To evaluate the possibility of Dacron patch for artificial sclera. Dacron(polyethylene terephthalate) which is readily available, biocompatable, safe, and inert synthetic material was implanted in the area of full-thickness scleral defect in rabbits. The histopathologic examinations showed that fibrovascular tissue invested into all interstices of Dacron filaments and fibroconnective tissue encapsulation around Dacron patch had strong connection with collagen fibers of recipient sclera at 4 weeks after graft There were no adverse reactions such as retinal detachment and fibrous proliferation into the vitreous cavity except mild inflammatory response of surrounding tissue at the early postoperative stage. As a result, Dacron graft showed successful firm adhesion to the recipient sclera without serious complications. Thus, We think that Dacron could possibly be used, instead of donor sclera, as artificial scleral graft material for the surgical treatment of perforating scleral diseases.
Collagen ; Humans ; Polyethylene Terephthalates* ; Rabbits* ; Retinal Detachment ; Sclera ; Scleral Diseases ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants*

Recently, a hydroxyapatite sphere has been increasingly used as a buried integrated orbital implant for the great improved motility of the prosthesis after enucleation. To allow more rapid ascess of vasculature into the hydroxyapatite implant, Dacron as a new synthetic wrapping material of the implant for anophthalmic sockets had been used and compared histologically with donor sclera in rabbits. At 4 weeks after implantation, fibrovascular ingrowth was found mainly near the scleral windows, where fibrosis extended 2 mm centrally in scleral-wrapped implants. In Contrast, in Dacron-wrapped implants, there was extensive fibrovascular infiltration through Dacron filaments and windows as well, making the hydroxyapatite sphere completely invested with fibrovascular tissue to the center within 4 weeks of implantation. Thus, Dacron as a new wrapping material appears to allow a more rapid vascularization into the hydroxyapatite implant than other collagen material without any serious complications, resulting in early rehabilitation with an artificial eye.
Collagen ; Durapatite* ; Eye, Artificial ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Orbital Implants ; Polyethylene Terephthalates* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Rabbits ; Rehabilitation ; Sclera* ; Tissue Donors*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the level of intention to quit smoking and to identify factors influencing intention to quit among patients with coronary heart disease. Method: The subjects consisted of 80 male patients with coronary heart disease (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction) at three hospitals in Seoul. The data were collected with self reporting in a structured questionnaire. Stepwise multiple regression was used to identify predictors of intention to quit. Included variables were attitudes toward smoking cessation, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, usefulness of smoking cessation, and previous attempts to quit. RESULT: 1. The mean score for intention to quit was 11.1(+/-6.1) which was lower than median score of the scale. 2. There were significant correlations between the all predictive variables and the intention to quit(r=.24-.48, p<.05). 3. usefulness of smoking cessation, perceived behavioral control, and previous attempts to quit explained 34.6% of the variance for intention to quit. CONCLUSION: usefulness of smoking cessation, perceived behavioral control, and previous attempts to quit were identified as important variables in explaining the intention to quit smoking among patients with coronary heart disease. Thus, it is necessary to try to enhance this factors for increasing intention to quit among patients with coronary heart disease.
Coronary Disease* ; Humans ; Intention* ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Self Report ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation ; Smoking*

OBJECTIVE: We compared the one-year rehospitalization rates of first-episode bipolar manic patients who were discharged while being treated with atypical antipsychotics in combination with mood stabilizers. METHODS: We monitored the rehospitalization status of the first-episode bipolar manic patients who were discharged between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2008 while they were taking risperidone (n=34), olanzapine (n=26) or quetiapine (n=32) in combination with mood stabilizers. Rehospitalizations were tracked over a 1-year period using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model was used to analyze covariates thought to affect time to rehospitalization. RESULTS: The rehospitalization rates during the 1-year follow-up period for patients taking atypical antipsychotics plus mood stabilizers were 22.8% (n=21). There were no significant differences in rehospitalization estimated using the Kaplan-Meier formula among the patients treated with risperidone (29.4%), olanzapine (23.1%) or quetiapine (15.6%). The psychotic symptoms, previous depressive episodes, lower Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score at discharge and less length of first hospitalization contributed to the risk of rehospitalization. CONCLUSION: The 1-year rehospitalization rates of first-episode bipolar manic patients taking risperidone, olanzapine, or quetiapine do not differ and the psychotic symptoms and previous depressive episodes affect time to rehospitalization.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Benzodiazepines ; Bipolar Disorder ; Dibenzothiazepines ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Risperidone ; Track and Field ; Quetiapine Fumarate

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are metabolically distinct from their differentiated counterparts. ESC mitochondria are less complex and fewer in number than their differentiated progeny. However, few studies have examined the proteins responsible for differences in mitochondrial structure and function between ESCs and somatic cells. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the differences between mitochondrial proteins in these two cell types. We demonstrate that HSP60 is more abundant in mouse ESC mitochondria than in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Depletion of HSP60 inhibited mouse ESC proliferation and self-renewal, characterized by decreased OCT4 expression. HSP60 depletion also enhanced apoptosis during mouse ESC differentiation into embryoid bodies. Our results suggest that HSP60 expression has an essential role in ESC self-renewal and survival of differentiated cells from ESCs.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify sociodemographic and disease-related variables associated with continuity of outpatient treatment after discharge of patient with schizophrenia in a university hospital. METHODS: The medical records of patients who discharged with the diagnosis of schizophrenia from department of psychiatry, St. Mary's Hospital in 2008, 2009, and 2010 were reviewed. Data on sociodemographic and disease-related variables were an-alyzed. RESULTS: Comparing sociodemographic variables, 6-month follow-up group showed higher rate of family history (p=0.034), and lower rate of divorce and bereavement (p=0.037) than non-follow-up group. Comparing disease-related variables, 6-month follow-up group showed higher rate of previous psychiatric outpatient treatment within 3 months before index hospitalization (p=0.013), higher scores in Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) at discharge (p=0.002), but lower rate of prescription of risperidone at discharge (p=0.007). The univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that previous psychiatric outpatient treatment within 3 months before index hospitalization, GAF scores at discharge, family history, absence of divorce and bereavement, and not being prescribed of risperidone at discharge were significantly related to an increased likelihood of 6-month follow-up visits. CONCLUSION: The previous psychiatric outpatient treatment before hospitalization, psychosocial functioning, family history, divorce, bereavement, and antipsychotics prescription at discharge appeared to have influence on continuity of outpatient treatment after discharge of patients with schizophrenia.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Bereavement ; Continuity of Patient Care ; Divorce ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Outpatients ; Prescriptions ; Retrospective Studies ; Risperidone ; Schizophrenia

PROPOSE: To analyze the indications and cytogenetic results of midtrimester amniocentesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study reviewed 2,523 cases of midtrimester prenatal genetic amniocentesis performed at MizMedi Hospital between January 2000 and December 2007. RESULTS: The most frequent indication for midtrimester amniocentesis was advanced maternal age (45.9%), followed by positive serum markers (29.9%). Chromosomal aberrations were diagnosed in 110 cases (4.4%), for which numerical aberration accounted for 38 cases (34.5%), structural aberration accounted for 65 cases (59.1%), and mosaicism accounted for 7 cases (6.4%). Among the autosomal aberrations, there were 20 cases of trisomy 21 and 8 cases of trisomy 18. With respect to structural aberrations, there were 14 cases of reciprocal translocation and 8 cases of robertsonian translocation. The frequencies of chromosomal aberrations according to the indication were highest in individuals with a family history of chromosome abnormality 14.0% (8/57) followed by previous congenital anomaly 5.9% (2/34). CONCLUSION: Midtrimester amniocentesis is an effective tool for prenatal diagnosis. Indications such as advanced maternal age, maternal serum markers, and ultrasound are important for predicting abnormal fetal karyotypes.
Amniocentesis ; Biomarkers ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetics ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Maternal Age ; Mosaicism ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Trisomy

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) is an infrequent but serious complication of transplantation. Previous studies have suggested the terms of reference, "early PTLD" (referring to PTLD that occurs within 1 year of transplantation) and "late PTLD" (PTLD that occurs after 1 year). Early PTLD generally involves a single organ or nodal region and often responds favorably to a decrease in immunosuppression. Late PTLD tends to be disseminated, responds less frequently to a decrease in immunosuppression, and has a dismal prognosis. We encountered a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in a 44-year-old man who underwent kidney transplantation over 10 years ago, in 1995. In situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus showed positive results in tumor cell. With decreased immunosuppressants and chemotheraphy, he is currently in complete remission.
Male ; Humans

Both lymphocytic gastritis and gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma are associated with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. However, this association has not been fully elucidated. We report two cases of lymphocytic gastritis in 57-year-old male and 47-year-old female patients which were diagnosed after the H. pylori eradication to treat gastric MALT lymphoma. MALT lymphoma was successfully treated in case 1, but residual MALT lymphoma remained in case 2. During the follow-up endoscopic examinations, several elevated erosions in case 1 and irregular mucosal atrophy in case 2 were newly detected. Biopsy specimens showed marked infiltration of lymphocytes in the surface epithelium (56.6+/-15.9 intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs)/100 epithelial cells in case 1 and 40.5+/-9.3 IELs/100 epithelial cells in case 2), which were exclusively CD8-positive T lymphocytes. These findings suggest that H. pylori infection may cause a monoclonal proliferation of B lymphocytes, leading to MALT lymphoma as well as polyclonal proliferation of T lymphocytes which subsequently infiltrated into the surface epithelium as a host immune reaction, resulting in lymphocytic gastritis.
Gastric Mucosa/*pathology ; Gastritis/*complications/microbiology/pathology ; Helicobacter Infections/*complications ; *Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Lymphocytes/*pathology ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/*complications/microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms/*complications

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO) in articular chondrocytes regulates dedifferentiation and inflammatory responses by modulating MAP kinases. In this study, we investigated whether the Src kinase in chondrocytes regulates NO-induced dedifferentiation and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. METHODS: Primary chondrocytes were treated with various concentrations of SNP for 24 h. The COX-2 and type II collagen expression levels were determined by immunoblot analysis, and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) was determined by using a PGE(2) assay kit. Expression and distribution of p-Caveolin and COX-2 in rabbit articular chondrocytes and cartilage explants were determined by immunohistochemical staining and immunocytochemical staining, respectively. RESULTS: SNP treatment stimulated Src kinase activation in a dose-dependent manner in articular chondrocytes. The Src kinase inhibitors PP2 [4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo(3,4-d)pyrimidine], a significantly blocked SNP-induced p38 kinase and caveolin-1 activation in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, to determine whether Src kinase activation is associated with dedifferentiation and/or COX-2 expression and PGE(2) production. As expected, PP2 potentiated SNP-stimulated dedifferentiation, but completely blocked both COX-2 expression and PGE2 production. And also, levels of p-Caveolin and COX-2 protein expression were increased in SNP-treated primary chondrocytes and osteoarthritic and rheumatoid arthritic cartilage, suggesting that p-Caveolin may play a role in the inflammatory responses of arthritic cartilage. CONCLUSION: Our previously studies indicated that NO caused dedifferentiation and COX-2 expression is regulated by p38 kinase through caveolin-1 (1). Therefore, our results collectively suggest that Src kinase regulates NO-induced dedifferentiation and COX-2 expression in chondrocytes via p38 kinase in association with caveolin-1.
Cartilage ; Caveolin 1 ; Chondrocytes* ; Collagen Type II ; Cyclooxygenase 2* ; Dinoprostone ; Nitric Oxide ; Phosphotransferases*