This study describes the histochemical characteristics and ultrastructure of mast cells from tongue, proventriculus, ileum and fabricius bursa, in pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) by light and electron microscopy. We compared the stainability of 4 different methods, toluidine blue, alcian blue, congo red and alkaline Giemsa, to stain mast cell granules from fixed pheasant organs in three different fixatives, 10% neutral buffered formalin, Carnoy's solution or half-strength Karnovsky's solution. Mast cells in all experimental organs were not stained with 4 different staining methods after fixation in 10% neutral buffered formalin but well stained in fixed organs with half-strength Karnovsky's solution. The mast cells had many metachromatic granules stained with toluidine blue or alkaline Giemsa and orthochromatic granules stained with alcian blue or congo red in tissues fixed in half-strength Karnovsky's solution. In electron microscopy, pheasant mast cells were oval, triangular, spindle-like or irregular and had a few finger-like cytoplasmic processes. There were the membrane-bounded secretory granules and the well-developed organelles in mast cells. Internal large granules were oval or irregular, and had variable shape; some higher or lower electron density with homogeneous appearance; some had a particular appearance, and a few showed reticular or spongy-like structure. This indicates that 10% neutral buffered formalin or Carnoy's fixation may be inadequate for detection of mast cells in pheasant, whereas the half-strength Karnovsky's fixation provides metachromatic or orthochromatic staining of mast cell granules.
Alcian Blue ; Animals ; Bursa of Fabricius ; Congo Red ; Cytoplasm ; Fixatives ; Formaldehyde ; Ileum ; Mast Cells* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Organelles ; Proventriculus ; Secretory Vesicles ; Tolonium Chloride ; Tongue

To evaluate the antioxidative effect of maengjong-juk (Phyllostachys pubescens) extract coated rice in vivo system, maengjong-juk extract coated rice diets were fed to C57BL/6 mice for 16 weeks. Plasma total antioxidative capacity, hepatic lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, activities of antioxidative enzymes and total glutathione content were measured. Plasma total antioxidative capacity was elevated significantly in maengjong-juk extract diets supplemented group in a dose dependant manner. Hepatic TBARS contents were significantly decreased in maengjong-juk extract diets supplemented group compared to high cholesterol group. Maengjong-juk extract coated rice diets suppressed the protein oxidation significantly in liver. Activities of hepatic antioxidative enzymes such as total SOD, Cu,Zn-SOD, Mn-SOD, GSH-Px and catalase activities of maengjong-juk extract coated rice diets were significantly higher than those of high cholesterol diet. Total hepatic glutathione content was significantly increased by maengjong-juk extract coated rice diets administration. According to this study, numerous antioxidative materials and phytochemicals containing in maengjong- juk extracts appear to protect antioxidative systems in C57BL/6 mice fed bamboo extract coated rice diet.
Animals ; Catalase ; Cholesterol ; Diet* ; Diet, Atherogenic* ; Glutathione ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver ; Mice* ; Phytochemicals ; Plasma ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances

The throat swabs obtained from 1,098 adults and 432 children patients with respiratory diseases were examined for Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection detected by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antimicrobial susceptibilities of the resulting 60 M. pneumoniae isolates were evaluated by testing minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of erythromycin, minocycline, tetracycline, josamycin, sparfloxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin by a broth micro-dilution method. In a preliminary screening, the detection rate of M. pneumoniae by PCR was 29.2% (277/948) for the adults and 28.3% (90/318) for the children. In the second survey, the isolation rate of M. pneumoniae by culture was 29.3% (44/150) for the adults, and 14.0% (16/114) for the children. The PCR detection rate was 36.7% (55/150) for the adults and 23.7% (27/114) for the children. The MIC90s of the M. pneumoniae isolates were 0.015 mg/ml for erythromycin, lower than 0.03 mg/ml for josamycin, 0.06 mg/ml for sparfloxacin and minocycline, 0.12 mg/ml for tetracycline, 0.5 mg/ml for ofloxacin and CFC-222, and 1.0 mg/ml for ciprofloxacin. The isolates were susceptible to erythromycin, josamycin, sparfloxacin, minocycline, tetracycline, and ofloxacin, but the 63.3% of them was resistant to ciprofloxacin. These results indicate that the PCR method has a significant potential as a rapid and sensitive method for early detection of M. pneumoniae infection in clinical specimens as compared with the culture method, but the PCR method could not provide any information concerning the biological chracteristics of M. pneumoniae strains. Erythromycin, josamycin, sparfloxacin, minocycline, and tetracycline could be recommended as the antimicrobial agents of choice in Korea.
Adult ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Child ; Ciprofloxacin ; Erythromycin ; Humans ; Josamycin ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Minocycline ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Ofloxacin ; Pharynx ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tetracycline

Typhoid fever often manifests hepatic involvement but pleural involvement has rarely been reported to occur as a complication of typhoid fever. One case of typhoid pleurisy, in which Salmonella was isolated from the blood, is presented with the brief review of the literature. A 44 year old female was admitted to the hospital because of high fever, abdominal pain. Typhoid fever was diagnosed by blood culture, Widal test, and liver function test. Chest X-ray and pleural effusion examination demonstrated pleurisy. With the administration of ceftriaxone and pleural aspiration, she became afebrile with subsidence of pleural effusion.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Ceftriaxone ; Female ; Fever ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Liver Function Tests ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleurisy* ; Salmonella ; Thorax ; Typhoid Fever*

Typhoid fever often manifests hepatic involvement but pleural involvement has rarely been reported to occur as a complication of typhoid fever. One case of typhoid pleurisy, in which Salmonella was isolated from the blood, is presented with the brief review of the literature. A 44 year old female was admitted to the hospital because of high fever, abdominal pain. Typhoid fever was diagnosed by blood culture, Widal test, and liver function test. Chest X-ray and pleural effusion examination demonstrated pleurisy. With the administration of ceftriaxone and pleural aspiration, she became afebrile with subsidence of pleural effusion.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Ceftriaxone ; Female ; Fever ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Liver Function Tests ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleurisy* ; Salmonella ; Thorax ; Typhoid Fever*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of laparoscopic myomectomy compared to open myomectomy METHODS: A retrospective study of 85 cases of myomectomy was performed. Twenty six cases of open myomectomy (group I) and 59 cases of laparoscopic myomectomy (group II) were done by one main surgeon from 1996 to 2002 in the department of OBGYN at Moonhwa Hospital. Group II was divided into two subgroups, group IIA and group IIB. Group IIA included 17 cases of laparoscopic myomectomy done from 1996 to 1998 during learning period. Group IIB included 42 cases of laparoscopic myomectomy performed from 1999 to 2002 after learning period. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, parity, the number of myoma, and the size of myoma between groups I and II. The intensity of postoperative pain and febrile morbidity were significantly lower in group II than in group I (P<0.05). Mean operation time was significantly shorter in group I than in group II. However, after completing the learning curve, no significant difference was found in the operation time between group I and group IIB. Blood loss was significantly decreased in group II compared to group I (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The learning curve for lasparoscopic myomectomy needed 17 cases and laparoscopic myomectomy could be an excellent minimally invasive method as an alternative of open myomectomy after learning curve.
Female ; Learning Curve* ; Learning* ; Myoma ; Pain, Postoperative ; Parity ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Tibolone is a novel synthetic compound with tissue-specific effects in bone, breast tissue and the endometrium. Tibolone, and active vitamin D, effectively prevent bone loss, and the maintain skeletal integrity of postmenopausal women. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of tibolone, and active vitamin D (1-hydroxyvitamin D3), therapies given alone, or in combination, against bone loss in postmenopausal women. METHODS: One hundred and three postmenopausal women were treated with tibolone (n=40), alphacalcidol (n=27) or both drugs (n=36) for 12 months. All subjects took supplemental calcium carbonate (500 mg daily). The bone mineral densities (BMD) of the lumbar spine and proximal femur were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the baseline and after 12 months. RESULTS: Tibolone therapy produced significant increase of 4.1 and 1.8% in the BMD at the lumbar spine (p<0.001) and femoral neck (p=0.009), respectively. The combination of tibolone and active vitamin D increased the BMD by 8.0 and 4.4% (p<0.001) at the spine and femoral neck, respectively. The differences in the change of BMD from the baseline at the lumbar spine was significant (p=0.038) in the combination treatment group compared that in the tibolone alone group. CONCLUSION: Tibolone alone, and in combination with active vitamin D, effectively increased the BMD at all skeletal sites in postmenopausal women. Combination treatment for osteoporosis is emerging as a promising modality in Korean postmenopausal women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Bone Density* ; Breast ; Calcium Carbonate ; Endometrium ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Osteoporosis ; Spine ; Vitamin D* ; Vitamins*

The double pylorus is a fistulous communication between gastric antrum and duodenal bulb. It appears to be an acquired lesion in the majority of cases. Upon routine endoscopic procedures, it is frequently seem to occur in males who are either alcoholics, diabetics, those with chronic renal failure, chronic lung disease. If it is no developing complications such as septal rupture, double pylorus is well response to medical treatment. A 51-year-old man who had been taking medication over a long period for the chronic bronchitis was admitted to this hospital because of epigastric soreness and indigestion for 1 month. Endosopic findings showed two large openings of the pyloric channel and gastric ulcer in the channel. We thought that this case was an acquired lesion reasult of repeated gastric ulcer. We report a case of double pylrous with the brief review of literatures.
Alcoholics ; Bronchitis, Chronic* ; Dyspepsia ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Lung Diseases ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyloric Antrum ; Pylorus* ; Rupture ; Stomach Ulcer*

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the existence of amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole resistance Helicobacter pylori and to determine the in-vitro MIC of two and three kinds of antibiotic concominant administration in the isolates. The antimicrobial agents tested against 169 H. pylori included metronidazole, amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, omeprazole, josamycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. MIC of each antimicrobial agents was determined by broth microdilution method. The 169 strains of H. pylori were isolated from biopsy specimens of patients with gastric cancer. MIC50 of clarithromycin, amoxicillin, metronidazole, omeprazole, erythromycin, josamycin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin was 2.0, 1.0, 4.0, 8.0, 0.5, 0.5, and 0.5 ug/ml, respectively. MIC90 of clarithromycin, amoxicillin, metronidazole, omeprazole, erythromycin, josamycin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin was 64.0, 64,0, 32.0, 16.0, 8.0, 2.0, and 1.0 ug/ml, respectively. H. pylori isolates were detected in the following resistaince rates: 34.3% to clarithromycin, 31.9% to metronidazole, 20.7% to amoxicillin, 12.4% to erythromycin, and 10,1% to josamycin. The prevalence of the antibiotic resistant strains of H. pylori were detected 18.1% for two kind of antibiotics and 9.6% for three kind of antibiotics, and 3.9% for four kind of antibiotics. The MIC90 of clarithromycin-, metronidazole-,and amoxicillin-resistant H. pylori was decreased under the 1 ug/ ml by the two or three kind of antibiotic concomitant administration in-vitro. These results suggest that two or three antibiotics concomitant administration could be more effective for the treatment of clarithromycin-, amoxicillin-, metronidazole-, and josamycin-resistant H. pylori strains.
Amoxicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Biopsy ; Ciprofloxacin ; Clarithromycin ; Erythromycin ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Josamycin ; Metronidazole ; Omeprazole ; Prevalence ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Tetracycline

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis, especially toenail onychomycosis has become one of the common fungal infection and has historically been regarded as a cosmetic rather than medical problem by many patients, even by physicians. Recently, however, there are several reports that this is a refractory disease which may cause a deleterious effect on patients' quality of life (QOL). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of toenail onychomycosis on QOL in Korea and to assess the changes of QOL after treatment. METHODS: Total 1004 patients with toenail onychomycosis which was confirmed by clinical findings and KOH preparation were enrolled at 47 dermatologic centers in Korea, and interviewed with standardized QOL questionnaire before and after systemic antifungal treatment. Responses to the questionnaire were scored by f-point scale (0~4) and averaged, and were analyzed for 5 dimensions of emotional impact, social impact, symptom and functional impact, patients' views concerning treatment, and relationship with doctor. RESULTS: 1. Before and after treatment, the most serious impact was emotional dimension showing 1.90 and 1.30 in average score (AS), and social (AS: 1.14 and 0.83) and symptom and functional impact (AS: 1.05 and 0.92) was also affected. 2. In female rather than male, statistically more significant impact on patients' QOL was observed in all dimensions. 3. After treatment, 3 of 5 dimensions were improved significantly - emotional dimension (AS: from 1.90 to 1.30), social dimension (AS: from 1.14 to 0.83), patients' view concerning treatment(AS: from 1.34 to 1.02) 4. The degree of patients' satisfaction at the therapeutic effect was very high - 62.4% (immediately after. treatment) and 65.8% (9 months after initiation of treatment) of patients answered excellent or good. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that toenail onychomycosis has significant Impact on the overall QOL of patients. Also the effect of antifungal therapy on patients' QOL were satisfactory. Therefore, both doctor and patient should pay more attention to the treatment of onychomycosis.
Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Nails* ; Onychomycosis* ; Quality of Life* ; Social Change ; Surveys and Questionnaires