• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.606-612
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• 2005

Background : It has been reported that nontuberculosis mycobacterium(NTM) isolates account for approximately 10% of patients with a positive Acid-Fast Bacilli(AFB) smear. Therefore, it is necessary to consider NTM pulmonary disease when such a positive test is encountered. The aim of this study was to evaluate the etiologies and clinical characteristics of patients with NTM pulmonary disease who had been treated at a national tuberculosis hospital. Methods : The NTM isolates were recovered from the sputum or bronchial washing specimens submitted to a clinical laboratory of National Masan TB Hospital from August 2002 to July 2003. All samples were identified using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis method, which amplifies the rpoB gene. The patients were diagnosed with NTM disease according to the American Thoracic Society diagnostic criteria. Results : One hundred NTM isolates were recovered from 57 patients. Of the 100 isolates, M. avium complex(MAC) was the most common species, which was found 55%(n=55) of patients, followed by M. abscessus(n=25), and M. fortuitum( n=9). 26(45.6%) patients had NTM disease. Twenty-six (45.6%) patients had NTM disease according to The American Thoracic Society classification. The main organisms involved in NTM disease were MAC(n=19, 73.1%) and M. abscessus(n=5, 19.2%). The pathogenic potential was 67.9% in M. intracellulare and 41.7% in M. abscessus. The predictive factors related to NTM disease were a positive sputum smear (OR 6.4, p=0.02) and the isolation of either MAC or M. abscessus(OR 6.9, p=0.007). Fifteen patients(57.7%) were cured. There were no significant factors associated with the treatment success. Conclusion : There was a relatively high proportion of NTM disease in NTM isolates and the common species were MAC and M. abscessus. The predictive factors for NTM disease were a positive sputum smear and the isolation of either MAC or M. abscessus.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2008

Purpose: We wanted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of modified FOLFOX-6 chemotherapy for treating recurrent or inoperable gastric cancer patients. Materials and Methods: From April 2006 to August 2007, 35 patients with recurrent gastric cancer after curative resection and 43 patients with inoperable gastric cancer underwent chemotherapy, and the results were retrospectively investigated. Results: 78 patients were assessable for response and toxicity, and they underwent an average of 7.1 cycles of chemotherapy. The response was evaluated according to the RECIST criteria. 11 partial responses (14.1%), 35 cases of stable disease (44.9%), and 32 cases of progressive disease (41%) were observed. The median time to progression was 6 months, and the average overall survival was 13 months. CTCAE grade 1 or 2 anemia (52.6%) was the most prevalent toxicity. Other common toxicities included thrombocytopenia (17.9%) and peripheral neuropathy (30.8%). There were 13 changes in the chemotherapy regimen to S1-cisplatin due to disease progression, but only an average of 1.76 cycles of S1-cisplatin were delivered due to severe toxicities and poor compliance. Conclusion: Acceptable efficacy and toxicity were seen as 59% of the patients showed non-progression, and no grade 3 or 4 toxicities were observed. In conclusion, the modified FOLFOX-6 chemotherapy is considered to be the proper 1st-line choice as a palliative treatment for recurrent or inoperable gastric cancer patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.9
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• pp.1126-1133
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• 2002

Purpose : Prader-Willi syndrome(PWS) is a complex disorder affecting multisystems with characteristic clinical features. Its genetic basis is an expression defect in the paternally derived chromosome 15q11-q13. We analyzed the clinical features and genetic basis of PWS patients for early detection and treatment. Methods : We retrospectively studied 24 patients with PWS in Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, from September 1997 to September 2001. We performed cytogenetic and molecular genetic techniques using high resolution GTG banding techniques, fluorescent in situ hybridization and methylation-specific PCR for CpG island of SNRPN gene region. Results : The average birth weight of PWS patients was $2.67{\pm}0.47kg$ and median age at diagnosis was 1.3 years. The average height and weight of PWS patients under one year at diagnostic time were located in a 3-10 percentile relatively, and a rapid weight gain was seen between two and six years. Feeding problems in infancy and neonatal hypotonia were the two most consistently positive major criteria in over 95% of the patients. In 18 of the 24 cases(75%), deletion of chromosome 15q11-q13 was demonstrated and one case among 18 had an unbalanced 14;15 translocation. In four cases without any cytogenetic abnormality, it may be considered as maternal uniparental disomy and the rest showed another findings. Conclusion : We suggest diagnostic testing for PWS in all infants/neonates with unexplained feeding problems and hypotonia. It is necessary for clinically suspicious patients to undergo an early genetic test. As the genetic basis of PWS was heterogenous and complex, further study is required.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.162-166
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• 2008

Purpose : It has been previously reported that for patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia was previously recognized that overt illness is unusual under the age of three and the peak incidence of illness occurs in school-aged children. However, a higher incidence of this illness in younger children has been recently noted. Thus we investigated the incidence of M. pneumoniae pneumonia. Methods : The study subjects were 414 children who were diagnosed with M. pneumoniae pneumonia from January 2004 to December 2006 at Myong Ji Hospital were enrolled. The diagnostic criteria consisted of an anti-mycoplasma antibody (AMA) titer greater than 1: 320 or a four-fold rise in the titer at follow up. Results : The age distribution was as follows: before 2 years of age: 58 patients (14%), 2-4 years of age 157 patients (37.9%) and 5-15 years of age 199 patients (48.1%). The yearly incidence for the children before 5 years of age was 52 (44%), 49 (44.6%) and 114 (61.3%), respectively. The distribution according to the antibody titer was as follows; 1: 320 in 130 patients, 1:640 in 63 patients and greater than 1:1,280 in 221 patients. The hospital stay according to the antibody titer was not significant according to either age or the AMA titers. Conclusion : M. pneumoniae pneumonia showed a peak incidence in preschool children with a higher prevalence in children under the age of three than was previously recognized. The emergence of M. pneumoniae pneumonia as a cause of community acquired pneumonia in younger children calls for an epidemiologic study to investigate the changes of the pathogens in this age group and to recommend the proper treatment.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3 s.113
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• pp.341-351
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• 2005

Ecological stream health, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI) , was evaluated at five sampling locations of Youdeung Stream during August-October 2004. For the study, we also analyzed spatial and temporal patterns of conventional water quality over tine period of 1995 ${\sim}$ 2004, using the water chemistry dataset, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea. The water quality parameters used here were conductivity, total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand $(BOD_5)$, chemical oxygen demand $(COD_{mn})$, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP). The multi-metric model values averaged 27.8 in the stream and ranged 24 ${\sim}$ 32. The health condition was judged as 'Fair' to 'Poor' conditions, according to the stream health criteria of US EPA (1993). Longitudinal variation occurred from the upstream to downstream reach; largest differences in all water quality variables occurred between Site 5 and the other sites. This was mainly attributed to the impacts of wastewater treatment plants near the locations. Also, relative proportions of tolerance and omnivore species increased in downstream reaches. The model values, however, did not match the values, based on water quality parameters. We assume that this may be associated with primarily reduced water volumn during dry season in the stream along with modified physical habitat conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.64-75
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• 1999

Objective：The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of comorbid disorders and associated symptoms in pervasive developmental disorder(PDD) and to examine the correlation between associated symptoms and developmental characteristics in PDD children. Method：The sample consisted of 209 cases of PDD and 143 cases of developmental language disorder(DLD)(control group) who were treated at the Seoul National Mental Hospital from Jan. 1996 to Mar. 1999. The diagnostic work based on DSM-IV criteria was performed by one or two child psychiatrists, while the clinical feature was evaluated by doctors’s notes, occupational/speech therapy reports, and results of social maturity scale(SMS), childhood autism rating scale(CARS), and psycho-educational profile(PEP). Two groups were compared on a wide range of measures including comorbid disorders, associated symptoms, treatment drugs, and PEP. The relation between associated symptom & PEP was investigated in total(106 cases) and in each dignostic group. Sixty-four cases of PDD were divided into three groups by CARS and then compared on associated symptoms. Result：The prevalence of comorbid disorder was 19.6% in PDD, 41.2% in DLD. The rate of manifestation of 13 associated symptoms was 31.47% in PDD, 22.13% in DLD on the average. Associated symptoms significantly high in PDD were preoccupation, obsession, self-mutilation, stereotypy, sleep problems, and odd response. In total patient group, associated symptoms that significantly influenced PEP were preoccupation, self-stimulation, stereotypy, inappropriate affect, sleep problems, and odd response. But, in each diagnostic group, no associated symptom influenced PEP. Associated symptoms significantly different between the 3 groups of CARS were stereotypy, anxiety, and sleep problems. Conclusion：These preliminary results suggest that developmental characteristics may influence associated symptoms in PDD children and a realistic approach considering minute diagnosis by associated symptoms and comorbid disorders is required.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.277-282
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• 2010

The study is to verify non-uniform dose distribution in Field-In-Field (FIF) technique using two-dimensional ionization chamber (MatriXX, Wellhofer Dosimetrie, Germany) for breast tangential irradiation. The MatriXX and an inverse planning system (Eclipse, ver 6.5, Varian, Palo Alto, USA) were used. Hybrid plans were made from the original twenty patients plans. To verify the non-uniform dose distribution in FIF technique, each portal prescribed doses (90 cGy) was delivered to the MatriXX. The measured doses on the MatriXX were compared to the planned doses. The quantitative analyses were done with a commercial analyzing tool (OmniPro IMRT, ver. 1.4, Wellhofer Dosimetrie, Germany). The delivered doses at the normalization points were different to average 1.6% between the calculated and the measured. In analysis of line profiles, there were some differences of 1.3-5.5% (Avg: 2.4%), 0.9-3.9% (Avg: 2.5%) in longitudinal and transverse planes respectively. For the gamma index (criteria: 3 mm, 3%) analyses, there were shown that 90.23-99.69% (avg: 95.11%, std: 2.81) for acceptable range ($\gamma$-index $\geq$ 1) through the twenty patients cases. In conclusion, through our study, we have confirmed the availability of the FIF technique by comparing the calculated with the measured using MatriXX. In the future, various clinical applications of the FIF techniques would be good trials for better treatment results.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.138-142
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• 2010

Purpose: PTH (parathyroid hormone) level is a useful index for prediction of hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy. The fast results are required for an early diagnosis of hypocalcemia. In this study, we evaluated the PTH change according to incubation time, and investigated the usefulness of hypocalcemia diagnosis of PTH results in early incubation time. Materials and Methods: The subjects were 131 patients who had taken the PTH test from July to August in 2009. All experiments were used IRMA method. PTH value were evaluated with the correlation between precision (10 times repeat) and recovery rate and at 0.5, 3, 6 and $18{\pm}2$ (below overnight) hours following incubation time. Data analysis was investigated with relationship of the sensitivity, specificity, PPV (positive predictive value) and accuracy. Results: The correlation was time-dependent with levels reaching $R^2$=0.987 at 0.5 hours, $R^2$=0.993 at 3 hours and $R^2$=0.996 at 6 hours compare to overnight levels. The precision (%CV${\pm}$SD) were $15.92{\pm}15.54$ at 0.5 hours, $6.91{\pm}7.38$ at 3 hours, $4.30{\pm}4.69$ at 6 hours and $4.59{\pm}2.59$ at overnight. The recovery rate (%Mean${\pm}$SD) were $96.8{\pm}5.44$ at 0.5 hours, $102.6{\pm}4.35$ at 3 hours, $100.7{\pm}2.56$ at 6 hours and $102.2{\pm}5.98$ at overnight. When 15 pg/ml of overnight density was set up as criteria, we measured the sensitivity, specificity and PPV, accuracy at 0.5, 3, 6 hours. The sensitivity was shown to 97.5% at all times. The specificity was 96.0% at 0.5 hours, 100% at 3 hours and 92.3% at 6 hours for control, respectively. The PPV was 86.6% at 0.5 hours, 100% at 3 hours and 92.8% at 6 hours. The accuracy was shown to 84.7% at 0.5 hours, 97.5% at 3 hours and 90.6% at 6 hours. These data were accompanied by a corresponding PTH value of overnight incubation time, which significantly correlated with early time results. Conclusion: The values of PTH at 3 hours has favorable the rate of concordance of 94.1% and may be useful for prediction of hypocalcemia, and it responses to overnight incubation PTH values. Therefore, This method may be an attractive alternative to proper treatment to stop symptom revelation by giving a calcium agent to the patient.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.125-135
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• 2020

This study analyzed the content of eight biogenic amines (BAs), including histamine, in 198 fishery products (121 school-meal products and 77 distributed products) in Korea in 2019. Changes in BA content according to time, temperature, and salt treatment in Japanese Spanish mackerel, chub mackerel, and salmon were also observed. The average histamine content of 198 fishery products was 0.4±2.3 mg/kg, and all were within histamine criteria (200 mg/kg or less). As a result, the margin of exposure (MOE) was calculated to evaluate the risk of fishery products, and school-meal fishery products were evaluated as safe with a MOE of 1 or more. At 30℃, the histamine content of the fish increased rapidly to 144 mg/kg (Japanese Spanish mackerel, 36 h), and 308 mg/kg (chub mackerel, 24 h). When the Japanese Spanish mackerel, chub mackerel, and salmon were stored at 4℃, histamine was not detected for 3 days, and it was not detected for 14 days at -20℃. The BA content (histamines, etc.) of salt-treated Japanese Spanish mackerel and chub mackerel was lower than that of fish not treated with salt.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.506-515
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• 2007

Background: Nosocomial pneumonia in an intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with a high mortality rate. Diagnosing a respiratory tract infection in critically ill patients is still difficult but detailed information for the pathogens is needed to establish an adequate antimicrobial treatment. This study examined the causative organisms and their antimicrobial resistance using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from patients suspected of having pneumonia in the ICU. Methods: From January 2004 to June 2006, ICU patients with diffuse lung infiltration were prospectively enrolled. The BAL was used to diagnose the respiratory infection, with 104 > or = organisms considered a positive result. The most common organisms and their antimicrobial resistances were analyzed from the quantitative BAL cultures in the burn ICU and non-burn ICU. Results: A total 72 patients were included, 35 (M 29, F 6) in the burn ICU and 37 (M 26, F 11) in the non-burn ICU. 27 patients (77.1%) in the burn ICU and 22 patients (59.5%) in the non-burn ICU met the criteria for a positive BAL culture. The major pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All strains (100%) of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from BAL (9 cases) were methicillin-resistant (MRSA) in the burn ICU, but 5 strains (71.4%, 7 cases) were MRSA in the non-burn ICU. Regarding Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the rate of resistance to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, cefepime, imipenem, ceftazidime, piperacillin/tazobactam in the burn and non-burn ICU ranged from 45.5% to 90% and 25% to 50%, respectively. In addition, the rate of resistance of Acinetobacter species to the above drugs in the burn and non-burn ICU ranged from 81.8% to 100% and 62.5% to 100%, respectively. Conclusions: These results are expected to provide useful guidelines for choosing the effective empirical antimicrobial therapy in patients with lung infiltrations in the burn and non-burn ICU.