PURPOSE: Defecography is a technique of examining the rectum and anal canal by using fluoroscopy during defecation. This study was done to determine the range of normal findings of defecography in young asymptomatic Korean volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine asymptomatic young volunteers underwent defecography. Anorectal angle, perineal descent, length and width of anal, rectocele, rectal intussusception and incontience were evaluated. RESULTS: The range of anorectal angle was 82 degrees-149 degrees in resting state, compared to the 63 degrees -116 degrees in squeezing state, and 95 degrees -116 degrees in straining state respectively. The pelvic floor in straining state descended on average of 1.62cm from the inferior margin of ischial tuberosity that its broad range of position from --5.2cm to 0.8 cm implies a wide variation of anorectal angle and periheal descent. Mild degree of rectocele with less than 2cm of depth was found in 12 out of 29 cases. Rectal intussusception was noted in six and rectal incontinence was seen in one case. Formation of rectocele and intussusception during defecation was common in asymptomatic young volunteers. CONCLUSION: The wide range of defecographic measurements warrants the necessity of other complementary studies on anorectal function to improve the diagnostic accuracy. The interpretation of defecographic measurement should therefore be made with caution and should not be used as the sole criteria for seliction of treatment modality.
Anal Canal ; Defecation ; Defecography ; Fluoroscopy ; Intussusception ; Pelvic Floor ; Rectocele ; Rectum ; Volunteers*

No abstract available.
Asthma* ; Asthma, Exercise-Induced ; Bronchoconstriction* ; Child* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: The MHC region of the chromosome contains a lot of genes involved in immune responses. Here we have investigated the mouse NG29/Cd320 gene in the centrometrically extended MHC region of chromosome 17. METHODS: We cloned the NG29 gene by RT-PCR and confirmed the tissue distribution of its gene expression by northern blot hybridization. We generated the NG29 gene expression constructs and polyclonal antibody against the NG29 protein to perform the immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation and flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS: The murine NG29 gene and its human homologue, the CD320/8D6 gene, were similar in the gene structure and tissue expression patterns. We cloned the NG29 gene and confirmed its expression in plasma membrane and intracellular compartments by transfecting its expresssion constructs into HEK 293T cells. The immunoprecipitation studies with rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against the NG29-NusA fusion protein indicated that NG29 protein was a glycoprotein of about 45 kDa size. A flow cytometric analysis also showed the NG29 expression on the surface of Raw 264.7 macrophage cell line. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that NG29 gene in mouse extended MHC class II region was the orthologue of human CD320 gene even though human CD320/8D6 gene was located in non-MHC region, chromosome 19p13.
Animals ; Antigens, Surface ; Blotting, Northern ; Cell Line ; Cell Membrane ; Chimera ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 ; Clone Cells ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Gene Expression ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Immunoprecipitation ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Tissue Distribution

BACKGROUND: We prospectively compared the response to blind and ultrasound-guided glenohumeral injection of corticosteroids for treatment of shoulder stiffness. METHODS: A total of 77 patients with shoulder stiffness between April 2008 and March 2012 were recruited. Patients were randomized to receive either a blind (group 1, n=39) or ultrasound-guided (group 2, n=38) glenohumeral injection of 40 mg triamcinolone. The clinical outcomes and shoulder range of motion (ROM) before injection, at 3, 6, and 12 months after injection and at the last follow-up were assessed. The same rehabilitation program was applied in both groups during the follow-up period. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in demographic data on age, sex, ROM, and symptom duration before injection between groups (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in ROM including forward flexion, external rotation at the side, external rotation at 90o abduction, and internal rotation, visual analogue scale for pain and functional outcomes including American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Simple Shoulder test between the two groups at any time point (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the current data, the result of ultrasound-guided glenohumeral injection was not superior to that of blind injection in the treatment of shoulder stiffness. We suggest that ultrasound-guided glenohumeral injection could be performed according to the patient's compliance and the surgeon's preference. Once familiar with the non-imaging-guided glenohumeral injection, it is an efficient and reliable method for the experienced surgeon. Ultrasound could be performed according to the surgeon's preference.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Compliance ; Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rehabilitation ; Shoulder Joint* ; Shoulder* ; Triamcinolone ; Ultrasonography*

Here, we report a case of electrical injury-induced reversible advanced second-degree atrioventricular (AV) block. A 28-year-old male visited the emergency department for palpitations 3 days after receiving an electrical injury from 220 volt alternating current. The initial electrocardiogram (ECG) showed sinus rhythm and first-degree AV block with a prolonged PR interval of 400 ms. There was no structural heart disease or electrolyte imbalance. Follow up ECGs acquired 4-6 days after the electrical injury showed intermittent AV block with a prolonged PR interval of 400-460 ms. Exercise treadmill and atropine provocation tests performed 6 days after electrical injury induced advanced second-degree AV block. His bundle electrogram showed intermittent AH block in a Wenckebach pattern with a prolonged AH interval of 220-360 ms and a normal HV interval. Episodes of AV block decreased remarkably 4 weeks after the electrical injury, and the prolonged PR interval returned to 220 ms after 5 months.
Adult ; Atrioventricular Block* ; Atropine ; Electricity ; Electrocardiography ; Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Male

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) compared with that of C-reactive protein (CRP) and the total white blood cell count (WBC) in predicting bacterial infections in febrile infants <6 months of age. METHODS: A prospective study was performed with infants <6 months of age who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics with a fever of uncertain source between July and September 2008. Spinal taps were performed according to clinical symptoms and physical examination. Serum PCT levels were measured using an enzyme-linked fluorescent assay. RESULTS: Seventy-one infants (mean age, 2.62 months) were studied. Twenty-six infants (36.6%) had urinary tract infections (UTIs), and 22 infants (31.0%) had viral meningitis. The remaining infants had acute pharyngitis (n=1), herpangina (n=1), upper respiratory tract infections (n=7), acute bronchiolitis (n=8), acute gastroenteritis (n=4), and bacteremia (n=2). The median WBC and CRP levels were significantly higher in infants with UTIs than in infants with viral meningitis. However, there were no differences in the median PCT levels between the groups (0.14 ng/mL vs. 0.11 ng/mL, P=0.419). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.792 (95% CI, 0.65-0.896) for WBC, 0.77 (95% CI, 0.626-0.879) for CRP, and 0.568 (95% CI, 0.417-0.710) for PCT. An elevated WBC count (>11,920/microliter) and an increased CRP level (>1.06 mg/dL) were significant predictors of UTIs based on multiple logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Serum PCT concentrations should be interpreted with caution in infants <6 months of age with a fever of uncertain source.
Bacteremia ; Bacterial Infections ; Bronchiolitis ; C-Reactive Protein ; Calcitonin ; Fever ; Gastroenteritis ; Herpangina ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukocyte Count ; Logistic Models ; Meningitis, Viral ; Oligopeptides ; Pediatrics ; Pharyngitis ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Protein Precursors ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; ROC Curve ; Spinal Puncture ; Urinary Tract Infections

Isolated torsion of the fallopian tube in postmenopausal women is rare. In this case report, we detail the case of a 53-year-old patient who presented with adenomyosis and a left hydrosalpinx with high levels of CA 125 and CA 19-9. The isolated torsion of the left hydrosalpinx was observed during the operation. The serum levels of CA 125 and CA 19-9 were reduced from 129.62 and 348 to 58.2 and 12.41 U/mL, respectively, after total laparoscopic hysterectomy with salpingectomy. On radiologic evaluation, there were no other factors that may have influenced the increase in serum levels of CA 125 and CA 19-9 in this patient, which were reduced after operation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of association between perioperative changes in CA 19-9 levels and isolated torsion of the fallopian tube.
Adenomyosis ; CA-125 Antigen ; CA-19-9 Antigen ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Middle Aged ; Salpingectomy

BACKGROUND: Recently in Europe, some epidemiologic studies reported that various physical symptoms and social, psychological wellbeing are related to low blood pressure. But in Korea, none has been studied on symptoms related to low blood pressure yet. In this study, we would like to see if the somatic symptoms and social, psychological wellbeing shown t,o be related to low SBP is truly associated with it. METHODS: Questionnaire interview was done to the people who have visited Department of family practice in two university hospitals and two health promotion center from April, 1996 to August, 1996. Seven somatic symptoms and Psychosocial Wellbeing Index(PWI) for the evaluation of social, psychological health status were included in the questionnaire. SAS statistics packages was used in statistical precess. We used logistic regression to see the frequency of somatic symptoms related to the systolic blood pressure(SBP) group and the confirmation of confounding variables was done by ANOVA. RESULTS: Total of 304 completed the questionnaire. Average age was 44 years old and average SBP was 115.4+/-16.4. 84 of them (27.6%) felt that they had a low BP & 69 were women compared to 21 men, being meaningfully more common. 107(35.2%) people answered that they had heard that their blood pressure was low and 66% were from doctors. Only 32(38.1%) of the group who felt of having hypotensive symptoms and 38 of the group who heard of having hypotension actually had SBP of below 100 mmHg. Vocation, income, smoking & alcohol history, present illness, marital status were not significant as a confounding variable. SBP of 100 or below group had a less presentation of fatigue & significantly higher PWI than the group of above 100mmHg (p<0.05). The group who felt that they had a low BP had more complaints of fatigue, dizziness, palpitation, cold hands and feet and had significnatly higher PWI than the group who didnt. CONCLUSIONS: SBP of 100mmHg or below group has more frequent manifestion of fatigue and low level of sociopsycholgiacl health index than the above 100mmHg group. But most of the people who complained of hypotensive symptoms didnt have low blood pressure and a lot of them misunderstand of having low blood pressure and after checking blood pressure by doctors, so great deal of caution is called for when seeing patients.
Adult ; Blood Pressure* ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Dizziness ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Europe ; Family Practice ; Fatigue ; Female ; Foot ; Hand ; Health Promotion ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Marital Status ; Occupations ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Background: and Purpose Ischemia of the inner ear may damage the otoconia. However, no study has explored any changes in the configuration of otoconia after transient ischemia of the labyrinth. Methods: Nineteen 7-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to either the sham (n=5) or the experimental group (n=14). The rats in the experimental group were subjected to global ischemia for 20 minutes using a four-vessel occlusion model, and were sacrificed seven days after the procedure. The rats in the sham group were sacrificed without any procedure. The otolithic organs (utricle and saccule) were dissected out for scanning electron microscope. Results: The otolithic organs in the sham group showed their normal gross configuration with a dense clumping of otoconia with a normal hexagonal morphology and a smooth surface. The otolithic organs in the experimental group also maintained a grossly normal configuration, but each otoconia showed irregular surfaces with numerous cracks or furrows, especially in the periphery of the otoconial bed. Conclusions The current study showed that otoconial degeneration may occur even after transient ischemia of the labyrinth. This finding supports an association between cerebral ischemia and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the relationships among emotional labor, grit, and job satisfaction of pediatric nurses and factors affecting job satisfaction. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 137 pediatric nurses working in a general hospital in Seoul. Data were collected from January 1, 2022 to January 31. The data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN version 28.0.1.1. Results: The mean score of job satisfaction was 3.63±0.43 (out of 5), emotional labor was 3.70±0.39 (out of 5), and grit was 2.90±0.30 (out of 4). Job satisfaction had positively correlated with emotional labor (r=.27, p=.002) and grit (r=.65, p<.001). The regression analyses showed subcategories of grit had a significant influence on job satisfaction. The factors significantly affecting job satisfaction were persistence to achieve long-term goals (β=.39, p<.001), patient-oriented intrinsic motivation (β=.30, p<.001), and passion to become a nursing professional (β=.21, p=.004). Conclusion These results suggested a need to increase grit for improving the job satisfaction. Furthermore, it would be necessary to develop a diverse program to increase job satisfaction for pediatric nurses by improving grit.