Wound healing effect of regenerated oxidized cellulose versus fibrin sealant patch: An in vivo study

BACKGROUND: Topical hemostatic agents are used when ligation, electrocauterization, or other conventional hemostatic methods are impractical. Because a hemostatic agent is a foreign body, it can cause foreign body reactions, inflammation, and infections that can interfere with the wound healing process. Therefore, we should select hemostatic agents after considering their effects on wound healing. Here, we compared the effects of hemostatic agents on wound healing in a rectus abdominis muscle defect in rats. METHODS: Twelve Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to creation of a 6 × 6 mm defect in the rectus abdominis muscle and divided into four groups: control group; group A, Tachosil fibrin sealant patch; group B, Surgicel Fibrillar oxidized regenerated cellulose; and group C, Surgicel Snow oxidized regenerated cellulose. For the histologic analysis, biopsies were performed on the 3rd, 7th, and 27th days. RESULTS: The foreign body reaction was the weakest in group A and most significant in group C. The inflammatory cell infiltration was the weakest in group A and similar in groups B and C. Muscle regeneration differed among periods. The rats in group A were the most active initially, while those in group C showed prolonged activity. CONCLUSION: Tachosil and Surgicel administration increased inflammation via foreign body reactions, but the overall wound healing process was not significantly affected. The increased inflammation in the Surgicel groups was due to a low pH. We recommend using Tachosil, because it results in less intense foreign body reactions than Surgicel and faster wound healing due to the fibrin action.

Amylosporus sulcatus sp. nov. (Russulales, Basidiomycota) from Southern China

Amylosporus sulcatus sp. nov. is described from Nonggang Nature Reserve, southern China, on the basis of morphological and molecular data. The morphological description and illustrations for the new species are provided. The species is characterized by pileate and stipitate basidiocarps. The pileus surface is obviously concentrically and radiately sulcate and tomentum, and the pore surface is snow white. Phylogenetic analyses based on sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA confirmed it to be a new species.

Relationship between concentrations of heavy metals in wet precipitation and atmospheric PM[10] particles in Zanjan, Iran

In this article the heavy metal concentrations in atmospheric wet precipitation and its relationship with the particles [PM[10]] in the air of the city of Zanjan are reported. Two hundreds samples of rain water and snow were collected with 45 particle samples collected monthly. Heavy metals in wet and dry samples were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometery. The use of enrichment factors and correlation coefficients allowed us to predict the major sources of these metals. The ranges of concentration of Pb, Zn, Cr and Cd in rain water [micro g/L] were 5.8-22.2, 29.26-70, 1.4-4 and 0.25-1.2, respectively. The results showed that the concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cr and Cd in wet precipitation and [PM[10]] in samples collected in southern parts of the city where the traffic load and industrial activities are very high [zone 4], were 22.2, 70, 1.2 and 4 [micro g/L] and 840, 16233, 32 and 54.8 [ng/m[3]], respectively. These values were higher than those measured in the other parts of the city. Most of the calculated enrichment factors higher than 10 were attributed to the traffic and industrial activities. The enrichment factor and correlation coefficient values showed that the heavy metals in the air of Zanjan originate from similar sources. The concentration of particulate matter in 30 air samples of total 45 samples were found to be higher than 50 micro g/m[3]. The average concentrations of Pb and Cd in the city center and near the industrial complexes were higher than World Health Organization standards

Recent Trend and Transition of Last 10 Years of Ski and Snowboard Injuries / 대한스포츠의학회지

To analysis the trend of ski and snow board injury, and use this study result in designing injuries prevention strategy. We studied 25,292 patients who had the ski and snow board injuries in a ski resort in Pyeongchang Gun, Gangwon Do, Korea during 1999-2001 season, 2005-2007 season, and 2008-2010 season. They were studied with a questionnaires, physical examination and radiograph. And the analysis was based on age, sex, injury type and site and slope level of difficulty. Snow board related injury have increased, injury to teens and thirties increased, injury to female snowboarder increased (p<0.001), contusion type of ski and snow board injury increased (p<0.001) and upper extremity injury increased but beginner grade slope injury (p<0.001) decreased since last 10 years. The overall type and site of ski and snowboard injuries have changed due to increased snowboard injury, gender and age of them have shown the diversity since last 10 years.

Clinical analysis of pediatric patients who visited a general hospital emergency center / 소아과

PURPOSE: Through a clinical and retrospective analysis of pediatric patients who visited the Regional Emergency Medical Center of Masan Samsung Hospital from January 2007 to December 2008, we characterized pediatric and adolescent emergency patients to improve emergency care in future. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 14,065 pediatric patients below 19 years of age. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was 1.5:1, and the most common age group was less than 3 years (49.6%). The peak month was May (10.0%), the peak day of the week was Sunday (24.7%), and the peak time of day was 20:00.20:59 (8.5%). There was no difference in the number of visits per day based on weather (sunny, rain [below 10 mm per day], snow, and fog) or daily temperature difference; however, visits increased on sandy, dusty days and decreased on rainy days with more than 10 mm of rain per day. Based on the international classification of disease (ICD)-10 system, the most common disease code was code R (symptoms, sign, and abnormal clinical laboratory finding) (31.5%), and the most common symptom was fever (13.1%). Final outcomes were discharged (73.8%), admitted (25.7%), transferred (0.4%), and expired (0.1%). In adolescent patients aged 15.19 years, the most common disease code was Injury & Poisoning (code S&T, 36.9%); the most common symptom was abdominal pain (9.6%). CONCLUSION: Pediatric patients visiting the emergency center were most likely to be male and under 3 years of age and to visit between 20:00 and 21:00 on Sundays and in May, and the most common symptom was fever. Differences between adolescents and pediatric patients showed that adolescents had a higher visiting rate with abdominal pain and a larger temperature difference.

Analysis of a Temporal Cluster of Shigella Boydii Isolates in Mpumalanga; South Africa; November to December 2007

Background: Shigellosis is a global human health problem. The disease is most prevalent in developing countries with poor access to safe potable water and sanitation. Shigella boydii is of particular epidemiological importance in developing nations such as African and Asian countries. In the present study; we report on the analysis of a temporal cluster of 29 S. boydii serotype 2 strains; isolated in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa (SA) over the period of November to December 2007. Methodology: Bacteria were identified as S. boydii using standard microbiological identification techniques and serotyped using commercially available antisera. Susceptibility testing to antimicrobial agents was determined by the Etest. Genotypic relatedness of strains was investigated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis of digested genomic DNA. Results: The cluster of 29 isolates revealed comparable antimicrobial susceptibility profiles; while dendrogram analysis of PFGE patterns showed that the cluster of isolates grouped together and could clearly be differentiated from a random selection of unrelated S. boydii serotype 2 strains. Our data has strongly suggested that this cluster of isolates may share a common ancestry. However; this cannot be substantiated by epidemiological data because a detailed epidemiological investigation was not conducted. Conclusions: We have documented the first cluster of S. boydii infection in SA. Due to the lack of adequate epidemiological investigation; we cannot emphatically state that an outbreak had occurred. However; we do hypothesis that this was an outbreak for which a waterborne source cannot be excluded. This study has highlighted the urgent need for timely and appropriate systems of epidemiological investigation of all suspected outbreaks of disease in developing countries

Surgical Correction of Hexadactyly: Innovation of New Technique and Its Application

PURPOSE: Hexadactyly without thumb is a rare congenital anomaly of the hand where six triphalangeal digits are symmetrically distributed without thumb. Contrary to mirror hands, triphalangeal six digits are symmetrically distributed on each side at the midline with well-differentiated carpal bones, extensor tendons, one ulna and one radius. The authors developed a new surgical technique based on a three-dimensional concept to correct the hexadactyly and applied to 2 cases of hexadactyly with good functional and aesthetic results. Here we document the surgical technique and its result. METHODS: A 16 month old male patient visited our clinic with chief complaints of bilateral hexadactyly deformity. On physical examination most radial first and second digits showed no opposition and adduction motion on both side hands. Radiography showed 6 triphalangeal digits with normal development of carpal, radial and ulnar bone. Right side abnormality was corrected by removal of most radial side extra-digit, rotation and migration of 2nd ray to thumb position and creation of 1st web by transposing a mid-palm based rectangular palmar flap as in Snow & Littler procedure which has been being applied for correction of 1st web syndactyly in cleft hand deformity. Seven months later, left side abnormality was also corrected with the same procedure. RESULTS: Postoperative appearances of the both hands were satisfactory. Flexion, extension, opposition and grasping were possible with the pollicized 2nd ray. Pinching power was 3.0kg 15 months after the surgery and 2.5kg 22 months after in right hand respectively. CONCLUSION: In correction of hexadactyly deformity, satisfactory aesthetic and relevant functional results can be expected with authors' newly developed technique: removal of most radial digit, rotation and migration of 2nd digit to thumb position as well as creation of the 1st web space by transposition of mid-palm based rectangular flap.

Illness and Experiences of the Body Among Aged Women / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of present study was to discover the experience of the body of aged women, having had disease. Thus, the researcher tried to explore the perception of the informants and the context in which this perception emerged. METHODS: 9 aged women who had disease or trauma were recruited by snow balling and theoretical sampling methods. The iterative data collection and analyzing process proceeded between September, 1999 and January, 2005. Questions posed to the informants included: "What major change in your body comes from the disease?" "How did you feel about yourself after having had disease?". Data from interviews and participant observation was taken as text. The text was analyzed using the ongoing process of qualitative content analysing method and taxonomy of Spradley. RESULTS: Disease gives aged women a chance to reinforce the meaning of their body: the body as the most low valued component of a human, the body as a wholistic field of interacting each component of human and with natural environment and cosmos, and the body as a source of group identity. These meanings were constructed in their life world by the rules of hierarchy, reciprocity, and group cohesiveness. CONCLUSIONS: The human body is constructed as a cultural being by a social process. Nursing is concerned with the biological body and the social body. The results of this study can serve to help understand the socialization of the body and to construct a somology of nursing.

Variabilidade temporal e espacial do tamanho de amostra da temperatura mínima do ar no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil / Spatial and temporal variability of sample size to minimum air temperature in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

Com o objetivo de verificar a existência de variabilidade temporal e espacial do tamanho de amostra da temperatura mínima do ar média mensal de trinta e sete municípios do Rio Grande do Sul, utilizaram-se os dados de temperatura mínima do ar do período de 1931 a 2000. Determinou-se o tamanho de amostra da temperatura mínima do ar média mensal em cada mês e município. Realizou-se análise de agrupamento dos meses e dos municípios pelo método hierárquico "vizinho mais distante". Há variabilidade do tamanho de amostra (número de anos) para a estimativa da temperatura mínima do ar média mensal no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul no tempo e no espaço. Maior tamanho de amostra, no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, é necessário nos meses de maio, junho e julho, com diminuição gradativa em direção a janeiro e dezembro. Há variabilidade do tamanho de amostra entre os municípios do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul.

Evento adverso: nevada y helada en Potosí (Sud Lípez) / Adverse event: snowfall and frost in Potosí (South Lifish)

Este documento constituye un informe sobre el desastre natural ocurrido en el Departamento de Potosí, detalla la situación en la que se encuentra ese departamento, los riesgos identificados, los recursos con los cuales se disponen, las actividades a realizar y las responsabilidades

Prevention and Management of Fractures with Seasonal Prevalence in Winter

Seasonal variations of fractures are concerned with seasonal sports injuries and pathologic fractures in elderly osteoporotic patients. Despite various attempts at prevention, injuries in downhill skiing especially free style, snowboarding, snowmobile, and tobogganing continue to be seasonal recreational problem. Knee injuries in skiing can be prevented by health education as well as self-releasing test for the binder. Injury of the upper extremity in snowboarding and of the spine in snowmobile also can be reduced by education program. Another aspect of seasonal variation of fractures is related to the osteoporosis in elderly patients. Distal radius fractures, hip fractures, and compression fractures of the spine are common problems in winter. The high incidences these fractures in winter are not only due to ice and snow but also related to the daylight hours and level of vitamin D. So we can reduce the incidence of these fractures by snow clearing, sand and salt spreading in strategic areas, slip-preventive aids on shoes, sometimes padding for older women, and most of all, early detection and treatment of osteoporosis in elderly people.

Heladas / Frosts

Conceptos y conocimientos sobre las heladas y medidas de protección y acción para prevenir y protegerse de sus efectos. Contenido: 1) Introducción. 2) Definición de heladas. 3) Factores meteorológicos que intervienen en la ocurrencia de heladas. 4) Elementos meteorológicos que afectan la formación de heladas: viento, nubosidad, humedad atmosférica y radiación solar. 5) Clasificación de las heladas. 6) Efectos de las heladas en los cultivos. 7) Diferencia entre helada y nevada. 8) Distribución de las heladas. 9) Medidas de protección contra las heladas. 10) Recomendaciones para protección civil. 11) Estadísticas de heladas en la República Mexicana de 1989 a 2001. Conclusión. Glosario. Bibliografía

Physical Health Status and Depression of a Community-Dwelling Elderly Group / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe physical health and depression status, as well as to assessing factors that influence the physical health status. METHOD: The data was collected from July to August 2000. Study participants were 252 community-dwelling elderly who were recruited from 10 senior centers located in Seoul, Korea. Their physical health status was measured using the Physical Health Status Measurement Scale developed by Choi and Jung (1991), and depression was measured using BDI-II developed by Beck et al. (1996). RESULTS: 1) The physical health status score was 4.00 +/-0.68 (range :1-5). The sub-dimension that showed the highest score was personal hygiene ability at 4.62+/-0.95, and the lowest score was sexual function at 2.20+/-1.38. 2. The depression score was 17.99+9.79 (range : 0-63). Regarding the sub-dimensions, the depression scores were higher in the domain of interest with sexuality, general weakness, difficulty in concentration, and fatigue. 3. Deeper levels of depression were correlated with a declining physical health status. 4. The most influential factor on physical health was depression, and the explaining variance was 31.68%. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that elder subjects in senior centers had fairly good physical health and self-care ability. Also, they did not have significantly high levels of depression. Therefor, health promotion of elderly, it is recommended that elder individuals should be regarded as a respectful and useful segment of our society. Along with this basic concept, there should be a social milieu that does not snow prejudice. Moreover, health care professionals should give more attention to helping the elderly achieve a minimal level of ALD, and, particularly, to raise sexuality and help energize the lives of elder individuals.

Upper Extremity Injuries in Snow Skiers - Twelve Years Investigation in Korea / 대한정형외과학회잡지

A retrospective analysis was conducted on ski injury collected in past 12 years, from 1982 to 1995, exception of 1986 and 1987 at the Young Pyeong Ski Resort in Korea. A total of 3,093,667 skiers during the 12 years period are cohort of this investigation. Of 3,093,667 skiers, 7,172 injuries were indexed by anatomic region and severity according to diagnosis on initial evaluation. The frequency of injury changes from 3.4 to 1.5 per 1,000 skier-days during the 12 years. The rate of upper extremity to lower extremity injury increased from 1:1.33 to 1:0.89 during the study period(P<0.005). The most common upper extremity injury pattern was simple injury including laceration and contusion(74.2%). The ulnar collateral ligament injury of thumb make up of 6.5% of all injuries. In conclusion, upper extremity skiing injury was related to 1) Skiers activity level, 2) Skiers skill, 3) Degree of fatigue, 4) Slope condition, 5) Improvement of ski equipment, and 6) Increased skiing population density.

Seroprevalence of Norwalk-Like Viruses in Seoul: Detection Using Baculovirus-Expressed Norwalk Virus Capsid Antigen

The present study was designed to estimate the seroprevalence of NLVs among diarrheagenic children and in healthy adults in Seoul and its vicinity with the use of an EIA and an Western blot (WB) based on recombinant Norwalk virus capsid protein (rNV) and crude virus preparations as antigen. Seroconversion was observed in 34 (83%) of 41 tested using the EIA and in 21 (54%) of 39 using the WB, suggesting that the NLVs with epitopes common to rNV are prevalent in Seoul area. Diarrheal children who were known to have been infected with several other strains of the NLVs showed no significant antibody response to the rNV. Infection with rNV occurred earlier in life: primary infections with rNV were common before the age of 6 months and over 91% of children had evidence of infection by that age by the EIA. Since the amount of the NLV antigens available for seroepidemiologic surveys is limited, we tried to detect NLV antibody by using crude virus preparations as antigen. One crude virus preparation of a child whose stool yielded genetically distinct NLV revealed the presence of the plural number of bands upon SDS-PAGE, but precipitated only one band (62 kDa) after the WB with a serum (collected 10 days after the onset of symptoms) of another diarrheal child. The WB assay we present in this report revealed that the NLVs are prevalent among Korean population and that the sera contained antibody to a single major structural protein, with molecular sizes of 58 to 62 kDa, compatible with the sizes reported for the Norwalk virus and Snow Mountain agent proteins, respectively. When the results of the WB were compared with those obtained by the EIA, the EIA antibody assay was sensitive enough to detect an antibody rise of as much as 4096-fold but not as specific as the WB. The WB assay presented in this paper will provide a powerful tool to elucidate not only antigenic structures of the NLVs but also seroepidemiology of the NLV infection. The availability of an unlimited source of antigen will enable a large scale serologic studies that will greatly increase our understanding of the role of NLVs in human enteric illness.

Genotypic Variations among Human Calciviruses in Korea: 1987-1994

Sequence comparison of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of human caliciviruses (HuCVs) from Korean children with gastroenteritis revealed significant genetic variation among them. cDNA clones were produced from the HuCVs collected from pediatric population during a period of 1987-1994. The application of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers directed to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase region within ORF1 of Norwalk virus (NV) showed that 13.7% of HuCVs yielded PCR products of similar size to the NV prototype, NV8Flla/68/US, with exceptions of HuCV185/87/Korea and HuCV1115/90/Korea. Computer analyses showed that the PCR products had a continuous protein encoding frame on the positive strand, and contained GLPSG and YGDD amino acid motifs at the predicted distance from primers. Alignment of the amino acid sequences of HuCVs with previously published sequences for Snow Mountain agent (SMA), NV, and Sapporo/82/Japan indicated that these strains can be divided into four major genogroups. There were 10 (45%) SMA-like CVs, one (4.5%) NV-like HuCVs, two (9%) Sapporo-like HuCVs, and nine (41%) unidentified HuCVs. This fourth genogroup should be investigated further. HuCV185/87/Korea and HuCV1115/90/Korea, Sapporo-like CVs, were genetically distinct from previously characterized HuCVs and more closely related to known animal CVs. One of the animal CV-like strain, HuCV185/87/Korea, showed nucleotide and amino acid homology of only 67% and 73% with the prototype Sapporo/82/Japan. Further characterization of animal and human CV genomes and studies of possible cross-transmission of CVs from animals to humans are likely to be beneficial in understanding the epidemiology of HuCVs.

Human Caliciviruses in Korea: A New Prevalent Group Defined by RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Diversity

Human caliciviruses (HuCVs) cause sporadic cases and outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Three maior genogrovps of HuCVs have been described including the Norwalk virus (NV)-, the Snow Mountain virus (SMA)-, and the Sapporo-genogroups. This study describes the detection and genetic variation of HuCVs from hospitalized infants with AGE in Korea by RT-PCR and sequencing. The cDNA fragments of 206 to 470bp corresponding to the region of 3 primer pairs (36/35, 35/51 or 3/51) in the polymerase region of NV were generated. Of 185 stools screened, 8% were positive by RT-PCR and their sequences showed that all strains contained the GLPSG and YGDD motifs which are conserved for HuCVs. Amino acid (aa) sequence analysis showed that these strains can be divided into 3 maior genogroups. High conservation was observed in that one strain shares 100% of as sequence with Southampton virus, another shares 99% with the Sapporo virus, and six strains share 90 to 95% with Snow Mountain virus. However, significant sequence variation was also found in other strains. This study indicates that all maior genogroups of HuCVs are circulating in Korea.

Norwalk-Like Viruses, A Common Cause of Sporadic Acute Gastroenteritis in korean Children

Norwalk-like virus (NLV), one of the emerging enteric pathogens in sporadic cases and outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis (AG) worldwide, are 30-35 nm in diameter and have a single stranded RNA genome, size 7.6 kb. As genomic sequence data from several isolates of NLVs are being reported, the genetic relationships among these viruses are now being described. Based on the level of sequence similarity in the RNA polymerase region of NLVs, at least three genogroups can be defined: the Norwalk virus (NV)-, the Snow Mountain agent (SMA)-, and the Sapporo-genogroups. A high prevalence of serum antibody to NV-related viruses but no antigenpositve stools (either observed to contain the NLV by immune electron microscopy or suspected of containing the NLV) has suggested that genomically different NLVs are present among Korean children. The purpose of our work therefore was to detect NLVs from Korean infants and children with AG and to characterize the partial genome (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase region) of currently circulating Korean isolates. The cDNA fragments of 110 to 470 bp corresponding to the RNA polymerase region were generated by reverase transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using three primer pairs (36/35, 36/51, or 36/101) derived from the prototype NV (8FIIaNV/68/US). Of 279 stool samples tested, 25 (9%) specimens were positive by RT-PCR and the amplified productscontained GLPSG and YGDD amino acid motifs, characteristic of positive-strand RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, at the predicted distance from the primers. In 6% of the infectious episodes with diarrhea, NLVs appeared to be the sole pathogen. Double infections occurred mainly with rotavirus and triple infections occured with both rotavirus and adenovirus or with both rotavirus and astrovirus. This study indicates that NLVs are a common cause of sporadic AG in Korean infants.

Expression and Antigenicity of Replicase Protein from Snow Mountain-like Caliciviruses,Korean Isolates

In view of the potential of replicase protein as a diagnostic reagent for human caliciviruses (HuCVs), we have cloned and over-expressed this gene from the Snow Mountain-like Korean strains in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST, and described the preliminary antigenic characterization of the recombinant products. Each 470bp fragment corresponding to highly conserved region of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase was generated by RT-PCR from stools of two diarrheal children, cloned in pMOSBlue T-vector, and subcloned between the EcoRI and SalI restriction sites of pGEX-47-3, a GST gene fusion vector, yielding pGCVpol. This construct expressed a Snow Mountain-like HuCV replicate under the control of the IPTG-inducible pac promoter. An extract prepared by sonication of the E. coli cell inclusion bodies bearing pGCVpol products was purified and analyzed by SDS-PAGE. After Coomassie blue staining, it was shown that the recombinant replicase migrated on the gels with an approximate molecular mass of 46.5 kDa, that was subsequently cleaved into a 26 kDa GST fragment and a 20.5 kDa replicase protein upon digestion with thrombin protease. The replicase was recognized on immunoblotting with the sera from symptomatic children with the HuCV-associated diarrhea but not by asymptomatic sera from adults. The results presented the first biological activity of individually expressed HuCV replicase subunit and provided important reagents for diagnosis of HuCV infection.