No abstract available.
Hepatitis B Vaccines* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Infant*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Calcium* ; Mice* ; Oocytes*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the colonization rate of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in neonates by different clinical characteristics, to presume the origin of MRSA acquisition, and to identify the risk factors associated with MRSA colonization. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1,733 neonates admitted to Seoul Eulji hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between January 2008 and December 2011. Nasal, inguinal and rectal swab specimens were obtained upon admission and each week until discharge. We classified the route of MRSA acquisition as; hospital associated (HA-MRSA) and community associated (CA-MRSA) according to the case definition. RESULTS: Among 1,733 neonates, 415 (23.9%) were colonized with MRSA. Gestational age, birth weight, delivery type, maternal antibiotics usage before delivery, birth place and care place before admission were influencing factors in colonization of MRSA. The colonization rate was significantly high in neonates without maternal prophylactic antibiotics use before delivery than in the other group (relative risk 2.77, 95% CI 1.88-4.07; P<0.01), and outborns showed higher MRSA colonization rate compared to inborns (relative risk 2.28, 95% CI 1.17-4.42; P=0.015). CONCLUSION: We identified the neonatal MRSA colonization rate to be 23.9%. We estimated HA-MRSA colonization rate to be 10% (51/511) and CA-MRSA colonization rate to be 36% (309/858). We ascertained that risk factors in MRSA colonization in neonates were prophylactic use of antibiotics in mothers and the birth place.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Birth Weight ; Colon ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Medical Records ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Mothers ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Residence Characteristics ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Staphylococcus aureus

OBJECTIVE: To measure anterior displacement of the humeral head and to observe its relationship with clinical findings in the subluxed hemiplegic shoulders. METHOD: Seventeen hemiplegic patients, having the subluxed shoulder over one finger breadth were subjected. We measured shoulder pain, muscle power of the shoulder abductors, Brunnstrom stage and spasticity in the affected upper extremity. To measure the humeral displacement of the shoulder subluxation, the AP and transthoracic lateral views of simple radiologic picture were taken on both affected and unaffected shoulders, and repeated after donning three kinds of arm slings. RESULTS: Its anterior displacement as well as the inferior displacement occured in all subjects, and was significantly related with the value of shoulder pain and spasticity, and the inferior displacement with Brunnstrom stage and muscle power of the shoulder abductors in the subluxed hemiplegic shoulder (p<0.05). Correction of the humeral displacement occured significantly in anterior direction as well as inferior by use of all tested arm slings. CONCLUSION: Clinical implications of the shoulder subluxation were different according to direction of the humeral displacement, and anterior displacement will be considered for its symptom in hemiplegic shoulder.
Arm ; Fingers ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Humeral Head* ; Muscle Spasticity ; Shoulder Pain ; Shoulder* ; Upper Extremity

OBJECTIVES: Cognitive impairment in restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients can be affected by sleep deprivation, anxiety and depression, which are common in RLS. The objective of this study is to investigate relationship between cognitive impairment and RLS in the non-medicated Korean elderly with controlling for psychiatric conditions. METHOD: The study sample for this study comprised 25 non-medicated Korean elderly RLS patients and 50 age-, sex-, and education-matched controls. All subjects were evaluated with comprehensive cognitive function assessment tools-including the Korean version of Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Packet (CERAD-K), severe cognitive impairment rating scale (SCIRS), frontal assessment battery (FAB), and clock drawing test (CLOX). Sleep quality and depression were also assessed with Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and geriatric depression scale (GDS). RESULTS: PSQI and GDS score showed no difference between RLS and control group. There was no significant difference between two groups in nearly all the cognitive function except in constructional recognition test, in which subjects with RLS showed lower performance than control group (t=-2.384, p=0.02). Subjects with depression (GDS> or =10) showed significant cognitive impairment compared to control in verbal fluency, Korean version of Mini Mental Status Examination in the CERAD-K (MMSE-KC), word list memory, trail making test, and frontal assessment battery (FAB). In contrast, no difference was observed between subjects who have low sleep quality (PSQI>5) and control group. CONCLUSIONS: At the exclusion of the impact of insomnia and depression, cognitive function was found to be relatively preserved in RLS patients compared to control. Impairment of visual recognition in RLS patients can be explained in terms of dopaminergic dysfunction in RLS.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Memory ; Restless Legs Syndrome ; Sleep Deprivation ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Trail Making Test

PURPOSE: Metabolic bone diseases have been major problems in children with renal diseases and steroid treatment is the main precipitating factor reducing bone mineral density(BMD). This study was performed to assess the prevalence of osteoporosis and to evaluate the clinical factors associated with decreased BMD in children with renal diseases. METHODS: Forty-four children with renal diseases who were diagnosed at the pediatric nephrology division of Ajou University hospital since Oct. 1994 were included. Using a new quantitative ultrasound device, BMD and the prevalence of osteoporosis were evaluated. The clinical and serological data were analyzed in association with decreased BMD. RESULTS: A total of 44 patients were evaluated. The age at initial diagnosis was 6.7+/-4.2 years. At the time of evaluation, the chronological and bone age was 9.3+/-4.2 years and 8.2+/-4.6 years, respectively. The renal diseases included nephrotic syndrome 24(54.5%), Henoch Schonlein purpura nephritis 7(15.9%), IgA nephropathy 6(13.9%), reflux nephropathy(RN) 2 (4.5%), and other renal disease 5(%). The prevalence of osteoporosis was 11%. There was no difference in the clinical factors between the long-term and the short-term treated steroid groups. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of osteoporosis was 12% in 44 children with renal diseases. No significant factor was found in association with decreased BMD and there was no relationship between osteoporosis and steroid usage duration or cumulative dose. A new quantitative ultrasound, which is relatively easy to perform, especially in children, is expected to be in common use and will enable clinicians to evaluate metabolic bone disorders with ease.
Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Equidae* ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Humans ; Nephritis ; Nephrology ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Osteoporosis ; Precipitating Factors ; Prevalence ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Meningioma* ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Cell Adhesion* ; Female ; Leiomyoma* ; Mice ; Myometrium* ; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules*

Ammonia metabolism is a fundamental process in the maintenance of life in all living organisms. Recent studies have identified ammonia transporter family proteins in yeast (Mep), plants (Amt), and mammals (Rh glycoproteins). In mammalian kidneys, where ammonia metabolism and transport are critically important for the regulation of systemic acid - base homeostasis, basolateral Rh B glycoprotein and apical/basolateral Rh C glycoprotein are expressed along the distal nephron segments. Data from experimental animal models and knockout mice suggest that the Rh glycoproteins appear to mediate important roles in urinary ammonia excretion.
Ammonia ; Animals ; Glycoproteins ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Tubules, Collecting ; Mammals ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Models, Animal ; Nephrons ; Proteins ; Yeasts

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for hepatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET) compared with combined DWI and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Fifteen patients with hepatic NET (n=128) underwent enhanced MRI and DWI with multiple-b values. We analyzed three different sets: Precontrast set; DWI set (added DWI); combined set (added enhanced image). Two reviewers rated possibility of NET using a 5-point scale for each image set. Their diagnostic performance was compared using Jackknife alternative free-response ROC (JAFROC). RESULTS: Diagnostic performance was better on the combined set (figure of merit [FOM]=0.852, 0.761) than the precontrast set (FOM=0.427, 0.572, P〈0.05) and the DWI set (FOM=0.682, 0.620, P〈0.05). However, DWI improved performance compared with precontrast set without statistical difference. In small NETs (〈1 cm), all sets showed low sensitivity (10.7-65.9%) with high specificity (95.4-100%). Interobserver agreement was moderate in all image sets (k=0.521 to 0.589). CONCLUSIONS: Combined DWI and enhanced MRI were more useful for detecting NET. Although statistically insignficant, there was a trend in improved diagnostic performance with DWI.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neuroendocrine Tumors* ; Sensitivity and Specificity