Using same TDE factors, the authors studied the effects of whole abdominal irradiation on body weight and peripheral blood picture in 30±3 day old mice. Fractions of 100 and 200 cGy were given five times a week to the final TDF factors 17, 33, and 49. Total 80 mice were irradiated with orthovoltage x-ray machine. Our results can be summarized as follows: There were no significant differences by sex. Body weight was progressively decreased by the duration for irradiation, but no remarkable difference by fractional dose. Hemoglobin level showed no remarkable change by fractional dose or TDF factors. Leukopenic changes showed that severity of decrease seems to be more related to TDF factors. There were no significant changes of differential count by TDF factors of total doses.
Animals ; Body Weight* ; Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane ; Mice*

In recent years there has been a growing interest in all forms of rotational therapy, and many different types of therapy machines designed for this kind of treatment have become available. To the medical radiation physicist, the dosimetry of rotation therapy has presented a number of interesting problems, and much useful work has been published on the basic date of dose distribution and dosage calculation. The setting dose for ARC therapy were obtained by computer calculation and measurement with cylindrical phantom. Authors compared computer calculation with measured value. And in ARC therapy, the region of maximum dose in shifted from the tumor center. The extent of shift was analyzed by isodose distribution for ARC therapy techniques.
Particle Accelerators*

The sign of Leser-Trelat refers to the sudden appearance and rapid increase in size and number of freckles and seborrheic keratoses, It is considered to be a sign of internal malignant tumors, most probable of the gastrointestinal tract. We report a case of adenocarcinoma of the stomach associated with the sign of Leser-Trelat and the literatures were reviewed. This 62-year-old man, over a period of 5 months, developed multiple seborrheic keratoses over his trunk and extremities. He came to our department in August 1981, because of sudden increse in their number and size during the several preceding months. He had never complained of the symptoms of gastrointestinal tract such as gastric pain, vomiting, indigestion, and weight loss. On examination of the skin, hundreds of brown or brown-black, more or less greasy verrucous papules were found almoat exclusively on the extensor aspects of forearms and lower legs. These lesions were variable in size and were consistent clinically with seborrheic keratoses. The findings of both fiberoptic biopsy and upper gastrointestinal tract series of roentgenographic studies were compatible with ulcer and adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Based on our experience, it is again suggested that though seborrheic keratoses are very common in the elderly, the rapid increase in size and number should arouse suspicion of an internal malignancy.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Dyspepsia ; Extremities ; Forearm ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Keratosis, Seborrheic ; Leg ; Melanosis ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Stomach ; Ulcer ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Vomiting ; Weight Loss

Diiodohydroxyquin introduced by Dillaha et al in 1953, had been the mainstay for the treatment of acrodermatitis enteropathica (A.E.). However, following the report by Moynahan and Barnes in 1973 of successful treatment with the oral administration of zinc sulfate, the clinical response to this treatment has been confirmed by different investigators in many countries. In Korean literature, Rhim et al reported two cases of A,E. in siblings successfully treated with oral zinc sulfate in 1980. In our case of cow's milk-fed, 7 month-old male infant, typical claasical features of total alopecia, diarrhea and periorificial dermatitis developed at about 3 months. of age and the zinc level in serum was 101 ug/dl at the first visit. Treatment first with diiodohydroxyquin was initiated at a dose of 315 mg/day by mouth for the first week and 630 mg/day for the second week, but this therapeutic regimen brought about little or no effect. Because of no definite improvement even with increasing dose of 1260 mg/day for another week, treatment was. changed to oral zinc sulfate. The patient began to receive zinc sulfate 50mg at first day by mouth and the dosage was immediately increased to l00mg daily from the next day. Within 72 hrs there found dramatic improvement in the skin lesions and diharrhea stopped. Twenty days after the start of zinc therapy, nearly all the skin lesions disappeared and the patient was discharged in satisfactory condition with only mild residual erythema. (countinued..)
Acrodermatitis* ; Administration, Oral ; Alopecia ; Dermatitis ; Diarrhea ; Erythema ; Humans ; Infant ; Iodoquinol ; Male ; Mouth ; Research Personnel ; Siblings ; Skin ; Zinc ; Zinc Sulfate

An analytic expression for equivalent square fields and a table are derived using the empirical representations obtained from the measured field size dependence of output for square field in a phantom. The expression is applicable to radiation fields that consistent with the following two assumptions imposed on these representations. 1) It is a linear function of the logarithm of the field area. 2) It is approximately the same function for both square and circular field of similar areas. In this paper, the derived tables and BJR table were consulted.

The primary treatment modality of malignant tumors of the nasopharynx is radiation therapy owing to its inaccessibility to surgical intervention. Over the last two decades there were many changes in techniques of delivery, which include the use of higher doses of radiotherapy, the use of wide radiation field, including the elective radiation of the whole neck, the combined use of brachy- and teletherapy, and the use of split-course therapy. In spite of these advances local and regional recurrences remain the major cause of death. As a boost therapy after external irradiation, high-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation using remote control afterloading system (RALS) was used in two patients. Our results were satisfactory, however, this procedure should only be performed by those who have developed enough expertise in the use of intracavitary techniques for the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer and have a supportive team including a physicist, dosimetrist, nurse, and trained technologist.
Cause of Death ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Nasopharynx ; Neck ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of and to analyze the factors re-lated to the cost of the resolution of a medical dispute. METHODS: We have reviewed 2,346 cases reported to the Korean Medical Association(KMA)mutual-aid association from Nov. 1. 1981 to Oct. 31. 1994. RESULTS: The percentage rate of reported cases of were related field as follows .' obstetric gynecology(OBGYN) 31.9%, general practitice 28.1%, general surgery 13.3%, orthopedics 6.9% and internal medicine 6.4% 1,829 cases (80.0%) were settled out of court and without public intervention. 310 cases(13.2%) were settled by the police, the public procurators office or the court. The mean settlement amount per case was 9,340,000 won with annual growth rate 10.8%, and median settlement amount was 5,890,000 won. The mean settlement amount for OBGYN was 930,000 won, surgical group 8,900,000 won, medical group 7,710,000 won, and general practitice 7,490,000 won. The cases of medical dispute according to the types of medical care were : operation 21.1%, injection 18.0%, treat-ment and care 18.0%, delivery 13.0%, artificial abortion 10.3%, Cesarian section 7.2% and anesthesia 2.5%. The mean settlement amount according to the types of medical care were: delivery and Cesarian section 15,190,000 won, operation and anesthesia 9,500,000 won, others 6,610,000 won, and injection and medication 6,230,000 won. The mean settlement amount that was settled out of court without public intervention was 7,940,000 won. The mean settlement with public intervention in the court was 17,290,000 won. The cases of medical dispute according to the patients status were .' death 37.5%, complications 20.8%, disability 12.2% and others 28.9%. The mean settlement amout for death was 16,150,000 won, disability 9,430,000 won, others 4,850,000 won and complications 3,550,000 won. The mean settlement amount where doctors have asserted that the outcome was inevitable or have not agreed that it was their fault was higher than the cost of cases where they had admitted responsibility. The settlement amout where there was a misdiagnosis present had not shown to be higher than when the misdiagnosis was absent. The mean settlement amount for cases where multiple doctors were involved was higher than for cases of a single doctor. The mean settlement amount for disturbing the medical practice and suspension of are high. The mean settlement amount for complications was lower than others, and the mean settlement amount for disability and death presented were high. Concerning the types of care, the mean settlement amount for operation/anesthesia, delivery/ Cesarian sections were higher than for injection/medication. Concerning the type of settlement, the mean settlement amount in the police and public procurators office was higher than in out of court without public intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The mean settlement amount depended on the patient's status, the type of settlement, and the disturbance of medical practice regardless of the doctors misdiagnosis, fault, and standard care. Therefore, a reason-able method of resolution for medical dispute is needed.
Anesthesia ; Diagnostic Errors ; Dissent and Disputes ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Malpractice* ; Orthopedics ; Police

PURPOSE: The incidence of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents has been reported to increase recently. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical features of type 2 diabetes developing during childhood and adolescent period. METHODS: The medical records of 33 patients with type 2 diabetes were reviewed. We analysed clinical manifestations, demographic data, and modes and responses of treatment. RESULTS: Age at diagnosis was 13.4+/-1.8 years. Seventy percent of patients revealed pubertal signs at diagnosis. Half of the patients had BMI more than 25 kg/m2. Seventy-three percent of patients had family history of type 2 diabetes. Acanthosis nigricans were found in 18% of patients. Nineteen(57.6%) patients were diagnosed incidentally by random urine or blood glucose test without any typical diabetic symptom or sign. The modes of therapy to control hyperglycemia were insulin alone(75.8%), oral hypoglycemic agents alone(9.1%), insulin and oral hypoglycemia agents(9.1%), and only diet with exercise(6%). At the time of investigation, 45.5% of patients were not using insulin. The typical diabetic symptoms at diagnosis were more prevalent in patients who required insulin for more than two years than patients who did not(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The development of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents is possibly related to puberty, obesity, family history, and defects in insulin secretion rather than insulin resistance. Many children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes required insulin initially and some of them could discontinue. More than half of the patients were diagnosed as diabetes without any typical symptom or sign, which might be one of the predictive factors of the prolonged insulin requirement.
Acanthosis Nigricans ; Adolescent* ; Blood Glucose ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Diet ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Hypoglycemia ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Incidence ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Medical Records ; Obesity ; Puberty

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a feedback relationship between pituitary growth hormone (GH) and gastric ghrelin. METHODS: We intravenously administered 10 microgram of either rat ghrelin or normal saline to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats and then measured the plasma GH levels and the mRNA expression levels of pituitary GH mRNA and hypothalamic GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) mRNA. Human GH (500 microgram/kg, twice a day) or normal saline was subcutaneously administered to rats with or without food for 3 days. Thereafter, the plasma ghrelin levels and the ghrelin mRNA levels in the stomach were measured. RESULTS: The plasma GH levels increased more significantly in rats that were administered ghrelin than in controls (P<0.05). The mRNA levels of pituitary GH and hypothalamic GHRH were similar in the 2 groups. The plasma ghrelin levels and the stomach ghrelin mRNA levels were not affected by GH administration. Fasting significantly increased plasma ghrelin levels (P<0.05) and stomach ghrelin mRNA levels (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Exogenous ghrelin administration only stimulated GH secretion without stimulating the synthesis of GH and GHRH. The synthesis and secretion of ghrelin were not suppressed by exogenous GH administration. These findings indicate that there is no feedback relationship between pituitary GH and gastric ghrelin.
Adult ; Animals ; Fasting ; Ghrelin ; Growth Hormone ; Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Male ; Plasma ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; RNA, Messenger ; Stomach

PURPOSE: Puberty is a rapid changing periods of body composition and endocrine system. Already leptin was known to be closely related to body composition and was known to change according to Tanner stage. Ghrelin, a natural GH secretagogue, was also known to be related with weight change, fat utilization, insulin secretion, and influenced by sex steroid. But the relationship between ghrelin and other parameter according to pubertal development is not established yet. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 101 peripubertal children (54 males and 47 females) aged 8.5 to 17.0 years. We examined body composition (free fat mass, fat mass, % body fat) by bioelectric impendence measurements. Total ghrelin, leptin, insulin was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Relationship between ghrelin, leptin, insulin and body composition data was analysed according to Tanner stage controlling gender using SPSS ver 11.0. RESULTS: Ghrelin concentration is only correlated with Tanner stage (r=-0.21, P<0.05) and GIR (r=0.29, P<0.01). When we divided subjects by sex, even though there was no difference of ghrelin level between both sex, only male is correlated with Tanner stage (r=-0.28, P<0.05) and GIR (r=0.36, P<0.01). There was no difference of ghrelin level between each Tanner stage and no correlation was observed with other body composition and endocrine parameter including leptin. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that Ghrelin levels decrease during puberty at least in boys as pubertal development proceeds but it is minimal. During puberty, ghrelin levels are stable. Ghrelin may have no relationship with other pubertal change. The relation of ghrelin and insulin sensitivity need to be further investigated.
Adolescent ; Body Composition ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Endocrine System ; Ghrelin* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Leptin ; Male ; Puberty* ; Radioimmunoassay