BACKGROUND: We studied how periodic and complex heart rate dynamic changes as pulmonary artery pressure increases in 32 infants with ventricular septal defet. In addition, we tested the possibility that the dynamical changes can be used to noninvasively predict the pulmonary artery pressure. METHODS: During cardiac catherterization, mean pulmonary artery pressure was measured and, at the same time, 5minute segments of continous electrocardiographic recording was stored. High-(>0.15 hertz) and low-(0.03-0.15 hertz) frequency components of heart rate variability were computed using spectral analysis. Yhe overall complexity of heart rate time series was quantified by its approximate entropy. RESULT: Pulmonary hypertensive infants(mean pulmonary artery pressure>20mmHg, n=17) had significantly lower low-(p<0.05)and high-(p<0.05) frequency power and lower approximate entropy(p<0.0001) than pulmonary normotensive infants(mean pulmonary artery pressure20mmHg, n=15). The mean pulmonary artery pressure was significantly correlated not with the spectral powers but with approximate entropy(=-0.51, P=0.0001). Conclusion: It can be concluded that, in infants, pulmonary hypertension induced by left-to-right shunt lesions suppress both periodic and complex heart rate oscillation and that mean pulmonary artety pressure can be predicted by calculating approximate entropy of heart trate variability.
Electrocardiography ; Entropy ; Heart Rate* ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Infant* ; Pulmonary Artery*

BACKGROUND: Although actinic keratosis and Bowens disease ar considered as carcinoma in situ, most of them are biologically benign and dont progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma. It is little known why they take the benign courses and which factors are involved in the tumorigenesis. Keratoacanthoma, self-regresi;ing benign tumor, may be sometimes or fused morphologically with well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. So it is necessary to find a useful marker to help us distinguish them. OBJECTIVES: We performed this study to gain a better understani ling of biologic behaviour and tumerigenesis of epidermal keiatinocytic neoplasms. METHODS: We investigated the expression of p53 protein and priliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) by an immunohistochemical method on the formalin-fixed, araffinembedded tissue specimens of epidermal keratinocytic neoplasms. RESULTS: Fourteen out of 20 cases of squamous cell carcinoma(70.0%), 14 out of 22 cases of actinic keratosis(63.6%), and 13 out of 20 cases of Bowens disease(65.0%) showed p53 protein expression, but keratoacanthoma was negative. All the tumors studied sho ved significantly increased numbers of PCNA-positive eells when compared with normal epidermis and characteristic distribution pattern. of PCNA-positive cells. Most cases of actinic keratosis exhibited the basal dysplastic pattern, but Bo wenoid variants showed diffuse dysplastic pattern. Karatoacanthoma revealed the marginal pattern and Bowens disease showed the diffuse dysplastic pattern. Well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoria showed the basal dysplastic pattern, while poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma revealed d ffuse dysplastic pattern. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that p53 mutation is a common and early genetic change in the epidermal tumorigenesis and may be used as a good marker for malignan transformation, but it does not seem to correlate with the biollagic behavior or prognosis of epidermal neoplasms. PCNA, which is considered as a proliferation-relaited marker, was expressed with chavaceristic distribution patterns according to the type of tumors, but the frequency of PCNA expression is unlikely to reflct the malignant potential of epidermal neoplasms.
Actins ; Bowen's Disease ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Epidermis ; Keratoacanthoma ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Prognosis ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen*

BACKGROUND: Although actinic keratosis and Bowens disease ar considered as carcinoma in situ, most of them are biologically benign and dont progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma. It is little known why they take the benign courses and which factors are involved in the tumorigenesis. Keratoacanthoma, self-regresi;ing benign tumor, may be sometimes or fused morphologically with well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. So it is necessary to find a useful marker to help us distinguish them. OBJECTIVES: We performed this study to gain a better understani ling of biologic behaviour and tumerigenesis of epidermal keiatinocytic neoplasms. METHODS: We investigated the expression of p53 protein and priliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) by an immunohistochemical method on the formalin-fixed, araffinembedded tissue specimens of epidermal keratinocytic neoplasms. RESULTS: Fourteen out of 20 cases of squamous cell carcinoma(70.0%), 14 out of 22 cases of actinic keratosis(63.6%), and 13 out of 20 cases of Bowens disease(65.0%) showed p53 protein expression, but keratoacanthoma was negative. All the tumors studied sho ved significantly increased numbers of PCNA-positive eells when compared with normal epidermis and characteristic distribution pattern. of PCNA-positive cells. Most cases of actinic keratosis exhibited the basal dysplastic pattern, but Bo wenoid variants showed diffuse dysplastic pattern. Karatoacanthoma revealed the marginal pattern and Bowens disease showed the diffuse dysplastic pattern. Well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoria showed the basal dysplastic pattern, while poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma revealed d ffuse dysplastic pattern. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that p53 mutation is a common and early genetic change in the epidermal tumorigenesis and may be used as a good marker for malignan transformation, but it does not seem to correlate with the biollagic behavior or prognosis of epidermal neoplasms. PCNA, which is considered as a proliferation-relaited marker, was expressed with chavaceristic distribution patterns according to the type of tumors, but the frequency of PCNA expression is unlikely to reflct the malignant potential of epidermal neoplasms.
Actins ; Bowen's Disease ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Epidermis ; Keratoacanthoma ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Prognosis ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen*

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Female* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Dyskeratosis Congenita*

BACKGROUND: Essential tremor is one of the most common types of movement disorders. Although it is sometimes prefaced with the term 'benign', it often causes significant disabilities. Clinical characteristics and responses to various drugs have not been investigated systematically in Korea. Therefore, we studied the clinical features, electrophysiologic findings, and drug responsiveness of essential tremor. METHODS: Forty-five patients were included in the study by clinical criteria for essential tremor. We investigated their clinical features including tremor type, involved sites, family history, and responsiveness to alcohol. We used an electromyography study to evaluate the contraction patterns between agonist and antagonist muscles and the frequency of tremor. Primidone and propranolol were prescribed to all the patients (N=30) with a sufficient washout period (more than 2weeks) for drug responsiveness. Drug responsiveness was estimat-ed with self-assessment scales. RESULTS: The mean age of patients at the onset of the tremor was 45 years and the average duration of the tremor was 11.1 years. Kinetic tremor was dominant in 17 patients (37.8%) and postural tremor in 28 patients (62.2%). Family history was found in 18 patients (40%) and alcohol reduced tremors in 18 (64.8%) out of 28 patients with sufficient alcohol intake. Co-contraction was seen in 18 patients (40%), alternative contraction in 15 (33.6%), and mixed contraction in 3 (6.7%). Mean frequency was 6.7 Hz. Propranolol reduced tremor in 24 patients (80%), and primidone in 27 patients (90%). CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that essential tremor was heterogenous clinically and electrophysiologically. Primidone was found more effective than propranolol in reducing tremor.
Electromyography ; Essential Tremor* ; Humans ; Korea ; Movement Disorders ; Muscles ; Primidone ; Propranolol ; Self-Assessment ; Tremor ; Weights and Measures

No abstract available.
Dermoscopy* ; Diagnosis* ; Larva Migrans

No abstract available.
Dermoscopy* ; Diagnosis* ; Larva Migrans

No abstract available.
Leukemia*

The purpose of the present study lied in examining the incidence, treatment and failure causes of peri-implantitis by analyzing medical charts of those patients who underwent implant placement for the past 2 years. The subjects included those patients who underwent implant placement at the present hospital from January 2001 to December 2002. 3i implants were used for the analysis for the comparison of significance. A total of 301 patients were examined, among whom 102 were females and 199, males. Implants were placed in a total of 578 cases. The number of peri-implantitis was present in a total of 29 cases (21 males and 8 females), giving the incidence at 9.6%. The evidence of peri-implantitis was seen in 60 cases, which was in 10.4% of the patients. Among those cases with peri-implantitis, 28 cases (47%) underwent bone graft and 22 cases (43%) underwent maxillary sinus lift. Furthermore, 4 of these patients had systemic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension. Regular management is important for the preven ion of peri-implantitis. In other words, early prevention through regular follow-ups to check the status of surrounding soft tissue would be needed to maintain implants.
Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus ; Peri-Implantitis* ; Retrospective Studies* ; Transplants