• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제51권3호
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• pp.357-361
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• 2013

Several epidemiological surveys have reported the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in stray cats in Korea, but little information is available on T. gondii infection in household cats. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of T. gondii infection among household cats reared in Seoul, Korea. A total of 474 blood samples were collected from clinically healthy household cats. All samples were tested using ELISA and PCR. The risk factor analysis was based on a questionnaire filled out by the owners. The overall positive rate for ELISA and PCR assays was 2.2% (10/437) and 2.1% (10/474), respectively. With regard to the origin of cats, the positive rates among cats adopted from the animal shelter and veterinary clinic for stray cats were significantly different (P<0.05). Our study demonstrated that the positive rate of T. gondii infection in household cats was low and that this low prevalence was assumed to be associated with keeping the cats indoors and restriction of eating raw food and uncooked meat. Therefore, we suggest that the owners check the origin of the cats prior to adoption to prevent infection of other animals, including humans.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제56권6호
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• pp.589-596
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• 2018

Ticks are the vectors of various pathogens, threatening human health and animal production across the globe. Here, for the first time we detected Ricketssia spp., Borrelia spp. and protozoan in ticks from Poyang Lake region in Jiangxi Province of eastern China. In 3 habitat categories and on 12 host species, 311 ticks from 11 species were collected. Haemaphysalis longicornis was the predominant species, accounting for 55.63%, followed by Rhipicephalus microplus, Haemaphysalis flava and Ixodes granulatus. Of the collected ticks, 7.07% were positive for tick-borne pathogens, and H. longicornis and H. flava were found to be co-infected with Ricketssia spp. and protozoan. H. flava was the most detected positive for tick-borne pathogens, whereas H. longicornis had the lowest infection rate, and the difference in infection rates between tick species was significant (${\chi}^2=61.24$, P<0.001). Furthermore, adult ticks demonstrated remarkably greater infection rate than immature ticks (${\chi}^2=10.12$, P=0.018), meanwhile ticks on Erinaceidae showed significantly higher positivity than ticks collected on other host species (${\chi}^2=108.44$, P<0.001). Genetic fragment sequencing and analyses showed at least 4 pathogen species presence in ticks, namely Borrelia yangtzensis, Rickettsia slovaca or Rickettsia raoultii related genospecies, Babesia vogeli and Hepatozoon canis or Hepatozoon felis related genospecies. The finding indicates that the abundant ticks can carry diverse pathogens in Poyang Lake region, and pathogen infection is highly related to species, vertebrate hosts and life stages of ticks.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제52권3호
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• pp.131-140
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• 2019

Background: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the appropriateness of the stage migration of stage IIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the seventh edition of the tumor, node, and metastasis classification for lung cancer to stage IIB lung cancer in the eighth edition, and to identify prognostic factors in patients with eighth-edition stage IIB disease. Methods: Patients with eighth-edition stage IIB disease were subclassified into those with seventh-edition stage IIA disease and those with seventh-edition stage IIB disease, and their recurrence-free survival and disease-specific survival rates were compared. Risk factors for recurrence after curative resection were identified in all included patients. Results: Of 122 patients with eighth-edition stage IIB NSCLC, 101 (82.8%) had seventh-edition stage IIA disease and 21 (17.2%) had seventh-edition stage IIB disease. Nonsignificant differences were observed in the 5-year recurrence-free survival rate and the 5-year disease-specific survival rate between the patients with seventh-edition stage IIA disease and those with seventh-edition stage IIB disease. Visceral pleural invasion was a significant risk factor for recurrence in patients with eighth-edition stage IIB NSCLC. Conclusion: The stage migration from seventh-edition stage IIA NSCLC to eighth-edition stage IIB NSCLC was appropriate in terms of oncological outcomes. Visceral pleural invasion was the only prognostic factor in patients with eighth-edition stage IIB NSCLC.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제82권1호
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• pp.15-26
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• 2019

The pathogen Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is the most common cause of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease worldwide. The decision to initiate long-term antibiotic treatment is difficult for the physician due to inconsistent disease progression and adverse effects associated with the antibiotic treatment. The prognostic factors for the progression of MAC pulmonary disease are low body mass index, poor nutritional status, presence of cavitary lesion(s), extensive disease, and a positive acid-fast bacilli smear. A regimen consisting of macrolides (clarithromycin or azithromycin) with rifampin and ethambutol has been recommended; this regimen significantly improves the treatment of MAC pulmonary disease and should be maintained for at least 12 months after negative sputum culture conversion. However, the rates of default and disease recurrence after treatment completion are still high. Moreover, treatment failure or macrolide resistance can occur, although in some refractory cases, surgical lung resection can improve treatment outcomes. However, surgical resection should be carefully performed in a well-equipped center and be based on a rigorous risk-benefit analysis in a multidisciplinary setting. New therapies, including clofazimine, inhaled amikacin, and bedaquiline, have shown promising results for the treatment of MAC pulmonary disease, especially in patients with treatment failure or macrolide-resistant MAC pulmonary disease. However, further evidence of the efficacy and safety of these new treatment regimens is needed. Also, a new consensus is needed for treatment outcome definitions as widespread use of these definitions could increase the quality of evidence for the treatment of MAC pulmonary disease.

• 한국건강관리협회지
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.39-46
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• 2004

Purpose:It has been known that the prognosis of a young woman's breast cancer is Poorer than the other woman However, the effect of age on the prognosis is not well-defined We performed this study to investigate age as a prognostic factor of breast cancer. Materials and Methods : A retrospective study was conducted for 3209 breast cancer patients who underwent operations in Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital from January 1981 to December 2000. Patients were divided into two groups, young age(≤35) and old age(>35) groups. And tumor stage, histopathologic characteristics(such as histology, nuclear grade, histologic grade, hormonal receptor, etc), overall survival and disease free survival rates were compared between age groups. Results . The age ranged from 17 to 88 years. 396 patients(12.3%) were included in young age group(median=32) and 2813 Patients(87.7%) in old age group(median=47).There are more advanced stages and poor nuclear grades in young age group(p=0.000, p=0.003), By log-rank test, the young age group had poorer overall survival and disease free survival rates(p<0.05, p=0.0002). Although, the young age group had more advanced TMN stages(p=0.000) and poorer nuclear grade than the old age group(p=0.003) in multi variate analysis, the age was not a significant independent prognostic factor. (P=0.642)Conclusion: Our study showed that the age was not a significant independent prognostic factor.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.7-11
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• 2018

Significant advances in the diagnosis and medical care of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are major reasons for the better survival rates of children and adolescents with CKD than the survival rates reported in previous decades. These patients are reaching adulthood, and therefore require a transition to adult medical care. This transition phase is well-recognized to be associated with considerably increased morbidities and medical problems, such as non-adherence, graft loss after transplantation, and loss to follow-up. Low adherence increases morbidity and medical complications and contributes to poorer qualities of life and an overuse of the health care system. However, these tragic outcomes may be avoidable through a structured and well-defined transition program. In the last decade, there has been increasing interest to resolve these medical and psychological problems that occur during the transfer of young adult patients from pediatric to adult renal units. The aims of a successful transition from pediatric to adult medical care include enhancing the individual development of better health-competence and stabilizing, or even improving, the state of health. This review will focus on various aspects of the transition phase of adolescents who have CKD or who underwent kidney transplantation from pediatric to adult nephrology care.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.133-140
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• 1996

Saliva have many important functions in the maintenance of oral health. Saliva contains protective components, antibacterial enzymes, and other rubricating glycoprotein elements. When the salivary flow decreases of the salivary composition changes, a normally healthy mouth can become susceptible to caries, periodontal disease, and mucositis, and other diseases. Salivary peroxidase system acts as an antimicrobial factor in the oral cavity, having a role in the prevention of dental plaque accumulation, dental caries and gingivitis. Recently, this enzyme system has been introduced by many researchers in the form of toothpaste, mouthwash or moisturizing gel for use in patients with various disease states . The author prescribed the peroxidase system containing gel (Oralbalance) to the 18 Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) patients for 1 week and investigated the changes of the subjective symptoms, $HOSCN/OSCN^-$ levels of unstimulated whole saliva, and the salivary flow rates. The obtained results were as follows : 1. The patients reported decrease in all symptoms of BMS after the use of peroxidase system containing gel, particulary, a significantly higher decreases of dry mouth and burning symptoms. 2. Decreased $HOSCN/OSCN^-$ levels of unstimulated whole saliva were detected in the patients with BMS after the use of perosidase system containing gel for 1 week. 3. There was no difference between the flow rates of unstimulated whole saliva before and after uses of peroxidase system containing gel for 1 week.

• 한국가금학회지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.17-25
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• 1992

The efficacy of B$_1$l live vaccine which is used successfully in chicken was examined against Newcastle disease in quails. A total of 480 male quails were divided into 4 groups, of which 3 groups were vaccinated via drinking water, eye instillation and spraying method and the remaining was employed as a nonvaccinated control group. At 3 weeks after the first vaccination a part of quails in each group was revaccinated. Efficacy of the vaccine was evaluated by the antibody responses and the protection rates after challenge with a virulent NDV. Vaccination of quails with $B_1$ NDV at 10 days of age resulted in beneficial effect compared to nonvaccinated group regardness of vaccination methods adopted although general protection rates were considerably low. Twice vaccination gave higher protection than once vaccination. Hemagglutination inhibition antibody responeses were significantly higher in groups of quails vaccinated by spray and eye instillation method than by drinking water administration. Antibody responses were marked at 2 weeks onward and until 5 to 7 weeks after vaccination. Antibody responses were rapid and marked after second vaccination. However, antibody level did not last longer than 5 to 7 weeks postvaccination. Vaccine caused no adverse effect on quails in terms of growth'rate, body temperature or clinical signs.

• 의료법학
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.11-36
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• 2013

Korea has been recognized as a safe country about the substance abuse, but now is not safe country because there are over 10 thousand drug related offenses in a year since 1999. Seventy percent of them are drug abusers, so Korea government must have stronger political strategies about the prevention and the treatment of the drug abuse. Till now Korea government has focused on the imprisonment rather than the treatment for the drug abusers. So the relapse rates are over 40% among the incarcerated drug abusers. Now we need more treatment strategies and development of treatment methods to decrease the relapse rates. Substance abuse is a brain disease with a chronic relapsing nature and has a bio-psycho-social etiology. So treatment process has three steps, motivation enhancement treatment for substance-free lifestyle, rehabilitation aimed at maximizing multiple aspects of life functioning, and relapse prevention. To improving the treatment strategies the Government must execute the national survey about the substance abuse, enforce a law to operate the drug court and to sentence a treatment order with a probation, and establish a national addiction institute for study and education about the substance abuse.

• 약학회지
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• 제40권5호
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• pp.563-573
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• 1996

The system most likely responsible for the accelerated metabolism of alcohol with chronic ingestion or at high blood ethanol levels, is the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system(M EOS). While the increase in the MEOS with chronic ethanol ingestion is thought to be adaptive, it may also have serious adverse effects on the liver. The rates of the NADPH-dependent oxygen consumption by the liver microsomes from the prolonged ethanol fed rats were 2 times higher than the rates from the non-treated rats. With the alcohol ingestion, the total SH and nonprotein SH contents showed the significant decrease and at the same time, MDA in liver and GOT and GPT levels in blood showed the significant increase, which suggests the occurrence of liver damage due to the oxidative stress caused by chronic alcohol consumption. The mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH) activity was decreased by chronic ethanol ingestion, whereas the alcohol dehydrogenase activity and the cytosolic ALDH activity were not altered. These results suggest that the induction of cytochrome P450 by the chronic alcohol ingestion increases the oxidative stress which seems to result in the altered the physiological states of the liver including the ALDH activity, which may in turn to lead to the liver disease.