No abstract available.
Acidosis, Renal Tubular*

OBJECTIVES: Over the last 30 years, despite the increasing sophistication in medical care, the mortality of acute renal failure(ARF) has remained virtually unchanged at 40-50%, but the reasons remain unknown. This study intend to identify prognostic risk factors influencing survival and predict the mortality in ARF patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 152 patients with ARF who required renal replacement therapy, or whose serum creatinine level above 5 mg/dl, from Jan. 1988 to May. 1995. Multiple factors which may influence mortality were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: 1) Of the 152 patients, 97 were male and 55 were female. The mean age was 47 years and the overall mortality was 36.8%. 2) Based on the univariate analysis, age>60 years, cause of ARF, APACHE II score, number of failing organs, peak serum creatinine level, PaO2, coma, hypotension, ARDS, GI bleeding, ventilatory support, need for antiarrhythmics, DIC, cardiovascular failure, pulmonary failure, neurological failure, and gastrointestinal failure were all significant factors discriminating between survivors and nonsurvivors(p<0.05) 3) By multivariate analysis, hypotension, coma, ventilatory support, and age over 60 years were significant independent predictors influencing survival in ARF patients and logistic equation and logit score were as follows : z=-2.04+1.32(age over 60)+2.18(hypotension)+2.88 (ventilatory support) + 3.28(coma) P=ez/(1+ ez) 4) In ROC(receiver-operating characteristic)curve, when the cutoff point was 0.2, maximum sensitivity was 75% and maximum specificity was 82%. CONCLUSION: In ARF, prognostic risk factors for mortality were age over 60 years, hypotension, assisted ventilation and coma. The logit score by multiple analysis is a reliable predictor of mortality in ARF patients, however the further studies are required to confirm these results.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; APACHE ; Coma ; Creatinine ; Dacarbazine ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Male ; Mortality* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Survivors ; Ventilation

We report herein a case of lymphomatoid papulosis showing atypical clinical manifestations. A 54- year-old man had had recurrent erythematous necrotic papules and nodues, numbering more than 200 lesions at the most aggravated time, on the trunk, extremities, buttok, and face for the last twenty years. Recently, he complained of tender swelling on the neck, axillae, and inguinal lymph nodes accompanied by mild fever and gerneral weakness. We had performed thorough examinations including biopsy from the skin lesions, lymph node, and bone marrow to detect some evidences of transforming to malignant lymphoma, but found no evidence of malignant lymphoma except aneuploidy on DNA histogram. The patients showed proinpt response to methotrexate 10-30mg par week wit,hout showing distinct side reactions to the accurvulated dose of 780mg for the last 16 months.
Aneuploidy ; Axilla ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; DNA ; Extremities ; Fever ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Lymphomatoid Papulosis* ; Methotrexate ; Neck ; Skin

Inflammatory bowel diseases(IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic inflammatory states of the intestinal tract. While the exact mechanisms inducing chronic inflammation are still unclear, it is hypothesized that the inflammation is caused in part by an inappropriate immune response to the intestinal microflora. Although inflammatory diseases are not directly linked to patient survival, symptoms of these diseases significantly decrease quality of life. The incidence rate is higher in western people than eastern people, but the incidence rate of IBD in eastern people, including Korean, is increasing. Recently, it has been reported that IL-17 is an important factor that appears to be involved in IBD induction and progression. This report reviews many recent papers reporting the relationship between IBD and IL-17, which may provide an understanding leading to new means of prevention and treatment for IBD.
Colitis ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Crohn Disease ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Interleukin-17 ; Quality of Life ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta ; Th17 Cells

Post-operative pulmonary complications have been discussed as to causes and preventive methods for a long time. One of these methods is intermittent positive pressure breathing(IPPB) which has been widely advocated, but there are many debates now. We studied the relationship of post-operative pulmonary complications with patient's age, general condition and operation site & duration of IPPB. The results were as follows: 1. The rate of IPPB was 8. 4% of general anesthetic patients. 2. The ratio of medical to surgical patients on in IPPB was 1: 10. 3. We had 13 post-op. pulm. complications with prophylactic IPPB and 4 cases without IPPB. 4. The incidence of post-operative, pulmonary complications increased with the patients age, operative time, number of class in physical status (by ASA) and increased particularly after upper abdominal surgery more than lower abdomen or other sites.
Abdomen ; Anesthesia, General* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intermittent Positive-Pressure Breathing* ; Operative Time

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major global health problem; indeed, there are 250 million carriers worldwide. The host range of HBV is narrow; therefore, few primates are susceptible to HBV infection. However, ethical constraints, high cost, and large size limit the use of primates as suitable animal models. Thus, in vivo testing of therapies that target HBV has been hampered by the lack of an appropriate in vivo research model. To address this, mouse model systems of HBV are being developed and several are used for studying HBV in vivo. In this review, we summarize the currently available mouse models, including HBV transgenic mice, hydrodynamic injection-mediated HBV replicon delivery systems, adeno-associated virus-mediated HBV replicon delivery systems, and human liver chimeric mouse models. These developed (or being developed) mouse model systems are promising and should be useful tools for studying HBV.
Animals ; Global Health ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Host Specificity ; Humans ; Hydrodynamics ; Liver ; Mice* ; Mice, Transgenic ; Models, Animal ; Primates ; Replicon

CD28/T cell receptor ligation activates the NF-kappaB signaling cascade during CD4 T cell activation. NF-kappaB activation is required for cytokine gene expression and activated T cell survival and proliferation. Recently, many reports showed that NF-kappaB activation is also involved in T helper (Th) cell differentiation including Th17 cell differentiation. In this review, we discuss the current literature on NF-kappaB activation pathway and its effect on Th17 cell differentiation.
Cell Differentiation* ; Cell Survival ; Gene Expression ; Ligation ; NF-kappa B* ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; Th17 Cells

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess toxicities of cryoprotectants. METHODS: Toxicities of two cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and 1,2-propanediol (PROH), were investigated using a murine embryo model. Female F-1 mice were stimulated with gonadotropin, induced ovulation with hCG and mated. Two cell embryos were collected and cultured after exposure to either DMSO or PROH. Embryo development was evaluated up to the blastocyst stage. Blastocysts were stained with bis-benzimide to evaluate the cell count and with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick labeling (TUNEL) to assess apoptosis. RESULTS: The total cell count of blastocysts that were treated with DMSO at the 2-cell stage was significantly lower than that were treated with PROH (75.9+/-27.0) or the control (99.0+/-18.3) (p<0.001). On comparison of two cryoprotectant treated groups, the DMSO treated group showed a decreased cell count compared with the PROH treated group (p<0.05). Both DMSO (14.2+/-1.5) and PROH (11.2+/-1.4) treated groups showed higher apoptosis rates of cells in the blastocyst compared with the control (6.2+/-0.9, p<0.0001). In addition, the DMSO treated group showed more apoptotic cells than the PROH treated group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The potential toxicity of cryoprotectants was uncovered by prolonged exposure of murine embryos to either DMSO or PROH at room temperature. When comparing two cryoprotective agents, PROH appeared to be less toxic than DMSO at least in a murine embryo model.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blastocyst ; Cell Count ; Cryoprotective Agents ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase ; Embryonic Development* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Mice ; Ovulation ; Pregnancy ; Propylene Glycol