Metabolomics, a novel "omics" platform, is a powerful tool for the discovery of clinically useful biomarkers and biochemical processes to improve diagnosis and therapy. Through the use of advanced analytical technologies, metabolomics enables the assessment of comprehensive metabolic profiles that are affected by both genotype and environmental factors. Recently, attention has been focused on the concept of pharmacometabolomics, an emerging field that is derived from metabolomics. Pharmacometabolomics is focused on the use of individual metabolic signatures for the prediction and evaluation of drug efficacy and safety, eventually accelerating clinical pharmacology toward personalized drug therapy.
Biochemical Processes ; Biomarkers ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Genotype ; Humans ; Precision Medicine ; Metabolome ; Metabolomics ; Pharmacology, Clinical

We report a case of multiple xanthogranuloma occurring ori the scalp in a 33 years old wornan. Multiple yellowish papules were developed on her scalp 3 months ago. Histopathologic findings showed massive granulomatous infiltrations of foamy histiocytes Touton giant cells in the dermis, and these cells were positive for lipid stain. This case was considered to be multiple xanthogranuloma in an adult, and treated by sur- gical excision.
Adult* ; Dermis ; Giant Cells ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Scalp

We report a case of porokeratotic eccrine ostial and dermal duct nevus in a 28-year old man. The skin lesions, present since birth, were multiple keratotic papules and punctate pits on the palms, soles and heels bilaterally. Histopathologically, the lesion was characterized by dilatation and hyperplasia of the eccrine sweat ducts with parakeratotic plugs related to sweat gland pores. This entity should be considered the differential diagnosis of other types of porokeratosis and comedo-like keratosis on palms and soles.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Dilatation ; Heel ; Hyperplasia ; Keratosis ; Nevus* ; Parturition ; Porokeratosis ; Skin ; Sweat ; Sweat Glands

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure the level of job stress and health status and find out factors affecting the health status among circulation enterprise workers. METHOD: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The subjects were 128 workers whose mean age was 33.2 years. Korean occupational stress questionnaire Short Form was used to measure job stress. Todai Heath Index that was made by Aoki in 1977 and translated by Kim(1997) was used to measure the health status. RESULTS: The total job stress scores of men and woman fell in the lower 50% of Korean workers. Job autonomy and interpersonal conflicts as a subcategories fell in upper level 50% in both men and women and job insecurity fell in the upper level 50% in women. The mean score of health status was 51.47, indicating slightly higher frequency of complains of health symptoms. There was no significant correlation between total job stress and total health status. Finally, factors influencing the health status were organizational system and age. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to develop comprehensive stress management programs including interventions of personal and organizational levels for promoting workers' health.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires

A 76 year-old male had pruritic skin eruption, swallowing difficulty, dyspnes and generalized muscle weakness developed 6 weeks ago. Diagnosis of dermstomyositis was established by clinical manifestations, muscle enzyme study, electromyogram, histologic finding of skin and muscle. Advanced stomach cancer was found by gastroendoscopy. He was treated with radical subtotal gsstrectomy, systemic steroid, and then marked improved. Authors reviewed relevant literature.
Aged ; Deglutition ; Dermatomyositis* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Weakness ; Skin ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach*

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to find out factors influencing the health promotion behavior of low-income vulnerable 4th, 5th and 6th-grade elementary school students. The specific goals were: first, to find out difference in health knowledge, self-esteem and health promotion behavior according to general characteristics; second, to investigate the correlations among health knowledge, self-esteem and health promotion; and, third, to analyze factors influencing health promotion behavior. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 137 low-income vulnerable 4th, 5th and 6th-grade elementary school children who were participating after-school programs in Seoul. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed in health knowledge, self-esteem and health promotion behavior between girls and boys. In the sub categories, differences were observed in personal hygiene and health responsibility, stress management and personal relationship. The correlation of health promotion behavior with self-esteem and health knowledge was statistically significant. Regression analysis revealed that the influencing factor is self-esteem with the other variables under control. CONCLUSION: Health promotion education requires low-income vulnerable elementary children to increase their self-esteem. We recommend that it should be one of the most effective ways to split boys and girls to educate them in disparate classrooms.
Child ; Education ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Health Promotion* ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Seoul ; Vulnerable Populations

PURPOSE: Adriarnycin induced cardiomyopathy is irreversible and may procede to clinical congestive heart failure. Recently, it has been suggested that adriamycin may exert cardiomyopathy due to inhibition of transport across mitochondrial membranes rnediated by the carnitine palmitoyltransferase system(CPT I). The effect of adriamycin on fatty acid metabolisrn according to cumulative dose was not clarified. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the acute effect of adriamycin on lipid and fatty acid metabolism accoring to cumulative dose. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups. The first group was control. The second group was given intraperitoneal injection with adriamycin(5mg/kg) twice a week for 2 weeks. Serum lipid (total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol) and fatty acid levels were analyzed on the first day, 8th day, and 11th day after injection of adriamycin. RESULTS: Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL cholesterol were significantly higher in adriamycin group compared to the control group. HDL cholesterol was similar in both groups. Total cholesterol and LDL choleterol level significantly increased over the adriamycin dose. Total fatty acid levels were significantly higher after injection of adriamycin. Long chain fatty acids such as palmitic acid, linoleic acicl and oleic acid levels were significantly elevated in the adriamycin group. CONCLUSION: Serum lipid and fatty acid levels increased significantly after injection of adriamycin.
Animals ; Cardiomyopathies* ; Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Doxorubicin* ; Fatty Acids ; Heart Failure ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Metabolism* ; Mitochondrial Membranes ; Oleic Acid ; Palmitic Acid ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Triglycerides

PURPOSE: The residual intrahepatic stones with biliary strictures are difficult to remove percutaneously via T-tube tract after surgery in patients with recurrent pyogenic cholangitis. We evaluated the effectiveness of percutaneous balloon dilatation of benign biliary strictures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The balloon dilatations with 6-12mm angioplasty balloon catheter and stone extractions were performed via a T-tube tract after surgical treatment in 15 patients with recurrent pyogenic cholangitis. The balloons were inflated for 3-4minutes under 5 atm. until disappearance of waist of the stricture site, from one to seven session. After balloon dilatation, residual stones were extracted with saline irrigation or stone basket. RESULTS: Among total 42 strictures, the balloon dilatation was succesful in 27 strictures(64.3%), partially successful in 12 strictures(28.6%), and failed in three strictures(7.1%). Single or central biliary strictures were dilated easily rather than multiple ductal strictures. Of 26 sites with residual intrahepatic stones, stone extraction was complete in 17 sites(65.4%), incomplete in seven sites(26.9%) due to impacted or large stone and acute ductal angulation, and failed in two sites(7.7%). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous balloon dilatation of benign biliary strictures is an effective procedure for extraction of residual intrahepatic stones associated with recurrent pyogenic cholangitis.
Angioplasty ; Catheters ; Cholangitis ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Dilatation* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: The flowcytometric analysis of HLA-B27 gives more objective results and is performed more rapidly than traditional serologic methods. We have used a flowcytometric method using only anti-HLA-B27 monoclonal antibody, but it gave frequently borderline mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) results. The authors compared the method using anti-HLA-B27 antibody (HLA- ABC-m3, Serotec) with the Becton Dickinson (BD) method which uses different HLA-B27 antibody (GS145.2) with CD3 antibody. METHODS: The 59 patients that requested HLA-B27 testing were measured by two methods. In the former method, the mononuclear cells were stained with HLA-B27-FITC and the MFIs were determined in lymphocytes. In the BD method, the whole blood was directly stained with CD3-PE and HLA-B27-FITC. The MFIs were determined in the CD3+ cells, and compared with the MFI of the standard. For the cases showing discrepancy in the two methods or borderline values, the HLA-ABC typing was done. RESULTS: Of 21 showing discrepancy, 10 samples had undergone HLA typing. Among nine samples that were positive by the Serotec method but negative by the BD method, four samples were B7, one B40, one B54 and three B7 CREG negative. One that was negative by the Serotec method but positive by the BD method was confirmed as HLA-B27. CONCLUSIONS: The Serotec method showed significant overlap between the MFIs of HLA-B27 and non B27 samples that resulted in a relatively low efficiency compared with the BD method. The discrepant results of the two methods seem to be due to maily the specificity of the antibody used.
Fluorescence ; Histocompatibility Testing ; HLA-B27 Antigen* ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVES: This prospective study was performed to determine effects of clozapine treatment on the quality of life of treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients. METHOD: Subjects were 18 patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Patient's PANSS, BPRS and Simpson-Angus Rating Scale was assessed at 9 time points: baseline, the 2th, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 20th weeks of treatment. We chose to use the Quality of Life Scale (QLS) developed by Heinrichs and associates to evaluate the effect on the quality of life. The QLS was scaled at every month of treatment. RESULTS: Eighteen of twenty-three patients completed the five months trial of clozapine. Three PANSS factors (positive, negative, general) and BPRS total scores showed a significant improvement at the fifth month of clozapine treatment. The adverse effects of clozapine did not show a significant improvement. After five months of clozapine treatment, there were an increase of 52.69% in the total QLS score and a significant improvement of two QLS factors (interpersonal relations, intrapsychic foundation). Particularly two PANSS factors(negative, general) had a significant correlation with the QLS score. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that clozapine treatment has a positive effect on quality of life of treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients.
Clozapine* ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life* ; Schizophrenia