No abstract available.
Arthritis*

No abstract available.
Humans

CMV is common cause of life-threatening opportunistic viral infection in immunocompromised patients, especially in transplant recipients and those who are infected with HIV. Although CMV infection is generally asymptomatic in healthy adults, CMV colitis can occur in immunocompetent adults. While the right colon is the most common site of gastrointestinal CMV infection, it is extremely rare for it to involve the whole colon. We report a rare case of cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis in an immunocompetent adult presenting as pancolitis. The usual course of gastrointestinal CMV infection is self limited in an immunocompetent adult, but our case revealed that conservative treatment was not enough, and the administration of ganciclovir was essential for the improvement of disease.
Adult* ; Colitis* ; Colon ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Ganciclovir ; HIV ; Humans ; Immunocompetence ; Immunocompromised Host ; Transplantation

A 78-year-old male cadaver showed bilateral anomalous muscles on the dorsum of the hand. An extensor digitorum brevis manus was noted on the dorsum of the right hand. It originated from the distal end of the radius and the radiocarpal joint ligaments and inserted into the metacarpophalangeal joint of the third digit. On the dorsum of the left hand, an extensor digiti medii proprius was identified. It originated from the distal third of the ulna near the extensor indicis proprius and the interosseous membrane and inserted into the metacarpophalangeal joint of the third digit. Awareness of these combined muscular variation would be helpful in understanding the identification of digital extensors and in requiring careful consideration for the reconstruction surgery of the hand.
Aged ; Cadaver ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Ligaments ; Male ; Membranes ; Metacarpophalangeal Joint ; Muscles ; Radius ; Ulna

The cag7 gene of Korean H. pylori strains was analyzed by RFLP to develop a discriminatory tool for genotyping clinical isolates. For this study, a total of 82 H. pylori strains were isolated from the patients; 27 strains from the patients with chronic gastritis, 26 from duodenal ulcer, and 29 from gastric cancer. Genomic DNA was isolated and subjected to PCR targeting entire ORF or the repeat regions I and II of cag7 gene. PCR products from entire ORF or repeat region I of cag7 gene were divided into two types. However, there was no difference in the length of PCR products from the repeat region II. By the PCR genotyping of the entire cag7 gene, genotypes A and B were established, which showed approximately 5,100 and 5,500 bp PCR products, respectively. The repeat region I showed approximately 600 or 1,000 bp DNA fragments by PCR. The length of cag7 gene was determined by the size variation in the repeat region I. In addition, RFLP analysis of the PCR products of cag7 gene showed 11 subtypes, based on the major bands. These findings illustrate that the genetic diversity of the repeat region I would serve a reliable target for the genotyping of the cag7 gene.
Animals ; DNA ; Duodenal Ulcer ; Ecthyma, Contagious ; Gastritis ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length* ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Of the hypothetical models of the carcinogenesis of breast cancer, the horizontal progression is most acceptable at the present time. According to the hypothesis, there are genetically different pathways among pure invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), non-high grade IDC with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and high grade IDC with DCIS. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is any heterogeneity in biological behavior among these three categories. METHODS: With reversed Black nuclear grade (RBNG) in IDC component and the association of DCIS, we divided 184 breast cancer patients, who had underwent curative operations, into three groups. The patients with pure IDC were included in Group 1, non-high grade (RBNG 1 and 2) IDC with DCIS in Group 2, and high grade (RBNG 3) IDC with DCIS in Group 3. And we retrospectively analyzed and compared three groups with mean age, menopausal status, T stage, N stage, the expression rate of ER, PR, p53, and c-erbB-2, and cumulative metastasis-free survival. RESULTS: The percentage of the postmenopausal patients was significantly smaller in Group 3 (14.0%, P=0.025) than Group 1 and 2 (36.1% and 30.6%). There were significantly higher expression rates of ER and PR in Group 2 with 78.3% and 68.3%, respectively (P=0.000 and P=0.030). The 5-year metastasis- free survival rate were 70.4% in Group 1, 85.2% in Group 3, and 87.5% in Group 2. The Log Rank test in Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival curve showed the statistically significant differences among three groups (P= 0.041). CONCLUSION: We can say that there would be clinical heterogeneity among three groups classified by histopathologic findings. To apply this classification to the multi-disciplinary therapeutic modality of breast cancer, further study using a new biologic marker, which is associated with invasiveness and metastagenicity and can discrminate the three categories of breast cancers in any kind of specimen biopised preoperatively, is needed.
Biomarkers ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Classification* ; Humans ; Population Characteristics ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Orientia -tsutsugamushi infection is an acute febrile disease due to the accidental transmission through human skin of forest dwelling vector Leptotrombidium larva. The authors observed liver dysfunctions in patients diagnosed with tsutsugamushi disease (Scrub typhus) in the past 3 years and report the data in the hope of bringing attention to this disease in the differential diagnosis of autumn-season hepatitis, especially of non-A, non-B and non-C hepatitis. METHODS: Medical records of 22 patients diagnosed with tsutsugamushi disease by the hemagglutinin method between October 2000 and November 2002 were reviewed. RESULTS: Female gender was dominant in the ratio of 3.4:1. Mean age was 56.4 +/- 2.6. Admission was between 23rd September and 15th November with the peak between mid October and early November. Fever, being the most common symptom, was observed in 21 cases, myalgia in 13, arthralgia in 12, chills in 6, and skin rash in 6. An incubation period of 7-9 days was most common (10 cases), 13-15 days (4), 10-12 days (3), within 3 days (3), and 4-6 days (2). Average ALT, AST and GGTP were increased to 93.2 +/- 17.3 IU/L (18 +/- 345 IU/L), 92.5 +/- 11.7 IU/L (34-255 IU/L) and 132.2 +/- 14.5 IU/L (19-251 IU/L), respectively, but total bilirubin was normal. All the patients improved with doxycycline therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Since it usually shows liver dysfunction, it is important to take Orientia tsutsugamushi into consideration in differential diagnosis of autumn-season, febrile hepatic disease.
Adult ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; *Disease Outbreaks ; Hepatitis/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Scrub Typhus/complications/*diagnosis/epidemiology

PURPOSE: Recently allergic diseases have gradually increased in schools and among preschool aged childhood. Pollen amount of weeds also, especially ragweed, were increased. We evaluated the increased pollen count of weed was associated with the sensitization rate to weed in childhood. METHODS: Airborne particles carrying allergens were collected daily from eight stations nationwide(Seoul, Guri, Cheongju, Daegu, Kwangju, Busan, Kangneung, and Jeju) by using 7 days-Burkard sampler(Burkard Manufacturing Co Ltd, Hertfordshire, UK), for 7 years in South Korea(July 1, 1997-June 30, 2004). They were counted and recorded along with the weather. Data was collected through pediatric patients with allergic symptoms, who visit the pediatrics allergy clinics and capable of allerfy skin test among hospitals that have pollen collecting centers. RESULTS: Airborne pollen has two peak seasons:May and September in Korea. There were the tree pollen seasons from the middle of February to late July, then followed the grasses and weed season from the middle of July to the end of October. Ragweed was one of the most common pollens of autumn in Korea. In skin prick tests, Mugwort was the highest sensitization rate(7.6 percent), followed by ragweed(7.1 percent), birch(6.1 percent), alder, grasses mix among the pollen extracts in Korean school aged children. Ragweed pollen counts have gradually increased since 2000. In the same period, sensitization rates for airborne pollen, especially weeds, in Korean children have increased annually(1999:4.4 percent, 2000:7.1 percent, 2001:7.4 percent, 2002:8.5 percent, 2003:7.7 percent). CONCLUSION: Sensitization rates for outdoor airborne pollens have increased in Korean children. These findings might result from the changes of life styles and living environments in Korea.
Allergens ; Alnus ; Ambrosia ; Artemisia ; Busan ; Child* ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Daegu ; Gangwon-do ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea* ; Life Style ; Pediatrics ; Poaceae ; Pollen* ; Seasons ; Skin ; Skin Tests ; Weather

Hepatitis E is an infectious viral disease with clinical and morphologic features of acute hepatitis. Although HEV infection is endemic in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast and Central Asia, a large outbreak of hepatitis E was identified in China. Smaller outbreaks have been observed in the Middle East, northern and western parts of Africa, and Mexico. Sporadic hepatitis E also has been observed in several countries. In nonendemic regions, the sporadic cases of hepatitis E are almost always associated with travel to HEV-endemic regions. In Korea, there has been no report on hepatitis E. Recently, we experienced a case of acute icteric hepatitis in which serologic study showed seroconversion of IgM anti-HEV. The patient did not have any travel history to an HEV-endemic area. We report this as an initial case of acute hepatitis E in Korea.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; English Abstract ; *Hepatitis E/diagnosis/epidemiology ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male

PURPOSE: A new health policy, referred to as the National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children, was launched in November 2007 by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and National Health Insurance Corporation in Korea. We have developed a nutrition-counseling program that was incorporated into this project. METHODS: We reviewed the nutritional guidelines published by The Korean Pediatric Society and internationally well-known screening programs such as Bright Future in the United States. We also reviewed the recent Korean national surveys on nutritional issues, including the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the 2005 National Survey of Physical Body and Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents. The development of questions, pamphlets, computer programs, and manuals for doctors was carried out after several meetings of researchers and governmental officers. RESULTS: We summarized the key nutritional issues according to age, including breastfeeding in infants, healthier complementary feeding, and prevention of iron deficiency anemia, establishment of healthier diets, as well as dietary prevention of overweight children with an emphasis on physical exercise. We have constructed a new Korean nutrition questionnaire and an anticipatory guidance program based on the primary care schedule of visits at 4, 9, 18, 30, and 60 months of age. Five to eight questions were asked at each visit and age-matched pamphlets for parents and guidelines for doctors were provided. CONCLUSION: We developed a nutrition-counseling program based on recent scientific evidence for Korean infants and children. Further research on this national program for screening the nutritional problems in detail and setting the therapeutic approaches may help identify areas of success as well as those that need further attention.
Adolescent ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Appointments and Schedules ; Blood Pressure ; Breast Feeding ; Child ; Counseling ; Diet ; Exercise ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; National Health Programs ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Pamphlets ; Parents ; Primary Health Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Software ; United States