NgR1 Expressed in P19 Embryonal Carcinoma Cells Differentiated by Retinoic Acid Can Activate STAT3

NgR1, a Nogo receptor, is involved in inhibition of neurite outgrowth and axonal regeneration and regulation of synaptic plasticity. P19 embryonal carcinoma cells were induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells using all trans-retinoic acid and the presence and/or function of cellular molecules, such as NgR1, NMDA receptors and STAT3, were examined. Neuronally differentiated P19 cells expressed the mRNA and protein of NgR1, which could stimulate the phosphorylation of STAT3 when activated by Nogo-P4 peptide, an active segment of Nogo-66. During the whole period of differentiation, mRNAs of all of the NMDA receptor subtypes tested (NR1, NR2A-2D) were consistently expressed, which meant that neuronally differentiated P19 cells maintained some characteristics of neurons, especially central nervous system neurons. Our results suggests that neuronally differentiated P19 cells expressing NgR1 may be an efficient and convenient in vitro model for studying the molecular mechanism of cellular events that involve NgR1 and its binding partners, and for screening compounds that activate or inhibit NgR1.

Erratum: Involvement of Human Histamine N-Methyltransferase Gene Polymorphisms in Susceptibility to Atopic Dermatitis in Korean Children

We found an error in our published article, Table 3.

Usefulness of DeltaFEV0.75 and DeltaFEV0.5 for Airway Reversibility in Preschoolers with Asthma / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: Preschoolers complete forced expiration in a short time, sometimes more quickly than in 1 second, and therefore the importance of forced expiatory volume in 0.75 seconds (FEV0.75) or forced expiatory volume in 0.5 seconds (FEV0.5) has been raised. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical usefulness of DeltaFEV0.75 and DeltaFEV0.5. METHODS: We analyzed 401 subjects of an asthma group, and 150 subjects of a control group under 7 years of age. RESULTS: DeltaFEV1, DeltaFEV0.75 and DeltaFEV0.5 values of the asthma group were significantly higher than those of the control group, respectively (P or =12%. Cutoff values for asthma were 8.6% in DeltaFEV1, 7.9% in DeltaFEV0.75 and 14.2% in DeltaFEV0.5. DeltaFEV0.75 (0.91; 0.88 to 0.94) showed significantly higher area under curve (AUC) than DeltaFEV0.5 (0.77; 0.73 to 0.82) when stratified by 12%, in predicting airway reversibility defined as DeltaFEV1> or =12%. Cutoff values were 12.3% in DeltaFEV0.75, and 13.4% in DeltaFEV0.5. When airway reversibility is defined as DeltaFEV1> or =8.6%, DeltaFEV0.75 (0.90; 0.87 to 0.92) also showed significantly higher AUC than DeltaFEV0.5 (0.79; 0.75 to 0.82), and Cutoff values were 8.4% in DeltaFEV0.75, and 11.3% in DeltaFEV0.5. CONCLUSION: DeltaFEV0.75 or DeltaFEV0.5 can be a means to replace DeltaFEV1 for diagnosis of asthma and assessment of airway reversibility in preschool children.

Involvement of Human Histamine N-Methyltransferase Gene Polymorphisms in Susceptibility to Atopic Dermatitis in Korean Children

PURPOSE: Histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT) catalyzes one of two major histamine metabolic pathways. Histamine is a mediator of pruritus in atopic dermatitis (AD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between HNMT polymorphisms and AD in children. METHODS: We genotyped 763 Korean children for allelic determinants at four polymorphic sites in the HNMT gene: -465T>C, -413C>T, 314C>T, and 939A>G. Genotyping was performed using a TaqMan fluorogenic 5' nuclease assay. The functional effect of the 939A>G polymorphism was analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 763 children, 520 had eczema and 542 had atopy. Distributions of the genotype and allele frequencies of the HNMT 314C>T polymorphism were significantly associated with non-atopic eczema (P=0.004), and those of HNMT 939A>G were significantly associated with eczema in the atopy groups (P=0.048). Frequency distributions of HNMT -465T>C and -413C>T were not associated with eczema. Subjects who were AA homozygous or AG heterozygous for 939A>G showed significantly higher immunoglobulin E levels than subjects who were GG homozygous (P=0.009). In U937 cells, the variant genotype reporter construct had significantly higher mRNA stability (P<0.001) and HNMT enzyme activity (P<0.001) than the common genotype. CONCLUSIONS: Polymorphisms in HNMT appear to confer susceptibility to AD in Korean children.

Comparison of Exhaled Nitric Oxide Analyzers in Childhood Asthma / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: The measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is a noticeable tool that reflects asthmatic airway inflammation. However, the eNO values might be variable according to the patient's condition and the method of measurement. The aim of this study was to compare the values of eNO measured by two different eNO analyzers in asthmatic children (Niox mino(R) [Aerocrine; Solna, Sweden] and CLD88(R) [Eco Medics; Durten, Switzerland]. METHODS: One hundred four asthmatic children and 59 healthy controls were enrolled. The study participants underwent pulmonary function testing before and after inhaled bronchodilator treatment, a methacholine provocation test, and sputum induction; the eNO concentration was then measured. RESULTS: The value of eNO measured by Niox mino(R) was significantly lower than the value of eNO measured by CLD88(R) (30.7+/-25.0 vs. 38.6+/-29.2 ppb, P <0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.786 (P <0.001). The eNO concentration was significantly increased in asthmatic children than controls (38.4+/-27.9 vs. 17.2+/-9.0 ppb, P <0.001 by Niox mino(R); 47.8+/-31.8 vs. 22.2+/-12.7 ppb, P <0.001 by CLD88(R)). The eNO concentration was significantly correlated with the FEV1/FVC (r =-0.382, P <0.001 [Niox mino(R)]; r =-0.273, P =0.001 [CLD88(R)], percent sputum eosinophils (r =0.257, P =0.032 [Niox mino(R)]; r =0.297, P =0.017 [CLD88(R)]), and PC20 (r =-0.333, P <0.001 [by Niox mino(R)] r =-0.240, P =0.003 [CLD88(R)]). CONCLUSION: The measurement of eNO might be a supportive tool for the diagnosis of asthma in children; however, the eNO values differ according to analyzers.

Prevalence of Sensitization to Tyrophagus putrescentiae in Children with Allegic Diseases / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Tyr p) is known as the third most common mite following Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) and Dermatophagoides farina (Der f) in Korea. And it is an important allergen in allergic diseases, but there have been no reports on its sensitization rate in Korean children. The aim of this study was to evaluate its sensitization rate and the relationship between Tyr p and other parameters related to allergy. METHODS: This study included 662 allergic patients who visited the allergy clinic of Severance Children's Hospital between 2005 and 2008. Patients consisted of 472 asthmatic children, 102 patients with allergic rhinitis, 59 patients with atopic dermatitis, 7 patients with chronic urticaria and 22 patients with other diseases. Skin prick tests with 32 common allergens and measurements of peripheral blood eosinophil counts, serum total IgE level and eosinophil cationic protein were performed in subjects. RESULTS: Of the 662 patients, 592 (89.4%) showed positive responses to more than one allergen. The number of patients sensitized to Tyr p was 129 (19.5%). The wheal size induced by Tyr p was positively related to age (r=0.102 P=0.009) as well as the wheal size induced by house dust (r=0.298 P<0.001), Der p (r=0.272, P<0.001) and Der f (r=0.272, P<0.001). The wheal size induced by Tyr p was also positively related to serum total eosinophil counts (r=0.101,P=0.015) and IgE (r=0.153, P<0.001) and number of positive skin prick test (r=0.272, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Sensitization to Tyr p is prevalent in children with allergic disease. Therefore, this result should be considered when evaluating allergic children. Further studies are needed to elucidate the clinical significance of sensitization to Tyr p.

Angiolymphoid Hyperplasia with Eosinophilia (ALHE) of the Oral Cavity: a Case Report

Thymolipoma in a 13-year-old Korean girl / 소아과

Thymolipoma is a rare benign tumor of anterior mediastinum. Most patients are asymptomatic with incidental finding of the tumor during a diagnostic workup of other medical problems. We present a case of 13-year-old girl with anterior mediastinal thymolipoma, surgically removed after an incidental diagnosis.

Clinical Implication of Sputum CXCL13 in Children with Asthma / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: CXCL13 is known to be a chemokine delivering B cell to the secondary lymphatic follicles, such as spleen, lymph nodes, and Peyer's patches. Recently, there have been some reports that CXCL13 is important for T cell inflammation and expressed by Th17 cell which produces IL-17. This study attempted to examine the clinical implication of CXCL13 in children with asthma. METHODS: This study included a total of 160 children aged 6 to 15 years who visited Severance Children's Hospital. There were 80 children with asthma and 80 children without. The pulmonary function test and the methacholine challenge test were performed. Total eosinophil count, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and total IgE in serum and eosinophils, ECP and CXCL13 in sputum were measured. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 8.3+/-2.3 years for the asthma group and 9.3+/-2.5 years for the control group. The male to female ratio was 67.5% and 55.0% respectively. The sputum CXCL13 level for the asthma group was significantly higher than that level for the control group (P=0.003). This significance persisted even after adjustment for age and sex (P=0.010). The sputum CXCL13 level showed a positive correlation with that of sputum eosinophils (r=0.190, P=0.017) and ECP (r=0.285, P=0.002). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that CXCL13 may play an important role in the pathophysiology of asthma related to eosinophilic inflammation. Further studies on sputum CXCL13 could help to reveal the role of chemokines in asthma.

The Clinical Significance of Antiphospholipid Antibodies in Korean Children with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate the incidence and clinical significance of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL Ab) in Korean children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP). METHODS: The medical records of 62 patients (31 boys and 31 girls) aged 6.0+/-3.1 (1-16) years with a clinical diagnosis of HSP based on the EULAR/PReS criteria were reviewed retrospectively. From the years 2007 to 2009, the sera from children with acute HSP were tested for aPL Ab such as LA, anti-cardiolipin antibody and anti-beta2 glycoprotein I antibody. RESULTS: LA was positive in 18 (29%) of the 62 patients with HSP and We divided the patients into the two groups LA positive group (N=18) and LA negative group (N=44). There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to abdominal pain, arthralgia and renal involvement, but LA positive group had significantly higher C-reactive protein (4.3+/-7.2 mg/dL vs. 1.3+/-1.8 mg/dL, P=0.035), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (37.5+/-26.2 mm/hr vs. 25.1+/-22.6 mm/hr, P= 0.039), IgM (148.1+/-48.4 mg/dL vs. 114.9+/-41.5 mg/dL, P=0.024), C3 (143.1+/-21.9 mg/dL vs. 129.7+/-24.5 mg/dL, P=0.048) and C4 levels (30.9+/-6.3 mg/dL vs. 24.9+/-7.8 mg/dL, P=0.002) compared with LA negative group. CONCLUSION: We found that the incidence of positive aPL Ab tests was relatively higher in Korean children with HSP and the presence of aPL Ab was associated with acute inflammatory process of HSP. These results suggest that the aPL Ab are involved in the pathogenesis of HSP in children.

A case of liposarcoma of the perineum / 대한산부인과학회지

Liposarcoma is one of the most common soft tissue sarcoma of adults and accounts for 1% in all malignant neoplasm. A liposarcoma of perineal origin is excessively rare, and preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Perineal liposarcoma was diagnosed in a 38-year-old woman. She presented with a large soft lump in the both perineal region of 4 months duration. We report a case of a liposarcoma on perineum which was treated with complete surgical resection without adjuvant radiation therapy. The patient has survived 2 years with no evidence of a recurrence.

A Clinical and Statistical study of Pregnancy and Delivery in the Mid-teenager mothers / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to help pregnancy and delivery of mid-teenager mothers by analyzing the clinical features of pregnancy and delivery of mid-teenager mothers ranging from 13 to 16 years old. METHODS: This study includes 77 mothers aged 16 years and younger among the 3,863 mothers who delivered in our hospital from January 1998 to December 2005. We selected 100 mothers who aged between 17 and 19 years, 100 mothers who aged between 20 and 29 years as control groups respectively during the same period and statistical analysis is applied to compare the results. RESULTS: In this study, mid-teenagers constitutes 1.99% of all pregnant women. The number of antenatal care, the number of women experienced abortion, and age of menarche were significantly low in the mid-teenager mothers. Especially, the risks of anemia and meconium staining were significantly higher and the rate of cesarean section was significantly lower than those of the mothers in twenties. The risks of prematurity, low birth weight infant, preterm labor, and birth canal injury were higher than those of control groups, but there were no significant differences in three groups. CONCLUSION: Mid-teenager mothers were known to be high risk mothers in obstetrics due to immaturity in physics and low socioeconomic status. However, the risks can be decreased by adequate prenatal care, sufficient nourishment and maintenance of good habits based on medical and socioeconomic supports.

A case of solitary retroperitoneal recurrence of granulosa cell tumor / 대한산부인과학회지

Granulosa cell tumor is a rare ovarian neoplasm. It's indolent growth leads to large tumor at time of diagnosis. It is characterized by variable and long interval to recurrence in pelvic and peritoneal cavities, but solitary retroperitoneal recurrence is very rare. At laparotomy, a 52-years-old woman was found to have an oval shaped cystic tumor near left renal hilar region. Ten years ago, she had total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy due to left ovarian granulosa cell tumor. Histological features of the retroperitoneal tumor were granulosa cell tumor. We report a rare case of solitary retroperitoneal recurrence of granulosa cell tumor with a review of relevant literatures.

A Case of Pheochromocytoma Antenatally Diagnosed in the Mid Gestation / 대한주산의학회잡지

Pheochromocytoma during pregnancy is very rare tumor, and this condition is life threatening to both mother and fetus. We describe a case of pheochromocytoma antenatally diagnosed at the midtrimester in gestation. A patient was transferred to National Medical Center during gestational week 24 with severe hypertension, generalized edema. Pheochromocytoma caused by a left adrenal mass was diagnosed. The patient was treated with titrated dose of phenoxybenzamine, propranolol, and intravenous nicardipine, but, intermittent severe hypertension was developed. At 33 weeks gestation, fetal distress was developed, and emergent c-sec was done. Two weeks after delivery, she underwent a successful left adrenalectomy. Two months after surgery, all antihypertensive medications were discontinued and her blood pressure have remained normal range.

A Clinical Study of Malignant Tumors of the Maxilla

Malignant tumors of the maxilla represent about 3-4% of head and neck malignant neoplasm and the origins are maxillary gingiva, hard palate and maxillary sinus. We are to investigate clinical features and results according to various treatment modalities of maxillary malignant tumor to get information for better treatment results. Sixty patients with malignant maxillary tumors treated at Yonsei medical center from 1992 to 1997 were studied retrospectively. They are evaluated according to clinical signs & symptoms, stages at first diagnosis, primary site, histopathologic features, treatment method, recurrence and survival rate with clinical records, biopsy results and CT radiograph. The most common primary site was maxillary sinus and most common histopathology was squamous cell carcinoma. The local recurrence rate was 18% at 5 years, neck failure was 3% and distant metastasis was 18%. Overall survival rate was 78% at 2 years and 69% at 5 years. Failure at primary site is the main problem in the curative treatment. So, to improve survival in these patients efforts should be directed toward improvement of local control.

Penetrating Injuries by Foreign Body in the Head and Neck Region