The study was designed to compare the anti-carcinogenic effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers on colon carcinogenesis in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-treated rats by determining the levels of apoptosis, cell proliferation, eicosanoids and 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) in colonic mucosa. Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups depending on the types of CLA isomers, i.e. BT group (no CLA contained), CLA-C group (cis-9, trans11 isomer contained), and CLA- T group (trans-10, cis-12 isomer contained). The experimental diet was composed of protein at 20%, carbohydrate at 56.2%, and fat at 14.5% including 0.8% CLA isomers by weight. The experimental diet was fed for 14 weeks with the initiation of intramuscular injection of DMH, which was injected twice a week for 6 weeks to give total dose of l80mg per kg body weight. Two CLA isomers (c9t11 and t10c12) significantly increased the relative percentage of apoptosis but reduced cell proliferation in mucosal cell and also the levels of PGE2, TXB2, and DAG in colonic mucosa. However, there was no significant differences in anti-carcinogenic effect between c9t11 isomer and t10c12 isomer. Overall, colon carcinogenesis could be significantly inhibited by CLA isomers by increasing apoptosis and reducing cell proliferation, the levels of eicosanoids and DAG in colonic mucosa.
1,2-Dimethylhydrazine ; Animals ; Anticarcinogenic Agents ; Apoptosis* ; Body Weight ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Proliferation* ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Diet ; Dimenhydrinate ; Dinoprostone ; Eicosanoids ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Linoleic Acid ; Male ; Mucous Membrane* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency of complications and diagnostic accuracy of CT-guided percutaneous automated gun biopsy, and to compare the results with those reported for fine needle aspiration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using automated biopsy devices, 118 CT-guided percutaneous biopsies of pulmonary lesions were performed. An 18-gauge needle was used. Final diagnosis was made with operation or other methods. We retrospectively analyzed the frequency of complications and diagnostic yields of 118 biopsies. RESULT: Four of 118(3.3%) patients developed pneumothorax and two of these required chest tube insertion. Other complications were resolved spontaneously. 106 biopsies (89.8%) yielded sufficient tissue for pathologic evaluation. For cases of malignant and of benign disease, sensitivity was 91.8% and 87.7% respectively ; the corresponding figures for diagnostic accuracy were 88.5% and 78.9%. CONCLUSION: CT-guided automated gun biopsy of the pulmonary lesions is safe, witha pneumothorax rate comparable to that of fine needle aspiration. In the absence of a trained cytologist at the time of biopsy, the diagnostic accuracy of automated gun biopsy of pulmonary lesions compared favorably with the reported accuracy of fine needle aspiration.
Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Chest Tubes ; Diagnosis ; Needles ; Pneumothorax ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) occasionally fails due to surgically altered anatomy, difficult cannulation, or poor general condition. This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous transhepatic papillary balloon dilatation (PTPBD) for managing extrahepatic bile duct stones. METHODS: Between 2001 and 2010, 17 out of 509 patients with extrahepatic bile duct stones and acute cholangitis were enrolled retrospectively. After PTPBD of the sphincter, the stones were extracted using an occlusion balloon to push the stone over a guidewire into the duodenum. The procedure success was evaluated based on residual stones. In addition, the size and number of stones and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 17 patients, nine had a previous gastrectomy, four had poor general condition, and four had unsuccessful cannulation. The stone diameter ranged from 8 to 25 mm. Seven, five, and five patients had one, two, or three or more stones, respectively. The results were successful in 16 out of 17 patients, with no residual stones. Treatment failed in one patient, who was then treated with the rendezvous technique with endoscopy. No procedure-related major complication occurred. Three patients had mild transient elevations of the serum amylase levels. CONCLUSIONS: PTPBD was safe and effective for managing extrahepatic bile duct stones in patients with unsuccessful or contraindicated ERCP.
Amylases ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Catheterization ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis ; Choledocholithiasis ; Dilatation ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Most of all studies about the relation between the health risk and obesity are based on the European and American data. The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between adiposity and risk factors for cardio vacular disease (CVD) in normal weight individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal weight subjects with a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 23 kg/m2 (76 subjects) and overweight subjects with a BMI between 23 and 25 kg/m2 (53 subjects) were retained for this study. Normal weight subjects were divided into three group of each adiposity variable, then three group and the overweight group were evaluated for the presence of CVD risk factors and analyze the correlation coefficients between adiposity variables and risk factors controlled for age in normal weight, overweight groups. Using logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio (OR) for the prevalence of risk factors for each group of adiposity variables and the overweight group was estimated relative to the first group in normal weight subjects. RESULTS: Systolic BP, diastolic BP, LDL cholestrol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides in normal weight subjects were significantly correlated with all adiposity variables (P<0.01). Third group (3.7 for %fat and 4.7 for fat mass)of adiposity variables in the normal weight group and the overweight group (6.6 for %fat and 11.5 for fat mass) tended to have higher ORs compared to first group for risk factor variables. CONCLUSION: Normal weight subjects with elevated adiposity had higher prevalence of risk factors than normal weights subjects with less adiposity. Measuring of adiposity added additional information of cardiovascular disease risk factors in normal weight subjects.
Adiposity* ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Humans ; Ideal Body Weight* ; Logistic Models ; Male* ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Overweight ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Triglycerides ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to confirm the factors that affect the mortality associated with the open surgical repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) and to analyze the long-term survival rates. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on a prospectively collected database that included 455 consecutive patients who underwent open surgical repair for AAA between January 2001 and December 2012. We divided our analysis into in-hospital and postdischarge periods and analyzed the risk factors that affected the long-term survival of rAAA patients. RESULTS: Of the 455 patients who were initially screened, 103 were rAAA patients, and 352 were non-rAAA (nAAA) patients. In the rAAA group, 25 patients (24.2%) died in the hospital and 78 were discharged. Long-term survival was significantly better in the nAAA group (P = 0.001). The 2-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates of the rAAA patients were 87%, 73.4%, and 54.1%, respectively. Age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–.08; P < 0.001) and aneurysm rupture (HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.12–.44; P = 0.01) significantly affected long-term survival. CONCLUSION: Preoperative circulatory failure is the most common cause of death for in-hospital mortality of rAAA patients. After excluding patients who have died during the perioperative period, age is the only factor that affects the survival of rAAA patients.
Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* ; Aortic Rupture ; Cause of Death ; Hospital Mortality* ; Humans ; Mortality ; Perioperative Period ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Rupture ; Shock ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. The surge of TB has been accompanied by an increase in multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). In this study, we developed a denaturing HPLC (DHPLC) method for detecting rpoB gene mutation as a rifampin resistance based on sequence. METHODS: In this study, we used 99 mycobacterial isolates grown in Ogawa media. At first, we used a PCR method that can amplify the 235 bp and 136 bp rpoB DNAs of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) and Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). And then, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of rpoB DNA (342 bp), which comprises the Rif(T) region, was used for the differential identification of Mycobacteria. Finally, we detected these amplicons by DHPLC, compared to PCR-RFLP results, and performed sequencing. RESULTS: Among 99 mycobacterial isolates, 80 (81%) were MTB and 19 (19%) were NTM. NTM were identified to 7 different species by DHPLC and PCR-RFLP. rpoB mutation was detected in 9 (11%) of the MTB specimens. These results were confirmed by using sequencing. CONCLUSIONS: DHPLC provided a rapid, simple, and automatable performance for detection of rifampin resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and would be helpful as a supplemental method in high-throughput clinical laboratories.
Antibiotics, Antitubercular/*pharmacology ; Bacterial Typing Techniques ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/*methods ; DNA, Bacterial ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial/genetics ; Humans ; Mutation ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/*drug effects/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Rifampin/*pharmacology ; Tuberculosis/*microbiology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of occult HBV infection depends on the prevalence of HBV infection in the general population. Hemodialysis patients are at increased risk for HBV infection. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of occult HBV infection in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: Total of 98 patients undergoing hemodialysis in CHA Bundang Medical Center (Seongnam, Korea) were included. Liver function tests and analysis of HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc and anti-HCV were performed. HBV DNA testing was conducted by using two specific quantitative methods. RESULTS: HBsAg was detected in 4 of 98 patients (4.1%), and they were excluded. Among 94 patients with HBsAg negative and anti-HCV negative, one (1.1%) patient with the TaqMan PCR test and 3 (3.2%) patients with the COBAS Amplicor HBV test were positive for HBV DNA. One patient was positive in both methods. Two patients were positive for both anti-HBs and anti-HBc and one patient was negative for both anti-HBs and anti-HBc. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed the prevalence of occult HBV infection in HBsAg negative and anti-HCV negative patients on hemodialysis at our center was 3.2%. Because there is possibility of HBV transmission in HBsAg negative patients on hemodialysis, more attention should be given to prevent HBV transmission.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies/blood ; DNA, Viral/analysis ; Feces/*virology ; Female ; Hepatitis B/complications/*epidemiology/transmission ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens/immunology ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics/immunology ; Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/*complications/diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Renal Dialysis ; Risk Factors

Tuberculosis of the uterine cervix is a rare disorder and the cervix is reported to be involved in 5-15 percent of the case of genital tuberculosis. It is discovered incidentally in most cases. The genital lesions are secondary to tuberculosis elsewhere, usually, the lungs. Primary cervical tuberculosis is very rare. The cytologic diagnosis of cervical tuberculosis is difficult. The histological diagnosis of genital tuberculosis presents no problems when the typical caseating necrosis and Langhans giant cell granulomas are present in tissue. And the presence of tubercle bacilli in biopsy specimens as well as in cultures of one specimen confirmed the diagnosis. We report a case of tuberculosis of the cervix confirmed by histologic examination with brief review.
Biopsy ; Cervix Uteri* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Granuloma, Giant Cell ; Infertility ; Lung ; Necrosis ; Tuberculosis*

Background/Aims: Although proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) remain a mainstay for the suppression of gastric acid secretion, long-term PPI use is associated with side effects. However, the genotoxicity associated with long-term PPI use is unclear. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational pilot study enrolled patients who had been on PPIs for >1 year and healthy controls from July 2015 to August 2016. The subjects completed self-report questionnaires pertaining to their drug and medical history, and only those with no medical history and a ≥2-year wash-out period (for drugs other than PPIs) were included. We collected peripheral-blood lymphocytes from long-term PPI users and healthy controls and analyzed the genotoxicity by using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay; we also determined the fasting serum levels of pyridoxine, folate, cobalamin, and homocysteine. Results: Ten long-term PPI users and 40 healthy control subjects were enrolled. The median serum pyridoxine, folate, cobalamin, and homocysteine levels were not significantly different between the groups. The median frequencies of micronuclei (MNi), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs), and nuclear buds (Nbuds) per 1,000 binucleated cells, in long-term PPI users and healthy controls, were 30.3 and 16.3 (P<0.005), 2.5 and 1.8 (P<0.005), and 9.3 and 5.0 (P<0.005), respectively. Even after adjustment for confounding factors, the OR of the MNi, NPBs, and Nbuds for long-term PPI users compared with healthy control subjects were 14.1 (P<0.001), 2.0 (P=0.001), and 1.3 (P=0.3), respectively. Conclusions Long-term PPI use was significantly associated with an increased risk of genotoxicity after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, medical history, drug history, and the serum levels of vitamins.

Antioxidant properties have been proposed as a mechanism for the putative anti-inflammatory effects of phenolic compounds. To reveal the relationship between antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effects of various antioxidants, we measured 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH)-reducing activity and examined the inhibitory effects on LPS-induced inflammation-related gene expression in the BV2 microglial cell line. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (0.2microgram/ml) was used with or without antioxidants to treat cells, and the regulation of iNOS and cytokine gene expression was monitored using an RNase protection assay (RPA). Although, all tested antioxidants had similar DPPH-reducing activity and inhibited nitrite production, but the curcuminoid antioxidants (ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and curcumin) inhibited LPS-induced gene expression (iNOS, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-1 Ra) in a concentration-dependent manner. Other tested antioxidants did not exhibit the same effects; N-acetylcysteine (NAC) only began to suppress IL-1beta gene expression just below the concentration at which cytotoxicity occurred. Moreover, the antioxidant potency of curcuminoids appeared to have no correlation with anti-inflammatory potency. Only curcumin could inhibit LPS-induced microglial activation at a micromolar level. These data suggest that curcumin may be a safe antioxidant possessing anti-inflammatory activity.
Acetylcysteine ; Antioxidants* ; Cell Line* ; Curcumin ; Gene Expression ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-6 ; Nitric Oxide ; Phenol ; Ribonucleases ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha