Hepatitis A virus infection during pregnancy in Korea: Hepatitis A infection on pregnant women

OBJECTIVE: Although there is a large body of data on acute hepatitis A virus (HAV) worldwide, data regarding the occurrence of HAV during pregnancy is limited. It is commonly acknowledged that HAV is not associated with severe outcomes or complications during pregnancy. In contrast, there are several reported cases of vertical HAV transmission. Moreover, it has been recently reported that HAV infection during pregnancy is associated with gestational complications. In Korea, the incidence of HAV infection has increased from 317 cases in 2002 to 13,117 cases in 2009. However, HAV infection during pregnancy is rarely reported in Korea. METHODS: This study was conducted as a retrospective cohort series of pregnant women presenting to Korea University Medical Center between January 2000 and October 2009 in whom a diagnosis of HAV infection was made. RESULTS: During study period, there were 12 cases of HAV in pregnant women, including two cases with preterm contraction, two cases with cholestatic hepatitis, and one case with fetal ascites and intra-abdominal calcification. CONCLUSION: HAV infection during pregnancy is associated with high prevalence of maternal and fetal complications. Because the incidence of HAV infection in women of reproductive age is increasing, a further focus on preventing HAV infection during pregnancy is warranted.

Fast Spin-Echo T2-Weighted MR Imaging of Tongue Cancer: the Value of Fat-suppression

PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic efficacy of fast spin-echo (FSE) T2-weighted MR imaging with and without fat suppression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients (7 men and 5 women; mean age, 48 years) with pathologically proven cancer of the tongue were included in this study. In all of these, FSE T2-weighted MR images with and without fat suppression were obtained in the same imaging planes before surgery or biopsy. Two radiologists visually compared the images thus obtained in terms of detection, extent, and conspicuity of the tumor, and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of each tumor was also calculated. RESULTS: In all patients, both imaging modalities were equal in terms of tumor detection. In 4 of 12(33%), the extent of the tumor was greater with fat suppression, while in eight (67%), it was almost the same both with and without. In ten patients (83%), the tumor was more conspicuous with fat suppression, and percentage CNRs were significantly higher with fat suppression than without (180 +/-70% and 113 +/-61%, respectively; p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: For the evaluation of patients with tongue cancer, fat-suppressed FSE T2-weighted MR imaging is superior to its conventional equivalent.

Fast Spin-Echo T2-Weighted MR Imaging of Tongue Cancer: the Value of Fat-suppression

PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic efficacy of fast spin-echo (FSE) T2-weighted MR imaging with and without fat suppression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients (7 men and 5 women; mean age, 48 years) with pathologically proven cancer of the tongue were included in this study. In all of these, FSE T2-weighted MR images with and without fat suppression were obtained in the same imaging planes before surgery or biopsy. Two radiologists visually compared the images thus obtained in terms of detection, extent, and conspicuity of the tumor, and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of each tumor was also calculated. RESULTS: In all patients, both imaging modalities were equal in terms of tumor detection. In 4 of 12(33%), the extent of the tumor was greater with fat suppression, while in eight (67%), it was almost the same both with and without. In ten patients (83%), the tumor was more conspicuous with fat suppression, and percentage CNRs were significantly higher with fat suppression than without (180 +/-70% and 113 +/-61%, respectively; p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: For the evaluation of patients with tongue cancer, fat-suppressed FSE T2-weighted MR imaging is superior to its conventional equivalent.

The effect of heat sterilization on the surface topography and the tensile properties in various nickel titanium wires including a Korean product / 대한치과교정학회지

The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes of mechanical properties and surface topography of various nickel titanium wires after heat sterilization for recycling with quantitative method. The materials used were four kinds of nickel titanium orthodontic wires including a Korean product. Experimental specimens were treated with two kinds of heat sterilization methods; dry heat (180degrees C, 60snin) and autoclave (121degrees C, 15-20psi, 30min). Mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile test with Instron 4466 (load cell capacity : 1000 kg, cross head speed : 5mm/min, grip distance : 40mm, in room temperature). Surface topography of various wires was compared with each other qualitatively by using scanning electron microscopy and quantitatively by using profilometer. The findings were analyzed statistically with student t-tests. The results were as follows; 1. Neither method of heat sterilization hod any effects on tensile properties of the nickel-titanium wires used in this experiment. 2. Before heat sterilization, the surface smoothness was highest in Optimalloy, followed by Align and Sentailoy, with NiTi showing the lowest smoothness value. 3. In surface topography, Align and Optimalloy were not influenced by heat sterilization. NiTi, on the other hand, had increased roughness after dry heat sterilization and Sentalloy showed the same tendency after each of the two heat sterilization procedures.

Transurethral approach to collagen injection in the female stress incontinence; Procedure of choice?

No abstract available.

Radioisotope Penogram in Diagnosis of the Impotence / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Forty two patients including 1O cases of the normal control were studied with the radioisotope penogram. The causes of the impotence were arteriogenic in 1O cases, venogenic in 6, diabetes mellitus in 8, neurogenic in 2, endocrinogenic in 1 and psychogenic in 15, ranging from 19 to 70 years of age. Ten normal volunteers for the control group were ranged from 21 to 38 years of age. All were subjected to Snap-Gauge test and measurement of the penile blood pressure with estimation of the penile brachial index (P.B.I.). We calculated the Penogram Index in time-activity curve of the radioisotope penogram and studied the inter-relationship between the Penogram Index and the etiologic diseases, Snap-Gauge test, PBI. The results were obtained as follows; 1. Inter-relationship between the diseases and the penogram index, arterial index (Index A) and venous index (Index V1, V2); 1) Index A was 1.44 in normal control group, 0.55 in arteriogenic. 0.62 in venogenic, 0.64 in diabetes mellitus, 0.95 in neurogenic, l.29 in endocrinogenic and 1.03 in psychogenic impotence. This suggested that Index A was significantly correlative with state of the penile arterial inflow. 2) Index V1, V2 were 0.09, 90 in normal control group, 0.09, 51 in arteriogenic, 0.40, 29 in venogenic, O.8l, 38 in diabetes mellitus, 0.84, 90 in neurogenic, O.92, 34 in endocrinogenic, and 0.91, 64 in psychogenic impotence. This suggested that Index V1 and V2, particularly V1 was representative of maintenance of the penile blood flow and the penile venous outflow or leak. 2. Relation between Snap-Gauge test and Index A; Correlated in 77.8% of the patients and the normal controls, respectively. 3. Relation between P.B.I. and Index A; Correlative. 4. Relation between P.B.I and Index V1, V2; Not correlative Therefore, the radioisotope penogram was a very useful method in diagnosis of the organic impotence, particularly vasculogenic impotence to different late arteriogenic and venogenic.

One Case of the Prader-Willi Syndrome / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Prader-Willi syndrome is characterized by such as infantile hypotonia, mental retardation hyperphagia with obesity and hypogonadism. We experienced one case of so called Prader-Willi syndrome associated with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, hypomentia, hyperphagia with obesity and cryptochism. Testicular biopsy revealed predominant Sertoli cells, decreased spermatogonia and edematous stromal tissue.