HIV-1 p24 was cloned into multiple cloning site of pMV261, extrachromosomal expression vectors carrying BCG replication origin and BCG-specific heat-shock promoter, and then introduced into BCG and E. coli. Western blot experiments showed that the p24 efficiently expressed in recombinant BCG (rBCG), but not in E. coli. Recombinant p24 expression induced by a single heat-shock of rBCG was maintained longer than 3 weeks. Immunoblot experiments with intact rBCG did not show any distinctive positive signal, suggesting that the recombinant protein was not secreted or exposed at the surface of BCG. The guinea pigs immunized with live rBCG showed delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) by the systemic area as well as an effective humoral immunity, suggesting that tbis rBCG is believed to elicit eKcient immune responses against p24, even though the expression is restricted only in the cytoplasm as reported previously with other antigen. These results demonstrate that BCG can be developed as a live recombinant vaccine vector against a broad spectrum of infectious disease.
Animals* ; Blotting, Western ; Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; Communicable Diseases ; Cytoplasm ; Guinea Pigs ; HIV* ; HIV-1 ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunity, Humoral ; Mycobacterium bovis* ; Replication Origin

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight* ; Lung Diseases* ; Lung* ; Vitamin A* ; Vitamins*

With the advances in neonatal intensive care, pediatric surgeons experience very low birth weight infants, weighing <1,500 g, more frequently. We report our 14 cases of very low birth weight infants with intestinal perforations without congenital causes, at the Asan Medical Center during the 11-year period from 1989 to 2000. The average birth weight was 919 g (563-1,490), and average gestational age was 206 days (161-286). There were nine males and five females. Operation was performed at an average age of 14.0 days (3-38). Ten neonates with symptomatic PDA were given indomethacin in an attempt to close the ductus. Bowel perforation involved the jejunum in two and ileum in twelve. At laparotomy, there were seven focal intestinal perforations, five typical NEC, one intussusception, and an unknown cause. Four neonates underwent resection and anastomosis of the bowel, and nine underwent exteriorization. One underwent resection and anastomosis after peritoneal drainage. Four patients had postoperative complications; two leakage of anastomosis, one stoma necrosis, and one internal herniation. Seven of fourteen patients survived (50.0%). Seven patients died of septic complication. There was a significant difference in the birth weight and gestational age in survivors compared with those who died (p<0.05). There was an increased risk of bowel perforation in indomethacin treatment for PDA. Careful clinical observation and keen judgment are essential for this particular group of infants.
Birth Weight ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Drainage ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Ileum ; Indomethacin ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Intestinal Perforation* ; Intussusception ; Jejunum ; Judgment ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Necrosis ; Postoperative Complications ; Survivors

PURPOSE: To compare the usefulness of contrast-enhanced voiding ultrasonography(US) with that of radiographic voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) for the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux(VUR) in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-five kidney-ureter units of 47 patients referred for investigation of VUR underwent contrast-enhanced voiding US followed by radiographic VCUG. After baseline US examination of the urinary tract, residual urine in the bladder was drained through an inserted Foley catheter and the bladder was gravity filled at a height of 1 m with normal saline. A galactose-based, microbubble-containing echo-enhancing agent (Levovist; Schering, Berlin, Germany) was then administered. The amount of this was approximately 10% of bladder capacity, and VUR was diagnosed when microbubbles appeared in the ureter or pelvo-calyceal system. Using radiographic VCUG as a reference point, the accuracy with which contrast-enhanced voiding US detected VUR was calculated. RESULTS: In 87 of 95 kidney-ureter units (91.6%), the two methods showed similar results regarding the diagnosis or exclusion of VUR, which was detected by both in 12 units, but by neither in 75. VUR was shown to occur in a total of 20 units, but in eight of these by one method only. In two units, VUR detected by contrast-enhanced voiding US was not demonstrated by radiographic VCUG; in six units, the reverse was true. In the detection of VUR, contrast-enhanced voiding US showed a sensitivity of 66.7%, a specificity of 97.4%, a positive predictive value of 85.7%, and a negative predictive value of 92.6%. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced voiding US is highly specific and has high positive and negative predictive values; its sensitivity, however, is not sufficiently high. The modality appears to be a useful diagnostic tool for the detection of VUR without exposure to ionizing radiation, though to be certain of its value, more experience of its use is first required.
Berlin ; Catheters ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Gravitation ; Humans ; Microbubbles ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography* ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux*

PURPOSE: To compare the incidence and clinical characteristics of infants with atypical CLD and those with classic BPD among premature infants less than 32 weeks' gestation. METHODS: Clinical data was collected retrospectively from the 256 premature infants less than 32 weeks' gestation and their mothers during 3-year study period. RESULTS: Among 212 preterm infants less than 32 weeks' gestation who survived to 28 days of life, 19 (9%) had atypical CLD and 38 (17.9%) had classic BPD. Atypical CLD infants were significantly heavier and more mature than classic BPD infants (mean birth weights, 1,100+/-294 g vs 915+/-225 g; and mean gestational age, 26.9+/-1.6 weeks vs 21.1+/-1.3 weeks). Duration of ventilator therapy and oxygen inhalation within 28 days of age were shorter in atypical CLD infants than in classic BPD infants (mean duration of ventilator therapy, 16.3+/-6.9 days vs 27+/-6.8 days; and mean duration of oxygen inhalation, 25.5+/-13.5 days vs 53.8+/-39 days). Oxygen dependency in atypical CLD infants showed bimodal pattern, decreasing gradually to 3-week after birth and upturning to peak at about 5-week after birth. Comparing the respiratory indices between classic BPD and aypical CLD, FiO2 at day 2,7, and 10, and oxygen index at day 2, and 10 were significant in classic BPD, but MAP were not. Considering the birth weight, MAP per birth weight, and modified oxygen index showed more apparent differencies between the two groups. CONCLUSION: 35.5% of total CLD were atypical CLD and showed bimodal pattern in oxygen dependency. Atypical CLD infants were significantly heavier and more mature than classic BPD infants.
Birth Weight ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Inhalation ; Lung Diseases* ; Lung* ; Mothers ; Oxygen ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Ventilators, Mechanical

PURPOSE: To evaluate the immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccine among very low birth weight infants(VLBWI) who were vaccinated at 0, 1, 6 months of chronological age and to determine the factors associated with antibody formations. METHODS: A total of 243 VLBWI admitted to Seoul and Gangneung Asan Medical Center neonatal intensive care units from 1997 to 2004 were included. Of 243, 13 infants were born to HBs Ag positive mother. All infants were given DNA recombinant vaccine at 0, 1, and 6 months of chronological age. Infants born to HBs Ag positive mothers received hepatitis B immunoglobulin at birth and a total of 4 doses of vaccinations. An antibody level over 10 mIU/mL, tested at 3-4 months after last vaccination, was regarded as a positive seroconversion. RESULTS: The seroconversion rates were 84.4 percent and 84.5 percent for VLBWI and extremely low birth weight infants(ELBWI), respectively. Of 28 seronegative infants who were given revaccinations, 60.7 percent seroconverted, resulting in 95.3 percent, 97.5 percent seroconversion rates for VLBWI and ELBWI, respectively. 76.9 percent of infants born to HBsAg positive mothers seroconverted and none became hepatitis B carriers. Factors such as gestational age, sex, various neonatal illness, and kinds of vaccinations did not influence the formation of the hepatits B antibody, however, the higher the weight at time of first vacciation yielded better seroconversion rate. CONCLUSION: Revaccination of seronegative VLBWI after 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccinaton is very effective. Therefore, testing the immune status after the hepatitis B vaccination, a practice not routinely done, is highly recommended.
Chungcheongnam-do ; DNA ; Gangwon-do ; Gestational Age ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunization, Secondary ; Immunoglobulins ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight* ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Seoul ; Vaccination*

In our previous study, we have demonstrated that peak inspiratory pressure over birth weight (PIP/kg) and mean airway pressure over birth weight (MAP/kg) were more significant risk factors for the development of neonatal chronic lung disease (CLD) than PIP and MAP. We aimed to develop a scoring method using the modified respiratory variables (SMUMRV) to predict CLD at early postnatal period. From 1997 to 1999, a retrospective review was performed for 197 infants <1,500 g for the development of the SMUMRV based on statistical analysis. From 2000 to 2001, calculated scores on day 4, 7 and 10 of life were obtained prospectively for 107 infants <1,500 g. Predictive values and the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) were determined and compared with the result of the previous regression model. Gestational age, birth weight, 5 min Apgar score, PIP/kg at 12 hr of age, fractional inspired oxygen (FiO2), MAP/kg, modified oxygenation index and ventilatory mode were selected as parameters of SMUMRV. No significant differences of AUCs were found between the SMUMRV and the Yoder model. It is likely that our scoring method provides reliable values for predicting the development of CLD in very low birth weight infants.
Analysis of Variance ; Birth Weight ; Chronic Disease ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lung Diseases/*diagnosis ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Respiratory Function Tests/*methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Time Factors

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of sonography-guided Gastrografin enema for the diagnosis and treatment of meconium plug syndrome in premature newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen premature newborns underwent 23 sonography-guided Gastrografin enemas on the 8th day of life on average (range: 3 days-21 days). The gestational age and birth weight (mean+/-standard deviation) of the patients were 29+/-2 weeks and 999+/-148 g, respectively. The diagnosis of meconium plug syndrome was based on relevant clinical and radiological findings. Diluted Gastrografin (1:3, 17-45 ml) was administered through a rectal tube under the guidance of sonography until it reached to the cecum. Thereafter, immediate post-procedure and delayed portable abdominal radiographs were taken. All the procedures were done within the NICU. We reviewed the dates of meconium evacuation and the first feeding after the last enema from the clinical data. Radiologically, the timing of the radiographic improvement after the last enema was checked. In cases of distended distal ileum with meconium on pre-enema sonography, follow-up sonography was performed to determine the interval change after gastrografin enema. RESULTS: None of the sonography-guided Gastrografin enemas performed within the NICU caused procedure-related complications. Meconium was evacuated within one day in all patients. In 14 patients, on average, feeding was started on the 7th day and radiographic improvement was observed on the 3rd day. Four of the five patients showing a distended distal ileum with meconium revealed a decrease in ileal distension on follow-up sonography. On the other hand, the other patient, who did not show such a decrease on follow-up sonography, was found to have ileal stenosis during subsequent surgery. CONCLUSION: Sonography-guided Gastrografin enema is a safe and effective bedside procedure, when performed in the NICU for the diagnosis and treatment of meconium plug syndrome.
Birth Weight ; Cecum ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Diatrizoate Meglumine* ; Enema* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Hand ; Humans ; Ileum ; Infant, Newborn* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Meconium*

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to provide morbidity and mortality information on very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with congenital heart disease (CHD-VLBWs). Methods: The study used a 10-year cohort of VLBW infants from a single institution. CHD was classified according to International Classification of Diseases, Version 9, Clinical Modification. Mortality and neonatal outcomes were assessed by comparing the CHD-VLBWs with gestational age- and birth weight-matched controls. Results: The prevalence of CHD-VLBWs was 7.5% (79/1,050), mean gestational age was 31.1±3.2 weeks, and mean birth weight was 1,126.2±268.3 g; 50.6% of the infants were small for the gestational age. The CHD-VLBWs more commonly had bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and the longer they were exposed to oxygen, the more frequently they developed BPD. Those with cyanotic heart disease developed severe BPD more frequently. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) occurred frequently in the CHD-VLBWs and was not associated with their feeding patterns. CHD-VLBWs had a higher mortality rate; prematurity-related diseases were the leading cause of death before surgery, while heart-related problems were the leading cause of death after surgery. We found no significant difference in mortality from prematurity-related disease between the CHD-VLBWs and controls. In the subgroup analysis of CHD, the cyanotic CHD group had a higher incidence of BPD and higher mortality rate than the acyanotic CHD group. Conclusions CHD-VLBWs showed higher BPD, NEC, and mortality rates than those without CHD. There was also a higher incidence of BPD and mortality in VLBW infants with cyanotic CHD than in those with acyanotic CHD.