General information is summarized, that is necessary to introduce a scientific assessment of the human health and exposure issue concerning dioxin and dioxin-like compound. Scientific literatures were reviewed to assess the background exposures to the dioxin-like compounds for normal residents. Epidemiologic studies were also reviewed to assess malignant and nonmalignant effects of dioxins. In 1997, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) as a human carcinogen, primarily based on occupational cohort studies. The US Environmental Protection Agency made the same decision in it's Draft Dioxin Reassessment. Epidemiologic evidences point to a generalized excess of all cancers, without any pronounced excess at specific sites. Reported non-cancer effects included a range of conditions affecting most systems. Among them, chloracne, elevation in gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), and alterations in reproductive hormones are related to TCDD. Other adverse outcomes, such as lipid concentrations, diabetes, circulatory and heart diseases, immunologic disorders, neurobehavioral effects, and developmental outcomes require further study before their respective relationships to TCDD can be more definitively assessed.
Chloracne ; Cohort Studies ; Dioxins* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Heart Diseases ; Humans* ; International Agencies ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin ; Transferases ; United States Environmental Protection Agency

BACKGROUND: Recent data suggest that the colonization rate of group B streptococci(GBS) in pregnant women and the incidence of neonatal infections by GBS is increasing trend in Korea, but the antimicrobial susceptibilities and serotypes in pregnant women have not been reported in Korea. So, we studied to define the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and frequency of serotypes of GBS in pregnant women. METHODS: The susceptibility and serotyping of 60 GBS isolates from 27 pregnant women and four isolates from their two neonates were tested by an agar dilution method and agglutination test, respectively. The typing sera used in this study were Ia, Ib, II, III, IV, and V. RESULTS: Minimal inhibitory concentration range of 60 GBS from pregnant women were penicillin G 0.015-0.12 microgram/ml, vancomycin 0.5-2 microgram/ml, clindamycin 0.015-4.0 microgram/ml, chloramphenicol 2-4 microgram/ml, erythromycin 0.015-2 microgram/ml, tetracycline 0.5-256 microgram/ml, cephalothin 0.12-0.25 microgram/ml, ceftriaxone 0.03-0.12 microgram/ml, respectively. The resistance rate of GBS were 6.7% to clindamycin, 0% to erythromycin, and 98.3% to tetracycline. Most of GBS serotypes from pregnant women in decreasing order were Ib(48.3%), Ia(24.1%), III(20.7%). CONCLUSION: All GBS strains isolated from pregnant women are highly susceptible to commonly used antimicrobial agents with the exception of tetracycline. The low prevalence of severe neonatal GBS infections in Korea is not due to the absence of serotype III, but probably due to a low genital carriage rate of GBS by pregnant women.
Agar ; Agglutination Tests ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Ceftriaxone ; Cephalothin ; Chloramphenicol ; Clindamycin ; Colon ; Erythromycin ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Penicillin G ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence ; Serotyping ; Tetracycline ; Vancomycin

Owing to the advancement of imaging techniques which include the CT scan, it became easier to evaluate fracture patterns of calcaneal fractures accurately. Moreover, it is possible to obtain good results with operative treatment as a consequence of the development of good operative equipment and new operative technique. In 1988, Regazzoni and Benirschke in 1990, recommended L-shaped extensive lateral approach for calcaneus which provide extensive exposure of calcaneus and so allow easier reduction and fixation. We carried out L-shaped extensive lateral approach in 11 cases from June, 1993 to April, 1994. This approach did not produce any skin problems and allowed excellent anatomical reduction and fixation. But we experienced some severe causalgia on the heel region in several cases. We tried to analyse the cause of pain and concluded that it was the damage to the lateral calcaneal branch of the sural nerve. We are reporting the problems of tbis approach.
Calcaneus ; Causalgia ; Heel ; Skin ; Sural Nerve ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Group B streptococci (GBS) are the most common cause of sepsis and meningitis in newborns in the United States and Europe, and maternal colonization rate of GBS is the most important factor of group B streptococcal neonatal infections. But, in Korea, studies on the maternal colonization rate of GBS are rare due to low incidence of neonatal group B streptococcal infections, particularly, data on colonization rate of GBS during first trimester is nearly absent. The aim of this study was to establish the rates of maternal carriage of GBS and the distribution of GBS serotypes in first trimester of pregnancy. METHODS: During the period of June to December 1997, we studied women attending private clinic. A total of 309 women in first trimester were enrolled in the study. Cotton swab specimens from vagina and cervix were placed to new Granada tube medium. The new Granada tube medium with specimen swab was incubated in 5% CO2 atmosphere at 35degreesC. For the identification of GBS, the colonies showing orange color on new Granada tube medium were tested with Streptex group B Streptococcus reagent (Wellcome Diagnostics, UK). Serotyping was done by Hemolytic Streptococcus Group B Typing Sera (Denka Seiken, Japan). The typing sera used in this study were Ia, Ib, II, III, IV, and V. RESULTS: Of the pregnant women in first trimester, 2.3% (7/309) were colonized with GBS, and all seven women who colonized GBS were positive in vagina and cervix at the same time. Frequency of serotype III and Ib were 71.4% (5/7) and 29.6% (2/7), respectively. Serotypes Ia, II, VI, and V were absent. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal carriage rate of GBS in first trimester of pregnancy was 2.3%, and serotype III was the most common serotype. Serotypes Ia, II, VI, and V were absent.
Atmosphere ; Cervix Uteri ; Citrus sinensis ; Colon* ; Europe ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Meningitis ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Sepsis ; Serotyping ; Streptococcal Infections ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus agalactiae ; United States ; Vagina

No abstract available.
Dimethylformamide* ; Liver Diseases* ; Liver*

PSTT has been established as a separate entity distinct from choriocarcinoma since 1983, because of its different morphological features, biologic behavior and response to chemotherapy. Most cases of PSTT have indolent clinical courses, but there have been several reports showing malignant behavior resulted in death of the patient. We report a case of PSTT showing vaginal metastatis. In biopsy specimen, it was difficult to make differential diagnosis from squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix due to uniform and mononuclear cytologic characteristics. Immunohistochemical stains for hPL and hCG were not typical for either PSTT or choriocarcinoma. We suggest that poorly differentiated PSTT may synthesize the lesser amount of hPL than typical PSTT and it may behave more aggressively.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Biopsy

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Coagulase negative staphylococcus (CNS) spp. is a major pathogenic organism of nosocomial and community-acquired urianry tract infections, and causes infrctions in the immunocompromised host, and in particular, bloodstream infetions in patent with indwelling devices. High prevalance of methicillin resistance has been noticed in CNS which also have been recongnized as an important multidrug resistant pathogen. The optimal phenotypic method for detecting methicillin resistance still remains controversial, and new guidelines for detecting methicillin resistance of CNS was proposed by NCCLS in January 1999. We evaluated the relationship between mecA gene by PCR method and antimicrobial susceptibility tests according to the new NCCLS guidelines. METHODS: A total of 82 CNS isolates were examined for MICs and penicillin MICs by disk diffusion and agar dilution method according to NCCLS guidelines, and detections, and detection of mecA gene by PCR. RESULT: In disk diffusion method, 66 strains (80.5%) and 63 strains (76.8%) showed resistance to penicillin and oxacillin, respectively, and in agar dilution method, 71 strains(86.6%) and 53 strains (64.6%), respectively. In PCR method, mecA genes were detected in 49 strains(59.8%). Comparing with mecA gene detection by PCR method, the sensitivity of disk diffusion and agar dilution method was 95.8% and 89.8%, repectively. However, the sensitivity of disk diffusion and agar dilution method was 65.3% and 75.5%, respectively using previous NCCLS criteria. CONCLUSION: The new criteria of NCCLS detects the methicillin resistance induced by mecA gene more sensitively than previous one.
Agar ; Coagulase* ; Diffusion ; Immunocompromised Host ; Methicillin Resistance ; Oxacillin ; Penicillins ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Staphylococcus*

BACKGROUND: Brain acetylcholine is an important neurotransmitter in the control of blood pressure. Pharmacological activation of central cholinergic receptors by intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of choline resulted in a marked pressure response in hypotensive experimental models, and the pressure response was associated with an increase in plasma vasopressin levels. The aim of this study was to determine whether a unilateral cervical sympathectomy affects the pressure response induced by ICV choline. METHODS: Rats were prepared with a cervical sympathectomy or with a sham operation and a 23 G cannula was implanted into the lateral cerebral ventricle. They were divided into three groups according to the pre-treated condition and the solution injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle; group 1 (ICV saline after sham operation), group 2 (ICV choline after sham operation), group 3 (ICV choline after cervical sympathectomy). Following the recovery period, pressure response was monitored for 50 min after injecting ICV choline or saline and plasma vasopressin levels were also assessed with an EIA kit at preinjection time, 10 min, and 50 min after ICV injection. RESULTS: The baseline systolic blood pressure was 120.6 +/- 3.9 mmHg in group 3 and 121.7 +/- 9.0 mmHg in group 2 and there was no significant difference. The pressure response to ICV choline became evident within 1 min and reached a maximum magnitude in 10 min in both groups. Compared to the sham operated rats (group 2), the pressure response to ICV choline was significantly attenuated in sympathectomized rats (p < 0.05). However, the plasma vasopressin levels were not significantly affected by ICV choline or a cervical sympathectomy. CONCLUSIONS: While the unilateral cervical sympathectomy itself did not have any effect on bloodpressure, it attenuated the pressure response to ICV choline. A unilateral cervical sympathectomy may attenuate the hypertensive response which is caused by an increased central cholinergic neurotransmission.
Acetylcholine ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Catheters ; Cerebral Ventricles ; Choline* ; Models, Theoretical ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Plasma ; Rats* ; Receptors, Cholinergic ; Sympathectomy* ; Synaptic Transmission ; Vasopressins