Primary Cutaneous Nocardiosis Caused by Nocardia niigatensis / 대한피부과학회지

No abstract available.

A Report of Cat Scratch Disease in Korea Confirmed by PCR Amplification of the 16S-23S rRNA Intergenic Region of Bartonella henselae / 대한진단검사의학회지

We report a case of cat scratch disease in an 8-yr-old girl who presented with fever and enlargement of both axillary lymph nodes. Both aerobic and anaerobic cultures of the lymph node aspirate were negative for microbial growth. Gram staining and Warthin-Starry silver staining did not reveal any organism. Purified DNA from the PCR-amplicon of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic region was sequenced and showed 99.7% identity with the corresponding sequence of Bartonella henselae strain Houston-1. Our findings suggest that the internal transcribed spacer is a reliable region for PCR identification of Bartonella species. In patients with lymphadenitis, a history of contact with cats or dogs necessitates the use of diagnostic approaches that employ not only the conventional staining and culture but also molecular methods to detect B. henselae.

Reduction of the Platelet Transfusion Dose and Its Effects / 대한진단검사의학회지

BACKGROUND: In Korea, a platelet transfusion dose (TD) of 8 units of platelet concentrates (PC) is usually used. To minimize the shortage of blood products and transfusion-related adverse reactions, the TD has been changed from 8 to 6 units in 2006 in our hospital. Here, we analyzed the dose reduction effect on patients' platelet counts and transfusion frequency. METHODS: We compared the amount of issued PC, platelet counts before and after transfusion, post-transfusion platelet increments, and transfusion frequencies in patients who were transfused with 8 PC in 2006 and 6 PC in 2008. RESULTS: Despite an increase in the number of admitted patients by 20% in 2008 with a disease distribution similar to that in 2006, the number of issued PC in 2008 was decreased by 26.6% compared to that in 2006. In 2008, post-transfusion platelet counts, pre-transfusion platelet counts in patients transfused with 320 mL whole blood-derived PC, and platelet increments in patients transfused with 400 mL whole blood-derived PC were significantly decreased. However, the mean transfusion frequency per one month was not significantly different, 4.3 times in 2006 and 4.7 in 2008. CONCLUSIONS: By implementing a policy of platelet TD restriction, the amount of total issued PC was markedly decreased. Although post-transfusion platelet counts were decreased, the transfusion frequency in a month was not significantly increased. The restriction of platelet TD was helpful for increasing physicians' recognition of blood shortage while achieving similar transfusion effects. We conclude that 6 units of PC would be a better guideline for the platelet TD.

A Survey on Use of Environment-Friendly Agricultural Products for School Food Service by Dietitians in Chungnam Province / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study is to analyze the school dietitian's cognition, practical use of environment-friendly agricultural products to provide fundamental information for the qualitative improvement in the school food service. The results of the study are as follows: 1. It was clearly recognized that the subsidy for the school food service is generally insufficient, the amount of additional appropriate subsidy for the school food service was different according to type of school and roughly 300~600 won in each of foods needs to be supported. 2. The environmentfriendly agricultural products that were often used in the school food service were vegetables and grains. 3. In the analysis of cognition and problems toward using environment-friendly agricultural products, the dietitians recognized that environment-friendly agricultural products should be appropriately used. A reason that environmentfriendly agricultural products were better than general agricultural products was composed of a use of less additive, good ingredient, and good outer condition. 4. In the analysis of countermeasure on increasing environment-friendly agricultural products in the school meal service, the response to that more additional subsidy was necessary for the school food service. The highest and the most positive effects after using environment-friendly agricultural products were students' health improvement and improvement in parents' satisfaction with the school food service.