No abstract available.

This study was performed to investigate the antimicrobial effect of the Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. extracts against food-borne pathogens. First, the Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. was extracted with methanol at room temperatures, and fractionation of the methanol extracts from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. was carried out by using petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, and methanol respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. extracts was determined using a paper disc method against food-borne pathogens and food spoilage bacteria. The petroleum ether extracts of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. showed the highest antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The synergistic effect has been found in combined extracts of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. and Perillae folium as compared to each extracts alone. Finally, the growth inhibition curve was determined using ethyl acetate extracts of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. against Bacillus Cereus and Salmonella Enteritidis. The petroleum ether extract of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. showed strong antimicrobial activity against Bacillus Cereus at the concentration of 4,000 ppm. The 4,000 ppm of petroleum ether extract from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. retarded the growth of Bacillus Cereus more than 24 hours and Salmonella Enteritidis up to 36 hours. The petroleum ether extracts of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. has been shown the antimicrobial effect against Bacillus Cereus and Salmonella Enteritidis.
Agrimonia* ; Bacillus cereus ; Bacteria ; Chloroform ; Ether ; Methanol ; Perilla ; Petroleum ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Salmonella enteritidis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to understand nursing college life experiences of North Korean Defectors and identify their meanings. METHODS: The study collected data through individual in-depth interviews among six undergraduates or graduates from nursing colleges, using phenomenological research methodology of Colaizzi-one of qualitative research approaches. RESULTS: Six categories drawn as a result of research include ‘Be bumped against hard reality wall’, ‘Bondage of discrimination and prejudice’, ‘Endure and stand with strength of faith’, ‘Myself grown up along with work’, ‘Becoming one amid differences’, and ‘Stepping towards unification’. CONCLUSION: The result of this study would contribute to understanding academic and interpersonal difficulties North Korean defectors might experience at nursing colleges. And it may also help people to learn that they would play an important role in integration of the nursing fields of South and North Korea as well as the nation's unification. Along the way, the results of the study could be basic data to establish national policy helping North Korean defectors adapt to nursing college life, and develop the supporting system of colleges as well as setting up appropriate supports and measures from the perspective of the nursing field.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Life Change Events ; Nursing ; Qualitative Research ; Research Design

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 64-multidetector CT (MDCT) cholangiography for determining the causes of distal common bile duct (CBD) obstruction. METHODS: Two hundred fifty consecutive patients underwent 64-MDCT for diagnosing the clinical and biochemical signs of bile duct obstruction. The causes of bile duct obstruction were assessed by the pre- and post-enhanced axial and coronal multiplanar reformation images of 64-MDCT. The results were compared with ERCP, biopsy and surgery. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of MDCT for CBD stones were 96.1% and 84.9%, respectively. In seven patients, The CBD stones in 7 patients could not be detected on MDCT. Eleven patients with stones in the distal CBD, as detected on MDCT, had no stones seen on ERCP. For malignant obstruction, the sensitivity and specificity of MDCT were 97.0% and 98.6%, respectively. Three patients who were diagnosed with periampullary cancers on MDCT were disclosed to have severe papillitis on ERCP. One patient who was diagnosed with CBD stone by MDCT was disclosed to have ampullary cancer. The overall accuracy of MDCT for determining the causes of biliary obstruction was 90.5%. CONCLUSIONS: MDCT cholangiography is a non-invasive method with relatively high sensitivity and high specificity for diagnosing the causes of distal CBD obstruction.
Biopsy ; Cholangiography ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholestasis ; Common Bile Duct ; Humans ; Papilledema ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Interleukin-21 receptor (IL-21R) gene polymorphism is related with the development of systemic vasculitis. In this study, we investigated the polymorphisms of IL-21R gene in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We genotyped the promoter region of IL-21R gene (-2500 bp to +1 bp) in 100 patients with KD and 100 healthy controls. All study subjects were Korean. We designed five pairs of primers and performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing. We analyzed whole promoter sequences of 200 individuals with comparison to reference sequences of IL-21R gene (NG_012222.1/NC_000016.9). RESULTS: We found five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of which minor allele frequency (MAF) >0.01 in the promoter region of IL-21R gene. Those are -1681 G>T (chromosome site 27411802), -379 G>A (27413104), -332 G>C (27413151, rs2214537), -237 A>T (27413246), and -53 G>A (27413430). There is no significant difference in MAF of each SNP between patients with KD and healthy controls except -237 A>T. Twenty five patients with KD had more than 1 SNP in contrast to only seven healthy controls had. The patients with KD have significantly more IL-21R gene polymorphisms than controls (odds ratio: 3.0, 95% confidence interval: 1.6-5.6, p=0.0005). There was no significant correlation between IL-21R gene polymorphisms and the serum level of IL-21. The serum level of total IgE was not significantly correlated with the presence of IL-21R gene polymorphisms. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the genetic susceptibility profile for KD may include IL-21R gene.
Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Interleukins ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Receptors, Interleukin-21 ; Systemic Vasculitis

BACKGROUND: Ebstein's anomaly is characterized by various degrees of apical displacement of the proximal attachment of the tricuspid valve. The disease has an extremely variable course in presenting itself. Therefore, we examined the morphologic and clinical features of Ebstein's anomaly as presented in the fetus to define the factors that determine its outcome. METHODS: We reviewed the history and echocardiographic studies of 10 fetuses (mean gestational age 28.0 weeks) diagnosed in utero with Ebstein's anomaly. The reason for referral was cardiomegaly on routine obstetric scanning in 5 cases, fetal arrhythmia in 3 cases, small main pulmonary artery in 3 cases, vessel view in 1, and twin pregnancy complicated by polyhydramniosis in 1. RESULTS: Of the 10 cases, pregnancy was terminated after diagnosis in 5, 2 cases were carried to term, and 1 case was at 34 weeks of gestation. We were unable to follow-up 2 cases. There were no intrauterine deaths and no misdiagnoses. Massive cardiomegaly and severe tricuspid regurgitation were detected in 7 cases; mild cases were detected in two, and one was nearly normal. Associated cardiac lesions included pulmonary artresia in 4 cases, pulmonary stenosis in 3, and pulmonary hypoplasia in 1. The cases with right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction showed a tendency to develop more cardiomegaly and tricuspid regurgitation than with normal RVOT. There was no abnormality in other organ systems and karyotyping. CONCLUSION: Although increased cardiothoracic ratio and associated lesions of the right ventricular outflow tract contribute to the poor outcome in the prenatally detected cases, the absence of these features does not always indicate a good prognosis because progression of the disease can occur with advancing gestational age. No absolute measurement or single echocardiographic feature emerged as a consistent predictive factor for prognosis.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cardiomegaly ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Errors ; Ebstein Anomaly* ; Echocardiography* ; Fetus* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Karyotyping ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Referral and Consultation ; Tricuspid Valve ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus* ; Humans* ; Immunoassay*

A 48-year-old woman was incidentally found to have bilateral adrenal masses, 2.8 cm in diameter on the right, and 2.3 cm and 1.7 cm in diameter on the left, by abdominal computed tomography. The patient had a medical history of hypertension, which was not being controlled by carvedilol, at a dose of 25 mg daily. She presented with signs and symptoms that suggested Cushing Syndrome. We diagnosed adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-independent Cushing Syndrome based on the results of basal and dynamic hormone tests. Adrenal vein sampling (AVS) was performed to localize a functioning adrenal cortical mass. AVS results were consistent with hypersecretion of cortisol from both adrenal glands, with a cortisol lateralization ratio of 1.1. Upon bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy, bilateral ACTH-independent adrenal adenomas were found. The patient's signs and symptoms of Cushing Syndrome improved after surgery just as the blood pressure was normalized. After surgery, the patient was started on glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement therapy.
Adenoma ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenalectomy ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Blood Pressure ; Carbazoles ; Cushing Syndrome ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hypertension ; Propanolamines ; Veins

Dysgerminoma developed in a 21-year-old phenotypic female patient with 46,XY pure gonadal dysgenesis, Swyer syndrome. This patient presented with pelvic mass associated with abdominal pain and primay amenorrhea. Clinical characteristics showed a typical stigmata of gonadal dysgenesis: primary amenorrhea, sexual infantilism, a small uterus and left streak gonad. A 46,XY karyotype was made by lymphocyte culture. The patient was counseled to undergo operation, chemotherapy and hormon therapy. She underwent bilateral gonadectomy with total hysterectomy, partial omentectomy and multiple pelvic wall random biopsy. Histological examination revealed dysgenetic gonads with dysgerminoma. After surgery, the patient received chemotherapy and also was started on hormone replacement therapy. She is currently alive with no evidence of disease after 19 months from surgery.
Abdominal Pain ; Amenorrhea ; Biopsy ; Christianity ; Drug Therapy ; Dysgerminoma* ; Female ; Gonadal Dysgenesis ; Gonadal Dysgenesis, 46,XY* ; Gonads ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Karyotype ; Lymphocytes ; Sexual Infantilism ; Uterus ; Young Adult

Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is a potentially life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy caused by autoantibody-mediated severe ADAMTS13 deficiency. TTP should be suspected in patients with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia without a definite cause. Early detection of iTTP and prompt treatment with plasma exchange and corticosteroids are essential. Rituximab administration should be considered for refractory or relapsed iTTP, and can be used as a first-line adjuvant or preemptive therapy. Treatment with caplacizumab, a novel anti-von Willebrand factor nanobody, resulted in a faster time to platelet count response, significant reduction in iTTP-related deaths, and reduced incidence of refractory iTTP. TTP survivors showed a higher rate of chronic morbidities, including cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive impairment, which can lead to a poor quality of life and higher mortality rate. Meticulous long-term follow-up of TTP survivors is crucial.