PURPOSE: To compare the corneal first surface higher-order aberrations (HOAs) of normal subjects and patients with dry eye using KR-1W(R) (Topcon Corp., Tokyo, Japan) and Pentacam(R) HR (Oculus Inc., Dutenhofen, Germany). We analyzed the relationship between the aberrations and the diagnostic parameters of dry eye. METHODS: We evaluated anterior corneal HOAs in 71 normal eyes and 71 dry eyes using KR-1W(R) and Pentacam(R). Dry eye patients were examined for fluorescein staining, tear break-up time (TBUT), and Schirmer I test. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was used for assessment of subjective symptoms in dry eye patients. RESULTS: HOAs measured by both instruments were greater in the dry eye group than in the control group, although HOAs using KR-1W(R) only achieved statistical significance. The anterior corneal HOAs measured by the 2 instruments were significantly correlated with superficial punctate keratitis. Moreover, TBUT and the Shirmer I test negatively correlated, and OSDI positively correlated, with anterior corneal HOAs. CONCLUSIONS: The HOAs in patients with dry eye were significantly different from controls and tended to increase with disease severity. KR-1W(R) might be more useful than Pentacam(R) to detect tear film instabilities.
Fluorescein ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Tears

The purpose of this study was to examine the donators' characteristics and donative foods of both government-dominant and non-governmental food bank program, to understand the problems and benefits of food bank program, and to find the solutions to activate food bank program. The questionnaires were distributed to 120 food bank operators and 3 donators were selected from each food bank for the survey from April 2002 to May 2002. 118 sheets (32.8%) from government-dominant food bank and 53 sheets (20.1%) from non-governmental food bank were collected. The main results of this study were as follows: The largest donators to either government-dominant or non-governmental food bank programs were bakery and confectionery companies 31.4% and 45.3% respectively. The majority of donated foods were "goods in stock" (55.6%) and frequency of donation were largely on a daily basis (27.1% for government-dominant and 22.6% for non-governmental). Some of the donators who had more donative food did not donate, and the reasons were closeness to expiration date of food (67.3%), lack of legal protection in the event of food poisoning (54.5%), and poor public image of food related accidents (52.3%).
Foodborne Diseases

Selective termination can be used to preserve normal fetus from the other fetus with chromosomal, structural abnormality in multifetal pregnancy. This case is about twin pregnant patient who had undergone in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. In 18 weeks of gestation, we found that one of the fetus had cranical encephalocele and was in concern for the termination by using ultrasound guided intrcardiac injection of 2.5 ml of potassium chloride solution. After performing this procedure the other healthy female newborn was naturally delivered at 38 weeks gestation with weight of 2.8 kg.
Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Encephalocele* ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Fetus ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Potassium Chloride ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Twins, Dizygotic* ; Ultrasonography

Nail-patella syndrome is a relatively rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by dysplastic nail, hypoplastic or absent patella, and dislocation of radial head and iliac horns. In addition, renal abnormalities have been reported. The usual clinical signs of the renal involvement are asymptomatic proteinuria, microscopic hematuria, and in some cases progression to end stage renal disease. We present the case of adult with nail-patella syndrome, who developed proteinuria. Electron microscopy revealed irregular thickening of the glomerular basement membrane with areas of rarefaction, giving rise to a pathognomonic "moth-eaten" appearance.
Adult ; Animals ; Dislocations ; Glomerular Basement Membrane ; Head ; Hematuria ; Horns ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Microscopy, Electron ; Nail-Patella Syndrome* ; Patella ; Proteinuria

Umbilical vein varix has diverse clinical features and an unpredictable course during the pregnancy and/or perinatal period. We report a rare case of isolated fetal varix of the intra-abdominal umbilical vein, which was associated with fetal cardiomegaly. After birth, the umbilical vein varix remained with continuous blood flow through the patent ductus venosus. In addition, persistent cardiomegaly was complicated with an atrial septal defect.
Cardiomegaly ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Umbilical Veins* ; Varicose Veins*

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the biochemical effects of recombinant human thyroid stimulating hormone (rhTSH) as an adjunct to radioiodine (RI) treatment of a differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical response rates of DTC patients treated with RI after thyroid hormone withdrawal and compared with those after rhTSH stimulation. METHOD: We included the patients treated with RI for locally recurrent DTC from February 1, 2002 to August 31, 2005 and followed with diagnostic studies at our hospital. Forty totally (or near totally) thyroidectomized adults were included in this study. Nine patients underwent RI treatment after rhTSH stimulation while euthyoid on L-thyroxine (LT4), and 31 patients were treated with RI after thyroid hormone withdrawal. The clinical response was defined as >25% decrease in serum thyroglobulin (Tg) level on LT4 3 months after the RI treatment. RESULTS: In each group, serum Tg levels were significantly decreased 3 months after the RI treatment. And we found that 77.8 and 71.0% of those prepared by rhTSH and LT4 withdrawal, respectively, had clinical responses 3 months after the RI treatment by our criteria and there was no significant difference in response rates between two groups (P=0.238). CONCLUSIONS: Given the biases that exist in retrospective studies, at the current time we cannot recommend the routine use of rhTSH to prepare RI treatment of DTC. However, our study provided preliminary evidence that rhTSH effectively aided RI treatment of DTC at least to an equivalent degree as LT4 withdrawal.
Adult ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Humans* ; Retrospective Studies* ; Thyroglobulin ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyrotropin ; Thyrotropin Alfa ; Thyroxine

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the biochemical effects of recombinant human thyroid stimulating hormone (rhTSH) as an adjunct to radioiodine (RI) treatment of a differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical response rates of DTC patients treated with RI after thyroid hormone withdrawal and compared with those after rhTSH stimulation. METHOD: We included the patients treated with RI for locally recurrent DTC from February 1, 2002 to August 31, 2005 and followed with diagnostic studies at our hospital. Forty totally (or near totally) thyroidectomized adults were included in this study. Nine patients underwent RI treatment after rhTSH stimulation while euthyoid on L-thyroxine (LT4), and 31 patients were treated with RI after thyroid hormone withdrawal. The clinical response was defined as >25% decrease in serum thyroglobulin (Tg) level on LT4 3 months after the RI treatment. RESULTS: In each group, serum Tg levels were significantly decreased 3 months after the RI treatment. And we found that 77.8 and 71.0% of those prepared by rhTSH and LT4 withdrawal, respectively, had clinical responses 3 months after the RI treatment by our criteria and there was no significant difference in response rates between two groups (P=0.238). CONCLUSIONS: Given the biases that exist in retrospective studies, at the current time we cannot recommend the routine use of rhTSH to prepare RI treatment of DTC. However, our study provided preliminary evidence that rhTSH effectively aided RI treatment of DTC at least to an equivalent degree as LT4 withdrawal.
Adult ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Humans* ; Retrospective Studies* ; Thyroglobulin ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyrotropin ; Thyrotropin Alfa ; Thyroxine

No abstract available.
Coronary Vessels* ; Humans ; Takayasu Arteritis*

A 30-year-old, 16-week primipara woman visited with complaints of lower back pain over the past 3 weeks. She had a history of ultrasound-guided transvaginal oocyte retrieval for in vitro fertilization (IVF) 14 weeks earlier. Lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging showed infectious spondylitis and the results of blood and spinal biopsy cultures showed Staphylococcus aureus. Intravenous cefazolin was continued for 6 weeks, and 4 months later, she delivered a healthy girl. This is the first reported case of successful term delivery following S. aureus bacteremia with vertebral osteomyelitis after IVF and embryo transfer. It should be considered that S. aureus bacteremia can be a serious complication of IVF.
Adult ; Bacteremia ; Biopsy ; Cefazolin ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Osteomyelitis ; Pregnancy ; Spine ; Spondylitis ; Staphylococcus aureus

BACKGROUND: The six-minute walk test has been widely used in people with chronic cardiopulmonary disorders as an outcome assessment with regards to therapeutic or prognostic determinants. This study was undertaken to determine the six-minute walk distance (6MWD) in a sample of healthy Koreans and to create a reference equation. We also compared the 6MWD of our cohort with previously published equations. METHODS: Two hundred fifty-nine healthy subjects (95 males) aged 22-59 years performed two walking tests using a standardized protocol. 6MWD was defined as the greatest distance achieved from the two tests. The effect of anthropometrics on the 6MWD was also investigated. RESULTS: The average 6MWD was 598.5+/-57.92 m, with significantly longer distances by males (628.9+/-59.51 m) than females (580.9+/-47.80 m) (p<0.001). Age, height, weight, and body mass index were significantly correlated with 6MWD in univariate analysis. Stepwise multiple regression showed height to be single independent predictor of 6MWD (r2=0.205, p<0.001). The reference equations derived in Caucasian and North African populations tend to overestimate the distance walked by Korean subjects, while Asian equations underestimate it. CONCLUSION: The average 6MWD in these Korean populations was 600 m. The regression equation revealed that individual's height was the most significant predictor of distance, explaining 20.5% of the distance variance.
Adult* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Mass Index ; Cohort Studies ; Exercise Test ; Exercise Tolerance ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Physical Endurance ; Reference Values ; Walking