No abstract available.
Cesarean Section* ; Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUND: The erythromycin-resistance rate and phenotype distribution of Streptococcus propenes are quite different by geographical variation and study period. The aim of the present study was to determine the evolution of resistance to erythromycin and the frequency of erythromycin resistance phenotype of S. pyogenes isolated from Wonju Christian Hospital. METHODS: The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of erythromycin and clindamycin for 94 S. pyogenes isolated from clinical specimens between 1990 to 1998 were investigated. Double disk test of erythromycin (78microgram) and clindamycin (25microgram) were performed for 15 isolates of erythromycin resistant S. pyogenes to evaluate the erythromycin resistance phenotype. RESULTS: The resistance rates of 94 isolates of S. pyogenes were 16%(15/94) to erythromycin and 4%(4/94) to clindamycin. The frequency of erythromycin resistance phenotype in decreasing order were M phenotype (47%), inducible resistance phenotype (40%), and constitutive resistance phenotype (13%). Erythromycin-resistant S. pyogenes did not exist until 1993, but was isolated since 1994, and ranged from 14.0% to 24.0% during the period of 1994-1998. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding documents the emergence of high resistance rates to erythromycin in S. pyogenes at Wonju area since 1994. The M phenotype (47%) and inducible resistance phenotype (40%) account for the majority of erythromycin-resistant S. pyogenes.
Clindamycin ; Erythromycin* ; Gangwon-do ; Phenotype* ; Streptococcus pyogenes* ; Streptococcus*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Facial Nerve* ; Paralysis* ; Transplants*

BACKGROUND: Positive rate of HCV RNA in anti-HCV immunoblot indeterminate samples from Korean blood donors was investigated in this study. Futhermore, reactivity of enzyme immunoassay kits was evaluated according to patterns of band reactivity and RNA positivity of indeterminate samples. METHODS: HCV RNA was tested from a total of 180 samples that had been repeatedly reactive to LG HCD 3.0 or DONG-A HCV 3.0 and further confirmed to be indeterminate by LG HCD CONFIRM at 14 Korean Red Cross Blood Centers in 1997. Correlation between HCV RNA and reactivity to each recombinant antigens was analysed. Three kinds of EIA kits such as HCD 3.0, DONG-A HCV 3.0 and Cobas Core Anti-HCV EIA kits were tested of their reactivity to 56 samples that had shown single band positivity on LG HCD CONFIRM. RESLUTS: HCV RNA was detected in 11 (6.1%) of 180 samples. Positivity of 897 band showed positive correlation with HCV RNA positivity (p<0.001), while Core518 showed negative correlation (p<0.001). DONG-A HCV 3.0 showed negative reaction to two samples with anti-897 specificity and HCV RNA, while LG HCD 3.0 and Cobas Core HCV showed negative reaction to one sample with anti-EIE2NS4 and HCV RNA. CONCLUSION: Positive rate of anti-HCV immunoblot indeterminate samples from Korean blood donors was 6.1%. In case of indeterminate results by LG HCD CONFIRM, positive reaction to 897 band highly suggests the presence of HCV RNA, while Core518 the absence of HCV RNA. It is highly recommended that specificity of Core518 antigen be increased in LG HCD 3.0 or LG HCD CONFIRM and sensitivity of recombinant antigen from the 3rd non-structural region of HCV genome be increased in DONG-A HCV 3.0.
Blood Donors* ; Genome ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques* ; Red Cross ; RNA* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND: It has been estimated that 1 unit per 493,000 blood donations could transmit HIV by infected persons in seroconversion window in America. The 4th generation enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits which are designed to detect HIV antigen and antibody simultaneously, could reduce the period of seroconversion window and thereby increase the safety of donated bloods without additional expenses. METHODS: Sensitivity and specificity of Vironostika HIV Uni-Form II Ag/Ab (Organon Technika, Boxtel, Netherlands) were evaluated using 53 samples (11 western blot positive samples and 42 sera from BBI panel) and 391 samples (282 healthy donors, 20 anti-HCV positive sera and 89 FANA positive sera), respectively. Seroconversion window was compared with that of COBAS CORE Anti-HIV-1/HIV-2 EIA DAGS (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland) using 6 kinds of BBI seroconversion panel. RESLUTS: Sensitivity was 100% (53/53). Aggregated specificity was 99.5% (389/391), while all the samples from the healthy donors showed negative (282/282). COBAS CORE Anti-HIV-1/HIV-2 EIA DAGS also showed 100% sensitivity (53/53) and 100% specificity (391/391). Vironostika HIV kit detected HIV-1 infection earlier about 9.8 days than COBAS CORE Anti-HIV-1/HIV-2 EIA DAGS. CONCLUSION: Sensitivity and specificity of Vironostika HIV kit were as good as those of COBAS CORE kit. Vironostika HIV kit, however, could get more safety of donated bloods than the 3rd generation EIA such as COBAS CORE Anti-HIV-1/HIV-2 EIA DAGS, in that it can reduce seroconversion window of HIV infection.
Americas ; Blood Donors ; Blotting, Western ; HIV Infections ; HIV* ; HIV-1 ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tissue Donors

An algific talus slope is composed of broken rocks with vents connected to an ice cave, releasing cool air in summer and relatively warmer air in winter to maintain a more stable microclimate all year round. Such geological features create a very unusual and delicate ecosystem. Although there are around 25 major algific talus slopes in Korea, lichen ecology of these areas had not been investigated to date. In this study, we report the first exploration of lichen diversity and ecology at an algific talus slope, Jangyeol-ri, in Korea. A total of 37 specimens were collected over 2017–2018. Morphological and sequencing analysis revealed 27 species belonging to 18 genera present in the area. Of particular interest among these species was Solorina saccata, as it has previously not been reported in Korea and most members of genus Solorina are known to inhabit alpine regions of the Northern Hemisphere. We provide here a taxonomic key for S. saccata alongside molecular phylogenetic analyses and prediction of potential habitats in South Korea. Furthermore, regions in South Korea potentially suitable for Solorina spp. were predicted based on climatic features of known habitats around the globe. Our results showed that the suitable areas are mostly at high altitudes in mountainous areas where the annual temperature range does not exceed 26.6 °C. Further survey of other environmental conditions determining the suitability of Solorina spp. should lead to a more precise prediction of suitable habitats and trace the origin of Solorina spp. in Korea.

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was performed to explore trends in child health nursing research by analyzing the themes, contents and structure of articles published in 2014 in Child Health Nursing Research, the official journal of the Korean Academy of Child Health Nursing. METHODS: Thirty-eight articles were reviewed using keywords, author (s), subjects, ethical considerations, designs, statistics involved, funding resources, and others. RESULTS: Ten domains from 160 keywords were identified as follows, child related, psycho-social variable related, parents and family related, nursing and health related, and others. A mean of 2.9 authors per article was identified and 71% of the authors were academic- affiliated. Twenty-eight articles were human-participant related while 21 articles addressed both Institutional Review Board and written consent. Non-experimental design was the most commonly used method followed by experimental design, and qualitative design. The duration for acceptance was a mean of 89.1 days from submission with most articles requiring a second round of article review. Half of the articles were supported by grant organizations such as Korean National Research Foundation. CONCLUSION: The findings of the analysis show an improvement in the scientific quality with a diversity of articles in Child Health Nursing Research.
Child ; Child Welfare* ; Child* ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Financial Management ; Financing, Organized ; Humans ; Nursing Research* ; Nursing* ; Parents ; Publications ; Research Design

Prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders is now an established part of routine antenatalcare. This is a study of our experience with 1,046 cases that have been undergone amniocentesisat the Guro Hospital of the Korea University Medical School from October 1983 toJune 1996. Advanced maternal age was by far the most common indication of amniocentesis.Chromosomal aberrations were diagnosed in 15 cases(1.4%) of which numerical aberrationwas 9 cases(60/0%) and structural aberration was 6 cases(40.0%). Autosomal aberrationwas observed in fourteen cases(93.3%) and sex chromosomal aberration was observedin one case(6.7%). Among the 14 autosomal aberrations, trisomy 21 was most common,being 5 cases, and one case of trisomy 13 and another case of trisomy 18 was found respectively.The others were 4 cases of translocation, one case of inversion and another case ofisochromosome. Sex chomosomal aberration case was only one and it was a Klinefeltersyndrome.
Amniocentesis* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Maternal Age ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Schools, Medical ; Trisomy

BACKGROUND: We investigate the influence of cell surface adhesion receptor integrin alphavbeta3, alpha5beta1 contributes to proliferation and migration of tumor cell in osteosarcoma for carves out a new treatment model by regulation of integrin roles in human osteosarcoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed proliferation assay, total 11 cell lines including 7 osteosarcoma cell lines established from patients and 4 osteosarcoma standard cell lines. Murine monoclonal anti-alpha5beta1 and anti-alphavbeta3 (Chemicon International Inc. Temecula, CA) were used for growth inhibition assays. We also performed cell motility assay by using the Boyden chamber to evaluate the effect of integrin mediated cell migration. We used the HOS standard osteosarcoma cell lines and each separates contained serum free media with mouse IgG1 negative control antibody, anti-alpha5beta1 antibody and anti-alphavbeta3 antibody. RESULTS: Proliferation of cells decreased significantly in 10 out of 11 cell lines when blocking with alphavbeta3 or alpha5beta1 respectively. Blocking with anti-alphavbeta3 antibody decreased significantly tumor cell proliferation in 10 cell lines. Among the 10 cell lines, 7 cell lines showed significantly more decrease of proliferation with anti-alphavbeta3 antibody than with anti-alpha5beta1antibody. Blocking with anti-alpha5beta1 antibody decreased significantly tumor cell proliferation in 10 cell lines. Among the 10 cell lines, 3 cell lines showed significantly more decrease of proliferation with anti-alpha5beta1 antibody than with anti-alphavbeta3 antibody. Including statistically not significant 2 cell lines the growth inhibition of osteosarcoma cell lines was more obvious (10 out of 11) in blocking with anti-alphavbeta3 antibody. The migration of cells was significantly decreased when blocked with anti-alpha5beta1 antibody and anti-alphavbeta3 antibody. CONCLUSION: Under the based on the integrin alphavbeta3, alpha5 beta1 are central role on proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells, we could be more approach to new therapeutic endeavors with antibody to integrin alphavbeta3, alpha5beta1 molecular target of osteosarcoma.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Cell Migration Assays ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation* ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Humans* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Integrin alphaVbeta3* ; Mice ; Osteosarcoma*