Researches on manipulating pluripotent stem cells derived from blastocysts or primordial germ cells (PGCs) have a great advantage for developing innovative technologies in various fields of life science including medicine, pharmaceutics, and biotechnology. Since their first isolation in the mouse embryos(1), stem cells or stem cell-like colonies have been continuously established in the mouse of different strains(21), cattle(2, 3), pig(4, 5), rabbit(6, 7), and human(9). However, full-term development originated from established pluripotent cells, which is an absolute criterion for proving cell pluripotency and differentiation, has only been reported in the mouse(22). Due to technical difficulties, no further progress has been made in the establishment of animal embryonic stem (ES) cell line. Alternatively, the use of embryonic germ (EG) cells was selected to establish an animal stem cell line. EG cells also have pluripotent characteristics, which were proven by morphological assay, intracellular alkaline phosphatase activity, and reactions with cell surface-specific markers. The finding of Labosky et al.(23) on germline chimera development after transfer to embryos clearly proved the pluripotency of EG cells and their similar characteristics with ES cells. Avian transgenesis has an unlimited value in biotechnology industry, since its applicability as a bioreactor has proven to be greater than that of mammalian species(24). In the chicken, EG cells can be extensively utilized instead of ES cells for efficiently inducing transgenesis mediated by germline transmission. Recently, PGCs collected from the embryonic gonad were suggested to be useful in establishing avian stem cells. Technical feasibility and applicability of gonadal PGCs (gPGCs) to germline chimera production were also confirmed(25) and a gPGC culture system to establish EG cells was subsequently developed(15).
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals* ; Biological Science Disciplines ; Bioreactors ; Biotechnology ; Blastocyst ; Cell Line ; Chickens ; Chimera ; Embryonic Germ Cells ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; Embryonic Structures ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Germ Cells ; Gonads ; Mice ; Pluripotent Stem Cells ; Stem Cell Research* ; Stem Cells*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis* ; Physicians, Primary Care* ; Primary Health Care*

No abstract available.
Exanthema* ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Bronchiectasis*

No abstract available.
Fractures, Spontaneous*

At Orthopedic Department of Kyung Hee University Hospital, we performed 20 total knee replacements in 12 patients who had rheumatoid arthritis and 18 total knee replacements in 13 patients who had osteoarthritis during the period from August 1982 to May 1986. All patients were female. Comparative analysis was done between the two groups with a follow-up period ranging from 1 year to 4 years 8 months, average being 2 years and 3 months. The average age of rheumatoid arthritis patients was 10 years younger than osteoarthritis patients. The improvement of range of knee motion after total knee replacement was greater in rheumatoid arthritis comparing to osteoarthritis. Preoperative flexion contracture was more severe in rheumatoid arthritis than osteoarthritis, but after total knee replacement the average degree of flexion conrcacture was no significant difference between two groups. The average of preoperative Hospital Surgery Knee Rating Scale was low in rheumatoid arthritis group than in osteoarthritis group, but postoperative Knee Rating Scale was similar in both groups. It seems that the problem of wound was more frequent in rheumatoid arthritis than in osteoarthritis.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Contracture ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Orthopedics ; Osteoarthritis ; Wounds and Injuries

BACKGROUND: Fibrostenosis of large airway due to tuberculosis is one of the most perplexing clinical problems not only because it can lead to respiratory failure but also because of difficulty in the management. No one technique, such as balloon dilatation or insertion of self expandable metallic steno, has proved totally satisfactory in the management of fibrostenosis. We evaluated the effect of laser therapy in patient with severe fibrostenosis due to tuberculosis. METHOD: We classified the fibrostenosis to three types by bronchoscopic finding - the diaphragm type: stenosed by fibrous diaphragm, sparing the tracheobronchial wall, the collapse type: stenosed by collapse of the wall due. to destruction of the cartilage, and the combined type: stenosed by nonspecific inflammatory scar tissue within internal lumen with collapse of the wall. We have treated 10 patients complaining dyspnea due to with severe fibrostenosis of the diaphargm or the combined type using a neodymiumyttrium aluminum garnet(Nd-YAG) laser through a flexible bronchoscopy. RESULTS: Eight of the 10 cases improved after laser therapy and maintained during a follow up period of average 31.9 months. All of the cases undergoing laser therapy showed no serious complication to need the therapy. CONCLUSION: The results of our present study indicate that the Nd-YAG laser therapy is an effective and safe method for the management of selective tuberculous fibrostenosis.
Aluminum ; Bronchoscopy ; Cartilage ; Cicatrix ; Diaphragm ; Dilatation ; Dyspnea ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Tuberculosis

Atrial myxomas are uncommon, but surgical treatment offers a potential cure. Early diagnosis is essential so that tumors can be promptly removed in order to reduce morbidity or mortality from atrioventricular valve dysfunction and embolic complications. They are intracavitary tumors occurring within any of the cardiac chambers, but they have a predilection for the atria, particulary the left atrium. The development of noninvasive, echocardiogaphic technique has made it possible to screen large numbers of patients with atrial myxoma with ease and safty. Recently the development of diagnostic procedure and cardiac surgery increased the accuracy of diagnosis and the opportunity of successful ereatment. We report the two cases of left artial myxomas which were removed successfully by surgery.
Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Mortality ; Myxoma* ; Thoracic Surgery

The increase of health care expenditures is an important problem in the almost countries. Also, suppression of the health care expenditures is an important problem in the health field of Korea since the national health insurance for total people in 1989. Thus, it is very important to grasp the change of the health care expenditures of family and proportions of the health care expenditures to total expenditures of family, because they are the basis of national health care expenditures in Korea. While the health care expenditures of urban family were increased during 1980-1993 by 12.8% annually, the total expenditures of urban family were increased by 14.8% annually. consequently, the proportions of health care expenditures to total expenditures were decreased from 5.98% to 4.76%. The proportions of health care expenditure for 3 years to come were predicted to 4.75% in 1994, 4.67% in 1995, and 4.63% in 1996 by the time-series ana]ysis. That is, it was predicted that they would be decreasing slowly. The product elasticity of health care expenditure was less than 1 in the multiple regression analysis, so the health care is normal good rather than superior good. Therefore, it seems that the household economy is able to bear the expense pursuing the improvement of quality of health care by actualizing the medical insurance fee.
Delivery of Health Care* ; Elasticity ; Family Characteristics ; Fees and Charges ; Hand Strength ; Health Expenditures* ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; National Health Programs ; Quality of Health Care

No abstract available.
Fontan Procedure*