BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: beta-catenin has an essential role in intercellular adhesion and signal transduction. The Adenomatous poliposis coli (APC) protein interacts with beta-catenin in a multi-protein complex to regulate the level of expression of beta-catenin. Mutations in beta-catenin or APC gene can lead to the accumulation of beta-catenin in the cytosol and the nucleus. This study was designed to investigate the expression of APC and beta-catenin in laryngeal cancer. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Immunohistochemical methods were used to determine the beta-catenin and APC protein expression in 15 laryngeal cancers. Results were correlated with clinicopathological parameters. RESULTS: beta-catenin expression to the plasma membrane was reduced or absent in 11 of 15 cases (73%) of the laryngeal cancers. Cytoplasmic expression of the beta-catenin was seen in 6 out of 15 cases (40%). APC immunoactivity was negative in 5 of 15 (33%) of the laryngeal cancers. One of the six cytoplasmic expressions of the beta-catenin was negative for APC immunoactivity, and one of the five negative for APC immunoactivity was cytoplasmic expression of the beta-catenin. CONCLUSION: There was no correlation between beta-catenin and APC protein in the analysis. This finding suggests that cytoplasmic expression of the beta-catenin resulted not from the APC mutation but from the beta-catenin mutation and abnormal Wnt signal. Only the expression of the beta-catenin in cytoplasm was associated with lymph node metastasis.
beta Catenin* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Membrane ; Cytoplasm ; Cytosol ; Genes, APC ; Laryngeal Neoplasms* ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Signal Transduction

Listeria grayi is a catalase-positive, non-spore forming, and glucose-fermenting Gram-positive rod. L. grayi is widely distributed in environments such as soil, water and fresh food. Human infection by L. grayi is very rare, and there have been no cases reported in Korea, and only two cases worldwide. Dermabacter hominis is a relatively new species belonging to the coryneform bacteria and is a component of the normal human skin flora. D. hominis is a non-motile, glucose-fermenting, Gram-positive rod that has similar biochemical characteristics to L. grayi. The authors of the present study report a case initially misidentified as L. grayi via a traditional morphological and biochemical identification method but that was subsequently confirmed as D. hominis using sequence analysis of 16S rRNA.
Bacteria ; Humans ; Korea ; Listeria ; Sequence Analysis ; Skin ; Soil

Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is a minimally invasive surgical treatment for patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) and can rapidly alleviate pain, improve mobility, and stabilize the vertebrae. However, it has the potential to cause complications such as cement embolism. A 55-year-old female presented with pain in the lumbar region as a chief complaint. PVP was performed after diagnosis of acute OVCFs at L4 and L5. No abnormal symptoms were reported after surgery, but a large cement embolism was observed in her right atrium and ventricle. After discussion in a multi-disciplinary team, the large cement embolism was successfully removed by a combination of endovascular procedure and an inferior vena cava exploration. Surgeons must consider the possibility of intra-cardiac cement embolism after PVP. A hybrid approach of an endovascular procedure and a vascular surgery may be a reasonable treatment option to minimize the surgical procedure in cases of a large intra-cardiac cement embolism.
Diagnosis ; Embolism* ; Endovascular Procedures* ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Lumbosacral Region ; Middle Aged ; Spine ; Surgeons ; Vena Cava, Inferior* ; Vertebroplasty*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the differences in the morphologic changes of the nasal mucosa with influenza virus infection between zanamivir treated groups and non-treated group. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Zanamivir was administrated to the 15 rabbits before or after inoculation of the influenza viruses with time difference and 5 rabbits were inoculated the influenza viruses but not treated with zanamivir. The nasoturbinal mucosa was harvested and examined with the light microscope and electron microscope at 7th day after virus inoculation. RESULTS: The light microscopy results revealed that the total inflammatory scores were decreased in the zanamivir treated group. The electron microscopy results showed that the degree of ciliary loss, vacuolar degeneration of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum and rupture of cell membrane in the zanamivir treated group was less than those in the untreated group. The effects of inoculated zanamivir was related to the time of administration and best timing was immediate after inoculation of the influenza A virus. CONCLUSION: The use of zanamivir in the treatment of influenza A virus infection during the epidemic period is effective in controlling the inflammatory change.
Cell Membrane ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Influenza A virus* ; Influenza, Human* ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mitochondria ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Mucosa* ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Rabbits ; Rupture ; Zanamivir*

In July 2010, we identified an outbreak of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in our 26-bed neonatal intensive care unit. We performed an epidemiological investigation after clinical cultures of 2 neonates were positive for VRE. Identification, susceptibility testing, and molecular characterization were performed. Cultures of 3 surveillance stool samples of inpatients and 5 environmental samples were positive for VRE. All isolates were identified as Enterococcus faecium containing the vanA gene. Two distinct clones were identified by performing pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The 2 clones exhibited different pulsotypes, but they represented identical Tn1546 types. Two sequence types, ST18 and ST192, were identified among all of the isolates with multilocus sequence typing. Our investigation determined that the outbreak in the neonatal intensive care unit was caused by 2 genetically different clones. The outbreak may have occurred through clonal spread and horizontal transfer of the van gene.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics ; Bacterial Typing Techniques ; Carbon-Oxygen Ligases/genetics ; DNA, Bacterial/analysis ; *Disease Outbreaks ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Enterococcus faecium/drug effects/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Feces/microbiology ; Genotype ; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/diagnosis/epidemiology/*microbiology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Male ; Multilocus Sequence Typing ; Vancomycin/pharmacology ; *Vancomycin Resistance

No abstract available.
Brugada Syndrome* ; Bundle-Branch Block* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac*

Postpoliomyelitis syndrome is a common neurological disorder that occurs in patients who have experienced paralytic poliomyelitis. Recently, as a result of vaccination against poliovirus, incidence of poliomyelitis is exceedingly low. However, many patients with postpolio syndrome may encounter anesthesia when undergoing surgery, such as for correction of foot deformity and other operations. We report on a 45-year-old woman who experienced paralysis of her contralateral limb after operation on the left foot under spinal anesthesia. Postoperative electromyography/nerve conduction study (EMG/NCS) was performed in order to determine the cause of paralysis. Motor power of the sequelae involved leg showed improvement with time and recovered fully to the preoperative level at six months after the index operation. A precise evaluation, including a physical examination and EMG/NCS, should be performed preoperatively when spinal anesthesia is planned for postpolio syndrome patients.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Extremities* ; Female ; Foot Deformities ; Foot* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leg ; Middle Aged ; Nervous System Diseases ; Paralysis ; Physical Examination ; Poliomyelitis* ; Poliovirus ; Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome ; Vaccination

The present study was carried out in order to observe the changes in the expression of the sialoglycoconjugates of the rabbit sinus mucosa after inoculation of influenza A virus utilizing a biotin labeled lectins for light microscopy with four different lectins; Maackia amurensis(MAA), Wheat germ agglutinin(WGA), Sambucus nigra(SNA), and Peanut(PNA). A comparison of the affinity of these lectins demonstrated the different distribution of sialoglycoconjugates in the ciliary layer and goblet cells. The normal sinus mucosa stained with four types of lectins showed that the sialoglycoconjugates were mainly distributed in the ciliary layer and goblet cells. Moreover, the main sugar residues of the sialoglycoconjugates were figured out to be consisted of Neu5Ac(alpha2,3)Gal, GlcNAc and Neu5Ac. Influenza A virus infection decreased the staining intensity of the mucosa with MAA, but not with WGA. The staining intensity of PNA, however, was highly increased in the viral infected mucosa. These results suggest that Neu5Ac(alpha2,3)Gal sugar residues may be required as protecting factor or modulator for Influenza A virus infectivity.
Biotin ; Goblet Cells ; Influenza A virus* ; Influenza, Human* ; Lectins ; Maackia ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Microscopy ; Mucous Membrane* ; Sambucus ; Triticum

In cases of unstable cervical traumatic lesions, the biomechanical superiority of the cervical pedicle screw (CPS) allows the lesion to be stabilized effectively. In this study, we review and summarize the indications, technical guidelines, and potential neurovascular complications and their prevention of the use of the CPS for trauma. For patients with fractured lamina or lateral mass, a CPS is reliable for stabilization. In addition, the CPS can penetrate through a linear cervical spinal pedicle fracture gap and could stabilize three-column injury. CPS reduce the range of surgical approach and preserve the motion segment using short-segment fixation. Fluoroscopy-guided CPS insertion is popular and cost-effective. Image-guided navigation systems improve accuracy. Three-dimensional template-guided CPS placement is simple to use. Most spine surgeons can perform laminoforaminotomy easily. Freehand technique that can be performed quickly without heavy equipment is suitable for emergency situation. Possible complications due to screw misplacement are vertebral artery injury owing to a laterally misplaced screw, dural sac or spinal cord injury from a medially misplaced screw, and nerve root injury caused by a superiorly or inferiorly misplaced screw. To prevent neurovascular complications, meticulous preoperative anatomical evaluation and following the five steps are most important.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare perinatal outcomes of pregnancy-induced hypertensive and normotensive women experiencing abruptio placentae, Our hypothesis is that pregnancy-induced hypertensive women have a less favorable perinatal outcome than do normotensive women. METHODS: Women with the diagnosis of abruptio placentae delivered between August 1, 1989 and December 1, 1996, composed the study group (n=92) in this case-control study. The women with abruptio placentae were divided according to their hypertensive (n=37) or normotensive (n=55) status. Maternal and neonatal medical records were reviewed and abstracted for demographic variables, antepartum complications, delivery route, abruptio placentae grade, neonatal gender, birth weight, Apgar score and perinatal mortality. We compared these perinatal outcome variables between the pregnancy-induced hypertensive and normotensive pregnant women. RESULTS: The incidence of abruptio placentae was 0.35%. The two groups of woman wne similar with regard to age and parity. Abruptio placentae grades 2 occurred more often in hypertensive women (P=0.0053). Pregnancy-inducedhypertensive women were similar to normotensive women with regard to antenatal complications. The mean gestational age of delivery, delivery route, neonatal weight and sex were similar between two groups of women. Neonates from pregnancy-induced hypertensive women were no more likely to have low 1 and 5-minute Apgar score or to die than those from normotensive women. Statistical analysis was performed with two-tailed independent t-test and Kruskal-Wallis analysis. CONCLUSION: Although pregnancy-induced hypertensive women experiencing abruptio placentae are more likely to have grade 2 abruptio placentae with fetal distress, the overall perinatal outcome was not significantly different from that of normotensive women experiencing abruptio placentae.
Abruptio Placentae ; Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Case-Control Studies ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Medical Records ; Parity ; Perinatal Mortality ; Placenta* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women*