BACKGROUND: In unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), the obstructed kidney is characterized by interstitial fibrosis and an increase in transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1. Interstitial expression of TGF-beta1 is important in tublointerstitial fibrosis. The objectives of this study is to make new ribbon-type antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) for TGF-beta1 which are resistant to exonuclease and to examine the effcets of TGF-beta1 on reducing tubulointerstitial fibrosis of the kidney. METHODS: We introduced a new ribbon-type antisense ODN for TGF-beta1 in rats using the UUO model to block interstitial fibrosis by tail vein injection. A combination of one antisense sequences for TGF-beta1 was adopted to construct a large antisense molecule with a loop and stem. Artificial viral envelope (AVE)-type hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ)-liposomes were used as a vector system for the delivery of antisense ODN. RESULTS: The levels of TGF-beta1 mRNA was decreased more in the cultured mesangial cells treated with ribbon-type antisense ODN than in that of a linear-type antisense ODN for TGF-beta1. TGF-beta1 mRNA was increased markedly in the interstitium of untreated obstructed kidneys. Northem analysis revealed that the levels of TGF-beta1 mRNA were decreased in the obstructed kidneys treated with antisense ODN. The fibrosis of the obstructed kidneys treated with ribbon-type antisense ODN was dramatically less than that of the untreated group. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that the introduction of new ribbon-type antisense ODN for TGF-beta1 may be a potential therapeutic maneuver for preventing interstitial fibrosis.
Animals ; Fibrosis ; Kidney ; Mesangial Cells ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides* ; Rats ; RNA, Messenger ; Sendai virus ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Transforming Growth Factors ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Obstruction* ; Veins

Purpose: : This study aims to investigate the status of delirium intervention in adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients and the perception of this delirium by medical staff. Methods: : This retrospective study involves 185 patients, whereas, a descriptive survey is conducted with 197 medical staff members. Results: : The delirium group includes 100 patients (54.1%). The incidence of delirium is 64.9% in the medical ICU, 65.9% in the surgical ICU, 42.4% in the neuro ICU, and 46.5% in the cardiac ICU. The percentages of delirium prevention intervention differs between the two groups: 65.0% in the delirium group and 95.3% in the non-delirium group. The medical staff recognize that delirium is a common problem in the ICU (100.0%) and requires active medical intervention (98.5%). Conclusion : The length of stay at the ICU is longer in the delirium group than in the non-delirium group. It is necessary to standardize delirium prevention and treatment protocols to be equally applicable to all ICU patients.

Four trials of external quality assessment in diagnostic hematology were performed in 2003 with about 430 participating laboratories in Korea. We performed quality assessment for white blood cell count, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, platelet count, white cell differential count, red blood cell morphology and coagulation test. The response rate was more than 95%. The performance of quality assessment appeared to be gradually improved year by year.
Equidae* ; Erythrocyte Count ; Erythrocytes ; Hematology* ; Korea* ; Leukocyte Count ; Platelet Count

Four trials of external quality assessment in diagnostic hematology were performed in 2004 with about 440 participating laboratories in Korea. We performed quality assessment for white blood cell count, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, platelet count, white cell differential count, red blood cell morphology and coagulation test. The response rate was more than 96%. The coefficients of variation in hemoglobin and RBC number was stable but variable in platelet number and WBC number according to measuring cell counts. Blood coagulation study was performed twice. Test results show wide variation according to measuring machine and reagents.
Blood Coagulation ; Cell Count ; Equidae* ; Erythrocyte Count ; Erythrocytes ; Hematology* ; Indicators and Reagents ; Korea* ; Leukocyte Count ; Platelet Count

Four trials of external quality assessment in diagnostic hematology were performed in 2002 with about 400 participating laboratories in Korea. We performed quality assessment for white blood cell count, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, platelet count, reticulocyte count, white cell differential count, and red blood cell morphology test. The response rate was more than 90%. The performance of quality assessment appeared to be gradually improved year by year.
Equidae* ; Erythrocyte Count ; Erythrocytes ; Hematology* ; Korea* ; Leukocyte Count ; Platelet Count ; Reticulocyte Count

Four trials of external quality assessment in diagnostic hematology were performed in 2008 with average 822 participating laboratories in Korea. We performed quality assessment for white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count, platelet count, blood cell morphology, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. The response rate was more than 96.5%. The coefficients of variation in hemoglobin, hematocrit and RBC was stable but variable in platelet count and WBC count according to measuring cell count. Test results of blood cell morphology showed variation among various cell morphologies.
Blood Cells ; Cell Count ; Erythrocyte Count ; Hematocrit ; Hematology ; Hemoglobins ; Korea ; Leukocyte Count ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Platelet Count ; Prothrombin Time

Four trials of external quality assessment in diagnostic hematology were performed in 2005 with about 500 participating laboratories in Korea. We performed quality assessment for white blood cell count, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, platelet count, white cell differential count, red blood cell morphology. The response rate was more than 97%. The coefficients of variation in hemoglobin and RBC number was stable but variable in platelet number and WBC number according to measuring cell counts. Test results showed wide variation according to measuring machine and reagents.
Cell Count ; Erythrocyte Count ; Erythrocytes ; Hematology* ; Indicators and Reagents ; Korea* ; Leukocyte Count ; Platelet Count

Four trials of external quality assessment in diagnostic hematology were performed in 2007 with average 722 participating laboratories in Korea. We performed quality assessment for white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count, platelet count, blood cell morphology, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. The response rate was more than 95.2%. The coefficients of variation in hemoglobin, hematocrit and RBC were stable but variable in platelet count and WBC count according to measuring cell counters. Test results of blood cell morphology showed variation among various cell morphologies.
Blood Cells ; Cell Count ; Erythrocyte Count ; Hematocrit ; Hematology ; Hemoglobins ; Korea ; Leukocyte Count ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Platelet Count ; Prothrombin Time

Four trials of external quality assessment in diagnostic hematology were performed in 2007 with average 722 participating laboratories in Korea. We performed quality assessment for white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count, platelet count, blood cell morphology, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. The response rate was more than 95.2%. The coefficients of variation in hemoglobin, hematocrit and RBC were stable but variable in platelet count and WBC count according to measuring cell counters. Test results of blood cell morphology showed variation among various cell morphologies.
Blood Cells ; Cell Count ; Erythrocyte Count ; Hematocrit ; Hematology ; Hemoglobins ; Korea ; Leukocyte Count ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Platelet Count ; Prothrombin Time

BACKGROUND: Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA), characterized by impaired red cell production, is a rare condition that is usually symptomatic in early infancy. The purpose of this study was to assess nationwide experiences of DBA encountered over a period of 20 years. METHODS: The medical records of 56 patients diagnosed with DBA were retrospectively reviewed from November 1984 to July 2010. Fifteen institutions, including 13 university hospitals, participated in this study. RESULTS: The male-to-female ratio of patients with DBA was 1.67:1. The median age of diagnosis was 4 months, and 74.1% were diagnosed before 1 year of age. From 2000 to 2009, annual incidence was 6.6 cases per million. Excluding growth retardation, 38.2% showed congenital defects: thumb deformities, ptosis, coarctation of aorta, ventricular septal defect, strabismus, etc. The mean hemoglobin concentration was 5.1+/-1.9 g/dL, mean corpuscular volume was 93.4+/-11.6 fL, and mean number of reticulocytes was 19,700/mm3. The mean cellularity of bone marrow was 75%, with myeloid:erythroid ratio of 20.4:1. After remission, 48.9% of patients did not need further steroids. Five patients with DBA who received hematopoietic transplantation have survived. Cancer developed in 2 cases (3.6%). CONCLUSION: The incidence of DBA is similar to data already published, but our study had a male predilection. Although all patients responded to initial treatment with steroids, about half needed further steroids after remission. It is necessary to collect further data, including information regarding management pathways, from nationwide DBA registries, along with data on molecular analyses.
Anemia ; Anemia, Diamond-Blackfan ; Aortic Coarctation ; Bone Marrow ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Diamond ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Hemoglobins ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Medical Records ; Registries ; Reticulocytes ; Retrospective Studies ; Steroids ; Strabismus ; Thumb ; Transplants