Hantavirus is a genus of the Bunyaviridae family causing two serious diseases, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Puumala virus is a member of hantavirus originally found in Europe, and its natural reservoir is Clethrionomys glareolus. It is also associated with the hurnan disease nephropathia epidemica, a milder form of HFRS. To identify the hantaviruses in bats, bats were collected from Jeong-Sun, Won-Joo, Chung-Ju and Hwa-Cheon area in Korea, and nested RT-PCR was performed with serotype specific primer from M segment. Interestingly, Puumala virus was detected in bats (Rhinolophus ferrum-equinum) only from Won-Joo. The 327 bp nested RT-PCR product, was sequenced. The sequence database search indicates that the sequence is homologous to the published sequence of Puumala viruses. The sequence similarities were ranged from 71% to 97%. The highest sequence similarity was 97% with Puumala virus Vranicam strain, and the lowest was 71% with Puumala virus K27 isolate. Puumala virus Vranicam strain was isolated from a bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) in Bosnia-Hercegovina. Puumala virus K27 was isolated from human in Russia. This analysis confirms that bats (Rhinolophus ferrum-equinum) in Korea are natural reservoir of Puumala virus.
Arvicolinae ; Base Sequence ; Bunyaviridae ; Chiroptera* ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Europe ; Hantavirus ; Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Humans ; Korea* ; Puumala virus* ; Russia ; Sequence Analysis*

Removal of leukocytes from blood components may prevent alloimmunization to leukocyte antigens, febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions, transmission of leukotropic viruses or bacteria, and graft-versus-host disease. New surface-modified fibrous polyester filters were evaluated; they require no special processing of blood components and can be used at the patient's bed-side. Pall RC100TM(Pall Co., USA) was used to filter 2 units of RBCs at a time for a total of 8 filtrations: mean red cell recovery rate was 88.7%, mean WBC removal rate 99. 99%, and mean residual WBC count after filtration 2.77x 10 5. Twelve units of apheresis platelets were filtered with Pall PL50TM(Pall Co., USA): mean platelet recovery rate was 90.7%, mean WBC removal rate 99.95%, and mean residual WBC count after filtration 6.99 x 10 5. This study indicates that these filters efficiently remove WBCs without significant loss of red cells or platelets and that this kind of filters can be easily used at the patient's bed side.
Bacteria ; Blood Component Removal ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Blood Platelets ; Filtration ; Graft vs Host Disease ; HLA Antigens ; Leukocytes* ; Polyesters

Recently hang-back recession is chosen instead of conventional recession to get better result in strabismus surgery. Jampolsky method, a popular method of hang-back recession, has some draw-backs; the extraocular muscle width can be decreased, the center of the muscle can be sagging posteriorly, and the amount of recession can be somewhat shortened than expected in operation. Accordingly, we devised a new modified hang-back recession and compared with Jampolsky method. Two months after respective operation in 7 albino rabbits, the width of the muscle comparing to preoperative condition, the amount of recession, and the sagging of middle part of the muscle were evalvated in comparison with the preoperative findings. The width of muscles was significantly shortened in Jampolsky method in comparison with preoperative condition (p<0.05), but not in our new method (p>0.05). The amount of recession by Jampolsky method was significantly shortened than expected in operation (p<0.05), but not by our new method (p>0.10). The significant sagging of the muscle was found with Jampolsky method (p<0.05), but not with our modified method (p>O.lO). In review of these findings, our new method is devoid of some draw backs of Jampolsky method.
Muscles ; Rabbits ; Strabismus

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to empirically investigate the determinants on oxygen free radical degree which causes biological damage focusing on smoking habit and health behaviors in daily life. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the subjects were adult males who submitted free radical tests among the examinees of the comprehensive medical testings at an university hospital in Suwon from 2008 to 2010. Total 497 samples were used in analyses for clarifying the relations of free radical degree to age, smoking, obesity, and other health behaviors. RESULTS: First, the degree of oxygen free radical increases by 0.164 as the age group increases (P<0.05). Second, the degree of oxygen free radical increases by 0.547 as the smoking habit increases (P<0.001). Third, the degree of oxygen free radical increases by 0.087 as the exposure to hazardous factors in workplace increases (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study imply that the smoking habit has more great influence on the increase of oxygen free radical in body than any other health behaviors. The causality of free radical to smoking and health behavior was not identified due to the limit of the cross-sectional study so it needs to be studied prospectively in the future.
Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Free Radicals ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Oxygen ; Smoke ; Smoking

We experienced a case of congenital tuberculosis infected in utero, who had been found to have massive ascites and pleural effusion on routine ultrasonography at the 39 weeks' gestation. The emergency C-section delivered a male neonate weighing 2,050 g with poor condition and in severe respiratory distress. He was the first child born of a 27-year-old woman, who was diagnosed as having tuberculous pleurisy after delivery. Detection of acidfast bacilli in gastric aspirates obtained from the newborn as well as the clinical features and maternal history confirmed the diagnosis of congenital tuberculosis. Though rare, congenital tuberculosis requires early detection and treatment because of its severity and high mortality. A brief review of the relevant literature was made.
Adult ; Ascites* ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mortality ; Pleural Effusion* ; Pregnancy ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pleural ; Ultrasonography

Of 22 cases of strabismus having surgical operations designed on the basis of A-scan ultrasonography, 19(86%) had less than 10 prism diopters eso-or exodeviation at least 2 months postoperatively; 19 exo-and 3 esodeviations were included in the series. Among 3 cases which had more than 10 prism diopters deviation at final follow up, a true divergence excess type exotropia and a nonaccommodative convergence excess type esotropia were included. With the exception of these 2 cases, 19 among 20 basic tropias(95%) had less than 10 prism diopters deviation. A-scan ultrasonography was done preoperatively to find the diameter and thus the circumference of the globe. This was used with the angle of deviation to estimate the amount of recession and/or resection necessary to correct the deviation. Attention was drawn not to exceed the safe range of recession by considering the oculomotor equator.
Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Ocular Motility Disorders ; Strabismus* ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Blotting, Western ; Cells, Cultured ; Connective Tissue Cells/drug effects/metabolism ; Endothelin-1/*biosynthesis ; Fibroblasts/*drug effects/metabolism ; Humans ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/*pharmacology

No abstract available.
Pancreatic Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To identify causes of conditions presenting with low vision without distinct abnormities in pediatric patients and to determine the appropriate diagnostic approach for those conditions. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of pediatric patients with amblyopia, suspicious amblyopia or visual impairment of unknown origin referred by primary care providers. Patients were classified into 2 groups, amblyopia and visual impairment of unclear origin. In this study, we reviewed and analyzed the visual impairment of unclear origin. RESULTS: Of 152 patients, 94 patients were classified as amblyopia and 58 patients were classified as visual impairment of unclear origin. Among those with visual impairment of unclear origin, 26 patients (44.8%) were classified as functional visual loss, 23 patients (39.7%) as normal corrected visual acuity, 8 patients (13.8%) as organic disease and 1 (1.7%) patient could not be classified. Fundus examination revealed abnormal findings in all patients classified as organic disease. Six patients had optic atrophy and 2 had abnormalities on the macula. Ten patients had an orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Only 1 of 10 MRI scans showed causative abnormality, however, the patient showed an optic atrophy on fundus examination before the MRI scan. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians need to consider a high prevalence of functional visual loss and possibility of occult organic disorders when they evaluate pediatric patients presenting with decreased vision without distinct abnormities. MRI scan is recommended for only selected cases, when optic atrophy is not present.
Amblyopia ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Optic Atrophy ; Orbit ; Prevalence ; Primary Health Care ; Retrospective Studies ; Vision Disorders ; Vision, Low ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: The present study was undertaken to assess whether the results of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture are related to prognosis. METHODS: Subjected to this study were 51 cases admitted to our department who had been diagnosed as bacterial meningitis. They were divided into two groups, Group l (20) with positive CSF culture and Group ll (31) with negative outcome, then both groups were compared. RESULTS: Group l cases tended to be younger than Group ll cases. The male/female ratio was 1.2 in Group l and 1.6 in Group ll. Laboratory findings of CFS were not significantly different in either groups, except for the glucose level, which was markedly lower in Group l than in Group ll. The causative organisms identified from CSF culture were E. coli (5), group B Streptococcus (4) and S. aureus (1) among the 10 cases aged under 2 months. On the other hand, S. pneumoniae were isolated in 7 and H. influenzae in 3 among the 10 older cases. Mortality rate and the incidence of complications were higher in Group l than in Group ll. Mortality rate as related to the causative organism was highest with E. coli, followed by group B Streptococcus, H. influenzae. CONCLUSION: Bacterial meningitis cases with positive CSF culture have significantly lower glucose concentration in the CSF, and also higher rates of mortality and incidence of serious complications than those with negative culture.
Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Glucose ; Hand ; Incidence ; Influenza, Human ; Meningitis, Bacterial* ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Prognosis* ; Streptococcus