No abstract available.
Adenosine ; Allopurinol ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Insulin ; Organ Preservation Solutions ; Periodontal Ligament ; Raffinose

Acute aortic dissection is the most common catastrophic illness of the aorta. Left untreated, about 75% of patients with dissections involving the ascending aorta die within 2 weeks of an acute episode, but survival may be significantly improved by the timely institution of diagnostic modalities and appropriate medical and surgical therapy. But, approximately 10-20% of patients with acute aortic dissection present with a clinical picture of acute myocardial infarction. This sometimes can not only delay the diagnosis and adequate treatment of acute aortic dissection but also inappropriately treat with thrombolytic agents and anticoagulants which result in rapid deterioration of clinical condition of patient. We report a case of acute aortic dissection with dynamic ST changes in electrocardiogram which resulted in delay of accurate diagnosis and adequate treatment of acute aortic dissection.
Anticoagulants ; Aorta ; Catastrophic Illness ; Diagnosis ; Electrocardiography* ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) isolated from Korean patients is different in the antigenic and genomic structure of gB from the laboratory-adapted strain. To dissect the reactivity to HCMV glycoprotein B (gB) domains, each domain gene of gB of HCMV SNUCH1, Korean isolate, was amplified from the extracted DNA of the virus-infected fibroblasts with the specific primers by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplified DNA was cloned into pcDNA3. Immunofluorescent staining and western blot analysis revealed that the expressed gB in mammalian cells was immunoreactive and equivalent to the naturally expressed gB in virus-infected fibroblasts. The antigenic component reactive with monoclonal antibodies, MCMVA 57, 88, and 98 appeared at the D3 domain of gB molecule, and that with MCMVA 66 and 135 at the D2b domain. Antibody titer was measured with HCMV-infected fibroblasts and the domains of gB expressed in mammalian cells. There was no correlation between the antibody titer to the whole HCMV and neutralizing antibody titer, and between the antibody titer to whole HCMV and whole gB. It was more reasonable to use whole gB than whole HCMV in the comparison with the neutralizing antibody titer. D3 was representative domain in gB molecule in the anti-gB reactivity. Conclusively it is highly recommendable to use the representing isolates in Korea and its domains for the detection of antibody or the analysis of antigen in the aspect of immunological properties and molecular structures.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Antibodies, Neutralizing* ; Blotting, Western ; Clone Cells ; Cytomegalovirus* ; DNA ; Epitopes* ; Fibroblasts ; Glycoproteins ; Humans* ; Korea* ; Molecular Structure ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

No abstract available.
Wandering Spleen*

The symptoms and signs of acute pulmonary arteries thrombosis are nonspecific. So clinical suspicion is the most important in the diagnosis. Treatment of pulmonary thromboembolism include anticoagulant, thrombolytic agent, or surgical intervention. We experienced a case of recurrent pulmonary thromboembolism without coagulation defect and any risk factor except old age and obese. Initially we treated with heparin, but clinical symptoms were aggravated. After we changed to urokinase (total 330 million IU/2 days), the pulmonary arteries obstruction were resolved and clinical symptoms were improved without any complications. So we report this clinical experience with review of articles.
Diagnosis ; Heparin ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Risk Factors ; Thrombosis ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator*

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine the possible reasons of unmet dental need, considering the relationship between the socioeconomic and oral health status in Korea. METHODS: The study was designed as a cross-sectional study, using the data of the 4th Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. The samples were selected with a stratified clusters sampling method. The subjects were 8,808 out of 23,478 people, which participated in the health examination survey and the oral examination. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS18.0, according to complex sampling design. 26 variables reflecting demographic, social and economic characteristics, and an oral health status, were all examined for a complex sampling frequency analysis. Further, their distributional differences were confirmed by chi-square analysis. RESULTS: About 40% of the subjects failed to receive dental treatment when it was required. 'Financial burden' was the main reason, with the percentage of 39.1%, followed by 'busy with school or work' (22.4%), 'lower on the priority scale' (15.2%) and 'fear of dental treatment' (12.1%). 'Other reasons' were 5.9%. In addition to this, 2.9% of the subjects stated 'there was no one to help with their children', 1.6% was 'dental clinics were too far to go' and 0.8% was due to 'poor mobility and other health problems'. It was observed that younger than 6 years old, especially, seemed to have a high level of fear of dental treatment. The students due to school and the elderly were concerned with financial burden. Moreover, low-level educated and low-level income, also have their financial problems as the main reason. On the other hand, highly educated and those that were better-off, financially, were 'busy with school or work' as the main reason. CONCLUSIONS: The primary reason for unmet dental need was the financial burden in Korea. Also, it was confirmed that there were various reasons, according to the demographic, social and economic characteristics, such as their age, education levels and incomes, rather than oral health status.
Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diagnosis, Oral ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea ; Oral Health ; Social Class

OBJECTIVE: So called "lumbar dorsal ramus syndrome(LDRS)" is known to have low back pain(LBP) with buttock and/or leg pain, and considered one of the causes of chronic LBP. The radiofrequency facet rhizotomy (RFFR) is known to be effective treatment for the selected patients with chronic LBP. The goal of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of RFFR in patients with LDRS. METHODS: LDRS is mainly diagnosed by way of blocking the lumbar dorsal ramus with local anesthetics. Their accompanied spinal conditions are sprain, stenosis, HNP, and fracture. These patients underwent unilateral or bilateral RFFR at L4, L5, and S1 levels, from August, 1999 to May, 2000. Results were graded at the end of follow up as excellent, good, fair, and poor. Successful result was considered when excellent or good grades were obtained. RESULTS: Total number of patients received RFFR was 75. The number of LDRS with sprain was 46(8.5% of patients with sprain). Mean age and male to female ratio were 51.8+/-16.7 and 1:1.4, respectively. Mean follow up period was 340.0+/-232.2 days(1month - 2years). Characteristic tender points were posterior superior iliac crest, anterolateral aspect of inferior thigh, posterior aspect of femoral head, and medial side of heel. The success rate at the last follow-up in total patients and patients with sprain were 73.3% and 87.0%, respectively. Other combined spinal conditions except sprain seemed to have undesirable influence on the result of RFFR(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: RFFR is fairly effective treatment for LDRS, especially for the patient with sprain. Combined spinal conditions other than sprain are poor prognostic factors.
Anesthetics, Local ; Buttocks ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Heel ; Humans ; Leg ; Male ; Rhizotomy* ; Sprains and Strains ; Thigh

OBJECTIVES: To determine the utilization of oral health services in community health centers in Korea. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved secondary analysis of data obtained from the 2011-2012 Community Health Survey. The data were analyzed to determine the utilization of community oral health services. A total of 458,417 people (weighted sample was 80,268,227) were included. A multistage probability proportional systematic sampling method was used. The dependent variable was the utilization of community oral health services. The independent variables were region (city, town, and district), demographic characteristics (gender, age, education, income, occupation, and basic livelihood security), oral health status, and overall health status. The differences in the utilization of community oral health services related to independent variables were analyzed using an independent t-test and ANOVA. Additionally, a Scheffe post-hoc test was performed. Statistical analysis was performed using PASW statistics 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA), at the 5% significance level. RESULTS: The average utilization rate was 26.3% for community health care services and 4.3% for oral health services during the study period in Korea. Utilization was associated with old age and lower education and income levels (P<0.01). Furthermore, residents having poor oral health, chewing discomfort, and unmet dental needs most frequently used the community oral health services. CONCLUSIONS: The utilization of community oral health services was low in Korea. The needs and circumstances of communities should be considered and unique regional structural characteristics should be identified to plan and execute oral health programs and incorporate them with community health care services for overall community health.
Community Health Centers* ; Community Health Services ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Health Surveys* ; Korea ; Mastication ; Occupations ; Oral Health*

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific monoclonal antibody, SCMVM 34, recognizes early antigen confined to the nucleus of HCMV-infected cells. This study was performed to identify the antigen reactive to SCMVM 34 with purification and amino acid sequencing. The nuclear and cytoskeletal fraction of HCMV-infected cells was subjected to 0.4 M NaCl extraction, DEAE-Sephacel ion exchange chromatography, DNA-cellulose chromatography and SDS-PAGE. The molecular weight of the reactive proteins was 52 kD, 40 kD and 34 kD. The modified or blocked amino termini of 52 kD and 40 kD showed resistance to Edman degradation. The internal peptide fragments were isolated by tryptic digeytion and reverse-phase HPLC. The internal amino acid sequence analysis of the peptides from HPLC profile revealed that the antigens recognized by SCMVM 34 was ppUIA4.
Chromatography ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans* ; Molecular Weight ; Peptide Fragments ; Peptides ; Sequence Analysis, Protein

To examine the effectiveness and safety of erythropoietin on the anemia of end-stage chronic renal failure, we administered recombinant human erythropoietin(rHuEPO), Eporon(R), to 66 patients with anemia and chronic renal failure who were undergoing hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. All received Eporon(R) intravenously, two or three times per week at 150unit/kg, and then the dose of Eporon(R) was adjusted to 75-300unit/kg/week according to the hemoglobin response. The results of this study judged 19(39.6%) of 48 patients as being in a "markedly improved" condition while 23(47.9%) of 48 patients were judged as being in an "improved" condition. At results, the response rate of this study was 87.5%(42/48 patients). This was the same as the target response rate, 90%(p= 0.564). Serious adverse events occured in 6 cases during the study, but all proved to be unrelated to Eporon(R). These events included itching 1(1.5%), urticaria 1(1.5%) and headache 1(1.5%). No patients discontinued to participate in the study except one patient who withdrew from the study voluntarily. The symptoms of all adverse events eventually decreased and disappeared during the clinical study. No factors in the clinical laboratory tests changed significantly (p<0.05) except for the decrease of TSR and ferritin, a consequence of using iron hemoglobin synthesis caused by Eporon(R) administration. The significant increase in blood pressure, which could not be proved to be related to Eporon(R), disappeared during the study. Anti-Epo antibody was not detected in any samples. These results demonstrate that Eporon(R) is effective in many patients with the anemia of end-stage chronic renal failure.
Anemia* ; Blood Pressure ; Erythropoietin ; Ferritins ; Headache ; Humans* ; Iron ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Pruritus ; Renal Dialysis ; Urticaria