The 56-kilodalton protein genes of Orientia tsutsugamushi TA678, TA686, TA716, TA763 strains were amplified by PCR. The amplified products were sequenced and cloned into pIH821 vector. The recombinant proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion proteins with maltose binding protein. The recombinant proteins were purified and used for the sensitization of sheep RBCs and the reactivity of the recombinant 56-kDa proteins of Orientia tsutsugamushi TA 678, TA686, TA716 strains were analyzed with 40 sera from scrub typhus patients in Korea, 40 sera from scrub typhus in Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines. The 56-kDa protein coding DNA sequence of Orientia tsutsugamushi TA678, TA686, TA716 show 70 to 88% homology with other known strains and four variable regions are also observed. 39 of 40 sera from scrub typhus patients in Korea showed the strongest reactivity to the recombinant protein of Boryong strain and one sera showed the strongest reactivity to the recombinant protein of Gilliam strain. 14 of 40 sera from patients in Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines showed the strongest reactivity to the recombinant protein of TA686 strain and 12 sera showed the strongest reactivity to the recombinant protein of TA716 strain. No serum from patients in Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines showed the strongest reactivity to the recombinant protein of Boryong strain.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Base Sequence ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Clinical Coding ; Clone Cells ; Cloning, Molecular* ; Escherichia coli ; Hemagglutination Tests* ; Hemagglutination* ; Humans ; Korea ; Malaysia ; Maltose-Binding Proteins ; Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Philippines ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recombinant Proteins ; Scrub Typhus ; Sheep ; Thailand

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Phase IIb clinical study of Stillen(TM), a novel cytoprotectant, for gastritis showed 180 mg of Stillen, t.i.d. for 2 weeks results in a significant increase of cure rate when compared with a placebo group. It is reported that antioxidative effect and strengthening the endogenous cytoprotective molecules of the gastric mucosa play a pivotal role for cytoprotective action of Stillen(TM). The aim of this phase III multicenter, double-blind comparative study was to assess the efficacy of Stillen(TM) for the treatment of erosive gastritis. METHODS: Five hundred and twelve patients with erosive gastritis were enrolled and divided into three groups. Each group received 180 mg or 360 mg of Stillen(TM) or 600 mg of cetraxate (Neuer(TM)) t.i.d. for 2 weeks, respectively and a follow-up endoscopic examination for evaluation. RESULTS: Patients treated with 180 mg and 360 mg of Stillen(TM) had a significantly improved endoscopic cure rate of gastritis (55.6% and 57.5%, respectively) compared with patients treated with 600 mg of cetraxate (35.5%, p<0.001). Endoscopic improvement rate was also significantly higher in 180 mg group (67.3%) and 360 mg group (65.0%) of Stillen(TM) treated patients than cetraxate treated group (46.4%, p<0.001). During the study, both Stillen(TM) and cetraxate were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: These results clearly demonstrate that Stillen(TM) is an efficacious, safe, and well-tolerated treatment for gastritis.
Follow-Up Studies ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastritis* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Ethmoid Bone* ; Meningitis, Bacterial*

Three cases who were successfully treated for cardiac injuries by open thoracotomy were reported. The range of the ages of the patients was 3rd decade. Two of the 3 were males with blunt injuries by motor vehicle accident and one was male with stab wound by knife. In the case of blunt injuries, the right atrium was involved in one case and the right and left atrium were involved in the other. The site of stab wound was the right atrium. There were two cases with the pre-operative diagnosis of cardiac injuries and they were blunt injuries. The case of stab wound was not diagnosed pre-operatively. All cases were treated with open thoracotomy-one posterolateral thoracotomy, one median sternotomy and one Clam shell incision. All of them had an uneventfull post-operative course.
Bivalvia ; Diagnosis ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Vehicles ; Sternotomy ; Thoracotomy ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating ; Wounds, Stab

Authors reviewed the records of sixteen patients with traumatic diaphragmatic injuries from May 1992 through December 1996. Thirteen patients were male and three were female(M:F=4.3:1). The age distribution ranged from 2 to 46 years with the mean age of 30.2 years. The sixteen patients included thirteen who had blunt trauma and three with penetrating trauma. Of those thirteen blunt trauma, twelve patients(92.3%) were left sided and one(7.7%) involved the right diaphragm. Three patients with penetrating trauma had left sided diaphragmatic injuries. The diagnosis was made preoperatively in thirteen patients(81.3%) and during surgery in three patients(18.8%). Thoracotomy was performed in eleven patients and thoracoabdominal incision in five. There was one death and the mortality rate was 6.3%.
Age Distribution ; Diagnosis ; Diaphragm ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Thoracotomy

To assess the role of multiple factors in influencing occurrence of ventricular premature complexes after acute myocardial infarction twenty-four hour Holter electrocardiographic tape recording were made in 40 survivors of an acute myocardial infarction 10 to 20days after attack. Ventricular premature complexes in the early post infarction period were not correlated with left ventricular function, age, sex, smoking, diabetes mellitus, previous angina, and previous myocardial infarction. The occurrence of ventricular premature complexes showed a positive correlation with the occurrence of ST-T change. The occurrence of ventricular premature complexes during sleep hours was compared to the awake state. In 22 patients, the incidence of ventricular premature complexes are excluded from analysis, the 22 of patients, or in 76 percent, sleep was associated with a lowered occurrence of ventricular extrasystoles.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Survivors ; Tape Recording ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Ventricular Premature Complexes*

No abstract available.
Hedgehogs ; Tinea ; Trichophyton

No abstract available.
Cushing Syndrome*

A 69-year-old-male patient was admitted because of left upper quadrant (LUQ) abdominal pain He had hard palpable mass (abaut 15x l0cm) in LUQ abdomen and mild elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (349 IU/L) and amylase (216 U/L) levels at the admission time. Abdominal CT scan revealed huge, well-marginated cystic mass in enlarged spleen with increased densities in dependent portion of cystic mass, about 8x13cm in size. Another small well-capsulated. cystic mass in anterior aspect of spleen was also seen. After ERCP, urgent surgical intervention was done. Final diagnosis was chronic pancreatitis with large intrasplenic (l2x9.5 cm) and retroperitoneal pseudocysts. So we are reporting above case with pertinent review of literatures.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Pain ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Amylases ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Pancreatitis, Chronic* ; Spleen ; Splenomegaly ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Hemodynamic instability is one of the main concerns for anesthesiologists during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTX). The most troublesome event would be an increase of central venous pressure associated with sudden right ventricular (RV) filling without any change in heart contractility. An acute increase in RV outflow pressure depresses RV contractility and eventually causes overt RV failure. To avoid such disaster, it would be wise to evaluate right heart pressure/volume relationship and assess contractility when anticipating acute increase of pressure in right heart chamber. METHODS: RV function was assessed in 15 patients undergoing OLTX. RV function was monitored using an ejection fraction catheter and a monitor. Complete hemodynamic profile was obtained on regular intervals. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA for repeated measures. Correlation between variables were determined by simple regression analysis and ANCOVA. RESULTS: RV end-diastolic volume was in the range of supranormal values. No correlation was observed between right atrial pressure and RV end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI). There was a significant correlation between stroke index and RVEDVI. RV ejection fraction and E-single were relatively constant throughout the procedure. There was weak negative correlation between E-signle and RVEDVI. CONCLUSION: RV function appeared to be well preserved during OLTX. However, RV contractility tends to decrease in response to RVEDV increase because RVEDV of endstage liver disease might increase to their maximal value. Right heart filling pressure was less reliable clinical indicator of RV preload.
Atrial Pressure ; Catheters ; Central Venous Pressure ; Disasters ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Myocardial Contraction ; Stroke