Multiple studies have established that mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) exhibits reversible diffusion restriction in the white matter, including the splenium. There have been a few previous reports of the change in fractional anisotropy (FA) of MERS cases. Herein, we report the longitudinal changes in axial and radial diffusivity (AD and RD), and FA in a 15-year-old boy patient with MERS. Our case demonstrated that a MERS lesion had a significant drop of AD in the early period and gradual recovery. On the contrary, RD did not show any significant change.

PURPOSE: Recently, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have become one of the major nosocomial pathogens in Korea. However, there have been few studies on the epidemiology of VRE colonization among neonates. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of VRE colonization, risk factors for VRE, and how to control the spread of VRE infection in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Pusan National University Hospital (PNUH). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 192 neonates who were admitted to the NICU of PNUH from March 2006 to March 2007. Surveillance cultures from rectal swabs for detecting VRE were obtained weekly during the study period. We analyzed the prevalence of VRE and various risk factors. RESULTS: The rate of VRE colonization among NICU patients was 25% (48/192). Thirty five of these VRE colonized patients were transferred to the NICU from other local hospitals. Compared with the non-VRE group, the risk factors associated with VRE colonization were lower birth weight, congenital heart disease, applied mechanical ventilation, use of a central venous catheter, chest tubing, a history of surgery, and use of antibiotics. CONCLUSION: VRE colonization among patients admitted to the NICU is rapidly increasing. Monitoring and managing premature neonates from the beginning of the birth process, avoiding many invasive procedures, avoiding antibiotics such as vancomycin and third generation cephalosporin are important for preventing the emergence and spread of VRE colonization in the NICU.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Birth Weight ; Central Venous Catheters ; Colon ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Prevalence ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thorax ; Vancomycin ; Vancomycin Resistance

Synovial chondromatosis is a rare monoarticular disorder which often involves the knee, hip and the elbow but the shoulders are less frequently affected. The diagnosis depends on the important radiographic and operative findings as well as histopathological criteria. We have experienced the synovial chondromatosis developed in the left shoulder of a 37 year-old male who was diagnosed by CT scan, axillary angiography and microscopic findings and treated at Chonbuk National University Hospital.
Angiography ; Chondromatosis, Synovial ; Diagnosis ; Elbow ; Hip ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Knee ; Male ; Shoulder ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Humans ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar ; Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris ; Pityriasis ; Siblings

Proper positioning of pulmonary artery catheter and predicting distal migration of it during cardiopulmonary bypass is important for the prevention of perioperative complication of pulmonary artery rupture. The authors therefore examined the insertion length of pulmonary artery catheter via right internal jugular vein at which catheter tip was advanced to the most proximal position where pulmonary capillary wedge pressure could be obtained. And also the distal migration is measured by comparing the difference between prebypass and postbypass corrected length. Just before bypass, pulmonary artery catheter was arbitrarily receded 5cm for the prevention of spontaneous distal migration and wedging. The subjects were 47 patients who underwent open heart surgery (valve replacement, coronary artery bypass graft) during the period of November, 1992 through April, 1993. The results were as follows. 1) The insertion length of pulmonary artery catheter from skin to the right ventricle inlet, pulmonary artery inlet and pulmonary capillary wedge position were 26.5+/-3.0 cm, 36.8+/-4.9 cm and 46.1+/-5.7 cm respectively. 2) There were no significant statistical correlations between insertion lengths and patient constitutions such as body weight and height(r=0.144, r=0.032). 3) Locations of catheter tips were distributed to the 0.9+/-3.1 cm left to the spinous process, 1.9+/-1.6 cm inferior to the carina ; mostly LLQ of the lung field(51%). 4) During cardiopulmonary bypass, pulmonary artery catheter tips were migrated distally in 93.6% of the cases and the migration lengths were 2.7+/-2.0 cm. 5) There were no major perioperative complications caused by pulmonary artery catheterization. These results suggest that 5 cm withdrawal of pulmonary axtery catheter just before cardiopulmonary bypass can prevent the fatal complication of pulmonary artery rupture owing to its spontaneous distal migration.
Bays ; Body Weight ; Capillaries ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Catheterization, Swan-Ganz ; Catheters* ; Constitution and Bylaws ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Extracorporeal Circulation* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Jugular Veins ; Lung ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Rupture ; Skin ; Thoracic Surgery

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of 3 domains of continuing education (CE) for healthcare managers. METHODS: A group of 20 healthcare managers, attending 3 levels of CE, were the subjects. The data were collected by structured questionnaires before and after each education. The data were analyzed by Friedman test, Wilcoxon Signed Ranked Test, and Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: After completing CE, there was significant improvement on the scores of knowledge, attitude, and skills. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that CE for healthcare managers is an effective strategy to promote the competency of healthcare managers, who take care of the chronically ill patients.
Chronic Disease ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education, Continuing ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Cellular oncogenes are expressed as an intrinsic part of the transformed or neoplastic phenotype. More than 60 of the known cellular oncogenes play a specific role in normal cellular development and differentiation. To examine the correlation between ras oncogene expression and the development of cervical cancer, this study investigated the reactivity of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN) and carcinoma of the uterine cervix by using anti-ras P21 mouse monoclonal antibody. The expression of ras oncogene significantly increased with the grade of malignancy from 11% in severe dysplasia, 30% in carcinoma in situ, 43% in microinvasive carcinoma, to 53% in invasive cancer. The expression of ras oncogene was not correlated with histologic type, tumor size, and nodal status of cervical cancer. It was concluded that expression of ras oncogene is related to early phase of carcinogenesis and tumor invasion of carcinoma of the uterine cervix.
Animals ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Genes, ras* ; Mice ; Oncogenes ; Phenotype ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms, Male* ; Humans ; Male ; Male* ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

No abstract available.
Herpes Zoster* ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of parenteral nutrition in early neonatal period on bone mineralization at the time of reaching 2 kg body weight in premature infants, bone mineral density(BMD) in infants who received long-term parenteral nutrition in the early neonatal period was measured and compared with infants who received enteral nutrition only. METHODS: Twenty low birth weight infants(those weighing 2 kg or less) were investigated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units of Pusan National University Hospital between May 2000 and April 2001. Twelve infants received oral nutrition with preterm formula after birth(group A). Eight infants were supported with parenteral nutrition and intensive management in the early neonatal period due to respiratory distress syndrome and after a while they were also fed with preterm formula(group B). We measured the BMD of the whole body of all 20 infants using at the time reaching 2 kg body weight. RESULTS: The mean value of the BMD of total infants was 0.610+/-0.003 g/cm2. The BMD of group A and B was 0.615+/-0.002 g/cm2 and 0.603+/-0.006 g/cm2, respectively. There was no significant differences in the BMD between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Low birth weight infants who received appropriate nutritional supports such as total parenteral nutrition and preterm formula could achieve a catch-up in bone mineralization compared with the infants who were fed with preterm formula only and who had similar postconceptional age and weight.
Body Weight* ; Busan ; Calcification, Physiologic* ; Enteral Nutrition ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Nutritional Support ; Parenteral Nutrition* ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total