• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.114-124
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• 1998

We analyzed the mammographic (n=21) findings (location, margin, shape, cluster microcalcifications, size, multiplicity) and ultrasonographic (n=12) findings (shape, border, internal echo, boundary echo, posterior echo, lateral echo, width/depth ratio) to evaluate specific radiologic findings of histopathologically proved uncommon breast cancer. The mammographic findings (n=21) are as follow; 1) single; 16, multiple; 5 2) margin (smooth; 13, irregular; 4, spiculated; 4) 3) shape (round and ovoid; 9, lobulated; 8, irregular; 4) 4) cluster micro calcifications (abscent; 20, present; 1) 5) size (1-3cm; 18, 3-5cm; 2, 5cm> ; 1) 6) location (UOQ; 13, UIQ; 4, LIQ; 3, LOQ; 1). The ultrasonographic findings (n=12) are as follow; 1) shape (round to oval; 5, lobulated; 5, irregular; 2) 2) border (smooth even; 9, rough uneven; 3) 3) internal echo (fine homogeneous; 5, coarse heterogeneous; 7) 4) boundary echo (regular fine; 4, irregular thick; 8) 5) posterior echo (enhanced; 11, no change; 1) 6) lateral echo (marked; 7, nonexistent; 5) 7) width/depth ratio (1.5> ; 1, 1.0-1.5; 7, 1.0< ; 4). Uncommon breast cancer show benign nature on mammogram, but malignant nature on ultrasonogram (especially boundary echo, internal echo, width/depth ratio).

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.143-150
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• 1998

The aim of this study was to evaluate domestic enzyme immunoassay(EIA) kit 'LG RCD 3.0' (LG) for the detection of antibody to hepatitis C virus(anti-HCV) in comparision with Axsym HCV version 3.0(Axsym), Cobas Core anti-HCV EIA(Cobas). Cobas kit shows better clear distinction between positive and negative by signal/cutoff ratio(S/C), but it also reveal relatively high false positive rate. The concordance rate of test results between LG and Axsym was 96.2%, between LG and Cobas was 95.5%, and total agreement between three EIA kit was 93.9%. LG were relative poor distinction between positive and negative results, but it could be applied clinically as a screening tool for hepatitis C in general population. The SIC of one false negative result by LG was 0.91, and false positive were less than 4.0, therefore we concluded it is necessary to confirm by immunoblotting assay when SIC were between 0.8 and 4.0.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.135-142
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• 1998

Maternal weight gain during pregnancy has been consistently associated with infant birth weight and pregnancy outcome. Our purpose was to determine the relationship between maternal weight gain pattern and birth weight. Consequently, maternal weight gain is monitored carefully and is encouraged during prenatal care in order to improve pregnancy outcome. Our study group included both 424 uncomplicated women and infant delivered at the Yeungnam University Hospital between 1993-1996. All recorded prenatal weight gain measurements were used to estimate maternal trimester weight gain, pattern of gain (based on low versus not-low gain at each trimester), and total gain at delivery. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between these weight gain measurements and fetal birth weight. Each kilogram of maternal gain in the first, second, and third trimesters was associated with statistically related to the increase in fetal birth weight by 31.3, 19.0, and 24.5g, respectively. When compaired with the pattern of gain that was not low in any trimester, patterns with low gain in the first trimesters were associated with significant decreases in birth weight, but no important change in birth weight was seen for the group whose gains were not low in the first trimester. The results suggest that specific patterns of maternal weight gain, particularly weight gain during the first trimester, are related to fetal birth weight.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.125-134
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• 1998

Purpose: This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical usefulness of Tensilon test, repetitive nerve stimulation test(RNST), single fiber EMG(SFEMG) test and acetylcholine receptor antibody(AchR Ab) assay for making diagnosis of myasthenia gravis(MG). Method: These tests were performed in 21 MG patients which were classified into 11 ocular, 5 mild generalized, 4 moderate generalized, and 1 chronic severe MG. Result: The overall positivity of Tensilon test, SFEMG and AchR Ab was 95%, 87%, and 76% respectively. The overall positivity of RNST was 67%; 38% on flexor carpi ulnaris, 43% on adductor digiti quinti and 62% on orbicularis oculi muscles. The positivity of each test was higher in generalized MG group than in ocular MG group. But we could observe the statistically significant difference only in the RNST(p<0.05). Conclusion: Tensilon test showed the highest positivity in all MG groups. So we would like to recommend the, Tensilon test for the diagnosis of MG at first, followed by RNST and AchR Ab assay, and SFEMG would be indicated to MG group which showed relatively low postivity in other tests.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.36-46
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• 1998

Solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm of pancreas is a rare tumor, usually affecting young women, and its histogenesis is still controversial. This study was performed to define the clinicopathologic features and cellular origin of this tumor. Eight female cases of solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm of pancreas were studied by analyzing the clinicopathologic findings and immunohistochemical and electron-microscopic findings. The age of eight cases ranged from 21 to 54 years (mean, 34 years). The tumors developed in the tail (4 cases), body-tail (2 cases), body (1 case) and head (1 case). The mean diameter of tumors was 9.3 em (range, 5.5 to 13 cm). Tumors showed solid, cystic and hemorrhagic areas. Histologically, the tumor cells were uniformly round or polygonal in shape, and formed solid sheets and papillary pattern. On the immunohistochemical stain, 8 cases (100%) were immunoreactive for ${\alpha}1$-antitrypsin, 7 cases (87.5%) for cytokeratin, 7 cases (87.5%) for progesterone receptor, 6 cases (75%) for vimentin, and 1 case (12.5%) for synaptophysin, respectively. None of them were immunoreactive for estrogen receptor. Electron microscopic examination showed many mitochondria, annulate lamellae and canaliculi-like gap. These findings suggest that solid and papillary epithelial tumor of pancreas possibly originates from totipotent stem cells.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.151-158
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• 1998

Traditionally posterior shadowing is regarded as a malignant criterion in the evaluation of breast mass by sonogram. But on the basis of our clinical experiences of breast sonogram, we often met a breast mass without posterior shadowing later confirmed breast carcinoma through pathologic examination. For the focus of what character of pathologic breast tissue influence the posterior shadowing in breast sonogram, we analyzed retrospectively the sonographic findings of 26 histologically proven invasive ductal carcinomas. Even though invasive ductal carcinoma is the only one of the many breast cancers, it represents the greater part of breast malignancy. The posterior echo pattern was compared with various histologic characteristics, such as the amount of connective tissue, degree of elastosis, necrosis, gross circumscription, accompanying inflammation, histologic differentiation, and mitotic index. Nine breast masses (35%) demonstrated posterior echo shadowing, while 17 masses (65%) showed enhancement. The tumors with posterior echo shadowing had more abundant connective tissue, increased elastosis, and poorly demarcated margin (p<0.05). Other histologic characteristics are not influence in posterior shadowing with significant in stastically. On the basis of our study, the phenomenon of posterior shadowing by sonogram is difficult to accept as a specific criterion for malignancy. It is only a phenomenon influenced by the amount of connective tissue volume and elastosis.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.164-172
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• 1998

The Graf stabilization has been introduced in treating lumbar spinal disorder associated with posterior instability. This study reviewed some problems of the Graf instrumentation as a soft stabilizer. The purpose of this study is to analyse the problems of the soft stabilization in spinal instability. We reviewed 145 cases which were operative treatment using the Graf instrument for lumbar spinal disorder associated with posterior instability at our department from May, 1991 to Dec, 1995. The mean follow up periods was 29 months ranging from 24 months to 6 years 8 months. Of the 145 cases, 22 cases were showed the problem. The diagnostic method were simple x-ray, flexion-extension lateral stress view and CT scan. Results were as follows: Adjacent segmental instability was 10 cases(6.9%), disc space narrowing was 8 cases(5.5%), screw loosening was 3 cases(2.1%) and breakage of the Graf band was 1 case(0.6%). The problems of the soft stabilization were adjacent segmental instability, disc space narrowing, screw loosening, and breakage of the Graf band. But the rate of adjacent segmental instability and disc space narrowing was lower than other lumbar spinal instrumentation.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 2000

Background: During the follow up period after transarterial embolization(TAE), cases of pulmonary metastasis were more prevalent in TAE-treated patients than in TAE-untreated patients. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate whether TAE increases the incidence of pulmonary metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma and to clarify the risk factors for pulmonary metastasis. Methods: From March 1991 to March 1995, 156 patients who had been diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma by serology, and radiographic and histologic methods at Yeungnam University hospital were involved in this study. We excluded 12 patients with lung metastasis on initial diagnosis and the others. The remaining 144 patients had been followed up for at least 5 months and, divided into four groups according to lung metastasis and trans-arterial embolization treatment, and evaluated for age, sex, child-pugh score, liver cirrhosis, and level of AFP. Results: Pulmonary metastasis was found in 18.0% (26/144), of which 92.3%(24/26) and 7.7%(2/26) of the patients with and without transarterial chemoembolization, respectively. Of the patients, 23.5% (24/102) with TAE had lung metastais during follow-up periods and 4.7% (2/42) without TAE had lung metastasis. There was more likelihood for lung metastasis after TAE. but there was no difference between two groups in age, sex, child-pugh class, the presence of liver cirrhosis, and AFP. Conclusions: The incidence of pulmonary metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma after TAE was higher. Child-pugh class was the only related clinical preciptating factors for pulmonary metastasis in TAE in our study. Our results suggest that regular chest X-ray check-ups may be more frequently needed by patients who had TAE treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.40-50
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• 2004

Background: This study was conducted to analyze the height and width of the pedicle of the upper and lower levels on the concave and the convex sides. In addition, we checked for the appropriate pedicle screw size which could be screwed in without complications. Materials and Methods: Taking a simple AP radiography in a standing position, 99 vertebrae on the major curve with the possibility of 3-D reconstruction were analyzed after checking the CT in a supine position of 22 idiopathic scoliosis. We measured Cobb's angle from a simple radiograph, and measured the size of the isthmus by the Inner Space 3-D Editor after 3-D reconstruction with the Inner Space 3-D program in the DICOM file transformed from CT image. We then analyzed the size of pedicles of the upper and lower levels on the concave and the convex sides by measuring the height and width of the pedicle. Results: All pedicles on the concave side were smaller than those on the convex side. Their size increased as the measurement moved from the upper to lower vertebra, except for the upper thoracic vertebra. When the width of the pedicle through 3-D reconstruction was compared with the narrowest width of the pedicle measured by using CT, the width of the pedicles through 3-D reconstruction was statistically smaller (P<0.01). Most of the pedicles were tear-drop or kidney shaped rather than cylindrical. Conclusion: These results suggest that the use of the coronal plane through 3-D reconstruction would be necessary for an accurate measurement of the size of the pedicle. It is important to pay careful attention to the screw size and the screwing method considering the pedicle shape through 3-D reconstruction.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2007

Background : Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is one of the principal inducers of interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$) in lymphocytes. Materials and Methods : The effect of IL-18 on the expression of chemokine IP-10(CXCL10) mRNA in C57BL/6 mouse peritoneal macrophages was studied by using Northern blot analysis, enzyme linked immunosobent assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Results : IL-18 was determined to exert no direct effect on the expression of IP-10(CXCL10) mRNA. However, IL-18 pretreatment was determined to play a cooperative role in the synergistic induction of LPS-induced IP-10(CXCL10) mRNA expression. The effect associated with IL-18 pretreatment with regard to the synergistic induction of LPS-induced IP-10 (CXCL10) mRNA expression was detected after 16 hr of IL-18 pretreatment, administered prior to LPS stimulation. The pattern of NF-${\kappa}B$ binding activity during IL-18 pretreatment with LPS stimulation was found to coincide with the expression of IP-10(CXCL10) mRNA. Conclusion : Although IL-18 alone exerts no direct effect on the expression of chemokine IP-10(CXCL10), a definite period of IL-18 pretreatment induces the synergistic expression of LPS-induced IP-10(CXCL10) mRNA. NF-${\kappa}B$ activation is a component of this synergistic effect of IL-18 pretreatment. These results provide useful information, which may facilitate the elucidation of the action mechanisms underlying IL-18 effect on the expression of IP-10(CXCL10) mRNA.