Types of Hearing Protection Devices and Application / 대한이비인후과학회지

Since noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of prevalent issues in the occupational settings, hearing protection device (HPD) has been widely used to reduce noise exposure levels and to prevent developing NIHL. This review study aimed to introduce several types of the HPD in terms of current trends, its variety and functions, and application. Including a brief history of the HPD, we explain its two types, i.e., passive and active functions, in the first part of main body. The passive HPD has a flat attenuation across the overall frequency range, whereas the active HPD effectively preserves communication components such as meaningful speech with low intensity stimuli while filtering out the high levels of noise. In the second part of the main body, we discuss some negative issues of hearing functions when users are wearing the HPD. In detail, the active HPD does not much degrade the hearing performance for speech detection/recognition and sound source localization compared to the passive HPD. Rather, reduced sound (or music) quality is improved with active one in general. In the final part, we mention that although various applications in the special fields such as factory, mining, army, airplane, and music have been demonstrated, the usage and awareness of HPD in occupational aspect may not follow its fast technological development. Furthermore, most people do not know about either importance or use method of HPD in the non-occupational setting. For these reasons, we conclude that hearing professionals have to access the latest trends of the HPD and to increase their knowledge on it, and thus they should provide the best HPD prescription for the public as well as employees who have to protect their ears from hazard noise impacts.

Cystic Degeneration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mimicking Mucinous Cystic Neoplasm / 대한소화기학회지

Spontaneous regression of tumors is an extremely rare event in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with only a few reports available. With the accumulation of clinical information and tumor immunogenetics, several mechanisms for the cystic changes of HCC have been suggested, including arterial thrombosis, inflammation, and rapid tumor growth. This paper reports an uncommon case of the partial regression of HCC, which was initially misdiagnosed as a mucinous cystic neoplasm of the liver due to the unusual radiologic findings. A 78-year-old female with the hepatitis B virus and liver cirrhosis presented with an approximately 5 cm-sized cystic mass of the liver. From the radiologic evidence of a papillary-like projection from the cyst wall toward the inner side, the initial impression was a mucinous cystic neoplasm of the liver. The patient underwent a surgical resection and finally, cystic degeneration of HCC, in which approximately 80% necrosis was noted. This case suggests that if a cystic neoplasm of liver appears in a patient with a high risk of HCC on a hepatobiliary imaging study, it is prudent to consider the cystic degeneration of HCC in a differential diagnosis.

Cystic Degeneration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mimicking Mucinous Cystic Neoplasm / 대한소화기학회지

Spontaneous regression of tumors is an extremely rare event in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with only a few reports available. With the accumulation of clinical information and tumor immunogenetics, several mechanisms for the cystic changes of HCC have been suggested, including arterial thrombosis, inflammation, and rapid tumor growth. This paper reports an uncommon case of the partial regression of HCC, which was initially misdiagnosed as a mucinous cystic neoplasm of the liver due to the unusual radiologic findings. A 78-year-old female with the hepatitis B virus and liver cirrhosis presented with an approximately 5 cm-sized cystic mass of the liver. From the radiologic evidence of a papillary-like projection from the cyst wall toward the inner side, the initial impression was a mucinous cystic neoplasm of the liver. The patient underwent a surgical resection and finally, cystic degeneration of HCC, in which approximately 80% necrosis was noted. This case suggests that if a cystic neoplasm of liver appears in a patient with a high risk of HCC on a hepatobiliary imaging study, it is prudent to consider the cystic degeneration of HCC in a differential diagnosis.

Body Weight and Bone Density Changes in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis Receiving Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha Treatment / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To determine the changes in body weight and bone mineral density in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) treatment. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with AS (25 males and 6 females) who fulfilled the Modified New York Criteria for AS were included in this retrospective study. All patients had active disease that eventually required anti-TNF-alpha treatment. Each patient received anti-TNF-alpha treatment (etanercept 25 mg twice weekly or adalimumab 40 mg twice monthly) for more than 2 years. Body weight, disease activity as Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI), C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), lumbar bone mineral density (LBMD), and femoral bone mineral density (FBMD) were measured at baseline and at 1 and 2 years after initiating anti-TNF-alpha treatment. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in mean body weight at 1 year (1.1 +/- 3.8 kg) and at 2 years (1.7 +/- 4.8 kg) compared with baseline. The gains in mean BMD of the lumbar spine were significant at 1 year (0.4 +/- 0.4) and 2 years (0.5 +/- 0.7) compared with baseline. Mean BMD of the femur was also increased at 1 year (0.08 +/- 0.7) and 2 years (0.1 +/- 0.8) compared with baseline, but these differences were not statistically significant. There were significant decreases in BASDAI at 1 year (-3.3 +/- 2.8) and at 2 years (-3.6 +/- 2.8) compared with baseline. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed significant increases in body weight, lumbar BMD, and BASDAI at 1 year and 2 years in patients with ankylosing spondylitis after receiving anti-TNF-alpha treatment.

Body Weight and Bone Density Changes in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis Receiving Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha Treatment / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To determine the changes in body weight and bone mineral density in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) treatment. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with AS (25 males and 6 females) who fulfilled the Modified New York Criteria for AS were included in this retrospective study. All patients had active disease that eventually required anti-TNF-alpha treatment. Each patient received anti-TNF-alpha treatment (etanercept 25 mg twice weekly or adalimumab 40 mg twice monthly) for more than 2 years. Body weight, disease activity as Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI), C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), lumbar bone mineral density (LBMD), and femoral bone mineral density (FBMD) were measured at baseline and at 1 and 2 years after initiating anti-TNF-alpha treatment. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in mean body weight at 1 year (1.1 +/- 3.8 kg) and at 2 years (1.7 +/- 4.8 kg) compared with baseline. The gains in mean BMD of the lumbar spine were significant at 1 year (0.4 +/- 0.4) and 2 years (0.5 +/- 0.7) compared with baseline. Mean BMD of the femur was also increased at 1 year (0.08 +/- 0.7) and 2 years (0.1 +/- 0.8) compared with baseline, but these differences were not statistically significant. There were significant decreases in BASDAI at 1 year (-3.3 +/- 2.8) and at 2 years (-3.6 +/- 2.8) compared with baseline. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed significant increases in body weight, lumbar BMD, and BASDAI at 1 year and 2 years in patients with ankylosing spondylitis after receiving anti-TNF-alpha treatment.

Membrane Proteome Analysis of Cerulein-Stimulated Pancreatic Acinar Cells: Implication for Early Event of Acute Pancreatitis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cerulein pancreatitis is similar to human edematous pancreatitis with dysregulation of the production and secretion of digestive enzymes, edema formation, cytoplasmic vacuolization and the death of acinar cells. We hypothesized that membrane proteins may be altered as the early event during the induction of acute pancreatitis. Present study aims to determine the differentially expressed proteins in the membranes of cerulein-treated pancreatic acinar cells. METHODS: Pancreatic acinar AR42J cells were treated with 10(-8) M cerulein for 1 hour. Membrane proteins were isolated from the cells and separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis using pH gradients of 5-8. Membrane proteins were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis of the peptide digests. The differentially expressed proteins, whose expression levels were more or less than three-fold in cerulein-treated cells, were analyzed. RESULTS: Two differentially expressed proteins (mannan-binding lectin-associated serine protease-2, heat shock protein 60) were up-regulated while four proteins (protein disulfide isomerase, gamma-actin, isocitrate dehydrogenase 3, seven in absentia homolog 1A) were down-regulated by cerulein treatment in pancreatic acinar cells. These proteins are related to cell signaling, oxidative stress, and cytoskeleton arrangement. CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative stress may induce cerulein-induced cell injury and disturbances in defense mechanism in pancreatic acinar cells.