A Case of Phaeohyphomycosis Caused by Exophiala lecanii-corni

No abstract available.

Diagnosis of Cutaneous Nocardiosis with Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) / 대한의진균학회지

Nocardiosis is a rare but potentially life-threatening infectious disease caused by several species of the genus Nocardia (N.), which are aerobic, filamentous, gram-positive bacilli. A definitive diagnosis depends on the isolation and identification of Nocardia species. But identification from clinical specimens may involve performing invasive techniques on the patient and lengthy process (take up to 1 or 3 weeks) owing to slow growth, and require a professional microbiologist. Currently the genus Nocardia is best identified using 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Recently matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has launched a new era in the routine microbiology laboratory. This method has proved its efficacy for the identification and diagnosis of microorganism. MALDI-TOF MS has potential for use as a rapid (within 1 hour) and dependable method for the identification of Nocardia species with reproducibility and cost effectiveness. We report a 76-year-old woman who suffered from ulcer with papules on her right wrist and forearm. A biopsy of the skin showed granulomatous inflammation with central suppuration. A bacterial isolate from the skin was identified to be N. brasiliensis on comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing and MALDI-TOF MS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of nocardiosis in Korea caused by N. brasiliensis identified on MALDI-TOF MS.

A Case of Alternaria alternata Keratitis Isolated from Corneal Tissue / 대한의진균학회지

A 71-year-old man presented with pain in the left eye that revealed a 3x3 mm deep corneal stromal infiltrate, with a 2x2 mm epithelial defect. The patient started topical moxifloxacin, voriconazole 2%, and natamycin for 2 weeks. However, the treatment was not effective and the corneal infiltration worsened. Subsequently, the patient underwent therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty. Thick brown/gray mold colonies on Potato Corn Meal Tween 80 agar was isolated from excised corneal tissue and on slide culture many septated, and club-shaped ascospores were revealed. Histological findings also showed numerous hyphae scattered in corneal tissue. A. alternata colonies were confirmed by 18S rRNA sequencing. Intracameral voriconazole was injected every other day for 2 weeks to eliminate remaining fungi on the deep corneal stroma. The remaining corneal infiltration was improved one month after the injection. During 5 months postoperative follow up, the infection did not recurred. In conclusion, deep corneal infection of A. alternata was effectively treated with intracameral voriconazole injection.

A Case of Cutaneous Protothecosis / 대한의진균학회지

Protothecosis is a rare skin infection caused by pathogenic algae of the genus Prototheca, especially Prototheca wickerhamii. It is widely distributed throughout the natural world in tree, river, lake, sewage, soil, marsh, household waste, etc. A 79-year-old woman presented with ill-defined edematous and erythematous patches with various sized and shaped deep ulcers on both dorsal hands and left distal forearm for 1 month. The left forearm was initially injured by scratching due to pruritus and insidiously aggravated. Biopsy specimen revealed the characteristic morula-like sporangias containing multiple endospores in the dermis. The GMS and D-PAS stains highlighted the characteristic spores showing multiple internal septations and some unicellular endospore. P. wickerhamii was isolated in culture and identified by biochemical studies. Oral itraconazole 200 mg/day administration for 7 weeks resulted in marked improvement of the skin lesion.

Evaluation of a Community-Based Cancer Patient Management Program: Collaboration between a Hospice Center and Public Health Centers / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a community-based cancer patient management program (CBPCMP) which was collaborated between a hospice center and public health centers. METHODS: The CBPCMP proceeded on four steps; 1) Signing agreements with three public health centers, 2) Enrolling the domiciliary terminal cancer patients, 3) Providing home hospice service, and 4) Inquiring patient's level of satisfaction. From February 1 to December 31 in 2009, 43 terminal cancer patients were referred and provided with home hospice service. The hospice team made a total of 605 visits. Medical records for each visit and data from satisfaction surveys were analyzed. RESULTS: 76.7% of patients were older than 60 years, and 90.7% of the patients were alert. The level of functional status for 76.7% of patients rated as lower than ECOG grade 1. 62.8% of the patients or their caregivers signed hospice service agreements. On the initial evaluation, the most frequent reasons for referral were general weakness (86.0%), followed by anorexia (72.1%). Nurses visited the patients' most frequently (371 visits), followed by volunteers (216 visits). Nurses provided emotional support and health promotion counseling on 95.1% and 22.9% of visits, respectively. The mean satisfaction score rated by patients and their family was 4.45 out of 5. CONCLUSION: This study tested CBPCMP in collaboration with hospice centers and public health centers. CBPCMP showed a possibility to improve the quality of end of life care. To insure the quality care, however, the guidelines for home hospice service should be developed.

Infection Rate of Chlamydia pneumoniae by Serological Antibody Test between Patients with Respiratory Symptoms and Control Group / 대한임상미생물학회지

BACKGROUND: To compare the infection rate of Chlamydia pneumoniae in patients with respiratory symptoms and control group, METHODS: we recruited 189 patients (149 adults and 40 pediatric patients) with respiratory symptoms and 197 controls (159 healthy adults and 38 pediatric patients without respiratory symptoms) visited Kyungpook National University Hospital from August 2002 to July 2003. A serological test was done by micro- immunofluorescence (MIF) method. Antibody titers of IgG (1:32 or more) indicate past infection of C. pneumoniae. A recent infection was defined as one in which there is a high titer of IgG antibody (1:512 or more) or a positive IgM antibody (1:16 or more) with a negative for rheumatoid factor. RESULTS: The past infection rate of C. pneumoniae in case group (65.6%) was not significantly higher than 61.4% in control group. The past infection rate of C. pneumoniae of male patients (62.0%) was not significantly higher than 58.7% in control group, and in female showed the same pattern, 70.4% in patients and 63.8% in control group. The recent infection rate of C. pneumoniae in patients (13.2%) was not significantly higher than 9.6% in control group. The recent infection rate of C. pneumoniae of male patients (10.2%) was not significantly higher than 5.4% in control group, and in female showed the same pattern, 17.3% of patients and 13.3% of control group. CONCLUSIONS: The recent infection rate of C. pneumoniae by IgG and IgM serological tests in patients with respiratory symptoms was not significantly higher than that in control group.

Immune Stimulating Efficacy of Soluble beta-1,3-glucans

BACKGROUND: beta-1,3-glucans are well known to enhance the immune reactions, resulting in antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, anticoagulatory and wound healing activities. beta-1, 3-glucans have various activities depending on molecular weight, degree of branching, conformation, water-solubility and intermolecular association. However, the beta-1,3-glucan linked backbone structure is essential and beta-D-glucopyranosyl units are required for immuno-potentiating activities. RESULT: In this study, we tested the immunophamacological activities of soluble beta-1,3-glucans and confirmed the following activities: (1) IFN-gamma production in PBMCs in the presence or the absence of PHA, LPS, or IL-18; (2) induction of various cytokines in the spleen and thymus; (3) adjuvant effect on the antibody production; (4) nitrogen oxide synthesis in macrophages; (5) the cytotoxic and antitumor effects on cell lines and ICR mice. CONCLUSION: These results strongly suggested that beta-1,3-glucans possessed various immuno-pharmacological activities

Comparison of Spiritual Well-being and Quality of Life between Hospice Patients and Nonhospice Patients / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to find out the effects of hospice care by evaluating the spiritual well-being and quality of life in the hospice and nonhospice patients. METHOD: The research design was composed of descriptive study. The data were collected using the questionnaire with interview from 30 hospice patients at three hospice institutes and 30 nonhospice patients at two general hospitals. The tools used for this study were 14-item questionnaire regarding general characteristics, a revised Spiritual Well-being Survey(Paloutzion and Ellision, 1982) and 22-item of revised Mcgill Quality of Life questionnaire. RESULT: The spiritual well-being of the hospice patients was higher than that of nonhospice patients(F=5.52, p=0.023). The global quality of life of the hospice patients was higher than that of nonhospice patients(F=8.84, p=0.004). There was a significant positive correlation between spiritual well-being and quality of life of the hospice patients and non hospice patients. CONCLUSION: The hospice care effects on spiritual well-being and quality of life of the terminal cancer patients.

Local occupational disease surveillance system in Korea: Current status and issues / 대한산업의학회지

No abstract available.

Local occupational disease surveillance system in Korea: Current status and issues / 대한산업의학회지

No abstract available.

Current Status and the Future Prospect of Rehabilitation Nursing in Korea / 재활간호학회지

The history of rehabilitation of disabilities in Korea began with the foreigners and missionaries who were interested in it after Korean War. In 1981. Disabled Persons Welfare Act was enacted and the 88 Paralympics brought the nations attention to the welfare and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. Since then, the facilities and the services for the disabled persons have expanded rapidly and the rehabilitation treatment and nursing intervention are drawing more attention. Against this background, the survey on the current status of disabilities, welfare service, facilities, and rehabilitation nursing was conducted. The results of this survey are as follows 1. According to the 2000 census of disabilities. the number of persons with disabilities in Korea is estimated at 1.449.500. or 3.09% of the entire Korean population, 0.74% up from 2.35% in 1995. 2. Disability Types in 2000 The 2000 census showed that the persons with disabilities numbered 1.449, 496 out of the total population and 1.024,371 persons are registered for disability. making up 70.7% of the estimated disabled population. Among them, physically disabled persons accounted for the largest 41. 7% (605.127) and mentally retarded persons stood at the smallest 9% (13.481). 3. Percentage of Disability Presence The survey showed that more than 90% of disability were acquired. However, 44.8% of mental disability and 61.4% of hearing /speaking disability were not acquired after birth. This means that these disabilities happened by congenital cause or birth accident. 4. Yearly Figure of Registered Disabled Persons In 1989. 218,601 persons registered for disability and, in 2000, the number increased by 4.7 times to 1.024.371. These figures are different from the actual number of disabled persons. According to the 1995 census. 1.053.486 were disabled persons but only 378,323 registered for disability. And. in the 2000 census. 1.024,371 out of the 1.449.496 of disabled persons registered for disability. 5. Welfare Service for Persons with Disability 62.6% of the total disabled people are registered and physically disabled persons accounted for the highest percentage of 96.7%. 26.5% of non-registered disabled people said that they didn't know the registration procedure. The rest of them replied that they didn't think they were disabled or that registration didn't seem to give any benefits 6. Welfare Policies for Disabled Persons The welfare benefits given to the disabled are as follows: Issuance of disabled sign for car drivers. Permission to use LPG fuel. Reduction of public facility fees. Household allowance. Tax reduction or exemption, Medical allowance and education subsidy for children, and Housing. 7. Current Condition of Welfare Facilities by Disability Type. The welfare institutions for disabilities numbered 188i in total and they can accommodate 16,823 persons. Categories of these institutions are physical disability(37), visual disability(10). hearing/speaking disability(l4). mental retardation(59), and sanatoriums(68). 6. Human Resource of Rehabilitation of Disabilities Advanced education programs include rehabilitation nursing in its curriculum and this was selected as the program of Korean Academic Society of Nursing in 1990. In November 1997, Korean Academic Society of Rehabilitation Nursing was launched and many academic meeting and seminars were held. This organization is also making efforts to develop the education program for qualified rehabilitation nursing professionals and to develop the standards of rehabilitation nursing practice. In the professionals of the rehabilitation there are rehabilitation specialist, physical therapist, speech therapist, occupational therapist. It is needed to come up with the measures to supply stable human resources following the demand of disabled persons and to recognize the private certificates for rehabilitation professionals as official ones after reviewing the education and training programs of private institutions. 9. Rehabilitation Nursing 1) Rehabilitation nursing was taught as an independent subject in 11 undergraduate programs and 9 graduate programs. 2) Research on rehabilitation nursing in Korea were 24 experimental research and 11 non-experimental research. The intervention of experimental research were mostly education and exercise rehabilitation programs. 3) In the three rehabilitation hospitals, nursmg IS divided into two categories, direct nursing and education & counseling. Direct nursing includes tracheostomy or nasogastric tube care, urination and defication, skin care, pain control, complication, prevention and care, prevention of injury from a fall. etc.

Experimental Degeneration of the Rabbits Retina by Sodium Glutamate

Intravitreal and intraperitoneal administrations of sodium L-glutamate induced the retinal degenerations in adult rabbits. Electroretiongram was completely extinguished by the intravitreal injection of glutamate (50mg in 0.1ml) followed by slight recovery. The retina showed marked thinning with almost diffuse degeneration in all retinal layers. Intraperitoneal injection of a sigle large dose of glutamate(8g/Kg) produced moderate reduction in the amplitudes of a-and b-waves with degenerative changes in the retina, mainly involving the inner layers and the periphery of the fundus, parallel to the ERG changes. Administrations of small doses (2.5g/Kg and 5.0g/Kg) for 7 days induced moderate reduction in the a-and b-waves with slight histological changes, especially marked in the inner layers of the retina. Possible mechanisms of the toxic effects of glutamate were discussed.

Cryogenic Treatment of Herpes Simplex Keratits

The results of 16 cases of herpes simplex keratitis treated by cryogenic method are presented. The cryoapplicators(2 mm and 4 mm in diameter of tip) were applied on the lesions 5-7 seconds and antibiotics and atropine solutions were instilled. No complication by cryogenic treatment was happened. The new vessels in the cornea were faded after cryocautery for the treatment of herpes simplex keratitis.

Cryoextraction-Results in 234 Cases

The results of 234 cataract extractions by freezing method are presented. An important advantage of cryoextraction is the reduced incidence of accidental capsular rupture. Good results can be achieved even by the begginner. Cryoextraction of cataract has proved well suited as a routine method.