In this study, the performance of a hematology analyzer, DxH 800 (Beckman Coulter, USA) was evaluated. The precision, carry-over, linearity, and comparison studies were performed according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. The test items were white blood cell, red blood cell, hemoglobin, red blood cell index, platelet, and reticulocyte counts. The 6C control and Retic-X cell control (Beckman Coulter) were used for precision evaluation. For the correlation study, the test results were compared with those obtained from the ADVIA 2120i (Siemens, USA) using 120 blood samples. The results of precision and carry-over evaluations were within acceptable range. The coefficient of determination (R 2) for linearity was good, being more than 0.99. The correlation coefficient (R) ranged from 0.945 to 0.996. DxH 800 was evaluated as an acceptable hematology analyzer for the automation of large volume of laboratory samples.
Automation ; Blood Platelets ; Erythrocytes ; Hematology* ; Leukocytes ; Reticulocyte Count ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis designed to investigate the effects of stimulation-oriented interventions for behavioral problems among people with dementia. METHODS: Based on the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), a literature search was conducted using seven electronic databases, gray literature, and other sources. Methodological quality was assessed using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data were analyzed using R with the 'meta' package and the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA 2.0) program. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were included for meta-analysis to investigate the effect of stimulation-oriented interventions. The quality of individual studies was rated as '++' for eight studies and '+' for the rest. The effect sizes were analyzed according to three subgroups of interventions (light, music, and others); Hedges' g=0.04 (95% CI: -0.38~0.46), -0.23 (95% CI: -0.56~0.10), -0.34 (95% CI: -0.34~0.00), respectively. To explore the possible causes of heterogeneity (I²=62.8%), meta-regression was conducted with covariates of sample size, number of sessions, and length of session (time). No moderating effects were found for sample size or number of sessions, but session time showed a significant effect (Z=1.96, 95% CI: 0.00~0.01). Finally, a funnel plot along with Egger's regression test was performed to check for publication bias, but no significant bias was detected. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, stimulation-oriented interventions seem to have a small effect for behavioral problems among people with dementia. Further research is needed to identify optimum time of the interventions for behavioral problems among dementia pateints.
Acoustic Stimulation ; Behavioral Symptoms ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Dementia* ; Music ; Population Characteristics ; Problem Behavior* ; Publication Bias ; Sample Size ; Sensory Art Therapies

Serological prenatal screening tests are widely used to detect fetal chromosomal abnormalities such as Down and Edward syndromes. Amniocentesis is conducted as a confirmatory test in the screening-positive case. After discovering of presence of fetal cell-free DNA in maternal blood, non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) coupled with next generation sequencing are performed in abroad. Results of genomics-based NIPT results supplied to Labgenomics laborotory from June, 2013 to August, 2014 were analyzed. Maternal blood samples were collected into specific Cell-Free DNA BCT tube and were transported. The samples were then delivered to Ariosa Diagnostics by FEDEX. Fetal cell-free DNA samples were analyzed using the Harmony test with sequencing of relevant chromosomes and by using the FORTE (fetal-fraction optimized risk of trisomy evaluation) algorism at Ariosa Diagnostics. In all, 149 cases from 28 medical clinics were analyzed. Six subjects were required recollection of samples because of a low fetal DNA fraction in the initially obtained samples. Of these 6 subjects, no sample could be collected from one. Of the remaining 148 cases, 144 had a low risk of trisomy, and 4 had a high risk for Down syndrome, thus providing a positivity percentage of 2.7%. Fetal DNA fraction in the maternal blood samples ranged from 4.2% to 23.7% with a mean value of 12.0%. We have experienced cases with a high risk for Down syndrome with genomics-based NIPT referred to abroad.
Amniocentesis ; Chromosome Aberrations ; DNA ; Down Syndrome ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Trisomy

No abstract available.
Angiotensin II* ; Angiotensins* ; Animals ; Endocrine System* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Family Practice* ; Humans ; Primary Health Care*

The authors underwent the serum lipid study, involving the lipoprotein fraction, and the HDL-cholesterol mean values in normal Korean adults visited to Hanyang University Hospital, and also compared with the previously reported serum lipid studies. The results are as follows; 1) The mean values of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and phospholipid were 103.3+/-17.1mg%, 188.9+/-18.2mg%, and 196.7+/-19.8mg%, respectively. 2) Compared with the past 7 years triglyceride showed increasing tendency with significance, and cholesterol and phospholipid showed slightly increasing tendency. 3) In the serum lipoprotein fraction, the mean values of alpha-lipoprotein, pre-beta-lipoprotein, and beta-lipoprotein were 37.2+/-5.9%, 16.0+/-4.2%, and 48.6+/-5.2%, respectively. 4) Compared with the past 10 years, the alpha-, and pre-beta-lipoprotein showed increasing tendency, meanwhile, beta-lipoprotein revealed decreasing tendency. 5) The mean value of HDL-cholesterol was 52.3+/-14.6mg%, and the ratio of HDL-cholesterol to total cholesterol(HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol) was 28.2+/-7.9. 6) Compared with the past 2 years, HDL-cholesterol level showed slightly increasing tendency.
Adult ; Cholesterol ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Triglycerides

In this paper, acknowledgments section was omitted unintentionally.

OBJECTIVES: Psychosocial treatment combined with pharmacological treatment has been established as one of the most important interventions for schizophrenia. However, it still does not show Editor's note: I was not certain whether you intended the highlighted text to convey "psychosocial treatment + pharmacological treatment is an important treatment" or "psychosocial treatment is an important treatment, and pharmacological treatment is also an important treatment." My edit reflects the former. If you actually intended the latter meaning, please change this sentence to read, "Psychosocial treatment has been established alongside pharmacological treatment as one of the most important interventions for schizophrenia." satisfactory results with regard to patients' social adjustment and independent living abilities. For this study, we reviewed the psychosocial treatment of schizophrenia: its therapeutic concepts, methods, effects of clinical application, and therapeutic limitations. METHODS: We searched four areas of the English website Pubmed: family therapy, social skills training, cognitive remediation, and vocational rehabilitation, which are the main psychosocial treatment areas for schizophrenia. RESULTS: Family therapy can reduce the relapse rate through psychoeducation, stress management, and behavioral intervention for family members when the therapy lasts longer than 9 months. This effect seems to last longer than 2 years. Social skills training allows patients to acquire specific skills but shows a relatively small effect on symptom improvement and relapse prevention. However, it is possible that social skills training has a lasting or generalized effect on the obtained skills if practiced long term (longer than 1 year). Basic neurocognitive function training shows a relatively small effect on social functioning, while additive and comprehensive social interventions, such as social cognition, social skill training, and context appraisal show a moderate effect on patients' social functioning. The success of vocational adjustment is related to premorbid functioning, negative symptoms, and cognitive functioning, and direct expert support can help patients' vocational functioning in the workplace. CONCLUSION: The psychosocial treatment of schizophrenia has many important achievements during the past 30 years. However, several limitations of each type of psychosocial therapy have been ascertained during this same period. Researchers in the field of psychosocial treatment for schizophrenia have recently been trying to find more efficient treatments, by correcting distortions of social cognition, combining various treatment modules, and attempting new therapeutic approaches to psychosocial treatment.
Achievement ; Cognition ; Family Therapy ; Humans ; Independent Living ; Recurrence ; Rehabilitation, Vocational ; Schizophrenia ; Social Adjustment

Congenital bronchobiliary fistual is a rare disease with unclear etiology. An abnormal tract communicates the tracheobronchial junction to a hepatic segment, usually the left lobe. Billous sputum, a positive HIDA(o-Dimethyliminodiacetic acid) scan, and a trification at the level of the carina lead to the diagnosis, which can be confirmed by bronchoscopic contrast injection. We experienced a case of congenital bronchobiliary fistual in a 27-day-old girl. Our case is reported with literature reviews.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Rare Diseases ; Sputum

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the incidences, the risk factors, and the clinical course of the hyperamylasemia in patients who underwent open heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Thirty seven patients who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass were studied at Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital, from July 1997 to June 1998. The thirty seven patients were divided into two groups, 13 patients in group I had normal serum amylase levels and 24 patients in group II had hyperamylasemia. Mean serum amylase(IU/l) levels and 24 patients in group II had hyperamylasemia. Mean serum amylase(IU/l) levels of gorup II showed 54.3+/-4.6, 78.0+/-9.2, 372.0+/-103.4, 460.5+/-80.4, 280.4+/-46.6, and 131.0+/-15.6, preoperative, immediate postoperative, at postoperative 1, 2, 3, and 7 days, respectively. In group II, serum amylase level of the postoperative day 2 was the highest and was significantly higher than that of the preoperative day (p<0.001). Serum amylase level started to decreased at postoperative day 3 and returned to the normal level at postoperative day 7. Significant clinical symtoms of overt pancreatitis were not shown in patients in group II. The following perioperative variable such as diagnosis, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross clamping time, mean systemic pressure during bypass, and administration of steroid were compared between groups. There were no significant differences between groups. In all patients, Serum amylase level of postoperative day 2 and aortic cross clamping time were correlated significantly (p=0.047). CONCLUSION: Serum amylase level after cardiopulmonary bypass could be elevated postoperatively and serum amylase level of POD 2 was considered to have significant correlation with aortic cross clamping time. Shortening of aortic cross clamping time will help in reducing the hyperamylsemia. In this study, although significant clinical symptoms and overt pancreatitis were not seen from hyperamylsemic patients, careful clinical observation of hyperamylasemia would be necessary.
Amylases ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Constriction ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyperamylasemia* ; Incidence ; Pancreatitis ; Risk Factors ; Thoracic Surgery