In a paleo-parasitological analysis of soil samples obtained from V-shaped pits dating to the ancient Baekje period in Korean history, we discovered Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and Clonorchis sinensis eggs. In light of the samples' seriously contaminated state, the V-shaped pits might have served as toilets, cesspits, or dung heaps. For a long period of time, researchers scouring archaeological sites in Korea have had difficulties locating such structures. In this context then, the present report is unique because similar kind of the ancient ruins must become an ideal resource for successful sampling in our forthcoming paleoparasitological studies.
Animals ; *Archaeology ; Helminths/classification/*isolation & purification ; Humans ; Ovum/*classification ; Parasitology ; Republic of Korea ; *Sanitary Engineering ; Soil/*parasitology

Relatively little has been studied on the AMA-1 vaccine against Plasmodium vivax and on the plasmid DNA vaccine encoding P. vivax AMA-1 (PvAMA-1). In the present study, a plasmid DNA vaccine encoding AMA-1 of the reemerging Korean P. vivax has been constructed and a preliminary study was done on its cellular immunogenicity to recipient BALB/c mice. The PvAMA-1 gene was cloned and expressed in the plasmid vector UBpcAMA-1, and a protein band of approximately 56.8 kDa was obtained from the transfected COS7 cells. BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly or using a gene gun 4 times with the vaccine, and the proportions of splenic T-cell subsets were examined by fluorocytometry at week 2 after the last injection. The spleen cells from intramuscularly injected mice revealed no significant changes in the proportions of CD8+ T-cells and CD4+ T-cells. However, in mice immunized using a gene gun, significantly higher (P<0.05) proportions of CD8+ cells were observed compared to UB vector-injected control mice. The results indicated that cellular immunogenicity of the plasmid DNA vaccine encoding AMA-1 of the reemerging Korean P. vivax was weak when it was injected intramuscularly; however, a promising effect was observed using the gene gun injection technique.
Animals ; Antigens, Protozoan/administration & dosage/genetics/*immunology ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/*immunology ; COS Cells ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Malaria, Vivax/*immunology/parasitology ; Membrane Proteins/administration & dosage/genetics/*immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Plasmodium vivax/genetics/*immunology ; Protozoan Proteins/administration & dosage/genetics/*immunology ; Protozoan Vaccines/administration & dosage/genetics/*immunology ; Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage/genetics/*immunology

Maritrema spp. (Digenea: Microphallidae) are parasites of birds, but have not been found in the Republic of Korea. In this study, metacercariae of Maritrema sp. were discovered in the Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus, caught in the mud-flats of Jebu-do, Hwasung-gun, Gyeonggi-do, and the adult flukes were confirmed by experimental infection into mice. Based on the symmetric ribbon-like vitellarium, adult flukes of Maritrema sp. were identified, but did not belong to previously described species in terms of the following morphologic characteristics: ceca reaching to the lateral wall at the anterior border of the ovary; ventral sucker larger than oral sucker; a prominent metraterm; and vitellarium forming a complete ring. Hence, we named this microphallid M. jebuensis n. sp. after the island where the second intermediate hosts were collected. From this study, it has been shown that Maritrema sp. is distributed in Korea and transmitted by the Asian shore crab, H. sanguineus.
Animals ; Brachyura/*parasitology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Metacercariae/anatomy & histology/isolation & purification ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Republic of Korea ; Trematoda/anatomy & histology/*classification/*isolation & purification ; Trematode Infections/parasitology/pathology

The edentulous posterior maxilla generally provides a limited amount of bone height because of atrophy of the ridge and pneumatization of the maxillary sinus. Maxillary sinus augmentation is one of the surgical techniques for reconstruction of the severely resorbed posterior maxilla. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the survival rate of implants and the long-term changes of graft height after maxillary sinus augmentation by lateral window approach. From September 1996 to July 2004, maxillary sinus augmentation with mixed grafts of autograft, allograft, xenograft and alloplast were performed on 45 patients and 100 implants were placed. We evaluated the survival rate of implants and the changes of BL(bone length)/IL(implant length) according to time using panoramic radiographs. The survival rate of implants was 91.0% for follow-up period. The mean reduction of graft heights was 0.34mm(3.0%) for 6 months and 1.22mm(10.66%) for 3 years after augmentation. The total mean BL/IL was 1.34+/-0.21 during 5 year observation period after augmentation and decreased slightly over time. The result means that graft materials were stable above the implant apex. BL/ILs of 1 stage procedure were significantly decreased at 1-2 year, 3-4 year after augmentation and no statistically significant changes were observed in those of 2 stage procedure. The graft materials of both procedures were stable above the implant apex. No statistically significant changes of BL/IL were observed in the grafts combined with low amount of autogenous bone or without autogenous bone. The graft materials of both groups were stable above the implant apex. The results indicated that the placement of dental implants with maxillary sinus augmentation showed predictable clinical results and the grafts combined with low amount of autogenous bone or without autogenous bone had long-term resistance to resorption in maxillary sinus.
Allografts ; Atrophy ; Autografts ; Dental Implants* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heterografts ; Humans ; Maxilla ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Survival Rate ; Transplants*

PURPOSE: There have been some reports that DAX-1 (Dosage-sensitive sex reversal, Adrenal hypoplasia critical region, on chromosome X, gene 1) can modify the estrogen receptor-beta and the progesterone and androgen receptors. Therefore, the aims of this work were to evaluate the expression pattern of DAX-1 in human breast cancer and its relationship to the steroid hormone receptors and other prognostic factors. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed using the clinical records of 161 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and who underwent surgical treatment and hormonal therapy between 1994 and 2004. We evaluated the presence and distribution of DAX-1 expressions in breast cancers using immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: DAX-1 was expressed in 57 (35.4%) of the 161 cases. Also, the DAX-1 expression showed significant correlations with the size and nodal metastasis. In the androgen receptor positive cases (85 cases), the DAX-1 positive cases were statistically younger than the DAX-1 negative cases. In the progesterone receptor positive cases (81 cases), a statistical significance was noted between the DAX-1 expression and nodal metastasis. CONCLUSION: We conclude that DAX-1 can modulate the steroid hormone receptors including the progesterone and androgen receptors, in breast cancer. It could also be assumed that the influence of DAX-1 on the prognosis of breast cancer is different according to the kind of steroid hormonal receptor expressed.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Progesterone ; Prognosis ; Receptors, Androgen ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: There have been some reports that DAX-1 (Dosage-sensitive sex reversal, Adrenal hypoplasia critical region, on chromosome X, gene 1) can modify the estrogen receptor-beta and the progesterone and androgen receptors. Therefore, the aims of this work were to evaluate the expression pattern of DAX-1 in human breast cancer and its relationship to the steroid hormone receptors and other prognostic factors. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed using the clinical records of 161 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and who underwent surgical treatment and hormonal therapy between 1994 and 2004. We evaluated the presence and distribution of DAX-1 expressions in breast cancers using immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: DAX-1 was expressed in 57 (35.4%) of the 161 cases. Also, the DAX-1 expression showed significant correlations with the size and nodal metastasis. In the androgen receptor positive cases (85 cases), the DAX-1 positive cases were statistically younger than the DAX-1 negative cases. In the progesterone receptor positive cases (81 cases), a statistical significance was noted between the DAX-1 expression and nodal metastasis. CONCLUSION: We conclude that DAX-1 can modulate the steroid hormone receptors including the progesterone and androgen receptors, in breast cancer. It could also be assumed that the influence of DAX-1 on the prognosis of breast cancer is different according to the kind of steroid hormonal receptor expressed.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Progesterone ; Prognosis ; Receptors, Androgen ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the pathophysiology of alcoholics by investigating the differences in frequency of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2(ALDH2) genotypes and ALDH2 alleles between patients with alcohol dependence and controls, and the differences of drinking and personality traits in Korean male alcoholics with ALDH2 genotype variances. METHODS: The authors selected 98 patients with alcohol dependence and 53 controls. Self-report questionnaires for acute reponses after alcohol ingestion, the AUI(Alcohol Use Inventory), and the NEO-PI-R(NEO Personality Inventory Revised) were given to all patients with alcohol dependence. ALDH2 genotypes were typed with Mbo II RFLP(Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) method in 53 controls and 98 patients with alcohol dependence. The authors divided alcoholic patients into two groups according to the presence of variant ALDH22 allele; normal ALDH2 alcoholics(N=87) and variant ALDH2 alcoholics(N=11). RESULTS: 1) The genotypic frequencies of subjects with ALDH21/1 were higher and those with ALDH21/2 and ALDH22/2 were lower in patients than in controls. 2) Alcohol dependence could be found in ALDH22/2 homozygote individuals. 3) Variant ALDH2 alcoholics had more family problems in the AUI than normal ALDH2 alcoholics. 4) Variant ALDH2 alcoholics experienced more flushing and cardiovascular responses after alcohol ingestion than normal ALDH2 alcoholics. 5) Variant ALDH2 alcoholics had less altruistic personality traits in the NEO-PI-R than normal ALDH2 alcoholics. 6) Variant ALDH2 alcoholics tended to have more tolerance to alcohol than normal ALDH2 alcoholics. CONCLUSION: Variant ALDH22 allele might play a protective role in the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence and there were several significant differences of drinking and personality traits in Korean male alcoholics with ALDH2 genotype variances.
Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase* ; Alleles ; Drinking ; Eating ; Flushing ; Genotype* ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Personality Inventory ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The vast majority of ampullary tumors are epithelial in nature and are either adenoma or adenocarcinoma. Rarely lymphoma or mucinous and squamous elements may be found. Primary lymphoma of pancreaticobiliary region are exceedingly rare, and mostly nodal. Recently, we have experienced a 29-year-old woman with primary malignant lymphoma of the ampulla of Vater with recurrent acute pancreatitis and jaundice. On duodenoscopy, bulging ampulla with normal overlying duodenal mucosa was observed. Endoscopic sphincterotomy was done and tumor inside the ampulla was exposed. ERCP showed high grade biliary and pancreatic ductal strictures extending from the papillary orifice, with upstream ductal dilatation, respectively. With endoscopic biopsy alone, the tumor was confirmed as B-cell lymphoma histologically.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma ; Adult ; Ampulla of Vater* ; Biopsy ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Duodenoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Mucins ; Mucous Membrane ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatitis ; Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic

BACKGROUND: Thoracoscopic sympathicotomy was, at first, thought to be a simple and safe method for treatment of hyperhydrosis. However, few studies refer to the cardiac effects of this procedure, despite the fact that the T2 ganglia are in the direct pathway of the sympathetic innervation of the heart. An imbalance of right and left sympathetic efferent activity has been proposed as a mechanism for arrhythmia in patients with long QT syndrome. The aim of this study was to compare hemodynamic effect as well as ECG changes after right and left side sympathicotomy. METHODS: 42 patients with essential hyperhydrosis in ASA physical status class 1 undergoing thoracoscopic sympathicotomy were randomly divided into two groups: left side first operation group (group L, n = 22) and right side first operation group (group R, n = 20). Anesthesia was induced with thiopental sodium (5 mg/kg) and pancuronium (0.05 mg/Kg) and maintained with enflurane. During the procedure, we recorded blood pressure at both forearms and heart rate and ECG were recorded after anesthetic induction as baseline values, immediately after one side resectioned of sympathetic trunk, and after complete resectioning of both side. All operations were done with usual methods by experienced surgeons. All the records were coded and analysed singl blind by one author. RESULTS: After sympathicotomy, there was a significant decrease in heart rate but not in blood pressure. However, statistically there were no significant changes in QT interval during sympathicotomy either right side first operation or left side first operation. CONCLUSIONS: The main result of this study was that there were no significant changes in QT interval during sympathicotomy of either right or left side first operations. However, This does not mean that there was no possibility of prolongation of QT interval during thoracoscopic sympathicotomy. Careful observation of QT interval changes is needed during sympathicotomy.
Anesthesia ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blood Pressure ; Electrocardiography ; Enflurane ; Forearm ; Ganglia ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Long QT Syndrome ; Pancuronium ; Thiopental

A primary duodenal carcinoid tumor causing carcinoid syndrome is rare. In case of accompanying carcinoid syndrome in a primary duodenal carcinoid tumor, it mostly suggests massive liver metastasis. In rare case, venous drainage of carcinoid tumor and systemic venous drainage are directly connected without passing through the portal system. Therefore, it is rare and interesting case which a primary duodenal carcinoid tumor accompanies carcinoid syndrome without liver metastasis. We experienced an occasion of a primary carcinoid tumor located in duodenal bulb in a 56 year-old woman. This patient came to our hospital because of intermittent diarrhea, epigastric pain and facial flushing. And it was surely diagnosed as carcinoid tumor by gastrointestinal endoscopic biopsy. She was hospitalized for surgery and we were able to confirm that carcinoid syndrome was accompanied through biochemical test. However, metastatic lesion was not found at liver, small and large intestine. We report this case with reference to documents due to rarity.
Biopsy ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Diarrhea ; Drainage ; Female ; Flushing ; Humans ; Intestine, Large ; Liver* ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Portal System