BACKGROUND: To study the prognosis of patients with lung cancer, many investigators have reported the methods to detect cell proliferation in tissues including PCNA, thymidine autoradiography, flow cytometry and Ki-67. PCNA, also known as cyclin, is a cell related nuclear protein with 36KD intranuclear polypeptide that is maximally elevated in S phase of proliferating cells. In this study, PCNA was identified by paraffin-embedding tissue using immunohistochemistry which has an advantage of simplicity and maintenance of tissue architecture. The variation of PCNA expression is known to be related with proliferating fraction, histologic type, anatomic(TNM) stage, degree of cell differentiation, S-phase fraction and survival rate. We analyzed the correlation between PCNA expression and S-phase fraction, survival. METHODS: To investigate expression of PCNA in primary lung cancer, we used immunohistochemical stain to paraffin-embedded sections of 57 resected primary non-small cell lung cancer specimen and the results were analyzed according to the cell type, cell differentiation, TNM stage, S-phase fraction and survival. RESULTS: PCNA expression was dMded into five group according to degree of staging(-, +, ++, +++,++++). Squamous cell type showed high positivity than in adenocarcinoma. Nonsignificant difference related to TNM stage was noticed. Nonsignificant difference related to degree of cell differentiation was noticed. S-phase fraction was increased wit advance of PCNA positivity, but t could not reach the statistic significance. The 2 year survival rate and median survival time were -50% 13 months, +75% 41.3 months, ++73% 33.6 months, +++67% 29.0 months, ++++25% 9 months with statistic significance (P<0.05, Kaplan-Meier, generalized Wilcox). CONCLUSION: From this study. PCNA expression was high positive n squamous cell cancer. And, there was no relationship between PCNA positivity and TNM stage, cellular differentiation or S-phase fraction. But, the patients with high positive PCNA staining showed poor survival rate than the patients with lower positive PCNA. It was concluded that PCNA immunostaining is a simple and useful method for survival prediction in paraffin embedded tissue of non-small cell lung cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Autoradiography ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cyclins ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell ; Nuclear Proteins ; Paraffin ; Prognosis ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen* ; Research Personnel ; S Phase ; Survival Rate* ; Thymidine

No abstract available.
Thioctic Acid*

The method of ankle arthrodesis is variable but compression arthrodesis has been widely used because of better results than non-compression arthrodesis. Twenty-one cases of ankle arthrodesis were carried out at department of orthopaedic surgery of Korea Veterans Hospital from January 1980 to June 1986, and were analysed clinically. The results obtained were as follows; l. Among 11 cases of compression arthrodesis, Charnleys method was done in 8 cases and Monofixateur in 3 cases. 2. Among 10 cases of non-compression arthrodesis, Chuinard-Peterson method was done in 7 cases and anterior 'sliding graft in 3 cases. 3. The average duration of immobilization after ankle arthrodesis was 11.7 weeks, and average 4.2 weeks were less needed in the compression arthrodesis than non-compression arthrodesis. 4. The postoperative complications were developed in 8 cases (38%): wound infection in 4 cases,skin necrosis in 3 cases and incisional neuroma in 1 case. 5. Bony union was obtained in 20 cases(95.2%) out of 21 cases at average 15.7 weeks, and in the non-compression arthrodesis and in the cnmpression arthrodesis, respectively, 90% at 17.7 weeks and 100% at 13.9 weeks.
Ankle Joint ; Ankle ; Arthrodesis ; Hospitals, Veterans ; Immobilization ; Korea ; Methods ; Necrosis ; Neuroma ; Postoperative Complications ; Transplants ; Wound Infection

BACKGROUND: Tumor growth is the net result of intrinsic proliferation and escape from active cell death. bcl-2 is a member of a new category of oncogenes that is not involved in influencing cell proliferation but is involved in regulating cell death(apoptosis). Based on this information, it seems to be reasonable to expect that there may be clinical prognostic significance of bcl-2 expression in non-small cell lung cancer. But its prognostic significance is not established. METHODS: To investigate the role of bcl-2 in lung cancer, we performed immunohistochemical stain of bcl-2 on 57 biopsy specimens from resected primary non-small cell lung cancer. Thereafter, flow cytometric cell cycle analysis was done. And we analyzed the correlation between bcl-2 expression, clinical parameters, S-, G1-phase fraction and survival. Results: 1) bcl-2 were detected in 43.8% of total 57 patients(according to histology, squamous cancer 47%, adenocarcinoma 32%, according to TNM stage, I 28.6%, II 52.3%, III 45.5%. both differences were insignificant). 2) By using the flow cytometric analysis, mean S-phase fraction of bcl-2(+) and (-) group were 14.1(+/-7.8)%, 24.7(+/-10.5)%(p<0.005), mean G1 -phase fraction of bcl-2(+) and bcl-2(-) group were 75.5(+/-10.8)%, 65.5(+/-11.4)%(p<0.05). 3) 2yr, 3yr and 5yr survival and median survival time of bcl-2(+) group were 65%, 54%, 41%, 53months, and those of bcl-2(-) group were 71%, 52%, 46%, 37 months. (p>0.05, Kaplan-Meier, log rank) CONCLUSION: bcl-2 was detected in 43.8% of primary non-small cell lung cancer. The S-phase fraction of bcl-2(+) group was less than bcl-2(-) group, and G1 -phase fraction of bcl-2(+) group was more than bcl-2(-) group. But, expression of bcl-2 could not be a prognostic factor.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Death ; Cell Proliferation* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Oncogenes ; Prognosis ; United Nations

PURPOSE: Gall bladder (GB) stones in children are rarely observed, and so reports of them have been quite limited in Korea. Therefore, we tried to assess the epidemiology and clinical features of children with GB stone diagnosed at Severance Hospital. METHODS: A clinical study was performed on 18 patients below 15 years of age diagnosed with GB stone by abdominal ultrasonography or CT scan at Severance hospital from January 1999 to May 2005. RESULTS: Concerning patients' profile, their sex ratio of male to female in total 18 cases was 2:1 with the mean age of 6+/-4.3 years. 15 patients (83.3%) were asymptomatic. Inducing factors were found in 14 children (77.8%) including ceftriaxone therapy in 6 cases (33.3%), infection in 4 cases (22.2%), spherocytosis in 3 cases (16.7%), Down syndrome and abdominal operation in 1 case (5.6%) respectively. Single stone was found in 13 cases (76.5%) and multiple in 4 cases (23.5%). 15 cases (88.2%) had the stones less than 5 mm in size, and 2 cases (11.8%) between 5 and 10 mm. 17 patients received conservative treatment, and one patient had cholecystectomy due to Meckel diverticulum. CONCLUSION: In this report, Pediatric GB stones are predominant in male children, without typical symptoms, having inducing factors, single and small. Recently the diagnosis of them has been increased because of the development of imaging study. But the reports for them were still rare in Korea. Therefore the study for them is more necessary to find it's clinical characteristics.
Ceftriaxone ; Child* ; Cholecystectomy ; Diagnosis ; Down Syndrome ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Meckel Diverticulum ; Sex Ratio ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder Calculi* ; Urinary Bladder*

With porcine vertebrae, the static and dynamic holding power of the pedicle screws under various conditions were measured to understand the biomechanical nature of the transpedicular screw fixation in spine. The objectives of the present study were; (1) to find the correlation between the insertion depth of the screw and the resulting holding power, (2) to determine the effect of bone cement augmentation on the screw fixation in a loosened hole, and (3) to assess the load-sharing mechanism between the cortical and the cancellous one surrounding the screw in this fixational system. The geomorphological characteristics of each porcine vertebra was measured directly with a micro-caliper. The bone mineral density of the specimens was also measured. Material with screw was holded in the fixed cross head of material testing system(Autograph E-10T). Testing force was applied and graph was obtained in the chart record. The results of the static pull-out tests in this study showed that there was a statistically-significant positive correlation between the screw diameter and the pull-out resistance(p < 0.05). The strength of the fixation did not actually increase as much as the insertion depth of the screw increased in these tests(r=0.457). In low-cycle fatigue tests, the increased number of cycles was required to clinical failure in the deeper-inserted crews. Considering the mechanical failure, a statistically-significant positive correlation between the failure cycle and the insertion depth was observed in both deep and shallow insertion groups(p < 0.05). Nonpressurized PMMA augmentation appeared to restore the ability of the screws to withstand pullout loading of the original value. On the effect of the cortical and cancellous bone, the most important factor was the cortical bone of the entrance near the screw.
Bone Density ; Fatigue ; Head ; In Vitro Techniques ; Pedicle Screws ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Spine

Background: Periodontitis is reported to be associated with preterm birth (spontaneous preterm labor and birth). Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is common during pregnancy and is expected to be related to periodontitis. However, little research has been done on the association among preterm birth, GERD and periodontitis. This study uses popular machine learning methods for analyzing preterm birth, GERD and periodontitis. Methods: Data came from Anam Hospital in Seoul, Korea, with 731 obstetric patients during January 5, 1995 - August 28, 2018. Six machine learning methods were applied and compared for the prediction of preterm birth. Variable importance, the effect of a variable on model performance, was used for identifying major determinants of preterm birth. Results: In terms of accuracy, the random forest (0.8681) was similar with logistic regression (0.8736). Based on variable importance from the random forest, major determinants of preterm birth are delivery and pregestational body mass indexes (BMI) (0.1426 and 0.1215), age (0.1211), parity (0.0868), predelivery systolic and diastolic blood pressure (0.0809 and 0.0763), twin (0.0476), education (0.0332) as well as infant sex (0.0331), prior preterm birth (0.0290), progesterone medication history (0.0279), upper gastrointestinal tract symptom (0.0274), GERD (0.0242), Helicobacter pylori (0.0151), region (0.0139), calcium-channel-blocker medication history (0.0135) and gestational diabetes mellitus (0.0130). Periodontitis ranked 22nd (0.0084). Conclusion GERD is more important than periodontitis for predicting and preventing preterm birth. For preventing preterm birth, preventive measures for hypertension, GERD and diabetes mellitus would be needed alongside the promotion of effective BMI management and appropriate progesterone and calcium-channel-blocker medications.

Two distinct hantaviruses have been isolated from Apodemus agrarius in 1976 and Rattus norvegicus in 1980 in Korea. Since our serosurveys conducted in 1994, a genetically distinct hantavirus from Apodemus peninsulae has been investigated. To isolate hantavirus from A. peninsulae captured in Korea, the lung homogenate of seropositive A. peninsulae inoculted Vero E6 cells. Viral antigen was detected in a progressively higher percentage of cells with subsequent passage after 80 days postinoculation. The new isolate from seropositive Apodemus peninsulae was designated Suchong virus after Suchong valley located in northeastern region of South Korea. Comparing with hantaan virus 76-118 strain, Suchong virus-1, 2, 3 and 4 showed the similarity of 71.0~91.8% at nucleotide and 90.9~94.8% at amino acid sequences in 231 nucleotides region of M segment, and the similarity of 75.1~81.0% at nucleotide and 97.5~100% at amino acid sequences in 237 nucleotides of S segment.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Hantaan virus ; Hantavirus* ; Korea ; Lung ; Murinae* ; Nucleotides ; Population Characteristics* ; Rats

OBJECTIVES: Benzodiazepines are most often used for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal, but they also may result in several adverse consequencies such as sedation, respiratory depression, cognitive impairment, disinhibition, and abuse. New anticonvulsants, topiramate may have a potential to treat alcohol withdrawal effectively. This study compared the therapeutic responses of a benzodiazepine, lorazepam, and an anticonvulsant, topiramate, for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal. METHODS: Fifty-two hospitalized patients with the diagnosis of DSM-IV Alcohol dependence, after obtaining written informed consent, were randomely divided into the either lorazepam (N=27) or the topiramate (N=25) groups. Subjects were assessed with CIWA-Ar scores at the time of baseline, 1, 3, 5 day after the last alcohol drinking. Lorazepam was given 4 mg divided by 4 on day 1, tapering to 2 mg divided by 2, and topiramate was given fixed single dose of 50 mg a day. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between two groups in demographic or clinical characteristics except marital status and s-ALT level. Two groups had similar ADS scores and baseline withdrawal severity. There were no significant differences by treatment group in CIWA-Ar scores over time (F=0.883, p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Efficacy and safety were not different between the two groups. Therefore our results suggest that topiramate is a promising alternative agent to benzodiazepine for treating alcohol withdrawal.
Alcohol Drinking ; Alcoholism ; Anticonvulsants ; Benzodiazepines ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Lorazepam ; Marital Status ; Respiratory Insufficiency

OBJECTIVE: Cerebral varices (CVs) without an arteriovenous shunt, so called nonfistulous CVs, are very rare, and their etiology and natural course are not well understood. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes of nonfistulous CVs by the analysis of 39 cases.METHODS: From 2000 to 2015, 22 patients with 39 nonfistulous CVs (≥5 mm) were found by searching the medical and radiologic records of our institute. Clinical data and radiological data including numbers, sizes and locations of CVs and associated anomalies were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Previously reported cases in literature were reviewed as well.RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 21 years (range, 0–78 years). On average, 1.8±1.2 CVs were found per patient. CVs were categorized as either fusiform or saccular depending on their shapes. Two patients had saccular type CVs, seventeen patients had fusiform types, and three patients had both fusiform and saccular CVs. Eight patients had associated compromise of the vein of Galen and the straight sinus. Four of those patients had sinus pericranii, as well. Five patients had CVs that were distal draining veins of large developmental venous anomalies. One patient had associated migration anomaly, and two patients had Sturge- Weber syndrome. Six patients with an isolated cerebral varix were observed. Of the 39 CVs in 22 patients, 20 lesions in 14 patients were followed up in outpatient clinics with imaging studies. The average follow-up duration was 6.6 years. During this period, no neurological events occurred, and all the lesions were managed conservatively.CONCLUSION: Nonfistulous CVs seemed to be asymptomatic in most cases and remained clinically silent. Hence, we suggest conservative management.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Brain Stem Infarctions ; Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations ; Central Nervous System Venous Angioma ; Cerebral Veins ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Sinus Pericranii ; Varicose Veins ; Veins