BACKGROUND: Positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) ventilation is well established as an integral part of the management of patients with the acute lung injury. PEEP is a key element in the treatment of hypoxemia resulting from pulmonary edema. Pulmonary capillary pressure (Pcap) is the most important factor influencing lung edema formation, and an understanding of how Pcap is altered by variations of PEEP or pulmonary arterial occlusion pressure (PAOP) is important to improve the treatment of acute lung injury patients. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of PEEP on the pulmonary capillary pressure in acute lung injury patients. METHODS: This was a prospective study of 11 acute lung injury patients. The effect of PEEP on pulmonary circulation at four different levels (0,4,8, and 12cm H2O) was analyzed. Pcap was estimated visually at bed side with Swan Ganz catheters. The pulmonary vasculature was analyzed by calculating the pressure difference at the arterial and venous parts of the circulation. RESULTS: As PEEP increased from 0 to 12 cm H2O, the mean puhnonary arterial pressure (PAP) and Pcap increased respectively from 22.7 ± 7.4 to 25.3 ± 7.3 mmHg and 15.3 ± 3.3 to 17.8 ±3.2 mmHg (p<0.05). Similarly, PAOP increased from 9.8 ± 2.1 to 12.8 ± 2.1 mmHg and the central venous pressure increased from 6.1 ± 1.6 to 9.3 1: 2.3 mmHg(p<0.05). However, the pressure gradient at the arterial (PAP-Pcap) and venous (Pcap-Pcwp) part of pulmonary circulation remained unchanged at all evaluated PEEP levels. CONCLUSION: Although Pcap increasoo gradually with increased PEEP, the pressure gradient at the arterial and venous part of the pulmonary vasculature remained unchanged at all evaluated PEEP levels in acute lung injury patients.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Anoxia ; Arterial Pressure ; Capillaries* ; Catheters ; Central Venous Pressure ; Edema ; Humans ; Lung ; Positive-Pressure Respiration* ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Circulation ; Pulmonary Edema ; Ventilation

A total of 520 overwintered sclerotia were collected from surface of soil under mulberry trees in six locations in Korea during February in 2006 and 2007. The collected sclerotia were tested for their germination in vitro and identified based on their morphological characteristics. Out of all sclerotia tested, 52.3% of the sclerotia germinated and produced two types of apothecia. The two types of fungi occurred from the sclerotia at the ratio of 49.8 vs. 50.2. The fungal type with cup-shaped apothecia was identified as Ciboria shiraiana and another type of fungus with club-shaped apothecia as Scleromitrula shiraiana. Taxonomy and distribution of the two sclerotial fungi were described and discussed.
Classification ; Fruit* ; Fungi ; Germination ; Korea* ; Morus* ; Soil ; Trees

PURPOSE: Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) is one of many useful materials for restoring tooth defects, periodontium and maxillofacial area. Chitosan is a biodegradable material that has been shown to promote the growth and differentiation of osteoblasts in culture. This study examined the interaction between odontoblasts and bio-calcium phosphate cement reinforced with chitosan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 5x10(3) odontoblastic cells were seeded into each well. Various concentrations of bio-calcium phosphate cement reinforced with chitosan (10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 microg/ml, 1, 2, 4 mg/ml) were diluted and added to the wells. The well was incubated for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. After incubation, the number of cells was assessed to determine the cell viability. A cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay and chromosomal aberration test were carried out to estimate the extent of chromosomal abnormalities. Microscopic photographs and RT-PCR were performed to examine the adhesion potential of bio-calcium phosphate cement reinforced with chitosan. RESULTS: Bio-CPC-reinforced chitosan did not show significant cytotoxicity. The number of damaged chromosomes in the cells treated with Bio-CPC-reinforced chitosan was similar to that in the control cells. There was no significant increase in the number of chromosomal aberrations in the Bio-CPC reinforced chitosan exposed cells. Microscopic photographs and RT-PCR confirmed the adhesive potential of bio-CPC reinforced chitosan to odontoblasts. CONCLUSION: Bio-CPC-reinforced chitosan did not affect the odontoblastic cell viability, and had no significant cytotoxic effect. Bio-CPC-reinforced chitosan showed adhesive potential to odontoblasts. These results are expected form the basis of future studies on the effectiveness of dental restorative materials in Bio-CPC reinforced with chitosan.
Adhesives ; Calcium ; Calcium Phosphates ; Cell Survival ; Chitosan ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Micronucleus Tests ; Odontoblasts ; Osteoblasts ; Periodontium ; Seeds ; Tooth

The caterpillar-shaped Chinese medicinal mushroom (DongChongXiaCao) looks like a worm in the winter and like a grass in the summer. The fruiting body has been regarded as popular folk or effective medicines used to treat human diseases such as asthma, bronchial and lung inflammation, and kidney disease. The fruiting bodies of Paecilomyces tenuipes that formed on the living silkworm (Bombyx mori) host were used in this examination. This study was carried out to investigate the proximate composition, soluble sugar, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and contents of the bioactive ingredient including adenosine and D-mannitol in the fruiting-bodies. The moisture content was 57.56%. Soluble sugars found were glycerol, glucose, mannitol and sucrose, and the contents exceeded 24 mgg-1dry weight. Total free amino acid content was 17.09 mg g(-1)dry weight. Arginine, glycine, proline and tyrosine were main amino acids. The content of oleic acid in fatty acids was high. Adenosine was more abundant in fruiting bodies than corpus.
Adenosine ; Agaricales ; Amino Acids ; Arginine ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Asthma ; Bombyx ; Carbohydrates ; Fatty Acids ; Fruit ; Glucose ; Glycerol ; Glycine ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; Mannitol ; Oleic Acid ; Paecilomyces* ; Pneumonia ; Poaceae ; Proline ; Sucrose ; Tyrosine

Tracheobronchial rupture is one of the less-common injuries associated with blunt chest trauma. The diagnosis of tracheobronchial rupture is not easy, but failure to diagnosis may lead to death or long-term disability. Early diagnosis and appropriate management can reduce the mortality and morbidity. Bronchoscopy is the diagnostic method of choice for patients with tracheobronchial rupture. We report a case of tracheal rupture after blunt chest trauma. A 40-year-old man was transferred to our hospital for dyspnea after blunt chest trauma. He was promptly diagnosed as tracheal rupture by fiberoptic bronchoscopy and chest computed tomogram. He was successfully managed by thoracotomy and primary repair.
Adult ; Bronchoscopy* ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Mortality ; Rupture* ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax*

Tracheobronchial rupture is one of the less-common injuries associated with blunt chest trauma. The diagnosis of tracheobronchial rupture is not easy, but failure to diagnosis may lead to death or long-term disability. Early diagnosis and appropriate management can reduce the mortality and morbidity. Bronchoscopy is the diagnostic method of choice for patients with tracheobronchial rupture. We report a case of tracheal rupture after blunt chest trauma. A 40-year-old man was transferred to our hospital for dyspnea after blunt chest trauma. He was promptly diagnosed as tracheal rupture by fiberoptic bronchoscopy and chest computed tomogram. He was successfully managed by thoracotomy and primary repair.
Adult ; Bronchoscopy* ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Mortality ; Rupture* ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax*

This study was conducted out to select a silkworm variety suitable for synnemata production of Isaria tenuipes. Four kinds of the mulberry silkworm varieties, Bombyx mori, were hybridized using a Japanese parental line and a Chinese parental line, and used to test for synemata formation in I. tenuipes. The larval period of normal silkworms was 22 hr longer than the silkworms inoculated with this fungus. Among the silkworm varieties tested, Hachojam had the shortest larval period with 23.02 days. The non-cocooning silkworm had a shorter larval period than the cocoon producing silkworms. The pupation rate of normal silkworms was about 9% higher than that of silkworms sprayed with I. tenuipes. Hachojam had the highest infection rate at 99.8%, but no significant difference was observed for the infection rate by silkworm variety. The production of synnemata was the best in JS171 x CS188 with an incidence rate of 99.3%, followed by Hachojam, and Chugangjam. The synnemata produced from Hachojam were the heaviest and showed white or milky-white in color.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bombyx ; Breeding ; Chimera ; European Continental Ancestry Group ; Fungi ; Humans ; Incidence ; Morus ; Parents

This study was conducted to confirm the possible use of female Yangwonjam as a host for synnemata production of Isaria tenuipes in eight local areas in Korea. Silkworm pupation rate, infection rate and synnemata characteristics of I. tenuipes were examined. Normal silkworms had a higher pupation rate than silkworms inoculated with I. tenuipes. The pupae survival percentage of normal silkworm in cocoons was 92.5~97.6%, whereas it ranged from 91.1~95.6% in silkworms sprayed with I. tenuipes. Female Yangwonjam showed the highest survival percentage at 97.6% among the silkworm varieties tested. I. tenuipes infection rate of larvae of 5th instar newly-exuviated silkworms was 89.2~90.7% in the spring rearing season and 98.2~99.3% in the autumn rearing season. Synnemata production of I. tenuipes was excellent in female Yangwonjam with an incidence rate of 98.0% followed by male Yangwonjam (94.1%) and Baegokjam (93.3%) in the spring rearing season. Synnemata living weight ranged from 1.44~0.94 g in the spring rearing season. The female Yangwonjam had the heaviest synnemata weight (1.44 g) in the spring rearing season. The synnemata of I. tenuipes produced on pupae were white or milky-white in color, and were similar in shape and color to wild synnemata collected in Korea.
Bombyx ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Larva ; Male ; Pupa ; Seasons

No abstract available.
Moyamoya Disease

OBJECT: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of fungal infection and ulcer on the feet of diabetic patients and the existence of correlation between ulcer and fungal infection. METHODS: A total of 21, 693 outpatients diagnosed as diabetes mellitus at the department of endocrinology of 32 hospitals were examined. The diabetic patients with foot problems were consulted to the department of dermatology. Physical examination and KOH preparation were performed. RESULTS: 13, 271 patients had certain kinds of foot problem, accounting for 61.2% of 21, 693 diabetics examined. Of these, fungal foot disease were found in 10, 403 that constituted 78.4% (48.0% of the entire diabetic population). Tinea pedis was the diagnosis in 6, 496 (29.9%), onychomycosis in 7, 783 (35.9%), and coexistence was in 3, 883 (17.9%). Foot deformity was in 1, 346 (6.2% of diabetics; 10.1% of foot disease), non-palpable pulse in 1, 051 (4.8% ; 7.9%), and foot ulcer was in 425 (2.0% ; 3.2%), following in a descending order of frequency. Odds ratios for diabetic foot ulcer were 2.5 in patients with the foot deformity, 1.6 with fungal foot disease and 2.2 with non-palpable pulse. Conversely, Odds ratios for fungal foot disease were 2.5 with foot deformity, and 1.6 with foot ulcer. A total of 5, 486 patients paid a visit to the department of dermatology. Of these, 4, 519 patients were diagnosed with fungal infection through physical examination and KOH smear by dermatologists. The population comprised of 2, 272 males and 2, 247 females, showing similar prevalence between sexes. However, age did have positive correlation regarding prevalence of fungal foot disease. The number of diabetic patients with toenail problems was 3, 847 patients (70%) and onychomycosis was proven mycologically in 3, 276. Onychomycosis of distal subungal type was the most common clinical finding, most frequently involving the great toenails. Abnormal skin findings of the foot were seen in 3, 885(70.8%) and tinea pedis was found in 3, 209 (58.5%), most commonly involving the soles. CONCLUSION: This study showed that fungal infection might be regarded as a risk factor of foot ulcer. Treatment of fungal infection in diabetic patients might prevent diabetic foot disease such as ulcer and reduce the disability, morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients.
Dermatology ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Foot ; Diagnosis ; Endocrinology ; Female ; Foot Deformities ; Foot Diseases ; Foot Ulcer ; Foot* ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Nails ; Odds Ratio ; Onychomycosis ; Outpatients ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors ; Skin ; Tinea Pedis ; Ulcer*