No abstract available.
Humans ; Pregnancy* ; Ultrasonography*

Alexander disease (AxD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Three subtypes of AxD have been identified based on the age of onset: infantile (under age 2), juvenile (age 2 to 12) and adult (over age 12). The adult form is rare and presents with unique clinical features different from those of the infantile forms. Here, we present the first Korean case of adult-onset cerebellar ataxia with typical tadpole-like brainstem atrophy on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Molecular genetic analysis revealed a heterozygous missense mutation (c.1246C>T, p.R416W) in the GFAP gene.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of treatment and prognosis of Marjolin's ulcer compared with primary squamous cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients treated for Marjolin's ulcer were analyzed. Twenty patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma treated during the same time period was the control group. Mean age was 61.2 years. There were 24 males and 10 females. The locations, TNM stages, histological grades, recurrence, metastasis, and survival rate were analyzed and compared between two groups. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 54.8 months (range, 12-168 months). Local recurrences were found in 6 cases, 5 ones in Marjolin's ulcer patients, and one case in primary squamous cell carcinoma patients. The mean time interval between the initial presentation and occurrence of local recurrences was 9 months (range, 2-20 months). There were 6 metastases. 2 (14.3%) metastases were found in Marjolin's ulcer patients, and 4 (20.0%) metastases in primary squamous cell carcinoma patients. Total events (metastasis or local recurrence) were found in 10 pateients, 6 of them in Marjolin's ulcer group, and the remaining four in primary group. 5-year disease-free survival rate was 64.3% in Marjolin's ulcer group and 95.0% in primary squamous cell carcinoma group. CONCLUSION: Squamous cell carcinomas originating as Marjolin's ulcers revealed higher recurrence rate and lower survival rate despite of aggressive treatment. Therefore, new treatment modalities should be developed for improving outcomes.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: To date, the high spatial frequency algorithm (HSFA) which reduces image smoothing and increases spatial resolution has been used for the evaluation of parenchymal lung diseases in thin-section high-resolution CT. In this study, we compared the ultrahigh spatial frequency algorithm (UHSFA) with the high spatial frequency algorithm in the assessment of thin section images of the lung parenchyma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Three radiologists compared the UHSFA and HSFA on identical CT images in a line-pair resolution phantom, one lung specimen, 2 patients with normal lung and 18 patients with abnormal lung parenchyma. RESULTS: Scanning of a line-pair resolution phantom demonstrated no difference in resolution between two techniques but it showed that outer lines of the line pairs with maximal resolution looked thicker on UHSFA than those on HSFA. Lung parenchymal detail with UHSFA was judged equal or superior to HSFA in 95% of images. Lung parenchymal sharpness was improved with UHSFA in all images. Although UHSFA resulted in an increase in visible noise, observers did not found that image noise interfered with image interpretation. The visual CT attenuation of normal lung parenchyma is minimally increased in images with HSFA. The overall visual preference of the images reconstructed on UHSFA was considered equal to or greater than that of those reconstructed on HSFA in 78% of images. CONCLUSION: The ultrahigh spatial frequency algorithm improved the overall visual quality of the images in pulmonary parenchymal high-resolution CT.
Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Lung* ; Noise

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A subfamily is estimated to participate in the biotransformation of 50% of the currently prescribed drugs. Four members of the CYP3A subfamily have been identified in humans: CYP3A4, CYP3A5, CYP3A7, and CYP3A43. Initial data suggested that CYP3A5 accounts for only a small proportion of the total hepatic CYP3A in about 20% of samples, but it was later revealed that CYP3A5 represents more than 50% of the total CYP3A amount in some individuals. Several genetic variants have been described for the CYP3A5 gene, of which the CYP3A5*3 allele (gA6986G), the most common form and leading to the loss of CYP3A5 activity, has been extensively investigated in the aspect of pharmacokinetics and disease risk. This review summarized the molecular characteristics of the CYP3A5 gene, and discusses the association of the CYP3A5*3 polymorphism with disease risks such as cancer and hypertension, along with its role in the pharmacokinetics of CYP3A substrates.
Alleles ; Biotransformation ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Pharmacogenetics ; Pharmacokinetics

To identify the factors influencing the charges per case of acute appendicitis and normal spontaneous vaginal delivery (NSVD), the personal data-base files and hospital-characteristics-reporting data files of Korea Medical Insurance Corporation were analyzed. One hundred and twenty-nine institutions were selected. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The differences of charges per case with respect to hospital ownership, location, and equipment levels were statistically significant. 2. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that bed capacity was the most significant variable in both diseases. 3. Ownership was significant variable in acute appendicitis. In NSVD, ownership and hospital equipment level were statistically significant. In conclusion, bed capacity was statistically the most significant variable in the analysis of charges per case. And we thought that the results of this study would influence the policy of the hospital bed supply.
Appendicitis* ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; Equipment and Supplies, Hospital ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Ownership

No abstract available.
Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of an internet community on knowledge, self-efficacy, and self-care behavior in workers with hypertension. METHOD: The research design used was a nonequivalent control group pre-test and post-test design. Sixty hypertensive workers participated in this study(Exp.=29, Cont.=31). The data was collected from the 3rd of November 2003 to the 27th of February 2004 using an interview with questionnaires. Information related to hypertension was provided on the internet community weekly and an e-mail newsletter was sent in order to increase participation in the internet community. We used a tool developed by Park Young-Im(1994) that measured knowledge related to hypertension and self-efficacy. A tool developed by Jung Mi-Young(2001) was used for self-care behavior. The collected data was analyzed with an chi2-test and t-test using the SPSS WIN 10.0 program. RESULT: The internet community helped workers with hypertension to increase their knowledge related to hypertension, as well as increasing their self-efficacy and self-care behavior. CONCLUSION: An internet community could be applied as hypertensive nursing intervention.
*Self Efficacy ; *Self Care ; Patient Education ; Male ; *Internet ; Hypertension/*psychology ; Humans ; *Health Behavior ; Electronic Mail ; Adult

Gastric mucosa shows continuous changes in surface epithelium as well as inflammatory reaction by various substances from the outside and their metabolic products. Gastric mucosal lesions are proven to be associated with bacterial infection by the discovery of Heliobacter pylori(H. pylori) and many studies about histopathologic changes of gastric mucosa associated H. pylori infection has been advanced. It is known that H. pylori associated gastritis displays surface foveolar epithelial changes, such as cytoplasmic vacuolation, mucin loss, juxtaluminal cytoplasm erosion, epithelial denudation, and mucosal irregularity. There have been many studies that H. pylori infection is associated with intestinal metaplasia, gastric dysplasia, and carcinoma. Also chronic H. pylori infection with its induction of gastric lymphoid follicle has been implicated as a precursor of gastric lymphoma of the unique B-cell type that arises from mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue(MALT). However, these gastric mucosal changes are also observed in gastritis with other causes. In this study, we aimed to define specific histopathiologic findings associated with H. pylori infection. A total of 463 gastric biopsy specimens were reviewed. They were Helicobacter-associated gastritis and were divided as many (MH), a few (AH), and no (NH), according to the number of H. pylori. 210 (MH), 131 (AH), and 122 (NH) biopsy specimens were included. Lymphocytes, plasma cells in lamina propria, eosinophils and neutrophils in surface epithelium and crypt as well as lamina propria were graded from 0 to 3. Surface epithelial changes including cytoplasmic vacuolation, mucin loss, juxtaluminal erosion, epithelial denudation and mucosal irregrarity were observed in 200 of 210 cases(95%) in MH group, 34 of 131 cases(26%) in AH group, and 6 of 122 cases(5%) in NH group. This result indicates there is significant difference in surface epithelial changes according to the number of H. pylori(p<0.001). Severity of eosinophil, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and plasma cell infiltration is increased in proportion to the number of H. pylori. Especially, neutrophilic infiltration is not identified in 95 of 122 cases(78%) in NH group, whereas MH group shows severe infitration (grade 3) in 127 of 210 cases(61%), and no (grade 0) in 11 of 210 cases(5%). This data well explains that the severity of neutrophil infiltration is associated with, the degree of H. pylori infection in chronic active gastritis, with statistical significance. The prevalence of lymphoid follicle formation was 17 of 120 cases(14%) in NH group, 24 of 131 cases(18%) in AH group, and 52 of 210 cases(25%) in MH group. This shows that lymphoid follicle formation correlates with the number of H. pylori, but without statistical significance. The prevalence of intestinal metaplasia in NH, AH, and MH was 43 of 122 cases(35%), 46 of 131 cases(35%), and 69 of 210 cases(33%), showing no association between intestinal metaplasia and H. pylori. In summary, H. pylori associated gastritis dispays characteristic histopathological changes in gastric mucosa, in which surface epithelial changes and various inflammatory infiltrates are increased in proportion to the number of H. pylori. Especially vacuolization of surface foveolar epithelium, cryptitis, and crypt abscess are specific findings of H. pylori associated gastritis.
Biopsy

No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast*