Effect of Gastric Cancer Screening on Patients with Gastric Cancer:A Nationwide Population-based Study / 대한소화기암학회지

Background@#This study was performed to evaluate the effect of gastric cancer screening through analysis of screening-related data. @*Methods@#We investigated claims data of gastric cancer from 2009 to 2015. We evaluated whether the screening was performed to prior to registration as patients with gastric cancer. The effect of gastric cancer screening was also analyzed by gender. @*Results@#We collected total 196,293 patients with gastric cancer. 74% of them had previous experience of gastric cancer screening. In patients with screening, early gastric cancer was 33.4% and advanced gastric cancer was 17.3%. 22,548 (15.5%) patients were diagnosed with gastric cancer within 2 years after screening. In the case of patients without screening, early gastric cancer was 15.1% and advanced gastric cancer was 25.3%. In case of men, 76% of them confirmed gastric cancer through screening, and 70.2% of women confirmed the gastric cancer. In both men and women, the rate of early gastric cancer was higher among those with screening than those without screening. @*Conclusion@#In this study, we were able to indirectly confirm the stage shift of gastric cancer screening. However, within 2 years after screening, not a few patients with gastric cancer were diagnosed. Therefore, more studies are warranted to in the future.

Effect of Gastric Cancer Screening on Patients with Gastric Cancer:A Nationwide Population-based Study / 대한소화기암학회지

Background@#This study was performed to evaluate the effect of gastric cancer screening through analysis of screening-related data. @*Methods@#We investigated claims data of gastric cancer from 2009 to 2015. We evaluated whether the screening was performed to prior to registration as patients with gastric cancer. The effect of gastric cancer screening was also analyzed by gender. @*Results@#We collected total 196,293 patients with gastric cancer. 74% of them had previous experience of gastric cancer screening. In patients with screening, early gastric cancer was 33.4% and advanced gastric cancer was 17.3%. 22,548 (15.5%) patients were diagnosed with gastric cancer within 2 years after screening. In the case of patients without screening, early gastric cancer was 15.1% and advanced gastric cancer was 25.3%. In case of men, 76% of them confirmed gastric cancer through screening, and 70.2% of women confirmed the gastric cancer. In both men and women, the rate of early gastric cancer was higher among those with screening than those without screening. @*Conclusion@#In this study, we were able to indirectly confirm the stage shift of gastric cancer screening. However, within 2 years after screening, not a few patients with gastric cancer were diagnosed. Therefore, more studies are warranted to in the future.

Effects of a video education program for patients with benign uterine tumors receiving high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a video education program in women receiving high-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU) treatment. @*Methods@#This was a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. The participants were 54 patients who had benign uterine tumorsand adenomyosis. The data were collected from June to August 2018. The experimental group was provided a video education program with a question-and-answer session for 10 minutes after viewing the video. A 10-minute video education program on HIFU and post-procedural care was developed based on the literature.The control group received usual care (i.e., verbal instructions on post-procedural care). The questionnaire survey was conducted twice: before the educational program and before being discharged from the hospital. Differences in uncertainty, emotions, and self-efficacyamong patients were analyzed. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, the t-test, the Shapiro-Wilk test, the paired t-test, and the t-test with SPSS for Windows version 23.0. @*Results@#The participants in the experimental group showed a decrease in uncertainty(t=4.33, p<.001), improvements in anxiety(t=–4.07, p<.001) and depression(t=–3.55,p<.001),and an enhancement ofself-efficacy(t=–4.39,p<.001) compared to the control group. @*Conclusion@#This nursing intervention was effective at reducing uncertainty, improving emotions, and enhancing self-efficacy. We hope that it will be applied to improve nursing practice and that it will be valuable when utilized for helping patients to choose a treatment method.

Concomitant Variations in Flexor Digitorum Superficialis: A Case Report / 체질인류학회지

The flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) muscle is located in the intermediate layer of the muscles in the anterior compartment of the forearm. Variable but individual variations have been reported in the FDS regarding the number of head and the origin, distribution and interconnections of muscle slip and insertion to finger. In this case, we report a concomitant complex variation in FDS which was observed in a cadaver during a routine dissection classes for the undergraduate medical students. It includes the variation which is the separation of the tendon of FDS into the superficial and deep layers, the structural variations in muscle slips and associated tendon variations, the finding of Gantzer' muscle leading to flexor pollicis longus muscle. These complex variations in FDS are very rare case and this report summarizes the related phylogenetic and embryological significance.

Analysis of Prognostic Factors Affecting Admission in Acute Alcohol-intoxicated Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury Visiting Emergency Room

PURPOSE: This study analyzed the prognostic factors affecting admission in acute alcohol-intoxicated traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients visiting the emergency room. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective observational study was conducted on 821 acute alcohol-intoxicated adult trauma patients, who visited 10 university hospital emergency centers from April to November 2016. The primary outcome was hospital admission. The secondary outcome was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-eight patients diagnosed with acute alcohol-intoxicated TBI were analyzed. The increase in blood alcohol concentration was associated significantly with a mild decrease in admission (adjusted odds ratio, 0.993; 95% confidence interval, 0.989 to 0.998; p=0.01). Moderate to severe TBI patients showed a significant increase in admission compared to mild TBI patients (adjusted odds ratio, 12.449; 95% confidence interval, 3.316 to 46.743; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study showed that the admission was inversely correlated with the blood alcohol concentration and is correlated directly with the increase in the severity in TBI. Therefore, emergency physicians may be required to identify the severity of TBI rapidly and accurately in acute alcohol-intoxicated trauma patients visiting the emergency room.

Prevalence of Undiagnosed Diabetes in Patient with Random Serum Glucose Over 200 mg/dL in an Emergency Department in Korea: Preliminary Study

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of diabetes in patients with random serum glucose over 200 mg/dL in an emergency department. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive pilot study was conducted using chart review of patients who have visited the ED at Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital. Between April and October 2014, patients aged 18 years and older with random serum glucose level higher than 200 mg/dL and having no prior diabetes mellitus (DM) were enrolled. Regardless of the patient's chief complaint, a history of current symptoms related to diabetes of patients was obtained and additional serum HbA1c was measured. The follow-up test was recommended on endocrinology OPD or the inpatient ward. Patients' medical records regarding diagnosis of DM were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 296 patients with random serum glucose level estimated above 200 mg/dL without previous DM history were enrolled in this study, however only 82 patients were eligible. Among them, 34 patients (41.4%) were newly diagnosed as DM; 38 patients had current presumptive symptoms of diabetes while 44 patients had none of those symptoms. Twenty three patients (60.5%) with presumptive diabetes symptoms were diagnosed as diabetes while another 15 patients (39.5%) were not. Eleven (25.0%) patients without symptoms of diabetes were diagnosed as diabetes while 33 patients (75.0%) were not. The difference between two groups was significant. (p=0.001) CONCLUSION: The prevalence of undiagnosed DM patients in patients with random serum glucose level over 200 mg/dL in the emergency department was considerably high. Therefore emergency physicians should pay attention to opportunistic hyperglycemia and active diabetes screening.

Ginsenoside Rg2 Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Adhesion Molecule Expression in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell

Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), P- and E-selectin play a pivotal role for initiation of atherosclerosis. Ginsenoside, a class of steroid glycosides, is abundant in Panax ginseng root, which has been used for prevention of illness in Korea. In this study, we investigated the mechanism(s) by which ginsenoside Rg2 may inhibit VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expressions stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). LPS increased VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression. Ginsenoside Rg2 prevented LPS-mediated increase of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression. On the other hand, JSH, a nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) inhibitor, reduced both VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression stimulated with LPS. SB202190, inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), and wortmannin, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) inhibitor, reduced LPS-mediated VCAM-1 but not ICAM-1 expression. PD98059, inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK/ERK) did not affect VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression stimulated with LPS. SP600125, inhibitor of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), reduced LPS-mediated ICAM-1 but not VCAM-1 expression. LPS reduced IkappaBalpha (IkappaBalpha) expression, in a time-dependent manner within 1 hr. Ginsenoside Rg2 prevented the decrease of IkappaBalpha expression stimulated with LPS. Moreover, ginsenoside Rg2 reduced LPS-mediated THP-1 monocyte adhesion to HUVEC, in a concentration-dependent manner. These data provide a novel mechanism where the ginsenoside Rg2 may provide direct vascular benefits with inhibition of leukocyte adhesion into vascular wall thereby providing protection against vascular inflammatory disease.

Factors Affecting Cardiopul-monary Resuscitation Hands-off Time in an Emergency Room

PURPOSE: The importance of minimizing hands-off time (HOT) during the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is emphasized in the new guidelines. This study analyzes the proportion and effects of each HOT result as observed in an Emergency room (ER). METHODS: We prospectively reviewed 45 video records of CPR performed in an ER resuscitation room from October 2007 to September 2008. We measured the total CPR time, the time to first chest compression (initial assessment time; IAT) and the time required to perform each step of the CPR procedure including pulse check and switchig compressors, echocardiography, efibrillation, X-ray, endotracheal intubation, central venous catheter insertion and needle thoracostomy. RESULTS: The median values recorded included the following: total CPR time was 15.7 min (Interquartile range: 7.51~27.8 min), fractions of HOT (HOTF) in CPR was 11.0% (Interquartile range: 6.9~15.1%), the ratio of IAT in total HOT was 16.8% (Interquartile range: 6.4~34%), pulse check and switching compressors in total HOT were 64.4% (Interquartile range: 52~78%), echocardiography was 13.5% (Interquartile range: 7.7~21.2%), defibrillation was 18.1% (Interquartile range: 8.9~24.6%), endotracheal intubation was 12.2% (Interquartile range: 4.2~17.2%) and X-ray was 15.1% (Interquartile range: 12.7~21.0%). We found that the duration of CPR didn't increase HOTF (HOTF within 15 min of the total CPR time is 7.2% and after 15 min HOFT was counted 6.3%). CONCLUSION: During the year of in-hospital CPR data we observed, the pulse check and switch compressor procedure followed the CPR guideline, but the echocardiography, defibrillation and endotracheal intubation resulted in increased HOT. In order to reduce HOT during the performance of CPR, it is necessary to follow the guideline of each step of the procedure.

Sequential Changes in Aberrant Crypt Foci and Lectin Expression in the Early and Late Stages of DMH-Induced Colon Carcinogenesis in Rats

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the malignant potential of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) by measuring the multiplicity of crypts and lectin expression in the early and late stages of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis. METHODS: Six-week-old Wistar rats were injected subcutaneously with DMH for 27 weeks. We classified ACF according to the number of crypts per ACF as a few crypts ( or =4 crypts, NC ACF). Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate lectin expression. RESULTS: In the early stage, FC ACF (590/1,902, 31.0%) occurred more frequently than NC ACF (35/449, 7.8%); whereas in the late stage, NC ACF (176/449, 39.2%) occurred more frequently than FC ACF (324/1,902, 17.0%). The number of ACF peaked at 15 to 20 weeks. The ratio of NC/FC ACF increased gradually during carcinogenesis. The expression of both UEA1 and PNA was higher in NC ACF than FC ACF. Lectin expression increased in the late stage compared with the early stage. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of lectin was higher in NC ACF and ACF in the late stage. Therefore, ACF with higher multiplicities in the late stage may have more malignant potential in DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis.

Factors Related to Successful Endotracheal Intubations with Glidescope(R)

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze factors affecting success of endotracheal intubation (ETI) in emergency department (ED) patients, and to investigate usefulness of expected difficult direct laryngoscopy for expectation of a bad Glidescope(R) view. METHODS: ETI data using Glidescope(R) were collected at two EDs over a period of 64 months. We accessed intubator's training level, expected difficulty with laryngoscopy, method, and glottis exposure grade. Based on these variables, we analyzed the intubation success rates. And we examined the correlation between glottis exposure grade using Glidescope(R) and factors for expectation of difficult direct laryngoscopy. RESULTS: A total of 613 ETIs attempts using Glidecope(R) were recorded. The overall success rate was 83.4%. In logistic regression analysis, expected difficult laryngoscopy, intubator's training level, and glottic exposure grade were independent predictive factors for successful ETI using Glidescope(R). The Cormack-Lehane grade I via Glidescope(R) was observed in 89.1% of total ETI attempts. In subgroup analysis, bad glottis exposure status showed a significantly low success rate irrespective of intubator's training level. Among the predicting factors for difficult laryngoscopy, morbid obesity, limited neck extension, and limited mouth opening showed an association with the degree of glottic exposure via Glidescope(R). CONCLUSION: The glottic exposure grade was the most important factor related to successful ETI using Glidescope(R). Morbid obesity, limited neck extension, and limited mouth opening showed a significant association with bad glottis exposure under Glidescope(R), Therefore, we need to identify these findings. Even if in good glottis view, junior physicians showed a lower rate of ETI success using Glidescope, therefore, measurements to improve the ability of junior physicians should be implemented.

Investigation of relationship between inhalation injury assessment and prognosis in burn patients / 대한외과학회지

PURPOSE: Inhalation injury is one of the most severe morbidity and mortality factors in burn patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of inhalation injury to the prognosis of burn patients and to investigate the relationship between the inhalation injury assessment and the prognosis of patients. METHODS: Bronchoscopy was performed in 170 patients who had the suspicion of inhalation injury and the patients were reviewed retrospectively from January 2008 to December 2009. Mortality was compared between the factors of brochoscopic findings, age, total body surface area (TBSA) burned, carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level, PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) ratio. RESULTS: Of 170 patients, 28 patients had no inhalation bronchoscopic finding. 109 patients had mild inhalation, 31 patients had moderate inhalation, only 2 patients had severe inhalation findings. The patients of moderate and severe inhalation findings had higher mortality (48.5%) than mild inhalation patients (31.1%). The larger total burnsurface area in inhalation patients, the greater the mortality. When compared to total admitted burn patients during the same period, inhalation patients showed higher mortality in the patients between 10 to 40% total burn surface area. Inhalation patients whose P/F ratio was below 300 showed higher mortality than above 300. But inhalation patients whose COHb level was below 1.5 had no difference in mortality with patients above 1.5. The COHb level and P/F ratio was the statistically different factors between inhalation patients and non-inhalation group in the mortality. CONCLUSION: Bronchoscopic findings, age, TBSA burned, P/F ratio were related with mortality in inhalation patients. When the international standardization of bronchoscopic classification developed, it can be possible to assess the inhalation patients more objectively and that will lead to the advancement in inhalation treatment and research.

Investigation of the Result of Massive Pediatric Burn Patients: Early Escharectomy and Allograft

PURPOSE: Massive pediatric burns are subject to progress to wound infection and sepsis at early stage. Early escharectomy and allograft made it safer to treat the pediatric burn patients from this morbidity. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of the early escharectomy and temporary wound coverage with allograft on massive pediatric burns. METHODS: From January 1999 to August 2010, 55 pediatric burn patients aged 1 to 10 years whose total burn surface area was over 20% were reviewed. Among them, only 19 patients underwent escharectomy (Pediatric escharectomy group, PEG) and 36 patients underwent escharectomy and allograft (Pediatric allograft group, PAG) And 533 allograft patients (Allograft group, AG) aged over 10 whose total burn surface area were over 20% were reviewed to compare with the pediatric allograft patients. RESULTS: PAG was operated earlier (mean 3.6 days from injury) than PEG (mean 5.9 days). The mortality of PAG (8.3%) was lower than the mortality of PEG (31.6%) significantly. And the PAG were operated earlier than AG (mean 5.8 days from injury). But the difference of mortality was not significant statistically between PAG and AG. CONCLUSION: Early escharectomy and allograft is safe and effective treatment procedure for massive pediatric burn patients by preventing wound sepsis.

Treatment of Deep Second Degree Burn Wound using Heterogenic Type I Collagen Dressing

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and validity of the wound dressing using heterogenic type I collagen dressing (Collaheal(R)). METHODS: From January 2010 to April 2010, 46 burn patients with deep second degree or third degree burn wound were treated with Collaheal(R). And we followed up the patients to assess the treatment result with Vancouver scar scale after 6 months. RESULTS: Of the 46 patients, 42 patients had deep second degree burn only and 4 patients had deep second degree burn with third degree burn. It took 18.5 days to re-epithelialize for patients with deep second degree burn and 40.5 days for third degree burn wound. After 6 months, follow-up was performed to assess the wound result. We can observe that 24 patients had mild scar and 5 patients had moderate scar and 2 patients had severe scar. The severity of scar increased as the re-epithelialization period increased. CONCLUSION: It took 18.5 days to re-epithelialize the deep second degree burn wound with collagen dressing. And the long term result was good. Type I collagen dressing can be used for treatment option for the patients with deep second degree burn wound and the patients with small third degree burn wound who cannot be operated.

A Study on the Communication Gap and Different Understandings between Doctor and Patient about Burn Treatment in the Burn Center of a University Hospital

PURPOSE: Burn is an unusual medical situation with limited information open to common people. This study was designed to evaluate the communication gap and different understandings between doctor and patient about burn treatment and to improve quality of the treatment. METHODS: Cross-sectional studies were done with interview and questionnaire. 25 doctors and nurses of burn ward and 50 burn patients in Han-gang Sacred Heart Hospital Burn Center were participated. To understand the communication gap and different perception between doctors' and patients' on 1) burn sequela and recovery, 2) disease course and prognosis, 3) healing environment, cost, hospitalization, 4) nurse-physician collaboration, 5) psychiatric consultation, 6) extra incentive were analyzed. RESULTS: Patients tend to expectation positive answer about their prognosis from their physician but they have recognized chronic and negative prognosis of burn treatment. Patients want to know clear and detailed explanation about their test result or treatment methods. Physicians thought that it is important to consider patients' economic status and provide different treatment principle. Short duration of hospitalization is not related to the anxiety of rehabilitation. Patients thought that nurses could manage superficial or repeated treatment. It is more likely that physicians warn the disadvantages of psychiatric consultation than patients. Both groups thought that extra incentive or gratitude money is not helpful for the doctor patient relationship. CONCLUSION: Given the discrepant views of physicians and patients on the burn treatment, physician should be aware of the discrepancies and attempts to resolve any differences.

A Case of Bleeding on the Ampulla of Vater Due to Angiodysplasia in a Patient with End Stage Renal Disease / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Gastrointestinal angiodysplasia is one of the causes of acute and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, and gastrointestinal angiodysplasia makes up 2~6% of all the cases of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Bleeding from the ampulla of Vater is very rare. We report here on an unusual case of bleeding from angiodysplasia at the ampulla of Vater in a 58-aged woman with end stage renal failure. This lesion was successfully treated with endoscopic argon plasma coagulation.

Pyrithione-zinc Prevents UVB-induced Epidermal Hyperplasia by Inducing HIF-1alpha

Epidermal keratinocytes overgrow in response to ultraviolet-B (UVB), which may be associated with skin photoaging and cancer development. Recently, we found that HIF-1alpha controls the keratinocyte cell cycle and thereby contributes to epidermal homeostasis. A further study demonstrated that HIF-1alpha is down-regulated by UVB and that this process is involved in UVB-induced skin hyperplasia. Therefore, we hypothesized that the forced expression of HIF-1alpha in keratinocytes would prevent UVB-induced keratinocyte overgrowth. Among several agents known to induce HIF-1alpha, pyrithione-zinc (Py-Zn) overcame the UVB suppression of HIF-1alpha in cultured keratinocytes. Mechanistically, Py-Zn blocked the degradation of HIF-1alpha protein in keratinocytes, while it did not affect the synthesis of HIF-1alpha. Moreover, the p21 cell cycle inhibitor was down-regulated after UVB exposure, but was robustly induced by Py-Zn. In mice repeatedly irradiated with UVB, the epidermis became hyperplastic and HIF-1alpha disappeared from nuclei of epidermal keratinocytes. However, a cream containing Py-Zn effectively prevented the skin thickening and up-regulated HIF-1alpha to the normal level. These results suggest that Py-Zn is a potential agent to prevent UVB-induced photoaging and skin cancer development. This work also provides insight into a molecular target for treatment of UVB-induced skin diseases.

Integrin-linked kinase ILK and beta-catenin expression in colon polyps / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Signaling pathways via integrin-linked kinase (ILK) and beta-catenin are important in the initiation and progression of various malignant diseases. ILK modulates the transcription of beta-catenin and is implicated in cell migration and invasiveness. Recently, premalignant colon polyps were found to express ILK and beta-catenin. Therefore, we investigated the expression of ILK and beta-catenin in colon polyps according to the gross morphology and pathologic type. METHODS: Based on morphology, colon polyps (62) were classified as being a pedunculated polyp (Ip, 16), sessile polyp (Is, 22), or laterally spreading tumor (LST, 24). The colon polyps were classified pathologically as tubular adenomas (TAs, 47) and hyperplastic polyps (HPs, 15). The expression levels of ILK and beta-catenin in colon polyps and normal colon (6) were evaluated with immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In normal colon, ILK was not expressed, and beta-catenin stained in the cell membrane only. Based on the gross morphology of the colon polyps, no significant difference was seen in the expression of ILK and beta-catenin (p>0.05). The expression of both ILK and beta-catenin in TAs was greater than that in HPs (p<0.01): the greater the dysplasia in TAs, the more both ILK and beta-catenin were expressed (p<0.05). The grade of expression of ILK was correlated with that of beta-catenin in colon polyps (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of ILK and beta-catenin did not differ according to the morphology of colon polyps, but was expressed more in TAs than in HPs, especially in severe dysplasia.

Therapeutic Effect of Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplantation in Acute TNBS-induced Colitis / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Bone marrow-derived cells (BMDC) contribute to tissue maintenance under many kinds of pathologic conditions. We carried out a study to see how BMDC play a role in the treatment of experimental murine colitis. METHODS: We divided the animals into 3 groups and treated them with 50% ethanol (control group), 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfinic acid colitis (TNBS group), and TNBS+bone marrow transplant (BMT group). To induce colitis, TNBS (5.0 mg/mouse) dissolved in 50% ethanol was injected into anus weekly for two weeks. Bone marrow transplantations were performed using bone marrow of male transgenic mouse (donor) with green fluoresence protein (GFP) into female wild type mouse (recipient) three weeks before TNBS instillation. All animals were sacrificed, and colons were extracted one week after the last TNBS instillation. We measured microscopic scores of mucosal injury and investigated the GFP expression for bone marrow engraftment. The immunostaining of vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) for myofibroblasts was performed. RESULTS: The score of mucosal injury in the TNBS group was much more severe than those in control, and reduced significantly by BMT (p<0.05). GFP-positive cells were almost deposited in pericryptal niche of BMT group but not at all in both control and TNBS group. Most of myofibroblasts stained with both vimentin and SMA also infiltrated into pericryptal niche. But, the number of myofibroblasts stained with vimentin and SMA in both control and TNBS group was smaller than that in BMT group. CONCLUSIONS: BMDC deposited on pericryptal niche might have a significant role in repairing acute experimental murine colitis.

Usefulness of PCR-SSP Method for Detection of HLA-DRB1*0405 / 임상검사와정도관리

BACKGROUND: The association between HLA-DRB1 gene and severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been documented in various reports. Especially, DRB1*0405 allele shows significant association with RA in Korean patients. DRB1*0405 typing has been performed by the sequence based typing method (SBT), that is a difficult and expensive method. So we tried to replace it with a simple and inexpensive method. METHODS: We performed the HLA-DRB1*0405 typing using PCR-SSP technique with sequence specific primers of 3 pair in 298 Koreans. These results were compared with those of high resolution sequence based typing (SBT) method. RESULTS: Of 298 samples typed with the high resolution SBT method, 60 samples were HLA-DRB1*04 positive and showed 9 subgroups of HLA-DRB1*04 and 26 samples were HLA- DRB1*0405 positive. With the PCR-SSP method, same 26 samples were HLA-DRB1*0405 positive, showing 100% correspondence between two methods to detect HLA-DRB1*0405 CONCLUSIONS: Using PCR-SSP method to type HLA-DRB1*0405 is a very useful tools for studying the association between rheumatoid arthritis and HLA-DRB1*0405 from a practical and economic view.

RNAi: A Recent Revolutionary Tool for Understanding of Basic Biology / 대한임상미생물학회지

RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene-silencing technology by which small double-stranded RNAs are used to target the degradation of RNA with complementary sequence. RNAi is found in a wide variety of organisms (Caenorhabditis elegans, insects, plants, microorganisms and animals). With RNAi, we have harnessed the gene function to be explored, revolutionized our ability to perform large-scale genetic screens, and even therapeutic potential.