Effect of Enoxacin (Flumark), an oral pyridone carboxylic acid, in the urinary tract infection was evaluated clinically and susceptibility of 292 strains of microorganism isolated from urine to the various antimicrobial agents was tested and compared. Thirty six patients with urinary tract infection were given with 300 to 600mg of Enoxacin daily for 7 to 14 days according to severity of urinary tract infection. The clinical symptoms and urinary findings improved in 30 patients (83.3%) and no clinical response was achieved in 6 patients (16.7%), but revealing 100% response in 9 patients of acute uncomplicated cystitis. In the antimicrobial susceptibility test, Enoxacin was much superior to aminoglycoside, especially against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Serratia spp., Enterobacter spp. and other Pseudomonas spp.. Enoxacin is a very effective and safe antimicrobial agent in treatment of the urinary tract infection.
Anti-Infective Agents ; Cystitis ; Enoxacin ; Enterobacter ; Humans ; Pseudomonas ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Serratia ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

No abstract available.
Ductus Arteriosus, Patent* ; Endarteritis*

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) is known to have a low incidence among the pediatric population, but it can result in serious complications, such as gastric outlet obstruction. In previously published EGE cases with the obstruction in adults, surgeries were often performed. In this report, we present a 14-year-old girl who came to our facility with severe abdominal pain and vomiting. On the initial abdominal physical examination, diffuse tenderness and severe epigastric pain were noted. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen showed the findings of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome. However, she had no history of recent weight loss, and the medical history was inconsistent with SMA syndrome. We planned upper gastrointestinal series with barium, and then verified gastric outlet obstruction. We performed esophagogastroduodenoscopy and obtained a final diagnosis of EGE through mucosal biopsy specimen. Corticosteroids and anti-inflammatory medications were administered. Dietary modification and education were done as well. The symptoms resolved, and the follow-up esophagogastroduodenoscopy and ultrasonography showed improvements in the obstruction. Our case emphasizes that gastric outlet obstruction due to EGE must be carefully differentiated from SMA syndrome because of their similarities in clinical features and radiologic images. In doing so, we can avoid surgical intervention and perform medical/dietary treatment for gastric outlet obstruction.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is known to regulate both cancer cell survival and death signaling, depending on the cellular circumstances, in various cell types. In this study, we showed that NGF strongly upregulated the protein level of tropomyosin-related kinase A (TrkA) in TrkA-inducible SK-N-MC cancer cells, resulting in increases in various TrkA-dependent cellular processes, including the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and caspase-8 cleavage. In addition, NGF enhanced TrkA-induced morphological changes and cell death, and this effect was significantly suppressed by the JNK inhibitor SP600125, but not by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin. To investigate novel targets associated with the enhancement of TrkA-induced SK-N-MC cell death caused by NGF, we performed Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining and two-dimensional (2D) proteomic analysis in TrkA-inducible SK-N-MC cells. We identified 31 protein spots that were either greatly upregulated or downregulated by TrkA during NGF treatment using matrix-associated laser desorption/ionization time of flight/time of flight mass spectrometry, and we analyzed the effects of SP600125 and wortmannin on the spots. Interestingly, 11 protein spots, including heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K), lamin B1 and TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP43), were significantly influenced by SP600125, but not by wortmannin. Moreover, the NGF/TrkA-dependent inhibition of cell viability was significantly enhanced by knockdown of hnRNP K using small interfering RNA, demonstrating that hnRNP K is a novel target associated with the regulation of TrkA-dependent SK-N-MC cancer cell death enhanced by NGF.
Caspase 8 ; Cell Death* ; Cell Survival ; Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Mass Spectrometry ; Nerve Growth Factor* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; RNA, Small Interfering

The purpose of this study was to design intramedullary femoral stems that will optimally distribute the stresses to the bone. It was postulated that an ideal distribution of stresses would occur if the femoral stem had the same shape as the canal. However, because of the curved nature of the canal it was not possible to insert a canal replica. To make insertion possible, certain areas on the stem must be removed. Cross-section of the femoral canal at 5 and 10mm intervals, were non-destructively obtained by computer assisted tomography and each outline was stored on computer disk. Close-fit stem shapes were generated by computer aided design. These close-fit hip stem designs significantly improved total and priority region stem-canal contact. Further investigation employing both theoretical analysis and laboratory experimentation will examine the strength of these stems and theirs stress distribution to the femur.
Computer Graphics* ; Hip Prosthesis* ; Human ; Prosthesis Design ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

We recently encountered a Korean patient with oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). His major clinical manifestations were late onset bilateral ptosis, dysarthria, and dysphagia. Direct sequencing analysis of the PABPN1 gene demonstrated a heterozygous insertion of 9 bp sequence [(GCG)(GCA)(GCA); c.28insGCGGCA GCA], resulting in an in-frame insertion of 3 alanines (p. A10insAAA). To our knowledge, this is the first report of a genetically confirmed case of OPMD in Korea.
Deglutition Disorders ; Dysarthria ; Humans ; Korea ; Muscular Dystrophies ; Muscular Dystrophy, Oculopharyngeal*

We have reviewed 251 children with urinary tract infection who were seen in our hospital during the last 5 years. Underlying abnormalities of the urinary tract were found in 154 patients(61 %). This figure is high because referred patients from other physicians for further treatment are included here. Of these 154 patients, surgical treatments were required in 85. The most frequent finding was vesicoureteral reflux(110 pts). Obstructive lesions were found in 44 pts ; UPJ obstruction in 9, megaureter in 6, obstruction associated with duplication in 6, urethral valve in 5, neurogenic bladder in 11, and others in 7. Abnormal findings without clinical significance were found in additional 17 pts. To evaluate the role of ultrasonography(US), we have compared findings of intravenous pyelography(IVP) and US. Of 58 pts who had both studies, 52 showed identical findings. US failed in detection of small renal scar and duplication of collecting system. US in combination with voiding cystourethrography(VCU) identified abnormal findings in most cases. It is our impression that US can replace IVP as a screening procedure which should be performed with VCU in every child with proven UTI. And as IVP is superior in imaging anatomical details than US, we recommend IVP before any surgical attempt.
Child* ; Cicatrix ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

Cryopreservation is able to store the surplus pre-embryos for freezing and furthermore thawing and transfer in a subsequent cycle. Cryopreserving cells which are maintaining their viability are the very complex process. This study has been carried out in order to find the effects of cryopreservation steps, freezing media and embryonic stages on the rates of viability and development of cryopreserved mouse embryos. Female ICR mice (6~8 weeks old) were induced to superovulate by sequential intraperitoneal injection of 5 IU PMSG and 5 IU hGC 48h apart. Mouse embryos were collected according to its developmental stage after the injection of hCG. Embryos were cryopreserved not only by cryoprotectant step (1 step~ 4 step) but also in a variety of media (HTF, IVF medium, D-PBS) and cell stage. The results were as follows: There is no clear advantage in these freezing media of rapid method, but 4 cell and 8 cell of slow method (2, 3, 4 step) have advantage in D-PBS. The development of embryos according to cell stage become greater in 8 cell stage. In the treatment steps of cryopreservation, the development of embryo to blastocyst was similar among rapid method, but the development of 4 cell and 8 cell embryos to blastocyst according to slow method was better than rapid method.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Cryopreservation* ; Culture Media* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Freezing ; Humans ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR

The authors developed a computerized electroencephalography imaging system with an IBM PC AT. The EEG signals amplified with a 16 channel EEG machine were digitized at 51.2 Hz (512 samples per epoch). The shifted DC potential and 60Hz artificats were removed by a high pass filter and 60Hz notch filter. A window function consisting of a 10% cosine taper was obtained by weighting the points at either end of the epoch by a cosine bell. A fast Fourier transform was applied to every epoch and the power spectrum estimates were computed in 0.39 Hz steps. The activity estimates for the delta, theta, alpha and beta bands were computed by summimg adjacent values. The outline of the top-down maps was formed from a series of sagittal cuts, then 32 electrodes were placed on the map. A file was created which contained a table of weighting parameters for calculating the interpolated values for every point within the outline. Each weight was in inverse linear proportion to the distance of the pixel to the nearest four electrodes. The map was finally generated with computation of the spectral EEG in each pixel according to the weighting parameter. The functioning of this system was tested with a functional generator and a human subject.
Brain Mapping/methods ; *Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted ; Diagnostic Imaging ; *Electroencephalography ; Human ; *Microcomputers ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: With the advent of high speed digital signal processing chips, many digital techniques have been introduced to hearing aids. Generally, subject-based clinical tests are needed to verify the performance of hearing aids, which required both time and cost. A hearing impairment simulation (HIS) system is developed in real-time system which is aimed to simulate the sensorineural hearing impairment. In this paper, we present an indirect method to evaluate and predict the performance of hearing aid systems without the help of actual subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The system is developed based on the model constructed from auditory test results and nonlinear behaviors of sensorineural hearing impaired persons. To verify the proposed system, signals processed were presented to normal listeners and their auditory data modified by the system were measured and compared with those of the impaired models. RESULTS: The auditory data of models were closely simulated to normal listeners by HIS system in all frequencies especially to those with hearing loss of more than 60 dB. CONCLUSION: HIS System can be used clinically in developing new digital hearing aid algorithm.
Computer Systems ; Hearing Aids* ; Hearing Loss* ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing* ; Persons With Hearing Impairments ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted