No abstract available.
Hematuria* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Nephritis, Hereditary*

It is well established that mast cell proliferation and maturation are regulated by two principle cytokines, IL-3 and the c-kit ligand stem cell factor (SCF). Previous reports have demonstrated that bone marrow-derived IL-3-dependent mast cells exhibit the characteristic apoptosis on removal of IL-3. To know how the number of mast cells is controlled, we observed the effects of nitric oxide (NO) on the murine bone marrow-derived cultured mast cells (BMCMC). Apoptosis was measured by the analysis of flow cytometric data and electrophoretic evidence of DNA fragmentation. Our data showed that sodiurn nitroprusside (SNP)-a NO releasing substance- induced apoptosis in BMCMC. Cell cycle analysis showed that the number of the G,/G, and S phase decreased markedly, while the percentage of cell in G,/M phase was increased. Also, SNP alone induced cell death, whereas SNP in combination with SCF markedly decreased cell death of BMCMC. SNP-induced apoptosis was partially inhibited by the treatment of BMCMC with SCF. Our results suggest that NO might have sorne role in the regulation of the number of mast cells.
Apoptosis ; Bone Marrow* ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Death ; Cytokines ; DNA Fragmentation ; Interleukin-3 ; Mast Cells* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Nitroprusside ; S Phase ; Stem Cell Factor

Heat Shock Protein (HSP) is a genetic product reacting on stress. HSP is increased by physiological or environmental stress and expressed at gastrointestinal tumors such as stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer and large intestinal cancer, and at other various tumors such as lymphoma and breast cancer. The role of HSP is to interrupt the process of apoptosis interfering with formation of tumors, and weaken function of tumor control beyond that of immune surveillance. In case of causing the normal p53 to be mutated, it leads to morphological change of p53 protein and combine with HSP. But, it has not been clarified yet. We intend to examine the meaning of HSP 70 in bladder tumor by investigating the relations among HSP expression and tumor stage, tumor grade, P-gp (glycoprotein) expression as a product of multi-drug resistant gene, and p53 expression in 59 cases of bladder tumor. 1) There were HSP expressions of 8 cases (22%) among 36 superficial bladder tumors and of 9 cases (39%) among 23 invasive bladder tumors. 2) HSP positive reactions were observed in 1 case (8%) of 13 Grade I, and 6 cases (29%) of 21 Grade II and 10 cases (40%) of 25 Grade III. 3) Positive reactions of HSP were showed in 10 cases (40%) among 25 P-gp expression, and in 7 cases (21%) among 34 P-gp non-expression. 4) The p53 proteins were expressed in 12 cases (29%) among 42 ones of HSP non-expression and in 8 cases (47%) among 17 ones of HSP expression. 5) Positive reactions of HSP were showed in 9 cases (23%) among 39 ones of p53 non-expression, and in 8 cases (40%) among 20 ones of p53 expression. 6) 5 patients of 6 with negative expression of HSP and strong positive expression of p53 had poorly differentiated transitional cells, in which one of the patients accompanied with lung metastasis. In view of above study, HSP expression has no correlation with P-gp and stage in bladder tumor, but it has probable pertaining to tumor grade and p53. As it were, tumor cellular differentiation and p53 expression have weak correlations with HSP 70 expression. Meanwhile, judging from poor differentiation, in most cases of HSP non-expressed but p53 strongly expressed, HSP is insufficient to be a prognostic factor of bladder tumor independently, however, in case of using it, as supplementary one, concurrently with p53, it would be valuable prognostic factor in bladder tumor.
Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature* ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Humans ; Intestinal Neoplasms ; Lung ; Lymphoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; P-Glycoprotein ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune hemolytic anemias are characterized by autoantibodies recognizing antigens on the Individual's own red blood cells, resulting in immune- mediated hemolysis. Blood transfusions have been regarded as hazardous in patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) because of potential intensification of hemolysis and a presumed high incidence of alloimmunization. METHODS: We examined the pretransfusion and posttransfusion hemoglobin levels in 6 patients with autoantibodies in their sera, which showed panagglutinations with all bloods tested in the compatibility testing. They received 'least' incompatible blood because of inability to find compatible blood. RESULTS: When we compared pretransfusion hemoglobin level with posttransfusion hemoglobin level, in 5 of 6 patients with AIHA, the hemoglobin levels were increased after red cell transfusion. 4 patient who did not respond to transfusion therapy initially had an increase in hemoglobin level after steroid treatment. Any signs or symptoms indicating hemolytic transfusion reaction were not observed ducting the transfusion period in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: The decision to transfuse in AIHA should consider multiple factors including the patient's clinical status, the potential benefit of transfusion, the potential response to other therapeutic modalities, but must never be regarded as contraindicated, even though the compatibility test may be strongly incompatible.
Anemia, Hemolytic* ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; Autoantibodies ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Blood Transfusion ; Erythrocyte Transfusion* ; Erythrocytes* ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Incidence

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune hemolytic anemias are characterized by autoantibodies recognizing antigens on the Individual's own red blood cells, resulting in immune- mediated hemolysis. Blood transfusions have been regarded as hazardous in patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) because of potential intensification of hemolysis and a presumed high incidence of alloimmunization. METHODS: We examined the pretransfusion and posttransfusion hemoglobin levels in 6 patients with autoantibodies in their sera, which showed panagglutinations with all bloods tested in the compatibility testing. They received 'least' incompatible blood because of inability to find compatible blood. RESULTS: When we compared pretransfusion hemoglobin level with posttransfusion hemoglobin level, in 5 of 6 patients with AIHA, the hemoglobin levels were increased after red cell transfusion. 4 patient who did not respond to transfusion therapy initially had an increase in hemoglobin level after steroid treatment. Any signs or symptoms indicating hemolytic transfusion reaction were not observed ducting the transfusion period in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: The decision to transfuse in AIHA should consider multiple factors including the patient's clinical status, the potential benefit of transfusion, the potential response to other therapeutic modalities, but must never be regarded as contraindicated, even though the compatibility test may be strongly incompatible.
Anemia, Hemolytic* ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; Autoantibodies ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Blood Transfusion ; Erythrocyte Transfusion* ; Erythrocytes* ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Incidence

Among the causes of pure red cell aplasia, human parvovirus B19 has been shown to be cytotoxic to erythroid progenitor cells in the bone marrow associated with chronic hemolytic anemia with rapidly dividing erythroids and persistently to be suppression of erythropoiesis in immunocompromised individuals related with failure to produce neutralizing antibody to the virus. In a patient with hereditary spherocytosis presenting acute onset of reticulocytopenia during hospitalization, who had shown severe anemia and prodromal symptoms including fever, fatigue and dizziness, infection of parvovirus Bl9 was proven by the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies to parvovirus Bl9, the detection of viral DNA using PCR technique in her serum and the decreased erythroid cells, especially late normoblasts in bone marrow, Also in the other who was diagnosed as hereditary elliptocytosis and complained of fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea, an episode of reticulocytopenia and the nearly absence of late normoblasts in the bone marrow were observed. IgM antibodies to parvovirus Bl9 and the viral DNA were detected in her serum, too.
Abdominal Pain ; Anemia ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Bone Marrow ; Diarrhea ; Dizziness ; DNA, Viral ; Elliptocytosis, Hereditary* ; Erythroblasts ; Erythroid Cells ; Erythroid Precursor Cells ; Erythropoiesis ; Fatigue ; Fever ; Headache ; Hospitalization ; Humans* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Parvovirus B19, Human ; Parvovirus* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prodromal Symptoms ; Red-Cell Aplasia, Pure

Among the causes of pure red cell aplasia, human parvovirus B19 has been shown to be cytotoxic to erythroid progenitor cells in the bone marrow associated with chronic hemolytic anemia with rapidly dividing erythroids and persistently to be suppression of erythropoiesis in immunocompromised individuals related with failure to produce neutralizing antibody to the virus. In a patient with hereditary spherocytosis presenting acute onset of reticulocytopenia during hospitalization, who had shown severe anemia and prodromal symptoms including fever, fatigue and dizziness, infection of parvovirus Bl9 was proven by the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies to parvovirus Bl9, the detection of viral DNA using PCR technique in her serum and the decreased erythroid cells, especially late normoblasts in bone marrow, Also in the other who was diagnosed as hereditary elliptocytosis and complained of fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea, an episode of reticulocytopenia and the nearly absence of late normoblasts in the bone marrow were observed. IgM antibodies to parvovirus Bl9 and the viral DNA were detected in her serum, too.
Abdominal Pain ; Anemia ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Bone Marrow ; Diarrhea ; Dizziness ; DNA, Viral ; Elliptocytosis, Hereditary* ; Erythroblasts ; Erythroid Cells ; Erythroid Precursor Cells ; Erythropoiesis ; Fatigue ; Fever ; Headache ; Hospitalization ; Humans* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Parvovirus B19, Human ; Parvovirus* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prodromal Symptoms ; Red-Cell Aplasia, Pure

OBJECTIVES: Quarantine measure for prevention of epidemic disease and further evaluations of their efficiency are possible only by elaborating analyses of imported cases. The purpose of this study was to analyze descriptive epidemiological characteristics of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) cases imported to Korea. METHODS: We collected two sets of data. The first set, comprised daily reported cases of H1N1 obtained from local cities in accordance with government policy about mandatory reporting of all H1N1 cases during May 1 to August 19, 2009. The second set, including 372 confirmed imported H1N1 cases, identified from 13 National Quarantine Stations in the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from May 24 to December 31, 2009. However, given the lack of information on the nature of the imported H1N1 cases from the two data sets during the over lapping period from May 24 to August 19, we express the number of imported cases as a range for this period. RESULTS: We estimated that the number of imported H1N1 cases from May 1 to August 19, 2009, was between 1,098 and 1,291 and the total number of cases was 2,409 to 2,580. We found the number of imported cases was beginning to diminish as of August. A analysis of the second data set showed that the distribution of sex was similar (males 50.7%, females 49.3%) and the age distribution from 20 to 59 was 61.5% and that of 60 and over was 0.8% of the 372 cases. We identified 25 countries where people infected with H1N1 traveled and 67.5% were in Asia. But the proportion of cases (/1,000) by region shows Oceania (0.199), South America (0.118), Southeast Asia (0.071), North America (0.049), Europe (0.035), and Northeast Asia (0.016) in that order. The order of H1N1 peaking was the Southern Hemisphere, Tropics, and the Nothern Hemisphere. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided information that could make possible the evaluation of the government quarantine measure for stopping imported disease from causing community-acquired spread in the future.
Age Distribution ; Asia ; Asia, Southeastern ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Europe ; Female ; Hospitals, Isolation ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Korea ; Mandatory Reporting ; North America ; Oceania ; Pandemics ; Quarantine ; South America

Recently, five cases of osteogenesis imperfecta have been observed at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University. Two newborn females, two female children (one year and eight months, five years and a male child (five years and four months) were typical examples with multiple bone fractures, blue sclerae, and deformity of extremities. The mother of case 3 has also had blue sclera but no history of bone fracture. In case 1, a chromosome study was done because the infant had a short neck, low set ears and a high arched palate besides typical signs of steogenesis imperfecta of which result was found as normal karyotype. In case 3, the patient also presented the rachitic changes of the long bones and ribs and exhibited congenital agenesis of the right kidney. In case 4, the blue sclera was questionable. Three cases on1y have been reported prior to this study in Korea. We are presenting another five cases of osteogenesis imperfecta congenita, its pathology and a brief review of the literature.
Child, Preschool ; Female ; Human ; Infant, Newborn ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta/congenital* ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta/genetics ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta/radiography