BACKGROUND: Primary human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy is a major cause of congenital malformation. We detected primary CMV infection in pregnant Korean women by using an algorithm that comprises CMV IgG, IgM, and IgG avidity tests. METHODS: During a 2-month period, 744 pregnant women who were at 10-19 weeks of gestation were consecutively enrolled in this study. Human anti-CMV IgG and IgM levels in their sera were determined by chemiluminescence immunoassays. Serum samples from the women who were positive for CMV IgG and IgM were assayed by the ARCHITECT CMV IgG avidity test in order to distinguish primary from non-primary CMV infection. Gross examination of the neonates of the women who were positive for CMV IgM was conducted. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of CMV IgG and IgM was estimated to be 98.1% and 1.7%, respectively. The samples from all the women who were positive for CMV IgM or with grey zone results contained high avidity CMV IgG. Seven women with positive CMV IgG and IgM results who completed follow-up up to delivery showed no gross evidence of in utero CMV transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal primary CMV infection was not detected in any of the pregnant women included in this study cohort. CMV IgG avidity test enabled the identification of women who were at a low risk of transmitting CMV infection and provided informative for subsequent pregnancy outcomes. Compared to previous studies, the seroprevalence of CMV IgG antibody across pregnant Korean women remained unchanged.
Adult ; Antibodies, Viral/*blood ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chemiluminescent Measurements ; Cytomegalovirus/*immunology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections/*diagnosis/epidemiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/*blood ; Immunoglobulin M/blood ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/*diagnosis/epidemiology ; Republic of Korea ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Young Adult

This research was initiated as a preliminary work-up of information system development for primary health care delivery by community health practitioners in rural areas in Korea. The study was focused on the necessary information for enhancing the works of the community health practitioners and that required for health promotion and maintenance within the community. The data were obtained by a questionnaire survey from 458 community health practitioners who participated in computer related education from June 25th to September 26th, 2001. Only 288 (62.9%) of 458 responses were selected for evaluation due to incomplete returns. The majority(76.8%) of participants was using computer once a day at the healthcare centers and the duration of computer usage was more than one year in most cases. The primary usage of computer was for making documents, sending and receiving e-mails, and searching information on the internet. On the contrary, other skills and functions as data management, statistics, web development, games, program development, e-business, and searching for books and articles were not as readily utilized. The essential information for enhancing the performance of the community health practitioners appeared to be that related to drugs and diseases primarily. Other items for respondents in the decreasing order of importance were minimizing manual paper-works, computerized business, computer education, and media development and materials for health education, respectively. The overall information need of respondents was the highest on health and disease, and that on others such as health education, health promotion, elderly care, and fitness exercises were high also. In summary, the community health practitioners should have applicable information system to enhance their performance by obtaining necessary health maintenance and promotion information; by networking available resources; and by enabling them to adapt to rapidly changing policies and work environment. The outcome of this study may provide information elements necessary in development of Health Information Systems for community health practitioners.
Aged ; Commerce ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Electronic Mail ; Exercise ; Health Education ; Health Information Systems ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Internet ; Korea ; Primary Health Care ; Program Development

PURPOSE: The administration of recombinant human growth hormone in adults with growth hormone deficiency has been known to improve metabolic impairment and quality of life. Patients, however, have to tolerate daily injections of growth hormone. The efficacy, safety, and compliance of weekly administered sustained-release recombinant human growth hormone (SR-rhGH, Declage(TM)) supplement in patients with growth hormone deficiency were evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This trial is 12-week prospective, single-arm, open-label trial. Men and women aged > or =20 years with diagnosed growth hormone deficiency (caused by pituitary tumor, trauma and other pituitary diseases) were eligible for this study. Each subject was given 2 mg (6 IU) of SR-rhGH once a week, subcutaneously for 12 weeks. Efficacy and safety at baseline and within 30 days after the 12th injection were assessed and compared. Score of Assessment of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults (AGHDA score) for quality of life and serum IGF-1 level. RESULTS: The IGF-1 level of 108.67+/-74.03 ng/mL was increased to 129.01+/-68.37 ng/mL (p=0.0111) and the AGHDA QoL score was decreased from 9.80+/-6.51 to 7.55+/-5.76 (p<0.0001) at week 12 compared with those at baseline. Adverse events included pain, swelling, erythema, and warmth sensation at the administration site, but many adverse events gradually disappeared during the investigation. CONCLUSION: Weekly administered SR-rhGH for 12 weeks effectively increased IGF-1 level and improved the quality of life in patients with GH deficiency without serious adverse events.
Adult ; Aged ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Female ; Growth Hormone/administration & dosage/*adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Human Growth Hormone/*deficiency ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Recombinant Proteins/administration & dosage/*adverse effects/*therapeutic use

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are multipotent and have self-renewal ability, support the regeneration of damaged normal tissue. A number of external stimuli promote migration of MSCs into peripheral blood and support their participation inwound healing. In an attempt to harness the potential beneficial effects of such external stimuli, we exposed human MSCs (hMSCs) to one such stimulus-low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR)-and examined their biological properties. To this end, we evaluated differences in proliferation, cell cycle, DNA damage, expression of surface markers (CD29, CD34, CD90, and CD105), and differentiation potential ofhMSCs before and after irradiation with γ-rays generated using a ¹³⁷ CSirradiator.At doses less than 50 mGy, LDIR had no significant effect on the viability or apoptosis of hMSCs. Interestingly, 10 mGyofLDIR increased hMSC viability by 8% (p<0.001) comparedwith non-irradiatedhMSCs.At doses less than 50 mGy, LDIR did not induceDNA damage, including DNA strand breaks, or cause cellular senescence or cell-cycle arrest. Surface marker expression and in vitro differentiation potential of hMSCs were maintained after two exposures to LDIR at 10 mGy per dose. In conclusion, a two-dose exposure to LDIR at 10 mGy per dose not only facilitates proliferation of hMSCs, it alsomaintains the stem cell characteristics of hMSCswithout affecting their viability.These results provide evidence for the potential ofLDIRas an external stimulus for in vitro expansion of hMSCs and application in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Apoptosis ; Cell Aging ; Cell Proliferation ; DNA ; DNA Damage ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Regeneration ; Regenerative Medicine ; Stem Cells* ; Tissue Engineering