No abstract available.
Bell Palsy* ; Gadolinium* ; Herpes Zoster Oticus* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

BACKGROUND: Pneumoconiosis is a parenchymal lung disease that results from the accumulation of coal dust in the lungs and the consequent tissue reaction. To evaluate the role of various personal factors in pneumoconosis and the significance of some serologic markers for assessing the disease activity related to pneumoconiosis, the Rheumatoid Factor(RF), α1-AT, C-Reactive Protein(CRT), ceruloplasmin and fibrinogen levels were measured. METHOD: All the patients were males, 45-76 years old, and the mean duration of coal dust exposure was 23.2 years. 51 patients were classified as having Simple Pneumoconiosis (SP), 59 had Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF). Fifty eight men with ages ranging from 26-70 years wer used as normal controls. The serum RF and CRT were titrated using an Autochemistry analyzer (HITACHI 7150 : Japan) and the α1-AT and ceruloplasmin levels were measured using a Nephelometer (Behring Nephelometer : Germany) and the fibrinogen levels were estimated by using and Autoanalyzer for hematologic coagulation. RESULT: There was a higher RF level in the SP, and PMF groups than in the control groups but there was no statistical difference. The CRP, α1-AT, and ceruloplasmin levels were also higher in the SP, and PMF groups. However, the fibrinogen concentration was within the normal ranges in both the SP and PMF groups. CONCLUSION: The CWP (Ed note : Define CWP) patients had significantly higher CRP, α1-AT, and ceruloplasmin levels compared to the control group. It is believed that these serologic changes could be used as a marker of the disease activity.
C-Reactive Protein ; Ceruloplasmin ; Coal* ; Dust ; Fibrinogen ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Male ; Pneumoconiosis* ; Reference Values ; Rheumatoid Factor

Objective: We investigated the agreement between anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels measured with revised Gen II (rev-Gen II) and automated AMH (Access) assays and evaluated the reproducibility of each method under various blood/serum storage conditions. Methods: AMH levels in blood samples from 74 volunteers were measured by rev-Gen II and Access assays under various conditions: immediate serum separation and AMH measurement (fresh control); serum stored at –20 °C and AMH measured after 48 hours, 1 week, and 2 years; serum stored at 0 to 4 °C and AMH measured after 48 hours and 1 week; and blood kept at room temperature and delayed serum separation after 48 hours and 1 week, with immediate AMH measurement. Results: In fresh controls, all rev-Gen II-AMH values were higher than comparable Access-AMH values (difference, 8.3% to 19.7%). AMH levels measured with the two methods were strongly correlated for all sample conditions (r=0.977 to 0.995, all p<0.001). For sera stored at –20 °C or 0 to 4 °C for 48 hours, Access-AMH values were comparable to control measurements, but rev-Gen II-AMH values were significantly lower. AMH levels in sera stored at –20 °C or 0 to 4 °C for 1 week were significantly lower than in fresh controls, irrespective of method. Across methods, long-term storage at –20 °C for 2 years yielded AMH measurements significantly higher than control values. When serum separation was delayed, rev-Gen II-AMH values were significantly lower than control measurements, but Access-AMH values varied. Conclusion The rev-Gen II and Access-AMH assays showed varying reproducibility across blood/serum storage conditions, but automated Access yielded superior stability to rev-Gen II.

Castleman's disease is a benign disorder characterized by hypervascular lymphoid hyperplasia. The etiology of the disease is still unknown. Although it may occur at the various sites such as peritoneum, retroperitoneum, pelvic lymph node, muscle and lung, it occurs most commonly at the mediastinum. Even though specific pathophysiologic relations are still not clearly determined between two different histologic types -hyaline vascular type and plasma cell type-, there were several previous reports dealing with the plasma cell type transformed or progressed into different types of malignancies such as malignant lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma and Hodgkin's disease. We experienced a case of plasma cell type Castleman's disease that transformed into a malignant lymphoma and report this case with review of literatures.
Giant Lymph Node Hyperplasia* ; Hodgkin Disease ; Hyperplasia ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma* ; Mediastinum ; Peritoneum ; Plasma Cells* ; Plasma* ; Sarcoma, Kaposi

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is now accepted as an important clinical marker of ovarian reserve and is increasingly measured as an initial evaluation at infertility clinics. The aim of this study was to establish reference values for the revised second generation (Gen II) assay using population-based data. In this population-based cohort study, AMH data from unselected infertile women aged 25–45 years from June 2013 to June 2014 (n = 15,801) were collected. The AMH values were measured using the revised Gen II assay. We established and validated 5 AMH-age regression models. Based on the optimal AMH-age model, reference values and centile charts were obtained. The quadratic model (log AMH = 0.410 × age − 0.008 × age²− 3.791) was the most appropriate for describing the age-dependent decrease in AMH measured using the revised Gen II assay. This is the largest population-based study to establish age-specific reference values of AMH using the revised Gen II assay. These reference values may provide more specific information regarding the ovarian reserve estimation of infertile women.
Biomarkers ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Ovarian Reserve ; Reference Values*

OBJECTIVE: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has been emerging as an important nosocomial pathogen in recent years in patients with impaired host- defense mechanism or who has been exposed to large amount of inocula. This organism is usually resistant to multiple (commonly used) antimicrobial agents, particularly to those of the beta-lactam class. To evaluate the clinical feature of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection and in vitro anti- microbial susceptibility, we performed a retrospective study. METHODS: We analyzed the result of in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility test for 200 isolates of S. maltophilia and the annual isolation rate during the period between January 1990 and December 1994 in our institution, and performed a retrospective study for the available records of 165 cases among them. The data were obtained with only the first isolation of the organism for each patients. RESULTS: Total of 165 initial isolates, the isolates were from wounds in 50(30.3%), urine in 47(28.5%), the respiratory tract in 37(22.4%), blood in 9(5.5%), bile in 6(3.6%), and miscellaneous sources in 16(9.7%). The 84.2% of isolates were hospital-acquired isolate and 58.3% of these patients had received antecedent antibiotic therapy: polymicrobial growth was demonstrated in 61.9% of the cases. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibiiity test, ofloxacin was active against the isolates in 89.2%, moxalactam in 85.9%, ciprofloxacin in 83.9%, TMP-SMX(trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) in 64.2%, As expected, S. maltophilia isolates were, in general, not susceptible to cephalosporins, penicillins. The annual isolation rate at Kyung Hee University hospital was not increased significantly from 1990 to 1994, 19.53 per 10,000 patients dismissals in 1990, 13.56 in 1994. The major underlying diseases of patients were malignancy(17.6%), cerebrovascular disorder(17%), diabetic mellitus(13.3%). Mortality rate is 10.3%. CONCLUSION: S. maltophilia has been emerging as an important nosocomial pathogen in immunocompromised patients, especially those receiving broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy. And this organism is resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents, particularly to those of the beta-lactam class. When antimicrobial treatment is necessary, the clinician should be guided by results of in vitro susceptibility testing because of the notable in vitro resistance of S. maltophilia to commonly used antibiotics. And when S. maltophilia has been recovered from a patient, wound and contact isolation is warranted.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Bile ; Cephalosporins ; Ciprofloxacin ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Mortality ; Moxalactam ; Ofloxacin ; Penicillins ; Respiratory System ; Retrospective Studies ; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ; Stenotrophomonas* ; Wounds and Injuries

The mucus secretion of airway glands is known to be controlled by the various autonomic neurotransmitters such as noradrenalin and acetylcholine. However, a recent study suggests that non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) nerves may contribute to the secretory activity of glands. Substance P (SP) has been proposed as a neurotransmitter of the NANC nervous system. SP is present within nerve fibers innervating the airway mucosa and is known to be released from sensory nerves via an axonal reflex. SP activity is controlled by neutral endopeptidase (NEP) which degrades SP. In this study, we evaluated the effects of NEP inhibitor (thiorphan) and substance P on nasal mucosa and histamine on the nasal mucosa in healthy males. In the thiorphan-substance P experimental group, the nasal volume decreased after nebulization of substance P in proportion to the concentration of histamine. In the thiorphan-substance P experimental group, the frequency of sneezing increased in proportion to the concentration of histamine, but there was no increased frequency of sneezing from thiorphan, SP and normal saline. The results of this study suggest that axonal reflexes can play a role in the pathogenesis of nasal mucosal hypersensitivity and neurogenic inflammation.
Acetylcholine ; Axons* ; Histamine ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Mucus ; Nasal Mucosa ; Neprilysin ; Nerve Fibers ; Nervous System ; Neurogenic Inflammation ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Reflex* ; Sneezing ; Substance P* ; Thiorphan

OBJECTIVE: To identify differences in the expression of the genes for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in granulosa cells (GCs) from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients and controls undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation. METHODS: Nine patients with PCOS and six controls were enrolled in this study. On the day of oocyte retrieval, GCs were collected from pooled follicular fluid. Total mRNA was extracted from GCs. Reverse transcription was performed and gene expression levels were quantified by realtime quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, body mass index, and total gonadotropin dose, except for the ratio of luteinizing hormone to follicle-stimulating hormone between the PCOS and control groups. PPAR-γ and COX-2 mRNA was significantly downregulated in the GCs of PCOS women compared with controls (p=0.034 and p=0.018, respectively), but the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA did not show significant differences. No significant correlation was detected between the expression of these mRNA sequences and clinical characteristics, including the number of retrieved oocytes, oocyte maturity, cleavage, or the good embryo rate. Positive correlations were found among the PPAR-γ, COX-2, IL-6, and TNF-α mRNA levels. CONCLUSION: Our data may provide novel clues regarding ovarian GC dysfunction in PCOS, and indirectly provide evidence that the effect of PPAR-γ agonists in PCOS might result from alterations in the ovarian follicular environment. Further studies with a larger sample size are required to confirm these proposals.
Body Mass Index ; Cyclooxygenase 2* ; Cytokines* ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Follicular Fluid ; Gene Expression ; Gonadotropins ; Granulosa Cells* ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Oocytes ; Ovulation Induction ; Peroxisomes* ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; PPAR gamma ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger ; Sample Size ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There have been some reports suggesting that the malignant and benign clinical courses are separable on the basis of HPV subtypes in the sinonasal inverted papilloma. The E6 protein of high risk HPV subtype including types 16 and 18 is known to be associated with p53. The viral E6 protein-p53 complex is responsible for the functional loss of p53 which then becomes immunohistochemically negative. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and types of HPV in this neoplasm and evaluate the relationship between expressions of the oncogenes and HPV. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The material was composed of 11 cases of inverted papilloma and 7 cases which were associated with carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining for p53 was performed. A molecular study of the E6 gene of HPV DNA types 6, 11, 16 and 18 was also performed with separate nest-PCR on squamous cell lesions stainned p53 and papillomatous lesions by use of microdissection technique with paraffin embedded materials. RESULTS: The carcinomatous and dysplastic areas were diffusely positive for p53 in all cases associated with carcinoma, whereas the control group was negative for p53. HPV types 6 and 11, generally known as the lower risk types were presented in the 80% of all cancers and papilloma lesions. A HPV DNA type 18 was solely positive in 2 cases on the p53 overexpressed lesion, associated with carcinoma. CONCLUSION: p53 and HPV may be involved in the pathogenesis of malignant transformation in the inverted papilloma. Therefore, it can be disproved that the HPV subtypes are directly related to either benign or malignant clinical course. However, functional loss of the wild type p53 gene is deeply associated with malignant transformation. In addition to the classical E6 of HPV 16,18-p53, another mechanism could be involved in the functional inactivation of p53.
DNA ; Genes, p53 ; Humans* ; Microdissection ; Oncogenes ; Papilloma* ; Papilloma, Inverted* ; Paraffin ; Prevalence

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate DNA fragmentation status in human spermatozoa according to specific tail swelling patterns determined via hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST).METHODS: Frozen semen samples from 21 healthy donors were thawed and prepared by the swim-up technique for use in intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The semen samples were treated for 5 minutes as part of the HOST procedure and then underwent the sperm chromatin dispersion test using a Halosperm kit. DNA fragmentation status (large halo, medium halo, small halo, no halo, or degraded) and the specific tail swelling pattern (“a”–“g”) were assessed at the level of a single spermatozoon. A total of 42,000 spermatozoa were analyzed, and the percentage of spermatozoa without DNA fragmentation (as evidenced by a large or medium halo) was assessed according to the specific tail swelling patterns observed.RESULTS: The HOST examinations showed that >93% of spermatozoa across all types displayed no DNA fragmentation. The percentage of spermatozoa without DNA fragmentation was 100% in type “d”, 98.67% in type “g”, and 98.17% in type “f” spermatozoa.CONCLUSION: We found that the type “d” spermatozoa displayed no DNA fragmentation, but the other types of spermatozoa also displayed very low rates of DNA fragmentation. This result may be associated with the processing of the spermatozoa by density gradient centrifugation and the swim-up technique.
Centrifugation, Density Gradient ; Chromatin ; DNA Fragmentation ; DNA ; Humans ; Infertility ; Semen ; Semen Preservation ; Sperm Head ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Spermatozoa ; Tail ; Tissue Donors