Serum is free of cellular components. Because DNA is located in the nuclei or mitochondria of cells, serum could be assumed DNA free. Few previously published case reports to date have used serum for DNA typing. Here, we report on human genotyping via short tandem repeat (STR) analysis using serum as a sample, and discuss problems involved in the process.
DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats* ; Mitochondria

Background: The absence of effective antiviral medications and vaccines increased the focus on non-pharmaceutical preventive behaviors for mitigating against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To examine the current status of non-pharmaceutical preventive behaviors practiced during the COVID-19 outbreak and factors affecting behavioral activities, we compared to the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak in Korea. Methods: This was a serial cross-sectional population-based study in Korea with four surveys conducted on June 2 and 25, 2015 (MERS-CoV surveys), and February 4, and April 2, 2020 (COVID-19 surveys). Of 25,711 participants selected using random digit dialing numbers, 4,011 participants (aged ≥ 18 years) were successfully interviewed, for the 2020 COVID-19 (n = 2,002) and 2015 MERS-CoV (n = 2,009) epidemics were included. Participants were selected post-stratification by sex, age, and province. The total number of weighted cases in this survey equaled the total number of unweighted cases at the national level. We measured the levels of preventive behaviors (social distancing [avoiding physical contact with others]), and practicing transmission-reducing behaviors such as wearing face mask and handwashing. Results: Between the surveys, respondents who reported practicing social distancing increased from 41.9%–58.2% (MERS-CoV) to 83.4%–92.3% (COVID-19). The response rate for the four surveys ranged between 13.7% and 17.7%. Practicing transmission-reducing behaviors (wearing face masks and handwashing) at least once during COVID-19 (78.8%, 80.2%) also increased compared to that during MERS-CoV (15.5%, 60.3%). The higher affective risk perception groups were more likely to practice transmission-reducing measures (adjusted odds ratio, 3.24–4.81; 95 confidence interval, 1.76–6.96) during both COVID-19 and MERS-CoV. Conclusion The study findings suggest markedly increased proportions of non-pharmaceutical behavioral practices evenly across all subgroups during the two different novel virus outbreaks in Korea. Strategic interventions are needed to attempt based on preventive behavior works.

It is very important for the anesthesiologists to manage this kind of patient during anesthesia because of severe hemodynamic change that is induced by aortic clamping and declamping, and its secondary effect on visce, heart and spinal cord, etc. To minimize the sudden severe hemodynamic change, we used the following agents and techniques in this clinical report. 1) Ethrane anesthesia with intermittent Innovar administration to minimize cardiac irritability. 2) To prevent secondary damage by distal hypotension during aortic clamping and declamping. 1. slight overhydration. 2. mannitol. 3. diuretics. 3) To prevent secondary damage by proximal hypertension during aortic clamping. 1. d-tubocurarine for muscle relaxation. 2. Morphine. 3. Chlorpromazine. 4. phentolamine. More over, we recommend this kind of anesthetic method in some other surgeries such as coarctation of aorta, aortic aneuryam and pheochromocytoma, etc. which may exhibit severe hemodynamic change during anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Aortic Coarctation ; Chlorpromazine ; Constriction ; Diuretics ; Enflurane ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Renovascular* ; Hypotension ; Mannitol ; Morphine ; Muscle Relaxation ; Phentolamine ; Pheochromocytoma ; Spinal Cord ; Tubocurarine

No abstract available.
Forearm* ; Humerus*

An extended-release (ER) fixed-dose combination (FDC) of tramadol 37.5 mg/acetaminophen 325 mg was developed due to the demand for varying dosages. This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PKs) for two tablets of the new developed tramadol 37.5 mg/acetaminophen 325 mg ER FDC (DW-0920, Wontran Semi ER®) as test formulation compared to one tablet of the tramadol 75 mg/acetaminophen 650 mg ER FDC (DW-0919, Wontran ER®) as reference formulation. A randomized, open-label, 2-way crossover study was conducted in 30 healthy subjects. Subjects were orally administered one of 2 formulations followed by an alternate formulation with a 7-day washout period. Blood samples were collected up to 36 hours post-dose. Plasma concentrations of tramadol and acetaminophen were determined using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric method. The geometric mean ratios (GMRs) and their 90% confidence intervals (90% CIs) of test formulation to reference formulation were calculated for the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve from zero to the last measurable time point (AUClast). The PK profiles of 2 formulations were comparable. The GMRs (90% CI) of Cmax and AUClast for tramadol were 1.086 (1.047–1.127) and 1.008 (0.975–1.042), respectively. The corresponding values for acetaminophen were 0.956 (0.897–1.019) and 0.986 (0.961–1.011), respectively. All the values were within the bioequivalence range of 0.80–1.25. Two tablets of DW-0920 were comparable to one tablet of DW-0919. The DW-0920 may be used for optimal pharmacotherapy for pain control with a lower dose.

Cardiac arrest (CA) in children is associated with high mortality rates. In Korea, cohort studies regarding the outcomes of pediatric CAs are lacking, especially in emergency departments (EDs) or in-hospital settings. This study was conducted to examine the trends in epidemiology and survival outcomes in children with resuscitation-attempted CAs using data from a cross-sectional, national, ED-based clinical registry. We extracted cases in which cardiopulmonary resuscitation and/or manual defibrillation were performed according to treatment codes using the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) from 2008 to 2012. The total number of ED visits registered in the NEDIS during the 5-yr evaluation period was 20,424,530; among these, there were 2,970 resuscitation-attempted CAs in children. The annual rates of pediatric CAs per 1,000 ED visits showed an upward trend from 2.81 in 2009 to 3.62 in 2012 (P for trend = 0.045). The median number of estimated pediatric CAs at each ED was 7.8 (25th to 75th percentile, 4 to 13) per year. The overall rates for admission survival and discharge survival were 35.2% and 12.8%, respectively. The survival outcome of adults increased substantially over the past 5 yr (11.8% in 2008, 11.7% in 2010, and 13.6% in 2012; P for trend = 0.001); however, the results for children did not improve (13.6% in 2008, 11.4% in 2010, and 13.7% in 2012; P for trend = 0.870). Conclusively, we found that the overall incidence of pediatric CAs in EDs increased substantially over the past 5 yr, but without significantly higher survival outcomes.
Adolescent ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/*mortality ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Emergency Service, Hospital/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Heart Arrest/*epidemiology/*prevention & control ; *Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; *Registries ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Giant fusiform aneurysms at the basilar trunk tend to have a poor natural history and surgical management for these aneurysms remains controversial. For these aneurysms, basilar trunk occlusion with endovascular coiling is difficult when the collateral supply from the carotid circulation is relatively poor. Interestingly, we herein present a successfully treated case of a partially thrombosed giant fusiform aneurysm at the basilar trunk with relatively poor collateral supply using endovascular coil occlusion following bypass surgery (superficial temporal artery-radial artery-superior cerebellar artery anastomosis).
Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Natural History

BACKGROUND: Transtracheal jet ventilation (TTJV) with a large-bore angiocath that is inserted through the cricothyroid membrane can provide immediate oxygenation from a high pressure-oxygen wall outlet, as well as ventilation by means of manual triggering. However, there is widespread agreement that TTJV with a high pressure oxygen system may induce numerous complications including tracheal hemorrhage/ulceration, subcutaneous/mediastinal emphysema, and barotrauma resulting in a pneumothorax. The goal of this study was to highlight the potential effectiveness of a TTJ-ventilator with an oxygen supply pressure lower than 50 psig for proper oxygenation and ventilation avoiding the possibility of complications from a high pressure oxygen supply system. METHODS: Five mongrel dogs were intubated, paralyzed with vecuronium, and mechanically ventilated with enflurane in air maintaining the PaCO2 at 35 - 40 mmHg. A 16 G IV catheter was inserted percutaneously into the trachea below the tip of the endotracheal tube. We measured the injection volumes, entrained air volumes, and peak inflation pressures according to the changes of oxygen supply pressure (10 to 50 psig) with a fixed injection time (1 second). In addition, we evaluated the oxygenation effects of TTJV at 15 breaths per minute and an I : E 1 : 3 on 20 psig of oxygen supply pressure in hypoxic dogs. RESULTS: A 16 G angiocath provided the injected volumes from 139 ml to 595 ml according to the changes of oxygen pressure from 10 to 50 psig. The entrained air volumes were 6.7 48% of total inspirated volumes. The PaO2 was elevated over 300 mmHg and the PaCO2 was reduced to 45 mmHg within 1 minute of TTJV in hypoxic dogs. CONCLUSIONS: A TTJV system equipped with a time-controller and pressure-regulator can provide enough tidal volume to maintain oxygenation, and could minimize the volu/barotrauma of a conventional TTJV.
Animals ; Barotrauma ; Catheters ; Dogs ; Emphysema ; Enflurane ; Inflation, Economic ; Membranes ; Oxygen ; Pneumothorax ; Tidal Volume ; Trachea ; Vecuronium Bromide ; Ventilation ; Ventilators, Mechanical*

Transurethral resection has been the gold standard in the operative management of benign prostatic hyperplasia and bladder tumor; however, it is associated with several complications that may cause patient discomfort. We evaluated the usefulness of continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine on emergence agitation, hemodynamic status, and recovery profiles in patients undergoing elective surgery by a randomized clinical trial. Sixty patients aged 30 to 80 yr who were scheduled for elective transurethral resection under general anesthesia were included in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups (control group, group C; dexmedetomidine group, group D). A total of 60 male patients were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to group C (n=30) or group D (n=30). The quality of emergence in group D was marked by a significantly lower incidence of emergence agitation than in group C (P=0.015). Patients in group D therefore felt less discomfort induced by the indwelling Foley catheter than those in group C (P=0.022). No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to side effects including bradycardia (P=0.085), hypotension (P=0.640), and postoperative nausea and vomiting (P=0.389). Our study showed that intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion effectively reduced the incidence and intensity of emergence agitation and catheter-induced bladder discomfort without delaying recovery time and discharge time, thus providing smooth emergence during the recovery period in patients undergoing transurethral resection (Clinical Trial Registry No. KT0001683).
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia/etiology ; Dexmedetomidine/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Hypotension/etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nausea/etiology ; Prostatic Hyperplasia/*surgery ; Psychomotor Agitation/*drug therapy ; *Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Vomiting/etiology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic ultrasound elastography (EUS-EG) has been widely used for the evaluation of pancreatic cancer in the Western world. To date, there is very little experience with EUS-EG in Korea. We described the results of comparison between normal pancreas and pancreatic cancer in Korea. METHODS: The present study was performed at a tertiary hospital on 35 subjects comprising 20 with normal pancreas (control group) and 15 with pancreatic cancer (disease group). We compared the EUS-EG performance of the two groups. RESULTS: The pancreas in the control group showed a mean elasticity value of 0.53% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45 to 0.61). The elasticity value was higher than that previously reported from Western country (0.47%; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.57). In the disease group, the mean elasticity value of pancreatic lesions was 0.02% (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.02). The mean elasticity value of the disease group was significantly lower than that of the control group (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: EUS-EG could be a highly sensitive diagnostic modality for pancreatic cancer in Korea with little EUS-EG experience. We also provided the reference range of elasticity value of normal pancreas, which might be valuable in the interpretation of pancreatic elasticity data for Korean adults.
Adult ; Elasticity ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Endosonography ; Humans ; Korea ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Reference Values ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Western World