Pulmonary paragonimiasis is one of the most important endemic parasitic disease in Korea. Although it is well known that Paragonimus westermani invades into the lung tissue eventually resulting respiratory failure, the pathogenesis of inducing lung lesions is not fully elucidated. It is still debatable on the nature of morphological component of 'cyst' which is known to be the most consistent change in lung paragonimiasis. For the purpose of clarification of morphological changes associated with pulmonary paragonimiasis, an experimental study was carried out by giving metacercariae of P. westermani to 10 dogs. These dogs were sacrificed 2 months and 6 months after infection respectively, and light microscopic and electron microscopic observations were made. Following conclusions were obtained. Paragonimus lung lesions could basically be classified into two categories, i.e., direct mechanical effects by the worms and eggs, and the changes secondary to the worm infection. The relative importance of these two appeared almost same. Adult worms of P. westermani reside inside the lumina of the dilated bronchi in great majority of the cases. Only exceptions were secondary abscess formation and subsequent scar where no epithelial lining was detected around the worms. In 6 months group almost all P. westermani worms were found inside the bronchial lumina. Obliterative endobronchiolitis was another prominent feature among changes that were not directly associated with worms or eggs. This finding was more prominent in the distal segments of the bronchial trees that harbor the Paragonimus worms. P. westermani eggs were found as isolated and aggregated fashions, provoking characteristic granulomatous inflammation. Some of the egg granulomas were seen in the areas apart from the locations where the worms were physically located. Ultrastructural observations of the cyst wall showed fair numbers of plasma cells and mast cells. Some of the cystlining epithelial cells showed increased deposit of glycogen granules, suggestive of early metabolic alteration of the respiratory epithelium.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Paragonimus westermani ; paragonimiasis ; dog ; lung ; histology ; pathology ; egg granuloma ; plasma cell ; glycogen

No abstract available.
Immune System* ; Neuropeptides* ; Substance P*

No Abstracts Available.
Asthma* ; Neuropeptides*

In an attempt to investigate the specific antigenic substance of Fasciola hepatica, Ouchterlony tests and immunoelectrophoretic analyses were carried out. Crude Fasciola antigen was prepared and fractionated by Sephadex G-200 column to Antigen I, II and III according to protein content. Crude antigens of Paragonimus westermani, Clonorchis sinensis and Paramphistomum sp. were also prepared for control and absorption study. Antiserum was prepared by injecting 0.5 ml of crude Fasciola antigen with same amount of complete Freund's adjuvant in rabbits, 10 times at an interval of l week. The results obtained in this study were as follows: Crude Fasciola antigen reacted with antiserum with 9 precipitin bands by Ouchterlony test and with 11 bands by immunoelectrophoresis. Cross reaction was observed between Paragonimus, Clonorchis and Paramphistomum antigens and anti-Fasciola rabbit serum respectively. By Ouchterlony test, 3-4 cross reacting bands were found. Anti-Fasciola sera which were absorbed with respective Paragonimus, Clonorchis and Paramphistomum antigens, reacted with Fasciola crude antigen. Ouchterlony test gave 5-6 precipitin bands. Further reaction between Fasciola antigen and antiserum absorbed with the above 3 antigens concomitantly gave 5 precipitin bands by Ouchterlony test and 7 bands by immunoelectrophoretic analyses. Fractionated Fasciola antigens (Antigens I, II and III) reacted with anti-Fasciola rabbit serum in immunoelectrophoresis. Antigen I, II and III gave 2, 3 and 5 precipitin bands respectively. Anti-Fasciola rabbit serum which was absorbed with 3 trematodes antigens gave, by immunoelectrophoresis, 1 band with Antigen I, 2 bands with Antigen II and III of Fasciola hepatica. From the above results, it is concluded that Fasciola hepatica possessed the specific antigenic substance not cross-reacted with other trematodes.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Fasciola hepatica ; Paragonimus westermani ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Paramphistomum sp. ; antigen ; immunology ; electrophoresis

The purpose of this study was to identify the children's sleeping patterns, such as the sleeping hours and the nature of sleep disruptions following hospitalization and its accompanying factor. The data were collected from December, 1997 to March, 1998 using a questionnaire developed by researchers. The subjects were 76 children in a hospital. The results of this study were summarized as follows : 1. The average sleeping hours(sleep duration) at night were 10 hours and 10 minutes and 9 hours and 9 minutes before and after hospitalization respectively. There was a significant difference(P<0.01). 2. The mean bed time(sleep onset) was 10:22 pm and 10:28 pm before and after hospitalization respectively. There was no significant difference. 3. The mean hour of rising(sleep termination) was 7:54 am 7:08 am before and after hospitalization respectively. There was a significant difference(P<0.01). 4. The mean number of sleep disruption was 0.72 and 1.94 before and after hospitalization respectively. There was a significant difference(P<0.01). The sleep disruptions were influenced by crying of other children(53.9%), lights(28.9%) nursing procedures(18.4%), noise of TV(17.1%) and noise of visitors(15.8%).
Child ; Crying ; Hospitalization* ; Humans ; Noise ; Nursing ; Child Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Serological studies on toxoplasmosis were conducted with rabbits sera that were immunized with RH strain or infected with Beverley strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Complement fixation tests, agar-gel double diffusion tests and agar-gel immunoelectrophoresis were performed. Toxoplasma crude antigen was prepared from the organisms in mice peritoneal fluids, which were infected with RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii. The organisms were suspended in saline volume originally exudated and counted in hemocytometer for purity of the organisms over 99 per cent. These suspended organisms were prepared by sonication, and the solution was centrifuged for 30 min. at 10,000 rpm in 4C. These supernatant fluids were used as crude antigen. On the other hand, purified antigens were fractionated on Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. A Sephadex G-200 column, 80 by 4 cm, equilibrated with Tris-HCl-(0.1 M)-NaCl (1.0 M) buffer, pH 8.0 was used. The eluate fractions were collected in 3 ml per hour and the absorbance at 280 nm was measured with a Beckman Du-2 spectrophotometer. Each tube is pooled into 6 fractions by protein density graph. For immunization of rabbits, crude antigen of RH strain was emulsified with an equal amount of incomplete Freund's adjuvant and l ml of mixture was injected subcutaneously into them once a week for 5 successive weeks. Antisera were obtained at an interval of a week, beginning the first week after the last immunization, while several rabbits were infected with Beverley strain of Toxoplasma gondii by inoculating about 200 cysts and antisera were obtained from them serially at a week interval. The results were as follows: The sera from the rabbits immunized with the RH strain or infected with Beverley strain of Toxoplasma gondii againist the crude antigen showed the first positive reactions in 2 or 3 weeks after the administration or immunization in complement fixation tests. Maximum titers appeared in 4 or 5 weeks after immunization with RH strain and in 7 or 9 weeks after infection with Beverley strain respectively. Complement fixation tests showed the positive reactions in the rabbits sera immunized with RH strain against the purified antigens II, III, IV, V and VI: moreover, antigen IV fraction showed the highest titer. On the other hand in the rabbits sera infected with Beverley strain against the purifed antigens II, III and IV fractions showed the positive reaction; especially, antigen fraction IV showed the highest titer. In immuno-diffusion tests, the sera from the rabbits immunized with RH strain and infected with Beverley strain, against the crude antigen appeared the precipitin bands 2 weeks after the immunization or infection. And the former showed the 2 or 5 precipitin bands after 5-8 weeks and the latter showed the l or 2 precipitin bands after 6 weeks. The sera from the rabbits immunized with RH strain against the purified antigens II, III, IV,V and VI showed the precipitin bands, and the sera from the rabbits infected with Beverley strain against the purified antigens II, III and IV showed the precipitin bands in the immuno-diffusion tests. Especially antigen IV was the strongest reaction against the sera from RH strain and Beverley strain. In agar-gel immunoelectrophoresis, the immunized sera against the crude antigen showed 8 arcs. But the infected sera against the crude antigen showed 4 or 5 arcs. The immunized sera against the fractionated antigens II, III, IV, V, VI showed arcs, but against the fractionated antigen IV showed 6 arcs and in the antigens II, III, V, VI showed l or 2 arcs only. On the other hand, the infected sera against the fractionated antigens IV showed 4 arcs, II and III showed the l arcs, which was the most weak of all.
parasitology-protozoa-Toxoplasma gondii ; toxoplasmosis ; rabbit ; immunology ; electrophoresis

In an attempt to investigate the sensitivity of immunodiagnosis in cats experimentally infected with Paragonimus westermani, agar-gel precipitin reaction were studied. Metacercariae of P. westermani were administered to cats in various doses(2-100 metacercariae per cat) and antisera were obtained at an interval of a week. Precipitin bands appeared in homologous antigen-antibody in experimental paragonimiasis between 3 and 5 weeks after infection in all the cats. Almost all the cases in which a large number of worms were detected, showed strong reactions as revealed by deeply stained bands. Precipitin reactions did not necessarily parallel with the number of worms detected. This may be attributable to the individual difference of a cat's conditions. Very weak precipitin reactions were noticed between Clonorchis antigen and Paragonimus antisera of cats, but no reactions were noticed between Paragonimus antigen and Clonorchis antisera of cats or rabbits.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; paragonimiasis ; Paragonimus westermani ; immunology ; Clonorchis sinensis ; cat ; rabbit

Possible seasonal differences in serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations have not been studied in newborn infants. Recently we demonstrated sea- sonal differences in bone mineral content (BMC) in newborn infants: lower BMC was present in summer vs. winter-born infants (J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1992; 15: 285). In a second stduy, higher serum osteocalcin, an index of bone formation, and lower BMC were found in summer vs. winter (J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1994; 19: 2207). We speculated that increased serum osteocalcin in summer could be an adaptive response to decreased bone mass. Since growth factors such as IGFs are local regulators of bone formation, we hypothesized that in summer-born infants, serum IGF-I will be higher than in winter, associated with high bone formation activity. Fifty-nine healthy, term appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants were studied prospectively in winter (Jan-Mar, 29) and in summer (July-Sept., 30). Thirty infants were male, and 29 infants were female. Gestational ages and birth weights were not different by season(in summer, mean+SD, 39.61.1 wk, 3,471360 g,' in winter, 39.31.4 wk, 3,402 392 g). Cord serum IGF-I was measured by radioimmunoassay, modified from Furlanetto et al (1977), after acidification and sep-pack extraction of serum, and osteocalcin concentrations were determined by a kit radio-immunoassay. Cord serum IGF-I concentrations were not different by season of birth(summer vs. winter, 20.11.83 vs. 16.5 1.75 ng/mL, p=0.2). No gender differences were found: 18.21.8 vs. 18.2+1.8 ng/ mL in males vs. females. Serum osteocalcin was higher in summer vs. winter-born infants (8.22.3 vs. 4.951.58 ng/mL, p=0.009). BMC was different by season (87.2+ 14.5 vs. 94.1+16.4 mg/cm, p=0.02). Cord serum IGF-I was not related to serum osteocalcin and BMC. We conclude that serum IGF-I concentrations are not different by season or gender, and are not related to bone formation activity and BMC. Thus, IGF -I concentrations in serum are not seasonally regulated, nor associated with an index of bone formation activity.
Birth Weight ; Bone Density ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Male ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Prospective Studies ; Radioimmunoassay ; Seasons*

In an attempt to investigate the antigen-antibody relations and the value of immunodiagnosis for several helminths, Ouchterlony tests and immunoelectrophoreses were carried out. Taenia saginata, Cysticercus sp. of cestodes, Clonorchis sinensis, Fasciola hepatica and Paramphistomum sp. of trematodes,and Ascaris suum of nematodes were used as antigens. On the other hand, antisera were obtained by injecting 0.5 ml each of the above antigens and the same amount of complete Freund's adjuvant into rabbits ten times at an interval of one week. The result obtained in this study are as follows: A larger number of precipitin arcs were demonstrated in homologous antigen-antibody reactions than in heterologous antigen-antibody reactions both in Ouchterlony tests and immunoelectrophoreses. Gross reactions were observed between the different species of the same class, but no cross reactions were noticed when the classes were different with one or two exceptions, such as between T. saginata, F. hepatica and A. suum. In A. suum, the difference between the male and female was more distinct in Ouchterlony test and immunoelectrophoresis than in the examination of organs such as genital organ and coeliac fluid. Immunoelectrophoresis revealed specific arcs and higher sensitive reaction than Ouchterlony test, and was considered to be a more valuable method for identifing species and immunological diagnosis.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; cestoda ; nematoda ; immunoelectrophoresis ; Taenia saginata ; Cysticercus ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Fasciola hepatica ; Paramphistomum sp. ; Ascaris suum ; antigen ; immunology

Although a family-centered approach to health care for developmentally disabled children has been advocated, existing systems of care have not adequately addressed the support needs of the family system and the essential role that parents play in the daily care of these children. The overall purpose of this research is to examine family system adaptation to the care of a developmentally disabled child using the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation Framework. Relationships among family system demands(stressors, strains, transitions, child's illness factors) and family system strengths and capabilities(resource of social support) were examined to determine their separate and combined contribution to explaining the variability inn family system outcomes(family system coping). The subject for this study was 46 families who have a child with developmental disabilities(mental retardation and/or autism) from three special educational programs in Seoul, Korea, Results from correlation and hierachial regression analysis revealed that perceived social support operated as a resiliency factor between family stress and coping. Child and family characteristics appeared to be important predictors of perceived social support and coping. In summary, there is evidence that the resource of social support as a family strength and capability was found to improve the family coping. These findings also must be viewed within the context that sample of families of children with disabilities was relatively small and eligible families from support group of special educational program.
Child ; Delivery of Health Care ; Disabled Children* ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Korea ; Parents ; Self-Help Groups ; Seoul ; Child Health