BACKGROUND: Allergic diseases are characterized by immediate - and late - phase reactions to various allergens by the selective activation of a subset of CD4 + T cells. In response to allergen, T cells isolated from atopic donors are biased to low levels of IFN - y and high levels of IL - 4, and vice versa by T cells from non - atopic donor. Objective : The aim of this study was to evaluate the patterns of IL - 4 and IFN - y production after Der p I stimulation and the effect on the cytokine production from T cells by budesonide, disodium cromoglycate and cyclosporin A in atopic and non - atopic individuals. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Seven Der p I specific atopic and 7 non - atopic individuals were selected. We decided the 50% inhibiting concentration of each immunomodulator by lymphocyte proliferation assay, and measured their effects on the cytokine production in vitro by intracellular IL - 4, IFN - y staining and flow cytometry. Results and CONCLUSION: There was significant difference on stimulation index ( SI ) of production of IFN - y as well as IL-4 after Der p I stimulation between atopic and non-atopic individuals ( IL - 4 ; 1.57 +/- 0.7 : 0.98 +/- 0.2, p = 0.026, IFN - r : 1.45 +/- 0.5 : 0.95 +/- 0.2, p = 0.048 ). The synthesis of IL - 4, and IFN - r were significantly inhibited after the stimulation of every immunomodulators in atopic individuals, DSCG couldnt inhibit IL - 4 and IFN - r in nonatopic individuals. There was no significant difference in the inhibiting effect of these immunomodulators in both of them.
Allergens ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Budesonide ; Cromolyn Sodium ; Cyclosporine ; Dust* ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; Interferons* ; Interleukin-4 ; Lymphocytes ; Pyroglyphidae* ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Tissue Donors

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The outcome of asthma treatment has traditionally been assessed by measuring the conventional clinical parameters such as symptoms, expiratory flow rates and needs for medications. But none of them tells us whether the patients are actually able to function properly in their lives. Only assessment of the quality of life (QOL) can reflect the parts of patients lives affected by the disease. However, there is no measure to assess the quality of life of patients with any chronic diseases in Korea yet. We developed the QOL Questionnaire for Korean Asthmatics and evaluated its measurement properties. METHOD: The questionnaire was composed of 18 items in four domains : i.e. activity limitation (6 items), symptoms (5 items), emotional function (3 items) and environmental stimuli (4 items). At our out-patient clinic, 32 adults with moderate to severe persistent bronchial asthma were enrolled. The study design consisted of 4 week unblinded single cohort with visits at 0 and 4 weeks, and the patients were asked to answer the questionnaire by self administration method at the two separate visits. Forced expiratory volume for 1 second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were recorded at each visit. According to the patients and physicians global assessment, the patients were divided into two groups, i.e. stable and changed (improved). The responsiveness, reproducibility and validity of the questionnaire were evaluated. RESULTS: The total QOL scores at the second visit in the changed group were significantly higher than those at the first visit. The score differences between the two visits in the changed group were higher than in the stable group. In the stable group, the responses to the questionnaire were reproducible. The QOL scores showed good longitudinal correlation with the expiratory flow rates, whereas FEV1 did not correlate with the QOL in cross-sectional analysis. CONCLUSION: The questionnaire proved to be reproducible, responsive and valid in the subjects. It could be recommended for the outcome evaluation of Korean asthmatics.
Adult ; Asthma ; Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Quality of Life* ; Self Administration ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
De Lange Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Vagina*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze factors affecting work engagement and burnout among clinical nurses according to resilience. METHODS: The study design was a descriptive survey and questionnaires were collected from 182 clinical nurses who worked in hospitals in "J" province. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson correlation, and hierarchical multiple regressions. RESULTS: The mean score of resilience, work engagement, burnout were 3.47+/-0.38, 4.29+/-0.98, 2.25+/-0.82 respectively. Resilience had 26.3% of the influence on work engagement and 50.5% of the influence on burnout. Sub-variables of causal analysis and empathy of resilience were statistically useful as factors influencing burnout. CONCLUSION: Resilience has been identified as a factor affecting work engagement and burnout. Therefore, nursing departments and nurse managers should strive to develop programs for the promotion of resilience.
Empathy ; Humans ; Nurse Administrators ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Single Person*

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hemolytic* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Vitamin E* ; Vitamins*

Moyamoya disease is a rare progressive occlusive disease of the internal carotid arteries, along with the presence of an abnormal capillary network of vessels at the base of the brain. There are few reports regarding moyamoya disease during pregnancy. Since hyperventilation-induced cerebral ischemia and hypertension are provoked by active labor, elective cesarean section has been recommended to avoid neurologic complications for pregnant women with moyamoya disease. The optimal anesthetic management for cesarean section in these patients has not been discussed. We describe two cases of epidural anesthesia for elective cesarean section for patients with known moyamoya disease, which were delivered successfully.
Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Brain ; Brain Ischemia ; Capillaries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Moyamoya Disease* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women

BACKGROUND: Intrathecal neostigmine causes analgesia in dose-dependent pattern. This study was designed to examine postoperative analgesia with intrathecal neostigmine in a randomized, blinded trial with tetracaine as the active control in patients undergoing total knee replacement (TKR). METHODS: Eighty patients scheduled for TKR were divided into seven groups ( Control; no neostigmine, N25, 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150; subarachnoid tetracaine with neostigmine 25, 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 g, respectively). Postoperatively, patients assessed their pain on a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS), total analgesic requirement, time to first analgesic rescue medication and side effects were assessed. RESULTS: Increasing doses of intrathecal neostigmine showed a dose-dependent pattern of analgesia defined by the overall VAS scores, time until first administration of rescue analgesic request, and the number of rescue analgesics (p<0.05). Nausea and vomiting was also increased by increasing doses of intrathecal neostigmine (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Intrathecal neostigmine with tetracaine produced definitive analgesia in patients undergoing TKR, and neostigmine 75 g resulted in a better analgesic effect with fewer side effects than other doses.
Analgesia* ; Analgesics ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee* ; Humans ; Nausea ; Neostigmine* ; Tetracaine ; Visual Analog Scale ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate psychological capital, sense of community and stress in relation to school adjustment and to identify factors influencing school adjustment in middle school students. METHODS: This study population consisted of 150 middle school students. Data were analyzed using t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean score for school adjustment in middle school students was 3.68 out of 5 points. School adjustment explained 34% of the variance in sense of community (β=.39, p < .001), positive psychological capital (β=.35, p < .001), academic performance (β=.26, p < .001), and stress (β=−.21, p < .001). CONCLUSION: The results of our research suggest that sense of community is an important variable influencing school adjustment in middle school students. Therefore, to promote school adjustment in middle school students, it is necessary to develop and implement active educational strategies promoting sense of community, positive psychological capital, academic perfomance, and controlling stress.
Adolescent ; Humans