No abstract available.
Anti-Infective Agents* ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus*

No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital*

PURPOSE: We determined the clinical significance of telomerase activity and telomere length in breast cancer patients and also developed the measuring system of telomerase activity change with RNAse A pre-treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We measured the telomerase activity in 71 breast cancer tissues and paired normal tissues with TRAP (Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol) assay. Telomerase activity was calculated by computer-assisted densitometry compared to telomerase activity of the 293 control cell line. To develop the measuring system of telomerase activity modulation, we measured the telomerase activity after the treatment with RNAse A, 150microgram/ml, which inhibited 70% of telomerase activity compared to control in the 293 control cell line. In 59 paired tissues with telomerase activity, terminal restriction fragment (TRFs) length were measured using Southern blotting. RESULTS: Sixty-three out of 71 cancer tissues showed telomerase activity (88.7%), while no telomerase activity was detected in their paired normal tissues. Telomerase activity was correlated to the node metastasis (p=0.02) and stage (p=0.005), but not to the tumor size or the hormonal receptor status. TRFs were neither specific to tumor tissues nor related to any of the clinical parameters. However, changes of TRFs of the tumor tissues from their paired normal tissues were correlated to the telomerase activities. Also the patients with different TRFs between cancer and normal tissues were in more advanced stage. After pre-treatment with the 150microgram/ml of RNAse A, telomerase activity in the tumor tissues showed variable inhibition. Relative inhibition, the ratio of inhibited telomerase activity in each tumor tissue compared to the inhibition of 293 control cell line, was proportional to the telomerase activity. CONCLUSION: In breast cancer, telomerase activity was specific to the tumor tissues and correlated to tumor progression. A combination of telomerase activity and TRFs changes can be used as a guidline in detecting a better candidate for telomerase inhibition. Semi-quantitative assay with RI system can be used in evaluating the changes of telomerase activity after treatment with a new telomerase inhibitor with TRAP assay.
Biological Therapy* ; Blotting, Southern ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Line ; Densitometry ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ribonuclease, Pancreatic ; Telomerase* ; Telomere

Megameatus intact prepuce (MIP) is an unusual variant of hypospadias and comprised 3 percent of all hypospadias. Embryologically, maldevelopment of glandular epithelial infolding would appear to be the abnormal process responsible for MIP formation. We have performed the pyramid procedures in 3 patients seen with the MIP variant during 14 months and achieved good results. The pyramid procedure optimizes a safe and simple dissection of the megameatus-urethra, and allows for subsequent reduction and caliber of both with excellent functional and cosmetic results.
Female ; Humans ; Hypospadias ; Male

To understand the seroepidemiological patterns of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Korea, a nation-wide survey collaborated with fourteen clinics was carried out from 1994 to 1996. Sera of 4,547 patients with acute febrile episodes were tested by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test and the seroepidemiological analysis including sex, age, seasonal and regional distributions were performed. According to the results obtained in this study, the epidemiological characteristics of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Korea were summarized as follows: 1. Seropositive rate of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome among the patients with acute febrile episodes was 6.4% by the cut-off point of 1:40. 2. Among the seropositives, male outnumbered female and the ratio of males to females was 2.0:1.0. 3. Seventy six % of the seropositive patients were 21-60 years old. 4. The number of seropositive cases increased from October and reached maximum in December and began to decrease gradually from January. 5. The geographical distribution of the seropositives cover most areas including Cheju province in Korea.
Female ; Fever ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome* ; Humans ; Jeju-do ; Korea* ; Male ; Seasons

OBJECTIVES: It has been reported that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which stimulate the focal region of brain may relieve auditory hallucination in patient with schizophrenia. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of rTMS on left and right temporoparietal cortex in schizophrenic patients with treatment-resistant auditory hallucination. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with chronic schizophrenia with treatment -resistant auditory hallucination were randomly allocated to rTMS group on left and right temporoparietal head regions. The rTMS was applied to TP3/4 region by EEG 10-20 international system at 1 Hz for 20 minutes per day for 10 treatment days. A Figure of eight TMS coil with a solid core was used for rTMS at 100% of individual motor threshold. Efficacy was evaluated with Auditory Hallucination Rating Scale (HRS), Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale on 5 and 10 days of treatment. RESULTS: Ten days administration of 1-Hz rTMS to temporoparietal cortex significant improved frequency (p<0.001) and attentional salience (p=0.038) of auditory hallucination, positive (p<0.001) and negative symptom (p=0.02), and CGI-improvement (p<0.001). There were no significant differences between right and left side stimulations. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the low frequency rTMS on temporoparietal cortex may be useful in treating schizophrenic patients with treatment-resistant auditory hallucination and it could be a useful novel treatment option.
Brain ; Electroencephalography ; Hallucinations* ; Head ; Humans ; Schizophrenia* ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation*

OBJECTIVES: It has been reported that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which stimulate the focal region of brain may relieve auditory hallucination in patient with schizophrenia. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of rTMS on left and right temporoparietal cortex in schizophrenic patients with treatment-resistant auditory hallucination. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with chronic schizophrenia with treatment -resistant auditory hallucination were randomly allocated to rTMS group on left and right temporoparietal head regions. The rTMS was applied to TP3/4 region by EEG 10-20 international system at 1 Hz for 20 minutes per day for 10 treatment days. A Figure of eight TMS coil with a solid core was used for rTMS at 100% of individual motor threshold. Efficacy was evaluated with Auditory Hallucination Rating Scale (HRS), Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale on 5 and 10 days of treatment. RESULTS: Ten days administration of 1-Hz rTMS to temporoparietal cortex significant improved frequency (p<0.001) and attentional salience (p=0.038) of auditory hallucination, positive (p<0.001) and negative symptom (p=0.02), and CGI-improvement (p<0.001). There were no significant differences between right and left side stimulations. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the low frequency rTMS on temporoparietal cortex may be useful in treating schizophrenic patients with treatment-resistant auditory hallucination and it could be a useful novel treatment option.
Brain ; Electroencephalography ; Hallucinations* ; Head ; Humans ; Schizophrenia* ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation*

Stroke patients often experience a walking dysfunction caused by decreased mobility, weakened muscular strength, abnormal posture control, and cognitive dysfunction. Anxiety/depression is the most important and prevalent neuropsychiatric complication of stroke survivors. Brain injury and the presence of malnutrition after stroke contribute to metabolic status and clinical outcome of patients. We examined the level of nutrition intake in stroke patients according to their degree of anxiety/depression. The data were obtained from 2013 to 2015 through the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Study subjects were categorized to either a group having no problem of anxiety/depression (n = 274) or a group having a problem of anxiety or depression (n = 104). The EuroQoL-5 Dimensions Health Questionnaire (EQ-5D) index score was derived from the first description of an individual health status based on the EQ-5D classification system, including mobility, self-care, usual daily activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. The mean age was 67.4 years in the normal group and 68.0 years in the anxiety or depression group. In the anxiety or depression group, 39.4% were men vs. 53.3% in the normal group. The total energy intake (p = 0.013), riboflavin (p = 0.041), and niacin (p = 0.038) was significantly higher in stroke patients with no anxiety/depression than those in stroke patients with having an anxiety/depression. The group having no problem of anxiety/depression had significantly higher EQ-5D index compared to the group having a problem of anxiety/depression group (p < 0.001) had. The results suggest the association between nutrition intake, usual activities and pain/discomfort status in the stroke patients with having an anxiety/depression.
Anxiety ; Brain Injuries ; Classification ; Depression ; Energy Intake ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Malnutrition ; Niacin ; Nutrition Surveys ; Posture ; Riboflavin ; Self Care ; Stroke ; Survivors ; Walking

PURPOSE: To overcome the limitations of cancer gene therapy using replication-incom- petent adenovirus, we generated E1B 55 kD-deleted adenovirus (YKL-1) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and homologous recombination. We then investigated tumor-specific virus replication and cytotoxicity of YKL-1 in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: YKL-1 was constructed by reintroducting E1A and E1B 19 kD into pTG-CMV El/E3-deficient adenoviral vector and inducing homologous recombination in E. coli. The recombinant vector pYKL-1 was transfected into 293 cells to generate YKL-1. The properties of newly constructed YKL-1 was defined by PCR and immuno- blotting analysis. Virus replication was examined by infecting human normal and cancer cells on 6-wells at multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10 for 3 days. Virus was then recovered and titered. Cytopathic effect was analyzed by infecting human normal and cancer cells on 24-wells at MOIs of 10, 1 or 0.1 for 7 to 10 days and staining them with crystal violet solution. Inhibition of tumor growth was examined in human cancer cell xenografts in nu/nu mice by intratumoral injection of YKL-l. RESULTS: PCR and immunoblotting analysis confirmed that YKL-1 contained E1A and E1B 19 kD but not E1B 55 kD. In human normal cells, virus replication and subsequent cytopathic effect of E1B 55 kD-deleted adenovirus YKL-1 was markedly attenuated by larger than 2 to 3 log in magnitude, compared to that of wild-type ad-XJ. In contrast, YKL-1 was capable of replicating and inducing cytotoxicity i.n most human cancer cells. C33A and Hep3B containing p53 mutation were much more sensitive, whereas HeLa and H460 with wild type p53 were relatively resistant to YKL-1. Finally, the tumor growth was dramatically retarded by intratumoral injection of YKL-1 in C33A cervical cancer xenograft and the histology showed significant necrosis by intratumoral injection of YKL-1. CONCLUSION: The results here demonstrated the ability of preferential virus replication and cytotoxicity of ElB 55 kD-deleted adenovirus YKL-1 in human cancer cells. Therefore, these indicated a promising potential of YKL-1 as an antitumoral virus agent and a selective replication-competent virus vector.
Adenoviridae* ; Animals ; Genes, Neoplasm ; Genetic Therapy ; Gentian Violet ; Heterografts ; Homologous Recombination ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Mice ; Necrosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Virus Replication*

Surfactant replacement therapy in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) has been introduced in our country since May 1990. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect and short-term outcome of surfactant replacement for neonatal RDS using collective data of uncontrolled trials from different hospitals in Korea. For the period May 1990 to Dec. 1991, a total of 68 RDS neonates were treated with a reconstituted bovine surfactant (Surfactant-TA) at 17 hospitals. Data on 60 neonates were collected from 16 hospitals and were analyzed in this study. In order to examine the factors that might influence the mortality, we performed a stepwise discriminant analysis. RDS was diagnosed according to accepted clinical and radiographic criteria at each hospital. The mean gestational age of 60 neonates was 31+/-3 weeks (1 SD, range, 24~40 wk) and the mean birth weight was 1549+/-566 grams (range, 590~3300 gm). Surfactant treatment resulted in a significant improvement in ventilatory requirement during the subsequent clinical course. However, there were large variations in the instillation procedure (single vs repeated instillations), dose of surfactant, and respirator settings after surfactant treatment. The neonatal mortality was 40% in this group. When the effect of surfactant treatment was compared between survival and death group, the magnitude of improvement was significantly less in death group than that in survival group. Factors affecting the neonatal mortality include a poor response to surfactant, sepsis and/or DIC, decreasing gestational age and weight, acidosis before treatment and air-leaks. We conclude that treatment with Surfactant-TA has an impact on the clinical course of RDS. To optimize the effects of surfactant therapy, the following refinement will be needed: better initial stabilization with respect to blood pressure, blood gases and pH, instillation techniquse including pre-and post-surfactant ventilation, weaning guidelines, dose, dose schedule, as well as timing of treatment, management of infection, and prevention of severe birth asphyxia.
Acidosis ; Appointments and Schedules ; Asphyxia ; Birth Weight ; Blood Pressure ; Dacarbazine ; Gases ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn* ; Korea ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Sepsis ; Ventilation ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Weaning