Synthetic genes encoding the gag p24 and the part of the envelope protein gp41 of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) were cloned and overexpressed as fusion proteins in Escherichia coli, using an expression vector carrying 77 promoter and the poly-histidine leader sequence. The overexpressed p24 fusion protein was purified by centrifugation, Ni-affinity chromatography and CM-sepharose chromatography The overexpressed gp41 fusion protein was purified by centrifugation, C4 chromatography and DEAE-sepharose chromatography. The purified fusion proteins showed a high level of purity and immunoreactivity in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blot analysis. These results suggest that this prokaryotic expression-purification method is suitable for obtaining a large amount of the viral antigen which may be useful for screening of antibodies to HIV-1 in human blood samples.
Antibodies ; Blotting, Western ; Centrifugation ; Chromatography ; Clone Cells ; Electrophoresis ; Escherichia coli ; Genes, Synthetic ; HIV* ; HIV-1* ; Humans* ; Mass Screening

BACKGROUND: Many physicians hesitate to discuss do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders with patients or family members in critical situations. In the intensive care unit (ICU), delayed DNR decisions could cause unintentional cardiopulmonary resuscitation, patient distress, and substantial cost. We investigated whether the timing of DNR designation affects patient outcome in the medical ICU. METHODS: We enrolled retrospective patients with written DNR orders in a medical ICU (13 bed) from June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015. The patients were divided into two groups: early DNR patients for whom DNR orders were implemented within 48 h of ICU admission, and late DNR patients for whom DNR orders were implemented more than 48 h after ICU admission. RESULTS: Herein, 354 patients were admitted to the medical ICU and among them, 80 (22.6%) patients had requested DNR orders. Of these patients, 37 (46.3%) had designated DNR orders within 48 hours of ICU admission and 43 (53.7%) patients had designated DNR orders more than 48 hours after ICU admission. Compared with early DNR patients, late DNR patients tended to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining management (18.9% vs. 37.2%, p = 0.072). DNR consent forms were signed by family members instead of the patients. Septic shock was the most common cause of medical ICU admission in both the early and late DNR patients (54.1% vs. 37.2%, p = 0.131). There was no difference in in-hospital mortality (83.8% vs. 81.4%, p = 0.779). Late DNR patients had longer ICU stays than early DNR patients (7.4 ± 8.1 vs. 19.7 ± 19.2, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical outcomes are not influenced by the time of DNR designation in the medical ICU. The late DNR group is associated with a longer length of ICU stay and a tendency of withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment. However, further studies are needed to clarify the guideline for end-of-life care in critically ill patients.
Advance Directives ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Consent Forms ; Critical Illness* ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Resuscitation Orders* ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock, Septic

No abstract available.
Bowen's Disease*

A 36-year-old woman was presented with extensive anterior wall myocardial infarction. We tried to perform direct coronary angiography for the purpose of primary stenting. However, coronary angiogram revealed normal coronary arteries without intracoronary thrombi. We continued further evaluations to find out the cause of normal coronary myocardial infarction. The findings of severe hypertensive retinopathy and concentric left ventricular hypertrophy suggested that she had secondary hypertension. The detailed history, laboratory and radiological findings revealed the pheochromocytoma. The tumor was successfully removed by operation.
Adult ; Anterior Wall Myocardial Infarction ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertensive Retinopathy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Stents

BACKGROUNG AND OBJECTIVES: Diabetes mellitus is a significant risk factor for adverse outcome after PTCA, which is associated with an increased late mortality and target lesion revascularization (TLR) rates. The beneficial role of coronary stenting on the clinical and angiographic outcomes of diabetic patients is not clearly defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the early and mid-term outcomes in diabetic patients undergoing elective stenting of native coronary lesions compared with those in non-diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 1997 and June 1998, coronary stenting was performed on 46 lesions in 38 diabetic patients and 126 lesions in 117 non-diabetic patients. Follow-up angiography at mean day of 189+/-45 was performed in 58.7% (91 patients) and analysed by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA). RESULTS: There was a higher incidence of multi-vessel disease in diabetic patients than non-diabetic patients but not statistically significant (71.1% vs 51.3%, p=0.106). There were no differences in major procedural complications and in-hospital events (myocardial infarction, angina and death) in diabetics and non-diabetics. During the follow-up, the incidence of target lesion revascularizton (TLR) and cardiac event free survival did not differ between two groups. CONCLUSION: Coronary stenting in diabetics resulted in a low rate of immediate procedural com-plications and early major adverse cardiac event (MACE), similar to non-diabetics. There were no differences in the mid-term clinical and angiographic outcomes in diabetics and non-diabetics.
Angiography ; Coronary Angiography ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Mortality ; Risk Factors ; Stents*

BACKGROUNG AND OBJECTIVES: It was reported that low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) was more effective than unfractionated heparin in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Recent studies have shown that the pathophysiology of restenosis in stented lesions was different from those of nonstented lesions. Treatment strategies designed to limit cellular proliferation that were ineffective in nonstented lesions may be efficacious in reducing in-stent restenosis. This study was aimed to compare the clinical and angiographic results of LMWH (nadroparin) after coronary stenting with those of conventional ticlopidine regimen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were eligible for inclusion if they had angina and/or objective evidence of myocardial ischemia, and a significant (>50%) stenosis that was documented on a recent coronary angiogram. After stenting, prospective randomized comparison study was performed. Patients were randomly assigned to either nadroparin (200 IU/kg, sc, bid) or ticlopidine (250 mg bid) plus aspirin (200 mg qd) treatment groups. Repeat coronary angiography (KERN=*)was performed at 236+/-90days after stenting, and quantitative coronary angiographic analysis (QCA) was done. RESULTS: Intracoronary stent implantation was performed in eighty five lesions in eighty one patients (ticlopidine:40, nadroparin:41). There was no significant difference in any baseline clinical/angiographic variables between the two treatment groups. There were no subacute stent thrombosis, infarction and death in both groups. Six-month event-free survival was 36 (90%) in the ticlopidine group and 35 (85.4%) in the nadroparin group. Follow-up quantitative angiographic data such as late loss (1.35+/-0.70 vs 1.32+/-0.69), loss index (0.53+/-0.70 vs 0.56+/-0.23) and restenosis rate (36% vs 25.8%) were not different between ticlopidine and nadroparin groups. CONCLUSION: Effects of nadroparin were not different from those with ticlopidine therapy in the prevention of restenosis and subacute stent thorombosis after coronary stenting. Clinical outcomes between two strategies were similar. Low molecular weight heparin may be an alternative to ticlopidine in patients that ticlopidine cannot be administered because of severe adverse effects.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Aspirin ; Cell Proliferation ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heparin ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Nadroparin* ; Prospective Studies ; Stents* ; Thrombosis ; Ticlopidine*

No abstract available.
Dermoscopy* ; Diagnosis

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Nevus*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to examine the safety and feasibility of a primary (direct) stenting in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In the treatment of AMI, Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) has documented superior reperfusion rate and improved clinical outcomes than thrombolytic therapy. However, there are several limitations of PTCA, such as recurrent ischemia in 10 to 15%, reinfarction in 3 to 5% and restenosis in 30 to 50% of patients. There are several reports that, compared with PTCA, the implantation of coronary stent has been shown to reduce angiographic restenosis and improve late clinical outcomes. But in general, stenting has been contraindicated in thrombus containing lesion due to the risk of subacute thrombosis. With advance in technique and the recognition of the importance of adequate platelet inhibition, the incidence of subacute thrombosis has fallen in patients with acute coronary syndrome and thrombus laden lesion. Methods and Results: In our study, primary stenting was performed in 42 patients of AMI. There are 6 cases (22.5%) target lesion restenosis during the follow up coronary angiography (150+/-86day) and no in-hospital death. Three cases (7.1%) of them require revascularization including two re-PCTA and a coronary artery bypass graft for the recurrent ischemic symptoms. There were no reinfarction and death after discharge. Six-months event free survival reate was 85.7%. CONCLUSION: Primary stenting is safe and feasible in the majority of patients with AMI and results in excellent mid-term outcomes compared with PTCA.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Blood Platelets ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ischemia ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Reperfusion ; Stents* ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis ; Transplants

Although a popliteal cyst is most commonly identified as an asymptomatic mass occurring just below the popliteal fossa, the fluid may further extravasate into a deep compartment, causing compression with symptoms of local pain and tenderness. When the popliteal vein is compressed by a popliteal cyst, it may develop the symptom simulating the deep vein thrombosis, when the popliteal artery is compressed, it may develop the symptom simulating the ischemic pain and intermittent claudication. It is unusual for popliteal cysts to involve a nerve. When such does occur, it usually involves the tibial nerve, very rarely the peroneal nerve. It is important to diagnose a popliteal cyst early and to differentiate it from a ganglionic cyst, thrombophlebitis or a popliteal aneurysm, to effect optimal therapy and to obviate a potential neuropathy. We are now reporting a case of a thirty four-year-old male who had a popliteal cyst causing tibial nerve compression.
Aneurysm ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Intermittent Claudication ; Male ; Peroneal Nerve ; Popliteal Artery ; Popliteal Cyst* ; Popliteal Vein ; Thrombophlebitis ; Tibial Nerve* ; Venous Thrombosis