No abstract available.
Ivermectin ; Larva Migrans

Purpose: The extraction conditions for bioactive components from peanut shells, which is a byproduct of peanut processing, were optimized to enhance the total phenolic content (TPC, Y1 ), total flavonoid content (TFC, Y2 ), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (RSA, Y3). In addition, this study evaluated the anti-obesity effect of peanut shell extract. Methods: Optimization of ultrasonic‐assisted extraction (UAE) was performed using a response surface methodology. The independent variables applied for extraction were time (X1 : 5.0–55.0), temperature (X2 : 26.0–94.0), and ethanol concentration (X3 : 0.0%–99.5%). Quadratic regression models were derived based on the results of 17 experimental sets, and an analysis of the variance was performed to verify its accuracy and precision of the regression equations. Results: When evaluating the effects of independent variables on responses using statistically-based optimization, the independent variable with the most significant effect on the TPC, TFC, and RSA was the ethanol concentration (p = 0.0008). The optimal extraction conditions to satisfy all three responses were 35.8 minutes, 82.7°C, and 96.0% ethanol. Under these conditions, the inhibitory activities of α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase by the extract were 86.4% and 78.5%, respectively. Conclusion In this study, UAE showed superior extraction efficiency compared to conventional hot-water extraction in the extraction of polyphenols and bioactive materials. In addition, α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase inhibitory effects were identified, suggesting that peanut shells can be used as effective antioxidants and anti-obesity agents in functional foods and medicines.

PURPOSE: Human parechovirus (HPeV) and enterovirus (EV) are causative agents of a sepsis-like illness in neonates and of infections of the central nervous system in young children. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of HPeV3 and EV infection in young children with a sepsis-like illness or with meningitis in Jinju, Korea. METHODS: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected from 267 patients (age range, 1 day to 5 years) and assessed for HPeV and EV by performing reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay. Amplification products of the VP3/VP1 region of HPeV and of the VP1 region of EV were sequenced to identify the virus type. RESULTS: HPeV and EV were detected in 3.4% and 7.5% of the total CSF samples assessed, respectively. The age distribution of EV-positive patients (median age, 1.4 months) had a significantly broader range than that of HPeV-positive patients (median age, 7.8 months). The peak seasons for HPeV and EV infection were spring and summer, respectively. The clinical symptoms for HPeV and EV infection were similar, and fever was the most common symptom. Pleocytosis was detected in 22.2% of HPeV-positive patients and 35.5% of EV-positive patients. The VP3/VP1 gene sequence of the nine Korean strains clustered most closely with the Japanese strain (AB759202). CONCLUSION: The data indicate that HPeV infection is predominant in young infants (<6 months) and that meningitis without pleocytosis was caused by both HPeV and EV infection in children.
Age Distribution ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Child* ; Enterovirus* ; Fever ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Leukocytosis ; Meningitis ; Parechovirus* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence* ; Reverse Transcription ; Seasons

No abstract available.
Erythromelalgia* ; Thorax*

Herpes zoster (HZ) has been reported in immunocompetent children who received the varicella vaccine. In vaccinated children, HZ can be caused by vaccine-strain or by wild-type varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Like wild-type VZV, varicella vaccine virus can establish latency and reactivate as HZ. We report two cases of HZ in otherwise healthy 16- and 14-month-old boys who received varicella vaccine at 12 months of age. They presented with a vesicular rash on their upper extremities three to four months after varicella vaccination. In one case, a swab was obtained by abrading skin vesicles and VZV was detected in skin specimens by polymerase chain reaction. The VZV open-reading frame 62 was sequenced and single nucleotide polymorphism analysis confirmed that the virus from skin specimen was vaccinestrain. This is the first HZ case following varicella vaccination confirmed to be caused by vaccine-strain VZV in the immunocompetent children in Korea. Pediatricians should be aware of the potential for varicella vaccine virus reactivation in vaccinated young children.

PURPOSE: We aimed to compare the frequency of positive repeat urine cultures 48 hours after antimicrobial treatment between anatomically normal and abnormal urinary tract Infection (UTI) groups to determine the potential clinical usefulness of the tests. METHODS: We reviewed medical records of 930 patients under age 14, who had been admitted for UTI at Gyeongsang National University Hospital from January 1, 1998 to August 1, 2008. The eligible patients were divided into two groups the anatomically normal UTI group and the anatomically abnormal UTI group. Statistical analyses were performed with variables consisting of the sex ratio, age distribution and the frequency of positive repeat urine cultures of each group. RESULTS: The sex ratio of the anatomically normal UTI group was M:F=1.9:1, whereas that of the anatomically abnormal UTI group was M:F=3.5:1 (P=0.019). For age distribution, it was found that the mean age of the anatomically normal UTI group was 0.82+/-1.83 years, whereas that of the anatomically abnormal UTI group was 1.18+/-2.57 years (P=0.113). The frequency of positive repeat urine cultures in the anatomically normal UTI group was 3/279 (1.1%), whereas that of the anatomically abnormal UTI group was 1/90 (1.1%) (P=0.675). CONCLUSION: We conclude that performing a repeat urine culture is not justified in terms of clinical usefulness, and it is unreasonable to use the results as an index of therapeutic success. A follow-up urine culture is unnecessary in patients with both the anatomically normal and abnormal UTI group.
Age Distribution ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Medical Records ; Sex Ratio ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

PURPOSE: Initial orthostatic hypotension is typically associated with active standing and normal autonomic function. Some adolescents in the present study displayed initial orthostatic hypotension during passive tilting, and we hypothesized that this condition was due to abnormal autonomic function. METHODS: The present study compared autonomic functioning in two groups of adolescents: patients with a diagnosis of initial orthostatic hypotension according to the tilt table test and patients with typical symptoms of initial orthostatic hypotension but normal tilt table test results. RESULTS: Significantly higher total composite autonomic severity scores and considerably higher adrenergic index were noted in the tilt table tested group. CONCLUSION: Initial orthostatic hypotension is possibly associated with autonomic dysfunction, especially abnormal vasoconstrictive ability, in individuals diagnosed with a tilt table test. Clinicians should take note of autonomic function when performing diagnoses of initial orthostatic hypotension using the tilt table test.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Hypotension, Orthostatic ; Tilt-Table Test

A 4-year-old girl with Panayiotopoulos syndrome presented with a history of 4 prolonged autonomic seizures. The clinical features of her seizures included, in order of occurrence, blank staring, pallor, vomiting, hemi-clonic movement on the right side, and unresponsiveness. A brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a slightly high T2 signal in the left hippocampus. Interictal electoencephalogram revealed spikes in the occipital area of the left hemisphere. We analyzed the current-source distribution of the spikes to examine the relationship between the current source and the high T2 signal. The current source of the occipital spikes was not only distributed in the occipital area of both cerebral hemispheres, but also extended to the posterior temporal area of the left hemisphere. These findings suggest that the left temporal lobe may be one of the hyperexcitable areas and form part of the epileptogenic area in this patient. We hypothesized that the high T2 signal in the left hippocampus of our patient may not have been an incidental lesion, but instead may be related to the underlying electroclinical diagnosis of Panayiotopoulos syndrome, and particularly seizure. This notion is important because an abnormal T2 signal in the hippocampus may represent an acute stage of hippocampal injury, although there is no previous report of hippocampal pathology in Panayiotopoulos syndrome. Therefore, long-term observation and serial follow-up MRIs may be needed to confirm the clinical significance of the T2 signal change in the hippocampus of this patient.
Brain ; Cerebrum ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsies, Partial ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pallor ; Preschool Child ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe ; Vomiting

A 4-year-old girl with Panayiotopoulos syndrome presented with a history of 4 prolonged autonomic seizures. The clinical features of her seizures included, in order of occurrence, blank staring, pallor, vomiting, hemi-clonic movement on the right side, and unresponsiveness. A brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a slightly high T2 signal in the left hippocampus. Interictal electoencephalogram revealed spikes in the occipital area of the left hemisphere. We analyzed the current-source distribution of the spikes to examine the relationship between the current source and the high T2 signal. The current source of the occipital spikes was not only distributed in the occipital area of both cerebral hemispheres, but also extended to the posterior temporal area of the left hemisphere. These findings suggest that the left temporal lobe may be one of the hyperexcitable areas and form part of the epileptogenic area in this patient. We hypothesized that the high T2 signal in the left hippocampus of our patient may not have been an incidental lesion, but instead may be related to the underlying electroclinical diagnosis of Panayiotopoulos syndrome, and particularly seizure. This notion is important because an abnormal T2 signal in the hippocampus may represent an acute stage of hippocampal injury, although there is no previous report of hippocampal pathology in Panayiotopoulos syndrome. Therefore, long-term observation and serial follow-up MRIs may be needed to confirm the clinical significance of the T2 signal change in the hippocampus of this patient.
Brain ; Cerebrum ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsies, Partial ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pallor ; Preschool Child ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: To elucidate a potential association between Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) in infants and children in terms of the other factors related to iron utilization and storage although the association of ferritin was previously studied. METHODS: We evaluated 135 infants (aged 6-24 months) admitted at Gyeongsang National University Hospital from 2000 to 2006. Western blot assays using the HP CagA antigen (120 kD) were conducted to identify infections. The concentrations of six parameters were measured: hemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin, soluble serum transferrin receptors, interleukin-6, prohepcidin, and C-reactive protein. In addition, the infants were classified into IDA, anemia from inflammation (AI), unclassified anemia (UCA), and normal groups on the basis of Hb and ferritin concentrations. RESULTS: In the IDA group (n=20), seven infants were infected with HP, with the other infants showing no evidence of infection. The mean Hb levels in the IDA group were significantly lower in HP-infected infants than those uninfected (7.1 vs. 8.2 g/dL, respectively); the mean ferritin levels were also significantly lower in the infected infants (3.2 vs. 6.8 microgram/L). The other four parameters did not differ significantly among the IDA infants. No correlations were found between the six parameters and HP infection status in the other groups. CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences in the HP infection rates among the study groups. However, in the IDA group, the HP-infected infants had significantly lower serum ferritin and Hb levels than the HP-negative infants (P<0.05).
Anemia ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ; Blotting, Western ; C-Reactive Protein ; Child ; Ferritins ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter pylori ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Infant ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Iron ; Protein Precursors ; Receptors, Transferrin