No abstract available.
Anemia, Aplastic*

PURPOSE: Interfenon-gamma(IFN-gamma) has been tried to decrease fibrosis in liver cirrhosis in the human and animals. To decrease collagen content in the partially obstructed kidney, we examined collagen changes by IFN-gamma after creating partial ureteral obstruction in the rat. We applied IFN-gammato the partially obstructed kidney and examined collagen contents in the renal cortex by morphometric analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a total of 50 Sprague Dawley adult male rats(300-350gm), we created partial unilateral ureteral obstruction(PUUO). We divided rats into 5 groups(n=10 in each group): normal control, sham operation group, sham operation with IFN-gamma 4 weeks, PUUO 4 weeks, PUUO with IFN-gamma 4 weeks. IFN-gamma(LG Chemical, Korea) 100,000 IU was subcutaneously injected daily for 4 weeks from operation day 1 in the treated groups. The rats were sacrificed on the expected day and renal cortex was prepared for Masson`s trichrome special staining. With the image analyser, we calculated the relative ratio of collagen to renal cortex area randomly in each kidney. RESULTS: Relative percent of collagen content of the normal control, sham-operation, and sham-operation with IFN-gamma treated groups were 2.42+/-0.53%(n=10), 2.62+/-0.53%(n=10), and 2.22+/-0.65%(n=10), respectively. While relative percent of collagen content of PUUO group, and PUUO with IFN-gamma treated group were 12.25+/-2.41%(n=5) and 7.14+/-3.43%(n=9) respectively. There was significant difference between those of last two groups.(p<0.05, Wilcoxon-rank sum test) CONCLUSIONS: We applied interferon-gamma to the partially obstructed kidney and examined collagen contents in the kidney by morphometric analysis. From the above data, IFN-gammaseems to have a decreasing effect upon collagen content in the partially obstructed rat kidney.
Adult ; Animals ; Collagen* ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous* ; Interferon-gamma* ; Kidney* ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Male ; Rats* ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Obstruction*

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of desmopressin-based combined drug therapy in nocturnal enuretic children who had been followed at least 6 months. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirthy eight patients(5 to 16 years old) with 4 or more wet nights per week were studied. We used desmopressin-based combined drug therapy(imipramine or/and oxybutynin chloride) depending upon associated daytime voiding symptom. Patient response to treatment was categorized as complete(0 to 1 wet night per month), near complete(2 to 4 wet nights per month), intermediate(5 to 7 wet nights per month) and poor(more than 7 wet nights per month). We evaluated the results at the initial 6 week and at the last follow-up visit on medication. RESULTS: After 6 weeks, 13(34.2%) patients were complete responder, 13(34.2%) near complete responder, 7(18.4%) intermediate responder and 5(13.1%) poor responder, respectively. The response rate in this period was 86.8%. At the last follow-up visit on medication, 20(52.6%) patients were classified as complete responder, 13(34.2%) as near complete responder, 4(10.5%) as intermediate responder and 1(2.6%) as poor responder. Therefore, overall response rate was 97.3%. There was no obvious side effect that made discontinue drug therapy. CONCLUSIONS: From the above data, we think that longterm desmopressin-based combined drug therapy is the highly successful and safe treatment method for enuretic children.
Child* ; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin ; Drug Therapy* ; Enuresis ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans

Female adnexal tumor of probable Wolffian origin (FATWO) is a rare disease entity that arises from the mesonephric duct system. FATWO is different than other gynecological cancers in terms of embryology. Here, we describe the case of a 52-year-old woman with malignant FATWO. The patient underwent explorative laparotomy and surgical staging after a frozen section revealed malignancy. Detailed examination of the pathologic findings were consistent with FATWO. Counseling and further testing were provided to the patient to assess the risk of germline mutation and epigenetic change. An O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase gene methylation test was positive, and all other tests were normal. This is the first study to report a case of O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase methylation with FATWO in Korea.
Counseling ; Embryology ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Epigenomics ; Female* ; Frozen Sections ; Germ-Line Mutation ; Humans ; Korea ; Laparotomy ; Methylation* ; Middle Aged ; Rare Diseases ; Wolffian Ducts

Authors presented the serial changes of brain MRI findings in two cases of cryptococcal meningitis. The MRI findings of the first patient (53-year-old female) consisted of dilated Virchow-Robin spaces, leptomeningeal enhancement, cryptococcomas and hydrocephalus. Dilated Virchow-Robin spaces were noted on the first MR obtained 33 days after symptom onset. The size and number of dilated Virchow-Robin space gradually decreased since 119 days after symptom onset (62 days after treatment). Faint leptomeningeal enhancement was found at cerebellar region on the first MRI, which became more distinct and intense on the day 119, probably due to improper treatment. The leptomeningeal enhancement decreased on the day 156. Mild hydrocephalus was noted on MRI obtained 70 days after symptom onset, which markedly aggravated on the day 119. It decreased after steroid therapy alone. Enhancing crytococcomas of variable size were noted at the right temporal lobe and cerebellum on MRI of the day 119, which decreased in size and number on the day 156. On the day 295 MRI showed nearly disppearance of the dilated Virchow-Robin space, but faint leptomeningeal enhancement, cerebellar crytococcomas and hydrocephalus still remained. The MRI findings of the second patient (36-year-old female) showed the findings similar to those of the first patient. Initial MRI obtained 18 days after symptom onset showed no abnormal findings. Dilated Virchow-robin spaces were noted on the day 36 (13 days after treatment onset), which nearly disappeared on the day 109. Enhancing cryptococcomas in both basal ganglia and cerebral cortex and leptomeningeal enhancement were noted on MRI of the day 136. Both cryptococcomas and leptomeningeal enhancement decreased in size and enhancing degree on the day 157. Hydrocephalus was noted on the day 109.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Cerebral Cortex ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal ; Temporal Lobe

Authors presented the serial changes of brain MRI findings in two cases of cryptococcal meningitis. The MRI findings of the first patient (53-year-old female) consisted of dilated Virchow-Robin spaces, leptomeningeal enhancement, cryptococcomas and hydrocephalus. Dilated Virchow-Robin spaces were noted on the first MR obtained 33 days after symptom onset. The size and number of dilated Virchow-Robin space gradually decreased since 119 days after symptom onset (62 days after treatment). Faint leptomeningeal enhancement was found at cerebellar region on the first MRI, which became more distinct and intense on the day 119, probably due to improper treatment. The leptomeningeal enhancement decreased on the day 156. Mild hydrocephalus was noted on MRI obtained 70 days after symptom onset, which markedly aggravated on the day 119. It decreased after steroid therapy alone. Enhancing crytococcomas of variable size were noted at the right temporal lobe and cerebellum on MRI of the day 119, which decreased in size and number on the day 156. On the day 295 MRI showed nearly disppearance of the dilated Virchow-Robin space, but faint leptomeningeal enhancement, cerebellar crytococcomas and hydrocephalus still remained. The MRI findings of the second patient (36-year-old female) showed the findings similar to those of the first patient. Initial MRI obtained 18 days after symptom onset showed no abnormal findings. Dilated Virchow-robin spaces were noted on the day 36 (13 days after treatment onset), which nearly disappeared on the day 109. Enhancing cryptococcomas in both basal ganglia and cerebral cortex and leptomeningeal enhancement were noted on MRI of the day 136. Both cryptococcomas and leptomeningeal enhancement decreased in size and enhancing degree on the day 157. Hydrocephalus was noted on the day 109.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Cerebral Cortex ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal ; Temporal Lobe

No abstract available.
Multiple Organ Failure* ; Sepsis*

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to empirically investigate the determinants on oxygen free radical degree which causes biological damage focusing on smoking habit and health behaviors in daily life. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the subjects were adult males who submitted free radical tests among the examinees of the comprehensive medical testings at an university hospital in Suwon from 2008 to 2010. Total 497 samples were used in analyses for clarifying the relations of free radical degree to age, smoking, obesity, and other health behaviors. RESULTS: First, the degree of oxygen free radical increases by 0.164 as the age group increases (P<0.05). Second, the degree of oxygen free radical increases by 0.547 as the smoking habit increases (P<0.001). Third, the degree of oxygen free radical increases by 0.087 as the exposure to hazardous factors in workplace increases (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study imply that the smoking habit has more great influence on the increase of oxygen free radical in body than any other health behaviors. The causality of free radical to smoking and health behavior was not identified due to the limit of the cross-sectional study so it needs to be studied prospectively in the future.
Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Free Radicals ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Oxygen ; Smoke ; Smoking

No abstract available.

We would like to correct the affiliation for the first author.