No abstract available.
Meningitis*

Sleeve type fracture of the patella in children is an extremely rare injury. Its avulsed fragment is so small that the diagnosis may be missed by radiogram and patella slta is complicated. A 14 year-old boy having the sleeve type fracture of the patella with patella alta was treated by open reduction with s screw fixation at St. Vincent Hospital in December 1985 and was followed up over two years. The final clinical result was good.
Child ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Patella

OBJECTIVE: To investigate an appropriate depth of needle insertion during trigger point injection into the rhomboid major muscle. METHODS: Sixty-two patients who visited our department with shoulder or upper back pain participated in this study. The distance between the skin and the rhomboid major muscle (SM) and the distance between the skin and rib (SB) were measured using ultrasonography. The subjects were divided into 3 groups according to BMI: BMI less than 23 kg/m2 (underweight or normal group); 23 kg/m2 or more to less than 25 kg/m2 (overweight group); and 25 kg/m2 or more (obese group). The mean+/-standard deviation (SD) of SM and SB of each group were calculated. A range between mean+1 SD of SM and the mean-1 SD of SB was defined as a safe margin. RESULTS: The underweight or normal group's SM, SB, and the safe margin were 1.2+/-0.2, 2.1+/-0.4, and 1.4 to 1.7 cm, respectively. The overweight group's SM and SB were 1.4+/-0.2 and 2.4+/-0.9 cm, respectively. The safe margin could not be calculated for this group. The obese group's SM, SB, and the safe margin were 1.8+/-0.3, 2.7+/-0.5, and 2.1 to 2.2 cm, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study will help us to set the standard depth of safe needle insertion into the rhomboid major muscle in an effective manner without causing any complications.
Back Pain ; Humans ; Muscles ; Needles* ; Overweight ; Pneumothorax ; Ribs ; Shoulder ; Skin ; Superficial Back Muscles* ; Thinness ; Trigger Points* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Holoprosencephaly*

PURPOSE: Recent randomized prospective data suggest that early hyperglycemia is associated with high mortality in critically ill patients and that tight glucose control leads to an improved outcome. This concept has not been carefully examined in trauma patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of different levels of early hyperglycemia to the clinical outcomes in trauma patients. METHODS: A retrospective study of 309 cases of trauma victims who visited the Emergency Department of Daegu Catholic University Hospital from March 2003 to February 2004 was made. Patients younger than 15 years of age and patients having diabetes mellitus were excluded. The records of all of these patients were reviewed for age, the Injury Severity Score (ISS), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, blood glucose, lengths of ICU and hospital stays, infection morbidity, and mortality. They were divided into three groups by their glucose level (> or = 110 mg/dl and < 110 mg/dl, > or = 140 mg/dl and < 140 mg/dl, > or = 200 mg/dl and < 200 mg/dl). Each group was subdivided into hyperglycemic and non-hyperglycemic subgroups. RESULTS: Hyperglycemia was associated with increased infection morbidity, and mortality. Patients with hyperglycemia (> or = 110 mg/dl, > or = 140 mg/dl, > or = 200 mg/dl) showed higher mortality compared to the corresponding non-hyperglycemic groups (< 110 mg/dl, < 140 mg/dl, < 200 mg/dl) [(0.7% vs 13.0%, 0.5% vs 22.7%, 2.6% vs 45.7%, respectively (p<0.001)]. A univariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant relationship of age, ISS, GCS score, and blood glucose (> or = 110 mg/dl, > or =140 mg/dl, > or = 200 mg/dl) with mortality. A multivariate logistic regression analysis addressing the effects of age, ISS, and GCS score showed a significant relationship among age (p<0.001), ISS (p<0.001), glucose > or = 140 mg/dl (0.042), and death. In the univariate logistic regression analysis of these variables to infection, we observed a significant correlation between all examined variables and infection, except for glucose > or = 110 mg/dl. Glucose > or = 200 mg/dl (p= 0.007), age (p=0.014), and ISS (p<0.001) were independent predictors of infection in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Early hyperglycemia was associated with higher injury severity, infection rate, and mortality rate. Early hyperglycemia defined as glucose > or = 200 mg/dl was an independent predictor of increased infection rate in trauma patients. Also, early hyperglycemia defined as glucose > or = 140 mg/dl showed a significant independent relationship to death.
Blood Glucose ; Critical Illness ; Daegu ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia* ; Injury Severity Score ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies

Spark’s nevus is a compound word composed of Spitz nevus and Clark’s nevus. It is one of the combined melanocytic nevi which is more common in female and usually presents as a sharp circumscribed hyperpigmented macule on the lower extremities. On histopathologic findings, both cytologic features of Spitz nevus characterized as large spindle or epithelioid melanocytes containing large nuclei with abundant cytoplasm, and architecture of Clark’s nevus characterized as elongation of rete ridges, bridging of the nests, concentric and lamellar fibrosis can be seen. A 24-year-old female presented with an asymptomatic, solitary, dark-brown-colored papule surrounded by brownish patch that looked similar to dysplastic nevus or malignant melanoma on the buttock. On dermoscopic examination, it showed brown-to-black globules, diffuse homogenous pigmentation with blue-white structures, and a surrounding brownish reticular pattern that faded away. On histopathologic findings, overall asymmetrical structure, epithelioid large melanocytes containing large nuclei with abundant cytoplasm, and Kamino body were seen in the central portion. Also, lentiginous hyperplasia, bridging of the nests composed of melanocytes containing foamy cytoplasm, concentric and lamellar fibrosis along with the elongation of rete ridge, and perivascular lymphocytic infiltration were seen in the peripheral portion. The diagnosis of Spark’s nevus was made. Following its definition, this combined nevus is diagnosed histopathologically, but the clinicodermoscopic features have not been well described. Herein, we report a case of Spark’s nevus in which dermoscopy was helpful for differentiating it from malignant melanoma.

Targetoid hemosiderotic nevus (THN) is a rare variant of melanocytic nevus, characterized by a sudden development of a targetoid ecchymotic halo around a pre-existing nevus. THN clinically raises concern for malignant transformation due to its abrupt change in color and size. THN should be distinguished from other diseases showing a peripheral halo, including targetoid hemosiderotic hemangioma, halo nevus, and Meyerson nevus. Dermoscopy can help clinicians to differentiate THN from these diseases. The typical dermoscopic features of THN are known to be divided into two distinctive areas: the central melanocytic area and the peripheral ecchymotic area. In our case, dermoscopy revealed a novel bull’s eye pattern composed of a central area with characteristic features of benign melanocytic nevus, an intermediated white circular ring, and a peripheral milky red area. When a sudden change occurs in a pre-existing nodule showing targetoid features, dermoscopy should be considered before conducting a biopsy or surgical intervention.

The National Agricultural Biotechnology Information Center (NABIC) constructed an agricultural biology-based infrastructure and developed a biological information-based database. The major functions of the NABIC are focused on biotechnological developments for agricultural bioinformatics and providing a web-based service to construct bioinformatics workflows easily, such as protein function prediction and genome systems biology programs. The NABIC has concentrated on the functional genomics of major crops, building an integrated biotechnology database for agro-biotech information that focuses on the proteomics of major agricultural resources, such as rice, Chinese cabbage, rice Ds-tagging lines, and microorganisms.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biotechnology ; Brassica ; Computational Biology ; Genome ; Genomics ; Humans ; Information Centers ; Proteomics ; Systems Biology

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of physical characteristics on the incidence of varicoceles. Although previous reports have alluded to the fact that taller individuals may have a higher incidence of varicoceles, this has not been systematically studied. We hypothesized that physical characteristics such as height and weight could have a significant impact on the incidence of varicoceles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed charts of 145 patients who presented for evaluation of varicocele between 2000~2005. Each patients' age, symptoms, height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were recorded. Independent t-tests were performed to determine whether a correlation existed between presence of a varicocele and height, weight, or BMI. Moreover, we selected 90 patients whose varicocele was detected by pain and performed the same analysis in order to exclude selection bias. Additionally, we compared varicocele grade with height, weight and BMI by one-way ANOVA test. RESULTS: Our analysis showed that there was no association between height and the presence of a varicocele. However, the weight of the patient and the incidence of varicocele approached significance with greater weight associated with a lower incidence of varicoceles. There was also an association between BMI and the presence of varicoceles but the correlation did not depended on varicocele grade. CONCLUSIONS: Although previous reports have alluded to a higher incidence of varicoceles in taller patients, the current study found no correlation between height and the presence of a varicocele. Increased weight, however, was associated with a significantly lower incidence of varicoceles. Varicocele grade was not correlated with any factor. This study demonstrates that height is not a consideration when evaluating the infertile male, whereas weight may affect the ability to diagnose the varicocele.
Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Selection Bias ; Varicocele*

PURPOSE: An understanding of the immunological process is required if primary prevention of atopic diseases is to be developed in early childhood. But, it is too hard to distinguish atopy from nonatopy under the age of two clinically, because the expression of phenotype and cytokines is vague in early childhood. We evaluated DNA methylation changes at Th2 interleukin-4 gene in peripheral blood from atopic children. METHODS: We selected 15 allergic children (mild: eight, moderate to severe: seven) and seven normal controls by using family allergy scores and clinical histories. We measured Total IgE and Der f II specific IgE levels and cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells with Der f II stimulation and extracted DNA from Der f II specific T cells. We examined the change of CpG methylation in DNA from atopic and nonatopic children. RESULTS: In T cells from normal children, IL-4 DNA were predominantly methylated; otherwise, CpG demethylation occurred in Der f II specific T cells from allergic children. CONCLUSION: IL-4 DNA methylation changes occurred in T genes from allergic children and DNA methylation assay in early childhood.
Child* ; Cytokines ; DNA Methylation* ; DNA* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Interleukin-4* ; Methylation ; Phenotype ; Primary Prevention ; T-Lymphocytes