PURPOSE: p53 gene mutations, one of the most common alterations found in human tumors, has also been detected in gastric carcinoma, and shown to have a crucial and early role in gastric carcinogenesis of intestinal type and mainly associated with tumor progression in the cancer of diffuse type. We tried to investigate the frequency of p53 mutations in 27 gastric carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fresh tumor tissue from a series of gastric carcinoma was screened for p53 mutations by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) with silver staining and confirmed by direct-sequencing in 27 cases of gastric carcinoma. Immunohistochemical method for p53 protein accumulation was also performed in the same cases. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry revealed 20 of 27 cases of gastric carcinoma, positive for p53. PCR-SSCP analysis of p53 exons 5-8 detected mobility shift in 4 out of 20 p53-positive tumors; three from exon 5 and the other from exon 7, respectively. DNA sequencing of exon 5 showed CGC to CAC point mutation in one of three cases; exon 7, ATC to AAC point mutation. It seemed that there was no correlation between genetic alterations of p53 gene detected by PCR-SSCP and expression of p53 protein by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSIOAS: Our results suggest that mutations of the p53 gene are rare genetic events in carcinogenesis of gastric carcinomas. There was discrepancy between mutations screened by PCR-SSCP and overexpressions in immunohistochemical staining.
Carcinogenesis ; Exons ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Silver Staining

BACKGROUND: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL) Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important cause of nosocomial infections in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). This study aimed to reduce ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae in the NICU by using infection control measures. METHODS: We performed prospective surveillance cultures, monitoring, and education for infection control in the NICU between May and August 2011. Specimens were collected from all infants and the environment including stethoscopes, thermometers, ventilators, incubators, etc. The anterior nares and hands of healthcare workers were also screened. We inspected infection control practices and provided feedback. The level of infection control awareness was measured using a questionnaire. RESULTS: The level of awareness and performance of hand washing increased significantly after intervention (both P<0.001). The environmental management of healthcare providers also improved significantly (P=0.001). The yield of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae from clinical specimens decreased gradually throughout the study period (30.4% in May to 12.6% in August). Central catheter-related K. pneumoniae bacteremia decreased from 1.3/1000 to 0/1000 catheter-days. CONCLUSION: Infection control measures including education, monitoring, and surveillance can lower the incidence of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae in the NICU.
Bacteremia ; beta-Lactamases ; Cross Infection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Hand ; Hand Disinfection ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Incidence ; Incubators ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infection Control ; Intensive Care Units ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Klebsiella ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Pneumonia ; Prospective Studies ; Stethoscopes ; Thermometers ; Ventilators, Mechanical

The purpose of this study was to examine the heterophoria in emmetropia and ametropia. The subjects were 337 healthy men and women between the age of 20-41 years. In 337 cases, Emmetropia were 135 cases, Ametropia were 202 cases. The entire group was tested for heterophoria with synoptophore. In the ametropia, this test was performed before and after correction of refractive error with glasses. The results were as follows: 1. The incidence of heterophoria was 84.4% in emmertropia, 89.2% in myopia and 91.4% in hyperopia. 2. Exophoria was most common in myopia. But in emmetropia and hyperopia, there was no significant difference between the incidence of exophoria and esophoria. The incidence of hyperphoria and cyclophoria was not significantly different between emmetropia and ametropia. 3. In the ametropia, the size of heterophoria was slightly decreased after correction, but the difference was not significant (p>0.05). 4. There was no correlation between the amount of refractive error and the size of heterophoria (p>0.05).
Emmetropia* ; Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Eyeglasses ; Female ; Glass ; Humans ; Hyperopia ; Incidence ; Male ; Myopia ; Ocular Motility Disorders ; Refractive Errors*

Terrien's marginal degeneration is a rare bilateral condition. Most investigators have thought that it was a degenerative origin, and emphasized the lack of significant inflammatory signs and symptoms. Several reports in Korea, except one case of perforation reported only mild conjunctival injection. But, recent reports suggested the possibility of inflammatory process and immune phenomenon. We experienced one case of Terrien's marginal degeneration accompanied with the iritis and treated with topical steroid, conjunctival flap and therapeutic contact lens.
Cornea* ; Humans ; Iritis* ; Korea ; Research Personnel

Terrien's marginal degeneration is a rare bilateral condition. Most investigators have thought that it was a degenerative origin, and emphasized the lack of significant inflammatory signs and symptoms. Several reports in Korea, except one case of perforation reported only mild conjunctival injection. But, recent reports suggested the possibility of inflammatory process and immune phenomenon. We experienced one case of Terrien's marginal degeneration accompanied with the iritis and treated with topical steroid, conjunctival flap and therapeutic contact lens.
Cornea* ; Humans ; Iritis* ; Korea ; Research Personnel

PURPOSE: This was a cross sectional descriptive study to introduce the Infants Coma Scale (ICS), describe mental status of high risk infants using ICS and explore the relationships between ICS and clinical variables in infants hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital in Korea. METHODS: After ICS was developed and tested by the authors, a research nurse evaluated the mental status of the infants using the English version of ICS and obtained clinical information on the infants from their medical records. RESULTS: Data from 88 infants were analyzed. About 60% were male, 90% were preterm births, and 40% had pathologic abnormalities. Their mean gestational age was 32.4 (+/-3.50) weeks and the mean birth weight was 1,842 (+/-728.6) grams. The Cronbach's alpha for the ICS was .78. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between ICS total score and five clinical variables including gestational age, birth weight, 1 and 5 min Apgar scores and respiration status. CONCLUSION: Mental status is an important parameter in nursing assessment. ICS is a valid and reliable instrument, which clinicians can easily use to evaluate the mental status of high risk infants.
Birth Weight ; Brain Injuries/diagnosis/ultrasonography ; Female ; Gestational Age ; *Glasgow Coma Scale ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Male ; *Mental Health ; Premature Birth ; Program Evaluation ; Respiration, Artificial

Proliferations of the endometrial glands form a continuum from focal glandular crowding through simple hyperplasia, complex hyperplasia and atypical hyperplasia to frank adenocarcinoma. But objective criteria to distinguish these proliferative endometrial lesions are not clear-cut and terminology is confusing. The p53 protein is a nuclear phosphoprotein that can regulate cell proliferation and suppress tumor growth. Mutation in the p53 gene have been reported in a variety of human tumors, and in selected malignancies overexpression of p53 has been associated with poor prognosis. In this study we examined a series of endometrial proliferative lesion, including hyperplasia, adenocarcinoma, and adenomyosis to determine whether or not p53 is overexpressed in these lesions. In the result, p53 immunoreactivity was observed in 3 of 17 (17.6%) simple hyperplasia, one of 6 (16.6%) complex hyperplasia, none of 3 (O%) atypical hyperplasia, 6 of 13 (46.1%) adenocarcinoma and none of 10 (O%) adenomyosis. In conclusion, p53 mutation seems to play a role in oncogenesis of endometrial adenocarcinoma in early phase but there was no significant relationship between p53 overexpression and histologic grade of adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adenomyosis ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Proliferation ; Crowding ; Endometrial Hyperplasia* ; Female ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Prognosis

Author performed this experiment to define the most important factor preventing the intimal thickening. An endothelium of abdominal aorta in the rat was denuded by two different wires having same caliver. The degree of injury was limited to the endothelial cells in one, and extended to the internal elastic lamina in another. The results showed that at 72 hours, in the case of superficial injury, the entire injury site was covered by new regenerating cells, but in the case of disruption of the internal elastic lamina, the migrating smooth muscle cell completely reached into the intima and resulted in intemal thickening. Similar findings persisted to 1 week later. Above results suggest the most important factor preventing the intimal thickening in endothelial injury is the depth of the injury which limited within the endothelial cells without extending into the internal elastic lamina and medial smooth muscle cells.
Rats ; Animals

Mllerian adenosarcoma of uterus usually present as pedunculated endometrial masses in postmenopausal women with vaginal bleeding. Extraendometrial variants are much less common. A 50-year-old woman, after total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy due to adenomyosis and benign ovarian mass, presented with protruding mass through vagina. The mass, originated from vaginal stump, was diagnosed as Mllerian adenosarcoma. We report a case of extrauterine Mllerian adenosarcoma with a review of literatures.
Adenomyosis ; Adenosarcoma* ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Middle Aged ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Uterus ; Vagina

Phthiriasis has been usually known as a sexually-transmitted disease. The majority of these cases are found in the hair of the genital lesion, however, infestation of the eyelashed may occur. Eyeld involvement frequently causes blepharitis or conjunctivitis. The authors found a crab louse, Phthirus pubis and their nits on the eyelashes of 22-year-old female who complained foreign body and itching sensation of her right upper lid. Treatment is accomplished by careful mechanical removal of the louse and nits followed by the epilation and alllication of antibiotic eyedrops. We report a case of Phthiriasis palpebrarum with a review of the literatures.
Blepharitis ; Conjunctivitis ; Eyelashes ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Hair ; Hair Removal ; Humans ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Pediculus ; Phthiraptera ; Phthirus ; Pruritus ; Sensation ; Young Adult