Objective Multidector computed tomography (MDCT) is now commonly used for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Because MDCT images include many non-cardiac organs and the patient population evaluated is highly susceptible to extracardiac diseases, this study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of extracardiac findings in the MDCT evaluation of ischemic heart disease. Methods From March 2007 to March 2008, a total of six-hundred twenty patients, who underwent 64-slice MDCT evaluations for chest pain, or dyspnea, were enrolled in this study. Cardiac and non-cardiac findings were comprehensively evaluated by a radiologist. Results Enrolled patients included 306 men (49.4%), with a mean age of 66 years. Significant coronary artery stenosis was found in 41.6%of the patients. A total of 158 extracardiac findings were observed in 110 (17.7%) patients. Commonly involved extracardiac organs were lung (36.7%), hepatobiliary system (21.5%), thyroid (19.6%), kidney (10.8%), spine (9.7%) and breast (0.6%). Of those 110 patients, 50 (45.5%) patients underwent further diagnostic investigations. Malignant disease was detected in three (2.7%) patients (lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and thyroid cancer). Conclusions Extracardiac findings are frequently present and should be a concern in the MDCT evaluation of chest pain syndrome.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine whether levels of circulating free DNA (cfDNA) increase according to cancer progression, whether they are restored after surgical resection, and to evaluate cfDNA in gastric cancer patients as a useful biomarker. METHODS: A case-control study design was used. Thirty gastric cancer patients and 34 healthy subjects were enrolled from two hospitals in South Korea. The plasma cfDNA of patients with gastric cancer were obtained before surgery and 24 hours after surgery, and then analyzed by a quantitative, real-time polymerase chain reaction. Plasma samples were also obtained from the control group. RESULTS: The mean levels of cfDNA in the healthy control group, patients with early gastric cancer, and with advanced gastric cancer were 79.78 +/- 8.12 ng/mL, 106.88 +/- 12.40 ng/mL, and 120.23 +/- 10.08 ng/mL, respectively (P < 0.01). Sensitivity was 96.67% and specificity was 94.11% when the cutoff value was 90 ng/mL. Variables representing the tumor burden such as tumor size, T stage, TNM stage, and curative resection are also associated with the levels of cfDNA. The levels of cfDNA in the 24-hour-after-surgery group decreased significantly (112.17 +/- 13.42 ng/mL vs. 77.93 +/- 5.94 ng/mL, P < 0.001) compared to the levels of cfDNA in the preoperation group. CONCLUSION: The changes in the levels of cfDNA can act as reliable biomarkers to detect cancer early, to predict tumor burden, estimate curative resection and even prognosis.
Biomarkers ; Case-Control Studies ; DNA* ; Humans ; Plasma ; Prognosis ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Republic of Korea ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Tumor Burden

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of team-based learning (TBL) method in clinical dental hygiene subjects to improve the competence of learners. METHODS: Clinical dental hygiene and practiceII was implemented and evaluated by utilizing a team-based learning module. Communication skills, self-directed learning ability, and learning attitude were measured over the course of the module RESULTS: Communication competence improved from 147.17 points before education to 152.74 points after education (P=0.001). Moreover, self-directed learning competence improved from 135.91 points before education to 143.97 points after education (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Team-based learning (TBL) method was found effective in clinical dental education course for clinical skill-building and improving the dental hygiene process competence of dental hygiene students.
Education ; Education, Dental ; Humans ; Learning ; Mental Competency ; Methods ; Oral Hygiene

Bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO) refers to a specific gaze abnormality of bilateral adduction deficits, often accompanied by dissociated abducting nystagmus, caused by medial longitudinal fasciculus lesions usually due to multiple sclerosis or stroke. We report a 63-year-old man with clinical features of Miller-Fisher syndrome (MFS), consisting of ataxia, areflexia, and external ophthalmoplegia which mimicked bilateral-INO without an identifiable central lesion. Although bilateral adduction deficits are usually caused by central lesions, peripheral nervous damage by MFS is needed to be considered.
Ataxia ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Miller Fisher Syndrome ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Ocular Motility Disorders ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Stroke

The massive reorganization of microtubule network involves in transcriptional regulation of several genes by controlling transcriptional factor, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity. The exact molecular mechanism by which microtubule rearrangement leads to NF-kappaB activation largely remains to be identified. However microtubule disrupting agents may possibly act in synergy or antagonism against apoptotic cell death in response to conventional chemotherapy targeting DNA damage such as adriamycin or comptothecin in cancer cells. Interestingly pretreatment of microtubule disrupting agents (colchicine, vinblastine and nocodazole) was observed to lead to paradoxical suppression of DNA damage-induced NF-kappaB binding activity, even though these could enhance NF-kappaB signaling in the absence of other stimuli. Moreover this suppressed NF-kappaB binding activity subsequently resulted in synergic apoptotic response, as evident by the combination with Adr and low doses of microtubule disrupting agents was able to potentiate the cytotoxic action through caspase-dependent pathway. Taken together, these results suggested that inhibition of microtubule network chemosensitizes the cancer cells to die by apoptosis through suppressing NF-kappaB DNA binding activity. Therefore, our study provided a possible anti-cancer mechanism of microtubule disrupting agent to overcome resistance against to chemotherapy such as DNA damaging agent.
Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/therapeutic use ; *Apoptosis ; Caspases/metabolism ; Cell Line ; Colchicine/pharmacology ; DNA/metabolism ; *DNA Damage ; Doxorubicin/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Mice ; Microtubules/chemistry/*drug effects/metabolism ; NF-kappa B/antagonists & inhibitors/*metabolism ; Neoplasms/drug therapy ; Nocodazole/pharmacology ; Protein Binding ; Signal Transduction ; Tubulin Modulators/*pharmacology ; Vinblastine/pharmacology

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. The aims of this study were to evaluate the association between polymorphisms in TFF gene family, TFF1, TFF2, and TFF3 and the risk of gastric cancer (GC) and GC subgroups in a Korean population via a case-control study. The eight polymorphisms in TFF gene family were identified by sequencing and genotyped with 377 GC patients and 396 controls by using TaqMan genotyping assay. The rs184432 TT genotype of TFF1 was significantly associated with a reduced risk of GC (odds ratio, [OR) = 0.45; 95% confidence interval, [CI] = 0.25-0.82; P = 0.009), more protective against diffuse-type GC (OR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.05-0.89; P = 0.035) than GC (OR = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.14-0.82; P = 0.017) in subjects aged < 60 yr, and correlated with lymph node metastasis negative GC and diffuse-type GC (OR = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.23-0.86; P = 0.016 and OR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.05-0.87; P = 0.031, respectively). In addition, a decreased risk of lymph node metastasis negative GC and diffuse-type GC was observed for rs225359 TT genotype of TFF1 (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.24-0.88; P = 0.020 and OR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.05-0.88; P = 0.033, respectively). These findings suggest that the rs184432 and rs225359 polymorphisms in TFF1 have protective effects for GC and contribute to the development of GC in Korean individuals.
Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor/*genetics ; Female ; Genetic Markers/genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease/epidemiology/genetics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptides/*genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic/genetics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Assessment/methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach Neoplasms/*epidemiology/*genetics ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins/*genetics

Rapid-onset obesity with hypoventilation, hypothalamic, and autonomic dysregulation (ROHHAD) syndrome is a rare disease characterized by rapid progression of obesity and central hypoventilation with autonomic and endocrine dysregulation. There is no gold-standard diagnostic method for ROHHAD syndrome; it is diagnosed based on a years-long clinical course. For this reason, diagnosis of ROHHAD syndrome is often delayed. In particular, ROHHAD has a high mortality rate due to cardiopulmonary arrest when quick diagnosis and appropriate intervention of central sleep apnea are not timely. We report a case in which an 11-year-old girl with central sleep apnea was diagnosed with ROHHAD syndrome: the clinical course with early breathing intervention using noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. We emphasize the importance of respiratory interventions in the clinical course of ROHHAD syndrome.

An esophageal duplication cyst (EDC) is a congenital anomaly of the foregut. EDCs are often asymptomatic, so they are found incidentally on chest radiographs. In symptomatic patients, EDCs present with cough, dyspnea, vomiting, dysphagia, and chest pain. Potential complications of EDCs include perforation, obstruction, bleeding, and infection. The rarity of this condition may hinder timely diagnosis, which may lead to life-threatening complications. This article describes a case of esophagitis and mediastinitis developed in a 12-month-old infant with an EDC. We emphasize that although rare, EDCs should be considered in the differential diagnosis of non-specific respiratory signs such as cough, dyspnea, and stridor.

The aim of this study was to develop a reliable dietary questionnaire to assess human exposure to food-borne hazards. Eleven food-borne hazards were chosen as a priority control list through a literature review and advisory committees. The 11 food-borne hazards were phthalate, aflatoxin, bisphenol A, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls, mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, and acrylamide. The characteristics, exposure level, and paths of these hazards were reviewed, and questionnaire items were identified to assess human exposure from the literature. A questionnaire was developed for each selected food based on its characteristics. Based on the items in the individual questionnaires, a comprehensive questionnaire, which contained demographic characteristics, job information, socioeconomic factors, health related lifestyles, and dietary behaviors, was developed. A 99-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess food-borne hazard exposure was also developed. The FFQ included frequency of food intake during the previous year, container type for purchasing and storing food, and cooking method. The questionnaire developed in this study could be applied to assess dietary factors during an exposure assessment of food-borne hazards in a large population. A validation study for the questionnaire is needed before applying it to surveys.
Acrylamide ; Advisory Committees ; Aflatoxins ; Arsenic ; Benzhydryl Compounds ; Cadmium ; Cooking ; Eating ; Humans ; Life Style ; Phenols ; Phthalic Acids ; Polychlorinated Biphenyls ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Socioeconomic Factors

Assessing human exposure to food-borne hazards requires standardized assessment tools. The objective of this study was to validate a newly developed dietary assessment questionnaire to assess human exposure to food-borne hazards, which include dietary behavior and food consumption patterns such as eating frequency, types of food containers and cooking methods. A total of 216 adults were recruited for two questionnaire surveys (questionnaire 1 and 2) about 1 week apart with a 3 day diet record. Reproducibility was evaluated by comparing responses from questionnaires 1 and 2, and validity was checked by comparing responses from questionnaire 2 and the 3 day diet record. Comparisons were based on the percent agreement and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The mean exact agreement of food containers at purchase between questionnaires 1 and 2 was 73.5%, for storing containers it was 71.9%, and for cooking methods it was 83.0%. The mean correlation coefficient for food intake frequency between questionnaires 1 and 2 was 0.71 (range, 0.50?0.83). The mean correlation coefficient of the food intake frequency between questionnaire 2 and the 3 day diet record was 0.21 (range, 0.04-0.48). The exact and adjacent agreement of food intake frequency quartile assessed by questionnaire 2 and the 3 day diet record was 65.4% (range, 51.0-82.1%). Although the correlation coefficient for food intake frequency between questionnaire 2 and the 3 day diet record was low, the exact and adjacent food intake frequency agreement was higher than 50% and reproducibility of the dietary behaviors exceeded 70%. Therefore, the questionnaire developed in this study could be applied to assess diets for the human exposure to food-borne hazards as a qualitative assessment in a large population.
Adult ; Cooking ; Diet ; Diet Records ; Eating ; Food Packaging ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires