OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to know differences of characteristics between presenile and senile patients who were consulted to the department of psychiatry during medical-surgical admission. METHODS: The demographic and clinical data obtained from the medical records of psychiatric consultation in the presenile inpatients with age 50 to 64 years(N=162) and those of the senile inpatients with age over 65 years(N=171) were reviewed and compared. RESULTS: 1) The most common chief complaints for psychiatric consultation in presenile patients were somatic symptoms, anxiety and sleep disturbance in order, while cognitive decline, clouded consciousness and depressed mood were most common in senile patients with statistical significance. 2) The most frequent psychiatric diagnoses after consultation in presenile patients were delirium, mood disorder and substance use disorder in order, while delirium, mood disorder and major neurocognitive disorder were most frequent in senile patients with statistical significance. 3) There were no significant difference in numbers of physical illnesses, while numbers of therapeutic drugs for them were more in senile patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found significant differences between presenile and senile patients on psychiatric symptoms and diagnoses in geropsychiatric consultation. Therefore, more subdivided age-specific approach seems to be needed for the geropsychiatric consultation activities.
Anxiety ; Consciousness ; Delirium ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Medical Records ; Mood Disorders ; Substance-Related Disorders

The powdery mildew of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) extensively occurred at 1999 at the experimental farm of Kyongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services. Both sides of the leaves and the older stems were covered with the fungus, and then the leaves and stems turned yellow. The conidia, conidiophores and perithecia were observed on the leaf lesion. Perithecia were ellipsoidal, 80-117microm in diameter. Asci were subglobose and 84~99x59~73microm in size. Ascospore were ellipsoidal to ovoid, and 15~34x11~23microm in size. Conidia were ellipsoid to barrel-shaped, 25~37x11~22microm in size and formed in long chains. The causal organism was identified as Sphaerotheca fuliginea. This is the first report on powdery mildew of safflower caused by Sphaerotheca fuliginea in Korea.
Carthamus tinctorius* ; Fungi ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Korea* ; Spores, Fungal

The effects of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia on utilization of muscle glycogen during 45 minutes treadmill running(26 m/min, 8 % grade) were evaluated in Sprague Dawley rats, and the charateristic of the 4 different type of muscles, soleus, white and red gastrocnemius, and plantaris, on glycogen utilization were simultameously investigated. Hyperglycemia, 145-165 mg/dL, was induced by oral glucose ingestion, and hyperlipidemia, 444 uEq/L, was induced by combined treatment of intraperitoneal heparine injection and oral 10 % intralipose ingestion. During the hyperglycemic trial, the glycogen utilization of plantaris muscle was decreased by 13 % at 45 minutes duration of treadmill running comparing to the control trial(p<0.05), and the glycogen utilization of white gastrocnemius was also decreased. The sparing tendency of soleus and red gastrocnemius by 5-13 % was observed at 30 and 45 minutes of treadmill running in hyperglycemic trial. There was no glycogen sparing effect of hyperlipidemia in the soleus, red gastrocnemius and plantaris muscle subjected in this experiment during exercise. However, only a slight sparing tendency of white gastrocnemius muscle was observed. In summary, the glycogen sparing effect of hyperglycemia during exercise was observed in plantaris and white gastrocnemius muscles in rats. However, there was no glycogen sparing effect of hyperlipidemia in the 4 hindlimb muscles. It was observed that the glycogen sparing effect of hyperglycemia is more prominant in fast glycolytic muscle fiber.
Animals ; Eating ; Glucose ; Glycogen* ; Heparin ; Hindlimb ; Hyperglycemia* ; Hyperlipidemias* ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Running

PURPOSE: A circular stapler hemorrhoidectomy is widely used to treat hemorrhoids and has the advantages of less pain and an earlier return to work compared with a conventional excisional hemorrhoidectomy. This study examined the clinical significance and efficacy of a circular stapled hemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: One hundred eighty-six (186) patients with prolapsed hemorrhoids underwent surgery using a circular stapler. The patients' characteristics, the operation time, the postoperative course, the procedure- related factors, the pain, and the complications were analyzed. All the patients received a follow-up examination at the outpatient clinic, including the time to return to work, and the degree of satisfaction was analyzed. RESULTS: Grade-III hemorrhoids were the most common complaint (74.1%), followed by grade-IV hemorrhoids (23.7%). Twenty-one cases (11.3%) had undergone previous anal operations: hemorrhoids, fissure, and fistula. Regarding the anesthetic method, caudal anesthesia was used in 59.7% of the cases, and spinal or saddle anesthesia was used in 39.2%. The mean operation time was 19.1 minutes (range: 8~50). The postoperative pain scores were 3.4 on the operation day, 2.1 on the postoperative 3rd day, and 0.9 on the postoperative 7th day. During the operation, a hemostatic suture was made at the suture line in 72.0% of the cases. Muscle involvement was detected at a donut specimen grossly in 9% of cases and microscopically in 48.9%. The mean thickness of muscle involvement was 2.5 mm. In the postoperative course, the time for the first bowel movement was 1.2 days, and the mean hospital stay was 2.1 days. The mean time needed for the patient to return to work was 6.2 days. The most common complication encountered was urinary problems (34.9%). The incidence of postoperative bleeding was 2.2%. Postoperative follow- up revealed one case of a hemorrhoids recurrence and one case of temporary fecal incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: The circular stapler hemorrhoidectomy has no disadvantage in terms of operation time and operative course, and has an advantage in terms of operative pain and an earlier return to normal work without any significant or serious complications. Moreover, it has minimal long-term complications. Therefore, a circular stapler hemorrhoidectomy can be performed safely and is recommended as a useful method for treating hemorrhoids.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Caudal ; Fecal Incontinence ; Fistula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhoidectomy* ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Incidence ; Length of Stay ; Pain, Postoperative ; Recurrence ; Return to Work ; Sutures

Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) is an emerging pathogen causing respiratory and reproductive illness in poultry worldwide. To demonstrate the presence of AMPV in domestic chickens in Korea, we attempted to isolate AMPV from affected chickens. A cytopathic agent was isolated using chicken tracheal ring culture from dead chickens from a broiler breeder farm with reduced egg production in Korea. This agent, termed SC1509 strain, subsequently passed in Vero cells with distinct cytopathic effects. The SC1509 strain was confirmed as avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) using both RT-PCR test and monoclonal antibody-based immunofluorescence assay. Sequence analysis based on the G glycoprotein revealed that the SC1509 strain had 22.5 to 96.0% nucleotide sequence identity and 11.1 to 92.7% predicted amino acid sequence identity with previously published AMPV strains, particularly with the highest sequence homology (95.8 to 96% for nucleotides and 92.2 to 92.7% for amino acids) to European strains belonging to genotype B. The SC1509 strain was phylogenetically clustered with genotype B viruses, confirming that the SC1509 strain belongs to genotype B. This is the first report of genotype B avian metapneumovirus from chickens in Korea.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Chickens ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Genotype ; Glycoproteins ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Herpesvirus 1, Cercopithecine ; Korea ; Metapneumovirus ; Nucleotides ; Ovum ; Poultry ; Sequence Analysis ; Sequence Homology ; Sprains and Strains ; Vero Cells

OBJECTIVES: The antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles has resulted in their widespread use in many consumer products. Yet, despite their many advantages, it is also important to determine whether silver nanoparticles may represent a hazard to the environment and human health. METHODS: Thus, to evaluate the genotoxic potential of silver nanoparticles, in vivo genotoxicity testing (OECD 474, in vivo micronuclei test) was conducted after exposing male and female Sprague-Dawley rats to silver nanoparticles by inhalation for 90 days according to OECD test guideline 413 (Subchronic Inhalation Toxicity: 90 Day Study) with a good laboratory practice system. The rats were exposed to silver nanoparticles (18 nm diameter) at concentrations of 0.7 x 10(6) particles/cm3 (low dose), 1.4 x 10(6) particles/cm3 (middle dose), and 2.9 x 10(6) particles/cm3 (high dose) for 6 hr/day in an inhalation chamber for 90 days. The rats were killed 24 hr after the last administration, then the femurs were removed and the bone marrow collected and evaluated for micronucleus induction. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes or in the ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes among the total erythrocytes after silver nanoparticle exposure when compared with the control. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that exposure to silver nanoparticles by inhalation for 90 days does not induce genetic toxicity in male and female rat bone marrow in vivo.
Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Inhalation Exposure ; Male ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Nanoparticles ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Silver

The isolation rate of Escherichia (E.) coli in poultry litter was investigated at 44 broiler farms, 20 that used fresh litter and 24 that used recycled litter. The patterns of resistance to antibiotics of the E. coli isolates were compared. In litter sampled before the rearing period, the isolation rate of E. coli was higher at farms that used fresh litter; E. coli was present in the litter in 94.5% (35 out of 37 flocks tested) of the farms that used fresh litter vs. 51.2% (21 out of 41 flocks) of the farms that used recycled litter. The susceptibility of the 93 isolates of E. coli to 13 antibiotics was studied. Before the rearing period, E. coli isolates from the farms that recycled litter showed higher resistance rates than isolates from farms that replaced litter with fresh litter. Comparing the antibiotic resistance patterns of isolates from litter sampled before and at the end of the rearing period, the antibiotic resistance rates at the end of the rearing period increased dramatically compared with rates before the rearing period.
Agriculture ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Drug Resistance, Microbial* ; Escherichia coli* ; Escherichia* ; Poultry*

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) is a major risk factor for chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and low grade gastric lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue(MALT). Eradication of H. pylori can induce prevention of peptic ulcer relapse and regression of gastric MALT lymphoma. Smoking has also been knawn to be a mapr risk factor for peptic ulcer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of smoking on eradication of H. pylori according to smoking status, amount of smoking, and smoking cessation. METHODS: We studied 132 patients with H. pylori-positive gastroduodenal diseases. Diseases composed of gastritis in 36.4%, peptic ulcer 62.1%, gastric MALT lymphoma 1.5%. Patients were treated with amoxacillin 1.0g, clarithromycin 500mg, omeprazole 20mg bid for a period of 7 days. Patients underwent a follow-up gastroendoscopy 6 weeks later after eradication treatment. H. pylori status was confirmed by initial and follow up biopsies of gastric antrum and corpus using Hematoxylin-Eosin stain and Wharthin-Starry silver stain. At the begining of treatment, 66.7% of 132 patients were smokers, 9.8% ex-smokers, 23.5% non-smokers. Smokers were advised to stop smoking through education and counseling at each office visit. RESULTS: H. pylori eradication was achieved in 111 patients(84.1%). The number of smokers who had quit smoking sucessfully during treatment were 25(28.4%). The rate of eradication did not seem to influenced by initial smoking status and total amount of smoking(pack-years). Hawever, during treatment, success group for smoking cessation(100%) had a higher rate of eradication than non-cessation group. Daily amount of smoking had an effect on eradication with significant statistical difference ; Non-smokers showed 89.9% eradication rate, mild smokers(<20 cigarettes/day) 81.8%, and heavy smokers ( >20/day) 50%. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that current smoking status and daily amount of smoking during treatment seem to influence the rate of eradication of H. pylori rather than past smoking history alone. There was some improvement in the eradication rate by quitting or reducing smoking together with H. pylori eradication treatment.
Biopsy ; Clarithromycin ; Counseling ; Education ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Office Visits ; Omeprazole ; Peptic Ulcer ; Pyloric Antrum ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Silver ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation ; Smoking*

Newcastle disease (ND) caused by virulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a highly contagious viral disease of poultry. Virulent NDVs characteristically have a multibasic amino acid sequence (virulence motif) such as (112)RRQKRF(117) at the cleavage site of the precusor fusion (F0) protein. The antigenic and immunogenic characteristics of the virulence motif (112)RRQKRF(117) in the F0 protein of virulent NDVs were investigated. Epitope mapping analysis revealed that a RRQKRF-specific monoclonal antibody 4G2 recognized the KRF section of the motif. A synthetic peptide bearing the RRQKRF motif reacted strongly with sera from virulent NDV (with RRQKRF motif)-infected chickens. These sera also showed reactivity to peptides bearing other virulence motifs ((112)KRQKRF(117), (112)RRQRRF(117) and (112)RRRKRF(117)) but not an avirulence motif ((112)GRQGRL(117)) by ELISA. The synthetic bearing RRQKRF motif reacted with 60% to 91% of sera taken from surviving chickens on ND outbreak farms but not with sera from vaccinated birds, even though most of the sera had antibody to NDV due to vaccination. This indicates that the virulence motif has the potential to differentiate virulent NDV infected birds from vaccinated birds.
Amino Acid Motifs/*immunology ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Chickens ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/veterinary ; Epitope Mapping/veterinary ; Newcastle Disease/*immunology ; Newcastle disease virus/*genetics/pathogenicity ; Poultry Diseases/*immunology/*virology ; Serologic Tests/veterinary ; Viral Fusion Proteins/*genetics/immunology ; Virulence/genetics

BACKGROUND: Drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) in patients who have not received previous TB treatment (initial drug resistance) is a serious problem for the control of TB. However, prevalence of initial drug resistance among pulmonary TB patients has not been well characterized in Korea, especially in the private sector. We assessed the prevalence of initial drug resistance and evaluated the risk factors for drug resistance in pulmonary TB patients, at a regional tertiary hospital in Cheonan. METHODS: We performed a drug susceptibility test for both first and second line anti-TB drugs in all culture-confirmed pulmonary TB patients who had not received a previous TB treatment at Dankook University Hospital from September 2005 to September 2007. In addition, we evaluated the initial drug resistance pattern and clinical characteristics of patients to evaluate the risk factors for initial drug resistance. We also assessed the influence of the drug susceptibility test results on the treatment regimen. RESULTS: Of the total 156 cases where the drug susceptibility test was performed, resistance to at least one anti-TB drug was found in 21 cases (15.6%) and multidrug resistance, where TB was resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin, was found in one case (0.6%). Multivariate logistic regression showed no clinical characteristics were independently associated with initial drug resistance. Of the total 156 patients who underwent the drug susceptibility test, the treatment regimen was changed for 15 patients (9.6%) according to the results of the drug susceptibility test. CONCLUSION: Initial drug resistance is common and the drug susceptibility test is informative for pulmonary TB patients who have not received previous TB treatment.
Drug Resistance ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence ; Private Sector ; Rifampin ; Risk Factors ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary