Recent development in thepolymerase chain reaction (PCR) has brought an extraordinary opportunity for the rapid detection of M. tuberculosis in clinical specimens for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Pneumoconiosis is a sort of pulmonary fibrosis consequent to inhalation of the respirable dust. The association between pulmonary tuberculosis and pneumoconiosis is well recognized. There is a 10-fold increase in the tuberculosis risk among the workers who have pneumoconiosis demonstrated by chest roentgenogram. The physicians managing the patients with pneumoconiosis have to maintain a high index of suspicion for the development of mycobacterial infection, since the diagnosis of tuberculosis is often difficult. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a very slow growing organism and acid-fast bacillus (AFB) staining frequently shows false negative results, and therefore PCR would be a very rapid, easy and sensitive diagnostic method for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in pneumoconiotic patients. To compare the PCR method with the conventional methods in diagnosing Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum, we used the sputa of 115 pneumoconiosis patients in Munkyeong Cheil Hospital. Of 32 pulmonary tuberculosis in the pneumoconiosis patients, 29 were PCR positive and were higher than 28, 20 positive by culture and AFB stain. Overall sensitivity, specificity, and which were 90.6, 91.5 % respectively for the PCR assay, 87.5, 100 % for the culture method ; 62.5, 98.7 % for the AFB stain. The PCR assay is a rapid, efficient, sensitive method which can detect M. tuberculosis directly in pneumoconiosis patients, and further study should be followed for the development of the easier method.
Bacillus ; Diagnosis* ; Dust ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Pneumoconiosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the status of infection control during influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted in November 2009 at the 100 hospitals designated by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) as influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009-treatment institutions. RESULTS: In 32.3% of the hospitals, the ventilation system of the influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 isolation ward was separated from the hospital's ventilation system. With regard to wearing personal protective equipment while caring for patients with H1N1 infection, during usual patient contact, masks were always worn by all medical staff at all the hospitals; however, medical staff at 38.7% and 51.6% of the hospitals did not wear gloves and gowns, respectively. During aerosol-generating procedures, some medical staff wore surgical masks, whereas medical staff at 10% and 23.3% of the hospitals did not wear gowns and protective goggles, respectively. In all, 64.5% of the hospitals responded that the contents of the guidelines established by the KCDC were insufficient for reference purposes in actual practice. CONCLUSION: Some of influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009-treatment institutions are believed to be inadequate in facilities, infection control during patient treatment, and administrative measures among their efforts to prevent transmission in hospital. In preparation against the outbreak of similar diseases in the future, the government needs to establish guidelines highly applicable by medical staff, to secure exclusive spaces and personnel for treating infectious disease patients, and to develop personal protective gear support and management systems.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Communicable Diseases ; Delivery of Health Care ; Eye Protective Devices ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Influenza, Human ; Korea ; Masks ; Medical Staff ; Pandemics ; Ventilation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Oral allergy syndrome(OAS) is composed of it,ching sense and edema in oral cavity, lips, throat, pharynx, and larynx following eating some fresh fruits or vegetables. It has been known that most of patients with OAS are allergic to pollens. Common epitopes were found among pollens, fruits and vegetables. Although OAS is a common farm of food allergy in adults, this is the first epidemiologic study of OAS in Korea. MATERIAL AND METHOD: One hundred and fifty one patients who showed positive skin reaction to pollens were telephone-interviewed. Investigation of the prevalence and clinical manifestations of OAS was possible in 81 patients. RESULT: The prevalence of OAS among these patients was 34.6% (28/81). OAS was found in 24(48%) out of 50 patients sensitized to tree pollens, whereas 4(13%) of 31 grass or weed pollen-sensitized paients had OAS. Most common causative food was apple and all of 17 apple- OAS patients were sensitized to tree pollens. Peach was the second common food and 14 of 15 peach-OAS patients were sensitized to tree pollens. Besides oral symptoms, rhinitis, asthma, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or generalized urticaria were accompanied in half of the OAS patients (14/28). Some patients showed OAS to some unique Korean foods such as dropwort, taro and Aster. CONCLUSION: OAS was very common in pollen-sensitized patients. Larger epidemiologic studies are needed to find unique Korean foods and their antigensm causing OAS.
Adult ; Asthma ; Colocasia ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Edema ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epitopes ; Filipendula ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Fruit ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Korea ; Larynx ; Lip ; Mouth ; Nausea ; Pharynx ; Poaceae ; Pollen* ; Prevalence ; Prunus persica ; Rhinitis ; Skin ; Urticaria ; Vegetables ; Vomiting

Human caspase-2, Ich-1 (Ice and Ced-3 homolog), has two different forms of mRNA species derived from alternative splicing, which encodes Ich-1 and Ich-1s. Ich-1v which induces apoptosis is antagonist of Ich-1s which suppresses Rat-1 cell death by serum deprivation. To investigate functions of Ich-1 and Ich-1s in T celi apoptosis, the fusion DNA constructs were made with the ecto and transmembrane of CDB and Ich-lv or Ich-1s and CDS-Ich-1 or CD8-Ich-1s chimeric protein was transiently expressed on Jurkat T cells. Tyrosine phosphorylation of intracellular proteins was induced in these transfectans when activated shortly by anti-CDB Ab. CDB-Ich-li transfectant in serum-rich condition and CDB-Ich-ls transfectant in serum-deprived condition underwent apoptosis when treated with anti-CDS Ab or incubated with NIH3T3 cells expressing stably Fas-L on their surface. We also made six antisense DNA constructs which could specifically inhibit the expression of Ich-1v, Ich- 1s, and then they were transiently transfected into Jurkat T cell. The overexpression of both of the antisese- Ich-1 against N-terminal 42 bp and against C-terminal 366 bp inhibited apoptosis through Fas signalling. But, when three different forms of antisense-Ich-1s were overexpressed in their transfectants, antisense-DNA against N-terminal 197 bp increased knd the one against C-terminal 66 bp inhibited apoptosis, instead the full size of antisense-DNA did not give any effects on apoptosis through Fas pathway.
Humans

Cystoid macular edema (CME) is a relatively common cause of temporary or permanent visual impairment after cataract extraction. Fluorescein angiography is indispensable to diagnose the CME. Intravenous fluorescein angiography is asscciated with a high incidene of minor adverse effects but a very low incidence of life-threatening serious reactions. There are no reports of oral fluorescein causing a senous reaction, and minor adverse effects are uncommon. We had Performed the oral fluorescein angiography in 30 consecutive cases (31 eyes) to detect the CME after cataract extraction. Two eyes (6.45%) had definite evidence of CME on the fluorograms. The typical angiogram of CME were obtained at 30 or 40 minutes after they had taken the fluorescein sodium. A dose of 20mg/Kg body weight produced good quality angiograms in 71% of the patients. There was no serious reaction but a mild pruritus was noted in one patient(3.3%). Therefore, we have concluded that the oral fluorescem agniography is very useful method because the oral fluorogram may avoid the adverse effect that could occur in intravenous fluorescein injection and be comparable in quality with those produced by intrvenous fluorescein.
Body Weight ; Cataract Extraction* ; Cataract* ; Fluorescein Angiography* ; Fluorescein* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Macular Edema* ; Pruritus ; Vision Disorders

Our purpose is to describe a successful twin pregnancy and delivery after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) followed by calcium ionophore with spermatozoa from a globozoospermic man. On the second attempt of ICSI, all of eight metaphase II oocytes were fertilized with treatment with calcium ionophore. Day 3 transfer of six normally developing embryos resulted in an ongoing twin pregnancy, and two preterm healthy babies were born in the 33th week of gestation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of pregnancy and delivery after ICSI followed by calcium ionophore with spermatozoa from a globozoospermic man in Korea.
Calcium* ; Embryonic Structures ; Humans ; Metaphase ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin* ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic* ; Spermatozoa*

PURPOSE: The pharmacologic effect of atropine on HPS can be considered to control pyloric muscle spasm. Therefore, we studied the effects of intravenous atropine sulfate on the clinical course of HPS, and periodically observed the ultrasonographic appearance of the pyloric muscles after atropine treatment. METHODS:From April 1998 to May 1999, 14 infants who were diagnosed with HPS were treated with intravenous atropine sulfate. Intravenous atropine sulfate was administered at an initial dose of 0.04mg/kg/day, which was divided into 8 equal doses. The daily dose was increased by 0.01 mg/kg/day until vomiting was controlled for an entire day while infants received unrestricted oral feeding. Ultrasonographic examinations were performed during hospitalization and repeated at least every 2 months until normalization of pyloric muscles was confirmed. RESULTS: Intravenous atropine was effective in 12 of 14 infants with HPS and the conditions of 9 of them improved. Two infants who were not free from vomiting despite a week of intravenous atropine sulfate treatment underwent pyloromyotomy. A series of ultrasonographic examinations were done after vomiting had improved with intravenous atropine sulfate. The ultrasonographic findings showed good passage of gastric contents through pyloric canals despite thickening of the pyloric muscles. CONCLUSION: Intravenous administration of atropine sulfate is an effective therapy for HPS and can be an alternative to pyloromyotomy. (J Korean Pediatr Soc 2000;43:763-768)
Administration, Intravenous ; Atropine* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infant ; Muscles ; Pyloric Stenosis, Hypertrophic* ; Spasm ; Vomiting

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of 166 patients was undertaken to observe radiologically the changes of adjacent segments at follow-up more than three years after lumbar fusion. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to analyse the changes of adjacent segments and to correlate these changes to the length of using level and to the degree of deviation from physiologic lumbar lordosis. The authors also correlate these radiologic changes to the clinical symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In simple x-ray, authors observed traction spur, disc space narrowing, endplate sclerosis and vacuum phenomenon of adjacent segments. Authors used Gelb's criteria in segmental lordosis angle(SLA) and Katz's classification in clinical results. RESULTS: The average age was 49.6 years old and the average follow-up period was 57.2 months(4 years and 9.2 months). We observed radiologically the traction spurs in 35 cases(21.1%), end-plate sclerosis in 32 cases(19.3%), disc space narrowing in 33 cases(19.9%) and the vacuum phenomenon in 10 cases(6.0%). The numbers of fusion segments and the degree of unphysiologic segmental lordosis angle in fusion segments were related with the frequency and degree of changes of adjacent segments(P<0.05). The clinical results showed satisfaction in 142 cases(85.5%), unsatisfaction in 24 cases(14.5%) and low back pain in 24 cases(14.5%), leg pain in 11 cases(6.6%) and extension of fusion level in 4 cases(2.4%). In low back pain patients more than two kinds of radiological changes were frequently observed than the patients without low back pain(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The radiological changes of adjacent segments were more frequently observed in long fusion and in fusion with unphysiologic lumbar lordosis angle. And these changes are frequently associated with low back pain. Thus long fusion and fusion with unphysiologic lumbar lordosis angle should be avoided if possible.
Animals ; Classification ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Leg ; Lordosis ; Low Back Pain ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclerosis ; Spinal Fusion* ; Traction ; Vacuum

No abstract available.
Pericardial Effusion* ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate*