It has been increasingly clear that the defence against Mycobacterium leprae(M. leprae) appears mainly to depend on cell-mediated rather than humoral immune mechanism. Nevertheless, the M. leprae is not only capable of producing specific humoral antibody, but also stimulating the formation of a variety of autoantibodies, since mycobacteria are known to exert adjuvant effect. Although the exact role of the autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of leprosy is not known, it is remarkable that the prevalence of autoantibodies has been reported different by several investigators, suggesting the possibility of geographical or racial difference. This study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of some autoantibodies in Korean patients with leprosy. Eighty patients with leprosy registered at the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital entered this study from February, 1977 through October, 1978, The diagnosis was made by clinical, histological, bacteriological and immunological assessments and the patients were classified according to the Ridley-Jopling scale. All patients were under anti leprosy chemotherapy with DDS (Diaminodiphenylsulfone) for various periods at the time of study. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test was performed in 80 patients and the sera displaying reactive VDRL were subjected to re-examination by Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutinin Assay (TPHA). Rbeumatoid factor was sought by means of latex fixation test in 66 patients. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was detected by means of latex agglutination reaction in 61 patients using polysterene latex complexed with calf thymus deoxyribonucleoprotein. Cryoprotein was detected as described elsewhere. Four of the 80 patients(5%) showed reactive VDRL, while rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody were not detectable in all cases. Cryoprotein was detected in 15 patients (27. 3 %). Compared with other reports on the prevalence of autoantibodies in Caucacian and African patients, we found a much lower frequency. This result may be expained partly by the racial or geographic difference in the pattern of leprosy as suggeste4 by Turk.
Agglutination ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Autoantibodies* ; Dermatology ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Hemagglutinins ; Humans ; Latex ; Latex Fixation Tests ; Leprosy* ; Mycobacterium ; Prevalence* ; Research Personnel ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Seoul ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Thymus Gland ; Treponema pallidum

PURPOSE: Endothelin-1(ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide. It has potent contractile and proliferative effects on vascular smooth muscle cells. Congenital heart diseases are often accompanied by pulmonary hypertension, and the severity of pulmonary hypertension is important in the prognosis. The aim of this study was to elucidate changes of ET-1 after pulmonary venous stenosis in a dog model, and investigate the interaction between pulmonary venous pressure and ET-1. METHODS: Plasma ET-1 levels were measured by radioimmuno-assay at the thoracic aorta, left pulmonary artery and left pulmonary vein. Pressures were also monitored at the same sites. Immunohistochemical staining of ET-1 was performed in the lung tissue. RESULTS: Increased serum ET-1 levels were noted at 1 hour after left pulmonary vein stenosis in the left pulmonary vein and aorta, and at 2 days after stenosis in the left pulmonary artery. Left pulmonary venous pressure was significantly increased at 1 hour after pulmonary vein stenosis, and systolic pulmonary artery pressure at 2 days after stenosis. Increased expression of ET-1 was noted by immunohistochemical staining at the lung tissue at 7 days after stenosis of left pulmonary vein. CONCLUSION: Increased serum ET-1 level and expression of ET-1 in immunohistochemical staining at lung tissue were noted after stenosis of pulmonary vein. Serum ET-1 level would be useful in the diagnosis and prediction of pulmonary artery hypertension. (J Korean Pediatr Soc 2000;43:769 778)
Animals ; Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diagnosis ; Dogs ; Endothelin-1* ; Endothelins ; Heart Diseases ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Lung ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Plasma ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Veins ; Venous Pressure

No abstract available.
Fingers* ; Toes*

No abstract available.
Decompression* ; Head* ; Osteonecrosis*

No abstract available.
Aged* ; Child* ; Dislocations* ; Hip* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Colon*

Fractures of the neck of the femur have always presented great challenges to orthopedic surgeons and still remain as one of the unsolved fracture as far as treatment and results are concerned. With life expectancy increasing with each decade, becoming more and more patients suffering from femoral neck fractures and their sequelae. The objoct of this study is to observe the relationship between the clinical results and the degree of displacement of fracture, degree of osteoporosis and duration between injury and operation in femoral neck fractures treated with multiple pin fixation. The author clinically analyzed 56 patients of the femoral neck fractures treated with closed reduction and multiple Knowles pinning followed by more than 1 year at Korea University Hospital from January 1986 to December 1991. There were 20 male and 36 female. The age of patients were ranged from 32 to 88 years(average:65.1 years) and most commonly occurred in 7th decade (23cases,41%). The most common cause was slip down(44 cases;79%). The most common type of fracture was stage III (48%) following to Gardens classification. The obtained results were as follows; 1. Union occurred in 49 cases(88%). 2. Among fifty-six cases, five cases(9%) of avascular necrosis, two cases(4%) Of non-union, two cases(4%) of malunion and one case of posttraumatic arthritis were occurred. 3. The functional results by Lunceford criteria were excellent in 30 cases(53% ), good in 13 cases(23%), fair in 5 cases(10%) and poor in 8 cases(14%). 4. Unsatisfactory results were noted in Garden stage II or IV, osteoporosis below Singh index 3 and delayed treatment over 1 week. Above results suggest that multiple Knowles pinning in femoral neck fractures offers high union rate and low complication rate, and so is also one of salvaging method of femoral head.
Agriculture ; Arthritis ; Classification ; Clinical Study ; Female ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Head ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Expectancy ; Male ; Methods ; Neck ; Necrosis ; Orthopedics ; Osteoporosis ; Surgeons

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the degree of streptococcal colonization in Korean pregnant women. METHODS: The study comprised of 153 singleton pregnant women who visited Severance Hospital for delivery, and their neonates. Specimens for GBS culture were collected by a sterile cotton swab from lower vagina and cervix of pregnant women, and from ear canal and throat of neonates. They were first cultured for 48 hours in Todd-Hewitt broth and then subcultured onto Tryptose blood agar plates(Difco). Group B streptococci were confirmed by the presence of beta-hemolysis and a positive reaction with Phadebact group B Streptococci reagent(Karo Biodiagnostics AB, Huddinge, Sweden). RESULTS: The prevalence of positive cultures in pregnant women and neonates were 2.61%(4/153) and 0%(0/4), respectively. In the study population there was a case of suspicious group B streptococcual sepsis in an infant whose mother was colonized. CONCLUSIONS: In our study the GBS colonization rate in Korean pregnant women was significantly lower than that of other countries. The reason for this difference may be associated with a racial differences, or social factors such as socio-economic status or a life style.
Agar ; Cervix Uteri ; Colon ; Ear Canal ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Life Style ; Mothers ; Pharynx ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence ; Sepsis ; Streptococcal Infections* ; Vagina

Twin pregnancies represent a high risk obstetric population with perinatal morbidity and mortality much greater than that of singleton pregnancies. A retrospective dinical evaluation was attempted to analyse 211 cases of twin pregnancies in Chunchon Sacred Heart Hospital of Hallym University from Jan. l. 1988 to Dec. 31. 1997. The results were as follows. 1) The incidence of twin pregnancy was 1 in 93.9 deliveries. 2) The age of mother ranged from 19 to 42 years and predominant age group was 26-30 which covers 43.1% of all. 3) Nullipara was 61.1% and multipara was 38.9%. 4) The predominant gestational age group at delivery was 36-37 weeks, 33.2%. 5) In presentation, both cephalic combination was 46.4%, cephalic-breech was 26.1%. 6) The birth weight was less than 2500gm in 64.9% of the 1st babies and 70.6% of the 2nd babies, respectively. 7) The rate of cesarean section was 89.0%. The indications of cesarean section were malpresention (48.9%), elective cesarean section(38.8%), and toxemia(9.0%). 8) In 23 cases of vaginal delivery, the average duration of labor was 7.0 hours and 43.5% of 2nd baby was delivered within 5 min after 1st baby delivery, 9) The most frequent maternal complications during pregnancy were anemia(36.0%), preterm labor(34.6%) and preeclamsia(17.5%). 10) The perinatal mortality rate of the first and second twins was 10.4% and 12.3%, respectively. The main causes of perinatal death were prematurity(52.1%) and stillborn(22.9%). 11) Both female was 43.6%, both male was 39.3%, and opposite sex was 17.1% in infant.
Birth Weight ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Gangwon-do ; Gestational Age ; Heart ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; Mortality ; Mothers ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin* ; Retrospective Studies

A 70-year-old female Patient was admitted due to the impression of lung abscess via local clinic. Chest P-A showed air shadow containing huge mass lesion in the right lower lung field, pericardio phrenic angle. But the patient complained of only mild upper respiratioy tract infection symptoms and the laboratory tests were within normal limits. Barium enema and chest C-T taken right after barium enema were performad in suggesting of the diaphragmatic hernia. Barium tilled transverse colon and associated omentum were in the right anterior hemithorax surrounded by the hernial sac. The mass lesion shown in the chest P-A was compatible with the diaphragmatic hemia, Morgagni type. Operative reduction of the herniated bowel and simple closure of the diaphragm was performed.
Aged ; Barium ; Colon, Transverse ; Diaphragm ; Enema ; Female ; Hernia, Diaphragmatic ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Abscess ; Omentum ; Thorax*