Microarray technology makes it possible to measure the expressions of tens of thousands of genes simultaneously under various experimental conditions. Identifying differentially expressed genes in each single experimental condition is one of the most common first steps in microarray gene expression data analysis. Reasonable choices of thresholds for determining differentially expressed genes are used for the next-step-analysis with suitable statistical significances. We present a supervised model for identifying DEGs using pathway information based on the global connectivity structure. Pathway information can be regarded as a collection of biological knowledge, thus we are trying to determine the optimal threshold so that the consequential connectivity structure can be the most compatible with the existing pathway information. The significant feature of our model is that it uses established knowledge as a reference to determine the direction of analyzing microarray dataset. In the most of previous work, only intrinsic information in the miroarray is used for the identifying DEGs. We hope that our proposed method could contribute to construct biologically meaningful structure from microarray datasets.
Dataset* ; DNA* ; Gene Expression* ; Hope ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis* ; Statistics as Topic ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

Temporal and spatial expression of bmp-2 and bmp-4 was investigated in distraction osteogenesis and fracture healing models in order to delineate their roles in these new hone formation processes. Distraction osteogenesis was performed on the left tihia diaphyses of Sprague-Dawley rats, and was confirmed by serial radiographs and histologicaJ examination. Total RNA was isolated from the distraction gaps and fracture sites sequentially until the postoperative eighth week, and mRNA expression was quantitated hy competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) using specific primers for bmp-2 and bmp-4. In-situ hybridization was performed on the undemineralized tissue section of distraction osteogenesis group. Both bum-2 and bmp-4 mRNA expression increased during distraction osteogenesis and fracture healing. Increase in bmp-2 mRNA expression was more marked and prolonged in distraction osteogenesis compared with fracture healing, whereas bmp-4 mRNA expression was persistently increased in both groups. In-situ hybridization study revealed that hoth bmp-2 and bmp-4 were expressed at eariy osteohlasts producing osteoid, trabeculae-lining osteoblasts and osteocytes of regenerate bone. Enhanced new bone formation in distraction osteogenesis is associated with prolonged and increased expression of BMPs, especially BMP-2. lnspite of their structural similarity, BMP-2 and BMP-4 appear to have their distinct roles in new hone formation.
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins* ; Diaphyses ; Fracture Healing* ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocytes ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger*

The analysis of DNA microarry data is one of the most important things for functional genomics research. The matrix representation of microarray data and its successive 'optimal' incisional hyperplanes is a useful platform for developing optimization algorithms to determine the optimal partitioning of pairwise proximity matrix representing completely connected and weighted graph. We developed Deterministic Annealing (DA) approach to determine the successive optimal binary partitioning. DA algorithm demonstrated good performance with the ability to find the 'globally optimal' binary partitions. In addition, the objects that have not been clustered at small non-zero temperature, are considered to be very sensitive to even small randomness, and can be used to estimate the reliability of the clustering.
Cluster Analysis ; DNA* ; Gene Expression* ; Genomics ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between obesity and the metabolic risks factors for urolithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed stone metabolic studies on urolithiasis patients (306 men, 175 women) who were without medical or dietetical pretreatment between January 2002 and July 2006, and we classified them as being of low weight (body mass index; BMI: <18.5, 5 men, 10 women), normal weight (BMI: 18.5-24.9, 149 men, 96 women), overweight (BMI: 25-29.9, 136 men, 60 women) or obese (BMI> or =30, 16 men, 9 women). RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of obesity between the urolithiasis group and the control group (p<0.05). The correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between BMI and the serum calcium, uric acid, urinary calcium, uric acid and citrate, and there was an inverse relationship between BMI and urinary pH (p<0.05). The frequency of urinary stone risk factors was increased with BMI (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The positive correlation between BMI and the risk factors for urolithiasis was revealed. Therefore, we need to prospectively study the relationship between obesity and the risk factors, which will help to understand the mechanism of urolithiasis about obesity.
Body Mass Index ; Calcium ; Citric Acid ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Male ; Obesity* ; Overweight ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Uric Acid ; Urinary Calculi ; Urolithiasis*

PURPOSE: Transfusion-transmitted virus(TTV) is an newly described nonenveloped human virus, with a circular, negative stranded DNA genome. Although a high prevalence of TTV infection in the normal population has been demonstrated, there is a still possibility of association with hepatitis according to the genotype of TTV. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of TTV infection in Korean children. METHODS: Nested polymerase chain reaction(PCR) using priner sets generated from the noncoding region(NCR) of the viral genome was done in 105 children without liver disease, aged 0-15 years. We performed a second set of PCR using N22 primer in 88 children after the first set of PCR. RESULTS: The TTV DNA was detectable in 36(34%) of 105 children without hepatitis by 5'NCR primer. The prevalence of TTV varied with age:<1 y,16%(4/25); 1-3 y, 44%(15/31); 4-6 y, 31%(5/ 16); 7-9 y, 25%(3/12); 10-15 y, 14%(3/21). By using N22 primers, the prevalence of TTV DNA in children without hepatitis was 11.3%(11/88):<1 y 8%(2/25); 1-3 y, 13.7%(4/29); 4-6 y, 6.2%(1/16); 7-9 y, 33.3%(2/6); 10-14 y, 8.2%(1/12). CONCLUSION: Our result showed a high prevalence of TTV infection, varying with age, in Korean children. Further evaluation of genotypes of TTV in patients with hepatitis and normal children is needed.
Child* ; DNA ; Genome ; Genome, Viral ; Genotype ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence* ; Torque teno virus*

No abstract available.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Headache*

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of mesiodens among children in Korea. The study population consisted of 20 children whose ages ranged from 4 years to 26 years. The characteristics of mesiodens were obtained from radiographs and clinical examination results, and were confirmed by surgical intervention. Results showed that males were affected four times as frequently as female. Thirty-five percent of the patients had more than one supernumerary tooth. About 67% of the mesiodens were conical in shape and about 34% of the mesiodens were in the upward position. The age and sex distribution, number of mesiodens per patient, shape, direction, size, and effect on permanent upper incisors are also presented in this study.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Incisor ; Korea ; Male ; Sex Distribution ; Tooth, Supernumerary

PURPOSE: Most cases of urolithiasis are successfully managed with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), ureterorenoscopic lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrolithtomy. However, in patients whose calculi are not managed by these methods, an open ureterolithotomy still plays a considerable role. We performed video assisted minilaparo (VAM)-ureterolithotomy in 36 patients with upper ureteral calculi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2001 and July 2005, VAM-ureterolithotomy was performed in 36 patients with upper ureteral calculi. We retrospectively analyzed the operating times, postoperative hospital stay, number of postoperative analgesics, incisional size, complications and the degree of improvement in these patients. RESULTS: The stones of all the patients were successfully removed using VAM-ureterolithotomy through a minimal 4cm skin incision. The mean operative time and postoperative hospital stay were 75 minutes and 3.9 days, respectively. The mean analgesic requirement was 69mg of ketorolac. Compared to a conventional ureterolithotomy, the VAM-ureterolithotomy required a similar operating time, but less analgesics and a shorter postoperative hospital stay. There were no significant complications associated with the VAM-ureterolithotomy. CONCLUSIONS: A VAM-ureterolithotomy is a safe and effective minimally invasive procedure, which may be considered as an alternative treatment technique to a conventional ureterolithotomy and laparoscopic ureterolithotomy in cases where first-line treatments have failed or are unlikely to be effective.
Analgesics ; Calculi ; Humans ; Ketorolac ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Lithotripsy ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock ; Skin ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Calculi* ; Urolithiasis ; Video-Assisted Surgery

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The major mechanism of inner ear cell damage is the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Korean red ginseng (KRG) has an anti-ROS effect; thus we hypothesized that KRG may be of use for the treatment of chronic idiopathic tinnitus. The aim of the study is to investigate clinical outcomes and health-related quality of life (QoL) in chronic tinnitus patients after taking KRG. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study was an open-label randomized controlled trial. Sixty-one patients with chronic tinnitus were enrolled and randomized to three groups. The control group was treated for 4 weeks with 160 mg/day Ginkgo biloba extract, and two other groups receiving 1500 mg/day or 3000 mg/day KRG for 4 weeks. Clinical assessments were performed using the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and QoL was assessed by Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients completed the planned protocol. Significant improvements were observed between initial and post-treatment THI scores in patients receiving 3000 mg/day KRG. There was no statistically significant difference between initial and post-treatment VAS scores in all groups. Treatment with 3000 mg/day KRG for 4 weeks significantly improved role emotional and mental health scores in the SF-36 survey. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that KRG may improve tinnitus symptoms and mental wellbeing in chronic tinnitus patients.
Ear, Inner ; Ginkgo biloba ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Panax* ; Pilot Projects* ; Quality of Life* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Tinnitus*

No abstract available.
Hemispherectomy*