No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Polycystic Kidney Diseases*

Purpose: To describe pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases after the reopening of schools in the Republic of Korea and their transmission routes. Methods: All case report forms and epidemiologic investigation forms for children aged 3–18 years reported as COVID-19 cases to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System from May 1 to July 12, 2020, were reviewed. Results: After the schools were reopened in May 2020, a total of 127 pediatric COVID-19 cases were confirmed until July 12. Of these, 59 children (46%) were exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 through family and relatives, followed by 18 children (14%) through cram schools or private lessons, 8 children (6%) through multi-use facilities, and 3 children (2%) through school. Conclusions The present data do not suggest an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission in the context of stringent school-based infection prevention measures introduced across the country.

Purpose: To describe pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases after the reopening of schools in the Republic of Korea and their transmission routes. Methods: All case report forms and epidemiologic investigation forms for children aged 3–18 years reported as COVID-19 cases to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System from May 1 to July 12, 2020, were reviewed. Results: After the schools were reopened in May 2020, a total of 127 pediatric COVID-19 cases were confirmed until July 12. Of these, 59 children (46%) were exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 through family and relatives, followed by 18 children (14%) through cram schools or private lessons, 8 children (6%) through multi-use facilities, and 3 children (2%) through school. Conclusions The present data do not suggest an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission in the context of stringent school-based infection prevention measures introduced across the country.

This study examined the job satisfaction of nutritionists, and its effect on organizational commitment andturnover intention in public health centers. The response data of 174 nutritionists were analyzed. The overallaverage of job satisfaction was 3.94 out of 7 points, which was determined to be below ‘normal’; however, thejob suitability of sub-factors scored 5.26, which was more than ‘normal’. The variables affecting job satisfactionthat were provided by the respondents included job-related licenses (P＜0.01) and co-nutritionists (P＜0.01).Organizational commitment ranked ‘normal’ with a score of 4.35. Normative commitment (4.90) of thesub-factors was ‘normal’ or more, and differed when considering ‘age’ (P＜0.01), ‘employment status’ (P＜0.01),‘salary per year’ (P＜0.05), and ‘working area’ (P＜0.05). The turnover intention was analyzed to be below‘normal’ with 3.88 points, and the variables affecting turnover were significantly higher for subjects in their20s (P＜0.01), less than two job-related licenses (P＜0.05), and less than two co-nutritionists (P＜0.01). Thefour variables of job satisfaction, ‘business discretion’ (P＜0.05), ‘work environment’ (P＜0.01), ‘job suitability’(P＜0.01), and ‘reward’ (P＜0.01), positively affected the organizational commitment. Moreover, organizationalcommitment had a mediating effect (P＜0.01) on job satisfaction and turnover intention. Taken together, ourresults suggest that public health centers need to develop improvement plans for business discretion, workenvironment, job suitability and reward.

Objective: To investigate the clinical feasibility of synthetic diffusion-weighted imaging (sDWI) at different b-values in patientswith breast cancer by assessing the diagnostic image quality and the quantitative measurements compared with conventionaldiffusion-weighted imaging (cDWI). Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with breast cancer were assessed using cDWI at b-values of 800 and 1500 s/mm2 (cDWI800and cDWI1500) and sDWI at b-values of 1000 and 1500 s/mm2 (sDWI1000 and sDWI1500). Qualitative analysis (normal glandulartissue suppression, overall image quality, and lesion conspicuity) was performed using a 4-point Likert-scale for all DWI setsand the cancer detection rate (CDR) was calculated. We also evaluated cancer-to-parenchyma contrast ratios for each DWI setin 45 patients with the lesion identified on any of the DWI sets. Statistical comparisons were performed using Friedman test,one-way analysis of variance, and Cochran’s Q test. Results: All parameters of qualitative analysis, cancer-to-parenchyma contrast ratios, and CDR increased with increasingb-values, regardless of the type of imaging (synthetic or conventional) (p< 0.001). Additionally, sDWI1500 provided better lesionconspicuity than cDWI1500 (3.52 ± 0.92 vs. 3.39 ± 0.90, p< 0.05). Although cDWI1500 showed better normal glandular tissuesuppression and overall image quality than sDWI1500 (3.66 ± 0.78 and 3.73 ± 0.62 vs. 3.32 ± 0.90 and 3.35 ± 0.81, respectively;p< 0.05), there was no significant difference in their CDR (90.0%). Cancer-to-parenchyma contrast ratios were greater insDWI1500 than in cDWI1500 (0.63 ± 0.17 vs. 0.55 ± 0.18, p< 0.001). Conclusion sDWI1500 can be feasible for evaluating breast cancers in clinical practice. It provides higher tumor conspicuity,better cancer-to-parenchyma contrast ratio, and comparable CDR when compared with cDWI1500.

Objectives: The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency promotes vaccination by regularly providing information on its benefits for reducing the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to analyze the number of averted severe COVID-19 cases and COVID-19-related deaths by age group and quantify the impact of Republic of Korea’s nationwide vaccination campaign. Methods: We analyzed an integrated database from the beginning of the vaccination campaign on February 26, 2021 to October 15, 2022. We estimated the cumulative number of severe cases and COVID-19-related deaths over time by comparing observed and estimated cases among unvaccinated and vaccinated groups using statistical modeling. We compared daily age-adjusted rates of severe cases and deaths in the unvaccinated group to those in the vaccinated group and calculated the susceptible population and proportion of vaccinated people by age. Results: There were 23,793 severe cases and 25,441 deaths related to COVID-19. We estimated that 119,579 (95% confidence interval [CI], 118,901–120,257) severe COVID-19 cases and 137,636 (95% CI, 136,909–138,363) COVID-19-related deaths would have occurred if vaccination had not been performed. Therefore, 95,786 (95% CI, 94,659–96,913) severe cases and 112,195 (95% CI, 110,870–113,520) deaths were prevented as a result of the vaccination campaign. Conclusion We found that, if the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign had not been implemented, the number of severe cases and deaths would have been at least 4 times higher. These findings suggest that Republic of Korea’s nationwide vaccination campaign reduced the number of severe cases and COVID-19 deaths.

Molecular mechanisms governing peritonitis caused by the presence of aseptic gauze have remained unclear. To identify the genes involved, sterile gauze-exposed omentum was collected at 0, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h intervals, and analyzed by differential display RT(reverse transcription)-PCR. Among over 1,200 bands, 230 bands were found differentially expressed. These bands represented the fragment sizes of approximately 200 to 1,500 bp. The eight fragments were expressed differentially in the treatment group but not in the control. The sequences of two bands were similar to those of genes associated with the inflammatory process and a band was related to repair and regeneration process. Another one was related with spermatogonia and the rest four were unknown. Additionally, amplicons corresponding to the full-length sequences of two inflammatory gene fragments were synthesized by rapid amplification of cDNA end PCR. One showed 99% similarity to the major histocompatibility complex class II dog leukocyte antigen-DR beta chain and the other was canis familiaris proteasome beta type 3. Results of the present study suggested that sterile gauze induced the differential expression of genes in the omentum involved in inflammation and healing process.
Animals ; *Bandages ; Base Sequence ; DNA, Complementary/analysis ; Dogs/*genetics/metabolism ; Gene Expression Profiling/veterinary ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/*genetics/metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Omentum/*metabolism ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/*genetics/metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; *Wound Healing

A paragonimiasis infestation is caused by the paragonimus species. Paragonimiasis mainly occurs by ingestion of raw or undercooked freshwater crabs or crayfish. In our country, the prevalence of paragonimiasis was high until late 1960s due to eating habits, but after the 1970s the prevalence of the disease has markedly decreased and now the disease is rarely seen. The diagnosis of tuberculosis by Chest X-ray is often confused with pulmonary carcinoma, bacillary and parasitic infections, and chronic mycosis. Pulmonary paragonimiasis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of lung cancer especially in the appropriate clinical setting because effective treatment with praziquantel can be rewarding. We report a case of a 58-year-old woman with pulmonary paragonimiasis that was suspicious for lung cancer, as detected by biopsy.
Astacoidea ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Eating ; Female ; Fresh Water ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Middle Aged ; Paragonimiasis ; Paragonimus ; Praziquantel ; Prevalence ; Reward ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare, cystic lung disease that is associated with mutation in the tuberous sclerosis genes, renal angiomyolipomas, lymphatic spread and a remarkable female gender predilection. The pathology of LAM is represented by the proliferation of immature smooth muscle cells in the walls of airways, and venules and lymphatic vessels in the lung. The clinical course of LAM is characterized by progressive dyspnea on exertion, recurrent pneumothorax and collections of chylous fluid. The diagnosis of pulmonary LAM can be made on chest X-ray, a high-resolution CT scan and lung biopsy. We experienced a case of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis in a 28-years-old female patient who had suffered from progressive dyspnea on exertion, so we report on it along with a brief review of the relevant literature.
Angiomyolipoma ; Biopsy ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Lymphangioleiomyomatosis ; Lymphatic Vessels ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Pneumothorax ; Thorax ; Tuberous Sclerosis ; Venules

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare disorder that's characterized by accumulation of surfactant components in the alveolar space. Idiopathic PAP is recognized as an autoimmune disease that's due to impaired alveolar macrophage function and this caused by autoantibodies against granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). We report here a case of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis that was deemed interstitial lung disease at the initial diagnosis. A 61-year-old man presented with intermittent blood tinged sputum and dyspnea on exertion. The man was a painter for 30 years and he had a 10 pack-years smoking history. Chest computerized tomography (CT) revealed multifocal ground-glass opacity with interstitial thickening at both lungs. His pulmonary function tests and methacholine test revealed non specific results. He was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease on the basis of the chest CT finding and occupational history. However, seven months later, his symptoms progressed. Follow-up chest CT was performed. Wedge resection via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (the anterior basal segment of the left lower lobe) was done. Microscopic examination showed large groups of alveoli with excessive amounts of surfactant and a complex mixture of protein and lipid (fat) molecules. Finally, he was diagnosed as having pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.
Autoantibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Benzeneacetamides ; Dyspnea ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; Methacholine Chloride ; Middle Aged ; Piperidones ; Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sputum ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thorax ; Tolnaftate