As gastroduodenoscopy performed more frequently, case reports of human echinostomiasis are increasing in Korea. A Korean woman presented at a local clinic with complaints of abdominal pain and discomfort that had persisted for 2 weeks. Under gastroduodenoscopy, two motile flukes were found attached on the duodenal bulb, and retrieved with endoscopic forceps. She had history of eating raw frog meat. The two flukes were identified as Echinostoma hortense by egg morphology, 27 collar spines with 4 end-group spines, and surface ultrastructural characters. This report may prove frogs to be a source of human echinostome infections.
Animals ; Duodenal Diseases/*parasitology ; Duodenum/*parasitology ; Echinostoma/*isolation & purification ; Echinostomiasis/*diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to identify the relations between the old's participation in voluntary service activities and health-related quality of life. METHODS: The subjects of the study were 318 elderly people aged over 65 years. They were interviewed with the use of a questionnaire from May 1 to June 30, 2012 to collect data. To verify the data collected, this study carried out a linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The health-related quality of life of the elderly who were participating in voluntary service activities was statistically significantly higher than that of those who were not. CONCLUSIONS: This study has meaning in that it discovered that the elderly people's participation in voluntary service activities had a positive effect on their health-related quality of life.
Aged* ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Quality of Life*

Cutaneous papillomas or acrochorda usually appear after the 4th decade of life in areas with skin folds. Conventional methods of removal are associated with bleeding problems, pain and prolonged sequelae. Thus, acrochorda removal with lasers has gained attention. In this study, we compared the efficacy of two popular laser types with different wavelengths and pulse widths for removal of skin tags. A 60-year-old Korean male noticed skin tags on his neck bilaterally. All tags were treated in a single session, on one side with a picosecond (ps)-domain 532 nm Nd:YAG laser and on the contralateral side with a long-pulsed (LP) 755 nm alexandrite laser. The endpoint for the ps-532 laser was immediate whitening, while that for the LP and quasi-LP (QLP) 755 lasers were visible changes on the surface of the lesion. Antibiotic ointment was applied, dressing was done and clinical photographs were taken. Both lasers effectively removed the skin tags at all settings in a single session without bleeding and with minimal discomfort. Crust formation occurred on both sides with natural shedding within 1 to 2 weeks. Transient erythema lasted longer in the tags treated with the ps-532 laser. At the 5th month of follow-up, residual lesions were detected on the field treated with the ps-532 laser. No persistent side effects such as scarring or postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) were observed. In conclusion, both the ps-532 nm Nd:YAG and the 755 nm alexandrite lasers ensured safe and effective removal of skin tags in a single session without adverse sequelae.

PURPOSE: Natural killer cells (NKC) and dendritic cells(DC) have non-specific cytotoxic effect against various tumor such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer. However, the relationsjip between the infiltration of these cells and the prognosis of gastric cancer has not yet been elucidated. Therefore the aim of this study is to assess the prognostic impact of NKC and DC infiltration in gastric cancer patient. METHODS: Ninety-seven patients who had undergone a gastrectomy (radical subtotal gastrectomy or radical total gastrectomy) at Yonsei Wonju Christian Hospital between Jan. 1995 and Dec. 1995 were enrolled in the study. Immunohistochemical staining was performed for evaluation of NKC infiltration with CD57 antibody and of DC infiltration with S-100 protein. In DC, the number of S-100 protein positive DC was graded as either low dendritic cell infiltration(0 to 20) or high dendritic cell infiltration (over 20 cells) under high power microscopy (x400 HPF). In NKC, a total of 25 areas containing pericancerous tissue were selected for determining the number of NKC infiltration, after which patients were classified as either low NKC infiltraion (0 to 25) or high NKC infiltration (over 25 cells). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to obtain survival curve and multivariated analysis were performed using Cox regression model. RESULTS: The 5-year survival rate was 75.0% in patients with high infiltration of NKC, 45.3% in those with low infiltration of NKC, 80.0% in those with high infiltration of DC and 43.8% in those with low infiltration of DC. These results were statistically different (P<0.01). However multivariate analysis did not show NKC and DC infiltration to be significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: NKC and DC intratumoral infiltration of gastric cancer was positively correlated with survival in this study. Although the prognostic significances of NKC and DC intratumoral infiltration were P<0.01 in both NKC and DC in univariated analysis, these results were not permitted as independent prognostic factors in multivariated analysis.
Breast Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Dendritic Cells* ; Gangwon-do ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Microscopy ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; S100 Proteins ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Insertion of endosseous implants in the atrophic maxilla is often complicated because of lack of supporting bone. Augmentation of the floor of the maxillary sinus with autogenous bone & bone substitute graft has been proven to be a reliable treatment modality, at least in the short term. The aim of this study is to evaluate the factors of implant survival rate associated with maxillary sinus lift with grafts. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sinus floor was augmented with bone grafts derived from modified Caldwell-luctechnique (71 subject, 93 sinus, 180 implants), the autogenous bone or autogenous + Bio-oss. Before implant installation the width and height of the alveolar crest were increased in the first stage procedure in 10 patients while in the other 61 patients augmentation and implant installation could be performed simultaneously width and height of the alveolar crest > 4 mm) or delayed installation. RESULTS: In all case bone volume was sufficients for implant insertion. 14 of 180 inserted implants were lost during follow up and the healing period Patient received implant supported overdenture (5 patients) or fixed bridge (62 patients). CONCLUSION: Within the limit of the result of this study, we conclude that bone grafting of the floor of the maxillary sinus floor with bone for the insertion of implants might be a reliable treatment modality and the autogenous bone graft and delayed installation method might be the factors for good results.
Bone Substitutes ; Bone Transplantation ; Denture, Overlay ; Denture, Partial, Fixed ; Floors and Floorcoverings ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Maxilla ; Maxillary Sinus ; Minerals ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Abnormal platelet activation has been identified in several disorders characterizedby vascular patholo-gy including coronary artery disease, Alzheimer disease, myeloproliferative disorders, diabetes, preeclampsia, inflam-matory bowel disease and glomerular disease. Antiplatelet therapy has been valuable in the management of some of these conditions. The aim of this study is to verify usefulness of mean platelet component (MPC) concentration as a marker of thrombotic process in patients with cerebral infarction. Our hypothesis is that MPC as measured by the ADVIA(R) 120 hematology system is used to detect and monitor platelet activation associated with thrombotic process of ischemic stroke. METHODS: To study the existence of platelet activation at the onset of cerebral infarction, mean platelet concentration of platelets were measured daily during post-stroke 10 days. Thirty-four acute thrombotic cerebral infarction and seventeen age-matched healthy persons were selected for this study. To investigate the time course of the platelet MPC changes observed in stroke patients, the blood samplings for MPC measuring were done and analyzed on the ADVIA 120(R) system. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant decrease in MPC concentration of the platelets at post-stroke 3rd to 7th day compared to the control group ( p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that a reduction of MPC as measured by the ADVIA 120(R) hematology system may be used to detect and monitor thrombotic process associated with platelet activation in ischemic stroke.
Alzheimer Disease ; Blood Platelets* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Hematology ; Humans ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; Platelet Activation* ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Stroke*

Primary closure of bladder exstrophy in a one-day-old-girl was performed with paraexstrophy skin flap and pubic bone approximation without osteotomy.
Bladder Exstrophy ; Female* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Osteotomy ; Pubic Bone ; Skin

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the amino acids composition, safety and efficacy of formulas recently developed by Korean dairy companies for children with inherited metabolic disorder. METHODS: The determination of amino acids concentration was performed on eight Korean formula samples. The samples were hydrolyzed with 6N HCL or performic acid and analyzed by amino acid analyzer. RESULTS: No phenylalanine, methionine or leucine was observed in PKU-1 and PKU-2 Formulas, Methionine-Free and Leucine-Free Formula, respectively. BCAA-Free Formula was free from leucine, isoleucine, and valine and MPA Formula did not contain methionine and valine. Protein-Free formula did not include any amino acids. UCD Formula contained arginine but was free of alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, proline and serine. Methionine-Free Formula contained higher amounts of cystine and tyrosine was higher in PKU-1 and 2 Formulas. The amounts of isoleucine and threonine were minimal in MPA Formula. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that the eight special formulas, developed for the first time by a Korean dairy company for children with inherited metabolic disorder contain appropriate amino acids with proper contents. Both the total amino acid amounts and specific amino acid concentrations of the formulas were appropriate for related diseases, which could be used safely by the patients with inherited metabolic disorder. For UCD Formula that contains arginine, we suggest that arginine be removed from the formula in order to use for any urea cycle defect patients before the specific diagnosis is made.
Alanine ; Amino Acids ; Arginine ; Aspartic Acid ; Child* ; Cystine ; Diagnosis ; Glutamic Acid ; Glycine ; Histidine ; Humans ; Isoleucine ; Leucine ; Methionine ; Phenylalanine ; Proline ; Serine ; Threonine ; Tyrosine ; Urea ; Valine

Experinece in the management of 74 patients with delayed traumatic intracranial hemorrhage(DTICH) of 474 head injury from January 1996 to December 1996 is poresented with emphasis on the incidence, occurring time, risk factors and outcome. The incidence of DTICH was 15.6% of all hospitalized head-injury patients. After an injury, every patient had an immediate computerized tomography(CT) scan to diagnose intracranial pathology and then CT follow-up was carried out according to intial CT finding and reurological deficit. The lesion was almost occurred in patients with initial abnormal CT finding(85.1%). 82.4% of DTICH were noted within 72 hours after injury. The delayed epidural hematoma and intracerebral hemorrhage were almost noted in first 72 hours(>90%), but the delayed subdural hemorrhage was found after a time interval varying from 6 hours to 10 days. So we strongly recommend CT follow-up in 4-8hour, 24-72hour, and then 7th day after head injury, especially in patients with initial abnormal CT findings. The risk factor of the delayed lesion was not hypotension, hypoxia, and consciousness level, but age of patients and the initial CT finding. The development of DTICH was not heralded by neurological deterioration. The prognosis of DTICH was not worse than non-DTICH. The patient with delayed subdural hemorrhage was better than the patient with non-delayed lesion(including hemorrhage and normal CT finding).
Anoxia ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Consciousness ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head* ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Intracranial Hemorrhages* ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors

Cancers are mainly sustained by a small pool of neoplastic cells, known as cancer stem cells or tumor-initiating cells. These cells possess the ability to self-renew and proliferate, and are thus able to form the tumor. In the present study cells that correspond to cancer stem cells in mammary and liver cancers in animals were identified by the expression of CD133, CD44, CK7, and OCT4 using immunochemistry. As a result, we found with CD133+ and CD44+ cancer stem cell-like phenotypes in mouse and canine hepatocellular carcinoma and canine mammary gland tumors. However, CK7+ and OCT4+ cells were not identified in animal mammary and liver cancer. CD133+ and CD44+ cells are wellknown stem cell lines and play key roles in development and metastasis in human cancer. These findings suggest that cancer stem cells are involved in animal tumorigenesis and may provide insight into mechanisms in cancer development as well as cancer diagnostics.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Immunochemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; Mammary Glands, Human ; Mice ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; Phenotype ; Stem Cells