No abstract available.
Colon* ; Fibromatosis, Aggressive*

This study aimed to explore the correlation between usual vitamin K intake and response to anticoagulant therapy among patients under warfarin therapy. We conducted a retrospective survey of patients (n = 50) on continuous warfarin therapy. Clinical information and laboratory parameters were sourced from medical records. Anticoagulant effect was evaluated by using the percent time in therapeutic range (TTR) and the coefficient of variation (CV) of International normalized ratio (INR). Dietary vitamin K intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire that has been developed for the purpose of assessing dietary intake of vitamin K. A total of 50 patients aged between 21 and 87 years were included in the study. The mean vitamin K intake was 262.8 +/- 165.2 microg/day. Study subjects were divided into tertiles according to their usual vitamin K intake. The proportion of men was significantly higher in second and third tertile than first tertile (p = 0.028). The mean percent TTR was 38.4 +/- 28.4% and CV of INR was 31.8 +/- 11.8%. Long-term warfarin therapy group (> or = 3 years) had a higher percentage of TTR as compared to the control group (< 3 years) (p = 0.046). No statistically significant correlation was found between usual vitamin K intake and percent TTR (p > 0.05). In conclusion, no significant association was observed between usual vitamin K intake and anticoagulant effects. Further studies are required to consider inter-individual variability of vitamin K intake. Development of assessment tools to measure inter-individual variability of vitamin K intake might be helpful.
Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Male ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Vitamin K* ; Vitamins* ; Warfarin*

Acute gastric anisakiasis with multiple anisakid larvae infection is reported. A 68-year-old woman residing in Busan, Korea, had epigastric pain with severe vomiting about 5 hours after eating raw anchovies. Four nematode larvae penetrating the gastric mucosae in the great curvature of the middle body and fundus were found and removed during gasteroendoscopic examination. Another one thread-like moving larva was found in the great curvature of upper body on the following day. On the basis of their morphology, the worms were identified as the 3rd stage larvae of Anisakis simplex. This case is acute gastric anisakiasis provoking severe clinical problems by the multiple infection and the greatest number of anisakid larvae found in a patient in Korea.
Acute Disease ; Aged ; Animals ; Anisakiasis/*parasitology/surgery ; Anisakis/*growth & development ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa/parasitology/pathology/surgery ; Gastroscopy ; Human ; Stomach Diseases/*parasitology/pathology/surgery

OBJECTIVES: Recurrence of mood episodes associated with a specific season has been described in various mood disorders. Seasonal change in mood and behavior as a lifetime trait is also observed in healthy individuals. This study aimed at comparing the lifetime trait of seasonal variations of mood and behavior between bipolar disorder patients and controls as well as investigating associated factors of seasonality. METHODS: Subjects were ninety-four clinically stable patients with bipolar disorder and 188 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Seasonality of mood and behavior was assessed retrospectively on lifetime basis using Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire(SPAQ). RESULTS: The patient group showed a higher median global seasonality score(GSS) of SPAQ and a higher rate of seasonal affective disorder(SAD) compared to the control group(p < 0.0001). For subjects showing prominent seasonality, the seasonal symptom profile and seasonal pattern was similar in both patient and control groups. In addition to the diagnosis, female gender was shown to be a predictor of seasonality in the multiple linear regression analysis(p = 0.045). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that lifetime trait of seasonality may be related to the susceptibility of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar Disorder ; Female ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Mood Disorders ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that coffee consumption has an influence on kidney function. This study investigated the relationship between habitual coffee consumption and renal impairment in Korean women, in consideration of diabetic status. METHODS: This study involved 2,673 women aged 35 to 84 years who had participated in the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, conducted in 2008. Habitual coffee consumption was classified into three categories: less than 1 cup per day, 1 cup per day, and 2 or more cups per day. Renal function impairment was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes and renal function impairment was higher in women who drank < 1 cup of coffee per day. Compared with drinking < 1 cup of coffee per day, the odds ratio (OR) for renal function impairment was significantly lower (OR, 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37 to 0.95; P = 0.03) in those who habitually drank > or = 2 cups per day after adjusting for multiple confounding factors. When data were stratified according to the presence of diabetes, coffee consumption > or = 2 cups of coffee per day showed an inverse association with renal function impairment in only diabetic women (OR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.88; P = 0.04), compared with consumption < 1 cup of coffee per day. CONCLUSION: In a representative sample of Korean women, coffee consumption was significantly associated with a decreased risk of renal impairment especially in middle and elderly-aged diabetic women.
Aged ; Coffee ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet ; Drinking ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Kidney ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence

The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) in school-age children has increased in industrialized countries. As diet is one of the main factors provoking AD, some studies have suggested that food additives in processed foods could function as pseudoallergens, which comprise the non-immunoglobulin E-mediated reaction. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is an eosinophil granule protein released during allergic reactions to food allergens in patients with AD. Thus, serum ECP levels may be a useful indicator of ongoing inflammatory processes in patients with AD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of consuming MSG in processed foods on serum ECP levels among children with AD. This study was performed with 13 patients with AD (age, 7-11 years) who had a normal range of total IgE levels (< 300 IU/ml). All participants ate normal diets during the first week. Then, six patients were allocated to a processed food-restricted group (PRDG) and seven patients were in a general diet group (GDG). During the second week, children in the PRDG and their parents were asked to avoid eating all processed foods. On the third week, children in the PRDG were allowed all foods, as were the children in the GDG throughout the 3-week period. The subjects were asked to complete a dietary record during the trial period. Children with AD who received the dietary restriction showed decreased consumption of MSG and decreased serum ECP levels and an improved SCORing score on the atopic dermatitis index (P < 0.05). No differences in serum ECP levels or MSG consumption were observed in the GDG. Serum total IgE levels were not changed in either group. In conclusion, a reduction in MSG intake by restricting processed food consumption may lead to a decrease in serum ECP levels in children with AD and improve AD symptoms.
Allergens ; Child ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Developed Countries ; Diet ; Diet Records ; Eating ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein ; Eosinophils ; Food Additives ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Parents ; Prevalence ; Reference Values ; Sodium Glutamate

Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is a group of genetic disorders in which the kidneys fail to respond to parathyroid hormone. Genetic defects in the GNAS complex locus lead to reduced Gsalpha (alpha-subunit of the heterotrimeric stimulatory G protein) activity in PHP type Ia patients. These patients exhibit characteristics of Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) and hypocalcemia, increased parathyroid hormone, and resistance to other Gsalpha protein-coupled hormones. AHO has a wide range of manifestations such as short stature, obesity, round face, subcutaneous ossification, and bone shortening in the hands and feet. In this study, we present the case of a 47-yr-old woman who was diagnosed with PHP type Ia with AHO. She showed tetany, dizziness, irritability to light, decreased visual acuity, cognitive impairment, and motor dysfunction. Direct sequencing identified a heterozygous missense mutation in exon 6 (c.466G>A, p.Asp156Asn) in GNAS1. To our knowledge, this case is the first report in Korea of PHP type Ia caused by a heterozygous missense mutation in exon 6 (c.466G>A, p.Asp156Asn) in GNAS1.
Dizziness ; Exons ; Female ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypocalcemia ; Kidney ; Korea ; Mutation, Missense ; Obesity ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Pseudohypoparathyroidism* ; Tetany ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVE: Endometriosis is a very common gynecological condition in which tissue similar to endometrium proliferates at sites outside the uterine cavity. Although it generally remain a benign condition, malignant transformation has been documented, and it is commonly found in association with endometrioid subtype ovarian carcinoma. In order to identify the genomic change in those areas possibly involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, we performed LOH analysis. METHODS: Twenty seven cases of endometriosis were analyzed for the detection of LOH using 5 microsatellite markers. LOH analysis was performed by PCR, capillary electrophoresis and gene scan analysis using DNA from sections of tumor and normal tissue pairs. RESULTS: Twenty two of 27 (81.5%) cases demonstrated LOH at one or more loci. The frequency of LOH was 37.0% (D18S69), 25.9% (D22S274), 14.8% (D22S283), 7.4% (D6S286), 7.4% (D13S160). CONCLUSION: The frequencies of LOH was increased in higher stage of endometriosis. Most notable findings were found at chromosome 18 and 22 loci (D18S69, D22S274). These region might involve the some candidate genes closely related with the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 ; DNA ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; Endometriosis* ; Endometrium ; Female ; Loss of Heterozygosity* ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVES: Osteoclasts (OCs) are bone-resorbing multinucleated cells derived from hematopoietic progenitors of the monocyte-macrophage lineage. OC precursors, such as bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs), are formed in the presence of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and differentiate into OCs in response to M-CSF and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (RANKL). In this study, we investigated the role of mixed lineage kinases (MLKs)-c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways in OC formation. METHODS: We performed an OC formation assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. RESULTS: We first explored the role of JNK on osteoclst formation using mouse bone marrow (BM) culture system. We found that OC formation was impaired when the JNK inhibitor was added either in early or late stage, suggesting the requirement for JNK activation during OC formation. MLKs are serine/threonine kinases that regulate signaling by the JNK. Since the JNK activity is specifically required for osteoclastogenesis, we examined the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of MLKs in BMs, BMMs and OCs by RT-PCR. Among MLKs, the level of MLK3 mRNA expression is highest in BMs, BMMs and OCs. Moreover, we found that the mRNA expression of MLK2 and MLK3 is increased with the differentiation of BMs to BMMs, and is sustained in OCs. Finally we investigated the role of MLK3 in OC differentiation using gene knock-down techniques. The silencing of MLK3 in BMMs partly attenuated RANKL-induced OC differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that JNK and MLK3 may positively regulate OC formation.
Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Osteoclasts ; Phosphotransferases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RANK Ligand ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger

OBJECTIVES: Osteoclasts (OCs) are bone-resorbing multinucleated cells derived from hematopoietic progenitors of the monocyte-macrophage lineage. OC precursors, such as bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs), are formed in the presence of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and differentiate into OCs in response to M-CSF and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (RANKL). In this study, we investigated the role of mixed lineage kinases (MLKs)-c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways in OC formation. METHODS: We performed an OC formation assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. RESULTS: We first explored the role of JNK on osteoclst formation using mouse bone marrow (BM) culture system. We found that OC formation was impaired when the JNK inhibitor was added either in early or late stage, suggesting the requirement for JNK activation during OC formation. MLKs are serine/threonine kinases that regulate signaling by the JNK. Since the JNK activity is specifically required for osteoclastogenesis, we examined the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of MLKs in BMs, BMMs and OCs by RT-PCR. Among MLKs, the level of MLK3 mRNA expression is highest in BMs, BMMs and OCs. Moreover, we found that the mRNA expression of MLK2 and MLK3 is increased with the differentiation of BMs to BMMs, and is sustained in OCs. Finally we investigated the role of MLK3 in OC differentiation using gene knock-down techniques. The silencing of MLK3 in BMMs partly attenuated RANKL-induced OC differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that JNK and MLK3 may positively regulate OC formation.
Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Osteoclasts ; Phosphotransferases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RANK Ligand ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger