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

BACKGROUND: For the purpose of early detection of breast cancer, a localization biopsy is necessary in case of mammographically or ultrasonographically suspicious, but nonpalpable, breast lesions. METHODS: One hundred nine consecutive localization biopsies for nonpalpable lesions of the breast were performed upon 101 patients from May 1992 to September 1998. RESULTS: The localizations were done in 48 cases under the guidance of mammography and in 61 cases under the guidance of ultrasonography. Complications occurred in 15 cases (13.7%). The mean volume of the excised specimens was 11.6 cm3. The miss rate was 3.6% (4 cases). Malignant lesions of the breast were found in 16 cases (14.7%). Among the malignant lesions, 10 cases involved invasive ductal cancer. Among the patients diagnosed as having breast cancer, 8 patients were treated with a conservative operation, 5 patients with a modified radical mastectomy, and 2 patients with observation; 1 patient was discharged. The chance of a biopsy containing a malignant lesion was 16.7% if the biopsy was done because of mass, 9.8% for a microcalcification, and 11.1% for an abnormal asymmetric density. CONCLUSIONS: A needle localization biopsy can be performed accurately under local anethesia, and the volume of the excised specimen can be minimized, so the cosmetic effect is excellent and proper early treatment is possible in diagnosed cases of breast cancer.
Biopsy* ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Humans ; Mammography ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Needles* ; Ultrasonography

Although intramedullary nailing is mostly used in the management of fractures in the long bone shaft, plate fixation is still alternative option in periprosthetic or metaphyseal fractures. For the rigid fixation during plating, sometimes we need wiring. Many surgeons experience slippage of wire resulting in loss of rigid fixation because plate and wire is so slippery and the diameter of bone is changing by level especially in the metaphyseal area. Wiring plate(CHO plate) was designed to prevent slippage. This plate has transverse holes for wires between screw holes on traditionally used dynamic compression plate. Sixteen fractures of long bone shaft were fixed with wiring plate and 11 cases which were followed up for more than one year were evaluated. There were periprosthetic fractures(4 cases), spiral or butterfly fractures(4 cases) and fractures of poor bone quality(two cases of malignancy and one case of osteoporosis). Nine cases were successfully reduced and the healed without loss of fixation. In two cases, delayed union and nonunion were observed due to wire breakage with plate loosening. Preliminarily, wiring plate fixation can be used for the periprosthetic fracture and one of alternative option in butterfly or spiral fracture and fracture in osteoporotic bone or pathologic fracture.
Butterflies ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Periprosthetic Fractures

Urethral calculi are relatively unusual. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, there is no report in the literature of abscess formation related to calculus-induced urethral rupture. We report a case of a 57-year-old man with a periurethral abscess at the penoscrotal junction caused by urethral stones.
Abscess ; Calculi ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Rupture ; Urethra ; Urogenital System

The function of the meniscus and subsequently the importance of meniscus preservation are well known. Thirty-two patients who underwent arthroscopic meniscus repair between 1993 and 1995 were studied retrospectively. Twenty menisci were repaired using modified Henning inside-out technique and the remaining twelve meaisci, outside-in technique. The average delay in surgery was two hundred days. Follow-up was done from 1 year to 3 years (average 22.4 months). The medial meniscus was repaired in 22 cases and the lateral meniscus including two saucerized discoid meniscus in 10 cases. Fourteen patients had anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and other associated knee injuries were lateral condyle fra'cture of femur in one case and lateral condyle &acture of tibia in one case. Assessment of the result was based on the evaluation form of the International Knee Documentation CommitteegKDC). Twenty-seven patients (84.3%) were normal to nearly normal. Abnormal and severely abnormal results were mainly affected by the result of treatment of ACL tear.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Knee Injuries ; Menisci, Tibial ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibia

Sonazoid contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) is a promising technique for the detection and diagnosis of focal liver lesions, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recently, a collaborative effort between the Korean Society of Radiology and Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology resulted in the publication of guidelines for diagnosing HCC using Sonazoid CEUS. These guidelines propose specific criteria for identifying HCC based on the imaging characteristics observed during Sonazoid CEUS. The suggested diagnostic criteria include nonrim arterial phase hyperenhancement, and the presence of late and mild washout, or Kupffer phase washout under the premise that the early or marked washout should not occur during the portal venous phase. These criteria aim to improve the accuracy of HCC diagnosis using Sonazoid CEUS. This review offers a comprehensive overview of Sonazoid CEUS in the context of HCC diagnosis. It covers the fundamental principles of Sonazoid CEUS and its clinical applications, and introduces the recently published guidelines. By providing a summary of this emerging technique, this review contributes to a better understanding of the potential role of Sonazoid CEUS for diagnosing HCC.

PURPOSE: Prostate volume has been poorly correlated with various parameters used to assess benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), including symptom score, total prostate volume, peak flow rate and postvoid residual urine. The purpose of this study is to determine if measurement of the volume and the index of transition zone of the prostate correlated well with other clinical parameters in predicting the degree of obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 121 men with lower urinary tract symptoms were prospectively evaluated using international prostate symptom score, transrectal ultrasonography, and urodynamic investigation with pressure-flow studies for BPH. Bladder outlet obstruction was defined as the maximal detrusor pressure was greater than 40cmH2O at peak flow and peak flow rate was less than 10ml/sec. Patients were then divided into obstructive and non-obstructive groups. Correlations were evaluated among the total prostatic volume (TPV), transition zone volume (TZV), transition zone index (TZI=TZV/TPV) and other clinical and urodynamically obstructive parameters. RESULTS: Age, IPSS, peak flow rate and PVR were not significantly different between obstructive (n=69) and non-obstructive (n=52) groups. Among the transrectal sonographic parameters, TZV and TZI correlated better with urodynamically obstructive parameters such as detrusor pressure at peak flow rate (r=0.551, 0.544), Abrams Griffiths number (r=0.576, 0.506) and linear passive urethral resistance relation (r=0.560, 0.580) than with TPV. There were no correlations between clinical and volume parameters. All the volume parameters of the prostate were larger in obstructive than in non- obstructive group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with BPH symptoms, TZV and TZI correlates better with urodynamically obstructive parameters than did the total prostate volume. TZV or TZI may serve as more useful method for evaluating obstruction.
Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction* ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urodynamics

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiological and neurochemical changes following spinal injury are not yet elucidated. This study was designed to evaluate the morphological changes of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and profiles of pain behaviors following intraspinal injection of NMDA in rats. METHODS: Rats were randomized into three groups: a sham-operated control group and groups where the rats received 10 mM or 100 mM N-methyl-D-aspatate (NMDA) injected into their spinal dorsal horn. Following injection, hypersensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli and excessive grooming behaviors were assessed serially for four weeks. Morphological changes of the spinal cord were evaluated four weeks after intraspinal injection. RESULTS: Few animals in the NMDA groups developed hypersensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli. The number of groomers and the severity of excessive grooming were significantly higher in the 100 mM NMDA group than those values of the control and 10 mM NMDA groups. The size of the neck region (lamina III-IV) was significantly smaller in the 100 mM NMDA group than in the control and 10 mM NMDA groups. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, intraspinal injection of NMDA in rats leads to the pathological sequela in the spinal cord and to excessive grooming behavior. These results support the use of NMDA and excessive grooming behavior after excitotoxic SCI as a model to study chronic pain after SCI.
Animals ; Chronic Pain ; Cold Temperature ; Grooming ; Horns ; Hypersensitivity ; Injections, Spinal ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neck ; Pilot Projects ; Rats ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Injuries

BACKGROUND: Perfusion scintigraphy with dipyridamole have been reported to be useful for diagnosis of coronary artery disease and the assessment of the presence and extent of myocardium at ischemic risk, especially in patients who can not undergo dynamic exercise testing. Dipyridamole, pharmacologic coronary vasodilator, also induces fall in blood pressure and rise in heart rate. The purpose of this study was to answer the question if dipyridamole induced peripheral hemodynamic responses were related to chest pain, ST changes on EKG, scintigraphic defect or extent of coronary stenosis. METHODS: Dipyridamole 99mTc-MIBI myocardial scintigraphy and coronary angiography on 43 subjects who were suspected to have coronary artery disease. The peripheral hemodynamic response was graded as absent(group 0) if there was a < or =10mm fall in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and/or < or =10 beats/min rise in geart rate(HR) ; moderate(group 1) if there was >10 but < or =20mm fall in SBP and/or >10 but < or =20 beats/min rise in HR ; and marked (group 2) if there was >20mm fall in SBP and/or >20 beats/min rise in HR. RESULTS: The overall diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for coronary artery disease of dipyridamole perfusion scintigraphy were 68%, 83% while per vessel sensitivity and specificity for coronary artery disease were 66%, 97%. The numbers of induced chest pain and ischemic ST changes among hemodynamic subgroups, were 40%, 40% in group 0, 33%, 27% in group 1 and 50%, 40% in group 2 without significant difference in each hemodynamic subgroups. Either the numbers of diseased coronary arteries or the numbers of patients demonstrationg reversible scintigraphic defects were not statically different among each subgroups. CONCLUSION: Although the peripheral hemodynamic response dose not always correlate with its central coronary effect but dipyridamlole 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion scintigraphy is an useful test for diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
Blood Pressure ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis ; Dipyridamole* ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Myocardial Perfusion Imaging ; Myocardium ; Perfusion Imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The Committee of Education of the Korean Diabetes Association discussed the need to develop the Diabetes Education Recognition Program. In 2011, the current certification program was reviewed and a survey was conducted to improve the Diabetes Education Recognition Program. This improved program will be a standard for qualified diabetes education for diabetes educators and institutes, and will ultimately become a national standard for diabetes education.
Academies and Institutes ; Certification ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Patient Education as Topic