The effects of various digestive enzymes, fresh biles, and bile acids on the hatching and activation of the eggs of Taenia saginata, T. pisiformis, T. solium, Hymenolepis nana, and Moniezia expansa have been investigated. On the basis of the results of the present study author attempted to elucidate the specificity of host-parasite relationships in the tapeworm infections. The results were summarized as follows: In case of the ova of T. saginata, pretreatment with artificial gastric juice before contact of intestinal juice is required to bring the disintegration of the embryophore and activation of the embryo. However the ova of T. solium and T. pisiformis may be disintegrated and activated directly into the artificial intestinal juice without the above pretreatment. Among the digestive enzymes applied in this experiment, trypsin was found most effective on the hatching. No hatching of the ova of H. nana and M. expansa was observed in the above artificial hatching-activating solutions. The fresh biles and bile salts were more effective on the hatching and activation of Taeniid ova than sodium taurocholate and sodium deoxycholate. It is turned out that the digestive enzymes or bile acids in the intermediate hosts may, not apparently be essential factor of determining the specificity of host-parasite relationships.
parasitology-helminth-cestoda ; Taenia saginata ; Taenia pisiformis ; Taenia solium ; Hymenolepis nana ; Moniezia expansa ; egg hatching ; host-parasite relationship ; trypsin ; artificial intestinal juice

Direct contact method of autoradiography was applied in order to know in Eurytrema pancreaticum which was incubated at various intervals such as 60, 120, 240, and 360 minutes in the vitro media added with radioactive succinic acid, C(14)-succinate. The distribution of the radioactive succinate was clarified by this technique and possible explanation was presented. The autoradiographic procedures were essentially the same as those reported previously by Yoon et al. (1964). The most distinct autoradiograms were obtained after 240 minutes incubation. The radioactivity of this labelled succinic acid chiefly concentrated in reproductive organs, such as testes, ovary, egg containing uterine tubules and vitelline follicles.
paraisology-helminth-trematoda-Eurytrema pancreaticum ; autoradiography ; metabolism-succinic acid ; succinic acid

Polymorphic pemphigoid is a polymorphic variant of bullous pemphigoid. Tbe authors had observed a case of polymorphic pemphigoid in a 54-year-ald woman, in whom generalized chronic blistering lesions and aevere pruritus were the main symptoms. The diagnosis of polymorphic pemphigoid was based on clinical, histopa.thological, immunopathological and therapeutic features.
Blister ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Pruritus

A 25-year-old man had been intermittently treated with topical steroid ointment for his eczematous lesions on the scrotum. One year later, a few hard nontender nodules were found with surrounding thickened lichenified skin on the previous lesions. Histopathologic examination of the skin revealed moderate acanthosis of the epidermis and multiple scattered calcified materials in the upper demis and within the hair follicle. We present this case, being considered a dystrophic calcinosis cutis due to local injury.
Adult ; Calcinosis* ; Epidermis ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid* ; Scrotum ; Skin

BACKGROUND: The enteroviruses are the most common etiologic agent of aseptic meningitis in adults and children. The incidence of enteroviral meningitis in childhood meningitis is up to 80%, but in adults is not known, worldwidely. In Korea, where tuberculosis is endemic, the rapid and accurate diagnostic method for enteroviral meningitis is required especially because early differential diagnosis of viral meningitis from tuberculous meningitis is very important. The aims of this study were the demonstration of enteroviruses from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of adult patients with aseptic meningitis by PCR/Southern hybridization and the verification of the usefulness of PCR/southern hybridization as a rapid diagnostic tool. METHODS: From July 1992 to June 1995, total 34 CSF samples (10 from children, 24 from adults) of patients with aseptic meningitis were studied. As a control group, 15 patients with tuberculous meningitis and 15 patients with bacterial meningitis were studied. Viral RNA was extracted from CSF, reverse transcriptied into cDNA and amplified. The PCR products were Southern hybridizied with enteroviruses-specific digoxigenin-labelled probe. RESULTS: 16/24(66.7%) samples of adult patients with aseptic meningitis were positive for enteroviruses, while in child patients with aseptic meningitis, 9/10(90%) samples were positive. And in one patient, PCR was positive from asymptomatic, onset-7th day CSF sample. CONCLUSION: Enteroviruses were the most common causative organisms of adult aseptic meningitis in Korea. And, this study showed the usefulness of PCR/Southern hybridization of enteroviruses from CSF for etiologic diagnosis of adult aseptic meningitis in subclinical, asymptomatic period.
Adult* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; DNA, Complementary ; Enterovirus* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Aseptic* ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; Meningitis, Viral ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Viral ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal

No abstract available.
Respiratory System* ; Respiratory Tract Infections* ; Roxithromycin*

BACKGROUND: Decreased heart rate variability(HRV) has been shown to be an independent predictor of poor outcome after acute myocardial infarction, Spectral analysis of HRV has recently been shown to be a reliable noninvasive test for quantiative assessment of cardiovascular autonomic regulatory response. We estimated the reproducibility and circadian rhythm of HRV parameters in patients with acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: Three consecutive 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic recordings were made in 24 patients with acute myocardial infarction, with 10~14 days after the acute attack, and analyzed for HRV parameters of both frequency and time domains. Parameters of frequency domain include low frequency(LF) and high frequency(HF) components. Parameters of time domain include sdRR, SDANN, SD, pNN50, rMSSD, HRV index. RESULTS: Mean total, low frequency and high frequency amplitude spectral densities were 33msec, 19msec and 11msec, respectively. Mean values of sdRR, SDANN, SD, rMSSD, pNN50 and HRV index were 103msec, 90msec, 47msec, 28msec, 7% and 32, respectively. Coefficients of variation(CV) of total amplitude spectral density, and low and high frequency components were 7%, 9% and 12%, respectively. CV of most HRV parameters of time domain were also around 10% except rMSSD and pNN50. Heart rate increased in the morning to be sustained during the day time and decreased in the night. Heart rate variability of high frequency component decreased in the early morning to be sustained during day time with increase in the night. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that in the predischarge period of acute myocardial infarction, HRV parameters of frequency and time domains are reproducible and there are some morning fall of cardiac vagal activity.
Circadian Rhythm ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction*

No abstract available.
Bacteremia*

BACKGROUND: Intravenous catheter-related complication among the hospitalized patients has been increasing recently in Korea, since many hospitals has tried to save expenses by replacing the foreign-made catheter with domestic-made intravenous catheter. We studied the incidence rate of catheter-related complication and compared the incidence of catheter-related complication between domestic-made and foreign-made ones. We also studied to elucidate whether the morphologic characteristics of the intravenous catheter will effect the incidence of catheter-related complication. METHOD: From July 1 to Sept 30, 1998, we surveyed the incidence rate of intravenous catheter-related complication among the hospitalized patients in the wards of Medicine. Surgery, Obstetric, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Guro Hospital, Korea University Medical center. We also compared the incidence of complication between domestic-made catheter (catheter A) and foreign-made catheter (catheter B) of three different gages (24G, 22G and 18G). The morphologic characteristics of intravenous catheters has been studied by electron microscopy. RESULT: Complication associated with use of intravenous catheter had been occurred 263 out of 459 cases (57.3%), among those cases, non-infectious complication and infectious complication were 173 cases (37.7%) and 90 cases (19.6%), respectively. Totally, catheter A group showed higher complication than catheter B group [62.0% (160/258) vs 51.2% (103/201), P=.021]. Analysis on the incidence rate of complication according to the products did not show significant differences in the noninfectious complication in every gage groups. However the infectious complication occurred higher in the domestic-made catheter A group than among the foreign-made catheter B group [(24G: 6% vs 0%, P=.026), (22G: 25.6% vs 9.6%, P=.001), (18G: 36.8% vs 13.4%, P=.002)]. Duration of catheter life did not show the difference between catheter A group and catheter B group [48.5hrs vs 50.3hrs, P=.474]. The analysis on risk factors for complication showed that catheter A group is highly related (odd ratio 1.85). The morphologic analysis of the catheter by using electron microscopy showed that the angles in the tip of the introducing needle of catheter Aand catheter Bare 60degrees and 45degrees , respectively, and the bevel between introducing needle and catheter sheath are 50degrees and 27degrees, respectively. CONCLUSION: There was a higher incidence rate of complication related to domestic-made catheter usage, which might influence increasing the period of the hospitalization and the expenses due to the complication. The study of cost effectiveness analysis needs to be performed regarding intravenous catheter-related complication. Morphologically, catheter A showed more blunt angle in the tip and transition area of the introducing needle than the angle of catheter B, which is considered to influence the higher complication incidence. It needs to improve the quality of domestic-made intravenous catheter.
Academic Medical Centers ; Catheter-Related Infections ; Catheters ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Microscopy, Electron ; Needles ; Obstetric Surgical Procedures ; Prospective Studies* ; Risk Factors

Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria has become a worldwide problem. Available data suggest that the resistance problem is comparatively more serious in Korea. In large hospitals, the proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been reported at over 70%, and of penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae at around 70%. Infection or colonization of vancomycin-resistant enterococci has started to increase. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae has become widespread and even carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been increasing. Community-acquired pathogens such as Salmonella, Shigella and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are often resistant to various antimicrobial agents. The prevalence of resistant bacteria can lead to erroneous empirical selection of either noneffective or expensive drugs, prolonging hospitalization and higher mortality. The emergence and spread of resistant bacteria are unavoidable unless antimicrobial agents are not used at all. The high prevalence of resistant bacteria in Korea seems to be related to antibiotic usage: 1) easy availability without prescription at drug stores, 2) injudicious use in hospitals, and 3) uncontrolled use in agriculture, animal husbandry, and fisheries. Nosocomial infection is an important factor in the spread of resistant bacteria. Antimicrobial resistance problems should be regarded as the major public health concern in Korea. It is urgently required to ban the sale of antibiotics without prescription, to use antibiotics more judiciously in hospitals by intensive teaching of the principles of the use of antibiotics, and to establish better control measures of nosocomial infections. Regulation of antimicrobials for other than human use should also be required. These issues are not easy to address and require the collective action of governments, the pharmaceutical industry, health care providers, and consumers.
Bacterial Infections/drug therapy ; Bacterial Physiology* ; Drug Resistance, Microbial/physiology* ; Enterococcus/drug effects ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/drug therapy ; Human ; Korea ; Pneumococcal Infections/drug therapy ; Staphylococcal Infections/drug therapy