BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis is most common sexually transmitted pathogen in the world, and a common cause of urethritis and cervicitis. Also it is common cause of preterm premature rupture of membranes and premature labor in pregnant women, and pneumonitis and conjunctivitis in neonate. A rapid and sensitive polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-based assay for detection of C. trachomatis is recently introduced. OBJECTIVES: We studied to determine whether a PCR assay is useful to detect Chlamydial infection in pregnant women. We also studied to compare its prevalence rate according to maternal age, trimester and parity, respectively. Study Design: Specimens were collected from 149 pregnant women by transcervical swab or endocervical lavage. If a specific band was detected in PCR assay, we considered as Chlamydial infection. RESULTS: In general, the positive bands were detected in the 45 of 149 pregnant women(30.2%). The positive bands were detected the 6 of 55(10.9%), 16 of 49(32.7%), and 23 of 45(51.1%) pregnant women in each trimester, respectively. Therefore, there was significantly increased according to the gestational age(p<0.05). However, there were not significantly different according to maternal age and parity(p> 0.05). CONCLUSION: We concluded that the PCR assay is a fast and useful test for the detection of C. trachomatis in transcevical cells from the pregnant women. This study suggested that Chlamydial infection seems to be increased according to the gestational age.
Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Conjunctivitis ; Diagnosis* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Age ; Membranes ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Parity ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence ; Rupture ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Urethritis ; Uterine Cervicitis

In serial sagittal sections of a fetus on week 9 (crown-rump length, 36 mm), we incidentally found absence of the usual portal vein through the hepatoduodenal ligament. Instead, an anomalous portal vein originated behind the pancreatic body, crossed the lesser sac and merged with the upper part of the ductus venosus. During the course across the lesser sac, the vein provided a deep notch of the liver caudate lobe (Spiegel's lobe). The hepatoduodenal ligament contained the hepatic artery, the common bile duct and, at the right posterior margin of the ligament, and a branch of the anomalous portal vein which communicated with the usual right branch of the portal vein at the hepatic hilum. The umbilical portion of the portal vein took a usual morphology and received the umbilical vein and gave off the ductus venosus. Although it seemed not to be described yet, the present anomalous portal vein was likely to be a persistent left vitelline vein. The hepatoduodenal ligament was unlikely to include the left vitelline vein in contrast to the usual concept.
Common Bile Duct ; Fetus ; Hepatic Artery ; Ligaments ; Liver ; Peritoneal Cavity* ; Portal Vein* ; Umbilical Veins ; Veins ; Vitellins

CD10, a marker of immature B lymphocytes, is expressed in the developing epithelium of mammary glands, hair follicles, and renal tubules of human fetuses. To assess mesenchymal and stromal expression of CD10, we performed immunohistochemical assays in whole body sections from eight fetuses of gestational ages 15-20 weeks. In addition to expression in urinary tract and intestinal epithelium, CD10 was strongly expressed at both gestational ages in fibrous tissues surrounding the airways from the larynx to lung alveoli, in the periosteum and ossification center, and in the glans of external genitalia. CD10 was not expressed, however, in other cavernous tissues. These findings suggest that mesenchymal, in addition to epithelial cells at specific sites, are likely to express CD10. The glomeruli, alveoli, and glans are all end products of budding or outgrowth processes in the epithelium or skin. However, in contrast to the CD34 marker of stromal stem cells, CD10 was not expressed in vascular progenitor cells and in differentiated vascular endothelium. The alternating pattern of CD10 and CD34 expression suggests that these factors play different roles in cellular differentiation and proliferation of the kidneys, airway and external genitalia.
Endothelium, Vascular ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Fetus* ; Genitalia ; Gestational Age ; Hair Follicle ; Humans* ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Kidney ; Larynx ; Lung ; Mammary Glands, Human ; Mesoderm ; Periosteum ; Precursor Cells, B-Lymphoid ; Skin ; Stem Cells ; Urinary Tract

Although neurologic complications of multiple myeloma are common, brain-involvement is rare, despite the high frequency of the cranial lesions. The cranial plasmacytoma grows only from bone, dura mater or adjacent mucous membrane and cerebral structures are affected secondarily. It is less likely that a solitary cranial plasmacytoma exists, and patients who harbor these neoplasms should undergo complete evaluations to exclude multiple myeloma. Solitary plasmacytoma is radiosensitive and the definite treatment for the cranial plasmacytoma usually consists of complete surgical resection with adjacent radiation therapy. However, the treatment and prognosis of the cranial plasmacytoma depends on whether this neoplasm is primary or secondary. Most of patients develop cranial plasmacytoma as the presenting form of multiple myeloma and the treamtment of in these speical cases is usually unsatisfatory. We report a case of multiple myeloma presented with the motor weakness of both upper and lower extremities by a bulky cranial plasmacytoma invading cerebrum treated with surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Cerebrum* ; Drug Therapy ; Dura Mater ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Mucous Membrane ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Plasmacytoma* ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: Traditional transcutaneous incision and transconjunctival incision methods are commonly used in the lower blepharoplasty. The transconjunctival method leaves no visible scars nor does it change the shape of lower eyelid contour and the surgical technique is not difficult. However removal of excess baggy skin is not possible through this method. Therefore, the transconjunctival incision method is useful only for patients who still have normal elasticity of the lower eyelids and fat that is protruding only anterocaudally. The Author will introduce a technique, which complements the limitations of these two methods mentioned above. METHODS: The author combined the transconjunctival approach and lower blepharoplasty with only the excised skin flap method. This method does not go beyond the previous methods but does apply the advantages of them. RESULTS: From March 2007 to October 2010, this new technique was performed in a total of 62 patients. Fat was removed and repositioned through transconjunctival incision. Drooped skin was excised as in the traditional blepharoplasty but only the skin flap was elevated. This prevents post-operative complications such as ectropion, sclera show, and deformation of the shape of the lower eyelids or under-resection of fat. All patients were satisfied with the post-operative appearance. CONCLUSION: The author was able to get satisfactory results while avoiding complications of traditional transcutaneous technique with this combined technique of the transconjunctival approach and the lower blepharoplasty method of skin flaps only.
Blepharoplasty ; Cicatrix ; Complement System Proteins ; Ectropion ; Elasticity ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Sclera ; Skin

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to provide better understanding as to how the "double" vascular arcades, in contrast to other intestinal marginal vessels, develop along the right margin of the pancreatic head. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In human fetuses between 8-30 weeks, we described the topographical anatomy of the vessels, bile duct, duodenum as well as the ventral and dorsal primordia of the pancreatic head with an aid of pancreatic polypeptide immunohisto-chemistry. RESULTS: The contents of the hepatoduodenal ligament crossed the superior side of the pylorus. Moreover, the right hepatic artery originating from the superior mesenteric artery ran along the superior aspect of the pancreatic head. An arterial arcade, corresponding to the posterior pancreaticoduodenal arteries, encircled the superior part of the pancreatic head, whereas another arcade, corresponding to the anterior pancreaticoduodenal arteries, surrounded the inferior part. The dorsal promordium of the pancreas surrounded and/or mixed the ventral primordium at 13-16 weeks. Thus, both arterial arcades were likely to attach to the dorsal primordium. CONCLUSION: The fetal anatomy of the pancreaticoduodenal vascular arcades as well as that of the hepatoduodenal ligament were quite different from adults in topographical relations. Thus, in the stage later than 30 weeks, further rotation of the duodenum along a horizontal axis seemed to be required to move the pylorus posterosuperiorly and to reflect the superior surface of the pancreatic head posteriorly. However, to change the topographical anatomy of the superior and inferior arterial arcades into the final position, re-arrangement of the pancreatic parenchyma might be necessary in the head.
Arteries/*embryology ; Duodenum/anatomy & histology/*blood supply/*embryology ; Female ; Fetus/*blood supply ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Pancreas/anatomy & histology/*blood supply/*embryology ; Pregnancy

This study was conducted to evaluate the hangover relieving effect of Sanghwang mushroom mycelium extract (SME). The extract showed 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging effect in a concentration-dependent manner and high antioxidant capacity (56.67 ± 1.77%) when administered at 120 µg/mL. In addition, SME significantly increased (p < 0.005) the aldehyde dehydronase (ALDH) activity (126.03 ± 9.11%) when applied at 8 or 16 µL/mL. A locomotor activity test showed that the alcohol-water treated group showed significantly decreased motor activity at 90 min post-administration. However, the alcohol-SME treated group showed a 20-fold higher motor activity than that observed in the alcohol-water treated group at 90 min post-administration. Blood was harvested from each mouse at 90 min post-administration, and both alcohol and aldehyde concentrations were measured. The alcohol-SME treated group showed significantly lower (p < 0.5) alcohol (120.13 ± 12.83 µg/mL) and aldehyde (7.26 ± 1.22 µg/mL) concentrations than the values observed in the alcohol-water treated group. These results suggest that the hangover relieving effect of SME results from increased ALDH activity, which reduces the aldehyde concentration in the blood.