BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to discover ways to screen urine culture specimens through Gram stains, urine stick analyses and microscopic examinations for the laboratory cost saving. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-eight urine specimens for culture were included. Fifty uL of urine were inoculated onto one well each of 10-well slide, dried on the hot plate, and Gram-stained. The results combined with routine urinalyses including urine nitrite and leukocyte esterase, and pyuria, were compared with the routine culture results. RESULTS: The screening of bacteriuria by Gram stains, urinalyses and microscopic examinations revealed the high sensitivity (91.9%) and negative predictive value(95.5%) with cost saving of 41.8% of inoculating media. Not considering the Gram stains, the screening revealed 83.8% sensitivity and 92.5% negative predictive value, even if the cost saving of inoculating media were as high as 50.1%. CONCLUSION: It was demonstrated that it was sensitive and economic and produced rapid preliminary results to screen bacteriuria by the Gram stains combined with urinalyses and microscopic examinations.
Bacteriuria ; Coloring Agents ; Cost Savings ; Leukocytes ; Mass Screening* ; Pyuria ; Urinalysis*

Rupture of anterior communicating artery aneurysm is one of the most important casuses of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Subarachnoid hemorrhage due to ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm shows characteristic CT findings, such as forntal hematoma or septum pellucidum hematoma. In some patients with the ruptured aneurysm, direct carotid angiography may be needed. particularly when transfemoral approach is not possible. However, not much have been known about the puncture site selection between the two carotid arteries in relation to the location of hematoma in CT scans. To determine the ideal puncture site of the direct carotid angiography, seventy-five cases of anterior communicating artery aneurysm confirmed by operation from May 1988 to April 1992, were analyzed in terms of relationship between location of hematoma on CT, direction of aneurysm and A1 artery on angiograms. Frontal lobar hematoma was more prevalent than septal hematoma, and was more common on the right side. In cases of lobar hematoma, aneurysm was directed to the ipsilateral side of the hematoma (67%) and was most commonly fed by contralateral A1 artery(75%). Septal bematoma consisted 36% of the cases and among there, midline directed aneurysm was most common, frequently fed by left A1 artery. In conclusion, when performing direct carotid angiography in patients with anterior communicating artery aneurysm, if forntal hematoma is observed on CT, it may be beneficial to puncture contralateral carotid artery. Meanwhile, if hemorrhage of septum pellucidum is observed, it may be better to puncture left carotid artery.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured* ; Angiography ; Arteries* ; Carotid Arteries ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Punctures ; Rupture ; Septum Pellucidum ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The vascular lesions in FK506 nephrotoxicity are similar to cyclosporine A, in which mediators related to vascular constriction and thickening such as endothelin, TGF-beta and PDGF may have some roles. Their expressions may be different in terms of degree and time sequence as well as overlapping ischemia, which made us to perform this experiment. Male Sprague Dawley rats received FK506 daily at a dosage of 2 mg/kg by intramuscular route for 4 weeks at maximum and were sacrificed 3 days, 1, 2 and 4 weeks after the initiation of the study, respectively. The control rats received saline. Renal ischemia was induced by occluding the left renal artery for 45 minutes and rats were sacrificed up to 2 weeks after reperfusion. Kidneys were processed for light microscopy and stained with PAS method and with antibodies against endothelin, TGF-beta and PDGF. The number of juxtaglomerular apparatus(JGA) and arterioles positive for each antibody was counted under light microscope and was expressed as mean +/- S.D per mm2 cortex. In FK506 treated rats, JGA and afferent arterioles were prominent with PAS positive granules, which was extended proximally to interlobular arteries with increased duration of FK506 treatment. With increasing duration, TGF-beta reactivity was increased in afferent arterioles. However, no such results were shown in cases of PDGF and endothelin. Renal ischemia itself increased vascular TGF-beta as well as endothelin and PDGF reactivities. Renal ischemia in FK506 treated rats further upregulated the expression of these markers in a similar distribution. However, the expression of endothelin was mostly found in endothelial cells of peritubular and glomerular capillaries. PAS staining was decreased in ischemic kidneys regardless of FK506 treatment. These results indicate that FK506 toxicity was comparable to CsA toxicity. Since expression levels of endothelin, TGF-beta and PDGF were increased in ischemic kidney, it might be helpful to prevent ischemic damage as well as to hinder secretion of these factors in order to reduce FK506 nephrotoxicity.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Arteries ; Arterioles ; Capillaries ; Constriction ; Cyclosporine ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelins* ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Kidney ; Male ; Microscopy ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Renal Artery ; Reperfusion ; Tacrolimus* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta*

PURPOSE: This study aimed at determining the detection rate of respiratory viruses and at investigating the risk factors associated with respiratory virus detection in young infants. METHODS: From September 2011 to August 2012, nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained from 227 infants aged < or =90 days with suspected infectious diseases, including sepsis. We performed a retrospective analysis of their clinical characteristics. The prevalence of respiratory viruses in their nasopharyngeal swabs was assayed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR). RESULTS: In total, 157 (69.2%) infants had more than one of the following respiratory viruses: respiratory syncytial virus (n=75), rhinovirus (n=42), influenza virus (n=18), parainfluenza virus (n=15), human metapneumovirus (n=9), coronavirus (n=9), adenovirus (n=4), and bocavirus (n=3). During the same period, bacterial infections were confirmed in 24 infants (10.6%). The detection of respiratory viruses was significantly associated with the presence of cough, a family history of respiratory illness, and a seasonal preference (fall/winter). Using logistic regression analysis, these 3 variables were also identified as significant risk factors. During fall and winter, detection of respiratory viruses was significantly higher in infants who did not have a bacterial infection. CONCLUSION: Respiratory virus is an important pathogen in young infants admitted to a hospital, who are suspected with infectious diseases. Detection of respiratory viruses in young infants was associated with seasonality (fall/winter), presence of respiratory symptoms and a family history of respiratory illness.
Adenoviridae ; Bacterial Infections ; Bocavirus ; Communicable Diseases ; Coronavirus ; Cough ; Humans ; Infant* ; Logistic Models ; Metapneumovirus ; Nasopharynx ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; Prevalence ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhinovirus ; Risk Factors* ; Seasons ; Sepsis ; Virus Diseases

No abstract available.
Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal*

Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by diverse anti-cancer drugs or phytochemicals has been closely related with the induction of apoptosis in cancers. Also, the downregulation of ROS by these chemicals has been found to block initiation of carcinogenesis. Therefore, modulation of ROS by phytochemicals emerges as a crucial mechanism to regulate apoptosis in cancer prevention or therapy. This review summarizes the current understanding of the selected chemical compounds and related cellular components that modulate ROS during apoptotic process. Metformin, quercetin, curcumin, vitamin C, and other compounds have been shown to downregulate ROS in the cellular apoptotic process, and some of them even induce apoptosis in cancer cells. The cellular components mediating the downregulation of ROS include nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 antioxidant signaling pathway, thioredoxin, catalase, glutathione, heme oxygenase-1, and uncoupling proteins. The present review provides information on the relationship between these compounds and the cellular components in modulating ROS in apoptotic cancer cells.
Apoptosis* ; Ascorbic Acid ; Carcinogenesis ; Catalase ; Curcumin ; Down-Regulation* ; Glutathione ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; Metformin ; Negotiating ; Phytochemicals ; Quercetin ; Reactive Oxygen Species* ; Thioredoxins

No abstract available.
Axilla* ; Breast* ; Fibroadenoma*

No abstract available.
Blister ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Rhabdomyolysis

No abstract available.
Drug Hypersensitivity ; Isoxazoles

Recently MRI has been shown to be a sensitive and specific study for the noninvasive detection of meniscal tears and several MRI findings of bucket-handle meniscal tears have been reported. Therefore, the MRI findings of the menisci proven to be the bucket-handle tear with arthroscopy were evaluated and the typical MRI findings seen to be the bucket-handle meniscal tear of the knee were analysed. 76 patients with proven bucket-handle meniscal tears arthroscopically were reviewed retrospectively, in which MRI was performed in 24 patients. The 3 typical findings of bucket-handle meniscal tears were assessed: double PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) sign, flipped meniscus sign, and fragment in the intercondylar notch. In 245 cases of meniscus tears, bucket-handle meniscal tears were 76 cases (31.0%) with 52 cases at medial meniscus and 24 cases at lateral meniscus. As to clinical and physical findings of the bucket-handle meniscal tears, McMurray test, locking, joint line tenderness and giving way sense were presented in orders. The sites of bucket-handle meniscal tear were medial meniscus in 17 cases and lateral in 7 cases. The double PCL sign was seen in 10 cases (58.8%) of in medial bucket-handle meniscal tears and in 3 cases (42.9%) of 7 lateral bucket-handle meniscal tears. The flipped meniscus sign were seen in 3 cases (17.6%) of medial bucket-handle meniscal tears and in 3 cases (42.9 %) of lateral bucket-handle meniscal tears. Fragments were identified in the intercondylar notch in 8 cases (47.1%) of medial bucket-handle meniscal tears and in 3 cases (42.9%) of lateral bucket-handle meniscal tears. There were 19 cases (79.2%) in which at least one or more typical findings were presented on MR images. The MRI is a sensitive study for detection of bucket-handle meniscal tears but precise interpretation of MRI is needed for diagnosis of bucket-handle tears. In this respect, the above three typical findings are helpful and reproducible for diagnosis of bucket-handle meniscal tears with MR images; double PCL sign, fragment in the intercondylar notch and flipped meniscus sign.
Arthroscopy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Menisci, Tibial ; Retrospective Studies