The objective of this study was to report on a new surgical technique, hybrid laparoscopic myomectomy that integrates the advantages of transumbilical laparoendoscopic single-site surgery and those of isobaric laparoscopy, and the initial experience with 14 cases. All of the procedures were performed by a single surgeon who has over 18 years of experience in laparoscopic surgery and 4 years of experience in laparoendoscopic single-site surgery. All cases of hybrid laparoscopic myomectomy were completed safely and effectively without conversion to conventional laparoscopic procedure. The median operative time was 75 minutes (range, 30 to 100 minutes). No postoperative complication was observed. The findings show that hybrid laparoscopic myomectomy is a safe and feasible surgical technique, and therefore can be a feasible, minimally invasive alternative to either abdominal or laparoendoscopic single-site surgery myomectomy.
Laparoscopy ; Leiomyoma ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications

Though the aetiology of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) remains uncertain, proteinase resistant prion protein (PrP-Sc), a converted form of the normal cellular prion protein (PrP-C), accumulates in the lysosome of cells of the nervous systems of animals with TSEs. In this study, clinical and epidemiological examinations of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) were conducted in Korea. During the investigated period, none of the cattle exhibited typical clinical signs of BSE, such as behavioral disturbances, high sensitivity, and abnormal locomotion. Immunohistochemical analysis and western immunoblotting were established to detect PrP-Sc in the brain tissue using monoclonal antibody (MAb) F89/160.1.5, produced by immunizing mice with a synthetic peptide which corresponds to bovine PrP residues 146-159, NH2-SRPLIHFGSDYEDRC-COOH. Although some BSE-like spongiform changes were observed in bovine brains randomly collected from Korean slaughterhouses from 1996 to 1999, no PrP-Sc was detected in those brains with the established immunohistochemistry and western immunoblotting assay. Also, no positive reaction was observed in bovine brains infected with rabies. These immunohistochemical and western immunoblotting methods using MAbs, specifically reactive with conserved epitopes on ruminant PrP, can be used for postmortem diagnosis of BSE. Further, the method can be applied to antemortem and the preclinical diagnosis of ovine scrapie by detecting PrP-Sc in lymphoid tissues, such as the tonsils, third eyelid or peripheral lymph nodes.
Abattoirs ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Brain/*pathology ; Brain Stem/pathology ; Cattle ; Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform/*epidemiology/pathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Korea/epidemiology ; PrPSc Proteins/*analysis ; Sheep ; Sheep Diseases/*epidemiology/pathology

OBJECTIVETo identify waterborne enteric viruses in Korean surface water.

METHODSIntegrated cell culture (ICC)-multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was simultaneously designed to detect coxsackieviruses (CV), polioviruses (PV), and reoviruses (RV). ICC-multiplex RT-PCR and phylogenetic analysis were conducted using 21 total culturable virus assay (TCVA)-positive sample-inoculated cell cultures.

RESULTSCV and RV were detected in 9 samples each, and 3 samples were positive for both CV and RV. PV was not detected in any sample. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 gene sequences revealed that CV types B2 and B4 predominated in Korean surface water, and the nucleotide sequences of CV type B2 were clustered with those of CVs isolated from China and Japan. The results suggested that the evolution of these viruses occurred in a region-specific manner.

CONCLUSIONCV and RV are detectable in Korean surface water, with a predominance of CV type B2, and the evolution of CV type B2 occur in a region-specific manner.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Enterovirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Fresh Water ; virology ; Korea ; Phylogeny ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Water Microbiology ; Water Supply

Objective To identify waterborne enteric viruses in Korean surface water. Methods Integrated cell culture(ICC)-multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was simultaneously designed to detect coxsackieviruses (CV), polioviruses (PV), and reoviruses (RV). ICC-multiplex RT-PCR and phylogenetic analysis were conducted using 21 total culturable virus assay (TCVA)-positive sample-inoculated cell cultures. Results CV and RV were detected in 9 samples each, and 3 samples were positive for both CV and RV. PV was not etected in any sample. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the VPl gene sequences revealed that CV types B2 and B4 redominated in Korean surface water, and the nucleotide sequences of CV type B2 were clustered with those of CVs isolated from China and Japan. The results suggested that the evolution of these viruses occurred in a region-specific manner. Conclusion CV and RV are detectable in Korean surface water, with a predominance of CV type B2, and the evolution of CV type B2 occur in a region-specific manner.

Mucinous adenocarcinoma arising from a chronic anorectal fistula is a rare condition. It is often confused with a hemorrhoid or perineal abscess, which consequently delays accurate diagnosis. Here, we report the case of a 58-year-old man with blood-tinged stool who reported a rectal mass, which was diagnosed as mucinous adenocarcinoma arising from an anal fistula. After initial computed tomography-guided needle aspiration biopsy had failed to provide an accurate diagnosis, transrectal punch biopsy was performed to obtained adequate tissue sample for confirmative histological diagnosis. The patient was successfully treated with neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by surgical intervention.
Abscess ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous* ; Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Needle ; Chemoradiotherapy* ; Fistula* ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mucins* ; Needles ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Rectal Fistula

OBJECTIVE: To preliminarily evaluate technical feasibility of a dual-echo ultrashort echo time (UTE) subtraction MR imaging by using concurrent dephasing and excitation (CODE) sequence for visualization of iron-oxide enhancement in focal inflammatory pulmonary lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A UTE pulmonary MR imaging before and after the injection of clinically usable superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles, ferumoxytol, was conducted using CODE sequence with dual echo times of 0.14 ms for the first echo and 4.15 ms for the second echo on 3T scanner in two rabbits concurrently having granulomatous lung disease and lung cancer in separate lobes. A mean ratio of standardized signal intensity (SI) was calculated for comparison of granulomatous lesion and cancer at first echo, second echo, and subtracted images. Lesions were pathologically evaluated with Prussian blue and immunohistochemistry staining. RESULTS: Post-contrast subtracted CODE images visualized exclusive enhancement of iron oxide in granulomatous disease, but not in the cancer (mean ratio of SI, 2.15 ± 0.68 for granulomatous lesion versus 1.00 ± 0.07 for cancer; p value = 0.002). Prussian blue and corresponding anti-rabbit macrophage IgG-staining suggested an intracellular uptake of iron-oxide nanoparticles in macrophages of granulomatous lesions. CONCLUSION: Dual-echo UTE subtraction MR imaging using CODE sequence depicts an exclusive positive enhancement of iron-oxide nanoparticle in rabbits in focal granulomatous inflammatory lesions.
Ferrosoferric Oxide ; Granuloma ; Immunohistochemistry ; Iron ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Neoplasms ; Macrophages ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nanoparticles ; Rabbits

PURPOSE: An emerging trend in Asian higher education is English-medium instruction (EMI), which uses English as the primary instructional language. EMI prepares domestic students for international leadership; however, students report difficulty in learning, and educators have raised questions concerning the effectiveness of EMI. The flipped learning model (FLM), in which lecture and homework activities for a course are reversed, was applied to an English-medium course offered by a college of nursing in Korea. The aims of this study were to: 1) revise an existing English-medium nursing course using the FLM; 2) explore students' learning experiences and their acceptance of the FLM; and 3) identify key factors in the success of FLM. METHODS: We used a descriptive, cross-sectional, mixed-methods design and the participants were students at one nursing school in Korea. A series of course development meetings with faculties from the nursing school and the center for teaching and learning were used to develop the course format and content. We conducted course evaluations using the Flipped Course Evaluation Questionnaire with open-ended questions and focus group interviews. RESULTS: Students (N=75) in a 15-week nursing course responded to a survey after completing the course. Among them, seven students participated in one of two focus groups. Overall, students accepted and favored the flipped learning strategy, and indicated that the method enhanced lecture content and their understanding of it. Factors associated with effective instruction included structured monitoring systems and motivational environments. CONCLUSION: The FLM requires sufficient preparation to facilitate student motivation and maximize learning outcomes.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Curriculum ; *Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate ; Female ; Focus Groups ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; *Models, Educational ; Republic of Korea ; Students, Nursing/psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Background The benefit of statin use after acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has been well established, however, the influence of the timing of statin administration has not been elucidated. The objective of this study focused on early clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods This analysis of the Korea Working Group on Myocardial Infarction registry (KorMI) study included 3,584 STEMI patients (mean age, 63 ±13 years;male, 2,684, 74.9%) undergoing PCI from January 2008 to June 2009. Rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACE:all-cause death, recurrent MI, and target lesion revascularization) were compared among patients grouped according to statin therapy timing:I, both during and after hospitalization (n=2,653, 74%);II, only during hospita-lization (n=309, 8.6%);III, only after discharge (n=157, 4.4%);and IV, no statin therapy (n=465, 13%). Mean follow-up duration was 234 ± 113 days. Results Multivariate factors of statin use during hospitalization included prior statin use, multiple diseased vessels, final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade III, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. At 6-month follow-up, groups III and IV had the highest MACE rates (2.3%, 3.9%, 5.1%, and 4.9%for groups I-IV, respectively, P=0.004). After adjusting for confounders, groups II-IV had a higher MACE risk than group I [hazard ratio (HR):3.20, 95%confidence interval (95%CI):1.31-7.86, P=0.011;HR:3.84, 95%CI:1.47-10.02, P=0.006;and HR:3.17, 95%CI:1.59-6.40, P=0.001;respectively]. Conclusions This study, based on the national registry database, shows early and continuous statin therapy improvs early outcomes of STEMI patients after PCI in real-world clinical prac-tice.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the compomer cement and resin cement as an orthodontic band cement on zirconia crown.A total of 30 specimens were prepared. Preformed stainless steel crowns and zirconia crowns of upper right second primary molar were used. Orthodontic bands were cemented on stainless steel crowns (Group I, n = 10) and zirconia crowns (Group II, n = 10) with compomer cement. The other bands were cemented on zirconia crowns with resin cement (Group III, n = 10). The tensile loads were applied to band to measure the bond strength.The mean of bond strengths of group I, II and III were 0.79 MPa, 1.09 MPa and 1.56 MPa respectively. Bond strength of group II is significantly higher than group I. There was no significant difference between group II and III.Compomer cement and resin cement containing functional monomers showed favorable bond strength of orthodontic bands.
Crowns ; Molar ; Resin Cements ; Stainless Steel

OBJECTIVES: The effectiveness of social distancing during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been evaluated using the magnitude of changes in population mobility. This study aimed to investigate a direct indicator—namely, the number of close contacts per patient with confirmed COVID-19. METHODS: From week 7, 2020 to week 43, 2021, population movement changes were calculated from the data of two Korean telecommunication companies and Google in accordance with social distancing stringency levels. Data on confirmed cases and their close contacts among residents of Gyeonggi Province, Korea were combined at each stage. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to compare the movement data with the change in the number of contacts for each confirmed case calculated by stratification according to age group. The reference value of the population movement data was set using the value before mid-February 2020, considering each data’s characteristics. RESULTS: In the age group of 18 or younger, the number of close contacts per confirmed case decreased or increased when the stringency level was strengthened or relaxed, respectively. In adults, the correlation was relatively low, with no correlation between the change in the number of close contacts per confirmed case and the change in population movement after the commencement of vaccination for adults. CONCLUSIONS The effectiveness of governmental social distancing policies against COVID-19 can be evaluated using the number of close contacts per confirmed case as a direct indicator, especially for each age group. Such an analysis can facilitate policy changes for specific groups.