By animal experiments in rat, it has been known that Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is secreted from renal mesangial celle and is an autocrine growth factor for the proliferation of mesangial cells. According to these facts, several studies have been tried for its clinical usefulness by measuring their serum or urinary IL-6 in glomerulonephritis patients with mesangial proliferation. The authors measured urinary IL-6 levels by Interleukin-6 [123I] RIA kit (Amersham Co. UK) in 11 patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome, in 3 patients with mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MesPGN), in 3 patients with IgA nephropathy, in 9 patients with Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) in 2 patients with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), and in 12 normal healthy children as a control group. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1) There was no significant differences of urinary IL-6 levels between minimal change nephrotic syndrome patient group and normal control group (p=0.73). The level of urinary IL-6 was increased significantly in HSPN group compared to in normal control group, statistically (p=0.045). Also there were same results in the glomerulonephritis patients with mesangial proliferation in its histopathologic findings such as IgA nephropathy, MesPGN, MPGN. 2) There was a positive correlation between the degree of mesangial proliferation and the urinary IL-6 level. In conclusion, the urinary IL-6 level reflects the glomerular mesangial proliferation and could be useful as a predictive indicator for evaluation of its clinical course in patient with mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis.
Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Child* ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Interleukins* ; Mesangial Cells ; Nephritis ; Nephrosis, Lipoid ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; Rats

Kimchi is a traditional Korean food prepared by fermenting vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage and radishes, which are seasoned with various ingredients, including red pepper powder, garlic, ginger, green onion, fermented seafood (Jeotgal), and salt. The various unique microorganisms and bioactive components in kimchi show antioxidant activity and have been associated with an enhanced immune response, as well as anti-cancer and anti-diabetic effects. Red pepper inhibits decay due to microorganisms and prevents food from spoiling. The vast amount of biological information generated by academic and industrial research groups is reflected in a rapidly growing body of scientific literature and expanding data resources. However, the genome, biological pathway, and related disease data are insufficient to explain the health benefits of kimchi because of the varied and heterogeneous data types. Therefore, we have constructed an appropriate semantic data model based on an integrated food knowledge database and analyzed the functional and biological processes associated with kimchi in silico. This complex semantic network of several entities and connections was generalized to answer complex questions, and we demonstrated how specific disease pathways are related to kimchi consumption.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biological Processes ; Brassica ; Capsicum ; Computer Simulation* ; Garlic ; Genome ; Ginger ; Humans ; Insurance Benefits ; Metabolic Networks and Pathways* ; Metabolism ; Onions ; Raphanus ; Seafood ; Seasons ; Semantics ; Vegetables

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate whether air pollution levels in Seoul have short term effects on respiratory disease outpatients. METHODS: We analyzed five air pollutants (CO, NOy, Oy, SOp, PMyp) and daily counts of outpatient for respiratory disease divided by age group ((15yrs, 15-64yrs, 65+yrs) during the period of July 1997-June 1998 using Generalized Additive Model(GAM). RESULTS: After controlling for seasonal trends, day of the week, week of the month, temperature and humidity, CO (RR=1. 041 ~ l. 051, 0-day lag) and NOy (RR=1. 024~1. 050, 3-day lag) were significantly associated with daily counts for respiratory disease in all age groups. 0, and SO, were associated, with a 3-day lag in the age group under 15 years (O RR=1. 047, 95% CI=1. 045- 1. 049 i SOp RR=1. 018, 95% CI=1. 017- l. 020) and with a 0-day lag in the age group 15 to 64 years (0, RR=1. 035, 95% CI=1. 032-1. 037; SO, RR=1. 037, 95% CI=1. 035-1. 039), in the age group over 65 years (O RR=1. 042, 95% CI=1. 033-1. 051; SO RR=1.029, 95% CI=1.022-1.036). PM was weakly associated, with a 1-day lag in the age group under 15 years (RR=1.011, 95% CI=1.010-1.013) and with a 0-day lag in the age group 15 to 64 years (RR=1. 021, 95% CI=1. 019-1. 023), in the age group over 65 years (RR=1. 025, 95% CI=1. 018-1. 032). In the two pollutant model, the magnitudes of the relative risk for CO, NOy and Oq were maintained, but SOy was not associated with daily counts for respiratory disease in the age group under 15 years after controlling for NO,. PMyp was not associated in all age groups after controlling for CO, so the association with PMyp in the single pollutant model might be confounded by CO. In this study, the impact Of PMyp on the respiratory disease was not large as compared with other pollutants. CONCLUSIONS: Air pollution in Seoul may increase the incidence of the respiratory disease, so more positive attention for the control of air pollution should be paid.
Air Pollutants* ; Air Pollution ; Humans ; Humidity ; Incidence ; Outpatients* ; Seasons ; Seoul*

PURPOSE: To evaluate patterns of recurrence and factors which influence them in radiofreqency (RF) ablation for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 1999 and March 2000, 69 patients with 82 HCCs underwent RF ablation for complete necrosis. They were diagnosed by tissue biopsy or tumor marker, and the results of triphasic spiral CT. The indications were that nodular lesions were clearly visualized at sonography, less than 5 cm in size and less than four in number, and that patients had no history of previous treatment. Local therapeutic efficacy such as complete necrosis and marginal recurrence, and new lesions were evaluated by means of triphasic spiral CT performed at least six months after the completion of ablation. We then analyzed the correlation between local therapeutic efficacy and various influential factors such as tumor size, whether the tumor was attached to the portal vein, gross morphology, Child-Pugh classification, and alpha- fetoprotein level before the procedure, as well as the correlation between new lesions and influential factors which included the alpha-fetoprotein level before the procedure, Child-Pugh classification, and multiplicity per person. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up period of 8.95 (range, 6-14) months after RF ablation, the rate of complete necrosis and of marginal recurrence was 91% and 12%, respectively. When a tumor was larger and was attached to a large branch of the portal vien, the incidence of incomplete necrosis and marginal recurrence was greater. The occurrence rate of new lesion was 19.4%. When the alpha-fetoprotien level before the procedure was higher and a tumor was multiple in number, new lesions occurred more frequently. CONCLUSION: Sufficient knowledge of patterns of recurrence and the factors which influence them might improve the therapeutic effects of RF ablation in patients with HCC.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Catheter Ablation* ; Classification ; Fetal Proteins ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Necrosis ; Portal Vein ; Recurrence ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been emerging out of the efforts to research human diseases and ethnic disparities. A semantic network is needed for in-depth understanding of the impacts of SNPs, because phenotypes are modulated by complex networks, including biochemical and physiological pathways. We identified ethnicity-specific SNPs by eliminating overlapped SNPs from HapMap samples, and the ethnicity-specific SNPs were mapped to the UCSC RefGene lists. Ethnicity-specific genes were identified as follows: 22 genes in the USA (CEU) individuals, 25 genes in the Japanese (JPT) individuals, and 332 genes in the African (YRI) individuals. To analyze the biologically functional implications for ethnicity-specific SNPs, we focused on constructing a semantic network model. Entities for the network represented by "Gene," "Pathway," "Disease," "Chemical," "Drug," "ClinicalTrials," "SNP," and relationships between entity-entity were obtained through curation. Our semantic modeling for ethnicity-specific SNPs showed interesting results in the three categories, including three diseases ("AIDS-associated nephropathy," "Hypertension," and "Pelvic infection"), one drug ("Methylphenidate"), and five pathways ("Hemostasis," "Systemic lupus erythematosus," "Prostate cancer," "Hepatitis C virus," and "Rheumatoid arthritis"). We found ethnicity-specific genes using the semantic modeling, and the majority of our findings was consistent with the previous studies - that an understanding of genetic variability explained ethnicity-specific disparities.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Ethnic Groups ; HapMap Project* ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide* ; Semantics*

For the approach to the supraorbital rim and frontozygomatic suture line, surgeons have used the bicoronal incision or lateral eyebrow incision. However it may leave the scar or alopecia. For the successful surgical repair of the frontal sinus fracture and frontozygomaticomaxillary complex fracture, we reviewed the use of the supratarsal fold incision, and selected cases of the open reduction and fixation of frontal sinus fracture and frontozygomatic suture line fractures. We investigated six cases, two were frontal sinus anterior wall fracture and four were frontozygomaticomaxillary complex fracture. The patients underwent bony reduction via supratarsal fold incision to expose the frontal sinus and frontozygomatic suture line. In all six cases, the supratarsal fold incision provided very satisfactory exposure of lateral orbital wall, frontozygomatic suture line, frontal sinus and supraorbital rim. No patients had post-operative alopecia, scar, ptosis, lagophthalmus and hematoma. The supratarsal fold incision provides excellent approaches to the frontozygomatic suture line and frontal sinus and there was not any post-operative complicaitons. So it may be the option for the approach to the superolateral orbital rim or supraorbital rim for frontal sinus simple fracture and non-comminuted fractures at frontozygomatic suture area.
Alopecia ; Cicatrix ; Eyebrows ; Fractures, Bone* ; Frontal Sinus ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Orbit ; Sutures

Three small breed dogs were referred for the evaluation of neurologic deficits. Upon physical and neurologic examination, all dogs displayed hyperesthesia, pain, and neck stiffness. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on the brain and spinal cord, and all three dogs presented Chiari-like malformations and syringomyelia. These dogs were treated with prednisolone and furosemide, and showed rapid improvement of clinical signs. Chiari malformations and syringomyelia were not improved because of congenital disorders. This case report demonstrates the clinical and diagnostic features of Chiari-like malformations and syringomyelia in three small breed dogs.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use ; Arnold-Chiari Malformation/pathology/*veterinary ; Body Size ; Diuretics/therapeutic use ; Dog Diseases/drug therapy/*pathology ; Dogs ; Female ; Furosemide/therapeutic use ; Male ; Prednisolone/therapeutic use ; Syringomyelia/drug therapy/pathology/*veterinary

PURPOSE: Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the gold standard for the surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), but the procedure's limitations are its invasiveness and the high prevalence of complications. Photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) using an 80w high power potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser has recently been developed as a less invasive treatment. We assessed the efficacy of PVP as an alternative to TURP for the treatment of BPH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 324 patients who were surgically treated for BPH from July 2005 to December 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Among the 324 patients, 190 patients of Group I were treated by TURP and 134 patients of Group II were treated by PVP. Before treatment, assessing the serum PSA level transrectal ultrasound and urodynamic study were done. The primary efficacy parameters were the postoperative international prostatic symptom score and the uroflow parametersat 6 months after the operation. The secondary efficacy parameters were perioperative factors such as the duration of the hospital stay, the operative time and the catheter-indwelling period. Any adverse reactions were monitored. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the basal characteristics of the study subjects between both the groups. The primary efficacy parameters, the IPSS, the Qmax and thepostvoid residual urine volume were significantly improved in both groups, but there were no significant differences between both the groups. In group II, the perioperative parameters such as the operation time, the hospitalization day and the catheter-indwelling periodwere significantly shorter than those of group I (p<0.05). But the urethral complications such as urethral stricture, dysuria and bladder neck contracture were more common in group II. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PVP using an 80w high power KTP could be an alternative for TURP in terms of efficacy. For the general, safe use of PVP, PVP should be carefully done until the causes of the urethral complications of PVP are determined.
Contracture ; Dysuria ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Neck ; Operative Time ; Prevalence ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Retrospective Studies ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Urethral Stricture ; Urinary Bladder ; Urodynamics ; Volatilization

There is increasing evidence that airway epithelial cells, when exposed to various gas-derived air pollutants, play an important role in airway inflammation by releasing inflammatory cytokines. However, there is little information on air pollutant-induced cytokine expression at the tissue level and on the role of sulfur dioxide (SO2), one of the major ambient air pollutants, in cytokine production. We studied whether or not a low concentration of sulfur dioxide induces an increase in tissue expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). After exposing surgically obtained normal human nasal turbinates to 0.05 ppm SO2 for one hour, we conducted specific immunohistochemical staining to assess the tissue expression of each cytokine. We found that the percent expression of IL-8 and GM-CSF in the surface epithelium was significantly higher in each SO2-exposed tissue than in the matched control tissue. However, there was no significant difference in the number of submucosal IL-4-positive cells between exposed and control specimens. These results suggest that exposure to a low concentration of SO2 increases airway inflammation, apparently by inducing an increase in the expression of GM-CSF and IL-8.
Air Pollutants ; Colony-Stimulating Factors ; Cytokines ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-4* ; Interleukin-8* ; Mucous Membrane* ; Nasal Mucosa ; Sulfur Dioxide* ; Sulfur* ; Turbinates*

Salmonella (S.) Typhimurium is highly contagious, and its infection may rapidly spread within pig populations of herd. According to the survey (1,191 pigs) from 2003 to 2012, 155 pigs (13.0%) were diagnosed as salmonellosis in Jeju. Major porcine salmonellosis cases (88.4%) were concentrated in 4- to 12-week-old weaned pigs, but 6 pigs (3.9%) under 4 weeks old were also diagnosed. Based on the histopathologic examinations, ulcerative enteritis (63.9%) in the large intestine and/or paratyphoid nodules formation (57.4%) in the liver were most prevalent lesions in porcine salmonellosis. Single infection of S. Typhimurium and mixed infection with more than 2 pathogens were detected in 38 (24.5%) and 117 (75.5%) in pigs, respectively. Co-infections of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and Porcine circovirus type 2 were very common in porcine salmonellosis in Jeju and detected in 84 (54.2%) and 59 (38.1%) pigs, respectively. Based on the serotyping tests using 41 bacterial isolates, S. Typhimurium and S. Rissen were confirmed in 39 (95.1%) and 2 (4.9%) cases, respectively.
Circovirus ; Coinfection ; Enteritis ; Intestine, Large ; Liver ; Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus ; Prevalence* ; Salmonella ; Salmonella Infections* ; Salmonella typhimurium ; Serotyping ; Swine ; Ulcer