In order to understand the role of mec regulator genes in the evolution of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), the distribution of the mec regulator genes among the 66 clinical isolates of MRSA was analysed. And also the correlation between gene mutation and degree of phenotypic expression of resistance was studied. Fifty strains carried whole mec regulator region, while the mecI gene and nearly half of the 3'-end of the mecR#l gene were deleted in fifteen strains. The mecRl MS gene was detected among all of the mecA carried strains, but the mecRl PB gene was carried by 77% of the MRSA strains. At least a portion of the 5'-end region of the mecRl gene was carried by all MRSA strains tested. Forty-seven strains were finally confirmed to have mecI gene and each mecI gene of above strains was sequenced for identification of the relationship between repressor function of mecI gene on mecA transcription and MIC level of methicillin. Point mutations were detected in 11 strains of 47 strains. In 8 strains, there was one nucleotide substitution (C to T at position 202) that produced a new termination codon at position 201. In 3 strains, one nucleotide substitution from G to T at position 43 caused an amino acid substitution from Val to Phe. The MIC of methicillin of strains carrying mutated mecI genes ranged 256 ug/ ml to 1024 ug/ml. Transcription level of amplified cDNA corresponding to mecA was determined by the method of RT-PCR of extracted RNA. Total RNA was extracted from two strains with mutated mecI gene and a strain with intact mecI gene. Deletional loss or the mutational inactivation of the mecI gene did not affect the level of mecA transcription. Role of mecI gene as a strong repressor function on mecA gene seemed to be skeptical.
Amino Acid Substitution ; Codon, Terminator ; DNA, Complementary ; Genes, Regulator* ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Point Mutation ; RNA

To evaluate the possibility of the newly developed highly porous glass ceramics as a space-filler in the cavitary bone defect, we made the opening sized 1 × 0.5 cm on the medial aspect of the right proximal tibia of nine rabbits. We impacted the highly porous glass ceramics firmly to the medullary cavity of rabbit tibia through the opening. Each three were sacrificed at 4th, 8th, and 12th week and analyze in vivo reaction of the glass ceramics in rabbit tibia with radiological and histological methods. On radiological examination, radiolucent line was seen around impacted glass ceramics at 4th week, but this radiolucent line was obliterated gradually to 12th week. On histological examination, new bone formation with osteoblast was appeared at 4th week without foreign body reactions. At 8th week, newly formed bone infiltrated into the porous space between glass ceramics particles was noticed, and the surface of glass ceramics was tightly bound by newly formed bone with osteoblastic rim and mature bone, At 12th week, the amount of newly formed mature bone increased, though there was on evidence of resorption of glass ceramics particle. So, we suggest that the highly porous glass ceramics is one of the possible artificial bone graft substitutes, especially as a space-filler.
Ceramics ; Foreign Bodies ; Glass ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Rabbits ; Tibia ; Transplants

OBJECTIVE: Abnormal uterine bleeding is the most common disorder of gynecologic department. Organic causes of abnormal uterine bleednig are chronic cervicitis, submucosal myoma, endometrial polyp, endometrial malignancy. To find the exact cause of uterine bleeding, hysteroscopic endometrial biopsy was used. METHODS: 214 patients were included in the study, who received hysteroscopic endometrial biopsy from Feb. 2000 to Dec. 2002 with abnormal uterine bleeding, negative in urine pregnancy test, normal in cervix cytology, and without organic lesion causing uterine bleeding in pelvic examination and ultrasonography. Age, parity, hysteroscopic biopsy result were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Mean age of study group was 42 and mean parity was 2.75. When final hysteroscopic biopsy histology were analysed, proliferative phase was most common (28.9%). Next followed secretory phase (18.2%), simple hyperplasia (13.5%), endometrial polyp (9.8%), chronic endocervicitis (5.1%). Submucosal myoma (4.2%), endometrial cancer (4.2%). Complex hyperplasia were detected in 3.2%. Of 214 patients, who complained uterine bleeding, only 99 (47.1%) patients were proved true non- organic uterine bleeding on hysteroscopic biopsy. Remainder had organic disorder (39.8%). CONCLUSION: When a patient visits the hospital with abnormal uterine bleeding, doctor should be suspicious of endometrial organic disease and treat the patient under exact diagnosis. In these patients, hysteroscopic examination and biopsy were very useful and safe method to determine exact diagnosis and treatment plan.
Biopsy ; Cervix Uteri ; Diagnosis ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Gynecological Examination ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Hysteroscopy ; Myoma ; Parity ; Polyps ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Cervicitis ; Uterine Hemorrhage*

In order to examine the neurotoxic mechanism of oxygen radicals on cultured bovine oligodendrocytes, cytoxic effect of oxygen radicals was examined when cultures were treated with various concentrations of xanthine oxidase (XO) and hypoxanthine (HX) in culture medium. In addition, the neuroprotective effect of iron-chelators against the neurotoxicity induced by oxygen radicals was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell viability was remarkably decreased in a time-dependent manner after exposure of cultured bovine oligodendrocytes to 20mU/ml XO and 0.1mM HX for 4 hours. In the neuroprotective effect of iron-chelators on oxidant-induced neurotoxicity, tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN) blocked the neurotoxicity induced by oxygen radicals, while DFX was not effective in blocking oxidant-induced neurotoxicity in these cultures. These results suggest that oxygen radicals are toxic in cultured bovine oligodendrocytes, and also selective iron-chelators such as TPEN are effective in blocking the neurotoxicity induced by oxygen radicals.
Allopurinol* ; Cell Survival ; Hypoxanthine ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Oligodendroglia ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Xanthine Oxidase

OBJECTIVE: This study was to compare the characteristics between parthenogenetic mES (P-mES) cells and in vitro fertilization mES cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Mouse oocytes were recovered from superovulated 4 wks hybrid F1 (C57BL/6xCBA/N) female mice. For parthenogenetic activation, oocytes were treated with 7% ethanol for 5 min and 5microgram/ml cytochalasin-B for 4 h. For IVF, oocytes were inseminated with epididymal perm of hybrid F1 male mice(1x106/ml). IVF and parthenogenetic embryos were cultured in M16 medium for 4 days. Cell number count of blastocysts in those two groups was taken by differential labelling using propidium iodide (red) and bisbenzimide (blue). To establish ES cells, blastocysts in IVF and parthenogenetic groups were treated by immunosurgery and recovered inner cell mass (ICM) cells were cultured in LIF added ES culture medium. To identity ES cells, the surface markers alkaline phosphatase, SSEA-1, 3, 4 and Oct4 staining were examined in replated ICM colonies. Chromosome numbers in P-mES and mES were checked. Also, in vitro differentiation potential of P-mES and mES was examined. RESULTS: Although the cleavage rate (> or =2-cell) was not different between IVF (76.3%) and parthenogenetic group (67.0%), in vitro development rate was significantly low in parthenogenetic group (24.0%) than IVF group (68.4%) (p<0.05). Cell number count of ICM and total cell in parthenogenetic blastocysts (9.6+/-3.1, 35.1+/-5.2) were significantly lower than those of IVF blastocysts (19.5+/-4.7, 63.2+/-13.0) (p<0.05). Through the serial treatment procedure such as immunosurgery, plating of ICM and colony formation, two ICM colonies in IVF group (mES, 10.0%) and three ICM colonies (P-mES, 42.9%) in parthenogenetic group were able to culture for extended duration (25 and 20 passages, respectively). Using surface markers, alkaline phosphatase, SSEA-1 and Oct4 in P-mES and mES colony were positively stained. The number of chromosome was normal in ES colony from two groups. Also, in vitro neural and cardiac differentiation derived from mES or P-mES cells was confirmed. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that P-mES cells can be successfully established and that those cell lines have similar characteristics to mES cells.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Antigens, CD15 ; Bisbenzimidazole ; Blastocyst ; Cell Count ; Cell Line ; Embryonic Stem Cells* ; Embryonic Structures ; Ethanol ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Humans ; Male ; Mice* ; Oocytes ; Propidium

Today, the duodenal tuberculosis is a very rare disease. Final diagnosis of duodenal tuberculosis is difficult due to inconsistent symptoms and nonspecific duodenal lesions. We found 2 cases of duodenal tuberculosis by gastrascopy. In gastroscopic findings, there were undetermined ulcers and irregular nodular mucosal changes.
Diagnosis ; Rare Diseases ; Tuberculosis* ; Ulcer

Children with abnormal sex development may present with ambiguous genitalia in the newborn period or lacking of secondary sexual characteristics in puberty. Clinicians should make a prompt and accurate diagnosis and counsel parents on therapeutic options to minimize or avoid medical and psychological complications. 5alpha-reductase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of sex development caused by a mutation of the 5alpha-reductase type 2 gene. As a result, there is an abnormality in conversion of testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and children with 5alpha-reductase deficiency are born with ambiguous genitalia. Here, we report identical twins who presented with ambiguous genitalia with a 46,XY karyotype and were diagnosed as 5alpha-reductase deficiency.
Child ; Dihydrotestosterone ; Disorders of Sex Development ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Karyotype ; Parents ; Puberty ; Sexual Development ; Testosterone ; Twins, Monozygotic

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to review the incidence, types, chemotherapy regimens, operation methods, pregnancy rate and propiosis of the ov#arian malignancy under the age of twenty years old. METHODS: Retrospective reviews of the medical recordings for 22 patients with ovarian malignancy under the age of twenty years old in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanyang University from 1986 to 1997 were done. RESULTS: Gerin cell tumor accounts for the majority of cases (77%), whereas 5 patients(23%) belong to the common epithelial poup which were all mucinous type. Our experiences with 22 cases are as followings: 5 mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, 8 immature teratoma, 4 endodermal sinus tumor, 3 dysgernma and 2 mixed germ cell tumor. The incidence of this group was 8.2% (22/266) in all ovarian malignancy. Fourteen of them are stage I, each one is, stage II and IV, and six patients are stage III. The average age was 14.9 years old in germ cell tumor and 18.4 yems old in mucinous cystadenoearcinoma. Malignant ovarian cancer under the age of twenty can be treated with conservative surgery, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Commonly used chemotherapeutic regimens were VAC(Vincristine, Actinomycin-D; Cyclophosphamide), VBP(Vinblastine, Bleomycin, Cisplatin) and BEP(Bleomycin, Etoposide, Cisplatin). Second look operations were done in 11 patienth and histologic positive findings were detected in 4 of them. The length of follow-up ranged ftom 3 months to 137 months and median value was 44 rnonths. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that for young women who wish to preserve child-bearing capacity, regardless of the stage of the tumor, fertility preserving surgery with complete surgical staging, if necessary followed by combination chemotherapy is an appropriate treatment.
Bleomycin ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Endodermal Sinus Tumor ; Etoposide ; Female ; Fertility ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Mucins ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Obstetrics ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Teratoma

No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

Bartter syndrome is a renal tubular defect in electrolyte transport characterized by hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, hyperreninemia, hyperaldosteronism, normal blood pressure, and other clinical symptoms. As a clinical and genetical heterogeneous disorder, this syndrome can be classified into two clinical variants, antenatal Bartter syndrome and classic Bartter syndrome according to the onset age. Nephrocalcinosis is common in antenatal Bartter syndrome, but is rare in classic Bartter syndrome. It can also be classified into five genetic subtypes by the underlying mutant gene, all of which are expressed in the tubular epithelial cells of the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle. Patients with Bartter syndrome type 1, 2 and 4 present at a younger age than classic Bartter syndrome type 3. We have experienced a case of Bartter syndrome with nephrocalcinosis in a 42-year-old woman diagnosed by biochemical and radiologic studies. We had successful response with potassium chloride and spironolactone.
Adult* ; Age of Onset ; Alkalosis ; Bartter Syndrome* ; Blood Pressure ; Epithelial Cells ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Hypokalemia ; Loop of Henle ; Nephrocalcinosis* ; Potassium Chloride ; Spironolactone