No abstract available.
Ectromelia*

The plasmepsins are the aspartic proteases of malaria parasites. Treatment of aspartic protease inhibitor inhibits hemoglobin hydrolysis and blocks the parasite development in vitro suggesting that these proteases might be exploited their potentials as antimalarial drug targets. In this study, we determined the genetic variations of the aspartic proteases of Plasmodium vivax (PvPMs) of wild isolates. Two plasmepsins (PvPM4 and PvPM5) were cloned and sequenced from 20 P. vivax Korean isolates and two imported isolates. The sequences of the enzymes were highly conserved except a small number of amino acid substitutions did not modify key residues for the function or the structure of the enzymes. The high sequence conservations between the plasmepsins from the isolates support the notion that the enzymes could be reliable targets for new antimalarial chemotherapeutics.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Aspartic Endopeptidases/*genetics ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Conserved Sequence ; DNA, Protozoan/chemistry/genetics ; Human ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plasmodium vivax/*enzymology/genetics/isolation & purification ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

In recent years, it has been common to use bupivacaine for prolonged operation because of its long duration of action but, besides of this benefits, we always are cautious of using bupivacaine for its possible systemic, toxicity, such as convulsion, myocardial depression. We experienced a case of asthmatic attack right after injection of 0.5% bupivacaine 125 mg for BPB(brachial plexus block) in a 26 year old male patient with chronic renal failure for the revision of a-v fistula. With the administration of aminophylline and oxygen by mask the patient was anounced about delaying operation and the symptoms were gone. Next day with local infiltration of 2% lidocaine operation was done uneventfully.
Adult ; Aminophylline ; Bupivacaine ; Depression ; Fistula ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Lidocaine ; Male ; Masks ; Oxygen ; Seizures

PURPOSE: Recent years have witness a dramatic increase in public awareness of the health risks associated with lead exposure-particularly concerning young children. The lead poisoning in children was considered a rarity, usually resulting from unique circumstances such as in appropriate use of lead-based body cosmetics or direct administration of lead-containing folk medicine or contaminated atmosphere. The increasing concern about children with lower levels of lead exposure has developed, but there are no data regarding the mean blood lead levels and the incidence of lead poisoning in Korean children. So, this study was conducted to measure the blood lead and ZPP(zinc protoporphyrin) levels of 125 children around Cheonan city. METHODS: 125 children around Cheonan city (from 1 month to 15 year-old, 68 males and 57 females) were studied. We analyzed the mean blood Zinc Protoporphyrin(ZPP) and lead values and excluded children with hematologic disorders in this study. RESULTS: 1) The mean blood lead level was 4.15 microgram/dl (95% CI: 3.82-4.488) and the mean ZPP level was 53.48 microgram/dl (95% CI: 48.44-58.52). Both were within normal range. 2) The mean blood lead level of 68 males was 4.23 microgram/dl and 4.06 microgram/dl in 57 females. The mean blood ZPP level was 49.88 microgram/dl in males and 57.77 microgram/dl in females. There was no significant difference in males and females. 3) There was no siginificant correlation between blood lead and ZPP concentration. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that the mean blood lead level of 125 children around Cheonan city was 4.15 microgram/dl. That was within normal range and the same values with United States. It is important that there must be a national counter plan and that pediatricians continue to pay attention to lead poisoning in children.
Adolescent ; Atmosphere ; Child* ; Chungcheongnam-do* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lead Poisoning ; Male ; Medicine, Traditional ; Reference Values ; United States ; Zinc

PURPOSE: Certain pitching mechanics is thought to lead pitchers in danger of surgical risk and decrease performance. The objective of this study is to analyze the effect of shoulder hyperabduction position during early cocking phase in association with surgical risk and performance in professional baseball players.METHODS: From 2009 to 2013, total of 93 candidates reached minimum inning qualification. After exclusion criteria (overlapped players, foreign players, age over 31 years, proceed to other league and retirement), 19 players were analyzed with slow-motion pitching video for hyperabduction of the shoulder and hyperpronation of forearm in cocking-phase. Also players were analyzed with innings pitched, earned run average (ERA), walks and hits divided by innings pitched (WHIP) and surgical history with database offered by official Korean Baseball Organization website.RESULTS: Out of total 19 players, nine players had hyperabduction arm movement and 10 players did not. Group with hyperabduction had average age of 24.3 years old, average inning/ERA/WHIP for 5 years were 55 innings/yr, 6.52 ERA/yr and 1.33 WHIP/yr, respectively, and seven players (77%) had surgeries eventually. Group without hyperabduction arm movement had average age of 25.4 years old; average inning, ERA/WHIP for 5 years were 127 1/3 innings/yr, 4.84 ERA/yr, and 1.32 WHIP/yr, respectively and five players (50%) went for surgeries. Player performance (ERA, p=0.66; WHIP, p=0.14) was not statistically influenced by the certain arm position at cocking phase but average inning pitched was statistically affected (p<0.01).CONCLUSION: Hyperabduction of shoulder in early cocking phase of throwing motion does not lead to decrease in performance (ERA, WHIP) but will result in tremendous decline of average IP. Also, risk of surgery is not associated to hyperabduction motion of the shoulder.
Arm ; Baseball ; Forearm ; Mechanics ; Shoulder

In a double-blind randomized study of five groups of fifty patients scheduled for gynecologic lower abdominal surgery the analgesic efficacy and side effects of epidurai buprenorphine were tested and compared to epidural morphine. Single epidural injeetion of 0.15mg of buprenorphine in group B 0.15, 0.30 mg of buprenorphine in group B D.3, 0.45 mg of buprenorphine in group B 0.45, 3 mg of morphine in group M 3 or 6 mg of morphine in group M 6 mixed with 10 ml of normal saline was done when the patients complained of postoperative pain after general anesthesia with enflurane-N2O-O2. The results were as follows; 1) The onset of analgesia was the most rapid in group B 0.45(20.7+/-3.2 minutes), and appeared as following order: group M 6(29.3+/-14.3 minutes), group M 3(37.5+/-6.7 minutes), group B 0.3(39.3+/-8.7 minutes), and group B 0.15(60.7+/-20.2 minutes). 2) Additional requirement of analgesics during first 24 hours after epidural injection was more frequent in group B O.IS(70%) than in any other four groups. 3) The lowest pain score during 24 hours after epidural injection was the lowest in group M 6(1.6+/-0.5) and group B 0.45(1.8+/-0.4) and the increasing order of the lowest pain score were as follows; 2.2+/-0.4 in group M 3, 2.3+/-0.5 in group B 0.3 and 2.6+/-0.5 in group B 0.15. 4) The pain score measured 24 hours after epidural injection was significantly lower in group B 0.45(2.0+/-0.0) than in any other four groups. 5) Subjective rating of well-being for first 24 hours following epidural injection was better in group B 0.45(good in 60% of patients) than in group M 6(good in 10% of patients). 6) Subjective rating of sleep at the first postoperative night showed no significant differences among five groups. 7) Disturbance of micturition after removal of catheter was noted in group B 0.45 and group M 6(30% each) and spontaneous urination after removal of catheter was significantly delayed in group B 0.45(9.1+/-10.2 hours) and in group M 6(7.2+/-7.8 hours) comparing to other three groups. 8) Pruritus was noted only in the groups with epidural morphine(in group M 3 & M 6; 70% each) and there was no statistieal difference between group M 3 and group M 6. 9) The frequency of nausea or vomiting was the lowest in group B 0.45(30%) and the highest in group M 3(90%), and no significant differences were noted among other three groups. 10) Dizziness was noted in group B 0.45 and in group M 6(30% each), but there was no statistical significances among five groups. I I) No signs of respiratory depression were noted.
Analgesia ; Analgesics ; Anesthesia, General ; Buprenorphine* ; Catheters ; Dizziness ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural ; Morphine* ; Nausea ; Pain, Postoperative* ; Pruritus ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Urination ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: Atopic dermatitis is often accompanied by food allergies which occur through skin barrier defects. Especially Staphylococcus aureus colonization can exacerbate skin barrier defects that cause sensitization and increase specific IgE (sIgE) to food. We investigated the association between skin colonization and food sIgE changes in children with atopic dermatitis. METHODS: Atopic dermatitis was diagnosed by a pediatric allergist in patients between 3 months and 3 years of age. Total IgE and sIgE to egg white, cow's milk, wheat, and peanuts were taken. Eosinophil count and eosinophil cationic protein were also taken. Comparisons were done between the groups with and without S. aureus colonization. RESULTS: It was found that 50.3% of the 294 enrolled patients had S. aureus colonization on lesional skin. Statistically significant sensitization to wheat and peanut were increased with S. aureus colonization. Statistically significant increases in sIgE (above cutoff level) were also found in egg white, milk, wheat and peanut. Higher S. aureus colony counts also increased sIgE of all foods. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus showed no statistical difference compared to methicillin-susceptible S. aureus in severity and sIgE levels. CONCLUSION: S. aureus colonization increases the risk of food sensitization in children with atopic dermatitis.
Arachis ; Child* ; Colon* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Egg White ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein ; Eosinophils ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Methicillin Resistance ; Milk ; Skin ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus* ; Triticum

BACKGROUND: Adenoviruses (Ads) are a worldwide cause of endemic and epidemic respiratory infections, particularly in children, young adults and immunocompromised patients. They are responsible for 5% of the acute respiratory infections in children under the age of 4 years and account for about 10% of all cases of childhood requiring hospitalization in this age group. In this study, we report the characteristics of adenoviruses isolated from children with respiratory illness in Busan, 1999~2000. METHODS: A total of 765 children with acute respiratory illness from ten local clinics were studied. Isolation of Ads was performed by inoculating throat swab from patients into Hep-2 cells. The virus propagation was confirmed by the presence of cytopathic effect and adenoviruis specific PCR. Typing of isolated viruses was determined by sequencing analysis of hexon gene. RESULTS: Ads were isolated from throat swab of 17 (2.2%) out of 765 children. The epidemic of Ads infection was concentrated on winter months (December, January, and February). Seventeen Ad isolates showed four serotypes, with Ad3 being the most frequent strain. The distribution of Ads serotypes were eleven (64.7%) Ad3 strains, three (17.6%) Ad5 strains, two (11.8%) Ad2 srtains, and one (5.9%) Ad1 strain. CONCLUSION: Acute respiratory infections by adenoviruses in children were occurred particularly in winter season in Busan. More extended and systematic surveillance of adenovirus infection among populations is required to elucidate the extent of epidemic and disease burden of adenovirus infection.
Adenoviridae Infections ; Adenoviridae* ; Busan* ; Child* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Pharynx ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Seasons ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Topoisomerase II (topo II) is a major target of anthracyclines and epipodophyllotoxins for anticancer treatment. The expression of topo II is low in drug resistant cell lines. High levels of glutathione S-transferase (GST)pi have been associated with emergence of cell lines resistant to alkylating agents or adriamycin. METHODS: By immunostaining with paraffin embedded bone marrow tissues, the expression of topo II alpha and GSTpi was investigated in 51 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and the relation of topo II alpha and GSTpi expression to treatment response in 29 patients with AML following induction chemotherapy was also evaluated. RESULTS: Topo II positive cells varied from less than 1% to 60% of leukemic cells and 20 (39.2%) were negative for topo II (positive cells<10%). Treatment response following chemotherapy was not related to topo II. 26 (51.0%) were positive for GSTpi. GSTpi expression was related to treatment resistance of the patients following chemotherapy. In the patients who showed both topo II alpha negative and GSTpi positive, the frequency of treatment resistance following chemotherapy was high. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that immunostaining of topo II alpha and GSTpi with the bone marrow paraffin sections of AML patients can be useful to predict the treatment response following chemotherapy and that further study including more patients with prospective study may substantiate topo II alpha and GSTpi as multidrug resistant markers.
Alkylating Agents ; Anthracyclines ; Bone Marrow ; Cell Line ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type II* ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Therapy ; Glutathione S-Transferase pi* ; Glutathione Transferase* ; Glutathione* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Paraffin ; Podophyllotoxin

It is common for patient undergoing cesarean section under epidural anesthesia to have lower blood pressure because of not only supine hypotension syndrome but vasodilation due to sympathetic blockade. So it is necessary to give large volume of fluid before perfarming epidural anesthesia to prevent hypotension. When we use the dextrose containing fluid for that purpose, newborn baby could have a high blood glucose at delivery and low blood glucose level due to high insulin level after birth. The authors examined the blood glucose level at delivery and two hours after birth following use of 5% dextrose in lactated Ringers solution(HD group, n=24) or lactated Ringers solution (HS group, n=24) for prevention of hypotension during epidural anesthesia for cesarean section The results were as follows; I) The total amount of fluid was 789.6+/-264.2 ml in HD group and 741.1+/-253.5 ml in HS group. 2) The glucose level of mother at delivery was 300.9+/-76.3 mg/dl in HD group and 98.7+/-24.6 mg/dl in HS group and there was statistical significance(p< 0.01). 3) In HD group, the glucose level of newborn baby was 212.2+/-57.2 mg/dl at delivery and 465.+/-20.3 mg/dl at 2 hours after birth. The change of amount during 2 hours after birth was highly related to the glucose level at birth. Higher level of glucose at birth, larger amount of change during 2 hours after birth. 4) In HS group, the glucose level of newborn baby was 66.8+/-10.2 mg/dl at birth and 67.0+/-12.1 mg/dl at 2 hours after birth. There was no significant change.
Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Blood Glucose* ; Blood Pressure ; Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Infant, Newborn* ; Insulin ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Vasodilation