STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The aim of this study was to study the effects of various surface treatments to a titanium surface on the expression of Runx2 in vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Human Osteosarcoma TE-85 cells were cultured on machined, sandblasted, or anodic oxidized cpTi discs. At various times of incubation, the cells were collected and then processed for the analysis of mRNA expression of Runx2 using reverse transcription-PCR. RESULTS: The expression pattern of Runx2 mRNA was differed according to the types of surface treatment. When the cells were cultured on the untreated control culture plates, the gene expression of Runx2 was not increased during the experiments. In the case of that the cells were cultured on the machined cpTI discs, the expression level was intermediate at the first day, but increased constitutively to day 5. In cells on sandblasted cpTi discs, the expression level was highest in the first day sample and the level was maintained to 5 days. In cells on anodized cpTi discs, the expression level increased rapidly to 3 days, but decreased slightly in the 5-th day sample. CONCLUSION: Different surface treatments may contribute to the regulation of osteoblast function by influencing the level of gene expression of key osteogenic factors.
Durapatite ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Osteosarcoma ; RNA, Messenger ; Titanium

No abstract available.
Fetal Blood* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Phenotype

Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLHCC) is a rare malignant hepatic cancer with characteristics that differ from those of typical hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unlike conventional HCC, FLHCC is common in young patients without any underlying liver disease and is known to be associated with a unique gene mutation. This cancer type is rare in Asia, with only a few cases being reported in Korea. We report a case of FLHCC in a young woman that successfully underwent surgical resection. The efficacy of alternative treatments, such as transarterial chemoembolization or systemic chemotherapies, has not yet been established. To conclude, early diagnosis and appropriate surgical resection are important for the treatment of FLHCC.

Multiple primary malignancies (MPMs) are defined as the presence of two or more malignancies in different organs, without a subordinate relationship. Although rarely reported, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occasionally presents with simultaneous or metachronous primary malignancies in other organs. In this report, we describe a patient with lung adenocarcinoma and lymph node and bone metastases, treated with five chemotherapeutic regimens for 24 months. Changing the chemotherapy regimen based on the suspicion of metastasis of a new liver mass did not lead to improvements. This prompted a liver biopsy and a revised diagnosis of HCC. Sixth-line treatment with the concurrent use of cisplatin-paclitaxel for lung cancer and sorafenib for HCC, stabilized the disease. The concurrent treatment was not tolerated and was discontinued owing to adverse events. Considering our findings, treatment with increased efficacy and lower toxicity for MPMs is warranted.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The degree and the nature of performance deficit in confrontation naming tasks of patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) are multifaceted depending on the stage of illness. Quantative analysis of patients responses may reveal the gradual deterioration of naming ability as the illness exacerbrates. In addition, based on the cognitive model proposed by Ellis and Young (1988), functional components and network involved in naming can be scrutinized for their integrity. The aim of this study is then two fold: first, it is to determine whether thee are quantitative differences in naming performance among the normal control and three DAT groups of different severities. Secondary it is to observe whether there are qualitative differences among the groups and if so, what categories of errors could differentiate one group from the others. METHOD: The DAT patients were trichotomized (CDR 0.5, CDR 1, and CDR 2) according to the severity of the illness based clinical dementia rating (CDR) scale. The Korean version of Boston Naming Test (K BNT) was administered to each DAT group and the normal. The responses were analysed according to six categories and then by detailed subcategories under each of the six categories. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: The results revealed significant mean value differences between the normal and CDR I & 2 groups. The CDR 0.5 group differentiated from the normal group since indefinite response were more evident in the former. Moreover, semantically unrelated errors and no-response errors became predominant as the illness worsens. These findings explicate that qualitative analysis of naming errors may be a valuable tool for us to understand the nature of naming deficits in DAT patients.
Dementia* ; Humans

A 46-year-old man presented with a six-month history of recurrent episodes of abnormal behaviors characterized by agitation, anxiety, aggression, impulsion, and depression. They were not accompanied by obvious convulsions. Brain MRI demonstrated cerebromalacia from previous traumatic brain injury in both frontal and left anterior temporal lobe. Interictal EEG showed a focal seizure disorder arising from both temporal areas. Following antiepileptic medication, the abnormal behaviors disappeared. These results suggest that non-convulsive status epilepticus or a cluster of seizures could account for prolonged behavioral disturbances.
Aggression ; Anxiety ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Depression ; Dihydroergotamine ; Electroencephalography ; Encephalomalacia ; Epilepsies, Partial ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Seizures* ; Status Epilepticus ; Temporal Lobe

Absence status consists of prolonged episodes during which there is a disturbance of mental function in association with a continuous repetitive or intermittent spike and wave pattern on the electroencephalography. We report a 14 year-old male who had previous history of partial to secondiary generalized seizure, showed absence status during acute phase of brainstem infarction.
Adolescent ; Brain Stem Infarctions* ; Brain Stem* ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Male ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus*

Malignant Mixed Mullerian tumors(MMMTs) are unusual neoplasms occumng mostly in the uterus and, ralely, they arise in the ovary. The clinical features of malignant mixed mullerian tumor of the ovary are similiar to other ovarian malignancies. The clinical course is rapidly progressive and fatal. The optimal treatment modalities has remained elusive. The most reliable prognostic criterion is the initial tumor stage and the overall survival was poor. We experienced two cases of malignant mixed miillerian tumor of the ovary, so we report these cases with a brief review of the concerned literatures.
Female ; Ovary* ; Respiratory Sounds ; Uterus

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major risk factor for liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and is a leading cause of liver-related deaths worldwide. Recently available direct-acting antiviral agent is very safe and highly effective (>95% sustained virologic response, SVR) against all genotypes of HCV. Achievement of SVR has been associated with a significant reduction of hepatic decompensation, development of HCC, and liver-related mortality. However, HCC risk is not eliminated even after SVR. The annual incidences of HCC in advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis have been estimated to be up to 2.5–4.5% even in patients with SVR. Therefore, surveillance for HCC is recommended in this high-risk patients. In this review, we will describe the clinical outcomes and the risk of HCC in patients with SVR and suggest who should receive surveillance for HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Fibrosis ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Mortality ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: To identify the importance of preventing tuberculosis for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infectees and to monitor their management of health, we investigated the proportion of HIV-TB (Tuberculosis) deaths among the HIV deaths and its related factors. METHODS: Data for HIV deaths from 2002 to 2010 was acquired from Statistics Korea, after which the HIV deaths were reclassified into HIV-TB deaths or other deaths according to the KCD (Korean Classification of Diseases). We analyzed the proportion of HIV-TB deaths among HIV disease deaths and the relationship between HIV-TB deaths and related variables such as sex, age, educational level, marital status, etc. RESULTS: There were 774 HIV deaths in South Korea between 2002 and 2010. TB was the main cause of death in 10.1% of all HIV deaths. The total proportion of HIV-TB deaths was 10.1% but its proportion reached 16.3% between 2005-2007 and then decreased to 4% in 2010. Also, the proportion of HIV-TB deaths was significantly high in the young age groups, but its proportion was significantly low in married groups and well educated groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The result implies that the policy that takes care of HIV infectee regarding TB prevention has been getting systemized on a national scale. Also, HIV-TB deaths have been affected by social factors such as education and marriage status.
Cause of Death ; Classification ; Education ; Healthcare Disparities ; HIV* ; Humans ; Korea ; Marital Status ; Marriage ; Tuberculosis*