PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate clinical features and causative organisms in febrile infants younger than three months, to help identification of high risk patients for serious bacterial infection (SBI). METHODS: A total of 313 febrile infants younger than three months, who had visited Seoul National University Children's Hospital from January 2008 to December 2010 were included. Clinical features, laboratory findings, causative organisms, and risk factors of SBI were analyzed by retrospective chart review. Causative bacterial or viral pathogens were identified by gram stain and cultures, rapid antigen tests, or the polymerase chain reaction from clinically reliable sources. RESULTS: Among 313 infants, etiologic organisms were identified in 127 cases (40.6%). Among 39 cases of bacterial infections, Escherichia coli (66.7%) and Streptococcus agalactiae (12.8%) were common. Enterovirus (33.7%), respiratory syncytial virus (19.8%), and rhinovirus (18.8%) were frequently detected in 88 cases of viral infection. Patients with SBI (39 cases) showed significantly higher values of the white blood cell count (14,473+/-6,824/mm3 vs. 11,254+/-5,775/mm3, P=0.002) and the C-reactive protein (6.32+/-8.51 mg/L vs. 1.28+/-2.35 mg/L, P<0.001) than those without SBI (274 cases). The clinical risk factors for SBI were the male (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.5-8.9), the presence of neurologic symptoms (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.4-16.8), and the absence of family members with respiratory symptoms (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.2-11.3). CONCLUSION: This study identified common pathogens and risk factors for SBI in febrile infants younger than three months. These findings may be useful to guide management of febrile young infants.
Bacterial Infections ; C-Reactive Protein ; Enterovirus ; Escherichia coli ; Fever ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhinovirus ; Risk Factors ; Sepsis ; Streptococcus agalactiae

Unusual morphology of aberrant forms of bacteria, presented with grotesque-giant form, 15 m 3 m, with central emptiness and fusiform ends was observed in urine Gram stain from a 26-year-old woman who was admitted with the symptoms of acute urinary tract infection. On wet smear, these bacilli were markedly swollen, yeast-like organisms. In addition to normal shaped bacilli, various shapes of another aberrant bacteria, such as long bacilli, filamentous form, filamentous form with central bulge, and bipolar staining with central emptiness were also observed in the same specimen. The morphologic characteristics of these unusual aberrant bacilli were more distinct on Papanicolaou stain than on Gram stain. In Korea, where antimicrobial agents are overused and disused, the frequency of observing the aberrant bacteria would be much higher than cases reported. Here we report unusual morphology of aberrant forms of Escherichia coli with the emphasis on awaring of the potential appearance of such bacilli in clinical specimen and avoiding confusion with fungi and other naturally filamentous organisms.
Adult ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Bacteria* ; Escherichia coli ; Female ; Fungi ; Humans ; Korea ; Urinary Tract Infections

As gastroduodenoscopy performed more frequently, case reports of human echinostomiasis are increasing in Korea. A Korean woman presented at a local clinic with complaints of abdominal pain and discomfort that had persisted for 2 weeks. Under gastroduodenoscopy, two motile flukes were found attached on the duodenal bulb, and retrieved with endoscopic forceps. She had history of eating raw frog meat. The two flukes were identified as Echinostoma hortense by egg morphology, 27 collar spines with 4 end-group spines, and surface ultrastructural characters. This report may prove frogs to be a source of human echinostome infections.
Animals ; Duodenal Diseases/*parasitology ; Duodenum/*parasitology ; Echinostoma/*isolation & purification ; Echinostomiasis/*diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged

In the present study the effect of exercise on the conversion rate of ingested glucose to glycogen in the different types of hindlimb skeletal muscles in Sprague-Dawley male rats was studied. The amounts of synthetized glycogen from ingested glucose of fast-twitch white (WV), fast-twitch red (RV), mixed type of fast-twitch white and red (EDL), and slow-twitch (SOL) muscles were determined at 30 and 90 min. after ingestion of 25% glucose solution which contained 14C-glucose(2 ml(luCi)/100gm B.W.) in control and exercise loaded rats. The result was summarized as follows: The about 55% at 30 min. and 70% at 90 min. after glucose ingestion were absorbed from gastrointestinal tract. This result shows no effects of exercise on absorption rate from gastrointestinal tract. The amount of synthetized glycogen of SOL from ingested glucose at 30 and 90 min. after glucose ingestion were highest, whether WV were lowest in hindlimb skeletal muscles in control and exercise loaded rats. In the exercise loaded rats, the amounts of synthetized glycogen of SOL, RV, and EDL at 90 min. after glucose ingestion was much higher than control rats, but not different in WV between exercise-loaded and control rats. At 30 min. after glucose ingestion, only SOL of exercise loaded rats was higher than control rats. In the control rat, the synthesis of glycogen was almost completed during initial 30 minutes. On the other hand, in the exercise loaded rat, except WV was opposite result of control rats, i.e., amounts of synthetized glycogen were major during late period. The amount of synthetized glycogen of liver at 30 and 90 min. after glucose ingestion in exercise loaded rats was higher than control rats. The rate of glycogen synthesis in control and exercise loaded rats were higher between 30-90 minute than initial 30 minutes.
Absorption ; Animals ; Eating ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Glucose* ; Glycogen* ; Hand ; Hindlimb* ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Muscles ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

No abstract available.
Humans ; Peptic Ulcer*

BACKGROUND: Single pass lead VDD pacing preserves atrioventricular synchrony with a single lead system which incorporates floating atrial electrodes. The objectives of this study were to measure whether different body postures and physical activities cause significant changes of the atrial electrogram amplitudes and to evaluate the effectiveness of its atrial sensing, ventricular sensing and pacing. METHOD: Prospective study was done in 7 patients with high degree AV block and normal sinus node function in whom a single lead VDD pacing system was implanted. The P wave amplitude was been measured in different condition during follow-up period. RESULTS: 1) During follow-up period, the P wave amplitude showed variation with changes in posture and respiration, but there was no consistent increase or decrease in amplitude. The lowest P wave amplitude was above the minimal atrial sensing value of 0.2 mV. 2) The percentage of atrial synchronous ventricular pacing recorded in Holter ECG and during Treadmill exercise test was more than 99%. 3) Atrial oversensing or VA cross sensing were not observed in any of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite floating atrial electrode, the single pass lead VDD pacing maintains reliable atrial sensing and ventricular pacing in different body position and physical activity, so it may offer an excellent alternative in patients with high grade AV block and intact sinus node function.
Atrioventricular Block ; Electrocardiography ; Electrodes ; Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac ; Exercise Test ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Motor Activity* ; Posture ; Prospective Studies ; Respiration ; Sinoatrial Node

BACKGROUND: Single pass lead VDD pacing preserves atrioventricular synchrony with a single lead system which incorporates floating atrial electrodes. The objectives of this study were to measure whether different body postures and physical activities cause significant changes of the atrial electrogram amplitudes and to evaluate the effectiveness of its atrial sensing, ventricular sensing and pacing. METHOD: Prospective study was done in 7 patients with high degree AV block and normal sinus node function in whom a single lead VDD pacing system was implanted. The P wave amplitude was been measured in different condition during follow-up period. RESULTS: 1) During follow-up period, the P wave amplitude showed variation with changes in posture and respiration, but there was no consistent increase or decrease in amplitude. The lowest P wave amplitude was above the minimal atrial sensing value of 0.2 mV. 2) The percentage of atrial synchronous ventricular pacing recorded in Holter ECG and during Treadmill exercise test was more than 99%. 3) Atrial oversensing or VA cross sensing were not observed in any of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite floating atrial electrode, the single pass lead VDD pacing maintains reliable atrial sensing and ventricular pacing in different body position and physical activity, so it may offer an excellent alternative in patients with high grade AV block and intact sinus node function.
Atrioventricular Block ; Electrocardiography ; Electrodes ; Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac ; Exercise Test ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Motor Activity* ; Posture ; Prospective Studies ; Respiration ; Sinoatrial Node

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of congenital missing teeth and supernumerary teeth in cleft patients. The subjects were divided into bilateral cleft lip and palate(BCLP), unilateral cleft lip and palate(UCLP) and cleft palate alone(CP alone) groups. 97 cleft patients(BCLP 15, UCLP 70, CP alone 12) between 6-20 years old were evaluated. Panorama film, Orthodontic chart and initial intraoral photogram were employed for this research. The obtained results were as follows. 1. The incidence of congenital missing teeth in total cleft samples was 57.7 %, and the incidence of supernumerary teeth was 26.8 %. Each incidence was higher than non-cleft. 2. The incidence of congenital missing teeth was the highest in BCLP and the lowest in CP alone. 3. The number of congenital missing teeth per perso was usually one, and the frequency was higher in the maxilary lateral incisors(67.8 %), and maxillary second premolar(14.9 %) than other teeth. 4. Most of tooth number anomalies in cleft patients were found in maxilla, especially adjacent region to the cleft site.
Cleft Lip* ; Cleft Palate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Maxilla ; Palate* ; Tooth ; Tooth, Supernumerary*

OBJECTIVE: Hypertensive disorder in pregnancy is one of the most serious obstetrical complications. Apolipoprotein E (Apo E) genotype is polymorphic and recently it was reported to be associated with preeclampsia. We undertook this study to clarify whether polymorphic marker of apolipoprotein E is associated with the development of hypertensive disorder in pregnancy. METHODS: Retrospective chart review was done. DNA was extracted from maternal blood of 124 healthy pregnant women and 253 women with hypertensive diseases in pregnancy. Hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy include gestational hypertension (n=44), preeclampsia (n=158; mild=56, severe=102), preeclampsia superimposed preeclampsia (n=30), and chronic hypertension (n=21). Apo E allele was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, size fractionated on 4% agarose gels, and stained with ethidium bromide. RESULTS: We found all six possible genotypes of Apo E. However, three genotypes, E2/2, E2/4 and E4/4, were uncommon in Korean. We analysed the data according to each allele. Allele frequencies of the Apo epsilon2, epsilon3 and epsilon4 were as follows: 6.8%, 83.0%, 10.2% in women with gestational hypertension, 4.5%, 84.8%, 10.7% in women with mild preeclampsia, 5.9%, 85.3%, 8.8% in women with severe preeclampsia, 1.7%, 91.7%, 6.7% in women with superimposed preeclampsia, 0.0%, 90.5%, 9.5% in women with chronic hypertension, and 5.2%, 86.5%, 8.5% in normal controls. No significant difference in Apo E alllele frequency was found among these groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that specific allele of apolipoprotein E does not appear to be a risk factor for hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy in Korean population.
Alleles ; Apolipoproteins ; Apolipoproteins E ; DNA ; Ethidium ; Female ; Gels ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sepharose

PURPOSE: To compare the accuracy of different power-calculation formulas in predicting the postoperative refraction of three-piece and one-piece intraocular lenses (IOL). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 74 eyes (62 patients) that had undergone cataract surgery involving implantation of one of two IOLs―the SENSAR® AAB00 1-Piece Acrylic IOL (44 eyes), or the Hoya® VA60BB 3-Piece Acrylic IOL (30 eyes)―between October 2014 and March 2015. Axial length was measured using an optical low-coherence refractometry (Lenstar®), and biometry was then calculated by the pre-installed Lenstar program, which used the SRK/II, Sanders-Retzlaff-Kraff/Theoretical (SRK/T), and Hoffer Q formulas. Mean absolute error (MAE) and mean numeric error (MNE) were measured 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months after surgery. RESULTS: Using the SRK/T and Hoffer Q formulas, the one-piece IOL group differed significantly from the three-piece IOL group in terms of the MNE obtained 1 month and 2 months after surgery. Across all formulas and time points, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of MAE. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference between the different power-calculation formulas. Starting 1 month after surgery, the three-piece IOL group showed myopic postoperative refraction compared to the predictive spherical equivalent using the SRK/T and Hoffer Q formulas.
Biometry ; Cataract ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Medical Records ; Refractometry ; Retrospective Studies