ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The aim of study was to identify the predictors of severe asthma exacerbation with influenza A (H1N1) infection so that intensive care could be initiated immediately. METHODS: Patients were diagnosed influenza A (H1N1), using a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from the nasal aspirates in St. Mary's Medical Center, Busan, Korea, between September, 2009 and February, 2010. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to collect data. Data were analyzed in two groups by severity of asthma exacerbation. The groups were severe groups and mild-moderate. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS ver. 12.0. RESULTS: A total of 1,054 children were diagnosed influenza A (H1N1) infection. Of 1,054, 318 (30.1%) were hospitalized. There were 200 boys (62.9%) and median age was 5.0 years (0.1 to 18.0 years). Among hospitalized, 25.2% (80/318) were diagnosed asthma exacerbation. Among 80 patients, 16 (20.0%) were severe group. and 64 (80.0%) were mild-moderate. High leukocyte counts, neutrophil counts, and C-reactive protein (P or =0.05) were not reliable predictors. CONCLUSION: Among who had influenza A (H1N1) infection with asthma-like symptoms, patients who had not been managed asthma before, had high leukocyte, neutrophil, and C-reactive protein in serum, are likely to progress severe asthma exacerbation.
Subject(s)
Child , Humans , Asthma , C-Reactive Protein , Coinfection , Dermatophagoides farinae , Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus , Eosinophils , Fever , Immunoglobulin E , Immunoglobulins , Influenza A virus , Influenza, Human , Critical Care , Korea , Leukocyte Count , Leukocytes , Medical Records , Mycoplasma , Neutrophils , Retrospective Studies , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Seasons , SinusitisABSTRACT
Transplantation of marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), expanded by culture in addition to whole bone marrow, has been shown to enhance engraftment of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Our hypothesis was that there might be an optimum ratio range that could enhance engraftment. We examined the percent donor chimerism according to the ratio of HSCs to MSCs in non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice. We tested a series of ratios of co-transplanted CD34+-selected bone marrow cells, and marrow-derived MSCs into sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID mice. In all experiments, 1 x 10(5) bone marrow derived human CD34+ cells were administered to each mouse and human MSCs from different donors were infused concomitantly. We repeated the procedure three times and evaluated engraftment with flow cytometry four weeks after each transplantation. Serial ratios of HSCs to MSCs were 1:0, 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4, in the first experiment, 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 1:4 and 1:8 in the second and 1:0, 1:1, 1:4, 1:8 and 1:16 in the third. Cotransplantation of HSCs and MSCs enhanced engraftment as the dose of MSCs increased. Our results suggest that the optimal ratio of HSCs and MSCs for cotransplantation might be in the range of 1:8-1:16; whereas, an excessive dose of MSCs might decrease engraftment efficiency.
Subject(s)
Middle Aged , Mice , Humans , Animals , Adult , Mice, SCID , Mice, Inbred NOD , Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology , Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation/methods , Hematopoietic Stem Cells/cytology , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/methods , Graft Survival/physiology , Cells, Cultured , Cell CountABSTRACT
Transplantation of marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), expanded by culture in addition to whole bone marrow, has been shown to enhance engraftment of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Our hypothesis was that there might be an optimum ratio range that could enhance engraftment. We examined the percent donor chimerism according to the ratio of HSCs to MSCs in non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice. We tested a series of ratios of co-transplanted CD34+-selected bone marrow cells, and marrow-derived MSCs into sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID mice. In all experiments, 1 x 10(5) bone marrow derived human CD34+ cells were administered to each mouse and human MSCs from different donors were infused concomitantly. We repeated the procedure three times and evaluated engraftment with flow cytometry four weeks after each transplantation. Serial ratios of HSCs to MSCs were 1:0, 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4, in the first experiment, 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 1:4 and 1:8 in the second and 1:0, 1:1, 1:4, 1:8 and 1:16 in the third. Cotransplantation of HSCs and MSCs enhanced engraftment as the dose of MSCs increased. Our results suggest that the optimal ratio of HSCs and MSCs for cotransplantation might be in the range of 1:8-1:16; whereas, an excessive dose of MSCs might decrease engraftment efficiency.
Subject(s)
Middle Aged , Mice , Humans , Animals , Adult , Mice, SCID , Mice, Inbred NOD , Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology , Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation/methods , Hematopoietic Stem Cells/cytology , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/methods , Graft Survival/physiology , Cells, Cultured , Cell CountABSTRACT
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) exhibit tremendous genetic variability in their hosts. It is mainly due to two factors: the error-prone nature of the viral reverse transcriptase enzyme and the effects of environmental constraints such as antiviral therapy, cellular tropism, or HIV-specific immune responses. These quasispecies show fluctuation both in the overall divergence and diversity between individual sequences with different duration after primary infection. For better understand the viral quasispecies, we have performed the longitudinal genetic analysis of HIV-1 env gene V1-C5 region (1.2 kb) by two molecular cloning methods. Diversity indicated that 'single clone per PCR' value was higher than that of 'multiple clones per PCR' in subjects: 0.58-3.15 in subject 1 (P<0.05) and 0.28-2.25 in subject 2 (P<0.05). But divergence was similar in both molecular cloning methods. Phylogenetic analysis of longitudinal sequences at different sampling stages revealed the existence of different topologies individually. These data suggested that 'single clone per PCR' is more efficient than 'multiple clones per PCR' in genetic diversity analysis.
Subject(s)
Clone Cells , Cloning, Molecular , Genes, env , Genetic Variation , HIV , HIV-1 , Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase , TropismABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Archival tissues of breast cancer patients were examined for VEGF expression to evaluate the relationship with other clinicopathologic factors and prognostic significance of VEGF in breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Paraffin sections from 76 patients with invasive breast cancer who have been treated at Samsung Medical Center from December, 1994 to April, 1998 were examined for VEGF expression by immunohistochemical staining using anti-VEGF antibody. We analyzed relationships between VEGF expression and tumor size, tumor stage, metastasis, steroid honnone receptors, p53, disease recurrence and survival. RESULTS: Immunostaining showed variable VEGF positivity in the malignant cells and VEGF was detected more frequently in tumors than in adjacent non-tumorous breast tissues. 74 out of 76 (97.4%) was positive for VEGF. We found that the expression of VEGF was strongly correlated with the stages of breast tumor (P=0.020), lymph node metastasis (P=0.043) and PR (P=0.016). However, we could not find statistically significant relationship between VEGF expression and tumor size, ER, p53 and distant metastasis. CONCLUSION: VEGF may be a useful prognostic indicator in patients with breast cancer, especially correlated with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis. This result warrants further study to confirm our findings.