No abstract available.
Panax* ; Saponins* ; Water*

BACKGROUND: Atopic asthma is characterized by activation of Th2-type T cells in the bronchial mucosa. Several reports have suggested an important role for costimulation through the CD28/CTLA4 (cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4)-B7 (CD80/CD86) pathway in allergen activation of T cells in animal models of allergen-induced asthma, because B7-CD28/ CTLA4 interaction can promote the differentiation and development of the Th2 lymphocyte subset. OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we intended to investigate a potential role of humanized CTLA4-Ig on the inhibition of T and B cell activation by blocking B7/CD28 interactions. METHOD: For this purpose we produced humanized CTLA4-Ig fusion protein by transfection to CHO cell and examined its inhibitory effects for activated T and B cell responses. We evaluated the inhibitory effect of MLR (mixed lymphocyte reaction) and con A-stimulated T cell proliferation. And we assayed wheather B cell was inhibited by stimulation of costimulatory signal in LPS-induced B cell response and PFC assay. RESULT: In vitro assay, humanized CTLA4-Ig fusion protein inhibited T cell-specific immune response in dose-dependent manner: CTLA4-Ig inhibited allogeneic stimulation in murine MLR, and the proliferation of T cell by the stimulation of Con A. But CTLA4-Ig did not inhibit directly the proliferative response of B cell by the stimulation of LPS. In addition, in vivo assay, CTLA4-Ig inhibited the production of antibody from B cell, which was presented by plaque-forming cell (PFC) assay. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that humanized CTLA4-Ig is effective to inhibit the proliferation of activated T cell directly by blocking B7/CD28 costimulation. And humanized CTLA4-Ig influences antibody-producing capacity of B cell indirectly by regulating T cell.
Abatacept ; Animals ; Antibody Formation* ; Asthma ; Cell Proliferation ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Lymphocytes ; Models, Animal ; Mucous Membrane ; T-Lymphocytes ; Transfection

Nursing science is focusing increasingly on family health care. Especially during the launching stage of family the grown-up sons daughters, and middlescent parents daughters have experienced a lot of change. The purpose of this study is to investigate the family health during the launching stage of the family by utilizing the family health assessment tool based on Roy's adaptation model. The Roy adaptation model was used as it is the best practice-based framework for Family Health Nursing Care. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The structure of the questionnaire was developed from the Family Health Assessment Tool by S.O. Jang(1996). The sample of 276 subjects was a convenient sample and data was obtained from November 14, 1996 to December 4, 1996. In order to analyze the collected data, this study utilized frequency, percentile, average, ANOVA, Cronbach's, and factor analysis. The results from this research are summarized as follows : 1. The degree of family health is average 95.24+/-9.40 ranged in middle. 2. The significant difference between general characteristics and family health was only revealed with the major decision making person in the family. This research thus suggests the following : 1. The legal system is needed in order to check the family members' health state regularly. 2. With family nursing care, it has to identify who is the major decision maker in that family. 3. There is a need to redefine the family health assessment tool. 4. Further research will attempt to investigate family health in each family's developmental stage.
Decision Making ; Family Health* ; Family Nursing ; Humans ; Nuclear Family ; Nursing ; Nursing Care ; Parents ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Recently the Korean society has been challenged with the rapid growth of obese population due to the improved socioeconomic status and lifestyle changes over the past decades. Not only has obesity been known as one of major risk factors for various diseases including cardiovascular diseases(e.g. hypertension, coronary heart disease and stroke) and diabetes mellitus, but it has also increased the death from obesity-related diseases. It has been required, however, to establish our own obesity criteria adjusted for Korean since much difference is expected to exist in the degree of obesity between white and Asian people. Therefore, this study was designed to provide with primary data to help establish new criteria through identifying the distribution of Body Mass Index(BMI), and then analysing its relatian with some obesity-related diseases. METHODS: This study calculated BMI and related it to some obesity-related diseases by analysing data from 1995 National Health Interview Surveys, in which a random sample of 5,750 Korean at the age of 15-69 had self-reported their heights, body weights and diagnoses with obesity-related diseases by physicians. Variables under consideration include potential risk factors(e.g. alcohol intakes, smoking, exercise, etc.) as well as demographics of the sample population. RESULTS: Average BMI(kg/m(2)) were 21.6+/- 2.6 for male and 21.7+/-4.8 for female(mean+/-SD), which increased in direct proportion to the increase of age until the age reached the group of 40-59, and then followed by the inverse in its relation with the age at 60 and over. It was revealed, however, that prevalences of obesity-related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus etc. were the highest among the population group with their BMI of 23.8~35.6. In short, this study identified the proportional relation of BMI with the prevalence of obesity-related diseases. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the prevalence for hypertension and diabetes mellitus was shown to be higher than the average among population with their BMI of 21.9~238, whose figure is much lower than both 26.4, the value of the 90th percentile proposed in MONICA prot and 25, the current WHO criteria of obesity. However, a Japanese study reported that the health risk began to increase at the BMI of 23 with risks for obesity-related diseases dramatically increased at the BMI of 26-27 and over, and concluded that because Asian has more body fats accumulated within the upper body part compared with the white, the Asian persons are more obese, though less in terms of BMI, than the white. Therefore, future works should be focused on establishing our own criteria for obesity with health risks through determining the association of BMI with prevalence of various diseases in Korea.
Adipose Tissue ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Height ; Coronary Disease ; Demography ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Korea ; Life Style ; Male ; Obesity ; Population Groups ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Social Class ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: CTLA4 (CD152), which is expressed on the surface of T cells following activation, has a much higher affinity for B7 molecules comparing to CD28, and is a negative regulator of T cell activation. In contrast to stimulating and agonistic capabilities of monoclonal antibodies specific to CTLA-4, CTLA4Ig fusion protein appears to act as CD28 antagonist and inhibits in vitro and in vivo T cell priming in variety of immunological conditions. We've set out to confirm whether inhibition of the CD28-B7 costimulatory response using a soluble form of human CTLA4Ig fusion protein would lead to persistent inhibition of alloreactive T cell activation. METHODS: We have used CHO-dhfr cell-line to produce CTLA4Ig fusion protein. After serum free culture of transfected cell line we purified this recombinant molecule by using protein A column. To confirm characterization of fusion protein, we carried out a series of Western blot, SDS-PAGE and silver staining analyses. We have also investigated the efficacy of CTLA4Ig in vitro such as mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) & cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response and in vivo such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), graft versus host disease (GVHD) and skin-graft whether this fusion protein could inhibit alloreactive T cell activation and lead to immunosuppression of activated T cell. RESULTS: In vitro assay, CTLA4Ig fusion protein inhibited immune response in T cell-specific manner: 1) Human CTLA4Ig inhibited allogeneic stimulation in murine MLR; 2) CTLA4Ig prevented the specific killing activity of CTL. In vivo assay, human CTLA4Ig revealed the capacities to induce alloantigen-specific hyporesponsiveness in mouse model: 1) GVHD was efficiently blocked by dose-dependent manner; 2) Clinical score of EAE was significantly decreased compared to nomal control; 3) The time of skin-graft rejection was not different between CTLA4Ig treated and control group. CONCLUSION: Human CTLA4Ig suppress the T cell-mediated immune response and efficiently inhibit the EAE, GVHD in mouse model. The mechanism of T cell suppression by human CTLA4Ig fusion protein may be originated from the suppression of activity of cytotoxic T cell. Human CTLA4Ig could not suppress the rejection in mouse skin-graft, this finding suggests that other mechanism except the suppression of cytotoxic T cell may exist on the suppression of graft rejection.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; B7 Antigens ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental ; Graft Rejection ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Homicide ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed ; Lymphocytes ; Mice ; Silver Staining ; Staphylococcal Protein A ; T-Lymphocytes

PURPOSE: Planning target volume (PTV) for tumors in abdomen or thorax includes enough margin for breathing-related movement of tumor volumes during treatment. Depending on the location of the tumor, the magnitude of PTV margin extends from 10 mm to 30 mm, which increases substantial volume of the irradiated normal tissue hence, resulting in increase of normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). We developed a simple and handy method which can reduce PTV margins in patients with liver tumors, respiratory motion reduction device (RRD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: For 10 liver cancer patients, the data of internal organ motion were obtained by examining the diaphragm motion under fluoroscope. It was tested for both supine and prone position. A RRD was made using MeV-Green and Styrofoam panels and then applied to the patients. By analyzing the diaphragm movement from patients with RRD, the magnitude of PTV margin was determined and dose volume histogram (DVH) was computed using AcQ-Plan, a treatment planning software. Dose to normal tissue between patients with RRD and without RRD was analyzed by comparing the fraction of the normal liver receiving to 50% of the isocenter dose. DVH and NTCP for normal liver and adjacent organs were also evaluated. RESULTS: When patients breathed freely, average movement of diaphragm was 12+/-1.9 mm in prone position in contrast to 16+/-1.9 mm in supine position. In prone position, difference in diaphragm movement with and without RRD was 3+/-0.9 mm and 12 mm, respectively, showing that PTV margins could be reduced to as much as 9 mm. With RRD, volume of the irradiated normal liver reduced up to 22.7% in DVH analysis. CONCLUSION: Internal organ motion due to breathing can be reduced using RRD, which is simple and easy to use in clinical setting. It can reduce the organ motion-related PTV margin, thereby decrease volume of the irradiated normal tissue.
Abdomen ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Diaphragm ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Neoplasms ; Prone Position ; Respiration ; Supine Position ; Thorax

PURPOSE: Purpose of this study was to identify major trends of action research from 2006 to 2013 and suggest directions for activating and advancing domestic action research in nursing. METHODS: A review was made of 118 action research studies in hospital settings reported in international journals. Search from PubMed, Ovid, and CINHAL was done using analysis criteria developed by the researchers. General and methodological characteristics and focus on changing outcomes of action research were analyzed. RESULTS: The major group of researchers belonged to colleges/universities (40.7%). Methods included use of qualitative methods (61.0%), research questions (24.6%), and use of theoretical models (35.6%). Prevalent data collection methods were interviews (20.2%), and 48.3% showed more than a 1-cycle process including spiral circulation structure. Focus of changing outcomes of the 56 papers including more than 1-cycle were practice (66.1%), environment (8.9%), client-nurse (7.1%). CONCLUSION: Trends in action research in nursing were identified providing necessary reasons to increase action research in nursing as follows: needs of various researchers including stakeholders as well as healthcare providers, various research designs including unconstrained reflection and writing, specific presentation of adapted theoretical models and action strategies, and quality assurance for validity and reliability of research processes and outcomes.
Data Collection ; Health Personnel ; Health Services Research* ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Nursing* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Research Design ; Writing

PURPOSE: Interleukin (IL) -13 plays a pivotal role in the induction of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). Recently, an association was reported between the polymorphism of the IL-13 promoter region (-1512A/C) and atopic asthma. We investigated the association between the IL-13 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter region (-1512A/C) and atopic dermatitis in Korean children with AD. METHODS: We enrolled 204 allergic AD, 92 non-allergic AD, and 116 non-atopic healthy children. Evaluated phenotypes of atopic dermatitis included total IgE, total eosinophil count, and eosinophil fraction. We used a PCR-RFLP method to identify IL-13 genotypes. RESULTS: The allele frequencies of the IL-13 promoter polymorphism (-1512A/C) did not differ statistically among the three groups. Children with one or two copies of risk alleles in the promoter region (-1512C) did not show any significant association with the clinical phenotypes of atopic dermatitis including total IgE, eosinophil phenotypes and SCORAD score in the allergic or non-allergic atopic dermatitis. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the -1512A/C polymorphism of IL-13 gene may not be associated with neither the development nor the clinical phenotypes of atopic dermatitis in Korean children.
Alleles ; Asthma ; Child* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Eosinophils ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Interleukin-13* ; Interleukins ; Phenotype ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

Basal cell carcinomas usually arise from the epidermis and show some epidermal connections. It is very unusual that basal celi carcinomas occur as subderrnal mass without epidermal connections. A 51 year-old female h;d an asymptomatic skin colored indurated plaque with linear old scar on the left side of nose fcr about 20 years. She had had a tumor that supposed to be a epidermal cyst, on the same site and the lesion was excised about 20 years ago. We performed the punch biopsy on her first visit which revealed hypertrophic scar. She was treated with intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide to reduce the size of hypertrophic scar. However, the lesion had not been reduced. She underwent the surgery to remove the scar at plastic surgery and the excisional biopsy showed a subdermal basal cell carcinoma. We recommend that the newly developed skin tumor in the pre-excised region should be required excisional biopsy instead of punch and close observation
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Epidermal Cyst ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Middle Aged ; Nose ; Skin ; Surgery, Plastic ; Triamcinolone Acetonide

PUPPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the level of pain related to a blood sugar test. Specifically, the study attempts to compare the varying degree of pains when different types of blood sugar test are used. METHOD: A sample of 56 subjects is composed of DM patients admitted to a medical ward of C university hospital in Gwangju. Data were collected from July, 2001 to December, 2001. The blood sugar tests were administered in four different ways: (1) the use of 27G needle only, (2) the use of 27G needle followed by ice-packed treatment, (3) the use of 27G needle after EMLA cream application, and (4) the use of lancet. The degree of pain is measured with a visual analogue scale and performed twice. RESULT: In both measures, the use of 27G needle only method is shown to cause the highest level of pain in comparison with the rest of methods (F=4.01, p=.01; F=8.14, p=.00). However, the differences in pain between time in all methods were not found to be significant (t=-.85, p=.40; t=.80, p=.42; t=.31, p=.75; t=.19, p=.85). CONCLUSION: The study results indicate that the method using lanceter is more recommendable than the use of 27G needle only method. Further research is needed to support the current study result with the use of different measurement scales and to determine effective methods of blood sugar test to lower pain and compliance.
Blood Glucose* ; Compliance ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Needles ; Pain Measurement ; Weights and Measures