Implant materials, for examples, plaster of Paris, Bone cement and ceramics which are used experimentally to regain shape and function, act as a scaffold for bone growth and contribute to the healing processes at bone defect developed by trauma, infection and other causes. Therefore, the effect of plastei of Paris on the bone defects of adult rabbits may be an interesting subject, particularly in the orthopedic field. The authors carried out an experiment to study the effect of plaster of Paris on the bone defect, using 30 adult rabbits weighing fmm 3000-3500 gm, which were divided into 3 main gmups. (Each group was composed of 10 adult rabbits.). In Group 1, which was the control group, made a defect at the proximal metaphysis of the tibia, 6 mm×6 mm×6 mm in size, using a drill bit and filled by hematoma spontaneously. In Group II and Group IU, a defect was also made by the same method as in Group I and a piece of Gelfoam or plaster of Paris was inserted into the bone defect respectively. Then we studied the healing processes of the bone defect by sacrifying animals of each group at 6th and 12 th week after operation. The results of this experiment were as follows. 1. New bone formarion in the bone defect was poor in group I and Gmup Il, but it was good in Group III. 2. The plaster of Paris, filling into the defect, was absorbed and removed from the site of implantation continuously and stimulated the new bone formation. 3. The Gelfoam in Group II was more rapidly absorbed than plaster of Paris and didn't stimulate the new bone formation.
Adult ; Animals ; Bone Development ; Calcium Sulfate ; Ceramics ; Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Osteogenesis ; Rabbits ; Tibia

PURPOSES: This study examined uncertainty and nursing need according to illness phases(phase I, II, III) in cancer patients, and investigated relationships between uncertainty and nursing need. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 121 adult cancer patients treated in two hospitals. RESULTS: As for the total score, the uncertainty was not significantly different across the subgroups by illness phase. As for the subscale score, however, two sub-scales of the uncertainty were different across the subgroups. 'The unpredictability' was highest in illness phase I and II groups, while 'the lack of information' was highest in the illness phase III group. Nursing need as the total score was not significantly different across the subgroups by illness phase. However, all subscale scores of the nursing need were significantly different across the subgroups. Educational need was highest in the illness phase I group; physical and emotional needs were highest in the illness phase III group. Uncertainty and nursing need were not related to each other at any illness phase. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that nursing need and uncertainty may change across illness phases. Clinicians need to consider this pattern in caring for cancer patients.
Adult ; Humans ; Uncertainty

To address the limitations of animal testing, scientific research is increasingly focused on developing alternative testing methods. These alternative tests utilize cells or tissues derived from animals or humans for in vitro testing, as well as artificial tissues and organoids. In western countries, animal testing for cosmetics has been banned, leading to the adoption of artificial skin for toxicity evaluation, such as skin corrosion and irritation assessments. Standard guidelines for skin organoid technology becomes necessary to ensure consistent data and evaluation in replacing animal testing with in vitro methods. These guidelines encompass aspects such as cell sourcing, culture techniques, quality requirements and assessment, storage and preservation, and organoid-based assays.

PURPOSE: The role of ghrelin, which promotes the secretion of growth hormone, was not well known until now. Recently it was found that the mutation of ghrelin gene is related to obesity and diabetes. This study is to find the screening method that can easily and effectively detect the polymorphism of Leu72Met in ghrelin gene of obesity patients and apply it to clinical usage. METHODS: We compared PCR-RFLP, PCR-SSCP and ARMS methodologies for analyzing of the polymorphism of Leu72Met in ghrelin gene of obesity children, and also studied the merits and demerits of these methodologies. RESULTS: In this study, we were able to find out the band of peculiar allele of Leu72Met in ghrelin gene using PCR-RFLP, PCR-SSCP and ARMS analyses. The polymorphism of Leu72Met in ghrelin gene determined by all above methodologies was in complete agreement. Compared to the PCR- RFLP and PCR-SSCP, ARMS analysis is simple, inexpensive and also consume less time. It is very sensitive to analyze the polymorphism and easy to understand the results of test. CONCLUSION: Though PCR-RFLP, PCR-SSCP and ARMS analyses were sensitive to analyze the polymorphism of Leu72Met in ghrelin gene, ARMS analysis appears to be more efficient than PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSCP. Therefore, we conclude that ARMS analysis is suitable to analyze the polymorphism of Leu72Met in ghrelin gene for large quantity of specimens.
Alleles ; Arm ; Child ; Ghrelin* ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Obesity ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most prevalent cancer in the western world, showing a rapid increase in incidence. Activation of the Sonic hedgehog/Patched (PTCH) and is sisnalling pathway, due to PTCH inactivation, is a key event in sporadic and familial BCC development in humans and is associated with transcriptional activation of specific target genes, including GLI-1. Recently, PTCH inactivation by UV-specific mutation has been reported to develop BCC. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expression pattern of GLI-1 oncogene in BCC of sun-exposed and non-exposed areas of skin. METHOD: We examined 20 cases of BCC, and 4 cases of BCC occurring in sun-exposed and non-exposed areas, using an immunohistochemical method with paraffin-embedded sections. RESULTS: The results were as follows. 1. All cases of BCC showed a positive staining for GLI-1 protein. 2. In the staining pattern of GLI-1 protein, BCC in both sun-exposed and non-exposed areas showed diffuse staining throughout the tumor lobules. Moreover, the degree of staining was not found to be different between the BCC of sun-exposed and non-exposed areas. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that increased GLI-1 expression is important for BCC development. And multiple factors, including PTCH mutation due to UV irradiation, may affect GLI-1 expression.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Oncogenes ; Skin ; Transcriptional Activation ; Western World

Since the concept of osseointegration has been introduced, a lot of researches were performed to achieve stronger fixation of the implant. In this study, we tried to find the different pattern of bone ingrowth after implanting pure titanium implant and Hydroxyapatite coated titanium implant in dogs. Four typed of cylindrical titanium implants (diameter 6 mm, length 1 mm) were inserted in the distal femur of adult dogs. The histological examination was done at postoperative 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. There was no foreign body reaction at contact site and all implants kept direct contact with bone tissue. In the light microscopic finding, after 2 weeks, the cases with Hydroxyapatite-coated Implant (HAP) showed greater formation of immature woven bone in comparison to Titanium implant. After 4 weeks, Hydroxyapatite-coated Implant (HAP) showed more mature lamellar bone. After 8 and 12 weeks, most of the woven bone was transformed into mature lamellar bone. The fluorescence microscopic finding, after 2 weeks, revealed calcein green fluorescence around implants in all cases and it was more prominent in the cases with Hydroxyapatite-coated Implant (HAP). After 4 weeks, the center of trabecula gave out green fluorescent light, the corner of them showed red fluorescent light, and they were more prominent in the cases with Hydroxyapatite-coated Implant (HAP). After 8 and 12 weeks, green fluorescence disappeared gradually, red fluorescence appeared for the most part, and there was no difference in each cases, especially in 12 weeks. As a result, we support the concept that Hydroxyapatite-coated Implant (HAP) induces faster bone ingrowth in 4 weeks than Titanium implant, and that it may be more profitable for early bone ingrowth and implant stability.
Adult ; Animals ; Bone and Bones ; Dogs* ; Durapatite ; Femur ; Fluorescence ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Humans ; Osseointegration ; Titanium*

Pernicious anemia is caused by the absence of intrinsic factor from autoimmune destruction of parietal cells. Patients with pernicious anemia are predisposed to the development of gastric cancer. We report here a case of pernicious anemia with early gastric cancer. A 65 year old woman was presented with severe anemia and glossitis. Her serum cobalamin level was low, and serologic test to anti-intrinsic factor antibody and anti-parietal cell antibody were positive. Gastroscopic examination revealed an early gastric cancer and type A atrophic gastritis. This patient underwent radical subtotal gastrectomy and received daily oral vitamin B12 replacement.
Aged ; Anemia ; Anemia, Pernicious* ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Glossitis ; Humans ; Intrinsic Factor ; Rabeprazole ; Serologic Tests ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Vitamin B 12

BACKGROUND: VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci) have been an important nosocomial pathogen in the United States in the 1990s. VRE are usually multidrug-resistant and currently there is no effective antimicrobial agent for the treatment of such organisms. Recently, VRE have become an emerging nosocomial pathogen in Korea, but there have been few studies on the epidemiologic investigation of the infection or colonization of VRE among hospitalized patients with high risk factors. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of rectal colonization of VRE among patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU), to study the risk factors for nosocomial acquisition of VRE, and to obtain the baseline data for controlling the spread of VRE infection within the hospital. METHODS: Between August 1 and October 12 (10 weeks) 1998, a prospective surveillance study was conducted in the ICU at Korea University, Guro Hospital. Surveillance rectal swab cultures for detecting VRE were obtained at weekly intervals among 93 patients admitted to the ICU during the study period. To obtain the VRE, rectal swab cultures were performed on Enterococcosel agar (BBL Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md., USA) containing 6 microgram/mL of vancomycin. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of vancomycin and teicoplanin were determined by agar dilution method. For the genotyping of isolated VRE, detection of vanA, vanB, vanC1 and vanC2 gene by polymerase chain reaction was done. Patients harboring VRE were compared to patients who were not colonized with this organism to identify the risk factors associated with rectal colonization. RESULTS: The rectal colonization rate of VRE was 23.7% (22/93 patients), but no patients had VRE infection during the study period. Twenty-six strains of VRE, which were isolated from 22 patients, included 2 E. faecium, 18 E. gallinarum and 6 E. casseliflavus isolates. Two vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VREF) isolates were vanA genotype. All E. gallinarum, and all E. casseliflavus isolates demonstrated vanC1 and vanC2 genotype, respectively. Risk factors for rectal colonization of VRE included diabetes, catheterization of arterial and central venous lines, and vancomycin usage. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the low rectal colonization rate of clinically significant VREF (2.2%:2/93 patients) isolates among patients admitted to the ICU. This study suggests that maintaining HICPAC guidelines, restricted vancomycin usage and periodic surveillance in patients with high risk factors are important in preventing the emergence and spread of VRE infection among ICU patients in a university- affiliated hospital.
Agar ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Colon* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Teicoplanin ; United States ; Vancomycin

OBJECTIVES: Although the prevalence of depressive disorders in South Korea's general population is known, no reports on the prevalence of depression among patients who visit primary care facilities have been published. This preliminary study was conducted to identify the prevalence of depressive disorder in patients that visit two primary care facilities. METHODS: Among 231 consecutive eligible patients who visited two primary care settings, 184 patients consented to a diagnostic interview for depression by psychiatrists following the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria. There were no significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics such as gender, age, or level of education between the groups that consented and declined the diagnostic examination. The prevalence of depressive disorder and the proportion of newly diagnosed patients among depressive disorder patients were calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive disorder of patients in the two primary care facilities was 14.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.1 to 19.2), with major depressive disorder 5.4% (95% CI, 2.1 to 8.7), dysthymia 1.1% (95% CI, 0.0 to 2.6), and depressive disorder, not otherwise specified 7.6% (95% CI, 3.7 to 11.5). Among the 26 patients with depressive disorder, 19 patients were newly diagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: As compared to the general population, a higher prevalence of depressive disorders was observed among patients at two primary care facilities. Further study is needed with larger samples to inform the development of a primary care setting-based depression screening, management, and referral system to increase the efficiency of limited health care resources.
Adult ; Aged ; Depressive Disorder, Major/*epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outpatients ; Prevalence ; Primary Health Care ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to judge the quality of clinical skills assessment in Busan-Gyeongnam Consortium. METHODS: Fourth grade medical school students (n=350 in 2012 and n=419 in 2013) in the Busan-Gyeongnam Consortium were included in the study. The examination was consisted of 6 clinical performance examination (CPX) and 6 objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) stations. The students were divided into groups to take the exam in 4 sites during 3 days. The overall reliability was estimated by Cronbach alpha coefficient across the stations and the case reliability was by alpha across checklist items. Analysis of variance and between-group variation were used to evaluate the variation of examinee performance across different days and sites. RESULTS: The mean total CPX/OSCE score was 67.0 points. The overall alpha across-stations was 0.66 in 2012 and 0.61 in 2013. The alpha across-items within a station was 0.54 to 0.86 in CPX, 0.51 to 0.92 in OSCE. There was no significant increase in scores between the different days. The mean scores over sites were different in 30 out of 48 stations but between-group variances were under 30%, except 2 cases. CONCLUSION: The overall reliability was below 0.70 and standardization of exam sites was unclear. To improve the quality of exam, case development, item design, training of standardized patients and assessors, and standardization of sites are necessary. Above of all, we need to develop the well-organized matrix to measure the quality of the exam.
Checklist ; Clinical Competence* ; Humans ; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care) ; Psychometrics ; Schools, Medical