No abstract available.
Asthma*

PURPOSE: To investigate the inhibitory effect of MMC on experimental PVR. METHODS: The cultured rabbit fibroblasts were pretreated with 3microgram/L and 300microgram/L concentration of MMC for 30 minutes. MMC-treated and -untreated fibroblasts were injected into vitreous cavity of pigmented rabbits and the development of PVR was compared each other. The retinal toxicity of MMC was evaluated histopathologically after 30 minutes-intravitreal infusion with the same concentration of MMC. RESULTS: On the final examination 8 weeks after intravitreal injection, the rate of PVR was 90%, 67%, and 20% in control group without MMC treatment, 3.0 microgram/L MMC-treated group, and 300 microgram/L MMC-treated group, respectively. The severity of PVR was milder in treatment groups than in non-treatment group in general, and the rate of PVR between control group and 300 microgram/L MMC-treated group was statistically significant (P<0.01). At 1 and 4 weeks of histopathologic study using the light and electromicroscopy to evaluate the retinal toxicity to MMC, the retina and retinal pigment epithelium showed similar findings in MMC-treated groups compared to non-MMC-treated control group. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that pharmacologic therapy with MMC may be useful in the prevention of development and recurrence of PVR in the management of complex retinal detachment.
Fibroblasts ; Intravitreal Injections ; Mitomycin* ; Rabbits ; Recurrence ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; Retinaldehyde ; Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative*

Since laser therapy has been applied to dentistry, many dental practitioners are very interested in laser therapy on various intraoral soft tissue lesions including gingival hyperplasia and aphthous ulcer. The purpose of the present study was to determine the therapeutic effect and the harmful effect of a pulsed-Nd:YAG laser irradiation on human gingival tissue. In twenty periodontal patients with gingival enlargement, the facial gingival surface of maxillary anterior teeth was randomly irradiated at various power of 1.0W(100mJ, 10Hz), 3.0W(100mJ, 30Hz) and 6.0W(150mJ, 40Hz) for 60 seconds by contact delivery of a pulsed-Nd:Y AG laser(EN.EL.EN060, Italy). Immediately after laser irradiation, the gingival tissues were surgically excised and prepared in size of 1mm3. Subsequently the specimens were processed for prefixation and postfixation, embedded with epon mixture, sectioned in 1micron thickness, stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate, and observed under transmission electron microscope(JEM 100 CXII). Following findings were observed; 1. In the gingival specimens irradiated with 1.0W power, widening of intercelluar space and minute vesicle formation along the widened intercellular space were noted at the epithelial cells adjacent to irradiated area. 2. In the gingival specimens irradiated with 3.0W power, the disruption of cellular membrane, aggregation of cytoplasm, and loss of intercellular space were observed at the epithelial cells adjacent to irradiated area. 3. In the gingival specimens irradiated with 6.0W power, the disruption of nuclear and cellular membrane was observed at the epithelial cells adjacent to irradiated area. The ultrastructural findings of this study suggest that surgical application of a pulsed-Nd:YAG laser on human gingival tissue may lead somewhat delayed wound healing due to damage of epithelial cells adjacent to irradiated area.
Citric Acid ; Cytoplasm ; Dentistry ; Epithelial Cells ; Extracellular Space ; Gingiva* ; Gingival Hyperplasia ; Humans* ; Laser Therapy ; Membranes ; Stomatitis, Aphthous ; Tooth ; Wound Healing

The medical specialty system of Korea, as those of many developed countries, is faced with challenges of efficiency and quality as more and more physicians are involved in. For improvement and reform of the system, various proposals have appeared without any definitive conclusion since late 1980s. Initiated by the health reform proposal of the Korean government, however, medical specialty system has been focused again as a target for reform. For this reform to be promoted, as in other health policies, most related professions have to be included into a supportive group. Before proceeding to policy issues in details, therefore, it seems necessary that opinions of physicians on some issues should be analyzed. For this purpose, a survey was conducted with randomly sampled members of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), for a month in 1994. Structured questionnaire were mailed to sampled physicians and answers were returned. The total number of respondents was 614 among 2,000 subjects. To summarize responses, major findings were as follows; 1) The number of specialty would be increased and introduction of sub-specialty system would be inevitable. 2) In stead of the government, voluntary organizations such as KMA or academic societies should be in charge of operation of medical specialty system. 3) The existing system of rotating internship program has to be maintained. 4) Over-production of specialists have to be repressed with expansion of training programs for primary care physicians. For designing of new system, above mentioned opinions should be seriously considered as a basis of development of sound medical specialty system in Korea.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Developed Countries ; Education ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Internship and Residency ; Korea ; Physicians, Primary Care ; Postal Service ; Specialization

BACKGROUND: Campylobacter is the most common bacterial cause of food-borne infection in developed countries, and handling or eating of contaminated poultry products was reported as the major cause of human campylobacteriosis in sporadic cases. This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of Campylobacter in patients with diarrhea and raw chickens of grocery, and identify the species by multiplex PCR and determine the genotypes of isolates by SmaI pulsedfield gel electrophoresis(PFGE) profiles. METHODS: Eight hundred and fifty six stool specimens obtained from 773 hospitalized patients with diarrhea and 16 raw chickens purchased from grocery were tested. Karmali's charcoal based selective medium and Campylobacter enrichment broth were used for isolation of Campylobacter from patients and chicken, respectively. And membrane filter method with sheep blood agar was also used in both two cases. Isolates were indentified with PCR, PCR-RFLP, and biochemical test. And genotypes were determined with SmaI PFGE profile analysis. RESULTS: A total of 13 Campylobacter strains(1.7%) were isolated from 856 stool specimens of 773 patients with diarrhea, nine isolates were C. jejuni and four were C. coli. All of 16 raw chickens were contaminated with Campylobacter spp., and both of C. jejuni and C. coli were detected from eight chickens. From the SmaI-digested PFGE profile analysis of nine C. jejuni strains and four C. coli strains isolated from patients, eight types and four types of PFGE profile were obtained, respectively. And 15 types and seven types of PFGE profile were obtained from 23 of C. jejuni and 11 of C. coli which strains were isolated from chicken samples, respectively. The several isolates showing the different PFGE patterns were detected in the same chicken. Three PFGE patterns of C. jejuni isolated from patients were observed in the chickens. One type of C. coli PFGE profiles of the patient's isolates were the same as that of chicken. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of Campylobacter infection is not high compared to the other countries, but most of raw chickens are contaminated with Campylobacter spp. Several genotypes of C. jejuni and C. coli are contaminated in the single chicken. The PFGE patterns of some human isolates are the same as those of chicken so that human infection may be originated from the chicken. But the reason of low infection rate in human in spite of the very high contamination rate of chicken should be clarified in the near future
Agar ; Campylobacter Infections ; Campylobacter jejuni* ; Campylobacter* ; Charcoal ; Chickens ; Developed Countries ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Membranes ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Poultry Products ; Prevalence ; Sheep

PURPOSE: To report the surgical results of volar percutaneous cannulated compression screw fixation in subacute scaphoid fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2004 and January 2007, eight consecutive patients with subacute scaphoid waist fracture, who sought medical attention between 4 weeks to 6 months after injury, were included in this study. All patients were male of an average age 29.2 years (range, 19 to 44). Mean duration of injury was 10.3+/-4.1 weeks. An acutrak cannulated screw (Acumed, Hillsboro, OR) was introduced volarly under image intensifier guidance in all patients. We performed radiological evaluation preoperatively and postoperatively. And we performed 12 months postoperatively using grip strength, range of motion (ROM) of the wrist, Mayo Modified Wrist Score (MMWS) and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and the Hand (DASH) score for functional evaluation. RESULTS: Preoperative radiography showed minimal sclerosis line in three patients and a bone resorption around fracture sites in two patients. However, no patient had dorsal intercalated segment instability or more than 35 degrees of lateral intrascaphoid angle. Fractures united successfully at 11.6+/-2.1 weeks postoperatively without any requirement for a further procedure. At 12 months follow-up evaluations, ROM of the injured wrist was 93% of the uninjured wrist and grip strength of the injured wrist was 95% of the injured wrist. The mean MMWS was 93+/-6.6 and the mean DASH score was 4.8+/-1.2. CONCLUSION: We believe that volar percutaneous cannulated screw fixation is a reliable method in case of subacute scaphoid waist fracture without scaphoid deformity or carpal instability.
Arm ; Bone Resorption ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Male ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Sclerosis ; Shoulder ; Wrist

Cystic lymphangioma of the gallbladder is quite a rare tumor with only a few cases having been reported in the literature. We describe here a rare case of cystic lymphangioma of the gallbladder, which was unusual in that the patient presented with biliary pain and an abnormal liver test. Ultrasonography and computed tomography of the abdomen showed a multi-septated cystic mass in the gallbladder fossa and an adjacent compressed gallbladder. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography showed there was no communication between the bile tract and the lesion, and there were no other abnormal findings with the exception of a laterally compressed gallbladder. After performing endoscopic sphincterotomy, a small amount of sludge was released from the bile duct. The histological findings were consistent with a cystic lymphangioma originating from the subserosal layer of the gallbladder. This unusual clinical presentation of a gallbladder cystic lymphangioma was attributed to biliary sludge, and this was induced by gallbladder dysfunction that was possibly from compression of the gallbladder due to the mass.
Adult ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Humans ; Lymphangioma, Cystic/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: The anaphase promoting complex (APC) promotes the degradation of mitotic cyclins as well as other substrates involved in sister chromatid adhesion. This study was carried out to examine the relationship between the APC expression and the clinicopathological variables, in an attempt to determine the role of the APC in the proliferation of lung cancer and to evaluate the possibility of an aberrant APC function in surgically resected squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas of the lung. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining was performed for APC, Ki-67, cyclin B1, Cdc2, MMP-2 and VEGF in 55 cases of squamous cell carcinoma and 34 cases of adenocarcinoma of the lung, using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method. RESULTS: The immunohistochemical stains for APC revealed a positive reaction in 49 cases (55.1%). The APC expression level was higher in the cyclin B1-positive group (p= 0.01), the Cdc2-positive group (p=0.001), the MMP-2-positive group (p=0.03), the group with lymph node metastasis (61.4% vs 48.9%), and the group with stage II/III cancer (60.7%) compared with those with stage I (42.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The APC may have an aberrant function, such as a change in its role in controlling the cell cycle, and might be associated with the invasiveness and proliferation of tumor cells.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Anaphase* ; Anaphase-Promoting Complex-Cyclosome* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Cycle ; Chromatids ; Coloring Agents ; Cyclin B1 ; Cyclins ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Siblings ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

We report an unusual case of asymptomatic cor triatriatum found in a 30-year-old female suffering form Bechect's syndrome. Cor triatriatum was suspected from a routine echocardiography. The left atrium was divided into a posterior superior chamber and an anterior inferior chamber (true left atrium) by an echo-dense membrane. Two turbulent jet flows were demonstrated on transesophageal echocardiography. Catheterization and angiography demonstrated a mild increase in the pulmonary artery, and capillary wedge, pressures no associated anomalies, and with four pulmonary veins draining into the posterior chamber. The membrane was successfully resected by surgery.
Adult* ; Angiography ; Capillaries ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Cor Triatriatum* ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Female ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Membranes ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Veins

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of serum CA19-9 determination for the detection of endometriosis. DESIGNS: A retrospective analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative serum CA19-9 and CA125 concentrations were measured in 53 patients with surgically and/or histologically diagnosed endometriosis. The extent of disease was staged according to the revised American Fertility Society (1985) classification system. RESULTS: Serum CA19-9 levels were elevated (>or=37 U/ml) in 13 (24.5%) out of 53 patients with endometriosis and serum CA125 levels were elevated (>or=35 U/ml) in 13 (24.5%). Either CA19-9 or CA125 levels in serum were elevated in 18 (34.0%) patients. In patients with stage III or IV endometriosis, elevated CA19-9 levels were noted in 11 (31.4%) of 35 patients, while CA125 in 12 (34.3%). Either CA19-9 or CA125 levels in serum were elevated in 15 (42.9%) of 35 patients with stage III or IV. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that serum CA19-9, in addition to CA125, measurement could help in identifying patients with moderate to severe endometriosis.
Classification ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Fertility ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies