To demonstrate possible influences of general bone density on the mandible, histomorphometric analysis was carried out in mandibles and iliac bones and the correlation of the two bone densities was tested. Comparison of bony density in women and men over 60 years in the mandible was carried out too. Quantitative computed tomography (GCT) was taken in cross-section of mandibles at the same site where histomorphometric analysis was performed to evaluate the reliability of QCT. The analysis included 40 cadavers with no known disease affecting the bones. The subjects consisted of 15 females and 25 males with a mean age of 60.3 years. Spearman correlation analysis and Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed. The results were as follows. 1. There was statistically no correlation between the mandible and iliac bone in the walues of corrected cortical width (CCW), cortical porosity (POR) in cortex, and total bone volume(TBV), mean trabecular plate thickness (MTPT), mean trabecular plate density (MTPD), and mean trabecular plate separation (MTPS) in trabecular bone. 2. Comparison of women and men over 60 years, men had statistically higher bone density than women except for POR of buccal and lingual cortex, and MTPD of alveolar trabeculae in mandible. 3. There was statistically significant correlation between TBV of trabecular bone and CT NO., but not between POR and CT No. In mandible. According to the results above, there was no correlation between mandible and iliac bone density and between mandibular bony density and age. Further studies are required to support the results. A more noninvasive method to be able to measure the bone density of mandible should be developed and it is necessary to accumulate data on the normal values of bone density of mandible according to age and sex. Further study should be carried out about QCT to measure mandibular bony density using QCT.
Bone Density* ; Cadaver ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible* ; Porosity ; Reference Values

Intrauterine midgut volvulus is an extremely rare and potentially life-threatening disease, requiring prompt surgical intervention after birth. Non-specific prenatal signs of fetal midgut volvulus cause late diagnosis and treatment, resulting very poor outcome. We report a case of preterm newborn with intrauterine midgut volvulus due to malrotation, who survived after immediate postnatal surgical intervention.
Delayed Diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Intestinal Volvulus* ; Parturition

OBJECTIVES: Tumor markers have been clinically used to diagnose and monitor the progression of various tumor or to assess their response to therapy. This study focuses on the evaluation of tumor markers in Chronic renal failure patients, compared with normal controls. METHODS: The following 9 kinds of serum tumor markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA), squamaus cell carcinoma-related antigen(SCC), CYFRA 21-1, CA(carbohydrate antigen) 125, CA 19-9, alpha-fetoprotein(AFP), prostate specific antigen(PSA), human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG) and CA 72-4 were measured in 56 persons without chronic renal failure(CRF) as controls, in 132 patients with chronic renal failure(56 patients on conservative management, 41 patients on chronic hemodialysis, and 35 patients on CAPD) who did not present any evidences of neoplasia. RESULTS: 1) The mean level of CEA in CRF patients was significantly higher than that of controls(p<0.001), and that of CRF patients on hemodialysis was significantly higher than that of patients on conservative management(p<0.05). 2) The mean level of SCC in CRF patients was significantly higher than that of controls(p<0.001), and the mean levels of SCC did not differ significantly among three groups of CRF patients. 3) The mean level of CYFRA in CI4F patients was significantly higher than that of controls(p<0.001), and that of CRF patients on hemodialysis was significantly higher than those of patients on conservative management and on CAPD respectively (p<0.05). 4) The mean level of CA 125 in CRF patients was significantly higher than that of controls (p<0.001), and that of CRF patients on CAPD was significantly lower than that of controls(p<0.05). 5) Positive percent for CYFRA 21-1 in all CRF patients was 89.7%, and SCC 82.9%, CEA 60.3%, CA 125 48%, CA 19-9 22.4%, PSA 7.9%, CA 72-4 6.1%, hCG 4.7% and AFV 3.2% respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study shows that tumor markers such as CEA, SCC, CYFRA 21-1, CA 19-9 and CA 125 are elevated above reference values in a substantial number of patients according to the reference values commonly used in normal persons, making them unreliable for monitoring malignancies in uremic patients. While the other tumor markers such as AFP, PSA, hCG and CA 72-4 are reliable for the same purpose. These results must be taken into account when serum levels of tumor markers are measured in CRF patients
Chorion ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Prostate ; Reference Values ; Renal Dialysis ; Biomarkers, Tumor*

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the effects of a short term comprehensive life style modification program on glycemic metabolism, lipid metabolism and body composition in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. METHOD: A nonequivalent control group with a pre post test was designed. Data collection was done from October 2003 to June, 2004 at a hospital. Glycemic metabolism was measured by a.c., p.c. and HbA1c, and lipid metabolism was measured by cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Body Composition was measured by body weight, body mass index, waist, measurement waist per hip ratio, body fat, muscle weight and abdominal fat tissue(intra abdominal distance). The Experimental group, which was composed of 29 participants, was educated based on a life style modification protocol at a weekly meeting for 12 weeks and carried out exercise, diet along individual parameters and self monitoring, while 24 participants in the control group received only diet education. RESULT: 1.The experimental group showed a significant lower a.c.(t=2.11, p=.04) and HbA1 c(t=2.65, p=.01) compared to those of the control group. 2. The experimental group showed a significant lower LDL than the results of the control group(t=2.42, p=.02). 3. The experimental group showed a significant lower weight(t=3.09, p=.00), BMI(t=3.01, p=.00), body fat(t=2.94, p=.01) and abdominal fat tissue(t=3.05, p=.01) than those of the control group. CONCLUSION: The results provided evidence for the effectiveness of a short term comprehensive life style modification program composed of exercise, diet, support, self efficacy elevation and self monitoring in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Adult ; Blood Glucose/analysis ; *Body Composition ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood/*physiopathology ; Female ; *Health Behavior ; Humans ; Lipids/*blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Patient Education as Topic

OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between ST segment elevation during exercise testing and coronary artery disease. METHODS: Treadmill exercise electrocardiography and coronary angiography were performed in 137 patients with angina with no Q waves. The J point elevation of > 0.03mV(0.3mm) measured from baseline, the elevation of ST segment at 80msec. from J point(ST80) measured larger in lead V1than in aV1, or both the elevation of ST segment at J point and at ST80 developed earlier than or concomitantly with ST depression were considered as abnormal responses. RESULTS: 1) There was no clinical significance of ST elevation in lead aV1. 2) Exercise-induced ST elevation in lead V1occurred in 29 of 137 patients with angina. 3) Abnormal St elevation in V1was detected in 26 of 86 patients with coronary artery disease, for a specificity of 98%. The patients with left anterior descending coronary artery or left main coronary artery stenosis were observed in 3 of 5(60%) patients with single-vessel disease, in 7 of 9(79%) with two-vessel disease, and in 9 of 10(90%) with three-vessel disease. 4) The standard ST depression yielded a specificity of 55% in the patients with isolated or predominant ST depression in inferior leads(II. III, and aVF) and of 81% in the patients with isolated or predominat ST depressin in precordial leads(p<0.001). 5) Abnormal exercise-induced ST elevation in V1was detected in 13 of 39(33%) patients with isolated or predominat ST depression in inferior leads and yielded a specificity of 94% for coronary artery disease. CONCLUSION: Abnormal ST segment elevation in V1may increase the specificity in isolated or predominat ST segment depression in inferior leads and may predict left anterior descending or left main coronary artery disease.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels* ; Depression ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test* ; Hexamethonium ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The corpus callosum consists of white fibers connecting the cerebral hemispheres. Agenesis of the corpus callosum is an uncommon congenital anomaly which is easily diagnosed in the postnatal period by ultrasound and computed tomographic scan or MRI, but its prenatal sonographic diagnosis is difficult because of fetal head positioning and limiting trans-axial scans. We experienced a case of agenesis of the corpus callusum with chromosomal anomaly. The prenatal sonographic findings are ventricular abnormalities that demonstrated dilatation of lateral ventricles and disproportionate enlargement of the occipital horns, which were suggestive findings for the corpus callosal agenesis. We could confim the diagnosis of the corpus callosal agenesis with chromosome anomaly by postnatal MRI and chromosome analysis.
Agenesis of Corpus Callosum* ; Animals ; Cerebrum ; Corpus Callosum ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Head ; Horns ; Lateral Ventricles ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is one of critical complications in liver cirrhosis patients with ascites. We aimed to review clinical course of SBP patients in a 10-year period from single center. METHODS: This study enrolled SBP patients between 2005 and 2015. Their medical records were reviewed. The laboratory findings of serum and ascites were examined, and characteristics of isolated microorganisms in ascites were analyzed. RESULTS: Total 51 patients were enrolled. Male patients were predominant (64.7%), and mean age was 59.20 years. The most common etiology of cirrhosis was alcohol (41.2%), followed by hepatitis B (39.2%). Microorganism was isolated from the ascites in 31 patients (60.78%). The proportions of Gram negative and Gram positive were 80.64% and 19.36%. The proportions of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, and Streptococcus species were 29.41%, 19.61% and 11.76%. Among Escherichia colis, 4 cases were ESBL positive (7.84%). The most commonly used first-line antibiotic was cefotaxime (80.40%). Prophylactic antibiotics treatment was performed only in 8 patients, and SBP was recurred in 7 patients (13.72%). When comparing the SBP recurrence group and the non-recurrence group, there were no significant differences in laboratory findings of serum and ascitic fluid. CONCLUSIONS: SBP is still a critical complication in cirrhosis patients with ascites, and the clinical features of SBP have not been altered much compared with those in 1990's. The effective treatment of SBP is still very important for a better prognosis of cirrhosis patients.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ascites ; Ascitic Fluid ; Bacteria ; Cefotaxime ; Escherichia coli ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis B ; Humans ; Klebsiella ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Male ; Medical Records ; Peritonitis* ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Streptococcus

Bee venom acupuncture have been associated with wide variety of reactions from mild local reaction to fatal systemic reaction. Vascular complications of bee and wasp stings are rare. A 71-year-old man developed pontine and thalamic infarction after honey bee venom acupuncture. Dysarthria and left hemiparesis were noted 3 days later. The brain MRI showed cerebral infarcts in the left pons and thalamus. The presumed mechanisms include vasoconstriction and platelet aggregation secondary to an injection of distinct allergens contained in bee venom acupuncture.
Acupuncture ; Aged ; Allergens ; Bee Venoms ; Bees ; Bites and Stings ; Brain ; Cerebral Infarction ; Dysarthria ; Honey ; Humans ; Infarction ; Paresis ; Platelet Aggregation ; Pons ; Thalamus ; Vasoconstriction ; Venoms ; Wasps

PURPOSE: This study was done to provide basic data for education of elementary school students on life-respect and peer bullying prevention. METHODS: Participants were 5th and 6th grade elementary school students. Data from the questionnaires of 218 participants were analyzed. RESULTS: 1) The mean score for degree of life-respect was 4.23 (+/-0.38). The types of peer bullying were 'defenders of victims' (3.19+/-0.93), 'bullies' (2.04+/-0.72), 'victims' (1.91+/-0.84), 'bystanders' (1.79+/-0.80), and 'bully-followers' (1.66+/-0.60). 2) There was a significant difference in the degree of life-respect according to gender (t=-2.410, p=.017). Likewise, in the degree of peer bullying, among the type of 'bullies' there were significant differences according to grade (t=-2.285, p=.004), and gender (t=3.191, p=.002). Also, among the types of 'bully-followers' there were significant differences according to gender (t=2.053, p=.041), and having a religion or not (t=3.319, p=.001). 3) There was a significant correlation between life-respect and types of peer bullying. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide helps for more effective provision of educational programs regarding life-respect and peer bullying.
Bullying* ; Child ; Education ; Humans ; Peer Group ; Value of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

This study evaluated the family-based genetic association between autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and 5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the catechol-o-methyltransferase gene (COMT), which was found among 151 Korean ASDs family trios (dominant model Z = 2.598, P = 0.009, P(FDR) = 0.045). We found a statistically significant allele transmission or association in terms of the rs6269 SNP in the ASDs trios. Moreover, in the haplotype analysis, the haplotypes with rs6269 demonstrated significant evidence of an association with ASDs (additive model rs6269-rs4818-rs4680-rs769224 haplotype P = 0.004, P(FDR) = 0.040). Thus, an association may exist between the variants of the COMT gene and the occurrence of ASDs in Koreans.
Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics ; Catechol O-Methyltransferase/*genetics ; Child ; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/diagnosis/*genetics ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Male ; *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Republic of Korea