Various kinds of bone cements mixed with antibiotics have been widely used for treatment and prevention of infections, especially combined with bone defects. But bone cements have some disadvantages in that they are rather expensive and capable of incurring some complications such ss fibrosis of surrounding soft tissue or local erosion of bone, and furthermore, they must be removed after infection is controlled for bone graft to fill up the defects because they do not have properties of osteoconduction or osteoinduction. So we have come to the idea of using theoretically advantageous plaster of paris to take place of bone cements, and performed in-vitro experiment upon the effectiveness of plaster of paris pellets containing antibiotics, then obtained good results comparable to those from many experimental studies using bone cements. By this, we think that it would be possible in the future to treat and prevent infections supervening bone defects with plaster of paris mixed up with antibiotics. The results are as follows : 1. Sustained release of large amount of antibiotics from plaster of paris enough to exert inhibitory activity on abcterial growth, and there was a direct relationship between concentrations of eluted antibiotics and diameters of inhibitory zones. 2. Tobramycin was capable of inhibiting the growth of S. aureus, E. coli, and Ps. aeruginosa for 7 days at maximum. 3. Cephradine inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. coli but did not affect that of Ps. aeruginosa. 4. The maximum antibacterial activity wss reached within first 24 hours from the start of elution of antibiotics from plaster of paris.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bone Cements ; Bone Regeneration ; Calcium Sulfate ; Cephradine ; Fibrosis ; Tobramycin ; Transplants

PURPOSE: Hypoxia can impair the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy (RT). Therefore, a new strategy is necessary for enhancing the response to RT. In this study, we investigated whether the combination of nanoparticles and RT is effective in eliminating the radioresistance of hypoxic tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) consisting of a silica core with a gold shell were used. CT26 colon cancer mouse model was developed to study whether the combination of RT and GNPs reduced hypoxia-induced radioresistance. Hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) was used as a hypoxia marker. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining were conducted to evaluate cell death. RESULTS: Hypoxic tumor cells had an impaired response to RT. GNPs combined with RT enhanced anti-tumor effect in hypoxic tumor compared with RT alone. The combination of GNPs and RT decreased tumor cell viability compare to RT alone in vitro. Under hypoxia, tumors treated with GNPs + RT showed a higher response than that shown by tumors treated with RT alone. When a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger was added, the enhanced antitumor effect of GNPs + RT was diminished. CONCLUSION: In the present study, hypoxic tumors treated with GNPs + RT showed favorable responses, which might be attributable to the ROS production induced by GNPs + RT. Taken together, GNPs combined with RT seems to be potential modality for enhancing the response to RT in hypoxic tumors.
Animals ; Anoxia ; Cell Death ; Cell Survival ; Colonic Neoplasms ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mice ; Nanoparticles* ; Radiotherapy* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Silicon Dioxide

OBJECTIVES: To determine the synthetic risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders, and to examine effect on musculoskeletal symptoms of physical work intensity and change of work intensity. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaraire survey was conducted on 588 motor engine assembly workers, in Chanwon, Kyungnam provance, Korea, from April 1 to May 31, 2003. The contents of the questionnaire investigation included general characteristic items, workrelated characteristic items, presence of musculoskeletal symptoms, ergonomic risk factors items, job stress items, current physical work intensity and changes of work intensity items. The results underwent statistical analysis with frequency test, t-test, and logistic regression. The statistical significance level was 0.05, and SAS(v8.1) was used. RESULTS: Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between risk factors and musculoskeletal symptoms. From the results, significant variables were high Quick Exposure Check (QEC) score, high job demand control, physical work intensity, change of work intensity. CONCLUSION: Among the known risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders, the outbreak of musculoskeletal symptoms was confirmed to be correlated with age, tenure, ergonomic risk factors, and job stress. Physical work intensity and the changes of work intensity were also related to musculoskeletal symptoms.
Gyeongsangnam-do ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Plants* ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors*

This study was conducted to integrate the results of studies which assess the relationship between bladder cancer and Glutathione S transferase mu genetic polymorphism. We retrieved the literatures using MEDLINE search, with bladder cancer and Glutathione S transferase as key words, which were reported from 1980 to October 1998. The criteria for quality evaluation were as follows; 1) The paper should have histologically confirmed bladder cancer as case definition. 2) The paper should use the GSTM1 gene typing as method for analysis. Among 59 retrieved articles, fourteen studies were selected for quantitative meta-analysis. The overall effect size of the risk of bladder cancer due to GSTM1 was calculated by common odds ratio. Before the integration of each effect sizes into common effect sizes, the homogeneity test were conducted. All studies were case control design and cases were transitional cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of bladder. And only four papers used matching technique. Homogeneity of studies were rejected by Breslow-Day test(P<0.01), so random effect model was used for evaluation of odds ratio. The overall odds ratio of GSTM1 associated with bladder cancer was 1.55 (95% confidence interval 1.27 to 1.90) and cumulative odds ratio became more stable when the study subjects were over 1,500. Our result suggested that positive association be found between GSTM1 genetic polymorphism and bladder cancer.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Case-Control Studies ; Glutathione Transferase* ; Glutathione* ; Odds Ratio ; Polymorphism, Genetic* ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*

Purpose: The treatment of male breast cancer (MBC) has been extrapolated from female breast cancer (FBC) because of its rarity despite their different clinicopathologic characteristics. We aimed to investigate the distribution of intrinsic subtypes based on immunohistochemistry, their clinical impact, and treatment pattern in clinical practice through a multicenter study in Korea. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 248 MBC patients from 18 institutions across the country from January 1995 to July 2016. Results: The median age of MBC patients was 63 years (range, 25 to 102 years). Among 148 intrinsic subtype classified patients, 61 (41.2%), 44 (29.7%), 29 (19.5%), and 14 (9.5%) were luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, and triple-negative breast cancer, respectively. Luminal A subtype showed trends for superior survival compared to other subtypes. Most hormone receptor-positive patients (166 patients, 82.6%) received adjuvant endocrine treatment. Five-year completion of adjuvant endocrine treatment was associated with superior disease-free survival (DFS) in patients classified with an intrinsic subtype (hazard ratio [HR], 0.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04 to 0.49; p=0.002) and in all patients (HR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.54; p=0.003). Conclusion Distribution of subtypes of MBC was similar to FBC and luminal type A was most common. Overall survival tended to be improved for luminal A subtype, although there was no statistical significance. Completion of adjuvant endocrine treatment was associated with prolonged DFS in intrinsic subtype classified patients. MBC patients tended to receive less treatment. MBC patients should receive standard treatment according to guidelines as FBC patients.

PURPOSE: Adherence is a major component of successful medical treatment. However, non-adherence remains a barrier to effective delivery of healthcare worldwide. METHODS: Twenty healthcare facilities (secondary or tertiary hospitals) belonging to the Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Diseases (KAPARD) participated. Questionnaires were given to patients currently receiving treatment in the form of inhalant useor oral intake or transdermal patch for mild to moderate asthma. RESULTS: A total of 1,838 patients responded to the questionnaire. Mean age was 5.98 ± 3.79 years (range: 0-18 years). With help from their caregivers, the percentage of patients that answered “taking as prescribed” was 38.04% for inhalant users, 50.09% for oral medication users and 67.42% for transdermal users. Transdermal patch users had significantly greater adherence compared to the other 2 groups (P < 0.001). The 34.15% of inhalant users, 70.33% of oral medication users and 93.00% of transdermal patch users felt that their medication delivery system was “Easy” or “Very easy” to use (P < 0.001). “Method of administration” was deemed to be the most difficult part of the treatment regimen to follow, and 76.7% of patients preferred once-daily administration (i.e., “Frequency of administration”). CONCLUSIONS: Asthma medication adherence in young children was found to be better in the transdermal patch group. This may be due to requiring fewer doses and easy to follow instructions. From an adherence point of view, the transdermal patch seems more useful for long-term asthma control in children compared to oral or inhaled medicine.
Asthma ; Caregivers ; Child ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Medication Adherence ; Transdermal Patch

BACKGROUND: Since the bioavailability of itraconazole capsule is influenced by patients gastric acidity, it results in treatment failure due to its low dissolution and subsequent low absorption when administered in fasting. Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet has been lately developed in order to improve its dissolution profile. It is the first clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of itraconazole melt-extrusion tablet 400mg daily for 1 week(pulse therapy) for hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and manus. METHODS: A clinical and mycological investigation was made of 812 outpatients with hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus who had visited at 52 general hospitals under the lead of the Korean Dermatological Association from June to December, 1998. Patients confirmed by clinically and microscopically as hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus were administered 2 tablets twice a day for one week and followed up for 8 weeks from the start of the medication. RESULTS: The results were summarized as follows; 1. Clinical symptoms of hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea mauns were significantly improved at the end of study, week 8(p<0.001). 2. Clinical response rate, defined as more than 50% decrease of the sum of the clinical symptom scores, was 79.3%(512/646). 3. Mycological cure rate, dafined as both culture and KOH negative at week 8, was 78.2%(244 /312). 4. 40(5.5%) patients, of the 727 patients evaluable for drug safety evaluation, were reported to have adverse event. CONCLUSION: Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet 400mg/day for 1 week (pulse therapy) is effective and safe in the treatment of hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus.
Absorption ; Biological Availability ; Fasting ; Gastric Acid ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Itraconazole* ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Tablets ; Tinea Pedis* ; Tinea* ; Treatment Failure