OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy and safety of C1-C2 transarticular screw insertion, we retrospectively review surgical records and postoperative radiological findings. METHODS: From January 2001 to October 2003, the C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation and posterior wiring with iliac bone grafts was performed in 16 pateints. 6 patients had rheumatoid arthritis which caused cervical instability, 3 patients had os odontoideum, 3 patients had type 2 odontoid process fracture, 3 patients had traumatic transverse ligament injury and 1 patients who had been managed with C1-C2 wire fixation had psoriatic arthritis. RESULTS: Osseous fusion was documented in 15 patients(93.8%). Only one patient was recorded screw loosening because of postoperative infection. One patient had only one screw placed because of abnormal anatomical structure, one patients was breakage of a Kirschner wire, and one screw was medial location to lateral mass of C1, but clinical results was excellent and radiological instability was not noted. CONCLUSION: The author's experience demonstrates that C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation with wired bone graft is a safe procedure with higher fusion rate but precaution is needed to avoid the neural damage, vertebral artery injury, and hardware failure.
Arthritis, Psoriatic ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Odontoid Process ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplants ; Vertebral Artery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of prenatal multiplex PCR with chorionic villi, in the case of family history of DMD due to exon deletion. METHODS: DNA was extracted when cells' size are 1x 106 on T- flask surface area reach to 25 cm2 after 2 weeks from sex confirmation. Average DNA concentration was 50-100 ng and multiplex PCR test was performed from DNA extraction. RESULT: PCR was done for 17 exons devided into 4 groups. Seventeen exons were all amplified with their right size. CONCLUSIONS: This method is DNA analysis for prenatal diagnosis of DMD with chorionic villi in the family of DMD. This is useful when preimplantation genetic diagnosis is not available.
Chorion* ; Chorionic Villi* ; DNA ; Exons ; Humans ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Preimplantation Diagnosis ; Prenatal Diagnosis*

BACKGROUND: Particulate matter may be toxic to human tissue. Ambient air particulate matter < or =10micrometer in aerodynamic size (PM10), which changes under different environmental conditions, is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. The Asian dust event caused by meteorological phenomena can also spread unique particulate matter in affected areas. We evaluated production of ROS, TGF-beta, fibronectin, and NF kappa B by exposing normal epithelial cells to Asian dust particulate matter. METHODS: Bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to 0, 50, 100microgramg/ml of a suspension of PM10 for 24 h. ROS were detected by measurement of DCF release from DCF-DA by FACScan. TGF-beta, fibronectin, and NF kappa B were detected by western blotting. RESULTS: PM10 exposure increased the expression of TGF-beta, fibronectin, and NF kappa B. ROS production and TGF-betalevels were significantly higher with 50 or 100microgram/ml PM10. Fibronectin and NF kappa B production were significantly higher after 100microgram/ml of PM10. CONCLUSION: PM10 from Asian dust particles might have fibrotic potential in bronchial epithelial cells via ROS induction after PM10 exposure.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blotting, Western ; Dust ; Epithelial Cells ; Fibronectins ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; Particulate Matter ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

No abstract available.
Cell Line, Tumor* ; Doxorubicin* ; Epirubicin* ; Humans*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of curative radiotherapy alone in the treatment of uterine cervical carcinomas, by a retrospective analysis with respects to survival and pelvic control, and to find any risk factors of failure MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between Jan. 1990 and Dec. 1995, a total of 187 patients, diagnosed with uterine cervical carcinomas in FIGO stages greater than IA, were treated by curative radiotherapy alone with no chemotherapy. The ages of the patients ranged from 26 to 80 years, with a median of 60 years. The number of patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinomas were 183 (97.9%). The number of patients with FIGO stage IB1, IB2, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB and IVA were 61 (32.6%), 7 (3.7%), 43 (23.0%), 62 (33.3%), 3 (1.6%), 7 (3.7%) and 4 (2.1%), respectively. External radiotherapy was performed with 6 MV or 10 MV X-rays, with a dose range of 19.8 Gy~ 50.4 Gy (median; 30.6), to whole pelvis. Intracavitary radiation (ICR) was then performed using a high-dose rate remote controlled afterloader with radioisotopes of Co-60 and Cs-137. The fraction size of the ICR was 5 Gy twice a week, and was delivered up to total doses of 10 Gy~ 55 Gy (median; 40). After the ICR, additional pelvic external radiotherapy with midline shielding width of 4 cm was performed with the dose range of 0~30.6 Gy (median; 19.8), and the resultant total doses of A points ranged between 49.8 Gy and 86.0 Gy (median; 70.6). RESULTS: The five-year overall survival rates of FIGO IB1, IB2, IIA, IIB, III and IVA were 88.3%, 83.3%, 86.1%, 65.2%, 60.0% and 50.0%, respectively (p=0.005). The pelvic control rates of each stage were 90.1%, 85.7%, 86.1%, 69.4%, 68.6% and 50.0%, respectively (p=0.03). From the multivariate analysis, the radiation response and tumor diameter were found to be significant factors affecting the overall survival. The significant factors influencing pelvic control were the radiation response and pre-treatment hemoglobin level. CONCLUSION: The radiation response and tumor diameter were significant factors affecting survival, so patients with tumor diameters greater than 4 cm should be considered for a combined modality, such as concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pelvis ; Radioisotopes ; Radiotherapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate

No abstract available.
Adult ; Anemia, Hemolytic/diagnosis/*etiology/therapy ; Colic/diagnosis/*etiology/therapy ; Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/*adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Lead Poisoning/diagnosis/*etiology/therapy ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate psychosocial risk factors associated with suicidality in patients with schizophrenia in Korea. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 84 hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Suicidal thoughts and a clear desire to be dead within 2 weeks were defined as a current suicidal ideation. Socio-demographic and clinical variables, including family history of completed suicides and psychiatric illnesses, were collected, and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Simpson-Angus Scale (SAS), Scale to assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were administered to identify factors associated with a current suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Forty-three subjects (51.2%) reported clear suicidal ideation. Multivariate analysis revealed that later age of illness onset, previous suicide attempt, family history of completed suicide, depression, or substance abuse, fewer than one family visitation to the hospital per month, and score on the CDSS were independently related to current suicidal ideation in these subjects. Age, education level, and scores on the SUMD were not significantly associated with current suicidal ideation in the multivariate analysis, but were associated with suicidal ideation in a univariate analysis on the level of p<0.1. CONCLUSION: The above clinical factors should be evaluated to predict and prevent suicidal risk in patients with schizophrenia. In particular, modifiable factors such as depression should be managed to reduce suicidality of hospitalized patients with schizophrenia.
Depression ; Humans ; Korea ; Mental Disorders ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Schizophrenia ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the prospective associations of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) with quality of life, socio-occupational function and disability. METHODS: 170 nurses were recruited from two general hospitals. Interviews were made at baseline and at four follow-up points (two mid follicular phases and two late luteal phases of the two consecutive menstrual cycles). The baseline evaluation consisted of sociodemographic characteristics and menstrual history. PMDD was diagnosed by DSM-IV criteria after observation of the two menstrual cycles. The follow-up evaluations were consisted of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief form, the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale-II. RESULTS: PMDD was detected 15 (8.8%) of 170 participants. The PMDD group showed significantly worse quality of life and socio-occupational functioning than the none-PMDD group particularly at the late luteal phases. No significant differences were found in sociodemographic characteristics and menstrual history between those with and without PMDD. CONCLUSION: PMDD was prospectively associated with worse quality of life and socio-occupational functioning in this study group.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitals, General ; Menstrual Cycle ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; World Health Organization

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of genetic background between MTHFR C677T genotype and infertile females with polycystic ovarian syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared 86 infertile females with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) with 100 healthy fertile females with one or more offspring. Pyrosequencing analysis for MTHFR C677T variation was performed on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product of study group. To validate pyrosequencing data of C677T variation for randomly selected 50 samples, we compared the pyrosequencing result with the PCR-RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) result of MTHFR C677T genotype. RESULTS: The prevalence of the C677T mutant homozygous (TT) was significantly lower (p=0.0085) in females with PCOS (8.14%) than in fertile females (21.00%). MTHFR 677 TT genotype had a decreased risk (3.7-fold) of PCOS compared with wild type (MTHFR 677 CC). CONCLUSION: Our data support a role for MTHFR mutant homozygous (677 TT) genotype in reducing risk in Korean infertile females with Polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Female* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Korea* ; Oxidoreductases* ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence

Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative and granulomatous disease. Actinomyces is a gram positive, anaerobic and non-acid fast bacterium. Many actinomycotic pelvic infection in women used intrauterine device(IUD) with long duration were reported, in contrast, others suggest that actinomycosis develop opportunistic infection irrespective of intrauterine device. One to ten percents of patients with acute pelvic inflammatory disease(PID) develop perihepatic inflammation and adhesion---the Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome. Although in the past Neisseria gonorrhea was thought to be the only etiological agent, recent data indicate that chlamydia trachomatis produces the majority of cases. We have experienced the case of tubo-ovarian actinomycosis(case with IUD(Cu-T)) associated with Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome in a 29years old woman, and reported that with a review of related literatures.
Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis* ; Chlamydia trachomatis ; Female ; Gonorrhea ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Intrauterine Devices ; Neisseria ; Opportunistic Infections ; Pelvic Infection