No abstract available.

No abstract available.

Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is rare, serious sporadic encephalitis associated with high mortality in untreated cases. Although cognitive impairment with fever could be the clue of diagnosis, various symptoms can make it difficult to be diagnosed. Dizziness is one of the most frequent symptoms ENT doctors can encounter. Authors experienced the HSE patient suffered rotatory sense of dizziness as a primary symptom and treated the patient successfully without major complication. We reported our experience and findings of vestibular function test of patient. It could be helpful to other ENT doctors who encounter similar patients.
Dizziness ; Encephalitis ; Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex ; Fever ; Herpes Simplex ; Humans ; Methylmethacrylates ; Polystyrenes ; Vestibular Function Tests

Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp and hair. It is very common in children and unusual in adults. We evaluated the clinical and mycologic aspects of tinea capitis in 6 adult patients registered in Kyunghee University Hospital from January 2003 to December 2003. The isolated dermatophytic flora of the patients consisted of Trichophyton rubrum (83%) and Microsporum canis (17%). When tinea capitis occurs in adults the clinical features may be atypical and this may delay the diagnosis. The necessity for heightened clinical suspicion and diagnostic tenacity in the evaluation of adults with scalp dermatitis and/or alopecia for possible tinea capitis is underscored.
Adult* ; Alopecia ; Child ; Dermatitis ; Diagnosis ; Hair ; Humans ; Microsporum ; Scalp ; Tinea Capitis* ; Tinea* ; Trichophyton

PURPOSE: Asthma is a complex disease that is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), reversible airway obstruction, and inflammation, marked mainly by eosinophilic infiltration. The bulk of the evidence identifies alphaCD4(+) TH2 cells as having a pivotal role in mediating the inflammation that is central to asthma but The role of CD8(+) T cells in the development of allergic airway disease is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of CD8(+) T cells in the development of AHR and airway inflammation in mouse model of chronic asthma. METHODS: Mice were sensitized to OVA by i.p. injection on day 1, 14 and then challenged by OVA intranasal instillation on days 27, 28, 29 47, 61, 73, 74 and then 75 days. Anti-CD8 antibody was administered to sensitized mice by i.v. injection 2h before second sensitization, day 27 and 73. In vivo airway responsiveness was measured by whole body plethysmography (Penh) to inhaled methacholine (MCh) on day 77. Lung eosinophilia, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytokine levels were also assessed. RESULTS: Sensitized and challenged mice showed significant airway eosinophilia and heightened AHR to methacholine when compared with non-sensitized animals. Administration of anti-CD8 antibody prevented both development of AHR as well as BALF eosinophilia. Treatment with anti-CD8 antibody also resulted in supression of IL-5 production in BALF. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that CD8 (+) T cell may have a potential role in the development of chronic allergic airway inflammation and development of allergen-induced airway responses in mouse model.
Airway Obstruction ; Animals ; Asthma ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-5 ; Lung ; Methacholine Chloride ; Mice ; Negotiating ; Ovum ; Plethysmography, Whole Body ; T-Lymphocytes ; Th2 Cells

The laparoscopic approach to the treatment of sigmoid volvulus has been challenging because of the different anatomy of the colon and the mesentery. We report a case of a laparoscopic sigmoidectomy and anastomosis for a patient with sigmoid volvulus for whom endoscopic reduction had failed. A 68-year-old man with sigmoid colon volvulus underwent laparoscopic surgery. The laparoscopic surgery was difficult because of the tortuous and dilated bowel and the many fibrous bands. We performed an intraoperative decompression by using a rectal tube through the anus and a primary anastomosis without on- table preparation. The patient was discharged six days later without complications. We assumed that laparoscopic resection and anastomosis is a safe, effective procedure for the management of sigmoid volvulus.
Aged ; Anal Canal ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Decompression ; Humans ; Intestinal Volvulus ; Laparoscopy ; Mesentery

Tackling socioeconomic inequalities in health risk factors is an important pathway for alleviating health inequalities. The aim of this study was to analyze the current state of inequality in health risk factors by socioeconomic status in Korea through a literature review of recently published studies and description of secondary data from the Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES). We evaluated the extent and trends of socioeconomic inequalities in health behavior (smoking, high-risk alcohol drinking, moderate exercise, and nutritional deficiency) and clinical risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity) with 1998 to 2010 KNHANES data based on socio-economic status. Furthermore, we summarized the impact of several distal health determinants like income, education and occupation, and childhood period on health inequalities in Korea. The results showed that a wide range of health risk factors including more distal causes were socio-economically patterned to varying degrees. In order to reduce health inequalities by socioeconomic status, more comprehensive monitoring and measures, and well-designed studies are required for promoting the understanding of the causal pathway and developing interventional strategies.
Alcohol Drinking ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Health Behavior ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Korea ; Occupations ; Risk Factors ; Social Class ; Socioeconomic Factors

Both social interest in and studies of socioeconomic inequalities in health have increased in recent years. This article presents the current state of socioeconomic inequalities in health status in Korea, based on recent research. Socioeconomic inequalities in health status have been consistently observed in Korea as well as abroad. In both men and women, from birth-sometimes evenfrom before birth-to death, inverse relationships between socioeconomic position and most indicators of healthexist. For some health indicators, such as suicide, absolute and relative inequalities have become significantly worse than in the past. Knowledge of health inequalities in small geographic areas can be useful for allocating health resources. Representative indicators of socioeconomic inequalities in health shouldundergo ongoing monitoringby the government. In addition, there is a need for research to explore the mechanisms and to evaluate the effectiveness of specific policies and intervention programs as well as to identify socioeconomic inequalities in a variety of health outcomes. Learning the status of and trends in socioeconomic inequalities in health isan essential step toward increasing awareness of these inequalities in society and promoting an integrated and systematic policy for tackling them.
Female ; Health Resources ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Male ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Suicide

Some of cerebral palsy patients are accompanied by mental retardation, convulsion, scoliosis and thoracic deformity. We experienced general anesthesia of a 22-year-old male with cerebral palsy accompanied by high degree mental retardation and scoliosis for dental caries therapy. We performed anesthetic management of this patient without any occurrence of anesthesia-related complications, though we had some difficulties in anesthetic induction and postural maintenance during the process. We recognized that considerable attention is needed for the patients with cerebral palsy to avoid undesirable anesthetic complications, especially ventilatory failure and neurologic sequelae.
Anesthesia, Dental ; Anesthesia, General ; Cerebral Palsy* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dental Caries ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Male ; Scoliosis ; Seizures ; Young Adult

The United Nations Environmental Program Governing Council has regulated mercury as a global pollutant since 2001 and has been preparing the mercury convention, which will have a strongly binding force through Global Mercury Assessment, Global Mercury Partnership Activities, and establishment of the Open-Ended Working Group on Mercury. The European Union maintains an inclusive strategy on risks and contamination of mercury, and has executed the Mercury Export Ban Act since December in 2010. The US Environmental Protection Agency established the Mercury Action Plan (1998) and the Mercury Roadmap (2006) and has proposed systematic mercury management methods to reduce the health risks posed by mercury exposure. Japan, which experienced Minamata disease, aims vigorously at perfection in mercury management in several ways. In Korea, the Ministry of Environment established the Comprehensive Plan and Countermeasures for Mercury Management to prepare for the mercury convention and to reduce risks of mercury to protect public health.
Environmental Exposure ; Environmental Monitoring ; Environmental Pollution/*prevention & control ; European Union ; Humans ; Japan ; *Mercury ; Policy Making ; Public Health ; United Nations ; United States