PURPOSE: To draw attention to the radiological findings of a benign variant of cerebral astrocytoma in a young patient. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 24-year-old man with generalized tonic-clonic seizure of 7 years' duration and normal neurological examination was examined with plain skull series, brain CT and MRI, and cerebral angiography. MR imaging was performed with a 0.5 Tesla Toshiba MRT-50A scanner (TIWI, PDWI, T2WI, 0.1 mmol/kg of Gd- DTPA, SE). RESULTS: 1 ) Plain skull series: A radiolucent lesion with a partial radiopaque rim of about 2.5 x 3 cm size in the right anterior parietal bone.2) B rain CT scan: A cystic mass in the right frontoparietal cortex of midconvexity with pressure erosion on the adjacent skull and partial enhancement at outer and anterior portion.3) Brain MRI:A hypointense mass containing a small, intensely enhancing isointensity anterolaterally on Tl-weighted images, which was hyperintense with better delineation of bulging cortical-based appearance on T2-weithted images. No peritumoral edema.4) Cerebral anglography: An avascular mass. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma(PXA) should be entertained in patients in whom a superticially placed enhancing intracerebral tumor containing cystic portion that seems to be in contact with the meninges develops during juvenile years.
Astrocytoma ; Brain ; Cerebral Angiography ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meninges ; Neurologic Examination ; Pentetic Acid ; Rabeprazole ; Rain ; Seizures ; Skull ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of climate factors on the Chrysanthemum morifolium originated from Wenxian county (i. e "huaiju") for assuring the quality of medicinal C. morifolium.

METHODThe content of water-soluble extracts, protein, sugar, flavonoid and chlorogenic acid of "huaiju" collected from Henanwenxian, Jiangsunanjing and Zhejiangtongxiang were selected as the indicator and determined, climate data of the corresponding places were collected for studying the effects on "huaiju" quality through path analysis and correlation analysis.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThere existed no obviously differences among the detected indicators except the soluble sugar content. Sunlight, temperature and precipitation showed more effects on quality of "huaiju", the sunlight had the most direct effect on flavonoid, the 10 cm ground temperature had the most direct effect on chlorogenic acid.

China ; Chlorogenic Acid ; analysis ; Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; standards ; Ecosystem ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Plant Proteins ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Quality Control ; Rain ; Sunlight ; Temperature

Up to the present, the existing residency training in Korea, functions only as a factory to produce the heartless and increative medical technician. So, we performed the elective course in residency t raining especially about the basic medicine by the 18 residents for 5 years since since 1990 in college of medicne, Korea University. The residents who paticipate in the elective course, can have enough time to consider the nature, human and doctor and to act as a pioneer to study the basic science. Thus, we concluded that the elective course residency training about the interesting department can enables not only the increment of autonomy but also time to contact with the human nature and basic science.
Human Characteristics ; Internship and Residency* ; Korea ; Rain

Granulocytic sarcoma, a rare extramedullary solid tumor arising from early myeloid precursors, is capable of invading the meninges or the rain parenchyma. The tumor may occur during or after the onset of systemic myelogenous leukemia. On rare occasions, the tumor may evolve before the onset of systemic myelogenous leukemia. Children are affected more often than adults, but sex is not related. Although no definite target area of the brain can be demonstrated, there may be some predilection of the tumor for the posterior fossa. The authors report a case of 4-year-old-boy with granulocytic sarcoma occurring in the posterior fossa presenting with gait disturbance and torticollis. The patient was treated by surgical removal of the tumor, there by avoiding the potentially lethal complication of a posterior fassa mass. This rare case is reported together a review of the literature.
Adult ; Brain ; Cerebellum* ; Child ; Gait ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid ; Meninges ; Rain ; Sarcoma, Myeloid* ; Torticollis

BACKGROUND: Calcipotriol, a new vitamin D3 analogue, is a potent growth inhibitor for human keratinocytes and has been shown to be effective in the topical treatment of psoriasis with no major disturbances of calcium homeostasis. OBJECTIVE: An open multicenter trial was conducted to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of topical calcipotriol ointment(50ug/g) twice daily in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris. METHODS: Op patients recruited from the Department of Dermatology of 30 universities and raining hospitals in Korea, 108 patients who could be followed up at the end of study were evaluated. Efficacy, as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index(PASI), and safety were assessed at 2, 4, and 6 week. RESULTS: Reduction of PASI score was stastically significant at all time points of treatment(p<0.01). At the completion of 6 weeks of treatment, the mean PASI reduction was 76.7%. The scores of thickness and scale decrease more than that of erythema. An analysis of patient and clinician overall self-assessment at 6 weeks showed cleared, marked improvement and moderate improvement in 65.2% and 62.9% at each. Some patients developed minimal irritation of lesional or perilesional skin. Laboratory tests did not show any significant changes particularly, serum calcium levels. CONCLUSION: Calcipotriol ointment was effective as measured by PASI score and the self-assessment in patients with psoriasis vulgaris and was well tolerated.
Calcium ; Cholecalciferol ; Dermatology ; Erythema ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Korea ; Psoriasis* ; Rain ; Self-Assessment ; Skin

The associations between storm events, urban runoff and costal water quality have not been well investigated in Korea. A temporal and spatial analysis during summer, 2015 was conducted to determine associates between urban runoff and fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli, Enterococcus) levels at two popular coastal beaches (Gwanganri beach and Haundae beach) in Busan. In this study, a clear relationship between rainfall and elevated number of indicators was observed. Two beaches met the costal beach water health standards after less than 3.0 mm of rain. Only for storms less than 2.5 mm was no observable rainfall effect. Our results revealed that exceedances were greatest in 5 hours following 41.0~45.5 rainfall, then declined the bacterial concentrations in 8 hours after the storm and they generally returned to levels below water health standards within 10~14 hours. But it took 2.7 days to get the level of water quality of dry days. The time required for water quality recovery depends on the intensity and duration of rainfall. In the event of intense rainfall issuance of beach closure by public authorities is warranted to protect public health.
Bacteria ; Busan ; Enterococcus ; Korea ; Public Health ; Rain ; Spatial Analysis ; Swimming* ; Water Quality* ; Water*

OBJECTIVETo study the association between acute respiratory human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) infection and climatic factors in children.

METHODSA total of 2 526 throat swab samples were collected from children with acute respiratory infection who visited the Pediatric Clinic of Shanghai Jiading Nanxiang Hospital between 2011 and 2013. HPIV was detected by multiplex RT-PCR. Related meteorological data were collected, including monthly mean temperature, monthly mean humidity, and monthly total rainfall. The association between HPIV detection rate and climatic factors was analyzed by Spearman's or Pearson test.

RESULTSDuring the three years, the overall HPIV detection rate was 5.62% (142/2 526), and HPIV-1 was the most common type (46.5%), followed by HPIV-3 (31.0%), HPIV-2 (17.6%), and HPIV-4 (4.9%). There were significant differences in the detection rates of HPIV-1 and HPIV-2 in different seasons, and the detection rates of both were the highest in summer (P<0.05). HPIV positive rate was positively correlated with monthly mean temperature (r=0.598; P<0.01) and monthly total rainfall (rs=0.602; P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe activity of HPIV in children is correlated with climatic factors, particularly temperature and rainfall.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Climate ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; etiology ; Rain ; Seasons

BACKGROUNDTyphoid/paratyphoid fever (TPF) is endemic in Guizhou. We conducted wavelet analysis and Spearman's rank correlation analysis to explore the impact of meteorological variations on TPF infection in Guizhou, in an attempt to assess the risk factors associated with TPF epidemics.

METHODSWe examined the association between TPF incidence in Guizhou and temperature, precipitation and relative humidity using 24 years of data from 1984 to 2007. Periodicities of TPF incidence and the impact of climate factors on the TPF were detected by Spearman's rank correlation and wavelet analysis,

RESULTSTemperature and precipitation with a 1-month lag were positively correlated with the monthly incidence of TPF. The multiyear incidence pattern of TPF in Guizhou was explicitly periodic. Moreover, the association and driving effect of precipitation on TPF were observed, and the results showed that the incidence of TPF in Guizhou had a closer correlation with precipitation than with temperature.

CONCLUSIONSSafe water supply is the key issue for TPF control in Guizhou. Moreover, climate variation might impact the enteric infections, which may inform policy assessment for TPF control in Guizhou.

China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Paratyphoid Fever ; epidemiology ; Rain ; Temperature ; Typhoid Fever ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of water level and the distribution of snails in Anhui province before and after runs of the Three Gorges Reservoir Project, and to determine the relationship between the two factors and schistosomiasis transmission.

METHODSThe hydrologic data of Datong hydrologic station and the data of snail status and schistosomiasis morbidity in Anhui Province were collected. The data from 1991 to 2002 and 2003 to 2012 were considered as before and after the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Project. Based on the prevalence of schistosomiasis, the cases of people and cattle were speculated, and the average infection rate of people and cattle were calculated. The t-test was used to compare the difference of snail area and the density of living snails before and after the impoundment of the Three Gorges Project. The pearson method was used to analyze the relationship between water level and snail area. The spearman method was used to analyze the relationship between the water level and the distribution of snails.

RESULTSFrom 1991 to 2012, the range of the highest water level, the lowest water level, the difference between the highest and lowest water level, the mean in the abundant water seasons, the mean in the dry water seasons, and the difference between the abundant water seasons and the dry water seasons was 11.40-16.30, 3.68-5.20, 6.70-12.12, 9.92-14.40, 4.77-7.64 and 4.13-8.93 m, respectively. The snail areas was (28 613 ± 362) hm² and (29 477 ± 918) hm² (t = -3.00, P = 0.007), the density of living snails was 1.51 (1.15-2.43) and 0.43 (0.29-1.10) snails/0.11 m² (H = 4.28, P < 0.001) before and after the impoundment of the Three Gorges Project, respectively. The average infection rate of people and cattle was 1.68% (99 482/5 935 147) and 4.62% (13 923/3 011 33), and the average number of acute schistosomiasis cases was 328, before the impoundment of the Three Gorges Project; 0.60% (39 747/6 649 380), 1.65% (1 291/783 224) and 71 after the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Project, respectively. The snail areas had negative correlation with the highest water level, the difference between the highest and lowest water level, the mean in the abundant water seasons (r value was -0.514, -0.509 and -0.477; P value was 0.014, 0.015 and 0.025, respectively). The infection rate of people had positive correlation with the highest water level, the difference between the highest and lowest water level, the mean in the abundant water seasons (r value was 0.532, 0.587 and 0.446; P value was 0.011, 0.004 and 0.038, respectively). The infection rate of cattle had positive correlation with the highest water level, the difference between the highest and lowest water level (r value was 0.507 and 0.553; P value was 0.016 and 0.008, respectively). The number of acute schistosomiasis cases had positive correlation with the highest water level, the difference between the highest and lowest water level (r value was 0.481 and 0.486; P value was 0.023 and 0.022, respectively).

CONCLUSIONFollowing the runs of the Three Gorges Reservoir Project, the change of water level in the section of Anhui Province affected the distribution of snails and the infection of people and cattle to some extent. The snail areas showed an upward trend, and the density of living snails, the infection rate of people and cattle showed a downward trend. The runs of Three Gorges Reservoir Project has certain role to reduce flood and helpful for schistosomiasis control.

Animals ; Cattle ; China ; Floods ; Humans ; Lakes ; Prevalence ; Rain ; Schistosomiasis ; Seasons ; Snails

The distribution information of Cistanche deserticola was collected by interview investigation and field survey, and 55 related environmental factors were collected, the habitat suitability study was conducted based on geographic information system (GIS) and Maximum entropy model. The AUCs of ROC curve were both above 0.9, indicating that the predictive results with the maxent model were highly precise. The results showed that 14 major environmental factors have obvious influence on ecology suitability distributions of C. deserticola, including vegetation type et al, the suitable distribution areas are mainly concentrated in the central of Alxa Youqi, the north of Alxa Zouqi and the south-east of Ejin Banner, including Tamusu towns, Alateng towns et al, The zoning results basically coincide with the genuine producing areas, and further afford new suitable distribution areas, which can provide reference for the siting of introduction and cultivation of C. deserticola.
China ; Cistanche ; growth & development ; Ecosystem ; Environment ; Geographic Information Systems ; Rain ; Soil ; chemistry ; Temperature