BACKGROUND: Caplan originally described a condition, now reffered to as Caplan's syndrome or Caplan's disease, where progressive massive fibrosis was exhibited by coal miners with multiple pulmonary nodules, and rheumatoid arthritis. This syndrome is very rare in Korea. CASE REPORT: The patient was a 49-year old male, with occupational history as a stonemason for 25 years. Silicosis was diagnosed by chest X-ray, while rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed by immunological examination. Caplan's syndrome was confirmed based on these findings, occupational history, and clinical symptoms. DISCUSSION: The authors report on the patient's Caplan's syndrome, with a particular focus on his silicosis.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Caplan Syndrome ; Coal ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Multiple Pulmonary Nodules ; Pneumoconiosis ; Silicosis ; Thorax

We aimed to compare the immune response induced by natural infection with 2009 pandemic influenza A/H1N1 (pH1N1) virus and by monovalent pH1N1 vaccination in children and adolescents. This cross-sectional clinical study was conducted at 3 hospitals in Korea from February to May 2010. A total of 266 healthy subjects aged from 6 months to 18 yr were tested for the presence of the antibody against pH1N1 using hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. Information about pH1N1 vaccination and laboratory-confirmed pH1N1 infection history was obtained. The overall rate of HI titers of > or = 1:40 against pH1N1 was 38.7%, and the geometric mean titer (GMT) was 20.5. Immunogenicity of pH1N1 vaccination only was reflected by a 41.1% of seroprotection rate and a GMT of 22.5. Immunogenicity of natural infection only was reflected by a 61.0% of seroprotection rate and a GMT of 40.0. GMT was significantly higher in the subjects of natural infection group than in the subjects of pH1N1 vaccination group (P < 0.001). The immune responses induced by natural pH1N1 infection exceed those induced by pH1N1 vaccinations.
Adolescent ; Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood ; Antibody Formation ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests ; Humans ; Infant ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/*immunology/metabolism ; Influenza, Human/epidemiology/*immunology/prevention & control ; Pandemics ; Vaccination

A 54-year-old man presented with constipation with a six-month duration and a 5 kg weight loss over 10 months. He had undergone a subtotal gastrectomy and chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer 13 years earlier. A colonoscopy revealed a firm, circular, in-growing mass in the rectum. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a 3.0×1.2 cm invasive mass near the prostate, abutting the rectal wall and invading the right ureterovesical junction, causing hydroureteronephrosis. A positron emission tomography-CT scan indicated low fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the rectal or prostate area. The biopsy results showed poorly differentiated carcinoma. An immunohistochemistry study confirmed CK7 positive, CK20 negative, MUC2 negative, and CDX2 focally positive immune phenotype for cancer cells, suggesting a diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma with a gastric origin rather than a prostate and rectal origin.

A 54-year-old man presented with constipation with a six-month duration and a 5 kg weight loss over 10 months. He had undergone a subtotal gastrectomy and chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer 13 years earlier. A colonoscopy revealed a firm, circular, in-growing mass in the rectum. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a 3.0×1.2 cm invasive mass near the prostate, abutting the rectal wall and invading the right ureterovesical junction, causing hydroureteronephrosis. A positron emission tomography-CT scan indicated low fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the rectal or prostate area. The biopsy results showed poorly differentiated carcinoma. An immunohistochemistry study confirmed CK7 positive, CK20 negative, MUC2 negative, and CDX2 focally positive immune phenotype for cancer cells, suggesting a diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma with a gastric origin rather than a prostate and rectal origin.

A 54-year-old man presented with constipation with a six-month duration and a 5 kg weight loss over 10 months. He had undergone a subtotal gastrectomy and chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer 13 years earlier. A colonoscopy revealed a firm, circular, in-growing mass in the rectum. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a 3.0×1.2 cm invasive mass near the prostate, abutting the rectal wall and invading the right ureterovesical junction, causing hydroureteronephrosis. A positron emission tomography-CT scan indicated low fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the rectal or prostate area. The biopsy results showed poorly differentiated carcinoma. An immunohistochemistry study confirmed CK7 positive, CK20 negative, MUC2 negative, and CDX2 focally positive immune phenotype for cancer cells, suggesting a diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma with a gastric origin rather than a prostate and rectal origin.

A 54-year-old man presented with constipation with a six-month duration and a 5 kg weight loss over 10 months. He had undergone a subtotal gastrectomy and chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer 13 years earlier. A colonoscopy revealed a firm, circular, in-growing mass in the rectum. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a 3.0×1.2 cm invasive mass near the prostate, abutting the rectal wall and invading the right ureterovesical junction, causing hydroureteronephrosis. A positron emission tomography-CT scan indicated low fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the rectal or prostate area. The biopsy results showed poorly differentiated carcinoma. An immunohistochemistry study confirmed CK7 positive, CK20 negative, MUC2 negative, and CDX2 focally positive immune phenotype for cancer cells, suggesting a diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma with a gastric origin rather than a prostate and rectal origin.

A 54-year-old man presented with constipation with a six-month duration and a 5 kg weight loss over 10 months. He had undergone a subtotal gastrectomy and chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer 13 years earlier. A colonoscopy revealed a firm, circular, in-growing mass in the rectum. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a 3.0×1.2 cm invasive mass near the prostate, abutting the rectal wall and invading the right ureterovesical junction, causing hydroureteronephrosis. A positron emission tomography-CT scan indicated low fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the rectal or prostate area. The biopsy results showed poorly differentiated carcinoma. An immunohistochemistry study confirmed CK7 positive, CK20 negative, MUC2 negative, and CDX2 focally positive immune phenotype for cancer cells, suggesting a diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma with a gastric origin rather than a prostate and rectal origin.

BACKGROUND: The appropriate procedures and equipment for the pretransfusion test are fundamental to a safe blood transfusion. The present study aimed to assess the current status of procedures and equipment for pretransfusion tests at small- and medium-sized medical institutions, as well as to use this basic raw data to better manage blood transfusions at these institutions. METHODS: Offline and online questionnaire surveys were performed at institutions that used between 24 and 1,000 units of blood products in 2014. A total of 338 institutions participated, and the survey results were subsequently analyzed. RESULTS: Among 307 institutions where on-site ABO blood typing was performed, 15.0%, 2.1%, and 43.5% did not conduct ABO serum typing, RhD typing, and irregular antibody screening tests, respectively, and 12.8% only conducted the saline phase for crossmatching. Moreover, among 338 institutions, only 66.7% of blood banks had centrifuges, 84.5% had 37℃ incubators, 41.1% had slide view boxes; in addition, 66.1% and 18.6% had refrigerators and deep freezers, respectively, for blood storage. CONCLUSION: Certain small- and medium-sized institutions did not have the essential equipment required to operate as blood banks. Moreover, they also needed to improve their testing procedures. To address these issues, the initiation of systematic training programs and the employment of institutional strategies are necessary to enhance testing procedures and equipment, respectively.
Blood Banks ; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching ; Blood Transfusion ; Education ; Employment ; Incubators ; Korea* ; Mass Screening

Advancements in diagnostic technology have led to the improved detection of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) and thus to an increase in the number of reported cases. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) technology, including in combination with contrast-enhanced harmonic imaging, aids in distinguishing PNETs from other tumors, while EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration or biopsy has improved the histological diagnosis and grading of tumors. The recent introduction of EUS-guided ablation using ethanol injection or radiofrequency ablation has offered an alternative to surgery in the management of PNETs. Comparisons with surgery have shown similar outcomes but fewer adverse effects. Although standardized protocols and prospective studies with long-term follow-up are still needed, EUS-based methods are promising approaches that can contribute to a better quality of life for PNET patients.

Advancements in diagnostic technology have led to the improved detection of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) and thus to an increase in the number of reported cases. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) technology, including in combination with contrast-enhanced harmonic imaging, aids in distinguishing PNETs from other tumors, while EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration or biopsy has improved the histological diagnosis and grading of tumors. The recent introduction of EUS-guided ablation using ethanol injection or radiofrequency ablation has offered an alternative to surgery in the management of PNETs. Comparisons with surgery have shown similar outcomes but fewer adverse effects. Although standardized protocols and prospective studies with long-term follow-up are still needed, EUS-based methods are promising approaches that can contribute to a better quality of life for PNET patients.