The whole cell extract of Helicobacter pylori strain 26695 was treated with the hemin-agarose resin and the bound fraction was analyzed by 2-Dimensional electrophoresis. The 2-D-PAGE-displayed spots were eluted and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). Among the 120 spots processed, 94 protein spots were identified to represent 58 genes. Forty-five protein spots that represented thirty-four genes were newly identified in this study, including iron-containing proteins and hemin-containg proteins such as fumarate reductase, iron-sufur subunit(FrdB), ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, beta subunit (NrdB), glutamyl-tRNA reductase (HemA), nikel-cobalt-cadnium resistance protein (NccB), and porphobilinogen deaminase (HemC).
Chromatography, Affinity* ; Electrophoresis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Hydroxymethylbilane Synthase ; Mass Spectrometry ; Oxidoreductases ; Proteome* ; Ribonucleoside Diphosphate Reductase ; Succinate Dehydrogenase

No abstract available.
Neuroblastoma*

The component of Helicobacter pylori responsible for mouse death was identified and partially characterized. Mice that were injected with H. pylori cell lysate showed pathological changes such as decreased activity, diarrhea, mild convulsion, dramatic decline of body temperature, and even death. In order to identify the lethal factor, recently isolated H. pylori strain 335 and old culture (for 10 years) of H. pylori strain 51 were used. LD50 of the cell lysate of H. pylori 335 and 51 were 338 microgram and 985 microgram, respectively, meaning the long passage of H. pylori in the laboratory might have decreased the lethal activity in the lysate. Mouse lethal activity disappeared by either treatment of cell lysate with proteinase K or heating cell lysate at 60 degrees C for 30min. Mutation analysis and genetic complementation study revealed that active urease of H. pylori is the mouse lethal factor. The recombinant H. pylori urease expressed in Escherichia coli showed si milar lethal activity.
Animals ; Body Temperature ; Complement System Proteins ; Diarrhea ; Endopeptidase K ; Escherichia coli ; Heating ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Hot Temperature ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Mice* ; Seizures ; Urease*

PURPOSE: To identify the prostate cancer detection rate on the patients who had second prostate biopsy out of the patients who were reported negative in their first biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2006 to February 2012, prostate biopsy was performed on 843 patients with over 4 ng/ml and on 618 biopsy negative patients PSA was performed from between 6 months and 9 months after biopsy. On 164 patients, second biopsy was performed, and 42 patients were selected. If there was less than 10% change between PSA before the prostate biopsy and PSA measured during 6 to 9 months after the first biopsy it was considered as no change. If above 10% increase, it was considered increase and if above 10% decrease it was considered as decrease. RESULTS: The cancer detection rate in PSA increase group was 20%, the detection rate in no change in PSA level but still over the normal range group 8.3%, and that in the PSA decrease group was 0%. When comparing prostate cancer group and non-cancer group, it is more probable to have prostate cancer when they are older, prostate volume is smaller and PSA density is higher. CONCLUSIONS: The second biopsy is strongly recommended when PSA level shows no change or increase, age is older, prostate volume is smaller or PSA density is higher.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Reference Values

Radiological criteria such as smooth, sharply defined interface, obtuse angles between lesion and lung and intimate effect on mediastinal contents were usually used to differentiate mediastinal lesion from parenchymal lung lesion Recently, we experienced a 60-year-old female presenting with anterior mediastinal mass with cavitation. Grossly it was proven to be peripheral lung cancer adjacent to mediastinum and microscopically it was squamous cell carcinoma. The gross pathological findings of surgical specimen were very well correlated with radiological findings. The unique location such as lung periphery and attachment to mediastinum led us to misdiagnosis of anterior mediastinal mass such as germ-cell tumor and neurogenic tumor.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged

Endodontics ; Osteotomy ; Tooth

No abstract available.
Lymphoma* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of Cordyceps militaris in Korean adults with mild liver dysfunction. C. militaris is a mushroom traditionally used for several clinical purposes in East Asian territory, including China, and has been found to be effective in improving liver function through animal studies. METHODS: The C. militaris group was administered 1.5 g/day of C. militaris (2 capsules per dose, twice per day) and the placebo group was administered the same volume of placebo. Laboratory test (white blood cell, hemoglobin, platelet, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma glutamyltranspeptidase, lactic dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine), liver computed tomography (CT) were performed, and visual analogue scale score for subjective symptoms and fatigue severity scale were measured. RESULTS: In analysis of the liver CT scan at 8 weeks after administration compared to baseline, the mean ratio of change of Hounsfield unit of 8 segments of liver increased by an average of 21.43%+/-45.11% in the C. militaris group and 9.64%+/-11.41% in the placebo group. Others showed no statistically significant inter-group difference. CONCLUSION: C. militaris extract was used safely as a functional food in patients with mild liver dysfunction, and is expected to protect against progression of fatty liver or cirrhosis caused by suppression of lipid accumulation in hepatocytes.
Adult* ; Agaricales ; Alanine Transaminase ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Bilirubin ; Blood Cells ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Capsules ; China ; Cordyceps* ; Fatigue ; Fatty Liver ; Fibrosis ; Functional Food ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Liver Diseases* ; Liver* ; Oxidoreductases ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Eccrine hidrocystoma (EH) represents benign cystic dilatations of previously normal dermal eccrine ducts. It is characterized by tense vesicles or translucent papules most often involving the face, predominantly in a periorbital distribution. There were no data on the clinical and histologic features of EH in Koreans. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate clinical and histopathological features of EH in Koreans. METHOD: We reviewed the medical records and biopsy slides of 19 cases diagnosed previously as EH in 3 hospitals of Catholic Medical Center from August 1991 to May 2003. RESULT: We could compile clinical data and histologic informations on 15 of the total 19 patients with EH. 1. The mean age at diagnosis was 51.6 years, 54.0 years in females and 32.5 years in males. EH developed predominantly in females as the sex ratio of 1: 6.5. 2. Most patients were asymptomatic, but 4 and I patients complained of mild itching and one of a mild burning sensation. The predilection sites were the lower eyelids, nose and lateral canthus. Only one patient had a concomitant Graves' disease. 3. The ratio of Robinson to Smith types was 14: 1. The Robinson type had multiple, pinhead-sized, translucent skin-colored lesions, whereas one smith type had two, pea-sized, dark brownish lesions. The former only had seasonal variation, aggravated in warm, humid weather and improved by a cold environment. 4. Histopathologic examination revealed all cases had a single cystic cavity located in the dermis. In 12 of 15 patients, there were eccrine secretory tubules and ducts in close approximation to a cystic cavity, but neither papillary projections of cyst wall nor connections between the epidermis and the cystic cavity could be found in all cases. 5. Various treatments, such as CO2 laser, atropine ointment, cryotherapy or punch excision were tried, but all failed. CONCLUSION: EHs in this study appeared on the face, especially on the lower eyelids of middle-aged women. In contrast to the western literatures in which most EHs are presented as a solitary lesion, Robinson type is much more common in Koreans. There have been no effective treatments for EHs.
Atropine ; Biopsy ; Burns ; Cryotherapy ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Epidermis ; Eyelids ; Female ; Graves Disease ; Hidrocystoma* ; Humans ; Lasers, Gas ; Male ; Medical Records ; Nose ; Pruritus ; Seasons ; Sensation ; Sex Ratio ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation ; Weather

Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed neuroactive drugs, coming mostly from everyday beverages such as coffee and tea. To investigate whether caffeine induces apoptosis in the central nervous system, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, flow cytometric analysis, DNA fragmentation assay, and caspase-3 enzyme assay were performed on SK-N-MC human neuroblastoma cells. Cells treated with caffeine at concentrations as high as 10 mM exhibited several characteristics of apoptosis. In addition, caffeine was shown to increase the caspase-3 activity. These results suggest that high-dose of caffeine induces apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cells, probably by increasing the caspase-3 enzyme activity.
Apoptosis/*drug effects ; Caffeine/*toxicity ; Caspase 3 ; Caspases/metabolism ; Cell Cycle/drug effects ; Cell Survival/drug effects ; Central Nervous System/cytology/*drug effects ; DNA Fragmentation ; Humans ; Neuroblastoma/enzymology/pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured