PURPOSE: In order to assess the usefulness of serum ferritin as a marker of disease activity and prognostic factor in pediatric malignancy, serum ferritin levels were measured. METHODS: Peripheral blood samplings for ferritin level were made at presentation, in remission following therapy, and in relapse in 95 children with malignancy admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Kosin University Gospel Hospital between January, 1986 and August, 1995. The patients were comprised of 35 acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL), 17 acute myelogenous leukemia(AML), 20 non- Hodgkin's lymphoma(NHL) and 23 neuroblastoma(NB). RESULTS: The mean values of serum ferritin at presentation were 465.3+/-53.9 ng/mL in ALL, 468.9+/-69.4 ng/mL in AML, 274.1+/-69.2 ng/mL in NHL and 337.3+/-64.4 ng/mL in NB. Those values were increased significantly compared to the mean of 20 control children(69.5+/-12.9 ng/mL). The mean values of serum ferritin concentration in remission stage(first, second, and third remission) tend to be lower compared to those in the active stage(at presentation, first relapse and second relapse). But these differences reached a statistical significance only in patients with ALL when the mean values of the active stage were compared to those checked in the remission stage over 12 months(P= 0.0002). Comparison of overall survival according to initial serum ferritin levels(below and above 200 ng/mL) did not show any significant difference in ALL, AML and NHL. However, there was a borderline relationship in NB(relative risk 3.12, P=0.06). CONCLUSION: The study showed that normalization of serum ferritin levels were found in ALL who had continuous, complete remission for more than 12 months. And patients with lower serum ferritin levels were not associated with better survival except in patients with NB in which the lower ferritin group showed borderline significance.
Child ; Ferritins* ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Lymphoma ; Neuroblastoma ; Pediatrics ; Prognosis ; Recurrence

In removable partial denture with crossed occlusion, it is difficult to meet the satisfaction of patient due to variable movement of denture and unfavorable stability under loading. In a case with few unilaterally teeth remaining, additional treatments such as implantation or residual root are required to assure bilaterally stable support. However, due to the medical condition of the patient with hypertension, angina and old age etc., removable partial denture was planned as treatment in this case. Proper diagnosis, accurate analysis and full understanding of the adaptation for neuromuscular system are necessary to recover the vertical dimension of patient from a decreased vertical dimension due to crossed occlusion.
Denture, Partial, Removable* ; Dentures ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Mouth Rehabilitation* ; Mouth* ; Tooth ; Vertical Dimension

BACKGROUND: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. isolates are clinically resistant to all the beta-lactams except for carbapenems. The most important task facing clinical microbiologists today is the reliable detection of ESBL-producing microorganisms. There is currently a little reliable methods designed specifically for the detection of ESBLs in isolates of E. coli and Klebsiella spp. that can be performed easily in a clinical laboratory. This study was designed to evaluate the ability of the Vitek GNS 121 card to detect the ESBL-producing E. coli and Klebsiella spp. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-two isolates of E. coli, 141 of K. pneumoniae, and 3 of K. oxytoca from patients of the Kosin Medical Center, Pusan, Korea were tested. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were tested by the disk diffusion method. And the double disk synergy (DDS) test and the Vitek GNS 121 card determined the ESBL-production. RESULTS: Among the 135 DDS-positive isolates (K. peumoniae, 104; E. coli, 28; K. oxytoca, 3), 131 isolates (K. pneumoniae, 103; E. coli, 25; K. oxytoca, 3) showed positive results with the Vitek GNS 121 card as well. And all the isolates of K. pneumoniae (37) and E. coli (94) showed negative results with both the DDS test and the Vitek GNS 121 card except for 1 isolate of E. coli. The Vitek GNS 121 card showed 97% ESBL detection-sensitivity, 99% specificity and 99% positive predictive value. Three isolates of E. coli and 1 of K. pneumoniae resistant to cefoxitin showed positive results with the DDS test but showed negative results with the Vitek GNS 121 card. CONCLUSIONS: The Vitek GNS 121 card seems to be adequate for routine use in the detection of ESBL-producing isolates of E. coli and Klebsiella in clinical microbiology laboratories. Also, additional evaluation should be taking place on its detection ability for other members of the ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae.
beta-Lactamases ; beta-Lactams ; Busan ; Carbapenems ; Cefoxitin ; Diffusion ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Escherichia coli* ; Escherichia* ; Humans ; Klebsiella* ; Korea ; Pneumonia ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: To introduce the history and principle mechanism of electrochemical treatment (EChT) with animal study and report two cases successfully treated breast cancer and hemangioma by EChT. METHODS: In animal study, the breast cancer tumor in nude mouse treated with EChT (100 Coulomb/cm3) were reviewed for histologic changes. In the case studies, we reported method of EChT and clinical results after EChT. Case 1: 74 yr old female with locally advanced breast cancer received 3 times EChT with 1,000 Coulomb/time, 8 Volt. Case 2: 51 yr old female with breast hemagioma received one time EChT with 80 Coulomb, 8 Volt. RESULTS: In animal study, There were destructive change including vaculated cell fragment and extensive coagulative necrosis. Case 1 showed no local recurrence during 18 monthes after EChT. Case 2 also showed no evidence of recurrence of hemangioma. CONCLUSION: The EChT is easy to use. It is effective, safe, less traumatic and makes patients recover quickly. This is a new and effective method to treat patients with tumours that are inoperable and can not receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Animals ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Necrosis ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence

No abstract available.
Hemolysis*

BACKGROUND: Although the stapled anastomotic technique has achieved efficacy in gastrointestinal surgery, there are only a few experimental results comparing the physical properties of the anastomotic site, pathologic features of the healing process, and physiologic change after the operation. Moreover, there have been no comparative study among various stapled anastomotic techniques. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of various stapled anastomotic techniques by comparing the physical properties of the anastomotic site, pathologic features of the healing process and physiologic change observed for the classical hand-sewn anastomotic technique with those observed for various stapled anastomotic techniques in the normal porcine colon and rectum. METHODS: Twelve male pigs were grouped into 4 according to the anastomotic techniques; standard Albert-Lembert two-layer hand-sewn anastomosis, stapled end-to-end anastomosis, stapled end-to-side anastomosis, and stapled side-to-side anastomosis. Each anastomotic technique was applied at 3 sites (ascending colon, transverse colon, and rectum). Groups of animals underwent a second surgery on the 4th week postoperatively, and the anastomotic properties were assessed with respect to the first day of defecation, bursting pressure, tensile strength, gross scar formation, microscopic inflammatory cell infiltration, telangiectasia, lymphangiectasia, foreign-body reaction, granulation and fibrosis. RESULTS: No significant difference among the respective anastomotic techniques was found with respect to the first day of defecation, bursting pressure, tensile strength, microscopic inflammatory cell infiltration, telangiectasia, and lymphangiectasia. However, more scar formation, foreign-body reaction, granulation and fibrosis were observed in the hand-sewn anastomosis. There was no significant difference among the groups of various stapled anastomotic techniques. CONCLUSION: According to this animal study, various stapled anastomoses were superior to the standard Albert-Lembert two-layer hand-sewn anastomosis with less scar formation, foreign-body reaction,granulation and fibrosis. In colorectal surgery, various stapled anastomotic techniques can be safely applied in accordance with the respective purpose and the anatomical characteristics.
Animals ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cicatrix ; Colon* ; Colon, Transverse ; Colorectal Surgery ; Defecation ; Fibrosis ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Humans ; Lymphatic Vessels ; Male ; Mastectomy ; Mastectomy, Radical ; Mastectomy, Segmental* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectum ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Swine ; Telangiectasis ; Tensile Strength

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic vascular disease is major cause of morbidity and mortality in dialysis patients. C-reactive protein(CRP) as a marker of inflammmation appears to be clinically useful in prediction of coronary heart disease and mortality. This study is designed to test whether plasma concentration of CRP correlates with coronary heart disease and mortality in CAPD patients. METHODS: A total of 137 end-stage-renal disease patients undergoing CAPD were included. The measurement of baseline CRP and stress thallium SPECT were performed in all patients. Patients were followed prospectively from initiation of dialysis to June 1999 for analysis of survival rate and cause of death. Coronary angiography performed in 16 of 32 patients showed all positive results. RESULTS: 32 patients showed positive results in thallium SPECT. The baseline CRP concentration were higher among patients with positive results in thallium SPECT than those with negative results(1.05 g/L vs 1.30mg/dL, p<0.001). The survival rate was significantly lower in lower CRP group than higher CRP group (44months vs 26 months, p<0.001). However, There was no difference in cause of death according to serum CRP level. Death from cardiac cause is significantly higher among patients with positive thallium SPECT than negative results. The most common cause of death are, in descending order of frequency, cardiac disease including acute MI, sepsis, cerebrovascular disease. CONCLUSION: The baseline level of inflammation as assessed by the plasma concentration of CRP independently predicts the risk of coronary heart disease and survival in CAPD patients.
C-Reactive Protein* ; Cause of Death ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Disease* ; Dialysis ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mortality* ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Plasma ; Prospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Survival Rate ; Thallium ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Vascular Diseases

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVES: Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene has been identified as a positional and functional candidate gene of schizophrenia. Although specific mechanism of increasing schizophrenia susceptibility by this gene has not been well described yet, recent studies suggest that the valine allele of COMT Val158Met polymorphism may contribute to cognitive decline in schizophrenia. The present study investigated the association between this polymorphism of COMT gene and cognitive markers related to schizophrenia in both schizophrenia patients and normal controls. METHODS: The subjects were 78 patients with schizophrenia diagnosed by DSM-IV and 97 normal controls. Comprehensive neurocognitive tests for which performance deficits have been reported in schizophrenia were administered. Genotyping for COMT Val158Met polymorphism was done with SNapShot method. Association analyses between genotype and cognitive functions were performed using ANCOVA and MANCOVA. RESULTS: In the comparison of allele frequencies between patient and control groups, no significant association between the polymorphism and schizophrenia was observed. Significant differences of cognitive performance among genotype groups were not identified in control group. This trend was also observed in the patient group. In the combined analysis of both patient and control groups, there was no significant genotype or genotype-by group effect on any cognitive function measure. CONCLUSION: These findings do not support a major role of COMT gene in the regulation of the cognitive processes of schizophrenia.
Alleles ; Catechol O-Methyltransferase ; Cognition ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Schizophrenia ; Valine

OBJECTIVE: To investigate difference in bilateral diaphragm movement of patients with tracheal aspiration according to post stroke residue severity and determine correlations of Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS), residue scale, and bilateral diaphragm movement. METHODS: A total of 47 patients diagnosed with hemiplegic stroke were enrolled in this study. PAS, severity of valleculae, and pyriform sinus retention during videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) were assessed. Bilateral fluoroscopic diaphragm movements during spontaneous breathing and forced breathing were measured. RESULTS: Patients with tracheal aspiration (PAS≥6) had significantly (p=0.035) lower ipsilateral diaphragm movement during spontaneous breathing. Post-swallow residue severity showed statistically significant (p=0.028) difference in patients with ipsilateral diaphragm movement during forced breathing. In linear regression analysis, PAS showed weak correlations with ipsilateral spontaneous diaphragm movement (r=0.397, p=0.006), ipsilateral forced diaphragm movement (r=0.384, p=0.008), and contralateral forced diaphragm movement (r=0.323, p=0.027). Weak correlation was also observed between post swallow residue severity and ipsilateral diaphragm movement during spontaneous breathing (r=0.331, p=0.023) and forced breathing (r=0.343, p=0.018). CONCLUSION: We confirmed the relationship between swallowing function and bilateral diaphragm movement in this study. The severity of dysphagia after hemiplegic stroke was correlated with bilateral diaphragm movement. Further longitudinal studies are needed to assess the effect of breathing exercise on post-stroke dysphagia.
Deglutition Disorders ; Deglutition ; Diaphragm ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Longitudinal Studies ; Pyriform Sinus ; Respiration ; Stroke