BACKGROUND: Passive smoking is an important worldwide public health issue. In many Korean studies, parental smoking has been reported to be associated with reduced pulmonary function in children. But few studies have evaluated the effects of passive smoking on pulmonary function in adults. Therefore, we looked into this association in the study. METHODS: Participants in the study included non-smoking, healthy men (n=46) and women (n=326) from rural Korea enrolled from June to December 2006. Exposure to passive smoking was assessed by a self-administered questionnaire, and standardized pulmonary function tests were performed. RESULTS: There were significant reductions in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1, % of predicted) and forced mean expiratory flow rate 25-75% (%) among the men exposed to passive smoke compared with those not exposed (55.7 vs 75.8, P=0.010; 33.9 vs 58.6, P=0.029, respectively). There were significant reductions in FEV1 among men exposed at both workplace and home compared with men exposed only at either workplace or home (42.8 vs 49.3, 64.6; P=0.034). No significant difference in pulmonary function was found between women exposed to passive smoke compared those not exposed. There were, however, reductions in FEV1 and FEV1/forced vital capacity among the women exposed at workplace. Regression analysis showed that passive smoking negatively affected lung function, which were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, particularly at the workplace, adversely affects pulmonary function in adults.
Adult ; Child ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Male ; Parents ; Public Health ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; Vital Capacity ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Embryonal carcinoma of testis may be composed of primitive cells with epithelial appearance showing prominent variation in size and shape, clear cytoplasm, overlapping nuclei. and many mitoses. Multiple lymph node enlargement was noticed in a 45-year-old man with known huge testicular tumor, 20 x 15 cm, and clinically malignant lymphoma was suspected. Microscopic and cytologic finding of both biopsy and needle aspiration from neck lymph node disclosed highly undifferentiated large cells, mostly in solid sheets and often forming glandular spaces. Massive necrosis was observed. Cytologic diagnosis of embryonal carcinoma was made possible, relied on the result of immunohistochemistry that revealed negative LCA, and positive cytokeratin and CEA as well as the cytologic features. Serum levels of HCG and AFP of the patient, in addition, were markedly elevated.
Male ; Humans ; Biopsy ; Neoplasm Metastasis

No abstract available.
Bowen's Disease*

This experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effect of indomethacin and methylprednisolone on PAN-induced nephrosis in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150~200gm were used and divided into controls, group I (PAN intraperitoneally), group II(PAN intraperitoneally, followed by indomethacin peritoneally for 12 days), group III (PAN intraperitoneally, followed by methylprednisolone peritoneally for 12 days) and group IV (PAN intraperitoneally, followed by cyclosporin subcutaneously for 12 days). Twenty four-hour urinary protein excretion was measured on day 0, 5, 10 and 17. On the 17th day, rats were sacrificed for the determination of total serum protein, albumin and cholesterol levels. Foot process widths of glomerular epithelial cells were measured, and anionic sites of lamina rara externa were determined by using PEI as cationic probes. The following results were obtained. Twenty four-hour urinary protein excretion (mg/day) of group I was significantly increased to 455.7+/-188.8 on the 5th day compared to 15.2+/-3.7 on day 0 (p<0.01), and increased gradulally to 525.6+/-203.5 on the 10th day, then decreased to 280.6+/-25.2 on the 17th day. In group III, 24 hr urinary protein excretion on 17 th day (180.7+/-64.5) was significantly lower than that of group I (280.6+/-25.2). Total serum protein of group III was significantly lower than that of group I, and serum albumin and cholesterol did not show any significant difference among Group I, II, III and IV. Foot process widths (nm) of glomerular epithelial cells in group I, II, III and IV were 409.5+/-15.2, 387.8+/-49.2, 279.9+/-36.9 and 398.3+/-38.3, respectively. And the value of group of group III was significantly lower than that of group I (p<0.01). The number of anionic sites per 1micrometer length of glomerular basement membrane in Group I, II, III and IV were 10.3+/-1.3, 10.1+/-1.6, 12.5+/-1.5and 10.2+/-1.5, respectively. And the value of group III was significantly lower than that of group I (P<0.01). In conclusion, cyclosporin and indomethacin did not show any significant effect on PAN nephrosis in rat. However, methylprednisolone reduced the urinary protein excretion and showed significant recovery of foot process widths and number of anionic sites of glomerular basement membrane.
Animals ; Cholesterol ; Cyclosporine* ; Epithelial Cells ; Foot ; Glomerular Basement Membrane ; Indomethacin* ; Methylprednisolone* ; Nephrosis* ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Serum Albumin

No abstract available.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Back Pain*

OBJECTIVES: Seoul-Activities of Daily Living(S-ADL) was developed to assess elderly person's basic activities of daily living. This study aims to develop standardized ADL assessment scale and confirm the reliability and validity of the S-ADL. METHODS: It was participated in 336 controls and 145 patients diagnosed Alzheimer's disease. RESULTS: In controls, it was statistically significant to age, but not sex, education, region and presence of spouse. Also, reliability and validity were statistically significant. Principal axis factoring analysis revealed three factors that accounted for 66.67% of the total variance(1.self-care/hygiene, 2.ambulation, 3.toileting). According to each CDR stage, there were significant difference, except for CDR 0.5 and CDR 1 suggesting early dementia. Particularly, it was remarkable for functional impairment in CDR 2 and CDR 3 suggesting moderate to severe dementia. The order of the loss of function was (1) self-care/hygiene, (2) toileting, and (3) ambulation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that the S-ADL could be a very reliable and valid tool for the assessment of functional disabilities of Korean dementia patients. Particularly, S-ADL would be useful in assessing daily function of moderate to severe AD.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Dementia ; Education ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Spouses ; Walking

Leiomyosarcoma of the soft tissue is a well-defined and characteristic entity histologically, but cytomorphological studes are lacking. A correlaive cytological study of 2 cases of leiomyosarcoma is presented. The smears from case 1 were rich in tumor cells and most cells were arranged in large sheets or clusters. The cells showed round to oval nuclei containing fine chromatin and small promiment nucleoli. The smears from case 2 were moderate in cellularity with loose clusters or isolated cells. The characteristic blunt-ended and cigar-shaped nuclei containing coarse chromatin and prominent nucleoli were identified in case 2. Nuclear atypia, prominent nucleoli and high cellularity permit diagnosis of malignancy, although the atypia is generally less pronounced than in the histology. The cytological diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma may be auxiliary in the diagnosis of recurrence or metastasis in the patients with alleged leiomyosarcoma.
Child* ; Chromatin ; Diagnosis ; Dialysis* ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma ; Lipoproteins* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Renal Veins* ; Renin* ; Veins*

Transitional cell carcinoma(TCC) of the urinary bladder shows marked heterogeneity in biological behaviors. Evidence has accumulated that biological markers may provide significant information to predict the potential aggressiveness of TCC. We have assessed the expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R), c-erbB-2 and p53 proteins in 56 cases of TCC to investigate the prognostic significance of differential expression of these oncoproteins using an immunohistochemical method. We analysed the expression patterns of these oncoproteins according to tumor stage and grade. And we assessed the probability of progression-free survival in stage T1 tumors according to their expressions. Positive rates of EGF-R (>+3 staining intensity), c-erbB-2 (intense membrane staining) and p53 proteins (>20% positive cells) were 73.2%, 37.5% and 42.9%, respectively. Invasive tumors had significantly higher positive rates of all three factors than did superficial tumors (p<0.005 for EGF-R and c-erbB-2, p<0.05 for p53). High grade tumors had significantly higher positive rates of c-erbB-2 and p53 proteins (p<0.005). In superficial tumors, T1 tumors had higher positive rate of p53 protein compared with Ta tumors (p<0.05). Twelve cases of superficial tumors (34.3%) were positive for EGF-R and negative for c-erbB-2 and p53 proteins. Nine cases of superficial tumors(25.7%) were negative for all three factors. In invasive tumors, however, 42.5% of the cases were positive for all three factors. The overexpression of p53 protein was the only useful marker to predict the rapid progression in stage T1 tumors (p<0.05, log-rank test). These results suggest that the differential overexpression of EGF-R, c-erbB-2 and p53 proteins could be useful to depict tumor aggressiveness of TCC of the urinary bladder. And, the overexpression of a p53 protein may be a useful marker to predict the possibility of rapid progression in stage T1 tumors.
Biomarkers ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Membranes ; Oncogene Proteins ; Population Characteristics ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Staphylococcal Protein A* ; Urinary Bladder*

Mycosis fungoides palmaris et plantaris is an uncommon expression of mycosis fungoides that manifests primarily on the palms and the soles. The lesions may be quite hyperkeratotic and mimic various inflammatory palmoplantar dermatoses. A biopsy is recommended in the evaluation of recalcitrant palmoplantar dermatoses. We report a case of mycosis fungoides palmaris et plantaris in a 36-year-old woman presented with hyperkeratotic plaque on her palms and soles.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Female ; Humans ; Mycosis Fungoides* ; Skin Diseases