PURPOSE: The current study was undertaken to examine the trend in gallbladder cancer (GBC) incidenceand survival in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: GBC incidence data by histologic typewere obtained from the Korea Central Cancer Registry.Age-standardized incidence rates were calculated using the mid-year Korean population of2000 as a standard population, and a joinpoint regression model was used to calculate theannual percent change (APC) in incidence rates. Incidence by Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) summary stage and by geographical areas and female-to-male incidencerate ratios was also described. RESULTS: The number of new GBC cases increased between 1999 and 2013. Nevertheless, the agestandardizedincidence rate decreased by 0.5% per year in men (p < 0.01), whereas theincidence rate in women did not change significantly over the same period (APC, –0.2;p=0.59). The most common histologic type was adenocarcinoma in both sexes. Based onthe SEER stage, the distant stage was the most frequent stage (41%), followed by theregional stage (37%). Ulsan (4.31/100,000 for men and 4.09/100,000 forwomen in 2009-2013) and Gyeongsangnam-do (4.15/100,000 for men and 3.54/100,000 for women)showed the highest GBC incidence, whereas the lowest incidence was observed in Seouland Gyeonggi-do. There were no significant sex differences in the incidence of GBC (femaleto-maleincidence rate ratio, 0.96). CONCLUSION: The overall incidence of GBC in Korea did not change significantly over the 15-year period.Incidence for men and women was similar. However, geographical variation was found.
Adenocarcinoma ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms* ; Gallbladder* ; Gyeonggi-do ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea* ; Male ; Sex Characteristics ; Ulsan

Given the higher prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias in individuals with diabetes, we investigated the relationship between cardiac arrhythmias and the incidence of gestational diabetes (GDM). This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the Korean Health Insurance Service database, encompassing 1,113,729 women who gave birth between January 2007 and December 2015. After excluding those who did not undergo National Health Screening tests within 1 year prior to pregnancy, those with multifetal pregnancies, and those diagnosed with diabetes, we analyzed 365,880 singleton pregnancies without a history of diabetes. Of these, 3,253 (0.9%) had cardiac arrhythmias, including premature extra beats, supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, and/or atrial flutter/fibrillation. GDM occurred in 31,938 (8.7%) subjects during pregnancy, and was more prevalent in women with cardiac arrhythmia than in those without (14.9 vs. 8.7%, p<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, the association between cardiac arrhythmia and GDM remained statistically significant (adjusted odds ratio, 1.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.61 to 1.97; p<0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that the risk of GDM was consistently statistically significant in subjects with cardiac arrhythmia, regardless of age, body mass index, and the presence or absence of chronic hypertension. Therefore, cardiac arrhythmias before and during pregnancy appear to be associated with an increased risk of developing GDM.

PURPOSE: Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation induced by native low-density lipoprotein (nLDL) stimulation is dependent on superoxide production from activated NADPH oxidase. The present study aimed to investigate whether the novel arginase inhibitor limonin could suppress nLDL-induced VSMC proliferation and to examine related mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Isolated VSMCs from rat aortas were treated with nLDL, and cell proliferation was measured by WST-1 and BrdU assays. NADPH oxidase activation was evaluated by lucigenin-induced chemiluminescence, and phosphorylation of protein kinase C (PKC) βII and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 was determined by western blot analysis. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was assessed using MitoSOX-red, and intracellular L-arginine concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in the presence or absence of limonin. RESULTS: Limonin inhibited arginase I and II activity in the uncompetitive mode, and prevented nLDL-induced VSMC proliferation in a p21Waf1/Cip1-dependent manner without affecting arginase protein levels. Limonin blocked PKCβII phosphorylation, but not ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and translocation of p47phox to the membrane was decreased, as was superoxide production in nLDL-stimulated VSMCs. Moreover, mitochondrial ROS generation was increased by nLDL stimulation and blocked by preincubation with limonin. Mitochondrial ROS production was responsible for the phosphorylation of PKCβII. HPLC analysis showed that arginase inhibition with limonin increases intracellular L-arginine concentrations, but decreases polyamine concentrations. L-Arginine treatment prevented PKCβII phosphorylation without affecting ERK1/2 phosphorylation. CONCLUSION: Increased L-arginine levels following limonin-dependent arginase inhibition prohibited NADPH oxidase activation in a PKCβII-dependent manner, and blocked nLDL-stimulated VSMC proliferation.
Animals ; Aorta ; Arginase* ; Arginine ; Blotting, Western ; Bromodeoxyuridine ; Cell Proliferation* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Lipoproteins ; Luminescence ; Membranes ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; NADP* ; NADPH Oxidase* ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinase C ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Superoxides

We report a case of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis from Ochrobactrum anthropi. O. anthropi is recognized as an emerging pathogen in immunocompromised patients. In contrast to most previously described cases, the patient reported here had no indwelling catheter. To our knowledge, no case of O. anthropi spontaneous bacterial peritonitis has been reported in the medical literature until now.
Treatment Outcome ; Rare Diseases/diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Peritonitis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Ochrobactrum anthropi/drug effects/*isolation & purification ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Humans ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/*diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage

Carbol fuchsin is a mixture of phenol and basics fuchsin, used in bacterial staining procedures. It is a component of Ziehl-Neelsen stain. Phenol in Carbol fuchsin is a toxic agent which can lead to various gastrointestinal, ocular, skin, neurologic and renal side effects. We hereby report a case of Carbol fuchsin poisoned patient. Acute renal failure with metabolic acidosis was rapidly progressed. However, she was treated successfully by continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration.
Acidosis ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Dialysis ; Hemodiafiltration ; Hemoperfusion ; Humans ; Phenol ; Rosaniline Dyes ; Skin

Generalized granuloma annulare (GGA) is a rare variant of granuloma annulare, presenting with diffuse papules and annular patches on the trunk and extremities. Though the pathogenesis of GGA has not been totally understood, recent studies have shown the relationship between malignancy and GGA. A 74-year-old man developed a generalized, mildly pruritic erythematous papules, which slowly coalesced into annular patch with elevated rim. Punch biopsy showed palisading and interstitial granuloma with giant cells. A complete blood cell count with differential revealed leukopenia and subsequent findings of the bone marrow biopsy were compatible with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). As there was no more progression of MDS, only the skin lesions were treated with hydroxychloroquine, isotretinoin and phototherapy, and improved after 14 months of treatment. We recommend that careful evaluation of the underlying solid tumor, as well as hematologic malignancy, should be done when the dermatologists encounter with the patient presenting generalized granuloma annulare.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Blood Cell Count ; Bone Marrow ; Extremities ; Giant Cells ; Granuloma ; Granuloma Annulare ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Isotretinoin ; Leukopenia ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; Phototherapy ; Skin

The aim of this study was to estimate internal radiation doses and lifetime cancer risk from food ingestion. Radiation doses from food intake were calculated using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the measured radioactivity of 134Cs, 137Cs, and 131I from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea. Total number of measured data was 8,496 (3,643 for agricultural products, 644 for livestock products, 43 for milk products, 3,193 for marine products, and 973 for processed food). Cancer risk was calculated by multiplying the estimated committed effective dose and the detriment adjusted nominal risk coefficients recommended by the International Commission on Radiation Protection. The lifetime committed effective doses from the daily diet are ranged 2.957-3.710 mSv. Excess lifetime cancer risks are 14.4-18.1, 0.4-0.5, and 1.8-2.3 per 100,000 for all solid cancers combined, thyroid cancer, and leukemia, respectively.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Cesium Radioisotopes/chemistry ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; *Eating ; Food Contamination, Radioactive/*analysis ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Iodine Radioisotopes/chemistry ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/*etiology ; Nutrition Surveys ; Radiation Dosage ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The vertebral artery (VA) is important for the development of the transverse foramen (TF). Most studies of these structures have focused on anatomical anomalies. Therefore, we investigated quantitatively the association between the relative sizes of the TF and VA. METHODS: We recruited a consecutive series of subjects who underwent CT angiography to estimate the relative sizes of the VA and TF in axial source images. Two neurologists independently reviewed the axial CT images of 208 patients who had no history of transient ischemic attack or stroke. Averaged areas of the VA and TF were defined by the sum of the areas at each level from C3 to C6, divided by 4. Correlation analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and vascular risk factors. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 53 years. The interobserver and intraobserver reliabilities of TF size were good. There was a linear relationship between the sizes of the VA and TF on each side (right side: r2=0.58, p<0.001; left side: r2=0.62, p<0.001). The area of the VA was significantly associated with that of the TF after adjusting for vascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The size of the VA is strongly and linearly correlated with the size of the TF. These findings suggest that measurement of the TF and VA with CT angiography is a reliable method for evaluating VA diseases, and may provide new insight into the differentiation between VA hypoplasia and atherosclerosis of the VA.
Angiography ; Atherosclerosis ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Stroke ; Vertebral Artery

We report a rare case of the concurrent manifestation of central diabetes insipidus (CDI) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). A 56 year-old man was diagnosed as a type 2 DM on the basis of hyperglycemia with polyuria and polydipsia at a local clinic two months ago and started an oral hypoglycemic medication, but resulted in no symptomatic improvement at all. Upon admission to the university hospital, the patient's initial fasting blood sugar level was 140 mg/dL, and he showed polydipsic and polyuric conditions more than 8 L urine/day. Despite the hyperglycemia controlled with metformin and diet, his symptoms persisted. Further investigations including water deprivation test confirmed the coexisting CDI of unknown origin, and the patient's symptoms including an intense thirst were markedly improved by desmopressin nasal spray (10 microg/day). The possibility of a common origin of CDI and type 2 DM is raised in a review of the few relevant adult cases in the literature.
Adult ; Blood Glucose ; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin ; Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diet ; Fasting ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Metformin ; Polydipsia ; Polyuria ; Sodium ; Thirst ; Valproic Acid ; Water Deprivation

Kissing or divided nevi are similar in shape to congenital melanocytic nevi located on an adjacent part of the body that are separated during embryogenesis. Kissing nevi of the upper and lower eyelids have been reported infrequently since the first report in 1908. Kissing nevi of the penis are very rare, with only 12 cases being reported until now, and this is the first case report in the Korean dermatological literature. A previously healthy 27-year-old man presented with asymptomatic black colored patches, which were detected 10 years ago, on the glans penis and the prepuce with growth in size. We report here a case of kissing nevus of the penis, which showed an obvious mirror-image symmetry relative to the coronal sulcus.
Adult ; Embryonic Development ; Eyelids ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nevus ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Penis ; Pregnancy