No abstract available.
Animals ; Cattle ; Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform*

A one step reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) combined nested PCR was set up to increase efficiency in the diagnosis of canine distemper virus (CDV) infection after developement of nested PCR. Two PCR primer sets were designed based on the sequence of nucleocapsid gene of CDV Onderstepoort strain. One-step RT-PCR with the outer primer pair was revealed to detect 10(2) PFU/ml. The sensitivity was increased hundredfold using the one-step RT-PCR combined with the nested PCR. Specificity of the PCR was also confirmed using other related canine virus and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and body secretes of healthy dogs. Of the 51 blood samples from dogs clinically suspected of CD, 45 samples were revealed as positive by one-step RT-PCR combined with nested PCR. However, only 15 samples were identified as positive with a single one step RT-PCR. Therefore approximately 60% increase in the efficiency of the diagnosis was observed by the combined method. These results suggested that one step RT-PCR combined with nested PCR could be a sensitive, specific, and practical method for diagnosis of CDV infection.
Animals ; Distemper Virus, Canine/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Dogs ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods/*veterinary ; RNA, Viral/genetics/isolation & purification ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; Viral Vaccines

One hundred seven isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from bovine mastitis were investigated for colony morphology in serum-soft agar (SSA), autoagglutination in salt, and capsular serotype. Capsular polysaccharide (CP) was purified and quantified from the extracts of clinical isolates. Overall, 89 isolates (83.2%) were diffuse in the SSA, without any difference in the proportion of diffuse colony between type 5 and type 8 strains. Some strains exhibited compact colonies in the SSA and expressed CP as determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indicating that compact morphology does not exclude encapsulation. The majority of the strains (11/12) showed autoagglutination in the salt aggregation test. The serotype 336 accounted for 46.7% of the isolates followed by serotype 5 (12.1%) and serotype 8 (12.1%). Particularly, twenty-six (24.3%) isolates reacted with two serotypes; 7 for type 8/336 and 19 for type 5/336. Five isolates (4.7%) were nontypeable with monoclonal antibodies specific for CP serotype 5, 8, or 336. The CP concentration in culture supernatants varied with the serotypes, and the total amount of CP produced by cells grown in a liquid medium was much less than that produced by cells grown on a solid medium. The Western blotting indicated that the CP bands of S. aureus serotype 5 and 8 were ranged in the molecular mass of 58-84 kilodalton (kDa), with additional bands in the region of approximately >or= 48 or Agglutination Tests ; Animals ; Bacterial Vaccines/administration & dosage ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/immunology/microbiology ; Female ; Mastitis, Bovine/*microbiology ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial/*classification/isolation & purification ; Serotyping/methods/veterinary ; Staphylococcal Infections/immunology/*veterinary ; Staphylococcus aureus/*classification/*immunology/isolation & purification

No abstract available.
Colonoscopy* ; Humans ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The usefulness of intraoperative CT (iCT) in rhinologic surgery including reduction of facial bone fracture and sinus surgery was evaluated. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Medical records and radiological findings of 17 patients who took iCT at the Medical Center between December 2008 and February 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. The mean follow-up period was 2.2 months. The 17 patients included 14 facial bone fractures and three sinus surgeries. Indications for iCT and the need for additional procedure after iCT were investigated. All operations were performed by the senior author. RESULTS: Indications for iCT were comminuted nasal bone fracture with or without septal fracture, displaced zygoma fracture and orbital blowout fracture. The complex frontal sinus anatomy either by anatomic variation or tumor invasion was an indication for iCT in sinus surgery cases. Additional surgeries were necessary after iCT for five patients (29.4%) as follows: nasal bone reduction (2), zygomatic bone reduction (1), and the removal of meningioma (1) and inverted papilloma (1). Except for one patient, all patients showed satisfactory surgical outcomes in terms of completeness of fracture reduction or surgical removal of sinus pathology. CONCLUSION: In complex facial bone fracture or sinus diseases, an iCT helps to evaluate the completeness of fracture reduction or sinus dissection during the surgery and to decide the necessity for further surgery.
Anatomic Variation ; Facial Bones ; Follow-Up Studies ; Frontal Sinus ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Meningioma ; Nasal Bone ; Orbit ; Papilloma, Inverted ; Retrospective Studies ; Zygoma

BACKGROUND: There are very few studies on change in body composition after smoking cessation. The purpose of our study was to assess the change in body composition as well as body weight after smoking cessation in men. METHODS: The subjects were 203 men who had received health examination from May in 2000 to April in 2001 on their first visit, and then from May in 2001 to May in 2002 on their second visit, at the department of family medicine of a university hospital. They were divided into groups of non-smokers, current smokers, and former smokers by smoking status. Their past medical history, obesity indexes, smoking status, physical activity, and nutrition intake were reviewed. Body composition of the study subjects was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, nutrition intake, and physical activity as confounding factors, former smokers' body weight was significantly increased by 1.8+/-0.4 kg on second visit compared to non-smokers and current smokers. There was a significant difference in body muscle change between first and second visit, but not in body fat change among former smokers. Former smokers' body fat and muscle were significantly increased by 0.9+/-0.3 kg and 0.8+/-0.4 kg, respectively, compared to non-smokers. Former smokers' waist circumference was significantly increased by 2.5+/-0.7 cm on second visit compared with non-smokers and current smokers. CONCLUSION: In former smokers, body weight was increased by 1.8 kg after smoking cessation, which was attributed to increase of body muscle as well as body fat. Compared with non-smokers, former smokers' body muscle and fat were significantly increased on second visit.
Adipose Tissue ; Body Composition* ; Body Weight* ; Electric Impedance ; Humans ; Male* ; Motor Activity ; Obesity ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Waist Circumference

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to estimate the incidence rate, and to identify the risk factors for the occupational low back pain among shipyard workers. METHODS: The study subjects consisted of 9,784 workers who were employed in a ship-building industry(excluded workers who had a history of low pack pain before 1995 or did not take periodic health examination in 1995). The cases were 220 people who experienced back pain from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1998. To assess risk factors for occupational low back pain, Cox propotional hazard model was used. RESULTS: During the recent three years from 1996 to 1998, the incidence rate per 1,000 persons was 7. 8 in 1996, 8. 8 in 1997, and 3. 1 in 1998. The main causes of work-related low back pain were sprain, strain and disc herniation. Lifting was the most common cause of back pain(35. 3%), and carrying(10.2%) and pulling(8.0%) were followed. In Cox proportional harzard model, independent risk factors for back pain were body mass index(R.R.; 1.54, 959o C.I.: 1.06-2.25), shift work(R.R.; 1.65, 95% C.I.: 1.19-2.28), and lifting heavy material(R.R. ; 3.95, 95% C.I: 2.29-6.82). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the risk factors of back pain in shipyard workers were body mass index, shift work and lifting.
Back Pain ; Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Lifting ; Low Back Pain* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors* ; Sprains and Strains

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mechanical circulatory support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ventricular assist device has always been the optimal choice for treating the majority of medically intractable low cardiac output case. We retrospectively investigated our institution's outcomes and variables associated with a high risk of mortality. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From 1999 to 2014, 86 patients who were of pediatric age or had grown-up congenital heart disease underwent mechanical circulatory support for medically intractable low cardiac output in our pediatric intensive care unit. Of these, 9 grown-up congenital heart disease patients were over 18 years of age, and the median age of the subject group was 5.82 years (range: 1 day to 41.6 years). A review of all demographic, clinical, and surgical data and survival analysis were performed. RESULTS: A total of 45 (52.3%) patients were successfully weaned from the mechanical assist device, and 25 (29.1%) survivors were able to be discharged. There was no significant difference in results between patients over 18 years and under 18 years of age. Risk factors for mortality were younger age (<30 days), functional single ventricle anatomy, support after cardiac operations, longer support duration, and deteriorated pre-ECMO status (severe metabolic acidosis and increased levels of lactate, creatinine, bilirubin, or liver enzyme). The survival rate has improved since 2010 (from 25% before 2010 to 35% after 2010), when we introduced an upgraded oxygenator, activated heart transplantation, and also began to apply ECMO before the end-stage of cardiac dysfunction, even though we could not reveal significant correlations between survival rate and changed strategies associated with ECMO. CONCLUSION: Mechanical circulatory support has played a critical role and has had a dramatic effect on survival in patients with medically intractable heart failure, particularly in recent years. Meticulous monitoring of acid-base status, laboratory findings, and early and liberal applications are recommended to improve outcomes without critical complication rates, particularly in neonates with single ventricle physiology.
Acidosis ; Bilirubin ; Cardiac Output, Low* ; Creatinine ; Critical Care* ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Failure ; Heart Transplantation ; Heart-Assist Devices ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units* ; Lactic Acid ; Liver ; Mortality ; Oxygen ; Oxygenators ; Physiology ; Resuscitation ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Survivors

This study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence and clinical characterizations of gastric Helicobacter spp. infection of dogs and cats in Korea. The prevalence of Helicobacter spp. infection of dogs and cats determined by urease test was 78.4% and 64%, respectively, although Helicobacter genus-specific PCR assay showed that it was 82.3% and 84%. Urease mapping results based on urease test showed that total positive rate of tested tissues from clinically abnormal dogs was significantly higher than that from clinically normal dogs (p=0.0018; Odds ratio = 6.118; 95% Confidence Interval = 1.96~19.103). These findings were consistent with the results of Helicobacter genus-specific PCR assay which showed that positive rate of the fundus (100%) and the antrum (100%) of clinically abnormal dogs was significantly higher than that of same gastric regions of clinically normal dogs (77.5 and 67.5% respectively). In comparison of gastric regions between clinically normal dogs and abnormal dogs, positive rate of urease test for the fundus (100%) and body (90.9%) in clinically abnormal dogs was significantly higher than that of abnormal dogs (72.5% and 57.5% respectively; p<0.05). The results of urease mapping in dogs and cats also indicated that Helicobacter colonization in the fundus was more dense compared with the density in the body and antrum. In Helicobacter species-specific PCR assay for dogs, 32 of 42 fundic tissues (76.2%) were positive for H. heilmannii and two (4.8%) were positive for H. felis. In cats, 18 of 21 fundic tissues (85.7%) were positive for H. heilmannii and 2 (9.5%) were positive for H. felis. Gastritis scores of fundic tissues from clinically abnormal infected dogs were similar to that from noninfected dogs and evidence of upregulation of IL-1beta, IL-8, and TNF-alpha mRNA was not detected in gastric fundic tissues from clinically abnormal infected dogs. This study suggested that Helicobacter spp. infection in domestic dogs including private owned pet dogs and cats is highly prevalent usually with no clinical sign but high density of colonization can be related to gastrointestinal signs
Animals ; Cat Diseases/enzymology/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Cats ; Cytokines/genetics ; DNA, Bacterial/analysis/genetics ; Dog Diseases/enzymology/*epidemiology/microbiology/pathology ; Dogs ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Helicobacter/classification/genetics/isolation&purification ; Helicobacter Infections/*epidemiology/microbiology/pathology/*veterinary ; Korea/epidemiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism ; Species Specificity ; Stomach/microbiology ; Stomach Diseases/enzymology/*epidemiology/microbiology/*veterinary ; Urease/metabolism

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to evaluate the long-term results after a surgical repair of Ebstein's anomaly. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Forty-eight patients with Ebstein's anomaly who underwent open heart surgery between 1982 and 2013 were included. Median age at operation was 5.6 years (1 day-42.1 years). Forty-five patients (93.7%) demonstrated tricuspid valve (TV) regurgitation of less than moderate degree. When the patients were divided according to Carpentier's classification, types A, B, C, and D were 11, 21, 12, and 4 patients, respectively. Regarding the type of surgical treatment, bi-ventricular repair (n=38), one-and-a half ventricular repair (n=5), and single ventricle palliation (n=5) were performed. Of 38 patients who underwent a bi-ventricular repair, TV repairs were performed by Danielson's technique (n=20), Carpentier's technique (n=11), Cone repair (n=4), and TV annuloplasty (n=1). Two patients underwent TV replacement. Surgical treatment strategies were different according to Carpentier's types (p<0.001) and patient's age (p=0.022). RESULTS: There were 2 in-hospital mortalities (4.2%; 1 neonate and 1 infant) and 2 late mortalities during follow-up. Freedom from recurrent TV regurgitation rates at 5, 10, and 15 years were 88.6%, 66.3%, 52.7%, respectively. TV regurgitation recurrence did not differ according to surgical method (p=0.800). Survival rates at 5, 10, and 20 years were 95.8%, 95.8%, and 85.6%, respectively, and freedom from reoperation rates at 5, 10, and 15 years were 85.9%, 68.0%, and 55.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment strategies were decided according to Carpentier's type and patient's age. Overall survival and freedom from reoperation rates at 10 years were 95.8% and 68.0%, respectively. Approximately 25% of patients required a second operation for TV during the follow-up.
Classification ; Cyanosis ; Ebstein Anomaly* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Freedom ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Methods ; Mortality ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Survival Rate ; Thoracic Surgery ; Tricuspid Valve