Due to the inconsistent fluctuation of blood supply for transfusion, much attention has been paid to the development of artificial blood using other animals. Although mini-pigs are candidate animals, contamination of mini-pig T cells in artificial blood may cause a major safety concern. Therefore, it is important to analyze the cross-reactivity of IL-7, the major survival factor for T lymphocytes, between human, mouse, and mini-pig. Thus, we compared the protein sequences of IL-7 and found that porcine IL-7 was evolutionarily different from human IL-7. We also observed that when porcine T cells were cultured with either human or mouse IL-7, these cells did not increase the survival or proliferation compared to negative controls. These results suggest that porcine T cells do not recognize human or mouse IL-7 as their survival factor.

Due to the inconsistent fluctuation of blood supply for transfusion, much attention has been paid to the development of artificial blood using other animals. Although mini-pigs are candidate animals, contamination of mini-pig T cells in artificial blood may cause a major safety concern. Therefore, it is important to analyze the cross-reactivity of IL-7, the major survival factor for T lymphocytes, between human, mouse, and mini-pig. Thus, we compared the protein sequences of IL-7 and found that porcine IL-7 was evolutionarily different from human IL-7. We also observed that when porcine T cells were cultured with either human or mouse IL-7, these cells did not increase the survival or proliferation compared to negative controls. These results suggest that porcine T cells do not recognize human or mouse IL-7 as their survival factor.

PURPOSE: Though it is a general and common method to temporarily stop breast feeding and use whole milk instead for neonatal breast milk jaundice, it may cause some difficulties in continuing breast feeding after the recovery. We study the effect of continuing breast feeding on the treatment of breast milk jaundice and the success of breast feeding afterwards. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 59 neonates who were admitted to Cheil general hospital from Jan 2008 to Aug 2012 for phototherapy due to breast milk jaundice. Subjects were divided into two groups, one with continuing breast feeding (35 cases) during treatment and the other with stopping breast feeding (24 cases). We examined and compared the changes in the level of serum total bilirubin between two groups, as well as the difficulties the mothers might had in continuing or restarting breast feeding after the discharge. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in times of treatment (until reaching the level of serum total bilirubin <13 mg/dL) between two groups (P=0.066). However, the group with temporary stop of breast feeding had difficulties such as nipple confusion and breast engorgement compared to breast feeding group (P=0.001). In long-term follow up, the breast feeding duration (P=0.017) and the rate of exclusive breast feeding for 6 months (P=0.024) were also significantly higher in breast feeding group. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that continuing breast feeding while treating breast milk jaundice is helpful both for successfully continuing breast feeding and preventing problems after discontinuing breast feeding.
Bilirubin ; Breast Feeding* ; Breast* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Jaundice* ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Milk ; Milk, Human* ; Mothers ; Nipples ; Phototherapy ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: The Korean traditional national holidays commonly produce several physical symptoms related to stress. This study was performed to evaluate the degree of the stress from the married women during their Korean traditional biggest holidays. METHODS: The subjects were 99 married women who had visited the Health Promotion Center at a university hospital. For evaluating the stress of the Korean traditional biggest holidays, subjects were allowed to write in subjective stress score based on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. The factors associated with the stress were investigated. RESULTS: The mean (+/- SD) score of the married women's stress of the Korean traditional biggest holidays was 38.7 (+/- 21.9). The score was widely distributed from the 0 to 100. The cases with hobbies to cope with stress showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower stress score than those without hobby. The stress score was inversely correlated with family APGAR score (r = -0.346, P < 0.01). In stepwise multiple regression model, the stress score was related to family APGAR score and hobby to cope with stress (overall R2 = 0.171, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The stress score of the Korean traditional biggest holidays was widely distributed from 0 to 100 in Korean married women. These results suggest that traditional biggest holidays act as a stressor for individual with a range of variable extent.
Apgar Score ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Hobbies ; Holidays ; Humans ; Phosphatidylethanolamines

Infective endocarditis related to pacemaker implantation is a rare complication. However, it is a potentially lethal complication with a mortality rate of 30 to 35%. Infective endocarditis associated with pacemaker implantation usually involves the right heart and tricuspid valve. Conservative treatment without complete removal of the entire pacing system is prone to fail (i.e. result in infection relapse or development of sepsis). Therefore, the total extraction of the entire pacemaker system should be considered as standard therapy for most patients with pacemaker-related endocarditis and for many patients with local infectious symptoms at the site of pacemaker implantation to achieve complete recovery. We report a case of a 42-year-old man with documented pacemaker related left-sided endocarditis that was associated with multiple embolic events. Also, we review the literature regarding pacemaker-related endocarditis and local wound infection, in particular with respect to the modalities of treatment.
Adult ; Aortic Valve* ; Endocarditis* ; Endocarditis, Bacterial ; Heart ; Humans ; Mortality ; Recurrence ; Tricuspid Valve ; Wound Infection

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is a rare condition characterized by multiple gas filled cysts in the intestinal wall. The diagnosis of PCI is usually made by colonoscopy, histology, or radiologic findings. We report a case of PCI in a 35-year-old man. The patient initially complained of watery diarrhea and abdominal bloating for 2 weeks. Simple abdominal X-ray demonstrated numerous, small, round, air densities on the right upper abdomen along the ascending and proximal transverse colon. Colonoscopy revealed numerous, 5-20 mm sized, sessile polypoid, balloon-like distended, protruding subepithelial masses covered with normal colonic mucosa from cecum to proximal transverse colon. We performed a CT colonoscopy and confirmed PCI with multiple air-filled cystic masses along the colonic wall from cecum to proximal transverse colon. The patient was treated with antibiotics and oxygen inhalation for 2 weeks. Follow-up CT colonoscopy revealed marked regression in the number and size of the air-filled cystic masses. Herein, we report the first case of the PCI in Korea diagnosed by CT colonoscopy. Follow-up evaluation with CT colonoscopy was performed after the treatment of the PCI. CT colonoscopy is a useful non-invasive diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis.
Adult ; Colonic Diseases/pathology/radiography ; *Colonography, Computed Tomographic ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa/pathology ; Male ; Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis/*pathology/radiography

A duodenal diaphragm is rare congenital anomaly among the duodenal obstructions. Its symptoms and signs usually appear from birth if the obstruction is complete. However, a diagnosis may be delayed until the patient reaches adulthood in cases of an incomplete obstruction. Treatment of an adult duodenal diaphragm is usually surgical. To our knowledge, there are few reports of the endoscopic treatment of an adult duodenal diaphragm but none in Korea. We report a duodenal diaphragm in a 26- year-old female with epigastric pain, who was treated with an endoscopic membranotomy using an insulated tip knife.
Adult* ; Diagnosis ; Diaphragm* ; Duodenal Obstruction ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Parturition

BACKGROUND: As health screening examinations are becoming more popular, increasing number of patients are found to have hematuria. In case of isolated microscopic hematuria, when to refer these patients to urologists for cystoscopy to find bladder cancer has been a matter of debate. METHODS: From January 1998 to May 2004, 287 patients older than 50 years of age visited our clinic for the evaluation of hematuria. Of these patients, 50 isolated asymptomatic microscopic patients underwent cystoscopy for the evaluation of bladder cancer. Additionally, 275 patients were retrospectively analyzed who had been found to have urologic malignancy during the same period. RESULTS: There were 50 patients (9 men, 41 women) with asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria who agreed to undergo cystoscopy examinations. Cystoscopic findings included normal in 41 patients, benign prostatic hyperplasia in 2 patients, cystitis in 2 patients, ureterocele in 1 patient, bladder neck contracture in 1 patient, urethral stricture in 1 patient, bladder diverticulum in 1 patient and ureter stone in 1 patient, but no bladder cancer was detected. In retrospective analysis, among 22 patients with bladder cancer and initial asymptomatic microscopic hematuria, one patient was found to have bladder cancer by cystoscopy after negative findings on radiologic examinations and urine cytology. CONCLUSION: Cystoscopy in patients with asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria to diagnose bladder cancer seems to be limited in the cost and efficacy aspect in the current study. A prospective multicenter study is needed establish the criteria for cystoscopy in these patients.
Contracture ; Cystitis ; Cystoscopy* ; Diverticulum ; Hematuria* ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Neck ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Retrospective Studies ; Ureter ; Ureterocele ; Urethral Stricture ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

Most cases of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome are secondary to malignant disease and subacute in their presentation. However, the exponential increase in use of indwelling central venous catheters and cardiac pacemakers over the last two decades has resulted in more patients with SVC syndrome. Internal jugular vein cannulation has become the preferred approach for temporary hemodialysis catheter placement following the reports of an increased incidence of subclavian vein stenosis due to subclavian vein catheterization. We describe a patient who developed SVC syndrome after internal jugular vein catheterization. The patient had been swollen the left arm intermittently due to left central vein stenosis for 1 year and experienced balloon angioplasty and stent insertion for three times. We diagnosed the SVC syndrome through the both subclavian venography, which revealed complete obstruction of the left brachiocephalic vein with extensive collateral circulation and mild stenosis of the distal right internal jugular vein. Resolution of the clinical SVC sydrome occurred after catheter removal.
Angioplasty, Balloon ; Arm ; Brachiocephalic Veins ; Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Central Venous Catheters ; Collateral Circulation ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jugular Veins* ; Phlebography ; Renal Dialysis* ; Stents ; Subclavian Vein ; Superior Vena Cava Syndrome* ; Veins ; Vena Cava, Superior*

Most cases of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome are secondary to malignant disease and subacute in their presentation. However, the exponential increase in use of indwelling central venous catheters and cardiac pacemakers over the last two decades has resulted in more patients with SVC syndrome. Internal jugular vein cannulation has become the preferred approach for temporary hemodialysis catheter placement following the reports of an increased incidence of subclavian vein stenosis due to subclavian vein catheterization. We describe a patient who developed SVC syndrome after internal jugular vein catheterization. The patient had been swollen the left arm intermittently due to left central vein stenosis for 1 year and experienced balloon angioplasty and stent insertion for three times. We diagnosed the SVC syndrome through the both subclavian venography, which revealed complete obstruction of the left brachiocephalic vein with extensive collateral circulation and mild stenosis of the distal right internal jugular vein. Resolution of the clinical SVC sydrome occurred after catheter removal.
Angioplasty, Balloon ; Arm ; Brachiocephalic Veins ; Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Central Venous Catheters ; Collateral Circulation ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jugular Veins* ; Phlebography ; Renal Dialysis* ; Stents ; Subclavian Vein ; Superior Vena Cava Syndrome* ; Veins ; Vena Cava, Superior*