Biomedical subjects

Y I Min

Publications and source records attributed to Y I Min.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Parental occupational lead exposure and low birth weight.

This study suggests that paternal occupational lead exposure may be associated with low birth weight in the offspring. The odds of low birth weight rose fivefold among infants of fathers who were potentially exposed to high levels of lead during the period 6 months before pregnancy to the end of pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-20). This effect was most prominent for low-birth-weight infants who were both preterm and small for gestational age. There was a suggestion of a gradual increase of the odds of low birth weight at medium levels of exposure, but this increase was not statistically significant. No increased odds was observed at low levels of exposure. Low birth weight was not associated with paternal ever versus never exposure, indirect exposure, or exposure frequency. An independent effect of exposure duration could not be evaluated as it was highly correlated with exposure level.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1996

Frequency of phasic wave contraction is variable during long-term sphincter of Oddi manometry.

OBJECTIVES: The sphincter of Oddi (SO) manometry via the transpapillary route is performed usually for a period of several minutes. To investigate whether there is a considerable variation in the manometric measurements of SO over a longer period of time, we have performed long-term manometry of SO via the transpapillary (n = 5) as well as the percutaneous (n = 7) routes. METHODS: Transpapillary manometry of SO was carried out by a conventional low-compliant continuously perfused technique. The location of the manometric catheter was maintained at the same level by observing the video monitor. SO manometry and the duodenal migrating motor complex (MMC) was simultaneously measured with a specially designed catheter via the percutaneous route. RESULTS: The mean recording time was 41 min (range 11-72 min). The frequency of phasic contractions of SO varied from 0 to 12/min. Throughout the entire recording period, high-frequency contractions (over 8/min) were noted 14.9% of the time. In the cases of percutaneous transductal SO manometry, the periods of high-frequency contractions coincided with phase III of duodenal MMC. The interval between the first high-frequency contractions and the second was 47 min. The mean duration of high-frequency contractions was 6 min and 42 s. There was no significant change in the amplitude, basal pressure, and contraction sequence among the various periods of frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term continuous recording of SO manometry via the transpapillary and percutaneous routes showed that the contraction frequency of SO was not constant and tachyoddia appeared periodically. In the interpretation of tachyoddia, it is necessary to consider the period of phase III of the duodenal MMC.

Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic↗

PubMed1995

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in patients with stomach cancer.

The present study was conducted in order to investigate the immunologic alterations alongside the numerical changes in peripheral blood lymphocytes(PBL) and their subsets in stomach cancer patients. Lymphocyte surface markers were determined in 85 stomach cancer patients and 49 controls by indirect immunofluorescence technique using monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies used were Leu 2a(CD8, suppressor/cytotoxic T cells), Leu 3a(CD4, inducer/helper T cells), Leu 4(CD3, pan T reagent), Leu 11(CD16, natural killer cells) and Leu 12(CD19, B cells). The numbers of PBL, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD16+ and CD19+ cells significantly decreased and the CD4: CD8 value increased in 85 patients with stomach cancer compared to those in controls(p < 0.01). In stage I(n = 17), neither PBL, their subsets nor the CD4: CD8 value were significantly different from those of the controls. In stage II(n = 17), the numbers of PBL, CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells decreased(p < 0.01). In stage III(n = 24) and IV(n = 27), PBL and all subsets measured decreased(p < 0.01). The CD4: CD8 value showed significant increases in stages III and IV(p < 0.01), because the CD8+ cells decreased to a greater extent than did the CD4+ cells. The results demonstrating that the lymphocyte subsets are depressed differentially with the stage suggest that host immunity is impaired with the progression of stomach cancer.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Antitumor activity of five new platinum complexes having a glycolate leaving ligand.

In an attempt to develop a new anticancer platinum complex with greater or equivalent antitumor activity but reduced side effects compared with cisplatin (CDDP), a series of new platinum complexes having a glycolate leaving ligand was synthesized. Among them, five complexes were selected for further development on the basis of adequate water solubility, low nephrotoxicity and high antitumor activity in a murine system. The chemosensitivity of these five complexes was examined in MTT assay against two human pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell lines, PC-9 and PC-14, and two human stomach adenocarcinoma cell lines, MKN-45 and KATO III. Their IC50 and relative antitumor activity (RAA) values were compared with those of CDDP and 254-S, a second-generation platinum complex with a glycolate leaving ligand under phase III clinical trial. The lowest mean IC50 value was observed in CDDP, followed by SKI 2034R and SKI 2033R. In this study, the antitumor activity was evaluated in terms of RAA values and SKI 2034R showed the highest RAA value. The order of RAA values was SKI 2034R > CDDP > SKI 2032R > SKI 2033R > SKI 2030R > SKI 2029R > 254-S. Based on the RAA order, we have recommended SKI 2034R as the most promising candidate for further development of a clinically useful platinum complex.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed1994

Covered, expandable esophageal metallic stent tubes: experiences in 119 patients.

PURPOSE: To study fluoroscopic placement of covered expandable stent tubes in patients with esophagogastric strictures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Under fluoroscopic guidance, 132 stent tubes were placed in 116 patients with malignant neoplasm; four, in three patients with benign lesions. All patients had aphagia or dysphagia to soft food or liquid. RESULTS: After placement (successful in 100% of cases), 93 (78%) of the patients could ingest solid food; 24 (20%), soft food. Complications in the 119 patients included blockage in 13, stent tube migration in 12, gastroesophageal reflux in nine, severe pain in nine, and delayed massive bleeding in four. Most major complications were managed by means of a balloon catheter, a second stent tube, or analgesics. One hundred four patients died 2-80 weeks after stent placement. CONCLUSION: Treatment with placement of a covered expandable stent tube is effective in most patients with dysphagia due to malignant esophogastric strictures and is less effective in patients with benign strictures.

Catheterization↗

PubMed1994

Hepatocellular carcinoma associated hemolytic uremic syndrome unrelated to chemotherapy.

A 67-year-old man, diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma by percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy of liver mass, presented microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and renal failure from the early phase of the illness. We could establish the diagnosis of cancer-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome which was unrelated to chemotherapy clinically. This is a rare case reported in adult hepatoma patients.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

A case of extra-hepatic portal hypertension caused by periportal tuberculous lymphadenitis.

This report describes a case of portal hypertension caused by periportal tuberculous lymphadenitis. There were a few reports of portal hypertension associated with tuberculosis. A 27-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of recurrent hematemesis for 7 days. There was a history of mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis 3 years earlier that was treated with isoniazide, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide for 2 years. Clinical evaluation revealed esophageal variceal bleeding and main portal vein obstruction by enlarged periportal lymph nodes. The patient underwent distal splenorenal shunt. Pathologic examination of the excised periportal lymph node revealed chronic granulomatous inflammation with central caseous necrosis. Thereafter the patient took antituberculous medication for 12 months. The patient has not re-bled 3 years since the shunt operation.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Two cases of intestinal capillariasis in Korea.

The distribution of intestinal capillariasis has been extended continuously through Asian countries. The first case in Korea was reported in 1993, and here we add 2 more cases. One case is a 41-year old man who was diagnosed by both eggs in the feces and worms in the biopsy specimen of the ileum. This case was supposedly infected in Indonesia. The other is a 78-year old man, who has not been abroad, and suffered from intractable diarrhea. He was diagnosed by eggs in the feces, and several juvenile worms were collected after anthelmintic treatment. In both cases the treatment was successful by albendazole.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

A case of echinostomiasis with ulcerative lesions in the duodenum.

Echinostomiasis is an endemic intestinal trematodiasis of humans in Korea. We observed a human case of Echinostoma hortense infection who had ulcerations on the duodenal mucosa. A 55-year old man living in Hamyang-gun, Kyongnam, complained of epigastric pain with hematemesis in April 1994. Endoscopy revealed lesions of early gastric cancer and duodenal ulcerations. A penetrating parasite into the duodenal mucosa was picked out, and identified as E. hortense. As the patient was treated with praziquantel 10 mg/kg single dose, 3 more E. hortense and 7 Metagonimus worms were recovered. This case demonstrates that echinostomiasis causes gross ulcerations in the duodenum.

Duodenal Ulcer↗

PubMed1993

Publication bias: the problem that won't go away.

Conclusions about the efficacy and safety of medical interventions are based on data presented in the scientific literature. The validity of these conclusions is threatened if publication bias results from investigators or editors making decisions about publishing study results on the basis of the direction or strength of the study findings. This paper reports meta-analyses performed using data from four prospective investigations in which a total of 997 initiated studies were followed to learn of study results, publication status, and reasons for nonpublication. The analysis indicates that there is a positive association between "significant" study results and publication (OR = 2.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.13 to 3.90). When the analysis was restricted to controlled trials (n = 280), an even stronger relationship between "significant" results and publication was observed (OR = 6.15; 95% CI 2.24 to 16.92), with randomized trials (n = 200) apparently no less susceptible to publication bias than controlled trials in general (OR = 8.72; 95% CI 1.91 to 39.81). In every case, failure to publish was investigator-based, and not due to editorial decisions. The results of clinical trials should not be suppressed in this way. Development of registration systems for randomized trials is essential if this problem is to be minimized in future.

Bias↗

PubMed1993

DNA flow cytometry of stomach cancer. Prospective correlation with clinicopathologic findings.

BACKGROUND: DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction measured by DNA flow cytometry were shown to correlate with several clinicopathologic characteristics in several types of tumors. METHODS: DNA flow cytometry was performed on 329 samples (164 normal mucosa, 165 tumors) obtained from 165 patients (112 men) with stomach cancer, and the findings were correlated with various clinicopathologic characteristics of the patients in a prospective manner. RESULTS: Seventy-nine of 165 samples (48%) from the tumors gave an aneuploid histogram. None of 164 samples from the normal mucosa showed aneuploidy. There was no significant difference in the frequency of DNA aneuploidy in terms of age, sex, symptom duration, bleeding history, gastric outlet obstruction, weight loss, performance status, serum hemoglobin level, albumin level, creatinine level, tumor size, tumor location in the stomach, and TNM stage. Moderately well differentiated tumors had a significantly higher frequency of aneuploidy compared to well differentiated or undifferentiated tumors. S-phase fraction was obtained in 162 of 164 samples from the normal mucosa, and 123 of 165 samples from the tumors. The overall mean of the S-phase fraction was 4.01% (range, 0.5-23.6%) for the normal mucosa and 13.8% (range, 0-51.9%) for the tumors. Higher S-phase fraction of tumors was correlated with history of weight loss, poorer performance status, and histologically less differentiated tumors. CONCLUSIONS: The overall frequency of aneuploidy was 48% in stomach cancer. DNA aneuploidy showed significant correlation with histologic differentiation of tumors. S-phase fraction of the tumors showed significant correlation with history of weight loss, performance status of the patients, and histologic differentiation of tumors.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

NIH clinical trials and publication bias.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between trial characteristics, findings, and publication. The major factor hypothesized to be associated with publication was "significant" results, which included both statistically significant results and results assessed by the investigators to be qualitatively significant, when statistical testing was not done. Other factors hypothesized to have a possible association with publication were funding institute, funding mechanism (grant versus contract versus intramural), multicenter status, use of comparison groups, large sample size, type of control (parallel versus nonparallel), use of randomization and masking, type of analysis (by treatment received versus by treatment assigned), and investigator sex and rank. DESIGN: Follow-up, by 1988 interview with the principal investigator or surrogate, of all clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1979, to learn of trial results and publication status. POPULATION: Two hundred ninety-three NIH trials, funded in 1979. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Publication of clinical trial results. RESULTS: Of the 198 clinical trials completed by 1988, 93% had been published. Trials with "significant" results were more likely to be published than those showing "nonsignificant" results (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 12.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.54 to 60.00). No other factor was positively associated with publication. Most unpublished trials remained so because investigators thought the results were "not interesting" or they "did not have enough time" (42.8%). Metaanalysis using data from this and 3 similar studies provided a combined unadjusted OR of 2.88 (95% CI, 2.13 to 3.89) for the association between significant results and publication. CONCLUSIONS: Even when the overall publication rate is high, such as for trials funded by the NIH, publication bias remains a significant problem. Given the importance of trials and their utility in evaluating medical treatments, especially within the context of metaanalysis, it is clear that we need more reliable systems for maintaining information about initiated studies. Trial registers represent such a system but must receive increased financial support to succeed.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

PubMed1992

Factors influencing publication of research results. Follow-up of applications submitted to two institutional review boards.

OBJECTIVE: --To investigate factors associated with the publication of research findings, in particular, the association between "significant" results and publication. DESIGN: --Follow-up study. SETTING: --Studies approved in 1980 or prior to 1980 by the two institutional review boards that serve The Johns Hopkins Health Institutions--one that serves the School of Medicine and Hospital and the other that serves the School of Hygiene and Public Health. POPULATION: --A total of 737 studies were followed up. RESULTS: --Of the studies for which analyses had been reported as having been performed at the time of interview, 81% from the School of Medicine and Hospital and 66% from the School of Hygiene and Public Health had been published. Publication was not associated with sample size, presence of a comparison group, or type of study (eg, observational study vs clinical trial). External funding and multiple data collection sites were positively associated with publication. There was evidence of publication bias in that for both institutional review boards there was an association between results reported to be significant and publication (adjusted odds ratio, 2.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.63 to 3.94). Contrary to popular opinion, publication bias originates primarily with investigators, not journal editors: only six of the 124 studies not published were reported to have been rejected for publication. CONCLUSION: --There is a statistically significant association between significant results and publication.

Academic Medical Centers↗

PubMed1992

Combination of 5-fluorouracil and recombinant interferon alpha-2B in advanced gastric cancer. A phase I study.

Based on recent preclinical data suggesting synergism between 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) and clinical activity of the combination therapy in colon cancer, 14 patients with advanced gastric cancer were treated with combination therapy of 5-FU and recombinant interferon alpha-2b (rIFN alpha-2b) (Intron A, Schering, Kenilworth, NJ, U.S.A.). The maximum tolerated dose was 5-FU 750 mg/m2/day given as a continuous infusion daily for 5 days followed by weekly bolus injection of the same initial daily dose, plus rIFN alpha-2b 5 X 10(6) U given subcutaneously 3 times weekly starting day 1 of 5-FU infusion. The dose-limiting toxicities were fatigue/weakness, diarrhea, and neurologic toxicities such as somnolence and confusion. The other common side effects were nausea, fever, leukocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, and the darkening of the skin. Of 13 evaluable patients, 4 had a partial response (duration 6, 14, 24, and 28 weeks). These data suggest that combination therapy of 5-FU plus rIFN alpha-2b is tolerable and has manageable side effects in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Further Phase II study will be needed to define the antitumor activity of this combination.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibody among Korean adults.

To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among Korean adults and to present the putative route of HCV transmission among them, serum samples from 4917 adults older than 20 years of age were tested for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV), and histories of blood transfusion and other pertinent information were obtained by self-administered questionnaires. The overall prevalence of anti-HCV was 1.7%; prevalence was 1.4% in subjects with normal levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), 3.3% in those with slightly elevated and 5.9% in those with markedly elevated levels of the enzymes. The prevalence of anti-HCV increased with increasing age (P < 0.01), but was not associated with blood transfusion. The present study suggests that the prevalence of HCV infection was 1.4% and that the major routes of HCV transmission may be other than blood transfusion in healthy Korean adults.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy of primary intrahepatic stones.

Extracorporeal shockwave lithothripsy (ESWL) was performed in intrahepatic stone patients (n = 18) by Dornier MPL 9,000 with ultrasound guidance. The patients had T-tube (n = 9) or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage tube (n = 9). Average treatment session was four and shock-wave numbers were in the range of 3,064 to 12,000 (average 6,288 shocks). Intrahepatic stones were removed completely in 16 patients over a 3 month period by ESWL and combined stone extraction maneuver such as cholangioscopic or interventional radiologic method. Extracorporeal shockwave lithothripsy was very helpful in facilitating extraction of stones in unfavorable locations or located above the severe stricture. In summary, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, followed by percutaneous stone extraction, will provide an improvement in the success rate and duration of treatment required for complete removal of primary hepatolithiasis.

Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic↗

PubMed1991

Endothelial protection and viscoelastic retention during phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation.

Endothelial protection (measured by vital-dye staining and computerized planimetry) and viscoelastic retention during phacoemulsification with and without traumatic lens implantation were assessed in a rabbit model comparing four viscoelastics (Healon, Amvisc Plus, Occucoat, and Viscoat). No significant differences in cell damage were noted between unoperated on controls and groups that underwent atraumatic phacoemulsification with viscoelastic. Cell damage after traumatic lens insertion was reduced significantly by all four viscoelastics. Cell damage with and without traumatic lens implantation was significantly lower when viscoelastics were retained. Viscoat and Occucoat were significantly more likely to be retained than Healon.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Computed tomographic analysis of gallbladder stones: correlation with chemical composition and in vitro shock-wave lithotripsy.

The recent advent of nonsurgical treatment for gallstones requires accurate in vivo analysis of their chemical composition in order to select the best candidates. As a preliminary work, we undertook an in vitro CT examination of 53 surgically removed gallstones and compared their CT patterns with their chemical composition. Those results were correlated with in vitro lithotripsy of the gallstones. The CT appearances were classified as follows: laminated (43%), dense (32%), rimmed (11%), isodense (8%) and faint (6%). The dense pattern contained a high calcium content. As the CT density increased, the calcium content increased, but the cholesterol content decreased proportionally. The number of shock waves needed to break down a gallstone less than 2 mm in size increased with stone volume and the cholesterol content increased but did not have any correlation with the calcium content level. As a result we found the CT examination to be a very sensitive method in detecting small amounts of calcium content in gallstones and the CT pattern and density of the gallstones were well correlated with their chemical composition, therefore in vivo CT examinations for ESWL candidates are desirable.

Calcium↗