OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the relationship between the levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the peritoneal fluid of women with and without endometriosis and infertile women. METHODS: This study is prospective and case-control study in University hospital, enrolled thirty-four women with laparoscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis, and thirty-seven women with no visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in peritoneal fluid were determined using commercial ELISA. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were compared among women with and without endometriosis, and with infertile and fertile women, and then also compared according the revised American Fertility Society classification. RESULTS: IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were higher than in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis than in matched normal controls. Cyclic variations in IL-6 concentrations were seen in peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis: the concentrations in the secretory phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase. The concentrations were higher than among of infertile women than in fertile women. A significant correlation between IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations and endometriosis stage III and IV was noted. CONCLUSION: Increased levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with endometriosis in the peritoneal fluid may be relate to the pathogenesis of endometriosis suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in patients with endometriosis.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Case-Control Studies ; Classification ; Endometriosis* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fertility ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Prospective Studies ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

Myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9) related diseases are autosomal dominant diseases characterized by macrothrombocytopenia and inclusion bodies in leukocyte, which can be accompanied by extra-hematologic symptoms such as sensorineural hearing loss, renal dysfunction, and cataract. They are often diagnosed incidentally in adulthood or misdiagnosed as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), leading to unnecessary treatment with intravenous high-dose gamma-globulin, steroids, or splenectomy. Here, we report the case of a brother and sister confirmed to have a MYH9 gene mutation during follow-up. An 8-year-old boy was confirmed to have thrombocytopenia at birth and treated with intravenous gamma-globulin under suspicion of ITP or sepsis. He was discharged after showing an increase in platelet count. Subsequently, during outpatient workup, he exhibited thrombocytopenia, large platelets, and neutrophilic inclusion bodies. His 10-year-old sister also presented with the same findings. In 2021, DNA analysis revealed that they share a mutation (c.4270G> A, p. Asp1424Asn), a pathogenic variant associated with MYH9-related disorder.

No abstract available.
Chronic Disease* ; Risk Factors*

We report a case of ectopic thymus in the left submandibular area of a two-month-old boy. On US and CT scans, a well-marginated, 3 x 2cm-sized solid mass along the left carotid sheath, anteromedial to the sternocleidomastoid muscle and posterior to the submandibular gland, was seen. CT attenuation of the mass showed that it was similar to that of normal thymus in the anterior mediastinum. Although a rare disease, ectopic thymus should be included in the differential diagnosis of cervical masses along the carotid sheath in infants.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Infant* ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Rare Diseases ; Submandibular Gland ; Thymus Gland* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) is known to be closely related to myelofibrosis and hematopoiesis including magakaryopoiesis. The main bone marrow finding in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an increased megakaryopoiesis without myelofibrosis. Purposes of this study are to evaluate the changes in bFGF expression pattern in the bone marrow of patients with ITP and to correlate them with the plasma concentrations of bFGF. METHODS: Paraffin-sections of bone marrow biopsies from 17 cases ITP and 7 cases normal controls, without pathological alterations, were investigated by immunohistochemistry for bFGF and CD68. The plasma levels of bFGF were evaluated by enzyme immunoassay in 7 cases of ITP and controls. RESULTS: The bFGF was strongly expressed in stromal cells and weakly in megakaryocytes in normal controls. The density of the bFGF-expressing stromal cells was decreased in 70% (12/17) of the patients with ITP, compared with none in the other controls. The number of stromal cells in patients with ITP was similar to those in the control groups. The bFGF plasma levels were significantly lower in almost all the ITP patients compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that concentrations of bFGF in plasma and bone marrow stromal cells of ITP were decreased. Although the mechanism of low cellular and plasma concentrations of bFGF needs to be elucidated, these findings may complement the serologic and morphological diagnosis of ITP.
Biopsy ; Bone Marrow* ; Complement System Proteins ; Diagnosis ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2* ; Hematopoiesis ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Immunohistochemistry ; Megakaryocytes ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Plasma* ; Primary Myelofibrosis ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic* ; Stromal Cells

OBJECTIVE: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with significant morbidity, and for which there is a need for safe and effective alternative therapies. Although a few observations on the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in AD have been reported, clinical evidence of effectiveness from controlled trials is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify whether IVIG therapy (1.0 g/kg body weight at each monthly visit for 6 months) is effective in childhood atopic dermatitis and to analyze the clinical characteristics of IVIG responses in this disease. METHODS: Forty three atopic dermatitis patients who had characteristic clinical features of atopic dermatitis were included in this study. The patients received an injection of IVIG at 1.0 g/kg body weight at each monthly visit for 6 months. Laboratory tests were performed for blood chemistry, total immunoglobulin E, immunoglobulin G/immunoglobulin A/immunoglobulin M, blood eosinophil count, and C-reactive protein. RESULTS: In total forty three atopic dermatitis patients, only 14 patients completely underwent 6 cycles, but other 29 patients incompletely (1-5 cycles). In the 14 patients, there were just 13 records of scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index. The mean SCORAD score in the 13 patients was 39.6+/-24.4. SCORAD score decreased significantly (initial SCORAD, 39.6+/-24.4; final SCORAD, 21.3+/-15.6; P=0.016). CONCLUSION: IVIG therapy may be recommended in the treatment of recalcitrant atopic dermatitis. In addition, further investigation on predictive markers for responses of IVIG therapy in atopic dermatitis may be needed.
Body Weight ; Child ; Complementary Therapies ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunization, Passive ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Skin Diseases

The AMBU bag is a useful equipment at the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or the respiratory therapy. The AMBU bag eonsists simply of a self-reflating bag, a patient valve and a inlet valve. The patient valve is a non-rebreathing valve and the self-inflating bag is a recoiled rubber bag. The inlet valve on the posterior site of self-inflstion bag is closed during the bag is squeezed, and opened during the bag is released. During reflation of bag, fresh room air through the one-way valve and fresh oxygen through the orifice for oxygen supply will mix. Therefore the inspiratory oxygen concentration is decided by a speed of re- flation of the self-reflating bag. We measured inspiratory oxygen concentration during AMBU bag ventilation under different inspiration : expiration (I:E) ratio, frequency of venti- lation, ventilatory volume and flow rate of oxygen. The results were that factors increase a inspirstory oxygen concentration are 1) decrease of I:E ratio, 2) decrease of frequency of ventilation, 3) decrease of ventilatory volume, 4) inerease of flow rate. We found that haste of physician makes frequent squeezing of AMBU bag and the haste results a decrease of inspiratory oxygen concentration.
Bays ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Humans ; Oxygen* ; Respiratory Therapy ; Rubber ; Ventilation*

We present a study on hospital stay in 1000 consecutive head injuries. The mean hospital stay and standard deviation were calculated in a given condition according to some variables, such as sex, age, Glasgow Coma Score on admission, skull fracture, CT findings, and treatment. Usually, standard deviation was greater than the mean value in a given condition and hospital stay varied in a wide range, representing that the duration of treatment is related not only to the severity but also various individual properties. Since the associated injuries were variable in location, type and severity, they altered hospital stay greatly. Thus hospital stay was analyzed in patients without associated injuries. Hospital stay was largely dependant on three variables. Low Glasgow Coma Score on admission, presence of intracranial mass lesion or diffuse axonal injury, and operative treatment prolonged hospital stay. Skull fracture also lengthened hospital stay but only in patients without associated injuries. Duration of treatment should be recorded in all medical certificates related to the injury. For the proper estimation of duration of treatment, more reports are needed in this field.
Coma ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Diffuse Axonal Injury ; Head* ; Humans ; Length of Stay* ; Skull Fractures

Macrophage-associated inflammation is crucial for the pathogenesis of diverse diseases including metabolic disorders. Rhodanthpyrone (Rho) is an active component of Gentiana rhodantha, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammation. Although synthesis procedures of RhoA and RhoB were reported, the biological effects of the specific compounds have never been explored. In this study, the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanisms of action of RhoA and RhoB were studied in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. Pretreatment with RhoA and RhoB decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expressions in RAW 264.7 cells and in thioglycollate-elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages. In addition, it downregulated transcript levels of several inflammatory genes in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, including inflammatory cytokines/chemokines (Tnfa, Il6, and Ccl2) and inflammatory mediators (Nos2 and Ptgs2). Macrophage chemotaxis was also inhibited by treatment with the compounds. Mechanistic studies revealed that RhoA and RhoB suppressed the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway, but not the canonical mitogen activated protein kinase pathway, in LPS-stimulated condition. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of RhoA and RhoB on inflammatory gene expressions was attenuated by treatment with an NF-κB inhibitor. Our findings suggest that RhoA and RhoB play an anti-inflammatory role at least in part by suppressing the NF-κB pathway during macrophage-mediated inflammation.
Animals ; Chemotaxis ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Gene Expression ; Gentiana ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Macrophages ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; Protein Kinases ; RAW 264.7 Cells

OBJECTIVES: Masked hypertension is associated with metabolic risks and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to identify the frequency of and risk factors of masked hypertension in Korean workers. METHODS: The study was conducted among 121 employees at a hotel in Gyeongju, Korea, from December 2008 to February 2009. We measured blood pressure (BP) both in the clinic and using 24-hour ambulatory BP monitors for all subjects. Hypertension was defined independently by both methods, and subjects were classified into four groups: true normotension, masked hypertension, white coat hypertension, and sustained hypertension. RESULTS: The frequency of masked hypertension in our study group was 25.6%. Compared with true normotension, the factors related to masked hypertension were male gender (odds ratio [OR], 10.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41 to 81.09), aging one year (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.99), clinic BP 120-129/80-84 mmHg (OR, 8.42; 95% CI, 1.51 to 46.82), clinic BP 130-139 / 85-89 mmHg (OR, 12.14; 95% CI, 1.80 to 81.85), smoking (OR, 5.51; 95% CI, 1.15 to 26.54), and increase of total cholesterol 1 mg / dL (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.08). In males only, these factors were clinic BP 120-129 / 80-84 mmHg (OR, 15.07; 95% CI, 1.55 to 146.19), clinic BP 130-139 / 85-89 mmHg (OR, 17.16; 95% CI, 1.56 to 189.45), smoking (OR, 11.61; 95% CI, 1.52 to 88.62), and increase of total cholesterol 1 mg/dL (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.09). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of masked hypertension was high in our study sample. Detection and management of masked hypertension, a known strong predictor of cardiovascular risk, could improve prognosis for at-risk populations.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Hypertension/*ethnology ; Lipids/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases/ethnology ; Occupational Health/statistics & numerical data ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Smoking/adverse effects/ethnology ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Stress, Psychological/complications/ethnology ; Workplace/psychology/statistics & numerical data