BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains unclear. The purposes of this study are to elucidate the clinical significance of COX-2 in clear cell RCC (CCRCC) and to assess the treatment effect of COX-2 inhibition on CCRCC cell lines. METHODS: Using tumor samples obtained from 137 patients who had undergone nephrectomy at Seoul National University Hospital, we evaluated COX-2 expression on immunohistochemistry. Moreover, we performed the cell proliferation assay using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and cell invasion assay. Thus, we evaluated the effect of meloxicam, an inhibitor of COX-2, in two human CCRCC cell lines. RESULTS: Cancer-specific survival (p=0.038) and progression-free survival (p=0.031) were shorter in the COX-2 high expression group. A multivariate logistic regression model showed that COX-2 expression was an independent risk factor for pTNM stage and Fuhrman nuclear grade. The MTT assay revealed that COX-2 inhibition led to the suppression of the proliferation of CCRCC cell lines. Moreover, it also reduced their invasion capacity. CONCLUSIONS: This study postulates that COX-2 is a poor prognostic indicator in human CCRCC, suggesting that COX-2 inhibition can be a potential therapy in CCRCC.
Humans ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains unclear. The purposes of this study are to elucidate the clinical significance of COX-2 in clear cell RCC (CCRCC) and to assess the treatment effect of COX-2 inhibition on CCRCC cell lines. METHODS: Using tumor samples obtained from 137 patients who had undergone nephrectomy at Seoul National University Hospital, we evaluated COX-2 expression on immunohistochemistry. Moreover, we performed the cell proliferation assay using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and cell invasion assay. Thus, we evaluated the effect of meloxicam, an inhibitor of COX-2, in two human CCRCC cell lines. RESULTS: Cancer-specific survival (p=0.038) and progression-free survival (p=0.031) were shorter in the COX-2 high expression group. A multivariate logistic regression model showed that COX-2 expression was an independent risk factor for pTNM stage and Fuhrman nuclear grade. The MTT assay revealed that COX-2 inhibition led to the suppression of the proliferation of CCRCC cell lines. Moreover, it also reduced their invasion capacity. CONCLUSIONS: This study postulates that COX-2 is a poor prognostic indicator in human CCRCC, suggesting that COX-2 inhibition can be a potential therapy in CCRCC.
Humans ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: To explore nurses' compliance with standards for critical care nursing practice in intensive care units (ICUs) and to provide basic data for high quality of critical care nursing. METHOD: A total of 616 participants from 61 ICUs which are graded from 1 to 7 throughout the nation were surveyed. Data were collected from February 9 to February 27, 2009 using a uestionnaire consisting of 58 questions including 50 nursing activities as indicators. RESULTS: The rate of ICU nurses' compliance with standards for critical care nursing practice was high. As for individual standards, compliance with the standard of assessment was the highest, followed by implementation, diagnosis, and planning in that order. There were differences in compliance according to nurses' ICU experience, work place (unit), and ICU grade. A shortage of manpower was considered as a main cause for noncompliance. CONCLUSION: The present compliance rate with standards for critical care nursing practice by ICU nurses was identified. Therefore, compliance rate can be used to promote quality of critical care nursing and development of educational programs for ICU nurses.
Compliance ; Critical Care ; Hypogonadism ; Intensive Care Units ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Workplace

The p53 gene, which resides on the short arm of chromosome 17, has been described as a tumor suppressor gene playing a role of G1 checkpoint monitering DNA damage, but mutation of this gene has been shown in numerous types of human cancers. The nm23-H1 gene encodes human NDP(nucleotide diphosphate) kinase. The expression of nm23-H1 gene was postulated to inversely correlate with metastatic potential of malignant tumors. We examined immunohistochemical expression in 30 cases of stomach cancers including 10 cases each of early gastric cancers(EGC), advanced gastric cancers without lymph node involvement, and advanced gastric cancers with lymph node involvement, which were stained with mouse monoclonal antibody of p53(PB53-12) and nm23-H1. Positive nuclear staining of p53 was frequently found in advanced gastric cancers with lymph node involvement (80%). The lymph node positive group showed high expression of p53(80%), and low expression of nm23-Hl(30%) than lymph node negative group. There was no significant correlation of p53 and nm23-H1 expression with tumor size, invasion depth, TNM stages, distant metastasis and histologic differentiation. Based on the present study, the expression of p53 and down regulation of nm23-H1 are thought to be correlated with tumor progression and lymph node involvement, and may be a useful prognostic factor in gastric cancers.
Humans ; Mice ; Animals ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Genes, p53

BACKGROUND: The Korean Red Cross has established three nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) centers, and the organization has begun NAT screening for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) for domestic blood donors commencing from February 2005. As a result, between February 2005 and July 2006, it was found that 80 of a total of 3,481,972 donors that were screened were positive for HIV-1 as determined by the NAT. This report will describe the characteristics of the HIV-1 positive reactive donors. METHODS: We attempted to determine the number of HIV-1 positive reactive donors for each NAT center, and attempted to characterize the donors by gender, age, RNA viral load, and the distribution of HIV-1 subtype. RESULTS: Among the 80 HIV-1 positive reactive donors determined by the NAT, 57.5% of the donors were in their twenties and all but one of the donors was male. Of all of the donors, 82.5% were repeated donors and four donors showed antibody negative window periods. The average quantity of HIV-1 RNA for 78 donors was 1.12x105 copies/mL and for the four donors that showed the antibody negative window periods was 2.68x105 copies/mL. The HIV-1 subtypes of 76 cases were all B of group M. CONCLUSION: NAT screening contributes to the safety of the domestic blood supply. Therefore, it is necessary to continue to study the characteristics of the blood that was found to show HIV positivity by the NAT.
Blood Donors ; Hepacivirus ; HIV* ; HIV-1* ; Humans* ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques* ; Red Cross ; RNA ; Tissue Donors* ; Viral Load

Behcet's disease is a systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology, characterized by recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers, uveitis, and skin lesions. Renal involvement is rare in patients with Behcet's disease particularly immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy. Other autoimmune diseases have been associated with increased risk of malignancy, but not Behcet's disease. Some cases of Behcet's disease accompanied by bladder cancer, thyroid cancer, stomach cancer, or hematologic malignancies have been reported. However, to the best of our knowledge, co-occurrence of Behcet's diseases with thymic carcinoma has not yet been reported. We experienced a 49-year-old male patient who had been treated for Behcet disease and IgA nephropathy, who presented with a large mediastinal mass on chest x-ray. After thymectomy, he was diagnosed with thymic carcinoma with complete resection.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Behcet Syndrome ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Stomatitis, Aphthous ; Thorax ; Thymectomy ; Thymoma* ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Ulcer ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Uveitis

BACKGROUND: The molecular profile of peritumoral non-neoplastic liver parenchyma (PNLP) has recently been suggested as predictive factor of early and late recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there is no definite cut-off point for tumor-free PNLP in terms of either histological or molecular changes. Therefore, our aim is to determine the numerical cut-off point for separating adjacent PNLP and remote PNLP in histopathologic perspective. METHODS: Peritumoral tissues from 20 resected HCC patients were sampled from 0 to 40 mm distance from the tumor border (divided into 5-mm columns). Histopathologic parameters such as necroinflammatory activity, fibrosis, bile ductular reaction, hepatic venulitis, peliosis, and steatosis were compared between each column. RESULTS: The morphologic changes just adjacent to the tumor were notably severe and faded with distance. The parenchyma within 10 mm of the tumor showed significantly severe inflammation, fibrosis, peliosis and hepatic venulitis compared with those from farther areas. The histopathologic changes of the parenchyma became stable beyond 20 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study revealed that the parenchyma within 10 mm distance from the tumor, or adjacent PNLP, has histopathologic changes that are directly affected by the tumor, and the parenchyma beyond 20 mm as the remote PNLP without tumor effect.
Bile ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Liver ; Recurrence

Microbacterium species is part of the normal flora of the skin and pharynx. Native valve infective endocarditis caused by Microbacterium speciesis is rare case. We describe a 37-year-old man with native valve endocarditis caused by Microbacterium species. He presented with high fever, myalgia, weight loss. Microbacterium species was isolated from blood culture. Successful treatment was achieved with intravenous ceftriaxone and oral amoxicillin.
Adult ; Amoxicillin ; Ceftriaxone ; Endocarditis* ; Fever ; Humans ; Myalgia ; Pharynx ; Skin ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: To analyze articles published in the Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing from 2013 to 2017 to determine the latest research trends and understand how 2013 Korea Women's Health Statistics were reflected in journal articles. METHODS: A total of 130 studies were analyzed. Research design, types of research, research framework, research subjects, characteristics of quantitative research, characteristics of qualitative research, and keywords were analyzed using a structured analysis format. RESULTS: Quantitative and qualitative research accounted for 83.8% and 13% of these 130 studies analyzed, respectively. Non-experimental and experimental research accounted for 70.7% and 13.1% of these studies, respectively. The most frequent study subjects were childbearing women (62.8%), including college students, mothers, and adults. A total of 69.1% of non-experimental research and 88.2% of experimental research used convenience sampling. Questionnaires were most frequently used for data collection. The most frequent keyword domain involved health-related concepts (41%) among nine domains and the most frequently used keyword was “women.” CONCLUSION: This study suggest that further experimental research should be conducted in the future. Also, adolescent and the elderly women should be focused on as subjects in future studies based on results of 2013 Korean Women's Health Statistics.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Data Collection ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mothers ; Nursing* ; Qualitative Research ; Research Design ; Research Subjects ; Women's Health

BACKGROUND: The appropriate usage of antibiotics needs informations such as its effectiveness for a given infection, administration route, the amount of effective dose, and the dose intervals. In this study, in order to find any significant discrepancy regarding to the details of explanation of the necessary information for appropriate antibiotic usages, we compares informations about 51 antibiotics, one from package inserts in Korea and the other from physician's desk reference (PDR) certified by FDA in the United States of America. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Package inserts about antibiotics, only oral or parenteral agent, were perused to collect three categories of data: the recommended dosage, dose interval, and adjustment of dose to indications or the severity of infection. These data available in Korea were compared with 61 antibiotics (32 oral and 29 parenteral agents) cited in PDR. RESULTS: Package inserts for 51 antibiotics were gathered, because the remaining 10 antibiotics in PDR are not domestically commercialized. Among data on antibiotics comparable with those in PDR, 59% (30 cases:15 oral and 15 parenteral agents) suggested the dose similar to that of PDR, 37% (19 cases:8 oral and 11 parenteral agents) recommend less dose, and 4% in only 2 oral agents showed more dose. About half of the drugs recommending lower dosage were imported from Japanese pharmaceutical company, and the recommended doses of these antimicrobial agents were similar to those in Japan. About 59% (30 cases: 15 oral and 15 parenteral agents) directed dose interval or duration similar to those of PDR and 17% (9 parenteral agents) suggested less administration or longer duration. Surprisingly, in contrast to only 6% (3 cases) of PDR, 24% (12 cases:10 oral and 2 parenteral agents) recommended more administration or shorter duration. About 39% (24 cases:13 oral and 7 parenteral agents) revealed no information for dose adjustment commens to indications or the severity of infection. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that many guidelines in Korea recommend lower doses and/or unreasonable dose intervals. In future studies, improved antibiotic usage guidelines should be established based on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic researches, on the aspect of optimal dosage, dose interval, and dose adjustment commensurate to the indications and the severity of the infection.
Americas ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea* ; Product Labeling* ; United States