Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the current status of bariatric and metabolic surgery in Daejeon and Chungcheong province and to describe the early experiences after public medical insurance coverage in 2019. Materials and Methods: Between January 2019 and August 2019, 64 cases of bariatric and metabolic surgery were performed in patients with morbid obesity or uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. We prospectively collected and analyzed data regarding the patients’ demographics and comorbidities, surgical results, and early complications. The patient information before and after the insurance coverage was also compared. Results: The number of surgeries in 9 years has been caught up only in the last 8 months after insurance coverage (58 vs. 64 patients). The mean body mass index was 37.7±5.8 kg/m2 (range, 22.7-52.1 kg/m2). The most frequently performed surgery was sleeve gastrectomy (53 cases, 82.8%), followed by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (9 cases, 14.1%), and adjustable gastric banding (2 cases, 3.1%). Postoperative complications occurred in 6 patients (9.4%), and there was no mortality. The mean operation time (225.3±85.4 vs. 156.1±61.8 min, P＜0.001) and postoperative stay (5.9±4.5 vs. 4.3±2.0 days, P=0.013) after the insurance coverage were significantly shorter than those before the insurance coverage. Conclusion We could assess the patients who had bariatric and metabolic surgery in Daejeon and Chungcheong province after public medical insurance coverage in 2019.

PURPOSE: The aim of our study is to investigate the current status of metabolic and bariatric surgery in Daejeon and Chungcheong province and examine the role and necessity of the community research society. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 58 patients who underwent bariatric and metabolic surgery from January 2010 to June 2018 were included. Patients' demographics and comorbidities, operation type and early complications were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean age was 36.9±11.4 (range, 18–64) years, and mean preoperative body mass index was 39.2±6.9 (range, 24.6–56.1) kg/m². The most frequently performed operation was sleeve gastrectomy (48 cases, 82.8%), followed by adjustable gastric banding (8 cases, 13.8%) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (2 cases, 3.4%). Postoperative complications were reported in two patients; however, no mortality was reported. CONCLUSION: We investigated the patients who underwent metabolic and bariatric surgery in Daejeon Chungcheong province. Our research society will continue to ensure safe operation and proper management of morbidly obese patients in our community.
Bariatric Surgery ; Body Mass Index ; Comorbidity ; Demography ; Gastrectomy ; Gastric Bypass ; Humans ; Mortality ; Obesity ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cat-scratch disease (CSD), caused by Bartonella henselae is one of the most common zoonosis. However, only several cases of B. henselae infection have been reported in Korea. This study investigated the seroprevalence of B. henselae in healthy adults and related risk factors. METHODS: Serum samples from 300 healthy participants were analyzed using an immunoglobulin G immunof luorescence assay (IFA) for B. henselae isolated in Korea. Surveys on the risk factors for B. henselae infection were conducted simultaneously. RESULTS: Of the participants, 47.7% and 15.0% raised dogs and cats, respectively. The overall seroprevalence of B. henselae was 15.0% (IFA titer ≥ 1:64). Participants who had raised cats showed 22.2% seropositivity against B. henselae, and those with no experience with cats showed 13.7% seroprevalence (p = 0.17). Participants who had cats as pets or been scratched by cats, showed 9.8% seropositivity against B. henselae (IFA titer ≥ 1:256). However, those who had not raised or been scratched by a cat showed 2.0% seropositivity (p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: In Korea, the seroprevalence of B. henselae is higher than expected, suggesting that Bartonella infection due to B. henselae is not uncommon. Cats are proposed to play a more important role than dogs in transmission of CSD.
Adult* ; Animals ; Bartonella henselae* ; Bartonella Infections ; Bartonella* ; Cat-Scratch Disease ; Cats ; Dogs ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Korea* ; Risk Factors ; Seroepidemiologic Studies*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cat-scratch disease (CSD), caused by Bartonella henselae is one of the most common zoonosis. However, only several cases of B. henselae infection have been reported in Korea. This study investigated the seroprevalence of B. henselae in healthy adults and related risk factors. METHODS: Serum samples from 300 healthy participants were analyzed using an immunoglobulin G immunof luorescence assay (IFA) for B. henselae isolated in Korea. Surveys on the risk factors for B. henselae infection were conducted simultaneously. RESULTS: Of the participants, 47.7% and 15.0% raised dogs and cats, respectively. The overall seroprevalence of B. henselae was 15.0% (IFA titer ≥ 1:64). Participants who had raised cats showed 22.2% seropositivity against B. henselae, and those with no experience with cats showed 13.7% seroprevalence (p = 0.17). Participants who had cats as pets or been scratched by cats, showed 9.8% seropositivity against B. henselae (IFA titer ≥ 1:256). However, those who had not raised or been scratched by a cat showed 2.0% seropositivity (p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: In Korea, the seroprevalence of B. henselae is higher than expected, suggesting that Bartonella infection due to B. henselae is not uncommon. Cats are proposed to play a more important role than dogs in transmission of CSD.
Adult* ; Animals ; Bartonella henselae* ; Bartonella Infections ; Bartonella* ; Cat-Scratch Disease ; Cats ; Dogs ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Korea* ; Risk Factors ; Seroepidemiologic Studies*

BACKGROUND: Kojic acid was used for decades in the cosmetic industry as an antimelanogenic agent. However, there are two major drawbacks of Kojic acid, one is cytotoxicity and second are instability on storage. These limitations led the scientist to synthesize the active Kojic acid peptides. OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we synthesize and investigate the effect of five Kojic acid peptides to overcome the limitation of Kojic acid. METHODS: The peptide was analyzed and purified by high-performance liquid chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectroscopy. Further, the tyrosinase activities of the Kojic acid and Kojic acid peptides were compared. The toxicity was measured and the melanin content is recorded in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. RESULTS: Maximum tyrosinase activity was measured by Kojic acid peptides. Therefore, Kojic acid peptides were subjected to melanin assay and cytotoxicity assay and finally the stability of the Kojic acid peptide was measured. CONCLUSION: It was observed that this newly synthesized Kojic acid peptide is stable and potent to inhibit the tyrosinase activity and melanin content of B16F10 mouse melanoma cells without exhibiting cell toxicity. Together, these preliminary results suggest that a further exploration is being needed to establish Kojic acid peptide as antimelanogenic agent.
Animals ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Mass Spectrometry ; Melanins ; Melanoma ; Mice ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Peptides

Despite nation-wide immunization with O, A, and Asia 1 type vaccines in Republic of Korea, foot-and-mouth disease type O occurred again in July 2014 after three years and three months. This virus was a Mya-98 strain of the Southeast Asian topotype and was most similar to the identified type that circulated in East Asia in 2014. This was new virus with the deletion of 23 amino acids in 3A/3B1 region and low pathogenic property.
Amino Acids ; Animals ; Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Far East ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus* ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease* ; Humans ; Immunization ; Korea* ; Republic of Korea ; Sequence Deletion ; Vaccination ; Vaccines

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are attractive candidates for clinical repair or regeneration of damaged tissues. Oct4 and Sox2, which are essential transcription factors for pluripotency and self-renewal, are naturally expressed in MSCs at low levels in early passages, and their levels gradually decrease as the passage number increases. Therefore, to improve MSC proliferation and stemness, we introduced human Oct4 and Sox2 for conferring higher expansion and differentiation capabilities. The Oct4-IRES-Sox2 vector was transfected into human adipose tissue MSCs (ATMSCs) by liposomal transfection and used directly. Oct4 and Sox2 were successfully transfected into ATMSCs, and we confirmed maintenance of MSC surface markers without alterations in both red fluorescent protein (RFP) (control) and Oct4/Sox2-ATMSCs. Enhanced proliferative activity of Oct4/Sox2-ATMSCs was shown by WST-1 assay, and this result was further confirmed by cell counting using trypan blue exclusion for a long period. In addition, FACs cell cycle analysis showed that there was a reduction in the fraction of Oct4/Sox2-ATMSCs in G1 with a concomitant increase in the fraction of cells in S, compared with RFP-ATMSCs. Increased levels of cyclin D1 were also seen in Oct4/Sox2-ATMSCs, indicating acceleration in the transition of cells from G1 to S phase. Furthermore, Oct4/Sox2-overexpressing ATMSCs showed higher differentiation abilities for adipocytes or osteoblasts than controls. The markers of adipogenic or osteogenic differentiation were also upregulated by Oct4/Sox2 overexpression. The improvement in cell proliferation and differentiation using Oct4/Sox2 expression in ATMSCs may be a useful method for expanding the population and increasing the stemness of ATMSCs.
Adipose Tissue/cytology ; *Cell Differentiation ; *Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells/cytology/*metabolism/physiology ; Octamer Transcription Factor-3/genetics/*metabolism ; SOXB1 Transcription Factors/genetics/*metabolism

We report the case of a patient who suffered two events of sudden cardiac arrests separately. Sudden onset of dyspnea and cardiac arrests occurred during cesarean section in a 35-year-old woman who delivered premature baby. Instant chest compression and epinephrine 1 mg was administered. She was diagnosed to have a placenta previa totalis with bleeding preoperatively and placenta accreta was noted intraoperatively. Cesarean hysterectomy was performed due to excessive hemorrhage associated with uterine atony. Another cardiac arrests occurred during hysterectomy. After instant successful resuscitation, she recovered her heart rhythm and transferred to tertiary hospital safely. She was discharged about two months later without any major physical or neurocognitive deficits.
Cesarean Section ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Dyspnea ; Emergencies ; Epinephrine ; Female ; Heart ; Heart Arrest ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Placenta ; Placenta Accreta ; Placenta Previa ; Pregnancy ; Resuscitation ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thorax ; Uterine Inertia

No abstract available.
Catheters

PURPOSE: Osteoma is one of the common benign tumors of the skull vault and facial skeleton. Although most of the osteomas cause no symptoms, forehead osteomas may lead to facial disfigurement. Osteoma usually happens in solitary lesion and multiple osteomas which don't combine with syndrome are very rare. We report an experience of treatment of non-syndromic multiple osteomas in the skull. METHODS: A 54-year-old female patient visited due to the multiple palpable hard masses on her forehead in 2010. In 2002 of her first visit, masses started to appear on her forehead and she was diagnosed as the osteoma by excisional biopsy. She visited again because the mass size and number increased. In preoperative CT scanning, there were above 160 of osteomas, so surgery was planned. Enterogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy was conducted to rule out Gardener's syndrome, however there was no abnormality such as multiple polyposis. RESULTS: Under general anesthesia, coronal approach was conducted. There were numerous osteomas in frontal and parietal bone. The multiple osteomas were removed by burring and the patient recovered without any postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Multiple osteomas in the skull were rarely reported, although it can accompanied with Gardener's syndrome. We report a case of non-syndromic multiple osteomas in skull vault.
Anesthesia, General ; Biopsy ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Osteoma ; Parietal Bone ; Skeleton ; Skull