No abstract available.
Blood Glucose* ; Fetal Blood* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Insulin*

OBJECTIVE: Several water channels (aquapoins; AQP) that belong to the MIP (major intrinsic protein) family have identified. In the selected tissues including red blood cells or renal tubules, water movements are abundant and/or physiologically important. Unexpectedly, a high water permeability of human and ram sperm has been reported. Recent studies showed that AQP7 and AQP8 are present in testes so that the high water permeability of human sperm suggested to be mediated by AQPs. METHOD: To identify the identity of aquaporins expressed in testes, RT-PCR was performed using degenerative primers, which were designed to correspond to highly conserved sequences surrounding the Asn-Pro-Ala (NPA) motifs in the aquaporins. New expressed AQP series were reconfirmed by immunohistochemical study using rabbit polyclonal antibodies. RESULTS: DNA sequencing of PCR products revealed that AQP2 and AQP3 mRNA as well as AQP7 and AQP8 are expressed in human and rat testes, AQP2 are expressed in spermatozoa, interstitial cells and myofibroblasts and AQP3 are expressed in myofibroblasts of semineferous tubules on immunocytochemical stain. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that multiple aquaporins are expressed in testes, and that they may have important roles in the spermatogenesis and the germ cell function of testis.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Aquaporins* ; Conserved Sequence ; Erythrocytes ; Germ Cells ; Humans* ; Myofibroblasts ; Permeability ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; Testis* ; Water Movements

To determine the concentration and the physiologic role of metal components in blood plasma and seminal plasma in relation to male infertility, the concentrations of twelve metal components in blood plasma and seminal plasma including Na, Mg, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Cd and Pb were measured by atomic absorbance spectrophotometery or ion selective electrode analysis. Semen and blood samples were obtained from a total of 110 men including 70 male infertility patients, 20 vasectomized persons and 20 fertility proven volunteers visited to the Male Infertility Clinic of Pusan National University Hospital. The concentrations of Ca, Zn, Mg, Cr and Cd in control group were higher in seminal plasma than in blood plasma, and additionally Pb were higher in infertility group. The concentrations of all metal components revealed no significant difference according to patients' age, resident, occupation, sperm density, motility and hormone level in blood plasma, but some metal components including Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn, Cd and Pb revealed a significant difference according to each these parameters except patient's age in seminal plasma. The concentrations of Mn, Cd and Pb in the vasectomy persons were higher than in the infertility group III including testicular and epididymal factors, but not in blood plasma. We conclude that the quantitative changes of metal components in the seminal plasma may have effects on not only spermatogenesis and sperm function, but also contribute to diagnostic parameter according to organ specificity of the metal in the male reproduction.
Busan ; Electrodes ; Fertility ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Male* ; Occupations ; Organ Specificity ; Plasma ; Reproduction ; Semen* ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; Vasectomy ; Volunteers

In this study, clinical effectiveness of Pharmacia CAP system for determination of allergen specific IgE was evaluated depending on the results of Bencard skin prick tests in 100 atopic and 18 nonatopic asthmatics. The Pharmacia CAP specific IgE positive rates were higher as the SPT grades were increased : negative (n=623) (17.8%); + (n=81) (34.6%); 2+ (n=223) (56.5%); 3+ (n=106) (70.8%); and 4+/-< (n=127)3+ (92.1%), respectively. The overall concordant rate between Bencard SPT and Pharmacia CAP system was 81.7% with range of 70.7~92.1%. The Overall sensitivity of Pharmacia CAP system was 80.7%. The sensitivities for 10 allergens, which ranged from 57.5% to 100 %, were as followed; D.pteronyssinus (96.1%), D.farinae (96.7%), cat dander (61.5%), cockroach (65.2%), Aspergillus fumigatus (57.1%), ragweed (62.5%), mugwort (75.0%), Meadow fescue (100%), birch (62.4%), and oak (80.0%), respectively. Overall specificity of Pharmacia CAP system was 82.2%. The specificity of CAP system in nonatopic subjects (n=18, 160 test) was 94.4% which was quite different with the 77.6% of atopic subjects (n=100, 463 test). SPT A/H ratios were significantly correlated with Pharmacia CAP specific IgE concentration (KU/L) in D.pteronyssinus (r=0.520, p<0.001), D.farinae (r=0.490, p<0.001), A.fumigatus (r=0.315, p<0.01), mugwort (r=0.210, p<0.05), ragweed (r=0.213, p<0.05), birch (r=0.232, p<0.05), M.fescue (r=0.410, p<0.001). But, in cockroach (r=0.192, p<0.1), cat dander and oak pollen, SPT A/H ratios were not correlated with the concentration of specific IgE. These results suggest that Pharmacia CAP system is useful for etiologic evaluation of immediate hypersensitivity and quantitative evaluation of specific IgE in atopic asthma.
Allergens ; Ambrosia ; Animals ; Artemisia ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; Asthma* ; Betula ; Cats ; Cockroaches ; Dander ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Pollen ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: House dust mites have been known as the most important allergens in respiratory allergic disease. Since environmental factors may have influences on the pathogenesis of allergic disease, the study using Korean house dust mites for immune and biologic reactions in house dust mite-sensitive allergic disease is considered as significant. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We made two in-house allergenic extracts of Korean house dust mites (D. farinae and D. pteronpsssinus) and performed this study for the allergen standardization by in vivo methods and for the evaluation of the reliabilities for clinical applications. RESULT: As a results of biologic standardization using skin prick test teachnique, the activity of 1: 1,500w/v of D. farinae extract was estimated 1,000 biology unit(BU), concentration that elicits a wheal of the same size as that of histamine dihydrochloride 1mg/ml. The activity of 1: 1,000w/v of D. pteronyssinus was condiered as 1,000BU. The activity of 1:100w/v of both D. farinae and D. pteronpssiuns extracts were considered as 100,000 Allergy Unit(AU), based on intradermal skin testing of 30 subjects with strong sensitive reaction. The concordant rates between results of skin prick test done with 5,000BU/ml concentration of in-house allergenic extracts and thoae with the commercially available allergen(Bencard Co., UK) were 84.6% and 81.0% for D. farinae and D. pteronpssinus, respectively. The wheal erythema size and A/H ratios induced by in-house extracts were significantly correlated with those induced by Bencard allergen. CONCLUSION: This results suggest that in-house extracts of the whole bodies of two house dust mites have good allergenic activities in vivo. It is considered to be clinically useful and reliable allergenic extracts.
Allergens ; Biology ; Dust* ; Erythema ; Histamine ; Hypersensitivity ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Skin ; Skin Tests

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the clinical implications of serum ECP and peripheral blood eosinophil counts as indices of airway inflammation during the follow-up of asthmatics (BA). METHODS: We repeatedly measured the serum ECP, peripheral blood eosinophil counts and peak expiratory low rate (PFR) during the follow up of 24 symptomatic BA. RESULTS: Mean serum ECP level of BA at uncontrolled status of airflow limitation was significantly higher than that of controlled state (24.5i3.7 ng/ml rs. 16.2+1.9 ng/ml, p<0.05) and the ECP levels of controlled and uncontrolled status were significantly higher than that of health control subjects (n=10, 10.1+/-2.0 ng/ml, p<0.01 respectively). Pe ripheral blood eosinophils were also significantly increased in uncontrolled status than in controlled status of BA (535.7+/-81.0/1tL vs. 300.4+33.4/micro liter, p < 0.05). In controlled status, 8 BA had higher circulating ECP levels than in uncontrolled status, but with peripheral blood eosinophil counts, only 3 BA had higher levels in controlled status than in uncontrolled status. Variations of PFR correlated with the variations of serum ECP level (r=-0.5370, p<0.01) and variations of peripheral blood eosinophil count (r=-0.6215, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Measurement of serum ECP and peripheral blood eosinophil count would be useful tools for monitoring the disease activity of asthma, but we could not obtain any more informations from the measureinert of serum ECP levels than from the peripheral blood eosinophil counts.
Asthma* ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflammation

To investigate the effect of hyperoxia on EKG findings and to evaluate the applicability of EKG as noninvasive monitoring index of oxygen toxicity, 38 rabbits were continuously exposed to 6 different conditions-3 hyperbaric oxygenations (HBO-2.5, 3.5 and 5ATA, 100% O2), normobaric oxygenation (NBO, 100% O2), hyperbaric aeration (HBA-5ATA, 21% O2) and normobaric aeration (NBA, 21% O2)-for 120 minutes and their EKG and time to dyspnea and convulsion were recorded. Dyspnea and death were observed in exposure conditions of HBO-3.5 and HBO-5 (Positive rate of dyspnea; 10%, 100%, death; 10%, 25%, respectively) only, and convulsion in 4 oxygenation groups (NBO; 20%, HBO-2.5; 20%, HBO-3.5; 20%, HBO-5; 88%). Abnormal EKG findings included arrhythmia and ST-T changes and the incidences was increasing with doses(partial pressure of oxygen). In addition to EKG change, findings observed during exosure were dyspnea and convulsion in the order of appearence and when non specific ST-T change was accepted as positive (abnormal) finding, the frequency of abnormal EKG was statistically significant(p<0.01), but when it was excluded from positive results, the frequency of EKG change was not significant(p>0.05). These results suggest that the effect of hyperoxia on heart is myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia, that oxygenation more than 3.5ATA causes myocardial damage in 120 minutes exposure, and that EKG is valuable as monitoring index of oxygen toxicity.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography* ; Heart ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Hyperoxia* ; Incidence ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Oxygen ; Rabbits* ; Seizures

OBJECTIVE: SCC-Ag(Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen) is a tumor marker for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. It has shown that the SCC-Ag was well related with the response of cancer therapy and course of cervical cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the presence of pelvic lymph node metstasis can be predicted by the measurement of the preoperative SCC-Ag levels in the patients with early staged squamous cell carcinoma of cervix. METHODS: The preoperative serum SCC-Ag levels were measured in 45 patients with stage I-II squamous cell carcinoma of cervix undergoing radical hysterectomy from September 1995 to December 1997. The serum SCC-Ag levels were analyzed for the clinicopathologic characteristics and other prognostic factors using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The serum SCC-Ag levels of the patients exhibited pelvic lymph node metastasis were above 4.8ng/ml. An elevated preoperative serum SCC-Ag level, and tumor size were independent predictors for the presence of lymph node metastasis(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The determination of the preoperative serum SCC-Ag levels provides a new prognostic factor in early staged cervical cancer.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Endoscopy ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage*

No abstract available.