BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We considered two possible mechanisms that might be responsible for the increased accumulation of lysozyme in retinoic acid (RA)-deficient cultures, either increased lysozyme synthesis or decreased lysozyme degradation based on our previous data. This study was to determine whether the synthesis and decay rate of intracellular lysozyme in RA-sufficient cultures are different from those in RA-deficient cultures. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Passage-2 normal human airway epithelial cells were used. For synthesis rate of lysozyme, day 10 RA-deficient and RA-sufficient cultures, incubated over 6 hour period with 35S-methionine-cysteine and cell lysates, were collected. For decay rate, day 10 cultures grown in the presence or absence of RA were labeled with 35S-methionine-cysteine for 4 hours and the labeling media were then removed. Cell extracts were collected over 8 hours. Newly synthesized or labeled lysozyme was immunoprecipitated with anti-lysozyme antibody and separated by SDS-PAGE. RESULTS: Lysozyme synthesis rate in RA-sufficient cultures was higher than in RA-deficient cultures. In the RA-deficient cultures, the levels of newly synthesized lysozyme barely changed over the 8 hour post-labeling period. In contrast, in the RA-sufficient cultures, radiolabeled lysozyme levels decreased rapidly during the 8 hour post-labeling period, with a half-life of approximately 6 hours. CONCLUSION: Discrepancy in mRNA and protein of lysozyme in RA-deficient cultures is due to the increased stability of lysozyme protein in RA-deficient cultures.
Cell Extracts ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Epithelial Cells* ; Half-Life ; Humans* ; Muramidase* ; RNA, Messenger ; Tretinoin*

This study analyzes the role of the Sorting Hat in structuring the identity of the characters in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling. In the different stages of adolescence, one explores and re-establishes one's identity. One's sense of identity is determined by the commitments made regarding personal and social traits. However, it is difficult to establish a concrete identity formation process theory that is communicable to adolescents. In Harry Potter, the characters' identities are reflected upon the Sorting Hat and are continuously molded throughout the book. The Sorting Hat provides nurturing experiences based on temperament. Based primarily on their temperament, it sorts the students into four houses, each with their own distinct characteristics. Once sorted, the houses become the living and learning communities in which the students share the same dormitory and classes until their graduation. Within the community, the students seek connections, supportive relationships, and understanding within the group. The taking on of the group identity is an explanatory variable in the formation of individual identity. The Sorting Hat provides the students with stability and a safe boundary. After being sorted based on their temperament, the inexperienced and immature adolescents can explore different options under the guidance of the Hat before making a definite commitment. By presenting them with an appropriate environment (such as a mentor, friend, or family member), the Hat further shapes their identity and integrates the identity elements ascribed in the beginning. By providing experiences and interactions based on their unique temperament and environment, the Sorting Hat plays a crucial role in establishing the students' identities. The Sorting Hat can be an ideal model for finding one's identity during adolescence.
Adolescent* ; Friends ; Fungi ; Humans ; Learning ; Mentors ; Sociological Factors ; Temperament

Since March 1992, total 200 patients who visited our hospital as functional or organic lesions of central nervous system were treated by gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery for 27 months. Thirty-nine patients of total cases was diagnosed as cerebral arteriovenous malformation. The rate of magnificantion of X-ray film was reduced by cutting fixation adaptor from 1.6 to below 1.45 times. In order to treat the deep- and lateral-seated cerebral arteriovenous malformation, we slightly modified the angiographic indicator, the commercial leksell system, by cutting each inner sides about 5mm. We performed the more distinction fo the scales by adapting 0.5mm or 1mm copper filter to angiographic indicator. The center point of indicator(X=100mm, Y=100mm, z=100mm) is corrected by adjusting scales of X-, Y-, Z- axis to each inner 100 and outer 100 point within 1-2mm by repeated exposure of X-ray on films in trial-and-errors. We have developed the "GKANGIO" programmed as the Fortran-77 in Microvax -3100, which can save treatment planning time and perform accurate pretreatment planning using the theoretical target metrix center form accurate pretreatment planning using the theoretical target metrix center. The theoretical description of the simplified method is presented for the reduction of experimental and numerical errors in treatment planning of radiosurgery.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Central Nervous System ; Copper ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Radiosurgery* ; Weights and Measures ; X-Ray Film

Laryngeal involvement is a rare complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and can range from mild mucosal inflammation, vocal cord paralysis, and edema to necrotizing vasculitis with airway obstruction. Cricoarytenoid arthropathy is rare cause of severe airway obstruction in laryngeal involvement of SLE. In contrast to patients with rheumatoid arthritis, patients with SLE typically present with acute arthritis of cricoarytenoid joints and respond to corticosteroid therapy alone. We describe here a 13-year-old girl with SLE who presented with intermittent fever, swallowing difficulty, vocal cord paralysis and acute dyspnea required emergent tracheostomy as the sole manifestation of active SLE. She was diagnosed as having SLE based on the findings of positive anti-nuclear antibody and anti-ds DNA antibody with high titers, hypocomplementemia, leukocytopenia, and transient polyarthritis and proteinuria. No other clinical symptoms were found. Endoscopic findings showed edema of aryepiglottic fold, bilateral fixation of the vocal cords and edematous supraglottic structure with engorged vessels. Computered tomography scan of the neck showed diffuse soft tissue edema around the arytenoid and cricoid cartilages and enhancement of the aryepiglottic fold.
Adolescent ; Airway Obstruction ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Cricoid Cartilage ; Deglutition ; DNA ; Dyspnea ; Edema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Joints ; Larynx ; Leukopenia ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Neck ; Proteinuria ; Tracheostomy ; Vasculitis ; Vocal Cord Paralysis ; Vocal Cords

BACKGROUND: An essential prerequisite for successful procurement of sufficient peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) for engraftment is the optimal timing of collection. The Sysmex SE-9000 automated hematology analyzer provides the immature information (IMI) channel for the identification and counting PBSC. In this study, The optimal timing of PBSC collection was studied using IMI channel. METHODS: 193 peripheral blood stem cell collections were performed from 52 patients with hematologic disorders or solid tumors and 15 donors. Pre-harvest peripheral blood WBC, mononuclear cells (MNC) and IMI were tested and compared with CD34+ cell count and CFU-GM count of harvested products. RESULTS: Peripheral blood WBC and MNC count showed a weak correlation with CD34+ cell yield (r=0.38, P<0.0001 and r=0.38, P<0.0001) and peripheral blood IMI had a stronger correlation (r=0.58, P<0.0001) with collected CD34+cells than did WBC and MNC count. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn for cutoff value of IMI and predictive values of the chosen cutoff value of IMI for different target CD34+ cell collections were calculated. The ROC curve showed that the best cutoff value of IMI was 465/microliter for the target CD34+ cells >1x10(6)/kg with sensitivity of 88.7%. Positive and negative predictive values of IMI >465/microliter for CD34+ cell >1x10(6)/kg were 65.5% and 87.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The automated IMI might be used as a simple and efficient indicator of PBSC mobilization and applying variable cutoff values of IMI would be a useful tool to predict the optimal timing of PBSC collection.
Cell Count ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Progenitor Cells ; Hematology* ; Humans ; ROC Curve ; Stem Cells* ; Tissue Donors

PURPOSE: Since there are few studies involving acute pancreatitis in children, we reviewed our experience with this medical condition to describe the clinical features. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted by reviewing the medical records of 41 patients with AP who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of Pusan National University Hospital between January 1996 and June 2007. RESULTS: Twenty males and 21 females (mean age, 8.7+/-4.5 years) were included. In 22 patients (53.7%), no definitive causes were found. The most common etiologies were choledochal cysts (22.0%). Necrotizing pancreatitis was diagnosed in 5 patients (12.2%), and recurrent acute pancreatitis in 4 patients (9.8%). CT findings included pancreatic swelling (43.9%), peripancreatic fluid collection (29.3%), ascites (24.4%), and peripancreatic fat necrosis (12.2%). Serum amylase and lipase levels at diagnosis were 535.3+/-553.2 and 766.2+/-723.6 U/L, respectively, and were normalized within 1 week in 22 and 14 patients, respectively. On the basis of the Balthazar scale, 2 patients were diagnosed with severe AP. In 4 patients (9.8%), a surgical procedure was indicated. Major complications included ascites (32.3%), sepsis (16.1%), and pseudocyst and renal impairments (12.9%). Two patients died from multi-organ failure. CONCLUSION: The etiologies of AP in children are varied. Most children have a single episode and a self-limited course. However, AP of childhood still carries significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis, appropriate treatment according to disease severity, and management of complications are important.
Amylases ; Ascites ; Child ; Choledochal Cyst ; Early Diagnosis ; Fat Necrosis ; Female ; Humans ; Lipase ; Male ; Medical Records ; Pancreatitis ; Pediatrics ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis

The B-type gamma knife unit was installed at Kyung-Hee University Hospital in March 1992. The selective beam plugging method can be used to reduce the low percentage isodose profiles of normal sensitive organ and to codify the isodose cuties of treatment volume for better shaping of the target volume. For representing the changes of the law percentage isodose profiles, the variations of dose distribution for several cases were discussed in this paper. The film dosimetry was performed for the evaluation of calculated isodose profiles predicted by KULA dose planning system. The results were verified by RFA-3 automatic densitometry. The clinical application of selective beam shielding method was performed in 17 patients in 100 patients who have undergone gamma knife radiosurgery for a year. The calculated and the measured isodose profiles for the high percentage regions were well consistent with each other. When the target of pituitary tumor is macro-size, the selective beam shielding method is the most applicable method. When the target size, however, is small, the correct selection of the proper helmet size is very important. All patients were exposed almost about 3~12 Gy for brain stem, and 3~11.2 Gy for optic apparatus. It is recommended that the same or other plugging patterns with multiple isocenters should be used for protection of the radiosensitive normal structures with precise treatment of CNS lesions.
Brain Stem ; Densitometry ; Film Dosimetry ; Head Protective Devices ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Radiosurgery

BACKGROUND: It has been known that Ginseng extract causes the hypotensive action while it rather produces the hypertensive action. Some studies have suggested that Ginseng extract causes a biphasic response on blood pressure, namely, transient fall followed by prolonged elevation. It has been also shown that administration of Korean Red Ginseng powder has no effect on blood pressure in normotensive and hypertensive rats. The present study was designed to examine the effect of total Ginseng saponin on contractile responses of vasoconstrictors in the rat aorta and to establish the mechanism of its action. METHODS: The ring segment of aorta was mounted in a muscle bath filled with oxygenated Krebs solution for the measurement of isometric tension. After the equilibration period, under the presence of total Ginseng saponin, isometric tension induced by some vasoconstrictors were observed and compared to the control responses. The data were expressed as % of the control tension. RESULTS: Phenylephrine (an adrenergic alpha1-receptor agonist) and high potassium (a membrane depolarizing agent) caused greatly contractile responses in the rat aorta, respectively. However, in the presence of total ginseng saponin (600 g/ml), the contractile responses of phenylephrine (10(-6) and 10(-5) M) and high potassium (3.5 x 10(-2) and 5.6 x 10(-2) M) were markedly potentiated whereas prostglandin F2alpha(5 x 10(-6) M)-induced contractile responses was not affected. The contractile responses induced by phenylephrine (10(-5) M) and high potassium (3.5 x 10(-2) M) even under the presence of total ginseng saponin (600 g/ml) were greatly inhibited by the pretreatment of nicardipine (10(-6) M), a calcium channel blocker. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these experimental results suggest that total ginseng saponin can enhance the contractile responses evoked by stimulation of adrenergic alpha1-receptor and the membrane depolarization in the isolated rat aortic strips, which seems to be associated to calcium influx.
Animals ; Aorta* ; Baths ; Blood Pressure ; Calcium ; Calcium Channels ; Membranes ; Nicardipine ; Oxygen ; Panax* ; Phenylephrine ; Potassium ; Rats* ; Saponins* ; Vasoconstriction ; Vasoconstrictor Agents*

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to identify the characteristics of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that was not diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, but only in adulthood. METHODS: The characteristics of patients diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood were compared with those of patients diagnosed in childhood were assessed via a retrospective review of the medical records at one university hospital from 2005 to 2013. If the age at which they were confirmed as having ADHD was less than 19 years old, they were grouped as childhood-diagnosed group (CD); if they were 19 years old or more, they were grouped as adulthood-diagnosed group (AD). RESULTS: The CD and AD included 50 (46.3%) and 58 (53.7%) patients, respectively. Inattention was the most common symptom in both groups. Behavioral and emotional problems were the second most frequent symptoms in the CD and AD, respectively. The intelligent quotient was significantly higher in the AD than in the CD. The most common comorbidity was depression in the CD and personality disorder in the AD. The most common reason for visiting the hospital was referral by acquaintances in the CD and media coverage in the AD. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should put ADHD on the index of suspicion when they examine adults with various psychiatric symptoms, because the diagnosis of ADHD might have been missed in childhood and the symptoms of ADHD might have changed as they grew up.
Adolescent ; Adult* ; Comorbidity ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Friends ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Personality Disorders ; Referral and Consultation ; Retrospective Studies*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We compared the long-term outcomes of balloon dilation versus botulinum toxin injection in Korean patients with primary achalasia and identified factors predicting remission. METHODS: We included 73 patients with achalasia newly diagnosed between January 1988 and January 2011. We ultimately enrolled 37 of 55 patients with primary achalasia through telephone interviews, who were observed for over 1 year. Short-term outcomes were evaluated from the medical records based on symptom relief after 1 month of treatment. Long-term outcomes were evaluated in a telephone interview using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were administered a botulinum toxin injection and 12 underwent balloon dilation. One month after the botulinum toxin injection, improvements were seen in chest pain (14 [56.0%] to 4 patients [16.0%]), regurgitation (16 [64.0%] to 4 [16.0%]), and dysphagia (25 [100.0%] to 5 [20.0%]). In the balloon dilation group, chest pain (8 [66.7%] to 1 [8.3%]), regurgitation (11 [91.7%] to 1 [8.3%]), and dysphagia (12 [100.0%] to 1 [8.3%]) had improved. A significant difference was observed in the mean remission duration between the botulinum toxin injection and balloon dilation groups (13 months [range, 1 to 70] vs. 29 months [range, 6 to 72], respectively; p = 0.036). Independent factors predicting long-term remission included treatment type (odds ratio [OR], 6.982; p = 0.036) and the difference in the lower esophageal sphincter pressure (OR, 7.198; p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Balloon dilation may be more efficacious than botulinum toxin for providing long-term remission in Korean patients with achalasia. Follow-up manometry may predict the long-term outcome.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Botulinum Toxins/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Dilatation/adverse effects/*methods ; Esophageal Achalasia/diagnosis/epidemiology/*therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Medical Records ; Middle Aged ; Neuromuscular Agents/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Odds Ratio ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Questionnaires ; Remission Induction ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Telephone ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult