Normal human B cells produce autocrine growth factor in response to Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I strain (SAC). However, the functional role and molecular nature of the B cell derived-B cell growth factor (B-BCGF) are largely unknown. We have tried to investigate the nature of B-BCGF using mAb for several years. We report here that B- BCGF is capable of binding to hemoglobin (Hb). The concentrated culture supernatant from tonsillar B cells stimulated with SAC for 24 h was loaded into the fast protein liquid chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography. The peak with BCGF activity was shown to have a M.W. of 16-18 Kda in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by silver stain. Amino acid sequence of the fraction was found to identical to human hemoglobin (Hb) by more than 85%. However, Hb itself had no BCGF activity. The presence of Hb in culture supernatant was due to the contamination of SRBC during B cell purification. SRSC were completely removed from B cells by percoll-gradient centrifugation and B cells were stimulated with SAC and exogenous Hb was added to the cultures. The Hb fraction from FPLC again showed a BCGF activity. These data strongly suggested that BCGF binds to Hb. We confirmed this in dot blot as well as Western blot. The M.W of Hb-binding BCGF was 20 Kda. This information may provide a rapid progress in research of BCGF.
Amino Acid Sequence ; B-Lymphocytes ; Blotting, Western ; Centrifugation ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans ; Silver ; Staphylococcus aureus

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a rare disease of which incidence is 10-15 % of bartholins gland carcinoma. The clinical presentation is characterized by a vulval mass that existed for a prolonged period to the onset of symptoms, usually infection, pain, and burningsensation Histologically, this tumor is characterized by cribriform pattern cell growing and perineural invasion. The obtaining of clear surgical margins is the most important aspect of treatment. Here we report a case of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the Bartholins gland with a brief review of literature.
Adenoids* ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic* ; Incidence ; Rare Diseases

Previously, we reported the expression levels of specific microRNA machinery components, DGCR8 and AGO2, and their clinical association in patients with idiopathic sudden hearing loss (SSNHL). In the present study, we investigated the other important components of microRNA machinery and their association with clinical parameters in SSNHL patients. Fifty-seven patients diagnosed with SSNHL and fifty healthy volunteers were included in this study. We evaluated mRNA expression levels of Dicer and Drosha in whole blood of patients with SSNHL and the control group, using RT & real-time PCR analysis. The Dicer mRNA expression level was down-regulated in patients with SSNHL. However, the Drosha mRNA expression level was not significantly altered in patients with SSNHL. Neither the Dicer nor Drosha mRNA expression level was not associated with any clinical parameters, including age, sex, duration of initial treatment from onset (days), initial Pure tone average, Siegel's criteria, WBC, and Erythrocyte sedimentation rate. However, mRNA expression levels of Dicer and Drosha were positively correlated to each other in patients with SSNHL. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that the Dicer mRNA expression level was down-regulated in patients with SSNHL, suggesting its important role in pathobiology of SSNHL development.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Biomarkers ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases/*blood ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/*blood ; Hearing Loss, Sudden/*blood ; Humans ; Male ; MicroRNAs/*metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Ribonuclease III/*blood/*metabolism ; Statistics as Topic

We presented a case of acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis (Sweet's syndrome) in 57 years-old female. This case is the 31 st case in the literature and the first case in Korea. Erythematous plaque was presented on the face with tendency of recurrences. Histologically a dense inflammatory cell infiltration composed predominantly of polymorphonuclear neutrophiles, lmphocytes and histiocytes was seen in dermis. Positive laboratory findings were polymorphonuclear leukocytosis and elevated ESR. The symptoms were well centrolled with orally administered preclnisolone.
Dermis ; Female ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Korea ; Leukocytosis ; Middle Aged ; Neutrophils ; Recurrence ; Sweet Syndrome*

OBJECTIVE: This study was done to explore the determinants of care burden of Korean caregiver in patients with dementia. METHODS: For the seventy-nine patients with dementia and their caregivers, data on Caregiver Burden Inventory Korean version, and various patient- and caregiver related factors potentially related to care burden were investigated. Uni- or bi-variate analyses were performed to measure the relationships between individual factors and care burden, and then stepwise multiple linear regression tests were used to determine the independent risk factors. RESULTS: Two determinants of care burden were identified: 'severer depressive symptoms in patient' and 'lower spontaneous care motivation in caregiver'. Of the patient related factors, 'shorter disease duration', 'severer behavioral and psychotic symptoms' and'severer anxiety symptoms', and of the caregiver related factors,'women','having household responsibility', 'shorter free time' and'worse subjective health state' were related to care burden, although these were not identified as independent risk factors. CONCLUSION: To mitigate the care burden of Korean caregivers in patients with dementia, therapeutic interventions focused on the behavioral and psychological symptoms of patients would be essential in terms of patient related factors. With respect to caregiver related factors, in addition to the succession of the philosophy of filial piety, establishment of multi-modal services and facilities suitable for the caregivers vulnerable to care burden would be needed.
Anxiety ; Caregivers* ; Dementia* ; Depression ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Motivation ; Philosophy ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Rosacea is well recognized as a chronic cutaneous disorder primarily of the convexities of the central face. Despite its apparent high incidence, the nosology of rosacea is not well established in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this epidemiological study was to investigate the clinical manifestations of Korean rosacea patients diagnosed by the US National Rosacea Society guidelines of US. METHODS: We performed a clinical study in 90 patients with rosacea who visited the Department of Dermatology, Korea University Ansan Hospital from January 2005 to December 2006. These patients were evaluated with regard to age, sex, primary/secondary features, clinical subtypes and predisposing factors. RESULTS: The ratio of males to females was 1 : 1.3. The age distribution showed a peak incidence in the fifth decade. Primary features of rosacea were telangiectasia (70.0%), nontransient erythema (68.9%), papules and pustules (62.2%) and flushing (61.1%). The most common secondary features of rosacea were burning and stinging (62.2%). Other secondary features were dry appearance (46.7%), edema (35.6%), plaque (20.0%), phymatous changes(18.9%), ocular manifestations (17.8%) and peripheral location (2.2%). The most common subtype was erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (51.1%), followed by papulopustular rosacea (34.4%), phymatous rosacea (12.2%) and ocular rosacea (2.2%). The majority of rosacea patients revealed mild symptoms (83.3%). Predisposing or exacerbating factors of rosacea were stress (52.2%), hot baths (46.7%), alcohol (44.4%), hot weather (42.2%), sun exposure (38.9%), exercise (35.6%), cold weather (25.5%), skin-care products (23.3%), spicy foods (21.1%), indoor heat (15.6%), heated beverages (12.2%) and humidity (4.4%). CONCLUSION: In this study, the National Rosacea Society classification system applied well to Korean patients. We identified female predominance, a peak in the fifth decade and the majority of Korean rosacea patients suffering from the erythrotelangiectatic type of rosacea. Other similarities and differences to previous reports were also discussed.
Age Distribution ; Baths ; Beverages ; Bites and Stings ; Burns ; Causality ; Classification ; Dermatology ; Edema ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Erythema ; Female ; Flushing ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Humidity ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Rosacea* ; Solar System ; Telangiectasis ; Weather

An experimental study was made to investigate the fertility of unilateral cryptorchidism in rat, Twenty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated to create unilateral mechanical cryptorchidism at 5 weeks of age and both testicles were examined microscopically at 13, 19 and 25 weeks of age. Testicular volume, tubular diameter and spermatogenic index were subjected to statistical analysis. No significant differences were found in testicular volumes of the contralateral scrotal testicle (P>0.05 ), whereas that of the intraabdominal testicle was greatly decreased (P <0.001). Found was considerable decrease in contralateral scrotal testicles in terms of spermatogenic, index and tubular diameter (P <0.01), in addition to significant changes of intraabdominal testicle (P<0.001). Severe histological change depicted by thickening of the basement membranes of seminiferous tubules and peritubular hyalinization were noted in the intraabdominal testicles while contralateral scrotal testicle showing a mild to moderate changes. In conclusion, one can state that spermatogenesis is decreased in both intraabdominal as well as contralateral scrotal testicles, the severity of the former being greater than the latter.
Animals ; Basement Membrane ; Cryptorchidism* ; Fertility ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Spermatogenesis ; Testis*

No abstract available.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Fallopian Tubes* ; Female

There is no one good method for all hypospadias repairs. A technique must be adapted for each individual patient: therefore, the urologist ought to be proficient in performing a number of procedures in order to be prepared for all possible eventualities. And one-stage operations are preferable whenever they are judged to have a reasonable chance for success. Herein we report hypospadias repairs on 17 patients between August, 1985 and July, 1986. In 7cases of two stage operations such as Belt-Fugua and Thiersch-Duplay tube with glans channel, the success rate was 57%. In 10 cases of one stage operations such as Mathieu, King and Duckett, the success rate was 50%."
Female ; Humans ; Hypospadias* ; Male

OBJECTIVES: Percutaneous vertebroplasty has recently been introduced as an interesting therapeutic alternative for the treatment of thoracolumbar vertebral body fractures in elderly persons with osteoporosis. The authors present the early results of this method. METHOD AND MATERIAL: From July 1999 to April 2000, percutaneous transpedicular technique was used in 20 patients (2 men and 18 women) whose mean age was 67.5 years old(range 59-79) with painful vertebral compression(22) and burst(2) fractures. The interval between fracture and vertebroplasty ranged 1 day to 4 months. The procedure involved percutaneous puncture of the injured vertebra via transpedicular approach under fluoroscopic guidance, followed by injection of polymethylmetacrylate(PMMA) into the vertebral body through a disposable 11-guage Jamshidi needle. RESULT: The most common cause of fracture was slip down and the most frequent injured level was the twelfth thoracic spine. The procedure was technically successful bilaterally in 18 patients(9 thoracic and 15 lumbar spines) with an average injection amount of 7.7ml PMMA in each level. Seventeen(94.4%) patients reported significant pain relief immediately after treatment. Two leaks of PMMA were detected with postoperative CT in spinal epidural space and extravertebral soft tissue without clinical symptoms. CONCLUSION: Although this study represents the early results, percutaneous vertebroplasty seems to be valuable tool in the treatment of painful osteoporotic vertebral body fractures in elderly, providing acute pain relief and early mobilization.
Acute Pain ; Aged ; Early Ambulation ; Epidural Space ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Male ; Needles ; Osteoporosis ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Punctures ; Spine ; Vertebroplasty*