No abstract available.
Education* ; Humans ; Students, Medical*

BACKGROUND: Allergen-specific immunotherapy ( IT ) can be an important adjunctive therapy in the treatment of allergic disorders. Although a number of studies have shown that cytokine production by T cells may be modified by IT, IT-induced chsnges at the single cell level in allergen -specific Th ( T helper ) and Tc ( cytotoxic T ) responses have not been reported. Objective : The objectives of the present study were ( 1 ) to demonstrate differences in the house dust mite(HDM)-induced cytokine production patterns of Th and Tc cells between untreated and treated HDM allergic patients and ( 2 ) to determine whether there are differences between child and adult patients in Th and Tc cell responses to HDM. METHOD: This study included twenty Dermatophagoides farinae (Df)-sensitive asthmatics ( ten children and ten adults ), of which five children and five adults received immunotherapy to Df over a 1.5- to 3-year period. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMC ) were isolated from peripheral blood of each patient and cultured in the presence of IL-2 ( 10ng/ml ) and Df extract (100ug/ml) for 6 days. After harvesting cultured cells, Th and Tc cell frequencies were determined by a multiparameter cytokine flow cytometric assay that allows simultaneous determination of intracellular IFN-r and IL-4 in CD4+ or CD8+ cells. RESULTS: Predominant Th2 responses to Df were observed in all untreated child patients, three untreated adult patients, and two treated adult patients. On the other hand, predominant Thl responses to Df were observed in all treated child patients, two of untreated adult patients, and three of treated adult patients. Predominant Tcl responses to Df were observed in all groups of patients. However, Tcl responses were more prominent in adults than in children and in treated adult patients than in untreated adult patients. In children, there were no differences in predominant Tcl responses except in one treated child, in whom more prominent Tcl response was observed.
Adult ; Cells, Cultured ; Child ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dust ; Hand ; Humans ; Immunotherapy* ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; T-Lymphocytes

In the operation room of S.N.U.H., 10 patients were transfused with A,C.D. stored blood after warming to 36 degrees C by using a blood warmer. Observed changes of Na+, Cl-, K+ and. Ca++ were as follows. 1) Before warming, the electrolytes of A.C.D. stored blood were Na+ 148. 2 mEq/1, Cl-; 117. 0 mEq/1 and K+; 8. 4 mEq/l. After warming to 36C, these were significantly reduced(P <0. 05) and became 144. 6mEq/1, 112. 4mEg/1 and 68. 13mEq/1 respectively. 2) There was a tendency to increasing of K+ cencentration in proportion to storage duration. 3) In the case of calcium, pre-warmed concentration of calcium was 4. 09 mEq/1 and there was no significant change after warming(P>0.05).
Calcium ; Electrolytes* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Basement Membrane* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Purpura*

Primary ovarian transitional cell carcinoma(TCC) is a recently described, distinct subtype of ovarian carcinoma resembling TCC of the urinary bladder. TCC differs from malignant Brenner tumor(MBT) by absence of benign or proliferative Brenner component and prominent stromal calcification. TCC also represents a high-stage tumor with more aggressive biologic behavior than MBT, but it has a relatively favorable response to chemotherapy. TCC may arise from the pluripotential surface epithelium of the ovary or from the cells with urothelial differentiation, rather than from a benign or proliferative Brenner tumor precursors. We report a case of pure form of primary TCC presenting as a left ovarian mass in 45-year-old woman.
Female ; Humans

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate sleep habits, sleep disturbance, and circadian types, and to identify factors influencing sleep disturbance in nursing students. METHODS: Participants were 140 senior nursing students. The data were collected from May 19 to 27, 2008 using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: 1) Evening type delayed sleep-wake schedules were more frequent than for morning type, especially during weekend and evening shift duty. 2) In total sleep time, there were no significant statistical differences between morning type and evening type during weekdays, weekend, day or evening shift duty. 3) On weekdays and day shift duty, the mean score for sleep disturbance was significantly higher in the evening type compared to the morning type. 4) Sleep disturbance in weekday and day shift duty was influenced by circadian types, eating habits, and gender. CONCLUSION: The circadian types are a very important factor for determining the sleep quantity and quality in nursing students.
*Circadian Rhythm ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Questionnaires ; Sex Factors ; *Sleep ; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm/prevention & control ; Students, Nursing/*psychology ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal*

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