No Abstract available.
Infection Control*

BACKGROUND: Defensin, a major family of antimicrobial peptides, is small cationic, cysteine rich peptides with wide range of antimicrobial activity against Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria, fungi, yeast, and virus. Expression of human defensin-2 is upregulated by bacteria, virus, fungus and pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, this peptide was found to be only bacteriostatic, but not bactericidal, against the Gram positive bacteria. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate human defensin-2 (hBD-2) expression after exposure of human skin keratinocytes to the cell wall component of Gram positive bacteria such as lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and peptidoglycan(PEN), and to compare quantitatively the amount of expression with that after their exposure to the cell wall component of Gram negative bacteria. METHODS: Expression of hBD-2 was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry(IHC). RESULTS: 1. In RT-PCR results, the amount of hBD-2 expression after exposure to LPS was larger than those of PEN and LTA at 6 and 12 hours (p=0.02). At 24 hours, hBD-2 expression showed a peak in PEN stimulated group (p=0.09). 2. In Western blot analysis, hBD-2 expressions, when treated with PEN and LTA, were stronger than that treated with LPS at 6 and 12 hours. 3. In IHC, hBD-2 was stained much stronger in LPS stimulated group than PEN or LTA stimulated groups at 12 hours. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that exposure of human skin keratinocytes to the cell wall components of Gram positive bacteria such as LTA and PEN triggered production of hBD-2 in addition to the cell wall component of Gram negative bacteria such as LPS, however, the amounts of expression were relatively stronger in LPS treated group.
Bacteria ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Wall ; Cysteine ; Cytokines ; Fungi ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Humans* ; Keratinocytes ; Peptides ; Peptidoglycan* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription ; Skin ; Thiram ; Yeasts

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare neoplasm and arises from the serosal lining of the pleural, peritoneal and pericardial cavities. The median survival rang from 5 to 12 months, mainly because of lack of effective treatment. The incidence is approximately one per 1,000,000 and peritoneal mesothelioma represents one fourth of all mesotheliomas. There is a relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure, but non-asbestos related cases were reported. Treatments of malignant mesothelioma are cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, but current treatment options are unsatisfactory. We report two cases of malignant mesothelioma of the peritoneum and pericardium treated by operation and adjuvant chemotherapy with a brief review of literature.
Asbestos ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Incidence ; Mesothelioma ; Pericardium ; Peritoneum

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare neoplasm and arises from the serosal lining of the pleural, peritoneal and pericardial cavities. The median survival rang from 5 to 12 months, mainly because of lack of effective treatment. The incidence is approximately one per 1,000,000 and peritoneal mesothelioma represents one fourth of all mesotheliomas. There is a relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure, but non-asbestos related cases were reported. Treatments of malignant mesothelioma are cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, but current treatment options are unsatisfactory. We report two cases of malignant mesothelioma of the peritoneum and pericardium treated by operation and adjuvant chemotherapy with a brief review of literature.
Asbestos ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Incidence ; Mesothelioma ; Pericardium ; Peritoneum

Urinary tract endometriosis is rare, especially suburethral endometriosis with symptoms of dysuria and urgency is very rare. We report a case of successful surgically treated suburethral endometriosis through the Retzius space.
Dysuria ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Urinary Tract

Morning sickness during pregnancy is a very common functional problem with different kinds of symptom, but little data are available concerning the nutrition intervention program for pregnant women in local area. A total of 152 pregnant women who had experienced morning sickness were surveyed to investigate the relationships between morning sickness, nutrient intakes and pregnancy outcome. The results showed that prevalent symptoms were nausea (68.4%), heartburn (59.2%), morning sickness (48.7%), vomiting (42.1%), and constipation (44.7%). The onset of the symptom occurred during the first 3 months (9.3 +/- 2.3 weeks); 21.1% of the subjects was experienced two symptom at the same time. This significantly correlated with vomiting (p < 0.01), nausea (p < 0.001), morning sickness (p < 0.001), and heartburn (p < 0.01) with pregnancy weight. There were also correlations between the four symptoms and nutrient intakes. Mean birth weight of 21 newborns was 3.06 +/- 0.42 kg, and the one and five minutes of Apgar scores were 7.74 +/- 0.99 and 8.84 +/- 0.69, respectively. There were negative correlations between vomiting and pregnancy outcomes (p < 0.05). Our data support that morning sickness, especially vomiting during pregnancy is associated with Apgar score and body weight of newborn.
Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Body Weight ; Constipation ; Female ; Heartburn ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Morning Sickness ; Nausea ; Nutritional Status* ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Vomiting

Defensins and cathelicidins (LL-37) are major antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) of the innate immune system of the human skin. In normal non-inflamed skin these peptides are negligible, but their expression can be markedly increased in inflammatory skin disease such as psoriasis. We designed this study to identify the expressions of LL-37 in normal human keratinocyte (NHK) and HaCaT cells after exposure to stimulants and to investigate difference of LL-37 expression accompanied with cell differentiation status, and come to understand difference of susceptibility to infection in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Expressions of LL-37 in NHKs and HaCaT cells were evaluated by using RT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining at 6, 12, and 24 hr post stimulation after exposure to Ultraviolet B irradiation and lipopolysaccharide. And expression of LL-37 in skin biopsy specimens from patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis was determined by immunohistochemical analysis. In time-sequential analyses of LL-37 expression revealed that LL-37 was expressed in NHKs, but not in HaCaT cells. IHC analysis confirmed the presence of abundant LL-37 in the epidermis of psoriasis. Therefore we deduced that expression of LL-37 is affected by UV irradiation, bacterial infection, and status of cell differentiation.
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/analysis/*genetics ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Cells, Cultured ; Comparative Study ; Defensins/analysis/genetics ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gene Expression/drug effects/radiation effects ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratinocytes/cytology/*metabolism ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin/cytology/metabolism ; Skin Diseases/*genetics/metabolism/pathology

BACKGROUND: The students who had traveled in Jeju island developed symptoms of diarrhea at a girls' high school in Busan, June 2000. The goals of this study are to investigate the pattern of shigellosis and to compare drug resistance to S. sonnei with recent studies by reference reports. METHODS: Through epidemiological investigation and stool test of new patients, 993 students were registered from Jun.12 to 17, 2000 in a girls' high school, Busan. 2nd grade students(N=355) who had traveled in Jeju island described a questionnaire of the source of infection. Clinical and bacteriological studies were carried out on 6 cases of patients with S. sonnei. RESULTS: Among total 993 students, 79 patients were considered to have diarrhea. But 54 patients of 2nd grade students developed symptoms of diarrhea(14.7%) and the analysis of associative symptoms showed that it contained abdominal pain(72.2%), headache(61.6%), tenesmus(57.4%). 43 students of 2nd grade students who had traveled in Jeju ate chinese foods. Of them, 40 students showed diarrhea(93.0%) confirmed shigellosis(6 students), probable shigellosis(34 students). S. sonnei was isolated from 6 patients(14.0%). The attack rate of diarrhea was 20.7 times more in the group eating chinese foods than in the group not eating chinese foods(p<0.001). After the 2nd grade students ate chinese foods in Jeju, diarrhea attack day distribution was first day(23.2%), second day(39.7%), and third day(16.3%). The result of drug resistance test to S. sonnei(ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole trimethoprim, and streptomycin) was 100%. CONCLUSION: The 2nd grade patients with shigellosis ate chinese foods in a restaurant, Jeju. The pattern of antibiotic resistance to S. sonnei was different from that of several previous cases of shigellosis in Busan.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Busan* ; Diarrhea ; Drug Resistance ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Dysentery, Bacillary ; Eating ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Humans ; Restaurants ; Shigella sonnei* ; Shigella* ; Sulfamethoxazole ; Tetracycline ; Trimethoprim ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Malassezia is considered as major factor in dandruff of human scalp. OBJECTIVE: In order to develop an antimicrobial agent, bamboo oil was extracted by high temperture suction from dried bamboo truk abd then antimicrobial activities against Malassezia are investigated. METHODS: Minimum inhibitory concentration and antimicrobial activity were measured in Malassezia species. RESULTS: 1. Minimum inhibitory concentration of the Bamboo (Phyllosrachys bambusoides) Essential Oil Malassezia furfur standard, Malassezia furfur patient, Malassezia sympodialis standard, Malassezia sympodialis patient, Malassezia dermatis standard, Malassezia dermatis patient were 10 microliter/ml, 5 microliter/ml, 5 microliter/ml, 10 microliter/ml, 5 microliter/ml and 10 microliter/ml respectively. 2. Minimum inhibitory concentration of the Itraconazole Malassezia furfur standard, Malassezia furfur patient, Malassezia sympodialis standard, Malassezia sympodialis patient, Malassezia dermatis standardntia, Malassezia dermatis patient were 10 microgram/ml, 10 microgram/ml, 10 microgram/ml, 0.1 microgram/ml, 1 microgram/ml, and 0.01 microgram/ml, respectively. 3. Minimum inhibitory concentration of the ketoconazole Malassezia furfur standard, Malassezia furfur patient, Malassezia sympodialis standard, Malassezia sympodialis patient, Malassezia dermatis standard, Malassezia dermatis patient were 0.01 microgram/ml, 10 microgram/ml, 10 microgram/ml, 0.1 microgram/ml, 0.01 microgram/ml, and 0.01 microgram/ml, respectively. 4. Malassezia furfur standard, Malassezia furfur patient, Malassezia sympodialis patient and Malassezia dermatis patient showed the strongest antimicrobial effect on bamboo oil > ketoconazole > itraconazole. 5. Malassezia sympodialis standard, Malassezia sympodialis patient and Malassezia dermatis standard strongest antimicrobial effect on ketoconazole > bamboo oil > itraconazole. CONCLUSION: Bamboo oil might be applied as antidandruff treatment modality by its anti-malassezial effect.
Humans ; Itraconazole ; Ketoconazole ; Malassezia ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Scalp ; Suction

BACKGROUND: Trans-4-aminomethylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid (tranexamic acid) has recently been reported to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis and hinder the pigmentation caused after UV radiation. OBJECTIVE: we evaluated the influence of tranexamic acid on the viability, morphogenesis and melanization of cultured normal human melanocytes. METHOD: The cultured melanocytes from neonatal foreskin were exposed to UVB 20mJ/cm2, then treated with tranexamic acid [0.05microgram/ml, 0.05microgram/ml, and 0.5microgram/ml]. After 24 hours, the viability of melanocytes and the melanin concentration was measured. The number and length of the melanocytes' dendrites, and the expression level of tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2 were also evaluated. RESULTS: The viability of the melanocytes was decreased by tranexamic acid in a dose dependent manner (p<0.05). The increased melanin synthesis by UVB irradiation was decreased by tranexamic acid in a dose dependent manner (p<0.05). Also, the increased expressions of TRP-1, TRP-2 and tyrosinase after exposure to UV were statistically decreased by tranexamic acid in a dose dependent manner (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: tranexamic acid may prevents UVB induced pigmentation.
Dendrites ; Foreskin ; Humans* ; Melanins ; Melanocytes* ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Morphogenesis ; Pigmentation ; Tranexamic Acid