This study was performed to evaluate the titer of serum acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR-Ab), the correlation between AChR-Ab titer and clinical state, clinical response to thymectomy and histopathologic finding of thymus in myasthenia gravis. Twenty-seven patients with various clinical grades of myasthenia gravis and twenty-three norrnal controls were included in this study. Mean AChR-Ab titers were 4.21+4.27nM in myasthenia gravis and 0.05+0.06nM in control group(p<0.05). Mean AChR-Ab titers of each clinical grade were 0.80+1.67nM in grade I, 5.05+3.42nN in grade Iia, 8.37+4.50nM in grade Iib, 6.67nM in grade m and 10.89nM in grade IV. There were significant correlation between clinical grade and level of AChR-AB titer. There were no correlation between degree of clinical improvement and changes of serum AChR-Ab titer after thymectomy in myasthenia gravis. There were also no correlation between level of AChR-Ab titers and histopathologic findings of thymus.
Acetylcholine ; Humans ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Thymectomy ; Thymus Gland

This study was performed to evaluate the titer of serum acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR-Ab), the correlation between AChR-Ab titer and clinical state, clinical response to thymectomy and histopathologic finding of thymus in myasthenia gravis. Twenty-seven patients with various clinical grades of myasthenia gravis and twenty-three norrnal controls were included in this study. Mean AChR-Ab titers were 4.21+4.27nM in myasthenia gravis and 0.05+0.06nM in control group(p<0.05). Mean AChR-Ab titers of each clinical grade were 0.80+1.67nM in grade I, 5.05+3.42nN in grade Iia, 8.37+4.50nM in grade Iib, 6.67nM in grade m and 10.89nM in grade IV. There were significant correlation between clinical grade and level of AChR-AB titer. There were no correlation between degree of clinical improvement and changes of serum AChR-Ab titer after thymectomy in myasthenia gravis. There were also no correlation between level of AChR-Ab titers and histopathologic findings of thymus.
Acetylcholine ; Humans ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Thymectomy ; Thymus Gland

Four strains of fowl adenovirus (FAdV) were isolated from 4 flocks of broiler or layer chickens affected by hydropericardium syndrome in Korea. These FAdVs were classified as serotype 4 by restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns of hexon genes and whole genomes. The virus exhibited cytopathic effects consisting of rounding, ballooning and clustering in primary chicken embryo liver cell cultures. In transmission electron microscopy, virus particles in hexagonal shape aggregated exclusively in the nuclei of hepatocytes of the chickens as the typical appearances in adenovirus infections. Buoyant density of the virus in cesium chloride (CsCl) was 1.34 g/mL. The virus was stable to chloroform, ether, 50~70% ethanol, acidic condition at pH 3, 0.25% trypsin (1 : 250), heat at 50degrees C for 30 min, but labile to 100% ethanol, heat at 52~60degrees C for 30 min, 1 M MgCl2 at 50degrees C for 1 h, 1 : 2,000 formalin (37%). All of the physicochemical properties pertained to the characteristics of adenoviruses. Eight viral polypeptides were determined in CsCl-purified virus by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
Adenoviridae ; Adenoviridae Infections ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cesium ; Chickens ; Chlorides ; Chloroform ; Electrophoresis ; Embryonic Structures ; Ethanol ; Ether, Ethyl ; Formaldehyde ; Genome ; Hepatocytes ; Hot Temperature ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Korea ; Liver ; Magnesium Chloride ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Peptides ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Sodium ; Trypsin ; Virion ; Viruses

The present study was attempted to investigate the effect of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) on secretion of catecholamines (CA) and to establish whether there is the existence of a noncholinergic mechanism in adrenomedullary CA secretion from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland. The perfusion into an adrenal vein of VIP (3 X 10-6 M) for 5 min or the injection of acetylcholine (ACh, 5.32 X 10-3 M) resulted in great increases in CA secretion. Tachyphylaxis to releasing effect of CA evoked by VIP was not observed by the repeated perfusion. The net increase in adrenal CA secretion evoked by VIP still remained unaffected in the presence of atropine or chlorisondamine. However, the CA release in response to ACh was greatly inhibited by the pretreatment with atropine or chlorisondamine. The releasing effects of CA evoked by either VIP or ACh were depressed by pretreatment with nicardipine, TMB-8, and the perfusion of Ca2+-free medium. Moreover, VIP- as well as ACh-evoked CA secretory responses were markedly inhibited under the presence of (Lys1, Pro2.5, Arg3.4, Tyr6)-VIP or naloxone. CA secretory responses induced by ACh and high K+ (5.6 X 10-2 M) were potentiated by infusion of VIP (3 X 10-6 M for 5 min). Taken together, these experimental results indicate that VIP causes CA release in a fashion of calcium ion-dependence, suggesting strongly that there exists a noncholinergic mechanism that may be involved in the regulation of adrenomedullary CA secretion through VIP receptors in the rat adrenal gland, and that VIP may be the noncholinergic excitatory secretagogue present in the chromaffin cells.
Acetylcholine ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenal Medulla* ; Animals ; Atropine ; Calcium ; Catecholamines ; Chlorisondamine ; Chromaffin Cells ; Naloxone ; Nicardipine ; Perfusion ; Rats* ; Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide ; Tachyphylaxis ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide ; Veins

Hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection has been suggested as the etiologic agent in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis(MPGN), but the mechanism by which HBV infection leads to MPGN in human has not been established. To localize the HBV antigen and HBV-DNA in the kidney tissue, we examined paraffin sections of kidney biopsies which were positive for HBsAg by immunohistochemical study from 13 HBV carriers with MPGN (HBV-MPGN). Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and in situ PCR(ISP) were used for the HBV DNA amplification and localization in kidney tissues. Primers used in PCR and ISP were from the S, C, and X HBV-DNA regions. Immunohistochemical study showed HBsAg deposits on the mesangium and glomerular capillaries. Arteriolar deposits were also occasionally observed. PCR for the S, C, and X regions were positive in 11 patients(85%), 11 patients(85%), and 9 patients (69%), respectively. The PCR findings were further confirmed by direct sequencing of PCR products and the amplification of HSP70 gene as a control. ISP showed the amplified HBV-DNA at the glomeruli and renal tubules. For S region, ISP was positive in 7 patients. For C and X regions, ISP was positive in 8 patients, respectively. 5 patients showed the positive signals for both the glomeruli and tubules, while 4 patients were positive at the tubules only. These 4 patients seemed to have the longer disease durations when compared to the other 5 patients (52.8 months vs. 11.8 months), but it was not statistically significant. In conclusion, the detection and the localization of HBV antigen and DNA in renal tissues indicate the presence of the complete virion in the kidney. These results suggest that HBV may infect the kidneys of HBV carriers with MPGN.
Biopsy ; Capillaries ; DNA ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative* ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney ; Paraffin ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Virion

A lymphatic cyst of the stomach is rare benign tumor which is composed of thin-walled lymphatic space lined by benign-appearing endothelial cells. It rarely manifests clinical symptoms, so it is found incidentally in most cases. Recently, a case of submucosal lymphatic cyst associated with early gastric cancer was experienced. An endoscopy revealed a slightly elevated, edematous lesion adjacent to the malignant ulcer. This case is herein reported with a brief review of related literature.
Endoscopy ; Endothelial Cells ; Lymphocele* ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome of laparoscopic (LA) vs. open appendectomy (OA) in children under 12 years old with perforated appendicitis. METHODS: We reviewed the medical files of 156 children who underwent LA (n=96), OA (n=59), and conversion (CO) (n=1), and compared duration of operation, length of hospital stay, incidence of wound infection, mechanical ileus, intra-abdominal abscess (IAA), and re-admission. RESULTS: Compared to OA, LA resulted in longer duration of operation (58.32+/-17.105 min vs. 44.27+/-18.735 min; p=0.001), but fewer wound infections (2.1% vs. 10.2%; p=0.054), and fewer cases of mechanical ileus (0% vs. 5.1%; p=0.053). No differences in the length of hospital stay (5.85+/-1.824 days vs. 6.10+/-3.027 days; p=0.526), IAA (2.1% vs. 1.7%; p=1.000), or re-admissions (2.1% vs. 5.1%; p=0.369) were observed. CONCLUSION: We report that although LA showed an association with longer duration of operation compared to OA, it is superior to OA with regard to incidence of wound infection and mechanical ileus.
Abdominal Abscess ; Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Child ; Humans ; Ileus ; Incidence ; Length of Stay ; Wound Infection

No abstract available.
Biopsy* ; Kidney Diseases* ; Kidney*

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in South Korea since the year 2000 and it is more common in elderly patients, with a peak incidence at around 70~80 years of age. However, these elderly patients receive treatment less often than do the younger patients because of organ dysfunction related to their age and their comorbidities, and they show poor tolerance to chemotherapy. The aims of this study were to analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment-related survival of elderly patients with lung cancer. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we analyzed the clinical data of 706 lung cancer patients who were diagnosed at hospitals in Daegu and Gyeongsangbukdo from January 2005 to December 2005. We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of the patients who were aged 70 years and older (elderly patients) with those clinical characteristics and outcomes of the younger individuals. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 68 years (from 29 to 93) and the elderly patients were 38.7% (n=273) of all the study's patients. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common type of lung cancer in both the elderly and younger patient groups. Elderly patients had more symptoms of dyspnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than the younger patients (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). A good performance status (ECOG 0-1) was less common for the elderly patients (p<0.001). The median survival of the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients was significantly higher in the younger patient group than in the elderly patient group (962 days vs 298 days, respectively, p=0.001). However, the median survival of the NSCLC patients who received any treatment showed no significant difference between the younger patient group and the elderly patient group (1,109 days vs 708 days, respectively, p=0.14). CONCLUSION: Our data showed that appropriate treatment for selected elderly patients improved the survival of patients with NSCLC. Therefore, elderly NSCLC patients with a good performance status should be encouraged to receive appropriate treatment.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Comorbidity ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies

no abstract available.