To evaluate the effect of amniotic membrane on corneal wound healing, using the VISX 193-nanometer excimer laser, the wound model of 150 micrometer depth, 6.0 mmdiameter area was created in 30 white rabbits (60 eyes). The treatment of corneal wound was categorized into three groups :topicalantibiotics alone (control), therapeutic contact lens application and amniotic membrane graft. The area of epithelial defect, proliferation of epithelial cells and inflammatory cell infiltration were evaluated during the entire observation period. Epithelial healing rates calculated by radius regression in control, contact lens and amniotic membrane groups were 42.5 micrometer/hr, 33.4 micrometer/hr and 53.4micrometer/hr respectively thus the effect of amniotic membrane was significantly outstanding (P<0.05). The epithelium was healed almost within 72 hours in eyes of amniotic membrane group but significantly delayed in contact lens group. The number of inflammatory cells in stroma were significantly lower in amniotic membrane group than others. The number of PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) immunoreactive cells has increased in amniotic membrane group than other groups and regionally at basal cell layer of limbus comparing to wound margin at first, third days after treatment. In view of the above findings, amniotic membrane on corneal wound accelerates the process of wound healing, with minimal complications.
Amnion* ; Cornea* ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Lasers, Excimer ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Rabbits ; Radius ; Transplants ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*

This study was performed to investigate histopathologically the effect of amniotic membrane graft (AMG)on haze in deep stromal wound of cornea. The excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK)was used to create the wound model of 150 micrometerdepth, 6.0 mmdiameter area in 72 white rabbitsbilaterally.Each eye was randomized to three groups: control (topical antibiotic alone), contact lens application and AMG. Corneal haze,the number of anterior stromal keratocytes and thickness of the regenerated stroma were evaluated after treatments in corneal wound, and also the morphological changes of anterior stroma connected with corneal haze were analyzed. The score of corneal haze in AMG group was significantly lower than those in the others at postoperative 3 days, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks. The anterior stromal keratocytes in AMG group significantly remained more than those in the others at postoperative 3 days. The number of keratocytes and thickness of regenerated stromal tissue in wound area of AMG group were statistically lower as compared with those of the other groups at postoperative 4 weeks. The architecture of stromal lamella was most reg-ular in AMG group. Transmission electron microscopic observation demonstrated that the cells in anterior stroma were the active fibroblastic cells with prominent rough endoplasmic reticulum at postoperative 8 weeks. These findings indicate that corneal haze is closely connected with proliferation of corneal stroma , suggesting that AMG on deep corneal stromal wound reduces corneal haze by preventing proliferation of abnormal collagen and fibroblasts at the anterior stroma of the wound area.
Amnion* ; Collagen ; Cornea ; Corneal Stroma ; Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough ; Fibroblasts ; Lasers, Excimer ; Transplants ; Wounds and Injuries

Long-term maintenance of transplanted organs is one of the major factors that increases survival time of recipients. Although obtaining a major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-matched donor with the recipient is essential for successful organ transplantation, there have been limited reports on MHC matching between dogs. In this study, we analyzed the canine MHC matching rates using Maltese, one of the most popular purebred dogs, and mongrel dogs in Korea. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood leukocytes and DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction with primers specific to MHC microsatellite markers. The MHC matching degree was confirmed by the microsatellite markers using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The MHC matching rates of each donor-recipient groups including Maltese-Maltese, mongrel-mongrel and Maltese-mongrel were 4.76%, 5.13% and 6.67%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the MHC matching degree between each group. These results demonstrate that MHC-matched donors could be selected from other breeds as much as from the same breed for transplantation. Knowledge of the MHC matching degree of purebred and mongrel dogs would offer valuable information not only for improving the success rate of organ transplantation surgery in canine patients but also for transplantation research using experimental canine models.
Animals ; DNA ; Dogs ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans ; Korea ; Leukocytes ; Major Histocompatibility Complex ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Organ Transplantation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

An 11-year-old female mixed-breed dog admitted due to anorexia and vomiting. Radiography showed 7.6-mm uroliths in the right proximal ureter and an enlarged kidney. Type 1 emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) was diagnosed using computed tomography (CT) in the awake dog. Right ureteronephrectomy was performed, and Escherichia coli was isolated. The stone was consisted of 80% calcium oxalate. At the 6-month follow-up, no complications were observed. This is the first report of EPN caused by calcium oxalate in a dog. In addition, we suggest performing CT in weak animals to diagnose EPN without anesthesia.

The principal objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in household and stray cats in Seoul, Republic of Korea. We collected blood samples from 72 stray and 80 household cats, and all samples were examined by ELISA and nested PCR. The overall positive rates of Toxoplasma gondii in stray cats were 38.9% (28/72), with 15.3% (11/72) in ELISA and 30.6% (22/72) in PCR. The positive rate in male stray cats was slightly higher than that of female stray cats. The highest positive rate of T. gondii infection was noted in Gangnam and Songpa populations in ELISA and in Gwangjin population in PCR. In household cats, however, we could not detect any specific antibodies or DNA for T. gondii. In conclusion, we recognized that the infection rate of toxoplasmosis in stray cats in Seoul was considerably high but household cats were free from infection.
Animals ; Animals, Domestic/parasitology ; Antibodies, Protozoan/blood ; Cat Diseases/*epidemiology/immunology/parasitology ; Cats ; Female ; Male ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Toxoplasma/genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*epidemiology/immunology/parasitology

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the effectiveness of a preoperative comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) for predicting postoperative morbidity in elderly patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer. METHODS: Elderly patients (≥70 years old) who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer at a tertiary hospital in Korea were identified, and their cases were analyzed using data from a prospectively collected database to establish an association between major postsurgical complications and 'high-risk' patient as defined by the CGA. RESULTS: A total of 240 patients, with a mean age of 76.7 ± 5.2 years, were enrolled. Ninety-five patients (39.6%) were classified as "high-risk" and 99 patients (41.3%) as having postoperative complications. The univariate analysis indicated that risk factors for postoperative complications were age, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, serum hemoglobin, carcinoembryonic antigen, cancer stage, and "high-risk" status. The multivariable analyses indicated that "high-risk" status (odds ratio, 2.107; 95% confidence interval, 1.168–3.804; P = 0.013) and elevated preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (odds ratio, 2.561; 95% confidence interval, 1.346–4.871, P = 0.004) were independently associated with postoperative complications. A multivariable analysis of the individual CGA domains indicated that high comorbidities and low activities of daily living were significantly related with postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: A preoperative CGA indicating "high-risk" was associated with major postoperative complications in elderly patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer. Thus, using the CGA to identify elderly colorectal-cancer patients who should be given more care during postoperative management may be clinically beneficial.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged* ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Classification ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Comorbidity ; Geriatric Assessment* ; Humans ; Korea ; Postoperative Complications ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Tertiary Care Centers

Alternative sources of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for replacing bone marrow (BM) have been extensively investigated in the field of bone tissue engineering. The purpose of this study was to compare the osteogenic potential of canine MSCs derived from adipose tissue (AT), BM, umbilical cord blood (UCB), and Wharton's jelly (WJ) using in vitro culture techniques and in vivo orthotopic implantation assays. After canine MSCs were isolated from various tissues, the proliferation and osteogenic potential along with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production were measured and compared in vitro. For the in vivo assay, MSCs derived from each type of tissue were mixed with beta-tricalcium phosphate and implanted into segmental bone defects in dogs. Among the different types of MSCs, AT-MSCs had a higher proliferation potential and BM-MSCs produced the most VEGF. AT-MSCs and UCB-MSCs showed greater in vitro osteogenic potential compared to the other cells. Radiographic and histological analyses showed that all tested MSCs had similar osteogenic capacities, and the level of new bone formation was much higher with implants containing MSCs than cell-free implants. These results indicate that AT-MSCs, UCB-MSCs, and WJ-MSCs can potentially be used in place of BM-MSCs for clinical bone engineering procedures.
Adipocytes, White/cytology/physiology ; Alkaline Phosphatase/metabolism ; Animals ; Biocompatible Materials/metabolism/*therapeutic use ; Bone Diseases/*therapy ; Bone Marrow Cells/cytology/physiology ; Calcification, Physiologic ; Calcium/metabolism ; Calcium Phosphates/metabolism/therapeutic use ; Cell Proliferation ; Dogs ; Female ; Fetal Blood/cytology/physiology ; Flow Cytometry ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells/cytology/*metabolism ; *Osteogenesis ; Polyesters/metabolism/therapeutic use ; Tissue Engineering/*methods ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism

PURPOSE: Pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis is routinely recommended for Western cancer patients undergoing major surgery for prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, it is uncertainwhetherroutine administration of pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis is necessary in all Asian surgical cancer patients. This prospective study was conducted to examine the incidence of and risk factors for postoperative VTE in Korean colorectal cancer (CRC) patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised two cohorts, and none of patients received perioperative pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis. In cohort A (n=400), patients were routinely screened for VTE using lower-extremity Doppler ultrasonography (DUS) on postoperative days 5-14. In cohort B (n=148), routine DUS was not performed, and imaging was only performed when there were symptoms or signs that were suspicious for VTE. The primary endpoint was the VTE incidence at 4 weeks postoperatively in cohort A. RESULTS: The postoperative incidence of VTE was 3.0% (n=12) in cohort A. Among the 12 patients, eight had distal calf vein thromboses and one had symptomatic thrombosis. Age ≥ 70 years (odds ratio [OR], 5.61), ≥ 2 comorbidities (OR, 13.42), and white blood cell counts of > 10,000/μL (OR, 17.43) were independent risk factors for postoperative VTE (p < 0.05). In cohort B, there was one case of VTE (0.7%). CONCLUSION: The postoperative incidence of VTE, which included asymptomatic cases, was 3.0% in Korean CRC patients who did not receive pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis. Perioperative pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis should be administered to Asian CRC patients on a risk-stratified basis.
Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cohort Studies ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Colorectal Surgery ; Comorbidity ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Leukocyte Count ; Prospective Studies* ; Risk Factors ; Thrombosis ; Ultrasonography, Doppler ; Veins ; Venous Thromboembolism*

PURPOSE: The Korean Hereditary Tumor Registry, the first and one of the largest registries of hereditary tumors in Korea, has registered about 500 families with hereditary cancer syndromes. This study evaluates the temporal changes in clinicopathologic features and surgical patterns of Lynch syndrome (LS) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on 182 unrelated LS patients were collected retrospectively. The patients were divided into the period 1 group (registered in 1990-2004) and 2 (registered in 2005-2014). The clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared to identify changes over time. RESULTS: The period 1 group included 76 patients; the period 2 group, 106 patients. The mean ages at diagnosis were 45.1 years (range, 13 to 85 years) for group 1 and 49.7 years (range, 20 to 84 years) for group 2 (p=0.015). The TNM stage at diagnosis did not differ significantly-period 1 group: stage 0-I (n=18, 23.7%), II (n=37, 48.7%), III (n=19, 25.0%), and IV (n=2, 2.6%); period 2 group: stage 0-I (n=30, 28.3%), II (n=35, 33.0%), III (n=37, 34.9%), and IV (n=4, 3.8%). Extended resection was more frequently performed (55/76, 72.4%) in the period 1 group than period 2 (49/106, 46.2%) (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Colorectal cancer in patients with LS registered at the Korean Hereditary Tumor Registry is still diagnosed at an advanced stage, more than two decades after registry's establishment. Segmental resection was more frequently performed in the past decade. A prompt nationwide effort to raise public awareness of hereditary colorectal cancer and to support hereditary cancer registries is required in Korea.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary ; Registries ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Prognostic factors in patients with pulmonary metastases (PM) from colorectal cancer (CRC) are still controversial. This study assessed oncologic outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with metachronous PM from CRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between June 2003 and December 2011, 122 patients with CRC underwent curative resection of PM detected at least 4 months after CRC resection. Clinico-pathological factors selected from the prospectively maintained database were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The median disease-free interval (DFI) between resection of the primary tumor and detection of PM was 22.0 months (range, 4 to 85 months). Solitary PM were detected in 77 patients (63.1%), with a median maximal tumor diameter of 12.0 mm (range, 2 to 70 mm). Of 52 patients who underwent mediastinal lymph node (LN) dissection, eight patients had LN involvement. Five-year overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS) rates after initial pulmonary metastasectomy were 66.4% and 50.9%, respectively. DFI, mediastinal LN involvement, and the number and distribution of PM were significantly prognostic factors for DFS. In multivariable analysis DFI ≥ 12 months, solitary lesion, and absence of mediastinal LN involvement were independently prognostic for DFS. Of the 122 patients, 48 patients (39.3%) developed recurrent PM a median 13.0 months after initial pulmonary metastasectomy. Recurrent DFI was independently prognostic of DFS in patients who underwent repeated pulmonary metastasectomy. CONCLUSION: There is a potential survival benefit for patients with metachronous PM from CRC who undergo pulmonary metastasectomy, even those with recurrent PM. Pulmonary metastasectomy should be considered in selected patients, particularly those with longer DFI, solitary lesions, and absence of mediastinal LN involvement.
Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Metastasectomy ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate*