Here we report a case of doxycycline-resistant tsutsugamushi meningoencephalitis. A 63-year-old man with altered mental status was diagnosed with a tsutsugamushi infection by a local clinic and administered standard doxycycline treatment for 5 days without improvement. Azithromycin treatment for 3 days dramatically improved his clinical status.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Acute laryngeal trauma is a very rare injury. Controversy still exists in regards to its proper management. The aim of this study was to present clinical findings and management of acute laryngeal trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS:We analyzed medical records of 15 patients with acute laryngeal trauma from 1987 to 1997 retrospectively. RESULTS: The most common cause of injury was traffic accident. Hoarseness (93.3 %), odynophagia (86.7 %), subcutaneous emphysema (60.0 %) were the common presenting symptoms and thyroid cartilage was the most common site of fracture. The correlation between dyspnea (p=0.03) and subcutaneous emphysema (p=0.08) and major injury was high. Esophageal examination was performed on 11 patients and revealed no injury. All four patients with vocal cord palsy and minor injury findings improved. Patients with major injury showed bad results of airway and voice, and result of voice was worse that of airway. CONCLUSION: If presenting symptoms are emphysema and dyspnea, major injury should be considered. Routine esophageal examination may be skipped in blunt minor injury. Vocal cord palsy with minor injury finding may not be an operative indication in blunt injury.
Accidents, Traffic ; Dyspnea ; Emphysema ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies* ; Subcutaneous Emphysema ; Thyroid Cartilage ; Vocal Cord Paralysis ; Voice ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the effect of laser-assisted zona thinning (LAZT) at one or four-points on the blastocyst formation and hatching process in mice with respect to female age. METHODS: Eight-cell or morula embryos collected from superovulated C57BL female mice with different ages (6-11 and 28-31 weeks) were treated with LAZT at one-point (LAZT1) or four-points (LAZT4). The zona pellucida was thinned to more than 70% of its initial thickness by making two holes of 15-20 microm. RESULTS: In the young mice, LAZT resulted in a significant increase in early hatching and hatching rates compared to the control group (p<0.05). However, in the old mice, LAZT significantly increased blastocyst formation as well as early hatching and hatching compared to the controls (p<0.05). These effects were more remarkable in LAZT4 than in LAZT1 and in aged mice than in young ones. CONCLUSION: These results show that multi-point LAZT leads to a significant improvement of blastocyst formation and hatching in mice compared to controls.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Mice* ; Morula ; Zona Pellucida

OBJECTIVE: Ovarian angiogenesis plays an important role in folliculogenesis. However, little is known about the expression of angiogenic factors during follicular development according to female age. Stromal cell derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha) plays a role in granulosa cell survival and embryo quality as an angiogenic chemokine. Leptin is also involved in folliculogenesis and angiogenesis. This study examined expression of SDF-1alpha and leptin, and their effects on the expression of angiogenic factors in the ovary during follicular development according to female age. METHODS: Ovaries were collected from C57BL mice of two age groups (6-9 weeks and 24-26 weeks) at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after 5 IU pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) injection. The expression of ovarian SDF-1alpha and leptin mRNA was evaluated by RT-PCR. In the organ culture experiment, the ovaries were cultured in transwell permeable supports with Waymouth's medium treated with various doses of SDF-1alpha (50-200 ng/mL) or leptin (0.01-1 microg/mL) for 7 days. Then, mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and visfatin were examined in the cultured ovaries. RESULTS: Expression of SDF-1alpha and leptin in the ovary was significantly lower in the aged mouse group compared to the young mouse group (p<0.05). Expression of these two factors increased with follicular development after PMSG administration. SDF-1alpha treatment stimulated visfatin expression in a dose-dependent manner, while leptin treatment significantly increased eNOS expression. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that decrease of ovarian SDF-1alpha and leptin expression may be associated with aging-related reduction of ovarian function. SDF-1alpha and leptin may play a role in follicular development by regulating the expression of angiogenic factors in mouse ovaries.
Aged ; Aging ; Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Animals ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Gonadotropins ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans ; Leptin ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Organ Culture Techniques ; Ovary ; RNA, Messenger ; Stromal Cells ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the indicator of human rights of people with mental illness (HRPM). METHODS: The HRPM scale was administered to 382 inpatients at national hospital psychiatric (schizophrenia 77.0%, bipolar disorder 7.6%). Reliability of HRPM was tested by internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and item-total correlation. Domains and contents were examined for assessment of construct validity of HRPM. RESULTS: Human rights of people with mental illness was highly reliable in terms of internal consistency (Cronbach alpha=0.87), test-retest reliability (r=0.81), and corrected item-total correlation r range from 0.42 to 0.71. In addition, construct validity of HRPM was established with the domains and contents in conceptually expected ways. CONCLUSION: These results offer reliability and validity for the indicator of HRPM. The implications and limitations of this study were discussed, and future directions of study were suggested.
Bipolar Disorder* ; Human Rights* ; Humans* ; Inpatients ; Reproducibility of Results ; Schizophrenia*

This study was designed to identify the ultrastructural changes of mouse endometrum during peri-implantation period and obtain the fundamental information for the establishment of 3-dimensional culture system of mouse endometrial cells in vitro. The used female ICR mice (6~8 wks) were conducted on pregnant. The biopsies were obtained from whole uterus at cycle day 1 (D1) and day 5 (D5) after hCG injection and mating. The biopsies materials were fixed 2.5% glutaraldehyde and 1% osmium tetroxide. Subsequently, for observation using light and transmission electron microscopy (LM and TEM), they were dehydrated and embedded in Epon and the embedded biopsies were sectioned and stained. For scanning electron microscypy (SEM), the fixed specimens were dehydrated, dried and coated with gold. 1)For LM, the biopsied materials at D5 (late secretory phase) were appeared the extended stromal layer by increased connective tissues and the fully developed endometrial glands and vessels compared with D1 (early secretory phase). 2) For TEM, the mouse endometrium was consisted of 3-layers, a simple polarized columnar epithelial cells, basement membrane and stromal cells. At D5, the distribution of microvilli, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi body, lipid and glycogen deposits, secretory granules and surface area of basement membrane were increased. 3) For SEM, the degree of folding and microvilli of surface of mouse epithelial cells was became more and more according to the process of secretory phase, and at D5, implantation time of mouse, the appearance of pinopodes as a specific marker of uterine receptivity was found. The uterine pinopodes of mouse were found in narrow sites at the luminal surface, irregularity and appeared the different stages in the same sample. Therefore, these results indicated that the mouse endometrium was experienced dramatic morphological changes during peri-implantation period.
Animals ; Basement Membrane ; Biopsy ; Connective Tissue ; Endometrium* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Glutaral ; Glycogen ; Humans ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Microvilli ; Osmium Tetroxide ; Phenobarbital ; Secretory Vesicles ; Stromal Cells ; Uterus

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and associated psychosocial factors of behavioral addictions among school adolescents living in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions in Korea. Methods: A self-reported survey was conducted from December 4, 2023, to January 31, 2024, including 855 middle and high school students residing in the Gwangju-Jeonnam regions. Aside from the information on demographic characteristics, data on depression, anxiety, Internet gaming addiction, gambling problems, and resilience was obtained. Results: The prevalence of Internet gaming addiction among adolescents was 5.4%, while the prevalence of gambling problems was 3.3%. The male adolescents had a significantly higher risk of behavioral addiction compared with the female adolescents. The logistic regression analysis revealed that male and depression were significant risk factors for Internet gaming addiction. For gambling problems, male was identified as a significant risk factor. Conclusion The findings of this study suggested that the prevalence of behavioral addiction among school adolescents has been relatively higher than that of previous studies, emphasizing the need for community-based prevention and intervention strategies tailored to the sex difference and psychological factors associated with adolescent behavioral addictions.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and associated psychosocial factors of behavioral addictions among school adolescents living in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions in Korea. Methods: A self-reported survey was conducted from December 4, 2023, to January 31, 2024, including 855 middle and high school students residing in the Gwangju-Jeonnam regions. Aside from the information on demographic characteristics, data on depression, anxiety, Internet gaming addiction, gambling problems, and resilience was obtained. Results: The prevalence of Internet gaming addiction among adolescents was 5.4%, while the prevalence of gambling problems was 3.3%. The male adolescents had a significantly higher risk of behavioral addiction compared with the female adolescents. The logistic regression analysis revealed that male and depression were significant risk factors for Internet gaming addiction. For gambling problems, male was identified as a significant risk factor. Conclusion The findings of this study suggested that the prevalence of behavioral addiction among school adolescents has been relatively higher than that of previous studies, emphasizing the need for community-based prevention and intervention strategies tailored to the sex difference and psychological factors associated with adolescent behavioral addictions.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and associated psychosocial factors of behavioral addictions among school adolescents living in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions in Korea. Methods: A self-reported survey was conducted from December 4, 2023, to January 31, 2024, including 855 middle and high school students residing in the Gwangju-Jeonnam regions. Aside from the information on demographic characteristics, data on depression, anxiety, Internet gaming addiction, gambling problems, and resilience was obtained. Results: The prevalence of Internet gaming addiction among adolescents was 5.4%, while the prevalence of gambling problems was 3.3%. The male adolescents had a significantly higher risk of behavioral addiction compared with the female adolescents. The logistic regression analysis revealed that male and depression were significant risk factors for Internet gaming addiction. For gambling problems, male was identified as a significant risk factor. Conclusion The findings of this study suggested that the prevalence of behavioral addiction among school adolescents has been relatively higher than that of previous studies, emphasizing the need for community-based prevention and intervention strategies tailored to the sex difference and psychological factors associated with adolescent behavioral addictions.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and associated psychosocial factors of behavioral addictions among school adolescents living in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions in Korea. Methods: A self-reported survey was conducted from December 4, 2023, to January 31, 2024, including 855 middle and high school students residing in the Gwangju-Jeonnam regions. Aside from the information on demographic characteristics, data on depression, anxiety, Internet gaming addiction, gambling problems, and resilience was obtained. Results: The prevalence of Internet gaming addiction among adolescents was 5.4%, while the prevalence of gambling problems was 3.3%. The male adolescents had a significantly higher risk of behavioral addiction compared with the female adolescents. The logistic regression analysis revealed that male and depression were significant risk factors for Internet gaming addiction. For gambling problems, male was identified as a significant risk factor. Conclusion The findings of this study suggested that the prevalence of behavioral addiction among school adolescents has been relatively higher than that of previous studies, emphasizing the need for community-based prevention and intervention strategies tailored to the sex difference and psychological factors associated with adolescent behavioral addictions.