Fluid resuscitation is a basic treatment in hemorrhagic shock. We compared the circulatory responses to fluid resuscitation of 10% pentastarch with those of fresh whole blood and plasmanate in hemorrhagic shock. Eighteen mongrel dogs were bled 24 ml/kg and replaced by equivalent amounts of fresh whole blood(n=6, group B), pentastarch(n=6, group P) and plasmanate(n=6, group PL). Hemodynamic measurements and calculations were performed before and after bleeding and after volume therapy. The decrease of hematocrit and platelet count after volume replacement indicate that hemodilutional effect was maximum 30 min after volume therapy and significantly greater in group P than PL(p<0.05). Central venous pressure(CVP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure(PCWP) and cardiac index(CI) were increased to 146-189%, 146-172% and 146-175% in group P, respectively during 60 min. These changes were significantly greater than group B and PL(p<0.05). There was delayed recovery of mean arterial pressure in group PL(92% 30 min after volume therapy) compared with group B and P(92% and 93% 5 min). Also group P and PL showed significant prolongation in prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time during experiment(120 min) and these were significantly more prolonged in group P than PL(P<0.05). And group P showed similar O transport and O extraction ratio to those of group B. The increases in plasma catecholamine were observed after hemorrhage, but no significant changes 5 and 30 min after volume therapy. This suggests that the neurohumoral response to hemodilution was not marked. Mixed venous O2 saturation(SvO2) was directly proportional to CI during experiment(r=0.69, p<0.01), indicating that SvO2 can represent CI during shock and volume therapy. In conclusion, l0% pentastarch is useful as a substitute for fresh whole blood or plasmanate.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Transfusion, Autologous* ; Capillaries ; Dogs* ; Hematocrit ; Hemodilution ; Hemodynamics ; Hemorrhage ; Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Plasma ; Platelet Count ; Prothrombin Time ; Resuscitation* ; Shock ; Shock, Hemorrhagic*

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of embryos using early cleavage to 2-cell stage has been proposed, but a critical time-point for selecting embryos is unclear. The aim of the present study is to provide a guideline including critical time-point in the selection of early cleaving embryo for the reduction of multiple pregnancies as well as the increase of pregnancy rate in human IVF. METHODS: This prospective study was performed in 116 cycles from 85 patients who underwent conventional IVF or ICSI at the infertility clinic of Good Moonhwa Hospital from January 2002 to December 2003. Early cleavage (EC) of embryos to 2-cell stage was assessed at 25 h and 27 h postinsemination/microinjection. Embryos that had early cleaved at each time point were designated as EC-1 and EC-2, respectively, while others were designated as non-early cleavage (NEC). RESULTS: At least one early cleavage embryo was observed in 54 (46.6%) for the EC-1 and 84 (72.4%) for the EC-2 of the 116 cycles assessed. Clinical pregnancy rates (PR) were significantly higher in the EC-1 group (66.7%) compared to the EC-2 group (53.6%) or the NEC group (31.2%) (p<0.05). Significant improvement of the pregnancy rate was found when at least two or more embryos were early cleaved at 25 h postinsemination or when the proportion of early cleavage embryo at 25 h postinsemination was higher than 20% (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The critical time-point for the selection of early cleavage embryos with high implantation potential is more effective in 25 h postinsemination/microinjection compared to 27 h. The proportion as well as number of early cleavage embryos is also an important factor for the prediction of pregnancy outcome and the chance of multiple pregnancies. These results demonstrated that the evaluation of early cleavage embryos to 2-cell stage is an easy, simple, and objective method for the selection of good quality embryos suitable for embryo transfer.
Embryo Transfer ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Humans* ; Infertility ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Prospective Studies ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Still's Disease, Adult-Onset*

DiGeorge syndrome, a developmental defect of the third and fourth pharyngeal pouches, is characterized by aplasia or hypoplasia of the thymus and parathyroid glands and by conotruncal cardiac malformation. This syndrome is usually associated with deletion of long arm in chromosome 22 (22q11-). We experienced a case of partial DiGeorge syndrome in a 2-month-old male who had hospitalized because of recurrent hypocalcemic tetany and tetralogy of Fallot. Immunologic studies revealed the decreased percentage of T lymphocyte and increased percentage of B lymphocyte. Chromosomal study with high resolution banding, showed 46, XY, 22q13 deletion. We report a case of partial Digeorge syndrome with a brief review of literatures.
Arm ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22 ; DiGeorge Syndrome* ; Humans ; Infant ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Parathyroid Glands ; Tetany ; Tetralogy of Fallot ; Thymus Gland

No abstract available.

The incidence and etiology of parasite-associated gastroenteritis during 2004-2006 in Gyeonggi-do (province), South Korea was determined by means of antigen detection ELISA on 6,071 stool specimens collected from 6 general hospitals. At least 1 parasitic agent was detected in 3.4% (208/6,071) of the stool samples. Among these, Giardia lamblia was the most numerous (152 cases; 2.5%), followed by Entamoeba histolytica (25 cases; 0.4%), Cryptosporidium parvum (23 cases; 0.4%), and mixed infections (8 cases; 0.1%). Patients aged 1-5 years had the largest proportion (69.2%; 144/208) of parasite-positive stool specimens. Parasite-mediated gastroenteritis was most common from June to September. The detection rate gradually increased from 2004 to 2006. This study shows that parasite-mediated gastroenteritis may be significant among children in Korea and that parasite infection surveillance should be constantly performed.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Animals ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Data Collection ; Eukaryota/*isolation & purification ; Feces/parasitology ; Gastroenteritis/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Humans ; Infant ; Protozoan Infections/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Seasons ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Dendritic cells (DCs) are considered the most professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) because of their unique role in initiating immunity against threatening antigens. Recently, hypertonicity has been suggested to be involved in the activation and development of immune cells such as T cells. And tonicity enhancer binding protein (TonEBP) has been thought to play a pivotal role in this process. Here, we studied the maturation status of DCs and expression of TonEBP in DCs exposed to hypertonic condition. METHODS: Murine bone marrow-derived DCs were generated in the presence of GM-CSF for 6 days, and then exposed to hypertonic media. We evaluated the functional capacities and maturation of DCs using flow cytometry, mixed lymphocyte reaction, and cytokine analysis. Also we investigated the expression of TonEBP in DCs cultured in variable hypertonic media. RESULTS: Mild hypertonicity made CD11c+ DCs to have up-regulation of CD40, 80, and 86. DCs exposed to 320 mOsm/kg media stimulated allogeneic T cell proliferation most effectively compared to DCs exposed to other tonic conditions. However, DCs exposed to 400 mOsm/kg media showed similar stimulatory capacities to isotonic control. Consistent with the phenotype changes, IL-1, 6, and TNF-alpha secretion increased in CD11c+ DCs exposed to mild hypertonic condition. Though we confirmed that TonEBP was expressed in CD11c+ DCs, the amount of upregulation was not dependent on the degree of hypertonicity. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that hypertonicity enhances the maturation and activation of DCs.
Antigen-Presenting Cells ; Carrier Proteins ; Cell Proliferation ; Dendritic Cells ; Flow Cytometry ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Interleukin-1 ; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed ; Osmolar Concentration ; Phenotype ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Up-Regulation

PURPOSE: To assess macular function before and after vitrectomy and membrane removal in epiretinal membranes by means of multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG). METHODS: The mfERGs (RETIscan(R), Roland, Germany) of 28 consecutive patients (28 eyes) with idiopathic epiretinal membranes were recorded before epiretinal membrane surgery and 3 to 6 months after surgery. The average retinal response density and implicit time of each local response were estimated as anatomic macular areas corresponding roughly to 5 rings. Preoperative and postoperative responses of mfERG were compared. The correlation of the change of retinal response density and postoperative macular configuration on optical coherent tomography (OCT) was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The postoperative value of P1 amplitude and implicit time were not statistically correlated with the preoperative value (p>0.05). There were no significant correlations between the changes of rings 1 and 2 with regard to the retinal response density of the mfERGs and visual acuity. There was no significant correlation between the change of retinal response density and postoperative macular configuration according to OCT. CONCLUSIONS: The use of mfERGs does not seem useful for predicting clinical prognosis after epiretinal membrane surgery. Further studies of influence of internal limiting membrane removal on mfERG response should be conducted.
Epiretinal Membrane ; Humans ; Membranes ; Prognosis ; Retinaldehyde ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy

In the past, physical castration was adopted to punish sex offenders and prevent the recurrence of sexual crimes. However, it was abrogated because of human right issues and the irreversibility of fertility. Chemical castration of depot injection with hormones was introduced as an alternative method of physical castration. Antiandrogen is the most frequently used hormonal agents. Although there are several positive results such as changes of sexual behaviors and decrease of the recurrence rate of sexual crime after hormonal treatment, it also has serious limitations; difficulties in academic evaluation for control group and placebo effect; difficulties in the assessment of the therapeutic effect; and difficulties to decide the proper duration of treatment. Although the law for chemical castration to control sexual impulses in sex offenders was enforced since July, 2011 in Korea, there are not enough resources for treatment. We reviewed the appropriate references and suggested continuous long-term follow-up studies.
Castration ; Child ; Crime ; Criminals ; Fertility ; Follow-Up Studies ; Human Rights ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Pedophilia ; Recurrence ; Sexual Behavior