The daily pollen counts in the air of Seoul, Korea were measured using a rotorod sampler from June 1990 to July 1992. Two distinct pollen periods were noted: tree pollens such as alder, poplar, willow, oak and pine appeared in the spring from March to May, and weed pollens, such as Artemisia spp., Ambrosia spp. and Hop japanese appeared in the autumn from August to September. Various kinds of grass pollen appeared from June to September. The study indicated that there were two pollen peaks in Seoul composed of tree pollens in spring and weed pollens in autumn.
Air Pollution/*statistics & numerical data ; Allergens/*analysis ; Humans ; Korea ; Plants ; *Pollen/classification ; Seasons

PURPOSE: Mucinous colorectal cancers have a poorer prognosis than which colorectal cancer produce low amount of mucin, but the exact mechanism is not well understood. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the exact mechanism of invasion and metastasis of high mucin producing colon cancer cells using mucin glycosylation inhibitor, benzyl-alpha-N-acetylgalactosamine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To evaluate the effect of glycosylated mucin on invasion and metastasis, in vitro invasion, metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity, cell-matrix protein binding, cell-cell aggregation, as well as endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule (ELAM-1) binding and cell surface expression of various mucin related antigens were analyzed. RESULTS: MMPs activity in conditioned medium and invasion of ECM-coated porous filters by benzyl-alpha-GalNAc treated HM7 cells were decreased. There was no difference between control and treated HM7 cells in terms of matrix protein binding assay, but treated HM7 cells showed higher homotypic cell adhesion. The binding activity of treated HM7 cells to ELAM-1 was significantly decreased and fixed cell binding of MoAb SNH-3, 19-9 (specific for sialyl-Lewis X and sialyl-Lewis A) were also significantly decreased. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that glycosylated mucin modulates ELAM-1 binding, MMPs activity and homotypic cell adhesion, therefore enhance invasive and metastatic properties of human colon cancer cells.
Cell Adhesion ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; E-Selectin ; Glycosylation ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Metalloproteases ; Mucins* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prognosis ; Protein Binding

Ventilation during general anesthesia for bronchoscopy has recently been greatly improved by application of the Venturi principle. Ever since 1967 when Sanders published a paper describing the Venturi principle for ventilatory bronchoscopy, this technique has become increasingly popular. Many papers have been published promoting the use of the Venturi principle which in most cases entails a 16-gauge needle aimed distally down the proximal end of a bronchoscope through which a jet of oxygen is intermittently injected to produced positive pressure ventilation in the lungs. In our study, ten patients undergoing bronchoscopy were ventilated with the Venturi stsytem and the patients were bronchoscoped with a Karl Stors bronchoscope lined with a Venturi oxygen injecttimer, Freiberg 8585T, to which oxygen was supplied from an adjustable pressure reducing valve connected to pipeline oxygen at 55 psi. The following results were obtained: 1) Ten patients verying in age from 2 to 53 years were bronchoscoped becaeuse of subglotticedema, granuloma, emphysems, and tracheal stenosis. 2) The internal diameter of the bronchoscopes varied from 3.0mm to 6.5mm and the inflation pressure varies also from 0.4bar to 1.0bar. The inspiration to expiration time ratio was 1:2 and 1:3. 3) The average PaO2 was well maintained during bronchoscopy and in the postanesthetic stage, but the PaCO2 was slightly increased over the preoperative values. The explanation for this result is that the bronchoscope fitted too tightly to the trachea, so that exhalation was incomplete, and the process of exchange inhibited the elimination of CO2 from the lungs. The results obtained from this study suggest that this technic and device, when used properly, should provide adequate ventilation and an improved visual isation of the operative field.
Anesthesia, General ; Bronchoscopes ; Bronchoscopy* ; Exhalation ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Inflation, Economic ; Lung ; Needles ; Oxygen* ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Pulmonary Ventilation* ; Trachea ; Tracheal Stenosis ; Ventilation

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is an uncommon, tumorlike lesion that occurs at a number of body sites. Although the lung is the best known and most commonly organ, IMT has been found in diverse extrapulmonary locations, including the breast.Despite the performance of breast biopsy, the finding of IMT of the breast is exceedingly rare. IMT is a benign lesion and excision is the treatment of choice, but there is a relatively high rate of recurrence. We describe here two cases of IMT of the breast that occurred in a 21-year-old woman and a 28-year-old woman.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Breast* ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Myofibroblasts* ; Recurrence ; Young Adult

We report the result of a high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in a Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura patient with severe abdominal pain and nephrotic syndrom who did not respond to methylprednisolone pulse therapy. Kidney bbiopsy showed diffuse mesangial cell proliferative glomerulonephritis with fibrocellular crescent formation in approximately 50% of glomeruli. Mesangium of all glomeruli were strong positive for IgA and C3 antibodies. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin treatment was introduced and dramatic improvement of gastrointestinal symptom and proteinuria as well as hematuria was noted. Immunoglobulin administration should be considered in Henoch-Schnlein purpura patients with sterois-resistant intractable dastrointestinal manifestation and renal involvenment.
Abdominal Pain ; Antibodies ; Glomerulonephritis ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Immunization, Passive ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulins* ; Kidney ; Mesangial Cells ; Methylprednisolone ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Proteinuria ; Purpura* ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch

Adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC) is a rare cause of adrenal insufficiency during neonatal period. Mutations in the gene coding for DAX1 cause X-linked adrenal hypoplasia. Most affected patients are shown to have salt wasting and hyperpigmentation on the skin during the neonatal period and require intensive medical care. In addition, it is usually associated with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in adolescence. The DAX1 gene is expressed in the adrenal cortex, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, testis, and ovary. We report on a patient with genetically confirmed AHC whose initial clinical presentations were consistent with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. A point mutation in the DAX1 gene identified in this report resulted in a truncated DAX1 protein. Our patient was diagnosed with AHC.
Adolescent ; Adrenal Cortex ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ; Adrenal Insufficiency ; Clinical Coding ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Hypogonadism ; Hypothalamus ; Infant, Newborn* ; Korea* ; Ovary ; Pituitary Gland ; Point Mutation ; Skin ; Testis

PURPOSE: There are increasing evidences that angiogenesis enhances tumor growth and biological aggressiveness in gastric carcinoma. Mast cells have been implicated in the angiogenic process, by secreting angiogenic factors including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), or enzymes that degrade extracellular matrices. However, the exact nature of mast cells in relation to cancer is contradictory so we conducted retrospective studies, to find the significance of mast cell densities, and microvessel counts in each clinicopathologic factors, including VEGF expression, in proper muscle (PM) gastric carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 52 specimens, obtained from patients with PM gastric carcinoma, were studied using the immunohistochemical methods, monoclonal antibodies for mast cell tryptase, factor VIII-related antigen and VEGF. RESULTS: Mast cell densities were significantly increased in diffuse histologic type (p=0.042), infiltrating margins (p<0.0001) and VEGF positive (p=0.010) tumors.Microvessel counts were significantly higher in patients over 55 years old (p=0.024), with tumor sizes larger than >3 cm (p=0.015), diffuse histologic type (p=0.038) and lymph node metastasis (p=0.001). Similarly there were significantly increased densities in VEGF positive tumors (p<0.0001). Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between mast cell densities and microvessel counts (r=0.614, p<0.01), indicating a high vascular grade with increased number of mast cells. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated a close relationship between mast cell densities, microvessel counts and VEGF expression. These results suggest that mast cells and VEGF are important regulators of tumor angiogenesis and cooperatively induce the formation of vascular stroma in PM gastric carcinomas.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Extracellular Matrix ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Mast Cells* ; Microvessels ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Tryptases ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A* ; von Willebrand Factor

BACKGROUND: There was a widespread outbreak of mumps at elementary and middle schools in Pohang city in March 1999. We have carried out an epidemiologic survey to trace the source and mode of transmission of the outbreak, as well as evaluating the effect of vaccination as a measure of controlling the outbreak. METHODS: Questionnaire survey on 959 students showed that attack rate was 10.7%. There was no significant difference between genders in terms of attack rates. However, second graders outnumbered other groups as 16.9%, comparing to 8.1% among first graders and to 7.0% in the third graders. RESULTS: Cases of mumps were reported in 1998, primarily in the neighboring elementary schools. The disease was also reported earlier in 1999, sporadically. In March, however, number of the cases was sharply on the rise as the middle schools opened for a new semester. Our investigation revealed that infection stemmed from more than three different sources, particularly in the classes of second graders, and then spread to all students, corresponding to the distance between students. Effect of vaccination during the outbreak was pretty good: attack rate of the group vaccinated since May 1st, considering the maximum latent period of infections (21 days), was 0.8%, comparing to 5%. The efficiency of vaccination marked 84.8%.(95% confidence interval 79.66-89.94) Although the authors recommended the students to wear flue masks and wash their hands as often as possible to screen infections among the students, it turned out that such measures had little effect for the prevention of spread. CONCLUSIONS: The number of mumps cases dropped remarkably among vaccinated the students the prevalent period of the disease. Authors concluded that is effective to control the outbreak if it is done at early stage.
Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea* ; Masks ; Mumps* ; Vaccination* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Maxilla ; Maxillary Sinus ; Molar, Third ; Odontogenic Tumors ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Tooth, Impacted

Transplantation of ABO-nmatched solid organs has been associated with the development of immune hemolysis due to donor-erived antibodies produced by passenger lymphocytes in the graft, called "Passenger Lymphocyte Syndrome". In a liver transplantation, about 40% of patients at risk has detectable donor-erived antibodies and hemolytic anemia occurs in 29% of patients. It is characterized by hemoglobinemia, a rapid fall in hemoglobin, hyperbilirubinemia, and an excessive red cell transfusion requirement occurring 1 to 3 weeks after the transplantation. These clinical findings are accompanied by the laboratory findings of a positive direct antiglobulin test and the detection of unexpected antibodies in the patients' red cell eluate and serum. Both the hemolytic anemia and serology resolve over the course of weeks to months. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of hemolytic anemia due to passenger lymphocyte syndrome after ABO-nmatched liver transplantation in Korea.
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Antibodies ; Coombs Test ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Korea ; Liver Transplantation ; Liver* ; Lymphocytes* ; Transplants