PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the role of CT and MR imagings in the diagnosis aortic dissection and differentiation between the true and false lumen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied forty patients with aortic dissection(AD) diagnosed imagings or surgery. Of the forty patients, 19 were examined with only CT, 14 with CT and MR, and 7 with MI~: Our points of view were(1) the classification of AD according to configuration of intimal flap by cross-sectional imaging, (2) differentiation between the true and false lumens, (3) the course of the false lumen, and (4)! detectability of the origin of major branch vessels of the abdominal aorta. RESULTS: The classification by corss-sectional imaging were crescentic(65%), circumferential(15%), flat(12%), and irregular(8%) type, in which false negative diagnosis was made in 1 case of crescentic and circumferential type, respectively. In 2 case of flat type and 1 case of irregular type, the differentiation between the true and false lumen was impossible with CT. The course of the false lumen in descending thoracic aorta revealed countrclock wise rotation(66%), clockwise rotation(5%) or fixed(29%) apperance. MR imaging was superior to CT in the detection of the origin of major branch vessels of the abdominal aorta. The determination of the origin of major branches of abdominal aorta arising from the true and false lumen were impossible in 2 cases in which only CT was done. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of crescentic and circumferential types of AD with narrow and thrombosed false lumen was problematic in both CT and MR with no difference of diagnostic accuracy between the two modalities. The differentiation between the true and false lumen was difficult in flat and irregular types with only CT. Therefore, when surgical treatment is considered as in type B aortic dissection, MR imaging is recommended in order to determine the origin of major branch vessels.
Aorta, Abdominal ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Classification ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Parotid Gland*

No abstract available.
Delivery of Health Care* ; Statistics as Topic*

BACKGROUND: We have found abnormal expression of ICAM-1 in thyroid follicular cells from patients with Graves disease and Hashimoto disease. In this report, we present the hormonal regulation of ICAM-1 mRNA expression and the primary structure of 5-regulatory region which is important for transcriptional regulation of ICAM-1 gene. A I.S kb fragment of the 5-regulatory sequences are identified and linked to luciferase as a reporter. METHOD: Those reporter constructs were used to evaluate the expression in response to cytokines and hormones. Deletion analysis of 1.8 kb fragment of ICAM-1 promoter in FRTL-5 cells provide the evidence for the existence of several regulatory elements of enhancer and silencer in ICAM-1 gene transcription in thyroid cells. RESULTS: ICAM-1 mRNA is easily detected by Northern analysis using total RNA from FRTL-5 cells regardless of culture conditions. The transcripts of rat ICAM-1 showed single band of 2.6 kb in length. The FRT cells which was come from early FRTL cell culture did not show ICAM-1 mRNA with usual Northern analysis, We found differential regulation of ICAM-1 RNA level in different culture condition in FRTL-5 cells, The cells maintained at 3H (no hydrocortisone, no insulin, no TSH) condition showed the highest expression level compared to 4H, 5H, or 6H medium. Hydrocortisone markedly decreased the ICAM-1 RNA and insulin partially recovered the hydrocortisone induced repression. TSH which is important in growth and function of FRTL-5 cells could independently downregulate the ICAM-1 RNA levels. Forskolin (10 mM) could mimic the action of TSH on ICAM-1 mRNA. TNF-a and interferon-y increase ICAM-1 expression in FRTL-5 thyroid cells. TSH/forskolin inhibited maximal expression of ICAM-1 by TNF-a and interferon-r. Promoter activity of the ICAM-1 gene was positively regulated by cytokines, TNF-a and IFN-r and negatively regulated by thyroid stimulating hormone. The addition of TSH and FSK caused a 50% decrease in ICAM-1 promoter activity within 24 hour. The TSH and FSK action was mapped at 175 bp and 97 bp of the start of translation. The mutant construct pCAM-175 delGAS which has no GAS sequence showed no TSH mediated suppression of promoter activity. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that hormones and cytokines differentially regulated the ICAM-1 gene expression and TSH downregulated ICAM-1 gene transcription by inhibiting the activation of IFN-r induced transcription factors which can bind the GAS of ICAM-1 promoter.
Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; Colforsin ; Cytokines ; Gene Expression ; Graves Disease ; Hashimoto Disease ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Insulin ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Luciferases ; Rats* ; Repression, Psychology ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyrotropin ; Transcription Factors

OBJECTIVE: Although the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis has decreased progressively after the national control program for tuberculosis began, nowadays the number of MDRTB is increasing seriously. MDRTB tends to be poor responsive to current antituberculosis regimens. It is mainly due to poor compliance, high rate of side reaction of secondary drugs, and limitation in number of available drugs. The purpose of present study is to evaluate the clinical features of pulmonary tuberculosis patients admitted in one national tuberculosis hospital and to expose the problems pertaining to current remedies, to increase the treatment efficacy for pulmonary tuberculosis including MDRTB in the end. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of 336 pulmonary tuberculosis patients admitted in National Masan Tuberculosis Hospital was done. Contents of analysis were patients profile, the first diagnosed time and medical institutes, family history, residence, previous treatment history, chief complaints at the time of admission, lesion site on chest X-ray film, combined deseases, side reaction to antibuberculosis drugs, used drugs before admission and the results of drug sensitivity test. RESULTS: The ratio between male and female was 4:1. Age showed relatively even distribution from 3rd to 6 th decades. 64.6% of the patients was diagnosed at public health center. Weight loss was the most common complaint at admission. Bilateral lesions on chest X-ray films were 59.8%. 1 30patients had combined desease, of which DM was the most common(37.7%). 95patients had family history, of which parents were the most common(41.7%). According to the time of first diagnosis, 31 patients were diagnosed before 1980, and after then the number of patients was increased by degrees Residence overwhelmed in pusan and gyung-nam province. 258 patients got previous treatment history, of which 112 patients(43.4%) had more than 3 times and only 133 patients(51.6%) got regular medication. 97 patients used more than other 3 drugs in addition to INH, EMB, RFP and PZA before admission. 154 patients were informed with the results of drug sensitivity test. of which 77 patients had resistance to more than 5 drugs. Gastrointestinal problem was the most common in side reaction to drugs. CONCLUSION: In the case of weigt loss of unknown cause, tuberculosis should be suspected. In first treatment, sufficient and satisfactory explanation for tuberculosis is necessary and treatment period should not be stict to 6 month-short term therapy. In retreatment, new drugs should not be added to used drugs enen though drug sensitivity restlts show sensitivity to some of them. Proper time for surgical intervention should not be delayed.
Academies and Institutes ; Busan ; Compliance ; Diagnosis ; Drug Resistance ; Female ; Hospitals, Chronic Disease* ; Humans ; Male ; Parents ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Retreatment ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax ; Treatment Outcome ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary* ; Weight Loss ; X-Ray Film

No abstract available.
Appendicitis* ; Child* ; Humans

This study was undertaken at the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chonnam University Medical School, to investigate the association between some of the risk factor and the incidence of intrauterine fetal growth restriction(IUGR). The studied population was selected from patients who admitted at Chonnam University Hospital during January, 1992 through May, 1997, with following criteria, Korean, singletone pregnancy with live birth and known gestational weeks with 28 or more. And then, the risk factors were analyzed in terms of maternal factor, placental factor, and fetal factor. The following results were obtained. 1) The incidence of IUGR was 6.1%. 2) The incidence of IUGR was higher at young aged mother and nullipara. 3) Only 39.1% of etiologic factors for IUGR was found to have known causes. According to the risk factors for IUGR, hypertensive disorder during pregnancy, anemia, cardiac disease, leukemia, and pulmonary tuberculosis were associated with increased incidence of IUGR. 4) The relative risk of IUGR was much higher in neonates born with congenital anomalies. 5) According to the placental causes of IUGR, placenta previa and placenta abruption showed some association with IUGR.
Anemia ; Fetal Development* ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Gynecology ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Jeollanam-do ; Leukemia ; Live Birth ; Mothers ; Obstetrics ; Placenta ; Placenta Previa ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Schools, Medical ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

No abstract available.
Nevus*

OBJECTIVES: We reviewed applications of big data analysis of healthcare and social services in developed countries, and subsequently devised a framework for such an analysis in Korea. METHODS: We reviewed the status of implementing big data analysis of health care and social services in developed countries, and strategies used by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea (Government 3.0). We formulated a conceptual framework of big data in the healthcare and social service sectors at the national level. As a specific case, we designed a process and method of social big data analysis on suicide buzz. RESULTS: Developed countries (e.g., the United States, the UK, Singapore, Australia, and even OECD and EU) are emphasizing the potential of big data, and using it as a tool to solve their long-standing problems. Big data strategies for the healthcare and social service sectors were formulated based on an ICT-based policy of current government and the strategic goals of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. We suggest a framework of big data analysis in the healthcare and welfare service sectors separately and assigned them tentative names: 'health risk analysis center' and 'integrated social welfare service network'. A framework of social big data analysis is presented by applying it to the prevention and proactive detection of suicide in Korea. CONCLUSIONS: There are some concerns with the utilization of big data in the healthcare and social welfare sectors. Thus, research on these issues must be conducted so that sophisticated and practical solutions can be reached.
Australia ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Developed Countries ; Korea ; Public Health Surveillance ; Singapore ; Social Welfare ; Social Work ; Statistics as Topic* ; Suicide ; United States

OBJECTIVES: We were to analyze the effect of managing metabolic syndrome using a u-health service in a health center. METHODS: We collected biometric data from 316 subjects living in a county (gun) in South Korea before and after the introduction of uhealth services in 2010. Analysis was done by contingency table using SPSS and latent growth model using AMOS. RESULTS: We found that regional u-health services affected instance of metabolic syndrome. Further, biometrics and health behavior improved. After six months of u-health services, the number of subjects with three or more factors for metabolic syndrome decreased by 62.5%; 63.3% of regular drinkers stopped drinking; 83.3% of subjects who rarely exercised began to exercise twice a week or more; and 60.9% of smokers stopped smoking. CONCLUSIONS: U-health services can change health behavior and biometrics to manage metabolic syndrome in rural areas. The usefulness of u-health services is discussed.
Disease Management ; Health Behavior ; Republic of Korea