BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to test the validity of M-mode and a new cross sectional cehocardiographic quantification of pericardial effusion. METHODS: This study was performed in 12 patients with large pericardial effusion of whom hed M-mode and 2-D echocardiography just before therpeutic drainage of the effusion. The volume of Pericardial fluid removed by pericardiocentesis was compared with te echo-free space estimated by M-mode echocardiography and the volume estimated by new 2-D echocardiographic method. The pericardial sac volume and the cardiac volume were calculated by applying the formula for the volume of a prolate ellipse. RESULTS: 1) There was a good correlation between 2-D echocardiographic estimate and the actual volume removed by pericardiocentesis(r=0.72, p<0.05). 2) The correlation between the echo-free space estimated by M-mode echocardiography at the level of mitral valve and the actual volume was also good(r=0.81,p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The M-mode and 2-D echocardiographic method is successful in helping to estimate large pericardial effusion.
Cardiac Volume ; Drainage ; Echocardiography* ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Pericardial Effusion* ; Pericardiocentesis ; Phosmet

This retrospective study was performed to assess CT scan findings of pancratic cancer and its ability todetermine resectability. CT scans of 41 patients, who were diagnosed to have pancreatic cancer on histological orclinical base, were reviewed. Most common findings were; focal pancreatic enlargement, diffuse pancreaticenlargement, loss of distinct contour, peripancretic fat obliteration, bile duct or pancreatic duct dilatation,vascular invasion, lymph node involvement, direct invasion of adjacent organs and distant metastasis.Resectability was assessed according to generally accepted CT findings such as small pancreatic mass lesion havingnormal lobulated contour of pancreas, no evidence of vascular invasion, no evidence lymph node involvement andfree of distant metastasis. With the criteria, 5 cases among 41 cases deemed to be resectable. However onoperation all cases were found unresectable indicating prediction of tumor resectability is difficult even withhelp of CT. Nonetheless CT would be very helpful in management of patients having pancreatic cancer since CT wouldshorten the diagnostic procedures of pancreatic cancer.
Bile Ducts ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed factors affecting feeble-mindedness or insanity following a forensic evaluation for sex offenders, and to present a scientific basis that can provide practical assistance on a responsibility evaluation of sex offenders. METHODS: This study analyzed retrospectively 180 mental appraisals on sex offenders among mental appraisals documented by one psychiatrist from June, 2012 to December, 2015 at the National Forensic Hospital. RESULTS: Of the 180 mental appraisals, 123 people (68.3%) were found to be feeble-minded or insane, and 57 people (31.7%) were considered to be sane, i.e., competent to take responsibility. The two groups were different in IQ, occupational & marital status, victim numbers, psychiatric diagnosis, and sex offender characteristics, such as violence and intrusiveness. After evaluating the influence of variables that showed significant differences between the two groups on a responsibility assessment, sex offenders with fewer invasive sex offenses (OR=1.763, p<0.05), lower IQ (OR=1.031, p<0.01), lower numbers of victims (OR=1.349, p<0.05), and higher number of mental illnesses (OR=0.507, p<0.05) were more likely found to be feeble-minded or insane. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that criminal responsibility may be intact in repeat sex offenders who commit invasive sex crimes, such as rape, and is without intellectual disability compared to other kinds of sex offenders. Subsequent research will be needed to improve the objectivity and reliability of mental appraisals on sex offenders in the future.
Crime ; Criminals* ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Marital Status ; Mental Disorders ; Psychiatry ; Rape ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Offenses ; Violence

No abstract available.
Ameloblasts* ; Fibroma*

No abstract available.
Ameloblasts* ; Fibroma*

Folliculosebaceous cystic hamartoma is a rare cutaneous hamartoma comprised of follicular, sebaceous, and mesenchymal elements. It usually presents as an exophytic papule or nodule on the central part of the face. The histological findings are intradermal cystic structures lined by infundibular epithelium, numerous sebaceous lobules radiating from cystic structures and a surrounding stroma composed of mesenchymal changes, including variable proportions of fibrous, adipose, vascular and neural tissues. We herein report a case of folliculosebaceous cystic hamartoma in a 73-year-old man who presented with a skin-colored, dome-shaped papule on the right nasal ala.
Aged ; Epithelium ; Hamartoma* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Fatty Liver ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND:CAVI, Cardio Ankle Vascular Index, has been proposed as an independent marker of arterial stiffness regardless of the blood pressure. We measured the CAVI of hemodynamically unstable patients on maintenance hemodialysis and at the same time measured other pulse pressure-related parameters in order to study their correlations with each other. METHODS:We studied 85 patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis over 3 months. We categorized patients into 4 subgroups: Diabetes+Hypotension (N= 12), Diabetes+Normal blood pressure (N=16), Non- diabetes+Hypotension (N=15), and Non-diabetes+Normal blood pressure (N=42). Using automatic waveform analyzer, we measured CAVI and pulse pressure- related markers twice, before and after the hemodialysis session, and observed the change. RESULTS:After the dialysis, CAVI did not change despite the decreased mean blood pressure. Yet both brachial and ankle pulse pressure dropped significantly (4.34+/-15.22 mmHg, 11.50+/-20.65 mmHg, p<0.01). PEP (Pre-Ejection Period) on the other hand, remarkably increased (12. 13+/-22.18 msec) while ET (Ejection Time) showed considerable decrease (35.86+/-45.68 msec), and PEP/ ET ratio increased as well. Predialysis CAVI was significantly higher in Diabetes group than in Non-diabetes (11.02+/-2.33 vs. 8.20+/-1.87, p<0.001). However, no significant difference of CAVI was observed between Hypotension and Normal blood pressure groups. Diabetes+Hypotension Group displayed reduction in CAVI after dialysis with marginal significance (0.68+/-1.07, p=0.05) whilst PEP, ET and PEP/ET ratio showed no significant change compared to other groups. CONCLUSION:CAVI, a newly developed marker of arterial stiffness, is expected to be useful in prediction of the cardio-vascular risk and prognosis of patients undergoing hemodialysis.
Ankle ; Blood Pressure ; Dialysis ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Prognosis ; Renal Dialysis* ; Vascular Stiffness

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common condition leading to renal dysfunction and is closely related to increased cardiovascular and mortality risk. CKD is an important public health issue, and recent genetic studies have verified common CKD susceptibility variants. This research examines the interrelationship between candidate genes polymorphisms of interferon lambda (IFNL) induction, its signaling pathway, and CKD. Methods: Seventy-five patients with advanced CKD and 312 healthy subjects (as controls) participated in this research. A replication set composed of 172 patients with advanced CKD and 365 controls was used for additional analysis. The genotype of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was determined by the Axiom Genome-Wide Human Assay and SNaPshot assay. Results: The SNP of IFNL3 was significantly associated with CKD in the codominant (p = 0.02) and dominant models (p = 0.02). In addition, the SNPs of IFNL2 were significantly associated with CKD in the dominant model (p = 0.03), and the SNP of interferon alpha receptor 2 (IFNAR2) was significantly associated with CKD in the log-additive model (p = 0.03). Concerning rs148543092, in the IFNL3 gene, a significant association was observed after pooling the original and replication sets. Conclusion: These results indicate that SNPs in the IFNL induction and signal pathway may be associated with CKD risk in the Korean population. Finally, our results also show that the IFNL3 gene variant may be associated with CKD risk.

OBJECTIVE: Meningiomas represent 18-20% of all intracranial tumors and have a 20-50% 10-year recurrence rate, despite aggressive surgery and irradiation. Hydroxyurea, an inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase, is known to inhibit meningioma cells by induction of apoptosis. We report the long-term follow-up result of hydroxyurea therapy in the patients with recurrent meningiomas. METHODS: Thirteen patients with recurrent WHO grade I or II meningioma were treated with hydroxyurea (1000 mg/m2/day orally divided twice per day) from June 1998 to February 2012. Nine female and 4 male, ranging in age from 32 to 83 years (median age 61.7 years), were included. Follow-up assessment included physical examination, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Standard neuro-oncological response criteria (Macdonald criteria) were used to evaluate the follow-up MRI scans. The treatment was continued until there was objective disease progression or onset of unmanageable toxicity. RESULTS: Ten of the 13 patients (76.9%) showed stable disease after treatment, with time to progression ranging from 8 to 128 months (median 72.4 months; 6 patients still accruing time). However, there was no complete response or partial response in any patients. Three patients had progressive disease after 88, 89, 36 months, respectively. There was no severe (Grade III-IV) blood systemic disorders and no episodes of non-hematological side effects. CONCLUSION: This study showed that hydroxyurea is a modestly active agent against recurrent meningiomas and can induce long-term stabilization of disease in some patients. We think that hydroxyurea treatment is well tolerated and convenient, and could be considered as an alternative treatment option in patients with recurrent meningiomas prior to reoperation or radiotherapy.
Apoptosis ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydroxyurea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meningioma ; Physical Examination ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Ribonucleotide Reductases