complications ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Strabismus/complications ; Vision Disorders/rehabilitation ; Visual Acuity/physiology ; Vitrectomy

PURPOSE: To compare the therapeutic outcomes after deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) and penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) in patients with keratoconus. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 57 patients diagnosed with keratoconus who had undergone DALK (19 eyes of 19 patients) and PKP (38 eyes of 38 patients) in Samsung medical center between January 1995 and January 2006. RESULTS: The 19 and 38 patients with keratoconus who underwent DALK and PKP had mean ages of 25.3 (range: 17-46) and 26.2 (range: 12-51) years, respectively. These groups were followed up for mean times of 16.7 (range: 6-34) and 45.7 (range: 6-115) months after surgery, respectively. The DALK group showed significantly higher values of refractive power, central corneal thickness, and endothelial cell density, while two eyes (10.5%) in the DALK group developed stromal rejection, which resolved after steroid therapy. In the PKP group, eight eyes (21%) developed endothelial rejection, among whom one eye (2.6%) resulted in a graft failure of a patient who underwent re-PKP, and two eyes (5.3%) in the PKP group developed secondary glaucoma. CONCLUSIONS: DALK should be considered as the primary surgical technique in keratoconus, because the visual outcome is comparable with PKP and it reduces severe complications such as secondary glaucoma and the risk of graft failure by preserving the corneal endothelium compared to PKP.
Corneal Transplantation ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium, Corneal ; Eye ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Keratoconus ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplants

The purpose of this study was to improve the dietary attitudes and habits of elementary students in lower classes through a 12-week practical nutrition education program called KHIDIKIDS, which was developed by Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) in 2004 based on the 2003 Children's Dietary Guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea. KHIDIKIDS has never been applied in the field, therefore, another purpose of this study was to evaluate the program in the school education and suggest the ideas for the improvement. KHIDIKIDS was applied to a class of 2nd-grade elementary students consisting of 28 children in Seoul during the fall semester of 2005, and the effect of the program was measured by using questionnaires for the students and their parents. The statistical analysis of the study was conducted by using SPSS WIN 11.5 program, and the results were as follows: The children's knowledge on nutrition was improved significantly by KHIDIKIDS education (p < .001), such that the average score on nutritional knowledge increased from 8.32 to 9.64 after education. This practical nutrition education program also improved the dietary attitudes and habits of children especially in healthy body weight, daily exercise, and having breakfast (p < .05). Parents also showed very positive responses for the nutrition education. During the application of KHIDIKIDS in the field, the followings were indicated for adjustment; First, some education content of the week was too much to be finished in a class hour and more hours need to be allocated. Second, some terminology need to be adjusted to help the students understand easily. Thirdl, the order of the '5 Basic Food Groups' needs to be matched with the order of each food group in the 'Food Tower' not to make children be confused. Above results showed that KHIDIKIDS was effective for the improvement of dietary attitudes and habits of lower elementary students. However, further educational effects would be achieved when the education was started from the 1st to higher grades along with the parents' participation.
Body Weight ; Breakfast ; Child ; Education* ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Korea ; Nutrition Policy ; Parents ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

A 53-year-old male was hospitalized with abdominal pain and turbid peritoneal fluid. He was diagnosed with hypertension, diabetic nephropathy and started continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) 4 years ago. Initial peritoneal fluid analysis demonstrated CAPD peritonitis. As initial antibiotic therapy, ceftazidime/vancomycin were injected intraperitoneally. But drug sensitivity test revealed these regimens were ineffective. On sixth hospital day, Brevundimonas vesicularis (B. vesicularis) was cultured from peritoneal fluid, this strain was susceptible to imipenem, piperacillin and resistant to ceftazidime. Accordingly we changed the antibiotics to imipenem, which was administered for 14 days, but analysis of peritoneal fluid was seldom improved. Finally, CAPD catheter was removed, and hemodialysis was started. After CAPD catheter removal, peritonitis improved rapidly. B.vesicularis is a rare opportunistic organism in CAPD peritonitis. Because this peritonitis may not improve in spite of medical treatment with susceptible antibiotics, CAPD catheter must be removed finally.
Abdominal Pain ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ascitic Fluid ; Catheters ; Ceftazidime ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Imipenem ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Peritonitis ; Piperacillin ; Pseudomonas ; Renal Dialysis ; Sprains and Strains

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinical radiologic syndrome which is characterized by reversible neurological and radiological findings. It is associated with an abrupt and severe increase in blood pressure, eclampsia, chronic kidney disease with hypertension and using various immunosupressive drugs. Patient with chronic kidney disease could be especially vulnerable to this syndrome because they are frequently exposed to several possible causes as uremia, hypertension, or electrolyte imbalance. We report a case of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in a patient having continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
Blood Pressure ; Eclampsia ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome ; Pregnancy ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Uremia

Gemella morbillorum is a normal flora of the oral cavity, upper respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, or genitourinary system. Human infection cause by G. morbillorum is very rare. Known predisposing conditions are intravenous drug abuse, alcoholism, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, renal disease and poor oral hygiene. Most reported cases are infective endocarditis and vasculitis. We experienced a case of liver abscess by G. morbillorum in a healthy young woman, who was treated successfully with antibiotics and drainage. We report this case along with a literature review.
Abscess ; Alcoholism ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Drainage ; Endocarditis ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Gemella ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Abscess ; Mouth ; Oral Hygiene ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Respiratory System ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous ; Urogenital System ; Vasculitis

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the 'Mental Fitness'Scale, which was designed to measure the characteristics of being mentally fit or positive mental health. METHODS: Interviews using open-ended questions were conducted on 105 healthy adults between 20 and 65 years of age to obtain the 25 candidate items of the 'Mental Fitness' Scale. To evaluate the validity of the new scale, these items and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale(ESS) were administered to 212 healthy adults. To assess test-retest reliability, the preliminary 'Mental Fitness' Scale items were administered two weeks later to 47 healthy subjects selected by random sampling. A comparison was made between the 212 healthy subjects and 42 psychiatric patients with depressive or anxiety disorders. RESULTS: Factor analysis yielded four subscales (mental energy, empathic communication, flexibility, and self-assurance). Five items were excluded due to their low factor loadings. The test-retest reliability coefficients were significantly high, ranging between 0.57-0.76. Internal consistency was computed, and Cronbach's alpha for four subscales ranged between 0.66-0.88, and was 0.90 for the total score. Concurrent validity was assessed by correlating the four subscales and the total score with total scores on the BDI, PANAS, and ESS. The correlations were all at significant levels. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the 'Mental Fitness' Scale is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing positive mental health.
Adult ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Pliability