No abstract available.
Korea* ; Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Rickettsia*

14-3-3 proteins are cytoplasmic proteins of about 29 kDa and have a minimum of seven isoforms. This protein is important in signal transduction with the ability of binding with phosphoserine of many signalling proteins. We expressed 14-3-3 protein tagged with 6 histidine residues in E. coli and purified the protein by nickel affinity chromatography. Using this purified protein as an antigen, we made rabbit antisera and mouse monoclonal antibodies to 14-3-3 zeta isoform. We subcloned cDNA of 14-3-3 zeta isoform derived from HeLa cell lamda gt 11 library into an E. coli expression vector which is designed to express heterologous protein with N- terminal 6 hidtidine tag. BALB/c mice were immunized with purified 14-3-3 protein and the hybridoma clones which produce monoclonal antibodies angainst 14-3-3 protein were selected. These monoclonal antibodies reacted with the recombinant protein expressed in E. coli as well as the 29-kDa native protein in various cell lines. However, they did not immunoprecipitate 14-3-3 protein. The monoclonal antibodies produced in this study can be valuable tools for the identification of the 14-3-3 in signal transduction study.
14-3-3 Proteins ; Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Cell Line ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Clone Cells ; Cytoplasm ; DNA, Complementary ; Escherichia coli* ; Escherichia* ; HeLa Cells ; Histidine ; Humans* ; Hybridomas ; Immune Sera ; Mice ; Nickel ; Phosphoserine ; Protein Isoforms ; Signal Transduction ; Staphylococcal Protein A

No abstract available.
Spine*

No abstract available.

Orientia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus, is an obligate intracellular parasite. Previously we have shown that it persistently infect the human endothelial cell line ECV304. In this study, we have investigated the mechanism of in vitro persistent infection, which could be maintained for over a year without addition of normal cells. The persistently infected cultures exhibited cyclic changes in the host cell number, which resulted in a net increase of cell number. Floating cells detached from the culture plate bottom were filled with rickettsial cells and lost normal morphology. Only part of attached EVC304 cells was infected with O. tsutsugamushi. Some of ECV304 cells that still attached to the bottom were free of rickettsial cells. Rickettsial cells in the floating cells could not effectively infect new EVC304 cells while those in the attached cell could infect new cells with high efficiency. Host cells that allowed vigorous rickettsial multiplication and resultantly lost viability, and low of infectivity of the bacteria in the dead cells might have allowed in vitro persistent infection of O. tsutsugamushi.
Apoptosis ; Bacteria ; Cell Count ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Parasites ; Scrub Typhus

No abstract available.
Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Rickettsia* ; Ulsan*

No abstract available.
Intussusception*

BACKGROUND: Although exact mechanism of adult respiratory distress syndorme (ARDS) is not known, many evidences suggest that inflammatory mediators such as protease and oxygen radicals may be the final common pathway to the endothelial injury. It is gradually accepted that activated neutrophils play a major role in the process. Pentoxifylline is a methylated xanthine with a wide range of actions that make it theoretically useful in the treatment of ARDS. Studies show that it decreases neutrophil phagocytosis and superoxied production. The aim of this experiment is to determine whether pentoxifylline has a preventive effect on oleic acid-induced lung injury. METHODS: Oleic acid (0.08 ml/kg) was infused in 10 mongrel dogs in order to induce acute lung injury. Pentoxifylline (20 mg/kg) was administered 40 mins before oleic acid injection. The author made a comparative studies on the effects of pentoxifylline on hemodynamics and gas exchange before oleic acid injection and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 mins after oleic acid injection. RESULTS: There were not significant changes in mean arterial pressure, cardiac output, systemic vascular resistence, pulmonary wedge pressure intrapulmonary shunt in both groups. There were statistical significance in arterial oxygen tension, pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance between both groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pentoxifylline is a noteworthy drug that could be a candidate as a therapy to help prevent effect in lung injuries that share a common mechanism with oleic acid-induced lung injury.
Acute Lung Injury ; Adult ; Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Dogs ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Lung Injury* ; Lung* ; Neutrophils ; Oleic Acid ; Oxygen ; Pentoxifylline* ; Phagocytosis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Vascular Resistance ; Xanthine

Schwannomas are neurogenic tumors that arise from Schwann cells of the neural sheath. They are most often benign and solitary. Ancient schwannoma is a rare variant of schwannoma with a typical characteristics of a slow growing benign tumor. A case of ancient schwannoma which originated from the lingual nerve has not been reported in the literature yet. The clinical and histological aspects of this tumor are discussed and the literature regarding this rare entity is reviewed.
Lingual Nerve* ; Neurilemmoma* ; Schwann Cells

To present a case of unusual dorsal epidural gas (EG) accumulation after a simple lumbar microdiskectomy (MD), treated with computed tomography (CT)-guided needle aspiration.A 78-year-old woman underwent simple lumbar MD at the L3–4 level. One week after the operation, the patient complained of severe back pain radiating to the right thigh. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT revealed huge EG formation at the dorsal L3–4 epidural space. Conservative treatment did not resolve the patient's pain. We performed CT-guided needle aspiration after 1 week of conservative treatment. The patient's pain fully resolved after aspiration, but it recurred 1 week later. Follow-up MRI and CT revealed reaccumulation of the dorsal EG at the L3–4 level. CT-guided needle aspiration was repeated, again leading to full pain resolution. Follow-up CT 6 months after the second aspiration showed no recurrent dorsal EG. The patient has been symptom-free for 1 year since the second aspiration. CT-guided needle aspiration is a safe and effective alternative to reoperation in the context of dorsal EG formation after MD.