No abstract available.
Acetabulum* ; Arthritis, Infectious* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There is a growing emphasis on quality management in endoscope reprocessing. Previous surveys conducted in 2002 and 2004 were not practitioner-oriented. Therefore, this survey is significant for being the first to target actual participants in endoscope reprocessing in Korea. METHODS: This survey comprised 33 self-filled questions, and was personally delivered to nurses and nursing auxiliaries in the endoscopy departments of eight hospitals belonging to the society. The anonymous responses were collected after 1 week either by post or in person by committee members. RESULTS: The survey included 100 participants. In the questionnaire addressing compliance rates with the reprocessing guideline, the majority (98.9%) had a high compliance rate compared to 27% of respondents in 2002 and 50% in 2004. The lowest rate of compliance with a reprocessing procedure was reported for transporting the contaminated endoscope in a sealed container. Automated endoscope reprocessors were available in all hospitals. Regarding reprocessing time, more than half of the subjects replied that reprocessing took more than 15 minutes (63.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The quality management of endoscope reprocessing has improved as since the previous survey. A national survey expanded to include primary clinics is required to determine the true current status of endoscope reprocessing.
Anonyms and Pseudonyms ; Committee Membership ; Compliance ; Endoscopes* ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Korea ; Nurses' Aides ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Vitamin D3 was shown to arrest the growth of acute myelogenous leukemic cells and transforming growth factor- B1 (TGF- B1) was reported to be involved in the mechanism of vitamin D3. We studied the growth inhibitory effect of 1,25(OH)2-vitamin D3(C) and its analogue (EB1089) in leukemic cell lines and the changes in the secretion or the activation of TGF-B1 in the supernatant and the status of TGF-B1 type II receptor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Growth inhibition by vitamin D3 and TGF-B1 in 5 leukemic cell lines (HEL, HL-60, U937, KG-1, K562) were assessed with clonogenic and [3H]thymidine assay respectively. TGF-B type II receptor status was examined by Southern and Northern blotting. The concentrations of TGF- B1 in the supernatant were quantitated by enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: The growth of HEL, HL-60, U937 were inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion by both C and EB1089, more markedly by the latter. Anti-TGF-B neutralizing antibody partially reversed the growth inhibition. TGF-B1 markedly inhibited the growth of HEL, U937, KG-1, SNU-16 dose dependently while HL-60 and K562 showed no growth inhibition. HEL secreted latent TGF- 1 and HL-60 activated latent TGF- B1 or secreted active TGF-B1 irrespective of the treatment with vitamin D3. In U937, vitamin D3 increased the concentration of both active and latent TGF-B1. Deletion or abnormal expression of TGF- B type II receptor gene was not found in the 5 cell lines examined. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D3 has various pattern of growth inhibition in acute myelogenous leukemia and inhibits the growth of some cell lines by secretion or activation of TGF-B1. Abnormality of TGF-B type II receptor DNA or mRNA seems to be rare.
Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Blotting, Northern ; Cell Line ; Cholecalciferol ; DNA ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; RNA, Messenger ; Vitamin D

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant neoplasms occuring worldwide. Surgical resection currently provides the best chance of long-term tumor free survival, but the most HCCs are not candidates for surgical excision due to poor liver function or poor medical background. Numerous noninvasive alternatives to surgical resection have been introduced to treat liver cancers. Radiofrequency thermal ablation has begun to receive much attention as an effective and minimally invasive technique for the local control of HCC. The biliary system related complications after radiofrequency ablation has rarely been reported. We report a case of biliary-duodenal fistula with liver abscess after radiofrequency ablation for HCC. The case was treated by abscess drainage and antibiotics.
Biliary Fistula/*diagnosis/etiology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis/*surgery ; Catheter Ablation/*adverse effects ; Duodenal Diseases/*diagnosis/etiology ; Duodenal Obstruction/diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Fistula/*diagnosis/etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis/*surgery ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The incidence of colon cancer and cancer-related deaths has been increased in Korea. Because most colon cancers arise from colonic adenomatous polyps, it is important to detect these early and to resect such lesions, and so the incidence of endoscopic polypectomy has increased in Korea since 1970's. At present, conventional colonoscopy is the standard for evaluating the colon, and especially for the screening and treatment of colon tumor. However, the entire colon cannot be visualized during conventional colonoscopy in 5~15% of patients due to a redundant colon, an excessive loop or a history of abdominal surgery. To overcome these difficulties, many radiologic and endoscopic studies have been conducted and there are several recent reports that double balloon enteroscopy has been successfully used in cases of failed conventional colonoscopy. We report here on a case of laterally spreading tumor that was resected with double balloon enteroscopy in a severely redundant colon.
Adenomatous Polyps ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colonoscopy ; Double-Balloon Enteroscopy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mass Screening

BACKGROUND: Mutations eliminating or altering the p53 protein function are the single most common genetic alteration in nearly all types of human cancers. The project of the p53 gene is hypothesized to maintain genomic stability by blocking cell replication or by initiating apoptosis after DNA damage. Many p53 mutations alter the conformation of the protein, which results in abnormal overexpression. METHODS: This study investigated the correlation between p53 mutations detected at the DNA level and the p53 protein expression determined by immunohistochemical staining. Abnormalities of the p53 gene and protein in 30 primary paraffin embedded breast cancer tissues were examined. RESULTS: Mutations in p53 exons 5-8 were identified in 9 of the 30 cases (30%) by using a polymerase chain-reaction single stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis. Overexpression of the p53 protein was detected in 11 of the 30 cases (37%) by using mouse monoclonal p53 antibody (Zymed Essence Co.) Positive immunohistochemical staining without mutations was detected by PCR-SSCP analysis in 4 cases, but a mutation with negative immunohistochemical staining was detected by PCR-SSCP analysis in only one case. p53 abnormality was not associated with TNM stages. The sensitivity between these methods was 73%. CONCLUSIONS: Positive immunohistochemical staining using p53 monoclonal antibody could detect p53 protein expression, but this result did not correlate completely with p53 mutation in exon 5-8.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; DNA ; DNA Damage ; Exons ; Genes, p53 ; Genomic Instability ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Paraffin ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine whether certain biomaterials have the potential to support cell attachment. After seeding bone marrow stromal cells onto the biomaterials, we investigated their responses to each material in vitro. METHODS: Rat bone marrow derived stromal cells were used. The biomaterials were deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM), DBBM coated with fibronectin (FN), synthetic hydroxyapatite (HA), HA coated with FN, HA coated with beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP), and pure beta-TCP. With confocal laser scanning microscopy, actin filaments and vinculin were observed after 6, 12, and 24 hours of cell seeding. The morphological features of cells on each biomaterial were observed using scanning electron microscopy at day 1 and 7. RESULTS: The cells on HA/FN and HA spread widely and showed better defined actin cytoskeletons than those on the other biomaterials. At the initial phase, FN seemed to have a favorable effect on cell adhesion. In DBBM, very few cells adhered to the surface. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, we can conclude that in contrast with DBBM not supporting cell attachment, HA provided a more favorable environment with respect to cell attachment.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Substitutes ; Calcium Phosphates ; Cell Adhesion ; Durapatite ; Fibronectins ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Rats ; Seeds ; Stem Cells ; Stromal Cells ; Transplants ; Vinculin

Gastrointestinal endoscopy is gaining popularity for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. However, concerns over endoscope-related nosocomial infections are increasing, together with interest by the general public in safe and efficient endoscopy. For this reason, reprocessing the gastrointestinal endoscope is an important step for effective performance of endoscopy. Disinfectants are essential to the endoscope reprocessing procedure. Before selecting an appropriate disinfectant, their characteristics, limitations and means of use must be fully understood. Herein, we review the characteristics of several currently available disinfectants, including their uses, potency, advantages, and disadvantages. Most disinfectants can be used to reprocess gastrointestinal endoscopes if the manufacturer's guidelines are followed. The selection and use of a suitable disinfectant depends on the individual circumstances of each endoscopy suite.
Cross Infection ; Disinfectants ; Endoscopes ; Endoscopes, Gastrointestinal ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the efficacy of early scheduled follow-up endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) after common bile duct (CBD) stone removal. METHODS: Patients who underwent endoscopic CBD stone removal and who had at least one risk factor for stone recurrence were enrolled. Six months after complete clearance of the CBD, patients underwent follow-up ERCP at an ambulatory care center, irrespective of symptoms. RESULTS: The incidence of symptoms and cholangitis at follow-up ERCP was significantly lower in Group A (ERCP at 6 months after stone removal) than that in Group B (ERCP at >6 months) (14.3% vs 71.4%, p=0.00; 9.5% vs 33.3%, p=0.02, respectively). However, the recurrence rates of CBD stones were not different between Groups A and B (33.3% vs 47.6%). When comparing the subgroups, Group AR (stone recurrence in Group A) displayed significantly fewer symptoms and lesser cholangitis and spent fewer days in the hospital than did Group BR (stone recurrence in Group B) (21.4% vs 70%, p=0.02; 14.3% vs 60%, p=0.02; 2.43+/-1.87 vs 6.10+/-3.35, p=0.00, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that, irrespective of symptoms, early scheduled follow-up ERCP for patients who are at a high risk of recurrence is effective and safe.
Ambulatory Care ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis ; Common Bile Duct ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors