Aspergillus oryzae is a filamentous fungus classified in the group Aspergillaceae Ascomycetes. A. oryzae is an important microorganism for industrial production of enzymes and fermented food products. It secrets large quantities of proteins or enzymes into the culture medium which makes this organism appealing for the production of heterologous proteins. Recently Electric field-mediated transformation method, electroporation, has been applied to fungal transformation. It is fast, simple to handle, and avoids the use of some chemicals. The optimum conditions for A. oryzae were determined with pILJ-16 and ~0.2 x 105 protoplast cell at various field strength. The survived population of protoplasts in the electric field were ~80% of nonprotoplast cell population at 1.3 KV/cm to ~50% at 6.3 KV/cm. The electrotransformation efficiency, expressed as transformants/microgram of input DNA/population of protoplast cells, increased with the increment of the field strength up to 6.3 KV/cm. The highest value, 14.35%, was obtained at 6.3 KV/cm and 1540ohm. Some antibiotics for the dominant selectable makers were applied to A. oryzae and Tolypocladium inflatum. Whereas phleomycin was very effective on T. inflatum, hygromycin B and phleomycin were not effective on A. oryzae. Protoplasts were obtained with hemicellulase and celluclast, instead of novozyme234. More than 104 transformants/microgram of DNA with hemicellulase-treated protoplasts were obtained by using electroporation at the condition of 2,500 voltage, 1,540 ohm and 0.50 capacitance. Less than 102 transformants/microgram of DNA were obtained with Novozyme234- and celluclast-treated protoplasts.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ascomycota ; Aspergillus oryzae* ; Aspergillus* ; DNA ; Electroporation ; Fungi* ; Hygromycin B ; Oryza ; Phleomycins ; Protoplasts

Primary malignant melanoma of the conjunctiva represents less than 2% of ocular melanomas and less than 1%of malignant tumors of the eye and usually derives from PAM(Primary acquired melanosis). Conjunctival melanoma spreads initially via lymphatics to the regional lymph nodes and eventually to the other organs in the body. Recently, except for advanced unresectable cases, conjunctival melanoma is treated by excision of the mass combined with cryotherapy. We report a case of conservative treatment in a patient who presented recurred conjunctival melanoma, along with the review of literatures.
Conjunctiva ; Cryotherapy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Melanoma*

Since the first description of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) secondary to lumbar disc surgery by Linton and White in 1945, many cases of the accidental injury to the great vessels anterior to the lumbar area have been reported. We experienced a unique case of AVF between the internal iliac artery and internal iliac vein following disc surgery. Diagnosis of traumatic AVF in a patient with multiple varicose dilatation of vein in the left thigh and inguinal area was heralded by the presence of unique, unusual arterial signals in the area of dilated veins during the leg Doppler scan. 3D-CT angiography clearly confirmed the presence of a fistular tract between the internal iliac artery and vein. Using the Seldinger technique, a PTFE stent graft was inserted into the internal iliac artery to cover the fistular site nonsurgically. After the procedure, venous dilatation decreased and the patient felt comfortable. Follow-up 3D-CT angiography one month after procedure showed complete obliteration of fistuar tract and patent blood flow through PTFE stent graft in the internal iliac artery.
Angiography ; Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis* ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Iliac Vein ; Leg ; Polytetrafluoroethylene* ; Stents* ; Thigh ; Veins

No abstract available.
Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Fallopian Tube Diseases* ; Fallopian Tubes* ; Female

Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix is rare. It is estimated that 10% of patients with small-cell lung cancer have syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) and hyponatremia has been reported to be significantly associated with a poor prognosis. A proportion of small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix exhibit neuroendocrine characteristics as revealed by immunohistochemistry, However, cases presenting typical symptoms due to SIADH are extremely rare. This report of the SIADH of the uterine cervix is a rare case in the small cell carcinoma of the cervix presenting with tumor-associated paraneoplastic syndrome.
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine* ; Carcinoma, Small Cell* ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inappropriate ADH Syndrome* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes ; Prognosis ; Rare Diseases ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: To present differences in visual acuity and macular structure before and after surgery in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) according to the presence of retinoschisis. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included 324 eyes with idiopathic ERM, that underwent pars plana vitrectomy with ERM and internal limiting membrane peeling, and were followed for more than 6 months. Subjects were classified into two groups according to the presence of retinoschisis using preoperative optical coherence tomography (OCT; group 1, ERM with retinoschisis; group 2, ERM without retinoschisis). Preoperative and postoperative macular structure changes and surgical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Group 1 included 61 eyes, and group 2 included 263 eyes. Group 1 had a significantly higher preoperative and final postoperative best-corrected visual acuity compared with group 2 (p = 0.01, p = 0.02). Preoperative disorganization of retinal inner layers (DRIL) was significantly less in group 1 than group 2 (p = 0.01). Preoperative central macular thickness was not significantly different between the two groups. However, postoperative central macular thickness was significantly lower in group 1 than group 2 (p = 0.02, p = 0.01, p < 0.01). The ratio of the inner or outer layer in the total retinal thickness before surgery was significantly smaller in group 1 than in group 2 (p = 0.02, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative visual acuity was better and the occurrence of DRIL was less in idiopathic ERM with retinoschisis than without retinoschisis. Postoperative visual and structural outcome was better in idiopathic ERM with retinoschisis than without retinoschisis. Retinoschisis may have played a role in reducing the tractional force given to the inner and outer retina.
Epiretinal Membrane ; Humans ; Membranes ; Observational Study ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde ; Retinoschisis ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Traction ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy

OBJECTIVE: Meditation can elicit trait-like changes in psychological and social styles, as well as enhancement of emotional regulatory capacity. We investigated the relation between personality traits and emotional intelligence in meditation practitioners. METHODS: Seventy-two long-term practitioners of mind-body training (MBT) and 62 healthy comparative individuals participated in the study. The participants completed emotional intelligence questionnaires and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). RESULTS: The MBT group revealed higher scores on all five emotional intelligence factors than did those in the control group, such as emotional awareness and expression, empathy, emotional thinking, emotional application, and emotional regulation (all p≤0.001). MBT practitioners also had higher scores on the intuition of perceiving function (t=−2.635, p=0.010) and on the feeling of the judging function (t=−3.340, p=0.001) of the MBTI compared with those in the control group. Only the MBT group showed a robust relationship with every factor of emotional intelligence and MBTI-defined intuitive styles, indicating that higher scores of emotional intelligence were related to higher scores for intuition. CONCLUSION: Emotional intelligence of meditation practitioners showed notable relationships with some features of personality trait. In-depth associations between emotional intelligence and personality traits would help to foster psychological functions in meditation practitioners.
Emotional Intelligence* ; Empathy ; Intuition ; Meditation* ; Personality Inventory ; Thinking

PURPOSE: Radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIF) is a significant complication of radiotherapy for lung cancer. Despite the large number of studies, the molecular mechanisms of RIF are poorly understood. Therefore, the complex protein expression pattern in RIF was characterized by identifying the proteins with an altered expression level after thorax irradiation using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mouse model of RIF was used to examine the alteration of the lung proteome because of availability of murine data related to human cases and the abundance of murine fibrotic lung samples. A mouse model of RIF was induced in radiosensitive C57BL/6 mice. Twenty-one weeks after 25 Gy irradiation, hematoxylin-eosin staining and hydroxyproline assay confirmed the early-phase pulmonary fibrosis. RESULTS: Lung samples from the irradiated and age-matched control mice were used to generate 16 high quality 2-DE gels containing approximately 1,000 spots. Of the 31 significantly up- or down-regulated protein spots, 17 were identified by MALDI-TOF/MS. CONCLUSIONS: Two important upregulated proteins were found, the alpha-protease inhibitor and galectin-1, which might be used as potential markers for the early phase of RIF.
Animals ; Electrophoresis ; Galectin 1* ; Gels ; Humans ; Hydroxyproline ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mass Spectrometry ; Mice ; Proteome ; Proteomics ; Pulmonary Fibrosis* ; Radiotherapy ; Thorax

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, a rare disease in women of childbearing age, is the result of benign nodular hypertrophy of the smooth muscle of the lypmhatics and other tissues of the abdomen and thorax. We report a 36-years-old woman with pulmonary and retroperitoneal lymphangioleiomyomatosis who responded with hormone treatment. She developed vaginal pruritis and a pelvic ultraound was done given her significant past medical history. Ultrasound examination demonstrated a large mass in the right side of her pelvis. Therefore she was admitted to St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto for laparoscopy. Result of cytology was to be consistent with the diagnosis of retroperitoneal lymphangioleiomyomatosis. High resolution CT sacn of the thorax demonstrated multiple small cystic lesions, without associated nodularity compatible with a diagnosis of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis. She has been taking Provera tablets l00mg po tid since Dec. 15, 1993. We have given her a prescription for Depo provera 500mg IM monthly since she came back to Korea, and made arrangements for regular follow up monthly. We performed chest X-ray, CT of chest(high resolution), abdomen and pelvis, pulmonary function tests and arterial blood gas analysis. Chest X-ray and CT findings showed no significant change since July. 20, 1993.
Abdomen ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Korea ; Laparoscopy ; Lymphangioleiomyomatosis* ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ; Muscle, Smooth ; Pelvis ; Prescriptions ; Pruritus ; Rare Diseases ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Tablets ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a fatal disease, is mostly idiopathic but can occur secondary to cancer, infection, transplantation, pregnancy, surgery, or drugs. The mechanism of TTP is still unknown, however, and detection is difficult because of unclear diagnosis criteria. Colonic stent insertion is commonly used in management of malignant colon obstruction. This is a very safe procedure with a low procedure-related mortality rate, but serious complications can develop. The authors first experienced a patient with TTP when the phenomenon occurred after stent insertion for palliation of obstructive colon cancer and therefore would like to report the case.
Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic* ; Stents*