Page 31. The size of conidia of Alternatia brassicicola should be 20~80x8~25 microm instead of 20~120x8~30 microm.
Alternaria* ; Korea* ; Spores, Fungal

Alternaria cassiae Jurair & Khan was recorded on seeds of sickle senna(Cassia tora L.). Seed infection ranged from 25~45% in two samples. Developing roots and shoots turn brown and died in case of severe infection. Detailed descriptions were given on the habit characters of the fungus and on the morphology of conidiophores and condia. This is the first report of A. cassiae on seeds of Cassia.
Alternaria* ; Cassia* ; Fungi ; Korea*

The taxonomy of the Alternaria spp. has been a subject, of controversy because of their high variability in conidial morphology and polymorphism displayed even in pure cultures. The published Korean literature on the genus Alternaria is scattered and fragmentary, and pertains to about 25 species with special emphasis on occurrence and pathogenicity, but mycological studies on this group of fungi are insufficient. This is the first series of detailed and consolidated account of Korean species of Alternaria, which includes 11 species; viz., Alternaria brassicae, A. brassicicola, A. cinerariae, A. dauci, A. dianthi, A. dianthicola, A. helianthi, A. helianthinffciens, A. iridicola, A. japonica and A. protenta. Detailed diagnostic descriptions, specific characterizations, taxonomic discussions and illustrations for each species are presented.
Alternaria* ; Brassica ; Classification ; Fungi ; Korea* ; Virulence

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has been increasingly used because of it is a less invasive procedure than the open thoracotomy. Neither commercially available double-lumen tubes nor the univent tube can be used in small children. An ordinary uncuffed tracheal tube was introduced into the main bronchus of the right lung. This technique proved to be a simple and effective method of isolating and ventilating the other lung. We describe our experience providing one-lung ventilation with ordinary endotracheal tube during VATS in two young children. (Korean J Anesthesiol 2001; 40: 824 ~ 828)
Bronchi ; Child* ; Humans ; Lung ; One-Lung Ventilation ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted* ; Thoracotomy

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the pregnancy outcomes of nulliparous women aged 40 years and older with those of nulliparous women under 35 years of age. METHODS: From January 1989 to December 1998 total 57,563 deliveries were seen in Gachon Gil Medical Center. Among them we experienced 59 cases of nulliparas at 40 years and older. These women were compared with 188 young nulliparas under 35 years of age as the control group. The statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square tests, and statistical significance was defined as p<0.05. RESULTS: The incidence rate of elderly nulliparas aged 40 years and older was increased from 0.04% in 1989 to 0.30% in 1998. The age distribution was from 40 years to 45 years. The gravidity of eldery nulliparas was 2.2 in comparison with 1.6 in control group. The incidence of uterine myoma, gestational DM, IUGR and oligohydramnios was significantly high rate in elderly nulliparas. There was significantly high rate of cesarean section in elderly nulliparas(88.1%) in comparison with control group(40.4%). The reasons of cesarean section were her demand(39.0%), CPD(15.3%) and breech presentation(13.6%) in decreasing order. The preterm delivery rate was 10.2% in elderly nulliparas in comparison with 4.3% in the control group. Placenta accreta and uterine atony were significantly high in elderly nulliparas and mean estimated blood loss was also high. There was no difference in 5-minute Apgar score between both group, but there were more cases of neonatal intensive care unit admission in neonates of elderly nulliparas(6.8% vs 0%). CONCLUSION: The incidence of elderly nulliparas is continuously increasing. The elderly nulliparas and their babies are at greater risk than young women. Therefore all elderly nulliparas aged 40 years and older can be regarded as high risk patients and they must be managed with careful attention.
Age Distribution ; Aged ; Apgar Score ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Gravidity ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Leiomyoma ; Oligohydramnios ; Placenta Accreta ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Uterine Inertia

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the film thicknesses of several resin cements as a function of time after mixing and to examine the effect of working time on the film thicknesses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The film thickness (microm) of 4 resin cements (n=10), 1 composite resin (Panavia F 2.0), 3 self-adhesive resin (Clearfil SA luting, Zirconite, RelyX U200) cements was measured at 20-second intervals after mixing of the cements up to 200 seconds under a load of 50 N. Linear regression was fitted to verify the effect of working time on the film thickness of each cement. Data were compared to the working time recommended by manufacturers using Wilcoxon test (alpha=.05). RESULTS: All of the materials showed a positive linear correlation between the film thickness and working time. There was no statistically significant difference between the working time based on our results and the values recommended by the manufacturers even though there was a discrepancy between those two values. CONCLUSION: The film thickness of resin cements could increase with the increase of working time. Working time to meet the ISO standard of 50-microm maximum film thickness could be different from the manufacturer's recommended value.
Linear Models ; Resin Cements ; Resins, Synthetic*

Twenty Penicillium isolates were recovered during the investigation of fungal community in the soil samples collected from Wando (Jeonnam Province, Korea). Among them, one species was identified and described as P. cainii based on phylogentic analysis of internal transcribed spacer and beta-tubulin (BT2) genes and morphological characteristics. This is a first report of P. cainii in Korea.
Korea ; Penicillium ; Sequence Analysis ; Soil ; Tubulin

BACKGROUND: Osteopontin (Opn) is recognized as an important adhesive bone matrix protein and a key cytokine involved in immune cell recruitment and tissue repair and remolding. However, serum levels of osteopontin have not been evaluated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the serum levels of osteopontin in patients experiencing COPD exacerbations and in patients with stable COPD. METHODS: Serum samples were obtained from 22 healthy control subjects, 18 stable COPD patients, and 15 COPD with exacerbation patients. Serum concentrations of osteopontin were measured by the ELISA method. RESULTS: Serum levels of osteopontin were higher in patients with acute exacerbation than with stable COPD and in healthy control subjects (62.4+/-51.9 ng/mL, 36.9+/-11.1 ng/mL, 30+/-11 ng/mL, test for trend p=0.003). In the patients with COPD exacerbation, the osteopontin levels when the patient was discharged from the hospital tended to decrease compared to those at admission (45+/-52.1 ng/mL, 62.4+/-51.9 ng/mL, p=0.160). Osteopontin levels significantly increased according to patient factors, including never-smoker, ex-smoker and current smoker (23+/-5.7 ng/mL, 35.5+/-17.6 ng/mL, 58.6+/-47.8 ng/mL, test for trend p=0.006). Also, osteopontin levels showed a significantly negative correlation with forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%) predicted in healthy controls and stable COPD patients (r=-0.389; p=0.013). C-reactive protein (CRP) was positively correlated with osteopontin levels in patients with COPD exacerbation (r=0.775; p=0.002). CONCLUSION: The serum levels of osteopontin increased in patients with COPD exacerbation and tended to decrease after clinical improvement. These results suggest the possible role of osteopontin as a biomarker of acute exacerbation of COPD.
Adhesives ; Biomarkers ; Bone Matrix ; C-Reactive Protein ; Disease Progression ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Osteopontin ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

BACKGROUND: Evidence has accumulated that tramadol hydrochloride can produce relief of moderate to severe pain across the range of acute and chronic pain states by combining a synergistically weak opioid and a monoaminergically mediated antinociceptive mechanism. Neostigmine can produce antinociceptive effects by interacting with muscarine receptors in peripheral tissues. This study was designed to determine whether intraarticular tramadol results in better analgesic effect and whether tramadol and neostigmine would provide superior analgesia to tramadol alone, after knee arthroscopic surgery. METHODS: Forty-five ASA class 1 or 2 patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery were randomly allocated to three treatment groups. All patients received general anesthesia with nitrous oxide, O2 and inhalational agents. When the surgical procedure was completed, the study drug was injected into the patient's knee joint through the arthroscope. Patients in group 1 (n = 15) received 30 ml of 0.5% mepivacaine; patients in group 2 (n = 15) received tramadol 50 mg and 30 ml of 0.5% mepivacaine; patients in group 3 (n = 15) received a combination of tramadol 50 mg, neostigmine 100 micro gram and 30 ml of 0.5% mepivacaine. Postoperative pain was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) at 1, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 hours after the intraarticular injection. RESULTS: There were no significant differences among the three groups in the 1 to 2 hour postoperative period and groups 2 and 3 showed significantly lower VAS score than group 1 from 4 to 24 hours postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that after knee arthroscopy, intraarticular injection of tramadol had a good analgesic effect, whereas neostigmine added to tramadol did not show superior analgesic effects over tramadol alone.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arthroscopes ; Arthroscopy* ; Chronic Pain ; Humans ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Knee Joint ; Knee* ; Mepivacaine ; Muscarine ; Neostigmine* ; Nitrous Oxide ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Period ; Tramadol*

BACKGROUND: Evidence has accumulated that tramadol hydrochloride can produce relief of moderate to severe pain across the range of acute and chronic pain states by combining a synergistically weak opioid and a monoaminergically mediated antinociceptive mechanism. Neostigmine can produce antinociceptive effects by interacting with muscarine receptors in peripheral tissues. This study was designed to determine whether intraarticular tramadol results in better analgesic effect and whether tramadol and neostigmine would provide superior analgesia to tramadol alone, after knee arthroscopic surgery. METHODS: Forty-five ASA class 1 or 2 patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery were randomly allocated to three treatment groups. All patients received general anesthesia with nitrous oxide, O2 and inhalational agents. When the surgical procedure was completed, the study drug was injected into the patient's knee joint through the arthroscope. Patients in group 1 (n = 15) received 30 ml of 0.5% mepivacaine; patients in group 2 (n = 15) received tramadol 50 mg and 30 ml of 0.5% mepivacaine; patients in group 3 (n = 15) received a combination of tramadol 50 mg, neostigmine 100 micro gram and 30 ml of 0.5% mepivacaine. Postoperative pain was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) at 1, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 hours after the intraarticular injection. RESULTS: There were no significant differences among the three groups in the 1 to 2 hour postoperative period and groups 2 and 3 showed significantly lower VAS score than group 1 from 4 to 24 hours postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that after knee arthroscopy, intraarticular injection of tramadol had a good analgesic effect, whereas neostigmine added to tramadol did not show superior analgesic effects over tramadol alone.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arthroscopes ; Arthroscopy* ; Chronic Pain ; Humans ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Knee Joint ; Knee* ; Mepivacaine ; Muscarine ; Neostigmine* ; Nitrous Oxide ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Period ; Tramadol*