BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Auro Dex(R) Visual ENS(TM) allergy screening test is a simplified and newly developed method for the detection of allergen-specific IgE in human serum. This system has advantages in several ways compared to the Pharmacia CAP system, such as the need for relatively small amounts of serum, no expensive equipment and rapid detection. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of Auro Dex(R) Visual ENS(TM) screening test for the detection of specific IgE compared to the Pharmacia CAP system in atopic patients. METHOD: In 27 atopic patients (M:F = 11:16, age:13-51 years, average 27.9+/-10.2 years) who had positive response on skin prick test, the Pharmacia CAP system for the sensitized allergen and Auro Dex(R) Visual ENS(TM) screening test were performed. For comparison, 5 normal subjects who had negative response on skin prick test were tested for 5 allergens(Dermatophagoides(D) farinae, D. pteronyssinus, cockroach, dog epithelium, cat epithelium) by the Pharmacia CAP system and Auro Dex(R) Visual ENS(TM) screening test. RESULTS: Using skin prick test results as the reference standards, the sensitivity of the Pharmacia CAP system and Auro Dex(R) Visual ENS(TM) screening test was 87.5%, 57.1%, respectively. The specificity of Pharmacia CAP system and Auro Dex(R) Visual ENS(TM) screening test were 100%. There was a significant correlation between the Auro Dex(R) Visual ENS(TM) and CAP system (D.f. r=0.755, D.p. r=0.856) for D. farinae and D.pteronyssinus. CONCLUSION: Auro Dex(R) Visual ENS(TM) screening test showed high specificity for detection of allergen-specific IgE and good correlation with the Pharmacia CAP system. This system may be useful in general practice. However, due to relatively low sensitivity to some antigens compared to skin prick test, further development may be necessary.
Animals ; Cats ; Cockroaches ; Dogs ; Epithelium ; General Practice ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Mass Screening* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin

A 30 year-old female visited our out-patient clinic with painful joint swelling in both hands and feet. Because she had tested positive for rheumatoid factor, and her inflammatory markers were elevated, the case was initially classified as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria. However, radiographic examinations, including simple radiography and MRI, revealed that her peripheral bone lesions were compatible with bone tuberculosis. The patient also exhibited pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) on chest X-ray and CT examinations. She was treated with isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RFP), ethambutol (EMB), and pyrazinamide (PZA), and exhibited a good response to these medications. The patient was diagnosed as having bone TB, and her peripheral bone lesions were resolved using anti-TB treatment. This was an uncommon case of bone TB mimicking RA.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Classification ; Ethambutol ; Female ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Joints ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Outpatients ; Pyrazinamide ; Radiography ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Rheumatology ; Rifampin ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

A 54-year-old woman presented with vaginal bleeding. On gynecologic and radiologic examinations, bilateral cystic ovarian tumors were suspected. A laparoscopic examination revealed multiple cysts involving both the uterine horns and the posterior surface of the uterus. These were removed by total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Microscopically, multiple cysts were identified in the subserosal layer of the uterus, and they were lined with benign tubal type epithelium surrounded by a smooth muscle wall. These features were consistent with "florid cystic endosalpingiosis". Considering the location of the lesion, the lesion has to be distinguished from other benign cystic lesions of the uterus and adnexa, including multicystic mesothelioma, serous cystadenoma and mucinous cystadenoma. Awareness of this lesion will facilitate a correct diagnosis by both the clinician and pathologist.
Female ; Humans ; Cysts

Uterus didelphys with unilateral obstructed hemivagina is indeed a very rare congenital anomaly due to M llerian duct malformation. The most common clinical presentation is pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea shortly after menarche, in associated with the finding of a vaginal or pelvic mass. An accurate and prompt diagnosis is of importance to permit treatment and to assure the future fertility of the patient. The simple and adequate treatment of the condition is incision of the obstructed vaginal septum providing adequate drainage of the retained blood. We report a case of uterus didelphys with obstructed hemivagina with brief review of the literature.
Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Dysmenorrhea ; Female ; Fertility ; Humans ; Menarche ; Pelvic Pain ; Uterus*

A 62-year-old man with left flank pain and hematuria was shown to have a staghorn stone in left renal pelvis. Grossly, renal pelvis and calyces were markedly dilated with cystic and hemorrhagic degeneration and renal parenchyma was atrophied. A tumor-like mass was located in a hemorrhagic cyst of the renal upper pole. This mass consisted of giant cells and stromal cells mimicking a giant cell tumor of bone. This giant cell tumor-like proliferation may represent a response to hemorrhage into a cystic cavity. Recognition of this finding is important to avoid the over-diagnosis of neoplastic lesions.
Calculi ; Cell Proliferation ; Flank Pain ; Giant Cell Tumor of Bone ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Giant Cells ; Hematuria ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Pelvis ; Middle Aged ; Stromal Cells

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mechanisms of restenosis following successful coronary angioplasty (PTCA) are knownasvascularsmoothmuscle cells(VSMCs)proliferationandmigration, elastic recoil or vascular wall remodeling. Paclitaxel whose effect on the stabilization of microtubles leads to cell death is highly lipophilic, permitting easy pass through cell membrane, and has a long-term antiproliferative effect. This study was performed to evaluate effect of paclitaxel on VSMCs proliferation and whether locally delivered paclitaxel can prevent stenosis and neointimal formation in rat carotid artery injury model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cultured VSMCs were exposed to sequential concentrations of paclitaxel in vitro, and proliferation inhibition was analyzed with 3H-thymidine incorporation. Paclitaxel of a suitable concentration was applied to the endothelium-denuded carotid artery of Fisher 344 inbred rats for 20 minutes. Angiogram and morphometric analysis of carotid artery was performed after 2 weeks. RESULTS: 3H-thymidine incorporation in cultured VSMCs was decreased dose-dependently from the concentration of 0.1 micromol/L (2,454+/-149cpm/ microgram protein) to 100 micromol/L (1,323+/-69cpm/ microgram protein) of paclitaxel by single and 20-minute exposure in the presence of platelet-derived growth factor (p<0.005). In the absence of platelet-derived growth factor, the decrement of 3H-thymidine incorporation was evident above the concentration of 5 micromol/L of paclitaxel. To evaluate in vivo effect, paclitaxel (0.1 or 1 micromol/L) was administered into the endothelium-denuded carotid artery by balloon injury and incubated for 20 minutes. Percent stenoses (32.2+/-9.8%) of paclitaxel-treated group was less than those (46.3+/-7.5%) of control group on histologic analysis (p<0.01). Paclitaxel-treated group also had wider lumen on carotid angiogram and less neointimal thickening than control on histologic examination (p<0.005). CONCLUSION: Proliferation of VSMCs was effectively inhibited and neointimal formation and luminal stenosis was prevented in rat carotid artery injury model by single, brief and local delivery of low-dose paclitaxel. This strategy could be applied to clinical settings for the prevention of restenosis after PTCA.
Angioplasty ; Animals ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery Injuries ; Cell Death ; Cell Membrane ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Neointima ; Paclitaxel* ; Phenobarbital ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Rats*

Myocardial bridging is defined that short segments of coronary artery descend into the myocardium for a variable distance and each systolic contraction of these fibers can cause narrowing of the artery. Systolic narrow-ing may rarely be caused by connective tissue such as fibrous band. Myocardial ischemia, infarction and sudden death may be seen in some patients with myocardial bridging. Myocardial infarction in association with isolated myocardial bridges with systolic narrowing is uncommon. We report a case of Q wave myocardial infarction in a patient with angiographic systolic narrowing at the middle segment left anterior descending coronary artery which was caused by fibrous band.
Arteries ; Connective Tissue ; Coronary Vessels ; Death, Sudden ; Humans ; Infarction ; Myocardial Bridging* ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocardium

BACKGROUND: Galectin-3 and galectin-7 may play roles in human carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expressions of galectin-3 and galectin-7 in gastric dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. METHODS: We examined the expressions of galectin-3, galectin-7, and P53 in nonneoplastic gastric mucosa, gastric epithelial dysplasia (GED), and adenocarcinoma by immunohistochemistry. Twenty cases of nonneoplastic gastric mucosa, 20 cases of low grade GED, 20 cases of high grade GED, 40 cases of early gastric cancer (EGC), and 60 cases of advanced gastric cancer (AGC) are included for study. RESULTS: In the nonneoplastic tissue, only galectin-3 was expressed in the intestinal metaplasia. Galectin-7 was not stained in the nonneoplastic gastric mucosa. Galectin-3 was expressed in 3 cases of low grade GED (15%), 13 cases of high grade GED (65%), 2 cases of EGC (5%), and 5 cases of AGC (8%), respectively. Galectin-7 was expressed in 2 cases of low grade GED (10%), 3 cases of high grade GED (15%), and 4 cases of EGC (10%), respectively. However, it was not expressed in AGC. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, the expressions of galectin-3 and galectin-7 may contribute to the development of gastric epithelial dysplasia and early gastric cancer, rather than contributing to the progression of gastric adenocarcinoma.
Humans ; Adenocarcinoma ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Our aim was to describe the clinical features of noroviral gastroenteritis in children. METHODS: This study included 22 children with noroviral gastroenteritis, as confirmed by stool RT-PCR, who were admitted to Bundang CHA Hospital between July 2006 and June 2008. Their medical records were reviewed and compared with those of 45 children with rotaviral gastroenteritis. RESULTS: In the norovirus group, 19 (86.4%) children showed vomiting and 21 (95.5%) children showed diarrhea, while all children in the rotaviral group showed both vomiting and diarrhea. The duration of vomiting was not different in the two groups, but mean episodes of vomiting/24 h were higher in the norovirus group than in the rotavirus group. The duration of diarrhea was longer and mean episodes of diarrhea/24 h were higher in the rotavirus group. The Vesikari Scale was not different in the two groups. Frequency and duration of fever did not show a significant difference. Most children in both groups were below 2 years of age. CONCLUSION: Clinical features of noroviral gastroenteritis were largely similar to those of rotaviral gastroenteritis, but vomiting was more severe in noroviral infection, and diarrhea was more severe and prolonged in rotaviral infection. With regard to noroviral infection, further epidemiologic investigations and preventive efforts are essential.
Child ; Diarrhea ; Fever ; Gastroenteritis ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Norovirus ; Rotavirus ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: We wanted to determine the utility of CT enhancement for diagnosing metastatic lymphadenopathy in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), and especially in the lymph nodes (LNs) of the lateral neck level and that are not suspicious for metastasis on ultrasonography (US). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study population included 34 consecutive LNs of 31 patients (25 females and 6 males, mean age: 46.7 yrs) with PTC and who had no suspicious metastatic lateral cervical LN on preoperative US, but enhancement of the lateral cervical LNs was seen on CT. To objectify the degree of enhancement, the difference of Hounsfield units between the suspicious LN and that of the ipsilateral SCM muscle was calculated. For the node-by-node analysis, marking of the corresponding LN with CT enhancement on the second look US was performed. The final assessment was attained by surgical dissection of the marked LNs. The medical records were reviewed for the patients' age and gender and the size of the LNs. RESULTS: Among the 34 LNs, 17 LNs were diagnosed as metastasis and 17 were benign. There was no difference in the size of the LNs between two the groups (benign and metastatic). The patients who had metastatic LNs were younger than those patients with benign LNs (p = 0.037). The incidence of metastatic LN was higher in the male patients than in the female patients (F:M = 38.5%:100%, p = 0.018). There was no statistical difference between the metastatic LNs and benign LNs according to the degree of enhancement (p = 0.953). CONCLUSION: The degree of CT enhancement is not feasible to use for diagnosing metastatic LNs in the lateral neck level in patients with PTC.
Carcinoma ; Factor IX ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Male ; Medical Records ; Muscles ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms