PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop in vivo dosimetries using both chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in mice to assess biological effects of radiations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five each mice were irradiated with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 Gy of Cs-137 gamma-rays. We scored numbers of chromosomal aberrations in metaphase spreads and numbers of micronuclei in bone marrow smears under light microscope, and obtained the dose-response relationships. We also examined the relationship between the two dose-response curves. RESULTS: The frequency of both chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei increased with dose, in a linear-quadratic manner. The delta, beta, and alpha coefficients were 0.0176, 0.0324, and 0.0567 for metaphase analysis (r=1.0, p<0.001) and 0.0019, 0.0073, and 0.0506 for micronuclei assay (r=1.0, p<0.001). The frequency of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in diffirent radiation doses was significantly correlated (r=0.99, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: In vivo dosimetry using either metaphase analysis or micronucleus assay was feasible in mice. These methods could be useful to evaluate biological effects of radiation.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells* ; Bone Marrow* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Metaphase* ; Mice* ; Micronucleus Tests

No abstract available.

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited immunodeficient disease characterized by recurrent infections and granuloma formation. Granulomatous obstruction of esophagus is one of the rare complications of CGD. The use of steroids and antimicrobials for esophageal obstruction by granuloma in CGD patients has been controversial due to the possibility of concomitant inapparent infection. We report a case of esophageal obstruction in an 8-year-old CGD patient showing the poor response to antibiotics therapy. However, dramatic improvement of symptoms and radiologic findings of esophageal obstruction were achieved after steroid therapy. One month after discontinuation of steroid, esophageal obstruction recurred and the patient was re-treated with steroid. After that time, he experienced one more recurrence of esophageal obstruction. This symptom subsided after antibiotics therapy without steroid and he has been followed up to the present without further relapse.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Esophageal Stenosis ; Esophagus ; Granuloma ; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic* ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Steroids

No abstract available.
Knee*

Biliary atresia (BA) is a major cause of extrahepatic biliary obstruction in children. Malnutrition is a significant clinical problem in children with BA. BA may induce the malabsorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins, resulting in cholestasis and an impaired nutritional status. For the treatment of BA, it is most important to reconstruct the bile flow as early as possible by performing a Kasai portoenterostomy. After the Kasai operation, growth and nutrition are restored, but to follow normal growth and development, it is necessary to evaluate the nutritional status and support. Therefore, the purpose of nutritional support in children with BA is to normalize growth and development, prevent further liver damage and deterioration of the patient's nutritional status, avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and improve the quality of life of patients.
Avitaminosis ; Bile ; Biliary Atresia* ; Child ; Cholestasis ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Liver ; Malnutrition ; Miners ; Nutritional Status ; Nutritional Support* ; Quality of Life ; Vitamins

PURPOSE: We wanted to compare the accuracy of 3T DW-SENSE imaging with that of SPIO-enhanced imaging for the detection and characterization of small hepatic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 124 focal hepatic lesions of 42 patients were retrospectively reviewed. The DW-SENSE imaging and four T2-weighted imaging, including the respiratory-triggered and breath-hold fast spin-echo images, the half-fourier single-shot turbo spin-echo images and the T2*-weighted fast field-echo images, were acquired. Four T2-weighted examinations were performed after administering SPIO. The images were divided into two sets: the SPIO image set (four pre- and post-contrast T2-weighted images) and the DW-SENSE image set (four DW-SENSE and pre-contrast T2-weighted images). These were sorted according to the confidence levels for lesion detection and characterization into four and five grades. The ROC curve (Az) was calculated. RESULTS: The detection accuracy with using the DW-SENSE image set (Az=0.932, 0.889) was higher than with using the SPIO image set (Az=0.852, 0.798) for all the lesions and the small lesions (<= 1 cm) (p < 0.05). For lesion characterization, the accuracy with using the DW-SENSE image set (Az=0.934, 0.896) was higher than that with using the SPIO image set (Az=0.914, 0.882) for all the lesions and the small lesion, but this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The 3T MR DW-SENSE image set showed higher accuracy for the detection of small hepatic lesions than the SPIO image set.
Contrast Media ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Humans ; Liver ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve

No abstract available.

Trichophyton(T.) rubrum is known to be the most common causative agent of tinea cruris, tinea corporis, and tinea pedis, and hygiene, nutritional status, and high temperature/humidity are known to play an important role in pathogenesis. Although there has been a report on a case of co-infection in which tinea pedis subsequently developing tinea cruris with the foot lesion being a reservoir of the later lesion, there is of yet no report which confirmed co-infection of two different lesions through identification of definite causative organisms. This case concerns a 32 year-old patient who presented with erythematous annular scaly patches on the groin and axilla. Although no organism was identified on mycosel culture, DNA base sequence and RFLP analysis of the scales revealed T. rubrum in both of the lesions. Considering that this is a rare case of tinea cruris accompanied by tinea corporis in the axilla and groin confirmed by molecular biological techniques, the authors present it with review of literature.
Axilla ; Base Sequence ; Coinfection ; DNA ; Foot ; Groin ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Nutritional Status ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Tinea ; Tinea Pedis ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of young people go to clubs. In Korea, however, no studies have been conducted regarding the exposure of club patrons to secondhand smoke. The present study was conducted to evaluate the degree of club customers' exposure to secondhand smoke. METHODS: The study subjects included 10 male and 12 female non-smokers. The investigational site was a club located in Daegu. Urine samples were collected before exposure to secondhand smoke in the club and 6 hours after a 3-hour exposure. The urine cotinine levels were measured via the LC-MS/MS method. A survey was conducted to collect data regarding the subjects' smoking experiences and the degree of exposure to secondhand smoke in their daily lives. RESULTS: The average urine cotinine level increased from 1.09 microg/L to 5.55 microg/L (p<0.05). No significant difference existed in the change in urine cotinine level between the male and female subjects. In addition, there was no significant difference in the change in urine cotinine level by the degree of exposure to secondhand smoke in daily life. CONCLUSIONS: The average urine cotinine level in all the subjects significantly increased after exposure to secondhand smoke. This is the first study on exposure to secondhand smoke in clubs; these results can be used to craft measures that reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in public places, such as clubs.
Cotinine ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution

BACKGORUND: inhalation anesthetics have been known as bronchodilators, and there are reports that enflurane has some relaxing effects on tracheal smooth muscles. However, there are not so many reports on the ACh release in the postganglion nerve endings. We tried to evaluate the effect of enflurane on the contraction of the tracheal smooth muscle in the postganglion nerve ending in guinea pigs. METHODS:isolated tracheal preparations of guinea pigs were used and contractions were induced by electrical field stimulation (3 Hz & 30 Hz). in the pilocarpine- enflurane group, pilocarpine (10(-5) M) was administrated and enflurane (1 MAC and 2 MAC) was administered. in the gallamine-enflurane group, gallamine (10(-6) M) was administrated and enflurane (1 MAC and 2 MAC) was administered. in the enflurane 1 MAC group and 2 MAC group, contractions were induced by electrical field stimulation before and after administration of enflurane. The percentile contraction to the contraction induced by acetylcholine (10(-4) M) were evaluated. RESULTS: The potentiation of the contraction which was induced by electrical field stimulation was observed by enflurane administration and with prior administration of pilocarpine (10(-6) M), with prior administration of gallamine (10(-5) M). There was no potentiation of contractions, but potentiation of the contraction was observed with enflurazne (2 MAC, 30 Hz). CONCLUSiONS:Enflurane potentiates the contraction induced by electrical field stimulation in guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle. These findings seem to be related with prejunctional M2 receptor in the postganglionic nerve endings.
Acetylcholine ; Anesthetics, Inhalation ; Animals ; Bronchodilator Agents ; Enflurane* ; Gallamine Triethiodide ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Nerve Endings ; Pilocarpine ; Receptors, Muscarinic