No abstract available.
Inflammation*

The pathogenetic mechanism of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is not known. Some authors suggest glomerular hypertrophy may precede the development of FSGS in patients with minimal lesion. It was recently reported that the size of nonsclerotic glomeruli in adults with FSGS is significantly larger than that of cases with minimal lesion. It is not clear whether glomerular hypertrophy observed in adults with FSGS is also seen in children with FSGS. Thus, we have analyzed 37 renal biopsies from children with FSGS by morphometry and the data were compared with 37 renal biopsies from age- and sex-matched patients with minimal lesion. The number of glomeruli submitted for morphometric analysis was 22.6+/-14.2 in cases with FSGS and 30.9+/-11.4 in cases with minimal lesion. Mean glomerular volume (MGV) in FSGS group was significantly larger than that of minimal lesion [(13.1+/-3.9) x10(5) microm3 vs. (10.1+/-1.9) x10(5) microm3, p<0.001]. The relative interstitial volume of renal cortex in patients with FSGS was significantly larger than that of minimal lesion [(0.106+/-0.051) microm3/microm3 vs. (0.029+/-0.012) microm3/microm3, p<0.0001]. In FSGS, the percentage of glomeruli with FSGS was significantly correlated with relative interstitial volume of renal cortex (r=0.79, p<0.0001). As is the case for adult FSGS, MGV of children with FSGS is significantly larger than that of minimal lesion. Thus, the presence of glomerular hypertrophy observed in biopsies with minimal lesion nephropathy seems to be an indication that the coexistent FSGS lesions are undetected due to sampling problems.
Child ; Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Biopsy

Adenosis tumor is a ra re tumor of the breast and primarily consists of adenosis. Authors report a case of surgically proved adenosis tumor in a 31-year-old woman. Mammogram showed a Iobulated, well-circumscribed mass with several surrounding radiolucent halos. In the center of the mass several linear radiolucent densities were seen with the appearance of a conglomerated well-circumscribed mass such as fibroadenoma. These linear radiolucent densities were consistent with the fat between the fibrous sclerosis in pathologic specimen. Ultrasonogram showed a well-circumscribed mass with homogeneous low echogenicity, partial posterior enhancement, and bilateral acoustic shadowings.
Acoustics ; Adult ; Breast* ; Female ; Fibroadenoma ; Humans ; Sclerosis ; Shadowing (Histology) ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of serum ECP as a marker of the severity of asthma and extent of airway inflammation. METHOD: We investigated 108 patients suffering from bronchial asthma, who were classified as mild intermittent(n=19), mild persistent(n=27), moderate persistent(n=42), and severe persistent(n=20) and 10 healthy controls. Atopy was defined as those who showed >2+ responses on skin prick test. Serum ECP, peripheral blood eosinophil, sputum eosinophil, and PEFR were measured on the same date and meth~acholine PC20 were determined within 2 weeks. RESULTS: Serum ECP levels were 10.1+- 2.0 ug/L in controls, and 29.1+- 23.6 ug/L in asthmatic patients. According to symptom severity, serum ECP levels were 22.9 +- 15.6 ug/L, 28. 6 +- 24.1 ug/L, 29.5 +- 22.2 ug/L, and 34.6 +- 31.2 ug/L in mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent and severe persistent asthmatic patients, respectively and there were no significant differences among four groups(p>0.05). Serum ECP levels correlated with peripheral blood eosinophil counts(r=0.48, p<0.01), but not with sputum eosinophil, PEFR, and methacholine PC20 levels. There was no significant difference in serum ECP level between atopic and non-atopic asthma(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Single measurevment of ECP level at clinic could not represent the severity of asthma.
Asthma* ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Methacholine Chloride ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Skin ; Sputum

BACKGROUND: Chicken pox and herpes zoster are caused by the varicella-zoster virus(VZV). To investigate the epiderniologial relationship between clinical isolates of VZV, it is essential to distinguish different isolate. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to classify the VZV strains according to R5 tandem direct reiterations(TDR) copy numbers and Pst I endonuclease cleavage site mutation, and to analyze the distribution pattern of VZV strains isolated in Korea. METHODS: Strains of VZV were isolated from 61 patients with herpes zoster who had not been immunized with a live vaccine of VZV. Copy numbers of R5 TDR which was located in variable region IV were measured by PCR. The presence of a Pst I cleavage site in a middle portion of the long unique region of VZV genome was analyzed by PCR thereafter restriction enzyme digestion(PCR-RFLP). RESULTS: VZV strains isolated in Korea contained one to three copy numbers of R5 TDR. Of 61 isolates, 43(70%) comtained 2 copies of R5 TDR, while 11(18%) isolates contained only one copy and 7(12%) isolat s contained 3 copies. About 16% of the strains examined did not have a PstI cleavage site, although the majority of strains retained this site. VZV strains could be classified into 6 strains on the basis of the copy number of R5 TDR and PstI cleavage site, in which the strain with 2 copies of R5 TDR and PstI cleavage site positive was the most frequent type (36 out of 61 isolates) in Korea. Four batches of live attenuated vaccine(Biken) that is now used in Korea showed 2 copy numbers of R5 TDR and PstI site negative. CONCLUSION: The copy number of R5 TDR and the presence of PstI cleavage site seems to be a reliable marker for dicrimination of VZV strains in Korea. This discrimination can be used to study the molecular epiclemiology of VZV and as a criterion for identification of vaccine-related isolates.
Chickenpox* ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Genome ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to compare the rates of industrial accidents in workplaces that adopted the 2011 Workplace Health Promotion Subsidy Scheme before and after the implementation. METHODS: The study analyzed the raw data of industrial accidents of 304 workplaces which received subsidies for health promotion activities in 2011. The raw data covered the period from February 2010 to July 2012, based on the dates of industrial accidents. RESULTS: Workplaces subsidized for health promotion activities reported fewer occurrences in staff injuries and illnesses than before the subsidization, as the total number of industrial accident victims dropped from 0.35 to 0.24. The rate of industrial accidents also dropped from 0.49 to 0.35, with the number of working days decreased from 35,433 to 23.867, about 33%. CONCLUSION: The study showed that financial support for health-promoting activities contributed to the decease in industrial accidents, which is an important indication advocating the need for corporate and government investment on workers health promotion programs. Furthermore, this study is also significant as it is the first research conducted in Korea to examine the impact of a workers health promotion project using a direct indicator, the rate of industrial accidents.
Accidents, Occupational ; Financial Support ; Health Promotion ; Investments ; Korea

No abstract available.
Leiomyoma* ; Thrombocytosis*

A case of myxoma of the breast was reported. A 25-year-old woman showed a lump in the left breast which was suddenly enlarged after the delivery of a baby. A tumor measuring 73.53cm was located in the upper outer quadrant of the breast. Fine needle aspiration cytology revealed scattered benign spindle shaped mesenchymal cells with abundant myxoid material. On excision, the tumor was partly solid, partly cystic and multilocular. Each nodule consisted of an abundant mucoid material with a few spindle or stellate mesenchymal cells. Pleomorphism and mitosis were absent. The mesenchymal cells showed immunoreactivities for S-100 protein, smooth muscle actin, and CD34. The myxoid stroma was positively stained with alcian blue and mucicarmine. These findings suggest that constituent cells derive from totipotential primitive mesenchymal cells.
Actins ; Adult ; Alcian Blue ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Breast* ; Female ; Humans ; Mitosis ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myxoma* ; S100 Proteins

No abstract available.
Animals ; Indomethacin* ; Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated* ; Mice*

Thyrotoxicosis (thyroid crisis) is a known cause of sudden death; however, only a few cases of death resulting from thyrotoxicosis have been reported. Histopathologic examination and postmortem thyroid function tests may be helpful in postmortem diagnosis, but their usefulness seems to be limited. We report three autopsy cases associated with thyrotoxicosis.
Autopsy ; Death, Sudden ; Thyroid Crisis ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyrotoxicosis