• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.231-236
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• 2009

Biofilm has been described as a barrier, which produced by microorganisms to survive and protect themselves against various environments, like antibiotic agents. Staphylococcus spp. is a common cause of nosocomial and environmental infection. Thirty-six and thirty-five Staphylococci were isolated from animals and air, respectively. Based on the biofilm forming ability of the bacterium reported in our previous report, relationship between biofilm formation and antibiotic-resistance was investigated in this study. Regarding antibiotics susceptibility, cefazolin was the most effective agent to the bacteria. Strong biofilm-forming Staphylococcus spp. isolates might have a higher antibiotic resistance than weak biofilm isolates regardless of the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (p < 0.05). This result suggested that the chemical complexity of the biofilm might increase the antibiotic resistance due to the decrease of antibiotic diffusion into cells through the extensive matrix.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.613-620
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• 2017

The most common form of senile dementia is Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is characterized by the extracellular deposition of amyloid ${\beta}-peptide$ ($A{\beta}$) plaques and the intracellular formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the cerebral cortex. Tau abnormalities are commonly observed in many neurodegenerative diseases including AD, Parkinson's disease, and Pick's disease. Interestingly, tau-mediated formation of NFTs in AD brains shows better correlation with cognitive impairment than $A{\beta}$ plaque accumulation; pathological tau alone is sufficient to elicit frontotemporal dementia, but it does not cause AD. A growing amount of evidence suggests that soluble $A{\beta}$ oligomers in concert with hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau) serve as the major pathogenic drivers of neurodegeneration in AD. Increased $A{\beta}$ oligomers trigger neuronal dysfunction and network alternations in learning and memory circuitry prior to clinical onset of AD, leading to cognitive decline. Furthermore, accumulated damage to mitochondria in the course of aging, which is the best-known nongenetic risk factor for AD, may collaborate with soluble $A{\beta}$ and pTau to induce synapse loss and cognitive impairment in AD. In this review, I summarize and discuss the current knowledge of the molecular and cellular biology of AD and also the mechanisms that underlie $A{\beta}-mediated$ neurodegeneration.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.332-335
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• 2019

Cellulitis, one of most common diseases of everyday life, is often overlooked for its significance. Although cellulitis does not cause or lead to serious problems usually, its possibility to cause lifethreatening problem should be known. In present case, a patient who had received acupuncture treatment a week earlier presented to the clinic with symptoms of facial cellulitis. The disease resolved within few weeks under empirical antibiotic treatment but recurred after 3 months. Under close history review of the patient, we found out that the patient had received craniectomy 20 years ago. The patient had blunt headache with no other neurological symptoms that could suspect cranial infection, but considering the risk originating from the patient's surgical history, brain computed tomography (CT) was taken. CT images revealed abscess formation in the subgaleal and epidural spaces. Craniotomy with abscess evacuation was done promptly. With additional antibiotic treatment postoperatively, the disease resolved, and the 1-month postoperative followup brain CT showed no signs of abscess formation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.12
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• pp.505-513
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• 2014

While the survival of extremely premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome has increased due to advanced respiratory care in recent years, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. NEC is more prevalent in lower gestational age and lower birth weight groups. It is characterized by various degrees of mucosal or transmural necrosis of the intestine. Its exact pathogenesis remains unclear, but prematurity, enteral feeding, bacterial products, and intestinal ischemia have all been shown to cause activation of the inflammatory cascade, which is known as the final common pathway of intestinal injury. Awareness of the risk factors for NEC; practices to reduce the risk, including early trophic feeding with breast milk and following the established feeding guidelines; and administration of probiotics have been shown to reduce the incidence of NEC. Despite advancements in the knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiology of NEC, there is currently no universal prevention measure for this serious and often fatal disease. Therefore, new potential techniques to detect early biomarkers or factors specific to intestinal inflammation, as well as further strategies to prevent the activation of the inflammatory cascade, which is important for disease progression, should be investigated.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2000

Eleven children with gastroesophageal reflux disease underwent fundoplication. Eight had neurological impairment, two had hiatal hernias and one had a history of esophageal repair for esophageal atresia. The most common and significant symptom was vomiting(81.8 %), followed by recurrent respiratory infections(72.7 %) and failure to thrive(72.7 %). The most common diagnostic tool was 24 hour esophageal pH study, which showed pH less than 4 for more than 10 % of the total recorded time in 6 of 9 patients. Nissen fundoplication was performed in 10 patients. Thal fundoplication was carried out in one patient with esophageal atresia. Stamm gastrostomy was added for nutritional and/or swallowing problem in all 8 patients with neurological impairment. The median follow up period was 13 months. There was one late death of unrelated cause and one recurrence. The quality of life after antireflux surgery was greatly improved. Antireflux surgery should be done if indicated, and a simultaneous gastrostomy considered in a patient with neurological impairment.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.622-628
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• 1997

Hepatic cirrhosis is a common response to chronic liver injury from many causes and is one of the most common cause of all deaths. This study was carried out to compare experimental hepatic cirrhosis in rats to understand this disease and to apply for the pharmacokinetics in disease state. Following three kinds of experimental models were induced; 1) Bile duct ligation/scission (BDL/S), 2) N, N-dimethylnitrosamine(DMN), 3) Carbon tetrachloride. The hepatic cirrhosis was characterized by examing the liver/body weight ratio, serum biochemical values, hydroxyproline content in liver and histopathological lesions in cirrhotic rat liver. The results are as follows : (1) In BDL/S, the liver was enlarged to 250% of normal liver. In contrast the liver was shrinked to 48% and 78% of the normal liver in DMN and carbon tetrachloride, respectively. (2) In carbon tetrachloride and BDL/S, the serum ALT, AST, ALP and total bilirubin levels were significantly increased to 200~300% of normal level, while ALT and total bilirubin levels were significantly increased in DMN group. (3) Hydroxyproline content in cirrhotic rat liver was significantly 200~500% higher than that of normal liver. (4) Nodular formation with fibrosis was observed in BDL/S, DMN, carbon tetrachloride induced cirrhotic rat liver.

• Journal of Lipid and Atherosclerosis
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.77-87
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• 2018

Lowering serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is the mainstay for reduction of risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the second most common cause of death in Korea. The 2015 Korean guidelines for management of dyslipidemia strongly recommend the use of statins in patients at risk of CVD. Statin therapy, which is the gold standard for CVD, reduces LDL-C level by 40% to 60% and is generally well tolerated. However, many patients are intolerant to statins and discontinue therapy or become nonadherent to therapy because of actual/perceived side effects. The most common of these side effects is the statin-associated muscle symptom (SAMS). Discontinuation and repetitive re-challenge with statins can help identify SAMS. If serum creatinine kinase level is more than 10 times the upper limit of normal, statin therapy must be stopped immediately, and the physician should identify possible causes including rhabdomyolysis and treat appropriately. In other patients, it might help to switch to a less potent statin or to use statins at intermittent non-daily dosing. To achieve target LDL-C level, non-statin lipid-lowering therapies such as dietary modifications, ezetimibe, and bile acid sequestrants may be added. Several new drugs have recently been approved for lowering LDL-C level. Alirocumab and evolocumab are monoclonal antibodies that inhibit proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, and both drugs cause large reductions in LDL-C, similar to statins. Lomitapide and mipomersen are orphan drugs used as adjuncts to other lipid-lowering therapies in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.661-669
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to investigate of visiting time and major cause of disease by operating time changes of a university dental emergency room. Methods: This study was a retrospect study carried out by reviewing 9,172 records visiting the university emergency room from January 1997 to December 2009. Data were analyzed by frequency test, chi-square test, and logistic regression using SAS version 9.3. Results: Twenty four hours emergency room had 19 percent more patients than those in daytime emergency room. Daytime emergency room had more male patients during spring(26.6%) and winter(20.2%) than female patients(p<0.05). Female patients exceeded male patients during summer(24.4%) and autumn(36.2%)(p<0.05). Twenty-four hours emergency room had the maximal patients in autumn and the minimal patients in winter(p<0.05). The most common injury in the daytime was tooth fracture from 0 to 19 years old(p<0.05). Tooth fracture, jaw fracture, and soft tissue injury were the most common injury in dental emergency room and majority of the patients were the male(p<0.05). Conclusions: Twenty-four hours dental emergency room had a variety of causes of dental emergency thant that in the daytime. Twenty four hours dental emergency room must be prepared for the dental emergency patients at any time provided with personnel and facilities.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 2008

Purpose: Supraventricular arrhythmia is a well-known complication of cardiothoracic surgery, and is common in patients wirth underlying cardiovascular disease. Also, it's treatment and prognosis are well known. However the incidence, the contributing factors, and the prognosis for supraventricular arrhythmias in noncardiothoracic surgical patients are less well known. This study was undertaken to investigate the incidence, the clinical presentation, the prognosis, and the factors comtributing to the prognosis for supraventricular arrhythmia in the surgical intensive care unit. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 34 patients with newly developed or aggravated supraventricular arrhythmias in the surgical intensive care unit between March 2004 and February 2005. The incidence, the risk factors, and the prognosis of supraventricular arrhythmias were analyzed. Results: During a 12month period, the incidence of supraventricular arrhythmia was 1.79% (34/1896). Most patients had pre-existing cardiovascular disease and sepsis. The mortality rate was 29.4%, and the most common cause of death was multiple organ failure due to septic shock. The mean value of the APACHE II score was 20.9, and the surgical intensive care unit and the hospital lengths of stay were 9.9 days and 25.8 days, respectively. The APACHE II score measured when the arrhythmia developed was a significant factor in predicting mortality, Conclusion: Supraventricular arrhythmias result in increased mortality and increased length of stay in both the surgical intensive care unit and the hospital. The arrhythmia itself did not cause death, but a high APACHE II score incicated a poor prognosis. This may reflect the severity of the illness rather than an independent contributor to mortality.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2014

Objective : The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in a single center in Korea. Methods : A total of 36 patients were diagnosed with CVT from August 2005 to May 2013. The patient data regarding age, sex, disease stage, pathogenesis, location, laboratory findings, radiological findings, and treatment modalities were retrospectively collected. The results were compared with those of previous studies in other countries. Results : The patient group comprised 21 men and 15 women with a mean age of 46.9 years (ranging from three months to 77 years). The most common cause was a prothrombotic condition (8 patients, 22.2%). Within the patient group, 13 patients (36.1%) had a hemorrhagic infarction, whereas 23 (63.9%) had a venous infarction without hemorrhage. By location, the incidence of hemorrhagic infarction was the highest in the group with a transverse and/or sigmoid sinus thrombosis (n=9); however, the proportion of hemorrhagic infarction was higher in the cortical venous thrombosis group (75%) and the deep venous thrombosis group (100%). By pathogenesis, the incidence of hemorrhagic infarction was the highest in the prothrombotic group (n=6), which was statistically significant (p=0.016). Conclusion : According to this study, CVT was more prevalent in men, and the peak age group comprised patients in the sixth decade. The most common cause was a prothrombotic condition. This finding was comparable with reports from Europe or America, in which CVT was more common in younger women. Hemorrhagic infarction was more common in the prothrombotic group (p=0.016) than in the non-prothrombotic group in this study.