PURPOSE: To evaluate a recently marketed commercial glycoprotein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (gpEIA) kit, the VaccZyme(TM) VZV gpEIA, for measuring the immunity of varicella-vaccinated children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated the accuracy and reproducibility of the VaccZyme(TM) VZV gpEIA kit for the detection of antibodies to VZV. We also examined the sensitivity, specificity, and correlation between antibody titers calculated with gpEIA versus fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA) by using sera of 349 children, ranging from 1 to 6 years old. RESULTS: VaccZyme(TM) VZV gpEIA gave precise and reproducible intra- and inter-assay results. FAMA and gpEIA titers showed a linear correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.987). The sensitivity and specificity of the VaccZyme(TM) gpEIA was 31.4% and 100%, respectively, when the guidelines of the gpEIA (<100 mIU/mL) and FAMA 1:4 were adopted as cutoff values. However, the maximum sensitivity and specificity were 88.9% and 95.1%, respectively, with the highest correlation (kappa=0.840), if the cutoff values were set with gpEIA at 49.7 mIU/mL and FAMA 1:16. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that the VaccZyme(TM) VZV gpEIA kit gave precise and reproducible data for measuring antibody titer after varicella vaccination. The results also showed that the antibody titer calculated with the VaccZyme(TM) gpEIA kit strongly correlated with the FAMA titer. However, cutoff values should be re-optimized for the evaluation of vaccine immunity.
Antibodies ; Chickenpox* ; Child ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Glycoproteins* ; Humans ; Membranes ; Methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Vaccination

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of aromatherapy on agitation in patients with dementia using a meta-analysis and systemic literature review. METHODS: The EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and other databases were searched up to November 2017. RESULTS: Of 419 publications identified, 12 met inclusion criteria, and 9 studies were used to estimate the effect size of aromatherapy. A total of 837 participants across all studies were included. The commonly applied methods were massage (50%), type of oil lavender (75%), and instrument Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (75%). A medium effect size of aromatherapy on agitation was identified (d=−0.56, I2=65.0%, p=.001). The massage group has lower effect size than the other group (d=−0.98, I2=0.0%, p=.001). CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy appears to be effective in improving agitation in patients with dementia. However, further studies for home-dwelling patients with dementia and with different types of aroma oil should be conducted in the future. In addition, research with well-designed are needed to assess the effects or aromatherapy on agitation.
Aromatherapy ; Dementia ; Dihydroergotamine ; Humans ; Lavandula ; Massage ; Psychomotor Agitation

BACKGROUND: Differentiation of viral hepatitis from acute cellular rejection (ACR) after liver transplantation can be difficult because of overlapping histological features. Here we investigated clinicopathologic characteristics of 311 liver allograft biopsies and searched for characteristic histopathological features that would facilitate the differential diagnosis between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and ACR. METHODS: A retrospective clinicopathologic examination of 311 liver allograft biopsies consisting of clinically proven ACR or HBV infection was performed. Immunohistochemical staining for HBcAg and HBsAg was done for 64 allograft biopsies showing HBV infection. RESULTS: Moderate to severe bile duct damage, diffuse centrilobular necrosis and centrilobular inflammation (p<0.000, for each) were more frequently observed in cases of ACR, whereas diffuse acidophilic bodies and spotty necrosis (p<0.000, for each) were more prevalent in cases of HBV infection. Immunopositivity for HBcAg (n=60, 93.8%) was higher than that for HBsAg (n=14, 21.9%) CONCLUSIONS: The presence of moderate to severe bile duct damage, diffuse centrilobular necrosis and centrilobular inflammation was a characteristic feature of ACR, whereas diffuse distribution of acidophilic bodies or spotty necrosis was the only characteristic feature of HBV infection. HBcAg was a more sensitive immunohistochemical marker than HBsAg for detecting HBV infection in liver allograft biopsies.
Bile Ducts ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Graft Rejection ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Inflammation ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation ; Necrosis ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation, Homologous

Jarcho-Levin syndrome (JLS) is a condition manifested by malformations of vertebral bodes and related ribs. There are two major subtypes spondylocostal dysostosis and spondylothoracic dysostosis, with different survival rates, associated malformations, and inheritance patterns. We have experienced an autopsy case of a premature female fetus with multiple congenital anomalies. She was 30 weeks of gestational age, born as the second baby of twins and expired shortly after birth. A post-mortem examination revealed multiple abnormalities including cervicothoracic hemivertebrae, a diminished number of right-sided ribs, and pulmonary hypoplasia with left diaphragmatic hernia. In addition, there were anomalous rotation of the foregut, unfused pancreas and anomalous drainage of the superior vena cava. Chromosomal analysis showed 46, XX, del(4)(q ter).
Abnormalities, Multiple/genetics/*pathology ; Autopsy ; Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 4 ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Ribs/*abnormalities ; Spine/*abnormalities ; Syndrome

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to assess the trend of use of statistical methods including parametric and nonparametric methods and to evaluate the use of complex statistical methodology in recent periodontal studies. METHODS: This study analyzed 123 articles published in the Journal of Periodontal & Implant Science (JPIS) between 2010 and 2014. Frequencies and percentages were calculated according to the number of statistical methods used, the type of statistical method applied, and the type of statistical software used. RESULTS: Most of the published articles considered (64.4%) used statistical methods. Since 2011, the percentage of JPIS articles using statistics has increased. On the basis of multiple counting, we found that the percentage of studies in JPIS using parametric methods was 61.1%. Further, complex statistical methods were applied in only 6 of the published studies (5.0%), and nonparametric statistical methods were applied in 77 of the published studies (38.9% of a total of 198 studies considered). CONCLUSIONS: We found an increasing trend towards the application of statistical methods and nonparametric methods in recent periodontal studies and thus, concluded that increased use of complex statistical methodology might be preferred by the researchers in the fields of study covered by JPIS.
Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Periodontal Diseases ; Statistics, Nonparametric

BACKGROUND: The resurgence of tuberculosis and the widespread emergence of multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis have emphasized the importance of rapid and accurate diagnostic procedures. Recently, the oligonucleotide chip has proven to be a useful tool in the rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases. The purpose of this study was to rapidly and accurately detect specific mutations in the rpoB, katG and rpsL genes associated with rifampin, isoniazid and streptomycin resistance in M. tuberculosis, respectively, using a single oligonucleotide chip. METHOD: For detection of drug-resistance, 7 wild-type and 13 mutant-type probes for rifampin, 2 wild-type and 3 mutant-type probes for isoniazid, and 2 wild-type and 2 mutant-type probes for streptomycin were designed and spotted onto glass slides. Fifty-five cultured samples of M. tuberculosis were amplified by PCR, and then underwent hybridization and scanning. Direct sequencing was done to verify the results from the oligonucleotide chip and to analyze the types of mutations. RESULT: Thirty-five cases out of 40 rifampin-resistant strains(~88%) had mutations in the rpoB gene. One case had a new mutation(D516F, GAC R TTC) and another known mutation together. Twenty cases out of 42 isoniazid-resistant strains(~50%) had mutations in the katG gene, while 7 cases out of 9 streptomycin-resistant strains(~78%) had mutations in the rpsL gene. From these results, the oligonucleotide chip was confirmed to be able to detect the most frequent mutations from the genes associated with rifampin, isoniazid and streptomycin resistance. The results proved that the drug-resistance detection probes were specific. When the results from the oligonucleotide chip and DNA sequencing were compared, the types of mutations were exactly matched. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic oligonucleotide chip with mutation specific probes for drug resistance is a very reliable and useful tool for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of drug resistance against rifampin, isoniazid and streptomycin in M. tuberculosis infections.
Communicable Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Drug Resistance ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Glass ; Isoniazid ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rifampin ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Streptomycin ; Tuberculosis

In February 2018, the Withdrawal of the Life-sustaining Treatment (WLST) Decision Act was legalized in Korea. Donation after circulatory death (DCD) after WLST was classified as DCD category III. We report the first case of successful organ donation after WLST in Korea. A 52-year-old male who experienced cerebral hemorrhage was a potential brain-dead donor with donation consent. During the first brain death examination, Babinski reflex was present, which disappeared two days later. Then, electroencephalography was performed five times at intervals of 2 to 3 days, according to the recommendation of a neurologist.The patient was transferred to the OR at 19:30 July 3, 2020. At 20:00, an intensive care unit specialist performed extubation and discontinued vasopressors. Oxygen saturation fell to < 70% in 1 minute, which signaled the beginning of functional warm ischemia. At 20:15, asystole was confirmed; after 5 minutes of “no-touch time,” circulatory death was declared.Organ procurement surgery was initiated, with surgeons performing the recipient surgery ready in the adjacent OR. Through the first successful DCD case, we expected that DCD will be actively implemented in Korea, saving the lives of patient waiting for transplantation and resolving the imbalance between organ receipt and donation.

In February 2018, the Withdrawal of the Life-sustaining Treatment (WLST) Decision Act was legalized in Korea. Donation after circulatory death (DCD) after WLST was classified as DCD category III. We report the first case of successful organ donation after WLST in Korea. A 52-year-old male who experienced cerebral hemorrhage was a potential brain-dead donor with donation consent. During the first brain death examination, Babinski reflex was present, which disappeared two days later. Then, electroencephalography was performed five times at intervals of 2 to 3 days, according to the recommendation of a neurologist.The patient was transferred to the OR at 19:30 July 3, 2020. At 20:00, an intensive care unit specialist performed extubation and discontinued vasopressors. Oxygen saturation fell to < 70% in 1 minute, which signaled the beginning of functional warm ischemia. At 20:15, asystole was confirmed; after 5 minutes of “no-touch time,” circulatory death was declared.Organ procurement surgery was initiated, with surgeons performing the recipient surgery ready in the adjacent OR. Through the first successful DCD case, we expected that DCD will be actively implemented in Korea, saving the lives of patient waiting for transplantation and resolving the imbalance between organ receipt and donation.

The Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS) Committee under the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine developed a Korean pre-hospital emergency patient classification tool (Pre-hospital Korean Triage and Acuity Scale [Pre-KTAS]) under contract from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea. The classification tool was developed separately for adults and children. The patient’ s emergency level is classified into five distinct levels and is the same as the KTAS classification system, which is a hospital-level emergency patient classification tool.

Mesenchymal hamartoma (MH) of the liver is an uncommon benign lesion related to ductal plate malformation. It is usually cystic and mainly composed of myxoid mesenchymal tissue with tortuous or cystic bile ducts. In order to characterize the clinicopathological features of MH, the Korean Gastrointestinal Pathology Study Group collected a total of 17 MH cases diagnosed in 7 hospitals from 1992 to 2002 and compared the clinicopathologic findings of cystic MH with those of solid variant. Among the 17 cases, 7 (41%) were solid. The solid form showed a higher serum level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), the smaller bile ducts, and more frequent proliferation of vessels. Serum AFP level was related to the amount of hepatocytes. Two of seven solid cases harbored a larger amount of evenly distributed hepatocytes and proliferation of small duct with focal hepatocyte-bile duct transition. These histologic findings are similar to those of mixed hamartoma. Therefore, the mixed hamartoma and the MH of both solid and cystic types could be the variants of one disease spectrum. And hepatocytes within MH might be rather a genuine tumor component than entrapped into the tumor. In conclusion, MH can show various clinicopathological features and recognition of these features will facilitate accurate diagnosis of MH.
Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Comparative Study ; Cysts/pathology ; Female ; Hamartoma/*pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver/pathology ; Liver Diseases/*pathology ; Male