PURPOSE: The cross-protection of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) against vaccine-related serotypes has been controversial. We investigated the serological properties of cross-protective antibodies against vaccine-related serotypes 6A, 6C, and 19A induced in young children aged 12-23 months after booster immunization of PCV7. METHODS: IgG and IgM antibody concentrations and opsonic index (OI) against vaccine serotypes 6B and 19F and vaccine-related serotypes 6A, 6C, and 19A were measured by ELISA and opsonophagocytic killing assay (OPA) in 4 selected immunesera. The serological properties and antigenic specificity of protective antibodies were determined by IgM depletion of immunesera, OPA, and competitive OPA against serogroup 6 and 19 pneumococci. RESULTS: Compared to pre-IgM depleted immunesera, OI of IgM-depleted immunesera against 6B and 19F decreased and OI against 6A, 6C, and 19A decreased, too. In competition OPA, free 6B and 19F polysaccharide completely inhibited the immune protection against vaccine-related serotypes 6A, 6C, and 19A as well as vaccine types 6B and 19F. CONCLUSIONS: The booster immunization of PCV7 certainly induced cross-protective antibodies against vaccine-related serotypes 6A, 6C, and 19A with both IgG and IgM isotypes. Furthermore, IgM antibodies are more highly contributed to opsonophagocytic activity against vaccine-related serotypes as well as most of vaccine types than do IgG antibodies. Further studies are needed for the more immunized sera in the children as well as adults.
Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies ; Child ; Cross Protection ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epitopes ; Homicide ; Humans ; Immunization ; Immunization, Secondary ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Pneumococcal Vaccines ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Child* ; Drug Therapy ; Humans

No abstract available.

Cultured cortical primary astroglia treated with zinc died while rapidly detached from culture plates, a distinct part of zinc-treated astroglia. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism underlying the rapid change in the morphologic integrity of zinc-treated astroglia. Among the early cellular events occurring in zinc-treated astroglia, strong activation of p38 MAPK and JNK was evident. Although inhibitors of p38 (SB203580 and SB202190) or JNK (SP600125) did not protect zinc-insulted astroglia from cell death, the p38 inhibitors, but not the JNK inhibitor, suppressed actin filament and cell morphology disruption. The Ca2+ ionophore, A23187, also suppressed actin filament and cell morphology disruption, but not cell death, of zinc-insulted astroglia. However, A23187 did not inhibit p38 MAPK activation in zinc-treated astroglia. Together these results suggest that zinc influx in astroglia results in rapid loss of the morphologic integrity via mechanisms regulated by p38 kinase and/or Ca2+ signaling.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Astrocytes ; Calcimycin ; Cell Death ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Phosphotransferases ; Zinc

BACKGROUND: Automated border detection (ABD) echocardiography is a convenient and objective tool in the estimation of left atrial (LA) area and function when compared to the off-line, two-dimensional echocardiographic method that requires manual tracing of the endocardial border. In addition, the applicability of the ABD system to instantaneously derive LA area and function may provide a noninvasive method to assess the diastolic interaction between the left ventricle and the left atrium. METHOD: 53 patients with a normal sinus rhythm and an apical four chamber view of LA area (in which at least 75% of the endocardium was clearly visible) were selected for this study. The on-line echocardiographic assessment of LA areas and function with automated boundary detection was performed and compared with the off-line estimation. From the instantaneous cavity area displayed by the ABD system, the extents of left atrial area decrease resulting from rapid ventricular filling (D) and atrial contraction (AC) were measured. The D/AC ratio was compared with the transmitral Doppler flow velocity E/A ratio. RESULTS: 1) The end-systolic area (ESA) and the end-diastolic area (EDA) of the left atrium, diastolic atrial emptying index (AEMI) and the systolic atrial expansion index (AEXI) with the ABD system were not different from those with the off-line, manually trace method. 2) ESA, EDA, AEMI and AEXI determined by the ABD system and the off-line method showed strong correlations (r=0.87, 0.79, 0.52 and 0.49 respectively). 3) D/AC ratio with the ABD system correlated significantly with the transmitral Doppler velocity E/A ratio (r=0.70). CONCLUSION: The ABD system may be used in the assessment of LA area and LA function and the diastolic interaction between the left atrium and the left ventricle.
Echocardiography* ; Endocardium ; Heart Atria ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans

Tumorous lesion of intra- and suprasellar area showed unique clinical pictures and also was very hazardous and difficult to remove surgically because of the surrounding important anatomical structures. Here, authors analyzed 28 confirmed tumor of this area during last two and half years retrospectively. Histopathologically, 28 cases were classified in 14 pituitary adenoma cases(6 cases of nonfunctioning adenoma, 1 GH-secreting adenoma and 7 cases of prolactinoma), 7 craniopharyngioma cases, 3 meninigioma cases and each one case of germinoma, Rathke's cleft cyst, pituitary abscess and hamartoma. Sexual incidence was 6:22 in male vs female ratio. Twenty two cases were measured its diameter over 2cm and they extended to suprasellar area in all cases. Five cases of microadenoma were analyzed and they were all enclosed in sella turcica. Visual impairment was the most frequent and prominent clinical symptom, of which incidence was 78.57%(22 cases). The next frequent symptoms were headache and generalized lethargy. Diabetes insipidus was a presenting symptom in 4 cases and hydrocephalus was noted in 4 cases preoperatively. Surgical intervention was carried out in 23 cases, by the way, the performed type of surgery in 21 cases was a conventional transcranial frontotemporal(pterional) microsurgical method. Post-operatively, diabetes insipidus was complicated in 78.26% and pituitary hypofunction was noted 34.78%. Two cases of intracranial hemorrhage was developed after surgery and one was died. Through 6 to 28 months follow up, 82.1% of cases were improved in its clinical status including 7 cured cases.
Abscess ; Adenoma ; Craniopharyngioma ; Diabetes Insipidus ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Germinoma ; Hamartoma ; Headache ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Incidence ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Lethargy ; Male ; Meningioma ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; Sella Turcica ; Vision Disorders

PURPOSE: To evaluate two different heel lancet device in terms of pain response and success of the procedure in the preterm infants undergoing heel puncture. METHODS: 100 preterm infants undergoing capillary blood gas analysis or capillary bilirubin monitoring underwent heel puncture, were randomly allocated to blood sampling from the heel with either a conventional manual lancet or an automatic incision device. Primary outcome measures included the Premature Infants Pain Profile (PIPP) score, total duration of procedure, number of heel puncture and number of bruise. The pain response was evaluated using PIPP score and the effectiveness was evaluated using three criteria: total duration of blood sampling, number of puncture, bruising of the heel or ankle. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS ver. 13.0 program. Difference between the groups were analysed with t test (continuous variables) and the Chi square test or Fisher test (categorical variables). RESULTS: The mean PIPP score was 4.91 for the automatic lancet group compared with 5.84 for the conventional manual lancet group (P=0.0255).The number of pain scores above 7 during blood collection did not differ between two groups (P=0.2167). The procedure took less time to perform in the automatic lancet group (mean, 30.69 seconds) than in the conventional lancet group (mean, 48.92 seconds) (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the automatic lancet device causes less pain and a shorter procedure time than the conventional manual lancet in preterm infants undergoing heel puncture. On the basis of these results the automatic lancet device is very useful method for blood collection in preterm infants by heel puncture.
Animals ; Ankle ; Bilirubin ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Capillaries ; Contusions ; Heel ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Punctures

PURPOSE: To evaluate two different heel lancet device in terms of pain response and success of the procedure in the preterm infants undergoing heel puncture. METHODS: 100 preterm infants undergoing capillary blood gas analysis or capillary bilirubin monitoring underwent heel puncture, were randomly allocated to blood sampling from the heel with either a conventional manual lancet or an automatic incision device. Primary outcome measures included the Premature Infants Pain Profile (PIPP) score, total duration of procedure, number of heel puncture and number of bruise. The pain response was evaluated using PIPP score and the effectiveness was evaluated using three criteria: total duration of blood sampling, number of puncture, bruising of the heel or ankle. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS ver. 13.0 program. Difference between the groups were analysed with t test (continuous variables) and the Chi square test or Fisher test (categorical variables). RESULTS: The mean PIPP score was 4.91 for the automatic lancet group compared with 5.84 for the conventional manual lancet group (P=0.0255).The number of pain scores above 7 during blood collection did not differ between two groups (P=0.2167). The procedure took less time to perform in the automatic lancet group (mean, 30.69 seconds) than in the conventional lancet group (mean, 48.92 seconds) (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the automatic lancet device causes less pain and a shorter procedure time than the conventional manual lancet in preterm infants undergoing heel puncture. On the basis of these results the automatic lancet device is very useful method for blood collection in preterm infants by heel puncture.
Animals ; Ankle ; Bilirubin ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Capillaries ; Contusions ; Heel ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Punctures

An endobronchial metastasis is defined as a subsegmental or a more proximal central bronchial metastasis of a nonpulmonary neoplasm in the bronchoscopically visible range. However, the frequencies of endobronchial metastasis range from 2 to 50% of pulmonary metastases from extrathoracic neoplasms by a different difinition of an endobronchial metastasis. Primary neoplasms of an endobronchial metastasis including breast cancer, colon cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and ovarian cancer are relatively common. However, an endobronchial metastasis arising from thyroid cancer, parotid gland tumor, bone tumor, bladder cancer, and stomach cancer has only rarely been reported in the literature. Here we report a case of an endobrochial metastases from a hepatocellular carcinoma
Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Parotid Gland ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms