No abstract available.
Vibration*

No abstract available.
Erythrocyte Membrane* ; Erythrocytes* ; Hydroxyl Radical* ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Macrophages, Alveolar* ; Mineral Fibers*

Many acute and chronic lung diseased including pneumoconiosis are characterized by the presence of increased numbers of activated macrophages. These macrophages generate several inflammatory cell chemoattractants, by which neutrophil migrate from vascular compartment to the alveolar space. Recruited neutrophils secrete toxic oxygen radicals or proteolytic enzymes and induce inflammatory response. Continuing inflammatory response results in alteration of the pulmonary structure and irreversible fibrosis. Recently, a polypeptide with specific neutrophil chemotactic activity, interleukin-8 (IL-8), has been cloned and isolated from a number of cells such as: monocytes, macrophages and fibroblasts. IL-1 and/or TNF-alpha preceded for the synthesis of IL-8, and we already observed high level of IL-1 and TNF-alpha in vivo experiments. So we hypothesized that IL-8 might play a central role in the pathogenesis of pneumoconiosis. In order to evaluate the clinical utility of IL-1, IL-8, TNF as a biomarker in the early diagnosis of pneumoconiosis, we investigated the increase of IL-1, 8, TNF in the pneumoconiotic patient and the significant (p<0.05) correlation between IL-8 level and progression of pneumoconiosis.
Chemotactic Factors ; Clone Cells ; Diagnosis* ; Early Diagnosis ; Fibroblasts ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Interleukin-1* ; Interleukin-8 ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Monocytes ; Neutrophils ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Pneumoconiosis* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Early recognition of coalescence in pneumoconiotic lesions is important because such coalescence is associated with the respiratory symptoms and deterioration of lung function. This complicated form of pneumoconiosis also has worse prognosis than does simple pneumoconiosis. High resolution computerized tomography(HRCT) provides significant additional information on the stage of the pneumoconiosis because it easily detects coalescence of nodules and emphysema that may not be apparent on the simple radiograph. The Purpose of this study is to clarify the role of HRCT in detection of large opacity and the relationship of change between the coalescence of nodules or emphysema and lung function in dust exposed workers. 1. There was good correlation between the HRCT grade of pneumoconiosis and ILO category of profusion. 5(9.09%) in 55 study population had confluent nodule extending over two or more cuts on HRCT. HRCT could identify the pneumoconiotic nodules which was not found by simple radiography in 6 workers with category 0/0. 2. No significant difference was observed coalescence of nodules and emphysema by dust type. 3. There was no significant difference in pulmonary function according to ILO and HRCT classification. 4. HRCT could detect the significant reduction in FEV1, FEV1/FVC, PEER, FEF25, FEF50, and FEF75 and remarkable increase in RV and TLC in study persons with emphysema compared with non-emphysema group. 5. Emphysema was found more often in nodules-coalescence group than small opacity group by HRCT. We found that HRCT could easily detect areas of coalescence and complicated emphysema compared to plain chest X-ray. Also our data suggest that it is primarily the degree of emphysema rather than the degree of pneumoconiosis that determines the level of pulmonary function.
Classification ; Dust ; Emphysema ; Humans ; Lung ; Pneumoconiosis* ; Prognosis ; Radiography ; Thorax

Cantrell's syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly, consists of five malformations. There are the midline abdominal wall defect, the defect of sterna lower part, an agenesis of the anterior part of the diaphragm, an absence of the diaphragmatic pericardium, and the congenital intracardiac problem. We diagnosed Cantrell's syndrome with left ventricular diverticulum in a female neonate with no perinatal problems. She experienced an one-staged operation and discharged with no complications. We report a case with brief review of the literature.
Abdominal Wall ; Diaphragm ; Diverticulum* ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Pericardium

PURPOSE: Assessment of the diameters of the aortic arches in the human fetus may be helpful in the prenatal diagnosis of aortic arch anomalies. The purpose of this study is to construct valuable reference ranges of fetal aortic arch for various fetal growth parameters in an unselected Korean population. METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional study was performed in 98 normal singleton fetuses between 20 and 38 weeks of gestation. The transverse aortic arch diameter (TAD) and distal aorta isthmus diameter (AID) were measured in the longitudinal view during systole. The bi-parietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC) and femur length (FL) were obtained at the same time. Ultrasound examinations were performed with a 2.0-6.0 MHz convex probe by abdominal ultrasound. RESULTS: TAD and AID as a function of gestational age (GA) was expressed by the regression equation TAD= -1.246+0.168 X GA, and AID = -1.341+0.180 X GA; TAD and AID are expressed in millimeters and GA in weeks. TAD and AID as a function of BPD was expressed by the regression equation TAD= -1.147+0.664 X BPD, and AID = -1.152+0.696 X BPD. TAD and AID as a function of HC was expressed by the regression equation TAD = -1.187+0.182 X HC, and AID = -1.350+0.198 X HC. TAD and AID as a function of AC was expressed by the regression equation TAD = -0.528+0.173 X AC, and AID = -0.533+0.183 X AC. TAD and AID as a function of FL was expressed by the regression equation TAD = -0.519+0.799 X FL, and AID = -0.601+0.860 X FL; BPD, HC, AC and FL are expressed in centimeters. Correlations were found to be highly statistically significant in relation to GA, BPD, HC, AC, and FL respectively (P<0.0001 in all). Normal mean of TAD and AID per GA, BPD, HC, AC and FL and 95% prediction limits were also defined, respectively. CONCLUSION: New reference ranges of fetal aortic arch related to other fetal bio-parameters representing fetal growth were obtained successfully. The normative date will be helpful in the prenatal accurate diagnosis of aortic anomalies and abnormal growth of fetal aortic arches in Korea.
Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Echocardiography ; Femur ; Fetal Development ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Head ; Humans ; Korea ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Prospective Studies ; Reference Values ; Systole

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To report the clinical features of six patients diagnosed with cases of inferior vestibular neuritis based on abnormal vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) responses with normal caloric test results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 62 patients presenting with dizziness. All patients underwent a battery of audiovestibular testing, including hearing tests, caloric test and VEMP test. RESULTS: Six patients were diagnosed as inferior vestibular neuritis. All patients presented with acute onset of prolonged vertigo. The pure tone audiograms and caloric test results were normal. VEMP response was absent unilaterally, and normal in the contralateral ear. CONCLUSION: Inferior vestibular neuritis should be considered in patients presenting with acute vertigo, but normal caloric responses. Comprehensive vestibular testing including VEMP is necessary.
Caloric Tests ; Dizziness ; Ear ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials ; Vestibular Function Tests ; Vestibular Neuronitis

OBJECTIVES: It is well known that pneumoconiotic patients experience impairments of macrophage function, as well as poor penetration of drugs into the fibrotic nodules and the immune system. Resultantly, pneumonia is frequently involved in pneumoconiotic patients and its treatment is not easy. Therefore, we conducted a clinical evaluation of immunoglobulin G which is known to be effective in severe infectious diseases. METHODS: We randomly selected 45 pneumoconiotic patients with pneumonia and classified them into 2 groups. The experimental group (IgG group) was scheduled to receive antibiotics and IgG (5 g I.V./day for 7 days). The control group was treated with antibiotics alone. Sputum gram stain (counts of WBCs and microorganisms), body temperature, arterial oxygen tension, and counts of peripheral venous blood leukocytes and band neutrophils were used as markers to assess the response effect therapy at time periods of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 days after completion of therapy. We compared the clinical scores between the two groups. RESULTS: The experimental IgG treated group was composed of 27 patients, and the control group comprised 18 patients. There was no statistical differences between two groups in terms of age, pneumoconiotic profusion, impairment degree of pulmonary function, or frequency of pathogen isolation in the sputum before medication. The experimental IgG treated group showed lower clinical scores as compared with the control group (p=0.083). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that IgG infusion with antibiotics will have an effect on pneumonia therapy in pneumoconiosis patients that are under 60 years and exhibit simple pneumoconiosis.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Body Temperature ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans* ; Immune System ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Immunoglobulins* ; Leukocytes ; Macrophages ; Neutrophils ; Oxygen ; Pneumoconiosis ; Pneumonia* ; Sputum

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed in order to investigate the frequency of the TNF2 allele in patients with coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP). METHODS: We compared the genotype distribution of TNFalpha gene promoter polymorphism between 80 CWP patients and 54 healthy controls. RESULTS: The results were as follows : 1. The rare allele TNF2 was significantly more frequent in CWP patients (20.6 %) than in controls (10.2 %). 2. The spontaneous or LPS-induced release of TNFalpha from the peripheral monocytes was slightly increased in the TNF2 group, but these values were not significantly different between groups. 3. In the CWP TNF2 group, the increase of LPS-induced TNFalpha release was significant in comparison with that of the controls. CONCLUSIONS: From the above results, we suggest that the TNF2 allele is strongly associated with susceptibility to CWP development.
Alleles ; Anthracosis ; Coal* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Monocytes ; Pneumoconiosis* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

OBJECT: We measured the activity of telomerase in coal workers lung tissue and found a significant increase in telomerase activity compared to the control group. Pneumoconiosis has the characteristics of fibroblast proliferation and the accumulation of collagen,thus finally causing the pathologic changes,which lead to the irreversible and progressive fibrosis of the lungs. We hypothesized that this cellular proliferation causing irreversible fibrosis may induce some elongation of the life cycle in the chromosomes and lead to further cellular immortalization. METHOD: 8 postmortem(within 24 hours)pneumo-coniotic cases were examined and their telomerase activity was compared with that of the autopsied lungs of lung cancer patients and of accident victims without any respiratory diseases. Using the extracted ribo-nucleoprotein from pneumoconiotic nodules, telomeric repeat amplification assay (TRAP)was done. RESULT: The pneumoconiotic lungs showed strong telomerase activity, similar to that of the lung cancer patients, while the control group showed no such activity. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, we found that coal dust-induced cellular proliferation affects telomerase-activity clinically.
Cell Proliferation ; Coal* ; Fibroblasts ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Life Cycle Stages ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Pneumoconiosis ; Telomerase*