In Vitro Synergistic Effects of Antimicrobial Combinations on Extensively Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates.

Background: Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii are a threat to hospitalized patients. We evaluated the effects of antimicrobial combinations on XDR P. aeruginosa and A.

Additive effect between IL-13 polymorphism and cesarean section delivery/prenatal antibiotics use on atopic dermatitis: a birth cohort study (COCOA).

Background: Although cesarean delivery and prenatal exposure to antibiotics are likely to affect the gut microbiome in infancy, their effect on the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) in infancy is unclear. The influence of individual genotypes on these relationships is also unclear. To evaluate with a prospective birth cohort study whether cesarean section, prenatal exposure to antibiotics, and susceptible genotypes act additively to promote the development of AD in infancy.

Prenatal maternal depression is associated with low birth weight through shorter gestational age in term infants in Korea.

Background: Maternal prenatal depression is associated with lower offspring birth weight, yet the impact of gestational age on this association remains inadequately understood.

Aims: We aimed to investigate the effect of prenatal depression on low birth weight, gestational age, and weight for gestational age at term.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention for relapse prevention in patients with schizophrenia receiving risperidone via long-acting injection.

Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder that is usually characterized by relapses alternating with periods of full or partial remission. We examined whether combined therapy with a psychosocial intervention for relapse prevention (PIRP) and risperidone administered by long-acting injection (RLAI) would be more effective in reducing relapses than RLAI with treatment-as-usual (TAU) among outpatients with schizophrenia. We conducted a prospective, controlled study over 2 years in 46 patients with schizophrenia receiving RLAI, of which 21 and 25 patients were assigned to the PIRP and TAU control groups, respectively.

Expression of androgen receptors in primary breast cancer.

Background: To investigate the clinicopathological significance of androgen receptor (AR) expression in primary breast cancers.

Patients And Methods: We evaluated AR using immunohistochemistry from 413 whole sections from January 2008 to March 2009 and analyzed the relationship between AR and clinicopathological parameters. Tumors with >/=10% nuclear-stained cells were considered to be positive for AR.

The efficacy and safety of inflatable obstetric belts for management of the second stage of labor.

This study was designed to assess the effect of inflatable obstetric belts on uterine fundal pressure in the management of the second stage of labor. One hundred twenty-three nulliparas with a singleton cephalic pregnancy at term were randomized. Standard care was performed in the control group, and uterine fundal pressure by the Labor Assister (Baidy M-420/Curexo, Inc.

Unusual causes and presentations of hemifacial spasm.

Objective: To evaluate unusual possible causes and clinical presentations of hemifacial spasm (HFS).

Methods: The authors reviewed 1642 cases of HFS. Assessments were based on clinical features, 3-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography, and surgical findings.

Simultaneous measurement of 23 plasma cytokines in late-life depression.

According to the cytokine hypothesis of depression, cytokines play key roles in the behavioral, neuroendocrinal, and neurochemical features of depression. In this study, we used a bioplex assay to simultaneously measure the levels of 23 plasma cytokines in 18 patients with late-life depression and 38 normal controls, and these levels were compared between the two groups. The plasma interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) levels were found to be significantly different between the two groups.

Role of Bcl2-like 10 (Bcl2l10) in Regulating Mouse Oocyte Maturation.

Previously, we have shown that Bcl2l10 is highly expressed in metaphase II (MII)-stage oocytes. The objective of this study was to characterize Bcl2l10 expression in ovaries and to examine the function of Bcl2l10 in oocyte maturation using RNA interference. Bcl2l10 transcript expression was ovary and oocyte specific.

Changes in prostate-specific antigen levels and prostate volume in octogenarian men: community-based study.

Objectives: To examine the change in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and prostate volume (PV) in octogenarian men compared with those in septuagenarian men and evaluate the possibility of PSA as a surrogate marker for PV in octogenarian men.

Methods: A total of 441 men were recruited from whom random and selected oldest-old samples (age >or=85 years) from the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging, which was a population-based, prospective cohort study on health, aging, and common geriatric diseases of Koreans >or=65 years old. Men in their 70s (n = 136, 70-79 years) and 80s (n = 125, 80-89 years) were included.

Association of lamivudine-resistant mutational patterns with the antiviral effect of adefovir in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Adefovir has a potent antiviral activity as a rescue treatment against lamivudine-resistant strains. The aim of this study was to assess the patterns of lamivudine-resistant mutations and their influence on the virologic response to adefovir rescue therapy in patients with lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B. Sixty-seven patients with lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B were treated with adefovir monotherapy.

Kinetic tremor and cerebellar ataxia as initial manifestations of Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease.

Involvement of central nervous system occasionally occurs as a form of aseptic meningitis in Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD). However, acute cerebellar symptoms are very rare in KFD. We describe a 42 year-old woman presenting kinetic tremor and gait ataxia preceding cervical lymphadenopathy.

SEBOX is essential for early embryogenesis at the two-cell stage in the mouse.

Previously, we found high levels of skin-embryo-brain-oocyte homeobox (Sebox) gene expression in germinal vesicle (GV)-stage oocytes. The objective of the present study was to determine the role played by SEBOX in oocyte maturation and early embryogenesis using RNA interference (RNAi). Microinjection of Sebox double-stranded RNA into GV oocytes resulted in a marked decrease in Sebox mRNA and protein expression.

Down syndrome biochemical markers and screening for preeclampsia at first and second trimester: correlation with the week of onset and the severity.

Objectives: To estimate the combined screening performance of first and early second trimester prenatal serum markers for Down syndrome, in screening for the development of preeclampsia, and analyze the correlation among marker levels, week of onset, and severity of the disease.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out on 32 women with preeclampsia and 3044 controls. Serum samples from these pregnancies were assayed for pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), unconjugated estriol (uE3), human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), and inhibin-A.

Association between anger and first-onset primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

Objective: Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a frequent and problematic disease, but its underlying causes and pathophysiology remain unclear. This study examined whether anger, which is related to many psychosomatic diseases, is a psychosocial factor associated with first-onset PSP.

Method: We administered the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, Stress Response Inventory, Coping Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and Global Assessment of Recent Stress to 91 patients with first-onset PSP and to 77 patients with recent minor trauma as controls.

Usefulness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for treating insomnia in patients with anxiety disorders: a pilot study.

The objective of this study was to examine the usefulness of a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for treating insomnia symptoms in patients with anxiety disorder. Nineteen patients with anxiety disorder were assigned to an 8-week MBCT clinical trial. Participants showed significant improvement in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (Z = -3.

Effectiveness of risperidone long-acting injection in first-episode schizophrenia: in naturalistic setting.

Patients with first-episode schizophrenia frequently relapse during the first years of the illness. This may be associated with clinical deterioration. It is important to prevent relapses in first-episode schizophrenia.

Long-term liquid nitrogen vapor storage of mouse embryos cryopreserved using vitrification or slow cooling.

Objective: To store embryos in LN(2) vapor, which eliminates direct contact with LN(2), is presented as an alternative method to protect embryos cryopreserved by vitrification or slow cooling from LN(2)-borne pathogens.

Design: Basic animal research.

Setting: University-affiliated hospital.

Bilateral cerebral hemispheric infarction associated with sildenafil citrate (Viagra) use.

Sildenafil citrate (Viagra) is one of the frequently prescribed drugs for men with erectile dysfunction. We describe a 52-year-old man with bilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory infarction after sildenafil use. He ingested 100 mg of sildenafil and about 1 h later, he complained of chest discomfort, palpitation and dizziness followed by mental obtundation, global aphasia and left hemiparesis.

In Vivo Tracking of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Experimental Stroke.

To understand the fates of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) following transplantation into a rodent model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques were employed. hMSCs were labeled with ferumoxides (Feridex®)-protamine sulfate complexes, which were visualized and examined by MRI up to 10 weeks following transplantation. Migration of the transplanted cells to the infarcted area was further confirmed by histological methods.

Human embryonic stem cell-derived neural precursor transplants attenuate apomorphine-induced rotational behavior in rats with unilateral quinolinic acid lesions.

To test the efficacy of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived neural precursors in an experimental model of Huntington's disease (HD), we differentiated hESC into nestin-positive neural precursors by co-culturing with PA6 stromal cells, and subsequently transplanted them into the striatum of quinolinic acid (QA)-induced HD model. The transplanted animals exhibited a behavioral recovery in the apomorphine-induced rotation test for 3 weeks after transplantation. The transplanted hESC-derived neural precursors were found in both cortex and striatum.

The effects on cognitive function and behavioral problems of topiramate compared to carbamazepine as monotherapy for children with benign rolandic epilepsy.

Purpose: To evaluate the cognitive and behavioral effects of topiramate (TPM) versus carbamazepine (CBZ) using efficacious doses of each drug as monotherapy for children with benign rolandic epilepsy.

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, open-label, observer-blinded, parallel-group clinical trial was conducted. TPM was introduced at a dose of 12.

Effect of cosensitization with buckwheat flour extract on the production of house dust mite-specific IgE.

There are studies reporting food sensitization in infancy increases the risk of sensitization to inhalants later in life. We performed a study to evaluate whether cosensitization with buckwheat (BW) has an effect on the production of house dust mite-IgE. C3H/HeJ mice (4 weeks, female) were sensitized with house dust mite (HDM)/Al (OH)(3), intraperitoneally on day 0, followed by 4 intranasal sensitizations (on days 14, 15, 16, and 21).

Twin weight discordance and maternal weight gain in twin pregnancies.

Objective: To evaluate the association between twin weight discordance and maternal weight change during the gestational period.

Method: One hundred forty-seven twin pregnancies (Group A: <25%, Group B: > or =25% birth weight discordance) were analyzed using Student's t-test, chi(2)-test, and two-way ANOVA at three gestational intervals: before 18 weeks, 18 to 28 weeks, and 28 weeks to birth.

Result: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups involving maternal age, parity, duration of pregnancy, height, pregravid weight, and conception method.