No abstract available.
Antibodies, Monoclonal*

No abstract available.
Colostrum* ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Milk* ; Mothers*

No abstract available.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma*

No abstract available.
Immunoglobulin G*

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus Infections* ; Cytomegalovirus*

PURPOSE: Buckwheat is one of the potent allergenic foods, whereas rice is considered as the safest and hypoallergenic food in Korea. However rice can be a causative food allergen, and several report about allergic reactions to rice in Japan. And it is partially true that there is some cross-allergenicity among cereal allergens such as buckwheat, barley, wheat, rice. So, we should consider a false positive reaction to rice during allergic skin tests, especially in cereal allergic patients. We found that a part of buckwheat allergic children showed positive skin reactions to rice antigens, without any allergic reactions after rice ingestion. Therefore the positive skin test results to rice were considered as the false positive reactions due to cross-allergenicity with buckwheat allergen. To evaluate this possibility, we undertook this study. METHODS: To evaluate the cross-allergenicity between rice and buckwheat antigens. With the buckwheat sensitive sera and crude extracts of buckwheat flour and rice flour obtained in Korea, we carried out SDS-PAGE analysis, IgE immunoblot, IgE-immouoblot inhibition test and ELISA inhibition test. RESULTS: Buckwheat extract showed more than 13 antigenic bands and rice extract showed more than 9 bands by SDS-PAGE analysis. IgE immunoblot revealed at least 20 IgE-binding components (ranged 120-4 kDa) with buckwheat extract. IgE-binding capacity of 22 kDa buckwheat component was markedly inhibited by rice extract and 8 kDa component was inhibited slightly. Using IgE ELISA inhibition test, we confirmed buckwheat IgE-ELISA was profoundly inhibited by rice extract, and 50% inhibition was shown in 10-100 ug/ml concentration of rice extract. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the positive reactions to rice antigen would be shown by the result of cross-allergenicity of rice with buckwheat antigen.
Allergens ; Edible Grain ; Child ; Complex Mixtures ; Eating ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fagopyrum* ; False Positive Reactions ; Flour* ; Hordeum ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Japan ; Korea ; Skin ; Skin Tests ; Triticum

PURPOSE: Kawasaki disease (KD) is considered to be an immunologic disease, although the exact etiology of the disease is still unknown. It is well known that the erythema on the BCG injected site are observed in patients with KD. In mouse, bcg gene was reported to be involved in the natural immune response to Mycobacterium. The correspondent gene in human, NRAMP1, is studied recently for its role and function. This study was to investigate whether the erythema developed on BCG injected site in patients with KD is related to NRAMP1 gene activation. METHODS: Ten patients diagnosed as KD, 10 febrile controls and 10 healthy normal controls were enrolled in the study. Total RNA of PBMC was isolated and used to synthesize cDNA. RT-PCR was done and amplified products were subjected to electrophoresis on 1.5% agarose gel electrophoresis. The bands were quantified with densitometry and the values were corrected according to beta-actin values. RESULTS: The NRAMP1 expression was notably increased in patients with acute and subacute stage of KD and there was no difference in the degree of expression between the two groups. NRAMP1 expression was also increased in febrile control groups and was not different from patients group. CONCLUSION: Increased NRAMP1 expression in KD is suggested to be developed for the expression of heat shock protein, and not to be the specific finding of KD.
Actins ; Animals ; Densitometry ; DNA, Complementary ; Electrophoresis ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Erythema ; Gene Expression* ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Humans ; Immune System Diseases ; Mice ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Mycobacterium ; Mycobacterium bovis ; RNA ; Transcriptional Activation

PURPOSE: Inhalational therapy is now one of the major method in managing asthma. Nebulizer is widely used at home nowadays, but there has been no survey on the usage of home nebulizer in Korea yet. This study was performed using questionnaires to evaluate that how the asthmatic patients use the personal nebulizer properly as an treatment tool for asthma. METHODS: Forty-six asthmatic children living in Chunlabukdo area in Korea who use the personoa nebulizer at home from October 1999 to March 2000 were enrolled. Personal history, purpose of personal nebulizer, understanding of the instruction to use were analyzed using questionnaires. RESULTS: 1) The sex ratio was not statistically significant (M : F ratio was 1.3 : 1) and the mean age was 3.7 years. 2) Thirty-seven cases (80.4%) purchased nebulizer by doctor's recommendation. 6 cases (13.1%) by personal need without doctor's recommendation and 3 cases (6.5%) by acquaintances' recommendation. 47.8% of patients purchased through small-scale suppliers. 32.6% purchased through hospital, and 19.6% through large nebulizer manufacturers. 3) Sixty-three percents of patients had an explanations about the basic instructions to use the nebulizer. Explanations on maintenance were given only in 19.6% of total and was mostly given through large nebulizer manufacturers. 4) Proper washing with sterilization took place in 54.3%, replacement of kits and air filters were done in only 15.2% of the total, but nobody was recommended annual check up. 5) There was no difference in the techniques of using nebulizers by the parents' level of knowledge about asthma. CONCLUSION: Many problems on the usage of personal home nebulizer in asthmatic children were revealed by this study. Education of patients on how to use and manage nebulizers is necessary when prescribe or sell the nebulizers.
Air Filters ; Asthma ; Child* ; Humans ; Korea ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers* ; Patient Education as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sex Ratio ; Sterilization

Cystic fibrosis is the most common autosomal recessive disease in Caucasian. Cystic fibrosis is caused by cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene mutations that lead to dysfunction of chloride ion channel regulations in the epithelium. Cystic fibrosis can affect multiple organ functions, resulting in various signs and symptoms. Typically, chronic airway infection, maldigestion, failure to thrive, and male infertility can occur. There are approximately 1800 CFTR gene mutations which have been identified thus far. However, there are only a few types of mutations reported in Korea because the prevalence of the disease is different among ethnicitiess and nations. Despite its rarity, reports of CFTR mutations or diagnosed patients on the rise. Therefore, we have to detect better outcomes as early as possible based on a precise understanding of the disease entity. We report a 9-year-old girl carrying D339Y and Q220X gene mutations, as the first case report of a D339Y mutation in Korea.
Child ; Chloride Channels ; Cystic Fibrosis ; Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator ; Epithelium ; Failure to Thrive ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; Korea ; Lifting ; Male ; Prevalence ; Social Control, Formal

Pertussis is a pediatric infectious disease with one of the highest degrees of infectivity. Although pertussis may cause asymptomatic infections in children and adults with immunity, it can cause life-threatening diseases in newborn babies or infants. We report three cases of pertussis in infants <3 months of age without DTaP immunization who have received symptomatic treatment with the diagnosis of bronchiolitis from other hospitals, and subsequently correctly diagnosed and treated. The patients did not have the characteristic whooping cough, but the main symptoms were episodic cough, intermittent vomiting, and cyanosis. Based on culture results for Bordetella pertussis and PCR, pertussis was diagnosed and treated without any complications. As it is assumed that adults, adolescents, and asymptomatic patients may serve as sources of infection, immunization with Tdap vaccine is recommended to prevent dissemination of pertussis from adolescents and adults to infants, and thus maintain herd immunity.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Asymptomatic Infections ; Bordetella pertussis ; Bronchiolitis ; Child ; Communicable Diseases ; Cough ; Cyanosis ; Humans ; Immunity, Herd ; Immunization ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vomiting ; Whooping Cough