this study was undertaken to compare the riboflavin status of rural women with different physical activity intensity and to determine factors influencing biochemical fiboflavin status. The study was carried out over three different farming seasons : planting (June), harvest(October) and interim(February) in two rural regions of Korea. One was a traditional farming region, the other a commercial farming region with heavier work intensity. Twenty women in the traditional region and eighteen women in the commercial region were involved. The intensity of physical activity was determined by a daily activity record. Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedence. Dietary riboflavin intake was measured by the food frequency method. Riboflavin biochemical status was assessed by erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient (EGR AC) and ruinary riboflavin excretion. The results from the EGR AC and urinary riboflavin excretion during the period showed the overall riboflavin status of the commercial farming women was significantly worse than that of the traditional farming women(EGR AC p<0.0001, urinary riboflavin excretion p<0.05). The traditional farming group had about 40% with risk of riboflavin deficiency, whereas the commercial farming group had about 70%. Overall mean nutrient intake was not significantly different between the two groups, however, overall mean percent lean body mass representing long term physical activity was significantly higher in the commercial farming group (<0.005). It appears that the biochemical riboflavin status of traditional farming women was significantly influenced by riboflavin intake and crude nitrogen balance while the biochemical riboflavin status of the commercial farming women was significantly influenced by riboflavin intake and percent of lean body mass over the three seasons.
Body Composition ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Glutathione Reductase ; Humans ; Korea* ; Motor Activity ; Nitrogen ; Plants ; Riboflavin Deficiency ; Riboflavin* ; Seasons

No abstract available.
Cryptorchidism* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Male

To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of transthoracic fine needle aspiration cytology(TFNAC) in the preoperative diagnosis of pulmonary nodules, a retrospective analysis was carried out on a consecutive series of 200 TFNACs. They included 186 primary malignant tumors, 66 squamous cell carcinomas, 65 adenocarcinomas, 36 small cell carcinomas, 7 large cell carcinomas, 4 carcinoids, 8 others, 9 metastatic tumors, and 5 benign tumors. On cytohistologic correlation of malignant pulmonary tumors, the pro- cedure had a sensitivity of 97.3% and a specificity of 100%. A 86.6% correct correlation between the cytologic and histologic diagnoses was achieved. Five out of the 7 undifferentiated large cell carcinomas, 10 out of the 65 adenocarcinomas, 2 out of the 36 small cell carcinomas, and 2 out of the 66 squamous cell carcinomas were turned out to be mistyped in cytologic diagnosis. We concluded that TFNAC is a highly sensitive and specific preoperative diagnostic procedure in the investigation of patients with discrete pulmonary nodules in whom the specific cell type of the malignant neoplasm has important implications in treatment modality and prognosis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Bezafibrate ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoid Tumor ; Carcinoma, Large Cell ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Diagnosis ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Kidney* ; Natural History* ; Papanicolaou Test ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Epidemiologic Studies* ; Mumps*

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is characterized by histological findings of an immunoinflammatory destruction of small- and medium-sized bile ducts with progressive portal fibrosis, and the presence of anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA) with a laboratory evidence of chronic cholestasis. The term "autoimmune cholangitis" (AIC) is used for a disease with the clinical and pathologic features of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) but with negative AMA and positive anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) tests. Eight cases of AIC and ten cases of PBC were reviewed in order to determine whether there was any difference between two diseases in clinico-pathologic aspects. All of the patients were female and the mean ages of AIC and PBC patients were 48 and 47 years, respectively. ANA test was positive in six of ten PBC paients and their mean titer was lower than that of AIC patients. IgM level was significantly higher in PBC group than in AIC group. No significant difference was found between two groups with respect to biochemical and histopathological features. Since the only consistently distinguishing features between these two conditions are the autoantibody profile (AMA vs ANA) and immunoglobulin level (IgM), these two conditions might be part of a spectrum. PBC can be considered to be the same as AMA-positive AIC or alternatively AIC to be the same as AMA-negative PBC.
Bile Ducts ; Cholangitis* ; Cholestasis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary*

PURPOSE: Many young children suffer from wheezing illness during infancy, and some of them experience wheezing frequently and develop bronchial asthma ultimately. It is not clear whether the level of exposure to allergens in the environment is a significant risk factor for asthma in this clinical setting. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of level of exposure to house dust mites on the development of asthma after early childhood wheezing. METHODS: Asthmatic children(n=21) and nonasthmatic children(n=19) with the past history of wheezing illness during the first three years of age were recruited. Samples of house dusts were collected from the bedclothes in their bedrooms. We measured the amount of group I allergens from Dermatophagoides spp., Der f I and Der p I in house dusts by ELISA using monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: In asthmatic and nonasthmatic groups, the level of Der f I was higher than that of Der p I, although the difference was not statistically significant. The level of Der f I was 4.32 microgram/gm of dust(geometric mean; range of 1 SD : 0.61-30.48) in asthmatic group and 3.72 microgram/gm(0.50-27.42) in nonasthmatic group. The level of Der p I was 2.22 microgram/gm(0.33-14.96) in asthmatic group and 2.07 microgram/gm(0.31-13.77) in nonasthmatic group. The difference between the two groups was not significant for both allergens. When the total subjects were divided into atopic(n=21) and nonatopic(n=19) groups, there was significant difference in neither Der f I nor Der p I level between atopic and nonatopic groups. CONCLUSION: Although personal atopy is important in the development of asthma after early childhood wheezing, the level of exposure to allergens in the environment may not be a significant risk factor for the development of asthma in this clinical setting.
Allergens ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Asthma* ; Child ; Dust* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Respiratory Sounds* ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: To compare contrast sensitivity and color vision after implantation of a clear intraocular lens (IOL) and a yellow-tinted IOL in diabetic retinopathy patients. METHODS: In the 50 eyes of 25 diabetic patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, clear IOLs were implanted in 25 eyes, and yellow-tinted IOLs were implanted in 25 fellow eyes. Three months after the surgery, contrast sensitivity function was measured with a vision contrast test system, and color discrimination was tested using the Farnsworth Munsell 100-hue test. RESULTS: Eyes implanted with yellow-tinted IOLs had significant differences in contrast sensitivity values compared to those of fellow eyes implanted with clear IOLs in both the moderate diabetic retinopathy group (6.0 cycles per degree) and the severe diabetic retinopathy group (throughout all spatial frequencies except 12.0 cycles per degree). The yellow-tinted IOL did not modify chromatic discrimination compared with that of the clear IOL. In the blue-yellow axis error score, however, there were significant differences between the clear IOL and the yellow-tinted IOL. CONCLUSIONS: With progressing diabetic retinopathy, the yellow-tinted IOL provided better contrast sensitivity than the clear IOL. The yellow-tinted IOL improved color vision in the blue-yellow chromatic axis without causing chromatic discrimination defects.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Color Vision ; Contrast Sensitivity ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Eye ; Humans ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Vision, Ocular

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition among inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may arise from factors including inadequate dietary intake, malabsorption, and progression of disease. IBD has been reported an increased prevalence of low bone mass. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the nutritional status and to investigate the correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and nutrient factors in patients with IBD. METHODS: A total of 41 subjects were classified into normal group (n=21) and malnourished group (n=20) by the subjective global assessment result. We surveyed the dietary habit, nutrient intake, and BMD. RESULTS: Subjects' average age was 36.7 years old, and included 26 ulcerative colitis and 15 Crohn's disease. The serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly higher and serum calcium was significantly lower in the malnourished group. Lower bone density subjects were more in the malnourished group but no significant difference. Intake of energy, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, iron, sodium, potassium, zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin C and folate were significantly lower in the malnourished group. The BMD of malnourished group showed correlation with triceps skin fold thickness (TSF), CRP, dietary calcium, phosphorous, iron, animal iron, zinc and vitamin. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that adequate intake of nutrients is important to prevent bone loss and systemic education programs are need for IBD patients.
Animals ; Ascorbic Acid ; Bone Density* ; C-Reactive Protein ; Calcium ; Calcium, Dietary ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Crohn Disease ; Education ; Folic Acid ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* ; Iron ; Malnutrition ; Nutritional Status* ; Potassium ; Prevalence ; Skin ; Sodium ; Vitamin B 6 ; Vitamins ; Zinc

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of aspheric hydrophilic acrylic EYELIKE® (Koryo Eyetech Co., Seoul, Korea) intraocular lenses (IOLs). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 176 consecutive eyes of 160 patients who underwent cataract surgery with implantation of aspheric EYELIKE® IOLs. The following preoperative measurements were collected: slit-lamp examination, uncorrected distance visual acuity (UCDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), automatic and manual keratometry, fundus examination, corneal topography, and specular microscopy. The UCDVA, CDVA, IOP, refraction, and slit-lamp examination were evaluated postoperatively at 1 week and at 1, 3, and 6 months. Specular microscopy was also postoperatively conducted at 1 month. RESULTS: At the 6-month postoperative visit, the mean UCDVA was 0.15 ± 0.23, and the mean CDVA was 0.03 ± 0.07 logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR). No statistically significant differences were observed among the four groups (postoperative 1 week, postoperative 1 month, postoperative 3 months, and postoperative 6 months) in the manifest spherical equivalent. In total, 74% of IOL Master700 and 54% of A-scan measurements were within ± 0.5 diopters (D) difference from the target refraction, and 95% and 77%, respectively, were within ± 1.0 D from the target refraction. With regard to complications, one case of CME and posterior capsule opacification with decreased visual acuity was detected at month 3 postoperatively; in this case, the CDVA recovered to 0 logMAR with conventional treatment and yttrium aluminium garnetlaser posterior capsulotomy after postoperative 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Domestically produced EYELIKE® IOLs had high refraction predictability and stability.

The Landsteiner–Wiener (LW) antigen is a type of red blood cell antigen. Anti-LW appears in various situations, including alloantibodies, autoantibodies, and even transiently occurring antibodies. Anti-LW has similar characteristics to anti-D, so it can interfere with interpreting pre-transfusion tests and finding compatible blood. This paper introduces three cases in whom anti-LW was detected through antibody identification tests. All three cases were examined using the column agglutination technique with ID-DiaPanel (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, USA) on a LISS/Coombs card, ID-DiaPanel p (Bio-Rad) on a NaCl/Enzyme card, and ID-DiaPanel (Bio-Rad) on a LISS/Coombs card using red blood cells treated with dithiothreitol. The auto-control test, direct antiglobulin test, and umbilical cord blood test were also performed. In all three cases, the reaction with D-positive panel cells was stronger than that with the D-negative panel cells, and two of them showed a pan-agglutinated reaction in ID-DiaPanel p (Bio-Rad) with NaCl/Enzyme card. They were reported as anti-LW, and as in these cases, anti-LW can occur under a range of conditions and interfere with proper transfusion. Therefore, it is important to identify anti-LW accurately, and if anti-LW is present, the transfusion of D-negative ABO matched blood should be recommended because of the low expression of the LW-antigen. On the other hand, D-positive blood is not a contraindication when an urgent transfusion is needed.