OBJECTIVES: Cadmium (Cd), a toxic and non-essential metal, is recognized as a human carcinogen, which has a tendency to accumulate in the human body. The levels of Cd in renal cortex and liver are good indicators as an index of Cd exposure in the general population. In this study, we present an estimation of reference Cd levels in tissue (renal cortex and liver) and total body burden in the general population of Korea. MEDTHODS: Cd and zinc (Zn) were analyzed in renal cortex and liver from 254 autopsies (male : 188 cases, female : 66 cases) aged 0 to 87 years. RESULTS: Geometric mean concentration of Cd was 27.4 and 3.1 ua/g wet weight in renal cortex and liver, respectively. The level of Zn in renal cortex and liver was 35.4 and 42. 6 v/g wet weight, respectively. The result suggests that kidney is the target organ for Cd accumulation. The accumulation of Cd in renal cortex was age-dependent with a biphasic pattern. The level of Cd in renal cortex increased with age up to the fifties, and then leveled off thereafter. Based on the data, the regression model for Cd accumulation in renal cortex by age is predicted by : Log KCd = 0. 2325 + 0. 0553 Age 0. 0005 Age. The highest Cd accumulation in renal cortex of Koreans was estimated at 43. 3 ua/g wet weight at 50. 8 years old. In addition, the total Cd body burden by age was estimated by the following equation: Total Cd Body Burden = -4. 5948 + l. 2278 Age - 0. 0121 Age. The highest body burden of Cd was estimated at 26. 5 mg at age 50. 7 years in the Korean general population. The positive correlation between Zn and Cd was observed in renal cortex and liver. CONCLUSIONS: The level of Cd exposure in Korean was found to be lower than in Japanese, but same as or higher than in American and Europeans.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Autopsy ; Body Burden ; Cadmium* ; Child ; Female ; Human Body ; Humans ; Kidney Cortex ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Liver* ; Reference Values* ; Zinc

In order to investigate the clinical results of keratomileusis-in-situ for high myopia, the effects of the procedure on 54 patients(61 eyes) who were followed up at least for 3 months were analyzed retrospectively. Mean preoperative spherical equivalent(S,E) was -20.32 diopter(D) , while mean postoperative S.E was -3.70 D at 3 months, -4.81 D at 6 months, -5.82 D at 9 months and -6.13 D at 12 months. Postoperative myopic regression was more severe in male than in female patient group(P<0.01). Postoperative cylindrical change was not significant but uncorrected visual acuity was markedly improved. The complications of keratomileusis-in-situ were loss of corneal cap(3 eyes), foreign body in stromal interface(1 eyes), epithelial in growth(6 eyes), increased intraocular pressure (5 eyes), and keratitis(2 eyes). Keratomileusis-in-situ, when performed for severe high myopia with Ruiz nomogram, resulted in undercorrection. And progressive myopic regression was observed until 9 months after surgery especially for young male patients.
Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Myopia* ; Nomograms ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND: For an early detection and prevention of dementia, there are growing concerns about the high-risk group for dementia and mild cognitive impairment. With an increase of obesity and its complications, obesity has become a major public health problem. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between obesity and the high probability of dementia. METHODS: This study was done with subjects aged 60 to 89 years who visited a health promotion center, from April 1, 2008 to April 30, 2008. A total of 293 subjects (164 males and 129 females) were included in the evaluation of cognitive function using the Korean version of the Seven Minutes Screen test. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between obesity and the high-risk group for dementia. RESULTS: Among a total of 293 subjects, 71 subjects (29 males and 42 females) had a high probability of dementia. When compared to normal body mass index (BMI) group, overweight and obesity groups had about a 2.2-fold and 2.4-fold higher probability of dementia (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 4.99 and 95% CI, 1.07 to 5.46, respectively). When compared to non-obese and non-abdominal obesity group, non-obese and abdominal obesity group and obese and abdominal obesity group had about a 1.5-fold and 2.0-fold higher probability of dementia (95% CI, 0.59 to 3.95 and 95% CI, 1.09 to 3.84, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study shows that as the BMI increased, subjects had a higher probability of dementia; additionally, it suggests that abdominal obesity could be related to a higher probability of dementia.
Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Dementia ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Mild Cognitive Impairment ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Overweight ; Public Health ; Waist Circumference

In 22 end-stage renal disease patients on regular hemodialysis, echocardiographic study including 2-D Doppler echocardiogrphy was performed to evaluate the effect of hemodialysis on cardiac performance and the degree of valvular regurgitation. After hemodialysis, there were significant improvement of ventricular contractility and reduction of circulating volume in accordance with the reduction of degree of valvular regurgitation in comparison with before hemodialysis. We postulate that the reduction of valvular regurgitation after hemodialysis is caused by relief of hypervolemic state.
Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Renal Dialysis*

Hamartoma is a non-malignant malformation or developmental anomaly of tissue development that may occur anywhere in the body but is rarely reported in the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, or nasopharynx. Chondro-osseous respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma (CO-REAH) of the nasal cavity is exceedingly rare, and can be confused both grossly and microscopically with more serious sinonasal tumors. We present the case of a 58-year-old man with a nasal cavity mass, which was removed by an endonasal approach. Radiographic and histological studies permitted a diagnosis of CO-REAH in this case.
Hamartoma ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasopharynx ; Nose Neoplasms ; Paranasal Sinuses

PURPOSE: CT and MR findings of cerebral fat embolism syndrome(CFES) have been rarely reported, because its diagnosis had been made on the basis of only clinical features in the majority of the cases. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical, CT, and MR findings in six patients of CFES. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Brain CT and MR findings were retrospectively analyzed in six patients with CFES that was diagnosed on the basis of clinical and MRI findings. All six patients had long bone fractures and showed typical delayed clinical manifestations 2-3 days later. Both CT and MRI were examined in all of six patients. Initial CT scan was performed within 48 hours after trauma in all patients, andfollow-up CT scan was done in 2-11 days in two patients. MRI was done within 2-7 days after trauma in three patients, and 13 days, 18 days, and 45 days in other three patients. Follow-up MRI studies were performed in 2-60 weeks in four patients. Clinical and laboratory findings were analyzed retrospectively with medical records. CT and MRI findings were evaluated with regard to presence or absence of diffuse brain swelling and focal abnormalities of signal intensity(density). RESULTS: CT scans obtained within 2 days after trauma showed diffuse cerebral swelling in five patients and normal findng in one patient. On Tl-weighted MRI, diffuse cerebral swelling was shown in three cases and high signal spots suggesting cerebral petechial hemorrhage were noted in both caudate nuclei and thalami in two cases. On T2-weighted images, high signal spots which were shown on Tl-weighted image were not visible. In all of six cases, multiple lesions of high signal were observed mainly in the cerebral white matters, cerebellum and brain stem, probably representing ischemia/infarct or edema. On the follow-up MRI studies performed within a period from weeks to one month after trauma, the size and the number of the lesions were significantly decreased and these findings were well corresponded with clinical course. CONCLUSION: MR findings' of CFES include diffuse cerebral swelling, petechial hemorrhage and mi- croinfarcts, which characteristically improved in short period. In cases suspected of having CFES, MRI is more useful than CT for initial and follow-up studies because of its high detection rate of lesions and correspondence with clinical course.
Brain ; Brain Edema ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellum ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Embolism, Fat* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Bone ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To compare nerve growth factor (NGF) levels in tears and on the ocular surface of normal controls with those of non-Sjogren type keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) subjects, and investigate the effect of 0.1% prednisolone eye drops on NGF levels in KCS patients. METHODS: Baseline tear NGF levels were measured in 41 KCS patients and 23 healthy control subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). KCS patients received 0.1% prednisolone drops in one eye, and 0.1% hyaluronic acid drops in the other eye, three times daily for 28 days. Impression cytology (IC) and immunostaining for NGF on conjunctival epithelium was performed for both groups. RESULTS: KCS patients were found to have higher baseline tear NGF concentrations compared to age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects (65.9+/-14.5 vs. 122.1+/-45.3, p<0.0001). In KCS patients, prednisolone treatment for 28 days resulted in a decrease in tear NGF levels, symptom scores and IC scores, whereas hyaluronic acid treatment had no such effect (68.2+/-25.0 pg/microgram vs. 108.0+/-43.4 pg/microgram, p<0.0001 for tear NGF/TP ratio; 2.16+/-1.01 vs. 3.39+/-1.50, p=0.0014 for symptom scale; 1.05+/-0.67 vs. 1.61+/-0.86, p=0.0317 for IC). Measurements taken at both 14 and 28 days indicate that neither prednisolone nor hyaluronic acid treatment affected BUT or Schirmer values. CONCLUSIONS: KCS patients showed elevated levels of tear NGF, which were decreased by treatment with 0.1% prednisolone. These data suggest that the ocular surface NGF may play an important role in ocular surface inflammation processes associated with dry eyes.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Inflammation ; Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca* ; Keratoconjunctivitis* ; Nerve Growth Factor* ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Prednisolone*

A virus strain, showing cytopathic effect in Vero cell, was isolated from plasma of a fattening pig in Gyeonggi province, Korea in October 1999. The evaluation of physicochemical/biological properties of the isolate showed that the virus, KV1899, inoculated suckling mouse showed paralysis and died within 7 days post-inoculation, the mouse brain suspension had hemagglutinating activity with goose RBC. Pathogenicity of isolate was carried out by intracranial and intraperitoneal inoculation of 3-4 weeks mice. The mice inoculated with isolate showed 10 4.5 LD50/ 0.03 ml and 10 3.0 LD50/0.5 ml according to the inoculation route. The isolate was identified as RNA and enveloped virus using IUDR and chloroform sensitivity test. The virus particles within the infected Vero cell were measured to be 40-50 nm in size by electron microscopy. The isolate was further characterized by immuno-fluorescence assay using Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) specific monoclonal antibodies. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed the presence of JE specific conserved sequences in this isolate. The artificially inoculated pigs had HI titer of 320 to 2,560 against JEV at 14 to 42 days post inoculation. We confirmed this isolate as Japanese encephalitis virus. It was the second isolation of JEV in pigs in Korea.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral/analysis ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese/*classification/*isolation & purification/ultrastructure ; Encephalitis, Japanese/pathology/*veterinary/virology ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect/veterinary ; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests/veterinary ; Hemagglutination Tests/veterinary ; Korea ; Mice ; Microscopy, Electron/veterinary ; RNA, Viral/analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/pathology/*virology ; Vero Cells/virology

One step TaqMan reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using TaqMan probe was developed for detection of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Real-time RT-PCR was optimized to quantify JEV using the detection system (Rotor Gene 2000 detector) and dual-labeled fluorogenic probes. The gene specific labeled fluorogenic probe for the 3' non-translated region (3' NTR) was used to detect JEV. When the specificity of the assay using specific JEV primers was evaluated by testing three different JEV strains, other swine viruses and bovine viral diarrhea virus, no cross-reactions were detected with non-JE reference viruses. A single tube TaqMan assay was shown to be 10-fold more sensitive than the conventional two-step RT-PCR method. Detection limits of two step and real-time RT-PCR for JEV were 112 TCID50 /ml and 11.2 TCID50 /ml, respectively. Quantification of JEV was accomplished by a standard curve plotting cycle threshold values (Ct ) versus infectivity titer. Real-time RT-PCR assay using single tube method could be used as a sensitive diagnostic test, and supplied the results in real time for detection and quantification of JEV. We could detect JEV RNA genome in plasma samples of pigs inoculated with KV1899 strain at 2 days post inoculation, but couldn't in 41 fetus samples. This assay was sensitive, specific, rapid and quantitative for the detection of JEV from laboratory and field samples.
Animals ; DNA Primers/chemistry ; DNA Probes/chemistry ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese/genetics/*isolation&purification ; Encephalitis, Japanese/diagnosis/*veterinary/virology ; RNA, Viral/analysis ; Reproducibility of Results ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods/*veterinary ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*diagnosis/virology ; *Taq Polymerase

No abstract available.
Animals ; Autoradiography ; Carcinogenesis* ; Diethylnitrosamine ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase* ; Liver* ; Rats*