BACKGROUND: The recent studies shows that LV relaxation abnormalities are the important factors of heart failure in elders. To determine the association between LV diastolic functions and heart failure, we assessed LV diastolic functions in elderly patients with pulmonary congestion and in asymptomatic elders by using pulsed doppler echocardiography. METHODS: In order to assess LV diastolic function, we performed pulsed doppler echocardiography to elderly patients with pulmonary congestion and asymptomatic elders from Mar.2001 to Sep.2001. The following parameters were used as indices of LV diastolic function; Mitral E wave(E), Mitral A wave(A), Deceleration time(DT), Isovolumic relaxation time(IVRT), Systolic pulmonary venous flow(PVs), Diastolic pulmonary venous flow(PVd). RESULTS: In elderly patients groups, there was significant increase in deceleration time compared with asymptomatic elders(255.83+/-54.41 vs 210.80+/-48.53, p<0.05). There was significant increase in isovolumic relaxation time in elderly patient group compared with asymptomatic elders(123.06+/-25.07 vs 98.78+/-15.12, p<0.01). Although there was no significant difference, decreased E/A ratio and increased PVs/PVd were noted in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results shows that the impairments of LV diastolic function were noted in both groups. Especially DT and JVRT were significant increase in elderly patient group with pulmonary congestion. Therefore these parameters, such as DT, IVRT, can be helpful as predictive indices of diastolic heart failure in elders.
Aged* ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Heart Failure ; Heart Failure, Diastolic ; Humans ; Relaxation

Severe cough may contribute to serous coplications such as pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, rib fracture, subconjunctival hemorrhage, subdural hemorrhage and cough syncope. However abdominal wall hematoma is a rare complication. Because it usually presents with abdmoianal pain, abdominal wall hematoma needs to be differentiated from the acute surgical abdomen. A 78-year-old woman was admitted with right lower quadrant abdominal pain and a palpable mass for several days. She experienced abdominal pain after violent coughing associated with an upper respiratory tract in fection. Abdominal computed tomography revealed an approximately 7×4 cm sized, ill-defined, soft tissue density lesion in the right lower posterolateral abdominal wall. An abdominal wall hematoma was diagnosed. After admission, she had persistent right lower abdominal pain and an increasing mass. The mass was surgically removed and she was discharged without complications. In summary, when a patient complains of abdmonial pain after severe coughing, an abdominal wall hematomas as a differential diagnosis must be considered.
Abdomen ; Abdomen, Acute ; Abdominal Pain ; Abdominal Wall* ; Aged ; Cough ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Hematoma* ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Pneumothorax ; Respiratory System ; Rib Fractures ; Syncope

Fungi are the known sources of irritation associated with atopic diseases (e.g., asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema). To quantitatively estimate their presence in the indoor environment of atopic dermatitis-inflicted child patient's houses (ADCPHs), the high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters installed inside the air cleaners of three different ADCPHs were investigated for the presence of mold. The air cleaner HEPA filters obtained from the three different ADCPHs were coded as HEPA-A, -B, and -C, respectively, and tested for the presence of mold. The colony forming units (CFUs) corresponding to the HEPA-A, -B, and -C filters were estimated to be 6.51 x 10(2) +/- 1.50 x 10(2) CFU/cm2, 8.72 x 10(2) +/- 1.69 x 10(2) CFU/cm2, and 9.71 x 10(2) +/- 1.35 x 10(2) CFU/cm2, respectively. Aspergillus, Penicillium, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Trichoderma, and other fungal groups were detected in the 2,494 isolates. The distribution of these fungal groups differed among the three filters. Cladosporium was the major fungal group in filters HEPA-A and -C, whereas Penicillium was the major fungal group in the filter HEPA-B. Nine fungal species, including some of the known allergenic species, were identified in these isolates. Cladosporium cladosporioides was the most common mold among all the three filters. This is the first report on the presence of fungi in the air cleaner HEPA filters from ADCPHs in Korea.
Air Filters* ; Alternaria ; Aspergillus ; Asthma ; Child* ; Cladosporium ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Fungi* ; Humans ; Korea ; Penicillium ; Stem Cells ; Trichoderma

During the growing season of 2015, leaf specimens with yellow rust spots were collected from Salix koreensis Andersson, known as Korean willow, in riverine areas in Cheonan, Korea. The fungus on S. koreensis was identified as the rust species, Melampsora yezoensis, based on the morphology of urediniospores observed by light and scanning electron microscopy, and the molecular properties of the internal transcribed spacer rDNA region. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that the urediniospores are the causal agent of the rust symptoms on the leaves and young stems of S. koreensis. Here, we report a new rust disease of S. koreensis caused by the rust fungus, M. yezoensis, a previously unrecorded rust pathogen in Korea.
Chungcheongnam-do ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Fungi ; Korea* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Salix* ; Seasons ; Virulence

During an investigation of microorganisms and pests in plant culture media from imported anthurium pots, a fungal isolate (DUCC4002) was detected. Based on its morphological characters including colony shape on potato dextrose agar, the microstructures of spores observed by light and scanning electron microscopy and the results of phylogenetic analysis using an internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequence, the fungal isolate was identified as Myrothecium roridum. Pathogenicity testing on anthurium leaves revealed that the fungus could colonize and produce sporodochia on the inoculated leaves. This is the first report of M. roridum detected in imported plant culture medium in Korea.
Agar ; Colon ; Culture Media ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Fungi ; Glucose ; Korea ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Plants* ; Solanum tuberosum ; Spores ; Virulence

Japanese pine sawyer beetle (Monochamus alternatus) is an economically important pest in coniferous trees. Ophiostoma ips was isolated from the beetle and identified based on analysis of morphological properties and the beta-tubulin gene sequence. The fungus easily produced perithecia with a long neck on malt extract agar and its ascospores were rectangular shaped. This is first report of Ophiostoma species associated with the pinewood nematode vector beetle in Korea.
Agar ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Beetles ; Coniferophyta ; Fungi ; Humans ; Korea ; Neck ; Ophiostoma ; Trees ; Tubulin

The ambrosia beetle, Platypus koryoensis, is an economically important pest affecting oak trees in Korea. Candida kashinagacola was isolated from galleries of the beetle in oak wood and identified by analyses of morphology, physiological properties, and nucleotide sequence of the large subunit ribosomal DNA. This is the first report on Candida species associated with oak wilt disease vectored by the ambrosia beetle, Platypus koryoensis, in Korea.
Ambrosia ; Base Sequence ; Beetles ; Candida* ; Disease Vectors* ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Korea* ; Platypus* ; Quercus ; Wood

BACKGROUND: Primary lymphoma of the breast is rare disease, accounting for 1.7% to 2.2% of extranodal lymphoma and 0.38% to 0.7% of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological features and treatment outcome of patients with primary breast lymphoma (PBL). METHODS: We conducted retrospective review of cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosed at Korea Cancer Center Hospital between 1989 and 2002. Nine of the 1050 cases fulfilled the criteria for PBL. RESULTS: All patients were women (median age, 45 years) and they usually had breast masses that had recently become enlarged. Six cases involved the breast alone (stage IE), whereas three cases also involved the ipsilateral lymph nodes (stage IIE). Histopathologic studies revealed diffuse large B cell in 7 cases, marginal zone B cell lymphoma in 1 case, small lymphocytic lymphoma in 1 case. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed B-cell phenotype in all cases. Modified radical mastectomy and chemotherapy was done in 4 cases, modified radical mastectomy and chemoradiotherapy was done in 1 case, chemoradiotherapy was done in 1 case, modified radical mastectomy alone was done in 1 case, chemotherapy alone was done in 1 case, and radiotherapy alone was done in 1 case. All cases achieved a complete remission, but median overall survival was 12 months. CONCLUSION: PBL represented 0.9% of all non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in our institute. The most frequent pathologic type was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. There was no uniform approach to the treatment of PBL. The patients showed very poor prognosis irrespective of the type of treatment modality.
B-Lymphocytes ; Breast* ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Phenotype ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Rare Diseases ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Extraskeletal Ewing's sarcomas (EES) are rare. Recently, Ewing's sarcoma of the bone, primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), Askin tumor and EES have been included into the family of Ewing's tumors, due to the overlapping features relating to their clinico-pathological and cytogenetic appearance. We experienced a case of an EES arising from the duodenum in a 14-year-old girl who presented with hematemesis and epigastric discomfort. A duodenal biopsy specimen revealed the infiltration of small round cells and rich vasculatures, with immunohistochemical finding of MIC-2 (CD99) (+), vimentin (+), CD56 (NCAM) (+), LCA (-), T-cell (-), B-cell (-), CD43 (-) and CD68 (-). She was treated with several cycles of multiagent chemotherapy, and achieved an initial partial response, but rapid progression of tumor followed, so she was treated with surgical excision. This is the first case report of an EES arising from the duodenum in the literature.
Adolescent ; B-Lymphocytes ; Biopsy ; Cytogenetics ; Drug Therapy ; Duodenum* ; Female ; Hematemesis ; Humans ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; Sarcoma ; Sarcoma, Ewing* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Vimentin

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the outcome of intensified induction therapy using the Vanderbilt regimen in patients with a poor prognosis non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the results of two pilot studies, which enrolled the patients aged 60 years or less, with a previously untreated NHL of intermediate grade on the Working formulation, having 2 or 3 adverse prognostic factors on the age- adjusted International Prognostic Index. Patients received an intensified induction, with the regimen described by the Vanderbilt group. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were analyzed. After induction, 29 patients (83%) achieved more than partial response (PR): 22 (63%) complete response (CR) and 7 (20%) PR. Three of the PRs were subsequently converted to CR following consolidation therapy. The overall CR rate, following the completion of treatment, was 71%. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate of all patients was 53%. In the univariate analysis, age (50 years) was the only factor affecting the OS. The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate of patients with CR was 68%. In the univariate analysis, age and bone marrow involvement were the factors affecting the DFS. Two patients died from the treatment-related toxicity of the induction therapy: one due to sepsis and the other due to congestive heart failure. CONCLUSION: Although the CR rate was relatively high, the OS or DFS of patients with a poor prognosis NHL, who had received the intensified induction using the Vanderbilt regimen, were no different from those that had received the conventional chemotherapy, as reported by the International Prognostic Index Project. However, the OS or DFS in the young patient groups were encouraging. To test the hypothesized benefits of our approach in the young patient groups, a larger cohort of patients aged 50 years or less should be studied.
Bone Marrow ; Cohort Studies ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin* ; Pilot Projects ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis