No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Arthrogryposis* ; Humans ; Siblings*

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract is the most common site of nosocomial infections, accounting for 35% of all nosocomial infections. About 80-90% of these urinary tract infections are associated with urethral catheter insertion. Recently, we experienced an outbreak of nosocomial UTI (urinary tract infection) caused by Candida spp. in the surgical ICU (SICU) and we investigated the cause of UTI outbreak. METHODS: We collected data from clinical records and observed the current methods of care of urethral catheters in the SlCU. During the outbreak, we investigated the current procedures and maintenance care of urethral catheter insertion and educated the staff on the correct methods of the catheter insertion and care. We performed surveillance cultures of unused new urine bags, RESULTS: Between May 2000 and June 2000, 17 Candida spp. strains were isolated from urines of 17 patients hospitalized in the SICU of National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital. All infections were attributed to the care of urethral catheter insertion and contaminated bags. We identified that routine bladder irrigation and emptying urine to a common urinal have been done incorrectly during the outbreak period. Rodotorula spp. was isolated from 4 urine bags (50% contamination rate) out of 8 unused new urine bags by surveillance cultures. CONCLUSION: The causes of the UTI outbreak caused by Candida spp. was terminated by outbreak investigation and change of contaminated urine bag.
Candida* ; Catheters ; Cross Infection ; Humans ; National Health Programs ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G6PD) deficiency is the most common X- linked inherited disorder and is estimated to affect 400 million people worldwide. But the incidence of this disease is very rare in far-east Asia, especially in Korea. Many drugs and infections cause hemolytic anemia in patients with G6PD deficiency. We experienced a case of G6PD deficiency with chronic hepatitis B. The diagnosis was made by clinical symptoms, laboratory data including serologic test and bone marrow findings. We report a case of G6PD with chronic hepatitis with a brief review of related literatures.
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Asia ; Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis ; Glucose-6-Phosphate* ; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Serologic Tests

Clinically, the curve of Spee is widely applied as a determined level of the occlusal curvature when the oral rehabilitation and the reconstruction of the prosthesis is needed at the malalignment dentition due to the missing, extrusion, and the inclination of the teeth. The purpose of this study was to analyze the curve of Spee of the occlusal curvature which influences to the occlusal form and the location three dimensionally, and then was to measure the radius and the degree of curvature of the curve of Spee and also was to investigate the influence to the cuspal inclination according to the change of the inclination of the curve of Spee which was analyzed by AutoCAD R.13 program at the gnathological cast and the cephalometric radiograph. The following results were obtained : 1. The radius of the curve of Spee was the mean of 11.74+/-3.64cm in the model, 12.75+/-4.63cm in the radiograph and there was no significant difference statistically between the model and the radiograph(P >0.001). 2. The radius and the degree of curvature of the curve of Spee showed negative correlation(r=-0.80), while the radius and the degree of curvature of the curve of Spee in relation to the length of the curve of Spee did not show correlation. 3. The case of the curve of Spee inclined to the posterior, that is, Post.Mtheta group showed the mean of 4.73+/-3.64 , positive cerrelation to the P2m, M1mm, M1dm, M2dm, and especially the greatest correlation coefficient to the mesial inclination angle of the mesio-buccal cusp tip of the first molar(r=0.70). 4. The case of the curve of Spee inclined to the anterior, that is, Ant.Mtheta group showed the mean of 3.28+/-3.59, positive cerrelation to the P2m, M1mm, and also the greatest correlation coefficient to the mesial inclination angle of the mesio-buccal cusp tip of the first molar(r=0.78)
Dentition ; Prostheses and Implants ; Radius ; Rehabilitation ; Tooth

PURPOSE: We evaluated plasma coagulation parameters sequentially and the influence of antithrombin III adjuvant treatment in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. METHODS: Twenty-nine cases with acute lymhoblastic leukemia who had been treated with L-asparaginase at Pusan National University Hospital were enrolled in this study. The coagulation parameters were checked before and on every week of L-asparaginase administration. The patients whose level of antithrombin III was below normal range were given antithrombin III done adjuvant treatment. RESULTS: In the twenty-nine cycles of chemotherapies, nine cycles were treated with antithrombin III adjuvant therapy and others were not treated with the therapy. The PT and aPTT levels showed no changes during L-asparaginase treatment. After one week of L-asparaginase treatment, the fibrinogen and antithrombin III levels were decreased markedly. Antithrombin III level in patients under antithrombin III adjuvant treatment had increased significantly. On the other hand, antithrombin III level in patients not on antithrombin III adjuvant treatment showed low levels until finishing L-asparaginase. We observed only one case of sudden cerebral thrombosis in the non-antithrombin III adjuvant treatment. CONCLUSION: Antithrombin III adjuvant treatment can correct hemostatic parameters partially and may prevent thromboembolic events in patients with L-asparaginase.
Antithrombin III* ; Busan ; Child* ; Drug Therapy ; Fibrinogen ; Hand ; Humans ; Intracranial Thrombosis ; Leukemia ; Plasma ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* ; Reference Values

Herpes simplex esophagitis can occur in those with normal immune function, but is more often seen in those who are immunocompromised. In one series, 5 percent of post-kidney transplant recipients had herpes esophagitis. We experienced a case of herpes simplex esophagitis, following renal transplantation in a 9 year old male. He complained of epigastric pain, nausea and blood-tinged vomiting. Endoscopic examination showed volcano ulcer, mucosal friability and multiple confluent ulcers covered by whitish exudates on elevated margin in the middle and lower esophagus. Microscopic findings revealed multinucleated giant cells, margination of chromatin, intense nonspecific inflammation and strong positive for herpes simplex virus immunohistochemical staining. Esophageal lesions and symptoms improved after acyclovir therapy.
Acyclovir ; Child* ; Chromatin ; Esophagitis ; Esophagus ; Exudates and Transudates ; Giant Cells ; Herpes Simplex* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Nausea ; Simplexvirus* ; Transplantation ; Ulcer ; Vomiting

The aim of this study was to anatomize the therapeutic potential of alaternin (=7-hydroxyemodin) against inflammation, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation, tyrosinase, and two cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), CDK2 and CDK4, and compare its potency with emodin. Alaternin showed lower cytotoxicity and higher dose-dependent inhibition against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced nitric oxide (NO) production with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of 18.68 µM. Similarly, alaternin efficaciously inhibited biotransformation of fluorescent AGEs and amyloid cross-β structure on the bovine serum albumin (BSA)-glucose-fructose system, five times more than emodin. Interestingly, alaternin also showed selective activity against CDK4 at 170 µM, whereas emodin inhibited both CDK2 and CDK4 at a concentration of 17 and 380 µM respectively. In addition, alaternin showed dose-dependent inhibitory activity against mushroom tyrosinase with inhibition percentage of 35.84 % at 400 µM. Altogether, alaternin with pronounced inhibition against inflammatory mediator (NO), glycated products formation, and targeted inhibition towards CDK4 receptor can be taken as an important candidate to target multiple diseases.

The aim of this study was to anatomize the therapeutic potential of alaternin (=7-hydroxyemodin) against inflammation, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation, tyrosinase, and two cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), CDK2 and CDK4, and compare its potency with emodin. Alaternin showed lower cytotoxicity and higher dose-dependent inhibition against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced nitric oxide (NO) production with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of 18.68 µM. Similarly, alaternin efficaciously inhibited biotransformation of fluorescent AGEs and amyloid cross-β structure on the bovine serum albumin (BSA)-glucose-fructose system, five times more than emodin. Interestingly, alaternin also showed selective activity against CDK4 at 170 µM, whereas emodin inhibited both CDK2 and CDK4 at a concentration of 17 and 380 µM respectively. In addition, alaternin showed dose-dependent inhibitory activity against mushroom tyrosinase with inhibition percentage of 35.84 % at 400 µM. Altogether, alaternin with pronounced inhibition against inflammatory mediator (NO), glycated products formation, and targeted inhibition towards CDK4 receptor can be taken as an important candidate to target multiple diseases.

PURPOSE: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) has a wide spectrum of clinical features. Especially, disseminated disease has been associated with a chronic course, high rate of morbidity and possible mortality. The purpose of our study was to investigate the clinical features, subsequent disease course, survival and late sequelae in multisystem LCH (ms-LCH). METHODS: Fourteen cases diagnosed to histologically proven ms-LCH at Pusan National University Hospital between January 1991 and December 1997 were enrolled in this study. All patients received combination chemotherpy. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed for organ involvement at diagosis, disease course, and late sequelae. RESULTS: 1) The peak incidence was between 6 months and 2 years and sex distribution revealed female predominance with the ratio of 1.8:1. 2) Mean number of involved organs was 4.4 and the most frequently involved organ was liver (85.7%) followed by bone, middle ear, skin and spleen. 3) The mean duration of follow up was 41.6 27.5 months. And the overall estimated survival rate at 5 years was 75.9%, with an estimated disease free survival rate of only 40.8% at 5 years. 4) Three patients died and the causes of death were respiratory failure due to pneumonia, gastrointestinal bleeding due to hepatic failure and septicemia. 5) Late sequelae were seen in 42.8% among 14 patients. The most common sequelae were skeletal defects in 21.4% and diabetes insipidus in 21.4%. 6) Among the late sequelae, 3 patients had vertebra plana. Conservative treatment was done and long term follow up of 28.7 7.0 months demonstrated partial healing of the vertebra plana in two cases and no improvement in one. 7) The diabetes insipidus developed in 3 cases, at diagnosis, at 14 months and 20 months after diagnosis respectively. None of the cases received radiation therapy. All of them responded to anti-diuretic CONCLUSION: These data show that, despite the favorable survival, about half of ms-LCH patients had further dissemination of disease or late sequelae. Further treatment needs to be designed to prevent disease progression and late sequelae. hormone replacement therapy.
Busan ; Cause of Death ; Diabetes Insipidus ; Diagnosis ; Disease Progression ; Disease-Free Survival ; Ear, Middle ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver ; Liver Failure ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Sex Distribution ; Skin ; Spine ; Spleen ; Survival Rate