No abstract available.
Blastocyst* ; Female ; Humans ; Oocytes* ; Parturition* ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome*

This study aimed to analyze the preoperative factors of immature first molars treated with vital pulp therapy and to find out their correlation in pediatric patients. From May 2014 to January 2020, 523 patients and 1,242 immature first molars were investigated. Factors including age, sex, tooth location, Molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH), caries cavity location, and history of previous restoration were evaluated. As a result of the study, the vital pulp therapy group had 5.56 times more MIH, 3.39 times more mesial cavities, and 8.73 times more distal cavities. In order to avoid vital pulp therapy in immature first molar, early diagnosis and active management of MIH and preventive treatment of mesial and distal caries are necessary after its immediate eruption.

OBJECTIVES: Childhood allergic diseases are a major concern because they lead to a heavy economic burden and poor quality of life. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of childhood atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and the comorbidity of allergic diseases in Seoul, Korea. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey between May and October 2010 to evaluate the prevalence of childhood allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis, using a questionnaire from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood group. Each questionnaire was completed by the parent or guardian of a child. RESULTS: In the 31,201 children studied, the prevalence of atopic dermatitis symptoms in the past 12 months was 19.3% in children 0 to 3 years of age, 19.7% in children 4 to 6 years of age, 16.7% in children 7 to 9 years of age, and 14.5% in children 10 to 13 years of age (p for trend < 0.001). The prevalence of asthma in these age groups was 16.5%, 9.8%, 6.5%, and 5.4%, respectively (p for trend < 0.001). The prevalence of allergic rhinitis in these age groups was 28.5%, 38.0%, 38.5%, and 35.9%, respectively (p for trend = 0.043). The percentage of subjects with both atopic dermatitis and asthma, both asthma and allergic rhinitis, or both atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis was 2.5%, 4.7%, and 8.7%, respectively. The prevalence of comorbid allergic diseases decreased with age (p for trend < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that the prevalence of some allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis and asthma, was relatively high in very young children and that all of the principal allergic diseases in children often co-exist.
Asthma ; Child ; Comorbidity ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Parents ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: Under estrogen deficiency, blastocysts cannot initiate implantation and enter dormancy. Dormant blastocysts live longer in utero than normal blastocysts, and autophagy has been suggested as a mechanism underlying the sustained survival of dormant blastocysts during delayed implantation. Autophagy is a cellular degradation pathway and a central component of the integrated stress response. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced within cells during normal metabolism, but their levels increase dramatically under stressful conditions. We investigated whether heightened autophagy in dormant blastocysts is associated with the increased oxidative stress under the unfavorable condition of delayed implantation. METHODS: To visualize ROS production, day 8 (short-term dormancy) and day 20 (long-term dormancy) dormant blastocysts were loaded with 1-microM 5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-2', 7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, acetyl ester (CM-H2DCFDA). To block autophagic activation, 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and wortmannin were used in vivo and in vitro, respectively. RESULTS: We observed that ROS production was not significantly affected by the status of dormancy; in other words, both dormant and activated blastocysts showed high levels of ROS. However, ROS production was higher in the dormant blastocysts of the long-term dormancy group than in those of the short-term group. The addition of wortmannin to dormant blastocysts in vitro and 3-MA injection in vivo significantly increased ROS production in the short-term dormant blastocysts. In the long-term dormant blastocysts, ROS levels were not significantly affected by the treatment of the autophagy inhibitor. CONCLUSION: During delayed implantation, heightened autophagy in dormant blastocysts may be operative as a potential mechanism to reduce oxidative stress. Further, ROS may be one of the potential causes of compromised developmental competence of long-term dormant blastocysts after implantation.
Animals ; Autophagy* ; Blastocyst* ; Estrogens ; Mental Competency ; Metabolism ; Mice* ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species*

OBJECTIVES: Antimicrobial chemicals are used in a variety of household and personal care products. Exposure to antimicrobial household products has been hypothesized to lead to allergic diseases in children. METHODS: We investigated antimicrobial household product exposure and allergic symptoms in Korean children. An antimicrobial exposure (AE) score was derived. To examine the symptoms of allergic diseases (current wheeze, current rhinitis, and current eczema) in the past 12 months, we used a questionnaire based on the core module of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children. Complete data for the analysis were available for 25,805 of the 35,590 (72.5%) children. RESULTS: The prevalence of current allergic diseases was as follows: wheeze, 5.6%; allergic rhinitis, 32.6%; and eczema, 17.7%. The mean (standard deviation) AE score was 14.3 (9.3) (range: 0-40). Compared with subjects with a low AE score (reference), subjects with a high AE score (fourth quartile) were more likely to have symptoms of wheezing and allergic rhinitis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for wheezing 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.45, p for trend=0.24; aOR for allergic rhinitis 1.30, 95% CI, 1.20-1.40, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that frequent use of antimicrobial household products was associated with current wheeze and current allergic rhinitis.
Asthma ; Child ; Eczema ; Family Characteristics ; Household Products* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Respiratory Sounds ; Rhinitis ; Triclosan ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: This present study examined the power of the Korean Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) subscales to predict a DSM-IV diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). METHODS: The sample included 37 children and adolescents with ODD and 46 normal controls. The participants and their parents were interviewed for clinical diagnosis using the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) and the parents completed the K-CBCL. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict the diagnosis of ODD. RESULTS: Among the CBCL subscales, Delinquent and Aggressive Behavior scales significantly predicted ODD diagnosis. The means of these CBCL subscales were significantly higher in the ODD group when compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: Two CBCL subscales (Deliquent and Aggressive Behavior) displayed good diagnostic efficiency for assessing ODD in children and adolescents. Through combining information from the CBCL, an empirical-quantitative approach to psychopathology in children and the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, the results demonstrated that a clinical diagnostic approach is an effective diagnostic paradigm for children with ODD.
Adolescent ; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders ; Checklist ; Child ; Child Behavior ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Mood Disorders ; Parents ; Psychopathology ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: Accurate typing of Duffy blood group is important because anti-Duffy antibodies cause hemolytic transfusion reaction and hemolytic disease of the newborn. The aim of this study was to evaluate a new genotyping method using high resolution melting (HRM) analysis, a rapid and inexpensive approach for high-throughput Duffy genotyping. METHODS: A total of 20 unrelated Korean blood samples were obtained and an African-black sample was used for GATA control. Phenotyping was performed by hemagglutination (DiaMed AG, Switzerland). GATA and FYA/B PCR products were obtained by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) using Taq DNA polymerase (Promega, WI) and enzymes BanI and StyI (New England Biolab, UK). For HRM, PCR amplification was performed using LightCycler 480 ResoLight Dye (Roche, USA) and Lightcycer 480 (Roche, USA). RESULTS: Phenotyping and genotyping data using PCR-RFLP and HRM analysis were compared. Different types of HRM curves were obtained according to genotypes, FYA/FYA, FYB/FYB, and FYA/FYB, and to GATA mutations, homozygote FYB-33T (T/T), heterozygote FYB-33T/33C (T/C), and homozygote FYB-33C (C/C). Phenotypes 18 Fy(a+b-), 1 Fy(a+b+), 1 Fy(a-b+), and 1 Fy(a-b-) showed complete concordance with genotyping methods. Fy(a-b-) sample was found to be a FYB-33C homozygote by both genotyping methods. CONCLUSION: Phenotyping and genotyping showed concordant results and both genotyping methods using PCR-RFLP and HRM analysis showed good agreement in finding mutation in GATA and FY gene coding regions. HRM analysis is suitable and reliable for high-throughput screening for Duffy genotyping.
Antibodies ; Blood Group Antigens ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Clinical Coding ; England ; Freezing ; Genotype ; Hemagglutination ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Mass Screening ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Taq Polymerase

BACKGROUND: The aberrant, leukemia-associated antigen expression patterns allow us to discriminate leukemic blasts from normal precursor cells. Our major goal was to determine a guideline for the detection of minimal residual disease using CD20+/CD34+ and myeloid Ag+/CD19+ combination in the bone marrow of acute leukemia in complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy. METHODS: Bone marrow samples from 117 patients with acute leukemia in complete remission after chemotherapy and from 22 healthy controls were immunophenotyped by triple staining and measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The CD20+/CD34+ cells in the large lymphocyte gate (R1) ranged from 0% to 3.24% (0.8+/-0.82%, P=0.000) in CD20+/CD34+ B-lineage ALL CR (N=31), from 0.03% to 4.2% (0.7+/-0.83%, P=0.000) in CD20-/CD34- B-lineage ALL CR (N=66), from 0.1% to 0.96% (0.45+/-0.32%, P=0.016) in T-ALL CR (N=10), and from 0.02% to 0.48% (0.18+/-0.15%, P=0.776) in AML CR (N=10). The CD13,33+/CD19+ cells in R1 gate ranged from 0% to 2.69% (0.37+/-0.48%, P<0.001) in CD13,33+/CD19+ B-lineage ALL CR (N=31), from 0% to 1.8% (0.31+/-0.28%, P<0.001) in CD13,33-/CD19+B-lineage ALL CR (N=65), from 0.02% to 0.64% (0.29+/-0.22%, P=0.071) in T-ALL CR (N=9), and from 0% to 0.17% (0.07+/-0.09%, P=0.341) in AML CR (N=3). CONCLUSIONS: Using an immunophenotypic method for the detection of early relapse or minimal residual disease of B-lineage ALL bone marrow in CR after chemotherapy, different cutoff values should be applied according to antigen combination and gating. When the proportion of aberrant antigen combination was less than 5% in large lymphocyte gate, the results should be interpreted with caution.
Acute Disease ; Antigens, CD/*metabolism ; Antigens, CD19/metabolism ; Antigens, CD20/metabolism ; Antigens, CD34/metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic/analysis/metabolism ; Bone Marrow Cells/*classification/metabolism ; Flow Cytometry ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells/classification/metabolism ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Leukemia/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Remission Induction ; Tumor Markers, Biological/immunology

Primary autoimmune myelofibrosis, the development of which is not preceded by a well-defined autoimmune disease, has recently been defined as a distinct clinicopathologic syndrome. We report herein a case of a 68-year-old woman who was diagnosed with primary autoimmune myelofibrosis and present a review of the literature. The patient manifested peripheral pancytopenia, was positive for autoantibodies, and developed myelofibrosis with no preceding autoimmune or hematologic disorders. Her condition was dramatically improved after administration of prednisolone.
Aged ; Autoantibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Pancytopenia ; Prednisolone ; Primary Myelofibrosis*

OBJECTIVE: Autophagy contributes to the clearance and recycling of macromolecules and organelles in response to stress. We previously reported that vitrified mouse oocytes show acute increases in autophagy during warming. Herein, we investigate the potential role of Atg7 in oocyte vitrification by using an oocyte-specific deletion model of the Atg7 gene, a crucial upstream gene in the autophagic pathway. METHODS: Oocyte-specific Atg7 deficient mice were generated by crossing Atg7 floxed mice and Zp3-Cre transgenic mice. The oocytes were vitrified-warmed and then subjected to in vitro fertilization and development. The rates of survival, fertilization, and development were assessed in the Atg7 deficient oocytes in comparison with the wildtype oocytes. Light chain 3 (LC3) immunofluorescence staining was performed to determine whether this method effectively evaluates the autophagy status of oocytes. RESULTS: The survival rate of vitrified-warmed Atg7(f/f);Zp3-Cre (Atg7(d/d)) metaphase II (MII) oocytes was not significantly different from that of the wildtype (Atg7(f/f)) oocytes. Fertilization and development in the Atg7(d/d) oocytes were significantly lower than the Atg7(f/f) oocytes, comparable to the Atg5d/d oocytes previously described. Notably, the developmental rate improved slightly in vitrified-warmed Atg7(d/d) MII oocytes when compared to fresh Atg7(d/d) oocytes. LC3 immunofluorescence staining showed that this method can be reliably used to assess autophagic activation in oocytes. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that the LC3-positive signal is nearly absent in Atg7(d/d) oocytes. While autophagy is induced during the warming process after vitrification of MII oocytes, the Atg7 gene is not essential for survival of vitrified-warmed oocytes. Thus, induction of autophagy during warming of vitrified MII oocytes seems to be a natural response to manage cold or other cellular stresses.
Animals ; Autophagy ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Genes, vif ; Metaphase ; Mice* ; Mice, Transgenic ; Oocytes* ; Organelles ; Recycling ; Survival Rate ; Vitrification*