We herein describe a case of a 55-year-old healthy woman with localized primary thymic amyloidosis presented as a mediastinal mass, found incidentally by chest radiography. Computed tomography revealed a 4.1 cm soft tissue lesion with nodular calcification in the left anterior mediastinum. The resected specimen was a well-defined lobulating mass with calcification. Microscopically, the mass was consisted of amorphous eosinophilc hyalinized substances involving the thymus and intrathymic lymph nodes. These eosinophilic substances showed apple-green bi-refringence under polarized light after staining with Congo red. In immunohistochemical study, they were positive for kappa and lambda light chains and negative for amyloid A. There was no evidence of systemic amyloidosis in clinical investigations. A final diagnosis of localized primary thymic amyloidosis was made.
Amyloid ; Amyloidosis ; Congo Red ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Light ; Lymph Nodes ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; Thorax ; Thymoma ; Thymus Gland

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine mediating effects of pleasurable activities on the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation among the elderly moderated by living arrangement such as those living alone (LA) versus those living with others (LWO). METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional and correlational design using secondary data analysis of the 2017 Korean National Survey on the Elderly (2,416 for the LA group, and 6,106 for the LWO group). Logistic regression analysis was conducted comparing effects of pleasurable activities on suicidal ideation between the two groups. RESULTS: For suicidal ideation, there were significant differences in suicidal ideation by sex, religion, and senior center visits in the LA group, while the LWO group had no significant differences identified. Both groups showed significantly different associations of suicidal ideation by socioeconomic status, gathering, meaningful interaction, and depression. Senior center visits were statistically significant in the LA group, while there was not significant in the LWO group. CONCLUSION: Visiting senior centers can reduce suicidal ideation of the LA group. To prevent suicidal ideation of the elderly living alone, mental health specialists should provide community-cooperative environments to address these issues, especially LA elderly.
Aged ; Depression ; Humans ; Leisure Activities ; Logistic Models ; Mental Health ; Negotiating ; Residence Characteristics ; Senior Centers ; Social Class ; Specialization ; Statistics as Topic ; Suicidal Ideation

This study aimed to establish and validate an HPLC method for the quantitative analysis of bioactive compounds in a mixture of the L. glauca leaves extract and water-soluble mastic gum (MLM). MLM has shown potential as an effective agent for preventing hair loss in the previous study. For the development of the quality evaluation of MLM, quercitrin (1), isoquercitrin (2), and oleanonic acid (3) were selected as analytical markers.The separation was achieved using a reverse-phase column with a gradient solvent system of 0.1% formic acid aqueous-0.1% formic acid acetonitrile at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Detection was carried out at 210 nm and 254 nm. The calibration curves for all three markers exhibited good linearity (R 2 > 0.999). Recoveries of the three markers ranged from 100 ± 15%. The concentrations of compounds 1, 2, and 3 in MLM was determined to be 25.73 ± 1.38, 8.36 ± 0.05, and 212.24 ± 12.88 μg/mL, respectively. The validated method will facilitate further compositional investigations in MLM.

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant* ; Intussusception*

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to identify the difference in satisfaction and importance of nursing care between patients in comprehensive nursing care unit (CNCU) and general nursing care unit (GNCU). It also confirms the difference between practice environment of nursing work and nurse's intention to work. METHODS: Nursing care satisfaction and importance levels were measured from 202 patients. Practice environment of nursing work and nurse's intention to work were measured from 54 nurses. RESULTS: The satisfaction level was higher in the CNCU in comparison to the GNCU (p < .001). There was no significant difference between the importance and satisfaction level of nursing care for patients at the CNCU (p=.973), whereas in the GNCU, patients' satisfaction level was lower than the importance level (p < .001). The score for practice environment for nursing work was higher in the CNCU than in the GNCU (t=3.34, p=.002). The nurse's intention to work in the CNCU was higher than that of the GNCU, but there was no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: Through the survey, the paper suggests that comprehensive nursing care is a service type that satisfies the nursing demand (importance) that patients consider important. Results from nurses showed no significant differences.
Humans ; Intention ; Nursing Care ; Nursing ; Patient Satisfaction

Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (Compositae) is a native herb of East Asian countries and has used for the treatment of jaundice, high liver fever, and digestive diseases for a long time, as well as being developed as the source of herbal preparations until now. The major components from A. capillaris were chlorogenic acid (1) and its derivatives substituted with caffeoyl moieties, such as 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (2) and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3), and coumarins, such as scoparone. In the study, four compounds, chlorogenic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and scoparone (4) in the 70% ethanolic extract of A. capillaris were simultaneously determined by using HPLC-UVD system. This method was validated with the terms of linearity, precious and accuracy according to ICH guidelines. The developed method was successfully applied for the quantitative analysis of Artemisia genus, A. capillaris, A. iwayomogi, A. princeps, and A. argyi, distributed in Korea.
Artemisia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chlorogenic Acid ; Coumarins ; Ethanol ; Fever ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Korea ; Liver ; Methods ; Plant Preparations

We present the case of a 78-year-old female who experienced acute mental deterioration after vomiting. She showed severe hypercapnia without definite lung disease and hypoxic injury on brain image. After the acute period, she still had excessive daytime sleepiness, and the hypercapnia aggravated during the night. Polysomnography revealed severe obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep-related breathing disorder with a high apneahypopnea index of 60.2/h (mainly a hypopnea index of 59.0/h). She was diagnosed with combined obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and sleep-related breathing disorder, as the cause of daytime hypercapnia and excessive daytime sleepiness. Three months of successful bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) therapy dramatically improved her daytime sleepiness and cognition. This case suggests that patients with OHS can be susceptible to hypoxic brain damage, and emphasizes the importance of the recognition and diagnosis of OHS and appropriate treatment with BiPAP therapy.

BACKGROUND: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), EBV-positive systemic T-cell lymphoproliferative disease (STLPD) of childhood, and chronic active EBV (CAEBV) infection may develop after primary EBV infection. This study reviewed the clinicopathological spectrum of EBV-associated T- and natural killer (NK)-cell LPD, including STLPD and CAEBV infection, with an analysis of T-cell clonality. METHODS: Clinicopathological features of seven patients with EBV-associated HLH or STLPD and 12 patients with CAEBV infection were reviewed. Immunohistochemical staining and a T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement study were performed. RESULTS: STLPD and EBV-positive HLH showed significantly overlapping clinicopathological findings. One patient with STLPD and one patient with EBV-positive HLH demonstrated moderate to severe atypia of the infiltrating lymphocytes, whereas the remaining patients lacked significant atypia. Twelve patients had CAEBV infection, four of whom suffered mosquito-bite hypersensitivity, five showed NK lymphocytosis, and one suffered hydroa vacciniforme. Infiltrating lymphocytes were predominantly small and devoid of atypia. Hemophagocytic histiocytosis was found in seven of 11 patients. Monoclonality was detected in three (50%) of the six patients with successful TCR gene analysis. CONCLUSIONS: EBV-positive HLH and STLPD share similar clinicopathological findings and may constitute a continuous spectrum of acute EBV-associated T- or NK-cell proliferative disorders. The distinction of EBV-positive T-cell LPD from EBV-positive HLH may be difficult during routine diagnoses because of the technical limitations of clonality assessment.
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Gene Rearrangement ; Genes, T-Cell Receptor ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Histiocytosis ; Humans ; Hydroa Vacciniforme ; Hypersensitivity ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphocytosis ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; T-Lymphocytes

It is well-known that more than 50% of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) cases also have comorbid psychiatric disorders. We evaluated the comorbid psychopathology of Korean children and adolescents with ADHD using a standardized diagnostic instrument. The Korean Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL-K) was administered and completed in 105 patients who had been referred to the outpatient and inpatient clinics at the Samsung Medical Center from March 2004 to May 2005. All of the cases were diagnosed as ADHD according to DSM-IV criteria. We analyzed their clinical characteristics and psychiatric comorbidities, and assessed the correlation of any comorbidity with gender, age and ADHD subtype. Among our 105 participants, 70 (66.7%) subjects were diagnosed with combined-type ADHD, 22 (21.0%) were the predominantly inattentive type, only 1 (1.0%) was determined to have the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD, and 12 (11.4%) were classified as not otherwise specified (NOS) ADHD. Eighty (76.2%) subjects had at least one comorbid disorder such as oppositional defiant disorder (n = 53, 50.5%), anxiety disorders (n = 35, 33.3%) and affective disorders (n = 15, 14.3%). Our patients ranged in age from five to 16 years. Among the factors including gender, age, and ADHD subtype, ADHD subtype was the only one significant to comorbidity in our study. The results of this study suggest that psychiatric comorbidity in Korean children with ADHD is similar to the results of previous studies in western countries. Out of all the ADHD subtypes, the combined-type group had a significantly higher ratio of comorbid disorders and psychopathologies.
Tic Disorders/epidemiology ; Mood Disorders/epidemiology ; Mental Disorders/*epidemiology ; Male ; Korea/epidemiology ; Humans ; Female ; Elimination Disorders/epidemiology ; Comorbidity ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/classification/*epidemiology ; Anxiety Disorders/epidemiology ; Adolescent

Betulinic acid, a pentacyclic triterpene isolated from Jujube tree (Zizyphus jujuba Mill), has been known for a wide range of biological and medicinal properties such as antibacterial, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, antihelmintic, antinociceptive, and anticancer activities. In the study, we investigated the antiviral activity on influenza A/PR/8 virus infected A549 human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line and C57BL/6 mice. Betulinic acid showed the anti-influenza viral activity at a concentration of 50 muM without a significant cytotoxicity in influenza A/PR/8 virus infected A549 cells. Also, betulinic acid significantly attenuated pulmonary pathology including increased necrosis, numbers of inflammatory cells and pulmonary edema induced by influenza A/PR/8 virus infection compared with vehicle- or oseltamivir-treated mice in vivo model. The down-regulation of IFN-gamma level, which is critical for innate and adaptive immunity in viral infection, after treating of betulinic acid in mouse lung. Based on the obtained results, it is suggested that betulinic acid can be the potential therapeutic agent for virus infection via anti-inflammatory activity.
Adaptive Immunity ; Adenocarcinoma ; Animals ; Down-Regulation ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Influenza, Human* ; Lung ; Mice ; Necrosis ; Pathology ; Pulmonary Edema ; Trees ; Ziziphus*