PURPOSE: 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), one of the most potent environmental pollutants, is known to disrupt the endocrine, immune, and reproductive system. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of a panax ginseng water extract (PG-WE) on the survival rate, sperm quality, and fertility impaired by TCDD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty male guinea pigs were divided into 8 groups. The normal control group received the vehicle and saline. TCDD was intraperitoneally injected at a single dose of 1microgram/kg. A PG-WE was administered at 100 or 200mg/kg/ day 1wk prior to (P groups) or subsequent to (C groups) TCDD-exposure for 12 and 10 weeks, respectively. The G groups received the vehicle and the PG-WE of 100 or 200mg/kg/day, respectively. The parameters for the male guinea pigs were assessed for 40 weeks. The effects on the F1 generation were assessed at a growth period of F1. RESULTS: All single TCDD-treated group animals died within 18 days and the survival rate of the PG-WE-treated groups increased in a dose dependant manner. Forty to 70% of the P and C groups survived until the 40th week and reached sexual maturation. The death rate of the progeny born from the PG-WE-treated groups was significantly lower than that in the NC group (14.3%). The M/F ratio of the F1 generation in the P and C groups had higher female birth ratio. The sperm number and morphology showed no significant differences among the groups. The PG-WE increased the sperm motility in the guinea pigs exposed to TCDD. CONCLUSIONS: Panax ginseng is a useful agent that can neutralize endocrine disrupters and environmental pollutants, and help maintain a high sperm quality after a growth period.
Animals ; Environmental Pollutants ; Female ; Fertility ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Panax* ; Parturition ; Pregnancy* ; Sexual Maturation ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa* ; Survival Rate ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin* ; Water

The elevation of present medical service using advanced science contributes to offer medical examination and treatment of good quality under the subject of patient satisfaction as well as patient impression. The dental service field charging some part of public health promotion and public welfare promotion also intends to improve the dental examination and treatment quality utilizing advanced science. The object of this research is the development of dental treatment assisted system (DTAS) using multimedia technology. DTAS can be employed for these object ; harmonious operation of dental examination and treatment, treatment quality improvement, disease notice to patient under the subject of patient satisfaction and patient impression, explanation of some selective treatment course, the verification of treatment necessities and treatment validation, and the improvement of treatment effect through the oral hygiene education in the sense of prevention. This research also serves the development environment, the step to collect educational document, visual information and to structure those, and the examination of DTAS efficiency in clinic.
Education ; Humans ; Multimedia* ; Oral Hygiene ; Patient Satisfaction ; Public Health ; Quality Improvement

PURPOSE: Reconstructive surgeries for equinocavovarus foot deformities are quite variable, including hind-midfoot osteotomy or arthrodesis, soft tissue procedure, tendon transfers, etc. Comprehensive evaluation of the deformity and its etiology is mandatory for achievement of successful deformity correction. Few studies in this field have been reported. We report on the clinical and radiographic outcome of reconstruction for cavovarus foot deformities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is based on 16 feet with cavovarus foot deformities that underwent bony and soft tissue reconstructive surgery from 2004 to 2008. We evaluated the etiologies, varieties of surgical procedures performed, pain score, functional scores, and patient satisfaction and measured the radiographic parameters. RESULTS: The average age at the time of surgery was 39.4 years old, with a male/female ratio of 9/4 and an average follow-up period of 23.9 months (range, 12~49 months). The etiologies of the cavovarus deformity were idiopathic 7 feet, residual poliomyelitis 5 feet, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease 2 feet, and Guillain-Barre syndrome and hemiplegia due to cerebrovascular accident sequela 1 foot each. Lateral sliding calcaneal osteotomies were performed in 12 feet (75%), followed by Achilles tendon lengthening and plantar fascia release in 11 feet (69%), and first metatarsal dorsiflexion osteotomy/arthrodesis and tendon transfer in 10 feet (63%). Visual analogue scale pain score showed improvement, from an average of 4.2 to 0.5 points. American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score showed significant improvement, from 47.8 to 90.0 points (p<0.05). All patients were satisfied. Ankle range of motion improved from 27.5degrees to 46.7degrees. In radiographic measurements, calcaneal pitch angle improved from 19.1degrees to 15.8degrees, Meary angle from 13.0degrees to 9.3degrees, Hibb's angle from 44.3degrees to 37.0degrees, and tibio-calcaneal axis angle from varus 17.5degrees to varus 1.5degrees. CONCLUSION: We achieved successful correction of cavovarus foot deformities by performing appropriate comprehensive reconstructive procedures with improved functional, radiographic measures and high patient satisfaction.
Achilles Tendon ; Ankle ; Arthrodesis ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Fascia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Foot Deformities* ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Metatarsal Bones ; Osteotomy ; Patient Satisfaction ; Poliomyelitis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Stroke ; Tendon Transfer

OBJECTIVE: This paper aims at investigating the fitness of available computer mouse interfaces to each level of cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) patients ranging from C4 to C7. METHOD: Several commercially available computer mouse interfaces were selected for performance evaluation. They were head pointer, touch screen, button mouse, big-ball mouse, and mouse pad. Usual mouse with rubber pad was also tested for the C6-C7 SCI patients. The performance of each interface was evaluated in terms of average click rate of moving target box and patient's satisfaction. RESULTS: The results that the touch screen and the head pointer were superior to other interfaces in terms of click rate. However, in terms of the satisfaction ratio, C4-C5 SCI patients preferred the head pointer and C6-C7 SCI patients preferred the big-ball mouse. The difference in click rate and satisfaction ratio was attributed to the convenience of the interface, i.e., the necessity and type of orthosis when using the mouse interface. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the patients' preference was determined mainly by the convenience. Therefore, the convenience of the interface must be fully considered in the design and selection of computer interface for the SCI patients.
Animals ; Head ; Humans ; Mice* ; Orthotic Devices ; Rubber ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord*

The strains 17E-042, 17E-039, and NC13-171 belong to Ascomycota and were isolated from soil collected from Sancheong-gun and Yeongam-gun, Korea. The strain 17E-042 produced white mycelial colonies that developed a sienna color with a round margin on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and the reverse side developed a light sienna color. Morphologically, this strain was similar to the strains of Arthrinium phragmites and A. hydei, but the shorter conidial size of the newly identified strain (17E-042) was distinct. The strain 17E-039 produced macroconidia that were pale yellow to orange-brown, elongated-ellipsoid to oblong, round at both ends, primarily straight but sometimes slightly curved, 0-septate, thin-walled, and filled with numerous droplets, having diameters of 20.4–34.3 × 8.0–12.0 μm. And the strain NC13-171 formed hyaline to light brown chlamydospores, solitary or in a chain. Multigene phylogenetic analyses were conducted using sequence data obtained from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, 28S rDNA large subunit (LSU), β-tubulin (TUB2), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α), and RNA polymerase II large subunit (RPB2) genes. The results of molecular phylogeny, the detailed descriptions and illustrations of each species strongly support our proposal that these strains from soil in Korea be designated as Arthrinium minutisporum sp. nov. and two new records of Pezicula neosporulosa and Acrocalymma pterocarpi.

The strains 17E-042, 17E-039, and NC13-171 belong to Ascomycota and were isolated from soil collected from Sancheong-gun and Yeongam-gun, Korea. The strain 17E-042 produced white mycelial colonies that developed a sienna color with a round margin on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and the reverse side developed a light sienna color. Morphologically, this strain was similar to the strains of Arthrinium phragmites and A. hydei, but the shorter conidial size of the newly identified strain (17E-042) was distinct. The strain 17E-039 produced macroconidia that were pale yellow to orange-brown, elongated-ellipsoid to oblong, round at both ends, primarily straight but sometimes slightly curved, 0-septate, thin-walled, and filled with numerous droplets, having diameters of 20.4–34.3 × 8.0–12.0 μm. And the strain NC13-171 formed hyaline to light brown chlamydospores, solitary or in a chain. Multigene phylogenetic analyses were conducted using sequence data obtained from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, 28S rDNA large subunit (LSU), β-tubulin (TUB2), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α), and RNA polymerase II large subunit (RPB2) genes. The results of molecular phylogeny, the detailed descriptions and illustrations of each species strongly support our proposal that these strains from soil in Korea be designated as Arthrinium minutisporum sp. nov. and two new records of Pezicula neosporulosa and Acrocalymma pterocarpi.

Purpose: Young age at diagnosis has been considered a poor prognostic factor. However, considering young age itself as an independent poor prognostic factor for all breast cancers is unwarranted. We analyzed the different prognostic effects of age as a prognostic factor according to molecular subtype. Methods: We retrieved data from 1,819 patients with primary breast cancer at the breast cancer center between 2007 and 2012. We classified each molecular subtype in 3 age cohorts (<40, 40–50, and >50 years). The associations of age and molecular subtypes with relapse-free survival (RFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were assessed. Results: Patients aged <40 years showed a poor histologic grade, hormone receptor negative expression than older patients, and had a higher proportion of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (P < 0.001). This was thought to have led to a significantly shorter RFS than that of older patients (P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis according to molecular subtypes, the poorer RFS was observed only in patients aged <40 years with luminal type breast cancer (P < 0.001). Age was an independent prognostic factor of RFS in luminal-type breast cancer (P = 0.001). However, no difference in RFS between age groups was found for patients with other subtypes (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 overexpression, TNBC). No significant effect between age groups was found in DSS for patients with all molecular subtypes. Conclusion Age at diagnosis of breast cancer affected prognosis differently according to molecular subtype. Age itself is not an independent prognostic factor. Age of <40 years showed a limited worse prognostic impact of recurrence in luminal type breast cancer only.

Purpose: B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) has an antiapoptotic role, however, has resulted in it being a powerful favorable prognostic factor in breast cancer. Several studies revealed BCL2 is strongly associated with a lower rate of early recurrence after initial treatment in breast cancer patients, but study of a prolonged effect after 5 years is lacking. We investigated BCL2 as a prognostic factor in breast cancer in comparison to early and late recurrence. Methods: We retrieved data from 2,198 patients with primary breast cancer who underwent surgical treatment and adjuvant treatment at the breast cancer center between 2005 and 2015. Each molecular subtype was classified, and Ki-67 and BCL2 were also assessed by immunohistochemistry. BCL2 and the association between molecular subtypes were assessed in early and late recurrences, respectively. Five-year postrecurrence survival and BCL2 were also assessed. Results: The BCL2-positive group was associated with favorable clinicopathologic characteristics. The time to recurrence was significantly longer in the BCL2-positive group (P = 0.035). Late recurrence after 5 years was higher in the BCL2-positive group (P = 0.029). In multivariate survival analysis, tumor size and BCL2-positive expression were the only independent prognostic factors for late recurrence (P = 0.004). In the patients with recurrence, 5-year postrecurrence survival was significantly higher in the BCL2-positive group (P < 0.001). Conclusion Our result showed that prognosis was better in BCL2-positive patients compared to BCL2-negative patients at late recurrence. We suggested that BCL2 expression could be used as a marker to help determine additional adjuvant therapy or extended hormone therapy in hormone-dependent breast cancer.

Isolated hypoparathyroidism (IH) shows heterogeneous phenotypes and can be caused by defects in a variety of genes. The goal of our study was to determine the clinical features and to analyze gene mutations in a large cohort of Korean patients with sporadic or familial IH. We recruited 23 patients. They showed a broad range of onset age and various values of biochemical data. Whole exome sequencing was performed on two affected cases and one unaffected individual in a family. All coding exons and exon-intron borders of GCMB, CASR, and prepro-PTH were sequenced using PCR-amplified DNA. In one family who underwent the whole exome sequencing analysis, approximately 300 single nucleotide changes emerged as candidates for genetic alteration. Among them, we identified a functional mutation in exon 2 of GCMB (C106R) in two affected cases. Besides, heterozygous gain-of-function mutations in the CASR gene were found in other subjects; D410E and P221L. We also found one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the prepro-PTH gene, five SNPs in the CASR gene, and four SNPs in the GCMB gene. The current study represents a variety of biochemical phenotypes in IH patients with the molecular genetic diagnosis of IH.
Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics ; Cohort Studies ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Hypoparathyroidism/diagnosis/*genetics/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Nuclear Proteins/*genetics ; Parathyroid Hormone/*genetics ; Phenotype ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Receptors, Calcium-Sensing/*genetics ; Registries ; Republic of Korea ; Transcription Factors/*genetics ; Young Adult

Klotho functions as a tumor suppressor predominantly expressed in renal tubular cells, the origin of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Altered expression and/or activity of growth factor receptor have been implicated in ccRCC development. Although Klotho suppresses a tumor progression through growth factor receptor signaling including insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), the role of Klotho acting on IGF-1R in ccRCC and its clinical relevance remains obscure. Here, we show that Klotho is favorable prognostic factor for ccRCC and exerts tumor suppressive role for ccRCC through inhibiting IGF-1R signaling. Our data shows the following key findings. First, in tumor tissues, the level of Klotho and IGF-1R expression are low or high, respectively, compared to that of adjacent non-neoplastic parenchyma. Second, the Klotho expression is clearly low in higher grade of ccRCC and is closely associated with clinical outcomes in tumor progression. Third, Klotho suppresses IGF-1-stimulated cell proliferation and migration by inhibiting PI3K/Akt pathway. These results provide compelling evidence supporting that Klotho acting on IGF-1R signaling functions as tumor suppressor in ccRCC and suggest that Klotho is a potential carcinostatis substance for ccRCC.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Cell Proliferation ; Prognosis ; Receptor, IGF Type 1