Nicotine is one of the major components of cigarette smoking which causes various systemic and local diseases to human body. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of nicotine on bone mineralization in human fetal osteoblasts cell line(hFOB1). To compare the alkaline ph-osphatase(ALP) synthesis, hFOB1 were cultured with DMEM/F-12 1:1 Mixture and 100 pg/ml, 1 ng/ml, 10 ng/ml, 100 ng/ml, 1 microgram/ml, 10 microgram/ml, 100 microgram/ml of nicotine. And to compare the calcium accumulation, hFOB1 cultured for 23 days were quantified and photographed. ALP activity of hFOB1 exposed to nicotine was not significantly changed at a lower concentrations of nicotine, but was significantly decreased at a higher concentrations (10 microgram/ml, 100 microgram/ml) of nicotine (p<0.05). A quantified calcium acculation in hFOB1 was significantly decreased at 1, 10, and 100microgram/ml of nicotine (p<0.05). Significantly decreased calcium deposition was observed at 1, 10, and 100microgram/ml of nicotine. These results indicate that a higher concentration of nicotine show a negative effects on mineralization of hFOB1.
Calcification, Physiologic ; Calcium ; Human Body ; Humans* ; Nicotine* ; Osteoblasts* ; Smoking

PURPOSES: The purposes of this study were to identify factors related to burden and well-being in primary caregivers of patients who have had a stroke and examine the correlation between burden and well-being of the caregivers. METHODS: Between April 2006 to June 2007 data were collected using self-report questionnaires and interviews with 85 primary caregivers of stroke patients in C University Hospital. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test and Pearson's correlation with SPSSWIN 15.0. RESULTS: Factors related to burden of primary caregivers were sex and activities of daily living of the patients, and age, education level and satisfaction with income of the caregivers. The factors related to well-being of primary caregivers were sex of patients, and age and education level of caregivers as well as cohabitation with the patient. A negative correlation was found between burden and well-being of the caregivers (r= -.393, p<.001). CONCLUSION: These results indicate a need to develop a nursing intervention program for caregivers and education program for other family members to reduce caregiver burden. These programs should lead to improvements in the well-being of the caregiver.
Activities of Daily Living ; Caregivers ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Stroke

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Pregnancy* ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic* ; Spermatozoa*

BACKGROUND: In the Republic of Korea, Plasmodium vivax malaria, which had disappeared since 1984, re-emerged in 1993. Currently, malaria is becoming a serious public health problem in the Republic of Korea. The diagnosis of malaria has relied on microscopic examination such as thin and thick blood smears. However, even for expert microscopists, this test is a laborious and time-consuming procedure. Therefore, the development of a reliable, easy, and convenient diagnostic test is crucial. Recently, the LG malaria anti-PvTM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for the detection of a specific antibody against the merozoite surface protein (MSP) of P. vivax was developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic kit for P. vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea. METHODS: To determine the usefulness of the LG malaria anti-PvTM as a diagnostic kit for vivax malaria, a total of 59 serum samples from patients with P. vivax malaria were tested. The patients were diagnosed microscopically and the parasitemia index of their blood was calculated. Sera from 203 uninfected healthy blood donors, which were microscopically negative for Plasmodium vivax, were used as negative controls. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the LG malaria anti-PvTM were 98.31% (58/59) and 98.03% (199/203), respectively. The false-positive and false-negative rates were 1.97% (4/203) and 1.69% (1/59), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic kit, LG malaria anti-PvTM, might be a useful tool for diagnosis and screening of P. vivax malaria in Korea.
Blood Donors ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Korea ; Malaria* ; Malaria, Vivax* ; Mass Screening ; Merozoites ; Parasitemia ; Plasmodium vivax* ; Plasmodium* ; Public Health ; Republic of Korea* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

A pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a very rare disease entity that is usually asymptomatic; however, it may present with a massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Recent advances in cross-sectional imaging and the widespread availability of angiography have contributed to the diagnosis of this condition. A patient was transferred to our clinic due to unknown origin gastrointestinal bleeding and upper abdominal pain. Double balloon enteroscopy and duodenoscopy revealed a bleeding pancreatico-cholangio-duodenal fistula. We were able to diagnose an arteriovnous malformation with a pancreatico-cholangio-duodenal fistula by the use of angiography and from the post-operative pathological findings.
Abdominal Pain ; Angiography ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Diagnosis ; Double-Balloon Enteroscopy ; Duodenoscopy ; Fistula ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Pancreas ; Rare Diseases

BACKGROUND: Administering extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome has substantially increased over the last decade, however administering ECMO to patients with hematologic malignancies may carry a particularly high risk. Here, we report the clinical outcomes of patients with hematologic malignancies and severe acute respiratory failure who were treated with ECMO. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the medical records of patients with hematologic malignancies and severe acute respiratory failure who were treated with ECMO at the medical intensive care unit of a tertiary referral hospital between March 2010 and April 2015. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients (9 men; median age 45 years) with hematologic malignancies and severe acute respiratory failure received ECMO therapy during the study period. The median values of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, Murray Lung Injury Score, and Respiratory Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Survival Prediction Score were 29, 3.3, and -2, respectively. Seven patients received venovenous ECMO, whereas 8 patients received venoarterial ECMO. The median ECMO duration was 2 days. Successful weaning of ECMO was achieved in 3 patients. Hemorrhage complications developed in 4 patients (1 pulmonary hemorrhage, 1 intracranial hemorrhage, and 2 cases of gastrointestinal bleeding). The longest period of patient survival was 59 days after ECMO initiation. No significant differences in survival were noted between venovenous and venoarterial ECMO groups (10.0 vs. 10.5 days; p = 0.56). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with hematologic malignancies and severe acute respiratory failure demonstrate poor outcomes after ECMO treatment. Careful and appropriate selection of candidates for ECMO in these patients is necessary.
Adult* ; APACHE ; Critical Illness ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Hematologic Neoplasms* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Lung Injury ; Male ; Medical Records ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Respiratory Insufficiency* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Weaning

PURPOSE: Recent studies have demonstrated that probiotics are effective in the management of allergic diseases, but there have been few reports about their preventive effects in asthma. We examined the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) and its mechanism in the primary prevention of asthma. METHODS: Before allergen sensitization, newborn Balb/c mice orally received 1x10(9) colony forming unit (CFU) LA per day every 2 days for consecutive 4 weeks starting from birth. After ovalbumin sensitization and challenge from day 36, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to methacholine, influx of inflammatory cells to the lung, serum total IgE levels, cytokine levels in the supernatant of splenocytes culture, and expression of FoxP3 mRNA in the peribronchial lymph nodes were assessed. RESULTS: The AHR showed a tendency to decrease in LA group, however, there was no statistical significance. The eosinophil counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum total IgE were significantly reduced in LA group compared with asthma control group. LA effectively induced IFN-gamma secretion and inhibited IL-4, IL-5 and TGF-beta1 secretion compared with asthma control group. The expression of FoxP3 mRNA in peribronchial lymph nodes did not show any difference between LA and asthma control group. CONCLUSION: Oral LA administration in murine model of asthma attenuated AHR and significantly suppressed eosinophilic inflammation in the airway. These effects of LA were mediated by suppressing Th2 immune response and enhancing Th1 immune response. The results may suggest the possible role of LA in the primary prevention of asthma.
Animals ; Asthma ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Infant, Newborn ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-5 ; Lactobacillus ; Lactobacillus acidophilus ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Methacholine Chloride ; Mice ; Ovalbumin ; Parturition ; Primary Prevention ; Probiotics ; RNA, Messenger ; Stem Cells ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

BACKGROUND: Congenital heart disease may be complicated by pulmonary hypertension. We assessed whether inhaled nitric oxide would produce selective pulmonary vasodilation in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: Inhaled low dose (10 20 ppm) nitric oxide was administrated in patients who were at risk of pulmonary hypertension after operations for congenital heart disease. To identify the nitric oxide effects, we evaluated hemodynamic and ABGA data before (T0) and after (T1) inhaled nitric oxide and just before (T2) decreasing concentration of inhaled nitric oxide. RESULTS: Inhaled nitric oxide decreased pulmonary arterial pressure and increased PaO2/FiO2 without decreasing systemic arterial pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Inhaled nitric oxide selectively decreased pulmonary arterial pressure in patients with congenital heart disease complicated by pulmonary artery hypertension.
Arterial Pressure ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Diseases* ; Heart* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Pulmonary Artery ; Vasodilation

The neuroma is a tumor of nerve tissue that partially or completely severed through incomplete regeneration process. Neuromas that formed in the stump of a limb following amputation is a cause of the stump pain and can make intractable pain. The authors report a rare case of 36-year-old man with neuroma at stump, which has been recurred three times. This patient was treated with end-to-end neurorrhaphy after resecting neuroma. Follow-up at out-patient clinic showed satisfied result.
Adult ; Amputation* ; Extremities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forearm* ; Humans ; Nerve Tissue ; Neuroma* ; Outpatients ; Pain, Intractable ; Regeneration

No abstract available.
Melanoma*