BACKGROUND: In recent years, lymphocyte subset analysis in peripheral blood is widely performed using erythrocytes-lysed whole blood and two color immunofluorescence/flow cytometry method. Use of fresh blood drawn within 6 hours of staining is recommended, and some patients have to revisit the hospital for blood collection. We tested whether 24 hours-refrigerated/stored whose blood can be used for lymphocyte subset analysis. METHODS: Twenty consecutive blood samples from patients (including nine HIV positive patients) collected in EDTA-vacutainer were tested: 1) on the day of sampling using fresh blood kept at room temperature for up to 6 hours until staining (as recommended by the manufacturer) and 2) on the following day using the same tube of blood refrigerated for 24 hours after the first staining. Two colon immunofluorescenc staining was done using Simultest(TM) IMK-Lymphocyte kit (Beckon Dickinson, U.S.A.) and flow cytometric analysis was performed using FACScan and SimulSET(TM) software (Becton Dickinson, U.S.A.). Results of alive kinds of Lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CDl9+, CD3+CD4+CD3+CD8+, CD3-CDl6+ and/or CD56+) on day 1 and day 2 were compared by pained-t test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: There was no significant change of values for all of the lymphocyte subsets except CD3+CD8+suppressor/cytotoxic (S/C) T cells. There was a slight but statistically significant change in S/C T cells (39.9%-->41.8%: 1.9%, p=0.008) after 24 hours of refrigeration, and this change was observed mainly in HIV-positive patient group. However, there was no significant change in the absolute count of helper/inducer T cells or CD4/CD8 ratio, and the change of S/C T cells in these patients was not considered to be of clinical significance. CONCLUSIONS: The difference in the values of lymphocyte subsets between fresh blood and 24 hours-refrigerated blood was negligible and it is concluded that 24 hours-stored blood samples can be used for lymphocyte subset analysis for clinical purposes.
Colon ; HIV ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Refrigeration ; T-Lymphocytes

The authors studied ED50 of bethanechol on the contractilities of the smooth muscles isolated from various organs of rat under the presence of atropine (a classical competitive blocker of cholinergic muscarinic receptor) or minaprine (a newly developed antidepressant drug) to investigate the peripheral anticholinergic effect of minaprine. The results were as follow: 1) There was no significant difference between ED50 of bethanechol in the control group and that under the presence of minaprine 10⁻⁸M and 10⁻⁷M in the smooth muscles isolated from the duodenum. 2) There was no significant difference between ED50 of bethanechol in the control group and that under the presence of minaprine 10⁻⁸M and 10⁻⁷M in the smooth muscles isolated from the ascending colon. 3) There was significant difference between ED50 of bethanechol in the control group and that under the presence of minaprine 10⁻⁸M and 10⁻⁷M in the smooth muscles isolated from the urinary bladder (P<0.01) 4) There was significant difference between ED50 of the atropine 10⁻⁸ and minaprine (10⁻⁸M) in the smooth muscles isolated from the urinary bladder (P<0.05).
Animals ; Atropine ; Bethanechol ; Colon, Ascending ; Duodenum ; Muscle, Smooth ; Rats ; Urinary Bladder

No abstract available.
Humans ; Outpatients*

Retroperitoneal tumors are relatively rare, accounting for 0.2% of all cancers; many different histologic types are present, and primitive retroperitoneal germ cell tumors constitute a small miniority of about 3%. Most primary extragonadal germ cell tumors (EGCTs) arise from the mediastinum of retroperitoneum in young males. The authors experienced a case of primary extragonadal mixed germ cell tumor with a 43-year-old woman complaining left lower abdominal pain. With the case report, a brief review was made.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Female ; Germ Cells* ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal*

Hypodipsic hypernatremia is characterized by chronic or recurrent episodes of severe hypernatermia associated with dehydration and a lack of thirst. This constellation of deficits suggests that the syndrome is due to hypodipsia of destruction of the hypothalamic osmoreceptors that regulate thirst and ADH secretion. We report a child with abnormalities of the central nervous system who had hypernatremia and a lack of thirst without detectable abnormalities in the osmoregulation of ADH secretion. The patient was a 11 month old female and her chief complaints were poor oral intake and weight gain. There were recurrent hypernatremia with hyperosmosis and normal level of plasma ADH. With intravenous rehydratin, oral intake was improved and plasma sodium level decreased.
Central Nervous System ; Child ; Dehydration ; Female ; Humans ; Hypernatremia* ; Infant ; Osmoregulation ; Plasma ; Sodium ; Thirst ; Weight Gain

This report is a clinical analysis and comparative study with previous report of bronchial asthma at National Medical Center on bronchial asthma in children who were admitted to the MP dept. of national Medical Center from January 1987 to December 1990. The results of the study were as follows: 1) The out-break ratio of bronchial asthma is 3.7% of hospitalized children which is no change that about 4% since 1980. 2) The children under 6 years of ge was 62.7% which among under 3 years was 33.1%. The rate of under 3 year children is increased as previous study. 3) The out-break of bronchial asthma was most common in September and October and so peak incidence was noted in fall and duration of hospitalization was most 2 week. 4) Familial allergic history was positive in 54.6% and bronchial asthma was most common. The presence of allergic past history was 52.2%) and atopic dermatitis was most common 5) Eosinophilia was found in 80.8% and elevated IgE was also in 61.6% of bronchial asthma. 6) We could get positive results of IgE RAST and skin test: D. pteronyssinus, D. farinae, Houst dust. 7) The most frequent findigs of the chest radiograph were within normal limits. 8) The clinical improvement rate of bronchial asthma is 52.5%.
Asthma* ; Child* ; Child, Hospitalized ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dust ; Eosinophilia ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Incidence ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Skin Tests

Cow milk allergy can be defined as an adverse immunologic reactions to cow milk protein. The term is often mistakenly applied to other causes of milk intolerence, such as lactase deficiency and galactosemia, which must be differenciated and excluded. We have experienced 10 children of cow milk allergy at neonatal onset who had suffered from G-I symtoms, such as diarrhea, irritability, weight loss, vomiting and abdominal distension. One half of this patients had family history of allergic diseas. All patients have positive specific IgE RAST to cow's milk protein, milk elimination test and milk challenge test. Brest milk feeding and soy bean formula feeding and soy bean formula feeding have started after diagnosis and then gastrointestinal symtoms and signs of all patients are improved but other allergic diseases are combined in 5 children.
Child ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Galactosemias ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Infant* ; Lactase ; Milk ; Milk Hypersensitivity ; Milk Proteins ; Soybeans ; Vomiting ; Weight Loss

Neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroblastoma and ganglioneuroma are derived from primordial neural crest cells and can be conceptualized as three different maturational manifestations of a common neoplasm. To assess the validity of immunohistochemistry and DNA Ploidy in the diagnosis of neuroblastic tumor in terms of prognostication, histologic and immunohistochemical evaluation with NB-84, neuron specific enolase(NSE) and S-100 protein and flow Cytometric DNA analysis were done on 21 neuroblastomas and 19 ganglioneuromas. Thirteen of 21 neuroblastomas were undifferentiated and 8 differentiating in type. Eleven of the 19 ganglioneuromas were mature in type and 8 had immature foci. Eighty one percent of neuroblastomas were positive for NB-84, 100% for NSE and 67% for S-100 protein, respectively. All ganglioneuromas were positive for NSE and S-100 protein, in contrast, only immature foci in ganglioneuroma were positive for NB-84. B-84 reacted positively with undifferentiated and differentiating neuroblasts including neuropil but not with mature ganglion cells. In contrast, NSE reacted positively with all components of neuroblastic tumor and S-100 protein mainly with cells of Schwannian differentiation. Three of eight(37.5%) differentiating neuroblastomas were strongly positive for NB-84 in contrast with seven of thirteen(53.8%) undifferentiated tumors, reflecting that undifferentiated cells tended to be positive for NB-84 in neuroblastoma. Twenty two percent of neuroblastoma showed diploidy and 78% aneuploidy including 11% of near-diploidy. Seven of eight(87.5%) differentiating neuroblastomas in contrast with seven of ten(70%) undifferentiated tumors showed aneuploidy. By contrast, 53% of ganglioneuroma showed diploidy and 47% aneuploidy with DNA index ranged from 1.12 to 1.19. Three of nine(33.3%) mature ganglioneuromas in contrast with five of eight(62.5%) ganglioneuromas with immature foci showed aneupolidy. Differentiating neuroblastoma tended to be aneuploid and ganglioneuroma with immature foci tended to be near-diploid. In conclusion, immunohistochemistry for NB-84, NSE and S-100 protein is useful for confirming neuronal, both neuronal and Schwannian, and Schwannian differentiation, respectively. Immunohistochemistry together with flow cytometric DNA analysis would be helpful to confirm the immature foci in ganglioneuroma.
Neuroblastoma

The symmetrical peripheral gangrene syndrome consists of sudden onset of symmetrical gangrene of the fingers, toes and more raely, the nose, upper lip, ear lobes, or genitalia. There is no evidence of occulusion of large vessels or vasculitis. We experienced a case of symmetrical peripheral gangrene developed in fingers and toes with disseminated intravascular coagulation in 20 day-old permature infant with sepsis by Enterobacter aerogenes. Thereafter, we presented a case with a brief review of the related literatures.
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation* ; Ear ; Enterobacter aerogenes ; Fingers ; Gangrene* ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Infant ; Lip ; Nose ; Sepsis ; Toes ; Vasculitis

No abstract available.
Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Spasms, Infantile*