The thickness of the glomerular basement membrane may vary not only in glomerular disease, but also in normal persons according to age and sex. But there has been no data on the normal thickness of the basement membrane in Korea. This study was designed to determine the glomerular basement membrane thickness as a reference value according to age and sex, in 50 cases of minimal change disease obtained from patients aged 2~67 years. Measurement of glomerular basement membrane was made on electron micrograph using an image analyzer. The thickness of each case was estimated by the arithmetic and harmonic mean methods. The mean thickness of the glomerular basement membrane was 291.9 47.9 nm by harmonic mean method and 284.2 43.7 nm by arithmetic mean method. And the harmonic mean thickness of the glomerular basement membrane according to age was 249.1 32.5 nm (1~5 years), 256.6 45.3 nm (6~10 years), 279.2 57.9 nm (11~15 years), 303.2 43.8 nm (16~20 years), 335.3 37.5 nm (21~30 years), and 291.1 22.5 nm (over 30 years), respectively. There was a trend that the thickness of glomerular basement membranes increased with the age till 30 years of age. There was no significant sex-related difference. In conclusion, the mean glomerular basement membrane thickness is comparable to the data from western people and shows a trend of increasing thickness according to the age.
Basement Membrane ; Glomerular Basement Membrane* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Korea ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; Reference Values

A 31-year-old male patient had malignant atrophic papulosis that afected the skin only. He had multiple typical porcelain-white skin lesion on the face and trunk without abdominal symptoms. Histopathologic studies showed moderate inflammatory infiltration in addition to the typical cone-shaped region of necrobiosis, There are no satisfactory treatment modes, and in the present case, the patient's condition improved transiently on oral medication of aspirin, but we lost the contact with him afterwards.
Adult ; Aspirin ; Humans ; Male ; Malignant Atrophic Papulosis* ; Necrobiotic Disorders ; Skin

Botulium toxin A has been used therapeutically in humans for over 20 years for a variety of medical indications. Some wrinkle and unsightly facial expressions are due to hyperkinetic muscle. For the past year, the author has injected it for variant purpose, so we describe the our experience with the variant extended use of the toxin including correction for just dynamic wrinkle, used with subperiosteal face lifting or peeling, post-traumatic twitching, and facial paralysis and relevant anatomy are discussed. Also we have another concept about muscle anatomy which have superficial and deep portion. The superficial portion is for harmonious action with SMAS during facial expression, which is also related to fine wrinkle, and the deep portion play role gross movement. Botulium toxin is safe and effective in varient field without complication. Its use is associated with a high degree of patient and physician satisfaction.
Exotoxins* ; Facial Expression ; Facial Paralysis ; Humans ; Rhytidoplasty

No abstract available.

We investigated elementary school students' knowledge, behavior, experience and preference of education method related to food safety in order to provide basic information for food safety educational program. A survey study was conducted with 569, fourth and sixth grade students, from two schools in Seoul and Ulsan. Students were asked thirty-two questions regarding food safety knowledge, behavior and experiences as well as their attitude to food safety class and preference for teaching method. The data was analyzed for the frequency analysis, t-test, chi-square test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation using the SPSS/Windows. Results indicated that 91.9 percent of the respondents did not know what unsanitary food is. 67 percent of the respondents did not know the proper method of hand washing. Although the students' level of knowledge and behavior associated with food safety was low, there was meaningful correlation(r =.184, p<.01) between knowledge and behavior. Surprisingly, students in higher grade did not demonstrate an exceeding food safety knowledge and behavior. More than 50 percent of the subjects did not have food safety education either at home or school. 60 percent of the respondents interested in food safety and the majority recognized that a food safety education is needed. Students want to learn about unsanitary food(34.1%), foodborne illness(29.7%), food selection and storage method(21.3%), and personal hygiene(11.2%) through game, role play, and practice in real situation. These results suggest that development of food safety education program is needed through the elementary school year and the education program must include fun activities in which students can participate.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education* ; Food Preferences ; Food Safety* ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Seoul ; Teaching ; Ulsan

BACKGROUND: Renal dysplasia is the abnormal development of the kidney. The condition is usually detected in childhood along with other urinary tract anomalies, but can remain unnoticed until adulthood. It was recently reported that a PAX2 gene mutation plays a major role in the development of renal dysplasia. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of PAX2 in dysplastic kidneys of children and adults. METHODS: A total of 30 cases diagnosed with renal dysplasia after a nephrectomy were examined. PAX2 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Apoptosis was detected using an Apop Tag detection kit. RESULTS: In the dysplastic kidneys, there was strong PAX2 expression in the epithelia of the primitive ducts in both children and adults, but the degree was significantly lower in adults (p=0.007). However, the mesenchyme surrounding the primitive ducts of children showed stronger staining for the smooth muscle actin antibody and trichrome than the adults. The apoptosis index was significantly higher in the primitive duct epithelia than in the surrounding normal collecting duct epithelia (p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: PAX2 is overexpressed in the primitive ducts of renal dysplasia, which is sustained until adulthood and is associated with increased apoptosis. However, a decrease in PAX2 expression in the dysplastic epithelia and mesenchymal cuff of adults suggest a gradual regression of the dysplastic elements with time.
Actins ; Adult ; Apoptosis ; Child ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney ; Mesoderm ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nephrectomy ; Urinary Tract

CD44 is a hyaluronic acid receptor that exists as a standard 90-kd form (CD44H) as well as several CD44 variants isoforms are produced through alternative splicing. Alternatively spliced variants of the CD44 molecule have been found to be associated with invasive and metastatic potential of cancer cells and poor prognosis in several types of carcinoma. The purpose of the present study is to define the expression of CD44H and CD44v6 in ovarian tumors and to investigate whether the expression of these molecules is associated with adverse prognosis. We evaluated the expression of CD44 isoforms in 58 ovarian tumors by means of immunohistochemistry, and correlated between CD44 expression and the histologic types, tumor grade, peritoneal implants, pseudomyxoma peritonei and FIGO stage. While the CD44H was commonly expressed in ovarian tumors, the CD44v6 was expressed in a minor proportion of serous tumors in comparison with frequent expression of v6 isoform in mucinous tumors. The CD44H expression was significantly higher in stage I/II than in stage III. However, there was no correlation between the expression of CD44 and the presence of peritoneal implants or pseudomyxoma peritonei. These results suggest that CD44H could play an important role in the adhesive function in the lower stage of the ovarian tumor and reduced expression in the higher stage might be related to the metastasis and widespread invasion of ovarian carcinoma cells.
Adhesives ; Alternative Splicing ; Female ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mucins ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovary ; Prognosis ; Protein Isoforms ; Pseudomyxoma Peritonei

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to discover ways to screen urine culture specimens through Gram stains, urine stick analyses and microscopic examinations for the laboratory cost saving. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-eight urine specimens for culture were included. Fifty uL of urine were inoculated onto one well each of 10-well slide, dried on the hot plate, and Gram-stained. The results combined with routine urinalyses including urine nitrite and leukocyte esterase, and pyuria, were compared with the routine culture results. RESULTS: The screening of bacteriuria by Gram stains, urinalyses and microscopic examinations revealed the high sensitivity (91.9%) and negative predictive value(95.5%) with cost saving of 41.8% of inoculating media. Not considering the Gram stains, the screening revealed 83.8% sensitivity and 92.5% negative predictive value, even if the cost saving of inoculating media were as high as 50.1%. CONCLUSION: It was demonstrated that it was sensitive and economic and produced rapid preliminary results to screen bacteriuria by the Gram stains combined with urinalyses and microscopic examinations.
Bacteriuria ; Coloring Agents ; Cost Savings ; Leukocytes ; Mass Screening* ; Pyuria ; Urinalysis*

We experienced a case of congenital rubella syndrome manifesting patent ductus arteriosus, petechiae, microcephaly, intrauterine growth retardation, and hepatomegaly in one-day-old female newborn infant. Congenital rubella syndrome was confirmed by positive results of anti-rubella IgM in the sera of patient. Anti-rubella IgM was negative in the sera of mother, while anti-rubella IgG was positive.
Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Infant, Newborn ; Microcephaly ; Mothers ; Purpura ; Rubella Syndrome, Congenital*

A lateral chest radiograph is frequently useful and sometimes decisive in detecting chest pathology. Certainparts, such as the posterior wall of the bronchus intermedius (PWBI) and subcarinal regions, can be evaluated onlyon lateral chest radiograph. The authors present and emphasize the findings of PWBI and subcarinal abnormalities. Abnormal PWBI, more than 3 mm thick, is seen in cases of minor degree of oblique position, pulmonary edema, inflammation, neoplasm and enlarged lymph nodes. It can also be seen in patients with subcarinal mass. The findings of subcarinal mass on lateral view are ill-defined increased opacity, fullness of the inferior hilarregion, doughnut sign, extra-density and thickening of the PWBI. Detection of changes in the PWBI and subcarinalregion may be the only diagnostic evidence of hilar and subcarinal disease and helps in its early detection priorto computed tomography.
Bronchi* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Pathology ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Thorax*