A Comparison Study on Perception of Body Image and Dietary Habits of High School Students between Urban and Rural Areas / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The objective of this research was to study the differences between urban and rural areas high school students in body image and dietary habits. The number of subjects in Seoul and Kyungkido were 902. Based on self-reported height and weight, there was no significant difference between the urban and rural students. However, the rate of obesity was significantly higher in males, whereas the rate of underweight was significantly higher in females, especially for urban females (p < 0.05). Their ideal body image ratio as skinny or slender-type was 91.6% (urban) and 95.7% (rural) for male category while 100% (urban) and 99.4% (rural) for females. Urban females had a strong preference for a skinny body (p < 0.05). Rural students were more highly interested in weight control than urban students were, but they appeared not to care their health. In addition, they had significantly lower levels of weight control knowledge and dietary attitude score (p < 0.001). Subjective assessment of body weight appeared to be more important in terms of body satisfaction, weight control knowledge and dietary attitude than actual measurement of body mass index. Significant test revealed that weight control knowledge was related to dietary attitude (p < 0.01). (p < 0.01).

Decrease of Double Negative T Cells with Aging: Analysis of alpha beta TCR and gamma delta TCR / 대한진단검사의학회지

BACKGROUND: In the previous study, we reported a decrease of CD4-CD8- double negative T (DNT) cells with aging. In this study we investigated the precise changes of two subsets of DN T cells, alpha beta TCR DN T cells and gamma delta TCR DN T cells, with aging. METHODS: We analyzed the T cell subsets by 3 color flow cytometry in a healthy young group (age 26.9+/-2.5, N=15), a healthy old group (age 67.7+/-3.4, N=15) and an old group with aging-associated diseases. RESULTS: The percentage of total DN T cells, alpha beta TCR DN T cells and gamma delta TCR DN T cells in total T cells, respectively, was 7.4+/-4.9%, 3.9+/-2.9% and 3.5+/-2.5% in a healthy young group and 3.5+/- 2.2%, 1.8+/-1.6%, 1.6+/-1.5% in a healthy old group. Both subsets decreased with aging significantly both P<0.05). Between a healthy old group and an old group with aging-associated diseases, we could not detect the significant difference of the percentage of either subset. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed our previous report. Furthermore, we observed that both subsets of DN T cells decreased in detail. More studies are needed to clarify the association between these findings and the aging-associated diseases.

Association of Myocardial Infarction and Chlamydophila pneumoniae Infection / 대한임상미생물학회지

BACKGROUND: Although there are growing evidences linking Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection to myocardial infarction, it remains controversial. The authors intended to assess whether C. pneumoniae infection is associated with myocardial infarction. METHODS: Sera and peripheral mononuclear cells (PMNCs) were collected from 54 cases of acute myocardial infarction (MI), 33 cases of old MI, and 60 normal controls. Anti-C.pneumoniae IgG and IgM antibodies were measured using a microimmunofluorescence (mIF) method, and C.pneumoniae DNA was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Seropositivity of anti-C.pneumoniae IgM antibody by mIF was shown 5.0% in control group, 29.6% (OR=8.00) in the acute MI and 6.1% (OR=1.23) in old MI group. Seropositivity of anti C.pneumoniae IgG antibody were 60.0 % in control group, 92.6% (OR=8.33) in the acute MI and 87.9% (OR= 4.83) in old MI group. The antibody titers in the acute MI and old MI group tended to be higher compared to those in control group. No C.pneumoniae DNA was detected in any case by PCR. CONCLUSION: The seropositivity and antibody titers were significantly higher in the acute MI and old MI group than in control group, suggesting that C.pneumoniae infection may be a risk factor for myocardial infarction.

A Case of Pichia anomala Detected Incidentally in Peripheral Blood Smear / 대한임상미생물학회지

Nosocomial opportunistic infections including fungal infections continue to increase with a longer survival of immunocompromised patients. Disseminated candidiasis is the most common nosocomial fungal infection and the frequency of isolation of non-Candida albicans organisms besides C.albicans is increasing as causative organisms. We detected numerous yeast cells incidentally in a peripheral blood smear of an infant with congenital heart disease who was treated with total parenteral nutrition and catheterization, and had a history of antibiotics use during a long hospitalization period. Pichia anomala was isolated from the blood and pleural effusion.

Estimate of Thrombopoiesis by Flow Cytometric Analysis of Reticulated Platelets in Patients with Severe Thrombocytopenia / 대한진단검사의학회지

BACKGROUND: Analysis of reticulated platelets (RPs) is useful for discriminating the causes of thrombocytopenia and monitoring the thrombopoiesis. In the patients with severe thrombocytopenia, we evaluated the thrombopoiesis-discriminating ability of several indices applying forward scatter (FSC) and thiazole orange (TO) fluorescence in addition to the percentage of reticulated platelets (RPs%). METHODS: Forty cases with decreased thrombopoiesis, twenty cases with increased thrombopoiesis and twenty cases with liver cirrhosis were selected. By flow cytometry with two analytic methods, dependent on or independent of the staining of CD41-PE as a platelet marker, the primary parameters including RPs% were measured and the applied parameters were calculated from them. And we compared the diagnostic efficiency of each parameter and analyzed the purity of platelet light scatter gate. RESULTS: The purity of platelet light scatter gate was significantly lower in patients with severe thrombocytopenia than in healthy persons with normal platelet counts (P<10(-6)), so the use of CD41-PE for platelet gating improved the diagnostic efficiency of RPs%. Compared to the primary parameters, the applied parameters originated from RPs%, FSC and TO fluorescence improved diagnostic efficiency significantly (RPs%: 55%, RPs%xs delta MFI: 80%) between decreased and increased thrombopoiesis groups. CONCLUSIONS: In the patients with severe thrombocytopenia, the estimate of the thrombopoiesis by a flow cytometric analysis can be more predictable by using platelet markers and by considering the fluorescence intensity of TO together with the RPs%.

The Evaluation of a Nutrition Education Camp Program for Overweight and Underweight Adolescents / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nutrition education program developed for nutritionally imbalanced adolescents. A summer nutrition camp was held for 23 overweight and 16 underweight subjects. Its effectiveness with regard to was evaluated at the end of the camp and 6 months later. Nutrition knowledge, nutritional attitude, food behavior, nutrient intake, exercise habit and ideal body figures desired by the subjects. The results showed significantly higher nutrition knowledge scores at the end of the camp as compared to those obtained prior to the camp program, and these scores were maintained for at least six months. Nutrition attitude scores also improved after the education program, and these improved scores also lasted for 6 months. However, the food behavior scores measured 6 months after the education program were not significantly different from those obtained prior to the camp. Also, the exorcist habit, the ideal body figures and the body figures desired by the subjects remained unchanged. When nutrient intakes of subjects were assessed before the program and 6 months later, the mean daily vitamin C intake was significantly increased after the education program. Also, the intake of iron from plant food sources increased in the overweight subjects, while less iron from animal source were consumed by the underweight subjects. Both groups tended to consume more vegetables and fruits 6 months after the education program which may have contribute to the higher vitamin C and plant-based iron intakes. These results indicate that a 4-day nutrition education camp program sustained changes in nutrition knowledge and nutrition attitude for 6 months. The increased intake of vegetables and fruits was also achieved through this education program. However, changes in dietary behavior in adolescents may require repeated education.

Detection of Helicobacter pylori in the Gastric Mucous Layer in Pediatric Patients

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is present mainly in the gastric mucous layer. However, the mucous layer, along with the bacteria, is lost during conventional tissue processing in which formalin is used for fixation. The purpose of this study is to ascertain - if the mucous layer is preserved by using Carnoy solution as a fixative - whether the detection rate of H. pylori is increased in pediatric patients. METHODS: Five pieces of gastric mucosal tissue were obtained from the gastric antrum and the body of one hundred pediatric patients. One of the specimens was fixed with formalin. Another specimen was fixed with Carnoy solution. The tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemically stained for H. pylori. For reference, a rapid urease test was performed on the remaining three specimens. RESULTS: In the formalin-fixed tissue, the detection rate of H. pylori was 13% in the gastric antrum and 12% in the body (overall 16%). In the Carnoy solution-fixed tissue, the mucous layer was preserved and the detection rate of H. pylori was 23% in the antrum and 27% in the body (overall 28%). The positive rate of the rapid urease test was 26% in the antrum and 28% in the body (overall 29%). CONCLUSIONS: When the number of H. pylori is small in the gastric mucosa, the bacteria may not be detected by conventional histologic methods. In that case, the detection rate of H. pylori may be increased by using Carnoy solution, rather than formalin, as a tissue fixative.

Three Case of Acute Pancreatitis Complicating Endoscopic Insertion of the Biliary Stent / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Acute pancreatitis is one of the major complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). Various etiology such as mechanical, chemical, hydrostatic, and thermal factor are thought to be involved for this procedure-related pancreatitis. However, acute pancreatitis can occur as a direct complication of endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD). Although the exact mechanism remains unclear, it is postulated that the stent compresses pancreatic ductal orifice and resultant pancreatic outflow obstruction actually provokes pancreatitis. Using the larger stent diameter over 10 Fr and a straight stent rather than curved one, proximal rather than distal bile duct obstruction are risk factors for stent-induced pancreatitis. We report on three cases of acute pancreatitis complicating the EBD with a plastic stent, nasobiliary catheter, and covered-metallic stent respectively.

Intracranial Cavernous Hemangioma after Radiotheraphy for Astrocytoma

Radiation is a common treatment modality for central nervous system neoplasms. However, secondary tumor development must be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients with new or recurring symptoms after treatment with conventional radiotherapy. A 28-year-old woman developed a cavernous hemangioma about 9 years after brain irradiation for astrocytoma. Clinical and histopathological details are presented, and previous reports of radiation-induced intracranial cavernous hemangioma are reviewed.

Clinical Usefulness of Endoscopic Choledochoduochoduodenal Fistulotomy in Patients with Ampullary Cancer / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGORUND/AIMS: Endoscopic choledochoduodenal fistulotomy(fistulotomy), using a needle-knife sphin-cterotome as an alternative to failed duct cannulation and subsequent endoscopic drainage in patients with ampullary cancer, can be performed in patients with a suprapapillary bulged or distorted papilla. The purpose of this prospective sutdy was to evaluate the safety and clinical usefulness of endoscopic fistulotomy in patients with ampullary cancer. METHODS: Of the 29 patients with ampullary cancer requiring biliary drainage, 13 patients with a suprapapillary bulged papilla underwent fistulotomy either alone or followed by an upward extension of the fistulous orifice using a standard sphincterotome (fistulotomy group). Of the remaing 16 patients, transpapillary biliary stenting was successful in 13 patients (biliary stenting group). In both group, the rate of successful bile duct cannulation and effective biliary drainage were assessed and compared. RESULTS: Bile duct cannulation was successful in 92.3% of the patients in the fistulotomy group and 81.3% of patients in the biliary stenting group, and the only complications were mild bleeding in 1 patient (7.7%) and cholangitis in 1 patient(6.3%). The success rate for initial biliary drainage with the fistulotomy or transpapillary stenting were 100% and 84.6%, respectively. Of the 12 patients in whom biliary drainage was used as the definite treatment, the symptom-free duration was 3.2 months in 6 patients of the fistulotomy group and 3.9 months in 6 patients in the biliary stenting group. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic fistulotomy is safe and effective for both preoperative and palliative biliary decompression in patients with ampullary cancer and it is suggested that the procedure can be applied primarily to increase the success rate of biliary access and subsequent biliary drainage especially in patients with a bulged papilla.

Epithelioid Angiomyolipoma of the Kidney: A case report

Angiomyolipoma is considered by many authors to be a hamartoma, occurring in a sporadic form or in association with tuberous sclerosis. This lesion consists of thick walled blood vessels, smooth muscle, and mature adipose tissue in varying amounts. We have experienced a case of the angiomyolipoma composed of monotypic epithelioid cells. The patient was a 69-year-old female. Clinically, there was no evidence of tuberous sclerosis. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of polygonal cells with abundant eosinophilic granular or clear cytoplasm, pleomorphic nuclei, prominent nucleoli, and multinucleated giant cells. The tumor cells showed positive reaction for HMB45, CD68, smooth muscle actin, and S-100, and negative reaction for epithelial membrane antigen, cytokeratin, vimentin, desmin, CD34, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor. Ultrastructual analysis showed the presence of glycogen, mitochondria, and other microorganelles in neoplastic cells. Melanosome or premelanosome was not identified.