BACKGROUND: Several large outbreaks have demonstrated the threat of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in close-contact environments, such as occurs during training and quartering of military recruits training. In South Korea, which is a hospital or healthcare-associated MRSA prevalent area, military service is compulsory for all healthy young men. We surveyed and determined the extent of CA-MRSA colonization in the upper respiratory tracts of Korean military recruits. METHODS: The Korean military recruits who were enrolled in a military training facility from November 2004 to March 2005 were eligible for this study. Sputum or nasopharyngeal swap was obtained from randomly selected subjects who displayed upper respiratory tract symptoms. RESULTS: Of the 181 participants, 32 participants (17.7%) were colonized with S. aureus, and 12 participants (6.6%) were colonized with MRSA. Among the cases that were colonized with S. aureus, 37.5% (12/32) were colonized with MRSA. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed resistant patterns that were suggestive of the CA-MRSA strains for all of the MRSA isolates. CONCLUSION: This study of Korean military recruits found a great deal of showed MRSA colonization in them, and the antimicrobial resistant profile that was suggestive of a CA-MRSA strain. Further efforts to prevent the spread of MRSA infections and careful monitoring for CA-MRSA outbreaks are warranted, especially in a high risk group such as military recruits.
Colon ; Disease Outbreaks ; Humans ; Male ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Military Personnel ; Republic of Korea ; Respiratory System ; Sprains and Strains ; Sputum ; Staphylococcus aureus

BACKGROUND: Several large outbreaks have demonstrated the threat of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in close-contact environments, such as occurs during training and quartering of military recruits training. In South Korea, which is a hospital or healthcare-associated MRSA prevalent area, military service is compulsory for all healthy young men. We surveyed and determined the extent of CA-MRSA colonization in the upper respiratory tracts of Korean military recruits. METHODS: The Korean military recruits who were enrolled in a military training facility from November 2004 to March 2005 were eligible for this study. Sputum or nasopharyngeal swap was obtained from randomly selected subjects who displayed upper respiratory tract symptoms. RESULTS: Of the 181 participants, 32 participants (17.7%) were colonized with S. aureus, and 12 participants (6.6%) were colonized with MRSA. Among the cases that were colonized with S. aureus, 37.5% (12/32) were colonized with MRSA. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed resistant patterns that were suggestive of the CA-MRSA strains for all of the MRSA isolates. CONCLUSION: This study of Korean military recruits found a great deal of showed MRSA colonization in them, and the antimicrobial resistant profile that was suggestive of a CA-MRSA strain. Further efforts to prevent the spread of MRSA infections and careful monitoring for CA-MRSA outbreaks are warranted, especially in a high risk group such as military recruits.
Colon ; Disease Outbreaks ; Humans ; Male ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Military Personnel ; Republic of Korea ; Respiratory System ; Sprains and Strains ; Sputum ; Staphylococcus aureus

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patients with chronic diabetes mellitus (DM) have an increased risk of cardiac dysfunction and mortality. There is some evidence that suggests acute hyperglycemia may cause vascular dysfunction. However, it is unknown whether acute, short-term hyperglycemia affects coronary microcirculation function in healthy subjects. The present study was undertaken to explore this issue. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We evaluated 20 healthy males who had no history of DM or impaired glucose tolerance, ranging in age from 23 to 36 years (25.9+/-3.3 years). We checked blood sugar, 12-lead electrocardiography, pulse wave velocity, and coronary flow reserve using echocardiography during fasting, and 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after ingestion of 75 g of glucose orally. RESULTS: Non-significant prolongation of the QTc dispersion was observed after the 75 g glucose loading. No significant difference in the pulse wave velocity of the carotid-to-femoral artery, carotid-to-radial artery, or femoral-to-dorsalis pedis artery was observed after the 75 g glucose loading. There was a significant reduction in the coronary flow reserve at 60 (4.06+/-0.75 vs. 3.54+/-0.82, p=0.021) and 90 minutes (4.06+/-0.75 vs. 3.59+/-0.63, p=0.021) after the 75 g glucose loading compared to that on fasting. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that acute exposure to high circulating glucose levels does not affect heterogeneity of the ventricular repolarization or arterial stiffness, but it does reduce the coronary flow reserve in healthy young men.
Arteries ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Blood Glucose ; Coronary Vessels ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Eating ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Male ; Microcirculation ; Population Characteristics ; Pulse Wave Analysis ; Vascular Stiffness

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is a immunosuppressive agent increasingly used in organ transplantation and autoimmune disease. We report a case about use of MMF in SLE patient with rapidly worsening renal function. A 24-year old female was admitted due to 1-week history of generalized edema. Despite use of diuretics and conventional supported care, generalized edema was more aggravated and serum creatinine was elevated up to 5.2 mg/dL. Ten days after the initial admission, we started hemodialysis. After hemodialysis, improvement of generalized edema was achieved. Eighteen days after initial hemodialysis, we started corticosteroids and MMF because she shows persistent heavy proteinuria and oliguria. After use of corticosteroids and MMF, clinical improvement of renal complication was achieved in this patient. About 6 weeks later, we could discontinue hemodialysis. On two year follow up duration, she shows good renal function and no evidence of lupus flare-up signs. We suggest MMF is one of therapeutic options for patients with severe lupus nephritis, especially those refractory or intolerant to conventional cytotoxic agents.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Creatinine ; Cytotoxins ; Diuretics ; Edema ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lupus Nephritis* ; Oliguria ; Organ Transplantation ; Proteinuria ; Renal Dialysis ; Transplants ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Poor HLA matched donors may become an additional organ source for renal transplantation. This study is conducted to predict the clinical outcomes of renal transplantation in a poor HLA matched group (0 or 1 or 2 HLA matching) by comparing them with those of HLA haploidentical group. METHODS: This study compared a poor HLA matched group (N=89) with HLA haploidentical group (N=79) to analyze differences between two groups in graft survival, incidence of acute rejection, cause of graft failure, posttransplant serum creatinine at 1, 2, 3, 5 years. Total 168 cases, appeared in the medical records for more than six months in Bong-Saeng Hospital, from December, 1984 to March, 2004 were traced and identified as relevant cases for this study. RESULTS: Allograft survival rate at 1, 3, 5, 10 years for poor HLA matched group and HLA haploidentical group were 100%, 98.6%, 95.4%, 72.5% and 100%, 100%, 96.1%, 86.2% (p=not significant) respectively. Acute rejection developed in 25.8% of poor HLA matched group versus 18.9% of HLA haploidentical group (p=not significant). The most common causes of graft failure in both groups were chronic rejection. CONCLUSIONS: It should be actively encouraged to consider renal transplantation in a poor HLA matched group as the results of this study support that the clinical outcomes of renal transplantation in a poor HLA matched group are equivalent to those of HLA haploidentical group.
Allografts ; Creatinine ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Medical Records ; Research Design ; Survival Rate ; Tissue Donors* ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Cryopreservation* ; Embryonic Stem Cells* ; Humans* ; Vitrification

The authors present a case of post-traumatic tension pneumocephalus of delayed onset. A 23-year-old man fell down and was admitted to our hospital with initial diagnosis of basal skull fracture associated with small amounts of pneumocephalus on brain computerized tomography(CT). At admission, the consciousness was alert without focal neurological deficit. During conservative therapy, headache was slowly progressive and consciousness became drowsy on 13th day after admission. The brain follow-up CT showed huge low air density lesion in the right frontal area. We performed unilateral subfrontal craniotomy with duroplasty for removal of air and dural repair with galea aponeurotica and abdominal fat. Postoperatively, the condition was recovered.
Abdominal Fat ; Brain ; Consciousness ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Craniotomy ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache ; Humans ; Pneumocephalus* ; Skull Fractures ; Young Adult

The local laser solidification treatment among the therapys of age-related macular degeneration, which is immensely important in the field of ophthalmology, has been admited to be of effect. The accurate scope and the times of the cure not only play a important role of convalescence but also have a great influence on eyesight in the laser remedy. The retinal image photographed by a recent technology of ICG(Indocyanine Green) give us easy observation of avascular zone, and let us understand and predict objectively the degree of age-related macular degeneration. In this paper, we introduce the ICGI Analyzer and explain ICG image analysis methods that masure in quantities regions of hyperfluorescein area by choroidal neovascularization and detect transformations of it by image processing techniques. Also, we descript a method that ophthalmologist classify ICGA into several types on the basis of position of CNV(Choroidal NeoVascularization) using this system. We present results of applying ICG retinal image of patients to ICG Analyzer and typical frequency of age-related macular degeneration investigated by experts for testing the objectivity and accuracy of proposed methods.
Angiography* ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Convalescence ; Humans ; Indocyanine Green* ; Linear Energy Transfer ; Macular Degeneration ; Ophthalmology ; Retinaldehyde*

Hypertensive encephalpathy is defined as severe hypertension in association with headache, nausea and vomiting, visual disturbances, confusion, stupor and coma. The pathophysiological mechanism is incompletely understood and causing as a result of failure of the upper limit of cerebral vascular autoregulation. Magnetic resonance imaging shows a characteristics posterior leukoencephalopathy, predominantly affects the white matter of the parietal and occipital lobes. Hypertensive encephalopathy are potentially reversible with timely and appropriate treatment. We experienced a case of hypertensive encephalopathy after normal vaginal delivery and report this case with a brief review of the literatures.
Coma ; Headache ; Hemorrhage* ; Homeostasis ; Hypertension ; Hypertensive Encephalopathy* ; Leukoencephalopathies ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nausea ; Occipital Lobe ; Postpartum Period* ; Rabeprazole ; Stupor ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of clomiphene/hMG combined superovulation with intrauterine insemination on pregnancy outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-one cycles of clomiphene/hMG combined superovulation with intrauterine insemination in forty-three infertile couples were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: The overall pregnancy rate was 39.5% per patient and 20.9% per cycle. Each pregnancy rate of infertility due to ovulatory dysfunction, unexplained infertility and endometriosis was 43.8%, 40.0%, and 25.0% per patient respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Clomiphene/hMG superovulation with intrauterine insemination is a simple, cost effective and safe treatment modality in the management of infertility, and may improve a pregnancy rate.
Endometriosis ; Family Characteristics* ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Insemination* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Superovulation*