No abstract available.
Fetal Development* ; Gestational Age*

No abstract available.
Fetal Development* ; Gestational Age*

BACKGROUND: Infiltration of eosinophils and activated T cells into the airway is a characteristic feature of allergic inflammation such as asthma. IL-4 has been shown to mediate adhesion of eosinophils and T cells to endothelial cells by inducing VCAM-1 expression on endothelial surface. IL-13 shares a number of biologic properties with IL-4. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effects of IL-13 on the adhesion of eosinophils to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and on the expression of VCAM-1 in HUVEC. METHOD: HUVEC was incubated for 24h with IL-13 (10ng/ml), IL-4 (10ng/ml) and TNF-a (10ng/ml). Surface expression of VCAM-1 in HUVEC was detected using irnmuno-cytochemical stain and reverse transcription-polymearse chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the adhesion of eosinophils to HUVEC was quantitated using eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) assay. RESULTS: The VCAM-1 expression on IL-13-treated HUVEC increased more than in the expression on medium-treated HUVEC (p<0.05). The adhesion of eosinophil to IL-13- treated HUVEC also increased more than in the adhesion to medium-treated HUVEC (p<0.05). The VCAM-1 expression was synergistically induced by TNF-a and IL-13 (p<0.05). IL-13 induced VCAM-1 expression and adhesion of eosinophils to HUVEC, similar to IL-4. IL-13 also induced VCAM-1 mRNA expression, with greater expression than with medium and TNF-a(p<0.05). IL-13-induced surface VCAM-1 was associated with expression of mRNA transcripts and adhesion of eosinophils to HUVEC(r=0.89, r=0.93, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that IL-13 stimulates HUVEC to express surface VCAM-1 and has a possible role in promoting VCAM-1/VLA-4 dependent accumulation of eosinophils during allergic and other inflammatory responses.
Asthma ; Endothelial Cells* ; Eosinophil Peroxidase ; Eosinophils* ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-13* ; Interleukin-4 ; RNA, Messenger ; T-Lymphocytes ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

Patients admitted with the clinical symptomatology of a progressive myelopathy associated with radiologic findings compatible with spondylotic degeneration of the cervical spine and who manifest appropriate neurophysiological abnormalities should be considered as candidates for surgical treatment. The authors have undertaken a study of 20 patients who had received decompressive surgical procedures and possible follow up studies for CSM, which was defined as a myelopathy related to osteophytic overgrowth and ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament(OPLL) in the cervical spinal canal causing impingement upon the spinal cord from Sep.93. To Aug. 1995. It was concluded with the following results. 1) man was exclusively prevalent in most cases. 2) age at surgery: There was a signigicant negative correlation between the age at surgery and the recovery rate. 3) Original cause of compression: There was no signigicant difference between the CSM and OPLL. 4) The involved level : three level involvement was the most common(8cases), followed by two level(6 cases), four level(3 cases), and single level(2 cases). There was no correlation between the preoperative Harsh scale and the number of the involved level. 5) Recovery rate: excellent(Grade O.I). 12 cases(60%), good(Grade II, IIIA), 4 cases(20%), poor(Grade IIIc, IV, V), 4 cases(20%).
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Diseases* ; Spine

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic sinus surgery has become an effective tool for the treatment of chronic sinusitis. The success of this procedure can be best determined by a long-term evaluation of the surgery results from patients who are grouped according to the prepoerative severity of the disease. In this study we attempted to evaluate the results of endoscopic sinus surgery according to the severity of the disease and the length of the follow-up period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Questionnaires were sent out to 313 patients with chronic sinusitis who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery at our department from April 1992 to October 1995. Replies from 118 patients (37.69%) were analyzed. All patients had taken preoperative ostiomeatal unit computed tomography (OMU-CT) and their results were graded according to the Levine and May's grading system. The follow-up periods ranged from 7 to 51 months, with the mean of 27 months. RESULTS: All nasal symptoms including nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, postnasal drip, anosmia and headache significantly improved. The nasal obstruction symptom improved by 76.8%, rhinorrhea 62.1%, postnasal drip 64.4%, anosmia 50.0% and headache 80.0%. However, no statistical significance could be drawn between the improvement rate and the different lengths of the follow-up periods. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that endoscopic sinus surgery might improve nasal symptoms in patients with chronic sinusitis regardless of the severity of disease and the length of follow-up period.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Headache ; Humans ; Nasal Obstruction ; Olfaction Disorders ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sinusitis

BACKGROUND: Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty(UPPP) is the most frequently performed surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS). Even though polysomnogram is the best method to evaluate the results after UPPP, the patients are often unwilling to undergo postoperative testing, particularly if the patients' symptoms have improved. As the perioperative evaluation of UPPP only based on subjective symptoms may lead to incorrect results, objective indexes such as respiratory parameters and sleep structures should also be analyzed. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the long-term outcome of UPPP in OSAS patients by comparing preoperative subjective symptoms and objective indexes with postoperative results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared preoperative subjective symptoms and objective indexes including respiratory and sleep parameters in 16 OSAS patients who underwent UPPP and were followed up for 15 months or more. RESULTS: Snoring improved in 10(62.5%) of the 16 patients and apnea in 13(81.3%). In respiratory parameters, apnea index(AI) and respiratory disturbance index(RDI) decreased more than 50% in 11 patients(68.8%), respectively. There was no significant change of sleep structure except for in stage I. Only changes of subjective apnea symptom were significantly correlated with changes of AI and RDI, but there were no correlations between the other variables. CONCLUSIONS: In evaluating the surgical outcome after UPPP of OSAS patients, objective analysis on long-term follow-up is needed in addition to assessment of subjective symptom changes.
Apnea ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Polysomnography ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* ; Snoring

The incidence of Giant Condyloma Acuminata of the penis is unknown but considered rare. They are similar to condyloma acuminata, histologically and grossly similar to squamous cell ca. Most authorists consider that they get the real possibility of malignant change and they had been first described by Buschke in the German literatures in l896 as a variant of condyloma acuminata. A case of malignancy of the penis which has apparently transformed from Giant Condyloma Acuminata of the penis is herein presented with review of related literatures.
Incidence ; Male ; Penile Neoplasms* ; Penis

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess toxicities of cryoprotectants. METHODS: Toxicities of two cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and 1,2-propanediol (PROH), were investigated using a murine embryo model. Female F-1 mice were stimulated with gonadotropin, induced ovulation with hCG and mated. Two cell embryos were collected and cultured after exposure to either DMSO or PROH. Embryo development was evaluated up to the blastocyst stage. Blastocysts were stained with bis-benzimide to evaluate the cell count and with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick labeling (TUNEL) to assess apoptosis. RESULTS: The total cell count of blastocysts that were treated with DMSO at the 2-cell stage was significantly lower than that were treated with PROH (75.9+/-27.0) or the control (99.0+/-18.3) (p<0.001). On comparison of two cryoprotectant treated groups, the DMSO treated group showed a decreased cell count compared with the PROH treated group (p<0.05). Both DMSO (14.2+/-1.5) and PROH (11.2+/-1.4) treated groups showed higher apoptosis rates of cells in the blastocyst compared with the control (6.2+/-0.9, p<0.0001). In addition, the DMSO treated group showed more apoptotic cells than the PROH treated group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The potential toxicity of cryoprotectants was uncovered by prolonged exposure of murine embryos to either DMSO or PROH at room temperature. When comparing two cryoprotective agents, PROH appeared to be less toxic than DMSO at least in a murine embryo model.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blastocyst ; Cell Count ; Cryoprotective Agents ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase ; Embryonic Development* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Mice ; Ovulation ; Pregnancy ; Propylene Glycol

BACKGROUND: The determinants of intubation and the response to therapy in COPD patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure were retrospectively reviewed. METHODS: This study involved a review of 132 episodes of hypercapnic respiratory failure(PaCO2≥50mmHg and pH≤7.35). The time frame for resolution or the time to intubation of patients who were admitted between 1996 and 1999 was analyzed. RESULTS: Out of 132 hypercapnic episodes, 49(37%) required intubation. A comparison was made with the 83 cases that responded to treatment. Patients requiring intubation had greater severity of illness, which included a higher APACHE II (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II) score (20±5 vs 14±4 ; p<0.01), a higher WBC, a higher serum BUM, and greater acidosis (pH, 7.23±0.11 vs 7.32±0.04 ; p<0.01). Those with the most severe acidosis(pH<7.20) had the highest intubation rate(87%) and shortest time to intubation (2±3 h). Conversely, those with an initial pH 7.31 to 7.35 were less likely to be intubated(20%), and had a longer time to intubation(97±121 h). The patients with a pH 7.21 to 7.25(4.1±2.9 day) required longer period of time to respond to medical treatment than patients with a pH of 7.31 to 7.35(2.2±3.1 day). Of those patients requiring intubation, half(55%) were intubated within 8 h of admission, and most (75%) within 24 h. Of those patients responding to treatment medical therapy, half(52%) recovered within 24 h and most (78%) recovered within 48 h. CONCLUSION: Respiratory acidosis at the initial presentation is associated with an increased likelihood of intubation. This shold assist in deciding help with the decision whether to treat patients medically, institute noninvasive ventilation, or proceed to intubation.
Acidosis ; Acidosis, Respiratory ; APACHE ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Intubation* ; Noninvasive Ventilation ; Physiology ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Respiratory Insufficiency* ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Accurate recognition of stroke victims by ambulance paramedics is necessary to ensure the rapid transfer of these patients to the hospital. We carried out a prospective study to characterize the cause of prehospital delays after stroke by the emergency medical service (EMS) and to determine the accuracy of identifying acute stroke by paramedics. METHODS: All paramedics in the Busan Metropolitan 119 EMS were asked to record the clinical presentations and time intervals from symptom onset to various points along the patients' prehospital course on the ambulance admission sheets for suspected stroke patients during a month (February 1, 2010 to February 28, 2010). Neurologists in twenty four hospitals reviewed the hospital records for the patients who were given a diagnosis of stroke or transient ischemic attack by the paramedics. RESULTS: Of the EMS on-scene evaluations, the diagnosis of stroke by ambulance paramedics was correct for 79 of the 186 (43%) patients. Positive predictive values for main suspected stroke symptoms were 95% in hemiparesis, 88% in speech disturbance and 44% in impaired consciousness. The prehospital personnel transferred the suspected stroke patients to each hospital at a mean of 25 minutes after the emergency 119 call. However, only 62% of the stroke patients called EMS within the first 2 hours of stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Public education for the need to seek EMS promptly after stroke as a medical emergency, and strokespecific training for EMS personnel are essential so that stroke patients receive effective acute treatment.
Allied Health Personnel ; Ambulances ; Consciousness ; Dietary Sucrose ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Paresis ; Prospective Studies ; Stroke