This study investigated reduction of the bandgap of silica by applying nano-silver doping technique and possible application of such silica as a filler in dental resin. Due to reduce band gap, newly fabricated nano-silver doped silica was able to release ROS in accordance with exposure of visible light. Nano-silver doped silica was composed of below 20 nm size crystal silver nanoparticle and 100~500 nm size amorphous silica. These two components were chemically attached to each other (Si-O-Ag). The reduced bandgap was 2.10 eV, which the value could be interpreted as occurrence of surface plasmon resonance generating ROS in visible light exposure conditions. When such nano-silver doped silica was used as a filler in dental resin, increased antibacterial property of nano-silver ion was observed which was related to releasing of ROS when exposed in visible light. The antibacterial properties were statistically significant following exposure to visible light when 0.7 to 1.5 wt% of nano-silver doped silica were incorporated into resin. When the contents of nano-silver doped silica were below 0.7 wt%, minimal ROS release resulted in no significant increase in antibacterial properties as there would be less exposed nano-silver doped silica on the resin surface by visible light. Meanwhile, more than 1.5 wt% of nano-silver doped silica also resulted no significant increase in antibacterial properties following exposure to visible light as the antibacterial effects from nano-silver ion itself were greater than effects from released ROS. Hence, it was concluded that dental resin containing 0.7 to 1.5 wt% of nano-silver doped silica would provide antibacterial properties when exposed to visible light, significantly greater than in dark conditions.

Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) and acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) are common diseases caused by human adenoviruses (HAdV) and enteroviruses, respectively, in South Korea. However, there are limited studies on the molecular epidemiology of viral conjunctivitis in South Korea. The main objective of this study was to characterize the genotypes of adenoviruses and enteroviruses causing viral conjunctivitis in the southwest region of South Korea. We collected conjunctival swabs from 492 patients with suspected cases of viral conjunctivitis from 6 ophthalmic hospitals in Gwangju Metropolitan City, in South Korea, between 2012 and 2016. Of the 492 samples tested, HAdVs and enteroviruses were detected in 249 samples (50.6%) and 19 samples (3.9%), respectively. The genotype analysis detected HAdV-8 in 183 samples (73.5%), HAdV-37 in 14 samples (5.6%), and HAdV-3, and HAdV-4 in 9 samples (3.6%) each. We detected coxsackievirus A24 (CVA24) and coxsackievirus B1 (CVB1) in 8 samples (42.0%) and 4 samples (21.0%), respectively. We also reported for the first time HAdV-56-infected cases of EKC in South Korea. Furthermore, we found three cases of coinfection with HAdV and enterovirus genotypes in our samples. HAdV-8 and CVA24, the main causes of EKC and AHC, respectively, worldwide, were also found to be the predominant genotypes in our study.
Adenoviridae ; Adenoviruses, Human ; Coinfection ; Conjunctivitis, Acute Hemorrhagic ; Conjunctivitis, Viral* ; Enterovirus ; Genotype ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Keratoconjunctivitis ; Korea* ; Molecular Epidemiology*

Pneumothorax associated with thoracic endometriosis is a rare clinical entity and it is called catamenial pneumothorax if the recurrence of pneumothorax is related to the period of menstruation. Several hypotheses about its pathogenesis are suggested including spontaneous rupture of the bulla, endometrial implants of the visceral pleura, and passage of air from the genital tract through endometrial fenestration of the diaphragm. Pneumothorax is associated with chest pain and dyspnea within 72 hours of the onset of menses in young women and developed usually at right side. We report a case of 32-year-old woman who had bilateral pneumothorax and thoracic endometriosis confirmed histopathologically in the visceral pleura by thoracotomy.
Adult ; Chest Pain ; Diaphragm ; Dyspnea ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Pleura ; Pneumothorax* ; Recurrence ; Rupture, Spontaneous ; Thoracotomy

Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma is a rare form of primary liver cancer, featuring both hepatocellular and biliary epithelial differentiations. An intrahepatic tumor may be considered as a metastatic lesion. It has been suggested in the literature that the likelihood of metastasis in the cirrhotic liver is lower than that in the non-cirrhotic liver. A rare case of combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma and second primary colon adenocarcinoma in a 67-year-old male patient with liver cirrhosis is presented. Histologically, the intrahepatic mass was composed of a spindle cell sarcomatous component; a hepatocellular carcinoma component; and a cholangiocarcinoma component. There were focal transitional regions among the different components. Immunohistochemically, the cholangiocarcinoma component of the intrahepatic mass showed positive reactions for CK-7 but negative reactions for CK-20. The adenocarcinoma of the colon showed positive reactions for CK-20 but negative reactions for CK-7.
Adenocarcinoma/*pathology ; Aged ; Bile Duct Neoplasms/*pathology ; *Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*pathology ; Cholangiocarcinoma/*pathology ; Colonic Neoplasms/*pathology ; English Abstract ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*pathology ; Male ; Neoplasms, Second Primary/*pathology

OBJECTIVE: To discover the etiology of birth defects and low birth weight, it is necessary to establish epidemiological birth defects monitoring system in Korea. Our aim was to develop new practical model in Incheon to establish birth defects monitoring system to evaluate the incidence rate and patterns of birth defects in Korea. METHODS: Public health center and private hospitals and clinics participated in this monitoring system. Web based reporting system have been built. Trained nurses actively collected the records obtained from delivery units in the participating hospitals during 2 years (first year: December 1st, 1998-November. 31, 1999; second year: January 1 st, 2000-December 31 th, 2000). RESULTS: Through this monitoring system at 1 st year and 2 nd year, we observed 25 birth defect cases from 2482 births, 28 birth defect cases from 3490 births including live births and stillbirths. The incidence of birth defect per thousand person was 10.1, 8.0 respectively. At 1st year, the highest proportion of birth defects was 28.0% in musculoskeletal system. The proportion of birth defects in gastrointestinal system, cardiovascular system and cleft lip & cleft palate were 20.0%, 12.0%. 12.0%. At 2 nd year, the highest proportion of birth defects was 21.4% in gastrointestinal system The proportion of birth defects in cardiovascular system and musculoskeletal system were 17.9% and 14.3%. CONCLUION: In conclusion, we could build population-based monitoring system for birth defects successfully in Yonsu gu, Incheon. To establish population-based monitoring system for birth defects in Korea, it is necessary to organize the reporters of public health center and private hospitals and clinics, to build an available reporting system, and to extend participating centers for birth defects monitoring systems.
Cardiovascular System ; Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Environmental Exposure ; Hospitals, Private ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Incidence ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Musculoskeletal System ; Parturition* ; Public Health ; Stillbirth

PURPOSE: The evolution of cirrhosis from chronic inflammatory liver disease represents a dysmorphogenic "response to injury". It is important to understand how inflammatory cytokines, known to be associated with such responses, influence the growth of different cell populations within the liver. The purpose of this work is to establish a role of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) in liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy in N-nitrosodieth ylamine (DEN)-induced cirrhotic rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. Liver cirrhosis was induced using DEN (100 mg/kg) given once a week for 6 weeks. In Group I (n=18), 70% partial hepatectomy was accomplished and then the resected liver weight, regenerated liver weight, serum IL-6, and serum GOT/GPT was determined on postoperative days 1, 2, and 4 and at intervals. In Group II (n=19), partial hepatectomy was carried out and Laennec, a hepatocyte growth promoter, was injected on preoperative 1 day and postoperative days 1 and 2. RESULTS: The value of serum GOT in Group I was 415 IU/ml on the first postoperative day and peaked at 1870 IU/ml on the third day. In Group II, the level of serum GOT was 404 IU/ml on the first postoperative day and peaked at 593 IU/ml on the third day, then decreased gradually thereafter. The value of serum IL-6 was 106.54 pg/ml on the first postoperative day, 130.59 pg/ml on the 14th postoperative day in Group I, however in Group II, it was 40 pg/ml on thefirst postoperative day and then decreased to 29.18 pg/ml on the 14th postoperative day. The percentages of regenerated weights of liver at intervals following the 70% partial hepatectomy was 55.1% on the first postoperative day, and 102.3% on the 4th week in Group I and 60.4% on the first postoperative day, 95.8% on the first week postoperatively, and 116.1% on the 2nd week in Group II. CONCLUSION: As the value of serum IL-6 was sustained below 40 pg/ml, which was the value on the first postopeative day following partial hepatectomy with Laennec treatment, the resected liver was rapidly regenerated and restored to normal liver function. In cirrhotic liver, regenerative activity was related to serum IL-6 level, so downregulation of serum IL-6 might be helpful to the regeneration of resected liver.
Animals ; Cytokines ; Down-Regulation ; Fibrosis ; Hepatectomy* ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Regeneration* ; Liver* ; Male ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regeneration ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: In spite of improved local control and adjuvant therapy in breast cancer, many patients after a modified radical mastectomy suffer from locoregional or systemic failure. The purpose of this study was to assess both the patterns of failure following a mastectomy and the predictive factors affecting the risks of locoregional or systemic failure. METHODS: The study population consisted of 195 patients who developed locoregional or systemic failure from among 1,187 patients treated by using a modified radical mastectomy between July 1989 and October 1998 at the Asan Medical Center's Breast Clinic. The median follow-up time following the mastectomy was 41 months (range; 1-119 months). RESULTS: Isolated locoregional recurrence (LRR) developed in 46 patients (24%), LRR with distant metastasis in 43 (22%), and only distant metastasis in 106 (54%). The sites of LRR were as follows: the chest wall, 52%; the ipsilateral supraclaviclar node, 22%; and the axillary node, 15%; etc. The first sites of distant metastasis were as follows: bone, 46%; lung, 38%; liver, 12%; brain, 6%; and pleura, 6%; etc. Local or systemic failure appeared within the first 3 years following the mastectomy in 75-82% of the patients, and within 5 years in 95-98%. Multivariate analysis showed that increasing initial tumor size, increasing number of involved nodes, negative progesterone receptor, and increasing histologic grade were significant factors for increased risks of LLR or distant metastasis. CONCLUSION: Half of the locoregional recurrences following a mastectomy are isolated. T-stage, nodal status, progesterone receptor, and histo logic grade may help to identify patients at risk for locoregional or systemic failure after a mastectomy.
Brain ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Logic ; Lung ; Mastectomy* ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pleura ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors* ; Thoracic Wall

Dermatofibroma with granular cells is composed mainly of spindle shaped cells mixed with in-conspicuous foamy cells that contain granular cytoplasm. We present a case of dermatofibroma with granular cells in a 36-year-old male who visited our clinic to evaluate a slow-growing nodule on the medial side of the left lawer leg. He have had the nodule for five years and sometimes felt an itching sensation. Biopsy of the nodule identified a dermal nodular tumor showing cellular spindle cell proliferation admixed with peripheral foamy histiocytes. With the immunohistochemical staining, the granular cell was positive for alpha-1-antitrypsin and CD68, and negative for S-100. A few electron-dense granules were seen in the cytoplasm on the electronmicroscopic study. These results suggested that the granular cells originated from histiocytes.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Cell Proliferation ; Cytoplasm ; Histiocytes ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous* ; Humans ; Leg ; Male ; Pruritus ; Sensation

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the second most common cause of death among cancers in Korea. Epidemiological studies have revealed the carrier state of the hepatitis B virus and the dietary intake of aflatoxin B1 as possible causative agents of this neoplasm, but the precise molecular bases are still unknown. METHODS: We examined 24 cases of human hepatocellular carcinomas in Koreans for the presence of p53 aberrations in exons 4 to 9 of the gene by using single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products. RESULTS: Four (17%) of the tumors demonstrated a SSCP band shift, 1 in exon 6 and 3 in exon 7. All of the abnormal DNA fragments were further characterized by direct DNA sequencing. All the mutations were missense mutations. One was an A to G transition at the second nucleotide of codon 214; 2 were G to T transversions at the second nucleotide of codon 245; and one was a G to T transversion at the third nucleotide of codon 249, a mutational 'hot spot' at which mutations have been frequently found, especially when aflatoxin B1 plays an important role in the hepatocarcinogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the possibility of aflatoxin B1 being a causative agent of hepatocarcinogenesis in Korea can not be excluded.
Aflatoxin B1 ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Carrier State ; Cause of Death ; Codon ; DNA ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Exons ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor* ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Korea ; Mutation, Missense ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

BACKGROUND: The objectives of the study were to determine how gas exchanges indices including alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference(A-aDO2), PaO2/PAO2, PaO2/FIO2 and pulmonary shunt ratio (QS/QT) were changed after open heart surgery according to the change of inspired fraction of oxygen(FIO2) and to identify the reliable parameters for postoperative respiratory care in the intensive care unit. METHODS: Blood gases were measured from radial and pulmonary arterial blood for arterial and mixed venous blood in 15 patients, with a mean age of 45.1 yr, after open heart surgery, in mechanically ventilated states with 1.0, 0.6 and 0.4 of FIO2 with normocarbia maintained (PaCO2 30~40 mmHg). Above mentioned gas exchange indices were calculated and compared. RESULTS: After decreasing the FIO2 from 1.0 to 0.6 and 0.4 in order, the major changes were significant decrease in pulmonary shunt ratio : 24+/-3%, 17+/-3% and 11+/-3% at FIO2 1.0, 0.6 and 0.4, respectively and A-aDO2 : 347+/-34 mmHg, 184+/-16 mmHg and 94+/-11 mmHg at FIO2 1.0, 0.6 and 0.4 respectively, while PaO2/PAO2 showed the only significant increase at FIO2 0.4 compared with those at FIO2 1.0 and PaO2/FIO2 was unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of open heart surgical patient with cardiovascular stability, pulmonary shunt ratio and A-aDO2 appear to be more sensitive on gas exchange, but the oxygen tension indices such as PaO2/PAO2 as well as PaO2/FIO2 might be suggested as possible alternatives for the shunt measurement.
Gases ; Heart* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Oxygen ; Thoracic Surgery*