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

No abstract available.
Lung*

No abstract available.
Aortic Coarctation* ; Child, Preschool* ; Humans

This study was undertaken to investigate immunological mechanisms in Behçet's syndrome, a function considered important in the pathogenesis of the disease. The activity of interleukin-2 (IL-2), which is believed, to play a central role in the regulation of both cell-mediated and humoral T cell-dependent immune responses, measured in 46 patients with complete, in-complete or suspected Behçet's syndrome. The results were as follows: 1 . There was no significant difference between the average IL-2 activity of patients and control group. 2. For each clinical subtype of Behçet's syndrome, IL-2 activity was lower than the control value, but the difference was not statistically significant. 3. In mucocutaneous and ocular types, the greater the clinical symptoms, the lower the value of IL-2 activity. However, the decrease of IL-2 activity was not statistically significant. In conclusion, IL-2 activity of phytohemaggludnin (PHIS-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with Behçet's syndrome was not significantly decreased compared to control population.
Humans ; Interleukin-2* ; Lymphocytes

The long QT syndromes have been classified into acquired or inheritary forms, both of which are associated with a characteristic type of life-threatening polymorphic ventricular tachycardia called torsade de points. Beta-adrenergic blocker is the first cholic treatment, but in those whom cardiac events are not prevented by beta - blockade, left thoracic sympathetic ganglionectomy may be useful in selected cases. A 50-year-old woman had an recurrent syncopal attack in which she was unconscious for 1-2 min and 1-2 times a month for 10 years. The EKG revealed that QT & QTc intervals were 744 and 632 msec respectively. Treatment with Beta-adrenergic blocker and calcium channel blocker was ineffective in preventing recurrence of syncopal spell. Therefore, she underwent left thoracic sympathetic ganglionectomy with thoracoscope. During the 9 months after operation, she was free of syncopal episodes and is doing well.
Calcium Channels ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Ganglionectomy* ; Humans ; Long QT Syndrome* ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Syncope ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Thoracoscopes*

Isolated congenital aneurysm of the left atrium with intact pericardium is a rate anomaly, which usually presents with arrhythmia, cerebral embolism or abnormalities on routine chest X-ray. Surgery is indicated in most cases to eliminate a potential source of systemic emboli and arrhythmias. A 42-year-old woman having cervical cancer, she was suspected of having a left atrial aneurysm on review of chest X-ray and confirmed by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. Surgical resection of Left atrial aneurysm was achieved without complication using median sternotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass. The postoperative course was uneventful.
Adult ; Aneurysm* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Atria* ; Humans ; Intracranial Embolism ; Pericardium ; Sternotomy ; Thorax ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Recent trends suggest that minimally invasive cardiac surgery reduces postoperative morbidity and offers a cosmetic benefit. This study was performed to evaluate the CPB time, ACC time, OP time, ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay following a lower partial sternotomy and those of the median sternotomy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A group of 26 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery through lower partial sternotomy from August 1997 to July 1999 (A group) were compared to 45 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery through median sternotomy from January 1996 to July 1997 (B group). The mean ages (46.4+/-14.6 years, A group and 46.8+/-13.2 years, B group) were similar. Operations were performed with central cannula and antegrade/retrograde blood cardioplegia. RESULT: There was no death in each group. No differences were found in CPB time, ACC time, OP time, ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay. Postoperative complications were sternal splitting in a patient in group A and a patient with bleeding that required reoperation and a patient with delayed wound closure in group B. CONCLUSION: The lower partial sternotomy offered a cosmetic benefit, but does not significantly reduced the length of operative time and hospital stay. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery will be applied increasing because of the suggested advantage and choosing a proper operative technique will be helpful.
Adult ; Catheters ; Heart Arrest, Induced ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Reoperation ; Sternotomy* ; Thoracic Surgery* ; Wounds and Injuries

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

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