This study was performed in order to evaluate the sero-epidemiological status of toxoplasmosis in pregnant Korean women. Among 5, 175 sera and 750 amniotic fluid samples obtained from pregnant women, 41 serum samples (0.79%) and 10 (1.33%) amniotic fluid samples tested positive for IgG antibodies by ELISA. Fifty one cases showing a score more than 0.25 on ELISA were tested for PCR reaction against the SAG1 gene. Only one case of the 51 ELISA positive cases exhibited a positive reaction on all tests. This case had a history of acute nephropyelitis during early pregnancy, but fortunately, had delivered a phenotypically healthy baby. In this study, the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women was found to be comparatively low, consistent with previous reports from Korea. However our trials, performed with a variety of diagnostic tools, were considered to be useful for the precise diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis.
Adult ; Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications/diet therapy/*epidemiology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Toxoplasma/*immunology ; Toxoplasmosis/*epidemiology

Of 43 eyes with retinal detachment reviewed for this slit lamp biomicroscopic study, 35 eyes (81.4%) were associated with retinal breaks. Most attention has been concerned with the degenerative changes that so frequently occur in the retina: these together with associated degenerations of the vitreous gel, posterior vitreous detachments and the part played by the adherence of membranes and bands to the retina in determining the origin of a tear in this tissue. The authors are of the opinion, that total posterior vitreous detachment with collapse, is one of the predisposing factors to lead to a horseshoe tear. In posterior vitreous detachment with collapse, the solid vitreous in the superior part is found only anteriorly next to the vitreous base. In event of trauma and sudden movement of the eyeball, vitreoretinal adhesion, which when located in superior part of peripheral fundus may be pulled anteriorly and tangentially from the internal surface of the retina and so the base of the operculum deflects toward the ora serrata. (S.Fig. 9A) On the other hand, in simple total posterior vitreous detachment, a round hole often occurs in the equator as well as in the macular region, because the solidification power or the formed vitreous operates as the force on the vitreoretinal adhesion toward the center of the eyeball. (S.Fig. 9 Band C) With various advantages of the slit lamp biomioroscopic findings of vitreous and retina, retinopexies (diathermies and cryothermies) and vitrectomies could be effectively performed. Postoperative progress of 32 eyes were observed with slit lamp and compared with postoperative findings related with various methods of operations. In emmetropic and slight myopic eyes, only surface diathermy produced sufficient effects for retina surgery; so far there is no mechanical hindrances to the apposition of the retina to its bed caused by retraction bands in the vitreous or fixed retinal folds. In macular break, we prefer to manage by mean of cryopexy; a more dramatic effect could be attained by additional implantation of amniotic tissue in the posterior pole. Dextran, as a vitreous substitute, which was proposed by Won Sik Yoon in his animal experiments, is not suitable, because it has a tendency to retract solid vitreous.
Animal Experimentation ; Causality ; Dextrans ; Diathermy ; Hand ; Membranes ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinal Perforations ; Retinaldehyde ; Vitrectomy* ; Vitreous Detachment

The Clinical Resemblance of the rare carcinoma of the meibomian gland to the relatively frequent chalazion should be kept in mind by anyone performing eye lid surgery. The author recently experienced two cases of Meibomian gland adenocarcinoma of upper lid. In the first case a 65-year old female visited our hospital in March, 1976 with a large mass in the right upper eyelid which had showed progressive enlargement of two years duration. A Diopsy was carried out and the histopathological examination revealed sebaceous adenocarcinoma. She was treated with local resection with full thickness containing normal tissue around the lesion of upper lid and reconstructive surgery for upper eyelid. A radiation therapy was performed with good result. In second case, a 80-year old female visited our hospital in Dec. 1975 with a large mass in the left upper eye lid which had showed progressive enlargement of one year duration. The tumor was resected and the histopathologic examination revealed sebaceous adenocarcinoma. A radiation therapy was performed with good result.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adenocarcinoma, Sebaceous ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chalazion ; Eyelids ; Female ; Humans ; Meibomian Glands*

The purpose of this paper is to describe the most appropriate surgical techniques in the repair of retinal dialyses up to 180 degrees. In this sesies, silicon bands were used as an encircling element with conserved sclera implant. Perhaps a circling buckle will decrease a traction of vitreoretinal pathology located in equatorial area and reduce the rate of recurrence in patients who are exposed to an active life with repeated minor traumata. Retinal dialyses up to 90 degrees have been treated with a shorter and higher implant because the ends stretch the retina circumferentially by the sloping ends of the buckle. All of the 37 eyes with a dialysis up to 90 degrees and a clinical retinal detachment maintained successful reattachment of the retina. In retinal dialyses between 90-180 degrees a long, broad and lower implant was applied. The sclera was lamellarly dissected into two flaps extending approximately one hour of the clock beyond each end of the tear. In five of ten eyes with giant break, the posterior edge of tear could be settled on the underlying pigment epithelium during slight compression on sclera with Eisner's contact lens ane in five eyes the flap was everted and immobile. The retina was intentionally incarce rated on the buckle when the flap was everted and immobile. By this technique a giant dialysis could be transformed into two neighbouring dialyses up to 90 degrees. Of those eyes without everted three out of five were successfully reattached and of those eyes with an everted immobile flap four out of five eyes. 93.6% of the consecutive 47 cases of dialyses with a clinical retinal detachment were successfully reattached. If the patient with a postequatorial large horseshoe-shaped tear and a case with chorioretinohyalopathy and neovascularization of the chamber angle were excluded, the success rate rose to 97.9%. Three cases of the successful reattachment required a second operation. This report reviewed the results of the technique in the treatment of retinal detachment caused by dialyses up to 180 degrees. In a previous study, the management yielded a 95.7% success rate in retinal detachment caused by equatorial break operated by one of us. No comparison can be made between the success rate of these two types of tears (P>0.05) since all gave consistently excellent result.
Dialysis* ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Intention ; Pathology ; Recurrence ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinal Perforations ; Retinaldehyde* ; Sclera ; Silicones ; Traction

An extracapsular lens extra.ction usually provides an excellent functional result and leaves an eye whose anatomic integrity in some ways exceeds that seen after an intracapsular lens extraction. This technique has the advantage of a smaller incision and a shorter convalescence. In the prevention of certain complications such as operative vitreous loss and postoperative cystoid macular edema, well planned extracapsular lens extraction before surgery is followed by far fewer complications than the misfortune of a ruptured capsule of an immature cataract. Cataract extraction was performed as usual conventional method. Intracapsular lens extraction was performed in 21 eyes and extracapsular lens extraction in 15 eyes. Although the incidence of iris adhesion to the cornea or vitreous, iris peaking, vitreous adhesion to the posterior corneal wound and operative rupture of the anterior hyaloid membrane were higher than those of the intracapsular lens extraction, sorious complications were not resulted. Fundus fluorescein angiograms were taken in all patients within 6 months postoperatively. The incidence of cystoid macular edema in the extracapsular lens extraction (33%) was lower than that of the intracapsular lens extraction(43%).
Cataract Extraction ; Cataract* ; Convalescence ; Cornea ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Incidence ; Iris ; Macular Edema ; Membranes ; Rupture ; Wounds and Injuries

The nfa1 gene was cloned from a cDNA library of pathogenic Naegleria fowleri by immunoscreening; it consisted of 360 bp and produced a 13.1 kDa recombinant protein (rNfa1) that showed the pseudopodia-specific localization by immunocytochemistry in the previous study. Based on the idea that the pseudopodia-specific Nfa1 protein mentioned above seems to be involved in the pathogenicity of N. fowleri, we observed the effect of an anti-Nfa1 antibody on the proliferation of N. fowleri trophozoites and the cytotoxicity of N. fowleri trophozoites on the target cells. The proliferation of N. fowleri trophozoites was inhibited after being treated with an anti-Nfa1 polyclonal antibody in a dose-dependent manner for 48 hrs. By a light microscope, CHO cells co-cultured with N. fowleri trophozoites (group I) for 48 hrs showed severe morphological destruction. On the contrary, CHO cells co-cultured with N. fowleri trophozoites and anti-Nfa1 polyclonal antibody (1: 100 dilution) (group II) showed less destruction. In the LDH release assay results, group I showed 50.6% cytotoxicity, and group II showed 39.3%. Consequently, addition of an anti-Nfa1 polyclonal antibody produced a decreasing effect of in vitro cytotoxicity of N. fowleri in a dosedependent manner.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*immunology ; Antigens, Protozoan/genetics/*immunology ; CHO Cells ; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic ; Female ; Hamsters ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Naegleria fowleri/growth & development/immunology/*pathogenicity ; Protozoan Proteins/genetics/*immunology ; Recombinant Proteins/immunology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH) is a syndrome of hypertension, proteinuria, generalized edema and occasionally superimposed convulsions after the 20th weeks of gestation. It is a cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Causes of marternal mortality from PIH include intracranial hemorrage, cerebral edema and pulmonary edema. Mitral regurgitation(MR) is the second most common valvular defect in pregancy, but well tolerated by pregnant women. The reduced systemic vascular resistance characteristic of pregnancy may even reduce the intensity of the murmur of MR becauce of increased forward flow and less backward flow. Acute MR result in a sudden and dramatic increase in left atrial pressure that can lead to pulmonary congestion, pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure. This is a case report of patient with toxemia and MR who underwent emergency cesarean section. She was treated with oxygen, diuretics, steroids, bronchodilators, digitalis, semisitting position, suction and positive end-expiratory pressure(PEEP). She recovered completely.
Atrial Pressure ; Brain Edema ; Bronchodilator Agents ; Cesarean Section* ; Digitalis ; Diuretics ; Edema ; Emergencies* ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mortality ; Oxygen ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Proteinuria ; Pulmonary Edema* ; Seizures ; Steroids ; Suction ; Toxemia* ; Vascular Resistance

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence rate of Taenia spp. infection and distribution of taeniasis caused by T. solium among Koreans in several localities in Korea during the period from 1977 to 1980. A total of 1,946 stool specimens collected from students and inhabitants of Chungcheong Bug Do and Gyeongsang Nam Do were examined by cellophane thick smear method. Among them, 40 persons were detected as Taenia egg positive cases. The overall positive rate of Taenia spp. shows 2.1 percent. The prevalence rate of male (2.3 percent) is relatively higher than that of female (1.4 percent). In order to observe the distribution of Taenia solium infection, the whole worms or a part of proglottids of Taenia spp. were collected from the stools of egg positive cases by normal defecation or anthelmintic treatment. For the species identification, expelled proglottids were examined microscopically by the number of branches of the uterus, presence of a vaginal sphincter or the accessory ovarian lobe etc. Among 199 egg detected cases in this study 59 (39.1 percent) out of 151 cases in Seoul, 12(40.0 percent) of 30 cases in Gyeongsang Nam Do and 2 (25.0 percent) from 8 taeniasis cases in Cheju Do were infected with T. solium. But none of T. solium infection was found from 10 egg positive cases in Chungcheong Bug Do. As a whole, the composition of species shows 36.7 per cent of T. solium infection and 55.8 percent of T. saginata infection, and in 7.5 per cent the species were not identified.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Taenia spp. ; Taenia solium ; Taenia saginata

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Gastrodia elata Blume (GEB), a traditional herbal medicine, has been used to treat a wide range of neurological disorders (e.g., paralysis and stroke) and skin problems (e.g., atopic dermatitis and eczema) in oriental medicine. This study was designed to investigate whether GEB extract inhibits melanogenesis activity in murine B16F10 melanoma. MATERIALS/METHOD: Murine B16F10 cells were treated with 0-5 mg/mL of GEB extract or 400 µg/mL arbutin (a positive control) for 72 h after treatment with/without 200 nM alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) for 24 h. Melanin concentration, tyrosinase activity, mRNA levels, and protein expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (Trp)1, and Trp2 were analyzed in α-MSH-untreated and α-MSH-treated B16F10 cells. RESULTS: Treatment with 200 nM α-MSH induced almost 2-fold melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity along with increased mRNA levels and protein expression of MITF, tyrosinase, Trp1 and Trp2. Irrespective of α-MSH stimulation, GEB extract at doses of 0.5-5 mg/mL inhibited all these markers for skin whitening in a dose-dependent manner. While lower doses (0.5-1 mg/mL) of GEB extract generally had a tendency to decrease melanogenesis, tyrosinase activity, and mRNA levels and protein expression of MITF, tyrosinase, Trp1, and Trp2, higher doses (2-5 mg/mL) significantly inhibited all these markers in α-MSH-treated B16F10 cells in a dose-dependent manner. These inhibitory effects of the GEB extract at higher concentrations were similar to those of 400 µg/mL arbutin, a well-known depigmenting agent. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that GEB displays dose-dependent inhibition of melanin synthesis through the suppression of tyrosinase activity as well as molecular levels of MITF, tyrosinase, Trp1, and Trp2 in murine B16F10 melanoma. Therefore, GEB may be an effective and natural skin-whitening agent for application in the cosmetic industry.
Arbutin ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Gastrodia* ; Herbal Medicine ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Melanins ; Melanoma* ; Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Nervous System Diseases ; Paralysis ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Skin Lightening Preparations

PURPOSE: To compare the usefulness of three MR sequences for the depiction and staging of advanced gastriccancer (AGC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR imaging was performed in 20 patients in whom AGC was proven by endoscopy.Axial scans with T1-weighted fast low-angle shot (FLASH), T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE), and true fast imagingwith steady state precession (TrueFISP) MR sequences were obtained. We measured the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) ofgastric cancer and signal difference-to-noise ratio (SD/N) between cancer and intraluminal fluid, cancer and thepancreas, and cancer and perigastric fat in each MR sequence. We also graded lesion conspicuity (poor, fair, orgood), and the degree of serosal invasion in each sequence. All results were correlated with histopathologicfindings. RESULTS: TrueFISP was superior to FLASH or TSE in lesion conspicuity, and showed the highest value ofSD/N between cancer and intraluminal fluid. FLASH showed the highest value of SD/N between cancer and thepancreas, and cancer and perigastric fat. The accuracy of T-staging of AGC with MRI was 75% using FLASH, 70% usingTrueFISP, and 60% using TSE. FLASH sequence understaged in three cases(15%) and overstaged in two (10%). In Usingthe TrueFISP sequence, six cases(30%) were overstaged. CONCLUSION: TrueFISP showed the best lesion conspicuity,but tended to overstage the lesion. T1-weighted FLASH sequence showed the highest value of SD/N on theextraluminal side of the gastric wall, and was better than T2-weighted TSE or TrueFISP for T-staging of AGC.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Stomach Neoplasms*