No abstract available.
Humans ; Plasma* ; Tranexamic Acid* ; Urticaria*

No abstract available.
Acupuncture* ; Mycobacterium*

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether embryonic stem (ES) cells can be established from isolated blastomeres of mouse embryos. METHODS: Blastomeres were separated from mouse (C57Bl/6J) 2- or 4-cell embryos. Isolated blastomeres or whole 4-cell embryos were co-cultured with mitosis-arrested STO feeder cells in DMEM supplemented with recombinant murine leukemia inhibitory factor and ES-qualified fetal bovine serum. After the tentative ES cell lines were maintained from isolated blastomeres or whole embryos, some of them were frozen and the others were sub-cultured continually. Characteristics of tentative ES cell lines as were evaluated for specific gene expressions with immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS: One ES cell line (3.0%) was established from isolated blastomere of 2-cell embryo and one cell line (4.0%) from isolated two blastomeres of 4-cell embryo. And five cell lines (16.7%) were established from whole 4-cell embryos. Both cell lines from isolated blastomere and whole embryo expressed mouse ES cells specific markers such as SSEA-1, Oct-4 and alkaline phosphatase. Marker genes of three germ layers were expressed from embryoid bodies of both cell lines. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that mouse ES cells could be established from isolated blastomeres, although the efficiency is lower than whole embryos. This animal model could be applied to establishment of autologous human ES cells from biopsied blastomeres of preimplantation embryos in human IVF-ET program.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Antigens, CD15 ; Blastocyst* ; Blastomeres* ; Cell Line ; Embryoid Bodies ; Embryonic Stem Cells* ; Embryonic Structures ; Feeder Cells ; Gene Expression ; Germ Layers ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor ; Mice* ; Models, Animal

This study was conducted to determine the appropriateness of the indicators and items on teacher evaluations for professional development and to provide insight for their improvement. To accomplish this, the perception of the importance and performance frequency of 318 nutrition teachers regarding their roles inherent in the indicators and items were evaluated through a survey questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired t-test. In addition, the reflective analysis and constant comparison method were employed to analyze the responses to the open-ended questions asking problems in the indicators and items. The results revealed that the mean scores for the importance and performance frequency of most indicators and items were over four points, which implies that most indicators and items are appropriate for evaluating the job tasks of nutrition teachers. However, it was suggested that a few items be revised or removed for their improvement and appropriateness. This study concluded that nutrition teachers should have more chances to provide nutrition education for students to enable them to perform as teachers and not simply dietitians.
Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast*

No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast*

OBJECTIVE: Embryonic stem (ES) cells could be differentiated into the specific cell types by alternation of culture condition and modification of gene expression. This study was performed to evaluate the differentiation protocol for mouse and human ES cells to insulin secreting cells. METHODS: Undifferentiated mouse (JH-1) and human (Miz-hES1) ES cells were cultured on STO feeder layer, and embryoid bodies (EBs) were formed by suspension culture. For the differentiation, EBs were cultured by sequential system with three stage protocol. The differentiating ES cells were collected and marker gene expressions were analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR in each stage. Amount of secreted insulin levels in culture media of human ES cells were measured by human insulin specific RIA kit. RESULTS: During the differentiation process of human ES cells, GATA-4, alpha-fetoprotein, glucose transporter-2 and Ngn-3 expression were increased whereas Oct-4 was decreased progressively. Insulin and albumin mRNAs were expressed from stage II in mouse ES cells and from stage III in human ES cells. We detected 3.0~7.9 microU/ml secretion of insulin from differentiated human ES cells by in vitro culture for 36 days. CONCLUSION: The sequential culture system could induce the differentiation of mouse and human ES cells into insulin secreting cells. This is the first report of differentiation of human ES cells into insulin secreting cells by in vitro culture with serum and insulin free medium.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Animals ; Culture Media ; Embryoid Bodies ; Embryonic Stem Cells* ; Feeder Cells ; Gene Expression ; Glucose ; Humans ; Insulin* ; Insulin-Secreting Cells* ; Mice ; RNA, Messenger

PURPOSE: To verify the efficacy and safety of lamotrigine (LTG) monotherapy in newly diagnosed children with epilepsy. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 148 children who had undergone LTG monotherapy at our institution between September 2002 and June 2009. Twenty-nine patients were excluded: 19 due to incomplete data and 10 were lost to follow up. The data of the remaining 119 patients was analyzed. RESULTS: We enrolled 119 pediatric epilepsy patients (aged 2.8-19.3 years; 66 males and 53 females) in this study. Out of 119 patients, 29 (25.2%) had generalized epilepsy and 90 (74.8%) had partial epilepsy. The responses of seizure reduction were as follows: Seizure freedom (no seizure attack for at least 6 months) in 87/111 (78.4%, n=111) patients; partial response (reduced seizure frequency compared to baseline) in 13 (11.7%) patients; and persistent seizure in 11 (9.9%) patients. The seizure freedom rate was in 81.6% in patients with partial seizure (75.9% for complex partial seizure and 90.9% for benign rolandic epilepsy) and 44.8% in patients with generalized epilepsy (30.0% for absence seizure, 35.7% for juvenile myoclonic epilepsy patients, and 100.0% for idiopathic generalized epilepsy patients). Adverse reactions were reported in 17 (14.3%) patients, and 8 patients (6.7%) discontinued LTG because of rash and tic. No patient experienced severe adverse reaction such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome. CONCLUSION: LTG showed excellent therapeutic response and had few significant adverse effects. Our findings report may contribute in promoting the use of LTG monotherapy in epileptic children.
Child ; Epilepsies, Partial ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Absence ; Epilepsy, Generalized ; Exanthema ; Freedom ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Male ; Myoclonic Epilepsy, Juvenile ; Prospective Studies ; Seizures ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome ; Tics ; Triazines

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and effect of various cryopreservation method on the survival and the cytoskeletal stability of metaphase II mouse oocyte. METHODS: Mouse ovulated oocytes were collected and cryopreserved by a modified slow-freezing method with 1.5 M 1,2-propanediol (PrOH)+0.1 M sucrose or by vitrification using cryo loop and EM grid with 40% ethylene glycol+0.6 M sucrose. Four hours after thawing, intact oocytes were fixed and stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated monoclonal anti-beta-tubulin antibody to visualize spindle and propidium iodide (PI) to visualize chromosome. Spindle morphology was classified as follows: normal (barrel-shaped), slightly and absolute abnormal (multipolar or absent). RESULTS: Survival rate of the frozen-thawed oocytes in vitrification group was significantly higher than that of slow-freezing group (62.7% vs. 24.4%, p<0.01). Vitrification with cryo loop showed significantly higher survival rate than that with EM grid (67.7% vs. 53.5%, p<0.05). On the other hand, proportion of normal spindle and chromosome configurations of the frozen-thawed oocytes between two vitrification group was not significantly different. CONCLUSION: For mouse ovulated oocytes, vitrification with cryo loop may be a preferable procedure compared to slow-freezing method. Further study should be needed to investigate developmental competency of frozen-thawed mouse oocytes.
Animals ; Cryopreservation* ; Fluorescein ; Hand ; Metaphase ; Mice* ; Oocytes* ; Propidium ; Propylene Glycol ; Sucrose ; Survival Rate ; Vitrification