Keloids are abnormally healed skin wounds that develop in the subpapillary layer of the dermis. They are a lesion with wide, raised and deep scars. They exceed the original dimensions of the wound and grow mounds upon mounds of collagen in a pseudotumor fashion. Their treatment may take several forms such as surgery, intralesional injection of steroid, compression, superficial irradiation, and combination therapy. However, absolute method is nothing until now. Recently, the cryosurgery shows relatively good effect in treatment, so we tried the clinical experience with cryosurgery in the treatment of keloids. Material and methods: During the past 2 years, we treated 20 individuals of the keloids with severe itching and pain. The age ranged from 5 to 45 years old. Only 6 cases were biopsied before and after cryotherapy. The cryosurgery set we used was Toitu model CR 201 N₂O gas (tip temperature in ­80℃) and was applied directly on the lesion about 4 to 5 minutes with slight compression. After cryosurgery in keloids, the following results were obtained: 1. It is both quick and easy method. 2. It is causes little or no pain and no loss of blood. 3. Integumentary normalization is rapid. The new scar tissue is smaller, and more elastic and soft. 4. The pain, itching and paresthesia commonly associated with keloid is usually disappeared. 5. Other treatment can be used after cryosurgery. 6. Histologic picture after cryosurgery is similar with the result of steroid injection. 7. The mechanism of the cryosurgery in keloids is the result of the direct tissue destroying action and cryoimmunologic reaction.
Cicatrix ; Collagen ; Cryosurgery* ; Cryotherapy ; Dermis ; Injections, Intralesional ; Keloid* ; Methods ; Paresthesia ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Blood Platelets* ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass*

No abstract available.
Fistula*

A research survey was conducted on 112 nursing educational institutes with three year associate and four ear baccalaureate programs and 36 institutes with master programs to determine the status of computer and informatics education in Korea. Seventy-seven(68.8%) of the 112 schools with associate and baccalaureate programs responded and 20(55.6%) of 36 schools with master program responded. Out of 77 institutions only 16 schools indicated that Nursing Informatics was offered as a separate course. It was taught mostly to the first year or the second year students and number of credits ranged from 1 to 3 while 2 credit being the most popular one. Further analysis of the syllabus indicated that the contents covered by different schools varied from school to school. They were computer basics, internet and communication, application program, the concept and the elements of the nursing informatics, utilization of nursing informatics in nursing practice, education, research, and administration, and health information system. Sixty schools out of 77 addressed computer related subjects in their curriculum. Computer related subjects were taught mostly to the first year students as a 2 credits class. Contents covered in computer related subjects were computer basics, internet and communication, and application program. Strategies for the implementation of nursing informatics in nursing education and exemplary programs are presented based on the findings.
Academies and Institutes ; Curriculum ; Ear ; Education* ; Education, Nursing ; Health Information Systems ; Humans ; Informatics ; Internet ; Korea* ; Nursing Informatics* ; Nursing*

Collision tumors of the colon are rare. A 54-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the evaluation of hematochezia. Colonoscopy demonstrated the presence of about 3 cm sized mass in the rectosigmoid junction. After surgical resection, the colonic lesion was histologically composed of two discrete lesions: adenocarcinoma in the superficial layer and poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma in the deeper layer. We report this case of colonic collision tumor (adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma) with a review of the literature.
Adenocarcinoma/*diagnosis/pathology ; Antigens, CD/metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/metabolism ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine/*diagnosis/pathology ; Colonic Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Colonoscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography ; Synaptophysin/metabolism ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical significance of activity of daily living(ADL) and to identify the influencing factors on ADL in elderly patients admitted to the hospital-based acute geriatric care unit. METHODS: We studied a total of 279 patients aged 65 years and older who admitted to the Acute Elderly Care Unit at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between May, 2004 and April, 2005. Comprehensive geriatric assessment including medical, psychosocial and functional evaluation was performed by the geriatric team. RESULTS: Most of the patients need ADL(62.7%) and IADL(68.8%) assistance. Dependent ADL patients were older (p<0.01), admitted via emergency room(p<0.01), demented(p<0.01), and associated with depression(p<0.01), malnutrition(p<0.01), and stroke(p<0.05) compared to independent ADL group. The length of stay was also significantly increased in dependent ADL group(p<0.01) and six-month mortality rate was higher in dependent ADL group(p<0.01). In correlation analysis, MMSE-KC score(r=0.708, p<0.01), nutritional state(r=0.581, p<0.01), the length of stay(r=-0.433, p<0.01), depression(r=-0.309, p<0.01), the numbers of chronic disease(r=-0.287, p<0.01), age (r=-0.236, p<0.01) showed significant association with ADL. In multivariate analysis, cognitive impairment(OR=5.80), emergent admission(OR=4.33), over the 75 years old age(OR=3.33), malnutrition(OR=2.86), and depression(OR=2.61) were identified as the independent influencing factors on ADL dependency. CONCLUSION: ADL dependency is common in elderly inpatient and significantly associated with poor prognosis. Identifying and controlling the influencing factor on ADL decline may improve the patients' functional status and clinical outcome.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged* ; Cognition ; Depression ; Emergencies ; Geriatric Assessment ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Seoul

Oxidative stress due to hyperglycemia damages the functions of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and is a major risk factor for diabetic retinopathy (DR). Paeoniflorin is a monoterpenoid glycoside found in the roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall and has been reported to have a variety of health benefits. However, the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects on high glucose (HG)-induced oxidative damage in RPE cells are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of paeoniflorin against HG-induced oxidative damage in cultured human RPE ARPE-19 cells, an in vitro model of hyperglycemia. Pretreatment with paeoniflorin markedly reduced HG-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage. Paeoniflorin inhibited HG-induced apoptosis by suppressing activation of the caspase cascade, and this suppression was associated with the blockade of cytochrome c release to cytoplasm by maintaining mitochondrial membrane stability. In addition, paeoniflorin suppressed the HG-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a key redox regulator, and the expression of its downstream factor heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). On the other hand, zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), an inhibitor of HO-1, abolished the protective effect of paeoniflorin against ROS production in HG-treated cells. Furthermore, ZnPP reversed the protective effects of paeoniflorin against HG-induced cellular damage and induced mitochondrial damage, DNA injury, and apoptosis in paeoniflorin-treated cells. These results suggest that paeoniflorin protects RPE cells from HG-mediated oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity by activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling and highlight the potential therapeutic use of paeoniflorin to improve the symptoms of DR.

Oxidative stress due to hyperglycemia damages the functions of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and is a major risk factor for diabetic retinopathy (DR). Paeoniflorin is a monoterpenoid glycoside found in the roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall and has been reported to have a variety of health benefits. However, the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects on high glucose (HG)-induced oxidative damage in RPE cells are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of paeoniflorin against HG-induced oxidative damage in cultured human RPE ARPE-19 cells, an in vitro model of hyperglycemia. Pretreatment with paeoniflorin markedly reduced HG-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage. Paeoniflorin inhibited HG-induced apoptosis by suppressing activation of the caspase cascade, and this suppression was associated with the blockade of cytochrome c release to cytoplasm by maintaining mitochondrial membrane stability. In addition, paeoniflorin suppressed the HG-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a key redox regulator, and the expression of its downstream factor heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). On the other hand, zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), an inhibitor of HO-1, abolished the protective effect of paeoniflorin against ROS production in HG-treated cells. Furthermore, ZnPP reversed the protective effects of paeoniflorin against HG-induced cellular damage and induced mitochondrial damage, DNA injury, and apoptosis in paeoniflorin-treated cells. These results suggest that paeoniflorin protects RPE cells from HG-mediated oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity by activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling and highlight the potential therapeutic use of paeoniflorin to improve the symptoms of DR.

Oxidative stress due to hyperglycemia damages the functions of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and is a major risk factor for diabetic retinopathy (DR). Paeoniflorin is a monoterpenoid glycoside found in the roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall and has been reported to have a variety of health benefits. However, the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects on high glucose (HG)-induced oxidative damage in RPE cells are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of paeoniflorin against HG-induced oxidative damage in cultured human RPE ARPE-19 cells, an in vitro model of hyperglycemia. Pretreatment with paeoniflorin markedly reduced HG-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage. Paeoniflorin inhibited HG-induced apoptosis by suppressing activation of the caspase cascade, and this suppression was associated with the blockade of cytochrome c release to cytoplasm by maintaining mitochondrial membrane stability. In addition, paeoniflorin suppressed the HG-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a key redox regulator, and the expression of its downstream factor heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). On the other hand, zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), an inhibitor of HO-1, abolished the protective effect of paeoniflorin against ROS production in HG-treated cells. Furthermore, ZnPP reversed the protective effects of paeoniflorin against HG-induced cellular damage and induced mitochondrial damage, DNA injury, and apoptosis in paeoniflorin-treated cells. These results suggest that paeoniflorin protects RPE cells from HG-mediated oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity by activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling and highlight the potential therapeutic use of paeoniflorin to improve the symptoms of DR.

Tremendous efforts have been made to develop better vaccines and diagnostic markers for the effective control of tuberculosis. Recently, we reported that the Triton X-100 soluble protein (TSP) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis induced strong T-cell proliferation and IFN-gamma production in humans, and also conferred a significant level of protection against tuberculosis in a mouse model. In this study, the TSP was prepared by Triton X-100 extraction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli, which was followed by Triton X-114 phase partitioning. Western blot analysis using sera of 177 active pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 323 healthy individuals revealed that the TSP contained a immunodominant 40-kDa antigen specifically reacting with some sera from pulmonary tuberculosis patients. The 40-kDa antigen was purified by ion-exchange chromatography, and partially characterized by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and N-terminal sequencing. Results of this study suggest that 40-kDa molecule of the TSP antigen from the cell suface of Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be used as a serodiagnostic marker as well as a potential vaccine candidate against tuberculosis.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Humans ; Mice ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Neptune* ; Octoxynol* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Vaccines