BACKGROUND: Through the control of tuberculosis at 22 public health centers under the National Tuberculosis Control Program, this study is purposed to examine the situation of the tuberculous patients and the characteristics of the therapeutic regimens. METHODS: The data was obtained from 8091 medical records of pulmonary tuberculous patients who were registered for treatment at public health center in Seoul during the year of 1993. It was comparatively analysed by the general characteristics(gender, age, chest X-ray findings, sputum results, treatment results, side effects, combined diseases and accompanied extra-pulmonary tuberculosis) according to various regimens of the tuberculosis. RESULTS: The male patients were 5144, the female were 2947. 34.1% of patients were between 21 and 30years of age. Short course regimen was 97.1% and long course regimen was 2.9%. According to chest X-ray findings minimal 53.5%, moderately advanced 41.2%, far advanced 5.3%. Sputum AFB negative was 52.2% and positive was 47.8%. Therapeutic efficiency was high in short course regimen. Among the side effects, dermatologic problems was high and at the regimen of EHRZ side effects were developed highly. Combined diseases were liver diseases(5.2%), DM(4.2%). Accompanied extrapulmonary tuberculosis were pleurisy(5.4% ), superficial lymphadenitis(0.4% ). CONCLUSIONS: There was great effects in the treatment of tuberculosis with short course regimen in the National Tuberculosis Control Program. But only 38% among the expected patients were treated in this country. So the greater efforts were needed to find and treat more patients effectively.
Female ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Medical Records ; Public Health* ; Seoul* ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

Purpose: In 2014, Pusan National University Hospital developed an electronic system for the monitoring and management of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to iodinated contrast media (ICM) and premedication. We analyzed the prevalence of hypersensitivity reactions (HRs) and the effect of premedication after system development. Methods: We analyzed immediate HRs to ICM recorded from January 2015 to September 2018 and the annual incidences were compared. Results: Patients with immediate HRs to ICM were at a mean age of 54.6 ± 14.3 years and 53.8% were female. The overall frequency of HRs was 0.328%. In the classification according to the degree of severity, 87.2% of the cases were mild, 11.0% were moderate, and 1.8% were severe. The ICM most commonly inducing an HR was iomeprol (0.529%), followed by iohexol (0.371%), ioversol (0.359%), iobitridol (0.310%), iopamidol (0.152%), iopromide (0.128%), and iodixanol (0.036%). ICM was readministered to 49.2% of the patients, and immediate HRs recurred in 16.2%. There was no correlation between premedication with an antihistamine and HR recurrence, but premedication with corticosteroids reduced the rate significantly. After development of the electronic monitoring and management system, the HR incidence increased 1.25-fold per year, but most cases were mild and the rate of severe reactions tended to decrease. Conclusion Because ADRs to ICM are difficult to predict, appropriate strategies to prevent their development are needed. A system that documents ADRs to ICM can improve patient management.

We isolated Triton X-100 solubilized protein (TSP) antigen which may be preferentially associated with the cell wall of M. tuberculosis. In this study, the proliferative activities and cytokine mRNA expression patterns of the TSP antigen were investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and lymph node mononuclear cells (LNMCs) from 4 patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis. The results of the TSP antigen were compared with those of the PPD antigen, known as a major seretory protein antigen of M. tuberculosis. The peak proliferative response to the TSP by PBMCs was observed at 0.1 ug/ml, whereas that of LNMCs was at 1.0 ug/ml. All of the patients showed greater blastogenic responses for the PPD than those for the TSP. IFN-r, IL-2, and IL-2Ru mRNA production from PBMCs after stimulation with the TSP were greatly augmented after 48 hrs, whereas IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA were gradually suppressed. In addition, high levels of IL-12 p40 mRNA were detected by PBMCs to the TSP antigen at 3 hrs. Elevated IFN-r and IL-2 mRNA production were observed in freshly isolated LNMCs, whereas IL-4 mRNA production was undetectable in either freshly isolated or mycobacterial antigen-stimulated LNMCs. Furthermore, IL-10 mRNA expression from LNMCs was markedly increased by the PPD antigen, but it was considerably reduced by the TSP antigen after 18 hrs. These data suggest that the TSP antigen may be a strong inducer of cytokine mRNA such as IFN-r, IL-2, and IL-12 which are involved in Thl cell and macrophage activation, and inhibit IL-10 mRNA production in LNMCs. In conclusion, the TSP antigen can be used as a preferential Thl cell immunogen in tuberculous lymphadenitis.
Cell Wall ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Lymph Nodes* ; Macrophage Activation ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Octoxynol ; RNA, Messenger* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node*

Hemodialysis(HD)-associated hypotension is a frequent complication, but it is difficult to manage. Until now, several maneuvers have been tried to prevent the HD-associated hypotension. Of these, the sodium content of dialysate was regarded as an important factor for maintaining blood pressure during HD. In this study, we evaluated the effect of hypertonic dialysate on blood pressure, interdialytic weight gain and the incidence of thirst. The study was done for 6 weeks successively with 3 different groups. Each patient was dialysed with 3 different dialysates for 2 weeks: Group I(Conventional HD: sodium concentration: 137 mEq/L), Group II(Hypertonic HD: 147 mEq/L) and Group III (Sequential HD: from 147 to 140 mEq/L). Hemodynamic parameters(blood pressure, pulse rate and ultrafiltration rate), biochemical parameters(hematocrits, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, osmolality, sodium, potassium, chloride, fasting blood sugar) and complications (interdialytic weight gain &thirsty sensation) were compared among 3 groups. The results were as follows: 1. Decline of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure at the time of a 3 hour check during hemodialysis was lower in the Group II than Group I and III (p=0.002; p=0.012). and decline of diastolic blood pressure at the time of a 4 hour check during hemodialysis was lower in the Group II and III than Group I(p=0.04). 2. ncidence of hypotensive episodes during dialysis was significantly lower in Group II than group I (p=0.0287). 3. The ultrafiltration in Group III at the time of 1 hour, 2 hour and 3 hour check during hemodialysis was higher than that in Group I and II at the time of 1 hour, 2 hour and 3 hour check during emodialysis respectively (p=0.0001; p=0.0001; p=0.0004). 4. Interdialytic weight gain was higher in Group II(3.1+/-0.8) than GroupI(2.8+/-0.8) and III (2.9+/-0.9) (p=0.0422). 5. Hematologic and biochemical results were not significantly different among 3 Groups. 6. Frequency of thirst was different in Group I, II and III, 0.05+/-0.12, 0.41+/-0.24 and 0.22+/-0.29 respectively (p=0.0259). The results suggest that hypertonic HD was effective in preventing HD-associated hypotension but interdialytic weight gain and thirst sensations were increased as compared with a conventional method. In this situation, sequential HD seems to be an alternative method to minimizes the side effect of hypertonic HD.
Blood Pressure* ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Dialysis ; Dialysis Solutions ; Fasting ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence* ; Osmolar Concentration ; Potassium ; Renal Dialysis* ; Sensation ; Sodium ; Thirst* ; Ultrafiltration* ; Weight Gain*

Nobiletin, a polymethoxylated flavonoid found in citrus, has been studied because of its modulatory functions in cellular signaling cascades, and effects to prevent mitochondrial calcium overload and neuronal cell death. Particularly, we previously reported that nobiletin induced changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential through K + channel regulation, suggesting that nobiletin might exert neuroprotective effects via regulating mitochondrial functions associated with the electron transport chain (ETC) system. This study investigated whether nobiletin regulated mitochondrial dysfunction mediated by ETC system downregulation by inhibiting complex I (CI) and complex III (CIII) in pure mitochondria and the cortical neurons of rats. The results showed that nobiletin significantly reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, inhibited apoptotic signaling, enhanced ATP production and then restored neuronal viability under conditions of CI inhibition, but not CIII inhibition.These effects were attributed to the downregulation of translocation of apoptosis-induced factor (AIF), and the upregulation of CI activity and the expression of antioxidant enzymes such as Nrf2 and HO-1. Together with our previous study, these results indicate that the neuroprotective effects of nobiletin under mitochondrial dysfunction may be associated with its function to activate antioxidant signaling cascades. Our findings suggest the possibility that nobiletin has therapeutic potential in treating oxidative neurological and neurodegenerative diseases mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction.

Water gets magnetically charged when it is contacted with a magnet. Although magnetic water products have been promoted since the 1930's, they have received very little recognition due to questionable effectiveness. Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) is a widely occurring nitrosamine that is one of the most important environmental carcinogens primarily inducing tumors of liver. In this study, the effect of magnetized water supplementation on lymphocyte DNA damage in ICR mice treated with DEN was evaluated using the Comet assay. Mice were divided into 3 groups: control, DEN, and DEN + magnetized water group. Fifteen mice were maintained in each group for the entire experimental period of 6, 12 and 18 weeks. Five mice in each group were sacrificed at 6, 12, and 18th weeks, followed by the Comet assay using the blood obtained from heart puncture of the mice. The level of lymphocyte DNA damage reflected by tail moment and other DNA damage indices of tail DNA (%) or tail length of the magnetized water group were significantly decreased after the 6th, 12th and 18th weeks of supplementation compared with the positive control, the DEN group. The relative DNA damage of the magnetized water groups compared to the DEN control group after 6th, 12th, and 18th weeks of supplementation were 42.2%, 40.8%, and 32.9% for DNA in tail, 31.2%, 32.6%, and 21.3% for tail length, and 33.8%, 33.8%, and 24.6% for tail moment, respectively. This is the first report demonstrating that magnetized water may be involved in the lowering effect of the DNA damage in DEN-treated ICR mice. This result suggests that the magnetized water might have minimized the DNA damage by improving the antioxidant status of the mice. However, further studies are needed to characterize the condition of the magnetization and examine the long-term effect of the water product.
Animals ; Carcinogens, Environmental ; Comet Assay ; Diethylnitrosamine ; DNA ; DNA Damage ; Heart ; Liver ; Lymphocytes ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Punctures ; Water

PURPOSE: Microdeletion of chromosome 22q11.2 are associated with DiGeorge syndrome(DGS), velocardiofacial syndrome(VCFS) and conotruncal anornaly face syndrome(CTAFS). DGS was originally described as an irnmunodeficiency disorder secondary to impaired T cell production due to thymic aplasia or hypoplasia. But the frequency E: severity of immunodeficiency of other clinical syndromes associated with the chromosome 22qll deletion has not been investigated. This study was undertaken to investigate the frequency and severity of immunodeficiency, the relation- ship of the immunodeficiency to clinical phenotypes, and the change of immunologic status with age in CATCH 22 syndromes patients. METHODS: Sixteen patients with CATCH 22 syndrome with characteristic clinical phenotype and chromosome 22qll deletion were studied. Hurnoral and cellular irnmunities were examined by measuring serurn IgG, IgA, IgM level and by T cell subset through flow cytometry and lymphocyte proliferation test by common T cell mitogens respectively. RESULTS: 69Zo of patients with CATCH 22 syndrome were found to have evidence of immunocompromise. The severity of the immunodeficiency did not correlate with any particular phenotypic features nor was it restricted to patients who were categorized as having DiGeorge syndrome. The severity of immunodeficiency tended to be normalized with age. CONCLUSION: The presence of the immunocompromise is common and its severity cannot be predicted based on the clinical phenotype of CATCH 22 syndrome. Therefore, each child with CATCH 22 syndromes regardless of clinical phenotype should be extensively assessed for earlier detection of subclinical immunodeficiency.
Child ; DiGeorge Syndrome ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Lymphocytes ; Mitogens ; Phenotype ; Ships ; T-Lymphocytes

PURPOSE: In this study, the etiology and the change of clinical characteristics of hyponatremia, in relation to the increased used of thiazide diuretics, have been assessed. METHODS: To perform a retrospective cohort study, a total sum of 322 patients who have been admitted in a single tertiary referral hospital between 2004 and 2009, were included. RESULTS: The most common cause of hyponatremia was due to thiazide diuretics (37.6%). Among the 121 patients who suffered from thiazide induced hyponatremia, 60 (48.0%) patients took combination thiazide. The incidence of hyponatremia has shown a tendency to increase from 2004 to 2009 (trend test, p<0.001). The incidence of hyponatremia due to the use of combination types has also increased (trend test, p<0.001). Thiazide induced hyponatremia showed no difference when compared to hyponatremia due the other causes, except the fact that the portion of female patients was higher (73.6% vs 64.6%, p<0.001), mean age was older (74.7 vs 69.9 years-old, p<0.001), and incidence of cerebrovascular accident was also higher (19.8% vs 6.5%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The use of thiazide is increasing and hence thiazide-induced hyponatremia is also increasing. This is thought to be particularly related to the increase of thiazide-combined drugs. Thiazideinduced hyponatremia shows a higher incidence in old age, female sex and those who have a history of a cerebrovascular event. Hence more caution is needed when using thiazide diuretics as antihypertensives, and plasma sodium levels should be monitored carefully.
Antihypertensive Agents ; Cohort Studies ; Diuretics ; Female ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Incidence ; Plasma ; Retrospective Studies ; Sodium ; Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors ; Stroke ; Tertiary Care Centers

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine whether gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist treatment is effective in preserving final height in patients with central precocious puberty (CPP) or early puberty (EP). Methods: The medical records of 40 patients with CPP and 206 patients with EP who completed GnRH agonist treatment following diagnosis were analyzed retrospectively. Height and height standard deviation (height SDS) scores based on bone age (BA) were measured and calculated at baseline, after treatment completion, and at final follow-up to compare changes within and between groups. Predicted adult height (PAH) was estimated by the height corresponding to height SDS for BA in girls at 18 years 11 months of age based on the growth chart. Results: PAH at baseline did not differ significantly between the CPP group (153.67±4.95) and the EP group (154.77±3.72). In the CPP group, PAH significantly increased at treatment completion (156.01±4.61) and at final follow-up (158.52±6.04) compared to baseline. In the EP group, PAH significantly increased at treatment completion (157.7±3.60) and at final follow-up (159.31±4.26) compared to baseline. The increase in PAH at all timepoints compared to baseline did not significantly differ between the CPP and EP groups. Conclusion Both CPP and EP groups had significantly greater PAH after treatment, with no difference in the amount of increase between groups. These results show that GnRH agonist treatment can help increase final height even in patients diagnosed with EP after the age of 8 years.

Objective: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is known to share characteristics with a variety of personality disorders (PDs) and exhibits diverse patterns of defense mechanisms. To enhance our understanding of BPD, it’s crucial to shift our focus from traditional categorical diagnostics to the dimensional traits shared with other PDs, as the borderline personality organization (BPO) model suggests. This approach illuminates the nuanced spectrum of BPD characteristics, offering deeper insights into its complexity. While studies have investigated the comorbidity of BPD with other PDs, research exploring the relationship between various personality factors and defense mechanisms within BPD itself has been scarce. The present study was undertaken to investigate the complex interrelationships between various personality factors and defense styles in individuals diagnosed with BPD. Methods: Using a network analysis approach, data from 227 patients diagnosed with BPD were examined using the Defense Style Questionnaire and Personality Disorder Questionnaire-4+ for assessment. Results: Intricate connections were observed between personality factors and defense styles. Significant associations were identified between various personality factors and defense styles, with immature defense styles, such as maladaptive and image-distorting being particularly prominent in BPD in the centrality analysis. The maladaptive defense style had the highest expected influence centrality. Furthermore, the schizotypal, dependent, and narcissistic personality factors demonstrated relatively high centrality within the network. Conclusion Network analysis can effectively delineate the complexity of various PDs and defense styles. These findings are expected to facilitate a deeper understanding of why BPD exhibits various levels of organization and presents with heterogeneous characteristics, consistent with the perspectives proposed by the BPO.