• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• 제38권1호
• /
• pp.29-31
• /
• 2000

A toxoplasmic uveitis case was reported on the focus of impairment of pathological findings and serological antibody titers after chemotherapy. A chief complaint of a 60-year-old male was a decreased and blurred vision in his right eye for 2 weeks after experiencing tremendous stress and fatigue. A steroid therapy for 3 weeks was not effective and the retinal lesion became necrotic. Anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody titer was checked to be a strong positive by both ELISA and indirect latex agglutination assay (lLA). He was treated with Fansidar F for 8 weeks. His vision improved as the necrotic lesion healed by scarring, but the antibody titers still remained very high without any signs of negative conversion. It is suggested to be a recurrent case of the past asymptomatic infection by presumed immune suppression caused by excessive stress.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• 제33권5호
• /
• pp.440-444
• /
• 2000

A 54-year-old male patient was admitted due to dyspnea with chest pain and reddish swelling in the right lteral neck and right upper which developed 2 or 3 days age. He was treated with acupuncture in the neck about one week ago prior to admission. CT scans of the chest showed density of air and abnormal soft tissue which suggested abscess of the anterior mediastinum and subcutaneous tissue. He underwent cervical and mediastinal drainage with closed thoracostomy and antibiotic therapy. Black-pigmente anaerobic nonspore-forming gram-negative bacilli were isolated from the mediastinal pus and were identified as Prevotella intermedia/nigrescens upon performing biochemical tests and API rapid ID 32A (bioMeriux, France) kit. He underwent decortication of the right side because of loculated empyema on 41st postoperative day. He was fully recovered and discharged on the 82nd hospital day. This was thought to be another case of descending necrotizing mediastinitis not caused by peritonsilar abscess but by cellulitis developed after acupuncture. Early deterction of mediastinits and aggressive drainage of mediastinal abscess are important.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• 제46권2호
• /
• pp.153-155
• /
• 2013

A 57-year-old man was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent pneumonectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection. He was discharged without acute complications, but on a regular outpatient follow-up, he was readmitted with postpneumonectomy empyema. He was successfully treated with a vacuum-assisted closure device and for 1 year period of outpatient follow-up, there was no recurrence of empyema or lung cancer.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
• /
• 제32권1호
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2004

Many bacteria monitor their population density and control the expression of specialized gene sets in response to bacterial cell density based on a mechanism referred to as quorum sensing. In all cases, quorum sensing involves the production and detection of extracellular signaling molecules, auto inducers, as which Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria use most prevalently acylated homoserine lactones and processed oligo-peptides, respectively. Through quorum-sensing communication circuits, bacteria regulate a diverse array of physiological functions, including virulence, symbiosis, competence, conjugation, antibiotic production, motility, sporulation, and biofilm formation. Many pathogens have evolved quorum-sensing mechanisms to mount population-density-dependent attacks to over-whelm the defense responses of plants, animals, and humans. Since these AHL-mediated signaling mechanisms are widespread and highly conserved in many pathogenic bacteria, the disruption of quorum-sensing system might be an attractive target for novel anti-infective therapy. To control AHL-mediated pathogenicity, several promising strategies to disrupt bacterial quorum sensing have been reported, and several chemicals and enzymes have been also investigated for years. These studies indicate that anti-quorum sensing strategies could be developed as possible alternatives of antibiotics.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• 제13권2호
• /
• pp.73-78
• /
• 2013

Surgery is still considered to be the mainstay for the treatment of localized gastric cancer with negative margins (R0-resection) and an adequate lymph-node-dissection (D2-lymphadenectomy). Unfortunately, most cases of gastric cancer are only diagnosed at an advanced stage due to frequent recurrences after primary resection in curative intent. In order to improve prognosis after curative resection, in the recent past, patients with locally advanced tumors were subjected to a pre-, peri-, or postoperative treatment. Interestingly, postoperative chemotherapy has significantly improved survival after gastric resection in Asia, adjuvant radiochemotherapy is favored in North America and perioperative chemotherapy is considered as a treatment of choice in Europe indicating region specific approach towards the treatment. Recently there has also been growing evidence of positive outcomes of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy on patient survival. In the present article, we discuss the concepts of neoadjuvant treatment approach and provide recommendations to surgeons based on current evidence.

• 대한한방소아과학회지
• /
• 제19권1호
• /
• pp.25-33
• /
• 2005

Objectives : This study is to investigate the effects of oriental medical treatment of traumatic brain injury. Methods : We treated the patient with Herb medicine, acupuncture, moxa, fumigation, rubdown and negative and occupational therapy. And we evaluated the case with Modified Bathel Index, Activity Index, Jebsen Test. Results : There is improvement in his symptom (manual muscle power, finger apraxia, memory loss, dysarthria, urinary frequency), after oriental medical treatment. Conclusions : We report the good result of oriental medical treatment on this case. The more clinical study of oriental medical treatment for traumatic brain injury is needed.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• 제41권1호
• /
• pp.81-84
• /
• 2014

In this article, we present two cases of femoral pseudoaneurysm (PA) at the femoral arterial puncture site followed by necrotizing fasciitis, which is rare but can be fatal when not managed appropriately. PA was revealed by lower-extremity angiography and color-flow Doppler ultrasonography. Hematoma removal, thrombolysis, and bleeder ligation with Gelfoam were repeatedly performed by a vascular surgeon. When necrotizing fasciitis developed, aggressive surgical drainage and creation of a viable wound bed for reconstruction were mandatory. We adopted a vacuum-assisted closure device (Kinetics Concepts International) as the standard treatment for complicated, serious, infected PA of the puncture site. Excellent clinical outcomes were obtained.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• 제6권2호
• /
• pp.115-126
• /
• 2003

Although painful conditions of varying degrees of severity involving the soft tissues (i .e., muscles, tendons, ligaments, periosteum and peripheral nerves) occur frequently, their underlying pathogenesis is poorly understood. The term peripheral neuropathic pain has recently been suggested to embrace the combination of positive and negative symptoms in patients whose pain is due to pathological changes or dysfunction in peripheral nerves or nerve root. The spinal nerve root, because of its vulnerable position, is very easily prone to injury from pressure, stretch, angulation, and friction. Therefore, not a few of musculoskeletal chronic pains are result of nerve root dysfunction. Neuropathic changes due to nerve root dysfunction are primarily in soft tissue especially muscle, tendon and joint. It shows tenderness over muscle motor points and palpable muscle contracture bands and restricted Joint range. Careful palpation and physical examination is the important tool that, be abne to detect all of these phenomena.

• 대한본초학회지
• /
• 제20권2호
• /
• pp.55-60
• /
• 2005

Objectives : This study was conducted to investigate the effects Innotus obliquus on the cytokine expression in Raw 264.7 cells. Methods : In Raw 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccaride(LPS) to Mimic inflammation, Innotus obliquus ethanol extract inhibited nitric oxide production in a dose-dependent manner and abrogated inducible nitric oxide sythase(iNOS) and cyclooxigenase (COX-2). The levels of cytokines were analyzed by sandwich immuno assays. Results and Conclusions : Results provided evidence that Innotus obliquus inhibited the production of IL-b, and IL-6 in Raw 264.7 cells activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These finding suggested that Innotus obliquus can produce anti-inflammatory effect, which may playa role in adjunctive therapy in Gram-negative bacterial infections.

• 생물정신의학
• /
• 제5권2호
• /
• pp.149-154
• /
• 1998

Antipsychotic drugs(APDs) have been effective to alleviate psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia. However, some schizophrenic patients do not respond to APDs. In addition to psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia, negative symptoms, excitement, violence, agitation, depression, and disorganization are frequently noted in patients with schizophrenia. Though APDs are the first line drugs for these symptoms, other drugs than APDs to augment the effects of APDs are efficacious for the treatment of these symptoms. Such augmenting drugs include benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, lithium, and electroconvulsive therapy. These augmentation strategies can boost the effects of APDs or decrease the requirements of APDs, and consequently decrease the chance of the occurrence of side effects of APDs. Augmenting strategies are revewed for each class of drugs or treatment modality.