• Title/Summary/Keyword: Convalescent

Search Result 139, Processing Time 0.022 seconds

SARS-CoV-2-Specific T Cell Responses in Patients with COVID-19 and Unexposed Individuals

  • Min-Seok Rha;A Reum Kim;Eui-Cheol Shin
    • IMMUNE NETWORK
    • /
    • v.21 no.1
    • /
    • pp.2.1-2.11
    • /
    • 2021
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an ongoing pandemic disease. In the current review, we describe SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses in acute and convalescent COVID-19 patients. We also discuss the relationships between COVID-19 severity and SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses and summarize recent reports regarding SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in SARS-CoV-2-unexposed individuals. These T cells may be cross-reactive cells primed by previous infection with human common-cold coronaviruses. Finally, we outline SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses in the context of vaccination. A better understanding of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses is needed to develop effective vaccines and therapeutics.

Unusual Acute Encephalitis Involving the Thalamus: Imaging Features

  • Sam Soo Kim;Kee-Hyun Chang;Kyung Won Kim;Moon Hee Han;Sung Ho Park;Hyun Woo Nam;Kyu Ho Choi;Woo Ho Cho
    • Korean Journal of Radiology
    • /
    • v.2 no.2
    • /
    • pp.68-74
    • /
    • 2001
  • Objective: To describe the brain CT and MR imaging findings of unusual acute encephalitis involving the thalamus. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and CT and/or MR imaging findings of six patients with acute encephalitis involving the thalamus. CT (n=6) and MR imaging (n=6) were performed during the acute and/or convalescent stage of the illness. Results: Brain CT showed brain swelling (n=2), low attenuation of both thalami (n=1) or normal findings (n=3). Initial MR imaging indicated that in all patients the thalamus was involved either bilaterally (n=5) or unilaterally (n=1). Lesions were also present in the midbrain (n=5), medial temporal lobe (n=4), pons (n=3), both hippocampi (n=3) the insular cortex (n=2), medulla (n=2), lateral temporal lobe cortex (n=1), both cingulate gyri (n=1), both basal ganglia (n=1), and the left hemispheric cortex (n=1). Conclusion: These CT or MR imaging findings of acute encephalitis of unknown etiology were similar to a combination of those of Japanese encephalitis and herpes simplex encephalitis. In order to document the specific causative agents which lead to the appearance of these imaging features, further investigation is required.

  • PDF

Clinical characteristics and serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide as a diagnostic marker of Kawasaki disease in infants younger than 3 months of age

  • Bae, Hyun Kyung;Lee, Do Kyung;Kwon, Jung Hyun;Kim, Hae Soon;Sohn, Sejung;Hong, Young Mi
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
    • /
    • v.57 no.8
    • /
    • pp.357-362
    • /
    • 2014
  • Purpose: The incidence of Kawasaki disease (KD) is rare in young infants (less than 3 months of age), who present with only a few symptoms that fulfill the clinical diagnostic criteria. The diagnosis for KD can therefore be delayed, leading to a high risk of cardiac complications. We examined the clinical characteristics and measured the serum levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels of these patients for assessing its value in the early detection of KD. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of young infants diagnosed with KD from 2004 to 2012. The control group included 20 hospitalized febrile patients. Laboratory data, including NT-proBNP were obtained for each patient in both groups. Results: Incomplete KD was observed in 21/24 patients (87.5%). The mean fever duration on admission was $1.36{\pm}1.0$ days in the KD group. Common symptoms included erythema at the site of Bacille Calmette-Guerin inoculation (70.8%), skin rash (50.0%), changes of oropharyngeal mucosa (29.1%), and cervical lymphadenopathy (20.8%). The mean number of major diagnostic criteria fulfilled was $2.8{\pm}1.4$. Five KD patients (20.8%) had only one symptom matching these criteria. The incidence of coronary artery complications was 12.5%. The mean serum NT-proBNP level in the acute phase, in the KD and control groups, were $4,159{\pm}3,714pg/mL$ and $957{\pm}902pg/mL$, respectively, which decreased significantly in the convalescent phase. Conclusion: Incomplete KD was observed in 87.5% patients. Serum NT- proBNP might be a valuable biomarker for the early detection of KD in febrile infants aged <3 months.

A Study on the Degree of Self-care Activities of Stroke Patients, the Family Burden, and the Educational Needs of Primary Caregivers (뇌졸중 환자의 자가간호 수행과 가족 부담감 및 교육적 요구에 관한 연구)

  • Cho, Bok-Hee;Kim, Mi-Hyang;Seo, Nam-Sook;So, Hyang-Sook
    • The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
    • /
    • v.2 no.2
    • /
    • pp.243-256
    • /
    • 1999
  • The purpose of this study was to identify the degree of self-care activities of stroke patients, the family burden, and the educational needs of primary caregivers. A descriptive survey research was conducted in 97 stroke patients and their respective primary caregivers. Data were collected by the interviews using a structured questionnare from July 26th to August 5th, 1999. NIH stroke status was $12.15{\pm}8.40$, the degree of self-care activities of stroke patients was $26.85{\pm}9.39$. The score of objective burden of primary caregivers was $31.24{\pm}4.81$ and subjective burden was $24.30{\pm}6.99$. The score of the educational needs was $89.78{\pm}9.99$. We present several imformations about clients from these scores as follows: The patients were convalescent and their depentant level of self- care was middle range; The objective burden was higher than the subjective burden; And the educational needs of family caregivers were very high. The Elain Mattis Educational Wants of Family Caregivers of Disabled Adults Questionnaire was used to assess the educational needs of primary caregivers of stroke patients. The results of this research are offered to help nurses understand the feelings of uncertainty about the new and unexpected role that family caregivers face and to help nurses meet the needs of families preparing to care stroke survivors at home.

  • PDF

A Study of Renogram in Korean Hemorrhagic Fever (한국형(韓國型) 출혈열(出血熱)에서의 Renogram에 대(對)한 연구(硏究))

  • Choi, Tae-Kyu;Lee, Jung-Sang;Koh, Chang-Soon;Lee, Mun-Ho
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
    • /
    • v.8 no.1_2
    • /
    • pp.13-24
    • /
    • 1974
  • The patterns of renogram in patients with Korean hemorrhagic fever were evaluated with clinical course and renal hemodynamic changes in various clinical stages. The renal plasma flow was measured by hippuran blood clearance using $^{131}I$-ortho-iodohippurate and hippuran renogram was analysed by means of quantitative and qualitative methods in 26 patients of Korean hemorr hagic fever. The results obtained with this study were as follows; 1. During the oliguric phase of Korean hemorrhagic fever, the renogram showed non-functioning (flat) or obstructive pattern. The group of patients with non-functioning pattern of renogram had more severe impairement of renal function and grave prognosis than the group with obstructive pattern of renogram. 2. During the diuretic phase, the renogram showed obstructive or dysfunction or normal pattern, which was related with the recovery of renal function. Obstruction pattern of renogram was observed till the 2nd week of diuretic phase. Normal pattern of renogram began to appear by the 2nd week of diuretic phase. 3. During the convalescent phase of Korean hemorrhagic fever, 40% of patients showed dysfunnction pattern of renogram, and the recovery of abnormal renogram in Korean hemorrhagic fever was more delayed than the recovery of clinical features and laboratory findings. 4. The renogram showed normal pattern 6 months after onset of Korean hemorrhagic fever in all cases. 5. There was significant correlationship between the pattern of renogram and the decreace of renal plasma flow in the patients with Korean hemorrhagic fever. The decreace of renal plasma flow was maked in the patients with non-functioning pattern of renogram and was least in the patients with dysfunction pattern of renogram. All above results suggested that the renogram reflects the effective renal plasma flow and degree of renal impairement, and the renogram may be one of the important indexes which could give us a more precise prognosis in Korean hemorrhagic fever.

  • PDF

A Panel Study on the Determinants of the Regional Variation in the Rate of Certification in Long-Term Care Insurance (노인장기요양보험 지역별 인정률 결정요인에 대한 패널분석)

  • Sakong, Jin;Song, Hyunjong
    • Health Policy and Management
    • /
    • v.27 no.1
    • /
    • pp.56-62
    • /
    • 2017
  • Background: There have been deviations in the regional rate of certification in Korean long-term care insurance (LTCI). This study aimed to explore the determinants of the rate of certification in LTCI. Methods: The panel data of the year 2010-2014 of the 227 National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) regional office were used. Making use of 26 explanatory variables (socio-demographic factors, access to the long-term care services, etc.), we estimated the random effects model using STATA SE ver. 13.0 program (Stata Corp., College Station, TX, USA) and tried to find out the determinants of the regional rate of certification. Results: Estimation results showed that the most important determinants of the regional rate of certification in LTCI are the long-term care infrastructure such as capacity or number of the homecare service institution, sanatorium, or convalescent hospital. The number of the elderly who lives alone and the dimentia patients were positively related to the regional rate of certification in LTCI. Conclusion: The estimation results implied that the regional variation in the rate of certification in LTCI has nothing to do with the NHIS regional offices or their employees. To alleviate the deviation in the regional rate of certification in LTCI, we suggested the analysis of the deviation in the survey checklist. We also proposed to found the regional comprehensive support center to prevent the geriatric illness and to improve the residents' health, etc.

Immediate Toe-to-Hand Transfer in Acute Hand Injuries (급성 수부 손상시 즉시 족지 전이술)

  • Woo, Sang-Hyun;Kim, Hak-Soo
    • Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
    • /
    • v.11 no.1
    • /
    • pp.19-28
    • /
    • 2002
  • From 1994-2001, 25 mutilated digits were reconstructed with immediate toe-to-hand transfer in acute hand injury in 21 patients. There were 15 cases of great toe-to-hand transfer(partial great toe transfer 8 cases, modified wrap-around procedure 2 cases, and trimmed great toe transfer 2 cases) for thumb reconstruction, 2 cases of second toe transfer for index reconstruction, and 4 cases of simultaneous two toe-to-hand transfer(great toe & second toe transfer 1 case, bilateral second-toe transfer 2 cases, combined second & third toe transfer 1 case) for reconstruction of multiple digit amputations. Two cases of emergency exploration(2/25, 8%) were successfully salvaged. The incidence of emergency exploration and postoperative infection was not significantly different from that of the elective toe-to-hand transfer cases. Duration of industrial insurance coverage was 225 days, which is much shorter than that of elective cases. Among 43% of patients maintained their original job even after injury and immediate toe-to-hand transfer. The subjective satisfaction self- assessment scores of aesthetic appearance and function on the new reconstructed thumb were 80 and 88 in average, respectively, over a total score of 100. These were higher than those of reconstruction of other digits, but lower than those of elective reconstruction. The donor site after harvest of the great toe was mostly unsatisfied in a view of appearance. Immediate toe-to-hand transfer provides many advantages over elective procedure in acute hand injuries such as single stage reconstruction, shortened convalescent period, early return to work and efficient socio-economic factor. Furthermore because there were no significant differences in success rate, frequency of complications or ultimate functional result, immediate toe-to-hand transfer is a safe and reliable procedure in case of limited indications for acute digits loss.

  • PDF

Recognizable Investigation on Home Visiting Physical Therapy of Physical Therapist in Gwangju and Jeonnam

  • Yu, Seong-Hun;Kim, Seung-Rae;Cho, Sung-Hyoun;Seo, Tae-Hwa;Moon, Young-Sung;Kim, Myeong-Hui;Kim, Hyun-Jin
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
    • /
    • v.11 no.3
    • /
    • pp.19-34
    • /
    • 2016
  • PURPOSE: This study seeks to examine the awareness and need of home visiting physical therapy among physical therapist in Gwangju and Jeonnam province. METHODS: Survey was conducted during the continuing education on physical therapist held in Gwangju in 2015 with 297 participants. The survey questionnaire consisted of 12 questions on the characteristics of physical therapists, 8 questions regarding the awareness of home visiting physical therapy, and 7 questions on need. RESULTS: Significant differences were found regarding service period, according to categories of the inconvenience associated with commuting to/from hospitals, long-term treatment for patients, high quality treatment with intensive care, treatment at a time of patients' choosing. The category of hospital fees reduced due to early discharge from the hospital also saw significant differences, depending on respondents' marital status, dependent family, and service period. Providing treatment without causing discomfort to patients in front of others also saw significant differences according to physical therapist career period. Home visiting physical therapy is easier for family members to take care of patients also saw significant differences according to education and physical therapist career period. CONCLUSION: Survey indicates that physical therapist province feel the need for home visiting physical therapy in many respects. However, since as many as half of the surveyed physical therapists have only heard of home visiting physical therapy or are have no awareness of the this form of treatment, it appears that there is a need to raise awareness of home visiting physical therapy among physical therapist and introduce appropriate policies.

Study on Knowledge of the Elderly's Physical, Psychological and Social Aspects among College Students in Physical Therapy (물리치료학과 학생들의 노인의 신체적, 심리적, 사회적 측면에 대한 지식 조사)

  • Ahn, Chung-Joa;Kim, Myung-Chul;Kim, Seung-Kyun;Han, Seul-Ki
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
    • /
    • v.9 no.4
    • /
    • pp.375-389
    • /
    • 2014
  • PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to develop medical services for the elderly and qualitatively enhance physical therapy for them by analyzing korean students' knowledge of the elderly. METHODS: A total of 1027 male/female undergraduate students majoring in physical therapy were selected to examine the knowledge of the elderly. The knowledge of physical, psychological, and social aspects were investigated and measured by FAQ I of palmore (1988) and a scale developed by Yunjin et al. (1982). T-test, One-way-ANOVA and Scheff test were used. RESULTS: The percentage of the students who correctly answered the questions on the elderly was 53.6%. In particular, the higher error rates were seen in the social (56.9%) and psychological (57.6%) aspects compared in the physical (33.7%) aspects. Those who answered the questions correctly were over 30s (63.69%, p=0.000), seniors (57%, p=0.000)and grown in cities (53.91%, p=0.001). In addition, students who took lessons on the elderly (57.71%, p=0.032)and had experiences in voluntary services (54.09%, p=0.023) were significantly higher in answering the questions correctly. CONCLUSION: When students learned about the elderly, social and psychological aspects should be reinforced. The knowledge levels of the elderly can be elevated though voluntary services. It is thought that a follow-up study would be continuously neede to improve physical therapists' knowledge on the elderly and quality of available services.

Network pharmacological analysis for exploration of the potential application of Hwangryunhaedok-tang for brain diseases (황련해독탕(黃連解毒湯)의 뇌질환 응용 가능성 탐색을 위한 네트워크 약리학적 분석)

  • Lee, Se-Eun;Lim, Jae-Yu;Chung, Byung-Woo;Lee, Byoungho;Lim, Jung Hwa;Cho, Suin
    • Herbal Formula Science
    • /
    • v.28 no.4
    • /
    • pp.313-325
    • /
    • 2020
  • Objectives : To explore the associated potential pathways and molecular targets of Hwangryunhaedok-tang(HHT) by the approaches of network pharmacology and bioinformatics in traditional chinese medicine(TCM). Methods : Hwangryunhaedok-tang constituent drugs(Coptidis Rhizoma, CR; Scutellariae Radix, SR; Phellodendri Cortex, PC; Gardeniae Fructus, GF) and their processing types were searched from TCM systems pharmacology(TCMSP). The databases of TCMSP, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG), MCODE and STRING were used to gather information. The network of bioactive ingredients and target gene was constructed by Cytoscape software(version 3.8). Results : A total of 94 HHT active compounds(CR, 12; SR, 35; PC, 33; GF, 14, respectively) were found, and HHT were identified by TCMSP. Applications of KEGG and MCODE analysis indicates that total of 6 bioactive ingredients in the top 10% ranking were obtained and 32 diseases of HHT were screened. The molecular pathway analysis revealed that HHT exerts cancer, inflammation and cerebrovascular diseases effects by acting on several signaling pathway. In addition, HHT found that three genes(e.g. SPIN1, TRIM25, and APP) correlate with the aforementioned diseases. Conclusions : This study showed that network pharmacology analysis is useful to elucidate the complex mechanisms of action of HHT.