Porphyromonas gingivalis is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of adult periodontitis, the major cause of tooth loss in adults. Use of an antibacterial agent controlling P. gingivalis as a periodontal therapeutic agent has been rationalized. The present study was performed to observe the antibacterial effect of inorganic polyphosphates (polyP) on P. gingivalis. P. gingivalis 2561 was grown in half-strength brain-heart infusion broth containing hemin and vitamin K with or without polyP. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of polyP with various chain lengths was determined by measuring the absorbance of the grown cells at 540 nm. MIC of polyP for the bacterium was determined to be 0.05%. The effect of polyP with a chain length of 75 (polyP 75) was further examined. PolyP 75 added to the growing culture of P. gingivalis at its exponential phase was as effective in inhibiting the growth of P. gingivalis as polyP 75 added at the very beginning of the culture. More than 99% of the cells lost their viability determined by viable cell count when polyP 75 was added to the culture of growing P. gingivalis at the concentration of 0.06%, suggesting that polyP 75 has a bactericidal effect on the bacterium. Intracellular nucleotide release from the cells was increased by approx. 20% in the presence of polyP 75 but was not reversed by the addition of divalent cations like Ca++ and Mg++. Under the transmission electron microscope, only a small number of the growing P. gingivalis cells were actually lysed. However, the majority of the cells appeared to be atypical in their shape, demonstrating accumulation of highly electron-dense granules and bodies of condensed nucleic acid-like material in the cytoplasm. In the presence of polyP 75, the protein profile of P. gingivalis was changed as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot, and the proteolytic activity of the bacterium demostrated on the zymograms was decreased. The overall results suggest that polyP have a strong bactericidal activity against P. gingivalis in which lysis in relation to chelation may not play the major role but unknown mechanism that possibly affects the viability of the bacterium may be involved. PolyP may be used as an agent for prevention and treatment of periodontitis.
Adult ; Cations, Divalent ; Cell Count ; Chronic Periodontitis ; Cytoplasm ; Electrophoresis ; Hemin ; Humans ; Periodontitis ; Polyphosphates* ; Polyps ; Porphyromonas gingivalis* ; Porphyromonas* ; Tooth Loss ; Vitamin K

The pharmacologic actions of ketamine in human volunteers were reported by Domino et al in 1965 and it was used in 130 patients by Corssen Domino in 1966. Chodoff and Stella were the first to investigate ketamines suitabilityas an in anesthetic in childbirth. Since then several authors reported that ketamine has several advantages over conventional anesthetics in obstetric anesthesia. Ketamine was used as the sole anesthetic agent for forceps delivery in 50 women who were selected randomly. Ketamine was administered intravenously just before delivery in doses of 30 to 60 mg and after delivery dosage was not limited, The following results were observed: 1) During delivery, a rapid and intense analgesic effect was sufficiently maintained with a small dose of ketamine. 2) With the use of ketarnine it is possible to shorten the second stage of labor with a short induction-delivery-interval because of the advantages of forceps delivery. 3) Ketamine could be used without intubation during with a short fasting time because protective laryngeal quate airway could be maintained. 4) Ketamine did not appear to induce an increase of Very. delivery even in patients and pharyngeal reflexes and an ade uterine bleeding during or after deli 5) The use of ketamine during delivery appeared to have almost no affect on the Apgar score. 6) The use of ketamine was accompanied by mild complications but they were not significant.
Anesthesia, Obstetrical* ; Anesthetics ; Apgar Score ; Fasting ; Female ; Gagging ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Intubation ; Ketamine* ; Parturition ; Pharmacologic Actions ; Surgical Instruments ; Uterine Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: Psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and alcohol dependence are associated with serotonin metabolism. We assessed the methylation level of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) promoter region in control and alcohol dependent patients. METHODS: Twenty seven male patients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder IV (DSM-IV) criteria for alcohol dependence were compared with fifteen controls. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays of bisulfate-modified DNA were designed to amplify a part of the CpG island in the 5HTT gene. Pyrosequencing was performed and the methylation level at seven CpG island sites was measured. RESULTS: We found no differences in the methylation patterns of the serotonin transporter linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) between alcohol-dependent and control subjects. CONCLUSION: Our negative finding may be because 5-HTT epigenetic variation may not affect the expression for 5-HTT or there may be other methylation site critical for its expression. To find out more conclusive result, repeating the study in more methylation sites with a larger number of samples in a well-controlled setting is needed.
Alcoholism ; Anxiety ; CpG Islands ; Depression ; DNA ; Epigenomics ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Disorders ; Methylation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Serotonin ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins

No abstract available.
Animals ; Hypothermia* ; Rats*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gout is a common inf lammatory arthritis triggered by the crystallization of uric acid in the joints. Serum uric acid levels are highly heritable, suggesting a strong genetic component. Independent studies to confirm the genetic associations with gout in various ethnic populations are warranted. We investigated the association of polymorphisms in the ABCG2 and SLC2A9 genes with gout in Korean patients and healthy individuals. METHODS: We consecutively enrolled 109 patients with gout and 102 healthy controls. The diagnosis of gout was based on the preliminary criteria of the America College of Rheumatology. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood samples. We identified single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) changes in the ABCG2 and SLC2A9 genes using a direct sequencing technique. rs2231142 in ABCG2 and rs6449213 and rs16890979 in SLC2A9 and nearby regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Patients with gout had significantly higher A/A genotype (29.3% vs. 4.9%, respectively) and A allele (52.8% vs. 26.5%, respectively) frequencies of rs2231142 in ABCG2 than did controls (chi2 = 29.42, p < 0.001; odds ratio, 3.32; 95% confidence interval, 2.11 to 5.20). We found novel polymorphisms (c.881A>G and c.1002+78G>A) in the SLC2A9 gene. The univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the c.881A>G and c.1002+78G>A SNPs were significantly higher in patients than in controls. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated a significant association between rs2231142 in the ABCG2 gene and gout and identified novel SNPs, c.881A>G and c.1002+78G>A, in the SLC2A9 gene that may be associated with gout in a Korean population.
ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters/*genetics ; Arthritis, Gouty/blood/diagnosis/ethnology/*genetics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/genetics ; Biomarkers/blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative/*genetics ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Neoplasm Proteins/*genetics ; Odds Ratio ; Phenotype ; *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Uric Acid/blood

Among 202 aneurysmal patients with SAH who were admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital from Jan. 1984 through Jan. 1988, the incidence of ventricular dilatation confirmed by postoperative follow-up brain CT scannings was 32.2%(65 cases). And 33 cases(19.3%) was in mild ventricular dilatation, 9 cases(4.5%) was in moderate and 23 cases(11.4%) in severe who needed the shunting procedure were analysed. The incidence of ventricular dilatation to the site of aneurysm was highest in A-com A. aneurysm(42.2%), followed by P-com A. aneurysm(36.4%) and MCA aneurysm(11.3%). The incidence of ventricular dilatation and the need for shunting was higher in multiple bleeding patients than the single. The good risk patients had meaningfully lower incidence of ventricular dilatation than the poor risk group. In the delayed surgical group showed significantly more numbers of ventricular dilatation needing the shunt than the cases in early group.
Aneurysm* ; Brain ; Dilatation* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Ureterocele, congenital dilatation of the terminal or intramural portion of the ureter, may be classified as either simple or ectopic and has a broad spectrum of presentation, anatomy and treatment must be individualized. From February, 1986 to March, 1994, our experiences with 8 single system ureteroceles and 12 duplex system ureteroceles were reviewed. Their presentation, radiographic findings, operative management and postoperative results were discussed. The patients in this series were distribution from 1 year old to 66 years old and the male and female ratio was 4:16. The most presenting symptom was flank pain, affecting 7 cases, and ureterocele was associated with ureteral stone: 7 cases, VUR: 2 cases, renal cyst: 1 case, and IgA nephropathy:1 case. In 8 cases of single system ureterocele, Transurethral incision(TUI) of ureterocele in 1 case, ureterocelectomy with ureteroneocystostomy in 3 cases were done. In 12 cases of duplex system ureterocele, TUI of ureterocele in 2 cases, heminephrectomy with partial ureterocelectomy in 2 cases were done. After operation was done, there was no evidence of complication. We conclude that the surgical approach to the problems associated with a ureterocele is modified by patient age, renal anomaly and the pathological condition of the lower urinary tract.
Aged ; Dilatation ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Male ; Ureter ; Ureterocele* ; Urinary Tract

Intramedullary metastatic tumor comprise about 0.9 to 5% among the spinal metastatic tumors. Authors presented a rare case of intramedullary metastatic spinal cord tumor treated with operative total removal followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Drug Therapy ; Lung Neoplasms ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms* ; Spinal Cord*

Cell-mediated immunity frequently becomes impaired after major trauma. To investigate the immune response of the head injury, the authors measured the level of the serum neopterin, which represents the index of macrophage activation, in 53 head-injured patients. In the injured group the serum neopterin level was 5.4+/-3.1 nmol/l and slightly higher than that of the normal control group, 4.4+/-1.0 nmol/1. In the group of the patients with the Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) 3-9, the level was significantly higher than the group GCS 10-15. The differences were not significantly related to the age or the presence of intracranial hematoma. It is conceivable that head injury will change the patient's immune response and it may be influenced by neural control.
Coma ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Head* ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Macrophage Activation ; Neopterin*

Several different methods of posterior wiring and fusion have been advocated for treatment of the odontoid process fractures, regardless of direction of displacement. Between 1983 and 190, 8 cases of type II odontoid process fracture underwent posterior wiring and fusion at Kyungpook National University Hospital. Among them, three cases were posteriorly displaced fractures. For these three cases, the authors modified wiring method and applied acrylic resin. The authors thought this procedure is not complex and a good method for posteriorly displaced type II fractures in which conventional posterior wiring may actually create a tration effect that further displaces the fractured odontoid into the spinal canal.
Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Odontoid Process* ; Spinal Canal