No abstract available.
Parturition* ; Seasons*

An international outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a recently recognized syndrome caused by the newly identified severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), began in November 2002 and ended in July 2003. Coronavirus is a family of enveloped, single stranded-RNA viruses causing disease in humans and animals, but the other known coronaviruses that affect humans cause only the common cold. The number of SARS cases in 2003 was approximately 8000 across the world. Many recent studies have reinforced initial impressions that SARS-CoV is primarily transported via contact and/or droplets and that the combination of standard, contact, and droplet precautions is generally effective for its control. Active surveillance for clusters of cases of severe respiratory disease must be a first priority, especially among health care workers. Such surveillance should include the rapid diagnosis and prevention of other respiratory viruses that cause outbreaks of febrile respiratory disease-notably, influenza. Surveillance on the part of clinicians is the key to the early detection of any reemergence before it regains a foothold in the community. During the outbreak of SARS, ribavirin, steroids, interferon, convalescent plasma, and lopinavir/itonavir were used in varying doses and combinations in different regions of the world. At present no definitive conclusions regarding the efficacy of any of these treatments can be drawn. New findings regarding SARS are continuing to be discovered at an unprecedented pace, permitting a better understanding of the disease and enabling better preparation for its possible returns.
Animals ; Common Cold ; Coronavirus ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis ; Disease Outbreaks ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Interferons ; Plasma ; Ribavirin ; SARS Virus ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome* ; Steroids

Familial lichen planus is an uncommon disease, and there are 104 cases reported in the English literature. Several theories regarding the etiopathogenesis of lichen planus have been proposed. However, immunological mechanisms and genetic susceptibility have been emphasized the most. Several reports showed HLA analysis in lichen planus patients, and recently 2 cases have revealed an increased frequency of DR1 antigen in patients with lichen planus compared to a control group. We observed two brothers with typical skin lesions of lichen planus of almost simultaneous onset. We confirmed lichen planus by skin biopsies in both brothers and analyzed HLA typing. We also observed the occurrence of DR1 antigen in both of them.
Biopsy ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Histocompatibility Testing ; Humans ; Lichen Planus* ; Lichens* ; Siblings ; Skin

PURPOSE: We studied the diagnostic significance of bone scan in evaluation of bone metastasis by lung cancer, prevalence rate, and the causes of false positive bone scan and soft tissue accumulation of bone seeking agent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subject included 73 lung cancer patients with bone scan. We analyzed the frequency of bone metastasis, its distribution and configuration, and any relationship between bone pain and corresponding region on bone scan. The positive findings of bone scan were compared with simple X-ray film, CT, MRI and other diagnostic modalities. The false positive bone scan and the soft tissue accumulation of bone seeking agent were analized. RESULTS: The positive findings on bone scan were noted in 26 cases(36%) and they were coexistant with bone pain in 30%. The correspondance between bone scan and bone X-ray was 38%. False positive bone scans were seen in 12 cases(16%), which include fracture due to thoracotomy and trauma, degenerative bone diseases, and bifid rib. Accumulation of bone seeking agent in soft tissue were seen in 13 cases(18%), which included primary tumor, enlarged cervical lymph node, pleural effusion, ascites and pleural thickening. CONCLUSION: Bone scans should be carefully interpreted in detecting bone metastasis in primary malignancy, because of the 16% false positivity and 18% soft tissue accumulation rate. It is very important to note that the correlation between bone pain and positive findings of bone scans was only 38%.
Ascites ; Bone Diseases ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pleural Effusion ; Prevalence ; Ribs ; Thoracotomy ; X-Ray Film

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Colon* ; Diverticulitis*

No abstract available.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Female ; Humans*

No abstract available.
Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation* ; Head* ; Humans ; Latex*

In this research, we examined the frequency of exposure to violence in the home, school and neighborhood among middle school students as well as its related psychiatric symptoms. A total of 1,345 students from 5 middle schools in Seoul participated in this study: 670 were male, 675 were female. We administered self-reported questionaires including discriptions of exposure to violence and a trauma symptom checklist(TSC)(Singer 1995). 1) The total frequency of exposure to any type of violence was 45% in our sample. The frequency of girls' being hit in home was 22.8%, which was significantly higher than it was for boys(p<0.001). The frequency of boys' exposure to violence in school and in the neighborhood was 22.1% and 10.1% respectively, which was higher than it was for girls(p<0.005). 2) In factor analysis of TSC, 4 factors were identified. TSC including depression-anxity, PTSD, dissociation and anger was correlated with violence exposure variables. Multiple regression analysis revealed that TSC is related with violence victimization in life(R2=0.18), sexual assault(R2=0.12), recent victimization in the home(R2=0.08), recent witness to violencein the home(R2=0.07), recent victimization in school(R2=0.08) and all violence exposures(R2=0.29). 3) Among the demographic variables, sex, parental alcohol problem and student alcohol-smoking-drug problems influenced the TSC(p<0.005). TSC could be result of witness to violence as well violence victimization. And the risk factors for violence-related psychiatric symptoms were mainly seen in females, who have parents with alcohol problems or who themselves have alcohol-substance problems. So intervention programs for violence victims should be focused on the these high risk group.
Adolescent ; Anger ; Crime Victims ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Parents ; Residence Characteristics ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; Violence*

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow*