Isolated rat thoracic aorta which is pharmacologically precontracted by phenylephrine induces photorelaxation when exposed to long wave length UV-light. The aim of the present study was to characterize the mechanism of UV-light induced by photorelaxation in the rat aorta. 1. UV light relaxed both endothelium-intact and -denuded rat aortic rings contracted by phenylephrine. The magnitude of relaxation on UV light was dependent on the exposure time and slightly greatly in endothelium-denuded rings than in endothelium-intact preparations. 2. L-NAME (10 nM-100 uM) but not D-NAME completely inhibited the photorelaxation in a concentration dependent manner. 3. The UV-induced relaxation was inhibited by methylene blue (1 -100 uM), and verapamil (100 nM), and removal of extracellular Ca2+. In contrast, UV-light induced photorelaxation was potentiated by N(w)-nitro-Larginine (L-NOARG) treatment. 4. In immunocytochemical analysis of UV-light induced iNOS and eNOS expression in rat aortas, at which expression levels were increased in a time-dependent manner on UV-irradiation in aortic endothelium and smooth muscle, respectively. These results suggest that UV light-induced photorelaxation may be due to nitric oxide from exogenously administered L-arginine as well as endogenous nitric oxide donors such as amino acid and arginine derivatives. Additional suggestion is that UV light stimulates the expression of nitric oxide synthases, and its activity for nitric oxide generation is dependent on cytosolic Ca2+ originated from extracellular space.
Acetylcholine/pharmacology ; Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic/drug effects/*physiology/radiation effects ; Calcium Channel Blockers/pharmacology ; Cholinergic Agents/pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular/drug effects/physiology/radiation effects ; Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Methylene Blue/pharmacology ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester/pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase/antagonists & inhibitors/metabolism ; Phenylephrine/pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; *Ultraviolet Rays ; Vasoconstrictor Agents/pharmacology ; Vasodilation/drug effects/*radiation effects ; Vasodilator Agents/pharmacology ; Verapamil/pharmacology

No abstract available.
Dilatation* ; Urethra*

Hemorrhagic cystitis is potentially life-threatening sequellae of chemotherapy using oxazaphosphorine alkylating agents (cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide). Mesna contains a sulfhydryl group that is believed to bind acrolein within the urinary collecting system and reduce the hemorrhagic cystitis without affecting the chemotherapeutic potential. To date, about thirty cases of hypersensitivity or allergic reactions of the delayed and urticarial type associated with mesna have been reported. We reported two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who developed facial rash and flushing associated with mesna which imitate malar rash.
Acrolein ; Alkylating Agents ; Cyclophosphamide ; Cystitis ; Drug Therapy ; Exanthema* ; Flushing ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Mesna*

No abstract available.
Classification* ; Humans ; Spinal Cord* ; Urodynamics*

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease resulting from infection of oligodendrocytes with JC virus. PML was a rare disease, but nowadays not uncommon as AIDS prevailed. Histopathologic features of the affected lesion shows infiltrations of foamy macrophages and hyperchromatic, pleomorphic, reactive astrocytes that may raise the suspicion of a brain tumor. We recently met with 3 cases of PML. Two of the patients had AIDS and the other had been treated for lymphoma. All cases were diagnosed by histopathologic examination in stereotactic brain biopsies.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Astrocytes ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host* ; JC Virus ; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal* ; Lymphoma ; Macrophages ; Oligodendroglia ; Rare Diseases

Long-term indwelling catheters constitute a risk factor for the development of bladder malignancy. Our study was designed to compare the incidence of bladder cancer and histological changes in the urinary bladder of spinal cord injury patients who had been catheterized for more than 11 years (group 1) and less than 10 years (group 2). Mean duration of catheterization was 17.7 years (range 11-38 years) and 6.5 years (range 2-10 years), respectively in both groups. Our study was performed by cystoscopic evaluation and random bladder biopsy in 23 patients in group 1 and 25 patients in group 2 followed at the Korea Veterans Hospital. The follow-up interval, mechanism, level and degree of injury for both groups were similar. The suprapubic cystostomy was the most common voiding method in both groups (73.9% and 60.0%, respectively). Transitional cell carcinoma in one patient and adenocarcinoma in two patients were found in group 1 and transitional cell carcinoma in one patient was found in group 2. Two patients in group 1 showed squamous metaplasia. 18 patients in group 1 and 24 patients in group 2 showed chronic cystitis. Microscopic hematuria (greater than 2-4 RBC/HPF) was present in all patients. IVPs demonstrated no filling defect of upper tracts in all patients. Overall, the incidences of bladder cancer were 13.0% (3/23) in group 1 and 4.0% (1/25) in group 2. But there was no significant difference in the incidence of bladder cancer between both groups (p=0.279). We suggest that any spinal cord injury patient with hematuria needs a complete bladder evaluation and should undergo cystoscopy and random bladder biopsy.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Cystitis ; Cystoscopy ; Cystostomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematuria ; Hospitals, Veterans ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Metaplasia ; Risk Factors ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*

Primary pericardial mesothelioma is a rare tumor of mesodermal origin that is infrequently diagnosed antemortem and survival is short. A 60 year old male case of pericardial mesothelioma (epitheloid type) is reported. He was admitted to Yeungnam University Hospital because of chest pain, dyspnea, orthopnea and nonproductive cough. Chest x-ray suggested pericardial effusion. 2-D echocardiography showed echo free spaces of massive pericardial effusion and areas of thick hyperrefractile echoes arising from the pericardium. Pericardiocentesis was attempted and aspirated fluid was bloody exudates. Pericardial window operation with biopsy was done. Swan-Ganz catheterization showed equalization between right atrial pressure and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. The pathologic diagnosis was established by histologic finding at pericardial biopsy.
Atrial Pressure ; Biopsy ; Catheterization, Swan-Ganz ; Chest Pain ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Exudates and Transudates ; Humans ; Male ; Mesoderm ; Mesothelioma* ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericardiocentesis ; Pericardium ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Thorax

TBX21 (T-bet) is a member of the T-box family of transcriptional factors that contain a conserved DNA binding domain. TBX21 is a critical regulator of the commitment to the Th1 lineage and IFN-gamma production. Th1 and Th2 cells cross-regulate the differentiation of each other, and in this way TBX21 could be an attractive candidate gene for treating autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In present study, we analyzed the genotypic frequencies of six polymorphisms of the TBX21 gene between the 367 RA patients and the 572 healthy controls. We showed that the g.-1514T>C and c.99C>G polymorphisms are suggestively associated with RA susceptibility. It is interesting that the genotypic frequencies of the TBX21 polymorphisms (g.-1514T>C and c.2103A>C) in the male RA patients were significantly different from the male control group (P = 0.0016 and 0.045, respectively). We also found that the g.-1514T>C and c.2103A>C polymorphisms of the TBX21 gene in the male RA patients have significant association with the levels of anti-CCP (P = 0.05) and rheumatoid factor (P = 0.03), respectively. These results suggest that the polymorphisms of the TBX21 gene might be associated with the susceptibility to male RA patients.
Adult ; Alleles ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/*genetics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptides, Cyclic/analysis/immunology ; *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Rheumatoid Factor/analysis/immunology ; Sex Factors ; T-Box Domain Proteins/*genetics ; Th1 Cells/cytology

Advances in fiberoptic endoscopy have improved diagnostic capabilities and management in piatients with gastrointestinal polyps. The gastrointestinal polyp is a premalignant lesion in varying degrees, according to size, pathology, and location. Endoscopic polypectomy has long been considered as a safe and effective method for removal of polyps. Sixty endoscopic gastrointestinal polypectomies were done in 53 patients who visited Hanyang University Hospital from 1984 to l990, and the clinical characteristics including histopathalogy were evaluated. (continue...)
Endoscopy ; Humans ; Pathology ; Polyps

OBJECTIVES: The effect of chronic exposure to low levels of n-hexane on peripheral nervous system and the relationship between duration of employment and impairment of peripheral nervous system was studied. METHODS: In 21 workers at two shoe - maker factories and 21 unexposed controls, measurement of exposure of solvents, symptom Questionnaire, physical examination and electrophysiological study were conducted. RESULTS: Mean ages of study subjects in the exposed and the unexposed were 39.9 and 40.1 years old. Mean durations of employment were 15.1 and 10.0 years, respectively. Mean concentraions of urinary 2,5-HD were 2.23 mg/kg creatinine, 0.23 mg/kg creatinine, respectively. Mean concentration of solvents in air were 21.1 ppm of n-hexane, 72.2 rpm of toluene and 0.5 ppm of MEK. There were no differences in the prevalence of subjective symptoms and abnormal neurological signs between the exposed and the unexposed. But vibration extinction time(VAT) of the exposed(8.8 second) was shorter than that of the unexposed(11.9 second)(p < 0.05). Mean values of electrophysiological studies(EPS) of the two groups were within normal limit. However, mean conduction velocity of median motor nerve and median F wave(MMNCV and MFCV), mean amplitude of median sensory action potential(MSAP) were decreased in the exposed(p < 0.05). Moreover, the rate of abnormal finding more than one in sensory nerves wart increased in the exposed than those in the unexposed(p,0.05). Correlation coefficients between duration of employment and mean conduction velocity of median sensory nerve (MSNCV) and between duration of employment and MFCV were -0.57 -0.43, respectively(p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that chronic (mean 15 years) low level(mean 23 ppm) exposure to n-hexane cause subclinical impairment of peripheral nervous system. These results also suggest that the longer duration of employment, the shorter values of EPB and VAT.
Creatinine ; Employment ; Peripheral Nervous System* ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Shoes ; Solvents ; Toluene ; Vibration ; Warts