OBJECTIVES: A cross sectional study was carried out in the welders exposed to manganese and control group. The aim of this study was to assess the adverse effects of manganese on central nervous system of welders. METHODS: The study group consisted of 49 welders and the reference group, 49 workers matched with welders for age and educational level in automobile manufacturing company. Concentration of manganese in welding hume, in blood, and cumulative exposure index(CEI) were determined for each subject. For each group, computerized neurobehavioral test including Simple Reaction Time, Digit Symbol, Digit Span, and Finger Tapping Speed of Swedish Performance Evaluation System were applied. RESULTS: Exposure level of manganese in welders were very low(mean CEI 0.069). Welders exposed to manganese had slower response speed, slower motor steadiness, and shorter memory span than control group. But these differences were not statistically significant. The performance of Finger Tapping Speed tended to lower as environmental and biological exposure index got higher. Other neurobehavioral tests were found to have a little association with the exposure indices. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference of neurobehavioral performance between welders and control group. This study indicates that Finger Tapping Speed measuring motor steadiness might be a one of useful tests for early detection of adverse effects of welding on central nervous system.
Automobiles ; Central Nervous System ; Fingers ; Manganese* ; Memory ; Reaction Time ; Welding

Between 1986 and 1990, four children with recurrent CNS leukemia who had previous CNS prophylaxis therapy were treated with intermittent central nervous system irradiation and intrathecal chemotherapy (IIIC). There was no isolated CNS recurrence. One patient died form bone marrow relapse. Three patients are alive without evidence of disease for 3E3/12 year to 3E6/12 year after the diagnosis of recurrence of CNS leukemia. This experience suggests that IIIC may be an effective treatment for preventing the recurrence of CNS leukemia without any serious side effects.
Bone Marrow ; Central Nervous System* ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Leukemia* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Recurrence

Paragonimiasis is a parasitic disease found in carnivorous animals which is caused by trematodes of the genus Paragonimus. Human infestation occurs by ingestion of raw or not incompletely cooked freshwater crab or crayfish with the metacercaria. Recently, the prevalence of human paragonimiasis has decreased markedly, however, about one hundred clinical cases have been diagnosed annually by antibody test in Korea. The symptoms, such as chronic cough, hemoptysis, and radiological findings are often confused with those of tuberculosis. Therefore, differential diagnosis between tuberculosis and paragonimiasis is important in Korea which has a high prevalence of tuberculosis. Recently, we experienced a case of pulmonary paragonimiasis in a 13yearold girl with hemoptysis and chest pain. Chest roentgenogram with subsequent tomography demonstrating multiple cavitary lesions and linear tubular densities. Strong positive was noted in intradermal skin test for Paragonimus westermani as well as in IgG antibody detection using ELISA method. Diagnosis was confirmed by stool with multiple P. westermani ova, which was treated with a two day course of praziquantel.
Animals ; Astacoidea ; Chest Pain ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Eating ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fresh Water ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Korea ; Ovum ; Paragonimiasis* ; Paragonimus ; Paragonimus westermani ; Parasitic Diseases ; Praziquantel ; Prevalence ; Skin Tests ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis

OBJECTIVE: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has been emerging as an important nosocomial pathogen in recent years in patients with impaired host- defense mechanism or who has been exposed to large amount of inocula. This organism is usually resistant to multiple (commonly used) antimicrobial agents, particularly to those of the beta-lactam class. To evaluate the clinical feature of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection and in vitro anti- microbial susceptibility, we performed a retrospective study. METHODS: We analyzed the result of in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility test for 200 isolates of S. maltophilia and the annual isolation rate during the period between January 1990 and December 1994 in our institution, and performed a retrospective study for the available records of 165 cases among them. The data were obtained with only the first isolation of the organism for each patients. RESULTS: Total of 165 initial isolates, the isolates were from wounds in 50(30.3%), urine in 47(28.5%), the respiratory tract in 37(22.4%), blood in 9(5.5%), bile in 6(3.6%), and miscellaneous sources in 16(9.7%). The 84.2% of isolates were hospital-acquired isolate and 58.3% of these patients had received antecedent antibiotic therapy: polymicrobial growth was demonstrated in 61.9% of the cases. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibiiity test, ofloxacin was active against the isolates in 89.2%, moxalactam in 85.9%, ciprofloxacin in 83.9%, TMP-SMX(trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) in 64.2%, As expected, S. maltophilia isolates were, in general, not susceptible to cephalosporins, penicillins. The annual isolation rate at Kyung Hee University hospital was not increased significantly from 1990 to 1994, 19.53 per 10,000 patients dismissals in 1990, 13.56 in 1994. The major underlying diseases of patients were malignancy(17.6%), cerebrovascular disorder(17%), diabetic mellitus(13.3%). Mortality rate is 10.3%. CONCLUSION: S. maltophilia has been emerging as an important nosocomial pathogen in immunocompromised patients, especially those receiving broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy. And this organism is resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents, particularly to those of the beta-lactam class. When antimicrobial treatment is necessary, the clinician should be guided by results of in vitro susceptibility testing because of the notable in vitro resistance of S. maltophilia to commonly used antibiotics. And when S. maltophilia has been recovered from a patient, wound and contact isolation is warranted.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Bile ; Cephalosporins ; Ciprofloxacin ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Mortality ; Moxalactam ; Ofloxacin ; Penicillins ; Respiratory System ; Retrospective Studies ; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ; Stenotrophomonas* ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: It is difficult to reconstruct nasal root defects because of complicated anatomy and function of the nose and eyelids, donor site morbidities, and aesthetic results. So, choosing suitable one of various reconstructive methods is very important and difficult. We report the island composite glabellar flap as an alternative reconstructive method of proximal nasal and medial canthal area. METHODS: From May 2005 to January 2007, we performed 8 cases of the island composite glabellar flap to reconstruct the defects in proximal nasal and medial canthal area after resection of skin cancer. The flap was elevated with the nasal skin, subcutaneous fat tissue, and procerus muscle based on the dorsal nasal branch of the angular artery. The flap donor site was closed in a V-Y fashion. RESULTS: This result was satisfactory in point of color, texture and donor site scar. There was no major complication such as wound disruption, hematoma, and atrophy of flap. But flap bulkiness was observed in one case. CONCLUSIONS: This island composite glabellar flap has several advantages in reconstruction of proximal nasal and medial canthal defects. This flap has reliable vascular pedicle and can be moved to multiple direction and has more mobility than other local flaps. Also, aesthetic outcome of the donor and the recipient site was good. We believe that this flap is a useful technique as a treatment of proximal nasal and medial canthal defects
Arteries ; Atrophy ; Cicatrix ; Eyelids ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron ; Nose ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Tissue Donors ; Wounds and Injuries

Tracheal bronchus is an aberrant bronchus that arises most often from right tracheal wall above the carina. It is a rare congenital anomaly, which is usually asymptomatic but occasionally associated with recurrent pneumonia, chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis. Anomalies found in association with tracheal bronchi include respiratory(tracheal hypoplasia, tracheal stenosis, cystic lung lesion), gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal systems. Tracheal bronchus has been diagnosed by conventional tomography, bronchography and bronchoscopy in the past. Technical advances have greatly enhanced the utility of this diagnostic modality. So chest CT, even three-dimensional reconstruction, is of particular importance in the evaluation of mediastinal, pleural and lung parenchymal lesions. We experienced a case of duodenal atresia and tracheal bronchus in 6-month-old child who suffered from recurrent pneumonia and dyspnea. So we report with a brief review and its related literatures.
Bronchi* ; Bronchiectasis ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Bronchography ; Bronchoscopy ; Child ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Infant ; Lung ; Musculoskeletal System ; Pneumonia ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tracheal Stenosis

Approximately 5% of patients infected with Herpes zoster experience motor complications, such as muscle atrophy or paresis, caused by motor neuron involvement. The majority of paretic cases are associated with involvement of cranial nerves or of spinal nerves that innervate the muscles of extremities. We report the case of an 82-year-old female patient with cutaneous Herpes zoster involving the T10-11 sensory dermatomes, complicated by ipsilateral abdominal protrusion. Electromyography on the left external oblique muscle revealed marked denervation potentials, implying motor neuron involvement. One month after the onset of abdominal protrusion, the patient's motor symptoms markedly improved. Clinicians should consider the possibility of motor neuron involvement with Herpes zoster, even in cases of zoster involving thoracic branches of spinal nerves.
Aged, 80 and over ; Cranial Nerves ; Denervation ; Electromyography ; Extremities ; Female ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Motor Neurons ; Muscles ; Muscular Atrophy ; Paresis ; Spinal Nerves

Approximately 5% of patients infected with Herpes zoster experience motor complications, such as muscle atrophy or paresis, caused by motor neuron involvement. The majority of paretic cases are associated with involvement of cranial nerves or of spinal nerves that innervate the muscles of extremities. We report the case of an 82-year-old female patient with cutaneous Herpes zoster involving the T10-11 sensory dermatomes, complicated by ipsilateral abdominal protrusion. Electromyography on the left external oblique muscle revealed marked denervation potentials, implying motor neuron involvement. One month after the onset of abdominal protrusion, the patient's motor symptoms markedly improved. Clinicians should consider the possibility of motor neuron involvement with Herpes zoster, even in cases of zoster involving thoracic branches of spinal nerves.
Aged, 80 and over ; Cranial Nerves ; Denervation ; Electromyography ; Extremities ; Female ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Motor Neurons ; Muscles ; Muscular Atrophy ; Paresis ; Spinal Nerves

Renal infarction in transplant kidney is an very uncommon post-transplant complication, and usually occurs in the early postoperative period. Thromboemboli to the renal arteries usually originate from the heart, e.g. atrial fibrillation. This paper reports a 64-year-old man who had total occlusion of transplanted renal artery after 9 years from transplantation. His medicines included cyclosporine, prednisolone, aspirin, clopidogrel, and propranlol. Our patient presented with fever, oliguria, and left costovertebral angle tenderness, three days ago. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed total occlusion of transplanted renal artery and right common iliac artery. Preservation of renal function is inversely proportional to the period of renal ischemia. Our patient was treated with heparinization. Remnant renal function was lost, he has been treated with hemodialysis.
Aspirin ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Cyclosporine ; Fever ; Heart ; Heparin ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Infarction* ; Ischemia ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Middle Aged ; Oliguria ; Postoperative Period ; Prednisolone ; Renal Artery ; Renal Dialysis ; Thromboembolism*

The purpose of this study is to evaluate predictors of success of repeated injections of methotrexate in the single-dose regimen for the treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancy. All patients who had ectopic tubal pregnancy and were treated with a single dose regimen were retrospectively identified. 126 patients were treated with methotrexate. Among them, 39 patients were adequate for this study. 33 were treated with the 2nd dose and 27 were successfully cured. Additionally, 6 who were injected with the 3rd dose were all cured as well. Therefore, in our study, the success rate for the repeated injections of methotrexate was found to be 84.6% (33/39). The mean initial beta-hCG level was significantly lower in patients who were successfully treated than in patients who failed (3915.3+/-3281.3 vs. 8379.7+/-2604.4 IU/mL, p<0.05). The success rate is 96% when the beta-hCG level is less than 6,000 IU/mL and is 58% when beta-hCG is greater than 6,000 IU/mL (OR=18.57, 95% CI 1.86-185.89). The initial beta-hCG level is the only factor that has significant meaning as predictor of success of repeated injections of methotrexate in the single-dose regimen. Repeated injections of methotrexate may be particularly effective when the initial beta-hCG level is below 6,000 IU/mL.
Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal/administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human/blood ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Methotrexate/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Tubal/blood/*drug therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome