BACKGROUND: Nosocomial infections caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are increasing problem in Korea. Until now, no nationwide study has been performed. The aim of the present study was to monitor the antimicrobial resistance of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF). METHODS: Two hundred and two E. faecium isolated in 10 teaching hospital were studied. To detect VRE, the brain heart infusion agar containing 6 /mL vancomycin was used as the screening agar. The MIC was determined using agar dilution test. The vancomycin resistance genes (vanA, vanB & vanD) and genes (aac(6 ') Ie-aph(2 ") Ia & ant(6 ') Ia encoding the aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes were detected by multiplex PCR using specific primers. RESULTS: Thirty-nine VREF were detected from 202 isolates. All had vancomycin MICs > or =256 /mL and harboured vanA gene. No isolates revealed positive results for the vanB or vanD gene. However, the MIC range for teicoplanin was 2 to > or =256 /mL. All isolates with gentamicin MIC > or = 500 /mL gave positive results for the aac(6 ') Ie aph(2 ") Ia genes and with streptomycin > or =2000 /mL gave positive results for the ant(6 ') Ia gene. CONCLUSIONS: All VREF harboured vanA gene. According to MIC tests, 7 isolates(18%) showed intermediate or susceptible to teicoplanin. Therefore we need a study concerning the clinical meaning. The VREF in Korea contain at least one of genes encoding the aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes. This means there are only limited numbers of antibiotics to choose.
Agar ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Brain ; Cross Infection ; Enterococcus faecium* ; Enterococcus* ; Gentamicins ; Heart ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Streptomycin ; Teicoplanin ; Vancomycin ; Vancomycin Resistance

This study aimed to analyze changing trends in child injury deaths from 2006 to 2016 and to provide basic data for initiatives to help prevent child injury deaths through improvements in social systems and education. Specific causes of death were analyzed using micro-data of the death statistics of Korea from 2006 to 2016, which were made available by Statistics Korea. Types and place of death were classified according to the KCD-7 (Korean Standard Classification of Diseases and Causes of Death). The data were compared to those of other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. Changing trends were presented. The number of child deaths by injury was 270 in 2016. The death rate was 8.1 per 100,000 population in 2006, while it was 3.9 in 2016. The death rate of boys was 1.7 times greater than that of girls. Unintentional injury deaths comprised 72.6% of all child injury deaths in 2016, while intentional injury deaths comprised 27.4%. The first leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in infants (less than 1-year-old) was suffocation, while that of children aged 1 to 14 years was transport accidents. The second leading cause of death in infants was transport accidents, that of children aged 1 to 4 was falling, and that of children aged 5 to 14 was drowning. Pedestrian accidents comprised 43.7% of the transport accidents from 2014 to 2016. To prevent child injury deaths by both unintentional and intentional causes, nation-wide policy measures and more specific interventions according to cause are required.
Accidental Falls ; Asphyxia ; Cause of Death ; Child ; Classification ; Drowning ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Korea ; Mortality ; Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development ; Republic of Korea ; Self-Injurious Behavior

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorder (EGID) is a rare disease in children that affects the bowel wall, with eosinophilic infiltration in the absence of any other causes for eosinophilia. The etiology remains unknown, but allergies and immunological imbalance are suspected triggers. We encountered a case of serosal EGID presenting as intractable vomiting and ascites in a 9-year-old girl, after influenza virus infection. Peripheral eosinophilia was not present. The diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy of the bowel wall through laparotomy and endoscopy, and controlled by 2 courses of steroid therapy due to recurring symptoms. Influenza virus infection was assumed to play a role in the onset of EGID through a Th2 response that stimulated eosinophilic infiltration in the GI tract. We therefore report this case along with a literature review.
Ascites* ; Biopsy ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Female* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Influenza A virus ; Laparotomy ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Rare Diseases ; Serous Membrane ; Vomiting*

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from bone marrow or adipose tissue can successfully repair emphysematous animal lungs, which is a characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Here, we describe the cellular distribution of MSCs that were intravenously injected into mice with elastase-induced emphysema. The distributions were also compared to the distributions in control mice without emphysema. METHODS: We used fluorescence optical imaging with quantum dots (QDs) to track intravenously injected MSCs. In addition, we used a human Alu sequence-based real-time polymerase chain reaction method to assess the lungs, liver, kidney, and spleen in mice with elastase-induced emphysema and control mice at 1, 4, 24, 72, and 168 hours after MSCs injection. RESULTS: The injected MSCs were detected with QD fluorescence at 1- and 4-hour postinjection, and the human Alu sequence was detected at 1-, 4- and 24-hour postinjection in control mice (lungs only). Injected MSCs remained more in mice with elastase-induced emphysema at 1, 4, and 24 hours after MSCs injection than the control lungs without emphysema. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our results show that injected MSCs were observed at 1 and 4 hours post injection and more MSCs remain in lungs with emphysema.
Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Cell Tracking ; Emphysema* ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Mice ; Optical Imaging ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Quantum Dots ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spleen

No abstract available.
Adolescent ; Ataxia Telangiectasia/*genetics ; Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins/*genetics ; Base Sequence ; Chromosome Inversion ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14/genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7/genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mutation ; RNA Splicing ; Translocation, Genetic

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterized by emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and small airway remodeling. The alveolar destruction associated with emphysema cannot be repaired by current clinical practices. Stem cell therapy has been successfully used in animal models of cigarette smoke- and elastase-induced emphysema. However, the optimal dose of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for the most effective therapy has not yet been determined. It is vital to determine the optimal dose of MSCs for clinical application in emphysema cases. METHODS: In the present study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of various doses of MSCs on elastase-induced emphysema in mice. When 3 different doses of MSCs were intravenously injected into mice treated with elastase, only 5x10(4) MSCs showed a significant effect on the emphysematous mouse lung. We also identified action mechanisms of MSCs based on apoptosis, lung regeneration, and protease/antiprotease imbalance. RESULTS: The MSCs were not related with caspase-3/7 dependent apoptosis. But activity of matrix metalloproteinase 9 increased by emphysematous lung was decreased by intravenously injected MSCs. Vascular endothelial growth factor were also increased in lung from MSC injected mice, as compared to un-injected mice. CONCLUSION: This is the first study on the optimal dose of MSCs as a therapeutic candidate. This data may provide important basic data for determining dosage in clinical application of MSCs in emphysema patients.
Airway Remodeling ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Emphysema ; Humans ; Lung ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Methods ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Pancreatic Elastase* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Regeneration ; Stem Cells ; Tobacco Products ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

This study aimed to analyze infant, maternal, perinatal, and fetal mortality statistics in the Republic of Korea (Korea), 2014. It was based on the open-access data available from the Statistics Korea website (http://kostat.go.kr/portal/eng/index.action). Recent trends in these vital statistics were also examined. The results of this study constitute a descriptive presentation and analysis of the national data. The number of infant deaths was 1,305 out of 435,435 live births in 2014, and the infant mortality rate was 3.0. The number of maternal deaths was 48. The maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births was 11.0. The maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 women of child-bearing age (15 to 49 years old) was 0.37. The number of perinatal deaths was 1,365, and the perinatal mortality rate was 3.1. The number of fetal deaths was 5,317. The fetal mortality rate was 12.1. The trends in those vital statistics in recent years were consistent except for a few findings, including a decrease in the maternal mortality ratio of pregnant women 40 years old and older and a change in the proportions of the causes of infant death, with a decrease in mortality due to neonatal respiratory distress and an increase in mortality due to bacterial sepsis. Although these vital statistics were generally consistent, some aspects varied by year. Pregnant women less than 20 years old should be monitored more intensively for their babies' health. Our findings can serve as basic data supporting the establishment of health policies by the Korean government.
Cause of Death ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetal Mortality ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Infant Death ; Infant Mortality ; Infant* ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Maternal Death ; Maternal Mortality ; Mortality ; Perinatal Death ; Perinatal Mortality* ; Pregnant Women ; Republic of Korea* ; Sepsis ; Vital Statistics

OBJECTIVES: Abdominal obesity increases mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular disease and there is a possibility that smoking effects obesity. However, previous studies concerning the effects of smoking on obesity are inconsistent. The objective of this study was to examine whether smoking is positively related to abdominal obesity in men with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Subjects consisted of 2197 type 2 diabetic patients who visited Huh's Diabetes Center from 2003 to 2009. Indices of abdominal obesity were defined as visceral fat thickness (VFT) measured by ultrasonography and waist circumference (WC). Overall obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in WC and VFT by smoking status were identified. However, there was no statistical difference in BMI according to smoking status. Means of WC and VFT were not significantly higher in heavy smokers and lower in mild smokers. Compared to nonsmokers, the BMI confounder adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for VFT in ex-smokers and current-smokers were 1.70 (1.21 to 2.39) and 1.86 (1.27 to 2.73), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking status was positively associated with abdominal obesity in type 2 diabetic patients.
Abdominal Fat/*metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Body Mass Index ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity/*etiology ; Smoking/*adverse effects ; Waist Circumference

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of different sizes of beta-TCP/HA particles on vertical bone augmentation using titanium mesh in the cranium of rabbits. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Six white rabbits weighing 5kg were used. Four circular grooves of 6mm diameter were made by trephine, and five small holes were drilled in the inner surface of each circular gooves. Different sizes of grafts (small 0.3 - 0.5 mm, medium 0.5 - 1.0, large 1.0 - 2.0 mm) were placed respectively in the experimental groups. Titanium mesh (height 3 mm, width 6 mm) was placed. After 8weeks healing period, the rabbits were euthanized, and the specimens were prepared for histological findings. New bone formation and remaining graft area were measured to calculate the ratio of areas occupying the inner space of titanium mesh. Mann-Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon signed rank-test were used for statistical analysis (alpha = .05). RESULTS: The experimental groups with beta-TCP/HA graft showed a significantly higher new bone formation (P = .003). Comparing different sizes of beta-TCP/HA, there was no statistical difference in terms of new bone formation. The vertical bone formation (i.e. new bone and graft area) was significantly greater in beta-TCP/HA groups (P = .001). In comparison between different sizes of beta-TCP/HA, medium size group had significantly greater area than large particle size group (P = .039). CONCLUSION: The use of beta-TCP/HA with titanium mesh showed a higher vertical bone formation, particularly the medium sized beta-TCP/HA particles (0.5 - 1.0 mm) produced better results in vertical bone augmentation.
Humans ; Mandrillus ; Osteogenesis ; Particle Size ; Rabbits ; Skull ; Titanium ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has traditionally been performed under general anesthesia, however, owing in part to the advancement of surgical and anesthetic techniques, many laparoscopic cholecystectomies have been successfully performed under the spinal anesthetic technique. We hoped to determine the feasibility of segmental epidural anesthesia for LC. METHODS: Twelve American Society of Anesthesiologists class I or II patients received an epidural block for LC. The level of epidural block and the satisfaction score of patients and the surgeon were checked to evaluate the efficacy of epidural block for LC. RESULTS: LC was performed successfully under epidural block, with the exception of 1 patient who required a conversion to general anesthesia owing to severe referred pain. There were no special postoperative complications, with the exception of one case of urinary retention. CONCLUSIONS: Epidural anesthesia might be applicable for LC. However, the incidence of intraoperative referred shoulder pain is high, and so careful patient recruitment and management of shoulder pain should be considered.
Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, General ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Feasibility Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pain, Referred ; Patient Selection ; Postoperative Complications ; Shoulder Pain