No abstract available.
Carrier State*

The effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) on movement and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive (ir) neuronal changes in young (5~6 weeks) and aged (10~12 months) C57BL/6 mice were studied. Locomotor activity was measured during 180 minutes after a single injection of 30 mg/kg of MPTP. For immunohistochemistry both young and aged mice were injected four repeated dosages of 10 mg/kg of MPTP 12 hours apart. We counted the numbers of TH-ir cell bodies using immunohistochemical technique in substantia nigra (SN), ventral tegmental area (VTA) and locus ceruleus (LC) 7 days after the last injection of MPTP. There was a marked decrease of locomotor activity in MPTP-treated young and aged mice, and a delay in recovery of locomotor activity in MPTP-treated aged mice. In young mice, there was a decrease in the number of TH-ir cell bodies in the SN of young mice, but not in VTA or LC. In aged mice, there was a significant decrease in the number of TH-ir cell bodies in VTA as well as SN. It was concluded that aged mice were more sensitive to MPTP than young mice, and MPTP-treated aged mice a more useful animal model for studing the characteristics of Parkinson's disease.
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine* ; Aging* ; Animals ; Immunohistochemistry ; Locus Coeruleus ; Mice* ; Models, Animal ; Motor Activity ; Neurons* ; Parkinson Disease ; Substantia Nigra ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; Ventral Tegmental Area

This report is based on analysis of admissions to the department of pediatric at the Wonju Christian Hospital during the 3 3/4-year period from January 1989 to September 1993 with an Isolated ostium secundum ASD. Several methods of assessment of ASD size, namely, echographic, pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratio(Qp:Qs), and angiographic measures, were undertaken in a group of 37 patients, who were being evaluated for transcatheter closure of ASD; the results were compared with the operation diameter. The result of study was as follows : 1) The (Qp:Qs) ratio have no significant(p>0.01) correlation with the operation diameter(r= 0.342) 2) The angiographic size have a significant(p<0.01) correlation with the operation diameter (r=0.842) 3) The echo diameter has the best correlation with the operation diameter(r=0.935; p<0.01) The operation diameter can be estimated by the equation: 1.05 x echo diameter in millimeters+0.93mm. It is concluded that operation diameter of ASD can be estimated accurately by two-dimensional subcostal echo measurements, which in turn could be used for selection of device size for occlusion of the ASD.
Angiocardiography ; Echocardiography* ; Gangwon-do ; Humans

No abstract available.
Panniculitis*

Although atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) has no apparent direct effect on human health, it does have direct effects on plants. The present study evaluated the influence of increased CO₂ levels on the concentration of allergens from common ragweed pollen by setting up a chamber study to model future air conditions and a field study to evaluate current air conditions. For the chamber study, we established 20 ragweed plants in an open-top chamber under different CO₂ levels (380–400, 500–520, 600–620, and 1,000–1,100 parts per million [ppm]). For the field study, we established ragweed plants in rural (Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do; mean CO₂ 320±54.8 ppm) and urban (Gangnam, Seoul; mean CO₂ 440±78.5 ppm) locations. Seeds of the common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) were obtained from Daejin University. The Amb a 1 protein content of pollen extracts was quantified using a double sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In our chamber study, the median concentration of Amb a 1 in pollen increased with increasing in CO₂ concentration (1.88 ng/µg in 380–400 ppm CO₂; 3.14 ng/µg in 500–520 ppm CO₂; 4.44 ng/µg in 600–620 ppm CO₂; and 5.36 ng/µg in 1,000–1,100 ppm CO₂). In our field study, we found no significantly different concentration of Amb a 1 between the pollen extracts at the Pocheon (mean±standard deviation, 1.63±0.3 ng/µg pollen in 320±54.8 ppm CO₂) and the Gangnam (2.04±0.7 ng/µg pollen in CO₂ in 440±78.5 ppm CO₂) locations, although the concentration of Amb a 1 was increased in the Gangnam than in the Pocheon locations. Our results suggest that future increases in CO₂ levels to more than 600 ppm will significantly elevate the Amb a 1 content in common ragweeds, although the current different CO₂ levels do not cause differences in the Amb a 1 content of ragweed pollen.
Allergens ; Ambrosia* ; Carbon Dioxide ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Pollen ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; Seoul

BACKGROUND: The incidence of cervical esophageal cancer is low compared with that of thoracic esophageal cancer, and the role of surgery for cervical esophageal cancer is limited compared with that of radiotherapy or chemotherapy. This study was carried out to determine the outcome of surgery for cervical esophageal cancer. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We analyzed retrospectively medical records of 43 patients who had undergone curative surgical resection for cervical esophageal cancer from January 1989 to December 2002. Follow-up loss was absent and the last follow-up was carried out in February 28, 2004. RESULT: The mean age was 60 years old and the male to female ratio was 40:3. Histologic types were squamous cell carcinoma 42 patients and malignant melanoma 1 patient. The methods used for esophageal reconstruction were gastric pull-up 32 patients, free jejunal graft 7 patients and colon interposition 4 patients. Postoperative complications occurred in 31 patients (72%), and operative mortality occurred in 7 patients (16%). Pathologic stages were I 3, IIa 14, IIb 1, III 19, and IVa 6 patients. Tumor recurrence occurred in 16 patients (44%), and the 3 and 5-year survival rates were 29.3% and 20.9%. CONCLUSION: The reported surgical results for cervical esophageal cancer showed somewhat high operative mortality, postoperative complication rates and recurrence rates and a low long-term survival rate. It is suggested that multimodality treatment including surgery is needed for the treatment of cervical esophageal cancer because radiotherapy or chemotherapy without surgery could not relieve dysphagia or resolve the tumor completely.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Colon ; Deglutition Disorders ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Medical Records ; Melanoma ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Transplants

Sclerotic fibroma is a rare skin neoplasm that can occur seen sporadically or in association with Cowden's disease. Clinically, it presents as asymptomatic flesh-colored or pinkish slow-growing papules or nodules with a wide anatomical distribution. We report a rare case of pedunculated type of sclerotic fibroma resembling soft fibroma, which has not been reported in Korea.
Fibroma ; Hamartoma Syndrome, Multiple ; Korea ; Skin Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: In the resection of lung cancer, pneumonectomy occupied 20~35% of all resections, and significantly high operative mortality is reported in right pneumonectomy (10~25%). The aim of this study is to identify the characteristics of morbidity, operative mortality and factors affecting operative mortality after pneumonectomy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This study recruited the database which performed pneumonectomy for lung cancer in Korea Cancer Center Hospital from Aug 1987 to Apr 2002. RESULT: Total of 386 pneumonectomies were performed in that period. Sidedness were left in 238, right in 148; and the procedures were standard resection in 207, and extended resection in 179. Morbidity occurred in 115 cases (29.8%, 115/386). Mortality occurred in 12 cases (3.1%, 12 in 386). This mortality rate was similar to that of lobectomy (2.1%, 13 in 613) during the same period. Morbidity consisted of 42 hoarseness, 17 (9) pneumonia and ARDS, 8 empyema, 5 (1) broncho-pleural fistula, 5 reoperation for bleeding, 5 (1) arrhythmia, 1 (1) pulmonary edema, and 25 others (The number in the parenthesis is the number of mortality case for that morbidity). Several factors affecting the operative mortality were evaluated. At first, extended procedure (3.3%, 6 in 179) affected the operative mortality similar to the standard procedure (2.9%, 6 in 207)(p=0.812). Second, the rate of operative mortality in an elderly group over 60 years (5.5%, 10 in 182) was significantly higher than the younger group under 60 years (1%, 2 in 204)(p=0.016). Third, sidedness of resection affects to operative mortality. Right pneumonectomy (6.8%, 10 in 148) showed higher operative mortality than that of left pneumonectomy (0.8%, 2 in 238)(p=0.002). The group over 60 years showed higher incidence of respiratory morbidity (11.0%, 20 in 182) than that of the group under 60 years (3.4%, 7 in 204)(p=0.005). Right pneumonectomy also showed significantly higher incidence (11.5%, 17 in 148) than that of left pneumonectomy (4.2%, 10 in 238)(p=0.008). CONCLUSION: Age and sidedness of pneumonectomy were the risk factors of operative mortality and respiratory complications. Therefore, careful selection of patients and more attention perioperatively were demanded in right pneumonectomy. However, because the operative mortality is acceptable, pneumonectomy could be done safely if the pneumonectomy is necessary for curative resection of lung cancer.
Aged ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Empyema ; Fistula ; Hemorrhage ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mortality ; Pneumonectomy* ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Edema ; Reoperation ; Risk Factors*

PURPOSE: Vitamin D levels are known to be associated with development of allergic diseases. However, existing data are controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate whether vitamin D levels are associated with food sensitization (FS) in young children with atopic dermatitis (AD). METHODS: We performed a medical record review of all patients under 2 years presenting to pediatric allergic clinic in Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital for atopic dermatitis between March 1, 2012 and February 28, 2013. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)levels and six specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) to common food allergens were measured in 132 young children with AD. We defined vitamin D insufficiency was 25(OH)D <30 ng/mL, and FS as specific IgE > or =0.35 IU/mL to any of six common food allergens. Associations between serum 25(OH)D levels and FS were examined by using multiple logistic regression, adjusting for potential risk and confounding factors. RESULTS: The mean age was 10.1 months. Among the 132 children with AD, 65.9% had FS. In this group, there was a negative correlation between 25(OH)D levels and serum eosinophil percentage (correlation coefficient [r]=-0.335, P<0.01), but not correlated with serum total IgE levels. Children with vitamin D insufficiency were more likely to have FS (adjusted odds ratio, 17.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.36 to 215; P=0.028) than those with adequate vitamin D levels. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with FS in young children with AD. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Allergens ; Child ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eosinophils ; Heart ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Odds Ratio ; Vitamin D ; Vitamins

Recurrent annular erythema associated with anti-Ro/La antibody is a diagnostic term for annular erythemas that usually occurs in the face and the upper extremities of patients with positive anti-Ro/La antibodies. They have been reported in patients with Sjogren's syndrome, lupus erythematosus, or Sjogren's syndrome/systemic lupus erythematosus syndrome. Recently, there have been cases without any underlying autoimmune diseases. We, hereby, report an annular erythema, associated with anti-Ro/La antibody occurring in both soles, which is an unusual location for this disease.
Antibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Erythema ; Humans ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; Skin Diseases, Genetic ; Upper Extremity