No abstract available.
Diagnosis*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Methacholine Chloride* ; Rhinitis*

No accepted standard currently exists to classify asphyxia and define its subtypes. Sauvageau and Boghossian proposed an asphyxia classification system in 2010 that divided asphyxia into suffocation, strangulation, mechanical asphyxia, and drowning. Here, we present a modification of this classification system. We propose to classify asphyxia into four main categories: suffocation, strangulation, mechanical asphyxia, and complicated asphyxia. Suffocation includes smothering and choking as well as confined spaces, entrapment, and vitiated atmosphere. Strangulation is subdivided into hanging, ligature strangulation, manual strangulation, and other unspecified strangulation. Mechanical asphyxia includes positional and traumatic asphyxia. Finally, complicated asphyxia is defined as cases with two or more identifiable mechanisms of asphyxia. In this study, we review autopsy cases from 2012 diagnosed as asphyxia and classify them according to our proposed asphyxia classification system. In 24.7% of cases, the age range was 40-49 years, and 51.9% were men. The most common method of asphyxia was hanging (245 cases, 55.1%), followed by ligature or manual strangulation (53 cases, 11.9%). Most hangings were suicides; smothering, ligature, and manual strangulation were usually homicides. Eighteen cases were complicated asphyxia. This classification provides a simplified, unified, and useful tool to classify and understand deaths due to asphyxia.
Airway Obstruction ; Asphyxia* ; Atmosphere ; Autopsy* ; Classification* ; Confined Spaces ; Drowning ; Homicide ; Humans ; Korea* ; Ligation ; Male ; Suicide

Hypereosinophilic syndrome is characterized by marked eosinohia and eosinopbilic infiltrition of various organ-systems without any identifiable underlyin sathologic conditions such as hypersensitivity, drug eruption, parasitic infestat,ion, malignant tuinc, and autoimrnune and infectious d iseases. A 31 year-old male had weight loss, abnormal peripheral cirrultiction both extremities and two distinct skin lesions. One showed rice sized, erythematous follicular popules on both extremit.ies and trunk and the other showed a walnut sized, gangrenous ulcer on the left 2nd finger tip. The patients skin lesions and circulation defect. improved after retrnent with steroid and the blood eosinophilia returned to normal.
Adult ; Blood Circulation* ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Eosinophilia ; Extremities* ; Fingers ; Humans ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome* ; Juglans ; Male ; Skin ; Ulcer ; Weight Loss

BACKGROUND: Apoptosis plays a role in the development of pleural effusion. Caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18, a marker for epithelial cell apoptosis, was evaluated in pleural effusion. METHODS: A total of 79 patients with pleural effusion were enrolled. The underlying causes were lung cancer (n=24), parapneumonic effusion (n=15), tuberculous effusion (n=28), and transudates (n=12). The levels of M30, an epitope of caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18, were measured in blood and pleural fluids using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay along with routine cellular and biochemical parameters. The expression of M30 was evaluated in the pleural tissues using immunohistochemistry for M30. RESULTS: The M30 levels in pleural fluid were significantly higher in patients with tuberculosis (2,632.1+/-1,467.3 U/mL) than in patients with lung cancer (956.5+/-618.5 U/mL), parapneumonic effusion (689.9+/-413.6 U/mL), and transudates (273.6+/-144.5 U/mL; all p<0.01). The serum levels were not significantly different among the disease groups. Based on receiver operating characteristics analysis, the area under the curve of M30 for differentiating tuberculous pleural effusion from all other effusions was 0.93. In the immunohistochemical analysis of M30, all pathologic types of cancer cells showed moderate to high expression, and the epithelioid cells in granulomas showed high expression in tuberculous pleural tissues. CONCLUSION: Caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18 was most prominently observed in tuberculous pleural effusion and showed utility as a clinical marker. The main source of M30 was found to be the epithelioid cells of granulomas in tuberculous pleural tissues.
Apoptosis ; Biomarkers ; Cytoskeleton ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelioid Cells ; Exudates and Transudates ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratin-18* ; Keratins* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Pleural Effusion* ; ROC Curve ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pleural

No abstract available.
Lymphoma*

BACKGROUND: We evaluated three indigenously produced immunochromatography (ICA) kits for the rapid detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs) by comparing them with a microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA). METHODS: HBsAg and anti-HBs were tested by the ICA kits manufactured by three domestic companies, SD HBsAg and Anti-HBs (Standard Diagnostics, Inc., Yongin, Korea); Asan Easy Test(R) HBsAg and Anti-HBs (Asan Pharm Co., Ltd., Whasung, Korea); and GENEDIA(R) HBsAg Rapid Device and Anti-HBs Rapid Device (Green Cross MS, Inc., Yongin, Korea). RESULTS: Results by ICA agreed completely with those of MEIA in all the 20 HBsAg-negative sera and in all the anti-HBs-negative sera except one sample. Among the 20 HBsAg-positive sera by MEIA, 17 were positive by ICA using Green Cross MS, 16 using Asan Pharm Co., and 13 using SD and reverse passive hemagglutination. Among the 20 anti-HBs-positive sera by MEIA, 19 were positive by ICA using Green Cross MS and Asan Pharm Co., 17 using SD, and 18 by passive hemagglutination. Elapsed time for the control and test line to be visualized in ICA might be longer and the color of the lines lighter when using SD than Green Cross MS or Asan Pharm Co. CONCLUSIONS: Three indigenously produced ICA kits are as sensitive as MEIA for the detection of anti-HBs, but are less sensitive than MEIA for HBsAg. The ICA kits for the rapid detection of HBsAg might be recommended for a limited use in the clinical laboratory.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hemagglutination ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Immunochromatography* ; Immunoenzyme Techniques

BACKGROUND: Maternal serum triple marker screening has become standard in prenatal care to help identify women at risk for neural tube defects (NTDs), trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and trisomy 18 (Edwards' syndrome). This study was undertaken to evaluate the results of maternal serum triplemarker screening performed in pregnant women visiting Chung-Ang University Hospital and to assess the effectiveness of prenatal triple-marker screening. METHODS: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and unconjugated estriol (uE3) were measured by radioimmunoassay (Amerlex-M 2nd Trimester Kit, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Amersham, Aylesbury, UK) in 506 pregnant women visiting Chung-Ang University Hospital. Women at risk for NTDs, trisomy 21 and trisomy 18 were identified using the computer program (HIT Program). Amniocentesis with chromosome analysis was performed in women who had positive screening results. RESULTS: Positive screening results were found in 41 (8.1%) women among 506 pregnant women who had undergone prenatal triple-marker screening between 14 and 22 weeks of gestation. Of these 41 women, 39 (7.7%) had a positive screening results for Down syndrome and 2 (0.4%) for NTDs. Thirty-two women with positive screening results for Down syndrome chose amniocentesis for chromosomal analysis, of which the results showed normal in 28 (87.5%), inv(9) in 3 (9.4%) and 48, XXY, +18 in 1 (3.1%). Although all but one of the fetuses with normal karyotypes and inv(9) were born with normal phenotypes, one pregnancy with 48, XXY, +18 was terminated due to fetal death in-utero. One of 2 pregnancies affected with NTDs was correctly identified, showing meningocele, abdominal wall defect and scoliosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm chromosome abnormalities or congenital anomalies in about 5% of the pregnancies with positive triple-marker screening results, suggesting an effective prenatal screening test. It has been found that the presence of inv(9) in fetuses might be accompanied by false-positive results for Down syndrome.
Abdominal Wall ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; Amniocentesis ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Down Syndrome ; Estriol ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetus ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Mass Screening* ; Meningocele ; Neural Tube Defects ; Phenotype ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Care ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Radioimmunoassay ; Scoliosis ; Trisomy

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: We examined the hypoglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effect of yeast hydrolysate (YH) enriched with Cyclo-His-Pro (CHP) in the C57BL/6J ob/ob mouse model. MATERIALS/METHODS: Mice were separated into 4 groups (8 mice/group) on the basis of blood glucose and body weight: WT control, lean mice given vehicle; ob/ob control, ob/ob mice given vehicle; YH-1, ob/ob mice given 0.5 g/kg of YH; YH-2, ob/ob mice given 1 g/kg of YH. YH in saline or vehicle was administered orally in the same volume every day for 3 weeks. RESULTS: Mice treated with YH (0.5 and 1 g/kg) for 3 weeks displayed a significant reduction in overall body weight gain and perirenal and epididymal adipose tissue weight compared to the ob/ob control group. Additionally, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, glucose, and atherogenic indexes were significantly decreased in the blood of YH-1 and YH-2 groups compared to the ob/ob control. In ob/ob mice, YH administration significantly improved glucose tolerance and blood insulin levels. These data indicate that YH treatment produces potent hypoglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects by controlling body weight, fat mass, blood lipid, insulin levels, and glucose tolerance. CONCLUSION: YH could potentially be used as a treatment option for diabetes and hyperlipidemia. The CHP-enriched YH may be a promising strategy in the development of hypoglycemic peptide nutraceuticals.
Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Blood Glucose* ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dietary Supplements ; Glucose ; Hyperlipidemias ; Insulin ; Lipid Metabolism* ; Lipoproteins ; Mice* ; Yeasts*

PURPOSE: This study is to describe authors'experience on mammographic findings of breast cancer and to know if there is difference between 35 years of age or younger and older groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mammograms of 72 patients with breast cancer detected from January, 1991 to December, 1993 were retrospectively analysed. Mammographic findings were classified into mass only, mass with microcalcifications, microcalcifications only and others. Marginal characteristics of mass were classified into spiculated, poorly marginated and well marginated. Shape of microcalcifications were classified into casting, granular and mixed types. These findings were compared between 35 years of age or younger and older groups. RESULTS: Mammogram showed mass only in 33 patients(46%), mass with microcalcifications in 26 patients (36%), microcalcifications only in seven(10%) and other findings in six(8%). Other findings were architectural distortion, asymmetric high density and incidental breart carcinoma from paraffinoma in one patient respectively, and dense breast in three patients. The margins of the breast mass were spiculated in ten(17%) poorly marginated in 30(51%), well-marginated in 19(32%). Shape of microcalcifications were casting type in 13(40%), granular in 14(42%) and mixed in six(18%) cases. 3 patients had dense breast with which mammography did not demonstrate the lesion. 3 patients without mammographically demonstrable lesions due to dense breasts were under 35 years in age. and there was statistically significant difference between the two groups(p-value<0.05). Microcalcifications only was more common findings in 35 years of age or younger. CONCLUSION: The most important mammographic findings of breast cancer were mass and microcalcifications. Architectural distortion and asymmetric high density were additional findings. In 35 years of age or younger, microcalcifications only was an important finding because mass lesions are frequently masked by dense breast. Thus other imaging modalities, such as ultrasonography, were required.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Mammography ; Masks ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography