No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Child* ; Graves Disease* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule*

BACKGROUND: Donor-specific blood transfusion(DSBT) before organ transplantation has been demonstrated to prolong allograft survival; the mechanism of this effect has remained unclear. Only a few researches have been performed on this subject in our country. MATERIAL AND METHOD: To investigate the effect of DSBT, we selected 5 donor recipient combinations using rats of pure strain such as PVG, ACI, and LEW. One ml of donor whole blood was transfused to each recipient through the femoral vein 7 days prior to transplantation. The donor heart was transplanted to the recipient's abdominal vessels heterotopically using modified Ono and Lindsey's microsurgical technique. Five transplantations were done for each combination. Postoperatively, donor heart beat was palpated everyday through the recipent's abdominal wall. Rejection was defined as complete cessation of donor heart beat. RESULT: The allogeneic heart grafts transplanted from PVG strain to ACI strain(PVG ACI) without DSBT were acutely rejected(mean survival 10.2 days). With pretransplant DSBT, the cardiac allografts in PVG ACI and LEW PVG combinations survived indefinitely(more than 100 days), those in ACI PVG combination survived 12 to 66 days(mean 31.8 days), those in PVG LEW survived 8 to 11 days(mean 10.0 days), and those in ACI LEW survived 7 to 9 days(mean 8.0 days). In brief, DSBT prior to heart transplantation was definitely effective in PVG ACI and LEW PVG combinations and moderately effective in ACI PVG combination, but not effective in PVG LEW and ACI LEW combinations. CONCLUSION: DSBT prior to heart transplantation showed variable effects, but might prolong cardiac allograft survival indefinitely in some donor recipient strain combinations. The mechanism of this effect should be further investigated.
Abdominal Wall ; Allografts* ; Animals ; Blood Transfusion* ; Femoral Vein ; Heart ; Heart Transplantation ; Humans ; Organ Transplantation ; Rats* ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Caroli Disease*

The importance of tick-borne diseases is increasing because of climate change, with a lack of long-term studies on tick-borne pathogens in South Korea. To understand the epidemiological characteristics of tick-borne diseases, the monthly distribution of field ticks throughout the year was studied in South Korea between May 2014 and April 2018 in a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The regulatory rnechanisrns of melanocytes underlying ultraviolet(UV) melanogenesis have been an interest tu many investigators. They have shown that several materials produced and secreted frorn norm il human keratinocytes play roles as mitogens of human melanocytes, and demonstrated that UVB exposure stirnulated highly the paracrine linkage of endothelin(ET) be tween keratinocytes and melanocytes. It suggest that ET is one of keratinocytes-derived intrinsic mitogens in UVB induced hyperpigmentation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether ET secreted from keratinocytes under the UV irradiation works as paracrine effects such as melanocyte pro)iferation and function, the present, study was under taken. METHODS: Primary kevatinocytes and rnelanocytes cultures from neonatal foreskins were grown in complete MCDB 154 medium. Cultured human keratinocytes were irradiated with UVB 50mJ/ cm2. Twenty fours hour later, conditioned medium of keratinocytes was added into the growth medium of melanocytes of concentration in 10%, 20%, and 30%, respectively. Four days later, in order to detect of melanocytes proliferat.ion and function, number of melanocytes, melanin granules and tyrosinase activity v ere measured. RESULTS: J. The number of me anocytes were higher increase in groups of incubation with conditioned medium of irradiated keratinocytes than that of incubation with conditioned mediurn of irradiated keratinocytes and treatment of anti-ET-1(5ug/ml)(p>0.05). 2. The melanin contents were significantly higher increase in groups of incubation with conditioned medium(20%, 30%) of irradiated keratinocytes than that of incubation with conditioned medium of irradiated keiatinocytes and treatment of anti-ET-1(5ug/ml)(p<0.05). 3. The tyrosinase activity of melanocyte incubated with 30% COllcentration of conditioned medium from cultured keratinocyte irradiated with UVB was significantly higher increase than that of melanocyte incubated with 30% concentration of conditioned mediurn from cultured keratinocytes irradiated with UVB and treated with anti-ET-1(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This stud provided an important confirmation of the proposal that ET-1 is intrin sic factor for proliferation and differentiation of human melanocytes. These findings suggest that keratinocyte derived ET-1 make a considerable effect on human melanocyte proliferation and function in UV melanog nesis.
Culture Media, Conditioned ; Endothelin-1* ; Foreskin ; Humans* ; Hyperpigmentation ; Keratinocytes* ; Melanins ; Melanocytes* ; Mitogens ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Research Personnel

Transforming growth factor-B1(TGF-B1) has many fundamental biological processes including cell growth, extracellular matrix deposition and degradation, and inflammatory responses. TGF-B1 is released by platelet and inflammatory cells, and it affects all phases of wound healing after injury. It contributes to the regulation of fibroblast chemotaxis and proliferation, and also controls the synthesis and degradation of extracellular matrix necessary for tissue repair. Clinically, scar tissue formation and subsequent stricture after urethral injury frequently results in troublesome problems to urologists. In the phase I study of this report, we intended to how the histological changes and the involvement of TGF-B1 in the formation of stricture in injured urethrae of rats. We injured urethrae of 24 adult male Sprauge-Dawley rats(200-250 g.) by urethrotome and Dormia basket and then observed histological changes and analysed TGF-f, mRNA levels of the injured urethrae by Northern blot. Northern b1ot analysis showed that TGF-t, mRNA was much expressed on day 1,3,5 after injury. Fibroblasts and deposition of extracellular matrix were markedly increased on day 5. Reepithelialization was completed and urethral lumen was narrowed on day 10. In the phase II study, we tried to know that antisense TGF-B1 oligodeoxynucleotides(ODNs) could inhibit TGF-B1 expression and the formation of stricture in injured urethrae of rats. We injured urethrae of rats and treated the urethral injury with the application of antisense TGF-B1 ODNs. Northern blot analysis showed that TGF-B1 mRNA was little expressed in the urethrae treated with the antisense on day 1,3 after injury. Comparing to the antisense-nontreated urethrae, the antisense-treated urethrae showed decrease of submucosal thickening and maintained normal sized urethral lumens on day 14, 21 after injury. In conclusion, increase of TGF-B1 mRNA in injured urethrae of rats suggests that TGF-B1 could play an important role in repair mechanism. With application of antisense TGF-B1 ODNs in injured urethrae of rats, the expression of TGF-B1 can be inhibited and also the formation of stricture prevented.
Adult ; Animals ; Biological Processes ; Blood Platelets ; Blotting, Northern ; Chemotaxis ; Cicatrix ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Male ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides* ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1* ; Urethra ; Urethral Stricture ; Wound Healing

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: Recently, in assisted reproductive technologies(ART) programs theme Is an increasing Interest in the use of agents for the enhancement of sperm motility for assisted fertilization. In an attempt to improve the motility at the cryopreserved human semen and hence the fertilizing capacity of asthenospermic semen samples, different semen preparation techniques have been attempted and the effects of chemical stimulants as nitric oxide(NO) have been studied extensively. Superoxide anions cause lipid peroxidative damage to cell membrane phospholipids, and sperm are known to be particularly susceptible to lipid peroxidation. Such sperm with damaged membranes are impaired functionally. Recently, peroxynitrite, an anion and a potent oxidant, generated by the interaction of nitric oxide and superoxide anions has been demonstrated In macrophages and other cellular systems. Also this anion cause lipid peroxidative damage to cell membrane phospholiplds. We therefore Investigated whether NO and peroxynitrite have the roles to modulate sperm motility and to affect Its viability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal human semen samples(as per World health Organization (WHO) criteria) were obtained after 3day period of abstinence by donors. The samples(n=5) were incubated with either sodium nitroprusside(SNP; 0.1, 05, 1 or 2mM) or peroxynitrite (10, 50 or 100 micrometer ) and the percent viability and motility were assessed at various time inteval up to 4hr. The human semen samples were treated with N-acetyl-L-cystein(NAC;10mM), SNP (0.5mM), phorbol myristate acetate(PMA; 100nM), of SNF plus PMA. Both superoxide and peroxynitrite release were measured directly by chemiluminometer. Percent viability and motility were assessed at 4hr of Incubation. A sample of each aliquot was placed in a Mauler chamber for videomicrography Percent motility were analyzed by using the sperm analysis imaging system. The sperm vlability was assessed by flow cytometer using LIVE/DEAD sperm viability kIt. The production of superoxide and peroxynitrite were measured by the method of chemiluminescence assay. Result : All results represent a mean +/-SEM, n=5. Treatment of human semen samples for 4hr with SNP, a NO generating agent, significantly decreased sperm motility and viability in high concentration [relative motility(% of control); 38 +/-4 and 30 +/-5, relative viability; 42 +/-4 and 30 +/-3 by 1 and 2mM of SNP]. In the presence of low concentration SNP(0.5mM), the sperm viability was not significantly affected(82 +/-3), whereas the sperm motility was affected(64 2). SNP(0.5mM) also decreased sperm motility(80 +/-2 at 2hr 64 +/-3 at 4hr, 44 +/-3 at 6hr, and 38 +/-4 at 8hr) in a time dependent manner. Since it was demonstrated that superoxide anions are one of the common source of lipid peroxidation, we investigated whether superoxide anions produced by human semens could Interact wlth NO to generate peroxynitrite. Adding N-acetyl-L-cystein(NAC) to the human semen samples partially blocked spontaneous release of superoxide, whereas PMA augmented the release of superoxide from human semen samples (control:0.9 106 0.3, NAC: 0.5 106 +/-0.4, and PMA: 2.5 106 +/-0.4photons/60min). The production of superoxide was corresponded with the production of peroxynltrite(control: 1.0 104CPM, SNP: 3.8 106CPM, SNP plus PMA. 12chi106CPM). In addition, SNP in combination with PMA(65 +/-3) markedly decreased sperm motility than that of SNP alone(77 +/-2.5) at 4hr, implying that nitric oxide might inhibit sperm motility via the formation of peroxynitrite In human semen samples. Exogenous peroxynitrite also decreased sperm motility in a dose dependent manner(10 micrometer : 64 +/-2, 50rM: 53 +/-3, and 1 0 micrometer of peroxynitrite: 23 4). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that NO inhibits sperm motility via the formation of peroxynltrite and further demonstrate that NO-induced inhibition of sperm motility is depended on the production of superoxide from human semens because peroxynitrite is generated by the interaction of NO and superoxide.
Cell Membrane ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Luminescence ; Macrophages ; Membranes ; Microscopy, Video ; Myristic Acid ; Nitric Oxide* ; Peroxynitrous Acid* ; Phospholipids ; Semen ; Sodium ; Sperm Motility* ; Spermatozoa* ; Superoxides ; Tissue Donors ; World Health Organization