In this study the effect of insulin and aminoguanidine on the expression of iNOS and the development of insulitis in the multiple low dose streptozotocin (SZ) induced diabetic (LDSD) mice was evaluated. Eighty mice (Charles-River CD-1 mice) were divided into four groups. Group I received SZ for five days. Group II received SZ for five days and was followed by insulin treatment. Group III received SZ for five days and was followed by aminoguanidine treatment. Group IV was normal control group. The blood glucose level and body weight were measured weekly. On the 35th day, pancreat ic sections were observed to evaluate the frequency and the severity of insulitis in addition to the immunohistochemical expression of iNOS in the pancreatic islets. Blood glucose levels of group IV were significantly lower than other experimental groups on the 21st, 28th, and 35th day. The difference in blood glucose levels was not statistically significant. Incidence of the insulitis was lower in group II than in groups I and III. The severity of insulitis correlated with the increase in blood glucose level only in group II. The expression of iNOS was more pronounced in group I than in groups II and III. Aminoguanidine did not inhibit development of the insulitis but decreased expression of iNOS in the pancreatic islets. Therefore it is speculated that iNOS production is one of the factors and other pathogenetic mechanisms might be involved in the development of insulitis.
Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Body Weight ; Incidence ; Insulin* ; Islets of Langerhans ; Mice* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II* ; Streptozocin

No abstract available.
Ixodes* ; Tick Bites* ; Ticks*

No abstract available.
Blindness, Cortical* ; Diagnosis* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Pregnancy*

No abstract available.

Caudal anesthesia for total hip replacement in geriatric patients has been evaluated clinically. The caudal epidural puncture was performed by a 22 G short needle through sacral hiatus with a lateral decubitus position. 1.5% lidocaine 20 mL and 0.5% bupivacaine 15 mL mixed with 1:200,000 epinephrine and 2 mg morphine was used as an anesthetics. The results were follows ; 1) The onset of caudal anesthesia was 7.9+/-4.5 min (2-20 min) and the duration was 4.8+/-3.0 hrs (1-12 hrs). 2) Anesthetic sensory level was not related with the patient's weight or height. 3) The failure rate including systemic toxicity was 13%. 4) The most common complication was hypotension and its incidence was 26.6%. 5) Time to first analgesics was 8.3+/-3.6 hrs. These results indicate that caudal anesthesia in lateral decubitus position is a recommendable anesthetic technique for total hip replacement in geriatric patients. However, the further studies for the determinations of the optimum dose of local anesthetics are needed.
Analgesics ; Anesthesia, Caudal* ; Anesthetics ; Anesthetics, Local ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Bupivacaine ; Epinephrine ; Geriatrics ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Lidocaine ; Morphine ; Needles ; Punctures

A 45-year-old man was referred with symptoms of cough and chest pain for 3 days and small amount of hemoptysis. He had no history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Chest CT showed 2 cystic lesions with air fluid level in right lower lobe. We performed posterior basal segmentectomy and found 2 cysts with white long parasite in each cavity. We experienced a case of pulmonary sparganosis and report it with references.
Chest Pain ; Cough ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Parasitic ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Middle Aged ; Parasites ; Sparganosis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare vitrification optimization of mouse embryos using electron microscopy (EM) grid, cryotop, and thin plastic strip (TPS) containers by evaluating developmental competence and apoptosis rates. METHODS: Mouse embryos were obtained from superovulated mice. Mouse cleavage-stage, expanded, hatching-stage, and hatched-stage embryos were cryopreserved in EM grid, cryotop, and TPS containers by vitrification in 15% ethylene glycol, 15% dimethylsulfoxide, 10 microg/mL Ficoll, and 0.65 M sucrose, and 20% serum substitute supplement (SSS) with basal medium, respectively. For the three groups in which the embryos were thawed in the EM grid, cryotop, and TPS containers, the thawing solution consisted of 0.25 M sucrose, 0.125 M sucrose, and 20% SSS with basal medium, respectively. Rates of survival, re-expansion, reaching the hatched stage, and apoptosis after thawing were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: Developmental competence after thawing of vitrified expanded and hatching-stage blastocysts using cryotop and TPS methods were significantly higher than survival using the EM grid (p<0.05). Also, apoptosis positive nuclei rates after thawing of vitrified expanded blastocysts using cryotop and TPS were significantly lower than when using the EM grid (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The TPS vitrification method has the advantages of achieving a high developmental ability and effective preservation.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blastocyst ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Embryonic Structures ; Ethylene Glycol ; Ethylenes ; Ficoll ; Mental Competency ; Mice ; Microscopy, Electron ; Plastics ; Sucrose ; Vitrification

OBJECTIVES: On December 7, 2007, the Hebei Spirit oil tanker spilled out 12,547 kl of crude oil on the Yellow Sea 10 km away from the cost of Taean Province, Korea. As the coastline has been contaminated, local residents have been exposed to crude oil. Because the residents were showing many symptoms, we investigated the acute health effects of this oil spill on them. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study consisting of the heavy and moderately oil soaked area in Taean and the lightly oil soaked area in Seocheon. Ten seashore villages were selected from each area, and 10 male and female adults were selected from each village. We interviewed the subjects using a structured questionnaire on the characteristics of residents, the cleanup activities, the perception of oil hazard, depression and anxiety, and the physical symptoms. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The logistic regression model was adjusted for age, gender, education, smoking, the perception of oil hazard and anxiousness. RESULTS: The more highly contaminated the area, the more likely it was for residents to be engaged in cleanup activities and have a greater chance of exposure to oil. The indexes of anxiety and depression were higher in the heavy and moderately oil soaked areas. The increased risks of headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, tingling of limb, hot flushing, sore throat, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath, itchy skin, rash, and sore eyes were significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that exposure to crude oil is associated with various acute physical symptoms. Long-term investigation is required to monitor the residents' health.
Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; *Disasters ; Environmental Exposure/*adverse effects ; Female ; *Health Status ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Petroleum/*toxicity ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Water Pollutants, Chemical/*toxicity

With advances in target therapy, molecular analysis of tumors is routinely required for treatment decisions in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Liquid biopsy refers to the sampling and analysis of circulating cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA) in various body fluids, primarily blood. Because the technique is minimally invasive, liquid biopsies are the future in cancer management. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ctDNA tests have been performed in routine clinical practice in advanced NSCLC patients to guide tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. In the near future, liquid biopsy will be a crucial prognostic, predictive, and diagnostic method in NSCLC. Here we present the current status and future perspectives of liquid biopsy in NSCLC.

The aims of this study were to document bronchiolitis obliterans(BO), the long term pulmonary sequelae after mycoplasma pneumonia, and to evaluate the difference of development of BO according to antibody titer and X-ray pattern. Twenty five subjects who had mycoplasma pneumonia underwent high resolution CT(HRCT) 1.3 years(1.0-2.0 years) after the initial infection. Fifteen boys and 10 girls, with mean age of 6.3 years(3-15 year) at the time of the infection, were included. The clinical diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae(M. pneumoniae) pneumonia was confirmed by a fourfold or higher rise in the antibody titers between acute and convalescent phase or a single very high titers(> or = 1:640) and abnormal chest radiographs. The subjects were divided into two groups as high titer group(antibody titer 1:5120 1:20480, n=15) and low titer group(antibody titer 1:640-1:2560, n=10). Nine of 25 subjects(36.0%) demonstrated BO findings on HRCT which included mosaic perfusion in 8 of 9 subjects(88.9%), bronchiectasis in 6(66.7%), mosaic perfusion associated with bronchiectasis in 6(66.7%), bronchial wall thickening in two(22.2%), and decreased pulmonary vascularity in one(11.1%). Those findings were more commonly seen in high titer group compared to low titer group[53.3%(8/15) vs 10.0%(1/10), P<0.05] and lobar type compared to linear type[58.0%(7/12) vs 15.4% (2/13), P<0.05]. The involved areas on HRCT exactly corresponded with initially involved area on chest radiographs in 8 of 9 subjects (88.9%). The development of BO was closely related to the M. pneumoniae pneumonia and was noted significantly in individuals with high antibody titer and lobar type x-ray pattern. We suggest that it is necessary to pay attention to the development of BO after M. pneumoniae pneumonia with high antibody titer and lobar type x-ray pattern.
Bronchiectasis ; Bronchiolitis Obliterans* ; Bronchiolitis* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Perfusion ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Radiography, Thoracic