No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: This article intended to identify and describe areas in need of services and interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families in Seoul, Korea. METHODS: A descriptive comparison was made between available services and interventions in Seoul, Korea and Massachusetts, USA. Relevant information was obtained through sending phone/email inquiries to the governments and organizations, visiting their official websites, and searching for published articles or reports. RESULTS: In a few areas such as level of education, economy, and general quality of healthcare, Seoul was found to be similar to Massachusetts. However, in terms of services and interventions for individuals with ASD and their families, especially early identification and intervention, special education, care coordination, school-based programs, and transition to adulthood, Massachusetts was shown to have far more availability. CONCLUSION: The limited availability of services and interventions for individuals with ASD and their families in Seoul in comparison to Massachusetts, underlines target areas for further investment and development.
Autism Spectrum Disorder ; Autistic Disorder ; Education ; Education, Special ; Humans ; Investments ; Korea ; Massachusetts ; Quality of Health Care ; Seoul

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to optimize the thread pattern of orthodontic microimplants. METHODS: In search of an optimal thread for orthodontic microimplants, an objective function stability quotient (SQ) was built and solved which will help increase the stability and torsional strength of microimplants while reducing the bone damage during insertion. Selecting the AbsoAnchor SH1312-7 microimplant (Dentos Inc., Daegu, Korea) as a control, and using the thread height (h) and pitch (p) as design parameters, new thread designs with optimal combination of h and p combination were developed. Design soundness of the new threads were examined through insertion strain analyses using 3D finite element simulation, torque test, and clinical test. RESULTS: Solving the function SQ, four new models with optimized thread designs were developed (h200p6, h225p7, h250p8, and h275p8). Finite element analysis has shown that these new designs may cause less bone damage during insertion. The torsional strength of two models h200p6 and h225p7 were significantly higher than the control. On the other hand, clinical test of models h200p6 and h250p8 had similar success rates when compared to the control. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the new thread designs exhibited better performance than the control which indicated that the optimization methodology may be a useful tool when designing orthodontic microimplant threads.
Finite Element Analysis ; Hand ; Sprains and Strains ; Torque

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical aspects of peri-implant bone upon root contact of orthodontic microimplant. METHODS: Axisymmetric finite element modeling scheme was used to analyze the compressive strength of the orthodontic microimplant (Absoanchor SH1312-7, Dentos Inc., Daegu, Korea) placed into inter-radicular bone covered by 1 mm thick cortical bone, with its apical tip contacting adjacent root surface. A stepwise analysis technique was adopted to simulate the response of peri-implant bone. Areas of the bone that were subject to higher stresses than the maximum compressive strength (in case of cancellous bone) or threshold stress of 54.8MPa, which was assumed to impair the physiological remodeling of cortical bone, were removed from the FE mesh in a stepwise manner. For comparison, a control model was analyzed which simulated normal orthodontic force of 5 N at the head of the microimplant. RESULTS: Stresses in cancellous bone were high enough to cause mechanical failure across its entire thickness. Stresses in cortical bone were more likely to cause resorptive bone remodeling than mechanical failure. The overloaded zone, initially located at the lower part of cortical plate, proliferated upward in a positive feedback mode, unaffected by stress redistribution, until the whole thickness was engaged. CONCLUSIONS: Stresses induced around a microimplant by root contact may lead to a irreversible loss of microimplant stability.
Bone Remodeling ; Compressive Strength ; Finite Element Analysis ; Head

Constitutional interstitial deletions of 5q are rare conditions and phenotypic correlations are not well defined in the literature. We report a case of a male infant with constitutional interstitial deletion 5q15q22. The infant showed hypertelorism, cleft palate and bilateral undescended testis. He also had atrial septal defect and small patent ductus arteriosus, and showed no response in brain stem audoimetry. Our report gives weight to the previously reported cases that karyotype-phenotype correlation may be speculated in 5q deletion.
Brain Stem ; Cleft Palate ; Cryptorchidism ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; Humans ; Hypertelorism ; Infant ; Male

No abstract available.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis* ; Lung Abscess* ; Lung* ; Mucormycosis*

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the clinicopathologic features of borderline malignancy of the ovary and analyze the treatment and survival characteristics through the study of our cases. Study METHODS: 102 patients with borderline tumors of the ovary, aged from 14 to 79 years, treated between 1982 and 1999 at Seoul National University Hospital, were analyzed retrospectively for clinicopathologic features. Most informations about stage, treatment modality and prognosis were obtained by hospital record or contacting patient with telephone. RESULTS: There were 77 patients (75.5%) with stage Ia, 5 stage Ib, 11 stage Ic, 4 with stage II and 5 with stage III by the classification of FIGO. 72 patients (70.6%) were mucinous type and 28 (27.5%) were serous type, 1 endometrioid type, 1 mixed. Total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral adnexectomy, and omentectomy were performed in 43 (42.2%) patients and fertility saving surgery in 43 patients(cystectomy in 11 patients, USO in 32 patients). Twenty two patients (21.6%) were treated with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The median duration of follow up was 54.0 months (1-204 months) and 6 patients developed recurrence after several years from the primary operation. The ten-year eumulative survival rate was 92.2% and the only independent prognostic factors evaluated by Cox analysis in regards to corrected survival were the FIGO stage (p=0.0197). There was no difference in the ten-year survival rate between surgery types - conservative surgery versus full surgical staging. And there was no difference in the 10-year survival rate between treatment groups - surgery only versus surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: FIGO stage is the only independent prognostic factor in the borderline ovarian tumors. There was no difference in the 10-year survival rate of barderline ovarian tumors between surgery alone versus surgery followed by adjuvant chemothearpy. The slow clinical course, low recurrence rate and good prognosis in our patients explained again the reason for therapeutic approach relying on surgery alone.
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Classification ; Female ; Fertility ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Mucins ; Ovary* ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Survival Rate ; Telephone

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Stromal cell-derived growth factor 1 (SDF-1), also known as chemokine ligand 12, and chemokine receptor type 4 are involved in cancer cell migration. Compound K (CK), a metabolite of protopanaxadiol-type ginsenoside by gut microbiota, is reported to have therapeutic potential in cancer therapy. However, the inhibitory effect of CK on SDF-1 pathway-induced migration of glioma has not yet been established. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cytotoxicity of CK in C6 glioma cells was determined using an EZ-Cytox cell viability assay kit. Cell migration was tested using the wound healing and Boyden chamber assay. Phosphorylation levels of protein kinase C (PKC)α and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were measured by western blot assay, and matrix metallopeptidases (MMP) were measured by gelatin-zymography analysis. RESULTS: CK significantly reduced the phosphorylation of PKCα and ERK1/2, expression of MMP9 and MMP2, and inhibited the migration of C6 glioma cells under SDF-1-stimulated conditions. CONCLUSIONS: CK is a cell migration inhibitor that inhibits C6 glioma cell migration by regulating its downstream signaling molecules including PKCα, ERK1/2, and MMPs.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Movement ; Cell Survival ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Glioma* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Metalloproteases ; Panax ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinase C ; Wound Healing

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Stromal cell-derived growth factor 1 (SDF-1), also known as chemokine ligand 12, and chemokine receptor type 4 are involved in cancer cell migration. Compound K (CK), a metabolite of protopanaxadiol-type ginsenoside by gut microbiota, is reported to have therapeutic potential in cancer therapy. However, the inhibitory effect of CK on SDF-1 pathway-induced migration of glioma has not yet been established. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cytotoxicity of CK in C6 glioma cells was determined using an EZ-Cytox cell viability assay kit. Cell migration was tested using the wound healing and Boyden chamber assay. Phosphorylation levels of protein kinase C (PKC)α and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were measured by western blot assay, and matrix metallopeptidases (MMP) were measured by gelatin-zymography analysis. RESULTS: CK significantly reduced the phosphorylation of PKCα and ERK1/2, expression of MMP9 and MMP2, and inhibited the migration of C6 glioma cells under SDF-1-stimulated conditions. CONCLUSIONS: CK is a cell migration inhibitor that inhibits C6 glioma cell migration by regulating its downstream signaling molecules including PKCα, ERK1/2, and MMPs.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Movement ; Cell Survival ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Glioma* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Metalloproteases ; Panax ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinase C ; Wound Healing

OBJECT: This study was carried out to evaluate immunologic difference between baseline and after 4 weeks drug treatment with atypical antipsychotics (rispreidone) by measurement of serum concentration of 6 cytokines. METHODS: The subjets were composed of 25 patients who are admitted at Dajeon St's Marys hospital of psychiatry department and diagnosed as schizophrenia by DSM-IV diagnositc criteria. We measured serum IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, INF-gamma, TNF-alpha concenatrations by quantitative ELISA method using ELISA kit (Endogen Inc., Woburn, MA, USA).The two psyciatrists performed PANSS examination between baseline and after 4 weeks risperidone treatments. RESULTS: The serum level of IL-12 was increased significantly after medication of 4 weeks and the serum concentration of IFN-gamma showed the tendency of decreasement but not significant. The serum level of the other cytokines showed no significant change. CONCLUSIONS: We spectulate that the increasement of IL-12 may contribute to role of activation of immune response by treatment of antipsychotic medication (risperidone). This study is first trial of IL-12 study in neuropsychiatric field and IL-12 which play important role of immune response becomes interesting subjects in immune research.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Cytokines* ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Risperidone* ; Schizophrenia* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha