Occupational asthma induced by the inhalation of the spore of Ganoderma lucidum was demonstrated in a 43-year-old woman who had cultivated it indoors for 6 years. She had suffered from paroxysmal cough and rarely wheezing dyspnea for two years. Recently she also had chest tightness and paroxysmal and repeated cough immediately after the exposure to Ganoderma lucidum spores. Her pulmonary function was normal. But, her PC20 was 6.4mg/ml in MBPT (methacholine bronchial provocation test). She showed not only positive reaction to skin prick test but also dual asthmatic reaction to the bronchial challenge test with antigenic extract of Ganoderma lucidum spores.
Adult ; Asthma, Occupational* ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Ganoderma* ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Reishi ; Respiratory Sounds ; Skin ; Spores* ; Thorax

No abstract available.
DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase*

No abstract available.
Infection Control*

Recently new tumor marker, MG7-Ag has been introduced for screening of gastric cancer. In this study MG7-Ag and CEA in sera of 50 normal healthy Koreans and 48 patients with gastric cancer group were determined to elucidate the clinical usefulness for gastric cancer screening. Commercial Enzyme Immuno Assay kits were used for analysis of above two markers. Sensitivity of MG7-Ag and CEA in patient group were found to be 43.8% and 41.7%, respectively. When the two markers were used combind, sensitivity increased to 62.5%. The concentration of MG7-Ag in patients (9.2+11.7 U/mL) was five times higher than normal control group (1.81+1.63 U/mL). CEA was 31.2+46.5 ng/mL in patients and 2.24+0.98 ng/mL (MeanSD) in normal control group. From this results, combination assay of MG7-Ag and CEA is more useful in clinical laboratories for screening gastric cancer than using one marker.
Humans ; Mass Screening ; Stomach Neoplasms*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

A 21-year-old Korean male was referred to our department in June, 1999 for the evaluation of extensive reddish patches and gray-bluish pigmentation since birth. Physical examination revealed two kinds of patches over the various parts of the body. Reddish patches suggesting nevus flammeus were located on the left side of face, chest, and both upper and lower extremities. Gray-bluish pigmented patches suggesting nevus of Ota were found on both the periorbital areas. A 0.5×0.6 cm erythematous papule was found on the right anterior chest. The results of its histopathologic examination were compatible with pyogenic granuloma. We made the diagnosis of phakomatosis pigmentovascularis associated with pyogenic granuloma as well as Sturge-Weber syndrome and Klippel-Trenanunay syndrome.
Diagnosis ; Granuloma, Pyogenic* ; Humans ; Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome* ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes* ; Nevus of Ota ; Parturition ; Physical Examination ; Pigmentation ; Port-Wine Stain ; Sturge-Weber Syndrome* ; Thorax ; Young Adult

A 25-year-old male with asthma suffered from generalized urticaria, angioedema and syncope associated with exercise after ingestion of food made with wheat flour. Skin prick test with bread showed strong positive reaction(++++), but with wheat flour, a weak positive(+). Challenge test with wheat flour, and food made with wheat flour, without or with exercise, were done several times. Exercise such as 25 min of running on treadmill following 30 min after 50 grams of bread or 50 grams of hot pepper-stuffed rice cake only showed positive reaction such as generalized urticaria, angioedema and hypotension, but not with 15 grams of bread or 15 grams of hot pepper-stuffed rice cake. Ingestion of bread in such high amounts as 15 grams alone did not trigger reaction, not even with is min of exercise. This is the first clear case of food dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) in which the allergic reaction depended on both the amount of food ingested and the amount of exercise was clarified.
Adult ; Anaphylaxis* ; Angioedema ; Asthma ; Bread ; Eating ; Flour* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Hypotension ; Male ; Running ; Skin ; Syncope ; Triticum* ; Urticaria

The author investigated serum immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, and IgM) and complements (C3) of cord blood in 74 cases of normal fullterm infants and 50 cases of premature infants. Serum immunogloblin and complement levels were measured by the single radial immunodiffusion method. The following results were obtained; 1) The mean seru IgG levels of cord blood in 74 cases of the normal full term infants was 1407.3+/-230.5mg/dl. 2) The mean serum IgG levels of cord blood in 50 cases of the premature infants was 675.2+/-329.4mg/dl. In comparison of serum IgG levels between the premature infants and the normal full term infants, serum IgG levels in the premature infants was significantly lower than that level of the normal infants (P< 0.05). 3) The serum IgA levels were measured in 28 (37.8%) of 74 cases of the normal full term infants and in 6 912%) of 50 cases of the premature infants. The serum IgA levels measured ranged from 0.4mg/dl to 3.7mg/dl in the normal full term infants and ranged from 0.4mg/dl to 2.4mg/dl in the prematre infants. 4) The mean serum IgM levels of cord blood in 74 cases of the normal full term infants was 4.05+/-3.53mg/dl and that in 50 cases of the premature infants was 2.20+/-2.15mg/dl. 5) The mean serum C3 levels of cord blood in 74 cases of normal full term infants was 49.7+/-18.1mg/dl and those of the premature infants was 30.9+/-10.5mg/dl. In comparison of serum C3 levels between the premature infants and the normal full term infants, the mean levels of serum C3 in the premature infants was significantly lower A statistically significant increase of IgG and C3 levels of cord blood in newborn infants were observed in accordance with the increase of the gestational age. It has been suggested that decreased IgG levels among premature infants may provide a rationale for prophylactic gamma globulin administration.
Complement System Proteins* ; Fetal Blood ; gamma-Globulins ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Immunodiffusion ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Infant, Premature

The influences of adrenal corticosteroid on the development and regression of neurons of dentate and hippocampus were studied by adrenalectomy and steroid overload in neonatal rats. The results obtained were as follows. 1. The cell death occurred naturally in numerous dentate granule cells and hippocampal pyramidal cells. 2. The number of dentate granule cells undergoing cell death decreased by injection of adrenal corticosteroid, but increased in adrenalectomized rat brains. The changes occurred prominently at postnatal day 6. 3. The number of hippocampal pyramidal cells undergoing cell death decreased in CA3 region by injection of adrenal corticosteroid, but was not changed in adrenalectomized rat brains. However, other regions exhibited no change by adrenal corticosteroid and adrenalectomy. 4. The cell death of pyramidal cells of CA3 region occurred in close relationship with the cell death of dentate granule cells, which was different from other CA regions. In summary, the cell death of dentate and hippocampal neurons occurred naturally but seemed to be influenced by other factors as well as adrenal corticosteroid.
Adrenalectomy ; Animals ; Brain ; Cell Death ; Hippocampus* ; Neurons* ; Pyramidal Cells ; Rats*