Comamonas testosteroni and Acinetobacter guillouiae are gram-negative bacilli of low virulence that are widely distributed in nature and normal flora. Despite their common occurrence in environments, they rarely cause infectious disease. We experienced a case of septic shock by C. testosterone and A. guillouiae, and isolated them by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing method from the blood cultures of a previous healthy female during postoperative supportive care. This is the first case of septic shock required ventilator care and continuous renal replacement therapy due to these organisms in Korea.
Acinetobacter* ; Bacteremia ; Comamonas testosteroni* ; Comamonas* ; Communicable Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; Shock, Septic* ; Testosterone ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Virulence

Azoles are currently the most widely used class of antifungal drugs clinically, and are effective for treating fungal infections. Target site of azoles is ergosterol biosynthesis in fungal cell membrane, which is absent in the mammalian host. However, the development of resistance to azole treatments in the fungal pathogen has become a significant challenge. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of a UPC2 homolog in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. UPC2 plays roles in ergosterol biosynthesis, which is also affected by the availability of iron in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. C. neoformans mutants lacking UPC2 were constructed, and a number of phenotypic characteristics, including antifungal susceptibility and iron utilization, were analyzed. No differences were found between the mutant phenotypes and wild type, suggesting that the role of C. neoformans UPC2 homolog may be different from those in S. cerevisiae and C. albicans, and that the gene may have a yet unknown function.
Azoles ; Candida albicans ; Cell Membrane ; Cryptococcus ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Danazol ; Ergosterol ; Humans ; Iron ; Phenotype ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PURPOSE:Enhanced immunosuppression for preventing acute rejection, But infection is an inevitable complication. This study was performed to evaluate the risk factors of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection which are frequent and serious complication of renal transplant recipients. METHOD:We evaluated the incidence and risk factors for post-transplant HSV and VZV infection in three hundred and twenty three adult renal transplant recipients. RESULTS:The averaged period of infection was 37.8 months and 42% of infection occurred within six month after transplantation. Prevalence of HSV and VZV infection in diabetes patients are higher than that of non-diabetes patients (p=0.01). The other factors such as age, sex, acute rejection and immunosuppressive regimens, antibody induction didnt affect HSV and VZV infections in renal transplant recipients. CONCLUSION:As diabetic condition suggested more susceptibility to HSV and VZV infections, it is necessary to evaluate the possible occurrence of HSV and VZV infections carefully in transplant recipients with diabetes.
Adult ; Chickenpox ; Herpes Simplex ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Incidence ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Methylmethacrylates ; Polystyrenes ; Prevalence ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Risk Factors ; Simplexvirus ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effects of the common polymorphisms in the peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor gamma2 (PPAR-gamma2 Pro12Ala) and in PPAR-gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha Gly482Ser) genes on the association with the nephropathy of Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: A total of 113 patients with type 2 diabetes and 123 patients with diabetic nephropathy were enrolled in this study. The Pro12Ala polymorphism of the PPAR-gamma2 gene and the Gly482Ser polymorphism in the PGC-1alpha gene were determined with the polymerase chain reaction amplification, BstU-I and Msp I enzyme digestion, and gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: The genotype and allelic frequency of PPAR-gamma2 Pro12Ala gene were not different statistically between the diabetic nephropathy and the control. The genotype of PGC-1alpha Gly482Ser in diabetic nephropathy was also not different from those in control. The allelic frequency and carriage rate of Ser allele in PGC-1alpha Gly482Ser were significantly higher in patients with diabetic nephropathy than those in control (respectively, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The polymorphisms of the PGC-1alpha Gly482Ser gene are significantly associated with the nephropathy in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effects of the common polymorphisms in the peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor gamma2 (PPAR-gamma2 Pro12Ala) and in PPAR-gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha Gly482Ser) genes on the association with the nephropathy of Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: A total of 113 patients with type 2 diabetes and 123 patients with diabetic nephropathy were enrolled in this study. The Pro12Ala polymorphism of the PPAR-gamma2 gene and the Gly482Ser polymorphism in the PGC-1alpha gene were determined with the polymerase chain reaction amplification, BstU-I and Msp I enzyme digestion, and gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: The genotype and allelic frequency of PPAR-gamma2 Pro12Ala gene were not different statistically between the diabetic nephropathy and the control. The genotype of PGC-1alpha Gly482Ser in diabetic nephropathy was also not different from those in control. The allelic frequency and carriage rate of Ser allele in PGC-1alpha Gly482Ser were significantly higher in patients with diabetic nephropathy than those in control (respectively, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The polymorphisms of the PGC-1alpha Gly482Ser gene are significantly associated with the nephropathy in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at finding clinical factors to be associated with a progressive course of IgA nephropathy. METHODS: We investigated the association between the prognosis of IgA nephropathy and clinical and laboratory findings including age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, 24-hour urine protein, macroscopic hematuria, hematuria duration, serum uric acid, serum creatinine, GFR, upper respiratory infection, pathological observation, and treatment protocols. One hundred seventy seven patients were followed up for more than 2 years at Kyung Hee university medical center from January 1997 through December 2006. Kidney size and echogenicity were measured by abdominal ultrasonography. Resistive index was calculated by doppler ultrasonography. RESULTS: Long hematuria duration, increased uric acid, elevated creatinine of chronic renal failure group were distinguished from those of normal and acute renal failure group statistically. Using multivariate analysis, three factors, elevated serum uric acid, decreased GFR, ACE inhibitor or ARB and steroid combination treatment proved to be independent prognostic indicators of acute renal failure of IgA nephropathy. Heavy proteinuria, long hematuria duration, and severe histopathologic findings by Haas' classification were associated with significant risk factors for developing chronic renal failure. CONCLUSION: At diagnosis of IgA nephropathy, hematuria continuation and histological damage in Haas' classification were related with the reduction of renal function.
Academic Medical Centers ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Clinical Protocols ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Immunoglobulin A ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Proteinuria ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography, Doppler ; Uric Acid

Comamonas testosteroni and Acinetobacter guillouiae are gram-negative bacilli of low virulence that are widely distributed in nature and normal flora. Despite their common occurrence in environments, they rarely cause infectious disease. We experienced a case of septic shock by C. testosterone and A. guillouiae, and isolated them by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing method from the blood cultures of a previous healthy female during postoperative supportive care. This is the first case of septic shock required ventilator care and continuous renal replacement therapy due to these organisms in Korea.
Acinetobacter ; Bacteremia ; Comamonas testosteroni ; Comamonas ; Communicable Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; Shock, Septic ; Testosterone ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Virulence

In most cases of ingested foreign bodies, endoscopy is the first treatment of choice. Moreover, emergency endoscopic removal is required for sharp and pointed foreign bodies such as animal or fish bones, food boluses, and button batteries due to the increased risks of perforation, obstruction, and bleeding. Here, we presented two cases that needed emergency endoscopic removal of foreign bodies without sufficient fasting time. Foreign bodies could not be visualized by endoscopy due to food residue; therefore, fluoroscopic imaging was utilized for endoscopic removal of foreign bodies in both cases.
Animals ; Emergencies ; Endoscopy ; Fasting ; Fluoroscopy ; Foreign Bodies* ; Hemorrhage

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is suggested to be involved in the progression of diabetic nephropathy. We investigated the association of the -2518 A/G polymorphism in the MCP-1 gene with progressive kidney failure in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). We investigated -2518 A/G polymorphism of the MCP-1 gene in type 2 DM patients with progressive kidney failure (n=112) compared with matched type 2 DM patients without nephropathy (diabetic control, n=112) and healthy controls (n=230). The overall genotypic distribution of -2518 A/G in the MCP-1 gene was not different in patients with type 2 DM compared to healthy controls. Although the genotype was not significantly different between the patients with kidney failure and the diabetic control (p=0.07), the A allele was more frequent in patients with kidney failure than in DM controls (42.0 vs. 32.1%, p=0.03). The carriage of A allele was significantly associated with kidney failure (68.8 vs. 54.5%, OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.07-3.18). In logistic regression analysis, carriage of A allele retained a significant association with diabetic kidney failure. Our result shows that the -2518 A allele of the MCP-1 gene is associated with kidney failure in Korean patients with type 2 DM.
Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; Chemokine CCL2/*metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/ethnology/*genetics/*metabolism ; Diabetic Nephropathies/ethnology/*genetics/*metabolism ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Kidney Failure ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Polymorphism, Genetic ; *Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Risk Factors

Background: Prior studies have reported that 40%-90% of the patients with celiac plexus-mediated visceral pain benefit from the neurolytic celiac plexus block (NCPB), but the predictive factors of response to NCPB have not been evaluated extensively. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with the immediate analgesic effectiveness of NCPB in patients with intractable upper abdominal cancer-related pain. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 513 patients who underwent NCPB for upper abdominal cancer-related pain. Response to the procedure was defined as (1) a decrease of ≥ 50% or ≥ 4 points on the numerical rating scale (NRS) in pain intensity from the baseline without an increase in opioid requirement, or (2) a decrease of ≥ 30% or ≥ 2 points on the NRS from the baseline with simultaneously reduced opioid consumption after NCPB. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with successful responses to NCPB. Results: Among the 513 patients included in the analysis, 255 (49.8%) and 258 (50.2%) patients were in the non-responder and responder group after NCPB, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that diabetes (odds ratio [OR] = 0.644, P = 0.035), history of upper abdominal surgery (OR = 0.691, P = 0.040), and celiac metastasis (OR = 1.496, P = 0.039) were the independent factors associated with response to NCPB. Conclusions Celiac plexus metastases, absence of diabetes, and absence of prior upper abdominal surgery may be independently associated with better response to NCPB for upper abdominal cancer-related pain.