OBJECTIVE: To evaluat the effects of a culture medium with glucose in the presence of glutamine on the development of mouse embryos. METHODS: Two-cell embryos recovered from ICR mice at 48 hrs after hCG injection (mated just after hCG injection) were cultured in DMEM (with 20% hFF) supplemented with or without glucose on the presence of glutamine. Embryos were cultured under three different glucose regimens: (1) 0 mM (control); (2) 0.5 mM (group I); or (3) 3.15 mM (group II), and were analyzed at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours intervals. Chi-square test (x2-test) was used to compare values of groups. RESULTS: No differences were found in the number of embryos showing morula (control: 37.5%; group I: 51.0%; group II: 48.4%), blastocyst (control: 21.5%; group I: 33.3%; group II: 34.4%) and blastocyst and hatching or hatched blastocyst (control: 81.9%; group I: 83.3%; group II: 82.8%) between groups at 24 hrs, 48 hrs or 72 hrs respectively. However at 96 hrs, the number of hatched and attached blastocyst was significantly higher in group I (82.3%) and II (78.5%) than control (63.2%; P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The addition of glucose (0.5 mM) to the DMEM, as energy source, improved the rate of development of late stage embryos in mice.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Eagles* ; Embryonic Development* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Glucose* ; Glutamine* ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Morula ; Pregnancy

This paper reports the development of a one-step SYBR-Green I-based realtime RT-PCR assay for the detection and quantification of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in human, monkey and mosquito samples by targeting the E1 structural gene. A preliminary evaluation of this assay has been successfully completed using 71 samples, consisting of a panel of negative control sera, sera from healthy individuals, sera from patients with acute disease from which CHIKV had been isolated, as well as monkey sera and adult mosquito samples obtained during the chikungunya fever outbreak in Malaysia in 2008. The assay was found to be 100-fold more sensitive than the conventional RT-PCR with a detection limit of 4.12x10(0) RNA copies/μl. The specificity of the assay was tested against other related viruses such as Dengue (serotypes 1-4), Japanese encephalitis, Herpes Simplex, Parainfluenza, Sindbis, Ross River, Yellow fever and West Nile viruses. The sensitivity, specificity and efficiency of this assay were 100%, 100% and 96.8% respectively. This study on early diagnostics is of importance to all endemic countries, especially Malaysia, which has been facing increasingly frequent and bigger outbreaks due to this virus since 1999.

Hypoglycemia sometimes manifests as focal neurologic deficits simulating cerebrovascular disease. Symptoms are usually resolved by glucose infusion, but persistent hemiplegia is rarely reported. A 68-year-old diabetic woman on oral hypoglycemic agent(OHA) was admitted with right hemiplegia and global aphasia. Blood glucose level was 29 mg/dl on admission. No evidence of cerebral infarct or underlying brain disease could be found on initial brain CT and follow up MRI. Focal stenosis or occlusion was also absent on MR angiography. Hemiplegia and aphasia were not improved despite adequate therapy. Hypoglycemic hemiplegia should be suspected in all diabetic patients using insulin or OHA with stroke-like episode, and we suggest that prolonged hypoglycemia may be related to persistence of neurologic deficits.
Aged ; Angiography ; Aphasia ; Blood Glucose ; Brain ; Brain Diseases ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucose ; Hemiplegia* ; Humans ; Hypoglycemia ; Insulin ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurologic Manifestations

Three new techniques of sterilising maggots of Lucilia cuprina for the purpose of debriding intractable wounds were studied. These techniques were utilisation of ultra-violet C (UVC) and maggot sterilisation with disinfectants. The status of sterility was checked on nutrient agar and blood agar and confirmed with staining. The indicators for the effectiveness of the methods were sterility and survival rate of the eggs or larvae. Egg sterilisation with UVC had the lowest hatching rate (16+/-0.00%) while egg sterilisation with disinfectants showed high hatching rate (36.67+/-4.41%) but low maggot survival rate (31.67+/-1.67%). Sterilisation of the maggots was the most suitable, since the survival rate was the highest (88.67+/-0.88%). Complete sterility was achieved in all cases, except that Proteus mirabilis was consistently found. However, the presence of this microorganism was considered beneficial.
seconds ; Maggots ; Sterility ; Encounter due to sterilization ; Lucilia cuprina

We report a case of multiple basal cell carcinoma associated with keratoacanthoma. A 65-year-old Korean female had suffered from multiple, variable-sized papules and nodules on the face for 20 years previous to treatment. She had no history of arsenic intake, irradiation, herb medication, or hereditable or preexisting dermatoses. Histopathologically, the tumors revealed typical findings of solid and adenoid types of basal cell carcinoma and keratoacanthoma.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell/complications/*pathology ; Case Report ; Facial Neoplasms/complications/*pathology ; Female ; Human ; Keratoacanthoma/complications/*pathology ; Skin Neoplasms/complications/*pathology

The rupture of ventricular septum complicating acute myocardial infarction requires prompt recognition for the correct management of the patient. The diagnosis of this condition had required right heart catheterization. We performed two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography in patients with systolic murmur after acute myocardioal infarction. Ventricular septal defect was found at lower interventricular septum by mapping technique of pulsed wave Doppler system and obtained high velocity Doppler tracting by continuous wave Doppler echocardiography. Doppler echocardiography could be useful noninvasive method for detection of ventricular septal rupture after acute myocardial infarction.
Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Humans ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Rupture ; Systolic Murmurs ; Ventricular Septal Rupture ; Ventricular Septum

The Objectives of this study are to evaluate the user satisfaction and actual data input time through an enterprise ICNP-based electronic nursing record system using the controlled vocabulary in a secondary care hospital (BSNUH). Study design is a formative evaluation using the QUIS (Questionnaire user interaction satisfaction) self-reported in a secondary care hospital operating EMR(electronic medical record) system in Korea. Participants were two hundred fifty nurses in BSNUH. All of them were registered nurses participated in day-to-day nursing care during study periods. Participants were asked to fill in the SNCEQ(The Staggers Nursing Computer Experience Questionnaire) and QUIS(Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction). Also requested were the data input time(sec) required for entry of approximately 20 times of nursing documentation tasks and the number of standardized precoordinated phrases used for documenting routine nursing records. The mean score of user satisfaction was 4.56 (SD 1.25) and the mean time of data input and the average number of precoordinated phrases used in nurses notes was 2.25min and 3.7 respectively.
Korea ; Nursing Care ; Nursing Records* ; Nursing* ; Secondary Care ; Vocabulary, Controlled

The confirmatory diagnosis of Moyamoya disease has been obtained by invasive angiographic examination. We report the results of MRI and transcranial doppler sonography of three cases ol Moyamoya disease, which ws disgnosed by clinical and angiography. We think that the diagnosis of Moyamoya disease can be made by noninvasive MRI and transcranial doppler sonography without conventional invasive angiography.
Angiography ; Diagnosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Moyamoya Disease* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial*

Adsorption ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Failure, Acute ; therapy ; Liver, Artificial ; Male ; Membranes, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Sorption Detoxification

The purpose of ileocystoplasty is to augment bladder capacity and the reconstructed bladder must not only be able to empty but also be able to contain urine in a physiologic manner. Low intravesical pressure with minimum reabsorption of electrolytes is desirable. In previous studies I have described a new reliable technique of ileocystoplasty with a satisfactory clinical application. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physiologic aspects concerning several different types of ileocystoplasty. METHODS AND RESULTS: Healthy 8 Korean dogs were utilized. The animals weighed from 15 to 20kg. The two layer open flap method of ileocystoplasty was performed in four dogs and the other four dogs received ring plastic type. Intravesical pressure was measured by a water manometer and all measurements were read directly from the manometer tube. In order to obtain standard controls cystometrograms were done in 3 normal dogs. The normal dog bladder was found to respond to increased intravesical fluid and the average bladder capacity was 130cc. The voiding pressure was 28cm in water. The average fluid capacity of the reconstructed bladder was 120cc in two layer open flap method and 150c. c. in ring plastic method. The cystometry 10 minutes after intermuscular injection of 1.0cc. of 1:2000 prostigmin solution disclosed a definite increase in vesical fluid pressure in ring plastic type whereas the two layer open flap type did not show any elevation. Administration of 0.4mg of atropine intramuscularly decreased intravesical pressure in ring plastic type but was not significant in two layer open flap type. Injection of 10cc. of 0.25% pentothal sodium intravenously caused decrease of fluid pressure in both types. Emptying activity of the reconstructed bladder was measured by x-ray retrograde cystogram methods. The opaque medium remained in the ileal loop for 24 hours after onset of voiding in ring plastic type but no opaque medium was seen in the two layer open flap type. Absorption of electrolytes from the bladder after the two layer open flap ileocystoplasty was not altered significantly. The postoperative electrolyte plasma values of potassium and sodium chlorides were within normal limits. Histologic examinations of the ileal bladder 2 months after the open flap ileocystoplasty disclosed varying degrees of non-specific inflammatory reactions. No metaplasia or loss of mucous glands was seen.
Absorption ; Animals ; Atropine ; Chlorides ; Dogs ; Electrolytes ; Metaplasia ; Neostigmine ; Plasma ; Plastics ; Potassium ; Sodium ; Thiopental ; Urinary Bladder* ; Water