Kinship testing in forensic casework is largely based on a likelihood ratio (LR) approach with short tandem repeat (STR) markers; however, in order to efficiently identify potential relatives in a specific population, the threshold values for kinship prediction should be determined by analyzing the kinship index distributions of the population in question. In this study, 250,000 DNA profiles were simulated using allele frequencies at 20 autosomal STR loci in Koreans, then the LRs were calculated for true close relatives and unrelated pairs. The LR distributions in related and unrelated pairs under a given relationship were compared in 2 sets of 13 Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and 20 STR profiles. Using 13 CODIS STRs, true relatives in parent/child and full-sibling relationships were sufficiently discriminated from unrelated pairs with LR thresholds of 1,000 and 100, respectively. However, the CODIS STRs lacked the discriminatory power to differentiate between related and unrelated pairs in uncle/nephew and first cousin relationships due to high false-positive and false-negative rates with a LR threshold of 10. Increasing the number of STR loci to 20 increased discrimination of close relatives, but high false results remained in uncle/nephew and first cousin relationships. The kinship index data from this study will help make decisions on various kinship testing and familial searching in Koreans.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; DNA ; Gene Frequency ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats

In the East, Probably one of the most commonly performed esthetic operation is the piercing of the earlobes for earring. the complication of this procedure includes infection, the formation of the hypertrophic scar or keloid, and tearing. Keloid formation is one of the disaterous common complications of the ear piercing. the patients regard the keloid as a cosmetic blemish and they complain that they cannot wear earrings. We have experienced 5 patients of earlobe keloid complicated from piercing of the earlobes. We used intralestional steroid njection, in conjunction with surgical excision and pressure therapy for treatment of the keloid. Among various techniques for reconstructing a piercing, we chose modified Pardue's method for artificial earlobe cleft after wide excision of the keloid. the result was good and satisfactory without any complication after 4 to 24 months of follow-up. the purpose of this paper is to present a simple method of treatment of the earlobe keloid with preservation of the perforation for an earring.
Body Piercing ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Ear* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keloid*

No abstract available.
Cystadenoma*

No abstract available.
Cystadenoma*

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the effect of cervical cerclage and the clinical characteristics in incompetent internal os of the cervix (IIOC). METHODS: A study was conducted on 170 patients with IIOC, 199 cases of IIOC were admitted and treated with McDonald operation or modified Shirodkar operation at department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Il Sin Christian Hospital from January 1. 1994 to December 31. 1998, of this 14 cases were follow up lost, so 185 cases were analyzed. RESULTS: 1) The incidence of IIOC was 0.43%, 1 in 233 deliveries. 2) The mean age of IIOC patients was 30.54yrs old and the most frequent age group was in 30-34yrs old group (43.78%). 3) The average number of gravida and parity before operation were 4.71 and 1.62. & the success rate of operation was low at high gravida & parity. 4) The predisposing factor was previous history of dilation & curettage (43.75%), Cx. laceration after delivery (6.49%), midtrimester termination (4.32%) etc. 5) The operation methods were McDonald operation (91.35%) and modified Shirodkar operation (8.65%) & the success rate of McDonald operation and modified Shirodkar operation were 85.80% and 87.50%. 6) The successful fetal salvage rate was 85.95% and the highest success rate was 87.50% in 14-16 weeks of gestation group. 7) The more cervix dilate, the more failure occurred. 8) The causes of operation failure were premature rupture of membrane (50.00%), preterm labor (34.62%), FDIU, anomaly, APH etc. 9) The delivery methods after operation were vaginal delivery (65.54%), cesarean delivery (34.46%). CONCLUSION: The 14-16th weeks of gestation group & no cervical dilatation have higher success rate indicating that early diagnosis and appropriate timing of operation is associated with a greater operation success rate.
Causality ; Cerclage, Cervical ; Cervix Uteri* ; Curettage ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Labor Stage, First ; Lacerations ; Membranes ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Obstetrics ; Parity ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Rupture

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: CD34 positive cell enumeration by flow cytometry is currently used to determine the optimal timing of peripheral blood stem cell collections (PBSC) and to predict engraftment of stem cell transplantation. However, the technical problems and lack of a standardized method are sources of significant variability in the quantitation of the CD34 positive cells. ProCOUNT(TM) (Beckon Dickinson Immuno- cytometry System, USA) kit for three color flow cytometric analysis was introduced to enumerate CD34 positive cells using a standardized method. This study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of the three color method, ProCOUNT(TM), in comparison with two color method. METHODS: CD34 positive cells from 25 cord blood samples were enumerated by two methods, two color (CD34-PE/CD45-FITC) and three color (ProCOUNT(TM) , nucleic acid dye/CD34-PE/ CD45-PerCP) flow cytometric analysis, in which CD34 positive cells were counted directly in comparison with counting beads introduced in the sample. RESULTS: The count of CD34 positive cells in the cord blood was 28.3(+/-20.0)/uL and 20.9 (+/-16.0) /uL by three color and two color methods, respectively, The number of CD34 positive cells enumerated by ProCOUNTTM kit was well correlated with that by two color method, but the count was significantly higher in the former method (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In the three color method, loss of stem cells was significantly lower than that in the two color method, and it was possible to obtain a direct count of CD34 positive cells by using a standardized procedure.
Fetal Blood* ; Flow Cytometry ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells* ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells

BACKGROUND: CD34 positive cell enumeration by flow cytometry is currently used to determine the optimal timing of peripheral blood stem cell collections (PBSC) and to predict engraftment of stem cell transplantation. However, the technical problems and lack of a standardized method are sources of significant variability in the quantitation of the CD34 positive cells. ProCOUNT(TM) (Beckon Dickinson Immuno- cytometry System, USA) kit for three color flow cytometric analysis was introduced to enumerate CD34 positive cells using a standardized method. This study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of the three color method, ProCOUNT(TM), in comparison with two color method. METHODS: CD34 positive cells from 25 cord blood samples were enumerated by two methods, two color (CD34-PE/CD45-FITC) and three color (ProCOUNT(TM) , nucleic acid dye/CD34-PE/ CD45-PerCP) flow cytometric analysis, in which CD34 positive cells were counted directly in comparison with counting beads introduced in the sample. RESULTS: The count of CD34 positive cells in the cord blood was 28.3(+/-20.0)/uL and 20.9 (+/-16.0) /uL by three color and two color methods, respectively, The number of CD34 positive cells enumerated by ProCOUNTTM kit was well correlated with that by two color method, but the count was significantly higher in the former method (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In the three color method, loss of stem cells was significantly lower than that in the two color method, and it was possible to obtain a direct count of CD34 positive cells by using a standardized procedure.
Fetal Blood* ; Flow Cytometry ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells* ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells

The incidence of conjoined twins is so rare that few anesthesiologists have an opportunity of managing them. Especially in Korea, there are only a few reports describing the anesthetic management for surgical separation of newborn conjoined twins. We experienced the successful anesthetic management for surgical separation of thoraco-xiphopagus conjoined twins without any particular problems. After applying the noninvasive monitors (ECG, pulse oximeter), one of the twins (twinA) with congenital heart disease was administered with intravenous ketamine for induction of anesthesia and intubated without neuromuscular blocker. Anesthesia was maintained with N2O-O2 and hand ventilation using Mapleson D breathing circuit. After maintaining airway of the twinA, the twinB was intubated and maintained with the same manner. Eighteen days after the separation procedure, the twinA with congenital heart disease died and the other one, twinB has been alive with normal growth and development.
Anesthesia ; Growth and Development ; Hand ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Ketamine ; Korea ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Respiration ; Twins, Conjoined* ; Ventilation

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of two stimulation waveforms on wound healing in rats. METHOD: 30 Sprague-Dawley rats with a 7-mm diametrical round incision including skin and subcutaneous tissue on the dorsum were divided into three groups. A(n=10) and B groups(n=10) were given rectangular and triangular monophasic pulsed current 1 hr daily until the wound healed completely (duty cycle 10%, absolute spatial current density 0.022 mA/cm2 for A group and 0.011 mA/cm2 for B group), and C group (n=10) received no electrical stimulation. As the indicator of wound healing effect, percentage of reduction in wound area, duration of complete healing and antibacterial effect were evaluated and statistically compared among three groups. RESULTS: The mean values of percentage of reduction in wound area were 75.1+/-3.0% for A group, 74.2+/-5.1% for B group and 68.7+/-5.4% for C group. The mean values of duration of complete healing were 11.1+/-1.3 days for A group, 12.0+/-1.4 days for B group and 16.1+/-1.0 days for C group. The mean antibacterial effect were 0.5+/-0.5 for A group, 0.6+/-0.5 for B group and 2.1+/-0.6 for C group on 2 days post wounding, and 0.4+/-0.5 for A group, 0.5+/-0.5 for B group and 1.4+/-0.7 for C group on 6 days post wounding. Although those for A and B groups were significantly different from those for C group, no significant difference in all values of three indicators existed between A and B groups. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that two stimulation waveforms have no significantly different effects on wound healing in rats.
Animals ; Electric Stimulation* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*