Although there have been many reports about the importance of the spleen's role in hepatic fibrogenesis, the exact mechanism is still uncertain. The author designed this study to evaluate splenic function on hepatic fibrogenesis. The degree of hepatic fibrosis and the population of splenocyte subsets were studied in the experimental animal model with fibrosis produced by injecting normal swine serum intra-peritoneally into Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals were divided into three groups; group A was subjected to injection of swine serum only, group B swine serum and complete Freund's adjuvant and group C swine serum and cyclosporin A. The experimental hepatic fibrogenesis by swine serum was augumented by coinjection with the adjuvant and inhibited by cyclosporin A. The study of the splenocyte subset revealed increased percentages of spienic B cell and CD4+ cell and a decreased percentage of CD8+ cell, and these changes of splenocyte subset were also augumented by the adjuvant and inhibited by cyclosporin A. The percent of monocytes was not significantly altered, although a tendancy of early decrease by the adjuvant was noted.
Rats ; Animals

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

E-cadherin (ECD) is a Ca++ -dependent adhesion molecule which plays a major role in the maintenance of intercellular adhesion in epithelial tissues. The expression pattern of ECD in 77 surgically resected gastric adenocarcinomas was examined by immunohistochemistry, using a rat monoclonal antibody raised against murine E-cadherin (DECAM-1). ECD was strongly expressed uniformly at cell to cell borders in normal gastric epithelium without exception. But, various staining patterns were observed in the cancer tissues. The frequency of tumors with preserved ECD expression (Pre-type) and reduced ECD expression (Rd-type) was 44% and 56%, respectively. Using Lauren's classification, the high frequency of the Pre-type expression in adenocarcinoma of the intestinal type was significantly higher than that in adenocarcinoma of the diffuse type (p<0.05). But, no significant correlation between the ECD expression and the gross type, invasion depth, growth pattern or metastasis was observed. These results suggest that ECD might play a key role in the morphogenesis of gastric adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Animals ; Cadherins* ; Classification ; Epithelium ; Immunohistochemistry ; Morphogenesis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rats

BACKGROUND: Along with the recent greater number of medical devices for the elderly in the market, there has been a parallel increase in the number of clinical trials for these devices. It is uncertain, though, whether the target population has the awareness and understanding of these clinical trials and the possible adverse events of the devices. METHODS: A total of 147 elderly subjects (mean age, 65.8+/-8.3 years; 39 males) responded to the questionnaire. A pilot study during the development of the questionnaire was conducted in 2009 with the actual survey taking place from June to November 2011. The questionnaire included 22 items-10 items on awareness and understanding of the clinical trial; 4 items on the understanding of adverse events; and 8 items on demographical characteristics. RESULTS: Of the responders, 62.5% had participated in at least one clinical trial and had heard about the clinical trials through a doctor, newspaper, or television. And 63.3% of the responders understood that the purpose of the trial was to show efficacy and safety for the medical device. There were significant differences on the awareness of the trial by gender and life level. However, there was no statistically significant difference in adverse events awareness. CONCLUSION: Although elderly subjects participate in clinical trials, it seems they do not receive enough information when involved in clinical trials of medical devices. In the future, before these trials are carried out, medical device companies need to ensure that they provide their elderly subjects with better education and information.
Aged ; Dietary Sucrose ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Periodicals ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Pilot Projects ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Television

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between age and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measured by Cirrus high-definition (HD) spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) in healthy Korean subjects. METHODS: A total of 302 eyes from 155 healthy Korean subjects (age range, 20 to 79 years) underwent RNFL thickness measurements using the Cirrus HD-OCT. Average, quadrant, and clock-hour RNFL thickness parameters were analyzed in terms of age using linear mixed effect models. RESULTS: Average RNFL demonstrated a slope of -2.1 microm per decade of age (p < 0.001). In quadrant analysis, superior (-3.4 microm/decade, p < 0.001) and inferior (-2.9 microm/decade, p < 0.001) quadrants showed steeper slopes, whereas temporal (-1.1 microm/decade, p < 0.001) and nasal (-1.0 microm/decade, p < 0.001) quadrants revealed shallower slopes. Among the 12 clock-hour sectors, clock hours 6 (-4.5 microm/decade, p < 0.001) and 1 (-4.1 microm/decade, p < 0.001) showed the greatest tendency to decline with age; RNFLs of the 3 (-0.2 microm/decade, p = 0.391) and 4 (-0.6 microm/decade, p = 0.052) o'clock hour sectors did not show significant decay. CONCLUSIONS: RNFL thickness was associated with age, especially in superior and inferior areas. The topographic distribution of correlation between age and RNFL thickness was not uniform.
Adult ; Aged ; *Aging ; *Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Nerve Fibers ; Reference Values ; Reproducibility of Results ; Retinal Ganglion Cells/*cytology ; Tomography, Optical Coherence/*methods ; Young Adult

Bcl-2 is a proto-oncogene initially described in follicular lymphoma, associated with chromosomal translocation(14;18). Recent studies have shown the presence of Bcl-2 in nonhematolymphoid tissue, especially in hormonally responsive tissue. The endometrium is an attractive model for studying the hormone dependent regulation of Bcl-2 expression. We have studied the immunoreactivity of Bcl-2 oncoprotein in relation to the immunoreactivity of estrogen receptors(ER) and progesterone receptors(PR) by immunohistochemistry in 52 human endometrial carcinomas, according to nuclear grade. The results obtained are summarized as followings, 1) Immunohistochemical grade of Bcl-2 showed a significant inverse correlation with nuclear grade. 2) Immunohistochemical grades of ER and PR also showed a significant inverse correlation with nuclear grade, and were well correlated with each other. 3) Immunohistochemical grades of Bcl-2 and hormone receptors showed a strongly significant correlation. On the basis of the above results, we suggest that Bcl-2 expression may be under hormone dependent control and that it can be used in prognosis and choice of hormonal therapy in the presence of hormone receptor.
Humans

PURPOSE: Genetic modification technique is widely used in plants for improving crop yields and qualities, and reducing pesticide use. Zoysia japonica is one of the widely planted grasses for lawning. Pollenless herbicide-tolerant genetically modified (GM) grasses (JG21-MS1 and JG21-MS2) were developed under surveillance for possible biohazard. Grasses may cause allergic contact dermatitis with direct contact on human skin. Patch testing with allergens was adopted to compare the incidences of allergic contact dermatitis to GM grass leaves with those of wild-type grass. METHODS: Patch testing with controls and leaves of wild-type and GM grasses was performed in individuals with informed consent. RESULTS: Ninety-seven individuals (mean age, 32+/-8 years; 48% males) were enrolled. For nickel sulfate as a positive control, 38 subjects (39.2%) were positive. For GM grasses, 10 (10.3%) showed positive patch test results and 11 (11.3%), for wild-type grass, the proportions of which were similar among the tested grasses. CONCLUSION: JG21-MS1 and JG21-MS2 are not more biohazardous than wild-type grass in the risk of allergic contact dermatitis.
Allergens ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Incidence ; Informed Consent ; Nickel ; Patch Tests* ; Plants ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; Poaceae* ; Skin

Epidemiology, pathology, diagnosis and treatment of gastric carcinoma has been revised recently. The authors analysed 3,170 cases of gastric carcinoma which were diagosed with fiberoptic biopsy or resected specimens from 1968 to 1988 in Pusan area. The specimen were collected from Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan Paik Hospital and other general hospitals in Pusan city. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1) The time trend indicated that difference in the annual fluctuation of requency of gastric carcinoma during last 21 years was not statistically significant. But it was noticed that by comparing the following the two decades (1970~1979 and 1980~1988) the frequency of gastric carcinoma decreased in male, in middle age and in intestinal type. 2) Morbidity of gastric carcinoma increased in both sexes by aging, and this tendency was more marked in male and in intestinal type in female and in diffuse type. 3) In general the gastric carcinoma involved more frequently distal portion than proximal portion of the stomach was characterized predominantly by male, older patients and intestinal type. 4) Carcinoma with Borrmann type I and II were characterized predominantly by male, older patients and intestinal type. With Borrmann type III and IV, female, young patients and diffuse type were found more frequently. From the above results, the authors concluded that the pathological and epidemiological findings of gastric carcinoma among Koreans in Pusan area showed a transition moving from high risk to low risk area of gastric carcinoma.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Biopsy

The pure epithelioid malignant schwanoma is a rare form of malignant schwanoma and differs from the ordinary epithelioid malignant schwanoma because of the absence of a spindle cell component. We present a case of purely epithelioid malignant schwanoma arising in the parapharyngeal area from vagus nerve without difinite evidence of von Recklinghausen's disease. The patient was a 28-year-old man with palpable right neck mass and swallowing difficulty during 2 years. The mass was an ovoid encapsulated tumor and measured 5x3x3 cm in dimension. The cut surface showed brownish tan homogeneous nodular appearance with partly myxoid area. Microscopically the tumor showed nodular pattern composed of epitheliod cells which were arranged in both tight clusters and stringy cords. The cells were ovoid in shape and had vesicular nuclei with single prominent eosinophilic nucleolei and sometimes abundant intracytoplasmic mucin. Mitoses were infrequent. Ultrastructural study showed rudimentary cell junction and degenerated cytoplasmic organelles including scattered mitochondriae, short segments of rough endoplasmic reticulum and lipid droplets. There were no definite basement membrane and melanosome. Immunohistochemical study showed the cells being positive for S100 protein, neuron specific enolase and myelin basic protein and negative for cytokeratin.
Male ; Humans

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to compare CT with scintigraphy in the detection of parenchymal lesionsof acute pyelonephritis in children, and to assess the diagnostic value of CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This studyinvolved 32 children with acute pyelonephritis ; their ages ranged from 1 month to 10 years. Renal CT , TC-99mDMSA planar and SPECT images, and medical records were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated the number, size,shape, density, and location of pyelonephritic lesions, as seen on CT and scintigraphic images. RESULTS: In 43involved kidneys, 193 parenchymal lesions of acute pyelonephritis were identified. The results of CT were abnormalin 42 kidneys (98%), and those of scintigraphy, in 39(91%). CT showed single or multiple hypoenhancing parenchymallesions ; these were streaky(n=151), wedge-shaped (n=34), or oval (n=8), and ranged from about 3-30mm in maximumdiameter. Abscess (n=5), renal fascial thickening (n=6) and thickening of the bridging septae (n=7) wereassociated. Scintigraphic findings were diffuse or localized area of varying degrees of diminished corticalactivity, and these were more precisely identified on SPECT than on planar images. For the detection of 55 of 193pyelonephritic lesions, CT was more sensitive than scintigraphy ; 29 of the 55 lesions were less than 5 mm indiameter. CONCLUSION: For the detection of pyelonephritic lesions, particularly smaller ones, and for theevaluation of complications such as abscess formation, CT is more sensitive than Tc-99m DMSA scintigraphy. Weconclude that in children with subtle scintigraphic findings who are in serious clinical condition or in whomcomplications are suspected, CT is a useful tool for assessing a therapeautic plan and the prognosis of acutepyelonephritis.
Abscess ; Child* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Pyelonephritis* ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Retrospective Studies ; Succimer* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon