• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• 제23권6호
• /
• pp.1267-1272
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this study is to survey the importance of items for the physiological and pathological symptoms for estimating a health condition according to Sasang constitution to establish the SHI(Sasangin Health Index) which will reflect the concept of inherent vitality. We surveyed expert opinion with questionnaires from 20 Sasang constitution specialists. The questionnaire was composed of 57 items on physiological and pathological symptoms and specialist opinions. Each item was marked from A to E according to importance in evaluating health state in each constitution, and if the mean score of an item was over 3.0, the item was regarded as important. Important indexes among physiological symptoms were diet, digestion condition, perspiration condition, frequency of defecation, heat and cold response, and temperature of drinking water in Soeumin, pathologic perspiration and defecation condition in Soyangin, repast, perspiration condition, and the amount of drinking water in Taeeumin, and urination frequency in Taeyangin. Important indexes among pathological symptoms were sighing, indigestion, and abdominal pain in Soeumin, oral condition, chest distress, brash, and amnesia in Soyangin, eye condition, palpitation, and edema in Taeeumin, and vomiting and incapacity of the lower limbs in Taeyangin. There are different health evaluating index and priority order in it according to Sasang constitution.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• 제18권4호
• /
• pp.872-880
• /
• 1985

Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular transmission disorder characterized by fatigue and weakness of voluntary muscles. Although the pathogenesis is known as reduction of available acetylcholine receptors at neuromuscular junctions by autoimmune attack, the thymic role in myasthenia gravis is still unclear and under investigation. But thymectomy in the management of myasthenia gravis has become increasingly important since the first successful operation with remission of symptoms in 1939 by Blalock. From January 1983 to June 1985, authors performed 17 thymectomies for patients with myasthenia gravis. Among them, 12 patients were free from thymoma [Croup A] and 5 were coupled with thymoma [Group B]. The results were as follows: 1] Sex distribution was 11 females and 6 males. Mean age of the patients was 32.2 year old. Sex and age distribution by the Group A and B are shown Table 1. 2] Clinical manifestations of ocular symptoms were seen in 5 patients [88.2%], extremity weakness in 13 patients, bulbar weakness in 12 patients and dyspnea in 6 patients. According to the Osserman`s classification, 5 patients were in group IIA, 6 in IIB and 6 in IIC. 3] Pre-operatively, all patients were positive response to the anti-cholinesterase test and 12 patients [92.3%] revealed positive findings in electromyography [EMC] which was done in 13 patients. 4] The postoperative complications were respiratory distress in 3 patients, myasthenic crisis in 2 patients and wound disruption in one patients. 5] Pathologic examination of the thymus showed hyperplasia in 10 patients [90%] and thymoma in 5 patients, of which 4 were mixed type with invasion to the adjacent tissues and one lymphocytic type without invasion. Normal thymus was noticed in only 2 patients. 6] In postoperative evaluations, among the 12 patients c free from thymoma [Group A], complete remission of symptoms was noticed in 3 patients and improvement in 7 patients. But among the 5 patients coupled with thymoma [Group B], only one patients showed improvement [Table 8]. Therefore, remission and clinical improvement were noticed in 11 patients [64.7%] of the all and complete remission was noticed in 3 patients [17.6%].

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
• /
• 제31권1호
• /
• pp.27-30
• /
• 2020

Among lesions in the larynx, laryngeal contact granuloma due to persistent tissue irritation can typically be attributed to endotracheal intubation, vocal abuse, or gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Treatment typically includes voice therapy, lifestyle changes and use of anti-reflux medication. Microsurgical removal is only indicated in cases of severe dyspnea due to mass size. Foreign body granuloma is a response of to any foreign material in the tissue. Foreign body granulomas are sometimes misdiagnosed as soft tissue tumors when the causative foreign body is not initially found. Delayed treatment of these foreign bodies may cause complications. We present a case of larynx granuloma due to impacted foreign body, probably fish bone, in the larynx that mimicked contact granuloma. We initially used anti-reflux medication, but to no avail. The laryngeal mass, observed through laryngoscopy, showed no improvement and therefore necessitated a proper pathologic diagnosis. We were able to successfully treat it via trans-oral laser CO2 microsurgery before any complications developed.

• Endocrinology and Metabolism
• /
• 제32권3호
• /
• pp.353-359
• /
• 2017

Background: Cushing syndrome is characterized by glucose intolerance, cardiovascular disease, and an enhanced systemic inflammatory response caused by chronic exposure to excess cortisol. Eosinopenia is frequently observed in patients with adrenal Cushing syndrome, but the relationship between the eosinophil count in peripheral blood and indicators of glucose level in patients with adrenal Cushing syndrome has not been determined. Methods: A retrospective study was undertaken of the clinical and laboratory findings of 40 patients diagnosed with adrenal Cushing syndrome at Chungnam National University Hospital from January 2006 to December 2016. Clinical characteristics, complete blood cell counts with white blood cell differential, measures of their endocrine function, description of imaging studies, and pathologic findings were obtained from their medical records. Results: Eosinophil composition and count were restored by surgical treatment of all of the patients with adrenal Cushing disease. The eosinophil count was inversely correlated with serum and urine cortisol, glycated hemoglobin, and inflammatory markers in the patients with adrenal Cushing syndrome. Conclusion: Smaller eosinophil populations in patients with adrenal Cushing syndrome tend to be correlated with higher levels of blood sugar and glycated hemoglobin. This study suggests that peripheral blood eosinophil composition or count may be associated with serum glucose levels in patients with adrenal Cushing syndrome.

• Journal of Breast Cancer
• /
• 제21권4호
• /
• pp.442-446
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The definition of nodal pathologic complete response (pCR) after a neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) just included the evaluation of axillary lymph node (ALN) without internal mammary lymph node. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of internal mammary-sentinel lymph node biopsy (IM-SLNB) in patients with breast cancer who underwent NAC. Methods: From November 2011 to 2017, 179 patients with primary breast cancer who underwent operation after NAC were included in this study. All patients received radiotracer injection with modified injection technology. IM-SLNB would be performed on patients with internal mammary sentinel lymph node (IMSLN) visualization. Results: Among the 158 patients with cN+ disease, the rate of nodal pCR was 36.1% (57/158). Among the 179 patients, the visualization rate of IMSLN was 31.8% (57/179) and was 12.3% (7/57) and 87.7% (50/57) among those with $cN_0$ and cN+ disease, respectively. Furthermore, the detection rate of IMSLN was 31.3% (56/179). The success rate of IM-SLNB was 98.2% (56/57). The IMSLN metastasis rate was 7.1% (4/56), and all of them were accompanied by ALN metastasis. The number of positive ALNs in patients with IMSLN metastasis was 3, 6, 8, and 9. The pathology nodal stage had been changed from $pN_1/pN_2$ to $pN_{3b}$. The pathology stage had been changed from IIA/IIIA to IIIC. Conclusion: Patients with visualization of IMSLN should perform IM-SLNB after NAC, especially for patients with cN+ disease, in order to complete lymph nodal staging. IM-SLNB could further improve the definition of nodal pCR and guide the internal mammary node irradiation.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• 제44권2호
• /
• pp.103-111
• /
• 2021

Actinobacillus (A.) pleuropneumoniae is the etiological agent of a porcine pleuropneumonia and have great economic importance to the global swine industry. For recent 5 years, a total of 50 pleuropneumonia cases of 24 pig farms were selected from pig lungs submitted to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeju National University using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Collected lungs were fixed in 10% neutral phosphate-buffered formalin and processed for histological examination. Serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae in pneumonic lesions were analyzed by PCR methods. And the antimicrobial susceptibility of A. pleuropneumoniae isolates was determined by a disc diffusion test. Grossly, unilateral distribution of hemorrhagic or necrotic pneumonic lesions was more common than bilateral distribution in lungs. In peracute or acute cases, histopathologic changes were characterized by necrosis, hemorrhage, neutrophils infiltration, vascular thrombosis, widespread edema and fibrinous exudates. Following the acute response, macrophage infiltration, marked fibrosis around zonal necrotic areas, and marked fibrous pleuritis were characteristic in chronic cases. A total of 50 pleuropneumonia were associated with A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 5 in 46 cases (92%), serotype 2 in 3 cases (6%), and both 2 and 5 in 1 case (2%). More than 90% of collected isolates showed high sensitivity to ceftiofur, amoxicillin, and colistin. However, ampicillin, penicillin, and tylosin showed low susceptibility. The results of this study demonstrated that A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 5 was predominant at porcine pleuropneumonia cases in Jeju.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제22권11호
• /
• pp.1797-1808
• /
• 2021

Objective: To determine whether volumetric CT texture analysis (CTTA) using fully automatic tumor segmentation can help predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with intrahepatic mass-forming cholangiocarcinomas (IMCCs) after surgical resection. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the preoperative CT scans of 89 patients with IMCCs (64 male; 25 female; mean age, 62.1 years; range, 38-78 years) who underwent surgical resection between January 2005 and December 2016. Volumetric CTTA of IMCCs was performed in late arterial phase images using both fully automatic and semi-automatic liver tumor segmentation techniques. The time spent on segmentation and texture analysis was compared, and the first-order and second-order texture parameters and shape features were extracted. The reliability of CTTA parameters between the techniques was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Intra- and interobserver reproducibility of volumetric CTTAs were also obtained using ICCs. Cox proportional hazard regression were used to predict RFS using CTTA parameters and clinicopathological parameters. Results: The time spent on fully automatic tumor segmentation and CTTA was significantly shorter than that for semi-automatic segmentation: mean ± standard deviation of 1 minutes 37 seconds ± 50 seconds vs. 10 minutes 48 seconds ± 13 minutes 44 seconds (p < 0.001). ICCs of the texture features between the two techniques ranged from 0.215 to 0.980. ICCs for the intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility using fully automatic segmentation were 0.601-0.997 and 0.177-0.984, respectively. Multivariable analysis identified lower first-order mean (hazard ratio [HR], 0.982; p = 0.010), larger pathologic tumor size (HR, 1.171; p < 0.001), and positive lymph node involvement (HR, 2.193; p = 0.014) as significant parameters for shorter RFS using fully automatic segmentation. Conclusion: Volumetric CTTA parameters obtained using fully automatic segmentation could be utilized as prognostic markers in patients with IMCC, with comparable reproducibility in significantly less time compared with semi-automatic segmentation.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• 제3권1호
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 1999

Purpose: Up to date there is no nationwide survey on epidemiological or clinical data of nephrotic syndrome, so we investigated about age of onset, sex, result of renal biopsy, treatment method, its results of treatment, its responsiveness, time of response to treatment and pattern of relapse in Korea. Methods: Between 1987 and 1997, 2193 patients with primary nephrotic syndrome diagnosed at 38 university hospital and general hospital in Korea were included. Of these 1655 were male and 538 were female. Incidence peaked at 1-5 years of age. Results: Results were as follows; 1) Among 2193 cases, male was 1655($75.5\%$), female was 538 cases($24.5\%$) and male to female ratio was about 3:1. Among 1752 patients with MCNS, male was 1338, female was 414 and male to female ratio was about 3.23:1. The most prevalent age group was 1-5 years of age. 2) Renal biopsy was done in 942 cases($43\%$), pathologic findings were as follows; MCNS 646 cases($68.6\%$), FSCS 149 cases($15.8\%$). 3) Regimen of treatment were as follows; prednisolone 1191 cases, Calcort 192 cases, cyclophosphamide 251 cases, cyclosporin A 223 cases, MPD pulse therapy 120 cases.4) Complete response to treatment were noted in 1597 cases($82.2\%$, n=1944). 5) Responsiveness according to result of renal biopsy were significantly different between MCNS and FSGS. Complete response were noted in $86.5\%$ among patients with MCNS, $35.8\%$ in patients with FSGS. 6) Time of response to treatment were noted between 1 and 4 weeks after treatment in 879 cases($67.4\%$, n=1305). 7) 994 cases($73.1\%$) relapsed during follow up, most frequently between 2 months and 6 months after response. Conclusion : Nationwide survey of epidemiological and clinical data were performed in childhood primary nephrotic syndrome. Most of the clinical and epidemiological data were similar to other reports from U.S.A. and from Europe, however male to female ratio is higher in Korean nephrotic syndrome(3:1 in contrast to 2:1).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권23호
• /
• pp.10277-10280
• /
• 2015

Background and Aim: Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease and cell proliferation markers may help to identify subtypes of clinical interest. We here analyzed the correlation between cell proliferation determined by Ki67 and HG in BC patients undergoing preoperative chemotherapy (PCT). Materials and Methods: We obtained clinical/pathological data from patients with invasive BC treated at our institution from 1999 until 2012. Expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) and Ki67 were determined by immuno-histochemistry (IHC). Clinicopathological subtypes were defined as: Luminal A, ER and/or PR positive, HER2 negative, HG 1 or 2; Luminal B, ER and/or PR positive, HER2 negative or positive and/or HG 3; triple negative (TN), ER, PR and HER2 negative independent of HG; HER2 positive, ER, PR negative and HER2 positive, independent of HG. By using Ki67, a value of 14% separated Luminal A and B tumors, independently of the histological grade. We analyzed correlations between Ki67 and HG, to define BC subtypes and their predictive value for response to PCT. Results: 1,560 BC patients were treated in the period, 147 receiving PCT (9.5%). Some 57 had sufficient clinicopathological information to be included in the study. Median age was 52 years (26-72), with 87.7% invasive ductal carcinomas (n=50). We performed IHC for Ki67 in 40 core biopsies and 50 surgical biopsies, 37 paired samples with Ki67 before and after chemotherapy being available. There was no significant correlation between Ki67 and HG (p=0.237), both categorizing patients into different subtypes. In most cases Ki67 decreased after PCT (65.8%). Only 3 patients had pathologic complete response (cPR). Conclusions: In our experience we did not find associations between Ki67 and HG. Determination of clinicopathological luminal subtypes differs by using Ki67 or HG.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제27권6호
• /
• pp.1071-1077
• /
• 2017

A rise in the occurrence of allergic diseases is attributed to the dysregulated balance of type 1/type 2 immunity, where type 2 T-helper (Th2) cells predominate over type 1 T-helper (Th1) cells, leading to an abnormally increased production of IgE in response to unharmful antigens. Kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food, is a rich source of beneficial lactic acid bacteria. In this study, we investigated the ability of Enterococcus faecium FC-K derived from kimchi to induce type I immunity in the presence of Th2 polarizing conditions in vitro and in vivo. Stimulation of mouse peritoneal macrophages with E. faecium FC-K induced the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-12. Under the in vitro Th2 conditions in which splenic T cells were activated in the presence of IL-4, E. faecium FC-K enhanced the ability of T cells to produce interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$. Using the ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergy model, male BALB/c mice receiving E. faecium FC-K reduced the serum level of total IgE, but not that of OVA-specific IgE. Furthermore, the population of activated splenic B cells during OVA immunization was decreased in E. faecium FC-K-treated mice, accounting for a reduction of total IgE in the serum. Restimulating splenocytes from OVA-immunized mice with OVA ex vivo resulted in an increased production of $IFN-{\gamma}$, with no effect on IL-4, in E. faecium FC-K-treated mice. These observations provide the evidence that E. faecium FC-K can be a beneficial probiotic strain that can modulate the Th2-mediated pathologic response.