Congenital absence of the gall bladder without extrahepatic biliary atresia is an extremely rare congenital malformation with a reported incidence ranging between 0.01 and 0.02%. It is thought to be occurred from failure of the gallbladder bud to develop in utero and frequent association with other malformations. Agenesis can be randomly discovered at autopsy or operations for symptoms suggestive of biliary tract disease. The authors report a case of agenesis of the gallbladder without extrahepatic biliary atresia in a neonate which was incidentally found at laparotomy for presumed duodenal obstruction, with a review of the literature.
Autopsy ; Biliary Atresia* ; Biliary Tract Diseases ; Duodenal Obstruction ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Laparotomy ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to investigate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the patients with acute bronchiolitis who visited in 146 Emergency Departments (EDs) in Korea in 2012. METHODS: We used the NEDIS (National Emergency Department Information System) database to obtain all children with acute bronchiolitis who visited ED under the age of 3 between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012. RESULTS: Totally 18,313 children with acute bronchiolitis were enrolled at this study. The male to female ratio was 1.55:1 and mean age was 10 months. The peak proportion was 17.3% in November during the whole year. The most common chief complaints were fever (38.5%), cough (37.4%), dyspnea (9.5%), gastrointestinal symptom (6.7%), and wheezing (2.5%). The most common accompanying disease was pneumonia (13.3%). The rate of hospital admission and intensive care unit admission were 34.5% and 0.3%, respectively. A predictor for admission via ED was respiratory difficulty. CONCLUSION: These data expand our understanding of clinical characteristics of patients with acute bronchiolitis who visited all ED in Korea in 2012.
Bronchiolitis* ; Child ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea* ; Male ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Sounds

PURPOSE: Influenza infection is a major public health concern, especially in young children and in high risk groups such as asthma patients. Traditionally, influenza vaccines are produced from infertilized eggs. Therefore, patients with severe egg allergy can show adverse reactions after vaccination and be dalayed in active immunization. The aim of this study was to determine the ovalbumin concentration of a commercially available influenza vaccines in Korea. METHODS: The ovalbumin content in each vaccine was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The ovalbumin content was compared among the different manufactures, the different lot numbers and the same lot numbers of vaccines. The microtiter plates coated with goat anti-chicken egg albumin antibody were inoculated with serial diluted vaccines and ovalbumin. After incubation with horse radish peroxidase-conjugate rabbit anti-ovalbumin, absorbance was read at 450 nm and fitted to the standard curve. RESULTS: The highest ovalbumin content was 101.24 ng/mL, and the lowest ovalbumin content was 21.23 ng/mL. The amount of ovalbumin differed not only among the different vaccines, but also different lot numbers of individual vaccines and even the same lot numbers of vaccines. CONCLUSION: In none of the vaccines tested in our study, ovalbumin content reached the maximum values for ovalbumin (1.2 microgram/mL). Therefore, in severe egg allergic patients, our results provide the useful information on influenza vaccination.
Asthma ; Child ; Egg Hypersensitivity ; Eggs ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Goats ; Horses ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza, Human ; Korea ; Ovalbumin ; Ovum ; Public Health ; Raphanus ; Vaccination ; Vaccines

PURPOSE: Influenza infection is a major public health concern, especially in young children and in high risk groups such as asthma patients. Traditionally, influenza vaccines are produced from infertilized eggs. Therefore, patients with severe egg allergy can show adverse reactions after vaccination and be dalayed in active immunization. The aim of this study was to determine the ovalbumin concentration of a commercially available influenza vaccines in Korea. METHODS: The ovalbumin content in each vaccine was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The ovalbumin content was compared among the different manufactures, the different lot numbers and the same lot numbers of vaccines. The microtiter plates coated with goat anti-chicken egg albumin antibody were inoculated with serial diluted vaccines and ovalbumin. After incubation with horse radish peroxidase-conjugate rabbit anti-ovalbumin, absorbance was read at 450 nm and fitted to the standard curve. RESULTS: The highest ovalbumin content was 101.24 ng/mL, and the lowest ovalbumin content was 21.23 ng/mL. The amount of ovalbumin differed not only among the different vaccines, but also different lot numbers of individual vaccines and even the same lot numbers of vaccines. CONCLUSION: In none of the vaccines tested in our study, ovalbumin content reached the maximum values for ovalbumin (1.2 microgram/mL). Therefore, in severe egg allergic patients, our results provide the useful information on influenza vaccination.
Asthma ; Child ; Egg Hypersensitivity ; Eggs ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Goats ; Horses ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza, Human ; Korea ; Ovalbumin ; Ovum ; Public Health ; Raphanus ; Vaccination ; Vaccines

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Hemoptysis*

PURPOSE: The prevalence of obesity in children is increasing rapidly. Epidemiologic studies suggest that obesity induced atherosclerosis may start in childhood. We investigated whether obese children show early abnormalities of the arterial wall and endothelial dysfunction. METHODS: Thirty-eight obese children(14-16 years old of age, male, body mass index 29.40+/-3.18 kg/m2) and forty-five age and sex-matched healthy control children(body mass index 18.43+/-1.01 kg/ m2) were enrolled. Their carotid artery intima-media thickness(IMT) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation(FMD) response were measured by high-quality ultrasound system, and compliance, distensibility, stiffness index, incremental elastic modulus and wall stress were calculated by equation. In addition, we looked at the relations between these arterial features and metabolic cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS: The obese children had significantly increased IMT(0.52+/-0.09 mm vs 0.40+/-0.07 mm, P< 0.001) and markedly impaired FMD(7.35+/-7.78 percent vs 20.34+/-16.81 percent, P<0.001) than the healthy controls. But the compliance and distensibility were lower, and the stiffness index, incremental elastic modules and wall stress were higher in the obese group than the control group, but not statistically significantly. Body mass index was highly associated with increased IMT(r=0.612, P< 0.001) and reduced FMD(r=-0.414, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: We showed the deleterious effect of child obesity on both early functional and structural atherosclerotic markers. The ultrasonic findings will be used for screening and follow up markers to identify high-risk patients among obese children.
Atherosclerosis ; Body Mass Index ; Brachial Artery ; Carotid Arteries ; Child* ; Compliance ; Elastic Modulus ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Obesity ; Pediatric Obesity ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Recently, incidences of chronic cough with allergic disease have been increased. The identification of specific allergens for chronically coughing children is significant for diagnosis, proper treatment and prevention. The aim of this study was to identify significant contributors for sensitization in chronically coughing children. METHODS: A total of 106 children, aged 1-6 years, visiting for chronic cough(>3 weeks), were tested for inhalant multiple allergosorbent assay(MAST), eosinophil count and total IgE. Parents completed a questionnaire on past history of atopy(infantile eczema) and bronchiolitis, family history of allergy, breastfeeding, smoking, pets and floor coverings at home. RESULTS: Significant contributors for sensitization were:age(4-6 years), infantile eczema, positive family history of allergy and smoking by family. CONCLUSION: We were able to identify significant contributors for sensitization in chronically coughing children.
Allergens ; Breast Feeding ; Bronchiolitis ; Child* ; Cough* ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Incidence ; Parents ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke ; Smoking

PURPOSE: To determine the in vivo bone formation on an osteoblastic cells-scaffold composite and the best scaffold for bone formation. This study focused on the three-dimensional culture of osteoblastic cells using various tissue-engineered scaffolds and compared the suitability of those scaffolds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mesenchymal stem cells were harvested from New Zealand white rabbits and were differentiated into osteoblastic cells. The expression of osteogenic proteins in osteoblastic cells was observed by RT-PCR and a phase of mineralization was checked using von Kossa staining. In addition, three-dimensional cultured osteoblastic cells-scaffolds composites using a variable scaffold were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The cell-scaffold composites were transplanted into athymic nude mice. X-ray, a histochemical study, and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the in vivo bone formation. RESULTS: The mesenchymal stem cells proliferated quite well in the early phase and differentiated into osteoblastic cells by an inducing substance. The osteoblastic cells were observed as spindle and polygonal shapes and were mineralized. Expression of the osteoblastic proteins was observed continuously after 2-3 weeks. The amount of osteocalcin secretion increased for 6-7 weeks. The osteoblastic cells adhered more to the human and porcine bone than to the hydroxyapatite-scaffold. In the case of the PLGA scaffold, the cells proliferated and formed a net-like structure but did not adhere well. No Living cells were observed in the calcium alginate scaffold. However, after the in vivo transplant, abundant cells and new tissue were observed within the human bone, porcine bone, hydroxyapatite, and PLGA but not within the calcium alginate scaffold. CONCLUSION: In the three-dimensional cultures, natural bone was found to be a more effective and suitable scaffold for cell culture than the various synthetic polymers.
Animals ; Bone Marrow* ; Calcium ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Durapatite ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Polymers ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of LH receptor in folliculogenesis, we confirm the expression level of LH receptor (LH-R) mRNA in human granulosa cells (GCs) and its expression levels were analyzed by comparison to embryo developmental rate and pregnancy rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: GCs were obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval from the patients undergoing IVF-ET program. The patients were divided into two groups: Group I (n=20) is poor responder (retrieved oocyte(s)< or =3ea), Group II (n=80) is normal responder (retrieved oocytes>3ea). After the extraction of total RNA, semiquantitative RT-PCR was performed and the expression level of LH-R mRNA was normalized by beta-actin. Statistical analysis was performed by using Chi(2) test, Student's t-test and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: In Group II, the relative values of LH-R mRNA (0.680 vs. 0.463, p<0.005) and pregnancy rate (54.7% vs. 23.1%, p<0.05) were significantly higher than in Group I. Number of retrieved oocyte(s) was gradually increased when the expression of LH-R mRNA was increased (p<0.05). But the quality of retrieved oocyte and transferred embryo were not related with the expression of LH-R mRNA. When the pregnancy rate was compared with FSH only group and FSH combined with hMG group in the ovarian stimulation protocol, FSH combined with hMG group was significantly higher than FSH only group in Group I (37.5% vs. 0%), and the expression of LH-R mRNA was significantly higher in hMG combined group than FSH only group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Expression level of LH-R mRNA has important role in ovarian function related with the response to gonadotrophin in human folliculogenesis. Furthermore these data might provide the evidence that additional use of hMG is helpful to poor responders.
Actins ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Oocytes ; Ovulation Induction ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy* ; Receptors, LH* ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger