No abstract available.
Meningitis*

No abstract available.
Cryptococcosis*

No abstract available.
Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Hypersplenism*

This epidemiologic study was carried out to investigate cause and magnitude of food-poisoning like epidemic occurred among inhabitants of a village who have eaten dead cow's meat near Kyonng in February of 1994, around lunar new year. The investigation consisted of interview survey on all inhabitants of 77 households (l11 males and 119 females) and their visitors (40 males and 35 females), skin test with anthraxinum(Russian product), study on clinical characteristics for the patients hospitalized, and microbiologic examination on microbes isolated from cow's meat, patient and soils of dead cow's barn. The results obtained are as followings; 1. The proportion of the inhabitants who ingested the dead cow's meat was 36.4%. The incidence rate of the disease was 65.1% for males, 41.7% for females and the cases were distributed evenly for all age groups. The group ingested raw meat showed higher incidence than the group ingested cooked meat. There was no case among people who did not eat the meat. 2. The most clinical symptoms were significantly more frequent among cases than non-cases; sore throat (57%), nausea (51%), fever(47%), indigestion(43%), cough(41%), anorekia(41%), abdominal distention(41%), and abdominal pain(39%) were the major symptoms among cases. 3. Among 29 cases hospitalized out of total 61 cases, three patients, all old and feeble persons, deceased from the disease resulting in 4.9% fatality rate among total patient and 10.3% among hospitalized. Septicemia and meningitis were the causes of the deaths. 4. Three strains isolated from patients, and three strains from dead cow's meat and soil revealed typical microbiologic characteristics of Bacillus Anthracis, which also proved to be fatal to experimentally infected mice.
Animals ; Anthrax* ; Bacillus anthracis ; Eating* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Meat* ; Meningitis ; Mice ; Nausea ; Pharyngitis ; Sepsis ; Skin Tests ; Soil

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to establish the prenatal diagnosis for identifying the risk for epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma(EPPK) of a fetus by sequence analysis of fetal genomic DNA from chorionic villi. METHODS: Chorionic villus sampling under transvaginal sonography at 12 weeks of gestation from a woman at risk for a child in a EPPK-affected family was perfomed. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of specific allele (PASA) assay was carried out for the detection of mutation(R162W in keratin 9 [K9] gene) previously identified in this family. Direct DNA sequencing analysis of K9 gene was accomplished to confirm the mutation. RESULTS: We had found the point mutation, R162W of K9 gene, in affected family members and confirmed by PASA assay. Affected family members were shown to have PCR products reactive with both the mutant and wildtype specific primers. Because we could not find any expected products after PASA assay with the primers la(+)/KSmt(-) of the fetal DNA, we predicted that the fetus did not inherited the mutant allele and that the fetus could be unaffected. After PASA assay, we analyzed DNA sequences of two family members to confirm the mutation. A C-to-T substitution at bp 545 was detected in the father, instead the fetus did not have any mutant band at that base pair. CONCLUSION: The PASA assay and direct DNA sequencing analysis of K9 gene through chorionic villi sampling and extraction of genomic DNA had validity to early prenatal diagnosis whether fetus was affected in EPPK or not.
Alleles ; Base Pairing ; Base Sequence ; Child ; Chorionic Villi ; Chorionic Villi Sampling ; DNA* ; Fathers ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Keratin-9 ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar, Epidermolytic* ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Sequence Analysis ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

During drug treatment of tuberculous lymphadenitis, paradoxical response (PR) may occasionally occur. Continued treatment or lymph node aspiration improves PR without severe sequelae. However, we report a case of severe PR in a patient with cervical lymph node tuberculosis causing airway obstruction due to retropharyngeal lymph node swelling during antituberculous treatment. Tracheostomy and drainage of the node were performed to secure the airway. Possible airway obstruction due to PR must be suspected when cervical lymph node tuberculosis involves the retropharyngeal lymph node.
Adult ; Female ; *HIV Seronegativity ; Humans ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; *Tracheostomy ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node/*complications/radiography/surgery

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Intracoronary stenting now constitute the majority of coronary interventions, and subsequently in-stent restenosis has become a significant clinical problem. Recently, several studies on intracoronary radiation therapy, in patients with in-stent restenosis, have demonstrated a reduction in binary angiographic restenosis and target lesion revascularization compared with control groups. The effects of beta-radiation therapy on non-stented adjacent segments in in-stent restenosis have not been sufficiently evaluated. beta-radiation therapy for in-stent restenosis was performed with a 188Re-MAG3 filled balloon. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We evaluated, and compared, the effects of beta-radiation therapy on non-stented adjacent segments, in in-stent restenosis, by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) analysis, between 50 patients who received radiation therapy and 9 controls. The changes (delta: follow-up-post-intervention) of the external elastic membrane (EEM), the lumen and other IVUS variables, were compared between the segments having received radiation therapy and those in the controls. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the 2 groups, and were as follows: the delta EEM and delta lumen areas were 0.3mm2 and -1.0mm2, (p=0.005) and 0.2mm2 and -1.3mm2, (p<0.001) in those radiated and the controls, respectively. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, compared with the changes on the vessel shrinkage of the control group, there was significant vessel enlargement in the non-stented adjacent segments having received radiation therapy.
Brachytherapy ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Humans ; Membranes ; Stents ; Ultrasonography* ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

BACKGROUND: Nerve conduction study (NCS) is an objective and quantitative test in evaluating peripheral nerve disorders. Several physiological and technical factors are well known to influence the results of NCS, which can be controlled and regulated by standardization of environment and through the process to make range of normality. However, most electromyographers do not pay much attentions about inter- and intra-examiner variabilities, and there are only a few and incomplete reports on these topics. We examined the intra-examiner variability of NCS on the basis of periods of practice. METHODS: Twenty-eight electromyographers were divided into two groups: residents and neurologist-technicians. All, having variable NCS training periods, have performed NCS on one of other 27 electromyographers ten times within two weeks where each study was made once a day. RESULTS: Coefficient of variation and external quotient increased according to the following order - nerve conduction velocities (NCV), terminal latencies (TL), and amplitudes of compound action potentials (AMP). There were significant differences between the two groups in NCV and TL, but no statistical difference in AMP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that errors from intra-examiner variability should be considered when interpreting NCS and that those electromyographers who have enough training should perform NCS.
Action Potentials ; Attention ; Humans ; Neural Conduction* ; Peripheral Nerves

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of peginterferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients under real life setting in Korea. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 758 CHC patients treated with peginterferon plus ribavirin between 2000 and 2008 from 14 university hospitals in the Gyeonggi-Incheon area in Korea. RESULTS: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 was detected in 61.2% of patients, while genotype 2 was detected in 35.5%. Baseline HCV RNA level was > or =6x10(5) IU/mL in 51.6% of patients. The sustained virological response (SVR) rate was 59.6% regardless of genotype; 53.6% in genotype 1 and 71.4% in genotype 2/3. On multivariate analysis, male gender (p=0.011), early virological response (p<0.001), genotype 2/3 (p<0.001), HCV RNA <6x10(5) IU/mL (p=0.005) and adherence to the drug >80% of the planned dose (p<0.001) were associated with SVR. The rate of premature discontinuation was 35.7%. The main reason for withdrawal was intolerance to the drug due to common adverse events or cytopenia (48.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the efficacy of peginterferon and ribavirin therapy in Koreans is better in Koreans than in Caucasians for the treatment of CHC, corroborating previous studies that have shown the superior therapeutic efficacy of this regimen in Asians.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribavirin ; RNA

We assessed the success rate of empirical antifungal therapy with itraconazole and evaluated risk factors for predicting the failure of empirical antifungal therapy. A multicenter, prospective, observational study was performed in patients with hematological malignancies who had neutropenic fever and received empirical antifungal therapy with itraconazole at 22 centers. A total of 391 patients who had abnormal findings on chest imaging tests (31.0%) or a positive result of enzyme immunoassay for serum galactomannan (17.6%) showed a 56.5% overall success rate. Positive galactomannan tests before the initiation of the empirical antifungal therapy (P=0.026, hazard ratio [HR], 2.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-4.69) and abnormal findings on the chest imaging tests before initiation of the empirical antifungal therapy (P=0.022, HR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.11-3.71) were significantly associated with poor outcomes for the empirical antifungal therapy. Eight patients (2.0%) had premature discontinuation of itraconazole therapy due to toxicity. It is suggested that positive galactomannan tests and abnormal findings on the chest imaging tests at the time of initiation of the empirical antifungal therapy are risk factors for predicting the failure of the empirical antifungal therapy with itraconazole. (Clinical Trial Registration on National Cancer Institute website, NCT01060462)
14-alpha Demethylase Inhibitors/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antifungal Agents/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Aspergillosis/complications/*drug therapy ; Candidiasis/complications/*drug therapy ; Coccidioidomycosis/complications/drug therapy ; Febrile Neutropenia/complications/drug therapy ; Female ; Hematologic Neoplasms/complications/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Humans ; Itraconazole/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Male ; Mannans/blood ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult