No abstract available.
Animals ; Embryonic Structures* ; Freezing* ; Mice* ; Sucrose*

BACKGROUND: An Epidemiological study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of E. vermicularis infestation among children in kindergartens. METHODS: A total of 247 cellotape anal swab specimens from kindergarten children in Inchon were examined for E. vermicularis eggs. Each specimen was collected in the morning. RESULTS: Out of 247 specimens from two kindergartens in Inchon, E. vermicularis eggs were detected in 168 specimens, the egg detection rate being 68.0%. The egg detection rates in boys and girls were 63.9% out of 133 children and 72.8% out of 114 children, respectively. The egg detection rate in girls was higher than that of boys. The egg detection rates by age group was 65.5%(age 3), S7.4%(age 4), 72.0%(age 5) and 75.4%(age 6), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Enterobiasis is a cosmopolitan infection. Surveys for children of kindergartens indicate that E.vermicularis is probably the most widely distributed human helminth, its incidence varing from 59.2% to 73.8% in groups studied since pinworm infection is frequently a familial problem that infestation of the household frequently results in reinfection. Careful washing of hands and cleansing of fingernails before meals and after use of the toilet are the most practical measures, all member of family should be treated simultaneously when practicable.
Child* ; Eggs ; Enterobiasis ; Enterobius* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Hand ; Helminths ; Humans ; Incheon ; Incidence ; Meals ; Nails ; Ovum ; Prevalence

No abstract available.
Glycoproteins* ; Goblet Cells*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Herpes Simplex type 2 Defective Infectious Single Cycle virus (DISC virus) is an attenuated virus originally produced as a viral vaccine, but it also serves as an efficient gene transfer vehicle. The main goals of this study were to examine determinants of gene transfer using DISC vectors for squamous cell carcinoma and to evaluate the efficacy of vaccination with the DISC virus carrying a combination of immunomodulatory genes (IL-2, GM-CSF) as cancer therapy in a model of squamous cell cancer in the C3H/HeJ mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We determinated the gene and protein expression of DISC-IL-2 and DISC-GM-CSF transfected SCCVII cells by RT-PCR and ELISA method. Also, we evaluated the ex vivo vaccination effects of DISC-IL-2 and DISC-GMCSF on preventing the development of SCCVII tumor. RESULTS: SCCVII cells transduced by the DISC virus vector (MOI=10) carrying the IL-2, or the GM-CSF gene, produced nanogram quantities of IL-2 or GM-CSF per 10(6) cells. Of particular interest was the observation that cells irradiated at different doses (5,000 cGy, 10,000 cGy) secreted levels of GM-CSF or IL-2 that were comparable to non-irradiated cells. In vivo vaccination using tumor cells transduced ex vivo with DISC-IL-2 or DISC-GMCSF resulted in protection against subsequent tumor challenge (p<0.01). Among the multiple immunomodulatory transgenes vaccination groups, the DISC-GMCSF transfected vaccine showed the greatest suppression of tumor development and growth (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that: 1) The DISC virus vector is capable of efficient gene transfer to SCCVII cells, 2) The GM-CSF secreting, genetically modified tumor vaccine (SCCVII/GMCSF) efficiently protected against tumor cell challenge and suppressed tumor growth in our tumor model. The DISC virus-mediated, cytokine gene transfer may prove to be useful in clinical therapy for head and neck cancers.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Genetic Therapy* ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Growth and Development ; Head* ; Herpes Simplex ; Interleukin-2* ; Mice ; Neck* ; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell* ; Transgenes ; Vaccination

PURPOSE: The treatment of a clinically node-positive (cN+) neck is important in the management of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, the extent of neck dissection (ND) remains controversial. The purpose of our study was to evaluate whether level IV or V can be excluded in therapeutic ND for cN+ OSCC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of 92 patients who underwent a comprehensive or selective ND as a therapeutic treatment of cN+ OSCC from January 1993 to February 2009. RESULTS: The incidence rate of metastasis to level IV or V was 22% (16 of 72) on the ipsilateral neck. Of 67 cases without clinically suspicious nodes at level IV or V, 11 cases (16%, 11 of 67) had pathologically proven lymphatic metastasis to level IV or V. Only a nodal staging above N2b was significantly relevant with the higher rate of level IV or V lymph node metastasis (p=0.025). In this series, selective ND, combined with proper adjuvant therapy, achieved regional control and survival rates comparable to comprehensive ND in patients under the N stage of cN2a OSCC. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, level IV and V patients can avoid recurrence under cN2a OSCC.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/mortality/*pathology/*surgery ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms/mortality/*pathology/*surgery ; Neck/surgery ; *Neck Dissection ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: The treatment strategy for primary spontaneous pneumothorax has progressively changed with the introduction of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Recently, we modified the strategy of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. If the patient had mild dyspnea and the lung was minimally collapsed, 2 mm thoracoscopic examination was performed. If no bleb or bullae was inspected, the intrathoracic air was evacuated through the 2 mm thoracoscopic troca without closed thoracostomy. and if the bleb and bullae was noted, the 10 mm thoracoscopic bullecotomy was carried out immediately and also application of fibrin glue was substituted for pleural abrasion. We compared the clinical outcomes of modified treatment strategy with conventional strategy in primary spontaneous pneumothorax. MATERIAL ANDMETHOD: Patients were divided into four groups. Group I (n=21) underwenet 2 mm thoracoscopic examination. Group II (n=68) underwent closed thoracostomy. Group III (n=56) underwent VATS and application of fibrin glue. Group IV (n=87) underwent VATS and pleural abrasion. The duration of chest tube drainage, the duration of hospitalization and the recurrence rate were compared between group I and group II and between group III and group IV. RESULT: Mean age, sex, location of pneumothorax were not different in all groups. In group I, the bleb or bullae were existed in 12 patients. In remaining 9 patients, the bleb or bullae was not inspected. The mean duration of hospitalization in 9 patients were 2.1+/-1.0 day and in group II were 3.9+/-2.1 day (p=0.014). There was 1 case of recurrence among the 9 patients in group I and 26 recurrences in group II (p=0.149). The mean duration of chest tube drainage were not difference in group III and IV (group III: 2.8+/-1.8 day, group IV: 3.0+/-2.5 day). The mean duration of hospitalization was shorter in group III than group IV (group III: 5.6+/-2.7 day, group IV: 7.3+/-3.3 day)(p=0.002). There was no recurrence in group III and 7 recurrences in group IV (p=0.043). CONCLUSION: Our modified treatmen strategy of primary spnontaneuous peumothorax was effective in short hospital course and low recurrence rate.
Blister ; Chest Tubes ; Drainage ; Dyspnea ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive* ; Fibrin* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Lung ; Pneumothorax* ; Recurrence ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracoscopy ; Thoracostomy

No abstract available.
Animals ; Brain Stem* ; Brain* ; Cats* ; Laryngeal Nerves*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sinusitis is one of the most commonly reported diseases in the world. A network of inflammatory mediators is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic sinusitis and nasal mucus secretion may also be under the control of an inflammatory mediator network. To date, 12 human mucin genes have been identified; however, the regulation of MUC8 has not yet been found out. In this study, we described the regulation of the MUC8 mRNA expression by inflammatory mediators and investigated its cellular location. MATERIALS AND METHOD: MUC8 mRNA and MUC5AC mRNA were detected in culture using passage-2 normal human nasal epithelial (NHNE) cells after the treatment with a mixture of following inflammatory mediators; TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, LPS, IL-4, PAF. The translocation of MUC8 mRNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm was investigated by treating the inflammatory mediators with in situ hybridization. RESULTS: We found that a mixture of inflammatory mediators increased the MUC8 mRNA expression but decreased the MUC5AC mRNA expression in cultured normal human nasal epithelial cells. Among the inflammatory mediators, Interleukin-4 was responsible for the decrease in the MUC5AC mRNA expression and the MUC5AC mucin secretion. We also found that MUC8 mRNA resides in the nucleus of goblet cells and is transported into the cytoplasm following the treatment with inflammatory mediators. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that MUC8 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of mucus hypersecretion in chronic sinusitis.
Cytokines* ; Cytoplasm ; Epithelial Cells* ; Goblet Cells ; Humans* ; In Situ Hybridization ; Interleukin-4 ; Mucins ; Mucus ; RNA, Messenger ; Sinusitis ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: According to our previous study Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) induces inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis in SCC 1483 oral cavity cancer cells. On the other hand, in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, activation of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) is the key event in the inhibition of inflammation by EGb 761. Therefore, we have investigated whether MAPK pathway is involved in the apoptotic process by EGb 761 in oral cavity cancer cell lines or not. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: In SCC 1483 oral cavity cancer cell lines, Western blot analysis, Fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis, and transient transfection using MAPK-dominant negative constructs were used. RESULTS: When SCC 1483 oral cavity cancer cell lines were treated with the concentration of 250 microgram/ml EGb 761, activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and apoptosis were noted. This apoptosis was inhibited by the treatment with ERK inhibitor (PD 98059). In the transiently transfected cells by MAPK/ERK kinase 1 (MEK1)-dominant negative construct, phosphorylations of ERK and p90 ribosomal S 6 protein kinase (RSK1) were inhibited which led to the inhibition of apoptosis by EGb 761. The inhibition of apoptosis was also noted in the transfected cells by RSK1 dominant negative construct and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)-dominant negative construct. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the apoptosis of SCC 1483 oral cavity cancer cell lines by EGb 761 is linked to the activation of ERK and it can happen via ERK MAPK/RSK1/CREB signal transduction pathway.
Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line* ; Cell Proliferation ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; Ginkgo biloba* ; Hand ; Inflammation ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Mouth* ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinases ; Signal Transduction ; Transfection