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

Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease in old-age males, accounting for approximately 77% of morbidity within the age range of 40 to 70 years. It has been shown that morbidity increases with social graying. Quisqualis indica linn (QI) has been used to treat inflammation, stomach pain, and digestion problems. In this study, we evaluated the symptom-regulating effects of QI extract on a testosterone-induced BPH rat model. After inducing BPH in rats using testosterone propionate (TP) injection, we assessed basal intraurethral pressure (IUP) and increments of IUP elicited by electrical field stimulation (5 V, 5, 10, or 20 Hz) or phenylephrine (Phe) (0.01, 0.03, 0.1 mg/kg IV). To induce BPH, 8-week-old rats were subjected to a daily subcutaneous TP (3 mg/kg) injection for 4 weeks. Finasteride (Fina) (10 mg/kg PO) was administered to the rats in the first treatment, while QI (150 mg/kg PO) was administered to those in the second group. Blood pressure was measured together with IUP, after which low urinary tract (LUT), ventral prostate (VP), testicle, and corpus spongiosum were isolated and weighed. Basal IUPs for the Fina- and QI-treated groups were 87.6 and 86.8%, respectively.LUT and VP organ weights in the QI group were lower than those in the Fina group. However, the QI group showed significantly reduced electrical stimulated or Phe-induced IUP increment compared to the Fina and BPH groups. These results proved that QI can be beneficial for BPH symptoms by inhibiting 5α-reductase and consequently decreasing prostate and releasing urinary pressure.

PURPOSE: We wanted to investigate the serial changes of the serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) concentrations, according to the neurological outcome, in patients who received therapeutic hypothermia after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We also wanted to evaluate the usefulness of serum IL-6 and IL-10 as biochemical markers to predict the neurological outcome. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 23 patients who received therapeutic hypothermia after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Blood samples were taken at 0, 4, 12, 24 and 48 hours after the return of spontaneous circulation. We compared the IL-6 and IL-10 levels between the good (CPC 1 to 2) and poor (CPC 3 to 5) neurological outcome (NO) groups. RESULTS: The serum IL-6 level at 0 hr was significantly higher in the good NO group than that in the poor NO group. The periods of time that showed the greatest pattern of change between the good and poor NO groups were 4-12 hr for the IL-6 level and 0-4 hr for the IL-10 level. On the analysis of the ROC curve, the cut-off value for delta IL-10 (0-4 hr) was -5.4 pg/ml (AUC=0.827, sensitivity 80.0%, specificity 93.3%, p=0.032) and the cut-off value for delta IL-6 (4-12 hr) was 62.8 ng/ml (AUC=0.527, sensitivity 80.0%, specificity 34.0%, p=0.861, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that the early delta IL-10 can be used as a neurological prognostic marker for patients who are undergoing therapeutic hypothermia after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Biomarkers ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-6 ; Prospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

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

BACKGROUND: Complete sequencing, except for intron 1, of the ABO allele in some populations has been reported. However, so far, one report on complete sequencing of the ABO gene in three Korean families with normal ABO phenotypes has been published. This study aimed to establish a reference database of common ABO alleles in Koreans. METHODS: Screening of common ABO alleles, including homozygote form, was performed by direct sequencing of exons 6 and 7 and by real-time PCR using displacing probes in 95 healthy donors. Genomic DNA from the common ABO group (n=8) and some ABO subgroups (n=7) was used in complete sequencing (except for intron 1) of the ABO allele. RESULTS: The sequences of B101/B101 (n=1), O01/O01 (n=1) were identical with the corresponding sequences registered in Genebank. A102 and A105 had a common point mutation, 1142 C>T in intron 4. A102 (n=3/11) and O02 (n=3/3), selected by sequencing of exons 6 and 7, were reclassified into A105 and O65 by whole genomic sequencing, respectively. Analytic results for ABO subgroups were as follows: B3, B101/O01 (n=3) and B101/O02 (n=1); A1B3, A102/B101 (n=1) and A105/B101 (n=1); Ax, A102/O01 (n=1). CONCLUSION: We established a reference database of common ABO alleles in Koreans and found that the molecular basis of introns of ABO alleles in the Korean population differs from that reported in previous studies of other populations.
Alleles ; DNA ; Exons ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Introns ; Mass Screening ; Phenotype ; Point Mutation ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tissue Donors

The clinical characteristics arld prognosis of stroke were observed on 37 patients (25 men and 12 women) with chronic renal failure (CRF), who were admitted to Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital from Jan. 1984 to Aug. 1991. The results were as follows: 1. Their mean age was 50 years and the peak incidence was in the 5th and 6th decades. Male to female ratio was 2.1:1. 2. The stroke was complicated in 23 patients(2.0%) arnong 1179 hemodialized ones, and the mean duration of hemodialysis before attack of stroke was 15.7 months (1 week 46 months). 3. The causative renal diseases of CRF patients were as follows: 29 chronic glomerulonephritis, 6 hypertensive and 2 diabetic nephrosclerosis. 4. The major risk factors of stroke were hypertension, smoking, old age, hypercholesterolemia and it was suggested that heparin administration was also important factor in hemodialysis group. 5. The types of stroke were as follows: 11 intracerebral hemorrhage, 3 subdural hematoma, 2 subarachnoid hemorrhage and 4 cerebral infarction in hemodialysis group, and 6 cerebral infarction. 4 intracerebral hemorrhage, 2 subarachnoid hemorrhage and 1 transient ischemic attack in conservative treatment group. 6. The stroke was the most common cause of death in hemodialysis group. 7. The mortality rate of stroke was 82.6% in hemodialysis group and 7.1% in conservative treatment group.
Cause of Death ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cerebral Infarction ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Heparin ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Male ; Mortality ; Nephrosclerosis ; Prognosis ; Renal Dialysis ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stroke* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

The stomach is a rare site for metastasis, with autopsy incidence rates of 0.2% to 1.7%. This low rate makes diagnosis of metastatic gastric cancer challenging for clinicians. The authors report a case of a 64-year-old man diagnosed with gastric metastasis of primary lung adenocarcinoma that was initially mistaken for primary gastric cancer, as well as a review of the medical literature.
Adenocarcinoma ; Autopsy ; Hematemesis ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: Exercise may contribute to alteration in cancer in many ways. The major cell in cellular immunity to defense against cancer cell is natural killer [NK] cell. So this study is aimed to investigate the effects of exercise on NK cell cytotoxic activity (NKCA) in breast cancer patients who underwent mastectomy. METHOD: Thirty-one breast cancer patients who had undergone curative surgery were randomly assigned to an exercise group (n=16) and a non-exercise group (n=15). Exercise therapy was consisted of aerobic activity such as bicycle ergometer for 30 minutes, twice a day, five times each week for 2 weeks. The venous blood samplings were obtained on postoperative days 1, 7 and 14. NKCA was assayed by cytotoxic response against K562 cells. The venous blood samplings were obtained on postoperative days 1, 7 and 14. NKCA was assayed by cytotoxic response against K562 cells. RESULT: The baseline study did not show any statistical difference between exercise group and non-exercise group. Mean NKCA of day 7 decreased in both groups compared with that at postoperative day 1 (p<0.05). At day 14, the difference of the mean NKCA between two groups was not significant, but the mean NKCA of the exercise group without metastasis demonstrated a significant increase compared with that of the non-exercise group without metastasis (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggested that early moderate exercise had a beneficial effect on the function of NK cells in early stage of breast cancer patients after curative surgery. A further study will be needed to evaluate long-term effect of exercise on NK cell.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Exercise Therapy* ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; K562 Cells ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Mastectomy ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Traffic-related pollutants have been reported to increase the morbidity of respiratory diseases. In order to apply management policies related to motor vehicles, studies of the floating population living in cities are important. The rate of metro rail transit system use by passengers residing in Seoul is about 54% of total public transportation use. Through the rate of metro use, the people-flow ratios in each administrative area were calculated. By applying a people-flow ratio based on the official census count, the floating population in 25 regions was calculated. The reduced level of deaths among the floating population in 14 regions having the roadside monitoring station was calculated as assuming a 20% reduction of mobile emission based on the policy. The hourly floating population size was calculated by applying the hourly population ratio to the regional population size as specified in the official census count. The number of people moving from 5 a.m. to next day 1 a.m. could not be precisely calculated when the population size was applied, but no issue was observed that would trigger a sizable shift in the rate of population change. The three patterns of increase, decrease, and no change of population in work hours were analyzed. When the concentration of particulate matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter was reduced by 20%, the number of excess deaths varied according to the difference of the floating population. The effective establishment of directions to manage the pollutants in cities should be carried out by considering the floating population. Although the number of people using the metro system is only an estimate, this disadvantage was supplemented by calculating inflow and outflow ratio of metro users per time in the total floating population in each region. Especially, 54% of metro usage in public transport causes high reliability in application.
Censuses ; Korea ; Motor Vehicles ; Particulate Matter ; Population Density ; Seoul ; Transportation