No abstract available.
Lymphocytes*

BACKGROUND: Allergen-specific immunotherapy ( IT ) can be an important adjunctive therapy in the treatment of allergic disorders. Although a number of studies have shown that cytokine production by T cells may be modified by IT, IT-induced chsnges at the single cell level in allergen -specific Th ( T helper ) and Tc ( cytotoxic T ) responses have not been reported. Objective : The objectives of the present study were ( 1 ) to demonstrate differences in the house dust mite(HDM)-induced cytokine production patterns of Th and Tc cells between untreated and treated HDM allergic patients and ( 2 ) to determine whether there are differences between child and adult patients in Th and Tc cell responses to HDM. METHOD: This study included twenty Dermatophagoides farinae (Df)-sensitive asthmatics ( ten children and ten adults ), of which five children and five adults received immunotherapy to Df over a 1.5- to 3-year period. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMC ) were isolated from peripheral blood of each patient and cultured in the presence of IL-2 ( 10ng/ml ) and Df extract (100ug/ml) for 6 days. After harvesting cultured cells, Th and Tc cell frequencies were determined by a multiparameter cytokine flow cytometric assay that allows simultaneous determination of intracellular IFN-r and IL-4 in CD4+ or CD8+ cells. RESULTS: Predominant Th2 responses to Df were observed in all untreated child patients, three untreated adult patients, and two treated adult patients. On the other hand, predominant Thl responses to Df were observed in all treated child patients, two of untreated adult patients, and three of treated adult patients. Predominant Tcl responses to Df were observed in all groups of patients. However, Tcl responses were more prominent in adults than in children and in treated adult patients than in untreated adult patients. In children, there were no differences in predominant Tcl responses except in one treated child, in whom more prominent Tcl response was observed.
Adult ; Cells, Cultured ; Child ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dust ; Hand ; Humans ; Immunotherapy* ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; T-Lymphocytes

No abstract available.
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of an exercise program using isometric and isotonic thera band exercises. METHODS: Data were collected from 30 total knee replacement patients hospitalized in the orthopedics department at 'B' hospital (control=15, experimental=15). The control group performed isometric exercises for one week while the experimental group performed three or more rounds of both isometric and isotonic exercises, including Thera-Band(R) exercises, everyday for four weeks. RESULTS: The experimental group improved significantly in muscular strength (Z=-1.99, P=0.047) and self-efficacy (Z=19.48, P=0.000), and showed lower levels of depression than the control group (Z=8.60, P=0.003). However, no difference was found in pain experience between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise programs using the isometric and Thera-Band(R) resistance training improve muscular strength and self-efficacy and relieve depression in total knee replacement patients.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Depression ; Exercise ; Humans ; Orthopedics ; Resistance Training

BACKGROUND: This study aimed at assessing the knowledge of the general public about novel influenza and the extent of preventive measures undertaken when information on novel influenza and its preventive measures was extensively broadcasted during the novel influenza outbreak. METHODS: Between September 21 and October 31, self-report questionnaires were distributed to 1,200 persons. The completed questionnaires were collected from 1,025 persons. The collected data was used to determine the frequency and percentage as well as to conduct analyses such as t-test, ANOVA, and logistic regression by using SPSS WIN 12.0. RESULTS: The knowledge on novel influenza and the performance of preventive measures were scored at 6.58 and 5.10, respectively, on a scale of 12. This finding suggested that the knowledge on novel influenza and the performance of preventive measures were low. The significant factors influencing the participants' knowledge on novel influenza were age and the experience of watching relevant educational programs on television, whereas the factors influencing the performance of preventive measures were academic career, working status, and the experience of watching relevant educational programs on television. Between knowledge and implementation of preventive measures, there was positive correlation at low level (r=0.112, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this study demonstrated that factors influencing the knowledge on and the performance of preventive measures against a disease should be considered when developing prevention strategies, such as broadcast of educational programs on television, against influenza or similar infectious diseases during an outbreak.
Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Logistic Models ; Pandemics ; Television ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Drug Eruptions*

The causes of hypocalcemia in patients suffering from severe infection including sepsis are largely uncertain. So we measured serum albumin, total protein, cholesterol, PTH, and calcitonin of the infection-associated hypocalcemic children and compared with those of normocalcemic children suffering from tsutsugamushi disease. All had normal renal functions and had been admitted to the department of pediatrics of Gyeongsang National University Hospital. Hypocalcemic patients were hypoalbuminemic. Serum total calcium was inappropriately more decreased compared to the decreased amount of serum albumin in the hypocalcemic group. We also observed more frequent incidence of hypocholesterolemia (<100mg/dL) in this group. And serum PTH was appropriately elevated in the hypocalcemic patients. Serum calcitonin was elevated in both groups, but 6 times higher in the hypocalcemic group than in the normocalcemic one. Serum total calcium was positively correlated with serum albumin and negatively correlated with serum PTH and calcitonin.
Calcitonin ; Calcium ; Child ; Cholesterol ; Humans ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Hypocalcemia* ; Incidence ; Pediatrics ; Scrub Typhus ; Sepsis ; Serum Albumin

Torsades de pointes, a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia associated with prolonged QT interval, is a well-known life-threatening arrhythmia, which has been found to be induced by various causes such as drugs, electrolyte imbalances, and severe bradycardia. Cisapride is a gastrointestinal prokinetic drug, which is widely used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease or other functional gastrointestinal disorders. Cisapride can cause torsades de pointes and cases of torsedes de pointes induced by cisapride have been reported in other countries. Cases of torsades de pointes associated with antihistamine drugs have been reported in Korea, however, cisapride-induced torsades de pointes case has not been reported. We report a case of 31 year-old female patient who experienced repeated loss of consciousness due to cisapride-induced torsades de pointes.
Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Bradycardia ; Cisapride* ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Humans ; Korea ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Torsades de Pointes* ; Unconsciousness

We report a case of multiple eccrine hidrocystoma (MEH) in a 57-year-old woman who had asymptomatic, discrete, skin-colored, shiny, firm papulovesicles on the face. These lesions enlarged during summer or when the patient did housework, and decreased in sue during winter or rest. Histologic examination showed a dilated, unilocular, cystic, invaginated structure within the middle dermis. The wall of the cyst generally consisted of two layers of Rat or cuboida1 epithelial cells. Decapitation secretion and myoepithelial cells were not observed. The lesions improved markedly with 1% topical atropine sulfate.
Animals ; Atropine* ; Decapitation ; Dermis ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Hidrocystoma* ; Housekeeping ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Rats

Cutaneous or subcutaneous metastases occur in 2% to 9% of visceral malignancies. Skin metastases are seen most commonly from carcinomas of the breast, lung, large intestine. Skin metastases of prostatic origin are quite uncommon and preferentially localized to the lower abdomen and genital area. Two cases of cutaneous metastases of prostatic origin have been reported in the Korean dermatological literature in our review. We report a case of cutaneous metastases from prostatic cancer
Abdomen ; Breast ; Intestine, Large ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Skin