No abstract available.
DNA* ; Plasmids* ; Restriction Mapping* ; Yersinia enterocolitica* ; Yersinia*

PURPOSE: To determine effectiveness of Valsalva maneuver and standing position on scrotal color Doppler ultrasound (CDU) for the varicocele diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the physical examination and CDU finding in 87 patients who visited National Police Hospital from January 2011 to April 2014. Diameters of pampiniform plexus were measured bilaterally during resting and Valsalva maneuver in the supine position and standing position. We calculated the ratio of mean of maximal vein diameter (mMVD) during resting and Valsalva maneuver (resting-Valsalva ratio) and compared in the both position. RESULTS: In the resting and supine position, mMVD of varicocele testis units were 1.8 mm, 2.1 mm, 2.6 mm (grades I, II, III, respectively), and that of normal testis units (NTU) 1.2 mm. During Valsalva maneuver in the supine position, mMVD were 3.0 mm, 3.4 mm, 4.2 mm (grades I, II, III) vs 1.8 mm (NTU) (p=0.007, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). Average of resting-Valsalva ratio in the supine position were 0.69, 0.74, 0.74 (grades I, II, III) and 0.67 (NTU). Whereas in the resting and standing position, mMVD were 2.8 mm, 3.3 mm, 3.8 mm (grades I, II, III) and 1.8 mm (NTU) (p=0.002, p<0.001, p<0.001). During Valsalva maneuver in the standing position, mMVD were 5.0 mm, 5.8 mm, 6.6 mm (grades I, II, III) and 2.5 mm (NTU) (p=0.002, p<0.001, p<0.001). And average resting-Valsalva ratio were 0.76, 0.90, 0.71 (grades I, II, III) and 0.26 (NTU), which showed significant differences from all grades (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that the standing position and Valsalva maneuver during CDU could improve diagnostic ability for varicocele. Resting-Valsalva ratio in the standing position could be a new diagnostic index for varicocele diagnosis using CDU.
Adult ; Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Positioning/*methods ; Physical Examination/methods ; Posture/physiology ; Scrotum/*ultrasonography ; Supine Position/physiology ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color/methods ; *Valsalva Maneuver ; Varicocele/*ultrasonography ; Veins/ultrasonography ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Child* ; Humans ; Immunomodulation*

PURPOSE: We measured pulmonary epithelial permeability by Tc-DTPA radioaerosol clearance in patients with diabetes and correlated with the presence of microangiopathy to understand the pathophysiology of pulmonary microangiopathy and evaluate Tc-DTPA radioaerosol clearance as a diagnostic test to assess pulmonary microangiopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed ' Tc-DTPA radioaerosol scan in 10 normal subjects, 10 asym-ptomatic smokers, 20 diabetic patients without history of smoking (10 with microangiopathy, 10 without microangiopathy). Tc-DTPA clearance half-time (T1/2) was calculated, then compared with the result of chest radiography and pulmonary function test. RESULTS: Chest radiography and pulmonary function test were normal in all subjects. There were no significant difference of clinical or laboratory characteristics between these groups except age. The diabetic patients with micraangiopathy were significantly older (p<0.05). The T1/2of normal subjects and asyrnptomatic smokers were significantly different (65.2+23.7min vs 39.6+9.8min, p<0.05). For diabetic patients with microangiopathy, the T, was 90 5+46.5min and significantly delayed when compared with those of normals and asymptomatic smokers (p<0.05). However, the T1/2of diabetic patients without microangiopathy, 70.0+12.7 min, was not significantly different from those of normals or asyrnptomatic smokers (p>0.05). No significant correlation was found between the T1/2and spirometric parameters including DLcc>, FVC, FEV>, FEV(/FVC (%) and FEF)5-75g in all subjects, and between the T1/2 and duration of diabetes in diabetic patients. CONCLUSION: Eventhough the influence of age cant be excluded, delayed Tc-DTPA clearance half-time (T1/2)in diabetic patients with microangiopathy indicates decreased pulmonary cspillary permeability as one of the pathophysiologic results of pulmonary microangiopaththy. Further studies are needed in larger number of age matched control and diabetic patients to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Humans ; Permeability ; Radiography ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate ; Thorax

PURPOSE: The Purposes of this study are to identify the circulating etiologic viruses of acute lower respiratory tract infection in children and to understand the relation with clinical diagnosis. METHODS: We obtained a total of 418 nasopharyngeal aspirates from children admitted for their acute lower respiratory tract infections at three tertiary hospitals in Seoul from September 2008 to March 2009. We performed multiplex RT-PCR to identify 14 etiologic viruses and analyzed their emerging patterns and clinical features. RESULTS: Average age of patients was 16.4 months old and the ratio of male to female was 1.36. Viruses were detected in 56.2% of a total of 418 samples. Respiratory syncytial virus (35%) was the most frequently detected and followed by human rhinovirus (22%), human bocavirus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus, influenza virus and human coronavirus. Co-infection reached 21.9% of positive patients. CONCLUSION: When we manage the patients with acute lower respiratory infectious diseases, we should remind the role of various viral pathogens, which might be circulating by seasons and by local areas.
Adenoviruses, Human ; Child ; Coinfection ; Communicable Diseases ; Coronavirus ; Female ; Human bocavirus ; Humans ; Male ; Metapneumovirus ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Respiratory System ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Rhinovirus ; Seasons ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Viruses

PURPOSE: To analyze the differences of semen parameters in Korean young population for three periods from 2002 to 2013. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 516 semen samples were collected from Korean men presenting for infertility, varicoceles or other infectious problems for three periods from 2002 to 2012: January 2002-December 2003, January 2007-December 2008, and January 2012-December 2013. A standard World Health Organization procedure for semen analysis was performed for assessment of semen concentration, volume, motility, morphology, and pH. RESULTS: A total of 160, 162, 194 men constituted the study populations in 2002 to 2003, in 2007 to 2008, and in 2012 to 2013, respectively. The overall sperm parameter results suggested a statistically significant difference between 2002 to 2003 and 2012 to 2013 except pH. However, considering the data from 2007 to 2008, there were no trends in changes in overall semen parameters. Negative correlations were observed in all semen parameters with increasing age in all patients, except for pH. In addition, semen volume, motility, and morphology had higher negative correlation coefficients with age, from 2002 to 2013, serially. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant changes in the semen parameters of Korean men from 2002 to 2013. In addition, semen volume, motility, and morphology showed higher negative correlation coefficients with age from 2002 to 2013, serially.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aging/pathology/physiology ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Infertility, Male/*diagnosis ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Semen ; Semen Analysis/*methods ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa/cytology ; Young Adult

This study was designed to assess the antihypertensive efficacy and overall tolerance of doxazosin in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. Doxazosin was administered in once-daily dose from 1 to 3mg to 97 patients both in a general hospital and a local clinic in rural area. These patients are composed of three groups. One group has 49 Patients treated with doxazosin monotherapy, another group with 31 patients treated with doxazosin as well as other antihypertensive drugs combined and a third group is composed of 17 patients with renal insufficiency n addition to hypertension. The patients in the third group with renal insufficiency had 2.5mg/dl-5.0mg/dl in serum creatinine. Results are as follows : 1) The study sample is composed of 37 males (38.1%) and 60 females (61.9%) with mean age 51.4 years. Among three subasmples no statistically significant difference is observed in age, sex, mean body weight and heigh at 0.05 error level. 2) A total of 47 patients (48.5%) of the 97 patients have completed twelve-week doxazosin antihypertensive treatment. At a mean dose of 4.4+/-0.4mg at twelfth week, 37 patients (78.7%) responded to doxazosin therapy. Twenty-nine(61.7% patients achieved "excellent" blood pressure control(mean sitting DBP of < or =90mmHg), and 8 patients (17.0%) showed "good respone" (10mmHg or more DBP reduction from baseline). Whereas remaining 10 patients (21.3%) showed only "fair response" (5-9mmHg DBP reduction) or "failed"(0-4mmHg DBP reduction). In doxazosin monotherapy group thirteen(68.4%) of nineteen patients showed "excellent" or "good response" at a mean dose of 4.8mg/day. Combination therapy group with eighteen patients showed 100% therapeutic success. This group had fourteen(77.8%) "excellent" and four(22.2%) "good respinse" at a mean daily dose of doxazosin 3.9mg. Renal insufficiency group with ten patients showed six(60.0%) "excellent" and four (40.0%) "failure"cases at a mean daily dose of 4.6mg. 3) The mean baseline sitting blood pressures of doxazosin monotherapy group were 175/109 whose blood pressure at twelfth week were 150/94 at a mean daily dose of 4.8mg. The baseline blood pressure of combined therapy group 180/111 were reduced to 145/91 at twelfth week at a mean daily dose of 3.9mg. Those of renal insufficiency group were 177/112 and 156/98 respectively at a mean doxazosin daily dose of 4.6mg. 4) Of the 97 study cases, adverse effect were reported in 19.6%. The most prevalent adverse effects were dizziness(11.3%), blurred vision(9.3%), headache(5.2%), most of which were mild or moderate and disappeared with or were tolerated on continued therapy. But three cases(3.1%) had to refrain from doxazosin administration due to blurred vision, dizzines, and headache. 5) The change of lipid analysis between before and after treatment in the monotherapy group with doxazosin showed 3.8% decrease of total cholesterol and 4.6% increase of HDL cholesterol and 11% increase of triglycerides, which were not statistically significant. In the combination therapy group 0.4% decrease of total cholesterol, 24.1% decrease of HDL cholesterol and 44.3% increase of triglycerides were observed. In the renal insufficiency group 4.9% decrease of total cholesterol, 22.1% decrease of HDL cholesterol, 0.1% decrease of triglycerides were observed. But all these findings have limitation in generalization due to small number of sample and a short period of observation. 6) Laboratory chemistry test results revealed no apparent treatment-related abnormalities.
Antihypertensive Agents ; Blood Pressure* ; Body Weight ; Chemistry ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Creatinine ; Doxazosin* ; Female ; Generalization (Psychology) ; Headache ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Renal Insufficiency ; Triglycerides

OBJECTIVES: Contemporary empirical studies have suggested high rates of comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) or obsessive compulsive disorder(OCD) in children with tic disorders. Not infrequently, ADHD or OCD is as source of greater impairment than are the tic symptoms. The studies in the pathophysiology of tic disorder have implicated abnormalities of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. The studies in pathophysiology of ADHD or OCD also have implicated abnormalities of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. This study was purposed to examine the differences in tic severities and in the levels of plasma homovanillic acid(HVA) and 5-hydroxyin-doleacetic acid(5-HIAA) according to the presence of comorbid ADHD or OCD in patients with chronic tic disorders. METHODS: In fifty chronic tic patients, OCD or ADHD was also diagnosed. And then tic symptoms, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and attention-deficit hyperactive symptoms were assessed using Yale global tic severity scale(YGTSS), Leyton obsessional inventory-child version(LOI-CV), and Conners parent rating scale. The plasma HVA and 5-HIAA levels were measured using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection method. RESULTS: Fifty-eight percent of the patients with chronic tic disorders had comorbid ADHD or OCD. But severities of tic did not differ regardless of the presence of comorbid ADHD or OCD. There was a significant positive correlation between tic severities and plasma HVA levels but none between tic severities and plasma 5-HIAA levels. There was a significant inverse correlation between resistance and interference scores and plasma 5-HIAA levels. Plasma HVA levels showed significant positive correlations with plasma 5-HIAA levels. CONCLUSION: These results showed that tic severities didn't vary according to the presence of comorbidities, and that tic severities were correlated with plasma HVA levels, not with plasma 5-HIAA levels. These results suggested that the pathophysiology of chronic tic disorder was strongly correlated with abnormalities of dopaminergic system.
Child ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Comorbidity* ; Dopamine ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Humans ; Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid ; Norepinephrine ; Obsessive Behavior ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ; Parents ; Plasma* ; Serotonin ; Tic Disorders* ; Tics*

No abstract available.
Histiocytosis*

Neonatal sepsis remains one of the most important causes of death and co-morbidity in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. The aim of this study was to determine the current incidences of early-onset sepsis (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS), the distribution of pathogens, and the impact of infection on co-morbidities in VLBW infants. We analyzed the data including sepsis episode from 2,386 VLBW infants enrolled in Korean Neonatal Network from January 2013 to June 2014. We defined EOS as a positive blood culture occurring between birth and 7 days of life and LOS after 7 days of life. Sepsis was found in 21.1% of VLBW infants. The risk of sepsis was inversely related to birth weight and gestational age. EOS was found in only 3.6% of VLBW infants, however the mortality rate was as high as 34.1%. EOS was associated with the increased odds for bronchopulmonary dysplasia and intraventricular hemorrhage. The vast majority of EOS was caused by Gram-positive organisms, particularly coagulase-negative staphylococci (30.6%). LOS developed in 19.4% of VLBW infants with a 16.1% mortality rate. Pathogens in LOS were dominated by coagulase-negative staphylococci (38.3%). Twenty-five percent and fifty percent of first LOS episode occurred after 12 days and 20 days from birth, respectively. Younger and smaller VLBW infants showed the earlier occurrence day for the 25% of first LOS episode. This study provides a recent nationwide epidemiology of sepsis in VLBW infants in Korea. Based on this study, successful strategies to reduce infections would improve survival and reduce morbidity.
Coagulase/metabolism ; Databases, Factual ; Gestational Age ; Gram-Negative Bacteria/isolation & purification ; Gram-Positive Bacteria/isolation & purification ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; *Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sepsis/*epidemiology/microbiology/mortality ; Staphylococcus/enzymology/isolation & purification