Expose to Chronic Aircraft Noise and Emotion, Behavior Characteristics in Korean Children / 항공우주의학회지

BACKGROUND: This study was focused on the influence of chronic aircraft noise exposure on children's emotional and behavioral characteristics in Korean children. METHODS: We enrolled 586 4th~6th grade children of seven primary schools near airbases in Korea. The Korean version of Child Behavior Checklist, Korean Personality Inventory for Children, Kovac's Children's Depression Inventory, and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory involving 2 schools in a helicopter noise-impacted urban area and 3 schools in a fighter plane noise-impacted urban area were compared with those of children from 2 matched control schools in low-aircraft noise-impacted urban areas in Korea. RESULTS: Family discomfort and autistic symptoms of Korean personality inventory for children were significantly higher among children in schools in a helicopter and a fighter plane noise environment compared to the low noised schools. Also, Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory was significantly higher among children in schools in a helicopter and a fighter plane noise environment compared to the low noise schools. CONCLUSION: Children in a chronic aircraft noise environment schools was shown to be associated with a higher rate of autistic behavior and family discomfort. Also there was a possibility for chronic aircraft noise exposure to be associated with family environment function other than depression and anxiety.

Therapeutic Experience of Bing-Neel Syndrome Associated with Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia is an uncommon low-grade B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder in which monoclonal immunoglobulin M is produced. Neurological symptoms due to hyperviscosity are frequent manifestations of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. However, central nervous system infiltration by plasmacytoid lymphocytes (Bing-Neel syndrome) has only rarely been reported. We report a case of a 51-yr-old woman suffering from Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia who complained of persistant headache. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed an extra-axial soft tissue mass along the left cavernous sinus, left tentorium, right tentorium, and falx cerebri. A stereotactic biopsy of dural tissue from the falx was performed and showed plasmacytoid lymphocyte infiltration. The patient became symptom- free with irradiation of the whole brain followed by chemotherapy with fludarabine.

Identification of Interleukin 1-Responsive Genes in Human Chondrosarcoma SW1354 cells by cDNA Microarray Technology / 영남의대학술지

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence shows that interleukin(IL)-1 plays a critical role in inflammation and connective tissue destruction observed in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. IL-1 induces gene expression related to cytokines, chemokines and matrix metalloproteinases by activation of many different transcription factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chondrosarcoma cell line, SW1353, is known to be a valuable in vitro system for investigating catabolic gene regulation by IL-1beta in chondrocytic cells. To explore and analyze the changes in gene expression by IL-1 responsible for arthritis, SW1353 was treated with IL-1 for 1, 6 and 24 h and then total RNAs were purified for each time. The changes in gene expression were analyzed with 17k human cDNA microarrays and validated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Greater than a two-fold change was observed in 1,200 genes including metallothioneins, matrix metalloproteinases, extracellular matrix proteins, antioxidant proteins, cytoskeleton proteins, cell cycle regulatory proteins, proteins for cell growth and apoptosis, signaling proteins and transcription factors. These changes appeared to be correlate with the pathophysiological changes observed in early osteoarthritis. CONCLUSION: cDNA microarray analysis revealed a marked variability in gene expression, and provided insight into the overall molecular changes. The result of this study provide initial information for further studies to identify therapeutic targets in osteoarthritis pathogenesis.

A Case of Behcet's Disease with Pericarditis, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, Deep Vein Thrombosis and Coronary Artery Pseudo Aneurysm

Behcet's disease with concomitant thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), coronary artery stenosis and coronary artery pseudo aneurysm is rare. Here we report a case of Behcet's disease with several cardiovascular complications, namely: pericarditis, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), TTP, coronary artery stenosis, and a coronary artery pseudo aneurysm. A 37-year-old female presented with sudden dyspnea and syncope at our emergency room and underwent pericardiectomy and pericardial window formation for the diagnosis of cardiac tamponade with acute hemorrhagic pericarditis. Thereafter, TTP and DVT complicated her illness. After confirmation of Behcet's disease on the basis of a history of recurrent oral and genital ulcers and erythema nodosum, remission was achieved after treatment with methylprednisolone pulse therapy, colchicine, catheter directed thrombolysis and thrombectomy. However, whilst maintaining anticoagulation therapy, a newly developed pericardial aneurysmal dilatation was noted on follow-up radiologic evaluation. Further evaluation revealed right coronary artery stenosis and a left coronary artery pseudo aneurysm; these additional problems were treated with the nonsurgical insertion of an endovascular graft stent . At the time of writing three months later after stent insertion, the aneurysm has continued to regress and no additional complications have intervened with combined immunosuppressive therapy.

A Case of Mercury Intoxication Associated with Pernicious Anemia / 영남의대학술지

Pernicious anemia is the frequent cause of megaloblastic anemia, and it is the result of a vitamin B12 deficiency due to the decrease or absence of intrinsic factor (IF) because of gastric mucosa atrophy or autoimmune destruction of IF-producing parietal cells. With the existence of a severe gastric atrophy, there is a decreased in acid and IF production and a further change in vitamin B12 absorption. Mercury is ubiquitous in nature and exists in 3 forms, elemental mercury, inorganic salts and organic compounds. Organic forms, specifically methyl mercury, are the most toxic of the 3 classes of mercurials. Methyl mercury exerts its most devastating effect on the central nervous system by causing psychiatric disturbances, ataxia, visual loss, hearing loss, and neuropathy. We report a case of mercury intoxication associated with pernicious anemia. The 77 years old patient was referred to Yeungnam University Hospital for tongue pain, somatitis, headache and aggressive behavior. He had taken an unevaluated medicine for a long time. After clinical evaluation, this case was diagnosed as a pernicious anemia and the unevaluated medicine was made up of mercury. After the administration of D-penicillamine and intramuscular injection of BAL and cobalamine, clinical symptoms and aggressive behavior were improved as well as laboratory findings.

A Case of Protein-losing Enteropathy Treated with High Dose Intravenous Glucocorticoid Therapy in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus / 영남의대학술지

Generalized edema and hypoalbuminemia are relatively common presenting manifestations in many clinical situations. The differential diagnosis of hypoalbuminemia include: Kwashiorkor, synthetic dysfunction of the liver, and excessive protein loss as in nephrotic syndrome. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), hypoalbuminemia and generalized edema are most commonly due to protein loss associated with lupus nephritis; gastrointestinal involvement is uncommon, and therefore protein loss through the gastrointestinal tract is quite rare. We report a case of a protein losing enteropathy (PLE) associated with SLE. The patient was referred to our hospital for generalized edema, arthralgia and facial rash. After clinical evaluation, the patient met the criteria for the SLE diagnosis; hypoalbuminemia with general edema was consistent with a protein losing enteropathy. After two weeks of therapy with parenteral high dose glucocorticoid, the patients was improved in laboratory findings as well as clinical symptoms.

A study on the morphologic differences between long-face adults and normal-face adults on the lateral and P-A cephalograms / 대한치과교정학회지

The purpose of this study was to describe the morphologic differences between long-face adults and normal-face adults on the lateral and P-A cephalograms. Long-face and normal-face subifects were selected clinically, and then each of them was taken the lateral cephalogram. According to SN-MP angle and ATFH on the lateral cephalogram, long-face group and normal-face group were classified. 2 long-face adults and 18 normal-face adults were collected, and each of them was taken the P-A cephalogram. The results were as follows: 1. The morphologic differences between long-face adults and normal-face adults were closely related to mandibular morphology. 2. Long-face adults, compared with normal-face adults, demonstrated significant increase in ALFH, and significant decrease in ramus height. 3. Long-face adults, compared with normal-face adults, demonstrated significant increase in AUDH and, ALDH, especially in ALDH. 4. On the P-A cephalogram, no measures of transverse dimension demonstrated significant differences between two groups. 5. On the P-A cephalogram, facial height/facial width ratio was significantly larger than normal in the long-face adults, and in the normal-face adults, facial height/facial width ratio was approximately 90%. 6. In the correlation analysis of SN-MP angle and ATFH with all the other variables, the correlation coefficients of SN-MP angle and PTFH/ATFH that of ATFH and ALFH on the lateral cephalogram demonstrated the highest value, and on the P-A cephalogram, SN-MP angle and Cg-GA-Me (Lt.), ATFH and lower facial height demonstrated the highest value of correlation coefficients.