No abstract available.
Allografts* ; Cyclosporine* ; Graft Survival* ; Transplants*

No abstract available.
Allografts* ; Cyclosporine* ; Graft Survival* ; Transplants*

BACKGROUND: The success rate of smoking cessation by patients with coronary artery disease is lower than expected and reportedly this rate increases once doctors intervene. The purpose of this study is to help doctors mediate their patients to quit smoking by investigating of smoking behavior following the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and promoting methods of smoking cessation with knowledge of factors influencing smoking cessation. METHODS: A total of 245 male coronary artery disease patients confirmed by coronary angiography in two university hospitals located in Seoul participated in the survey. RESULTS: The smoking cessation rate among the subjects for more than one year was 39.6%. More than 90% of the subjects were aware of the doctors warning about smoking, but no more than 6% of them heard how to actually stop smoking from their doctors. In the smoking cessation group the stress score was lower and the exercise performance rate was higher than the smoking group. Logistic regression analysis revealed the abstinence group succeeded in smoking cessation at higher rate than the drinking group (odds ratio 0.30; 95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.65). CONCLUSION: In recommending that a patient quit smoking, doctors should inform patients that drinking could be a detrimental factor and should promote a smoking cessation program including exercise and stress control. Doctors should educate patients that smoking cessation program will be more effective than sheer will power.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis* ; Drinking ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Secondary Prevention ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking*

PURPOSE: We aim to fabricate a thermoplastic poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) Lab-on-a-Chip device to perform continuous- flow polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) for rapid molecular detection of foodborne pathogen bacteria. METHODS: A miniaturized plastic device was fabricated by utilizing PMMA substrates mediated by poly(dimethylsiloxane) interfacial coating, enabling bonding under mild conditions, and thus avoiding the deformation or collapse of microchannels. Surface characterizations were carried out and bond strength was measured. The feasibility of the Lab-on-a-Chip device for performing on-chip PCR utilizing a lab-made, portable dual heater was evaluated. The results were compared with those obtained using a commercially available thermal cycler. RESULTS: A PMMA Lab-on-a-Chip device was designed and fabricated for conducting PCR using foodborne pathogens as sample targets. A robust bond was established between the PMMA substrates, which is essential for performing miniaturized PCR on plastic. The feasibility of on-chip PCR was evaluated using Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Cronobacter condimenti, two worldwide foodborne pathogens, and the target amplicons were successfully amplified within 25 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we present a novel design of a low-cost and high-throughput thermoplastic PMMA Lab-on-a-Chip device for conducting microscale PCR, and we enable rapid molecular diagnoses of two important foodborne pathogens in minute resolution using this device. In this regard, the introduced highly portable system design has the potential to enable PCR investigations of many diseases quickly and accurately.
Bacteria ; Cronobacter ; Diagnosis* ; Escherichia coli ; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices* ; Plastics* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Polymethyl Methacrylate

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nasal natural killer T (NK/T) cell lymphomas are relatively common in Asia, but the prognostic factors are not well known. The purpose of this research was therefore to evaluate those prognostic factors. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We reviewed and analyzed the medical records of 68 patients diagnosed as nasal NK/T cell lymphomas between 1984 and 2003 at Ajou University Hospital and at Yonsei University Hospital. Prognostic factors that include age, B symptoms, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, Eastern cooperative oncology group (ECOG) performance status, international prognostic indices (IPI), treatment modality, and Ann Arbor tumor stages were analyzed using the methods of univariate and multivariate statistics. RESULTS: The five-year overall survival rate was 43%. By univariate analysis, we found ECOG performance status, Ann Arbor tumor stages, B symptoms, and IPI to be significant prognostic factors of nasal NK/T cell lymphoma. The multivariate analysis showed that ECOG performance status and B symptoms were significant. CONCLUSION: ECOG performance status, Ann Arbor tumor stages, B symptoms, and IPI could all be prognostic factors of the nasal NK/T cell lymphoma. Among these factors, ECOG performance status and B symptoms may be regarded more useful in diagnosis of the disease than others.
Asia ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Lymphoma* ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to observe clinical outcomes of the mother and her infant who were possibly exposed to high blood glucose at least 2-3 months in the early and midterm pregnancy by checking gestational weeks (GW) and the first HbA1c level at initial diagnosis of gestational diabetes (GDM). METHODS: A total of 107 GDM patients and their newborns were subject of this study. GDM patients were newly diagnosed at the Holy Family Hospital of Catholic University from January 2003 until December 2007 and continuously managed in the diabetes center. Patients medical records were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate GW and HbA1c level at the time of diagnosis, and clinical outcomes of mother and newborn baby. RESULTS: The proportion of subjects who had been diagnosed of having GDM according to GW was 7.5%, in less than 24th week of pregnancy; 55.1% in the 24-28th week; 28.0% in the 29-32nd week; and 9.4% 33rd week or more. There were 39 out of 107 subjects (36.4%) with HbA1c levels > or =6.5% and 26 out of 39 subjects (24.3%) with HbA1c levels > or =7.0%. In clinical outcomes of newborn by HbA1c levels, the frequency of delivery of large for gestational age (LGA) infant was higher in mothers diagnosed with GDM after 29th week of pregnancy or with HbA1c levels 7.0% or more (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: If the screening test for gestational DM was delayed, HbA1c level and the risk for LGA seemed to be higher, so it may be necessary to screen GDM no later than 24th week of pregnancy.
Adult ; Diabetes, Gestational/*diagnosis ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated/*analysis ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND: Volume overload is one of the most important, correctable factor for blood pressure control in hemodialysis patient. But objective parameter for the ideal body weight is not available in clinical field yet. Recently inferior vena caval examination became a possible candidate for an objective parameter for intravascular volume status. Therefore we investigated how inferior vena cava changes during hemodialysis compared with total amount of ultrafiltration and ANP, and also the effect of changes of IVC diameter on LVH. METHODS: 43 patients on stable maintainance hemodialysis were enrolled. Among them, 21 patients were on antihypertensive medication. Just before and after the hemodialysis, inferior vena cava diameter, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide and left ventricular mass index were measured for each patient. Inferior vena cava was examined at the level just below the hepatic vein during quiet respiration and left ventricular mass index was calculated. RESULTS: Inferior vena cava at expiration (IVCe) was significantly decreased during hemodialysis (before hemodialysis 21.9 4.9 mm, after hemodialysis 18.3 4.4 mm, p = 0.02). Collasibility index was significantly increased during hemodialysis (before hemodialysis 0.24 0.15, after hemodialysis 0.41 0.19, p < 0.001). Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was significantly decreased during hemodialysis (before hemodialysis 252.3+/-119.0 pg/ml, after hemodialysis 185.6+/-93.2 pg/ml, p<0.001). Total ultrafiltration amount was significantly correlated with collapsibility change (r = - 0.40) and change of ANP (r = -0.41). Left ventricular mass index was correlated with interdialysis weight gain (r=0.39, p<0.05), IVCe after hemodialysis (r=0.48, p < 0.05) in univariate analysis but not in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Collapsibility index of inferior vena cava, IVC diameter and ANP changes reflect the volume change during the hemodiaylsis. Therefore IVC examination can be an objective parameter for volume change during hemodialysis. Postdialysis IVCe correlates weakly with left ventricular mass index but it cannot be an independant risk factor for left ventricular hypertrophy in our study.
Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; Blood Pressure ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Ideal Body Weight ; Multivariate Analysis ; Plasma ; Renal Dialysis* ; Respiration ; Risk Factors ; Ultrafiltration ; Vena Cava, Inferior* ; Weight Gain