BACKGROUND/AIMS: Eosinophilia has numerous diverse causes, and in many patients, it is not possible to establish the cause of eosinophilia. Recently, toxocariasis was introduced as one cause of eosinophilia. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of toxocariasis and the clinical impact of albendazole treatment for toxocariasis in patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review. After evaluation of cause of eosinophilia, the patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin performed immunoglobulin G antibody specific assay for the Toxocara canis larval antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: This study evaluated 113 patients, 69 patients (61%) were suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin. Among these 69 patients, the frequency of T. canis infection was very high (45 patients, 65.2%), and albendazole treatment for 45 eosinophilia with toxocariasis was highly effective for a cure of eosinophilia than no albendazole group regardless of steroid (82.3%, p = 0.007). Furthermore, among the nonsteroid treated small group (19 patients), albendazole treatment for eosinophilia were more effective than no albendazole group, too (83.3% vs. 28.6 %, p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of toxocariasis was high among patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin; therefore, evaluation for T. canis infection is recommended for patients with eosinophilia of unknown origin. Furthermore, for patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin who have positive results for T. canis, albendazole treatment may be considered a valuable treatment option.
Albendazole ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophilia* ; Humans ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome ; Immunoglobulin G ; Prevalence* ; Retrospective Studies ; Toxocara canis ; Toxocariasis*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Eosinophilia has numerous diverse causes, and in many patients, it is not possible to establish the cause of eosinophilia. Recently, toxocariasis was introduced as one cause of eosinophilia. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of toxocariasis and the clinical impact of albendazole treatment for toxocariasis in patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review. After evaluation of cause of eosinophilia, the patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin performed immunoglobulin G antibody specific assay for the Toxocara canis larval antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: This study evaluated 113 patients, 69 patients (61%) were suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin. Among these 69 patients, the frequency of T. canis infection was very high (45 patients, 65.2%), and albendazole treatment for 45 eosinophilia with toxocariasis was highly effective for a cure of eosinophilia than no albendazole group regardless of steroid (82.3%, p = 0.007). Furthermore, among the nonsteroid treated small group (19 patients), albendazole treatment for eosinophilia were more effective than no albendazole group, too (83.3% vs. 28.6 %, p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of toxocariasis was high among patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin; therefore, evaluation for T. canis infection is recommended for patients with eosinophilia of unknown origin. Furthermore, for patients suspected of eosinophilia of unknown origin who have positive results for T. canis, albendazole treatment may be considered a valuable treatment option.
Albendazole ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophilia* ; Humans ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome ; Immunoglobulin G ; Prevalence* ; Retrospective Studies ; Toxocara canis ; Toxocariasis*

The p53-inducible gene 3 (PIG3), initially identified as a gene downstream of p53, plays an important role in the apoptotic process triggered by p53-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Recently, several studies have suggested that PIG3 may play a role in various types of cancer. However, the functional significance of PIG3 in cancer remains unclear. Here, we found that PIG3 was highly expressed in human colon cancer cell lines compared to normal colonderived fibroblasts. Therefore, we attempted to elucidate the functional role of PIG3 in colon cancer. PIG3 overexpression increases the colony formation, migration and invasion ability of HCT116 colon cancer cells. Conversely, these tumorigenic abilities were significantly decreased in in vitro studies with PIG3 knockdown HCT116 cells. PIG3 knockdown also attenuated the growth of mouse xenograft tumors. These results demonstrate that PIG3 is associated with the tumorigenic potential of cancer cells, both in vitro and in vivo, and could play a key oncogenic role in colon cancer.
Animals ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Line ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Fibroblasts ; Genes, vif ; HCT116 Cells ; Heterografts ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mice ; Reactive Oxygen Species

BACKGROUND: Endotracheal intubation usually causes transient hypertension and tachycardia. The cardiovascular and arousal responses to endotracheal and endobronchial intubation were determined during rapid-sequence induction of anesthesia in normotensive and hypertensive elderly patients. METHODS: Patients requiring endotracheal intubation with (HT, n = 30) or without hypertension (NT, n = 30) and those requiring endobronchial intubation with (HB, n = 30) or without hypertension (NB, n = 30) were included in the study. Anesthesia was induced with intravenous thiopental 5 mg/kg followed by succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg. After intubation, all subjects received 2% sevoflurane in 50% nitrous oxide and oxygen. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), plasma catecholamine concentration, and Bispectral Index (BIS) values, were measured before and after intubation. RESULTS: The intubation significantly increased MAP, HR, BIS values and plasma catecholamine concentrations in all groups, the peak value of increases was comparable between endotracheal and endobronchial intubation. However, pressor response persisted longer in the HB group than in the HT group (5.1 +/- 1.6 vs. 3.2 +/- 0.9 min, P < 0.05). The magnitude of increases in MAP and norepinephrine from pre-intubation values was greater in the hypertensive than in the normotensive group (P < 0.05), while there were no differences in those of HR and BIS between the hypertensive and normotensive groups. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular response and arousal response, as measured by BIS, were similar in endobronchial and endotracheal intubation groups regardless of the presence or absence of hypertension except for prolonged pressor response in the HB group. However, the hypertensive patients showed enhanced cardiovascular responses than the normotensive patients.
Aged ; Anesthesia ; Arousal ; Arterial Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Methyl Ethers ; Nitrous Oxide ; Norepinephrine ; Oxygen ; Plasma ; Succinylcholine ; Tachycardia ; Thiopental

Hypokalemia is a frequent problem in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and is affected by multiple factors. To evaluate factors associated with hypokalemia, we studied 68 patients on maintenance CAPD treatment for at least six months. In univariate analysis, patients with hypokalemia were associated with older age and the presence of diabetes mellitus. Serum albumin, calcium-phosphate product, triglyceride, body mass index, protein nitrogen appearance, and lean body mass assessed by creatinine kinetics were significantly lower as compared to those without hypokalemia. Serum C-reactive protein was significantly higher in the patients with hypokalemia. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that the serum albumin level and the ultrafiltration volume at the peritoneal equilibration test were independent factors associated with hypokalemia. This suggests that the serum potassium level may be an important nutritional marker in CAPD patients. Further longitudinal investigation is needed to clarify this relationship.
Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypokalemia* ; Kinetics ; Linear Models ; Nitrogen ; Nutritional Status ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Potassium ; Serum Albumin ; Triglycerides ; Ultrafiltration

BACKGROUND: Generally hernia is diagnosed with simple chest or gastrointestinal x-ray. Sometimes CT or MRI can give lots of information for the diagnosis. However, there was no study for the differentiation with using CT findings between Morgagni hernia and pleuropericardial fat. The aim of this study was to evaluate the useful CT findings for differentiating Morgagni hernia from pleuropericardial fat. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed CT scans of eight patients with Morgagni hernia and 20 patients with abundant pleuropericardial fat without peridiaphragmatic lesions. All CT scans were performed with coverage of the whole diaphragm in the inspiration state. We evaluated 1) the presence of the defect of the anterior diaphragm, 2) the interface between the lung and fat, 3) the angle between the chest wall and fat, 4) the continuity between the extrapleural fat and fat, 5) the presence of the vessels within fat, and 6) the presence of a thin line surrounding fat. RESULT: In all cases with Morgagni hernia, the defect of the anterior diaphragm was seen. The interface was well-defined, smooth, and convex to the lung. The angle with the chest wall was acute. The continuity with the extrapleural fat was not seen. In the cases with abundant pleuropericardial fat, the defect of the anterior diaphragm was seen in three (15%). The interface was usually irregular (n=10) and flat (n=17). The angle with the chest wall was variable. The continuity with the extrapleural fat, that was markedly increased in amount, was usually seen (n=16). The thin line surrounding fat was seen in four cases with Morgagni hernia, however, not seen in all cases with pleuropericardial fat. All of the above findings were statistically significant, however, vessels within fat was not significant to differentiate Morgagni hernia (n=8/8) from pleuropericardial fat (n=14/20). CONCLUSION: The useful CT findings of Morgagni hernia were fatty mass with sharp margin, convexity toward lung, acute angle with chest wall, and thin line surrounding hernia. Branching structure within fatty mass representing omental vessels that has been known as a characteristic finding of Morgagni hernia was not useful for differentiating Morgagni hernia from pleuropericardial fat.
Diagnosis ; Diaphragm ; Hernia* ; Humans ; Lung ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether fetal microchimeric cells were detected in ovarian tissues with pelvic endometriosis. METHODS: Ovarian tissues with endometriosis were obtained from five women who had at least one live-born son and who underwent enucleation of endometriotic cyst or oophorectomy after a diagnosis of endometriotic cyst. Control tissues were obtained from five women with endometriosis who had no pregnant history. Tissue sections were analyzed with fluorescence in situ hybridization for the presence of fetal cells, defined by X and Y chromosome. RESULTS: Fluorescence in situ hybridization using paraffin-embedded ovarian specimens was performed successfully. Male cells were found in ovarian tissues from all five patients. No male cells were found in ovarian tissues from all five controls. CONCLUSION: Fetal microchimeric cells, possibly from feto-maternal cell trafficking were detected in ovarian tissues with endometriosis were obtained from women who had prior male pregnancies. Further study is necessary to understand the role of persistent fetal microchimeric cells in the progression of endometriosis.
Chimerism* ; Diagnosis ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Male ; Ovariectomy ; Pregnancy ; Y Chromosome

The present report discusses four cases of chronic renal failure, which developed symptoms of parkinsonism in response to levosulpiride. The temporal relationship between levosulpiride discontinuation and the disappearance of parkinsonism suggests a causal link. In addition, decreased striatal dopamine transporter bindings assessed by [I-123] IPT SPECT were observed in two patients suggesting that a dopamine blocking agent causes the dysfunction of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and that such injury may be involved in the pathogenesis of drug-induced parkinsonism.
Dopamine ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; Dopaminergic Neurons ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

A 49-year-old woman presented with stupor and paraplegia following an induced hypotension. The temporal relationship to the induced hypotension and the absence of a clear embolic source on diagnostic tests support a causal association between the hypotensive episode and the ischemic infarct. However, despite the association, a cause-and-effect relationship could not be automatically inferred.
Brain Infarction/*chemically induced ; Cerebrovascular Accident/*chemically induced ; Female ; Human ; Infarction/*chemically induced ; Middle Aged ; Preoperative Care/*adverse effects ; Propanolamines/*adverse effects ; Spinal Cord/*blood supply ; Spinal Stenosis/surgery

No abstract available.
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Pseudotumor Cerebri*