BACKGROUND: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL) Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important cause of nosocomial infections in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). This study aimed to reduce ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae in the NICU by using infection control measures. METHODS: We performed prospective surveillance cultures, monitoring, and education for infection control in the NICU between May and August 2011. Specimens were collected from all infants and the environment including stethoscopes, thermometers, ventilators, incubators, etc. The anterior nares and hands of healthcare workers were also screened. We inspected infection control practices and provided feedback. The level of infection control awareness was measured using a questionnaire. RESULTS: The level of awareness and performance of hand washing increased significantly after intervention (both P<0.001). The environmental management of healthcare providers also improved significantly (P=0.001). The yield of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae from clinical specimens decreased gradually throughout the study period (30.4% in May to 12.6% in August). Central catheter-related K. pneumoniae bacteremia decreased from 1.3/1000 to 0/1000 catheter-days. CONCLUSION: Infection control measures including education, monitoring, and surveillance can lower the incidence of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae in the NICU.
Bacteremia ; beta-Lactamases ; Cross Infection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Hand ; Hand Disinfection ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Incidence ; Incubators ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infection Control ; Intensive Care Units ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Klebsiella ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Pneumonia ; Prospective Studies ; Stethoscopes ; Thermometers ; Ventilators, Mechanical

The purpose of this study was to examine the heterophoria in emmetropia and ametropia. The subjects were 337 healthy men and women between the age of 20-41 years. In 337 cases, Emmetropia were 135 cases, Ametropia were 202 cases. The entire group was tested for heterophoria with synoptophore. In the ametropia, this test was performed before and after correction of refractive error with glasses. The results were as follows: 1. The incidence of heterophoria was 84.4% in emmertropia, 89.2% in myopia and 91.4% in hyperopia. 2. Exophoria was most common in myopia. But in emmetropia and hyperopia, there was no significant difference between the incidence of exophoria and esophoria. The incidence of hyperphoria and cyclophoria was not significantly different between emmetropia and ametropia. 3. In the ametropia, the size of heterophoria was slightly decreased after correction, but the difference was not significant (p>0.05). 4. There was no correlation between the amount of refractive error and the size of heterophoria (p>0.05).
Emmetropia* ; Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Eyeglasses ; Female ; Glass ; Humans ; Hyperopia ; Incidence ; Male ; Myopia ; Ocular Motility Disorders ; Refractive Errors*

PURPOSE: p53 gene mutations, one of the most common alterations found in human tumors, has also been detected in gastric carcinoma, and shown to have a crucial and early role in gastric carcinogenesis of intestinal type and mainly associated with tumor progression in the cancer of diffuse type. We tried to investigate the frequency of p53 mutations in 27 gastric carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fresh tumor tissue from a series of gastric carcinoma was screened for p53 mutations by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) with silver staining and confirmed by direct-sequencing in 27 cases of gastric carcinoma. Immunohistochemical method for p53 protein accumulation was also performed in the same cases. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry revealed 20 of 27 cases of gastric carcinoma, positive for p53. PCR-SSCP analysis of p53 exons 5-8 detected mobility shift in 4 out of 20 p53-positive tumors; three from exon 5 and the other from exon 7, respectively. DNA sequencing of exon 5 showed CGC to CAC point mutation in one of three cases; exon 7, ATC to AAC point mutation. It seemed that there was no correlation between genetic alterations of p53 gene detected by PCR-SSCP and expression of p53 protein by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSIOAS: Our results suggest that mutations of the p53 gene are rare genetic events in carcinogenesis of gastric carcinomas. There was discrepancy between mutations screened by PCR-SSCP and overexpressions in immunohistochemical staining.
Carcinogenesis ; Exons ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Silver Staining

Terrien's marginal degeneration is a rare bilateral condition. Most investigators have thought that it was a degenerative origin, and emphasized the lack of significant inflammatory signs and symptoms. Several reports in Korea, except one case of perforation reported only mild conjunctival injection. But, recent reports suggested the possibility of inflammatory process and immune phenomenon. We experienced one case of Terrien's marginal degeneration accompanied with the iritis and treated with topical steroid, conjunctival flap and therapeutic contact lens.
Cornea* ; Humans ; Iritis* ; Korea ; Research Personnel

Terrien's marginal degeneration is a rare bilateral condition. Most investigators have thought that it was a degenerative origin, and emphasized the lack of significant inflammatory signs and symptoms. Several reports in Korea, except one case of perforation reported only mild conjunctival injection. But, recent reports suggested the possibility of inflammatory process and immune phenomenon. We experienced one case of Terrien's marginal degeneration accompanied with the iritis and treated with topical steroid, conjunctival flap and therapeutic contact lens.
Cornea* ; Humans ; Iritis* ; Korea ; Research Personnel

No abstract available.
Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Ulcer*

Ultrastructural study of the effects of amiodarone on the liver tissue was performed. Rats were fed with amiodarone containing diet and were sacrificerd at 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 8th weeks of experiment. Charateristic lisosomal inclusion bodies were appeared form first week, which were more prominent and increased in size at the 5th and 8th week of experiment. These inclusion bodies were found in hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, bile duct epithelial cells and fibroblasts but most prominent in hepatocytes. The lysosomal inclusion bodies could be divided into four types; those characterized by (1) dense bodies with packed crystaloid contents, (2) multilamellated bodies, (3) irregular shaped bodies with varying electron density and 4. dense bodies containing stacks of fine membranous structures. All types were found in all experimental groups. But the type 1 and 2 were predominent at early stage, while type 3 and 4 were more prominent at later stage According to these findings, the formation of the lysosmal inclusion body was a characteristic change in derangement of phospholipid metabolism. And amiodarone could induce disturbance of phospholipid metabolism in all kinds of cells in liver tissue.
Rats ; Animals

Author performed this experiment to define the most important factor preventing the intimal thickening. An endothelium of abdominal aorta in the rat was denuded by two different wires having same caliver. The degree of injury was limited to the endothelial cells in one, and extended to the internal elastic lamina in another. The results showed that at 72 hours, in the case of superficial injury, the entire injury site was covered by new regenerating cells, but in the case of disruption of the internal elastic lamina, the migrating smooth muscle cell completely reached into the intima and resulted in intemal thickening. Similar findings persisted to 1 week later. Above results suggest the most important factor preventing the intimal thickening in endothelial injury is the depth of the injury which limited within the endothelial cells without extending into the internal elastic lamina and medial smooth muscle cells.
Rats ; Animals

Phthiriasis has been usually known as a sexually-transmitted disease. The majority of these cases are found in the hair of the genital lesion, however, infestation of the eyelashed may occur. Eyeld involvement frequently causes blepharitis or conjunctivitis. The authors found a crab louse, Phthirus pubis and their nits on the eyelashes of 22-year-old female who complained foreign body and itching sensation of her right upper lid. Treatment is accomplished by careful mechanical removal of the louse and nits followed by the epilation and alllication of antibiotic eyedrops. We report a case of Phthiriasis palpebrarum with a review of the literatures.
Blepharitis ; Conjunctivitis ; Eyelashes ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Hair ; Hair Removal ; Humans ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Pediculus ; Phthiraptera ; Phthirus ; Pruritus ; Sensation ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Hysterectomy*