No abstract available.
Humans

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of neonatal urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and non- Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI. METHODS: We compared clinical characteristics of 84 neonatal patients with UTI caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae who were hospitalized at the Department of Pediatricsat Han Dong University, Sunlin Hospital during the period between May, 1994 and August, 1998. The cases were divided into two groups depending upon causative organisms' Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI vs non-Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI, and the clinical characteristics of these groups were compared. RESULTS: Escherichia coli was the most common bacterial pathogen causing neonatal UTI, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae. There was no significant difference in the sex distribution of Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI, but non-Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI showed male predominence. There were no significant differences in the incidences of hematologic, urologic, radiologic findings and perinatal complications in between these 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Klebsiella pneumoniae is the second most common pathogen causing neonatal UTI. There were no specific differences in the laboratory, symptomatologic, and radiologic findings in these two groups.
Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Incidence ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Male ; Pneumonia ; Sex Distribution ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

PURPOSE: Since the discovery of estrogen receptor-beta(ER-beta, five C-terminal variants of ER-beta were identified. We designed this study to investigate the pattern and clinical implications of ER-betaand its splicing variants expression in normal and malignant mammary tissues. METHODS: Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we examined the expression levels of ER-alpha and ER-betaand its five splicing variants (beta1, beta2, beta3, beta4, beta5) in 50 paired normal and cancer tissues. We measured the densities of RT-PCR products using Tina version 2.10 (Raytest, Germany). Firstly, the incidence and intensity of ER-alpha and ER-beta and its five splicing variants were compared. Then the expression of ER-betamRNA splicing variants was also analyzed with regard to the ER-alphaprotein expression measured by immuno-histochemical staining and the menopausal status of the patients. Chi-square test and paired samples t-test were used for statistical analysis. Differences were considered to be significant with a p-value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: The expression of ER-betamRNA variants in normal breast and cancer tissues were as follows: ER-beta2 (100%/100%), ER-beta4 (76%/74%), ER-beta5 (32%/58%), and ER-beta1 (14%/16%). ER-beta3 was not detected at all. In terms of intensity, we observed a significant decrease of ER-beta2 (P<0.001) and an increase of ER-beta5 (P=0.004) in the mRNA expression levels among breast cancers compared to the corresponding normal breast tissues. Compared to the corresponding normal tissues, a significant decrease of ER-beta2 in cancer tissues was observed in patients with ER-alpha-positive (P<0.001), with age over 50 (P=0.01), and under 50 (P=0.04) as well, but not in patients with ER-alpha-negative (P=0.48). ER-beta4 also significantly decreased in patients with ER-alpha-positive (P=0.004) and with age over 50 (P=0.07). ER-beta5 showed a significant increment only in patient aged over 50 (P=0.04). CONCLUSION: ER-alpha mRNA expression significantly increases but ER-beta mRNA expression decreases in the cancer tissues compared to the corresponding normal tissues. Among ER-beta variant forms, ER-beta2 is predominant in both normal and malignant mammary tissues and ER-beta4, ER-beta5, and ER-beta1 in descending order but ER-beta3 does not express in mammary tissues. The decrease of ER-beta2 and ER-beta4 expression is prominent in cancer tissue especially in ER-alpha-positive cancers, which suggests that ER-beta2 and ER-beta4 may possess a regulatory function in mammary carcinogenesis. Further investigations to verify the roles of ER-beta variants are mandatory.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinogenesis ; Estrogens* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Estrogen ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger

By animal experiments in rat, it has been known that Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is secreted from renal mesangial celle and is an autocrine growth factor for the proliferation of mesangial cells. According to these facts, several studies have been tried for its clinical usefulness by measuring their serum or urinary IL-6 in glomerulonephritis patients with mesangial proliferation. The authors measured urinary IL-6 levels by Interleukin-6 [123I] RIA kit (Amersham Co. UK) in 11 patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome, in 3 patients with mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MesPGN), in 3 patients with IgA nephropathy, in 9 patients with Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) in 2 patients with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), and in 12 normal healthy children as a control group. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1) There was no significant differences of urinary IL-6 levels between minimal change nephrotic syndrome patient group and normal control group (p=0.73). The level of urinary IL-6 was increased significantly in HSPN group compared to in normal control group, statistically (p=0.045). Also there were same results in the glomerulonephritis patients with mesangial proliferation in its histopathologic findings such as IgA nephropathy, MesPGN, MPGN. 2) There was a positive correlation between the degree of mesangial proliferation and the urinary IL-6 level. In conclusion, the urinary IL-6 level reflects the glomerular mesangial proliferation and could be useful as a predictive indicator for evaluation of its clinical course in patient with mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis.
Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Child* ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Interleukins* ; Mesangial Cells ; Nephritis ; Nephrosis, Lipoid ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; Rats

No abstract available.
Spine*

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate clinical manifestations and findings of ultrasonogram of neonatal septic arthritis and osteomyelitis. We tried to determine the value of ultrasonogram as a tool for early diagnosis of septic arthritis and osteomyelitis. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 17 patients, who were diagnosed septic arthritis and/or osteomyelitis in Departments of Pediatrics and Orthopedic Surgery, Han dong University Sunlin Hospital in Pohang between Jan. 1994 and Sep. 1998. Radiologic findings were reviewed retrospectively according to the duration of symptoms at the onset. We compared the sensitivity of ultrasonogram with other radiologic tools done within 7 days of illness. RESULTS: We compared sensitivity of each imaging study done within 7 days of illness. 20%(3/5) had abnormality in plain radiographs, 78.6%(11/14) in ultrasonogram, 28.6%(2/7) in bone scan, and 100,0%(3/3) in MRI. Deep soft-tissue swelling around the bone was the earliest sign of acute osteomyelitis in ultrasonogram. Concurrently early septic arthritis showed deep soft tissue swelling around the joint and increased synovial effusion in ultrasonogram. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonogram is not so expensive, non-invasive, not harmful to patients, and there is no need to sedate patients for examination. Comparing with other imaging studies, the sensitivity of ultrasonogram is relatively high. Ultrasonogram is a useful diagnostic tool of septic arthritis and osteomyelitis in newbom infants.
Arthritis, Infectious* ; Early Diagnosis ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Infant ; Joints ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Orthopedics ; Osteomyelitis* ; Pediatrics ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Heart* ; Thoracic Surgery*

PURPOSE: A febrile convulsion is a common event during childhood, its pathogenesis is not clear. But there are some hypotheses including electrolyte imbalance, neurotransmitter and metabolic change. Hyponatremia has been thought to decrease the threshold for febrile convulsion and low cerebrospinal zinc level induced by fever or infections causes low cerebrospinal gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA) which is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter. We therefore carried out a prospective study to investigate whether there is an association with serum sodium levels, CSF zinc concentration and febrile convulsions. METHODS: Blood and CSF samples for sodium and zinc were taken from 37 children at Pusan Saint Benedict Hospital due to febrile illness from March 1998 to December 1998. They were divided into three groups: 11 with fever but without convulsions(Group I), 15 with aseptic(viral) meningitis(Group II), and 11 with febrile convulsions(Group III). The results were analyzed by Wilcoxon 2 Sample Test. RESULTS: The means of serum sodium, Zn level and CSF Na, Zn level in the febrile convulsion group were not significantly lower than in other groups(for serum Na : group I 143.09+/-2.84mmol/L, group II 141.60+/-2.49mmol/L, group III 142.54+/-1.80mmol/L; for CSF Na : group I 138.72+/-5.53mmol/L, group II 139.64+/-4.64mmol/L, group III 138.82+/-2.25mmol/L; for serum Zn : group I 90.38+/-9.09micro gram/L, group II 90.28+/-13.64micro gram/L, group III 97.16+/-14.54micro gram/L; for CSF Zn : group I 41.61+/-13.30micro gram/L, group II 45.80+/-12.66micro gram/L, group III 41.04+/-11.17micro gram/L). There was no statistically significant difference in serum sodium and CSF zinc between the three groups of children. CONCLUSION: There is no evidence in this study, that hyponatremia may increase the susceptability to febrile convulsion or that zinc deprivation may play a role in the pathogenesis of febrile convulsion in previous study. So, more study of pathophysiology of febrile convulsion is needed.
Busan ; Child ; Fever ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Prospective Studies ; Saints ; Seizures, Febrile* ; Sodium* ; Zinc*

Paget's disease is classified, according to location, as mammary or extramammary disease. Extramammary Paget's disease especially in the vulva is extremely rare. Several hundred cases have been described worldwide. Patients with Paget's disease of the vulva are usually white and postmenopausal. The cause of which remains elusive. A case of vulva Paget's disease is presented with brief review of literature.
Humans ; Paget Disease, Extramammary ; Vulva

Plummer-Vinson syndrome is a clinical entity characterized by dysphagia, iron deficiency anemia, cheilosis, glossitis, and cervical esophageal web, especially in middle aged women. Recently, the authors experienced a case of Plummer-Vinson syndrome. A 53-year-old female was admitted due to intermittent solid food dysphagia for 18 months. She had a 2 years history of iron deficiency anemia. On admission glossitis, fissures at the angle of the mouth, spoon nails, and iron deficiency anemia were noted. Esophagogram and esophagoscopic examination revealed thin walled concentric web at upper esophagus. Esophageal web was succefully teared by endoscopic balloon dilatation with subseguant improvement of dysphagia. Skin manifestations as well as anemia were markedly improved after oral iron replacement therapy.
Anemia ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dilatation ; Esophagus ; Female ; Glossitis ; Humans ; Iron ; Middle Aged ; Mouth ; Plummer-Vinson Syndrome* ; Skin Manifestations ; Tears