No abstract available.
T-Lymphocytes*

OBJECTIVE : To analyze the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation in recurrent spontaneous abortion associated with hyperhomocysteinemia. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The blood Sample of habitual aborter with high fasting homocysteine level was tested by PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: The patient was found to be a homozygosity for MTHFR gene mutation that was confirmed by the finding which is consistent with the mutation at the nucleotide 677 C to T, Corresponding to Ala to Val. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperhomocysteinemia due to MTHFR mutation is a cause of recurrent spontaneous abortion. Therefore, the MTHFR mutation should be examined in the workup of recurrent spontaneous abortion showing hyperhomocysteinemia.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Fasting ; Female ; Homocysteine ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia* ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)* ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin II plays a potential role in renal injury not only by its vasoconstrictive effects but also its biochemical effects. alpha-Actinin, an actin-linked glycoprotein, is expressed in podocytes and known to be rearranged and changed in various glomerular diseases. We investigated the effect of angiotensin II on the alpha-actinin in the glomerular epithelial cells to find out the fact that it could be prevented by losartan, a type 1 angiotensin receptor antagonist. METHODS: Glomerular epithelial cells were treated with various concentrations of angiotensin II in culture media, and then we compared the localization and amount of alpha-actinin by confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis, respectively. We also compared the differences in the localization and protein amount of alpha-actinin by various concentrations of losartan in the presence of angiotensin II. In addition, we tried to observe the mRNA expression of alpha-actinin via RT-PCR. RESULTS: The fluorescent and band intensities of alpha-actinin were decreased by angiotensin II in a dose-dependent manner by confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis, respectively. These changes of alpha-actinin by angiotensin II were reversed by losartan in dose dependent manner. Angiotensin II also changed the distribution of alpha-actinin from peripheral to inner cytoplasm in dose-dependent manner, which was also reversed by losartan. The different expression of alpha-actinin m-RNA by RT-PCR were unremarkable. CONCLUSIONS: Angiotensin II decreases the amount of alpha-actinin protein and and makes cytoskeletal changes in glomerular epithelial cells, which could be reversed by losartan. It suggests that it could be prevented by angiotensin II AT1 receptor blockers.

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin II plays a potential role in renal injury not only by its vasoconstrictive effects but also its biochemical effects. alpha-Actinin, an actin-linked glycoprotein, is expressed in podocytes and known to be rearranged and changed in various glomerular diseases. We investigated the effect of angiotensin II on the alpha-actinin in the glomerular epithelial cells to find out the fact that it could be prevented by losartan, a type 1 angiotensin receptor antagonist. METHODS: Glomerular epithelial cells were treated with various concentrations of angiotensin II in culture media, and then we compared the localization and amount of alpha-actinin by confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis, respectively. We also compared the differences in the localization and protein amount of alpha-actinin by various concentrations of losartan in the presence of angiotensin II. In addition, we tried to observe the mRNA expression of alpha-actinin via RT-PCR. RESULTS: The fluorescent and band intensities of alpha-actinin were decreased by angiotensin II in a dose-dependent manner by confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis, respectively. These changes of alpha-actinin by angiotensin II were reversed by losartan in dose dependent manner. Angiotensin II also changed the distribution of alpha-actinin from peripheral to inner cytoplasm in dose-dependent manner, which was also reversed by losartan. The different expression of alpha-actinin m-RNA by RT-PCR were unremarkable. CONCLUSIONS: Angiotensin II decreases the amount of alpha-actinin protein and and makes cytoskeletal changes in glomerular epithelial cells, which could be reversed by losartan. It suggests that it could be prevented by angiotensin II AT1 receptor blockers.

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was aimed at identifying the relations among geriatric nurses' terminal care performance, death anxiety and self-esteem and the factors that affect nurses' terminal care stress. METHODS: Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire completed by 212 geriatric hospital nurses working in 10 hospitals in K city and B metropolitan city. RESULTS: The survey results showed that the stress factors were terminal care performance and death anxiety. Significant predictors for terminal care stress were death anxiety and terminal care performance. (And the higher the level of death anxiety and terminal care performance were, the heavier the stress was.) These factors explained 32.5% of the variance in terminal care stress. CONCLUSION: The results of the study suggested that terminal care performance was an important factor of terminal care stress for geriatric nurses. Therefore, it seems that it is necessary to develop an educational intervention program to improve nurses' terminal care performance to reduce their terminal care stress.
Anxiety* ; Attitude to Death ; Self Concept ; Stress, Psychological ; Terminal Care*

Osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum is a condition which causes pain and limitation of motion in the elbow joint. Conservative management can be done in the early stage, but operative method is indicated when conservative treatment failed or loose bodies causing symptoms developed. The authors experienced 20 cases of osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum, which received satisfatory surgical treatment, such as 1) removal of loose body, 2) removal of loose body, curettage, and multiple drilling, 3) curettage and multiple drilling at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, National Police Hospital, from January, 1985 to August 1989. Following results were obtained. 1. The occupations were baseball players in 5 cases (25%), gymnast in 4 csses (20%), tennis player in 1 case (5 %), which implicates repetitive trauma or excessive use of the elbow joint as a cause of osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum. 2. The main symptoms were pain in all cases(100%), limitation of range of moiton(70%), locking(25%), swelling of the joint, and clicks on range of motion in decreasing order. 3. Of the 20 cases, removal of loose bodies was performed in 13 cases(65%), removal of loose bodies, curettage, and multiple drilling in 4 cases (20%), and curettage and multiple drilling in the remaining 3 cases (15%), And follow-up results were excellent in 16 cases (80%), good in 3 cases (15%), and moderate in 1 case (5%). So, we concluded that the above surgical measurements are good enough to give satisfactory results for osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum.
Baseball ; Curettage ; Elbow Joint ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Methods ; Occupations ; Orthopedics ; Osteochondritis Dissecans ; Osteochondritis ; Police ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Tennis

Congenital vertical talus is dufficult to correct and tends to recur. Reduction of the deformed talon-avicular joint is rarely possible by conservative means alone and consequently surgical reduction is usually necessary. The technique of Kumar, Cowell and Ramsey(TAL, capsular release, open reduction of navicular, and K-wire fixation) was combined with or without tendon transfer using Tibialis anterior(Grice operation) in 11 feet of seven children(bilateral in four) under the age of four(2 girls and 5 boys), and followed them for average 41 months. Three of them were combined with cerebral palsy, syringomyelia, and multiple joint stiffness with camptodactyly. In preoperative radiograms, all of their tali are so distorted plantarward and medially as to be almost vertical. The talus was in an equinus position also but to a lesser degrees. The forefoot was dorsiflexed at the midtarsal joint and the navicular lay on the dorsal aspect of the talar head. Seven feet are corrected normally after operation, but four feet were recurred and soft tissue releasing techniques combined with extraarticular subtalar arthrodesis or triple arthrodesis were planned after their skeletal maturity.
Arthrodesis ; Cerebral Palsy ; Female ; Foot ; Head ; Humans ; Joint Capsule Release ; Joints ; Syringomyelia ; Talus ; Tendon Transfer

No abstract available.
Pancreatic Diseases*

BACKGOUND: CHROMagar Candida is a new differential culture medium that allows selective isolation and identification of clinically important Candida species. However, no study of CHROMagar Candida in superficial cutaneous candidiasis has been reported in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of CHROMagar Candida to identify Candida species isolated from patients with cutaneous candidiasis. METHOD: A total of 95 strains isolated from 92 patients with candidiasis (70 Candida albicans, 9 Candida parapsilosis, 7 Candida guilliermondii, 1 Candida krusei, 1 Candida glabrata, 1 Candida tropicalis, 2 C. albicans plus C. parapsilosis, 1 C. albicans plus C. krusei) were subcultured to CHROMagar Candida (KOMED, Korea) and incubated for 48 hours. Colony appearance on CHROMagar Candida was assessed by two observers. RESULTS: Expected colony appearance on CHROMagar Candida was 100% for C. albicans, C. krusei, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis, respectively but 85.7% for C. guilliermondii and 77.8% for C. parapsilosis. Three mixed cultures of Candida species, not detected by conventional methods, were detected by CHROMagar Candida. CONCLUSION: CHROMagar Candida is a useful isolation medium capable of a rapid presumptive identification of Candida species and more reliable detection of mixed cultures in clinical specimens.
Candida albicans ; Candida glabrata ; Candida tropicalis ; Candida* ; Candidiasis ; Candidiasis, Cutaneous* ; Humans ; Korea

In 1962, Durand suggested the term primary lactose intolerance for the disorder withch resulted from a defect of the lactase activity in the intestinal mucosa. However primary lactose intolerance is rare and it is not commonly encountered in routine pediatric practice. Apart from such a primary lactose intolerance, diarrhea, meteorism, and abdominal discomfort after taking lacose containing food are more frequently encoumtered in case of gastroenteritis in which damage of the intestinal mucosa and coating of the mucosa by inflammatory secretions lead to decreased lactase it form the primary lactose intolerance. It is now considered that secondary lactose intolerance may play an important role in case of infantile diarrhea commonly encoutered in pediatric practice. The auther tried the lactase preparation Galantase?to evaluated it's clinical effect on infantile diarrhea of various kind (50 cases). Evaluation of the effect of Galantase was made on the bases of the following criteria. l Marked effective ; nature of stools and number per day returned to normal within 3 days after Galantase administration. l Effective ; nature of stools and number per day decreased within 3 days after Galantase administration. l Ineffective ; all stools remained unchainged and diarrheic. The results obtsined by this study are as followes l Marked effective ; 78 % l Effective ; 12 % l Slight effective ; 4% l Ineffective ; 6% There was no undesirable side effect observed in all 50 cases. Based upon the above effective rate, we concluded that the Galantase is a quite effective medicament for infantile diarrhea, especially for primary and secondary lactose intolerance.
Diarrhea ; Diarrhea, Infantile* ; Gastroenteritis ; Infant ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Lactase ; Lactose Intolerance ; Meteoroids ; Mucous Membrane