A study was performed to investigate a relationship between the status of T lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood and the pathogenesis of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) reactions. T lymphocyte subsets, B lymphocytes and serum immnnoglobulin levels were explored in 40 leprosy patients (10 tuberculoid (TT), 17 lepromatous (LL), and 13 lepromatous with ENL). In patients with LL, suppressor cells increased and helper cell diminished, resulting in a decrease in the helper/suppressor (Th/Ts) ratio to 0.86 + 0.20, as compared with controls (1. 77 + 0.41). But in ENL patients, there was a significant diminution of suppressor cells and an increase of helper cells, resulting in an increase in Th/Ts ratio to 2.08 + 0.30. Four weeks after treatment of ENL, Th/Ts ratio decreased to l.18+ 0.31 again. The mean percentages of B cells and serum immunoglobulin levels in with LL. and ENL increased significantly compared with controls. Only IgG increased in patients with ENL compared with patients with LL. The results in patiients with TT did not differ significantly from those of controls. The findings suggest that cell-mediated immune responses, imbalance in T lymphocyte subsets, may play a role in the pathogenesis of ENL, either directly or by inducing an antibody critical to the formation of the immune complex
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; B-Lymphocytes ; Erythema Nodosum* ; Erythema* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulins ; Leprosy ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets* ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer

STUDY DESIGN: A case report. OBJECTIVES: This case report presents a child who was treated conservatively after having being diagnosed with cervical intervertebral disc calcification. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Cervical intervertebral disc calcification is considered as a degenerative change of spine. It is common in adults and in most cases, no symptoms are observed. In children, by contrast, it is a rare condition and frequently accompanies symptoms such as severe neck pain and dysphagia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 7-year-old male patient who suffered from neck pain and torticollis without trauma had been diagnosed with cervical intervertebral disc calcification and was treated conservatively. He was discharged after symptom relief, and has been followed up and observed in our outpatient department. RESULTS: The improvements of symptom and radiographic findings were found in the month follow up. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical intervertebral disc calcification shows similar symptoms to laryngopharyngeal abscess, traumatic injury and infective spondylitis, but through careful physical examination and radiologic evaluation, differential diagnosis is possible. After diagnosis, conservative treatment alone is sufficient. Antibiotic usage and surgical treatment are avoidable.
Abscess ; Adult ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Male ; Neck Pain ; Outpatients ; Physical Examination ; Spine ; Spondylitis ; Torticollis

The cytolytic activity of CD4' T cells, both human and murine, has been clearly demonstrated in the immune response to mycobacterial infection and suggested to play a significant role in the protection and immunopathology. However, Uttle is known about the differentiation of CD4' CTL. In order to address this issue, we examined the influences of some factors on the generation of CD4' CTL specific to mycobacterial antigens. After 7 days' stimulation of PBMCs from healthy tuberculin reactors with mycobacterial antigens, the cytolytic activity of purised CD4' T cells toward autologous macrophages infected with mycobacteria was measured by Cr release assay. First, we found that both of live M. tubeiculosis and soluble antigens (ST-CF) induced the cytolytic activity of CD4' T cells, although the inducibility of the former was slightly greater than the latter. Second, the cytolytic activity was maximally induced at the relatively low antigen concentration (0.2:1 bacteria:monocyte ratio or 0.5 mg/ml of ST-CF). Finally, in the presence of increasing amounts of neutralizing anti-IL-12 or anti-IFN-r MoAb, the cytolytic activity of CD4+ T cells was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that low dose of antigen, its particulate type give mycobacteria), IL-12, and IFN-r give some positive signals for the generation of CD4+ CTL.
Humans ; Interleukin-12 ; Macrophages ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Tuberculin

No abstract available.
Epithelial Cells* ; Salmonella typhimurium* ; Salmonella*

No abstract available.
Coronary Aneurysm* ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Paraquat* ; Poisoning*

For the purpose of morphologic analysis of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) antigens reacting with specific monoclonal antibodies, we observed HCMV particles after immunogold staining. HCMV was cultured in human fetal lung fibroblasts to be concentrated by polyethylene glycol 6,000. The HCMV stock was dropped onto Formva-coated grids and was fixed by 2% glutaraldehyde. The grids were reacted with MCMVA57, 93, 135 or with SCMVM1, 6, 14, 49 monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) follwed by gold (10 nm)-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG. Then the grids were stained with 2.5% uranyl acetate to be observed under Hitachi 500 or Jeol 1,200 electron microscope. When HCMV was reacted with SCMVM14 and SCMVM49 MoAbs, gold particles were adsorbed to virion envelopes, suggesting that the reactive antigens were envelope proteins. In cases of MCMVA135 and SCMVM6 MoAbs, gold particles were adsorbed to dense bodies as well as to virion envelope. These results, together with the previous results of immunologic and genetic characterization, suggested that the reactive antigens of MCMVA135 and SCMVM6 MoAbs were gB homologue and structural protein, respectively. In case of SCMVM1 MoAb, gold particles were adsorbed to capsids, envelopes, and dense bodies, suggesting that the reactive antigen was structural protein. In case of SCMVM8 MoAb, gold particles were observed between the envelopes and capsids, which space was supposed to be the tegument, suggesting that the reactive antigen was carbohydrate moiety of glycoprotein or its polymer. In cases of MCMVA57 and MCMVA93 MoAbs, gold particles were adsorbed to only dense bodies, suggesting that the reactive antigens were precursors of structural proteins.
Antibodies, Monoclonal* ; Capsid ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Fibroblasts ; Glutaral ; Glycoproteins ; Goats ; Humans* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Lung ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Polymers ; Virion

No abstract available.
Myositis Ossificans* ; Myositis*

No abstract available.
Aspirin* ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*

OBJECTIVES: This study was done to examine the risk factors for the dyspnea of retired coal miners in Korea. METHODS: Eight hundred and sixteen male workers who took the health examination for retired coal miners in the T hospital were recruited, in this study and their health examination records were employed to assess the risk factors for dyspnea. Both univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the relationship between known risk factors and the presence of dyspnea. RESULTS: Variables in the univariate analysis, which showed a significant relationship with dyspnea were age(>or=60 years) (OR : 2.20, 95% CI : 1.63-3.00), work duration(>or=2 0 years) (OR : 1.67, 95% CI : 1.24-2.25), profusion of small opacity(>or=1/0) (OR : 1.81. 95% CI : 1.30-2.51), large opacity(>or=A) (OR : 2.19, 95% CI : 1.30-3.70), and the ratio of the distance between the start of the first division of the right and left main pulmonary arteries divided by the transverse diameter of the thorax (cor pulmonale index)(>or=0 . 3 6 ) (OR : 2.37, 95% CI : 1.77-3.17). The multivariate analysis using logistic regression analysis showed age(>or=60 years)(OR : 1.69, 95% CI : 1.28-2.21), smoking amount(>or=1 filters/day) (OR : 1.61, 95% CI : 1.06-2.45), no experience of having quit smoking (OR : 1.40 95% CI : 1.06-1.84), and the cor pulmonale index(>or=0.36)(OR : 1.75, 95% CI : 1.34-2.29) were associated with an increased risk for dyspnea. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggests that the cor pulmonale index is the most significant risk factor in predicting dyspnea in retired coal miners. In addition, this study also revealed that workers aged 60 years or more or smokers were more likely to experience dyspnea as compared to those aged 60 years or less and nonsmokers.
Coal* ; Dyspnea* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Heart Disease ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Thorax