PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical manifestations, contact history, and status of tuberculosis contact investigations in school-age children and adolescents with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) at two centers. METHODS: This study was conducted with 54 patients in the age ranging from 10 to 18 years, who were diagnosed with pulmonary TB at the Pusan National University Hospital and Pusan National University Children's Hospital, January 2008 to December 2012. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the patients. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 16 years old; 11 patients were aged 10 to 14 and 43 patients were aged 15 to 18. Among 54 patients, 19 had history of contact with pulmonary TB, 10 had contact with house members (household), and remaining 9 had contact with classmates (non-household). One out of 10 patients who had household contacts and 6 out of 9 patients who had non-household contacts were evaluated with contact investigation after the exposure to pulmonary TB. Among 7 patients who were evaluated with contact investigation, 3 were diagnosed with active pulmonary TB, 1 had latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), and 3 had no evidence of TB or LTBI. The median period of diagnosis after the exposure to active pulmonary TB was 2 years in patients with household contacts and 0.23 years in patients with non-household contacts. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that if the contact investigation conducted properly, it would be helpful for early diagnosis and prevention of pulmonary TB.
Adolescent* ; Busan ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Latent Tuberculosis ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

OJECTIVE: To explore the changes of serum IgE and tryptase caused by anaphylactic shock rats and discuss the relation to PMI and preservative environment of corpse and specimen. METHODS: Rats were used for establishing anaphylactic shock models and randomly divided into room temperature group, refrigeration group, frozen group, manual hemolysis group, specimen preservation group. And the control group was also established. The blood samples were collected after rats were sacrificed. The degree of hemolysis was graded according to the color of the upper layer of the serum. The mass concentration of IgE and tryptase in each group was detected by ELISA. RESULTS: The levels of serum IgE and tryptase in anaphylactic shock dead rats were higher than that of the control group. Room temperature and frozen made obviously differences on the levels of serum IgE and tryptase with various PMI. The levels of serum IgE and tryptase in refrigeration group showed relatively stable. The levels of serum tryptase and IgE were elevated with differently increasing hemolysis. The levels of serum IgE and tryptase showed no obvious changes during the specimen kept under different temperature conditions for 25 days. CONCLUSION Serum IgE and tryptase obviously increased in anaphylactic shock rats. However, the levels were influenced by PMI and environmental temperature, especially under the conditions of room temperature and frozen.
Anaphylaxis/blood* ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Rats ; Temperature ; Tryptases/blood*

Continuous epidural analgesia has been used for decades to treat acute herpes zoster pain and to prevent postherpetic neuralgia. However, many technical problems can arise during chronic treatment with epidural medications. These complications include catheter dislodgement, infection, injection pain, leakage, and occlusion. Epidural catheter placement utilizing subcutaneous injection port implantation has gained widespread acceptance as a method to overcome such complications. The technique reduces the risk of infection, the most feared complication, compared to the use of a percutaneous epidural catheter. Herein, we present 2 cases in which the continuous thoracic epidural administration of opioids and local anesthetics through an implantable subcutaneous injection port for over 2 months successfully treated zoster-associated pain without any technique- or medication-related complications in patients with risk factors for epidural abscess.
Analgesia, Epidural ; Analgesics, Opioid* ; Anesthetics, Local* ; Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Epidural Abscess ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural ; Injections, Subcutaneous* ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Risk Factors

Intraabdominal abscess usually causes distress with fever, leukocytosis, pain and toxicity. Diagnosis of intraabdominal abscess is occasionally difficult and it has high morbidity. However radiologic method, such as ultrasonography, CT scan, or RI scan are helpful to early detection of intraabdominal abscess. Among these methods, ultrasonography is a noninvasive technique and performed without discomfort to patient. And also differential diagnosis between cystic and solid lesion is very easy and sequential ultrasonography in same patient is valuable for the evaluation of treatment effect. We analyzed the ultrasonic features of 48 cases with intraabdominal abscesses and the results are as follows; 1. In total 48 cases, the intraabdominal abscesses were 30 cases, the retroperitoneal abscesses, 5 cases, and the visceral abscesses, 13 cases. 2. The causes of the intraabdominal abscesses were perforating appendicitis (25 cases), postoperative complications (5 cases), pyogenic and amebic hepatic abscesses (13 cases), and the other (5 cases). 3. Round or oval shaped lesions were 26 cases (54%), irregular shape, 18 cases (38%), and multiple abscess formation in 4 cases (8%). 4. The size of the lesions were between 5 and 10cm in diameter in 54% of total 48 cases, and the most frequent feature of the echo pattern of the lesions was cystic with or without internal echogenicity (69%).
Abdominal Abscess* ; Abscess ; Appendicitis ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Liver Abscess ; Methods ; Postoperative Complications ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography

Fatal anaphylactic shock is common in forensic practice. However, it is difficult to diagnose for lacking specific pathological and morphologic changes in forensic autopsy. The application of some biochemical indicators is of great significance. This paper reviews the biological characteristics of some biochemical indicators and detection methods. The forensic application, problems and prospects of these indicators are also introduced in details. The stable biochemical indicators, IgE, tryptase and chymase, show great potential and advantages in the identification of fatal anaphylactic shock in forensic medicine.
Anaphylaxis/metabolism* ; Autopsy ; Biomarkers ; Chymases ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Tryptases

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a forest healing program on psychological and physiological changes in employees exposed to work-related stress. Methods: This study included 38 employees whose workplaces were located in Naju and Jeonnam. They were given a set of forest healing programs. They completed self-rating scales to assess changes in anxiety, depression, and workrelated stress. Salivary cortisol levels, electroencephalography changes, and photoplethysmography components were also assessed. The mean differences in these parameters before and after treatment were analyzed. Results: The mean ages of male and female employees were different (p<0.010). After controlling for age as a covariate, all variables were examined for main and sex-associated effects using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance. Although the mean changes in saliva cortisol levels were significantly lower after treatment, the sex-associated and interaction effects were found to be insignificant. Conclusion Although the short-term forest healing program did not provide notable results, it may have beneficial effects on certain psychological and physiological aspects. Further studies are warranted to determine the feasibility of the forest healing program as a suitable stress management strategy for employees.

PURPOSE: The change of the marginal bone around dental implants have significance not only for the functional maintenance but also for the esthetic success of the implant. The purpose of this study was to investigate the load transfer of internal conical joint type implant according to marginal bone resorption by using the three-dimensional finite element analysis model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The internal conical joint type system was selected as an experimental model. Finite element models of bone/implant/prosthesis complex were constructed. A load of 300 N was applied vertically beside 3 mm of implant axis. RESULTS: The pattern of stress distribution according to marginal bone resorption was similar. The maximum equivalent stress of implant was increase according to marginal bone resorption and the largest maximum equivalent stress was shown at model of 1 mm marginal bone resorption. Although marginal bone loss more than 1mm was occurred increasing of stress, the width of the stress increase was decreasing. CONCLUSION: According to these results, the exposure of thin neck portion of internal conical joint type implant is most important factor in stress increasing.
Bone Resorption ; Dental Implants ; Finite Element Analysis ; Joints ; Models, Theoretical ; Neck

BACKGROUND: In general, measuring the level of consciousness in neurological patients is important. To assess the patient's mental status, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the level of consciousness (drowsiness, stupor, and coma) have been used in clinical situations. The aim of the present study was to identify the correlation between bispectral index (BIS) and level of consciousness in brain injured patients. METHODS: Eighty-nine adult patients of both sexes were included in the study. A blinded observer evaluated the mental status (GCS and level of consciousness) of a patient who is admitted in intensive care unit with brain injury, while an investigator noted the patient's BIS. The BIS was measured using a BIS monitor, Model A-3000 vista(TM) with Sensor Bis quatro(TM) (Aspect Medical Systems, Norwood, USA). A Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to determine if the level of consciousness correlated with the BIS. RESULTS: In 89 patients, the BIS was found to be significantly correlated with the level of consciousness (r = 0.723, P < 0.01) and GCS (r = 0.646, P < 0.01). The BIS values increased with an increasing level of consciousness. Mean BIS values of coma, semicoma, stupor and drowsiness were 0.14 +/- 0.23, 38.9 +/- 18.0, 60.3 +/- 14.5, and 73.6 +/- 16.5, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, a significant correlation existed between level of consciousness and BIS. These findings suggest that BIS may be used for assessing the level of consciousness in brain injured patients. However, the scatter of BIS values for any level of consciousness limited the worth of BIS in predicting mentality except in coma patients.
Adult ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Coma ; Consciousness ; Consciousness Monitors ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Research Personnel ; Sleep Stages ; Stupor

The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of small hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE)-1 in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats. Ninty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control (n = 24), MCT (n = 35) and shRNA (n = 35). Four-week survival rate in the shRNA group was significantly increased compared to that in the MCT group. The shRNA group showed a significant improvement of right ventricular (RV) pressure compared with the MCT group. The MCT and shRNA groups also showed an increase in RV/(left ventricle + septum) ratio and lung/body weight. Plasma endothelin (ET)-1 concentrations in the shRNA group were lower than those in the MCT group. Medial wall thickness of pulmonary arterioles were increased after MCT injection and was significantly decreased in the shRNA group. The number of intra-acinar muscular pulmonary arteries was decreased in the shRNA group. The mRNA expressions of ET-1 and ET receptor A (ETA) were significantly decreased in the shRNA group in week 4. The protein levels of ETA were decreased in the shRNA group in week 2. The protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor were decreased in the shRNA group in week 4. In conclusion, the gene silencing with lentiviral vector targeting ECE-1 could be effective against hemodynamic, histopathological and gene expression changes in pulmonary hypertension.
Animals ; Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases/*antagonists & inhibitors/blood/genetics ; Body Weight ; Heart Ventricles/physiopathology ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/chemically induced/*enzymology/mortality ; Lentivirus/genetics ; Lung/anatomy & histology/metabolism/pathology ; Male ; Metalloendopeptidases/*antagonists & inhibitors/blood/genetics ; Monocrotaline/toxicity ; Pulmonary Artery/drug effects/physiopathology ; RNA, Small Interfering/*metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Endothelin A/genetics/metabolism ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism

We describe a 28-year old man in otherwise apparently good health, in whom pain in his left knee joint caused by avascular necrosis led to a diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN). The angiogram showed multiple microaneurysmal and thrombotic lesions, notably in the renal, mesenteric and tibial arteries. A skin biopsy of the upper dermis of the left thigh with an erythematous skin rash showed the infiltration of mononuclear leukocytes in the perivascular area. During hospitalization, he was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, and was treated with lamivudine, and corticosteroid, azathioprine to control the PAN. The knee joint pain improved progressively, and the patient could walk normally after several months. This case is an unusual presentation because the initial manifestation of PAN was avascular necrosis.
Azathioprine ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Exanthema ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Lamivudine ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; Necrosis ; Osteonecrosis ; Polyarteritis Nodosa ; Skin ; Thigh ; Tibial Arteries