This method showed the precise localization of the parathyroid glands and demonstrated their relation to background tissue. We believe that this simple, nonexogenous dye technique of anatomical guidance can aid surgeons to preserve parathyroid glands during thyroidectomy.

There is a paucity of information concerning the current situation of ARD in Asia. The marked increase in asbestos use in Asia since 1970, however, is likely to trigger a surge of ARD in the immediate decades ahead.

No abstract

Background/Aims Colorectal cancer, one of the most common cancers in developed countries, is curable when diagnosed at an early stage. However, for better screening, both a test that patients will tolerate and diagnostic accuracy are required. We compared patient experiences and preferences between computed tomographic (CT) colonography and conventional colonoscopy (CC) under conscious sedation. Methods Patients referred to the gastrointestinal clinic for CC were enrolled to also undergo CT colonography prior to CC. After each procedure, patients completed a questionnaire in which variables, such as abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and loss of dignity, were assessed using a 7-point Likert scale, with the highest score representing the worst experience. To verify response stability, a telephone questionnaire followed within 24 h after each procedure. Patients were then asked about their preference for CT colonography or CC. Results Data were collected from 51 patients who fulfilled all requirements, including CT colonography, CC, the two questionnaires after each procedure, and a follow-up questionnaire. Severity of abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and a loss of dignity were reported to be higher in CT colonography than in CC ( p <0.01). In addition, the preference for CC was significantly higher than that for CT colonography ( p <0.01). Conclusions Although CT colonography is a safe and noninvasive screening test for colorectal cancer, further study is required to increase patient acceptance.

Combined treatment with a photosensitizer and iodide laser [photodynamic therapy (PDT)] has improved the outcome of various cancers. In this study, we investigated the effects of using the photosensitizer methylene blue (MB) in PDT in human lung adenocarcinoma cells. We found that MB enhances PDT-induced apoptosis in association with downregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), increased phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In MB-PDT-treated A549 cells, we observed PARP cleavage, procaspase-3 activation, downregulation of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Mcl-1, and the reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Western blot data showed that phosphorylation of p38 was increased in MB-PDT-treated A549 cells, indicating that several signaling molecules participate in the apoptotic cascade. Our data also showed that apoptotic cell death in MB-PDT-treated cells occurred through a series of steps beginning with the photochemical generation of ROS. Demonstrating the role of ROS, pretreatment of A549 cells with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) followed by MB-PDT resulted in increased cell viability and reduced proteolytic cleavage of PARP.

Background/Aims Mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) are important in the pathogenesis of lung cancer, and recent reports have revealed racial and geographical differences in mutation expression. Methods This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of EGFR and KRAS mutations and their correlation with clinical variables in Korean patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung. Formalin-fixed adenocarcinoma specimens from 104 randomly selected patients diagnosed at Kosin University Gospel Hospital from October 1996 to January 2005 were used for the study. Results We found a high prevalence of EGFR mutations and a low prevalence of KRAS mutations. EGFR mutations were present in 24% (25 of 104) of the samples: one mutation in exon 18, 13 in exon 19, one in exon 20, and 10 in exon 21. The presence of an EGFR mutation was not associated with gender, smoking history, histological grade, age, bronchioalveolar components, or cancer stage in patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung. Conclusions Mutations of KRAS were present in 9.6% (9 of 94) of the samples: eight in codon 12 and one in codon 13. EGFR mutations were never found in tumors with KRAS mutations, suggesting a mutually exclusive relationship.

Prolonged endotracheal intubation is the most common cause of tracheal stenosis, which may lead to serious airway obstruction. Development of an endotracheal tube coated with biomaterials that exhibit anti‐inflammatory or anti‐fibrogenic effects may prevent tracheal stenosis. This study demonstrates that an endotracheal tube coated with phlorotannin, which is present in extracts of the brown alga Ecklonia cava, can prevent tracheal stenosis in a rabbit model. An in vitro study shows that phlorotannin inhibits proliferation of human tracheal fibroblasts treated with transforming growth factor β1. Phlorotannin‐coated endotracheal tubes show steady release of phlorotannin for up to 7 days, and removal of the tube 1 week after insertion reveals a reduction in both fibrogenesis and thickening of tracheal submucosa. Western blot analysis of tracheal tissues after removal of the phlorotannin‐coated tube shows decreased protein expression levels of phenotypic markers of fibrosis such as collagen type I and α‐smooth muscle actin. The ability of phlorotannin‐coated endotracheal tube to prevent tracheal stenosis caused by endotracheal intubation indicates that phlorotannin may be considered as a candidate biomaterial for coating the cuff of endotracheal tubes to prevent tracheal stenosis.

Objective. Iodine deficiency is defined by the goiter and the urinary iodine concentration. However, a lack of local thyroid volume reference data resulted in the vague definition of goiter, especially in school-aged children. The aim of this paper was to determine the thyroid volumes by ultrasonography in schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years living in Cagayan areas in Philippine. Methods. Cross-sectional thyroid ultrasonographic data of 158 schoolchildren aged 6–12 years from Tuguegarao and Lagum in Cagayan valley, Philippine were used. Thyroid volumes were compared based on logistic issue and urban and rural area and compared with other previously reported data. Results. The mean values of thyroid volume in Tuguerago and Lagum were 2.99 ± 1.34 mL and 2.42 ± 0.92 mL. The thyroid size was significantly in association with age (P < 0.00), weight (P < 0.00), height (P < 0.00), and BSA (P < 0.00) by Pearson's correlation. The median thyroid volumes of schoolchildren investigated in this study were generally low compared to international reference data by age group but not by BSA. Conclusions. We propose for the first time local reference ultrasound values for thyroid volumes in 6–12 aged schoolchildren that should be used for monitoring iodine deficiency disorders.