No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant* ; Leukemia, Megakaryoblastic, Acute* ; Sarcoma, Myeloid*

The purpose of study is to investigate whether glass rod detector (GRD) would be suitable for dosimeter of radiotherapy units. A GRD is used for the measurement of the output factors and x-axis beam profiles from Gamma Knife. The output factors measured with GRD from the 14, 8 and 4 mm collimators relative to the 18 mm collimator are 0.980+/-0.013, 0.949+/-0.013 and 0.872+/-0.012, respectively. The output factors obtained with a GRD are within 1.0% in good agreement with the values recommended by the manufacture. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of x-axis beam profiles measured with GRD are 5.9 mm at a 4 mm collimator.
Glass* ; Radiotherapy

BACKGROUND: Cerebral ischemia causes an increase in extracellular potassium ([K+]e) through activation of the KATP channel. This increase in [K+]e could result in neuronal depolarization and a reversal of the glutamate uptake system in glia. This may further contribute to the excessive concentrations of glutamate and asparate in the extracellular space during ischemia. If the early rise in [K+]e during ischemia could be attenuated, less excitotoxic neuronal damage may be the result. However, activation of KATP channels has been shown to attenuate the anoxia induced depolarization in the hippocampus and may reduce the release of excitatory neurotransmitters during cerebral ischemia. In this study, we address the question of whether KATP channel modulation affects [K+]e and whether it is related with extracellular glutamate concentrations. METHODS: After approval by the Animal Care and Use Committee, 18 New Zealand white rabbits were anesthetized with halothane and mechanically ventilated to maintain normocarbia. Microdialysis catheters were inserted into the left dorsal hippocampus and perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid at 2 ml/min. K+ sensitive microelectrodes were inserted into the contralateral hippocampus. A pneumatic tourniquet was placed loosely around the neck. Animals were randomized to receive glibenclamide (n=5, KATP blocker, 3.7 mg/kg) or cromakalim (n=5, KATP opener, 0.5 mg/kg). The control group (n=6) had neither drug. Ten-minute period of global cerebral ischemia was produced by inflation of the tourniquet combined with induced hypotension. Hippocampal [K+]e was measured throughout the periischemic period and glutamate concentrations in dialysate were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Peak levels were compared by ANOVA. RESULTS: Glutamate concentration significantly increased during ischemia period for all groups (p<0.05). In glibenclamide treated animals, brain glutamate concentration increased markedly during early reperfusion (t=I+15) compared to other groups (p<0.05). There were no statistical differences on ischemia-induced increases in [K+]e among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although it was not possible to demonstrate an effect of modulators of the ATP sensitive K+ channel on [K+]e, glibenclamide increased glutamate during reperfusion. This paradoxical increase in glutamate after administration of a K+ channel blocker suggests that the mechanism of glutamate release is not related to [K+]e change.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Anoxia ; Brain ; Brain Ischemia ; Catheters ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Cromakalim ; Extracellular Space ; Glutamic Acid* ; Glyburide ; Halothane ; Hippocampus* ; Hypotension ; Inflation, Economic ; Ischemia* ; KATP Channels ; Microdialysis ; Microelectrodes ; Neck ; Neuroglia ; Neurons ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Potassium ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion ; Tourniquets

PURPOSE: Tracheal restenosis due to excessive granulation tissue around a silicone stent requires repeated bronchoscopic interventions in patients with post-tuberculosis tracheal stenosis (PTTS). The current study was conducted to identify the risk factors for granulation tissue formation after silicone stenting in PTTS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted between January 1998 and December 2010. Forty-two PTTS patients with silicone stenting were selected. Clinical and radiological variables were retrospectively collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Tracheal restenosis due to granulation tissue formation were found in 20 patients (47.6%), and repeated bronchoscopic interventions were conducted. In multivariate analysis, tracheal wall thickness, measured on axial computed tomography scan, was independently associated with granulation tissue formation after silicone stenting. Furthermore, the degree of tracheal wall thickness was well correlated with the degree of granulation tissue formation. CONCLUSION: Tracheal wall thickening was associated with granulation tissue formation around silicone stents in patients with post-tuberculosis tracheal stenosis.
Adult ; Bronchoscopy/methods ; Female ; Granulation Tissue/*pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Silicones ; Stents/*adverse effects ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Trachea/*pathology ; Tracheal Stenosis/etiology/*pathology ; Tuberculosis/*complications

BACKGROUND: The bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the leading causes of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Since no simple and effective tool exists to diagnose C. trachomatis infections, we evaluated a novel point-of-care (POC) test, aQcare Chlamydia TRF kit, which uses europium-chelated nanoparticles and a time-resolved fluorescence reader. METHODS: The test performance was evaluated by comparing the results obtained using the novel POC testing kit with those obtained using a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), using 114 NAAT-positive and 327 NAAT-negative samples. RESULTS: The cut-off value of the novel test was 20.8 with a detection limit of 0.27 ng/mL. No interference or cross-reactivity was observed. Diagnostic accuracy showed an overall sensitivity of 93.0% (106/114), specificity of 96.3% (315/327), positive predictive value (PPV) of 89.8% (106/118), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 97.5% (315/323). The sensitivity of the novel test was much higher than that of currently available POC tests. Furthermore, the relative ease and short turnaround time (30 min) of this assay enables C. trachomatis-infected individuals to be treated without a diagnostic delay. CONCLUSIONS: This simple and novel test is a potential tool to screen a larger population, especially those in areas with limited resources.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chlamydia Infections/*diagnosis ; Chlamydia trachomatis/*genetics/isolation & purification ; DNA, Bacterial/chemistry/metabolism ; Europium/*chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metal Nanoparticles/*chemistry ; Middle Aged ; Point-of-Care Systems ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Young Adult

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor of skeletal and extraskeletal origin, and which shows aggressive local behavior as well as a high metastatic potential. We report 3 cases of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma. Two cases were male and one was female. The ages ranged from 25 to 32 years(mean: 28 years). Tissue was obtained by wide excision in two patients, and incisional biopsy in one. The mass locaterd in the rib(case 1), orbital floor(case 2), and abdominal wall(case 3). Roentgenographically, the tumor resembles ordinary chondrosarcoma, showing osteolytic and obstructive appearance with stippled calcification. Grossly, the tumor was lobulating, solid fish-fleshy like mass with calcification and ossification. Histologically, the tumor shows characteristic bimorphic pattern composed of islands of well differentiated hyaline cartilage admixed with a cellular area of undifferentiated small cells. The small cells usually displayed a hemangiopericytoid or an alveolar pattern.
Biopsy ; Chondrosarcoma ; Chondrosarcoma, Mesenchymal* ; Female ; Humans ; Hyaline Cartilage ; Islands ; Male ; Orbit ; Ribs

A thermal neutron beam facility utilizing a typical tangential beam port for Neutron Capture Therapy was installed at the HANARO, 30 MW multi-purpose research reactor. Mixed beams with different physical characteristics and relative biological effectiveness would be emitted from the BNCT irradiation facility, so a quantitative analysis of each component of the mixed beams should be performed to determine the accurate delivered dose. Thus, various techniques were applied including the use of activation foils, TLDs and ionization chambers. All the dose measurements were performed with the water phantom filled with distilled water. The results of the measurement were compared with MCNP4B calculation. The thermal neutron fluxes were 1.02E9 n/cm2 s and 6.07E8 n/cm2 s at 10 and 20 mm depth respectively, and the fast neutron dose rate was insignificant as 0.11 Gy/hr at 10 mm depth in water. The gamma-ray dose rate was 5.10 Gy/hr at 20 mm depth in water. Good agreement within 5%, has been obtained between the measured dose and the calculated dose using MCNP for neutron and gamma component and discrepancy with 14% for fast neutron flux. Considering the difficulty of neutron detection, the current study support the reliability of these results and confirmed the suitability of the thermal neutron beam as a dosimetric data for BNCT clinical trials.
Fast Neutrons ; Neutron Capture Therapy* ; Neutrons* ; Relative Biological Effectiveness ; Water

Background: There is limited information describing the presenting characteristics and dynamic clinical changes in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection diagnosed in the early phase of illness. This study is a case series of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) admitted to 11 hospitals in Korea. Methods: Patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection by positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of respiratory specimens by active surveillance that were finally discharged between February 20 and April 30, 2020 were included. Patients were classified into mild and non-mild groups on initial admission according to oxygen demand and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, and the mild group was followed up and subgrouped into non-aggravation and aggravation groups. Results: A total of 161 patients with SARS-CoV2 infection were enrolled. Among the mild group of 136 patients, 11.7% of patients experienced clinical aggravation during hospitalization, but there was no initial clinical parameter on admission predicting their aggravation. Fever (odds ratio [OR], 4.56), thrombocytopenia (OR, 12.87), fever (OR, 27.22) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) > 300 U/L (OR, 18.35), and CRP > 1 mg/dL (OR, 11.31) significantly indicated aggravation in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th 5-day periods, respectively.PCR positivity lasted for a median of 22 days and 32 days after the onset of illness in the nonaggravation and aggravation groups, respectively. Conclusion Old age was associated with early severe presentation. Clinical aggravation among asymptomatic or mild patients could not be predicted initially but was heralded by fever and several laboratory markers during the clinical course.

Background/Aims: Recently, 1-L polyethylene glycol-ascorbic acid (PEG-Asc) has been used to reduce the volume of preparation agents in colonoscopy. This clinical trial aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of two types of 1-L PEG-Asc (CleanViewAL ® [Tae Joon Pharmaceutical Company, Seoul, Korea] and Plenvu ® [Norgine, Harefield, United Kingdom]) in average-aged adults. Methods: This study was a prospective, randomized, non-inferiority, open-label, phase 4 clinical trial. The primary endpoint was the efficacy evaluated using the Boston bowel preparation scale (BBPS), and the secondary endpoint was clinical safety. Results: In total, 173 patients were assigned to either the CleanViewAL ® (n=84) or Plenvu ® (n=89) group. Overall cleansing successes of 97.6% (82/84) and 98.8% (88/89) were achieved in the CleanViewAL ® group and in the Plenvu ® group, respectively, showing that CleanViewAL ® has similar bowel cleansing efficacy to Plenvu ® (95% CI, -0.052 to 0.027; p=0.207). The total BBPS score was 8.67±1.00 and 8.70±0.76 in the CleanViewAL ® group and Plenvu ® group, respectively (p=0.869). The most common adverse symptom was nausea, and no adverse symptoms requiring hospitalization were reported in either group. There were no cases of critical hypernatremia and liver dysfunction exceeding the common terminology criteria for adverse events grade I. An overall satisfaction score (scale of 1 to 10) showed no difference between the two groups (p=0.289). However, the CleanViewAL ® group showed a higher taste satisfaction score (scale of 1 to 5) than the Plenvu ® group (CleanViewAL ® : 2.90±0.91, Plenvu ® : 2.60±0.86, p=0.028). Conclusions Both types of 1-L PEG-Asc, CleanViewAL ® and Plenvu ® , are effective and safe bowel cleansing agents in average-aged adults. CleanViewAL ® was preferred in terms of taste satisfaction.

PURPOSE: Few studies have examined acute prostatitis in Korea. To initiate the investigation of this topic, a multi-center retrospective analysis of acute prostatitis was conducted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical records of 335 patients from 13 hospitals, diagnosed with acute prostatitis, between January of 1994 and October of 2004, were reviewed. For each patient, the urine culture, changes in the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) value and the prostate volume, the incidence of prostate abscess, the use of antibiotics, and whether the disease went into remission or progressed to chronic prostatitis were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients, time from the onset of symptom to admission and number of days of admitted were 54.9+/-15.1 (16-85) years, 2.4+/-3.4 (16-85) days and 7.5+/-3.9 (1-25) days, respectively. The chief symptoms of the patients were high fever, dysuria and urinary frequency. Routine urinalysis found pyuria in 82% and hematuria in 70% of patients. The causative organisms of 43.0% of the patients were cultured, with the chief organisms found to be E. coli (67%) and P. aeruginosa (13%), et al. The mean PSA and prostate volume on initial diagnosis were 24.6+/-30.2ng/ml and 45.8 +/-17.4ml, respectively, and a prostate abscess was found in 4 patients (3.1%). The antibiotics injected during patient admission were: cephalosporin family (68%), aminoglycosides (70%) and quinolone family (43%). An additional alpha blocker was used in 49% of cases. Oral quinolone (91%), cephalosporin (9%) and alpha blocker (44%) were prescribed for a mean 32.5 (2-180) days after discharge. 259 (77%) of the patients were available for follow-up. Of these, 21% took antibiotics over an 8 week treatment period, and 8% over a 12 week period. The disappearance of pyuria after treatment was observed in a mean of 13 days after the end of treatment. After 13 weeks of treatment, 11 (50%) of the 22 patients who received prostate massage (4.2% of all follow up patients) were found to have chronic prostatitis. The mean PSA and prostate volume declined during follow up, to 6.13+/-10.38ng/ml and 37.5+/-13.5ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the most common chief symptom of acute prostatitis was a high fever, with the most common causative organism being E. coli. Patients were admitted for approximately one week, and treated with antibiotic for about one month, after which time PSA elevation was observed in 80% of patients. Although all acute prostatitis patients were treated with proper antibiotics, progression to chronic prostatitis was observed in 4.2% of patients.
Abscess ; Aminoglycosides ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Diagnosis ; Dysuria ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Massage ; Patient Admission ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatitis* ; Pyuria ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinalysis