• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제59권4호
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• pp.178-182
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• 2016

Purpose: Medium-dose (1 g/kg) intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is effective in the majority of patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) but some patients who do not respond to medium-dose IVIG are at high risk for the development of coronary artery lesions (CALs). The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical predictors associated with unresponsiveness to medium-dose IVIG and the development of CALs. Methods: A retrospective study was performed in 91 children with KD who were treated with mediumdose IVIG at our institution from January 2004 to December 2013. We classified the patients into responders (group 1; n=68) and nonresponders (group 2; n=23). We compared demographic, laboratory, and echocardiographic data between the 2 groups. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified 6 variables as predictors for resistance to medium-dose IVIG. We generated a predictive scoring system assigning 1 point each for percentage of neutrophils ${\geq}65%$, C-reactive protein ${\geq}100mg/L$, aspartate aminotransferase ${\geq}100IU/L$, and alanine aminotransferase ${\geq}100IU/L$, as well as 2 points for less than 5 days of illness, and serum sodium level ${\leq}136mmol/L$. Using a cutoff point of ${\geq}4$ with this scoring system, we could predict nonresponsiveness to medium-dose IVIG with 74% sensitivity and 71% specificity. Conclusion: If a patient has a low-risk score in this system, medium-dose IVIG can be recommended as the initial treatment. Through this process, we can minimize the adverse effects of high-dose IVIG and incidence of CALs.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.141-146
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• 2006

Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) has been proposed as a possible way to improve the control of refractory epilepsy. We report the effects following VNS treatment in patients with refractory epilepsy. Seventeen patients with a mean age of 12.8 years, ranging from 5 to 29 years, underwent the implantation of vagal nerve stimulation (Cyberonics, Houston, TX). We reviewed the clinical findings before and after VNS in seizure frequency, number of antiepileptic drugs (AED), and quality of life (QOL). All of the patients had intractable seizures, eleven of the patients had additional medical complications, three had hippocampus atrophy, one had encephalomalacia, five had encephalitis, one had pachygyria, and one had schizencephaly. Thirteen patients had symptomatic partial epilepsies, three patients had Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and one had cryptogenic partial epilepsy. The mean follow up duration was 35 months. The mean reduction of seizure frequency compared with baseline before VNS was 26.1% after 3 months (p<0.005), 41.9% after 6 months (p<0.001), 46.9% after 1 year (p<0.001), and 53% at the latest follow-up (p<0.001). Twelve patients showed an improvement of QOL such as mood, language, alertness, expression, and motor function. The most common side effects were transient hoarseness or voice change or cough, which was detected in six patients (35%) and wound infection in one patient (5%). This study has shown a good anti-seizure effect of VNS, decrease in seizure frequency and improvements in QOL. We concluded that VNS is a beneficial therapy in refractory epilepsy with a non-resectable epileptic focus. Further studies should be focused on the prediction of unresponsiveness and the adjustment of VNS parameters for maximum efficacy in patients with various medical histories.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• 제33권43호
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• pp.268.1-268.11
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• 2018

Background: We aimed to compare the therapeutic efficacy of prolonged macrolide (PMC), corticosteroids (CST), doxycycline (DXC), and levofloxacin (LFX) against macrolide-unresponsive Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) pneumonia in children and to evaluate the safety of the secondary treatment agents. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with MP pneumonia hospitalized between January 2015 and April 2017. Macrolide-unresponsiveness was clinically defined with a persistent fever of ${\geq}38.0^{\circ}C$ at ${\geq}72$ hours after macrolide treatment. The cases were divided into four groups: PMC, CST, DXC, and LFX. We compared the time to defervescence (TTD) after secondary treatment and the TTD after initial macrolide treatment in each group with adjustment using propensity score-matching analysis. Results: Among 1,165 cases of MP pneumonia, 190 (16.3%) were unresponsive to macrolides. The proportion of patients who achieved defervescence within 48 hours in CST, DXC, and LFX groups were 96.9% (31/33), 85.7% (12/14), and 83.3% (5/6), respectively. The TTD after initial macrolide treatment did not differ between PMC and CST groups (5.1 vs. 4.2 days, P = 0.085), PMC and DXC groups (4.9 vs. 5.7 days, P = 0.453), and PMC and LFX groups (4.4 vs. 5.0 days, P = 0.283). No side effects were observed in the CST, DXC, and LFX groups. Conclusion: The change to secondary treatment did not show better efficacy compared to PMC in children with macrolide-unresponsive MP pneumonia. Further studies are needed to guide appropriate treatment in children with MP pneumonia.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.161-167
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• 2023

Despite the various medications used in clinics, the efforts to develop more effective treatments for depression continue to increase in the past decades mainly because of the treatment-resistant population, and the testing of several hypotheses- and target-based treatments. Undesirable side effects and unresponsiveness to current medications fuel the drive to solve this top global health problem. In this study, we focused on neuroinflammatory response-mediated depression which represents a cluster of depression etiology both in animal models and humans. Several meta-analyses reported that proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were increased in major depressive disorder patients. Inflammatory mediators implicated in depression include type-I interferon and inflammasome pathways. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of neuroinflammatory cascades underlying the pathophysiology of depression, we introduced hycanthone, an antischistosomal drug, to check whether it can counteract depressive-like behaviors in vivo and normalize the inflammation-induced changes in vitro. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment increased proinflammatory cytokine expression in the murine microglial cells as well as the stimulation of type I interferon-related pathways that are directly or indirectly regulated by Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) activation. Hycanthone treatment attenuated those changes possibly by inhibiting the JAK-STAT pathway and inflammasome activation. Hycanthone also ameliorated depressive-like behaviors by LPS. Taken together, we suggest that the inhibitory action of hycanthone against the interferon pathway leading to attenuation of depressive-like behaviors can be a novel therapeutic mechanism for treating depression.

• 중환자간호학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.42-53
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• 2023

Purpose : This retrospective mixed-methods study aimed to explore key considerations for designing effective simulated education in nursing, focusing specifically on the recognition and response to deteriorating patients. Methods : Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to assess the clinical judgment and performance of the nursing students. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data related to prior knowledge, simulation satisfaction, clinical judgment, and nursing performance during deteriorating patient simulations. Qualitative content analysis was conducted for the reflective journal entries of the participants. Results : Quantitative analysis showed that most participants demonstrated a "being skillful" level of clinical judgment (33.1%) in effective response. At the beginner level, clinical judgment varied across effective noticing(39.7-82.8%), effective interpretating(77.6-82.8%), effective responding(3.4-86.2%), and effective reflecting(90.0-95.4%). Nursing performance in assessing patient respiration or SpO2 after request from a physician ranged from 46.6-48.3%. Qualitative analysis indicated that 48.5% of the participants anticipated a deteriorating condition and initiated appropriate actions, while 70% noticed patient unresponsiveness for the first time. Conclusion : To design an effective simulation program for identifying and addressing deteriorating patient care, a framework for observation and interpretation is essential, along with regular simulated training. It is important to design and assess simulation programs and to conduct thorough interviews with nursing students to gain insight into their clinical decision-making.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.233-241
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• 2005

Plants have considerable advantages for the production of antigenic proteins because they provide an inexpensive source of protein and an easy administration of vaccine. Since a publication describing edible plant vaccine of HBsAg in 1992, a number of laboratories around the world have studied the use of plants as the bioreactor to produce antigenic proteins of human or animal pathogens. Over the last ten years, these works have been mainly focused on three major strategies for the production of antigenic proteins in plants: stable genetic transformation of either the nuclear or plastid genome, or transient expression in plants using viral vectors. As many antigenic proteins have been expressed in tobacco, also several laboratories have succeeded to express genes encoding antigenic proteins in other crop plants: potato, tomato, maize, carrot, soybean and spinach. At present many works for the production of edible plant vaccine against bacteria-mediated diseases have mostly performed the studies of enterotoxins and adhesion proteins. Also the development of new-type antigens (pili, flagella, surface protein, other enterotoxin and exotoxin etc.) is required for various targets and more efficacy to immunize against microorganism pathogens. Many works mostly studied in experimental animals had good results, and phase I clinical trial of LTB clearly indicated its immunogenic ability. On the other hand, edible plant vaccines have still problems remained to be solved. In addition to the accumulation of sufficient antigen in plants, human health, environment and agriculture regulation should be proven. Also oral tolerance, the physiological response to food antigens and commensal flora is the induction of a state of specific immunological unresponsiveness, needs to be addressed before plant-derived vaccine becomes a therapeutic option.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제55권2호
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• pp.63-67
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• 2012

A 4-year-old girl with Panayiotopoulos syndrome presented with a history of 4 prolonged autonomic seizures. The clinical features of her seizures included, in order of occurrence, blank staring, pallor, vomiting, hemi-clonic movement on the right side, and unresponsiveness. A brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a slightly high $T_2$ signal in the left hippocampus. Interictal electoencephalogram revealed spikes in the occipital area of the left hemisphere. We analyzed the current-source distribution of the spikes to examine the relationship between the current source and the high $T_2$ signal. The current source of the occipital spikes was not only distributed in the occipital area of both cerebral hemispheres, but also extended to the posterior temporal area of the left hemisphere. These findings suggest that the left temporal lobe may be one of the hyperexcitable areas and form part of the epileptogenic area in this patient. We hypothesized that the high $T_2$ signal in the left hippocampus of our patient may not have been an incidental lesion, but instead may be related to the underlying electroclinical diagnosis of Panayiotopoulos syndrome, and particularly seizure. This notion is important because an abnormal $T_2$ signal in the hippocampus may represent an acute stage of hippocampal injury, although there is no previous report of hippocampal pathology in Panayiotopoulos syndrome. Therefore, long-term observation and serial follow-up MRIs may be needed to confirm the clinical significance of the $T_2$ signal change in the hippocampus of this patient.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.141-145
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• 2017

목적: 농뇨가 동반된 가와사키병(Kawasaki disease [KD]) 환아와 농뇨 동반이 없는 KD 환아의 임상 및 검사실 지표들을 비교하여 농뇨 동반 KD의 임상적 특징을 파악하고자 하였다. 방법: 2015년 1월부터 2016년 12월까지 KD로 입원한 140명(남아 86명, 여아 54명) 환아의 의무기록을 후향적으로 조사하였다. 결과: 48명의 KD 환아(34.3%)에서 농뇨가 관찰되었다. 농뇨 KD군은 비농뇨 KD군보다 높은 C-반응단백(C-reactive protein [CRP]) 값을 보였고 간 효소치가 증가한 환아의 비율이 높았다. 두 군 간의면역글로불린(intravenous immunoglobulin) 치료 저항성과 관상동맥병변(coronary artery lesion) 발생률에 대한 차이점은 없었다. 농뇨 KD군 중 6명(12.5%)은 요로감염(urinary tract infection)을 감별하기 위해 신장 영상검사를 받았고, 농뇨 KD군의 2/3(66.7%)는 KD 표준치료에 추가로 항생제 치료를 받았다. 결론: 농뇨가 동반된 KD 환아들은 농뇨 동반이 없는 KD 환아들보다 더 높은 CRP 값과 더 많은 경우의 간 효소치 증가를 보였다. 이는 농뇨가 동반된 KD 환아가 농뇨 동반이 없는 KD 환아보다 더 심한 전신염증반응을 보인다는 점을 시사한다.

• 한방안이비인후피부과학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.116-135
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze how purpura and vasculitis have been treated with Korean medicine and potentially to present with future direction of research and treatment. Methods : We searched clinical studies from the Korean databases including Oriental medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System(OASIS), Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal(KTKP), National Discovery for Science Leader(NDSL), Research Information Sharing Service(RISS), using keywords related to "Purpura" and "Vasculitis" from January 2000 to May 2019. Results : A total of 20 studies were selected for analysis. More than half of the patients provided with detailed information were under 19 year-olds, and upper respiratory infection, stress and fatigue, seasonal factor were among the most frequently stated as predisposing factors. Among many treatment modalities, herbal medicine was the most frequently used, followed by acupuncture and herbal acupuncture. 23 basic herbal medicine formulas were retrieved from 20 articles, most frequently used being Guibi-tang(歸脾湯加味), Samul-tang(四物湯加味) and Yukmijihwang-tang(六味地黃湯加味). In total, 122 Korean medicine herbs were used, most frequently used herbs being Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(甘草), Angelicae Gigantis Radix(當歸), Poria Sclerotium(茯?) and Paeoniae Radix(芍藥). By its category, herbs were mostly classified into Tonyfying and replenishing medicinal(補益藥), Heat-clearing medicinal(淸熱藥) and Exterior-releasing medicinal(解表藥). Patients with total treatment period of 3 months or under were 2/3 of all cases provided with detailed information. Follow up periods were short in general with only 6 cases of over 6 months. The primary motive of patients to receive Korean medicine treatments was unresponsiveness or adverse effects of western medication. Conclusion : Through this literature review, we could find out tendencies of Korean medicine treatments of purpura and vasculitis up to date and some points that may have clinical significance.

• 현장농수산연구지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.89-96
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• 2018

말인플루엔자(EI) 사독백신 투여 후 virus strains 별로 항체역가 변화를 측정하였다. 더러브렛말(1세) 20마리에서 혈구응집억제반응법으로 혈청항체를 41주 동안 관찰하였다. 기초접종 4주 후에 2차접종을 하였다. 그러나 2차 접종 직전의 혈청에서는 대부분 항체역가가 관찰되지 않았다. 역가 최고치는 접종 후 6-10주였고, 16주 동안 유지되었으며 이후 서서히 감소하였다. 백신무반응은 3마리(15%) 말에서 나타났지만 이는 virus strains에 좌우되었다. A/Equine/La Plata/93(H3N8)는 3개의 strain 중에서 높고 안정적인 항체반응을 유도하였다. 결과를 바탕으로 항체역가를 유지하기 위해서는 1세마에 3회 접종이 권고된다. 저자들은 백신에 대한 무반응은 백신브레이크 또는 개체특이성에 기인하였다고 추측하였다. 이 실험은 국내 최초의 EI 백신 strain에 대한 연구였으며 면역학적 무반응에 대해서는 추가 연구가 필요하다.