A novel bacteriophage, designated as VPP97, that infects the strains of Vibiro parahaemolyticus (hallophilic, Gram-negative bacterium) isolated most commonly from marine environments, has been discovered, and several of its properties have been determined. The plaques were clear and sized 0.6-1.0 mm in diameter. The virion forms a single band on 70% sucrose gradient and p1.50 CsC1 gradient by sucrose gradient centrifugation and CsCI gradient centrifugation respectively. It has a hexagonal head and a relatively long tail, as shown by electron microscopy. Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio fluvialis and Vibrio furnissii were also sensitive to this phage It was almost totally inactivated at 70 degree C and at pH below 5 or over 10. The nucleic acid of VPP97 is composed of DNA. The VPP97 had 9 specific structural proteins sized between 21.5 kDa and 97.4 kDa on SDS-PAGE. When V. parahaemolyticus cultures were treated with either phage VPP97 or one of the several antibiotics for 2 hours, the viable number of V. parahaemolyticus treated with the phage VPP97 is lower than that treated with chloramphenicol, erythromycin or penicillin, but not lower than that treated with tetracycline. Mice that have responded to the phage treatment revealed the lower numbers of V. parahaemolyticus in small intestine and less damage on small intestine compared to the untreated mice. Therefore, we suggest that the phage treatment appears effective to the infection by V. parahaemolyticus.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteriophages* ; Centrifugation ; Chloramphenicol ; DNA ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Erythromycin ; Head ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Intestine, Small ; Mice ; Microscopy, Electron ; Penicillins ; Sucrose ; Tail ; Tetracycline ; Vibrio alginolyticus ; Vibrio parahaemolyticus* ; Vibrio* ; Virion

Blindness or serious visual impairment is a common and well known sequela of methanol intoxication in man, while other manifestations such as focal neurological deficits and abnormal brain CT scan are reported rarely. We experienced a case of acute methanol intoxication, which showed not only visual impairment but also bulbar symptoms and characteristic bilateral symmetrical hypodensity area in basal ganglia, especially putamen on brain CT scan. We tried 'pulse therapy'-continuouis dripping of methyl prednisolone (Solumedrol 1gm/day) for 5 days-with transient improvement of visual impairment, but bulbar symptoms were stationary. One month later, visual impairment was recurred, and the 'pulse therapy' was tried again but without benefit. On follow-up brain CT scan, the size of previous hypodensity area in basal ganglia was decreased.
Basal Ganglia ; Blindness ; Brain* ; Bulbar Palsy, Progressive* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Methanol* ; Prednisolone ; Putamen ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed* ; Vision Disorders

The levels of pH,pCO,bicarbonate, and base excess in umbillical venous blood were measured at birth of life in 30 normal term infant and 27 high risk infants. The study group was divided into two categories by clinical evaluation: first group of normal term infant without high risk indication and second group of high risk infants. Following results were obiained. 1) The average level of umbilical venous blood pH in normal group was 7.3260.001 and high risk group was 7.3180.002(7.326 versus 7.318,respecitvely,p>0.05) 2) The average Apgar Score in normal group was 9.30.95 and more acidotic high risk group was 7.42.54 3) The average level of pCO in normal group was 43.361.36mmHg and high risk group was 43.952.36mmHg(43.36 respecitively, p>0.05) 4) The average level of pCo in normal group was 21.550.85mmEq/L and high risk group was 20.030.78mEq/L(21.55 versus 20.03mEq/L respectively,p>0.05) 5) The average level of base excess in normal group was -2.610.76mEq/L and high risk group was -3.060.91mEq/L(-2.61 versus -3.06mEq/L respecitively,p?0.05) 6) Relationship between hP and Apgar Score in normal group was False normal (6.7%),False abnormal(10%) and high risk group was False normal (14.8%) False abonromal(7.4%).
Apgar Score ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration* ; Infant* ; Parturition

Epidermal nevus syndrome is now delineated as a congenitally acquired syndrome consisting of deformities of the skin (various linear epidermal or organoid nevi), central nervous system, skeleton, cardiovascular system, and renal system. A 4-year-old girl had linear epidermal nevus on the right lower extremity, right ear lobe and anterior neck, and multiple skeletal abnorrnalities since birth. And she had an adult fist-sied, soft, nontender mass on the right lower abdomen since 2 years of age. Radiologic examination showed scoliosis of the thoracic spines, deformities of the lumbar spines, focal gigantisms of the left hand and right foot, and other skeletal abnormalities. Histological examination of the linear, verrucous lesion of the right leg showed hyperkeratosis and papillomatosis. The surgically removed abdominal mass revealed the finding of hydrosalpinx.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Cardiovascular System ; Central Nervous System ; Child, Preschool ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Ear ; Female ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Leg ; Lower Extremity ; Neck ; Nevus* ; Organoids ; Papilloma ; Parturition ; Scoliosis ; Skeleton ; Skin ; Spine

The halophilic bacterium, Vibrio vulnificus, causes acute fulminating wound infections and septicemia in human. Especially the septicemia shows high mortality above 50%. In Korea, septicemia by V. vulnificus was reported at westem and southern coast in every year. Here, we try to isolate this V. vulnipcus at Kyoung-nam area and coast of Pusan during 1996. Purposed sites were Dadaepo, Songjung, Chungsapo and Mipo of Pusan and Kijang, Ilkuang, Juksoung, Dongam, Waljun and Chilam of southern sea. Total 40 strains of V. vulnipcus were isolated from sea samples. Biochemical characteristics of isolated V. vulnificus were almost same with reference strain V. vulnificus ATCC 27562 on Farmer's tests and on API 20E kit test. V. vulnificus isolates in 1996, fermented cellobiose and salicin but arabinose. and had resistance to 7% sodium chloride.
Arabinose ; Busan* ; Cellobiose ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mortality ; Sepsis ; Sodium Chloride ; Vibrio vulnificus* ; Vibrio* ; Wound Infection

The purine antimetabolite 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) has been in clinical use for over 30 years and is still a widely used agent in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The bioavailibility, clinical efficacy and toxicity of 6-MP administered orally for maintenance therapy of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia are highly variable in many studies, as well as at differnt times in same patient. there are many factors affecting the bioavailibility of 6-MP. The most notably factor being that concomitantly administered drugs and foods might contribute to a decrease in the bioavailibity of this drug. In our sociocultural environment milk is a major constituent of child's foods. Cow's milk contains a high concentration of xanthine oxidase, which could potentially transform 6-TM into 6-thioxanthine (6-TX) and 6-thiouric acid (6-TUA) which have no more therapeutic effects. In this study, we evaluated the effect of various milk products on the bioavailability of 6-MP. Incubation at 37degrees C for 30 min raw or pasteurized milk resulted in transformation of a large quantity of clinically relevant concentration of 6-MP into 6-TUA. The concomitant adminstration of folic acid and allopurinol has markedly inhibitory effect on the 6-MP destroying activity of milk at clinically relevant concentrations. These observations may help to optimize modalities of administration of 6-MP for the treartment of patients with childhood leukemia.
6-Mercaptopurine* ; Allopurinol ; Biological Availability* ; Child ; Complement Factor B ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Milk* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Xanthine Oxidase

The spindle and epithelioid cell nevus, is known also as Spitz's nevus or benign juvenile melanoma. The histologic picture of the lesion often closely resembles that of a malignant melanoma, but spindle and epithelioid cell nevus hehaves benignly. Criteria for accurate histological diagnosis of this nevus now exist. However, a difficult lesion occasionally brings one to the worrisome situation even now. We experienced four cases (three children and one adult) of spindle and epithelioid cell neveus with nodular or macular skin lesions. In children (7/F, 9/F, 4/M), all of the lesion show a solitary pinkish red or light brown nodular firm masses, 0.7 cm to 1.0 cm in greatest dimension, which are located at the left posterior thigh, posterior neck and right anterior neck region, respectively. In adult (36/F), the lesion shows a light brown, erythematous macule, 0.8 cm in greatest diameter, in the skin of the back. Microscopically, both spindle and epithelioid cells are found in all the four cases, but epithelioid cells predominate in children and spindle cells predominate in adult.
Child ; Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To estimate dental maturity using the Demirjian Index for the mandibular third molar and investigate the relationships between dental maturity and skeletal maturity among growing children. METHODS: The samples were derived from panoramic, lateral cephalometric and hand-wrist radiographs of 270 female subjects registered as patients at the orthodontic department, dental hospital, Yonsei University. Dental maturity [Demirjian Index (DI)] and skeletal maturity [skeletal maturation indicators (SMIs)] and cervical vertebrae maturation indicators (CVMIs)] were estimated from these radiographs. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation (r = 0.64) between SMIs and DI, and a similar correlation (r = 0.59) was observed between CVMIs and DI (p < 0.001). If DI was above Stage E, then the SMI was above Stage 10 and the CVMI was above Stage 5. There was a weak correlation (r = 0.26) between age at menarche and DI (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in DI among Class I, II or III malocclusions. CONCLUSIONS: Dental maturity evaluation using the mandibular third molar will be an adjunctive tool in combination with cervical vertebrae and hand-wrist maturity evaluations.
Adolescent ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Child ; Female ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Malocclusion ; Menarche ; Molar, Third

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships between temperament and character dimensions and family environments, and to investigate the influences of those factors on the antisocial personality traits in delinquent adolescents. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 160 male adolescents detained at the public prosecutor's office on the suspicion of crimes. To assess personality dimensions and family environmental factors, the Temperament and Character Inventory(TCI) and the Family Environment Scale(FES) were completed. Antisocial personality traits were assessed by the number of antisocial personality disorder symptoms of the Personality Disorder Questionnaire-Revised. RESULTS: Most of the TCI dimensions except Reward Dependence(RD) were highly correlated with the subscales of FES. Among temperament dimensions, Novelty Seeking(NS) and Persistence(P) were significantly affected by Organization, and Harm Avoidance(HA) was influenced by Expressiveness of FES. Self-Directednss(SD) was best predicted by Organization and Achievement-Orientation. While the Independence had significant effect on Cooperativeness, Expressiveness and Achievement-Orientation best predicted the level of Self-Transcendence(ST). On factor analysis, NS, HA, SD and ST were allocated to the same factors with subscales of FES. The level of antisocial personality trait was best predicted by NS, P and SD scores of TCI, and conflict subscale scores of FES. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that not only the character dimensions but also the temperament dimensions have close relationships with family environmental factors, and that the antisocial personality traits of delinquent adolescents may developed by the interaction between temperament/character dimensions and family environments.
Adolescent* ; Antisocial Personality Disorder* ; Crime ; Humans ; Personality Disorders ; Reward ; Temperament*