No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

No abstract available.
Twins, Conjoined*

Homer protein was identified based on its rapid induction in rat hippocampal granule cell neurons following excitatory synaptic activity. Although the presence of the Homer gene in the peripheral tissues has been observed in previous reports, the physiological function of the Homer protein in these tissues has not been noted. In this experiment, a Homer-2a cDNA fragment was successfully amplified by RTPCR in the involuting phase of human hemangioma but not in the human vascular malformation and normal vessel. After isolation of full Homer cDNA in a mouse liver cDNA library, E1-deleted recombinant adenovirus expressing the Homer protein (Adv.CMV.mHomer-2a) was constructed to determine its physiological function in peripheral tissues. Adv.CMV.mHomer2a, but not Adv.CMV.LacZ (recombinant adenovirus expressing beta-galactosidase), strongly inhibited the growth rate of HUVECs (human umbilical vein endothelial cells) probably via inducing apoptosis determined by acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining methods. This study suggests that the Homer gene is present in human specimens in the involuting phase of hemangioma, and it might be involved in the growth control.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Base Sequence ; Blood Vessels/*abnormalities ; Carrier Proteins/genetics/*physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA, Complementary/genetics ; Endothelium, Vascular/cytology ; Female ; Hemangioma/blood supply/*genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Middle Aged ; Neuropeptides/genetics/*physiology ; Rats ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin/blood supply ; Skin Neoplasms/blood supply/*genetics

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the microbiological quality of unchlorinated drinking water in Korea, 2010. One hundred and eighty unchlorinated drinking water samples were collected from various sites in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. METHODS: To investigate bacterial presence, the pour plate method was used with cultures grown on selective media for total bacteria, total coliforms, and Staphylococcus spp., respectively. RESULTS: In the 180 total bacteria investigation, 72 samples from Seoul and 33 samples from Gyeonggi province were of an unacceptable quality (>10(2) CFU/mL). Of all the samples tested, total coliforms were detected in 28 samples (15.6%) and Staphylococcus spp. in 12 samples (6.7%). Most of the coliform isolates exhibited high-level resistance to cefazolin (88.2%), cefonicid (64.7%) and ceftazidime (20.6%). In addition, Staphylococcus spp. isolates exhibited high-level resistance to mupirocin (42%). Species of Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Cupriavidus, Hafnia, Rahnella, Serratia, and Yersinia were isolated from the water samples. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that consumption of unchlorinated drinking water could represent a notable risk to the health of consumers. As such, there is need for continuous monitoring of these water sources and to establish standards.
Acinetobacter ; Bacteria ; Cefazolin ; Cefonicid ; Ceftazidime ; Cupriavidus ; Drinking ; Drinking Water ; Hafnia ; Korea ; Mupirocin ; Pseudomonas ; Rahnella ; Serratia ; Staphylococcus ; Water ; Yersinia

Blow-out fracture is frequently encountered in facial bone trauma. And the frequency of medial orbital wall fracture in Asia is high. Various approaches have been reported for medial orbital wall fractures. The field of medial orbital surgery is difficult due to lack of visualization of fracture site, blind dissection of orbital wall, susceptibility of injury of orbital structures. Recently, endoscopic reduction of orbital wall was provided good fuctional and cosmetic results. In order to address this shortcoming we have explored the use of endoscopic external short scar approach in medial orbital wall dissection to allow direct visualization of orbital content and nearly whole fracture components. In this study a direct local approach through a 2cm, modified Z-shaped incision on superior medial orbital area was used as a consistent method to reconstruct medial blow-out fractures. The incision line consist 3 limbs. The angle of the limbs is to 110 degrees. First, 1cm sized line exsists frontonasal line. Second, 5mm sized 2 limbs of the incision line were placed parallel or oblique to the relaxed skin tension line. During the follow-up period of 6 to 12 months, excellent functional and cosmetic results were observed with an inconspicuous scar. Therefore, a direct external short scar incision approach with endoscope on the superior medial orbit may be a consistent method to gain the surgical goal in treatment of blow-out fractures of the medial orbital wall.
Asia ; Cicatrix* ; Endoscopes ; Extremities ; Facial Bones ; Follow-Up Studies ; Orbit* ; Orbital Fractures* ; Skin

Osteomas in the head and neck regions are benign bone neplasms usually found in the frontoethmoid area. Osteomas are usually produce symptoms secondary to pressure on adjacent structures. Although commonly discovered in the external auditory canal of the temporal bone, few cases have been reported in the mastoid or squamous portion of the temporal bone. When located in the mastoid and squamous parts of the temporal bone osteomas can cause cosmetic deformity such as external mass or an auricular protrusion. Other neoplasms of the mastoid region such as osteosarcoma and osteoblastic metastasis should be considered for the differential diagnosis. The authors experienced a case of osteoma that originated from mastoid of temporal bone. We report this rare case and its successful management with a review of the literatures.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Ear Canal ; Head ; Mastoid* ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoma* ; Osteosarcoma ; Temporal Bone

PURPOSE: Computed tomography theoretically should improve detection of foreign bodies and provide more information of adjacent soft tissues. And the CT scanner and PACS program proved to be an excellent instrument for detection and localization of most facial foreign bodies above certain minimum levels of detectability. The severity of injury in penetrating trauma to the face, it is often underestimated by physical examination. Diagnosis of a retained foreign object is always critical. METHODS: From March, 2005 to February 2008 a study was done with 200 patients who had facial trauma. Axial and coronal CT images were obtained with a General Electric(Milwaukee, Wis) 9800 CT scanner at 130kV, 90mA, with a 2-mm section thickness and a 512x512 matrix. RESULTS: Axial and coronal CT images at various window widths should be used as the first imaging modality to detect facial foreign bodies. The attenuation coefficients for the metallic and nonmetallic foreign bodies ranged from -437 to +3071 HU. As a general rule, metallic foreign bodies produced more Hounsfield artifacts than nonmetallic foreign bodies, thus providing a clue to their composition. All of the metallic foreign bodies were represented by a single peak and had a maximum attenuation coefficient of +3071 HU. Of the nonmetallic foreign bodies, glass had an attenuation coefficient that ranged from +105 to +2039, while plastic had a much lower coefficient that ranged from -62 to -35. wood had the lowest range of attenuation coefficients: -491 to -437. CONCLUSION: The PACS program allows one to distinguish metallic from nonmetallic foreign bodies and to individually identify the specific composition of many nonmetallic foreign bodies. This program does not, however, allow identification of the specific composition of a metallic foreign body. We recommend this type of software program for CT scanning of any patient with an injury to the face in which a foreign body is suspected.
Artifacts ; Foreign Bodies ; Glass ; Humans ; Physical Examination ; Plastics ; Wood

Plasma cholesterol is increased in normal aging in both rodents and humans. This is associated with reduced elimination of cholesterol and decreased receptor-mediated clearance of plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. The aims of this study were: (1) to determine age-related changes in plasma lipid profiles, and (2) to determine the effect of fenofibrate, an activator of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPAR alpha), on plasma lipid profiles in normal rats on a standard diet. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (n=15) were fed standard chow and water from 10 to 25 weeks of age. During that period, we measured daily food intake, body weight, fasting and random blood glucose levels, plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and free fatty acid (FFA) levels. At 20 weeks of age, all rats were randomly divided into two groups: a fenofibrate group (in which rats were gavaged with 300 mg/kg/day of fenofibrate) and a control group (gavaged with water). Fenofibrate treatment lasted 5 weeks. There were no significant changes in daily food intake, blood glucose, and plasma TG level with age. Body weight, plasma TC, and FFA levels were significantly increased with age. Fenofibrate significantly decreased plasma concentrations of TC and FFA, which had been increased with age. However, fenofibrate did not influence the plasma concentration of TG, which had not increased with age. These results suggest that fenofibrate might have a novel role in preventing age-related hypercholesterolemia in SD rats on a normal diet.
Aging ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Eating ; Fasting ; Fenofibrate ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Lipoproteins ; Male ; Plasma ; PPAR alpha ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rodentia ; Triglycerides ; Water

Human adenovirus type 5 (hAd5) vectors have been demonstrated to be useful vehicles for gene expressions in animals. However, it has not been reported whether hAd5 transduction might be hampered in the sera of livestock animals in Republic of Korea. We collected 205 samples of livestock animals, such as pig (n=84), cattle (n=84), and goat (n=37) in Korea. The neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers to hAd5 virus were less than 15 in most of samples. Only 8% of goat samples had a NAb titer of 15 or 30. Thus, we showed that hAd5 virus was not neutralized in sera from cattle, pig, and goat, and suggest that the hAd5 vector could be used for the effective delivery of vaccines or proteins in livestock animals in the field.
Adenoviruses, Human* ; Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Cattle* ; Gene Expression ; Goats* ; Korea ; Livestock ; Republic of Korea* ; Vaccines

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the complications in renal transplant recipients and analyze the factors that affect the survival rate of transplant kidney and patients. METHODS: Between March 1985 and April 2000, 380 cases of renal transplantation were performed at Yeungnam University Hospital. The results were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Infectious complications occurred 612 times in 215 cases and non-infectious complications occurred 200 times in 143 cases. The region of infection was in the order of urinary tract infection (461 times) and pulmonary infection (44 times). Non-infectious complications were as follows; hyperglycemia in 44 cases, de novo hypertension in 27 cases out of 35 previously normotensive patients, nephrotoxicity caused by CsA in 15 cases, myelosuppression in 14 cases, avascular necrosis in 10 cases, and malignancy in 9 cases. Surgical complications were as follows; renovascular bleeding in 15 cases, ureteral obstruction in 5 cases, lymphocele in 4 cases, ureteral leak in 3 cases, and intestinal obstruction in 3 cases. Out of total 380 cases of renal transplant, 113 times of acute rejection occurred in 99 cases. CONCLUSION: Infectious complications were most frequent complication. There were significant differences in graft survival for living non-related donor kidney transplantation by immunosuppressive regimen. CsA+PD+MMF group results in highest graft survival in living non-related donor kidney transplantation and was followed by CsA+PD group, CsA+PD+AZA group. But CsA+PD+MMF regimen has been used in recent years and it needs to be studied prospectively.
Graft Survival ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Hypertension ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Lymphocele ; Necrosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation* ; Ureter ; Ureteral Obstruction ; Urinary Tract Infections