To estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) by using entomological evidence, species identification of forensically important flies is mandatory. However, the traditional species identification method, which relies on the key morphological features of adult flies, is not always available to investigators and has limitations to the immature samples. Because of these limitations, species identification using DNA sequences has long been an issue in the field of forensic entomology. In this review, I have briefly described the basic principles of molecular species identification and phylogenetic analysis and their applications in forensic entomology. I also recommend an experimental and statistical method to identify unknown fly samples obtained from the field.
Adult ; Base Sequence ; Diptera* ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; Entomology ; Forensic Sciences ; Humans ; Korea* ; Research Personnel ; Species Specificity

PURPOSE: Neuroendocrine differentiation and expression of drug resistance may affect the response to chemotherapy and the prognosis of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. We conducted retrospective study to evaluate the possibilities of neuroendocrine differentiation and drug resistance markers being used as prognostic factors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Immunohistochemical staining of NSE, PgP and GST-pai with polyclonal antibodies in pathologic specimens of 47 patients with non-small cell lung cancer were done. The relationship between the expression of the markers and the response to cisplatin-based chemotherapy and the overall survival were assessed. RESULTS: NSE staining was positive in 17% and there was no difference between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. NSE positive patients showed increased response rate (63% vs 26%, p=0.049) and prolonged response duration (15.8mo vs 4.5mo, p=0.0007). But there was no difference in overall survival between NSE positive and negative groups. The PgP positive rate was 17% and GST-pai positive rate was 47%. No correlations were found among the expression of drug resistance, the sensitivity to chemotherapy and overall survival. CONCLUSION: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer with positive NSE showed increased response rate to chemotherapy and prolonged response duration but overall survival was not related to NSE expression. Expression of PgP and GST- were not important in predicting the prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Antibodies ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Drug Resistance ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Glutathione Transferase* ; Glutathione* ; Humans ; Neurons* ; P-Glycoprotein* ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

To estimate postmortem interval, it is essential to obtain information regarding fly growth. Analyzing the relationship between growth period and body length using a sigmoid function is widely accepted in animal science. However, in forensic entomology, it is difficult to find studies related to growth period and body length. Therefore, we compared growth curve models for forensically important flies using sigmoid functions. we used the data from flour fly species (Calliphora lata, Calliphora vicina, Chrysomya pinguis, and Lucilia illustris) and fited these against five sigmoid functions: quadratic-plateau model, logistic model, Gompertz model, von Bertalanffy model, and Brody model. Model evaluation criteria were, R2 mean squared error (MSE), Akaike information criterion (AIC), and Bayesian information criterion (BIC). The von Bertalanffy model yielded the highest R2 value and the lowest MSE, AIC, and BIC values for C. lata, whereas the logistic model was the best fit for the data from the other three species C. vicina, Ch. pinguis, and L. illustris.

Salmonella-triggered reactive arthritis appears one to three weeks after the onset of salmonella infection and presents with asymmetric, usually migratory, oligo- or polyarthritis. The course is usually self-limiting and symptoms last two to six months. We experienced a 10-year-old male patient who presented to a local pediatric center with long-lasting fever and right ankle joint pain. The pain migrated to the left ankle joint, both wrists, and both knees and he was diagnosed as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and was medicated with NSAIDs and corticosteroid. In the meantime, 20 days prior to the transfer to our hospital he was febrile with nausea and abdominal pain and the antibody titer of S. typhi O Ag by Widal test was 1 : 320, and an antibiotic therapy was followed. Soon after, the fever subsided but the migrating joint symptoms continued and he was transferred to our hospital. Widal tests were weekly checked and the antibody titers of S. typhi O Ag were 1 : 160, 1 : 320, 1 : 320, 1 : 160, 1 : 160, respectively. ESR was 55 mm/hr, CRP 9.18 mg/dl, HLA-B27 positive and his endoscopic findings of the colon showed mild lymphoid hyperplasia and mucosal nodularities in the cecum and ileocecal area. Stool cultures and duodenal juice culture for Salmonella and Shigella were all negative. He was treated with ibuprofen and bactrim and the joint symptoms were gradually mitigated. After discharge, he maintained mildly elevated CRP levels and antibody levels by Widal tests, but was free from symptoms except for several episodes of finger pains for 11 months.
Abdominal Pain ; Ankle Joint ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Juvenile* ; Arthritis, Reactive* ; Cecum ; Child* ; Colon ; Fever ; Fingers ; HLA-B27 Antigen ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Ibuprofen ; Joints ; Knee ; Male ; Nausea ; Salmonella ; Salmonella Infections ; Shigella ; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination ; Wrist

PURPOSE: Repetitive bleeding into the joint space is the cause of debilitative hemophilic arthropathy. To interrupt this process, we treated the hemophilic patients suffering from repetitive joint bleeding with radiation therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1997 to 2001, a total of 41 joints from 37 hemophilic arthropathy patients were treated with radiation therapy at Kyung Hee University Hospital. The treated joints were 35 ankles, 3 knees and 3 elbows, respectively. The age of the patients ranged from 4 to 27 years (median age: 11 years). The radiation dose ranged from 900 cGy to 2360 cGy (median dose: 900cGy). The fraction size was 150 cGy, 180 cGy or 200 cGy. The number of bleeding in one year before and after radiotherapy was compared. RESULTS: There was a tendency of frequent bleeding for the patients younger than 11 (p=0.051) but there was also a tendency for more improvement in this group (p=0.057). The number of joint bleedings was related with joint pain (p=0.012) and joint swelling (p=0.033) but not with the Arbold-Hilgartner stage (p=0.739), cartilage destruction (p=0.718) and synovial hypertrophy (p=0.079). The number of bleeding was reduced in thirty-three cases, and eight cases showed no improvement after radiation therapy. The average number of bleeding in a month was 2.52 before radiotherapy, but this was reduced to 1.4 after radiotherapy (p=0.017). CONCLUSION: Radiation therapy was effective for the hemophilia patients with repetitive joint bleeding to decrease the bleeding frequency and to prevent hemophilic arthropathy.
Ankle ; Arthralgia ; Cartilage ; Elbow ; Hemophilia A ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Joints ; Knee ; Radiotherapy

Late complications of head and neck cancer survivors include neck muscle atrophy and soft-tissue fibrosis. We present an autopsy case of neck muscle atrophy and soft-tissue fibrosis (sternocleidomastoid, omohyoid, digastric, sternohyoid, sternothyroid, and platysma muscles) within the radiation field after modified radical neck dissection type I and postoperative radiotherapy for floor of mouth cancer. A 70-year-old man underwent primary tumor resection of the left floor of mouth, left marginal mandibulectomy, left modified radical neck dissection type I, and reconstruction with a radial forearm free flap. The patient received adjuvant radiotherapy. The dose to the primary tumor bed and involved neck nodes was 63 Gy in 35 fractions over 7 weeks. Areas of subclinical disease (left lower neck) received 50 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks. Adjuvant chemotherapy was not administered.
Aged ; Atrophy* ; Autopsy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Fibrosis* ; Forearm ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Mouth Floor ; Mouth Neoplasms* ; Neck Dissection* ; Neck Muscles* ; Neck* ; Radiotherapy* ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Survivors

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The intial stability for osseointegration of implant has been an interesting factor. Especially, in the case of poor bone quality or immediately loaded implant, various strategies have been developed focusing on the surface of materials to improve implant fixation to bone. The microscopic properties of implant surfaces play a major role in the osseous healing of dental implants. PURPOSE: The aims of this study are to perform a histologic and histomorphometric comparison of the healing characteristics of three different surfaces and the comparison of resonance frequency analysis (RFA) values measured by Osstell(TM) and perio-test values (PTV) measured by Periotest. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 24 screw titanium implants (Dentium Co., Seoul, Korea) with 6mm in length and 3.4mm in diameter, were placed in the mandible of 4 beagle dogs. Implants were divided into three groups following the surface treatment methods: Group I is machined(control group). Group II is anodically oxidized. Group III is coated 500nm in thickness with hydroxyapatite(HA) by ion beam assisted deposition(IBAD) on the anodized oxidization. Bone blocks from 2 dogs were caught after 3 weeks of covered healing and another blocks from 2 dogs after 6 weeks. RFA values and PTV were measured right after insertion and at 3 and 6weeks. Histomorphometric analysis was made with Kappa Image Base System to calculate bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and bone area inside the threads. Pearson's correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the correlation between RFA and PTV, BIC and bone area ratio of three different surfaces at 3 and 6 weeks. RESULTS: 1) In all surface treatment methods, the RFA values decreased and the PTV values increased until 6 weeks in comparison to initial values. 2) At 3 weeks, no significant difference was found from bone-to-implant contact ratio and bone area ratio of three different surface treatment methods(P>0.05). However, at 6 weeks, different surface treatment methods showed significantly different bone-toimplant contact ratio and bone area ratio(P<0.05). 3) In the implants with the IBAD on the anodic oxidization, significant difference was found between the 3 weeks and the 6 weeks bone area ratio(P<0.05). 4) Correlation was found between the RFA values and the bone area ratio at 3 and 6 weeks with significant difference(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the implants with the IBAD on the anodic oxidization may have a high influence on the initial stability of implant.
Animals ; Dental Implants ; Dogs* ; Mandible ; Osseointegration ; Seoul ; Titanium

A 44-year-old woman who comlpained of dizziness and generalized weakness was admitted. The hemoglobin was 6.6g/dL, hematocrit 25.5%, and serum ferritin 2.14 ng/mL Stool occult blood was positive and microcytic hypochromic anemia was found on periyheral blood smear. Gastroscopic examination showed about 2 x 1 cm sized hemispherical sebmucosal tumor on antrum. The patient underwent operatioh for confirmatory diagnosis and treatment. The final pathologic diagnosis of the resected lesion was hemangioma of stomach. Cavernous hemangioma of stomach is a rare disease.Mostly, it has a benign course clinically, but early diagnosis is important because massive hemorrhage and anemia by chronic blood loss can occur. We report a case of hemangioma of stomach with review of literature.
Adult ; Anemia ; Anemia, Hypochromic ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Ferritins ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Hematocrit ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Occult Blood ; Stomach*

Forensic entomology investigates postmortem interval (PMI) estimation using insect evidence. We estimated the minimum PMI of a putrefied male cadaver using pupae in the soil and maggots found in the body. Most of the maggots, collected during the autopsy, were postfeeding third instar larvae with empty crop contents, which developed freezing injuries when the cadaver was placed in the freezer. Pupae in the soil were collected 45 days after the discovery of the body. DNA barcoding revealed that most pupae and maggots were Chrysomya pinguis, with a few exceptions. The minimum PMI was estimated at 10 days before the discovery time based on the scene investigation, maggot developmental stage, distribution of pupae moving away from the body toward pupariation sites, DNA barcoding results, and weather information. To reduce the gap between the minimum and maximum PMI values, complete entomological evidence collection should be conducted at the time of discovery.
Autopsy ; Cadaver ; Diptera* ; DNA ; Entomology* ; Forensic Sciences ; Freezing* ; Humans ; Insects ; Larva* ; Male ; Postmortem Changes ; Pupa* ; Soil ; Weather

Hydatid disease in humans is a parasitic disease typically caused by the larvae of Echinococcus granulosus. Although the disease can occur in any body part, it most frequently affects the liver. Hydatid disease is usually diagnosed incidentally and presents with various types of cystic lesion in the infected anatomical locations. Among the many potential complications of hepatic hydatid cysts, including rupture, infection, biliary communication, and peritoneal seeding, spontaneous rupture of the cyst into the hollow viscera is exceptionally rare and has been reported in less than 0.5% of cases. We report the case of a patient with hepatic hydatid disease complicated by spontaneous rupture into stomach causing gastric ulcer and peritoneal seeding.