No abstract available.
Fetal Death*

We have experienced a case of aortic dissecting aneurysm in pregnant woman. She felt initially severe chest pain which was radiated to the neck on the 3days before delivery. Thereafter dyspnea and generalized edema were developed for 1 month after delivery. She was diagnosed as aortic dissectLn, Debakey type-II. During cardiopulmonary bypass, the selective cerebral perfusion was done through the right and left commom carotid arteries. Aortic replacement with Hemashield vascular graft and reimplantation of innominate artery, resuspension of aortic valve, repair of intimal tear were performed. The postoperative course was uneventful.
Aneurysm, Dissecting ; Aortic Valve ; Brachiocephalic Trunk ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Carotid Arteries ; Chest Pain ; Dyspnea ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Neck ; Perfusion ; Pregnant Women* ; Replantation ; Tears ; Transplants

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to investigate the blood cell motion in human capillary by applying the boundary singularity method. METHODS: A particle motion of spherical shape falling in a vertical tube filled with Newtonian fluid is studied by using the boundary singularity method and the experiment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: As the eccentric ratio increases up to 0.6, the rotational velocity increases almost linearly and the falling velocity remains constant. However, as the eccentric ratio exceeds 0.6, the rotational velocity increases rapidly and the falling velocity decreases. As the tube radius increases, falling velocity increases and approaches the stokes velocity and the rotational velocity decreases.
Blood Cells* ; Blood Vessels* ; Capillaries ; Humans ; Radius

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to investigate the blood cell motion in human capillary by applying the boundary singularity method. METHODS: A particle motion of spherical shape falling in a vertical tube filled with Newtonian fluid is studied by using the boundary singularity method and the experiment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: As the eccentric ratio increases up to 0.6, the rotational velocity increases almost linearly and the falling velocity remains constant. However, as the eccentric ratio exceeds 0.6, the rotational velocity increases rapidly and the falling velocity decreases. As the tube radius increases, falling velocity increases and approaches the stokes velocity and the rotational velocity decreases.
Blood Cells* ; Blood Vessels* ; Capillaries ; Humans ; Radius

BACKGROUND AND OBJECT: Immunostimulatory CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (ISS CpG-ODN) up-regulate the TH1-type immune response and down-regulate the TH2-type response. This study was performed to investigate the immune response changes resulting from ISS CpG-ODN on bronchial hyperrestponsiveness, eosinophilic inflammation and mucus hypersecretion in rat asthma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 10 normal controls(NC) and 26 asthmatic rats, which were generated by ovallbumin(OVA) sensitization and challenge, were studied. The asthmatic rats were randomized into 11 asthma controls(AC) and 15 in the asthma-CpG treatment group(CpG). The CpG group was administered ISS CpG-ODN intramuscularly and the AC group was administered a placebo(0.9% NaCl)on day 15 and 20. After CpG-ODN or placebo administration, we measured the IFN-(TH1-type cytokine) and IL-4(TH2-type cytokine) levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF), the specific airway resistance(sRaw), eosinophilic fraction in BALF, eosinophilic infiltration, goblet cell dysplasia and MUC5AC gene expression in the lung tissue. RESULTS: In the BALF of the CpG group, the IFN-γ concentration was significantly high and the IL-4 concentration was significantly low when compared with the AC group. Both the sRaw and eosinophilic fraction, and infiltration into the BALF and lung tissue significantly lower in the CpG group when compared with the AC group. However, little difference in goblet cell dysplasia and MUC5Ac gene expression was observed between the CpG group and the Ac group. CONCLUSION: ISS CpG-ODN decreases bronchial hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic inflammation in the rat asthma model through the up-regulation of the TH1-type immune response with the down-regulation of the TH2-type response. However, the effect of these immune response changes on mucus hypersecretion was is not remarkable in this study.
Animals ; Asthma* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Down-Regulation ; Eosinophils ; Gene Expression ; Goblet Cells ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-4 ; Lung ; Mucus ; Rats* ; Up-Regulation

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of propofol in radiology studies by comparing propofol sedation with midazolam for patients who do not comply with their doctor's requests and need an injection of a sedative to be treated for a safe and quick recovery without complications. METHODS: Among adult patients who were admitted and checked using CT and MRI in our emergency medical center from February 2001 to August 2001, the patients who required sedation because of the lack of cooperation with ER doctors were studied. Of 49 patients, 23 patients (Group M) were injected with midazolam, and 26 patients (Group P) were injected with propofol. RESULTS: In both groups, the systolic BP and the diastolic BP decreased, but group P's BP decreased more than group M's (p<0.05). In group M, the decrease of SPO2 w a s statistically significant, but neither of the groups required emergency care. Although, Group M didn't require emergency care for SpO2, they did require more emergency care for apnea than Group P did. Group P's time required for an examination to be performed was shorter than group M's. Group P's duration for occurrence of movement was shorter than Group M's, but this difference was not statistically significant. Regardless of which sedative was used, there was no difference in the satisfaction of the radiology technician with regards to group M and group P. CONCLUSION: When the patients were injected with a lowdosage of propofol, they showed effects similar to those observed in patients in injected with midazolam, and there were no complications that required emergency care. The usage of propofol is thought to be a good choice, except for contraindications, for short-time radiology examinations.
Adult ; Apnea ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Midazolam* ; Propofol*

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to investigate the utility of DNA vaccines encoding Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) as a vaccine type for the production of GP-specific hybridomas and antibodies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA vaccines were constructed to express Ebola virus GP. Mice were injected with GP DNA vaccines and their splenocytes were used for hybridoma production. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), limiting dilution subcloning, antibody purification methods, and Western blot assays were used to select GP-specific hybridomas and purify monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) from the hybridoma cells. RESULTS: Twelve hybridomas, the cell supernatants of which displayed GP-binding activity, were selected by ELISA. When purified MAbs from 12 hybridomas were tested for their reactivity to GP, 11 MAbs, except for 1 MAb (from the A6-9 hybridoma) displaying an IgG2a type, were identified as IgM isotypes. Those 11 MAbs failed to recognize GP. However, the MAb from A6-9 recognized the mucin-like region of GP and remained reactive to the antigen at the lowest tested concentration (1.95 ng/mL). This result suggests that IgM-secreting hybridomas are predominantly generated by DNA vaccination. However, boosting with GP resulted in greater production of IgG-secreting hybridomas than GP DNA vaccination alone. CONCLUSION: DNA vaccination may preferentially generate IgM-secreting hybridomas, but boosting with the protein antigen can reverse this propensity. Thus, this protein boosting approach may have implications for the production of IgG-specific hybridomas in the context of the DNA vaccination platform. In addition, the purified monoclonal IgG antibodies may be useful as therapeutic antibodies for controlling Ebola virus infection.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Antibody Formation ; Blotting, Western ; Clinical Coding* ; DNA* ; Ebolavirus* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glycoproteins* ; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola ; Hybridomas* ; Immunization* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Mice ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, DNA*

BACKGROUND: Freshmen maladaptation to university life has brought a lot of attention recently. Therefore, we intended to investigate about the relationship between anxiety, depression, stress and freshmen adaptation to university life. METHODS: We recruited 861 freshmen of a university located in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk, and measured their degree of anxiety, depression, and stress by questionnaire from March 10 to 14, 2008. After 8 weeks, we examined their adaptation to university life by questionnaire and finally, analyzed the data of 600 freshmen. RESULTS: Among the freshmen, 285 (47.5%) had anxiety, 95 (15.8%) depression, and 70 (11.7%) stress. Adaptation to university life significantly associated with college-entrance exam experience, the number of close friends in class, willingness to join the club, major satisfaction and distance from the university to hometown, in addition to anxiety, depression, and stress. Risk factors of maladaptation to university life were stress (odds ratio: 2.66, 95% confidence interval: 1.60 to 4.45), depression (2.45; 1.56 to 3.84), one experience of college entrance exam (1.83; 1.24 to 2.69), anxiety (1.73; 1.27 to 2.37) and fewer than 5 close friends (1.60; 1.17 to 2.20). Short distance from the university to hometown (0.72; 0.53 to 0.98), willingness to join the club (0.60; 0.41 to 0.87) and major satisfaction (0.42; 0.29 to 0.61) were identified as lowering the risk of maladaptation to university life. CONCLUSION: Anxiety, depression, and stress closely related to freshmen adaptation to university life. During freshmen's health examination, we need to identify the degree of anxiety, depression and stress in order to predict maladaptation to university life.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Friends ; Humans ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Asthma is the most common respiratory crisis encountered in clinical practice, occurring in up to 4% of all pregnancies. Pregnancy often appears to alter the course of asthma. But the mechanisms responsible for variable changes in the asthma course during pregnancy remain unknown. Poor control and exacerbations of asthma during pregnancy may result in serious maternal and fetal complications. To investigate the course of asthma during pregnancy in korean women, we did a retrograde study of 27 pregnant women who had been admitted to Korea University Hospital for asthma worsened. METHOD: Twenty seven pregnant women who had been visited to Korea University Hospital for asthma worsened were enrolled in our retrospective study. We reviewed medical recordings and interviewed patients with asthma. RESULTS: Twenty seven pregnant women with asthma were evaluated, and 25 patients were enrolled to our study. Two patients experienced abortions at 6 weeks and 25 weeks gestation, respectively. The period of asthma worsened was commonly during weeks 20 to 28 of gestation. And all patients wosened were improved during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy. Twenty(80%) of 25 women whose asthma worsened during pregnancy reverted toward their prepregnancy status after delivery(p<0.002). The causes of asthma worsened during pregnancy are reduction or even complete cessaton of medication due to fears about its safety(40%), worsening after upper respiratory infection(28%), and unknown(32%). There were no adverse perinatal outcomes in 25 pregnant asthma subjects. CONCLUSIONS: A major problem of therapy for asthma during pregnancy is reduction or even complete cessation of medication due to fears of fetal effects. Therefore, maternal education and optimal clinical and pharmacologic management is necessary to mitigate maternal and fetal complications.
Asthma* ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Asthma is the most common respiratory crisis encountered in clinical practice, occurring in up to 4% of all pregnancies. Pregnancy often appears to alter the course of asthma. But the mechanisms responsible for variable changes in the asthma course during pregnancy remain unknown. Poor control and exacerbations of asthma during pregnancy may result in serious maternal and fetal complications. To investigate the course of asthma during pregnancy in korean women, we did a retrograde study of 27 pregnant women who had been admitted to Korea University Hospital for asthma worsened. METHOD: Twenty seven pregnant women who had been visited to Korea University Hospital for asthma worsened were enrolled in our retrospective study. We reviewed medical recordings and interviewed patients with asthma. RESULTS: Twenty seven pregnant women with asthma were evaluated, and 25 patients were enrolled to our study. Two patients experienced abortions at 6 weeks and 25 weeks gestation, respectively. The period of asthma worsened was commonly during weeks 20 to 28 of gestation. And all patients wosened were improved during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy. Twenty(80%) of 25 women whose asthma worsened during pregnancy reverted toward their prepregnancy status after delivery(p<0.002). The causes of asthma worsened during pregnancy are reduction or even complete cessaton of medication due to fears about its safety(40%), worsening after upper respiratory infection(28%), and unknown(32%). There were no adverse perinatal outcomes in 25 pregnant asthma subjects. CONCLUSIONS: A major problem of therapy for asthma during pregnancy is reduction or even complete cessation of medication due to fears of fetal effects. Therefore, maternal education and optimal clinical and pharmacologic management is necessary to mitigate maternal and fetal complications.
Asthma* ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies