The effect of DMSO and sodium butyrate on the production of recombinant hepatitis A virus (HAV) capsid protein VP1 was evaluated and optimized in the culture of stably transfected Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells using culture plates and spinner flasks. The effect of DMSO and sodium butyrate was also evaluated to improve the recombinant VP1 production in stably transfected Drosophila S2 cells. A production level of 0.88 mg of recombinant VP1/liter was obtained in the culture-plate culture of stably transfected S2 cells at 6 days after induction with 0.5 mM CuSO4. The supplements of 2% DMSO and 10 mM sodium butyrate at 4 days post-inoculation increased recombinant VP1 accumulation by 141 and 104%, respectively, resulting in 2.17 and 1.7 mg/liter of recombinant VP1 production. In spinner flasks, recombinant VP1 production reached maximum level at 9 days after induction with 0.5 mM CuSO4, with approximately 4.96 mg/liter of recombinant VP1 production level. When 2% DMSO or 10 mM sodium butyrate was added at 5 days post-inoculation, the recombinant VP1 production was increased to 8.35 and 5.85 mg/liter, respectively. However, the synergistic effects of DMSO and sodium butyrate were not observed. These results indicate that DMSO and/or sodium butyrate can be successfully used to improve the recombinant HAV VP1 production in culture plates and spinner flasks.
Butyrates ; Capsid Proteins ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Drosophila ; Drosophila melanogaster ; Efficiency ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis A ; Hepatitis A virus ; Sodium

Levetiracetam has not been reported to cause purpura. We report a case of purpura associated with levetiracetam. A 81-year-old man suffered from post-stroke seizure. Seizure was well controlled with valproate. Valproate was discontinued due to pancytopenia and levetiracetam was prescribed when he was admitted with pneumonia. A few days later, he recovered from pancytopenia and pneumonia. However, he was rehospitalized due to multiple variable sized-purpura on the whole body surface without thrombocytopenia. After discontinuing levetiracetam, purpura disappeared.
Aged, 80 and over ; Humans ; Pancytopenia ; Piracetam ; Pneumonia ; Purpura ; Seizures ; Thrombocytopenia ; Valproic Acid

Beau's line is a grooved transverse line on the fingernail or toenail, and is considered as a kind of nail disorder, It is known to occur with temporary arrest of nail matrix proliferation. The causes of Beau's line comprise severe systemic illness as well as drug ingestion. A 51-year-old male patient had developed Beau's line on all his fingers after about three months of oxcarbazepine administration. These nail changes disappeared spontaneously with nail growth two months later. The authors report a case of oxcarbazepine induced Beau's line.
Carbamazepine ; Eating ; Fingers ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nails

Osler-Weber-Rendu disease is characterized by epistaxis, cutaneous telangiectasia, and visceral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). A 65-year-old male with recurrent epistaxis, old infarction and recent multiple rib fractures caused by a bicycle accident had middle cerebral thromboembolic infarctions when he stopped taking clopidogrel due to massive epistaxis and hemopneumothorax. On examinations, there was no focal cerebral stenosis, but there were telangiectasia, pulmonary and hepatic AVMs. A suspicious Osler-Weber-Rendu disease patient should be evaluated by proper screening and regular follow-up to minimize serious sequelae such as thromboembolic stroke.
Aged ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Cerebral Infarction ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Epistaxis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemopneumothorax ; Humans ; Infarction ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Rib Fractures ; Stroke ; Telangiectasis

PURPOSE: Retinal blood vessels and cerebral small vessels possess similar characteristics anatomically, physiologically and embryologically. We studied the availability of abnormal fundus findings of patients who had an atherothrombotic ischemic stroke and who have the risk factors. METHODS: Fundus photographs and brain images were taken in patients who had a first-ever symptomatic ischemic stroke of large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) or small vessel occlusion (SVO) from March 2004 to February 2005. We analyzed the association between fundus abnormalities and ischemic stroke subtypes. RESULTS: Based on brain MRI and MRA, a total of 47 patients were classified into SVO and LAA groups. The SVO group consisted of 27 patients (mean age: 69.7 years), and the LAA group consisted of 20 patients (mean age: 65.4 years). The control group comprised 15 patients (mean age: 64.9 years). The baseline characteristics were similar among the three groups. The severity of the retinal arteriolar narrowing and sclerosis were associated with hypertension. Compared to the control group, both the SVO and LAA groups showed more severe arteriolar sclerosis, the SVO group showed more severe arteriolar narrowing and the LAA group showed more frequent AV crossing and retinal exudate. CONCLUSIONS: Retinal arteriolar abnormalities such as arteriolar narrowing and sclerosis are more severe in atherothrombotic ischemic stroke patients. Indirectly, retinal microvascular changes may indicate the status of the cerebral vasculature. Thus, analysis of fundus findings is useful for predicting an atherothrombotic ischemic stroke and planning follow-up examinations.
Arteries ; Arterioles* ; Atherosclerosis ; Brain ; Exudates and Transudates ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retinal Vessels ; Retinaldehyde* ; Risk Factors ; Sclerosis ; Stroke*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between gestational age, tubal ultrasonographic diameter, and serum beta-hCG levels and different stages of trophoblastic infiltration of the tubal wall in tubal pregnancy. METHODS: The 45 cases of fallopian tube containing tubal pregnancy were reviewed. Gestational age, diameter of the tubal mass, and beta-hCG level on the day of surgery were calculated by transvaginal sonography and immunoassay respectively. The tubal pregnancy was classified according to the depth of trophoblastic infiltration: trophoblast limited to the tubal mucosa (stage I), extension to the tubal muscularis (stage II), or complete tubal wall infiltration up to the serosa discontinued by trophoblastic cells (stage III). RESULTS: 14 patients (31.1%) had stage I tubal infiltration, 10 patients (22.2%) had stage II infiltration, 21 patients (46.7%) had stage III infiltration. There was no relationship between gestational age, tubal diameter and stage, but there was a predictable correlation between beta-hCG and the depth of trophoblastic invasion. The median beta-hCG level was 1,332.1 mIU/mL (range, 215-2,995 mIU/mL) for patients with stage I infiltration, 9,548.0 mIU/mL (range, 569-43,989 mIU/mL) for stage II infiltration, and 23,087.9 mIU/mL (range, 1,373-98,000 mIU/mL) for stage III infiltration. Cut off level of beta-hCG for each stage were 1,996.5 mIU/mL (stage I vs II, III) and 5,665 mIU/mL (stage I, II vs III) respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings may explain why beta-hCG is a important predicting factor for invasion of trophoblast in tubal pregnancy.
Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans* ; Immunoassay ; Mucous Membrane ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Tubal* ; Serous Membrane ; Trophoblasts*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the content related to nosocomial infection control in the course on Fundamentals of Nursing. METHOD: Participants were 49 faculty who were teaching courses in Fundamentals of Nursing in universities and colleges in Korea. The questionnaire was composed of 55 items related to nosocomial infection control. RESULTS: Eighteen items out of 55 items were taught in more than 80% of the universities and colleges. These included principles of infection control, principles and effect of hand washing, method of hand washing, hand scrubs, and donning sterile gown and gloves. CONCLUSION: The most effective interventions for infection control, including asepsis, hand washing, infection control for urinary catheterization, and infection control for IV sites were taught in most universities and colleges. However, the time assigned for teaching these items and the importance placed on practice were not considered sufficient.
Asepsis ; Cross Infection* ; Education* ; Hand ; Hand Disinfection ; Infection Control ; Korea ; Nursing* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Urinary Catheterization ; Urinary Catheters

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare changes in learning objectives in Fundamentals of Nursing which were established between 2000 and 2004. METHOD: 2000, 2004 learning objectives were analyzed with frequencies and percents. RESULTS: There was an increase in the total number of learning objectives used in 2004(n=534) over 2000(n=527). In 2004 compared to 2000, there was an increase in learning objectives related to nursing process, need of oxygenation, need of nutrition, need of temperature regulation, need of activity and exercise, need of comfort, medication, preoperative care. According to Bloom's taxonomy, learning objectives established in 2004, mainly consisted of three domains, 35.5% for comprehension, 23.6% for synthesis, 20.4% for knowledge. Changes in learning objectives established in 2004 compared to 2000 decreases in the comprehension domain and increases in the synthesis domain. CONCLUSION: The learning objectives established in 2004 showed remarkable change when compared to those established in 2000. But the learning objective domains in Bloom's taxonomy were distributed unevenly. For better learning objectives in Fundamentals of Nursing, constant revision will be needed.
Classification ; Comprehension ; Learning* ; Nursing Process ; Nursing* ; Oxygen ; Preoperative Care

OBJECTIVE: Atopic dermatitis is a chronically relapsing inflammatory skin disease. However, little is known about the prevalence of atopic dermatitis outside of North America and Europe. We evaluated the nationwide prevalence of atopic dermatitis with the comparison of prevalence between 1995 and 2000, and between Seoul and provincial cities in Korea. We also evaluated the risk factors for atopic dermatitis. METHODS: A cross-sectional ISAAC based questionnaire survey was conducted on random samples of schoolchildren (6 to 15 year olds) in 1995 and 2000. And kindergarten children (5 year olds) were surveyed in 2003, throughout South Korea. RESULTS: The lifetime and last twelve months prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Korean school-aged children was increased from 1995 to 2000. The twelve-month prevalence of atopic dermatitis was higher in Seoul than in other provincial cities in 1995, but the prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Seoul and Provincial Centers became similar in 2000. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Korean school-aged children was increased from 1995 to 2000. The further evaluations that include objective examination are necessary to confirm these outcomes because the environmental and risk factors may be different among the countries according to their life styles.
Child* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Epidemiology ; Europe ; Humans ; Korea* ; Life Style ; North America ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Skin Diseases

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is one of the most serious complication occuring after solid organ transplantation. In general, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of stomach has not been considered to be part of this spectrum, because most of the MALT lymphoma are associated with not EBV but H.pylori. Until now, there have been only a few cases of MALT lymphoma after transplantation. We report case of gastric MALT lymphoma following renal transplantation and review the reported cases in the literatures.
Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; Organ Transplantation ; Stomach ; Transplants