No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Nevus*

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate whether maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG) level measured during second trimester could be used as a predictor of pregnancy-induced hypertension. METHODS: Between March 1996 and November l997, 505 pregnant women undergoing second trimester(14-22 weeks of amenorrhea) triple marker screening for neural tube defect and Down syndrome who delivered at our institution were reviewed. All samples were assayed in the same laboratory and medical records were reviewed about medical and obstetrical history. RESULTS: Maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin level(multiples of the median, MoM) was significantly higher in the pregnancy-induced hypertension group than in the control group. With the use of 2. l multiples of the median as a cutoff value, the sensitivity of human chorionic gonadotropin as a screening marker for development of pregnancy-induced hypertension was 38.7%, the specificity was 95.9%, positive predictive value was 38.7% and negative predictive value was 95.9%. Conlusion: We suggest that second trimester maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels can be used clinically as an early predictive marker for pregnancy-induced hypertension.
Chorion ; Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Humans ; Humans* ; Hypertension* ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; Mass Screening ; Medical Records ; Neural Tube Defects ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Sensitivity and Specificity

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of the pathogenic Yersinia pestis from other Yersinia spp. was developed. Five Y. pestis strains, ninety-two other Yersinia species and twenty-four Enterobacteriaceae strains were collected in Korea and from other countries. Oligonucleotide primers were designed from pathogenic gene of antiphagocytic protein capsule gene (fra 1) and plasminogen activator gene (pla). The 428 bp DNA fragment was amplified from five Y. pestis which contained the fra I gene. No product was amplified from other Yersinia species and other strains of the Enterobacteriaceae. The 439 bp DNA fragment was amplified from three K pestis which contained the pla gene. No product was amplified from two Y. pestis, other Yersinia species and other strains of the Enterobacteriaceae. These showed that the designed primers were specific for detection of Y. pestis among other Yersinia species and Enterobacteriaceae strains. Amplification was successful whether the template was derived from purified DNA or from aliquots of boiled bacterial suspension. The detection limits were 100 pg of DNA and 100 colony forming units (CFU) for fra I and 100 pg DNA and 10 CFU for pla, respectively. Our results prove that the PCR method using specific primers for Y. pestis is a rapid and convenient procedure for routine clinical detection and identification of Y. pestis.
DNA ; DNA Primers ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Korea ; Limit of Detection ; Plasminogen Activators ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Stem Cells ; Yersinia pestis* ; Yersinia*

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

The corneal curvatures after circumferential scleral resection were increased in the corneal meridian of scleral resection and were decreased in the corneal meridian perpendicular to scleral resection. After meridional scleral resection, the results of corneal curvature changes were opposite to those of circumferential scleral resection. The changes of corneal curvature were decreased with time.

No abstract available.
Transposases*

"Optic neuritis", described first by Nettleship in 1884, is the general term used to describe involvement of the optic nerve as the result of inflammation, demyelination, or infection. The majority or patients with optic neuritis are between the ages of 20 and 50 years, and the major symptom in most cases is sudden visual loss. It would appear that when optic neuritis occurs in childhood, it is more commonly bilateral and associated with disc swelling. In the majority of cases, the visual prognosis and eventual prognosis with regard to the development of multiple sclerosis is much better than in adult optic neuritis. The authors experienced a case of bilateral optic neuritis in a 14-year-old girl whose visual acuity progressed to no light perception with eventual visual recovery after treatment with steroid and mannitol. A brief review of literature is described.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mannitol ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Optic Nerve ; Optic Neuritis* ; Prognosis ; Visual Acuity

"Optic neuritis", described first by Nettleship in 1884, is the general term used to describe involvement of the optic nerve as the result of inflammation, demyelination, or infection. The majority or patients with optic neuritis are between the ages of 20 and 50 years, and the major symptom in most cases is sudden visual loss. It would appear that when optic neuritis occurs in childhood, it is more commonly bilateral and associated with disc swelling. In the majority of cases, the visual prognosis and eventual prognosis with regard to the development of multiple sclerosis is much better than in adult optic neuritis. The authors experienced a case of bilateral optic neuritis in a 14-year-old girl whose visual acuity progressed to no light perception with eventual visual recovery after treatment with steroid and mannitol. A brief review of literature is described.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mannitol ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Optic Nerve ; Optic Neuritis* ; Prognosis ; Visual Acuity

Porokeratosis may be due to an abnormal clone of cells, predisposing affected individusls to development of malignant neoplssm over involved area. A 58-year old female is prsented with basal cell epithelioma associated with PPPD, exhibiting the classical histopathologic criteria of the disease. Total excision for basal cell epithelioma and oral administration of etretinate for the treatment of porokeratosis plantaris, palmaris et disseminata and for the prevention of cancer developrnent resulted in good response.
Acitretin ; Administration, Oral ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Clone Cells ; Etretinate ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Porokeratosis*

Over the past few decades, eradication and reduction of vaccine-preventable diseases through immunization has increased life expectancy by reducing mortality. Pregnant women are at risk for vaccine-preventable disease-related morbidity and mortality and adverse pregnancy outcomes, including congenital anomalies, spontaneous abortion, preterm birth, and low birth weight. In addition to providing direct maternal benefit, vaccination during pregnancy likely provides direct fetal and neonatal benefit through passive immunity. Despite the impact of immunization, vaccination in pregnancy is still inadequate. This article reviews types of vaccine and vaccines recommended during pregnancy.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Female ; Humans ; Immunization ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Life Expectancy ; Mortality ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Premature Birth ; Vaccination* ; Vaccines