Serovars of 22 leptospiral field isolates from rats trapped in Korea were identified by cross-agglutinin absorption test (CAAT). Genomic characteristics of 7 selected isolates and 6 antigenically closely related reference serovars of lai, yeonchon, birkini, gem, mwogolo, and canicola were differentiated by arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) and southern blot hybridization using 16S rRNA gene probe from Borrelia burgdorferi. Among the 22 isolates, 21 strains were identified as serovar lai by CAAT, while the serological reactivity of NR13 did not accord with that of serovar lai. Results of AP-PCR using primers RSP, KF and PB-1 were in general agreement with those obtained by serological identification, and all 7 isolates including NR13 showed the same profile with serovar lai or yeonchon. In the southern blot hybridization with 16S rRNA gene probe, the isolates were divided into two ribotype groups when HindIII and BamHI digests were employed: isolates NR4, NR13, and serovar lai showed the same profile, and isolates JR34, JR57, KR48, JR77, and JR82 were classified as the another ribotype group. Isolate NR13 and serovar yeonchon, which were isolated in Korea and showed serological differences with serovar lai, were indistinguishable from serovar lai in this DNA study using AP-PCR and ribotyping. These results demonstrate that Korean leptospiral isolates were closely related in DNA level, and ribotyping would be useful for subgrouping of field isolates.
Absorption ; Animals ; Blotting, Southern ; Borrelia burgdorferi ; DNA ; Genes, rRNA ; Korea ; Leptospira* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Rats ; Ribotyping*

No abstract available.
Leptospira interrogans* ; Leptospira*

No abstract available.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the abnormal and borderline ABIs for predicting coronary re-intervention and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Materials and Methods: Data from a previous study were obtained and used to investigate the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease among Korean patients with CAD (n=285) in 2010. All patients underwent follow-up coronary angiography as scheduled (asymptomatic: 2-, 5-, and 7-month intervals) or as clinically indicated (symptomatic). Results: In total, 33 patients had an abnormal ABI (ab-ABI: <1.0 or >1.4), and 252 had a normal ABI (nl-ABI: 1.0≤ABI≤1.4). The mean follow-up was 47 months. The mortality was significantly higher in the ab-ABI group than in the nl-ABI group (18.2% vs. 6.7%, P=0.0233). MACEs were significantly more common in the ab-ABI group (60.6% vs. 34.5%, P=0. 0036). Moreover, the ab-ABI group had a greater CAD progression than the nl-ABI group (48.5% vs. 31.3%, P=0.0496). The incidence of clinically indicated coronary re-intervention was significantly higher in the ab-ABI group than in the nl-ABI group (33.3% vs. 13.1%, P=0.0025). After adjusting for age, diabetes, dyslipidemia, dialysis, smoking, and obesity, the incidence of clinically indicated re-intervention was significantly higher in the ab-ABI group than in the nl-ABI group (HR, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.24 to 6.34). Conclusion Abnormal and borderline ABI significantly increased the incidence of clinically indicated coronary revascularization and all-cause mortality during a 4-year follow-up among patients with CAD. Hence, ABI could be used to stratify extremely high-risk patients with CAD who may require aggressive surveillance or treatment.

No abstract available.
Teratoma* ; Turner Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Female* ; Humans ; Transplants*

BACKGROUND: The epidermal permeability barrier resides in the intercellular spaces of the stratum corneum and is composed of lipids. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to measure the changes of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and the recovery rate of the epidermal permeability barrier according to the skin surface temperature(SST) using an evaporimeter after tape-stripping in vivo and after treatment with several kinds of solvent in vitro. METHODS: In the in vivo study, basal TEWL and SST were measured on both flanks of the neonatal rats consisting of anesthetized and non-anesthetized groups. The epidermal barrier was disrupted by repeated tape-strippings which were terminated when the TEWL reached 20-50 gram/m2/h. TEWL and SST were measured immediately and 2.5, 6, 10, 24, 48 and 72 hours after tape-stripping. For the in vitro study, sheets of epidermis were separated from the circumcised prepuce, and were pretreated with acetone, petroleum ether or distilled water for 6 minutes. A piece of the separated epidermis was placed in a diffusion chamber, and TEWL was measured with an evaporimeter that was placed onto the top of the chamber over a temperature range of 25-37 degrees C in the chamber. RESULTS: In the in vivo study, SST increased according to the elevation of the ambient temperature in neonatal rats with a statistical significance(p<0.05). The recovery rates of both non anesthetized and anesthetized groups increased in the higher SST especially during the first 10 hours. We observed the effect of the temperature in the diffusion chamber on TEWL after treatment with several kinds of solvent in vitro. The data obtained was plotted semi-logarithmically with TEWL as a function of temperature in the chamber, but there was no a statistical difference among the solvent treated groups. CONCLUSION: According to the results of the study, SST should be clearly mentioned in any kind of studies concerning TEWL measurement. Further studies of the relationships between TEWL and SST are needed.
Acetone ; Animals ; Diffusion* ; Epidermis ; Ether ; Extracellular Space ; Permeability* ; Petroleum ; Rats ; Skin* ; Water*

No abstract available.
Lymphoma*

Leptospirosis has been known as endemic disease in Korea since 1984. Wild rodent, mostly Apodemus agrarius, has been known as an important source of leptospiral infection especially in rainy circumstances in harvest reason of rural area. The infection rates of Leptospira interrogans in field rodents, Apodemus agrarius, was investigated by culture and PCR detection of leptospiral DNA, and compared with previous data. Furthermore, the serogroup and serovar were investigated. Two hundred twenty two Apodemus agrarius were captured during October to December 1996. Spirohaetes were isolated from 22 (9.9%) and leptospiral DNA was detected in an additional six rodents (12.6%). Subsequent cross-agglutinin absorption test, monoclonal antibody reactivity classified 21 cultures among 22 isolates as Leptospira interrogans serogroup Icterohemorrhagiae serovar lai. The above data did not differ from previous survey in 1984 to 1987. There was no significant change of Leptospira interrogans infection in field rodents in Korea.
Absorption ; Animals ; DNA ; Endemic Diseases ; Korea* ; Leptospira interrogans* ; Leptospira* ; Leptospirosis ; Murinae ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence* ; Rodentia*

Chronic hepatitis C is common complication in patients with end stage renal failure and relative contraindication to renal transplantation due to risk of progression. Although interferon alpha (IFN) treatment is proven to be effective in chronic hepatitis C with normal renal function, its effect on the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in dialysis patients and renal allograft recipients is not clear. We studied this study to evaluate the effect of IFN on chronic hepatitis C in patients with chronic renal failure and renal allograft recipients. Four dialysis patients and 2 renal allograft recipients were included in this study. The patients received IFN 3 million units three times a week for 6 months. All patients with showed normal levels of liver enzymes and seronegative conversion of HCV RNA. But seropositive conversion of HCV RNA was observed 1 dialysis patient after stopping of IFN treatment due to gross hematuria and epistaxis. Two dialysis patients had successful renal transplantation, and liver enzyme levels were normal and HCV RNA was negative after 2 months. In conclusion, IFN treatment is not only effective on the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in dialysis patients and renal allograft recipients but also may offer the potential of making transplantation a feasible option for chronic hepatitis C patients with end stage renal failure.
Allografts* ; Dialysis ; Epistaxis ; Hematuria ; Hepatitis C, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha* ; Interferons* ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Kidney Transplantation ; Liver ; Renal Insufficiency ; RNA