BACKGROUND: It is difficult to control an outbreak of Shigella infection, because of the ease of transmission and the resistance to multiple antibiotics. Recently, there were outbreaks of Shigella infection in Chinju area. The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology of the outbreaks using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis(PFGE). METHOD: Thirteen S. flexneri strains, 25 S. sonnei strains from Chinju and 15 S. sonnei strains from Pusan were studied. All strains were isolated from stool cultures of diarrheal patients. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test those were tested by Vitek GNI and GNS-LH. Chromosomal DNA restricted with Xbal was resolved by PFGE. RESULT: All the S. flexneri strains and 23(92%)S. sonnei strains from Chinju were resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents. All the clinical isolates of S. flexneri showed the same PFGE pattern which was different from type strains(KTCC 2517). PFGE patterns of 25 (100%) S. sonnei strains from Chinju and 12 (80%) S. sonnei strains from Pusan were identical to those of type strain (KTCC 2009). Three S. sonnei strains from Pusan showed distinct PFGE patterns, respectively. CONCLUSION: PFGF demonstrated identical restriction pattern among most of Shigella isolates from Chinju and Pusan, indicating that an outbreak with genetically related strains had occurred. PFGE was useful in molecular epidemiology of Shigella outbreaks
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Busan ; Disease Outbreaks ; DNA* ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Shigella

No abstract available.
Hypertrichosis*

The authors have used a B-mode real-time sector scanner and a 10-MHz probe for measurement of the skin thickness at 21 different sites in healthy Koreans. Subjects consisted of 35 adults(17 males, 18 females) who were divided into three age groups .' young(20 39 years, 12 subjects), middle-aged(40 59 years, 13 subjects), and old(over 60 years, 10 subjects). The results were as follows. 1, The measurements of the skin thickness in examined sites varied from 1.99 to 4.59 milimeters . flexor aspect of the upper arm, dorsum of the hand, extensor aspect of the forearm and flexor aspect of the forearm were thinner, and heel, upper back, metatarsus were thicker than other sites. 2, The skin thickness in males was generally thicker than that in females '. cheek, extensor aspect of the thigh were highly significantly thicker (p<0.01), and chest, upper back, lower back, flexor aspect of the upper arm and extensor aspect of the lower leg were significantly thicker(p< 0.05) in males than in females, 3. The skin was thickest in the old age groups.
Arm ; Cheek ; Female ; Forearm ; Hand ; Heel ; Humans ; Leg ; Male ; Metatarsus ; Skin* ; Thigh ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Folliculitis*

No abstract available.
Cesarean Section* ; Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: Increasingly it is being recognized that genetic factors play a significant role in causing malformation. There are many available prenatal diagnostic methods including cytogenetic karyotyping using amniocentesis and cordocentesis, fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH), and primed in situ labelling(PRINS). Our purpose was to attempt to discuss the clinical use of cytogenetic karyotyping, FISH, and PRINS. METHODS: We conducted 222 cases of cytogenetic karyotyping using amniocentesis and cordocentesis, l0 cases of FISH, and 10 cases of PRINS from January 1996 to July 1998 at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. Age distribution, chromosomal abnormalities by age group, indication, karyotype, and baby outcomes were performed. RESULTS: Overall incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was 7.7%(17cases) and chromosomal abnormalities were most frequently noted in 30-34 year old women and 35-39 year old women(2.3%, respectively). Among 222 cases, 25-29 year old women were highest(30.2%). Chromosomal abnormalities among cytogenetic karyotyping cases were Down syndrome, Edward syndrome, Patau syndrome, Deletion(8), Inversion(9), etc. The 5 cases of healthy baby among chromosomal abnormalities were delevered. Among 213 cases of karyotyping using amniocentesis, abnormal karyotyping cases were 15 cases. Among 15 cases, 8 cases were terminated and 5 cases of healthy baby were delivered. Among 9 cases of karyotyping using cordocentesis, 2 cases of chromosomal abnormalities(Edward, Down syndrome) were found and 3 cases healthy baby were delivered. Among 10 cases of FISH results, 6 case of FISH results were the same with G-banding and were different from G-banding. Among 10 cases of PRINS results, we got the PRINS results from 7 cases. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that cytogenetic karyotyping, FISH, and PRINS are very useful to detect chromosomal abnormalities.
Age Distribution ; Amniocentesis ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cordocentesis ; Cytogenetics* ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Fluorescence* ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization* ; Incidence ; Karyotype ; Karyotyping* ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Primed In Situ Labeling

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiological and neurochemical changes following spinal injury are not yet elucidated. This study was designed to evaluate the morphological changes of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and profiles of pain behaviors following intraspinal injection of NMDA in rats. METHODS: Rats were randomized into three groups: a sham-operated control group and groups where the rats received 10 mM or 100 mM N-methyl-D-aspatate (NMDA) injected into their spinal dorsal horn. Following injection, hypersensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli and excessive grooming behaviors were assessed serially for four weeks. Morphological changes of the spinal cord were evaluated four weeks after intraspinal injection. RESULTS: Few animals in the NMDA groups developed hypersensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli. The number of groomers and the severity of excessive grooming were significantly higher in the 100 mM NMDA group than those values of the control and 10 mM NMDA groups. The size of the neck region (lamina III-IV) was significantly smaller in the 100 mM NMDA group than in the control and 10 mM NMDA groups. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, intraspinal injection of NMDA in rats leads to the pathological sequela in the spinal cord and to excessive grooming behavior. These results support the use of NMDA and excessive grooming behavior after excitotoxic SCI as a model to study chronic pain after SCI.
Animals ; Chronic Pain ; Cold Temperature ; Grooming ; Horns ; Hypersensitivity ; Injections, Spinal ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neck ; Pilot Projects ; Rats ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Injuries

Segmental neurofibromatosis is rare disorder characterized by cafe-au-lait macules and neurofibromas, or only neurofibromas, limited to one region of the body. Typically the neurofibromas are unilateral and are occupied a single dermatome in most patients. We report a 62-year-old man with segmental neurofibromatosis on the right knee in the distribution of dermatomes L3 and L4.
Humans ; Knee* ; Middle Aged ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Neurofibromatosis 1

The effects of intravenous Verapamil administration on ventricular function were evaluated using grated radionuclide ventriculography in 15 patients with essential hypertension. Verapamil(0.1mg/kg) was injected as a bolus for 2 minutes followed by an infusion of 0.007mg/kg/min. Heart rate, blood pressure, ejection fraction, peak ejection rate, total filling time, and prak filling rate were assessed before and after Verapamil administration. The results were was as follows ; 1) Verapamil administration increased heart rate from 63+/-5 to 75+/-9 beats/min(p<0.01) and reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure from 156+/-17/99+/-6mmHg to 139+/-16/88+/-6mmHg(p<0.01). 2) Ejection fraction, peak ejection rate, and total filling time were not changed significantly after Verapamil injection. 3) Right and left ventricular peak filling rate increased significantly only in patients in whom it was subnormal in the basal study) from 1.6+/-0.4 to 2.3+/-1.1 end-diastolic volumes/s, p<0.05 and from 2.5+/-0.6 to 3.1+/-0.8 end-diastolic volumes/s, p<0.05, respectively). In conclusion, it was found that intravenous Verapamil administration enhances ventricular diatolic function in patients with essential hypertension.
Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Radionuclide Ventriculography ; Ventricular Function ; Ventricular Function, Right* ; Verapamil*

Epiduroscopy is very useful in the treatment of not only low back pain caused by failed back surgery syndrome, epidural scar or herniated disc but also by chronic refractory low back pain which does not respond to interventional conservative treatment including fluoroscopically-directed epidural steroid injections and percutaneous adhesiolysis. Because cauterization using a laser fiber has become recently available, a wider opening is required to enter into the sacral canal in the case of epiduroscopic laser neural decompression (ELND). However, in a few patients, it is difficult to insert a device into the epidural space due to stenosis around the opening, and there is no alternative method. Herein, we report a case where a hiatus rasp specially designed for such patients was used to perform the operation.
Cicatrix ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Decompression ; Epidural Space ; Failed Back Surgery Syndrome ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Low Back Pain