No abstract available.
Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Child* ; Humans ; Meningitis* ; Oxidoreductases*

BACKGROUND: EGF and TGF-a are ligands for the EGF-receptor and act as mitogens for a variety of tissues. TGF-a, in particular, has been implicated as an autocrine growth factor for several cancer cell lines. TGF-B exerts an inhibitory effect on the growth of most epithelial cell types, and the loss of responsiveness to this growth inhibition has been implicated in the development of a variety of human cancers. In the present study, we evaluate whether EGF, TGF-a and TGF-B modulate apoptosis and cell cycle progression in cervical cancer cell lines. MATERIALS & METHODS: The effect of EGF, TGF-a and TGF-B on apoptosis and cell cycle such as CaSki and HeLa cell lines was analysed by flow cytometry RESULTS: 1. TGF-B did not induce apoptosis in CaSki and HeLa cell lines. 2. TGF-B as well as EGF, TGF-a, did not affect the process of apoptosis significantly. 3. The time to occur apoptosis was different between CaSki and HeLa cells treated by growth factots. 4. G1 phase was the checkpoint in CaSki and HeLa cells treated with TGF-B. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that TGF-B as well as EGF, TGF-a does not induce apoptosis and cell growth inhibition.
Apoptosis* ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints* ; Cell Cycle* ; Cell Line* ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Epithelial Cells ; Flow Cytometry ; G1 Phase ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Ligands ; Mitogens ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

The purpose of this study was to assess the hygiene status of 145 child-care foodservices, which were newly registered in the Center for the Children's Foodservice Management (CCFSM) in Changwon, Gyeongnam. Sanitary inspection checklist (40 food safety items) of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) was used by the CCFSM in Changwon, Gyeongnam. Average score from the total safety items in 145 child-care foodservices was 21.41 points out of 40 points. Score gaps between the lower group (71 foodservices, 13.92 points) and higher group (74 foodservices, 28.61 points) showed a significant difference (P<0.001). The top five priorities of sanitary measures needing corrective actions for child-care foodservices were as follows: 'provide hand washing and sanitizing tools, and supply manuals on how to wash hands properly', 'supply record form for access/inspection', 'conduct education for cooks on standards in the selection of sanitizer for raw vegetables and proper methods to wash and sanitize raw vegetables', 'provide a refrigerator and a freezer with installed thermometers and temperature record monitoring logs', 'encourage separation of contamination operating zone and clean zone or conduct training for cooks on ways to prevent cross-contamination by performing work separately by the hour'. For the higher group, most were national/public facilities (83.3%), whereas in the lower group, private facilities (62.1%) were more common than national/public ones (37.9%). Therefore, a significant difference (P<0.001) was detected in the two groups. These private facilities should be supported.
Checklist* ; Education ; Food Safety ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Hand ; Hand Disinfection ; Hygiene ; Korea* ; Thermometers ; United States Food and Drug Administration* ; Vegetables

PURPOSE: Although ketogenic diet(KD) is an old method of treating epilepsies, its outstanding antiepileptic effect in some epileptic patients need re-evaluation. This study was performed to evaluate the anti-epiletogenic effect of KD. METHODS: In the preliminary experiment, to select a proper animal model of status epilepticus(SE), an evaluation of EEG and behavioral characteristics of pilocarpine-induced SE model was done in 12 Sprague-Dawley rats. As the aim of the first experiment was to evaluate neuronal death in the hippocampus of similarly convulsed rats, the 10-20 mg/kg of diazepam i.p. injection was given to cease SE in each stage of SE in KD and regular diet(RD) rats. Previous diet was maintained for two weeks until the evaluation of pathological changes with H-E and C-V stainings(64 rats, second experiments). In order to investigate whether the differences in the neuronal damage cause different mossy fiber sprouting or not, 40 rats were fed with KD and RD(20 rats each) 4 hours before pilocarpine-induced SE. After the treatment of SE with diazepam, half of previous KD rats maintained with KD and remaining 10 rats were fed with RD. Also previous RD rats were fed with RD and KD in the same way. Mossy fiber sprouting and synaptic reorganization was determined by Timm's staining 4 weeks after SE. RESULTS: Pilocarpine-induced SE showed reliable EEG and behavioral patterns in all rats. Also, KD did not have any influence on SE induced by pilocarpine in terms of SE induction time and severity. Neuronal damages in CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus were less prominent in the KD rats in every SE stage. Rats with RD before their SE showed significant Timm's(+) bands, whereas rats with KD after the SE did not show any differences. CONCLUSION: KD consistently protect neuronal damage caused by seizures in the hippocampus. This neuroprotection causes less mossy fiber synaptic reorganization.
Animals ; Dentate Gyrus ; Diazepam ; Diet ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Ketogenic Diet* ; Models, Animal ; Neurons ; Pilocarpine ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus*

PURPOSE: Although ketogenic diet(KD) is an old method of treating epilepsies, its outstanding antiepileptic effect in some epileptic patients need re-evaluation. This study was performed to evaluate the anti-epiletogenic effect of KD. METHODS: In the preliminary experiment, to select a proper animal model of status epilepticus(SE), an evaluation of EEG and behavioral characteristics of pilocarpine-induced SE model was done in 12 Sprague-Dawley rats. As the aim of the first experiment was to evaluate neuronal death in the hippocampus of similarly convulsed rats, the 10-20 mg/kg of diazepam i.p. injection was given to cease SE in each stage of SE in KD and regular diet(RD) rats. Previous diet was maintained for two weeks until the evaluation of pathological changes with H-E and C-V stainings(64 rats, second experiments). In order to investigate whether the differences in the neuronal damage cause different mossy fiber sprouting or not, 40 rats were fed with KD and RD(20 rats each) 4 hours before pilocarpine-induced SE. After the treatment of SE with diazepam, half of previous KD rats maintained with KD and remaining 10 rats were fed with RD. Also previous RD rats were fed with RD and KD in the same way. Mossy fiber sprouting and synaptic reorganization was determined by Timm's staining 4 weeks after SE. RESULTS: Pilocarpine-induced SE showed reliable EEG and behavioral patterns in all rats. Also, KD did not have any influence on SE induced by pilocarpine in terms of SE induction time and severity. Neuronal damages in CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus were less prominent in the KD rats in every SE stage. Rats with RD before their SE showed significant Timm's(+) bands, whereas rats with KD after the SE did not show any differences. CONCLUSION: KD consistently protect neuronal damage caused by seizures in the hippocampus. This neuroprotection causes less mossy fiber synaptic reorganization.
Animals ; Dentate Gyrus ; Diazepam ; Diet ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Ketogenic Diet* ; Models, Animal ; Neurons ; Pilocarpine ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus*

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most commonly encountered viral pathogens in newborn infants and is found in 0.3-2.4% of all live births. It has been demonstrated that 40-96% of seropositive mothers shed the virus via their breast milk. Breast milk containing CMV can cause almost one-third of CMV infections occurring in infants. A case of postnatal CMV infection in an extremely premature infant (gestational age 24(+5) weeks, birth weight 750 g) transmitted via breast milk is presented. For neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) management of severe thrombocytopenia, anemia, and sepsis syndrome, the infant received repeated transfusions of platelets; intravenous (IV) immunoglobulins; and gamma-irradiated, filtrated packed red cells and was fed her mother's breast milk since the second week of life. CMV infection was diagnosed with positive CMV immunoglobulin M (IgM) and positive urine CMV culture at the second month of life. Considering the negative CMV IgM and urine CMV culture at birth, postnatally-acquired CMV infection was suspected and confirmed with completely identical nucleotide sequence alignments of the infantile blood isolate and the maternal breast milk isolate. To our knowledge, this is the first case of proven postnatal CMV infection transmitted via breast milk in an extremely premature infant in Korea.
Anemia ; Base Sequence ; Birth Weight ; Breast ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Milk, Human ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome ; Thrombocytopenia ; Viruses

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most commonly encountered viral pathogens in newborn infants and is found in 0.3-2.4% of all live births. It has been demonstrated that 40-96% of seropositive mothers shed the virus via their breast milk. Breast milk containing CMV can cause almost one-third of CMV infections occurring in infants. A case of postnatal CMV infection in an extremely premature infant (gestational age 24(+5) weeks, birth weight 750 g) transmitted via breast milk is presented. For neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) management of severe thrombocytopenia, anemia, and sepsis syndrome, the infant received repeated transfusions of platelets; intravenous (IV) immunoglobulins; and gamma-irradiated, filtrated packed red cells and was fed her mother's breast milk since the second week of life. CMV infection was diagnosed with positive CMV immunoglobulin M (IgM) and positive urine CMV culture at the second month of life. Considering the negative CMV IgM and urine CMV culture at birth, postnatally-acquired CMV infection was suspected and confirmed with completely identical nucleotide sequence alignments of the infantile blood isolate and the maternal breast milk isolate. To our knowledge, this is the first case of proven postnatal CMV infection transmitted via breast milk in an extremely premature infant in Korea.
Anemia ; Base Sequence ; Birth Weight ; Breast ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Milk, Human ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome ; Thrombocytopenia ; Viruses

BACKGROUND: As childhood-onset obesity has been known to have a poor prognosis, and its prevalence is rapidly increasing, many children and adolescents are becoming concerned about obesity and try various weight control methods. This study assessed the experience and behaviors of weight control in obese adolescents. METHODS: A total of 732 among 840 obese students from 28 schools in Seoul metropolitan area were assessed with a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Middle school students showed the highest trial rate of weight control. Elementary and high school girls showed significantly higher trial rates of weight control than boys(P<0.05). The methods more frequently used were physical exercise, and diet, drugs and other methods, and visits to obesity clinics in that order. Elementary school girls most frequently tried physical exercise while high school girls went on a diet most frequently. All groups of girls were dieting significantly more often than boys(P<0.05). High school girls were the most frequent users of drugs and other methods while elementary school boys and middle schoolgirls visited obesity clinics most frequently. Unhealthy weight control methods observed were monodiet(2.7%), fasting(1.9%), dieting pills(1.4%), and vomiting(0.1%). The mean number of weight control methods was decreased with increasing age. The possibility of overall weight control was significantly higher in girls, having higher weight dissatisfaction levels. The possibility of physical exercise was significantly higher in younger ages, having mother with a career and a family history of obesity. The possibility of dieting was significantly higher in girls, older ages, having higher obesity index. The possibility of using drugs and other methods was significantly higher if they had higher weight dissatisfaction levels and a family history of obesity. The possibility of visiting obesity clinics was significantly higher if they had higher obesity index. CONCLUSION: Although, exercise and diet were frequently chosen by obese adolescents for weight control, the munber unhealthy methods chosen were found to be higher and physical exercise decreased with increasing age. Therefore, an appropriate weight control program that is not detrimental to normal growth and development is called for in early adolescence.
Adolescent* ; Child ; Diet ; Exercise ; Female ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Mothers ; Obesity ; Pediatric Obesity ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Despite widespread recognition of the hazardous health effects of smoking, adolescent smoking continues to increase, emerging as a public health problem. However few studies have focused on smoking cessation programs for adolescent smokers. The purpose of this study was to measure the short-term effects of the adolescent smoking cessation program performed by the Seoul School Health Center. METHODS: Four hundred and twenty adolescent smokers referred from their schools from March to December of 1996 were assessed before and immediately after the program with a self-questionnaire. The data acquired from these 420 students was analyzed. RESULTS: Males were found to have a higher rate of daily smoking as compared with females. Middle school students had a earlier starting age than those of high school students. About 70% of the students had tried to stop smoking and about 1/3 had a high level of self-efficacy in stop smoking. More than 80% of the students were current alcohol drinkers and 10% ever had experience with other drugs. Many showed poor academic performance and low degree of satisfaction with their schools. More than 50% had experienced punishment at school Middle and high economic status were more common than low status, 73.3% had smokers in their families and 43.3% showed severe dysfunction in family APGA-R. Smoking cessation rate immediately after the program was 37.4%, highest in female high school students and lowest in male high school students Factors shown to be significantly associated with smoking cessation in males were school age, FTQ scores, presence of peer smokers, smoking and alcohol status, self-efficacy in stop smoking and degree of satisfaction with their schools. School age, presence of peer smakers, smoking and other drug use status, self-efficacy in stop smoking, academic performance, degree of satisfaction with their schools, experienoe of runaway from home, economic status and presence of smokers in their families were significant factors in females. Stepwise logistic regression showed that current alcohol users were less likely to succeed in smoking cessation and those with a higher level of self-efficacy in stop smoking were more likely to succeed in males. In females, high school students with higher economic status were more likely to succeed while those with smokers in their families or experience of runaway from home were less likely to succeed. CONCLUSIONS: To promote smoking cessation, specified and risk-based approaches are considered to encourage the motivation of adolescent smokers. For more effectiveness, programs will need to comprehensively include the school, the family, peers, alcohol and other drug issues as well as smoking problem itself.
Adolescent* ; Child ; Female ; Homeless Youth ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Motivation ; Program Evaluation ; Public Health ; Punishment ; School Health Services ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking*

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare aggressive primary neuroendocrine skin tumor. It is more prevalent in elderly patients and commonly occurs as a solitary lesion on the head and neck. This case reports an 84-year old female with an asymptomatic 1x1.5 cm sized erythematous nodule on the right side of the nose that had rapidly enlarged over a one-month period. Histopathologically, it is difficult to differentiate Merkel cell carcinoma from metastatic small cell lung cancer. Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) staining was very useful to differentiate Merkel cell carcinoma from metastatic small cell lung cancer. This case was positive for cytokeratin 20, but negative for TTF-1. We report a case that was diagnosed as Merkel cell carcinoma by TTF-1 staining.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Keratin-20 ; Neck ; Nose ; Skin ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; Thyroid Gland