PURPOSE: This study was done to verify effects of a positive psychotherapy program on depression, self-esteem, and hope in patients with major depressive disorders. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group pre-post design was used. Participants were 53 people (control group=27 and experimental group=26) who were diagnosed with a major depressive disorder and received psychiatric outpatient treatment. The data were collected from July 1 to December 30, 2013. The experimental group received the positive psychotherapy program 8 times over 8 weeks. Data analysis was conducted using chi2-test, Fisher's exact test and t-test. RESULTS: As the result of the intervention, depression (p<.001), self-esteem (p<.001) and hope (p<.001) improved significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the positive psychotherapy program can be widely utilized as one of the nursing intervention programs for depressive patients.
Depression* ; Depressive Disorder, Major* ; Hope* ; Humans ; Nursing ; Outpatients ; Psychotherapy* ; Statistics as Topic

No abstract available.
Meconium* ; Peritonitis* ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Leukemia, Plasma Cell* ; Plasma Cells* ; Plasma*

Neuroinflammation—a common pathological feature of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease—is mediated by microglial activation. Thus, inhibiting microglial activation is vital for treating various neurological disorders. 7,3’,4’-Trihydroxyisoflavone (THIF)—a secondary metabolite of the soybean compound daidzein—possesses antioxidant and anticancer properties. However, the effects of 7,3’,4’-THIF on microglial activation have not been explored. In this study, antineuroinflammatory effects of 7,3’,4’-THIF in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells were examined. 7,3’,4’-THIF significantly suppressed the production of the proinflammatory mediators nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) as well as of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Moreover, 7,3’,4’-THIF markedly inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Western blotting revealed that 7,3’,4’-THIF diminished LPS-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Overall, 7,3’,4’-THIF exerts antineuroinflammatory effects against LPSinduced microglial activation by suppressing mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and NF-κB signaling, ultimately reducing proinflammatory responses. Therefore, these antineuroinflammatory effects of 7,3’,4’-THIF suggest its potential as a therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative disorders.

Saethre-Chotzen syndrome is an autosomal dominant craniosynostosis syndrome, usually involving unior bilateral coronal synostosis and mild limb deformities, and is induced by loss-of-function mutations of the TWIST1 gene. Other clinical features of this syndrome include ptosis, low-set ears, hearing loss, hypertelorism, broad great toes, clinodactyly, and syndactyly. The authors of the present study report 2 children with clinical features of Saethre-Chotzen syndrome who showed mutations in the TWIST1 gene, and is the first molecular genetic confirmation of Saethre-Chotzen syndrome in Korea. The molecular genetic testing of the TWIST1 gene for patients with coronal synostoses is important to confirm the diagnosis and to provide adequate genetic counseling.
Acrocephalosyndactylia ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Craniosynostoses ; Ear ; Extremities ; Genetic Counseling ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Hypertelorism ; Korea ; Molecular Biology ; Syndactyly ; Synostosis ; Toes

PURPOSE: The morphologic characteristics and adhesion complex formation of cultured limbal epithelium of rabbit on amniotic membrane, in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Rabbit limbal explants were cultured in vitro on amniotic membrane for 4 weeks. In the in vivo culture, the rabbit corneal epithelium was removed. Next, a tunnel was created at the limbus and, the edge of amniotic membrane was secured in the tunnel and cultured for 4 weeks. The proliferation of epithelium on the amniotic membrane was observed for 4 weeks at 1 week intervals. RESULTS: AE-5 immunohistochemical staining was positive and PAS staining was negative for cultured rabbit limbal epithelium, in vitro and in vivo. Hematoxylin and Eosin staining showed the morphologic characteristics of normal rabbit corneal epithelium in both groups. Transmission electron microscopy performed at an interval of 1 week showed adhesion complex by 3 weeks of in vitro culture, and no significant change was seen until week 4. The formation of the adhesion complex was shown starting at week 1 of in vivo culture and increased until week 4. CONCLUSIONS: The morphology of corneal limbal epithelium of rabbits cultured on amniotic membrane in vitro and in vivo, did not differ significantly compared with normal rabbit epithelium. In vivo culture resulted in more a normal-looking adhesion complex compared with the in vitro culture.
Amnion* ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Epithelium* ; Epithelium, Corneal ; Hematoxylin ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Rabbits

Diverticular disease of the colon is frequently involved in Western countries, which in korea, it is regarding as rare disease. In Western the diverticulosis is mainly affected on left side and increasing in according to age and false type is more frequent than ture type. While in oriental countries, the diverticulosis of the colon is mainly affected on right side and it is more frequent in younger patients. Cecal diverticulitis is known to a very rare disease and very difficult to be differenciated from acute scopy has purnished another useful tool in the differential diagnosis of diverticular disease. We experienced a case of cecal diverticultitis which had been diagnosed by colonofiberscopy and reviewed literatures briefly.
Colon ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diverticulitis* ; Diverticulum ; Humans ; Korea ; Rare Diseases

OBJECTIVE: New Zealand White Rabbits were utilized to determine whether fetal insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) expression in small intestine is altered in response to maternal enodotoxin administration. STUDY DESIGN: Six pregnant rabbits were intramuscularly injected with lipopolysaccharide of E. coli (serotype 055:B5) 30 microgram/kg, whereas normal saline 0.3 mL/kg were injected to the other six pregnant rabbits on gestational day 25 and 26. Fetuses were harvested on gestational day 27 and were identified as favored (Fav) or runt (Runt) depending on the location in the uterus. Fetal weight and small intestinal length were recorded. Three parts of small intestine (proximal, middle and distal) were collected. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure IGF-1/beta-actin mRNA densitometric band ratios. Statistical analysis was performed using paired Student's t-test and Pearson correlation test. RESULTS: The ratio of mRNA IGF-1/beta-actin was lower in endotoxin group (0.80+/-0.24, n=24) than control group (1.13+/-0.31, n=24, P<0.05). Fetal weights were decreased with endotoxin group (24.7+/-8.59 gm) compared to control group (28.5+/-4.35 gm, p<0.05). Fav fetuses (1.09+/-0.42, n=12) showed increased expression of IGF-1 mRNA in the small intestine than Runt fetuses (0.84+/-0.35, n=12) in control group. In endotoxin group, there was no statistically significant difference in expression of IGF-1 mRNA between Fav (0.82+/-0.31, n=12) and Runt (0.79+/-0.43, n=12) group. Lengths of small intestine showed no statistically significant difference between control and endotoxin group, and Fav and Runt (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: In our study, maternal endotoxin administration suppressed IGF-1 production in small intestine of fetal rabbit. Endotoxin in maternal serum might be transferred to fetus through placenta and decreased production of mRNA of IGF-1 in small intestine. Further studies are warranted to investigate the correlation between intrauterine growth retardation and maternal gram negative bacterial infection.
Bacterial Infections ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Fetal Weight ; Fetus* ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Intestine, Small* ; Placenta ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rabbits ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger ; Uterus

PURPOSE: to evaluate the serial ultrasonographic findings of experimental intramuscular hemorrhaging to determine if there is a correlation with the pathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An uiltrasonography (US) was performed before and immediately after an intramuscular blood injection in nine rabbits. In addition, follow-up US images were obtained at 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 days after the intramuscular blood injections in seven of the rabbits. The pathologic specimens, compared to the US findings on each date, and consisted of samples of left thigh muscle. RESULTS: A US, performed immediately after a blood injection, showed two patterns; 6 cases of hyperechoic muscle thickening and 3 cases of hyperechoic muscle thickening with extravasation between the epimysium and muscle bundle or within muscle bundle. A follow-up US showed a marked decrease in intramuscular hemorrhaging and microcalcifications, which appeared on the 4th, 7th and 10th day after the blood injection. The pathologic findings revealed several short echogenic lines in the muscular bundles which were hemosiderin. Moreover, a 28 day follow-up US revealed that the normal findings are correlated with the normal gross pathologic findings. CONCLUSION: The US findings of the intramuscular hemorrhaging, for each of the follow-up dates, in comparison to the pathologic findings, revealed a high correlation with the pathologic specimens. Consequently, a US transducer with high resolution can be considered as a helpful technique in the diagnosing and evaluating the follow-up treatment of intramuscular hemorrhaging.
Chronology as Topic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemosiderin ; Muscles ; Rabbits ; Tendon Injuries ; Thigh ; Transducers

PURPOSE: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is associated with localized aggressive periodontitis. It produces cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), which induces cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. The CDT holotoxin is composed of CdtA, CdtB, and CdtC. CdtB has structural homology to human DNase I and is an active component of the CDT complex acting as a DNase. In particular, the pattern homology seen in the CdtB subunit has been associated with specific DNase I residues involved in enzyme catalysis, DNA binding, and metal ion binding. So, to study the functions and regulation of recombinant CdtB, we made up a quantity of functional recombinant CdtB and tested it in relation to the metal ion effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We constructed the pET28a-cdtB plasmid from A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4 by genomic DNA PCR and expressed it in the BL21 (DE3) Escherichia coli system. We obtained the functional recombinant CdtB by the refolding system using the dialysis method and then analyzed the DNase activity and investigated the metal ion effect from plasmid digestion. RESULTS: The recombinant CdtB subunit was expressed as the inclusion bodies. We were able to obtain functional recombinant CdtB subunit using refolding system. We confirmed that our refolded recombinant CdtB had DNase activity and was influenced by the metal ions Mg2+ and Ca2+. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the factors influencing recombinant CdtB may contribute to CDT associated diseases, such as periodontitis, endocarditic, meningitis, and osteomyelitis.
Aggressive Periodontitis ; Bacterial Toxins ; Catalysis ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Deoxyribonuclease I ; Deoxyribonucleases ; Dialysis ; DNA ; Edetic Acid ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Ions ; Meningitis ; Osteomyelitis ; Periodontitis ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction