Nitric oxide (NO) induces apoptotic cell death in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages. To elucidate the roles of SEK1/MKK4, a upstream kinase for both c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) and p38 kinase, on NO-induced apoptosis, we generated clones of RAW 264.7 cells which stably overexpressd kinase inactive SEK1 (RAW/SEK1-Kl) or wild type SEK1 (RAW/SEK1-WT). Treatment of kinase inactive SEK1 transfected RAW 264.7 cells (RAW/SEK1-Kl) with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO generating agent, significantly decreased the cell viability up to 20% of RAW control cells which were treated with the same amount of SNP. However, RAW/SEK1-WT cells were less susceptible to NO induced apoptosis. For a while, caspase-3 like activity in NO treated RAW/SEK1-Kl cells was significantly increased with parallell to apoptotic death rate. However, caspase1 like activity was not affected by NO in any transfectants. The NO induced apoptosis in RAW/SEK1-Kl cells was significantly prevented by the addition of caspase-3 like inhibitor (N-Ac- DEVD-CHO). In addition, the phosphotransferase activity of JNK1 in NO-treated RAW/SEK1-WT is significantly increased, but not in RAW/SEK1-Kl cells. These results suggest that SEK1 may play anti-apoptotic role in RAW cells from NO-induced apoptosis.
Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; Cell Survival ; Clone Cells ; Macrophages ; Mortality ; Nitric Oxide* ; Nitroprusside ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinases

No abstract available.
Cholecystectomy* ; Laparotomy*

Trichotillomania is the cllinical syndrome of alopecia resulting from the repetative pulling, plueking and breaking of ones own hair. We report four cases of trichotillomania in 10 year old children. The lesions were limited to the scalp. All of them had psychiatric problems in the school or home according to a psychiatric consultation. The histopathologic examinatiorii revealed a normal number of hair follices, empty hair follicles and no inflammatory reaction. The treatment led to hair growth in three cases but one case did not respond to the treatment.
Alopecia ; Child ; Hair ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Scalp ; Trichotillomania*

A 6-year-old male patient had been suffering from angular cheilitis and paronychia with fragmentation and dystrophic change of the finger nails. Laboratory findings showed low serum iron level and anemia. Immunologic studies revealed defects in cell mediated immunity. KOH examination and culture of specimens from the lesions showed hyphal elements and growth of Candida albicans respectively. Concomitantly itraconazole and iron sulfate were administered. Four months after treatment he was free of any clinical evidence of the disease.
Anemia ; Candida albicans ; Candidiasis, Chronic Mucocutaneous* ; Cheilitis ; Child ; Fingers ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Iron ; Itraconazole ; Male ; Paronychia

No abstract available.
Cyclic GMP* ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Gene Expression* ; Humans*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight*

Clear cell sarcoma of tendon and aponeurosis is a rare malignant tumor. It occurs chiefly in young adults, predominates in women and is most common in the regions of the foot and ankle. We report a case of clear cell sarcoma of tendon and aponeurosis in s 22-year-old man. he pstient had had a asymptomatic, normal skin colored, relativerly hard, dome shsped nodule on the anterior chest for 6 months. Histopsthologic findings revealed uniform pattern composed of compact nests of round or fusiform cells which had clear cytoplasm and were surrounded by delicate framework of fibrocollagenous tissue, and the individual tumor cell had a fairly regular appearance of possessing round to avoid vesicular nucleus with prominent basophilic nucleolus. One year after surgical excision and post operative radiotherapy, there was no recurrence.
Ankle ; Basophils ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Foot ; Humans ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma, Clear Cell* ; Skin ; Tendons ; Thorax* ; Young Adult

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Nephrotic Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Hepatitis*