Rapid identification of Mycobacterium spp. isolated from patients is important with increased isolation of mycobacteria other than tubercle bacilli (MOTT). DNA-DNA hybridization with streptavidin-peroxidase and tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) color reaction method was recognized as a useful tool for identification of various species of mycobacteria. In this study, optimum condition of the test was determined. The optimal concentrations of tetramethylbenzidine dihydrochloride and hydrogen peroxide for streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase were 0.3-0.6 ug/ ml and 0.16 mM, respectively. The TMB stock solution was stable when prepared in methanol and the dilution of TBM stock solution in 10 mM sodium citrate-10 mM EDTA solution (pH 5.0) gave highest peroxidase-TMB activity. The suitable composition of hybridization solution consisted of 2 x SSC, 10% dextran sulfate, 50 ug/ml salmon DNA, 5 x Denhardt's solution, and 50% formamide. The 5-minute heating at 100C of test DNA prior to photobiotin labeling significantly increased the reaction. In conclusion, DNA-DNA hybridization method with streptavidin-peroxidase and TMB color reaction method may be useful for rapid identification of Mycobacterium spp. isolated from patients.
Dextran Sulfate ; DNA ; Edetic Acid ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Methanol ; Mycobacterium* ; Peroxidase ; Salmon ; Sodium

BACKGROUND: Pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic cholecystectomy induces prompt hemodynamic changes. The rapid onset of these changes suggests a neurohumoral response. The present study investigated the effects of pneumoperitoneum on plasma catecholamines and vasopressin during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: We studied 18 healthy patients under general anesthesia using a isoflurane and nitrous oxide (50%). In our study, nine patients were selected for Group LC; they underwent the laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The remaining nine patients constituting Group OS served as the control, and underwent minor orthopedic surgery. Venous blood samples were collected 10 minutes after the induction of anesthesia, as well as 10 minutes after the insufflation of pneumoperitoneum or skin incision, and 10 minutes after desufflation of pneumoperitoneum or skin closure. Plasma vasopressin was measured using a radioimmunoassay method. Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine were measured using the method of high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: In Group LC, the plasma concentration of vasopressin increased remarkably from 2.1 pg/ml to 70.7 pg/ml after insufflation of pneumoperitoneum, and declined to 18.3 pg/ml after desufflation (P < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine also increased significantly after insufflation of pneumoperitoneum (P < 0.05). In Group OS, however, plasma concentrations of vasopressin, epinephrine, and norepinephrine remained stable throughout the operation. CONCLUSIONS: The pneumoperitoneum resulted in a substantial increase of plasma concentrations of vasopressin as well as a signifiant increase in the plasma concentration of epinephrine and norepinephrine during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Catecholamines* ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Epinephrine ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Insufflation ; Isoflurane ; Nitrous Oxide ; Norepinephrine ; Orthopedics ; Plasma* ; Pneumoperitoneum* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Skin ; Vasopressins*

BACKGROUND: Pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic cholecystectomy induces prompt hemodynamic changes. The rapid onset of these changes suggests a neurohumoral response. The present study investigated the effects of pneumoperitoneum on plasma catecholamines and vasopressin during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: We studied 18 healthy patients under general anesthesia using a isoflurane and nitrous oxide (50%). In our study, nine patients were selected for Group LC; they underwent the laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The remaining nine patients constituting Group OS served as the control, and underwent minor orthopedic surgery. Venous blood samples were collected 10 minutes after the induction of anesthesia, as well as 10 minutes after the insufflation of pneumoperitoneum or skin incision, and 10 minutes after desufflation of pneumoperitoneum or skin closure. Plasma vasopressin was measured using a radioimmunoassay method. Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine were measured using the method of high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: In Group LC, the plasma concentration of vasopressin increased remarkably from 2.1 pg/ml to 70.7 pg/ml after insufflation of pneumoperitoneum, and declined to 18.3 pg/ml after desufflation (P < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine also increased significantly after insufflation of pneumoperitoneum (P < 0.05). In Group OS, however, plasma concentrations of vasopressin, epinephrine, and norepinephrine remained stable throughout the operation. CONCLUSIONS: The pneumoperitoneum resulted in a substantial increase of plasma concentrations of vasopressin as well as a signifiant increase in the plasma concentration of epinephrine and norepinephrine during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Catecholamines* ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Epinephrine ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Insufflation ; Isoflurane ; Nitrous Oxide ; Norepinephrine ; Orthopedics ; Plasma* ; Pneumoperitoneum* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Skin ; Vasopressins*

A case of Aicardi syndrome with cleft lip and palate was experienced at the Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Hallym University, and the patient's infantile spasm was treated with ACTH. In previous studies, four cases of Aicardi syndrome accompanied by cleft lip and palate were reported. We present the fifth case of Aicardi syndrome with cleft lip and palate in the world. Thus, facial clefts may be found as an occasional manifestation of Aicardi syndrome.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Aicardi Syndrome* ; Cleft Lip* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Palate* ; Pediatrics ; Spasms, Infantile

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to study whether the Doppler ultrasound differentiate obstructive hydronephrosis from nonobstructive hydronephrosis in sonographically diagnosed hydronephrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 35 kidneys of 27 patients with hydronephrosis which were diagnosed with sonography. Resistive indices were calculated from Doppler waveforms at the level of interlobar or arcuate arteries. We divided the materials into two groups with obstructive and nonobstructive hydronephrosis according to the findings of intravenous pyelography, retrograde pyelography, and anterograde pyelography. These were compared with normal control group(20 kidneys in 10 persons). We also grouped patients regarding to the duration after onset of clinical symptom, and graded the hydronephrosis into three group according to sonographic findings. We analyzed the correlations of the above sonography and clinical findings with resistive index. Hydronephrosis was obstructive in 20 kidneys(in 17 patients) and nonobstructive in 15 kidneys(in 10 patients). RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference between the mean resistive indices in obstructive hydronephrosis(0.74 +/- 0.02) and that in nonobstructive hydronephrosis (0.60 +/- 0.02)(p<0.05). Also there was no difference between the mean resistive indeces in nonobstructive hydronephrosis and that in normal control group(0.59 +/- 0.07)(P > or = 0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of Doppler sonography can be helpful in detecting the presence or absence of true obstruction in patients with hydronephrosis.
Arteries ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Kidney* ; Ultrasonography ; Urography

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy, and identify predictors of success of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) patients after adjusting for intraocular pressure (IOP) changes in the untreated fellow eye. METHODS: This retrospective chart review included 52 eyes of 52 OAG patients who underwent SLT in one eye and were followed-up for at least 1 year after the procedure. The IOP was measured before the treatment, at 1, 2, and 3 months posttreatment, and every 3 months thereafter. To account for the possible influence of IOP fluctuations on laser outcomes, post-laser IOP values of the treated eye of each patient were also analyzed, after adjusting for IOP changes in the untreated fellow eye. Success was defined as an IOP decrease ≥20% of the pretreatment IOP. The success rate was determined based on Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and factors predictive of success were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The mean pretreatment IOP was 23.17 ± 6.96 mmHg. The mean IOP reduction was 5.59 ± 4.78 mmHg (29.7%) and the success rate was 65.4% at 1 year. The adjusted mean IOP reduction was 4.70 ± 4.67 mmHg (23.9%) and the adjusted success rate was 53.9%. Pretreatment IOP was associated with SLT success; the higher the pretreatment IOP, the greater the post-laser IOP reduction (p = 0.025). Age and mean deviation index did not show a significant association with SLT success (p = 0.066 and p = 0.464, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: SLT is a safe and effective alternative method of IOP reduction in OAG patients. Herein, pretreatment IOP was the only factor significantly associated with SLT success. IOP fluctuations of the untreated eye should be considered for a better understanding of the impact of treatment.
Glaucoma, Open-Angle ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Methods ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Shiga Toxin 1 ; Trabeculectomy

Purpose: The corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in mandatory masking of patients and physicians during outpatient visits. This study evaluated the changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) according to mask use. Methods: This prospective study enrolled 30 healthy volunteers (60 eyes). IOP was measured via Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) for the subjects wearing one of four commonly used masks: dental, bi-folding Korean Filter (KF)94, tri-folding KF94, and dust masks. Subjects with IOP measurement errors of more than 5 mmHg were rechecked with another GAT type. Results: The mean IOP measured via GAT before mask wearing was 13.7 ± 1.7 mmHg. It was 13.5 ± 2.1, 14.0 ± 2.3, 14.3 ± 2.5, and 13.8 ± 1.6 mmHg with the dental, bi-folding KF94, tri-folding KF94, and dust masks, respectively. There were no significant differences in IOP according to mask type (p = 0.635). IOP errors above 5 mmHg were detected in three subjects who had contact between the GAT feeler arm and tri-folding KF94 mask during IOP measurement. Conclusions The IOP as measured via GAT is artificially elevated by mechanical interference from the tri-fold KF94 mask. To minimize such mask-induced artifacts in GAT measurements, compress the patient’s mask or change the mask type to prevent any contact during measurement.

Mitral ring motion and indices of left ventricular diastolic filling were measured by M-mode and Doppler echocardiography in apical 4 chamber view in 11 dilated cardiomyopathy patients and 9 normal subjects without clinical evidence of heart disease. The mean age of patients was 52 years and average heart rate was 76 beats/min. The parameters of mitral annulus motion include earley relaxation amplitude(ER), late atrial contraction amplitude(AC) and A2-peak excursion(A2-PE). Transmitral flow velocity parameters include peak flow velocity of early diastolic flow velocity(PFVE), peak flow velocity of late atrial contraction(PFVA), the ratio between early and late peak flow velocity(PFVE/PFVA), Acceleration rate of early diastolic peak flow(AR), deceleration rate of early diastolic peak flow(DR), time velocity integral of early diastolic flow velocity(TVIE), time velocity integral of late atrial contraction flow velocity(TVIA) and ratio between early diastolic and late atrial flow velocity integral(TVIE/TVIA). In patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, ER(4.5+/-2.3mm) and AC(2.3+/-1.6mm) were significantly decreased than normal(10.7+/-2.6mm, 6.6+/-1.6mm, p<0.01, p<0.01, respectively), whereas ER/AC(1.7+/-0.7) was not significantly different than normal subjects(1.6+/-0.5). A2-PE(100+/-80 msec) was significantly delayed in dilated cardiomyopathy patients than normal subjects(35+/-25 msec, p<0.01). In analysis of transmitral flow velocities, PFVE, PFVA and PFVE/PFVA, etc were not significantly different compared to normal subjects in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Mitral ring motion amplitude was decreased and A2-peak excursion time interval(A2-PE) was delayed in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, but transmitral flow velocities were not significantly different from normal subjects in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. These results reflect the facts that early diastolic relaxation amplitude is decreased by the change of compliance of LV and late atrial contractin amplitude is decreased by decrease of atrial contractility and increased stiffness of LA and LV. Despite of decreased mitral ring motion, transmitral flow velocity is not significantly different compared to normal subjects in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. From these evidences, not only transmitral flow velocity affected by multiple factors but also mitral ring motion affected by LA and LV function are considered in assessment of LV diastolic dysfuction.
Acceleration ; Blood Flow Velocity* ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated* ; Compliance ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Relaxation

No abstract available.
Child* ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* ; Humans ; Temporal Bone*

Malignant tumors of the eyelid pose a serious threat because of their proximity to the globe, brain & paranasal sinuses. Three types of carcinomas account for the vast majority of the malignant eyelid tumors: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and sebaceous gland carcinoma. In these malignancies, basal cell carcinoma is the most common. However, sebaceous gland carcinoma has a high recurrence rate and a moderately high 5-year mortality rate because of late diagnosis and incomplete surgical removal. This tumor may be clinically misdiagnosed frequently as a chronic unilateral conjunctivitis, chalazion, basal cell carcinoma, or squamous cell carcinoma in initial biopsy. Suspicious lid lesions should be managed with incisional biopsy initially. If they are positive for sebaceous gland carcinoma, wide excision and frozen section monitoring of surgical margin is the treatment of choice. The final diagnosis should be confirmed by special stain for lipid. We experienced 12 cases of malignant eyelid tumors including 3 cases of sebaceous gland carcinoma. In cases of sebaceous gland carcinoma, wide surgical excision with frozen section monitoring was performed and followed by eyelid reconstruction with intact eyelid tissue remained and adjuvant radiotheraphy. Guidelines for management are discussed.
Biopsy ; Brain ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chalazion ; Conjunctivitis ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Eyelids* ; Frozen Sections ; Mortality ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Recurrence ; Sebaceous Glands