Genetic Alterations in Primary Gastric Carcinomas Correlated with Clinicopathological Variables by Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization

Genetic alterations have been recognized as an important event in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer (GC). We conducted high resolution bacterial artificial chromosome array-comparative genomic hybridization, to elucidate in more detail the genomic alterations, and to establish a pattern of DNA copy number changes with distinct clinical variables in GC. Our results showed some correlations between novel amplified or deleted regions and clinical status. Copy-number gains were frequently detected at 1p, 5p, 7q, 8q, 11p, 16p, 20p and 20q, and losses at 1p, 2q, 4q, 5q, 7q, 9p, 14q, and 18q. Losses at 4q23, 9p23, 14q31.1, or 18q21.1 as well as a gain at 20q12 were correlated with tumor-node-metastasis tumor stage. Losses at 9p23 or 14q31.1 were associated with lymph node status. Metastasis was determined to be related to losses at 4q23 or 4q28.2, as well as losses at 4q15.2, 4q21.21, 4q 28.2, or 14q31.1, with differentiation. One of the notable aspects of this study was that the losses at 4q or 14q could be employed in the evaluation of the metastatic status of GC. Our results should provide a potential resource for the molecular cytogenetic events in GC, and should also provide clues in the hunt for genes associated with GC.

Two Cases of Brugian Filariasis Diagnosed Incidentally on Peripheral Blood Smears / 대한진단검사의학회지

The Brugian filariasis in Korea was once endemic in several areas including Jeju-do and small remote islands located in the southwestern part of the Korean peninsula. But recently it has almost been controlled. The first patient was a 42-year-old man, who visited the hospital with the chief complaints of fatigue, jaundice and edema on the right low extremity. Examination of a peripheral blood smear revealed non-megaloblastic macrocytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and eosinophilia, and a parasite, which was identified as microfilaria of Brugia malayi on the glass slide of blood obtained from the patient at midnight. The second patient was a 23-year-old man, who visited the hospital with the chief complaints of cough, sputum and fever. A parasite resembling that of the first patient was found in a peripheral blood smear accompaning neutrophilia. No more parasites, however, were found in the peripheral blood obtained from the patient at midnight. These two clinical cases of Brugian filariasis indicate that the clinical laboratory in Korea should be able to detect microfilariae for the diagnosis of filariasis.

Annual Report on External Quality Assesment in Hematology in Korea (2004) / 임상검사와정도관리

Four trials of external quality assessment in diagnostic hematology were performed in 2004 with about 440 participating laboratories in Korea. We performed quality assessment for white blood cell count, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, platelet count, white cell differential count, red blood cell morphology and coagulation test. The response rate was more than 96%. The coefficients of variation in hemoglobin and RBC number was stable but variable in platelet number and WBC number according to measuring cell counts. Blood coagulation study was performed twice. Test results show wide variation according to measuring machine and reagents.

Reference Intervals in Healthy Adults using Automatic Cell Counter Beckman Coulter LH 750 / 임상검사와정도관리

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to set reference intervals of healthy adults using Beckman Coulter LH 750 by gender and age. METHODS: The specimens were obtained from a total of 705 healthy adults (male 484, female 221), who took part in annual health-check at Chungnam National University Hospital, analyzed in total 22 parameters and compared using SPSS V10.0 program. RESULTS: Totally 16 parameters showed the Gaussian distribution with 12 in parametric method and 4 in logarithmically transformed parametric method. All acquired reference intervals were showed in Table 3, 4, 5 and 6. There were statistical significances between genders in RBC, Hgb, Hct, MCV, MCH, WBC, EO%, LY#, MO#, EO#, MPV, PDW (P<0.001), BA% (P=0.001), NE% (P=0.016), BA# (P=0.019), MO% (P=0.021) and NE# (P=0.039), between age decades in RBC, Hgb, Hct, MCV, MCH, NE%, LY% (P<0.001), LY# (P=0.002), EO%, NE# (P=0.003) and Pct (P=0.033) as well as between genders and age decades in RBC, Hct (P=0.001), Hgb (P=0.004), LY# (P=0.005), Plt (P=0.014) and MO% (P=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the reference intervals of RBC and Hgb ought to be set by both genders and age decades, WBC by gender and the others by total study populations. Moreover, it need to be set the reference intervals by each laboratory for itself and to be monitored with periodic review.

Comparison of Immunoglobulin Levels in Serum between Breast- and Formula-fed Newborns / 대한임상병리학회지

BACKGROUND: It had been well known that breast feeding to infants has many advantages and benefits comparing to formula feeding. So, We performed this study to clarify the relationship between immunoglobulin (Ig) levels and diet during newborn period. METHODS: We measured the levels of IgG, IgA and IgM by Array 360 System (Beckman Instruments, CA, U.S.A). Subjects were 29 breast-fed and 13 formula-fed newborns. We evaluated the results and analyzed the change of concentrations of IgG, IgA and IgM according to diet, sex and postnatal period. RESULTS: The levels of IgG, IgA and IgM in breast-fed newborns at postnatal 1-day were higher than formula-fed newborns, but the levels of Ig G and Ig A in formula-fed newborns at postnatal 30-day were higher than breast-fed newborns. CONCLUSIONS: There was no clinical signficance in the difference of IgG, IgA and IgM levels according to diet, sex and postnatal period, respectively.