Nocardia species are aerobic, gram-positive, acid-fast, filamentous branching bacilli. Nocardia is a localized or disseminated infection which may involve all tisuses and is produced by members of the genus Nocardia, principally N. asteroides. Other species, notably N. brasiliensis and N. caviae have been implicated, but N. asteroides appears to be the overwhelming predominant pathogen. Nocardial infections are usually opportunistic in the compromised host, at least 15% of the infections occurred in patients without a definable predisposing condition. Recently, we experienced an autopsy case of systemic nocardiosis. The patients was fiffty-three days old female infant, who had suffered from productive cough, dyspnea and fever. The patient was treated under the impression of the miliary tuberculosis, but she died at 34th hosital day. The postmortem examination reveals multiple tan gray colored abscess involving both lungs, both kidneys, and thymus. Microscopically, lung, kidney and thymus reveal multiple abscess, which are composed of necrotic tissue debris admixed with infiltrates of neutrophils, and they are surrounded by fibrosis, ad acute and chronic inflammatory cells. By histologic, microbiologic and biochemical studies, N. asteroides is identified in the lesion of the lung, kidney, thymus, and bronchial washing specimen.
Infant ; Male ; Female ; Humans

No abstract available.
Electric Stimulation* ; Vocal Cords*

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system in mediating the stress response attends traumatic brain injury. Plasma dopamine(DA), epinephrine(E), norepinephrine(NE) levels were measured in 26 severe traumatically brain injured patients to determine whether catecholamine levels obtained within 24 hours after injury provide reliable prognostic endogenous markers of outcome. Patient outcome was determine at 1 week using the Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) and at the time of discharge the Glasgow Outcome Scale(GOS), 7 patients with diseases except those with a severe traumatic brain injury were selected as a control group. Firstly, we analyzed the difference of the average DA, E, and NE between the control group and severe traumatic brain injury patients. Secondly, we analyzed the difference of the average catecholamine levels in the 3 groups according to admission GCS scores(respectively 3~4, 5~7, 8~9). Third, we analyzed the difference of the average catecholamine levels in the 5 groups according to GOS scores at 1 week(respectively dead, 3~4, 5~7, 8~11, >11). Finally, we analyzed the difference of the average catecholamine levels in the 5 groups according to GOS at the time of discharge. As a result, there was no statical difference between the level of DA in the control group and those of the severe brain injury patients. But the level of E an NE in the experimental group were higher than the control group(respectively p<0.03, p<0.04). The admission GCS score correlated highly with the catecholamine levels(NE : r=0.69, p<0.001 ; E ; r=0.42, p<0.03 ; DA ; r=0.42, p<0.03). In patients with admission GCS of 3 to 4, NE levels increaed fourfold above other group(p<0.005). In the 13 patients with GCS scores of 3 or 4 on admission. NE levels predicted outcome at 1 week. All two patients with NE levels less then 750 pg/ml were survived, while 10 of 11 with NE levels greater than 750 pg/ml were died(p<0.02). The levels of NE was significantly higher in patients who died than in those with better outcome(p<0.02). Therefore, these findings indicated that the level of circulating NE is an excellent endogenous marker that appear to reflect the extent of brain injury and that may predict the likelihood of recovery.
Brain ; Brain Injuries* ; Coma ; Dopamine ; Epinephrine ; Humans ; Negotiating ; Norepinephrine ; Plasma* ; Prognosis* ; Sympathetic Nervous System

The authers have recently experienced a case of cysticercosis in the left lateral rectus muscleof 9 years old Korean boy. The cyst, 3 X 3 X 5mm of size, was located within the muscle sheath and removed surgically in its capsule, confirmed as cysticercosis microscopically. We presents here a report of cysticercosis with a brief review of literature.
Child ; Cysticercosis* ; Humans ; Male

The authers have recently experienced a case of cysticercosis in the left lateral rectus muscleof 9 years old Korean boy. The cyst, 3 X 3 X 5mm of size, was located within the muscle sheath and removed surgically in its capsule, confirmed as cysticercosis microscopically. We presents here a report of cysticercosis with a brief review of literature.
Child ; Cysticercosis* ; Humans ; Male

A uremic patient on hemodialysis, who had concurrent cardiomyopathy showed intense myocardial uptake of (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP). The presumed cause of Uptake in the myocardium is metastatic calcification due to hypercalcemia secondary to the renal failure. However, supplementary mechanism caused by cardiomyopathy should be considered. We describe a case with bone tracer uptake in the myocardium in the absence of infarction in a patient with chronic renal failure,
Cardiomyopathies* ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Infarction ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Myocardium ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate*

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination is necessary to reach herd immunity and essential for mitigating the spread of the pandemic. In May 2021, the US FDA and the EU have expanded the emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 12 to 15. The aim of this study was to investigate parental acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination for their children, factors affecting their acceptability, and children's perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines in Republic of Korea. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey at two tertiary hospitals from May 25, 2021 to June 3, 2021. Subjects were parents having children under 18 years and children aged 10–18 years. Results: Two hundred twenty-six parents and 117 children aged 10–18 years were included in the final analysis. Overall, 76.5% and 64.2% of parents intended to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and intended to have their children vaccinated, respectively. However, only 49.6% of children responded that they would get COVID-19 vaccination. In the multivariate analysis, high confidence in the safety of COVID-19 vaccines (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 4.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32–24.12), parents' willingness to vaccinate themselves (AOR, 19.42; 95% CI, 6.85–64.00), and awareness of the need to vaccinate children against COVID-19 (AOR, 13.15; 95% CI, 4.77–41.27) were associated with positive factors intention to vaccinate their children. Conclusion This study provides insight into how parents think about the COVID-19 vaccine for their children in South Korea. Our findings could be referenced in establishing a policy for childhood COVID-19 vaccination in the future.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination is necessary to reach herd immunity and essential for mitigating the spread of the pandemic. In May 2021, the US FDA and the EU have expanded the emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 12 to 15. The aim of this study was to investigate parental acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination for their children, factors affecting their acceptability, and children's perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines in Republic of Korea. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey at two tertiary hospitals from May 25, 2021 to June 3, 2021. Subjects were parents having children under 18 years and children aged 10–18 years. Results: Two hundred twenty-six parents and 117 children aged 10–18 years were included in the final analysis. Overall, 76.5% and 64.2% of parents intended to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and intended to have their children vaccinated, respectively. However, only 49.6% of children responded that they would get COVID-19 vaccination. In the multivariate analysis, high confidence in the safety of COVID-19 vaccines (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 4.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32–24.12), parents' willingness to vaccinate themselves (AOR, 19.42; 95% CI, 6.85–64.00), and awareness of the need to vaccinate children against COVID-19 (AOR, 13.15; 95% CI, 4.77–41.27) were associated with positive factors intention to vaccinate their children. Conclusion This study provides insight into how parents think about the COVID-19 vaccine for their children in South Korea. Our findings could be referenced in establishing a policy for childhood COVID-19 vaccination in the future.

Gastric metastasis from ovarian cancer is rarely reported worldwide. In Korea, only 2 such cases have been reported. Here we report a case of a 58-year-old woman with metastatic gastric cancer from an ovarian adenocarcinoma. Endoscopic examination showed that the cancer presented as a submucosal tumor without ulceration. A subsequent gastrectomy confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic ovarian serous adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Ovary ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: This paper is to evaluate radiological features of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, correlated with clinical and pathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients consisted of 2 men and 3 women, aged 23-51 years old (average 41). Diagnosis was based on the presence of suggestive clinical and radiological findings (chest radiography, high resolutional CT, gallium scintigraphy), and lung biopsy showing characteristic histological features. RESULTS: All patients complained of exertional dyspnea and three patients experienced coughing. On the pulmonary function test, four patients revealed restrictive pattern and one patient was normal. Results of bronchoalveolar lavage, available in four patients, revealed lymphocytosis in three patients and normal finding in one patient. Chest radiographs showed ground glass opacity or diffuse nodular densities. On the HRCT, diffuse nodular opacity and ground glass opacity were seen in variable features. All 4 patients had diffuse increased uptake on the gallium scan. On lung biopsy, a combination of histologic findings showed cellular bronchiolitis, diffuse interstitial infiltrates and non-necrotizing granulomas, consistent with diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. CONCLUSION: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis could be diagnosed with these radiological, clinical and pathological findings.
Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic* ; Biopsy ; Bronchiolitis ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Gallium ; Glass ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Lung ; Lymphocytosis ; Male ; Radiography ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Respiratory Function Tests