No abstract available.
Humans ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Pregnancy*

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Temporary soft relining materials are used in a diverse clinical situations such as tissue conditioner, relining material, functional impression by varying its viscoelasticity. However, reproduction of consistent viscoelasticity has been not possible. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Considering setting mechanism of this material, this study has measured the effect of varying amount of void in dynamic viscoelasticity of soft relining material, with three different mixing methods. In each methods 10 specimens were made and subjected to dynamic viscoelastic test which were measured at specific times over period of 72 hours. RESULTS: The analysis of the result shown that there was no statistically significant differences between different mixing methods. CONCLUSION: Different mixing methods had no effect over control of viscoelasticity of soft lining material. Further research is recommended for under similar oral environmental condition.
Reproduction

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a multifunctional protein that is able to function as a negative regulator of solid tumor progression and angiogenesis, is normally present at a very low level but rapidly elevated in pathological tissues. To understand the cellular regulation of TSP-1 expression, the mode of it's expression in Hep3B, SK-HEP-1, and porcine aortic endothelial (PAE) cells was examined in the presence of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). ATRA or IL-6 induced a dose-dependent increase of TSP-1 protein and mRNA levels in PAE cells, while they negatively regulated TSP-1 expression in the Hep3B and SK-HEP-1 cells. In contrast, PMA showed just the opposite effects on the TSP-1 expression in the same cells. IFN-gamma had little effect on TSP-1 level in Hep3B and PAE cells. The TSP-1 expression in SK-HEP-1 cells by these agents showed a close resemblance to that of liver cells rather than that of the endothelial cell line. Possible TSP-1 promoter-mediated responses by ATRA, IL-6, IFN-gamma, or PMA in Hep3B and PAE cells examined with luciferase activity of TSP-LUC reporter plasmid showed that levels of TSP-1 promoter activity were lower than that of the expressed TSP-1 protein and mRNA levels. Transfection of c-Jun and/or RARalpha expression vectors into Hep3B and PAE cells resulted in the enhanced TSP-1 promoter activity as well as the increments of of its protein and mRNA level. These results suggest that regulatory agents-induced TSP-1 expression may be attributed to mRNA stability and/or translational activation in concert with transcriptional activation and TSP-1 expression may be independently controlled via each signal pathway stimulated by PMA or ATRA.
Animal ; Cell Line ; Endothelium, Vascular/cytology/drug effects/metabolism ; *Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects ; Genes, Reporter ; Genes, jun ; Human ; Immunoblotting ; Interferon Type II/pharmacology ; Interleukin-6/pharmacology ; *Promoter Regions (Genetics) ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun/genetics/metabolism ; Receptors, Retinoic Acid/genetics/metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate/pharmacology ; Thrombospondin 1/*genetics/metabolism ; Transcription, Genetic ; Tretinoin/pharmacology

Forty-seven ampicillin-resistant R plasmids derived from 218 Shigella sonnei isolates from Daegu and Gwangju areas from 1980 to 2000 were epidemiologically compared by fragments of restriction endonuclease patterns by EcoRI and SmaI, and by Southern hybridization with a blaTEM-1 probe. All the ampicillin-resistant strains isolated in the 1980S carried a conjugative R plasmid responsible for multiple resistance other than ampicillin, and an ampicillin-resistance plasmid. Ampicillin-resistant strains isolated in the 1990S harbored single conjugative R plasmid encoding ampicillin resistance along with variable antimicrobial resistances. The restriction endonuclease digestion patterns and Southern hybridiztion analysis of conjugative R plasmids showing identical resistance pattern and a same size showed different fragment and Western blotting patterns according to different isolation years and areas, while identical patterns were observed among the plasmids derived from a same isolation year and area. These findings suggest that ampicillin resistance among S. sonnei isolates was due to introduction of ampicillin-resistant R plasmids originated from different sources.
Ampicillin Resistance* ; Ampicillin* ; Blotting, Western ; Daegu ; Digestion ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; Gwangju ; Plasmids ; R Factors ; Shigella sonnei* ; Shigella*

PURPOSE: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) hepatitis is a usually asymptomatic and self-limiting disease in immunocompetent patients. However, the range of severity is wide, and the serological diagnosis is typically difficult until the convalescent phase. Thus, we examined the value of plasma EBV DNA real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in EBV hepatitis for the timely diagnosis and the relationship between EBV viral load and clinical severity. METHODS: Sixty samples were confirmed as having EBV infection by RT-qPCR with the EBV BALF5 gene sequence. We examined the clinical characteristics of EBV hepatitis by reviewing medical records. RESULTS: The median total duration of fever was 8 days (range: 0-13 days). The mean peak value of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was 241+/-214 U/L, and the mean peak value of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was 298+/-312 U/L. There was no correlation between the serum levels of liver enzyme and plasma EBV DNA titer (p=0.1) or between median total duration of fever and EBV DNA titer (p=0.056). The median age of the EBV VCA IgM-negative group was lower compared with the EBV VCA IgM-positive group in EBV hepatitis (2 years vs. 6 years, p=0.0009). CONCLUSION: The severity of EBV hepatitis does not correlate with circulating EBV DNA load according to our data. Furthermore, we suggest that plasma EBV PCR may be valuable in young infants in whom the results of serology test for EBV infection commonly are negative.
Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; DNA ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Fever ; Hepatitis ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver ; Plasma ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Viral Load

Pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm (PAP) is a very rare vascular abnormality and is often caused at least in part by infection. While Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a relatively common cause of PAP, it can also result from a lung abscess. Aneurysm rupture resulting in massive hemoptysis is potentially fatal, with death caused by aspiration of blood and consequent asphyxiation. We admitted a 55-year-old man with massive hemoptysis. He had been treated with intravenous antibiotics for three weeks after diagnosing a lung abscess. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography revealed a pseudoaneurysm inside the abscess. Diagnostic catheter pulmonary angiography confirmed the diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm of the pulmonary artery. Embolization successfully controlled the airway bleeding. However, the patient died of acute respiratory failure on the seventh hospital day. When hemoptysis is due to sustained inflammation, such as a lung abscess, bleeding from the pulmonary artery should be considered.
Abscess ; Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, False* ; Angiography ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Catheters ; Diagnosis ; Hemoptysis* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung Abscess* ; Lung* ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Rupture ; Thorax

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and infarct severity in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed thyroid hormone levels, infarct severity, and the extent of transmurality in 40 STEMI patients evaluated via contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: The high triiodothyronine (T3) group (> or = 68.3 ng/dL) exhibited a significantly higher extent of transmural involvement (late transmural enhancement > 75% after administration of gadolinium contrast agent) than did the low T3 group (60% vs. 15%; p = 0.003). However, no significant difference was evident between the high- and low-thyroid-stimulating hormone/free thyroxine (FT4) groups. When the T3 cutoff level was set to 68.3 ng/dL using a receiver operating characteristic curve, the sensitivity was 80% and the specificity 68% in terms of differentiating between those with and without transmural involvement. Upon logistic regression analysis, high T3 level was an independent predictor of transmural involvement after adjustment for the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and the use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (odds ratio, 40.62; 95% confidence interval, 3.29 to 502; p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The T3 level predicted transmural involvement that was independent of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor use and DM positivity.
Aged ; Area Under Curve ; Biological Markers/blood ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Coronary Angiography ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction/blood/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography ; Myocardium/*pathology ; Odds Ratio ; Predictive Value of Tests ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Thyroxine/blood ; Triiodothyronine/*blood

BACKGROUND: Recently, we have reported that biodegradable poly [-(4-aminobutyl)-L-glycolic acid] (PAGA) can condense and protect plasmid DNA from DNase I. In this study, we investigated whether the systemic administration of pCAGGS mouse IL-10 (mIL-10) expression plasmid complexed with PAGA can reduce the development of insulitis in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. METHODS: PAGA/mIL-10 plasmid complexes were stable for more than 60 minutes, but the naked DNA was destroyed within 10 minutes by DNase I. The PAGA/DNA complexes were injected into the tail vein of 3 week-old NOD mice. RESULTS: Serum mIL-10 level peaked at 5 days after injection, could be detected for more than 7 weeks. The prevalence of severe insulitis at 12 week-old NOD mice was markedly reduced by the intravenous injection of PAGA/DNA complex (15.7%) compared to that of naked DNA injection (34.5%) and non-treated controls (90.9%). In conclusion, systemic administration of pCAGGS mIL-10 plasmid/PAGA complexes can reduce the severity of insulitis in NOD mice. CONCLUSION: The study presents the PAGA/DNA complex has the potential for the application of the prevention of autoimmune diabetes mellitus.
Animals ; Deoxyribonuclease I ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; DNA* ; Genetic Therapy ; Injections, Intravenous ; Insulin-Secreting Cells* ; Interleukin-10* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred NOD* ; Plasmids* ; Prevalence ; Veins

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the indications, yield, and complications of flexible bronchoscopy for respiratory disease in children compared to earlier domestic studies and to examine if any differences existed in comparison to international studies. METHODS: The medical records of 100 cases of flexible bronchoscopy that were performed in 76 patients at the Department of Pediatrics of The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital from June 16, 2010 to August 6, 2013 were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 76 patients (50 males and 26 females) were included in the study. The most common indication of flexible bronchoscopy was persistent pneumonia or pneumonia in immunocompromised patients (53 cases). The object of flexible bronchoscopy was accomplished in 65 of 100 cases, and, the treatment was changed in 24 of 65 cases. The most common abnormal finding was tracheomalacia that was found in 18 cases. In 67 cases where bronchoalveolar lavage was performed, bacteria were identified in 47 cases, fungi in 9 cases, and viruses in 22 cases. Complications occurred in 8 cases. CONCLUSION: Compared to earlier domestic studies, there was no significant change in diagnostic approaches and therapeutic improvement. However, this study showed that flexible bronchoscopy appears to be safe in patients with hemato-oncologic disease. Compared to international studies, the occurrence of complications due to flexible bronchoscopy was relatively low.
Bacteria ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Bronchoscopy* ; Child* ; Fungi ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Korea ; Male ; Medical Records ; Pediatrics ; Pneumonia ; Seoul ; Tracheomalacia

Transesophageal echocardiography is a useful device to evaluate the posterior structure of heart with an advantage of enabling clearer images, as compared to transthoracic echocardiography. With intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography, we can reconfirm pre-diagnosed lesions, determine the success of the operation, and in particular, diagnose new lesions that are undetected in pre-operative evaluation. In the present case, undiagnosed patent ductus arteriosus was found on intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography during cardiopulmonary bypass. Subsequently, the patent ductus arteriosus was ligated successfully. With transesophageal echocardiography, we can diagnose the structural and functional abnormality of heart unidentified in the pre-operative evaluation. Also, transesophageal echocardiography can play the role of a rescuer to solve the problems that occur during cardiopulmonary bypass.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent* ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal* ; Heart ; Humans