No abstract available.
Esophageal Motility Disorders*

Purpose: In this study, we investigated whether the antigenic changes of the virus-like particles (VLPs) are affected by the temperature during storage. Materials and Methods: After exposing the recombinant influenza VLPs to various temperatures for a period, antigenic changes were examined through in vitro hemagglutination receptor binding assay and in vivo mouse experiments. Results: Influenza VLPs were exposed at three different temperatures of low, middle, and high on a thermo-hygrostat. High temperature exposed influenza VLPs were showed significantly reduced HA activity and immunogenicity after mouse single immunization over time compared low and middle. When the VLPs exposed to the high temperature were inoculated once in the mice, it was found that the immunogenicity was significantly reduced compared to the VLPs exposed to the low temperature. However, these differences were almost neglected when mice were inoculated twice even with VLPs exposed to high temperatures. Conclusion This study suggests that similar protective effects can be expected by controlling the number of vaccination and storage conditions, although the antigenic change in the VLP vaccines occurred when exposed to high temperature.

Purpose: In this study, we investigated whether the antigenic changes of the virus-like particles (VLPs) are affected by the temperature during storage. Materials and Methods: After exposing the recombinant influenza VLPs to various temperatures for a period, antigenic changes were examined through in vitro hemagglutination receptor binding assay and in vivo mouse experiments. Results: Influenza VLPs were exposed at three different temperatures of low, middle, and high on a thermo-hygrostat. High temperature exposed influenza VLPs were showed significantly reduced HA activity and immunogenicity after mouse single immunization over time compared low and middle. When the VLPs exposed to the high temperature were inoculated once in the mice, it was found that the immunogenicity was significantly reduced compared to the VLPs exposed to the low temperature. However, these differences were almost neglected when mice were inoculated twice even with VLPs exposed to high temperatures. Conclusion This study suggests that similar protective effects can be expected by controlling the number of vaccination and storage conditions, although the antigenic change in the VLP vaccines occurred when exposed to high temperature.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study sought to investigate operative and late mortality in aortic valve surgery and to identify risk factors for operative and late mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined operative mode, operative and late mortality, and survival rate of aortic valve surgery performed at Asan Medical Center between June 1989 and December 1996. RESULTS: 227 patients (148 men) with a mean age 49+/-15 years underwent aortic valve surgery. Aortic valvular lesions were classified as dominant stenosis (n=66), dominant regurgitation (n=133), and balanced stenoinsufficiency (n=28) according to the echocardiographic findings. Surgical procedures were aortic valve replacement with mechanical prosthesis in 180 (79 %) and with bioprosthesis in 27 (12 %) and aortic valve repair in 20 (9 %). The overall operative mortality was 4.8 %. Bacterial endocarditis and long bypass time were independent factors associated with high operative mortality (p < 0.05). During follow up (mean 33+/-24 months) of operative survivors, there were 9 late deaths, 12 re-do operations, and 11 clinical events (bacterial endocarditis, stroke, major bleeding, and admission for heart failure). There was no single identifiable risk factor for late mortality but age was significantly associated with development of clinical event and late mortality (p < 0.05). One-, Three-, and Seven-years survival rate after successful operation were 98+/-1 %, 96+/-2 %, and 92+/-3 %, respectively. Late clinical event-free survival rate was 67+/-8 % at seven years after aortic valve surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Aortic valve surgery could be done with low operative and late mortality. Complications related with bacterial endocarditis and long-term anticoagulation therapy following valve replacement surgery still remained high, which needs further improvement.
Aortic Valve* ; Bioprosthesis ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Disease-Free Survival ; Echocardiography ; Endocarditis ; Endocarditis, Bacterial ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mortality ; Prostheses and Implants ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; Survival Rate ; Survivors ; Thoracic Surgery*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to investigate prospectively the relation of lipoprotein(a)[Lp(a)],apoproteins and serum lipid parameters to restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasyt(PTCA). METHODS: One hundred and forty-five patients who received successful PTCA were enrolled and their serum levels of lipids, apoproteins and Lp(a) were measured before PTCA. After 6 months of follow-up, the patients were reevaluated for the development of restenosis by coronary angiography, treadmill test or thallium scan. RESULTS: A total 137 patients could be followed. Restenosis occurred in 71 patients(52%). Clinical parameters(e.g. age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, smoking) and angiographic parameters(e.g. lesion site, type and degree of stenosis) were not significantly different between the group without restenosis and the group with restenosis. Lipid parameters and apoproteins were not associated with restenosis. Lp(a) and Lp(a) phenotype analysis showed no significant difference between the two gruops. CONCLUSION: Serum lipid parameters, apoproteins and Lp(a) concentration are not associated with restenosis after PTCA and cannot be used as predictios of restenosis.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary* ; Apoproteins ; Coronary Angiography ; Exercise Test ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lipoprotein(a)* ; Phenotype* ; Prospective Studies ; Thallium

A brain lesion located at the lateral side of the sella turcica can produce a junctional scotoma by compressing the ipsilateral optic nerve and the contralateral inferonasal nerve fiber. This study reports a female patient with a junctional scotoma caused by a cerebral aneurysm. At the initial visit, she complained of visual disturbance in both eyes and the right optic disc was atrophied. The visual field showed right blindness and left superotemporal quadrantopsia. A brain CT indicated an approximately 3 cm sized brain mass located superolateral to the sella turcica. The brain MRI showed the lesion to be more like an aneurysm than a pituitary adenoma. Therefore, 4 vessels angiography was done, and this lesion was confirmed to be a sellar variant of an aneurysm located at the right carotid siphon. Like a tumor of the optic chiasm, a cerebral aneurysm can cause visual disturbance and visual field defects. Therefore, an early differential diagnosis is important because the prognosis and treatment of an aneurysm differ.
Aged ; Cerebral Angiography ; Female ; Human ; Intracranial Aneurysm/*complications/radiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Optic Nerve Diseases/diagnosis/*etiology ; Scotoma/diagnosis/*etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Visual Fields

Objective: To investigate and compare the slot sizes and parallelism of metal injection molding (MIM) and computerized numerical control (CNC) brackets. Methods: The following four MIM bracket series with 0.022-inch (in) slots were selected for investigation: Di MIM mini Twin (Ortho Organizers), Mini Diamond Roth (Ormco), Gemini MBT (3M Unitek), and Formula R Roth (Tomy).The following four CNC bracket series with 0.022-in slots were selected for investigation: Econoline MBT (Adenta), Legend mini MBT (GC Orthodontics), Crown mini MBT (Adenta), and Evolve MBT (DB Orthodontics). The slot dimensions were measured using an optical microscope (XTCam-D310M;Mitutoyo) with a resolution of 1 μm. The results were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and the Tukey post-hoc test with a significance level of 0.05. Results: The results indicated that all the investigated slot sizes were oversized with respect to the manufacturers’ specifications (0.022 in). Among the eight bracket series, the Di MIM bracket (MIM) was the most oversized by 10.4%, whereas the Evolve bracket (CNC) was the least oversized by 2.6%. The slots in seven of the bracket series had divergent walls instead of parallel ones. The Evolve bracket alone had parallel slot walls. Conclusions Regardless of the manufacturing method, all the slot sizes of the brackets investigated in this study were significantly oversized; most of the slot walls were nonparallel, except for those of the Evolve bracket. This study could not establish that the CNC method was more accurate than the MIM method in manufacturing bracket slots.

Melanoacanthoma is an extremely rare pigmented benign mixed epithelial tumor of both melanocytes and keratinocytes. A 52-year-old female presented an asymptomatic, slightly elevated, 1. 2 cm x 0. 8 cm, dark black-colored plaque on her right buttock of 2 years' duration. Histopathologic finding of the plaque shows hyperkeratosis, focal parakeratosis, follicular plugging, acanthosih, papillomatosis and pseudo-horn cyst in the epidermis. The tumor is composed of basaloid and squarnous cells with many foci of clusters and whorls of melanin pigment-laden cells. Electron microscopic finding reveals many scattered melanocytes in the entire epidermis. Melanin granules are found mostly in the melanocytes but can also be found in a few keratinocytes.
Buttocks ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; Middle Aged ; Papilloma ; Parakeratosis

PURPOSE: Nitrocellulose membrane–based filtration system (NCFS) is widely used for protein concentration. In this study, we applied NCFS for production of virus-like particle (VLP) as a vaccine candidate and evaluated yield property and immunogenicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Influenza VLPs were generated by baculovirus-insect cell protein expression system. NCFS and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation were used for purification of VLP. Immunogenicity of VLP was evaluated by animal experiment. RESULTS: Influenza VLPs expressing hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase proteins derived from highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N8) were effectively produced and purified by NCFS. HA activity of VLP which correlated with antigenicity was well conserved during multiple purification steps. This NCFS based purified VLPs induced influenza virus–specific antibody responses. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the influenza VLP vaccine could be prepared by NCFS without loss of immunogenicity and elicit antigen-specific immune responses.
Animal Experimentation ; Antibody Formation ; Baculoviridae ; Collodion* ; Filtration* ; Hemagglutinins ; Influenza, Human* ; Membranes* ; Neuraminidase ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Sucrose ; Ultracentrifugation ; Vaccines

No abstract available.
Appendicitis* ; Child* ; Humans