To find out the differences between periodontal ligament cells (PDL cells) and gingival fibroblast cells (GFB cells), alkaline phosphatase, a marker enzyme for osteoblast, was used to measure the activities and 45CaCl2 isotope was used to find out cellular and release of 45Ca, a requisite for bone formation,. PDL cells and GFB cells from 1 to 5 passages were also measured in alkaline phosphatase activity assay. By the use of above methods, followings were concluded that the PDL cells and the GFB cells have characteristics that are different from each other. In that PDL cells showed large amount of calcium uptake and large amount of calcium release in initial stage, they seem to possess characteristics which are similar to osteoblast-like cells. 1. The PDL cells, in contrast to the gingival fibroblast, showed exceedingly high alkaline phosphatase activity which was highest at the second passage, decreasing thereon. But gingival fibroblasts cells showed no distinct differences in alkaline phosphatase activity as the passage were elapsed. 2. For both PDL cells and GF cells, the 45Ca uptake was greatest at 2 hours period. The PDL cells showed higher measuring than GFB cells through out the whole time period. 3. Whereas the GFB cells showed slow increase of 45Ca release as time relapsed, the PDL cells showed rapid increase of 45Ca release.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Calcium ; Fibroblasts ; Humans* ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Periodontal Ligament*

Candida lipolytica is also called Yarrowia lipolytica, and this is now microbiologically classified as a member of the Yarrowia genus. Y. lipolytica is a rare opportunistic pathogen that was first isolated in 1976 from a patient with traumatic ocular candidiasis. Five cases of infant patients were reported in 2000 in Korea for the first time, and then in 2001 a case was reported from an AML patient. No more cases have been reported since then. The authors experienced the case of a patient with blood culture positivity for Y. lipolytica and this patient had a previous history of raw beef ingestion and long term antibiotics therapy. Thus, we report on this case along with a review of the literature.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Candidiasis ; Eating ; Fungemia ; Humans ; Infant ; Korea ; Yarrowia

Albendazole binds to parasite's tubulin inhibiting its glucose absorption. Its common adverse effects are nausea, vomiting, constipation, thirst, dizziness, headache, hair loss and pruritus. Although mainly metabolized in the liver, abnormal liver function tests were a rare adverse effect during clinical trials and we found no literature about albendazole-induced hepatitis requiring admission. This patient had a previous history of albendazole ingestion in 2002 resulting in increase of liver function tests. And in 2005, the episode repeated. We evaluated the patient for viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and autoimmune hepatitis, but no other cause of hepatic injury could be found. Liver biopsy showed periportal steatosis and periportal necrosis. The initial abnormal liver function test improved only with supportive care. These findings and the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method of the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (RUCAM/CIOMS) score of 9 are compatible with drug-induced hepatitis so we report the case of this patient with a review of the literature.
Albendazole/*adverse effects ; Antiprotozoal Agents/*adverse effects ; Eosinophils/metabolism ; Glucose/metabolism ; Hepatitis, Toxic/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Liver/drug effects ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is an uncommon congenital anomaly. As PAVM is a direct communication between branches of the pulmonary artery and vein, severe hypoxemia, paradoxical embolism, and massive hemorrhage can result. We present a 39-year-old woman with severe hypoxemia after the induction of one lung ventilation (OLV) for resection of a PAVM in her right lower lobe. We analyzed the cause of hypoxemia by an arterial blood gas analysis and estimated shunt equation. The preoperative value of an intrapulmonary shunt (Qs/Qt) was 15%. However, after the OLV, the values of Qs/Qt increased to 48% with 92.1% arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2). After the resection of PAVM, the value of Qs/Qt decreased to 36% during the OLV, and postoperative value of Qs/Qt and SaO2 were in the normal range. These findings represent that PAVM patients are prone to severe hypoxemia and an abnormally high Qs/Qt, which might be induced by the increase of pulmonary vascular resistance during OLV.
Adult ; Anoxia ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Embolism, Paradoxical ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; One-Lung Ventilation ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Artery ; Reference Values ; Vascular Resistance ; Veins

Gallbladder (GB) cancer occurs predominately as a biliary tract malignant tumor. It generally has a very poor prognosis, and early detection is often difficult. A variety of carcinogens have been implicated as an important cause for GB cancer. Benzene is a well-known carcinogen for hematologic malignancy, and its casual relationship with GB cancer has been suggested. We report a case of two patients who had operated a laundry cleaning facility together and later simultaneously got GB cancer after prolonged benzene exposure.
Adenocarcinoma/*diagnosis/etiology/ultrasonography ; Benzene/*toxicity ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms/*diagnosis/etiology/ultrasonography ; Humans ; Laundering ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: The prognosis of cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) depends on both residual liver function and tumor characteristics. The aims of this study was to construct a new prognostic index for HCC patients: the modified CLIP score, and to compare its discriminatory ability and predictive power with those of the CLIP score that is currently the most commonly used integrated staging score in patients of HCC. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 237 cases of HCC diagnosed at Dong-A university hospital was performed. Prognostic analysis was performed for single variables by estimating survival distributions with the Kaplan-Meier's method, and statistically compared by the log-rank test. RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 57.5 years and were predominantly males (79.7%). The overall median survival period was 25.7 months. It was correlated to ascites, portal vein thrombosis, AFP, tumor size, and Child-Pugh classification. The median survival period was 41.0, 25.2, 13.8, 13.4, and 6.5 months for CLIP scores 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 to 6, respectively (P<0.001), and 42.1, 34.0, 25.7, 14.0, and 6.8 months for modified CLIP scores 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 to 6, respectively (P<0.001). The Kaplan-Meier's curve showed that the modified CLIP score had additional explanatory power above that of the CLIP score. CONCLUSIONS: The modified CLIP score, compared with the CLIP score, particularly in the score 2- to 3- patient groups of HCC, had greater discriminant ability and survival predictive power, but was not able to discriminate 4- to 6- patient group.
alpha-Fetoproteins/analysis ; Venous Thrombosis/complications ; Survival Analysis ; Prognosis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Liver Neoplasms/complications/mortality/*pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications ; Humans ; Female ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications/mortality/*pathology ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aged ; Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Klebsiella pneumoniae is emerging as the leading cause for liver abscess although the most common pathogen was Escherichia coli in the past. Patients with diabetes mellitus are more likely to have a pyogenic liver abscess with gas forming infection; a gas forming pyogenic liver abscess carries a higher morbidity and mortality than the non-gas forming group. This study was conducted to clarify the clinical presentation and prognostic factors for pyogenic liver abscess in diabetic patients compared with non-diabetic patients. METHODS: Medical records of 140 cases of patients treated for pyogenic liver abscess from January 1995 through January 2004 were reviewed retrospectively in detail. RESULTS: Among 140 cases of pyogenic liver abscess, underlying diabetes was present in 26.4% (37/140). The clinical presentation between the two groups was not significantly different. The most common organism for the pyogenic abscess was K. pneumoniae in both groups. A gas forming liver abscess was discovered in only the diabetic liver abscess group, 6 of 37 patients (16%). CONCLUSIONS: K. pneumoniae was the most common organism cultured in both diabetic and non-diabetic liver abscess. Gas forming liver abscess was more common in diabetic patients than non-diabetic patients. Diabetic patients had more complications than non-diabetic patients.
Adult ; Aged ; *Diabetes Complications ; Female ; Humans ; Klebsiella Infections/complications ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Liver Abscess, Pyogenic/*complications/diagnosis/microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis