BACKGROUND: Several antibiotics can be used to treat ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB-VAP) including high-dose sulbactam. However, the effectiveness of high-dose sulbactam therapy is not well known. We report our experience with high-dose sulbactam for treatment of CRAB-VAP. METHODS: Medical records of patients with CRAB-VAP who were given high-dose sulbactam between May 2013 and June 2015 were reviewed. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients with CRAB-VAP were treated with high-dose sulbactam. The mean age was 72.0 ± 15.2 years, and the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score was 15.1 ± 5.10 at the time of CRAB-VAP diagnosis. Early clinical improvement was observed in 65.5% of patients, and 30-day mortality was 29.3%. Early clinical failure (odds ratio [OR]: 8.720, confidence interval [CI]: 1.346-56.484; p = 0.023) and APACHE II score ≥ 14 at CRAB-VAP diagnosis (OR: 10.934, CI: 1.047-114.148; p = 0.046) were associated with 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose sulbactam therapy may be effective for the treatment of CRAB-VAP. However, early clinical failure was observed in 35% of patients and was associated with poor outcome.
Acinetobacter baumannii* ; Acinetobacter* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; APACHE ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated* ; Sulbactam*

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Lymphocytes* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium*

Congenital factor Vll deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder with an estimated incidence of 1 in 500,000. It is inherited as an autosomal recessive pattern with variable expression and high penetrance. In severely affected patients, repeated hemarthroses, chronic crippling hemarthropathy, and dangerous hematomas can occur. Other types of hemorrhage include epistaxis, menorrhagia, hematuria, gastrointestinal and gingival bleeding. Fetal cerebral hemorrhage has been reported, although less frequently than in severe hemophilia A or B. It is characterized by normal partial thromboplastin time and prolonged prothrombin time. Definitive diagnosis rests on a specific assay for factor Vll clotting activity. Replacement therapy is necessary to control the hemorrhage. Conventional prophylaxis and therapy in this disorder have consisted of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) or prothrombin complex concentrate. We experienced a case of intraventricular hemorrhage and hydrocephalus in a 4-year-old girl who had been diagnosed with congenital factor Vll deficiency during her neonatal period. She presented with episodes of frontal headache, frequent vomiting and malnutrition. We report this case with a brief review and related literatures.
Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis ; Epistaxis ; Factor VII Deficiency* ; Factor VII* ; Female ; Headache ; Hemarthrosis ; Hematoma ; Hematuria ; Hemophilia A ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus* ; Incidence ; Malnutrition ; Menorrhagia ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Penetrance ; Plasma ; Prothrombin ; Prothrombin Time ; Vomiting

The effectiveness of operative and non-operative management for postoperative adhesive ileus in children has been discussed. This study reviews the clinical characteristics and the treatment consequences of adhesive ileus in our institution, Department of Surgery of Chunbuk National University Hospital, retrospectively. A total of 62 cases of post-operative small bowel obstruction treated between January 1975 and December 1998 under the 15 years of age are included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups, operative (n=26) and non-operative (n=36) groups. The prevalent age was between 11 and 15 years (28 cases; 45.2%), and the most common previous operation was appendectomy (28 cases; 45.2%). The most common operative procedures were adhesiolysis (17 cases; 65.4%). The interval between admission and operation was 1 day in 11 cases (42.3%). The most common site of adhesion was the ileum in 13 cases (50.0%) and band constriction was the most frequent pattern (8 cases; 30.8%). Intestinal resection was significantly high in delayed operations of more than four days, in the patients with three or more classical signs of strangulation (fever, tachycardia, leukocytosis, abdominal pain, rebound tenderness), and in the cases of complete obstruction on plain abdomen film (p < 0.05). In conclusion, operation should be considered in cases with three or more signs of strangulation, no clinical improvement for over four days of conservative treatment, and signs of complete obstruction on plain abdomen film during the observation periods.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Pain ; Adhesives* ; Appendectomy ; Child* ; Constriction ; Humans ; Ileum ; Ileus* ; Leukocytosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Tachycardia

Objective: We aim to explore the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on food craving improvement and changes in brain function associated with craving by conducting a total of 10 sessions of tDCS over a period of 2 weeks on overweight and obese subjects. Methods: A total of 15 patients who were overweight or obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥23 kg/m2) were included. Weight, BMI, neuropsychological variables, and food craving-related variables were assessed. We measured absolute and relative power in 19 channels and analyzed quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) according to the following frequency ranges: delta (1–4 Hz), theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–12 Hz), beta (12–25 Hz), high beta (25–30 Hz), and gamma (30–80 Hz). Results: After the application of tDCS, there was no significant reduction observed in weight and BMI. However, all measures related to food and eating showed a decrease in the intensity of cravings, and there was also a significant reduction in depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. In qEEG analysis, an increase in theta waves was observed in the left frontal area (F7 and F3), an increase in alpha waves in the right parietal area (P4), and a decrease in beta waves in the frontal area (FP2) and occipital area (O1). Conclusion This study confirmed the beneficial effects of tDCS on food craving regulation in overweight or obese individuals and observed improved scores in psychological factors such as depression and anxiety. Furthermore, neurophysiological changes related to food craving were observed using qEEG.

BACKGROUND: Although core needle biopsy (CNB) is considered to be the standard technique for histological diagnosis of breast lesions, it is less reliable for diagnosing atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH). We therefore assessed the characteristics of CNB-diagnosed ADH that are more likely to be associated with more advanced lesions on subsequent surgical excision. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 239 consecutive CNBs, 127 of which were diagnosed as ADH following surgical excision, performed at Asan Medical Center between 1995 and 2010. Archival slides were analyzed for the number of cores per specimen, the number of ADH foci, and the ratio of ADH foci to number of cores (FC ratio). RESULTS: We found that ADH foci in 3 or more cores (p=0.003) and the presence of ADH in 3 or more foci (p=0.002) were correlated with malignancy following excision lesion. Moreover, an FC>1.1 was significantly associated with malignancy in the subsequent excision (p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Including the number of ADH foci, the number of cores involved according to ADH, FC ratio, and histologic type in a pathology report of CNB may help in making clinical decisions about surgical excision.
Biopsy, Large-Core Needle ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Hyperplasia ; Needles ; Retrospective Studies

Malignant biliary or pancreatic duct stricture is dilatated using dilatating catheter or balloon catheter but a high grade stricture is difficult to dilate by general dilatating methods. Using Soehendra stent retriever is an effective method for exchanging an impacted stent. Recently, high grade malignant biliary strictures have been dilatated by Soehendra stent retriever. We report 3 cases of successful biliary drainage in high grade malignant biliary strictures using 7 Fr Soehendra stent retriever.
Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Drainage* ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Stents*

BACKGROUND: Paradoxical puborectalis syndrome (PPS) is a complex and poorly understood entity characterized by contraction rather than relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles during attempted evacuation. Anal electromyography (EMG) and cinedefecography (CD) are the most commonly used tests for the diagnosis of PPS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to prospectively assess the correlation of EMG and CD in the diagnosis of PPS. METHODS: All patients with symptoms of obstructed evacuation who underwent EMG and CD between September 1998 and February 1999, were evaluated. The clinical criteria for PPS included incomplete or difficult evacuation, straining, tenesmus, and the need for an enema or digitation. The EMG criteria included failure to achieve a significant decrease in the electrical activity of the puborectalis during attempted evacuation. The CD criteria included either paradoxical contraction or failure of the puborectalis to relax along with incomplete evacuation. RESULTS: Twenty-nine (29) patients had clinical evidence of PPS, 8 males and 21 females with a mean age of 42.6 years (range, 19-75 years), and underwent CD and EMG. The mean duration of symptoms was 7.2 years (range, 3 months-30 years). Nineteen patients (65.5%) had evidence as having PPS on CD and/or EMG. Of these patients, six patients (20.7%) were diagnosed as having PPS on both tests, five patients (17.2%) were only diagnosed on CD, and eight patients (27.6%) were only diagnosed on EMG. The remaining ten patients had normal puborectalis muscle relaxation on CD and EMG. Therefore, the correlation rate between the two tests was 55.2%. If EMG was considered as the ideal test for the diagnosis of PPS, CD had a sensitivity of 42.9% and a specificity of 66.7%. Conversely, if CD was considered as the ideal test, EMG had a sensitivity of 54.5% and a specificity of 55.6%. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity and the specificity values of EMG and CD for the diagnosis of PPS are suboptimal, and a low correlation existed between the two tests. This result suggests that the diagnosis of PPS should not be based upon only one test.
Constipation ; Diagnosis* ; Electromyography* ; Enema ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Relaxation ; Muscles ; Pelvic Floor ; Prospective Studies ; Relaxation ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) is a widely distributed protein kinase C (PKC) substrate and has been implicated in actin cytoskeletal rearrangement in response to extracellular stimuli. Although MARCKS was extensively examined in various cell culture systems, the physiological function of MARCKS in the central nervous system has not been clearly understood. We investigated alterations of cellular distribution and phosphorylation of MARCKS in the hippocampus following kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures. KA (25 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to eight to nine week-old C57BL/6 mice. Behavioral seizure activity was observed for 2 h after the onset of seizures and was terminated with diazepam (8 mg/kg, i.p.). The animals were sacrificed and analyzed at various points in time after the initiation of seizure activity. Using double-labeling immunofluorescence analysis, we demonstrated that the expression and phosphorylation of MARCKS was dramatically upregulated specifically in microglial cells after KA-induced seizures, but not in other types of glial cells. PKC alpha, beta I, beta II and delta, from various PKC isoforms examined, also were markedly upregulated, specifically in microglial cells. Moreover, immunoreactivities of phosphorylated MARCKS were co-localized in the activated microglia with those of the above isoforms of PKC. Taken together, our in vivo data suggest that MARCKS is closely linked to microglial activation processes, which are important in pathological conditions, such as neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
Up-Regulation/drug effects ; Time Factors ; Seizures/chemically induced/*metabolism ; Protein Kinase C-delta/analysis ; Protein Kinase C-alpha/analysis ; Protein Kinase C/*analysis ; Protein Biosynthesis/drug effects ; Phosphorylation/drug effects ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microglia/cytology/drug effects/*metabolism ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Membrane Proteins/*analysis/metabolism ; Kainic Acid/*toxicity ; Isoenzymes/analysis ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/*analysis/metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Animals

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of bone health in women working in agriculture and analyze the associations between bone health and various vitamin D-related biomarkers. Methods: This observational study enrolled women working in agriculture (n = 210) and control occupations (n = 180). The concentration of serum total 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] was measured using the Elecsys Vitamin D Total Kit, and serum vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Along with albumin, 25(OH)D and VDBP were used to calculate the concentrations of bioavailable and free 25(OH)D. Bone mineral density (BMD) and T-score were measured at lumbar 1–4 and the femur neck using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. To identify factors affecting BMD, log-linear model and linear regression analysis were performed for statistical analysis. Results: Agricultural women workers showed higher serum concentrations of bioavailable 25(OH)D (12.8 ± 3.7 vs. 8.7 ± 5.1 ng/mL) and lower VDBP concentrations (201.8 ± 45.0 vs. 216.0 ± 68.2 μg/ mL) than control women. The association between these two vitamin D related-biomarkers and femur neck BMD were confirmed through univariable and multivariable linear model analysis. Although lumbar BMD did not differ between groups, the agricultural group displayed a lower femur BMD and a 4.3-fold increase in the risk of osteoporosis compared with the control group. Conclusions Women working in agriculture showed lower femur BMD than the control group. Of the vitamin D-related biomarkers tested, bioavailable 25(OH)D and VDBP were associated with BMD. As bioavailable 25(OH)D levels are affected mainly by VDBP levels, VDBP may play a role in the lower femur neck BMD values observed in the agricultural group. Thus, the measurement of VDBP concentration might be considered a simple and non-invasive method for measuring bone health status.