Proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis is one of the most common enteric diseases in pigs. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of serum antibodies against L. intracellularis in the general swine population of Korea from 2005 to 2008. In total, 8,008 swine serum samples obtained from 1,001 herds were tested. The samples were analyzed with an immunoperoxidase monolayer assay to detect anti-L. intracellularis antibodies. The overall 4-year average true prevalence was 40.0% (CI: 39.4 - 40.6%) at the individual animal level and 71.9% (CI: 70.3-73.4%) at the herd level.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Korea ; Lawsonia Bacteria ; Marketing* ; Prevalence ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Swine

BACKGROUND: Smoking is closely related to pulmonary diseases, especially pulmonary function. Past studies were defective in that pulmonary function was not included for ex-smokers and the study population being too small. This study attempted to show the change of pulmonary function parameters according to post-smoking years of ex-smokers and pack-years of current smokers. METHODS: We analyzed the results of parameters derived from the forced expiratory spirogram in 3,713 adults who visited Kyungpook National University Hospital Health Screening Center between May 1997 and March 1998. Independent variables used were age, sex, height, weight and smoking status. Dependent variables were pulmonary function parameters. Multiple regression analysis was used. RESULTS: 1.Overall, there was a significant change in pulmonary function parameters among the subjects studied. Significant variables shown were age, sex, height and pack-years. Weight and post-smoking years turned out to be relatively less significant variables. 2. Positive correlation was seen in both FEV1/FVC and FEF25-75% in ex-smokers with longer post-smoking years. 3. There was negative correlation in all the parameters of current smokers with longer pack-years. CONCLUSION: The results of this test show that smoking slowly reduce pulmonary function and even those smokers who quit smoking can not be expected to have normal pulmonary function as healthy nonsmokers. However, ex-smokers can expect some improvement in certain pulmonary function parameters as the post-smoking years become longer.
Adult ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Mass Screening ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

Dieulafoy's disease of the bronchus is rare but potentially life-threatening, and should be considered in patients with massive hemoptysis, especially from unknown etiology. We report a case of a patient with massive hemoptysis due to bronchial Dieulafoy's disease. He underwent bronchial artery embolization and surgical resection, and the post-operative specimen revealed dilated and tortuous arteries in the submucosa that presented as Dieulafoy's disease of the bronchus.
Arteries ; Bronchi ; Bronchial Arteries ; Hemoptysis ; Humans

Black light traps were used to measure the seasonal and geographical distribution of Culicoides spp. (biting midges or no-see-ums) at 9 cowsheds in the southern half of the Republic of Korea (ROK) from June through October 2010. A total of 25,242 Culicoides females (24,852; 98.5%) and males (390; 1.5%) comprising of 9 species were collected. The most commonly collected species was Culicoides punctatus (73.0%) followed by C. arakawae (25.7%), while the remaining 7 species accounted for <1.0% of all Culicoides spp. collected. The mean number of Culicoides spp. collected per trap night (Trap Index [TI]) was highest for C. punctatus (409.3), followed by C. arakawae (144.2), C. tainanus (4.1), C. oxystoma (1.2), C. circumscriptus (0.7), C. homotomus (0.6), C. erairai (0.4), C. kibunensis (0.3), and C. nipponensis (0.04). Peak TIs were observed for C. punctatus (1,188.7) and C. arakawae (539.0) during July and August, respectively. C. punctatus and C. arakawae have been implicated in the transmission of arboviruses and other pathogens of veterinary importance that adversely impact on animal and bird husbandry.
Animals ; Cattle ; Ceratopogonidae/classification/*growth & development ; Female ; *Housing, Animal ; Male ; Phylogeography ; Republic of Korea ; Seasons

Urinary cadmium is used as a sensitive indicator for internal Cd dose, and increased excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG), beta(2)microglobulin(MG) and total protein are useful indices for renal dysfunction by chronic exposure to Cd. The target group was 184 inhabitant(82 men and 102 women) in an abandoned mine area known as exposure to low level Cd. The control group was took 160 individuals(64 men and 96 women) in Cd not-exposed area. Urinary Cd concentration was significantly higher in the target group than the control. The geometric mean of urinary Cd for male was 2.56ng/l, 2.80ng/g creatinine and 2.50ng/S.G. in the target group and 1.19ng/l, 1.36ng/g creatinine and 1.17ng/S.G. in the control. For female 2.69ng/l, 3.94ng/g creatinine and 2.63ng/S.G. in the target group and 1.27ng/l, 1.97ng/g creatinine and 1.25ng/S.G. in the control, respectively. In addition, urinary Cd of the target group had affected by the period of residence and dietary habit for the rice and the vegetables from the target area. These findings suggest the chronic exposure to Cd of the target population. Mean excretion of urinary NAG, beta(2)MG and total protein were not significant between two groups. In the target group, urinary NAG activity and total protein were significantly correlated with urinary Cd, but beta(2)MG was not related. Urinary excretion of NAG, beta(2)MG and total protein were significantly increased in 10 than in <2 of urinary Cd level. In 2~10 group of urinary Cd level, the excretion of NAG significantly increased while not showed for beta(2)MG. In present study, urinary excretion of NAG was relatively sensitive than beta(2)MG in chronic exposure population to low level Cd.
Acetylglucosaminidase ; Cadmium* ; Creatinine ; Female ; Food Habits ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Male ; Vegetables

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effect of corticosteroids as a short-term treatment for patients with hemoptysis that requires conservative treatment including bed rest, antitussives and antibiotics. METHODS: From February 2005 to August 2006, 78 consecutive patients who visited the emergency room because of hemoptysis were enrolled in the study. Patients with hemoptysis due to lung cancer, active pulmonary tuberculosis, and pneumonia were excluded. The 78 patients were divided randomly into a corticosteroid medication group (n=37) and a control group (n=41). The mean control time of hemoptysis, mean in-hospital days, and complications of treatment were investigated prospectively. RESULTS: For the etiology of hemoptysis, inactive pulmonary tuberculosis alone or its associated complications (bronchiectasis and/or aspergilloma) were the most common causes (51%); bronchiectasis alone and bronchitis were the next most common causative diseases (15%, respectively). The patients' characteristics and symptoms in the corticosteroid medication and control groups were similar. The steroid medication group showed a significantly lower mean control time of hemoptysis than the control group (4.0+/-2.7 days, 6.1+/-4.8 days, respectively) (p=0.022) and had a lower mean number of in-hospital days (5.8+/-3.4 days, 7.9+/-4.8 days, respectively) (p=0.036). There were no significant complications, such as hospital-acquired pneumonia or gastrointestinal bleeding, related to the use of corticosteroids. CONCLUSION: The use of corticosteroids as a conservative treatment for hemoptysis due to bronchitis, bronchiectasis, inactive pulmonary tuberculosis and its related complications safely reduces the control time of hemoptysis as well as the number of in-hospital days.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antitussive Agents ; Bed Rest ; Bronchiectasis ; Bronchitis ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hemoptysis* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Pneumonia ; Prospective Studies ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: Recurrent pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) can be due to relapse of the original infecting strain or due to reinfection with a new strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We investigated the clinical characteristics and efficacy of short-term treatment (6 months) in patients with recurrent pulmonary TB. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with recurrent pulmonary TB were compared with control patients who received primary treatment for pulmonary TB with respect to drug sensitivity and outcomes of treatment. RESULTS: Most patients with recurrent pulmonary TB (25 cases, 86.2%) recurred more than 2 years after the completion of previous treatment. Twenty-three patients (82.1%) with recurrent pulmonary TB were sensitive to all anti-tuberculous drugs and a ratio was similar to the drug sensitivities observed in control patients. The outcomes of short-term treatment in patients with drug-sensitive TB were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Recurrent pulmonary TB in the study area was likely due to reinfection with new strains. Thus the short-term treatment of patients with drug-sensitive recurrent pulmonary TB may be successful.(Tuberc Respir Dis 2008;64:341-346)
Humans ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Recurrence ; Sprains and Strains ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

We examined whether alterations in vascular endothelial function and early structural changes in atherosclerosis are associated with microvascular complications in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) measurement were performed in 70 young adults (aged 19 to 35 yr), 48 with type 1 DM, and 22 normal controls. Patients with diabetes had a lower peak FMD response (7.8+/-3.9 vs. 11.1 +/-1.9%, p<0.001) and increased IMT (0.51+/-0.10 vs. 0.42+/-0.07 mm, p<0.001) compared with controls. Twenty (41.7%) of the patients had microvascular complications including neuropathy, nephropathy, or retinopathy. In these complicated diabetic patients, we found a lower FMD response (6.1+/-2.5 vs. 9.9+/-3.5%, p=0.001) compared with diabetics without microvascular complications. The presence of microvascular complications was also associated with older age and longer duration of the disease. However, no differences were observed in IMT, body size, blood pressure, HbA1c, C-reactive protein, low-density lipoprotein or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels between complicated and non-complicated patients. Endothelial dysfunction and early structural atherosclerotic changes are common manifestations in type 1 DM, and endothelial dysfunction is thought to be an early event in the atherosclerotic process and important in the pathogenesis of microvascular complications.
Adult ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/*complications ; Diabetic Angiopathies/*etiology ; Endothelium, Vascular/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; *Microcirculation ; Tunica Intima/pathology ; Tunica Media/pathology ; Vasodilation

BACKGROUND: Polarization sensitive-optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) provides the unique advantage of being able to measure the optical characteristics of tissues by using polarized light. Although the well-organized fibers of healthy muscle can change the polarization states of passing light, damaged tissue has different behaviors. There are studies on optical imaging methods applied to the respiratory organs; however, they are restricted to structural imaging. In particular, the intercostal muscle situated under the pleura is very challenging to visualize due to the difficulty of access.METHOD: In this study, PS-OCT was used to identify subpleural cancer in male New Zealand white rabbits (3.2–3.4 kg) and to assess the phase retardation changes in normal and cancerous chest walls. VX2 cell suspension was injected between the intercostal muscle and parietal pleura and a tented area was observed by thoracic scope. A group of rabbits (n = 3) were sacrificed at day 7 after injection and another group (n = 3) at day 14. RESULTS: In the PS-OCT images, pleura thickness changes and muscle damage were criteria to understand the stages of the disease. The results of image and phase retardation analysis matched well with the pathologic examinations. CONCLUSION We were able to visualize and analyze subpleural cancer by PS-OCT, which provided structural and functional information. The measured phase retardation could help to identify the margin of the tumor. For further studies, various approaches into other diseases using polarization light are expected to have positive results.

BACKGROUND: Polarization sensitive-optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) provides the unique advantage of being able to measure the optical characteristics of tissues by using polarized light. Although the well-organized fibers of healthy muscle can change the polarization states of passing light, damaged tissue has different behaviors. There are studies on optical imaging methods applied to the respiratory organs; however, they are restricted to structural imaging. In particular, the intercostal muscle situated under the pleura is very challenging to visualize due to the difficulty of access.METHOD: In this study, PS-OCT was used to identify subpleural cancer in male New Zealand white rabbits (3.2–3.4 kg) and to assess the phase retardation changes in normal and cancerous chest walls. VX2 cell suspension was injected between the intercostal muscle and parietal pleura and a tented area was observed by thoracic scope. A group of rabbits (n = 3) were sacrificed at day 7 after injection and another group (n = 3) at day 14. RESULTS: In the PS-OCT images, pleura thickness changes and muscle damage were criteria to understand the stages of the disease. The results of image and phase retardation analysis matched well with the pathologic examinations. CONCLUSION We were able to visualize and analyze subpleural cancer by PS-OCT, which provided structural and functional information. The measured phase retardation could help to identify the margin of the tumor. For further studies, various approaches into other diseases using polarization light are expected to have positive results.