No abstract available.
Gastric Stump*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Fibroblasts interact with eosinophils and play a key role in the pathogenesis of airway diseases. The aims of this study were to investigate whether Th1 or Th2 type cytokines can induce mRNA and protein expression of eotaxin and RANTES in human nasal fibroblast (HNF) and to verify the correlation between the stimulation of different cytokines and chemokines in HNF. Materials and Methods: Cultured HNF were stimulated by IL-13, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-13 with TNF-alpha, IL-13 with IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha with IFN-gamma for 6, 24 and 48 hours. In addition, HNF were stimulated by different concentration of IL-13 (0.2, 2, 20, 200 ng/ml). MRNA expression of eotaxin and RANTES were revealed by RT-PCR and protein of eotaxin and RANTES were revealed by ELISA. RESULTS: TNF-alpha and IFN-gammar induced mRNA and protein expression of RANTES in HNF and they synergistically induced protein expression of RANTES. RANTES expression increased in a time dependent manner. IL-13 induced mRNA and protein expression of eotaxin in HNF and it synergistically reacted with TNF-alpha or IFN-gamma. The effects of IL-13 on mRNA and protein expression of eotaxin increased in a concentration dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Th1 or Th2 type cytokines induce mRNA and protein expression of eotaxin and RANTES in human nasal fibroblasts. TNF-alpha or IFN-gamma induce more RANTES than eotaxin but IL-13 induces more eotaxin than RANTES. There may be some synergic effects of cytokines for mRNA and protein expression of chemokines.
Chemokine CCL5* ; Chemokines ; Cytokines* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophils ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans* ; Interleukin-13 ; RNA, Messenger* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND: Accurate patient identification is fundamental in transfusion medicine. Our hypothesis is that an open question about patients' ABO blood group would be helpful for accurate identification of the patient and for accurate laboratory testing. METHODS: We added some blanks, including the patient's ABO blood group on the tube label, which should be filled in by the phlebotomist on the spot. From Aug 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013, we analyzed the effect of the additional step for identification of a misidentification 'incident' in 31,454 tests of 14,864 patients. We surveyed on 21 phlebotomists with regard to whether the changed label reinforces patient identification. In addition, the discrepancy rate between the ABO blood group perceived by the patient and the test result was analyzed. RESULTS: Patient-misidentification error rate during this study was 0.022%, and 81.0% of the phlebotomists answered that the changed label reinforces patient identification. The total discrepancy rate was 1.93%. Patients without previous results showed a higher discrepancy rate (3.08%) than patients with previous results (0.35%). Males (2.48%) showed a higher discrepancy rate than females (1.38%). Patients older than 50 years showed a higher discrepancy rate (2.87%) than patients younger than 50 years (0.82%). According to ABO blood group, group O showed the lowest discrepancy rate (0.87%). CONCLUSION: Checking ABO blood group known by the patient helped phlebotomists to correctly identify the intended patient. Active corrective action by the transfusion laboratory when discrepancies exist could increase test reliability and pave the way for safe transfusion, which will ultimately improve the quality of transfusion medicine.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Phlebotomy* ; Transfusion Medicine

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of Gd-DTPA-enhanced dynamic MRI (DMRI) in earlydiagnosis and the assessment of disease processing in experimentally-induced crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN)in rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In six rabbits, CGN was induced by an injection of anti-glomerular basementmembrane Ab. A time-signal intensity curve (TSC) was obtained from DMRI on the day before, and at 1, 4, 7, 15, 45and 113 days after the induction of CGN. Sequential renal biopsies and blood sampling (serum creatinine) wereperformed on the same days, and the results of DMRI and TSC, were compared. RESULTS: In normal kidneys, sequentialDMRI demonstrated the intratubular passage of Gd-DTPA as an inwardly migrating, thin, dark, band pattern. On days1 and 4, the thin dark band appeared but was poorly defined and TSC revealed a delay in peak time. On days 7 and15, movement of the band was seen to be weak and slow, and there was no centripetal migration. The maximal signalintensity of TSC was delayed, and the curves declined very slowly. On days 45 and 113, the dark band pattern wasvery weak and slow, and again there was no centripetal migration. CONCLUSION: GD-DTPA-enhanced DMRI may be ofvalue in the evaluation of disease processing and the severity of CGN.
Animals ; Biopsy ; Gadolinium DTPA* ; Glomerulonephritis ; Kidney ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Nephritis ; Rabbits

We experienced a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis in an immunocompetent patient who presented with uncommon radiological findings. He complained of a dry cough for 3 weeks. The chest X-ray and CT showed multiple, variable sized, and irregular patch consolidations with cavities combined with some ground glass opacities in both lower lung fields. The diagnosis was made histologically via a thoracoscopic lung biopsy. The patient was administered oral fluconazole has since been well.
Biopsy ; Cough ; Cryptococcosis* ; Diagnosis ; Fluconazole ; Glass ; Humans ; Lung ; Thorax

A hemodialysis room is the healthcare facility utmost demanding an infection control because dialysis patients have chronic serious underlying conditions and high risks of bloodborne infection due to a indwelling intravascular catheter, a frequent exposure to bloods or body fluids, and a blood transfusion as well as a hemodialysis room can be a mixing vessel to encounter both hospital-acquired pathogens and community-acquird pathogens. Therefore the Korean Society for Nosocomial Infection Control (KOSNIC) purposed to develop a guideline for the infection control in a hemodialysis room with support of Korean Center for Disease Control (KCDC). This guideline was composed of 11 chapters including vascular access control, dialysis water, microbiological and chemical monitoring of dialysis water and dialysates, components and passage of dialysates, maintenance of dialysis machines, disinfection, waste management, infection surveillance, aseptic techniques and standard precaution, environmental control, prevention of bloodborne infections and 5 appendices composing basic infection control techniques. This is the first official guideline approved by KOSNIC and KCDC of the infection control in a hemodialysis room in Korea. Here the guideline was published except appendices and entire guideline including those can be downloaded on hompages of KOSNIC (http://www.kosnic.org/) and KCDC (http//www.cdc.go.kr/).
Blood Transfusion ; Body Fluids ; Catheters ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Cross Infection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dialysis ; Dialysis Solutions ; Disinfection ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Korea ; Renal Dialysis ; Waste Management ; Water

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus is a major bacteremia-causing pathogen in hemodialysis patients, frequently colonizing patient skin and mucosa. Active infection control is necessary to prevent methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection in hospitals; however, the spread of community-associated MRSA has recently become a concern for MRSA infection control. We evaluated the nasal colonization of MRSA among hemodialysis patients and the molecular characterization of the MRSA isolates. METHODS: Nasal swabs were obtained from 482 hemodialysis patients in 7 nationwide hospitals in November 2009, and cultured for MRSA colonization. Swabs were inoculated and cultured in 6.5% NaCl tryptic soy broth, then subcultured on MRSASelect medium (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA) for 20-24 h. Multiplex PCR was performed to analyze staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types of MRSA isolates. RESULTS: Of 482 hemodialysis patients, 57 (11.8%) carried MRSA, ranging from 6.7% to 19.0%. Among the 57 MRSA isolates, we identified 3 (5.3%) SCCmec II, 1 (1.8%) SCCmec IIA, 30 (52.6%) SCCmec IIB, 1 (1.8%) SCCmec III, 6 (10.5%) SCCmec IV, and 16 (28.1%) SCCmec IVA subtypes. CONCLUSION: The MRSA carriage rate (11.8%) of hemodialysis patients in this study was high. The SCCmec IIB subtype, a healthcare-associated strain, was the predominant strain, although SCCmec IV isolates, typically found in community-associated MRSA infections, were also frequently observed. To prevent healthcare-associated MRSA infections in hemodialysis patients, standardized infection control measures should be performed, and efforts to reduce MRSA carriage rates should be considered.
Colon* ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Mucous Membrane ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Renal Dialysis* ; Skin ; Staphylococcus aureus

Academic Medical Centers ; Conscious Sedation ; Deep Sedation ; Dental Care ; Dentistry ; Humans ; Midazolam ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Outpatients ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies

Great advances have been made in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) since the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) baby was born in Korea in the year of 1985. However, it deserve to say that the invaluable data from fertility centers may serve as a useful source to find out which factors affect successful IVF outcome and to offer applicable information to infertile patients and fertility clinics. This article intended to report the status of ART in 2009 Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology surveyed. The current survey was performed to assess the status and success rate of ART performed in Korea, between January 1 and December 31, 2009. Reporting forms had been sent out to IVF centers via e-mail, and collected by e-mail as well in 2012. With International Committee Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies recommendation, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and non-ICSI cases have been categorized and also IVF-ET cases involving frozen embryo replacement have been surveyed separately. Seventy-four centers have reported the treatment cycles initiated in the year of 2009, and had performed a total of 27,947 cycles of ART treatments. Among a total of 27,947 treatment cycles, IVF and ICSI cases added up to 22,049 (78.9%), with 45.3% IVF without ICSI and 54.7% IVF with ICSI, respectively. Among the IVF and ICSI patients, patients confirmed to have achieved clinical pregnancy was 28.8% per cycle with oocyte retrieval, and 30.9% per cycle with embryo transfer. The most common number of embryos transferred in 2009 is three embryos (40.4%), followed by 2 embryos (28.4%) and a single embryo transferred (13.6%). Among IVF and ICSI cycles that resulted in multiple live births, twin pregnancy rate was 45.3% and triple pregnancy rate was 1.1%. A total of 191 cases of oocyte donation had been performed to result in 25.0% of live birth rate. Meanwhile, a total of 5,619 cases of frozen embryo replacement had been performed with 33.7% of clinical pregnancy rate per cycle with embryo transfer. When comparing with international registry data, clinical pregnancy rate per transfer from fresh IVF cycles including ICSI (34.1%,) was comparable to clinical pregnancy rate per transfer in European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology report was 32.5% though lower than 45.0% for USA data. There was no remarkable difference in status of assisted reproductive technology in Korea between the current report and the data reported in 2008. The age of women trying to get pregnant was reconfirmed to be the most important factor that may have impact on success of ART treatment.
Electronic Mail ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertility ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Korea* ; Live Birth ; Oocyte Donation ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Reproduction ; Reproductive Techniques ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted* ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic

PURPOSE: To compare the variable inflammatory parameters of acute pyelonephritis patients treated with inpatient therapy at 13 hospitals, according to the age and gender distributions. MATERIALS AND MATHODS: A total of 3,544 medical records of patients with confirmed acute pyelonephritis, and admitted to hospital between January 2000 and December 2005, were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 43.2+/-16.2 years old, with a male:female ratio of 1 : 5.1. The average duration of hospital admission was 7.9+/-5.3 days. Underlying diseases were found in 23.0% (749/3,252 patient), largely due to diabetes (35.1%). Radiological abnormal findings were found in 13.7%. The leukocyte count, ratio of segmented form, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), c-reactive protein, pyuria, positive blood culture, positive urine culture were 11,014+/-5,778/mm(3), 74.8+/-14.5%, 44.0+/-32.0 mm/hr, 12.4+/-9.3mg/dl, 83.9%, 10.5% and 46.7%, respectively. E. coli grow in 79% of the urine culture positive patients. In a comparison of 3 age groups (<40 years, 40-60 years, >61 years), the elderly patients had a greater number of underlying diseases and more pathogens in cultured blood. When divided into males and females, the elderly male patients had more pathogen in cultured urine, but contrary to the male patients, the elderly female patients had elevated leukocyte count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Also, the old patient group had more resistance to ampicillin when they had E. coli as the uropathogen (p=0.021). Patients with higher ESR required longer hospital admission periods. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that variable clinical parameters of acute pyelonephritis patients treated with inpatient therapy differed according to both gender and age group in Korea. Therefore, these factors should be taken into account in the treatment plan.
Aged ; Ampicillin ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Female ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Medical Records ; Pyelonephritis* ; Pyuria ; Retrospective Studies