No abstract available.
Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

OBJECTIVES: Xylitol is an effective anticarious natural sugar substitute, by inhibiting the virulence of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans). However, long-term xylitol consumption leads to an emergence of the xylitol-resistant (XR) strains. This study aimed to confirm the general characteristics, mRNA expression of gtf genes, and adhesive ability of the xylitol-sensitive (XS) and XR S. mutans , by xylitol-treated concentrations. METHODS: S. mutans KCTC3065 was maintained in TYE medium, containing 0.4% glucose with 1% xylitol for 30 days at 37degrees C, 10% CO2 to form XR strain and the same procedures, without xylitol, were repeated for the formation of XS S. mutans. Both XS and XR were cultured by xylitol-treated concentrations (0%, 0.1% and 1%), then, general characteristics, such as growth and acid production, mRNA expression of gtf genes and adhesive ability were analyzed. RESULTS: Xylitol reduced the cell growth of XS S. mutans in a dose-dependent manner, but did not reduce the XR. Xylitol inhibited acid production of XS in a dose-dependent manner. However, it did not inhibit that of XR. Xylitol reduced the gtfB and gtfD mRNA expression of the XS S. mutans, which the genes synthesized soluble and insoluble extracellular polysaccharides, but not reduced that of the XR. By a microtiter plate assay, biofilm formation was more reduced in the XR strains, which means biofilm's adhesive ability of XR S. mutans was lower than that of the XS. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that a lower level of adhesive ability for XR S. mutans is related with mRNA expression level of gtf genes, which suggested that the XR strains may be less cariogenic than that of the XS.
Adhesives ; Biofilms ; Glucose ; Glucosyltransferases ; Polysaccharides ; RNA, Messenger ; Sprains and Strains ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus mutans ; Sweetening Agents ; Xylitol

No abstract available.
Fracture Fixation*

Calcinosis cutis is the deposition of insoluble calcium salts in the skin. Dystrophic calcinosis cutis is diagnosed when calcium is deposited in the previous damaged tissue and the values of calcium and phosphorus levels are normal. We report a case of dystrophic calcinosis cutis in a 32-year-old man. He had experienced a burn accidentally on the left anterior thigh at 2 years old. About 1 year ago, an ulcer developed on the burn scar. He found the chalky material in an ulcer and removed it, then the ulcer healed. But, new ulcers developed in a linear pattern. Histopathologically, amorphous eosinophilic materials that were black with Von Kossa stain were deposited in the dermis.
Adult ; Burns* ; Calcinosis* ; Calcium ; Child, Preschool ; Cicatrix* ; Dermis ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Phosphorus ; Salts ; Skin ; Thigh ; Ulcer

Dermatomyositis is a rare inflammatory myopathy with characteristic skin manifestations and muscular weakness. Vesicle or bulla formation in the dermatomyositis is rare and probably related to the presence of an internal malignant process. We report a case of dermatomyositis associated with esophageal cancer in a 72-year old man who had vesicles and bullae on his arms. He had erythema and edema on the face, chest, abdomen, back and legs for 20 days. Tense vesicles and bullae were found on his forearms and hands. Diagnosis of dermatomyositis was established by clinical manifestations, muscle enzyme study, electromyogram and histopathological findings of the skin. Adenocarcinoma of esophagus was found by gastroendoscopy. He was treated with total esophagectomy and topical steroid, but died of pneumonia and septicemia.
Abdomen ; Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Arm ; Blister* ; Dermatomyositis* ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Erythema ; Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Esophagectomy ; Esophagus ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Leg ; Muscle Weakness ; Myositis ; Pneumonia ; Sepsis ; Skin ; Skin Manifestations ; Thorax ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

OBJECTIVES: Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is the major causative bacteria in dental caries. Xylitol is an effective anticarious natural sugar substitute by inhibiting the virulence of S. mutans. However, long-term xylitol consumption leads to the emergence of the xylitol-resistant S. mutans (XR). The aim of this study is to analyze the difference of gene expression profile of xylitol-sensitive S. mutans (XS) and XR in 0.5% glucose containing TYE media, using a DNA chip. METHODS: S. mutans KCTC3065 was maintained in 0.5% glucose and 1% xylitol containing TYE media, during 30 days at 37degrees C 10% CO2 to form XR. The same procedures without xylitol were repeated for the formation of XS. Both XS and XR were cultured in 0.5% glucose with or without 1% xylitol containing TYE media overnight and total RNA was extracted. RNA from XS was labeled with Cy-3 dye as control, and XR were labeled with Cy-5 as references. DNA chip was hybridized for 18-20 h at 42degrees C. RESULTS: A total of 277 genes of DNA chip data were significantly increased or decreased in XR. There is a total of 174 XR up-regulated genes in 0.5% glucose and 1% xylitol containing TYE media, and a total of 103 down-regulated genes. For compare with results of DNA chip, 11 in up-regulated genes and 10 in down-regulated were verified by RT-PCR. The most abundant increased genes in XR were related to cell envelope, cellular processes, DNA metabolism, transcription, and protein folding and stabilization. The decreased genes in XR were related to amino acid biosynthesis, toxin production and resistance, energy metabolism, ribosomal proteins synthesis, and signal transduction. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the difference of gene expression profile of XS and XR may be in existence. In particular, results of this study for XR up-regulated genes have a lot of similarities with the already published xylitol-related researches and other functional studies.
Bacteria ; Chimera ; Dental Caries ; DNA ; Energy Metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Glucose ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Protein Folding ; Ribosomal Proteins ; RNA ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus mutans ; Sweetening Agents ; Transcriptome ; Xylitol

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver scintigraphy is a useful tool in evaluating the chronic liver disease, even though it is less sensitive to detect a mass lesion in the liver than ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We evaluate the clinical usefulness of liver scintigraphy in patients with liver cirrhosis by comparing with the clinical and biochemical indices. METHODS: Liver scintigraphy was taken beginning 20 minutes after the intravenous injection of 370 MBq of Tc-99m phytate. Images were obtained in multiple views with a gamma camera (Basicam(R), Siemens). The size of the liver, left lobe enlargement, inhomogeneity of radioactivity, the size of the spleen, the extrahepatic uptake were evaluated on liver scintigraphy. The compared clinical indices were serum albumin level, serum bilirubin level, INR (international normalized ratio) for prothrombin time, the presence of hepatic coma, and esophageal varix. RESULTS: Forty four patients (M:F=24:20) were included. The extrahepatic uptake such as bone marrow and splenic uptake was positively correlated with the level of serum bilirubin and negatively correlated with the level of serum albumin. The size of the spleen, inhomogenous liver uptake, hypertrophy of left lobe was positively correlated with the degree of esophageal varix. The size of the liver was negatively correlated with that of esophageal varix. CONCLUSION: We suggest that scintigraphic findings in liver scintigraphy could be used in the evaluation of patients with liver cirrhosis not only to diagnose cirrhosis but also to know the severity of cirrhosis.
Bilirubin ; Bone Marrow ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Fibrosis ; Gamma Cameras ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Injections, Intravenous ; International Normalized Ratio ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver Diseases ; Liver* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Phytic Acid ; Prothrombin Time ; Radioactivity ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Serum Albumin ; Spleen ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To reduce the side effects and improve the effectiveness of standard chemoradiation therapy, many complementary or alternative medicines have been tried. However, little is known about its immunologic effects in breast cancer patients. The aim of this study was to assess the immunologic effects of mistletoe extract (Viscum album L., VAE) in patients with early breast cancer after surgery followed by standard adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. METHODS: A total 20 patients with early breast cancer treated with breast conserving surgery followed conventional chemoradiation therapy. Ten of these patients received subcutaneous injections of VAE for 7 weeks. IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-beta, and IFN-gamma levels in serum samples were measured in all patients. RESULTS: The concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-beta were not significantly changed between before and after VAE treatment in both test and control group. The concentration of IL-6 in the test group was increased from 8.19+/-1.75 pg/mL to 9.86+/-1.46 pg/mL after treatment (p=0.013). The concentration of IFN-gamma in the test group was remarkably increased from 91.76+/-17.16 pg/mL to 167.42+/-66.61 pg/mL after treatment (p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Significant increases in the concentration of IL-6 and IFN-gamma were observed after VAE treatment. These results suggest that VAE treatment can stimulate immune responses, especially cell-mediated immunity in immune-compromised patients received the chemoradiation for breast cancer.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-6 ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Mistletoe ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

PURPOSE: Distant metastasis and recurrence are major prognostic factors associated with breast cancer. Both lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and blood vessel invasion (BVI) are important routes for metastasis to regional lymph nodes and for systemic metastasis. Despite the importance of vascular invasion as a prognostic factor, application of vascular invasion as a histopathological criterion is controversial. The aim of this study was to distinguish LVI from BVI in prognosis and recurrence of breast cancer using an endothelial subtype specific immunohistochemical stain (podoplanin, D2-40, and CD31). METHODS: Sections from 80 paraffin-embedded archival specimens of invasive breast cancer were stained for podoplanin, D2-40, or CD31 expression. Immunohistochemical staining results were correlated with clinicopathological features, such as tumor size, status of lymph node metastases, estrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 expression, and recurrence. Patients with ductal carcinoma in situ and stage IV breast cancer were excluded. RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between D2-40 LVI positivity and lymph node metastasis (p=0.022). We found a significant correlation between D2-40 LVI positivity and recurrence of breast cancer (p=0.014). However, no significant correlation was found between BVI and recurrence. A poorer disease free survival was shown for D2-40 positive LVI (p=0.003). In a multivariate analysis, the presence of D2-40 LVI positivity revealed a significant association with decreased disease-free survival. CONCLUSION: D2-40 LVI positivity was a more prognostic predictor of breast cancer than BVI.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; Antigens, CD31 ; Blood Vessels ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Disease-Free Survival ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Estrogens ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Recurrence