Microorganisms coexist in the human body and its function is essential to maintain normal physiology and homeostasis. Microbiota refers to the entire population of microorganisms that colonizes a particular location; includes not just bacteria but also other microbes. Gut microbiota is vast and complex. It could be changed dynamically according to the variable factors. Well balanced host-microbial symbiotic state is a harmonious ecosystem in the stable individual. But, dysbiosis is a state of deviation in composition or function from the usual gut microbiota. It has been found that this condition is associated with many gastrointestinal, metabolic, allergic and the other diseases. Dysbiosis plays an important role in the pathophysiology of functional bowel disease, such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional constipation. Probiotics is microorganism which, when administrated in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Probiotics have beneficial effects to reduce several symptoms of functional bowel diseases. Currently, complementary and alternative medicine therapies with probiotics is recommended for symptomatic relief from functional bowel disease.
Bacteria ; Colon ; Complementary Therapies ; Constipation ; Dysbiosis ; Ecosystem ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome* ; Homeostasis ; Human Body ; Insurance Benefits ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Microbiota ; Physiology ; Probiotics*

PURPOSE: To present a case of brain abscess formation accompanied by improvement of orbital cellulitis. CASE SUMMARY: A 54-year-old male came to our clinic complaining of swelling and pain of the left periorbital area and decreased visual acuity (VA) of the left eye. Initial best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.3 and intraocular pressure was 27 mmHg in the left eye. Eye movement in all directions was restricted and 4 mm of proptosis was observed in the left eye. An orbital CT scan demonstrated pansinusitis and orbital cellulitis of the left eye. The patient underwent endoscopic sinus surgery and was treated with systemic antibiotics. However, periorbital swelling was aggravated and another orbital CT scan was performed and analyzed. The CT scan showed localized periorbital abscess of the left eye, and the authors performed an incision and drainage (I&D) of abscess procedure. After the operation, BCVA of the left eye was recovered to 0.8 and eye movement improved and periorbital swelling decreased. However, 15 days after the I&D, the patient complained of a severe headache. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed and showed an abscess of the left frontal lobe of the brain. The authors consulted with a neurosurgeon, and the patient received intravenous antibiotics and mannitol. The headache steadily decreased, and three months after the first visit, a follow-up brain MRI was performed. The MRI showed almost complete disappearance of the abscess and six months after the first visit, BCVA was recovered to 1.0 and eye movement was full in all directions. CONCLUSIONS: Although orbital cellulitis is improved by treatment of antibiotics and surgery, if the patient complains of neurologic symptoms such as headache, other complications such as brain abscess formation should be considered.
Abscess ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Brain ; Brain Abscess ; Drainage ; Exophthalmos ; Eye ; Eye Movements ; Follow-Up Studies ; Frontal Lobe ; Headache ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mannitol ; Middle Aged ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Orbit ; Orbital Cellulitis ; Porphyrins ; Sinusitis ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to analyze and evaluate prior studies published in Korea on the cardiovascular disease-related quality of life, in order to make recommendations for further research. METHODS: A total of 15 studies were selected from four databases(Digital library of Research Information Center for Health, Korea Medical Database, MedRic, and National Assembly Library). The selected studies were analyzed according to criteria, such as diagnosis/operation, used instrument, generic/specific instrument, dimension of quality of life, translation/ back-translation, sample size, reliability, validity, responsiveness, number of items, type of scale, time required, and independent variables. RESULTS: Of the 15 cardiovascular disease-related quality of life studies, approximately half of them were conducted with hypertension or ischemic heart disease patients. All studies asserted that the concept of quality of life had multidimensional attributes. With respect to the questionnaire used for measuring the quality of life, only one study used a cardiovascular disease specific- instrument and most studies did not consider whether or not the validity of their instrument had been established. In addition, when using questionnaires developed in other languages, only one study employed a translation/ back-translation technique. The types of variables tested for their influence on quality of life were quite limited. CONCLUSION: It is recommended to develop a reliability and validity established cardiovascular disease specific- quality of life for Korean patients and to identify associated new variables.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Information Centers ; Korea* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Quality of Life* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sample Size ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To document and compare the clinical results of symmetrical rectus muscle recession and asymmetrical rectus muscle recession in intermittent exotropia. METHODS: The medical records of 27 patients who had symmetric bilateral rectus recession and 24 patients who had asymmetric bilateral rectus recession for intermittent exotropia with at least six months of postoperative follow-up from March 2004 to March 2007 were reviewed retrospectively. The authors performed a recession of 2 mm or greater in the deviating eye than in the fixing eye. RESULTS: The mean age was 7.14+/-4.23 (range 3 to 15) years for symmetric bilateral rectus recession and 7.33+/-4.01 (range 3 to 14) years for asymmetric bilateral rectus recession. The mean follow-up was 11.83+/-5.74 (range 6 to 26) months in the symmetric bilateral rectus recession group and 11.14+/-5.05 (range 6 to 30) months in the asymmetric bilateral rectus recession group. The mean preoperative angle deviations were 27.5+/-4.8 prism diopter (PD) (range 30 to 40PD) and 27.3+/-4.6PD (range 20 to 40PD) in each group. The outcome of final follow-up (postoperative 24 months) was favorable in both groups, and slightly more successful in the asymmetric bilateral recession group but not a statistically significant amount (75.5% in the symmetric bilateral recession group and 81.2% in the asymmetric bilateral recession group). CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that there are no significant differences at postoperative 24 months between symmetric bilateral recession and asymmetric bilateral recession in intermittent exotropia having a fixing and a deviating eye.
Exotropia ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Muscles ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: This study investigated the current situation and future trends in the field of cataract surgery in Korea. METHODS: Since 1995, the members of the Korean Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (KSCRS) have conducted annual surveys regarding cataract and refractive surgery. The 2007 annual survey, consisting of 85 multiple-choice questions, was mailed in February 2008 to 301 KSCRS members. Sixty-two (20.6%) members answered the questions. Current data were compared with data from previous annual surveys and with surveys in the United States and Europe. RESULTS: Fifty-four percent of the respondents were over 50 years of age. The duration of hospital stay has decreased annually and the use of topical anesthesia (57%) has slightly increased. Self-sealing wound construction was the main wound closure technique in phacoemulsification (60%). The implantation of phakic intraocular lenses (IOL) was performed in 56% of the respondents and the most preferred IOL for small incision cataract surgery were acrylic (88%). Interest in the additional value of IOL has increased annually. CONCLUSIONS: This survey summarized current trends and changes in cataract surgery in Korea.
Anesthesia ; Cataract ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Phacoemulsification ; Phakic Intraocular Lenses ; Postal Service ; Refractive Surgical Procedures ; United States ; Wound Closure Techniques

OBJECTIVES: The most common chromosomal abnormality contributing to recurrent abortion is the balanced chromosomal translocation. However the exact incidence of fetal losses are still unknown. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the incidence of fetal chromosomal abnormalities and outcome of pregnancy in recurrent miscarriage couples with balanced translocation. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of recurrent spontaneous abortion patients with balanced chromosomal translocation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cytogenetic analysis was performed in 56 couples with history of recurrent abortions from 1995 to 1999. The use of high resolution banding technique and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) in the chromosomal analysis has made the precise evaluation of chromosome aberrations. RESULTS: Among 56 couples, 42 patients had reciprocal translocation and 14 had Robertsonian translocation. Chromosomal aberrations were more frequent in women (36 cases) than in men (20 cases). Prenatal cytogenetic analyses were carried out in 14 subsequent pregnancies for carrier couples with balanced translocation. The fetal karyotypes showed that 5 cases (35.7%) was normal, 8 (57.1%) were balanced translocation, and 1 (7.1%) was unbalanced translocations. And cytogenetic analyses were done on 15 subsequent chorionic villi samples of abortuses for carrier couples with balanced translocations. Fourteen of fifteen abortuses (93.3%) were abnormal karyotype. CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidence of chromosomal imbalance in the fetuses was relatively low in prenatal cytogenetic analysis, individuals with balanced translocations are predisposed to giving birth to malformed offsprings with chromosomal imbalance (partial trisomy or monosomy). Therefore we recommend preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for recurrent abortions with balanced translocation and preventing the birth of offspring with chromosomal abnormalities.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Abortion, Habitual* ; Abortion, Spontaneous ; Chorionic Villi ; Chromosome Aberrations* ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Family Characteristics* ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Incidence* ; Karyotype ; Male ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Preimplantation Diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Translocation, Genetic ; Trisomy

Influences of intracerebroventricular(icv) ouabain on cardiovascular system and on pressor response to raised intracranial pressure(ICP) were investigated in urethane-anesthetized rabbits. Intravenous(iv) 40 microgram/kg ouabain did not affect blood pressure of rabbit. Icv ouabain(5, 10, 20 microgram/kg) and digoxin(6.25, 12.5 microgram/kg) produced dose-dependent pressor responses and marked decrease of heart rate. After bilateral vagotomy, the bradycardiac effect of ouabain disappeared, while the pressor effect was significantly potentiated. The ouabain-induced pressor effect was not affected by iv and icy phentolamine or propranolol, and significantly inhibited by icy infusion of lidocaine(0.1 mg/kg/min) and diazepam(0.025 mg/kg/min). The pressor response to raised ICP was not affected by iv 40 microgram/kg ouabain but disappeared by icy 10 microgram/kg ouabain and 6.25 microgram/kg digoxin. These data suggests that ouabain causes pressor effect through direct interaction with a site(s) in central nervous system and bradycardiac effect by direct activation of vagal center, and ouabain blocks central sympathetic stimulation by increase of ICP in rabbits.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular System* ; Central Nervous System ; Digitalis* ; Digoxin ; Heart Rate ; Intracranial Pressure ; Ouabain ; Phentolamine ; Propranolol ; Rabbits* ; Vagotomy

Undifferentiated sarcoma is one of the rare primary malignant tumor of the liver typically occur ring in later childhood. It has also been referred to embryonal sarcoma or malignant mesenchymoma. In Korea, three child and two adult cases have been reported to date in liter ature. We experienced a case of undifferentiated sarcoma in a 65- year- old female who presented with abdominal pain and right upper quadrant mass . Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scan revealed a well demarcated mass with low at tenuation and sept ation at left lobe of the liver and the mass showed hypovas cular pattern on hepatic angiography. On cross section, the tumor was well demarcated from the adjacent liver by afibr ouspseudocapsule and showed cystic degener ation. Pathologically, the tumor was consistent with an undifferentiated sarcoma of the liver.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult* ; Angiography ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver* ; Mesenchymoma ; Sarcoma* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVE: The aim of study was to evaluate the efficacy of medical and/or laparoscopic surgical treatment for improvement of reproductive outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in the patients with endometriosis. METHODS: 296 IVF-ET cycles except 18 cycles of cancelled embryo-transfer (unfertilization; 16 cycles, high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome; 2 cycles) in 191 infertile women with endometriosis from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1998 were included in this study. All women's ages were < or = 35 and the factor for infetility was endometriosis only and day 3 follicle stumulating hormone (FSH) level of all the cycles was < or = 10 mIU/ml in this study. All the baseline study about infertility was done before initiating treatment of infertility. The stage of endometriosis was recorded during diagnostic laparoscopy by WHO critera. Medical treatment (GnRH agonist or danazole) or laparoscopic surgery was done independently or combinedly by the physician's decision according to the disease entity and symptoms. Short or long protocols were used for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and 3 day embryos were transferred (maximally 4 embryos) by standard procedures in our institute. We classified the cases as 4 groups : group 1 (without pre-treatment, 80 cycles), goup 2 (laparoscopic surgery only, 37 cycles), group 3 (medication only, 140 cycles), group IV (combined pre-treatment, 39 cycles). RESULTS: The mean age (years old, mean +/- SEM) was 31.5 +/- 0.3 (group 1), 31.6 +/- 0.5 (group 2), 31.5 +/- 0.2 (group 3), 31.7 +/- 0.4 (group 4) respectively. The duration of infertility (months) was 57.7 +/- 3.3, 64.5 +/- 4.8, 59.1 +/- 1.9, 52.0 +/- 3.7 respectively among groups. The viable pregnancy rate (over 28 gestational weeks, VPR) was 12.5 % (10/80) in goup 1, 13.5 % (5/37) in goup 2, 14.3 % (20/140) in group 3, 30.8 % (12/39) in group 4 and there was statistically significant difference between group 1 and group 4 (P=0.03, Chi square test). The total used gonadotropins (ampules) for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation were 28.2 +/- 0.6.
Embryo Transfer ; Embryonic Structures ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Infertility ; Laparoscopy* ; Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome ; Pregnancy Rate* ; Pregnancy*

PURPOSE: The number of patients with HIV disease has been increasing rapidly, with anorectal discomfort being the most common complaint of these patients. However, there are no data on HIV disease relating to the benign anorectal area in Koreans. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on patients diagnosed with benign anal diseases, combined with HIV disease, between 1996 and 2001. Their clinical aspects were compared with HIV patients registered with the National Institute of Health in Korea between 1985 and 2001. RESULTS: A total of 1,613 patients were registered, with the National Institute of Health in Korea, as having HIV disease. The ratio of sex was 7.2:1, with a male predominance. The disease was most common in the 3rd & 4th decades, with 64.2%, of the patients in this age range. As for the routes of transmission, sexual contact was the most common (96.9%), followed by blood transfusion (including blood products) (2.8%), vertical transmission (0.1%) and drug injection (0.1%). With regard to the sexual contact routes, homosexuality accounted for 28.0%. Of the cases of HIV disease presenting with a benign anal disease, 32 patients, with a sex ratio of 31:1, with an overwhelming male predominance, were selected. Twenty-six cases had been newly diagnosed at our hospital. As for the routes of the transmission, the disease had been transmitted by sexual contact in all cases. In 43.8% of these cases, the disease had been transmitted by homosexual contact, which showed a marked difference to that of the National database (P<0.05). For those associated with an anal diseases, there were 10 cases of anal fistula, 9 of perianal abscess, 7 of condyloma acuminata, 7 of anal fissure, 5 of hemorrhoids and 2 of ulceration on the lower rectum, noted. CONCLUSIONS: Nowadays, the numbers of anorectal-disease patients with HIV are increasing in Korea. Since HIV is common in the area of benign proctology, all proctologists must consider the possibility of HIV when managing patients.
Abscess ; Blood Transfusion ; Colorectal Surgery ; Fissure in Ano ; Hemorrhoids ; HIV Infections ; HIV* ; Homosexuality ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Rectal Fistula ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Ratio ; Ulcer