No abstract available.

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: We conducted the immunoassay of pertussis according to ages, in order to evaluate protective immunity against pertussis in Korean populations. METHODS: Healthy subjects were enrolled at four university hospitals in Korea. The subjects were grouped as seven age groups (every 10 years). Antibodies against pertussis toxin (PT) in sera were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Geometric mean concentrations (GMC) of antibodies and the ratios of the subjects with seroprotective antibody levels were determined. The subjects with antibody titers > or =24.0 EU/mL were considered to seroprotective as the manufacturer's protocol. RESULTS: Total 1,605 subjects (age: 2 months-65 years) participated in this study, and their GMC was 56.16+/-50.54 EU/mL. Among seven age groups, age group <11 year showed the highest GMC (64.78+/-53.24 EU/mL) (P<0.001). In the analysis of the ratios of the subjects with seroprotective antibody titers, 68.2% of the subjects were proven to seroprotective, and age group <11 year also showed the highest ratio (76.5%) (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We found that adolescences or adults (age group > or =11 year) showed lower levels of antibody against pertussis and lower ratio of the subjects with seroprotective antibody titers than children (age group <11 year).
Adult ; Antibodies ; Child ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Immunization ; Immunoassay ; Korea ; Pertussis Toxin ; Whooping Cough

We report on an unusual case with infiltrating extradural spinal angiolipoma. Most spinal angiolipomas involve the thoracic spine and infiltrating ones are also located mainly at the thoracic levels rather than lumbar lesion. In particular, there are few cases of lumbar extradural infiltrating type spinal angiolipoma. One case is that of a 52-year-old female with infiltrating extradural spinal angiolipoma involving lumbar 4 (L4) vertebra, who underwent a L4-5 laminectomy and surgical removal of the tumor. We achieved satisfactory results with surgical treatment of the patient. Spinal angiolipoma has a benign course with a good postoperative outcome.
Angiolipoma* ; Female ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Middle Aged ; Spine*

PURPOSE: Significant interest has emerged in the design of cell scaffolds that incorporate peptide sequences that correspond to known signaling domains in extracellular matrix and bone morphogenetic protein. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bone regenerative effects of the synthetic peptide in a critical-size rat calvarial defect model. METHODS: Eight millimeter diameter standardized, circular, transosseus defects created on the cranium of forty rats were implanted with synthetic peptide, collagen, or both synthetic peptide and collagen. No material was was implanted the control group. The healing of each group was evaluated histologically and histomorphometrically after 2- and 8-week healing intervals. RESULTS: Surgical implantation of the synthetic peptide and collagen resulted in enhanced local bone formation at both 2 and 8 weeks compared to the control group. When the experimental groups were compared to each other, they showed a similar pattern of bone formation. The defect closure and new bone area were significantly different in synthetic peptide and collagen group at 8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Concerning the advantages of biomaterials, synthetic peptide can be an effective biomaterial for damaged periodontal regeneration.
Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; Bone Regeneration ; Collagen ; Extracellular Matrix ; Osteogenesis ; Rats ; Regeneration ; Skull

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the adhesiveness and cytotoxicity of 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), and to evaluate the role of collagen membrane with DOPA in the guided bone regeneration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Peel resistance and cell cytotoxicity test were performed. Four defect types in nine rabbit calvaria were randomly allocated: i) control, ii) membrane, iii) deproteinized porcine bone mineral (DPBM) covered by membrane with DOPA, and iv) DPBM covered by membrane with cyanoacrylate. Animals were sacrificed at 2 (n=4) and 8 weeks (n=5) for microcomputed tomography and histomorphometric analysis. DOPA showed low peel resistance but high cell viability. RESULT: Cyanoacrylate and DOPA groups showed significantly higher mineralized tissue volume (MTV) compared to control and membrane groups at 2 weeks (P < 0.05). At 8 weeks, DOPA group showed the highest MTV. Significantly higher new bone area was found in DOPA group at 8 weeks (P < 0.05). Bone formation increased from 2 to 8 weeks in DOPA group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: DOPA showed high cell viability and in vivo study revealed predictable performance in bone regeneration.
Adhesiveness ; Adhesives ; Animals ; Bone Regeneration ; Cell Survival ; Collagen ; Cyanoacrylates ; Dihydroxyphenylalanine ; Membranes ; Miners ; Osteogenesis ; Skull ; X-Ray Microtomography

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the biocompatibility and barrier function of mussel adhesive protein (MAP)-loaded collagen membranes in guided bone regeneration (GBR). METHODS: Eight male New Zealand white rabbits were used. Four circular defects (diameter: 8 mm) were created in the calvarium of each animal. The defects were randomly assigned to 1) a negative control group, 2) a cyanoacrylate (CA)-loaded collagen membrane group (the CA group), 3) a MAP-loaded collagen membrane group (the MAP group), and 4) a group that received a polycaprolactone block with MAP-loaded collagen membrane (the MAP-PCL group). Specimens were harvested at 2 weeks (n=4) and 8 weeks (n=4) postoperatively for observational histology and histometric analysis. RESULTS: In the histologic analysis, MAP was completely absorbed without any byproducts. In contrast, some of the CA adhesive remained, showing an inflammatory reaction, at 8 weeks. In the MAP-PCL group, the MAP-loaded collagen membranes served as a barrier membrane despite their fast degradation in GBR. No significant difference was found in the amount of new bone between the MAP-PCL and MAP groups (1.82±0.86 mm2 and 2.60±0.65 mm2, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The MAP-loaded collagen membrane functioned efficiently in this rabbit calvarial GBR model, with excellent biocompatibility. Further research is needed to assess clinical applications in defect types that are more challenging for GBR than those used in the current model.
Adhesives ; Animals ; Biomimetics ; Bivalvia ; Bone Regeneration ; Collagen ; Cyanoacrylates ; Humans ; Male ; Membranes ; Mytilus edulis ; Polymers ; Rabbits ; Skull ; Tissue Adhesives

BACKGROUND: Enterococci have emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen. Enterococcal infections are a therapeutic challange because of antibiotics resistance, especially high-level aminoglycoside resistance and vancomycin resistance. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of enterococcal bacteremia patients admitted to Seoul National University Hospital between April 1996 and May 1998. The susceptibility of enterococci to ampicillin, vancomycin, teicoplanin, gentamicin, streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, rifampin, and tetracyclin were determined by micro-dilution method. RESULTS: Forty-two episodes of enterococcal bacteremia were identified. Of the 42 bacteremia, 74% (31/42) were caused by E. faecalis, and 26% (11/42) by E. faecium. The most common underlying diseases were hepatobiliary diseases (24%) and cardiovascular diseases (24%). Cholangitis (21%), pneumonia (14%), catheter-related infection (10%), peritonitis (7%), urinary tract infection (7%) were the frequent primary infections for the enterococcal bacteremia. Of the 31 isolates of E. faecalis, 29 (94%) were susceptible to ampicillin, whereas only 36% (4/11) of E. faecium were susceptible to ampicillin. Of the isolates of E. faecalis, 61% (19/31) were highly resistant to gentamicin, 39% (12/31) highly resistant to streptomycin, and 32% (10/31) highly resistant to both gentamicin and streptomycin. Of the isolates of E. faecium, 45% (5/11), 55% (6/11), and 27% (3/11) were highly-resistant to gentamicin, streptomycin, and both gentamicin and streptomycin, respectively. Only one isolate of E. faecium showed resistance to vancomycin. CONCLUSION: Approximately one third of enterococcal blood isolates showed high-level resistance to gentamicin and streptomycin.
Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteremia* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Catheter-Related Infections ; Cholangitis ; Ciprofloxacin ; Enterococcus ; Gentamicins ; Humans ; Imipenem ; Medical Records ; Peritonitis ; Pneumonia ; Rifampin ; Seoul ; Streptomycin ; Teicoplanin ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vancomycin ; Vancomycin Resistance

PURPOSE: Infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC) represents approximately 10% of all breast cancers. Its detection and staging for appropriate surgical planning may be difficult on account of its unique growth pattern, including a linear file arrangement of the tumor cells and a planar growth pattern and the resulting low density of the lesions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological features of an ILC of the breast including multifocality, the preoperative accuracy of the pathological diagnostic tools, and its impact on the surgical procedure. METHODS: Between 1997 and 2003 at the Asan Medical Center, a group of 63 patients with a pathologically proven invasive lobular carcinoma who had undergone surgery were included. They were all in stage I~III, and their medical records, mammographic and sonographic results, and pathologic findings were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 63 patients with a mean age of 48 years (range 35 to 70), multifocal lesions were identified in 27.0% by a pathological examination. For a preoperative evaluation of a multifocal lesion, the sensitivity and positive prediction value were 21.4% and 50% by mammography, and 92.9% and 52.0% by ultrasonography, respectively. Only 27.0% of all patients were confirmed as having an ILC preoperatively; surgical excision or incision biopsies 75%, core-needle biopsy 36.4%, frozen biopsy 22.7%, FNA 5.9%. Conservative surgery was performed in only 14.3% and a mastectomy was performed on 85.5%. The mean tumor size was 3.0 cm, and according to the TNM stage, stage I was found in 22.2%, stage II in 58.7%, stage III in 19.1%. ER-positive was found in 83.9% and PR-positive was found in 74.2%. Seven out of 11 patients, who underwent the planed conserving surgery, had a positive resection margin, 1 case had re- excision, 2 cases underwent mastectomies, and 4 cases underwent radiation therapy without additional surgery. CONCLUSION: Since invasive lobular carcinomas have more often multifocal lesions and a preoperative accurate evaluation may be difficult pathologically or radiologically, a careful evaluation of the accurate tumor extent as well as the multifocal lesion is needed particularly for patients with an ILC considering conserving surgery.
Biopsy ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Lobular* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Mammography ; Mastectomy ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

Calf losses have an economic impact on larger Korean native cattle (KNC) breeding farms due to replacement, productivity, and marketing. However, little research on KNC calf mortality or causes of calf death on large-scale breeding farms has been conducted. Based on medical records and autopsy findings from the Hanwoo experimental station of the National Institute of Animal Science, calf death records from 2002 to 2011 were used to identify the causes of mortality. Mortality rate of KNC calves was 5.7%. Large differences (1.8~12.6%) in year-specific mortalities were observed. Calf deaths were due to digestive diseases (68.7%), respiratory diseases (20.9%), accidents (6.0%), and other known diseases (2.2%). The main cause of calf death was enteritis followed by pneumonia, rumen indigestion, and intestinal obstruction. The greatest number of calf deaths occurred during the fall followed by summer. These results indicated that enteritis and pneumonia were the main reasons for calf death. However, autopsy findings demonstrated that other factors also caused calf death. This study suggested that seasonal breeding and routine vaccinations are the most important factors for preventing calf death, and improving calf health in high land areas with low temperature.
Animals ; Autopsy ; Breeding* ; Cattle ; Death Certificates ; Dyspepsia ; Efficiency ; Enteritis ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Marketing ; Medical Records ; Mortality* ; Pneumonia ; Rumen ; Seasons ; Vaccination