Recently the alanine/valine (A/V) polymorphism of the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, one of the key enzymes catalyzing remethylation of homocysteine, has been reported to its association with coronary artery disease. lhe homozygous of C677T mutation (VV genotype) correlates with increased plasma homocysteine levels as a result of the reduced activity and increased thermolability of MTHFR. We investigated whether this rnutation and homocysteine influence risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) in normal control subjects and CAD patients and two risk groups, A (>2 risk factors) and B (<1 risk factor). The MTHFR genotype and plasma homocysteine were determined by PCR followed by HinA digestion and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system, respectively. From this study, statistical significance of V mutation of MTHFR between four groups was not found. Homocysteine level was the highest in CAD patients and the lowest in risk group B. Plasma homocysteine level in VV genotype of CAD patients was significantly higher than in other two genotypes and normal control subjects. We concluded that homozygisty for the C677T mutation of MTHFR was not an independent risk factor of CAD but associated with a prediposition to increased plasma homocysteine levels in CAD patients.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Digestion ; Genotype ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Oxidoreductases ; Plasma ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Risk Factors ; Statistics as Topic

The purpose of this study was to dcvclop nd test the validity of standardized Korean nome clature based on Nursing Intervention Classi ications (MC), developed by McCloskey and Bul chek at the University of Iowa, The four phases of the study were 1. Two professors and 15 graduate stude ts, who were taking a nursing intervention cours, translated the 433 nursing interventions of IC into Korean 2. 12 nurses with various clinical bac rounds reviewed the nomenclature, taking into nsider ation the definition and activities for each Korean nursing intervention. The Delphi method was used to determine the best appropriate nomenclature for each intervention ~. 20 academic and clinical experts in nursing were given a questionnaire to rate the validity of each Korean nomenclature using a 5 point Likert scale ranging from very inappropriate to very appropriate 4. five members of the Korean Nurses Association Research Committee reviewed the survey results and determined the most appropriate Korean nomenclature for each nursing intei veiition of NIC system. Most nomenclature had a score of more than 4.0, but seven nursing interventions had a score lower than 4.0: Critical Path Development (2.71), Calming Technique ~3.4l), Grief Work Facilitation (3.44), Order Transcription (3.44), Self Modification Assistance (3.44), and Teaching Psycho-motor Skills (3.47). These research results will be included in the nursing vocabulary dictionary to be published by Korean Nurses Association.
Critical Pathways ; Grief ; Iowa ; Nursing ; Vocabulary ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: HLA-B*15 alleles encode molecules belonging to several serologic subtypes, B62, B63, B71, B72, B75, B76, and B77. Using the conventional serologic typing method, assignment of B15 subtypes has often been prone to error specifically in samples exhibiting either an ambiguous or a B15 homozygous reaction pattern. The goal of this study was to establish a supplementary DNA typing method for accurate assignment of B15 subtypes in 'problematic B15 positive samples'. METHODS: B*15 specific gene amplification was performed using a pair of PCR primers that specifically annealed to B*15 and B*46 alleles. Nested PCR was applied to the amplified DNA using 14 sequence specific PCR primer sets. DNA sequencing was used to clarify the assigning of samples exhibiting discrepancies between the results obtained by B*15-specific nested PCR-SSP typing and serology. RESULTS: The B*15-specific nested PCR-SSP typing could clearly discriminate the 9 B*15 alleles expressed in the Korean population. In application of the system to 30 B15 positive serologically typed samples, 4 exhibited discrepancies between serology to PCR-SSP results. DNA sequencing results obtained from the samples were concordant with those from B*15-specific nested PCR-SSP typing. CONCLUSIONS: The established B*15-specific nested PCR-SSP method is superior to serology in accuracy and resolution. Therefore, the method will be useful as a supplementary DNA typing method to clarify HLA-B assignments of 'problematic B15 positive samples' in Koreans.
Alleles ; DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Gene Amplification ; HLA-B Antigens ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

The purpose of this study was to characterize functional distinction between human dental pulp cells(PC) and periodontal ligament cells(PDLC) using cDNA microarray assay and to confirm the results of the microarray assay using RT-PCR. 3 genes out of 51 genes which were found to be more expressed(>2 fold) in PC were selected, and 3 genes out of 19 genes which were found to be more expressed(>2 fold) in PDLC were selected for RT-PCR as well. According to this study, the results were as follows: 1. From the microarray assay, 51 genes were more expressed (2 fold) from PC than PDLC. 2. RT-PCR confirmed that ITGA4 and TGF beta2 were more expressed in PC than in PDLC 3. From the microarray assay, 19 genes were more expressed (2 fold) from PDLC than PC. 4. RT-PCR confirmed that LUM, WISP1, and MMP1 were more expressed in PDLC than in PC. From the present study, different expression of the genes between the PC and PDLC were characterized to show the genes which play an important role in dentinogenesis were more expressed from PC than PDLC, while the genes which were related with collagen synthesis were more expressed from PDLC than PC.
Collagen ; Dental Pulp ; Dentinogenesis ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Periodontal Ligament

This study was attempted to provide the basic data for nursing intervention to improve the psychosociological adaptation of patients receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer by examining relationship between anxiety and hopelessness that they are experiencing and family support, in order to help them successfully cope with various psychological problems. This study was carried out with 93 breast cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy in the injection treatment room of K University Hospital located in the downtown of Taegu after having underwent mastectomy in the hospital between December 1995 and August 1996. This study used the systematized questionnaires which contain 7 questions about general characteristics, Spielberger's trait anxiety & state anxiety scale, the tool that WON(1987) modified the hopelessness scale which was developed by Beck et al. (1967) and the family support tool made by TAE(1985). By using the SPSS/PC program, this study obtained the real number and percent-age for the general characteristics of the subjects, and mean and standard variation for the degrees of trait anxiety, state anxiety, hopelessness and family support. The correlation between each variables was identified on the basis of the Pearson Correlation, and the degrees of trait anxiety, state anxiety, hopelessness and family support in the general characteristics of the subjects were analyzed by using the t-test, ANOVA, and Duncan test. The results of this study were summarized as follows : In the general characteristics of the subjects, most of each group were 51 years old or more and the middle class in income, had educational background under elementary school, no job, Buddhism in religion and spouse, and were receiving chemotherapy using MTX and 5 FU. It was shown that the degree of the subjects' trait anxiety is, on an average, 50. 29, state anxiety 49. 68, hopelessness 51. 46 and family support 34. 28. Both trait anxiety and hopelessness showed normal correlation ; the higher the degree of trait anxiety is, the higher the degree of hopelessness is, while trait anxiety and family support showed reverse correlation ; the higher the degree of trait anxiety, the lower the degree of family support that the subjects perceive is. State anxiety and hopelessness also showed normal correlation ; the higher the degree of anxiety is, the higher the degree of hopelessness is. Family support and hopelessness showed reverse correlation ; the higher the degree of family support is, the lower the degree of hopelessness that the subjects perceive is. And family support and state anxiety showed reverse correlation but there was a statistically significant difference. The degree of trait anxiety in the general characteristics of the subjects showed a significant difference by age, job and religion, the degree of state anxiety a significant difference by job and religion, the degree of hopelessness a significant difference by age, educational background and existence or not of spouse. In conclusion, the breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy perceive anxiety and hopelessness due to several causes such as diagnosis itself or side effects of chemotherapy, so that it is required not only to develop specific nursing interventions including family support to alleviate anxiety and hopelessness but also to apply such interventions to clinical practice.
Anxiety* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Buddhism ; Daegu ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Mastectomy ; Middle Aged ; Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Spouses

PURPOSE: We report a rare case of unilateral acute macular neuroretinoapthy in a young male. CASE SUMMARY: A 35-year-old male presented with a 2-day history of paracentral scotoma. He had suffered for 2 days from a flu-like illness, and his best corrected visual acuity was 20/20 OD and 20/20 OS. Pupillary reflex was normal and no relative afferent pupillary defects were not found. Ocular movement test was normal and pain on ocular movement was not noticed. Ophthalmoscopic examination of the left eye revealed multiple exudates lining the nasal macula toward the fovea. A Humphrey visual field study identified small paracentral scotoma. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT, Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) of the lesions showed a hyper-reflective lesion located in the outer plexiform layer and inflammatory cell infiltration. Fluorescent angiography was normal in the macula but showed late leak at the disc. The multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) showed decreased foveal P1 amplitude in the left eye. The patient was diagnosed with acute macular neuroretinopathy and was treated with 60 mg of prednisolone. His subjective symptoms were improved, the paracentral scotoma disappeared, and the lesions appeared different upon SD-OCT; specifically, the hyper-reflective lesion disappeared and the outer plexiform layer showed thinning. CONCLUSIONS: Acute macular neuroretinopathy is a rare disease, and we report a case using SD-OCT and mfERG.
Adult ; Angiography ; Exudates and Transudates ; Humans ; Male* ; Prednisolone ; Pupil Disorders ; Rare Diseases ; Reflex, Pupillary ; Scotoma ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Fields

PURPOSE: To report a case series of patients experiencing side effects of 0.25% alcaftadine eye drops and to analyze the possible reasons for the side effects. CASE SUMMARY: Medical records of 90 patients who had a history of alcaftadine eye drop use were retrospectively analyzed. Eight out of the 90 patients (8.9%) showed ocular side effects that required discontinuation of the alcaftadine eye drops. All eight cases of alcaftadine side effects showed palpebral and bulbar conjunctival injection, watery discharge, and lid swelling. During additional history collection, all patients with alcaftadine side effects confessed of overuse (more than twice/day) of the eye drops. Anticipation for fast symptom relief was the main reason for the alcaftadine overuse. In all side effect cases, patients were asked to stop alcaftadine eye drops and use preservative-free artificial tears and steroid eye drops. After discontinuation of 0.25% alcaftadine eye drops, regression of palpebral and bulbar conjunctival injection and lid swelling was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Overuse of 0.25% alcaftadine eye drops can induce ocular surface toxicity possibly due to toxicity of drug itself. The possible side effects of overuse of 0.25% alcaftadine eye drops should be fully explained to all patients before use.
Conjunctivitis ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Lubricant Eye Drops ; Medical Records ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy(PNAB) of the lung is a safe procedure for diagnosis of various pulmonary diseases but complications such as pneumothorax can occasionally develop. We reviewed the complications arising after PNAB and analysed the risk factors of pneumothorax. METHOD: We collected data by reviewing medical records and radiographic studies of 403 patients who underwent PNAB of the lung between 1988 and 2002 and analyzed the risk factors of pneumothorax. RESULT: The incidence of complication was 12.9%, 48 patients with pneumothorax and 4 patients with mild hemoptysis. Among the 48 pneumothorax patients, 35 patients showed mild(<20%) and was treated by only oxygen supply, 11 patients had severe pneumothorax(>50%) and chest tube insertion was done and 2 patients were treated by needle aspiration. As the results of multivariate analysis, size and location of lesion, location of approach, diagnosis of lesion showed no significant relationship, while age and gender of patients(p<0.05) and the depth of approach(p<0.001) were significantly related to pneumothorax. Smoking amount(p<0.001) as well as the smoking history(p<0.005) were also significantly related and the examiner displaying various incidence of pneumothorax from 4.0% to 23.1% among individuals also was a significant independent risk factor(p<0.05). While the average depth of approach for 13 patients treated by chest tube insertion or needle aspiration was 8.2+/-1.2cm, 35 patiens treated only by oxygen supply was 6.7 1.6cm suggesting that the depth of approach was lead to a severe pneumothorax. CONCLUSION: The independent risk factors of pneumothorax, the most common complication after PNAB, are age and gender of patients, depth of approach, examiner of procedure, smoking history and smoking amount.
Biopsy, Needle* ; Chest Tubes ; Diagnosis ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Lung Diseases ; Lung* ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Needles* ; Oxygen ; Pneumothorax* ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking

A few cases of Lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy that developed after renal transplantation have been reported in western literature but there is no reported case in Korea. It may develop from one to nine days after surgery; the clinical course is favorable but the incidence is not low. According to the reported cases of western literature, the major causes of lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy after renal transplantation included steal phenomenon, clamping the internal iliac artery during surgery, direct surgical damage to the vessels supplying the femoral nerve, and direct compression of the femoral nerve. We experienced one case of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve neuropathy after renal transplantation that developed at postoperative day (POD) 7. It was partially improved symptomatically after POD 60, so we reported this case with a brief review of literatures.
Constriction ; Femoral Nerve ; Iliac Artery ; Incidence ; Kidney Transplantation ; Korea

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is essential for the patient's clinical course. Serum cardiac markers such as creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), myoglobin, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) supply physicians with powerful methods of diagnosing AMI. We evaluated the usefulness of ACS:CentaurTM for the tests of cardiac markers. METHODS: We used three levels of control materials and 138 patient samples (AMI 49, cardiac diseases other than AMI 41, noncardiac diseases 48). We analyzed precision and linearity of CK-MB, myoglobin and cTnI using control materials. The cutoffs for the descrimination of AMI were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and sensitivity and specificity of each marker were analyzed. RESULTS: Coefficients of variations (CVs) of within day precision and between day precision were below 4% except cTnI. Linearity analyses showed good results in all the three markers. The cutoffs were 3.7 ng/mL for CK-MB, 121.0 ng/mL for myoglobin and 0.4 ng/mL for cTnI. In the diagnosis of AMI, the sensitivities and specificities were 93.9% and 97.8% for CK-MB, 73.5% and 91.0% for myoglobin and 100.0% and 95.5% for cTnI, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The tests of cardiac markers using ACS:CentaurTM showed satisfactory precision and linearity, and they are specific and sensitive in the diagnosis of AMI. So, ACS:CentaurTM is useful for the measurement of cardiac markers in the diagnosis of AMI.
Creatine Kinase ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myoglobin ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Troponin I