• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 1998

This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the prognostic value and histologic correlation of sonography in childhood nephrotic syndrome. Sixty-nine patients with proteinuria over 2g per day at the time of presentation who were treated at the Korea University Hospital were included in this review. They were 1 to 15 years old(mean age, 7.8 years) with 49 males and 20 females. In each patient an ultrasound examination was done using SPA 1000(Diasonics, C.A., U.S.A.) on admission. Tissue specimens were obtained from 46 patients. The paraffin-embedded specimens were reviewed with special reference to interstitial edema, interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, global sclerosis or inflammatory cell infiltrates. Biopsy proven renal disease were minimal change disease(n=20), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis(n=7), membranous glomerulonephritis(n=2), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis(n=1), $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura nephritis(n=6), IgA nephropathy(n=5), poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis(n=2), systemic lupus erythematosus(n=1) and Alport syndrome(n=2). There was a significant relationship between increased cortical echogenicity and global sclerosis or tubular atrophy(P<0.05). But no significant relationship was found between increased cortical echogenicity and interstitial fibrosis, interstitial edema, or inflammatory cell infiltration. In biopsy-proven primary nephrotic syndrome(n=30), no significant relationship was found between the increased conical echogenicity and the interstitial edema, interstitial fibrosis, global sclerosis, tubular atrophy or inflammatory cell infiltration. But there was a significant relationship between increased cortical echogenicity and resistance to corticosteroid (P<0.05). These results suggest that increased cortical echogenicity may be due to tubular atrophy or global sclerosis in patients with proteinuria and may be an effective indicator of resistance to corticosteroid in primary nephrotic syndrome.(J Korean Soc of Pediatr Nephrol 2:26-33, 1998)

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2005

Purpose : Metabolic bone diseases have been mai or problems in children with renal diseases and steroid treatment is the main precipitating factor reducing bone mineral density(BMD). This study was performed to assess the prevalence of osteoporosis and to evaluate the clinical factors associated with decreased BMD in children with renal diseases. Methods : Forty-four children with renal diseases who were diagnosed at the Pediatric no phrology division of Ajou University hospital since Oct. 1994 were included. Using a new quantitative ultrasound device, BMD and the prevalence of osteoporosis were evaluated. The clinical and serological data were analyzed in association with decreased BMD. Results : A total of 44 patients were evaluated. The age at initial diagnosis was 6.7$\pm$4.2 years. At the time of evaluation, the chronological and bone age was 9.3$\pm$4.2 years and 8.2 $\pm$ 4.6 years, respectively. The renal diseases included nephrotic syndrome 24(54.5%), Henoch Schonlein purpura nephritis 7(15.9%), IgA nephropathy 6(13.9%), reflux nephropathy(RN) 2 (4.5%), and other renal disease 5(%). The prevalence of osteoporosis was 11%. There was no difference in the clinical factors between the long-term and the short-term treated steroid groups. Conclusion : The prevalence of osteoporosis was 12% in 44 children with renal diseases No significant factor was found in association with decreased BMD and there was no relationship between osteoporosis and steroid usage duration or cumulative dose. A new quantitative ultrasound, which is relatively easy to perform, especially in children, is expected to be in common use and will enable clinicians to evaluate metabolic bone disorders with ease.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2007

Purpose : Human angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene shows an insertion/deletion polymorphism in 16 intron, and three genotypes are determined by whether a 287 bp fragment of the DNA is present or not; II, ID and DD genotype. DD genotype has been suggested as a risk factor of chronic nephrotic disease such as IgA nephropathy and diabetic nephropathy, various cardiovascular diseases and several other diseases. ACE activity increases in acute hepatitis, chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis. On the other hand, patients with fatty livers have normal ACE activity. This study was designed to find out the relation between polymorphsims of the ACE genes and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Koreans. Methods : The genomic DNA was isolated from 110 full-term Korean neonates who had hyperbilirubinemia with no obvious causes (serum bilirubin$${\geq_-}12mg/dL$$) and 164 neonates of a control population (serum bilirubin <12 mg/dL). We performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to see the allele of the ACE gene. Electrophoresis was done in the PCR products in 1.5 percent agarose gel, and then DNA patterns were directly visualized under ethidium bromide staining. Results : ACE genotypes in the hyperbilirubinemia group are as follows; 26.36 percent for II, 53.64 percent for ID, 20.00 percent for DD, 0.532 for I allele and 0.468 for D allele. These distributions were not significantly different from those in the control group; 24.39 percent for II, 51.83 percent for DI, 23.78 percent for DD, 0.503 for I allele and 0.497 for D allele. Conclusion : In this study, ACE gene polymorphism was detected in the neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and control group. The most frequent genotype was ID. Our results indicate that the ACE gene polymorphism is not associated with the prevalence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Koreans.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.386-391
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• 1992

Background: Recently, bronchial provocation of the airway of atopic asthmatic subjects with inhaled allergen has been shown to produce an initial peripheral blood eosinopenia followed by an eosinophilia occurring approximately 12 to 18 hrs after the challenge. However there are few studies about the change of peripheral eosinophil count (PEC) after bronchial provocation with nonspecific stimuli such as histamine or methacholine. Interestingly our preliminary study demonstrated a notable change of PEC during bronhial provocation with inhaled histamine in some asthmatic subjects. This study was designed to reevaluate our preliminary data and to further investigate the change of PEC during as well as after bronchial provocation with inhaled histamine in bronchial asthma tics. Methods: Sixteen asthmatic subjects participated in this study. Bronchial provocation with inhaled histamine was done between 9 AM and 12 MD. Blood samplings for PEC were done with 5 minutes intervals during the procedure, and repeated at 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours after the procedure. Results: The results were as follows; 1) The patients were divided into two groups characterized by each pattern in the change of PEC during the procedure. A group (11 of sixten, group I) showed an increasing pattern of PEC and another group (5 of sixteen, group II) showed a decreasing pattern of PEC during the procedure. 2) Group I demonstrated a tendency to maintain continuously higher level of PEC than the baseline value until 48 hours after the procedure. 3) Group II demonstrated a tendency to maintain continuously lower level of PEC than the baseline value until 48 hours after the procedure. 4) There were no significant differences in their clinical parameters including baseline eosinophil count, baseline $FEV_1$, $PC_{20}$ of histamine, and serum IgE level between group I and group II. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the change of PEC produced by inhaled histamine in asthmatic subjects is much different from that produced by inhaled allergen, and that each patient may have their individual characteristics in the change of PEC in response to bronchial provocation with inhaled histamine. Alternatively these findings suggest that eosinophils may be partially involved in the early asthmatic reaction.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.82-86
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• 2006

Purpose : The isolated microscopic hematuria is the most common abnormality detected by school urinary screening, but there is no consensus about the range of investigations and long-term outcomes of isolated hematuria in children yet. This study aims to elucidate the prognosis of hematuria and the range of diagnostic studies by follow-up results. Methods : Students with isolated hematuria who were referred to the Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center from Aug. 1990 to Feb. 2004 were analysed retrospectively. Cases that presented Through significant proteinuria(>250 mg/day), other symptoms of nephritis or renal dysfunction (creatinine clearance <85 mL/min/$1.73m^2$) were excluded. Follow-up was done every six months with checking urinalysis, serum creatinine, protein and albumin. When albuminuria was detected, 24 hour urine protein was checked. Renal biopsy was done when urine protein was over 500 mg/day. Results : A total of 331 students were enrolled in this study. There were 157 males and 174 females. The mean age at presentation was $9.9{\pm}2.3$ years(7-15 years) and mean follow-up period was $2.2{\pm}1.6$ years(1-10 years). Seventy five(22.7 percent) patients showed the resolution of microscopic hematuria. The mean resolution period was $2.6{\pm}1.7$ years(1-8 years). Eight(2.4 percent) patients developed significant proteinuria and renal biopsy was done in four of them. Two cases of mild IgA nephropathy and two of minimal change were detected. None of them developed hypertension. At the end of the follow-up, renal function had remained stable in all subsets of patients. Conclusion : The prognosis of isolated microscopic hematuria was good. This study suggests that invasive studies including renal biopsy are not necessary and a regular follow-up of urinalysis is enough for children with isolated microscopic hematuria.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.172-176
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• 2009

Purpose: The rapid urease test is a rapid and reliable method for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori infection. However it requires gastric mucosal biopsies during endoscopy, and the test is not covered by national health insurance for patients with gastric cancer. So, we introduced an alternative method for a rapid urease test using back-table gastric mucosal biopsies from gastrectomy specimen. Materials and Methods: Ninety gastric cancer patients underwent an anti H. pylori IgG ELISA test and gastrectomy. Just after gastrectomy, two gastric mucosal biopsies from the prepyloric antrum and lower body of the gastrectomy specimen were taken from the back table in the operative room, and these were fixed immediately with the rapid urease test kit, and the color change was monitored for up to 24 hours. In this study, H. pylori infection was defined as positive when the serology or rapid urease test showed positive results. Results: The positive rate of the rapid urease test and serology was 91.1% and 77.8%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the rapid urease test and serology were 94.3 and 80.5%, 100 and 100%, 100 and 100%, and 37.5 and 15%, respectively. The accuracy of the rapid urease test was higher than that of serology (94.4 vs. 81.1%, respectively). The rapid urease test showed a higher rate of detecting H. pylori infection than that of serology (McNemar's test, P=0.019). Conclusion: The result of the rapid urease test using back-table gastric mucosal biopsies from a gastrectomy specimen is comparable to the reference data of the conventional rapid urease test using gastric mucosal endoscopic biopsies. Therefore, it can be an alternative diagnostic method for H. pylori infection.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution and fluorescence intensity of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactive (VIP-IR) cells in rat trigeminal ganglion following pulp extirpation of rat mandibular molar. The animals were divided into control group(n=6) and experimental group(n=6). The experimental animals were sacrificed at 14 days after pulp extirpation. The trigeminal ganglion was removed and immersed in the 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1M phosphate buffer. Serial frozen sections about $20{\mu}m$ in thickness were cut with a cryostat. The immunofluorescence staining was performed. The rabbit anti-VIP(1 : 8,000) was used as primary antibody and fluorescene isothiocynate(FITC) conjugated anti-rabbit IgG(1 : 80) as secondary antibody. The slides were observed under confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Unprocessed optical sections were obtained and stored on a optical disk. Color pictures were printed by a video copy processor. The results were as follows; 1. The positive ratio of VIP-IR cells in mandibular part of trigeminal ganglion were 7.40% in control group and 28.42% in experimental group(14 days after pulp extirpation). 2. The relative fluorescence intensity of VIP-IR cells in mandibular part of trigeminal ganglion were 87.78 in control group and 138.65 in experimental group. The relative fluorescence intensity of experimental group was 58% higher than that of control group. 3. In optical serial section analysis of VIP-IR cells of experimental group, most of the 9 sections showed high fluorescence intensity. At high magnification, axons of the experimental group displayed greater VIP-IR than in the control group, and the positive cells were mainly of medium size. The result indicate that number and fluorescence intensity of VIP-IR cells were increased in the mandibular part of trigeminal ganglion following pulp extirpation of mandibular molar, and it suggests that VIP could play a role in processing of nociception.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1693-1699
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• 2008

Recent studies have suggested that inulin might be utilized as a prebiotics for the promotion of antimicrobial growth, but a major obstacle to the use of inulin has been its low bifidogenic effects, which were initially observed in the ceca of broiler chickens. Inulin has some problems with related to denaturation in air and lowering passage rate from upper digestive tract to caecum. To solve this problems, a newly developed compound derived by microencapsulation, inuloprebiotics, was hypothesized to enrich cecal bifidobacterial populations and reduce the colonization levels of Salmonella in the ceca of broiler chickens. The in vitro growth of intestinal beneficial bacteria including Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus casei grew effectively on the medium containing inulin, whereas the growth of Streptococcus aureus and Clostridium perfringens was not differences among the treatment groups. Broiler chickens consumed chow diets containing 0.5%, 0.7% or 1.0% inuloprebiotics, or a control diet without inuloprebiotics supplementation. The chickens on the inuloprebioticssupplemented diets evidenced significantly higher cecal levels of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species as compared with the chickens on the control diet. The population of cecal E. coli and Salmonella was specifically reduced as the result of treatment with inuloprebiotics. However, we noted no significant differences in Bifidobacterium species, E. coli and Salmonella counts among the inuloprebiotics treatment groups. The inuloprebiotics-supplemented diets induced an increase in the serum IgG concentration. The thymus index was significantly increased in the broiler chickens that consumed diets containing 0.7% or 1.0% inuloprebiotics, with the exception of the chickens consuming the diet supplemented with 0.5% inuloprebiotics. These results indicate that the inuloprebiotic preparations exerted an immune system-promoting effect or selectively enriched the cecal Bifidobacterium species populations in the broiler chickens, and also suggest that inuloprebiotics may prove useful as a stable natural antimicrobial agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.851-859
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• 2014

The present study was designed to investigate whether ethanol extracts of Sophora flavescens (GS), Glycyrrhiza uralensis (GC), Dictamnus dasycarpus (BSP), and their mixtures (GGB-1, -2, -3, and -4) inhibit 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD) in a mouse model. DNCB was topically applied on the dorsal surface of Balb/c mice to induce AD-like skin lesions. The pathological phenotypes of AD, such as erythema, ear thickness, edema, scabs, and discharge, were significantly decreased in the GGB (DNCB + GS:GC:BSP = 3:1:1 mixture)-1-treated groups compared with the other treated groups. The weight of the spleen in immune organs was significantly decreased in the GGB-1-treated groups, whereas the weight of the liver in a control group was similar to that of the groups treated with the samples. Furthermore, toluidine blue staining analysis, a method used to specifically identify mast cells, showed that master cell infiltration into the dermis of the GGB-1-treated group was significantly decreased. The immunoglobulin E concentration was lower in the GGB-1-treated group. In addition, the levels of inflammatory cytokines (interferon-${\gamma}$, interleukin-1, 4, 5, 6, and 13, $1{\beta}$, and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$) were also significantly reduced in the GGB-1-treated group. Taken together, these results suggest that a mixture of GS, GC, and BSP in a proportion of 3:1:1 (GGB-1) may contribute to the relief of AD symptoms and may be considered an excellent candidate for an AD therapeutic drug.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.263-267
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• 2007

The mast cell-mediated immediate-type allergic reaction is involved in many allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis. The discovery of drugs for the treatment of mast cell-mediated immediate-type allergic diseases is a very important subject in human health. In this study, we investigated the effect of small black soybean (Glycine max Merr.) (Leguminosae) on mast cell-mediated allergic reaction and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. Small black soybean (SBS) inhibited compound 48/80-induced systemic reaction. SBS attenuated immunoglobulin (Ig) E-mediated local allergic reaction. In addition, SBS decreased the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate plus calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-8 secretion in human mast cells. These results indicate that SBS may be beneficial in the treatment of mast cell-mediated immediate-type allergic reactions.