Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) caused by infection with E. multilocularis metacestode, represents one of the most fatal helminthic diseases. AE is principally manifested with infiltrative, proliferating hepatic mass, resembling primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Sometimes metastatic lesions are found in nearby or remote tissue. AE diagnosis largely depends on imaging studies, but atypical findings of imaging features frequently require differential diagnosis from other hepatic lesions. Serological tests may provide further evidence, while obtaining reliable AE materials is not easy. In this study, alternative antigens, specific to AE were identified by analyzing E. granulosus protoscolex proteins. An immunoblot analysis of E. granulosus protoscolex showed that a group of low-molecular-weight proteins in the range from 14 kDa to 16 kDa exhibited a sensitive and specific immune response to AE patient sera. Partial purification and proteomic analysis indicated that this protein group contained myosin, tubulin polymerization promoting protein, fatty-acid binding protein, uncharacterized DM9, heat shock protein 90 cochaperone tebp P-23, and antigen S. When the serological applicability of recombinant forms of these proteins was assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, DM9 protein (rEgDM9) showed 90.1% sensitivity (73/81 sera tested) and 94.5% specificity (172/181 sera tested), respectively. rEgDM9 showed weak cross-reactions with patient sera from the transitional and chronic stages of cystic echinococcosis (3 to 5 stages). rEgDM9 would serve as a useful alternative antigen for serodiagnosis of both early- and advanced-stage AE cases.

No abstract available.
Abdominal Pain* ; Child* ; Gastritis* ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans

PSTT has been established as a separate entity distinct from choriocarcinoma since 1983, because of its different morphological features, biologic behavior and response to chemotherapy. Most cases of PSTT have indolent clinical courses, but there have been several reports showing malignant behavior resulted in death of the patient. We report a case of PSTT showing vaginal metastatis. In biopsy specimen, it was difficult to make differential diagnosis from squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix due to uniform and mononuclear cytologic characteristics. Immunohistochemical stains for hPL and hCG were not typical for either PSTT or choriocarcinoma. We suggest that poorly differentiated PSTT may synthesize the lesser amount of hPL than typical PSTT and it may behave more aggressively.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Biopsy

BACKGROUND: Discrepancies exist in the existing researches regarding the association between social capital and self-efficacy, and most of these researches have been done in developed countries. The aims of this study were to assess the independent association between individual social capital and self-efficacy and to assess the associations between individual social capital, self-efficacy and self-rated health. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Gyeongnam health survey (6,500 persons) conducted in 2008. A self-administered questionnaire was additionally administered to gather information on demographic variables, health behaviors, chronic diseases, self-efficacy, social capital, and self-rated health status. Total study population was 3,843 as those with chronic diseases were excluded. RESULTS: In males, trust was positively associated with confidence and preference to task difficulty, and participation was negatively associated with confidence and positively associated with regulation and preference to task difficulty. In females, trust was positively associated with confidence and preference to task difficulty and negatively associated with regulation. Participation was positively associated with preference to task difficulty. In males, the odds for self-rated health status was better for persons with confidence (95% confidence interval, CI 1.088-1.705), trust (95% CI 1.172-1.821) and participation (95% CI 1.268-2.117). In females, the odds for self-rated health status was better for those with confidence (95% CI 1.250-1.803), preference of task difficulty (95% CI 1.019-1.683) and participation (95% CI 1.024-1.555). CONCLUSIONS: High social capital measured at an individual level may promote self-efficacy and health status.
Chronic Disease ; Developed Countries ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Self Efficacy ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the types of perception toward non-face-to-face clinical practice and to characterize the types of students who experienced online clinical practice during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Q-methodology was used in this study, and 270 Q populations were formed based on in-depth interviews with 10 nursing students who had experienced non-face-to-face clinical practice, as well as related literature. Interviews were performed from August 1 to 31, 2022. A total of 42 Q samples were extracted, and Q sorting was performed on 33 nursing students who had experienced non-face-to-face clinical practice. A Q factor analysis was performed using the PC-QUANL program. Results: The nursing students’ perceptions of non-face-to-face clinical practice were classified into the following five types: “future professional competency-focused type,” “realistic convenience priority type,” “task burden awareness type,” “negative critic type,” and “limited experience dissatisfaction type.” Conclusion This study revealed non-face-to-face clinical practice’s positive and negative aspects in nursing education. Moreover, it identified the aspects of clinical practice that cannot be replaced by non-face-to-face clinical practice and the elements of non-face-to-face practice that can complement clinical practice. These findings can be used as fundamental data to establish a stable and efficient system for improving the quality of clinical practice in the post-COVID-19 era and to implement effective non-face-to-face clinical practice according to student types.

A case of congenital absence of right atriovntricular (A-V) connection of heart is reported. Patient was 81 day old male infant with chief complaints of dyspnea and irritability. Clinical evaluation revealed increased pulmonary vascularity on chest x-ray, absence of right A-V connection, regurgitation of left A-V valve, right-sided ventricular hypoplasia and L-TGA. Clinical assessment of the case was tricupsid atresia with LTGA and mitral regurgitation. Pulmonary artery banlding and artial septectomy was performed. Parenteral alimentation through the femoral veins resulted in obstruction of IVC and subsequent multiorgan failure. The autopsy findings of the heart were corrected transposition of great arteries with associated anomallies of right-sided mitral atresia, Ebstein's malformation of left-sided tricuspid valve, ventricular septal defect, muscular hypertrophy of right-sided left ventricle with luminal obliteration. Long segment of IVC was completely occluded due to occlusive thrombi with fungal infection. Bilateral kidneys were infarcted and azygos vein was markedly engorged. Microscopic examination revealed candidal colonization in the inferior vena cava and septic embolzation in brain.
Infant ; Male ; Female ; Humans

A case of congenital absence of right atriovntricular (A-V) connection of heart is reported. Patient was 81 day old male infant with chief complaints of dyspnea and irritability. Clinical evaluation revealed increased pulmonary vascularity on chest x-ray, absence of right A-V connection, regurgitation of left A-V valve, right-sided ventricular hypoplasia and L-TGA. Clinical assessment of the case was tricupsid atresia with LTGA and mitral regurgitation. Pulmonary artery banlding and artial septectomy was performed. Parenteral alimentation through the femoral veins resulted in obstruction of IVC and subsequent multiorgan failure. The autopsy findings of the heart were corrected transposition of great arteries with associated anomallies of right-sided mitral atresia, Ebstein's malformation of left-sided tricuspid valve, ventricular septal defect, muscular hypertrophy of right-sided left ventricle with luminal obliteration. Long segment of IVC was completely occluded due to occlusive thrombi with fungal infection. Bilateral kidneys were infarcted and azygos vein was markedly engorged. Microscopic examination revealed candidal colonization in the inferior vena cava and septic embolzation in brain.
Infant ; Male ; Female ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Traction has often been utilized to treat patients with a herniated lumbar disc. Currently, the most advanced type of traction therapy is non-surgical spinal decompression. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of decompression therapy in patients with a herniated lumbar disc based on clinical findings and symptoms. METHODS: Sixty patients with herniated lumbar discs were included in this study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups, a decompression group (n = 30) and a traction group (n = 30). To evaluate the impact of decompression and traction therapy on the herniated disc, the clinical symptoms for each group were evaluated prior to and after treatment using the visual analogue scale (VAS), straight leg raising (SLR), the herniation index, and the disc height. RESULTS: The VAS score was significantly lower in the decompression group (2.0 +/- 0.2) than the traction group (3.9 +/- 0.2) following treatment. In addition, the SLR angle was significantly higher in the decompression group (79 +/- 1.5) than the traction group (63.3 +/- 1.9). The herniation index was significantly lower in the decompression group (217.6 +/- 19.1) than the traction group (259.5 +/- 16.4). Finally, the disc height was not significant differences between pre-treatment and follow-up in two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that decompression therapy for the treatment of patients suffering from a herniated lumbar disc has an effect on the pain, SLR, and herniation indices, not disc heights.
Decompression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Leg ; Stress, Psychological ; Traction

No abstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Moyamoya Disease*

We report a case of dedifferentiated liposarcoma of retroperitoneum as a recurrent form in a 41 year old male. The patient received a extirpation for retroperitoneal mass and diagnosed as myxoid liosarcoma 4 years ago. The patient experienced 3 recurrences over a period of 4 years and diagnosed as myxoid liposarcoma in the second, third recurrence also. Histologically, the mass was composed of several clearly distinct elements : well differentiated liposarcoma, myxoid liposarcoma, myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma, poorly differntiated sarcoma, and fibrosarcoma. Immunohistochemically, S-100 protein was expressed in the area of spindle cell sarcoma, well differentiated liposarcoma, and malignant fibrous histiocytoma but alpha-1-antichymotrypsin was only expressed in the area of myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma.