No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

Studies were conducted to determine the ecology of the snail, Parafossarulus manchouricus, the seasonal variation of the snail population, and the infestation rates of these snails with the cercariae of digenetic trematodes, in the snail habitat of river Kumho, in Dongchon of Taegu city, in Kyungpook Province, Korea, from 1975 to 1979. The earliest time the snails were found was early in April every year. At that time the water temperature ranged from 13 to 14 degrees C. The population density of snails ranged from 2 to 8 per square meter. The highest population density of snails was encountered in late June and the water temperature was between 24 and 26 degrees C. The snails disappeared in early and mid-November, when the water temperature dropped to 10-13 degrees C. The average snail population in June was 115.9 per square meter in 1975 but in 1976 dropped abruptly to 30.5 and remained at approximately the same level in 1977. It then decreased at considerably lower rates, with the average of 18.7 in 1978 and 14.5 in 1979. The snails collected in the habitat were examined for the presence of cercariae of digenetic trematodes. Of these, four species, Clonorchis sinensis, Cyathocotyle orientalis, Exorchis oviformis, and Loxogenes liberum were found. The most frequently liberated cercaria was L. liberum 43.3 per cent, followed by E. oviformis 6.2 per cent and C. orientalis 1.5 per cent. The least frequently liberated was C. sinensis 0.1 per cent. In the monthly liberation rates for larval trematodes, the higher rates were observed in June, July and August every year, and the cercarial rates for Clonorchis sinensis, Cyathocotyle orientails and Exorchis oviformis demonstrate a fairly consistently fluctuating downward trend over the five-year period, except for Loxogenes liberum. Summarizing the results, this study indicated that the population density of snails in the habitat and the infection of the snail with the cercariae of digenetic trematodes has decreased over the five-year period from 1975 to 1979.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Parafossarulus manchouricus ; Cyathocotyle orientalis ; Exorchis oviformis ; Loxogenes liberum ; epidemiology ; cercaria

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pneumonia(CAP) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recently, the evolution of drug-resistant microorganisms has become a serious problem in CAP management. Specific antimicrobial therapy is the cornerstone of CAP management. However, obtaining an accurate etiologic diagnosis clinically is not easy and empirical antimicrobial treatment is usually administered prior to the correct microbiologic diagnosis. In this study, the clinical usefulness of empirical CAP treatment was investigated. METHODS: A total 35 cases were studied prospectively over a 16-month period in Mokpo Catholic Hospital from Dec. 1995 to Mar. 1997. The microbiologic diagnosis was made by sputum, blood culture, a specific serum antibody test and an immunologic study. RESULTS: The causative organisms were isolated in 10 (30%) out of 33 cases: 8 cases and 1 case on the sputum culture and blood culture respectively, and 1 case by an indirect hemagglutinin test. 12 cases had underlying diseases: pulmonary tuberculosis 4, alcoholism 4, diabetes mellitus 3, and liver cirrhosis 1. Antimicrobial treatment was given empirically and all cases recovered. CONCLUSION: A definite microbiologic diagnosis before commencing the appropriate treatment in CAP is not straightforward. Empirical therapy according to a clinical assessment is important and helpful. However, every effort to make the correct etiologic diagnosis should be taken.
Alcoholism ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Hemagglutinins ; Jeollanam-do* ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Mortality ; Pneumonia* ; Prospective Studies ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

This study was designed to investigate effectiveness of fragmentation during lithotripsy using 103 intrahepatic stones collected from 10 patients. Who had previously undergone biliary surgery. The size of each stones was measured and sonography was performed for the evaluation of the sonographic type of the stones. In vitro lithotripsy was performed on individual stones using piezoelectric lithotriptor to evaluate the fragmentation rate and average number of shock waves for fragmentation. Chemical analysis of each stone was done to determine chemical composition including calcium, bilirubin, and cholesterol. The size of the stones was from 5mm to 20 mm in diameter. Sonographic type I(echo of whole stone with posterior acoustic shadow) was 68, and type II(are-like strong surface echo of stone with clear posterior acoustic shadow) was 35 in number. The majority(78%) of stones I group 1 (5-9mm in diameter) showed sonographic type I characteristics, and 62% of stones in group 3(larger than 15mm in diameter) showed sonographic type Ii characteristics. There was a positive correlation between the size and sonographic type of stones. Fragmentation rates of stones were 100% in group 1. 71.9% in group 2 (10-15 mm in diameter), 43.8% in group 3. Respectively. Fragmentation rates of stones with sonographic type I and II were 91.2%, 65.7%. respectively. The average number of shock waves for partial and complete fragmentation was 2753±4937 and 6219±10133. Respectively. There was a positive correlation between the number of shock waves for fragmentation and diameter of stones (r=0.618. p<0.05). There was no correlation between the number of shock waves for fragmentation and chemical composition of stones. In conclusion, the most important variable determining the degree of fragmentation of intrahepatic stones using ESWL is not their chemical composition but their size and sonographic characteristics.
Acoustics ; Bilirubin ; Calcium ; Cholesterol ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Lithotripsy* ; Shock* ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: There have been a lot of methods that prevent catatrophic airway fires during laser surgery, but none of them can protect endotracheal tube cuff exposed directly to laser beam. This study was performed to know the preventive effect of viscous lidocaine-filled cuffs on laser-induced combustion, and to know how long we can maintain positive pressure ventilation if laser beam broke out cuff perforation. METHODS: Transparent acrylic trachea attached to artificaial lung was intubated with 8.0 ID polyvinylchloride endotracheal tube. Cuff was filled with 8ml of saline or saline and viscous lidocaine mixture with 2:1 or 4:1 ratio. Positive pressure ventilation with air in tidal volume of 500 ml was begun. The laser output was set to 10 watt/sec in the continuous mode with beam diameter of 1 mm. Laser beam was directed perpendicularly at the part of the cuff protruding between endotracheal tube shaft and acrylic trachea, and laser emission was continued until the cuff was perforated or combusted. RESULTS: There was no case of laser-induced fires. After the perforation of cuff, the tidal volume was slowly decreased in 2:1 mixture of saline and viscous lidocaine filled cuff compared to others (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: 2:1 mixture of saline and viscous lidocaine may be used as an efficient inflating material of endotracheal tube cuffs on laser airway surgery.
Fires* ; Laser Therapy ; Lidocaine ; Lung ; Polyvinyl Chloride* ; Polyvinyls* ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Tidal Volume* ; Trachea

BACKGROUNDS AND OBJECTIVES: The direction of caloric nystagmus depends on the head position as long as vestibular function is remaining but the it does not depend on head position change in the lateral semicircular canal (SCC) plugged ear, which is attributed to thermoconvection in the lateral SCC. So determination of head position dependency using ice water test is recommended in the evaluation of peripheral vestibulopathy in which dead labyrinth is suspected. Since ice water test in prone position is frequently skipped and neglected in many vestibular laboratories, we investigated the importance and necessity of evaluating head position dependency for the candidates of ice water test and estimated the amount of head position non-dependent component in discussion. MATERIALS AND METHOD: From January through September 2003, 25 patients, who showed no nystagmus during warm irrigation, were included in this study. Following forty milliliter of ice water irrigation in supine & prone position, the maximum slow phase eye velocity (SPEV) and direction of nystagmus were assessed using video nystagmography system. RESULT: Eleven cases showed head-position dependency and were interpreted as hypofunction of lateral SCC. Fourteen cases did not show head position dependency suggesting the absence of end organ function. However, in the latter group, 6 patients, who showed definite nystagmus to ice water irrigation in supine position, can be midinterpreted as hypofunction if ice water test in prone position is not performed. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of head position dependency in ice water irrigation is an important procedure in the determination of lateral SCC function and can provide valuable information when vestibular ablative procedures are considered.
Caloric Tests ; Convection ; Ear ; Ear, Inner ; Head* ; Humans ; Ice* ; Nystagmus, Physiologic ; Prone Position ; Semicircular Canals ; Supine Position ; Water*

In Korea, Clonorchis sinensis infection is still highly prevalent because case detection in the field is difficult and the detected cases used to be incompletely cured due to treatment failure. The present study tried to control clonorchiasis in an endemic village by repeated treatments with praziquantel every 6 months and to evaluate sonography as a diagnostic measure. By stool examinations, the egg positive rate in the endemic village was 22.7%, but it decreased to 19.6% at 6 months, 15.1% at 12 months. 12.2% at 18 months, 6.3% at 24 months, 11.4% at 30 months, and 6.3% at 42 months after the beginning of repeated praziquantel administration. The sonography showed 61 (49.6%) positive cases of 123 screened residents: among egg-positives the sonography positive rate was 52.2% and among egg-negatives it was still 49%. The rate among cured cases was 64.3% after 6 months, 50.0% after 12 months, 50.0% after 18 months, and 66.7% after 24 months. In a non-endemic village, 64 residents were found egg-negative by fecal examination, but 20 (31.3%) of them were positive by sonography. The present findings indicate that control of clonorchiasis in an endemic village by repeated praziquantel treatment for 42 months is still insufficient and sonography is of little value for diagnosis of clonorchiasis.
Animal ; Antiplatyhelmintic Agents/administration & dosage* ; Clonorchiasis/ultrasonography* ; Clonorchiasis/prevention & control ; Clonorchiasis/epidemiology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Parasite Egg Count ; Praziquantel/administration & dosage* ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Treatment Failure

Microangiography is a very effective method in evaluating morphological changes of small vessels not onlybecause it shows subtle changes in microvasculature but also shows whole length of the vessels. Reccently many experimental studies on microagniography of normal and injured tissues are reported, but there's no report on microangiography of artificially induced cancer tissue. Authors artificially induced breast carinoma in rats withintravenous infusion of carcinogenic substance, N-methyl-N-Nitrosourea, and microangiography was done to evaluate vascularity and morphological changes of vessels of the cancer tissue. The results are as follows; 1.Distribtution of the tumor vessels showed tendency to form bolules. 2. Overall tumor vascularity was slightly hypervascular. 3. Variable sized, parallell arraged, tumor vessels surrounded the boundary of the lobules whilemore small vessels invaginated to the center of lobules in tortuous or straight fashion. 4. In overall, peripherayof the lobule was more vascular than center. 5. There was no evidence of cental tumor necrosis, and findings of extravasation of dye or venous lake formation were minimal. 6. Pathologically, the tumor tissue was well differentiated adenocarcinoma with tendency of lobule formation.
Adenocarcinoma ; Animals ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Lakes ; Methods ; Methylnitrosourea ; Microvessels ; Necrosis ; Rats

Salivary gland choristoma (ectopic or heterotopic salivary gland tissue) is a rare condition that occurs in various locations within the head and neck regions. A choristoma is a non-neoplastic proliferation of histologically normal tissue that forms at an abnormal site. It appears to be a developmental abnormality and may be associated with abnormalities of adjacent structures. Salivary gland choristoma in the middle ear usually occurs with unilateral conductive hearing loss and requires a differential diagnosis from other mass lesions in the middle ear cavity. Because the lesions commonly involve the facial nerve, intraoperative facial nerve monitoring is helpful for allowing safe biopsy without facial nerve damage. We present two cases of salivary gland choristoma in the middle ear with a review of the literature.
Biopsy ; Choristoma* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Ear, Middle* ; Facial Nerve ; Head ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; Neck ; Salivary Glands*