The present study was performed to trace the decisive evidence for mixed infection of 2 Myxobolus species, M. episquamalis and Myxobolus sp., in the gray mullet, Mugil cephalus, from Korean waters. Mullets with whitish cyst-like plasmodia on their scales were collected near a sewage plant in Yeosu, southern part of Korea, in 2009. The cysts were mainly located on scales and also found in the intestine. The spores from scales were oval in a frontal view, tapering anteriorly to a blunt apex, and measured 7.2 microm (5.8-8.0) in length and 5.3 microm (4.7-6.1) in width. Two polar capsules were pyriform and extended over the anterior half of the spore, measuring 3.5 microm (2.3-4.8) in length and 2.0 microm (1.5-2.2) in width. In contrast, the spores from the intestine were ellipsoidal, 10.4 microm (9.0-11.9) in length and 8.4 microm (7.3-10.1) in width. The polar capsules were pyriform but did not extend over the anterior half of the spore, 3.7 microm (2.5-4.5) in length and 2.2 microm (1.8-2.9) in width. The nucleotide sequences of the 18S rDNA gene of the 2 myxosporean spores from scales and intestine showed 88.1% identity to each other and 100% identity with M. episquamalis and 94.5% identity with M. spinacurvatura from mullet, respectively. By the above findings, it is first confirmed that mullets from the Korean water are infected with 2 myxosporean species, M. episquamalis and Myxobolus sp.
Animals ; Fish Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Myxobolus/classification/*genetics ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; *Smegmamorpha ; Species Specificity

PURPOSE: Almost 80% of primary lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and their prognosis is very poor since only one-fourth of patients with NSCLC present with a resectable disease at the time of diagnosis. During the last 10 years, the role of chemotherapy for NSCLC has been expanding as an adjunctive to radiation and surgery, as well as to palliative therapy for stage IV NSCLC. This study is a retrospective analysis of two chemotherapeutic regimens for the treatment of advanced NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1999 and December 2001, 109 patients with histologically proven NSCLC (> or = stage IIIA), who received either the DP (Docetaxel 75 mg/m2 +Cisplatin 75 mg/m2, n=63, 57.8%) or the TC (Paclitaxel 175 mg/m2+ Carboplatin 5* AUC mg, n=46, 42.2%) combination chemotherapies were included. RESULTS: The patients ages ranged from 46 to 77 years, and the patients in the DP group (56.3+/-8.6 years) were younger than those in the TC group (62.1+/-8.8 years) (p<0.05). Seventy (DP: 39 and TC: 31) of 109 patients were eligible for their response to the combination chemotherapies. There were 2 complete responses (CR) (5.1%) and 19 partial responses (PR) (46.2%) documented in the DP group (response rate, RR: 51.3%), and 11 PR (35.5%) in the TC group (RR: 35.5%). The survival was longer in the DP group compared to the TC group (median survival 19.5 months vs. 17.1 months, p< 0.05). Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 30 patients (47.6%) treated with the DP regimen and in 10 (21.7%) treated with the TC regimen (p<0.05). Grade 3~4 nausea and vomiting occurred in 11 patients (17.5%) in the DP group and 4 (8.7%) in the TC group (p>0.05). Grade 3~4 peripheral neuropathy occurred in 5 patients (7.9%) in the DP group and in 8 (17.4%) in the TC group (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The combination chemotherapies of docetaxel plus cisplatin and paclitaxel plus carboplatin are active against advanced stage NSCLC, with acceptable toxicities. As there are differences in the baseline characteristics between the two groups, no differences in survivals or response rates could be concluded.
Area Under Curve ; Carboplatin* ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cisplatin* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Paclitaxel* ; Palliative Care ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: To assess the effect and toxicity of low-dose paclitaxel in patients with metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer with measurable lesions as first-line chemotherapy. METHODS: Patients with measurable metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer were eligible in this study. Paclitaxel and cisplatin were intravenously infused for 3h, at a dose of each 135 mg/m2 and 60 mg/m2, every 3 weeks and then this regimen was repeated until intolerable toxicity or disease progression. Objective tumor responses, duration of response, time to disease progression, and toxicity profile were evaluated in this study. RESULTS: Total 31 patients were enrolled in this study between May 2001 and January 2004. Sixteen patients had ECOG performance status (PS) 1, eleven had PS 2 and four had PS 3. A total of 122 cycles (median 3, range 1~12) were administered. Eleven (35%, 11/31) objective partial responses (PR) were observed and the remaining 19 patients showed stable (9 patients, 30%) and progressive disease (11 patients, 35%). The response rate was 35% (95% confidence interval, 18~51%). The estimated median survival was 8.1 months, median response duration was 5.3 months and median progression-free survival was 3.3 months. Severe toxicities were uncommon. There were 14 episodes (11.5%) of grade 3-4 neutropenia. Grade 3 nausea and vomiting occurred in 4%. Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy occurred in 3.3%. CONCLUSION: This low dose paclitaxel regimen (135 mg/m2) showed comparable results with previously published high-dose paclitaxel regimen (175~250 mg/m2) used in metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer and the toxicity was minimal.
Cisplatin ; Disease Progression ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Paclitaxel* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Vomiting

Laribacter hongkongensis is an emerging pathogen in patients with community-acquired gastroenteritis and traveler's diarrhea. We herein report a case of L. hongkongensis infection in a 24-yr-old male with liver cirrhosis complicated by Wilson's disease. He was admitted to a hospital with only abdominal distension. On day 6 following admission, he complained of abdominal pain and his body temperature reached 38.6degrees C. The results of peritoneal fluid evaluation revealed a leukocyte count of 1,180/microL (polymorphonuclear leukocyte 74%). Growth on blood culture was identified as a gram-negative bacillus. The isolate was initially identified as Acinetobacter lwoffii by conventional identification methods in the clinical microbiology laboratory, but was later identified as L. hongkongensis on the basis of molecular identification. The patient was successfully treated with cefotaxime. To the best of our knowledge, this case is the first report of hospital-acquired L. hongkongensis bacteremia with neutrophilic ascites.
Acinetobacter/isolation & purification ; Acinetobacter Infections/complications/diagnosis/microbiology ; Bacteremia/complications/*microbiology ; Cefotaxime/therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gastroenteritis/complications/*diagnosis/*microbiology ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration/complications/microbiology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications/microbiology ; Male ; Neisseriaceae/*isolation & purification ; Phylogeny ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Smad4 and PTEN are prognostic indicators for various tumor types. Smad4 regulates tumor suppression, whereas PTEN inhibits cell proliferation. We analyzed and compared the performance of Smad4 and PTEN for predicting the prognosis of patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Combined expression patterns based on Smad4+/– and PTEN+/– status were evaluated by immunostaining using a tissue microarray of colorectal adenocarcinoma. The relationships between the protein expression and clinicopathological variables were analyzed. RESULTS: Smad4–/PTEN– status was most frequently observed in metastatic adenocarcinoma, followed by primary adenocarcinoma and tubular adenoma (p<.001). When Smad4–/PTEN– and Smad4+/PTEN+ groups were compared, Smad4–/PTEN– status was associated with high N stage (p=.018) and defective mismatch repair proteins (p=.006). Significant differences in diseasefree survival and overall survival were observed among the three groups (Smad4+/PTEN+, Smad4–/PTEN+ or Smad4+/PTEN–, and Smad4–/PTEN–) (all p<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent loss of Smad4 and PTEN may lead to more aggressive disease and poor prognosis in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma compared to the loss of Smad4 or PTEN alone.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma ; Cell Proliferation ; Colonic Neoplasms ; DNA Mismatch Repair ; Humans ; Prognosis

BACKGROUND: BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) mutations are frequently reported in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC); however, very few studies have evaluated the role of these mutations in other renal cell carcinoma (RCC) subtypes. Therefore, we analyzed BAP1 protein expression using immunohistochemistry in several RCC subtypes and assessed its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics of patients. METHODS: BAP1 expression was immunohistochemically evaluated in tissue microarray blocks constructed from 371 samples of RCC collected from two medical institutions. BAP1 expression was evaluated based on the extent of nuclear staining in tumor cells, and no expression or expression in < 10% of tumor cells was defined as negative. RESULTS: Loss of BAP1 expression was observed in ccRCC (56/300, 18.7%), chromophobe RCC (6/26, 23.1%), and clear cell papillary RCC (1/4, 25%), while we failed to detect BAP1 expression loss in papillary RCC, acquired cystic disease-associated RCC, or collecting duct carcinoma. In ccRCC, loss of BAP1 expression was significantly associated with high World Health Organization (WHO)/International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade (p = .002); however, no significant correlation was observed between loss of BAP1 expression and survival in ccRCC. Loss of BAP1 expression showed no association with prognostic factors in chromophobe RCC. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of BAP1 nuclear expression was observed in both ccRCC and chromophobe RCC. In addition, BAP1 expression loss was associated with poor prognostic factors such as high WHO/ISUP grade in ccRCC.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Pathology ; World Health Organization

An endobronchial leiomyoma is extremely rare benign tumor of the lung. Most endobronchial leiomyomas reported in the literature have been resected by either a lobectomy or a pneumonectomy. Herein is report a case whose tumor was successfully removed using a fiberoptic bronchoscope without surgical resection. A 64-year-old female presented with a fever, and a cough with purulent sputum of 10 days duration. The bronchoscopy revealed a 1cm sized, glistening, light yellow colored mass lesion totally obstructing the orifice of the superior segment of the right lower lobe. During the bronchoscopic biopsy procedures, the mass lesion was completely removed. A diagnosis of a leiomyoma was made from a histological examination of the obtained specimen. The early diagnosis and appropriate treatment including bronchoscopic removal may prevent respiratory complications.
Biopsy ; Bronchoscopes* ; Bronchoscopy ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonectomy ; Pneumonia ; Sputum

BACKGROUND: Although smoking is a major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), only 10-20% of cigarette smokers develop symptomatic COPD, which suggests the presence of genetic susceptibility. This genetic susceptibility to COPD might depend on variations in the activities of the enzyme that detoxify hazardous chemical products, such as microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEPHX) and glutathione-S transferase M1 subunit (GSTM1) genes. METHODS: The genotypes of 58 patients with COPD, and 79 age matched control subjects, were determined by a polymerase chain reaction, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for the mEPHX, and multiplex PCR for the GSTM1. RESULTS: GSTM1 was deleted in 53.3% of the subjects. There was no difference in GSTM1 deletion rates between the COPD patients (32/58, 55.2%) and the control subjects (41/79, 51.9%). The combination patterns of two polymorphisms of mEPHX showed slow enzyme activity in 29(21.2%), normal in 73(53.3%) and fast in 32(23.4%). The COPD group (7/57, 12.3%) showed a significantly lower incidence of slow enzyme activity compared to the control subjects (22/77, 28.6%, p<0.05). However, when the COPD and control groups were compared with smokers only, there were no significant differences in the genotypes of GSTM1 and mEPHX. CONCLUSION: The genotypes of GSTM1 and mEPHX were not significant risk factors of COPD in this cohort of study.
Cohort Studies ; Epoxide Hydrolases ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Incidence ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco Products ; Transferases

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the efficacy and toxicity of etoposide and carboplatin(EC) combination regimen as a first line therapy for small cell lung cancer(SCLC), and determined the efficacy and toxicity of topotecan for relapsed SCLC. METHODS: One hundred and ten patients with previously untreated SCLC received etoposide(100mg/m2 i.v., day 1 to 3) and carboplatin(300mg/m2 i.v., day 1) combination chemotherapy every 3 weeks. For patients with relapsed SCLC after EC therapy, topotecan(1.5mg/m2) was administered for 5 consecutive days every 3 weeks. Response rate, survival and toxicity profiles were assessed. Response was recorded as CR(complete remission), PR(partial remission), SD(stable disease) and PD(progressive disease). RESULTS: One hundred and one patients were assessed for response to EC. Overall response rate to EC was 57.4%(CR 15.8%, PR 41.6%) with a time to progression of 10.3 months(median). The toxicity was tolerable and there was no treatment-related death. Twenty one relapsed SCLC patients were treated with topotecan. Of those who relapsed within 3 months of EC(refractory relapse, RR), 15.4%(2/13) showed PR, while of those who relapsed after 3 months(sensitive relapse, SR), 25%(2/8) exhibited PR. Grade 4 neutropenia was noted in 9.5% and 14.3% showed thrombocytopenia(G4). CONCLUSION: The EC regimen showed a moderate response rate for SCLC with minimal toxicity. The use of topotecan for relapsed SCLC warrants further investigation.
Carboplatin* ; Drug Therapy* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Etoposide* ; Humans ; Lung ; Neutropenia ; Recurrence ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma* ; Survival Rate ; Topotecan*

Objective To develop the rapid and efficient quantitative detection tool for nervous necrosis virus isolated from sevenband grouper Hyporhodus septemfasciatus. Methods The viral genes of the NNV (SGYeosu08) isolated from sevenband grouper were phylogenetically analyzed. In addition, novel quantitative PCR primers based on the genomic sequence of SGYeosu08 isolate were designed and compared it with the conventional bio-assay method (TCID