No abstract available.
Abdomen, Acute* ; Child* ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: Human embryonic stem (ES) cells have a great potential in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. The human ES cells could be differentiated into specific cell types by treatments of growth factors and alterations of gene expressions. However, the efficacy of guided differentiation and isolation of specific cells are still low. In this study, we characterized isolated cells from differentiated human ES cells by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) system using specific antibodies to cell surface markers. METHODS: The undifferentiated hES cells (Miz-hESC4) were sub-cultured by mechanical isolation of colonies and embryoid bodies were spontaneously differentiated with DMEM containing 10% FBS for 2 weeks. The differentiated cells were isolated to positive and negative cells with MACS system using CD34, human epithelial antigen (HEA) and human fibroblast (HFB) antibodies, respectively. Observation of morphological changes and analysis of marker genes expression were performed during further culture of MACS isolated cells for 4 weeks. RESULTS: Morphology of the CD34 positive cells was firstly round, and then it was changed to small polygonal shape after further culture. The HEA positive cells showed large polygonal, and the HFB positive spindle shape. In RT-PCR analysis of marker genes, the CD34 and HFB positive cells expressed endodermal and mesodermal genes, and HEA positive cells expressed ectodermal genes such as NESTIN and NF68KD. The marker genes expression pattern of CD34 positive cells changed during the extension of culture time. CONCLUSION: Our results showed the possibility of successful isolation of specific cells by MACS system from undirected differentiated human ES cells. Thus, MACS system and marker antibodies for specific cell types might be useful for guided differentiation and isolation of specific cells from human ES cells.
Antibodies ; Ectoderm ; Embryoid Bodies ; Endoderm ; Fibroblasts ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Mesoderm ; Nestin ; Regenerative Medicine ; Tissue Engineering

BACKGROUND: Oral allergy syndrome(OAS) is composed of it,ching sense and edema in oral cavity, lips, throat, pharynx, and larynx following eating some fresh fruits or vegetables. It has been known that most of patients with OAS are allergic to pollens. Common epitopes were found among pollens, fruits and vegetables. Although OAS is a common farm of food allergy in adults, this is the first epidemiologic study of OAS in Korea. MATERIAL AND METHOD: One hundred and fifty one patients who showed positive skin reaction to pollens were telephone-interviewed. Investigation of the prevalence and clinical manifestations of OAS was possible in 81 patients. RESULT: The prevalence of OAS among these patients was 34.6% (28/81). OAS was found in 24(48%) out of 50 patients sensitized to tree pollens, whereas 4(13%) of 31 grass or weed pollen-sensitized paients had OAS. Most common causative food was apple and all of 17 apple- OAS patients were sensitized to tree pollens. Peach was the second common food and 14 of 15 peach-OAS patients were sensitized to tree pollens. Besides oral symptoms, rhinitis, asthma, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or generalized urticaria were accompanied in half of the OAS patients (14/28). Some patients showed OAS to some unique Korean foods such as dropwort, taro and Aster. CONCLUSION: OAS was very common in pollen-sensitized patients. Larger epidemiologic studies are needed to find unique Korean foods and their antigensm causing OAS.
Adult ; Asthma ; Colocasia ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Edema ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epitopes ; Filipendula ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Fruit ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Korea ; Larynx ; Lip ; Mouth ; Nausea ; Pharynx ; Poaceae ; Pollen* ; Prevalence ; Prunus persica ; Rhinitis ; Skin ; Urticaria ; Vegetables ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The outcome of asthma treatment has traditionally been assessed by measuring the conventional clinical parameters such as symptoms, expiratory flow rates and needs for medications. But none of them tells us whether the patients are actually able to function properly in their lives. Only assessment of the quality of life (QOL) can reflect the parts of patients lives affected by the disease. However, there is no measure to assess the quality of life of patients with any chronic diseases in Korea yet. We developed the QOL Questionnaire for Korean Asthmatics and evaluated its measurement properties. METHOD: The questionnaire was composed of 18 items in four domains : i.e. activity limitation (6 items), symptoms (5 items), emotional function (3 items) and environmental stimuli (4 items). At our out-patient clinic, 32 adults with moderate to severe persistent bronchial asthma were enrolled. The study design consisted of 4 week unblinded single cohort with visits at 0 and 4 weeks, and the patients were asked to answer the questionnaire by self administration method at the two separate visits. Forced expiratory volume for 1 second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were recorded at each visit. According to the patients and physicians global assessment, the patients were divided into two groups, i.e. stable and changed (improved). The responsiveness, reproducibility and validity of the questionnaire were evaluated. RESULTS: The total QOL scores at the second visit in the changed group were significantly higher than those at the first visit. The score differences between the two visits in the changed group were higher than in the stable group. In the stable group, the responses to the questionnaire were reproducible. The QOL scores showed good longitudinal correlation with the expiratory flow rates, whereas FEV1 did not correlate with the QOL in cross-sectional analysis. CONCLUSION: The questionnaire proved to be reproducible, responsive and valid in the subjects. It could be recommended for the outcome evaluation of Korean asthmatics.
Adult ; Asthma ; Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Quality of Life* ; Self Administration ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats* ; Sepsis*

Purpose: This descriptive correlation study was conducted to investigate factors affecting the absence of adult workers according to their gender. Methods: Secondary data analysis was carried out using data from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey. Data on respondents’ demographic characteristics, working conditions, health status, and absence were analyzed; a descriptive analysis, x 2 -test, t-test, and logistic regression analysis were carried out. Results: The factors that had the greatest impact on male workers' absence from work were service workers (2.74 times; B=.99), having more than 53 hours of work per week (1.17 times; B=.52), and when subjective health conditions were not satisfied (2.27 times; B=.82), whereas the factors that affected female workers' absence the most were a monthly income of 3 million won or more (2.74 times; B=1.34), a weekly work time of 53 hours (2.02 times; B=.71), and having a fewer number of sleep disorders (B=-.36). Conclusion This study suggests that not only the national interest should be considered in investigating the factors affecting absence but also the enterprise. Systematic support for the health care of workers is also needed.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the health status and nutritional condition of children living in a low-income community through anthropometric, laboratory evaluation. METHODS: A community-based survey identified children below 15 years living in a low-income community. Their weight, height, visual acuity, hearing level and dental status were measured. Blood sample were obtained on June and July, 2004. Hemoglobin, serum cholesterol, Hepatitis B antigen/antibody, AST and ALT were measured. RESULTS: A total of 285 students(M:F=141:144) aged 6 to 14 years were included in this study. The heights and weights in some grades were smaller than controls. The prevalence of obesity was 10.6 percent in males and 10.7 percent in females. The prevalence of abnormal visual acuity, hearing impairments and dental carries were 20.5 percent, 0.3 percent and 69.4 percent. The prevalence of anemia was 10.1 percent. Serum total cholesterol was over 200 mg/dL in 7 percent. They complained of abdominal pain(22.1 percent) and headache(17.1 percent). Hyperthyroidism, cataract, neurofibromatosis, severe atopic dermatitis, ventricular septal defect, strabismus and inguinal hernia were newly diagnosed. CONCLUSION: Mean heights and weights of children in the low-income community were smaller than controls. The prevalence of abnormal visual acuity, hearing impairment and dental carries were higher than in the 2003 national health survey. Additional research is needed to evaluate the health status of the low-income community.
Anemia ; Cataract ; Child* ; Cholesterol ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Hepatitis B ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Male ; Neurofibromatoses ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Strabismus ; Visual Acuity ; Weights and Measures

Decompression ; Edema ; Facial Nerve ; Facial Paralysis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Osteotomy ; Osteotomy, Sagittal Split Ramus ; Paralysis ; Young Adult

Cantrell's syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly, consists of five malformations. There are the midline abdominal wall defect, the defect of sterna lower part, an agenesis of the anterior part of the diaphragm, an absence of the diaphragmatic pericardium, and the congenital intracardiac problem. We diagnosed Cantrell's syndrome with left ventricular diverticulum in a female neonate with no perinatal problems. She experienced an one-staged operation and discharged with no complications. We report a case with brief review of the literature.
Abdominal Wall ; Diaphragm ; Diverticulum* ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Pericardium

PURPOSE: To compare chest radiographic findings of pulmonary tuberculosis in non-AIDS immunocom- promised adult patients with those in immunocompetent patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Eighty six patients who had pulmonary tuberculosis were included in the study. Of these, 41 were non-AIDS immunocompromised adult patients and 45 were immunocompetent adult patients. Chest radiographs obtained from 86 patients were retrospectively evaluated with regard to the followings ;the anatomic distribution and extent of tuberculous lesions, typical or atypical patterns of radiographic findings. We then compared the results in non-AIDS immunocompromised adult patients with those in immunocompetent adult patients. RESULTS: The characteristic manifestation of pulmonary tuberculosis was a tendency of pulmonary lesions to localize in the apico-posterior segments of the upper lobe and the superior segment of the lower lobe in both groups but more wide distribution such as the anterior segment and the lingular segment of the upper lobe and the basal segments of the lower lobe was frequently identified in non-AIDS immunocompromised adult patients, and also bilateral, multisegmental and multilobular extents were common findings. in immunocompetent adult patients, more common findings were in local exudative and productive lesions and several cavities in preferential sites. Atypical plain radiographic findings were more common in non-AIDS immunocompromised adult patients, and which were multiple cavitary lesions, wide extent of bronchogenic spread and tuberculous pneumonia, and .miliary disseminations and mass like lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary tuberculosis in non-AIDS immunocompromised adult patients is characterized by frequent bilateral distribution, wide pulmonary extent, and atypical radiographic findings.
Adult* ; Humans ; Pneumonia ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*