Most of the breast cancer revealed mass and/or microcalcifications on mammography. We analyzed morphologic characteristics of the masses and microcalcifications on mammography which confirmed as breast cancer pathologically. Of all 54 cases, 4 patients (7%) showed microcalcification only, 27 patients (50%), mass only, and the other 23 patients (43%), both microcalcification and mass on the mammography. The margin of the breast mass were ill-defined in 37 cases, well-defined in 8 cases, and well-defined with surrounding infiltration in 5 cases. The morphologic characteristics of the microcalcification were punctate-linear-V shape in 11 patients, punctate-linear shape in 9 patients, and punctate shape in 7 patients.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Mammography

No abstract available.
Fetal Blood* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Phenotype

Although the incidence is not high in the general surgical population, pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents can result in serious long-term morbidity and mortality. We report a case of early use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to correct severe hypoxemia refractory to conventional mechanical ventilation in a patient with massive aspiration of gastric contents immediately followed by acute lung injury during general anesthesia induction. A 64-year-old woman diagnosed with stomach cancer was scheduled for elective diagnostic laparoscopy. Although there was no sign of gastrointestinal tract obstruction and midnight Nil per Os (NPO) was performed before the operation, pulmonary aspiration occurred during the induction of anesthesia. Despite the endotracheal intubation with mechanical ventilation, severe hypoxemia with hypercapnea persisted. Medical team agreed with applying veno-venous (VV) ECMO, and her blood gas analysis results became stable. ECMO was weaned successfully 9 days after the first aspiration event had occurred. Based on this case, early application of extracorporeal life support can have survival benefits.
Acute Lung Injury ; Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, General ; Anoxia ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laparoscopy ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; Respiration, Artificial ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To compare the corneal power (K) measured by different methods in the patients who underwent photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or laser in situ keratomilieusis (LASIK) METHODS: Fifty-four patients who had undergone PRK or LASIK from December 1999 to December 2000 and followed for 3 months or longer were selected for this study. The corneal power was measured by five different methods in 35 eyes(18 patients) of PRK group and in 70 eyes (36 patients) of LASIK group: calculation method (C-K), hard contact lens method (H-K), autorefractokeratometer (A-K), manual keratometer (M-K) and topography (T-K). RESULTS: Preoperative mean corneal power was 43.41+/-1.06 D in PRK group and 43.75+/-1.03 D in LASIK group. Postoperative corneal power in PRK group showed following Results: C-K, 40.94+/-1.51 D; H-K, 41.04+/-1.23 D; A-K, 41.18+/-1.29 D; M-K, 41.38+/-1.33 D; T-K, 41.67+/-1.26 D. In LASIK group, the results were: C-K, 38.64+/-2.25 D; H-K, 39.29+/-1.66 D; A-K, 39.53+/-1.61 D; M-K, 39.85+/-1.54 D; T-K, 40.36+/-1.26 D. The corneal power of calculation method was lowest in both groups. Each corneal power was not different statistically from the others in PRK group(p=0.16). However, C-K was significantly lower than A-K (p=0.02), M-K (p=0.00) or T-K (p=0.00) in LASIK group. Also, H-K or AK was lower than T-K statistically in LASIK group (p=0.00, p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The corneal power was lowest when measured by calculation method after refractive surgery. In LASIK group, there were statistical differences among the corneal powers by each method.
Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ ; Photorefractive Keratectomy ; Refractive Surgical Procedures*

Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in the dental field. Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is the most important bacteria in the formation of dental plaque and dental caries. In a previous study, we confirmed that the essential oil of Chrysanthemum boreale has antibacterial activity against S. mutans. Alpha-pinene is one of the major chemical components of Chrysanthemum boreale essential oil. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of α-pinene on cariogenic properties such as growth, acid production, biofilm formation, and bactericidal activity on S. mutans. Alpha-pinene at a concentration range of 0.25-0.5 mg/mL significantly inhibited the growth of S. mutans and acid production of S. mutans. Biofilm formation was significantly inhibited at < 0.0625 mg/mL α-pinene, similar to the data from scanning electronic microscopy. Under confocal laser scanning microscopy, the bacterial viability was decreased by α-pinene in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggested that α-pinene may be a useful agent for inhibiting the cariogenic properties of S. mutans.
Bacteria ; Biofilms ; Chronic Disease ; Chrysanthemum ; Dental Caries ; Dental Plaque ; Microbial Viability ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Plants* ; Streptococcus mutans

PURPOSE: Since a significant number of patients with locally invasive bladder tumor(T3a/T3b) subsequently develop distant metastases, there have been lots of controversies in deciding treatment modalities. In the past decade, progress has been made in the development of effective chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium. Thus, we reviewed the effectiveness of the M-VAC(methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin, and cisplatin) chemotherapy for locally invasive transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 36 patients who were diagnosed as T3a/T3b TCC and treated with aggressive transurethral resection of the bladder tumor(TURBt) and M-VAC chemotherapy Remission was defined in case of complete disappearance of the tumor or downstaging, and progression was defined in case of persistent disease or upstaging. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 60.4 years old(33 males; 3 females), and mean follow up was 12.2 +/- 8.9 months. Response rate considering loss of follow up according to the Kaplan-Meyer's method, was 79, 49, 44, 37% at 6, 12, 18, 24th month, respectively. Disease progressions were found in 19 patients during follow up, and the mean duration to progression was 9.2 +/- 5.0(1-19)months. 79% of the patients with disease progression showed progression within 12 months. Lymph node metastases or distant metastases were confirmed in 68% of progressed patients. CONCLUSIONS: M-VAC chemotherapy after aggressive TURBt is limited, but erective treatment modality, and it is also useful in deciding the prognosis of cancer with its responsiveness.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Disease Progression ; Doxorubicin* ; Drug Therapy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urothelium ; Vinblastine*

Scatter radiation considerably affects radiographic image quality by reducing image contrast and contributing to a non-uniform background. Images containing a large portion of scatter radiation may result in an incorrect diagnosis. In the past few years, many efforts have been made to reduce the effects of scatter radiation on radiographic images. The purpose of this study is to accurately measure scatter fractions and evaluate the effectiveness of beam-stop arrays. To measure scatter fraction accurately, a beam-stop array and the SFC (Scatter Fraction Calculator) program were developed. Images were obtained using the beam-stop array for both an anti-scatter technique with an anti-scatter grid and an air gap technique. The scatter fractions of the images were measured using the SFC program. Scatter fractions obtained with an anti-scatter grid were evaluated and compared to scatter fractions obtained without an anti-scatter grid. Scatter fractions were also quantitatively measured and evaluated with an air gap technique. The effectiveness of the beam-stop array was demonstrated by quantifying scatter fractions under various conditions. The results showed that a beam-stop array and the SFC program can be used to accurately measure scatter fractions in radiographic images and can be applied for both developing scatter correction methods as well as systems.
Radiographic Image Enhancement

PURPOSE:To report the change of corneal asphericity and the relationship between asphericity and visual acuity after wearing the reverse-geometry lens. METHODS: The authors reviewed out-patient records of 37 consecutive patients wearing reverse-geometry lenses. The patients were followed up from July 2004 to December 2007. The unaided visual acuity (VA), spherical equivalent (SE) and asphericity before and after wearing the lens were compared. The relationship of SE and final VA, initial astigmatism and final VA, and asphericity and final VA was also analyzed. In addition, the relationship between the increment of VA and asphericity was determined. RESULTS: VA and SE improved and the asphericity decreased after wearing the lens (p<0.05). There was high correlation between the spherical equivalent and final visual acuity (p<0.001), and no correlation between asphericity and final visual acuity (p=0.358) was observed. However, the lower the initial asphericity, the greater the increment of visual acuity observed (p=0.048). CONCLUSIONS: Initial corneal asphericity can be a predictor of increment of VA after wearing reverse-geometry lenses.
Astigmatism ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: We developed an inverse technique for tissue morcellation by modifying the conventional upward technique and then examined its safety and efficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2008 to December 2010, a total of 389 consecutive patients treated with holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) were enrolled in this study. For tissue morcellation, we used an upward technique for an initial series of 84 patients and an inverse technique for a consecutive series of 305 patients. We compared efficiency and safety between the inverse technique and the upward technique. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in mean age or prostate volume between the two groups. The mean morcellation efficiency was higher in the inverse technique group. The incidence of severe bladder injury was significantly higher in the upward technique group. Regarding the site of bladder injury, 7 and 4 cases of bladder injury occurred in the bladder dome and posterior wall, respectively, in the upward technique group. In the inverse technique group, however, the site of bladder injury was limited to the trigone. We divided our clinical series of patients into the upward technique group and three inverse technique groups on the basis of the timing. The mean morcellation efficiency was significantly higher in all three inverse technique groups than in the upward technique group. However, there was no significant difference in mean morcellation efficiency between the three inverse technique groups. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the inverse technique might be a more effective, safer, and more excellent method of morcellation than the conventional upward technique.
Holmium ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Prostate ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: We developed an inverse technique for tissue morcellation by modifying the conventional upward technique and then examined its safety and efficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2008 to December 2010, a total of 389 consecutive patients treated with holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) were enrolled in this study. For tissue morcellation, we used an upward technique for an initial series of 84 patients and an inverse technique for a consecutive series of 305 patients. We compared efficiency and safety between the inverse technique and the upward technique. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in mean age or prostate volume between the two groups. The mean morcellation efficiency was higher in the inverse technique group. The incidence of severe bladder injury was significantly higher in the upward technique group. Regarding the site of bladder injury, 7 and 4 cases of bladder injury occurred in the bladder dome and posterior wall, respectively, in the upward technique group. In the inverse technique group, however, the site of bladder injury was limited to the trigone. We divided our clinical series of patients into the upward technique group and three inverse technique groups on the basis of the timing. The mean morcellation efficiency was significantly higher in all three inverse technique groups than in the upward technique group. However, there was no significant difference in mean morcellation efficiency between the three inverse technique groups. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the inverse technique might be a more effective, safer, and more excellent method of morcellation than the conventional upward technique.
Holmium ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Prostate ; Urinary Bladder