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1.
Small ; 19(22): e2207223, 2023 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36808806

ABSTRACT

Composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) are newly emerging components for all-solid-state Li-metal batteries owing to their excellent processability and compatibility with the electrodes. Moreover, the ionic conductivity of the CSEs is one order of magnitude higher than the solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) by incorporation of inorganic fillers into SPEs. However, their advancement has come to a standstill owing to unclear Li-ion conduction mechanism and pathway. Herein, the dominating effect of the oxygen vacancy (Ovac ) in the inorganic filler on the ionic conductivity of CSEs is demonstrated via Li-ion-conducting percolation network model. Based on density functional theory, indium tin oxide nanoparticles (ITO NPs) are selected as inorganic filler to determine the effect of Ovac on the ionic conductivity of the CSEs. Owing to the fast Li-ion conduction through the Ovac inducing percolation network on ITO NP-polymer interface, LiFePO4 /CSE/Li cells using CSEs exhibit a remarkable capacity in long-term cycling (154 mAh g-1 at 0.5C after 700 cycles). Moreover, by modifying the Ovac concentration of ITO NPs via UV-ozone oxygen-vacancy modification, the ionic conductivity dependence of the CSEs on the surface Ovac from the inorganic filler is directly verified.

2.
Small ; 17(45): e2103448, 2021 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34611985

ABSTRACT

Water-infiltration-induced power generation has the renewable characteristic of generating electrical energy from ambient water. Importantly, it is found that the carrier concentration in semiconductor constituting the energy generator seriously affect the electricity generation. Nevertheless, few studies are conducted on the influence of semiconductor carrier concentration, a crucial factor on electricity generation. Due to this, understanding of the energy harvesting mechanism is still insufficient. Herein, the semiconductor carrier concentration-dependent behavior in water-infiltration-induced electricity generation and the energy harvesting mechanism by ionovoltaic effect are comprehensively verified. A clue to enhance the electric power generation efficiency is also proposed. When 20 µL of water (NaCl, 0.1 m) infiltrates into a porous CuO nanowires film (PCNF), electric power of ≈0.5 V and ≈1 µA are produced for 25 min. Moreover, the PCNF shows good practicability by generating electricity using various ambient water, turning on LEDs, and being fabricated as a curved one.


Subject(s)
Electricity , Water , Semiconductors
3.
J Infect Chemother ; 24(4): 278-283, 2018 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29292177

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To assess Asian data from Global Prevalence Study on Infections in Urology (GPIU study) which has been performed more than 10 years. METHODS: Seventeen Asian countries participated in the GPIU study between 2004 and 2013. Data for these countries were collected from the web-based GPIU database. The point prevalence of urinary tract infections (UTI) and antimicrobial susceptibility of representative pathogens were analysed for Asian geographic regions. RESULTS: A total of 6706 patients (5271 male, 1435 female) were assessed during the study period, and 659 patients were diagnosed with a UTI (9.8%). Of these UTI patients, 436 were male and 223 were female. Mean patient age was 54.9 ± 19.3 years. Pyelonephritis and cystitis were the most common clinical diagnoses, representing 30.7% and 29.9% of patients, respectively. Escherichia coli was the most frequently identified uropathogen (38.7%). For the patients with urinary tract infection, cephalosporins were the most frequently used antibiotics (34.4%), followed by fluoroquinolones (24.1%), aminoglycosides (16.8%). Fluoroquinolone resistance was relatively high (ciprofloxacin 54.9%, levofloxacin 39.0%), and cephalosporin resistance 42% (42.5-49.4%). Of the antibiotics evaluated, uropathogens had maintained the highest level of susceptibility to amikacin and imipenem (24.9% and 11.3% resistance rates, respectively). CONCLUSION: Uropathogens in many Asian countries had high resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Knowledge of regional and local resistance data and prudent use of antibiotics are important for proper management of UTI in Asian countries.


Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial , Hospitals/statistics & numerical data , Urinary Tract Infections/epidemiology , Urinary Tract Infections/microbiology , Adult , Aged , Asia/epidemiology , Cystitis/diagnosis , Cystitis/drug therapy , Cystitis/epidemiology , Cystitis/microbiology , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Escherichia coli/pathogenicity , Escherichia coli Infections/diagnosis , Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy , Escherichia coli Infections/epidemiology , Escherichia coli Infections/microbiology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Pyelonephritis/diagnosis , Pyelonephritis/drug therapy , Pyelonephritis/epidemiology , Pyelonephritis/microbiology , Urinary Tract Infections/diagnosis , Urinary Tract Infections/drug therapy
4.
Int J Urol ; 25(3): 175-185, 2018 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29193372

ABSTRACT

Urinary tract infections, genital tract infections and sexually transmitted infections are the most prevalent infectious diseases, and the establishment of locally optimized guidelines is critical to provide appropriate treatment. The Urological Association of Asia has planned to develop the Asian guidelines for all urological fields, and the present urinary tract infections, genital tract infections and sexually transmitted infections guideline was the second project of the Urological Association of Asia guideline development, which was carried out by the Asian Association of Urinary Tract Infection and Sexually Transmitted Infection. The members have meticulously reviewed relevant references, retrieved via the PubMed and MEDLINE databases, published between 2009 through 2015. The information identified through the literature review of other resources was supplemented by the author. Levels of evidence and grades of recommendation for each management were made according to the relevant strategy. If the judgment was made on the basis of insufficient or inadequate evidence, the grade of recommendation was determined on the basis of committee discussions and resultant consensus statements. Here, we present a short English version of the original guideline, and overview its key clinical issues.


Subject(s)
Urinary Tract Infections/diagnosis , Urinary Tract Infections/therapy , Asia , Humans , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Urinary Tract Infections/etiology , Urinary Tract Infections/microbiology
5.
J Infect Chemother ; 20(1): 20-5, 2014 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24462419

ABSTRACT

Roxithromycin is effective in the treatment of intracellular organisms, including chlamydia and mycoplasma, and exhibits anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects on respiratory diseases. To explore the potential therapeutic benefit of roxithromycin in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), this study compared the effect of roxithromycin with ciprofloxacin and aceclofenac. A total of 75 patients with CP/CPPS were randomized to three groups in open-label: group 1, ciprofloxacin; group 2, aceclofenac; and group 3, roxithromycin. The patients were treated for 4 weeks and were subsequently followed for 12 weeks. Changes from baseline in the total and domain scores of the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) were evaluated. The NIH-CPSI score decreased in the roxithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and aceclofenac groups to a similar degree. The NIH-CPSI initial and 12-week total scores were 20.3 and 10.0, respectively, in group 1; 23.6 and 14.3, respectively, in group 2; and 21.1 and 9.8, respectively, in group 3. The three treatment arms did not differ significantly with respect to the efficiency of treatment (p > 0.05). Compared to patients in groups 1 and 2, group 3 patients with Category IIIb disease exhibited favorable results upon follow-up 12 weeks after treatment. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), uroflowmetry, and post-void residual volume were equivalent between the groups. Roxithromycin exhibits similar or favorable effects on the improvement of CP/CPPS compared to ciprofloxacin and aceclofenac. Roxithromycin could be used as a new therapeutic agent for CP/CPPS. Further study of the immunomodulatory action of roxithromycin in CP/CPPS is required.


Subject(s)
Chronic Disease/drug therapy , Ciprofloxacin/therapeutic use , Diclofenac/analogs & derivatives , Pelvic Pain/drug therapy , Prostatitis/drug therapy , Roxithromycin/therapeutic use , Adult , Diclofenac/therapeutic use , Humans , Male , Pilot Projects , Prospective Studies , Treatment Outcome , Young Adult
6.
J Infect Chemother ; 20(1): 38-42, 2014 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24462423

ABSTRACT

We conducted a retrospective analysis of acute bacterial prostatitis (ABP) secondary to manipulation to document clinical features, management and microbiology based on the route of prior manipulation, which can be divided into two subgroups: transrectal and transurethral procedure. The medical records of 158 cases compatible with a confirmed diagnosis of ABP secondary to manipulation from 7 urological centers between 2001 and 2012 were reviewed. When subcategorized according to route of prior manipulation of the lower urinary tract, there were distinct differences between transrectal and transurethral manipulation group with regard to clinical and microbiological features. Escherichia coli was the most common causative bacterium in both groups, but Pseudomonas spp. were much more dominant pathogens in the group by transurethral manipulation than transrectal manipulation group. The susceptibilities to second-, third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, amikacin, carbapenem and aztreonam were shown to be very low in the transurethral manipulation group. Therefore, it will take account the difference in antibiotic selection in the patients with ABP secondary to manipulation according to the manipulation route.


Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Bacterial Infections/drug therapy , Bacterial Infections/microbiology , Prostatitis/drug therapy , Prostatitis/microbiology , Urinary Tract/drug effects , Urinary Tract/microbiology , Acute Disease , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies
7.
Ann Plast Surg ; 73(6): 692-5, 2014 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24322635

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The authors aimed to report 5 cases of patients with penile lipogranuloma-induced full necrosis of penile skin, wherein they obtained good results from simultaneous implementation of Y-V incision to prevent the shortening of penile length together with bipedicular scrotal flap. METHODS: The full excision of penile lipogranuloma and a bipedicled scrotal flap was performed. After finishing the scrotal flap, for extension in length, the authors performed the inverted V incision on the upper skin of followed by partial resection of suspensory ligament and sutured up to subcutaneous tissue in the inverted Y shape, extending the dorsal portion skin toward the penis. RESULTS: There was no shortening in length of the penis or reduction in girth and the resulting penis had no difference to normal skin of penis, with almost no contraction of the scrotum, and all patients were satisfied with the visual postoperative shape of the penis. CONCLUSIONS: The authors had performed a complete excision of paraffinoma in patients with penile paraffinoma with concurrent skin necrosis and obtained good outcomes of preventing the shortening of penile length by performing a bipedicled scrotal flap with Y-V incision using the scrotal skin.


Subject(s)
Granuloma, Foreign-Body/surgery , Paraffin/adverse effects , Penile Diseases/surgery , Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods , Scrotum/surgery , Surgical Flaps , Follow-Up Studies , Granuloma, Foreign-Body/etiology , Humans , Male , Penile Diseases/etiology , Treatment Outcome
8.
Adv Sci (Weinh) ; : e2404893, 2024 Aug 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39099395

ABSTRACT

Water motion-induced energy harvesting has emerged as a prominent means of facilitating renewable electricity from the interaction between nanostructured materials and water over the past decade. Despite the growing interest, comprehension of the intricate solid-liquid interfacial phenomena related to solid state physics remains elusive and serves as a hindrance to enhancing energy harvesting efficiency up to the practical level. Herein, the study introduces the energy harvester by utilizing inversion on the majority charge carrier in graphene materials upon interaction with water molecules. Specifically, various metal electrode configurations are employed on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to unravel its distinctive charge carriers that experience the inversion in semiconductor type upon water contact, and exploit this characteristic to leverage the efficacy of generated electricity. Through the strategic arrangement of the metal electrodes on rGO membrane, the open-circuit voltage (Voc) and short-circuit current (Isc) have exhibited a remarkable augmentation, reaching 1.05 V and 31.6 µA, respectively. The demonstration of effectively tailoring carrier dynamics via electrode configuration expands the practicality by achieving high power density and elucidating how the water-induced carrier density modulation occurs in 2D nanomaterials.

9.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother ; 57(11): 5384-93, 2013 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23959315

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to (i) investigate the antimicrobial susceptibilities of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections (UTIs) in outpatient and inpatient settings and (ii) evaluate the risk factors for emerging antimicrobial drug resistance in UTIs in South Korea. In total, 3,023 samples without duplication were collected from females between 25 and 65 years of age who had been diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. Multicenter patient data were collected using a Web-based electronic system and then evaluated. The isolation rates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterococcus faecium in the outpatient setting were 78.1, 4.7, and 1.3%, respectively; in the inpatient setting, the isolation rates of these microorganisms were 37.8, 9.9, and 14.8%, respectively. The susceptibilities of E. coli to amikacin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefotaxime, cefoxitin, ciprofloxacin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and imipenem in the outpatient setting were 99.4, 79.8, 89.4, 92.8, 69.8, 96.9, and 100.0%, respectively; in the inpatient setting, the susceptibilities to these antibiotics were 97.8, 73.9, 73.7, 82.1, 53.6, 93.2, and 100.0%, respectively. The most unique and common risk factor for emerging antimicrobial-resistant E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and E. faecium was previous exposure to antimicrobials. On the basis of these data, the use of fluoroquinolones should be reserved until culture data are available for the treatment of UTIs in South Korea. The present study will serve as a useful reference for Far Eastern Asia.


Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial/drug effects , Enterococcus faecium/drug effects , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/drug therapy , Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/drug therapy , Klebsiella pneumoniae/drug effects , Urinary Tract Infections/drug therapy , Adult , Aged , Enterococcus faecium/growth & development , Escherichia coli/growth & development , Female , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/epidemiology , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/microbiology , Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/epidemiology , Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/microbiology , Humans , Incidence , Inpatients , Klebsiella pneumoniae/growth & development , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Middle Aged , Outpatients , Republic of Korea/epidemiology , Urinary Tract Infections/epidemiology , Urinary Tract Infections/microbiology
10.
J Infect Chemother ; 19(4): 727-31, 2013 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23380970

ABSTRACT

We conducted a retrospective analysis of acute cystitis (AC) patients to evaluate the risk factors of recurrent cystitis (RC) patients following AC. The clinical records of 254 subjects with a confirmed diagnosis of AC and 90 healthy subjects who visited the Health Promotion Center between 2008 and 2012 were reviewed. A patient was diagnosed with RC if she was treated for three or more symptomatic episodes of cystitis over a 12-month period. Results were analyzed according to three groups: normal control (group A, n = 90), AC (group B, n = 121), and RC (group C, n = 133). Women in the cystitis groups (groups B and C) were more likely to have diabetes, be menopausal, have a history of catheterization or sexually transmitted infections (STI), have a low daily water intake, have frequent sexual intercourse, and to use contraception more frequently than the normal control group (P < 0.05). In groups B and C, Escherichia coli was the most common uropathogen, followed by Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Enterococcus species, and Klebsiella species. There were no differences between groups in the detection rates of these uropathogens. Factors that affected progression to RC were diabetes, catheterization history, STI history, sexual intercourse more than four times per month, sexual intercourse in the last month, and the use of contraceptives (P < 0.05). The identification of these factors may help develop preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies for treating RC that has progressed from AC.


Subject(s)
Cystitis/epidemiology , Acute Disease , Adult , Cystitis/complications , Cystitis/microbiology , Diabetes Mellitus , Female , Humans , Hypertension , Middle Aged , Recurrence , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Sexual Behavior
11.
J Infect Chemother ; 19(6): 1221-4, 2013 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23708781

ABSTRACT

In this retrospective study, a review of the features of 21 recent cases of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is presented and compared with current published reports to improve the preoperative diagnosis. The clinical, laboratory, and radiological features, preoperative diagnoses, and operative methods of 21 patients with XGP were retrospectively reviewed. Mean age of the patients was 52.1 years; the female:male ratio was 2.5:1. All patients were symptomatic, and most common symptoms were flank pain and fever greater than 38 °C. The laboratory results showed anemia in 71.4% of cases, leukocytosis in 61.9%, and pyuria in 81.0%. In radiologic examinations, renal or ureter stone in 9 patients, hydronephrosis in 12 patients, a renal mass in 2 patients, and kidney enlargement in 9 patients were observed. For the patient who was suspected as having XGP before surgery, partial nephrectomy was performed; for 2 patients who were suspected as renal cell carcinoma, radical nephrectomy was performed; and for the remaining 18 patients, simple nephrectomy was performed. Among patients complaining of flank pain and fever, if the patients have a urinary tract infection and show the signs of anemia or leukocytosis and have staghorn calculi or a urinary tract obstruction and renal mass by radioactive examination, it is believed that the possibility of XGP should be considered.


Subject(s)
Pyelonephritis, Xanthogranulomatous/surgery , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Nephrectomy , Pyelonephritis, Xanthogranulomatous/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies
12.
J Infect Chemother ; 19(6): 1102-8, 2013 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23783396

ABSTRACT

Ureteroscopic procedures are being commonly performed in urology, but only a few clinical studies have been conducted on infectious complications after these procedures, and overall understanding on the preoperative use of prophylactic antibiotics is insufficient. This study examined the incidence rate of infectious complications and the risk factors affecting incidence after ureteroscopic procedures. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 531 patients who underwent ureteroscopy and ureteroscopic lithotripsy in our hospital, including age, sex, past history, comorbidity, urine analysis, urine culture, blood test, hydronephrosis, urethral catheter or ureteral stent, and percutaneous nephrostomy placement from January 2002 to December 2011. A total of 20 patients (3.8%) contracted infectious complications after various procedures in the upper urinary tract. Preoperative bacteriuria, hydronephrosis, and the placement of a urethral catheter or ureteral stent, and percutaneous nephrostomy are significant risk factors of infectious complication. No significant differences were shown in the types and start time of prophylactic antibiotics. Diagnostic ureteroscopy exhibited a higher incidence rate of infectious complications compared to ureteroscopic lithotripsy.


Subject(s)
Ureteroscopy/adverse effects , Urinary Tract Infections/etiology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage , Antibiotic Prophylaxis , Female , Fever/microbiology , Humans , Incidence , Male , Middle Aged , Postoperative Complications/drug therapy , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Postoperative Complications/prevention & control , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Urinary Tract Infections/drug therapy , Urinary Tract Infections/prevention & control
13.
J Infect Chemother ; 18(4): 494-500, 2012 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22252268

ABSTRACT

Traditionally, the diagnosis of bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) has been dependent on the isolation of the causative pathogens by culturing endocervical or urethral swab specimens on selective media. While such procedures typically provide excellent diagnostic accuracy, they are often time-consuming and expensive. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, based on a semi-automated detection system, was evaluated for the detection of six STI causative organisms. The Seeplex(®) STD6 ACE (auto-capillary electrophoresis) Detection assay employed six pairs of dual priming oligonucleotide (DPO™) primers specifically targeted to unique genes of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, and Trichomonas vaginalis. A total of 739 specimens (304 cervical swabs and 435 urine samples) collected for 4 months were tested, and results were compared to those obtained with a combined monoplex PCR. The concordance between the multiplex PCR and monoplex PCR assay was 100% for both sensitivity and specificity. We also tested for the presence of two pathogenic bacteria (C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae) and compared the results obtained with the multiplex PCR and BD ProbeTec duplex strand displacement amplification (SDA). The results of the multiplex PCR and duplex SDA were 99.7% concordant for C. trachomatis and 100% concordant for N. gonorrhoeae. The multiplex PCR assay using the Seeplex(®) STD6 ACE Detection kit proved to be a novel cost-effective and fast diagnostic tool with high sensitivity and specificity for the simultaneous detection of six STI pathogens.


Subject(s)
Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Reagent Kits, Diagnostic , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/diagnosis , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/microbiology , Adult , Cervix Uteri/microbiology , Cervix Uteri/parasitology , Chlamydia trachomatis/genetics , Chlamydia trachomatis/isolation & purification , DNA Primers/genetics , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mycoplasmataceae/genetics , Mycoplasmataceae/isolation & purification , Mycoplasmatales Infections/diagnosis , Mycoplasmatales Infections/microbiology , Neisseria gonorrhoeae/genetics , Neisseria gonorrhoeae/isolation & purification , Sensitivity and Specificity , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/parasitology , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/urine , Trichomonas Vaginitis/diagnosis , Trichomonas Vaginitis/parasitology , Trichomonas vaginalis/genetics , Trichomonas vaginalis/isolation & purification , Urine/microbiology , Urine/parasitology
14.
J Infect Chemother ; 18(1): 30-4, 2012 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21814801

ABSTRACT

The antibiotic treatment rate of chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) is low, and long-term administration can result in adverse events and bacterial resistance. For these reasons, a new preventive modality, which can replace traditional antibiotic therapy, is required. To evaluate the preventive effect of selenium on CBP, the pre-treatments were divided into four groups, administered for 4 weeks, as follows: (1) control, (2) ciprofloxacin, (3) selenium, and (4) ciprofloxacin and selenium. Then, drip infusion of a bacterial suspension (Escherichia coli Z17, O2:K1; H-) into the prostatic urethra of Wistar rats was conducted to induce CBP. In 4 weeks, the results of microbiological culture of prostate and urine samples as well as histological findings of the prostate in each group were analyzed. Selenium decreased bacterial infection significantly; the decrease in infiltration rate of inflammatory cells into prostate tissues in the selenium group was similar to that in the control group. The effect of hindering bacterial infection on prostate tissue was greater in the group administered both selenium and an antibiotic than in other groups given only one of the agents. Although the findings of this study suggest that selenium can have a preventive effect against the occurrence of CBP, methods to prevent CBP are still controversial.


Subject(s)
Ciprofloxacin/pharmacology , Escherichia coli Infections/prevention & control , Prostatitis/prevention & control , Selenium/pharmacology , Animals , Body Weight/drug effects , Chronic Disease/drug therapy , Chronic Disease/prevention & control , Colony Count, Microbial , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy , Escherichia coli Infections/pathology , Histocytochemistry , Male , Prostate/pathology , Prostatitis/drug therapy , Prostatitis/microbiology , Prostatitis/pathology , Rats , Rats, Wistar
15.
J Infect Chemother ; 18(2): 207-12, 2012 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21989518

ABSTRACT

Sexually transmitted infections lead to considerable costs and problems from a socioeconomic perspective, as well as in terms of patient health. In order to effectively manage sexually transmitted infections, it is necessary to establish basic epidemiologic data in this field. This study investigated prevalence rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia among 1612 persons aged 20-59 years among the general population who visited health examination centers in Korea, and examined the sexual behavior of young and middle-aged adults using a questionnaire survey. In total, 807 males and 805 females participated in this study, and among the 1612 subjects, 6, 7, and 90 were gave positive results in syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia infection tests, respectively, indicating prevalence rates of 0.37, 0.43, and 5.58%. In the questionnaire survey, 85.8% of the respondents answered that they had not taken any test for a sexually transmitted infection, and chlamydia-positive respondents were observed to have had a significantly higher number of sexual partners. Among all of the respondents, 43.7% used a condom only sometimes during sexual intercourse, while 15% did not usually do so. Future studies to follow up the incidence and prevalence rates of sexually transmitted infections in detail in young adults and middle-aged people are necessary, and the results of this study will be utilized as basic data for them.


Subject(s)
Ambulatory Care Facilities/statistics & numerical data , Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data , Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial/epidemiology , Adult , Chlamydia Infections/epidemiology , Female , Gonorrhea/epidemiology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Republic of Korea/epidemiology , Sexual Partners , Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial/microbiology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Syphilis/epidemiology , Young Adult
16.
J Infect Chemother ; 18(4): 444-50, 2012 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22215226

ABSTRACT

We conducted a retrospective analysis of acute bacterial prostatitis (ABP) to evaluate the factors of progressing to chronic infection and chronic pelvic pain syndrome IIIa (CPPS IIIa) from ABP. The clinical records of 480 cases compatible with a confirmed diagnosis of ABP from five urological centers between 2001 and 2010 were reviewed. We defined chronic infection (CI) as a progression to chronic bacterial prostatitis (II), epididymo-orchitis, and showing persistent pyuria and bacteriuria after treatment of ABP in admission periods when followed up at 3 months or more. Results were analyzed according to two categories: category I, developed to CI (group A, n = 49) versus recovered without CI or CPPS IIIa (group C, n = 385); and category II, developed to CPPS IIIa (group B, n = 46) versus recovered without CI or CPPS IIIa (group C, n = 385). Of the 480 ABP patients, 10.2% (49/480) progressed to CI and 9.6% (46/480) progressed to CPPS IIIa. The frequency of CI was 11.3% (49/434) and that of CPPS IIIa was 10.7% (46/431). The factors that affected progression to CI were diabetes, prior manipulation, not doing cystostomy, and urethral catheterization (P < 0.05). The factors that affected progression to CPPS IIIa were the same as CI, but prostate volume was included in the CPPS IIIa group (P < 0.05). The identification and characterization of these factors may accelerate the development of preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies for the treatment of CI and CPPS IIIa from ABP.


Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Prostatitis/drug therapy , Acute Disease , Aged , Chronic Disease/prevention & control , Disease Progression , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Pelvic Pain , Prostatitis/pathology , Prostatitis/prevention & control , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors
17.
J Infect Chemother ; 18(5): 709-14, 2012 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22450878

ABSTRACT

Empirical antibiotic therapy is the preferred primary treatment modality for chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP). However, this method of treatment has a low success rate and long-term therapy may result in complications and the appearance of resistant strains. Therefore a new alternative method for the prevention of CBP is necessary. There are several reports that ginsenoid has a preventive effect on urinary tract infection (UTI). To evaluate the preventive effect of ginsenoid on CBP compared to conventional antibiotics, we carried out an experiment in a rat model of the disease. Four groups of adult male Wistar rats were treated with the following medications: (1) control (no medication), (2) ciprofloxacin, (3) ginsenoid, and (4) ciprofloxacin/ginsenoid. All medications were given for 4 weeks, and then we created a CBP model in the animals by injecting an Escherichia coli Z17 (O2:K1;H(-)) suspension into the prostatic urethra. After 4 weeks, results of microbiological cultures of prostate and urine samples, as well as histological findings of the prostate in each group were analyzed. The microbiological cultures of the prostate samples demonstrated reduced bacterial growth in all experimental groups compared with the control group. Histopathological examination showed a significantly decreased rate of infiltration of inflammatory cells into prostatic tissue and decreased interstitial fibrosis in the ginsenoid group compared with the control group. Inhibition of prostate infection was greater in the group receiving both ginsenoid and antibiotic than in the single-medication groups. Although the findings of this study suggest a preventive effect of ginsenoid, preventive methods for CBP are still controversial.


Subject(s)
Panax/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Prostatitis/drug therapy , Animals , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Body Weight/drug effects , Ciprofloxacin/pharmacology , Colony Count, Microbial , Inflammation , Male , Prostatitis/pathology , Prostatitis/prevention & control , Prostatitis/urine , Random Allocation , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Severity of Illness Index , Urine/microbiology
18.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 106(9): 3148-53, 2009 Mar 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19204291

ABSTRACT

Tumor suppressor programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4) inhibits the translation initiation factor eIF4A, an RNA helicase that catalyzes the unwinding of secondary structure at the 5'-untranslated region of mRNAs and controls the initiation of translation. Here, we determined the crystal structure of the human eIF4A and PDCD4 complex. The structure reveals that one molecule of PDCD4 binds to the two eIF4A molecules through the two different binding modes. While the two MA3 domains of PDCD4 bind to one eIF4A molecule, the C-terminal MA3 domain alone of the same PDCD4 also interacts with another eIF4A molecule. The eIF4A-PDCD4 complex structure suggests that the MA3 domain(s) of PDCD4 binds perpendicular to the interface of the two domains of eIF4A, preventing the domain closure of eIF4A and blocking the binding of RNA to eIF4A, both of which are required events in the function of eIF4A helicase. The structure, together with biochemical analyses, reveals insights into the inhibition mechanism of eIF4A by PDCD4 and provides a framework for designing chemicals that target eIF4A.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/chemistry , Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/metabolism , DEAD-box RNA Helicases/chemistry , DEAD-box RNA Helicases/metabolism , RNA-Binding Proteins/chemistry , RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/genetics , Crystallography, X-Ray , DEAD-box RNA Helicases/genetics , Humans , Models, Molecular , Mutation/genetics , Protein Binding , Protein Structure, Quaternary , RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
19.
Adv Sci (Weinh) ; 9(1): e2103038, 2022 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34719879

ABSTRACT

Ion-solid surface interactions are one of the fundamental principles in liquid-interfacing devices ranging from various electrochemical systems to electrolyte-driven energy conversion devices. The interplays between these two phases, especially containing charge carriers in the solid layer, work as a pivotal role in the operation of these devices, but corresponding details of those effects remain as unrevealed issues in academic fields. Herein, an ion-charge carrier interaction at an electrolyte-semiconductor interface is interrogated with an ion-dynamics-induced (ionovoltaic) energy transducer, controlled by interfacial self-assembled molecules. An electricity generating mechanism from interfacial ionic diffusion is elucidated in terms of the ion-charge carrier interaction, originated from a dipole potential effect of the self-assembled molecular layer (SAM). In addition, this effect is found to be modulated via chemical functionalization of the interfacial molecular layer and transition metal ion complexation therein. With the aiding of surface analytic techniques and a liquid-interfacing Hall measurement, electrical behaviors of the device depending on the magnitude of the ion-ligand complexation are interrogated, thereby demonstrating the ion-charge carrier interplays spanning at electrolyte-SAM-semiconductor interface. Hence, this system can be applied to study molecular interactions, including chemical and physical influences, occurring at the solid-liquid interfacial region.

20.
Medicine (Baltimore) ; 101(30): e29311, 2022 Jul 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35905267

ABSTRACT

During endoscopic orthopedic surgery, epinephrine mixed with irrigation saline is frequently used to improve visualization. By monitoring hemodynamic parameters throughout the procedure, we intended to discover the hemodynamic effect of epinephrine between the normal saline irrigation fluid without epinephrine group (NS) and normal saline irrigation fluid with epinephrine group (EPI). Patients who underwent 1-level lumbar decompression or discectomy surgery without fusion between August 2019 and July 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. The hemodynamic parameters were compared between the NS group and EPI group. As a second endpoint, the incidence of hypotension and hypertension events, expected blood loss, postoperative nausea and vomiting and postoperative epidural hematoma were compared between the 2 groups. The 2 groups were homogeneous in terms of age, sex, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), ASA physical status (ASA PS), and diagnosis. The incidence of hypotension events (67.2 % in the NS group, 45.7 % in the EPI group, P =.015) and severe hypotension events (51.7 % in the NS group, 28.6 % in the EPI group, P = .015) were less frequent in the EPI group. Only epinephrine had a significant protective effect through a multivariable analysis (P = .027, OR = 2.361) and in severe hypotension events, only epinephrine had a significant protective effect through a multivariable analysis (P = .011, OR = 2.818), and EBL was the risk factor through a multivariable analysis (P = .016, OR = 1.002) We believe that the addition of epinephrine to irrigation saline has hemodynamic protective effects in patients who underwent endoscopic lumbar surgery.


Subject(s)
Hypotension , Saline Solution , Epinephrine/therapeutic use , Hemodynamics , Humans , Hypotension/etiology , Retrospective Studies
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