• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.107-119
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• 2005

Temporomandibular joint arthritides is divided into osteoarthritis, osteoarthrosis and polyarthritis. Because the signs, symptoms and radiographical features of osteoarthritis and osteoarthrosis are similar without arthralgia, diffenential diagnosis is difficult. Also non-radiographically change in early Osteoarthritis leads to misdiagnose. Planar bone scan and SPECT are useful to detect bone change early. This study was carried out in order to make diagnostic criteria of planar bone scan and SPECT. Three hundred and four temporomandibular joints were examined with clinical examination, computerized tomograph, planar bone scan, and SPECT. The obtained results were as follows. 1. If temporomandibular joint simple uptake ratio of patient in twenties is over 1.397%, it's condition may be osteoarthritis. And simple uptake ratio over in thirties-fourties may mean osteoarthritis. 2. It may mean osteoarthritis of temporomandibular joint that the number of coronal and transverse SPECT frame with hot spot is over four. 3. Destructive stage may goes on, if simple uptake ratio is over 1.370% in tweenties and over 1.104% in thirties-fourties. 4. If the number of coronal SPECT frame with hot spot is over four, temporomandibular joint may be on destructive stage in tweenties, thirties-fourties. And if the number of transverse SPECT frame with hot spot is over three, it may be on destructive stage in all ages. 5. When patient complains subjective arthralgia and palpation arthralgia, bone change may be more active than each arthralgia. 6. Osteoarthritis may progress gradually worse in 4.5 anamnesis. And then it may be stable gradually and turn to osteoarthrosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.138-146
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• 1996

Background : Known as a kind of complication or a specific form of pulmonary tuberculosis, endobronchial tuberculosis caused several kinds of problems in diagnosis and managements. But the frequency of this disease are is widely variable, generally reported from as low as 10 - 20 % to as high as 40 - 50 %. We prospectively performed bronchoscopy in patients diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis to evaluate the frequency of endobronchial tuberculosis and its related findings. Method : From March, 1995 to February, 1996, we prospectively performed bronchoscopy in patients newly diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis and evaluated the frequency of endobronchial tuberculosis, its clinical features and laboratory findings including raiologic, microbiologic and physiologic aspects. Results : Number of patients diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis was 103 and 55 patients(53.4%) were found to have endobronchial tuberculosis. But the frequency were 43.8% in male and 76.7% in female, respectively. Frequently noted symptoms were nonspecific including cough, sputum, fever, weight loss in the order of frequency but cough was more frequent than in pulmonary tuberculosis. Physical examination showed rale, decreased breathing sound and wheezing and wheezing was more frequent than in pulmonary tuberculosis. All 7 subtypes were noted bronchoscopically and edema-hyperemia (stenotic without fibrosis) type was most frequently(32.7%) noted, and followed by chronic nonspecific bronchitis type, stenotic with fibrosis type and actively caseating type in the order of frequency. The relationship between subtypes of endobronchial tuberculosis and radiologic findings was insignificant. Right lung was involved more frequently than left lung and left upper lobe was most commonly involved site, and followed by right upper lobe and trachea. Acid-fast bacilli(AFB) positivity in sputum and / or bronchial washing fluid was 73% and suggested high risk of infectivity. Conclusion : The frequency of endobronchial tuberculosis in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis was higher than known and also suggested bronchoscopic examination to detect endobronchial involvement should be recommanded and careful management is also needed to prevent complications.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 1996

Background : Several studies have suggested that impaired mucociliary clearance plays a role in the pathophysiology of bronchial asthma. Cough productive of mucoid sputum is common, and mucous plugs in the airways are frequently observed. These clinical features are in keeping with the histologic lesions of asthma, which involve primarily the epithelial and mucous-producing structures of the conducting airways. Some studies have shown that the mucociliary clearance is impaired in adult asthma, but it has not been studied in childhood asthma. The objectives of this study were to examine whether the mucociliary clearance is impaired in childhood asthma and to estimate the degree of impairment in comparison with that of immotile cilia syndrome. Method : Thirteen children with mild stable asthma and eight patients with immotile cilia syndrome completed this study. Ten healthy children were recruited as a normal control group. The whole-lung mucociliary clearance was measured by the radioaerosol technique. Aerosols, tin colloid particles tagged with the radionuclide technetium-99m($^{99m}Tc$), were generated by means of nebulizer, and inhaled via a mouthpiece. The retention of radioactivity was measured at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes by gamma camera, and mucociliary clearance was calculated as percent retention at each time. Results: 1) In each subject, the percent retention decreased variably with the lapse of time. 2) The percent retention of radionuclide decreased at each time in order of normal control, bronchial asthma and immotile cilia syndrome and the percent retention of immotile cilia syndrome was significantly higher than that of normal control at each time(p<0.05). 3) At two hours, the percent retention of bronchial asthma($65.0{\pm}1.8$(SE)%) was significantly higher than that of the normal control($54.4{\pm}3.5%$, p<0.05), and significantly lower than that of immotile cilia syndrome($73.3{\pm}1.4%$, p<0.01). 4) When the percent retention was analyzed according to $PC_{20}$ in the children with bronchial asthma, they had no relationship with each other. Conclusion: Mucociliary clearance in the children with bronchial asthma was significantly lower than normal control. This finding indicates that impaired mucociliary clearance operates in childhood asthma as well, and suggests that it may be one contributing factor in the pathogenesis of asthma. The degree of impairment, however, was not so severe as immotile cilia syndrome.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.397-403
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• 1998

Background: Little information is available concerning the value of bronchoscopy in patients with a lymphocytic exudative pleural effusion in which percutaneous pleural biopsy have been regarded as cornerstone in investigating the etiology. Recently, a few reports suggest that bronchoscopy may be more effective diagnostic method in patients with unexplained pleural effusion accompanied by hemoptysis or other roentgenographic abnormalities, such as mass, infiltrate, atelectasis. Method: Mter initial examinations of sputum and pleural fluid through thoracentesis in 112 patients(male 75 cases, female 37 cases, mean age 53.2 years) who were admitted for evaluation of the cause of pleural effusion, we performed bronchoscopy and closed pleural biology in most patients with undiagnosed lymphocytic exudate and compared the diagnostic yield of both invasive methods according to hemoptysis or other roentgenographic abnormalities, and investigated the sole diagnostic contribution of bronchoscopy. Results: Tuberculosis(57 cases, 51%) was the most common cause of pleural effusion. Percutaneous pleural biopsy showed more diagnostic yield than bronchoscopy regardless of presence or absence of other clinical or radiologic abnormalities. In 25 cases with unknown etiology after pleural biopsy, additional diagnostic yield by bronchoscopy was 36 % (4/11) in patients with associated features and only 7 % (1/14) with lone effusion, and, as the sole mean for diagnsosis in all patients with pleural effusion, was only 4.5%(5/12). Conclusion : In a region of high prevalence of tuberculosis as a cause of pleural effusion, percutaneous pleural biospy is more effective method when invasive method is required for confirmative diagnosis of unexplained lymphocytic exudative pleural effusion, and bronchoscopy is unlikely to aid in the diagnosis of lone pleural effusion.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.24-32
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• 2000

Purpose: Microsatellite instability(MSI) is frequently used as an indicator of microsatellite mutator phenotype(MMP) tumors. MSI has been observed in a percentage of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). However, its role in tumorigenesis of NSCLC remains unknown. The frequency and pattern of MSI in NSCLC were evaluated and clinical parameters of MSI-positive tumors with those of MSS(microsatellite stable) tumors were compared. Materials and Methods: Twenty surgically resected NSCLCs were analyzed for 15 microsatellite markers located at chromosomes 3p and 9p. The peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients were used as the source of the normal DNA. Results: 1) Of 20 cases, 8(40%) demonstrated MSI. 2) Instability was observed more frequently in tri- and tetra-nucleotide repeats than in dinucleotide repeats. In all cases, instability appeared as a shift of individual allelic bands. 3) LDH was observed in 10(50%) of 20 tumors analyzed. 4) Of 20 cases, MSI-H tumor(showing MSI in the majority of markers) was absent. There were 5 MSI-L tumors(showing MSI in a greater than 10% of markers). 5) No significant difference was observed between MSI-L tumors and MSI-negative tumors in terms of clinicopathologic features such as pack-year history of smoking, histologic subtype, and(delete) stage of disease. There was also no significant difference in the incidence of LDH in relation to the status of MSI. Conclusion: These data strongly suggest that MSI plays different roles in lung and colon cancer. MMP pathway appears to be far less important in the tumorigenesis of NSCLC, caused mainly by cigarette smoke, with little familial tendency.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.54-66
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• 2000

Background: Pneumoconiosis, like other chronic respiratory diseases, is essentially incurable and, for many, progressive. While improved survival time is an important aim of treatment, there is growing recognition that for some people, improving the quality of life is more important than extending the length of life. Currently the measurement of the quality of life is used to assess the efficacy of therapeutic agents. Methods: Sixty-three pnemoconiotics who were admitted to St. Mary's Hospital between April and August 1999 were interviewed using COOP charts, Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire(CRQ) and Pneumoconiotic Respiratory Questionnaire(PRQ), a newly developed questionnaire concerning clinical and socioeconomic features of pneumoconiotics. Also, ILO classification of the chest film, pulmonary function test, and arterial blood gas analysis of the patients were evaluated. The scores between Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance(IACI) covered and uncovered patients and between clinically stable and unstable patients were compared. Results: Domains of CRQ and PRQ showed a high internal consistency reliability($\alpha$=0.86-0.89, 0.77-0.81) except the dyspnea domain($\alpha$=0.63) of CRQ. The scores on the CRQ and PRQ showed statistically significant correlations with the results of COOP charts, pulmonary function test and arterial blood gas analysis. The dyspnea domain and social activity domain of the PRQ showed significant difference between IACI covered and uncovered patients and between clinically stable and unstable patients. Conclusion : Korean translation of the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire and the newly developed Pneumoconiotic Respiratory Questionnaire are reliable and valid methods and are likely to be useful in measuring the quality of life in patients with the chronic respiratory disease including pneumoconiosis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.975-985
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• 2017

To investigate the beneficial effects of an agar gel mask (AGM) on UV-induced photoaging, SKH-1 hairless mice were treated with a topical application of AGM and an AGM dipped in essence (AGMdE). The mice were divided into an no radiation group, UV + AGM, UV + AGMdE, and UV + vehicle (PBS) treatment groups. Alterations in skin wrinkles, skin phenotype, histological structures, oxidative status, and toxicity were then evaluated during 4 weeks of exposure. The topical application of AGM and AGMdE inhibited wrinkle formation, suppressed the erythema index, prevented transepidermal water loss, and enhanced skin hydration. In addition, epidermal thickness recovered to a similar level as that in the no irradiation group in the UV + AGM and UV + AGMdE treatment groups compared with the UV + vehicle (distilled water) group. Furthermore, the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and tyrosinase were reduced in the UV + AGM and UV + AGMdE treatment groups, although the highest level varied. Moreover, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly lower in the UV + AGM and UV + AGMdE treatment groups as compared with the UV + vehicle group. No significant alterations induced by most toxic compounds were measured in serum biochemical markers and liver and kidney histological features of the UV + AGM and UV + AGMdE treatment groups. These results suggest that AGM may protect against skin aging by regulating skin morphology, histopathological structures, and oxidative conditions.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.610-620
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• 2003

Background : 3p deletion has been shown to be the most frequently occurring change in lung cancers, suggesting the presence of a tumor suppressor gene in this region. Recent attention has focused on a candidate 3p14.2 tumor suppressor gene, FHIT. Therefore, the association of the expression of FHIT, with apoptosis, cell proliferation cycle and the clinicopathological features, including survival, were investigated Materials and Methods : 83 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, who underwent curative operation, between Jan. 1996 and Aug. 2000, at the Wonkwang university hospital, were analyzed. The expression of the FHIT was identified by immunohistochemical staining, and rate of apoptosis and cell proliferation cycle by flow cytometry. Results : 43% (36/83) of patients exhibited no FHIT expression. The rates of FHIT loss were 52% (28/54), 22% (5/23), 50% (3/6); 30% (11/37), 48% (16/33), 69% (9/13); 54% (30/56) and 22% (6/27), in squamous cell cancers, adenocarcinomas, large cell cancers, TNM stages I, II and III, smokers and non-smokers, respectively. All the differences in FHIT loss rates, according to the histopathology, TNM stages and smoking habits, were statistically significant. The median survival time and 2-year survival rate of the FHIT(-) group were 24 months and 44%, and those of the FHIT(+) group were 25 months and 51% (p>0.05), respectively. The apoptotic rate of the FHIT(-) and FHIT(+) groups were 50.72 (${\pm}13.93$) and 59.38 (${\pm}14.33$)%, respectively (p=0.01). The S- and G1-phase fractions of the FHIT(-) and FHIT(+) groups were 13.93 (${\pm}7.35$) and $51.50({\pm}23.15$)% and 15.65(${\pm}6.59$) and 54.16 (${\pm}20.25$)%, respectively (p>0.05). Conclusion : The loss of FHIT expression was increased to a greater extent with advancing TNM stage, smoking habits and squamous cell cancer compared to the adenocarcinomas. However, no survival differences were found according to the expression of FHIT. The apoptotic rate of the FHIT(+) group was greater than in the FHIT(-) group, but differences in the S- and G1-phase fractions, according to the expression of the FHIT, were not found.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.117-123
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• 2007

Purpose: The surgical treatment of gastric cancer that invades adjacent organs is a radical gastrectomy with combined resection including the adjacent organs or a palliative operation by performing either a gastrojejunostomy or gastrectomy. However, since it is impossible to determine the exact stage of the cancer, either T or N, in the case of palliative surgery, it is inappropriate to predict patient prognosis. This study analyzes the prognoses for patients whose final TNM stages are determined by a combined resection performed due to macroscopical infiltration into the adjacent organs. Materials and Methods: Of 2,452 patients that underwent surgery for gastric cancer at our hospital from 1983 to 2002, we evaluated 102 patients where a combined resection was performed because direct infiltration into the adjacent organs was discovered. Results: Univariate analysis showed that the survival rate differed by the depth of invasion into the gastric walls, the degree of lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, pathological TNM stage, surgical curability, the location of tumor, and histological differentiation. By multivariate analysis, it was found that the surgical curability, the location of the tumor and the degree of lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors. Conclusion: It is suggested that even when infiltration into adjacent organs is suspected, radical surgery should be performed as to allow a prediction of prognosis through an exact determination of disease stage, and to improve the survival rate.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2002

Purpose: It is known that lactoferrin serves as a source of iron for H. pylori in gastric mucosa. This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between lactoferrin and H. pylori infection coexistent with iron-deficiency anemia by determining the lactoferrin levels in gastric biopsy specimens, and by locating the major sites of lactoferrin expression, according to the presence or absence of iron-deficiency anemia. Methods: Fifty-five adolescents that underwent gastroduodenoscopy were divided into three groups: NL (n=19) for normal controls, HP (n=15) for patients with H. pylori, and IDA (n=21) for patients with H. pylori gastritis and coexisting iron-deficiency anemia. Histopathologic features were graded from to marked on the basis of the Updated Sydney System. The gastric mucosal levels of lactoferrin were measured by immunoassay. Immunohistochemical technique was used to allow identification of the location and quantification of the lactoferrin expression. Results: Lactoferrin levels in the antrum increased significantly, in proportion to, H. pylori density, polymorphonuclear cell infiltration, and chronic inflammation in the histologic specimens. Patients in the HP and IDA groups showed significantly increased mucosal levels of lactoferrin compared with that observed in the normal group (p=0.0001). The lactoferrin level in IDA group tended to be higher than that in the HP group (p=0.2614). The major sites of lactoferrin expression by immunohistochemistry were in glands and neutrophils within epithelium. Lactoferrin was stained weakly in NL, and strongly in HP and IDA. Conclusion: The lactoferrin sequestration in the gastric mucosa of IDA was remarkable, and this finding seems to give a clue that leads to the clarification of the mechanism by which H. pylori infection contributes to iron-deficiency anemia.