PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the pro-erectile potential of various urethral alpha blockers using pharmacological or electrical induction of erection in anesthesized rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To evaluate the influence on centrally mediated erection, intravenous administeration of terazosin, doxazosin(3, 10, 30microgram/kg), and tamsulosin (0.3, 1, 3microgram/kg), followed by submaximal subcutaneous apomorphine(50microgram/kg) administration, mean arterial pressure(MAP) and intracavernosal pressure(ICP) were recorded over 30 minutes in male anesthesized rats. The time to first response, peaks within 30 minutes, maximal ICP, area under the curve, percentage of ICP/MAP were compared. To evaluate the influence on peripherally induced erections, various doses of alpha antagonists and submaximal cavernous nerve stimulation(0.5ms, 2V, 10Hz) were combined. The ICP increase and ICP/MAP percentage were also compared. RESULTS: Although various dose response relationships were shown, all three alpha blockers enhanced erectile activity triggered by apomorphine. In terms of time to first response and peaks within 30 minutes, the proerectile effects of terazosin was most prominent whereas those of tamsulosin was minimal, requiring larger doses. In combining with cavernous nerve stimulation, doxazosin and tamsulosin showed moderate proerectile activity, but the highest dose of terazosin was required to enhance ICP increase induced by cavernous nerve stimulation. Despite their pressure lowering effects, all tested alpha adrenergic blockers significantly enhanced the ICP/MAP percentage. CONCLUSIONS: The present finding clearly indicated that alpha 1 selective antagonists can enhance erectile capacity when combined with central or peripheral stimuli for erection.
Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; Adrenergic Antagonists ; Animals ; Apomorphine ; Doxazosin ; Humans ; Male ; Models, Animal* ; Rats*

Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways with variable airflow limitation resulting in recurrent wheezing, chest tightness, and cough. Long term management is essential to prevent symptom and asthma exacerbation with using daily controller medications. Asthma control was much improved by combining inhaled corticosteroids with long-acting beta2 agonists. Recent several studies demonstrated the effectiveness of a new asthma management strategy, a single inhaler containing budesonide and formoterol for both maintenance therapy and symptom relief (called SMART) which was approved in GINA guideline, 2006. This SMART strategy could reduce the frequency of severe exacerbations and the need for rescue medicine with systemic steroids as well as improved lung function and asthma controls at relatively lower doses of corticosteroid with lesser costs for treatment.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Asthma* ; Budesonide ; Cough ; Formoterol Fumarate ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Respiratory Sounds ; Steroids ; Thorax

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to verify the effects of daily 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing on the acquisition of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) and healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in a medical intensive care unit (MICU). METHODS: The study was a randomized controlled group posttest only design, involving 91 patients in MICU at a tertiary hospital (47 patients in the experimental group and 44 patients in the control group). The 2% CHG bathing was performed daily according to bathing protocol to the patients in the experimental group, and traditional bath was performed every three days to those in the control group. Fisher's exact test and χ² test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: MDRO were found in 6 patients of the experimental group and in 15 patients of the control group. The difference was statistically significant (p=.016). HAI occurred in 2 patients of the experimental group and in 7 patients of the control group. The difference was not statistically significant (p=.084). CONCLUSION: The results confirmed that daily bathing with CHG was effective in reducing the incidence of MDRO acquisition. Therefore, it is expected that daily bathing with CHG will be used as an effective nursing intervention to reduce the incidence of MDRO acquisition.
Baths ; Chlorhexidine ; Critical Care ; Cross Infection ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Nursing ; Tertiary Care Centers

Background/Aims: Asthma is not a single disease but, rather, a heterogeneous inf lammatory disorder with various pathogenic mechanisms. We analyzed the associations between the cellular profile of sputum and the serum levels of inflammatory mediators/cytokines in a cohort of adult asthmatics. Methods: We recruited 421 adult asthmatic patients. All subjects were classified into four groups according to their sputum cellular profiles: G1, eosinophilic; G2, mixed granulocytic; G3, neutrophilic; and G4, paucigranulocytic. Serum levels of cytokines and mediators including periostin, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN), S100A9, and folliculin were quantified. Results: Among 421 patients, G1 accounted for 149 (35.4%), G2 for 71 (16.9%), G3 for 155 (36.8%), and G4 for 46 (10.9%). Serum periostin and EDN levels were significantly higher in G1 (p = 0.004, and p = 0.031) than in the others. Serum S100A9 levels were elevated in G2 and G3 (p = 0.008). Serum folliculin levels differed significantly among the four groups, with the highest level in G4 (p = 0.042). To identify G1 from G1 plus G2 groups, the optimal serum cut-off levels were 1.71 ng/mL for periostin, and 1.61 ng/mL for EDN. When these two parameters were combined, the sensitivity was 76.0% and the specificity was 64.3% (area under the curve, 0.701; p = 0.004). Conclusions The serum periostin and EDN levels may be used as predictors to discriminate the eosinophilic asthma group from patients having eosinophilic or mixed granulocytic asthma, and the serum folliculin level is significantly elevated in patients with paucigranulocytic asthma compared to those with different inflammatory cell profile.

No abstract available.
Humans ; Methacholine Chloride* ; Rhinitis*

Gastric type mucinous endocervical adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix (GAC) are a newly classified mucinous subtype with morphologically in 2014, WHO. They have a much more aggressiveness and show unusual metastatic patterns compared to usual type endocervical adenocarcinoma. They tend to present at higher stage and even in stage I, they have worse survival. Therefore, differential diagnosis of GAC from the usual type of endocervical adenocarcinoma is very important because they are related to a significant risk of recurrence and decreased 5-year disease-specific survival. Besides, GACs are mostly not associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and p16 immunohistochemistry is also typically negative in GAC that is HPV-unassociated tumor. We report a very rare and interesting case of stage IB1 GAC with negative HPV DNA and p16.
Adenocarcinoma ; Cervix Uteri ; Diagnosis, Differential ; DNA ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mucins ; Recurrence

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) is commonly performed for the management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Although LEEP is considered to be a relatively simple procedure, several unexpected complications have been reported in the literature. Herein, we report a case of hemoperitoneum caused by uterine perforation following LEEP. Blood collection in pelvic cavity and two small defects of the uterus were confirmed by diagnostic laparoscopy. The defects were sutured and the patient recovered well after the operation.
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Conization ; Hemoperitoneum ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Uterine Perforation ; Uterus

Dioscorea batatas is widely used in Asia as a herbal medicine or food product with potential health benefits. There have been several reports of occupational asthma caused by inhalation of D. batatas dust. However, there has been no report of systemic allergic reactions after oral administration of D. batatas. Two patients with D. batatas allergy were enrolled. One had experienced severe urticaria and angioedema after indigestion, and the other had been exposed to D. batatas dust and was diagnosed as having occupational asthma. Both patients had high serum-specific IgE and IgG4 antibodies to D. batatas. And IgE immunoblot demonstrated that both sera bound to a 27-kDa protein with an IgE-binding motif, which was revealed by 2-D-electrophoresis to have the sequence Asn-Val-Glu-Asp-Glu-Phe-Ser-X-Ile- Glu-Gly-Asn-Pro-X-X-Pro-Glu-Asn-X-Gly (pI 6.40, 6.04). In conclusion, discorin from D. batatas (DB3S) was identified as the major allergen of D. batatas in patients sensitized via an oral or inhalant route.
Administration, Inhalation ; Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Allergens/*immunology ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Dioscorea/*immunology ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin E/blood ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Molecular Sequence Data

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop a school-centered healthy eating environment for children in elementary care classrooms and prevent incorrect eating habits and obesity through the development and application of standardized healthy eating habit-forming educational materials.METHODS: Ten schools in eight districts of Gyeonggi-do and 400 students from 19 care classes were selected. Based on the developed educational materials, the program was applied to students once in two weeks. ‘Notices for Parents’ forms were also sent to the students' home to educate their parents. Pre and post-surveys were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the education. The pre-education, education, and aftercare were conducted from September 28 to September 31, 2016, from October 3 to November 30, 2016, and from December 5 to December 9, 2016, respectively.RESULTS: The healthy eating program for elementary care classes was designed to develop a school-centered healthy eating environment and provide standardized educational material for healthy eating habits. Twelve educational topics were developed: 〈Eat Evenly〉, 〈Eat Breakfast〉, 〈Eat vegetables and Fruits〉, 〈Clean Body, Strong Body〉, 〈Healthy and Tasty Snacks〉, 〈Keep Healthy Weight〉, 〈Food that enters our body〉, 〈What is safe food?〉, 〈Food selection and Storage〉, 〈Our land, Our grain〉, 〈Enjoy Traditional Food〉, and 〈Food manners〉. Moreover, the materials were produced in four forms: for students, for after school caring teachers, for external specialists, and for parents. The effectiveness evaluation was conducted to confirm the application of the program. The average eating habits score was 3.3 ± 0.6, with no significant difference between before and after application. The score of overall satisfaction of the education was 3.9 ± 0.9. The most satisfying content was ‘Did you get to know how to eat evenly?’. Significant increases were observed in two contents for parents regarding their children's knowledge changes after the education: ‘Five nutrients needed for growing children’ and ‘Knowing sugar foods and sugar-containing foods’. On the other hand, their educational satisfaction was 3.6 ± 0.6, which was lower than the children's satisfaction. This might be because their education was conducted only through the ‘Notices for Parents’ form.CONCLUSIONS: In the long term, the healthy eating habit-formation education for lower elementary school children is expected to be beneficial. To prevent obesity and establish healthy eating habits of children, it is important to develop healthy eating education programs centered on elementary school aftercare classes, including the development of educational materials and an application system through connection with the home and community.
Aftercare ; Child ; Eating ; Education ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hand ; Humans ; Obesity ; Parents ; Specialization ; Vegetables

Unilateral pulmonary vein atresia (PVA) is a rare congenital cardiovascular anomaly occurring after the common pulmonary vein fails to incorporate into the left atrium. It is most commonly diagnosed in childhood, and diagnosis after reaching adulthood is extremely rare. Dyspnea on exertion and hemoptysis are common clinical features in adult PVA patients, whereas lung parenchymal abnormalities are indirect signs of PVA, which can manifest as interstitial lung disease. Herein, we present the case of a 62-year-old female diagnosed with unilateral PVA presenting as unilateral interstitial lung disease and report the changes in her chest radiographs over 12 years.