No abstract available.
Biopsy* ; Child* ; Humans

PURPOSE: To assess the role of blood vessels in the formation of peritumoral abnormal signal intensity which exaggerates the size of malignant tumor on MR images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed MR-microangiographic-pathologic correlation using implanted VX-2 carcinoma in 16 rabbit thighs 1-28 days after tumor implantation. The shape and distribution of abnormal vessels were analyzed on microangiography and on histologic examination in correlation with peritumoral abnormal signal intensity on MR images. RESULTS: Dilated peritumoral blood vessels gave rise to irregular, tortuous tumor vessels penetrated into the tumor. With the tumor growth, hypervascular tumor vessels in peritumoral area and central avascular areas were increased. These hypervascular areas on microangiography were corresponded with abnormal signal intensity on MR images. CONCLUSION: Hypervascularity could be a cause of peritumoral abnormal signal intensity which exaggerates the size of experimentally induced malignant musculoskeletal tumors on MR images.
Blood Vessels* ; Thigh

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

No abstract available.
Heterotaxy Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Meningitis*

To evaluate the usefulness of MR in the osteomyelitis, we reviewed MR examinations of 14 patients with pyogenic osteomyelitis of the long bone. All 14 patients were confirmed to have osteomyelitis either surgically (13/14) or by aspiration (1/14). MRI was performed with 0.5R (n=8) or 2.0T (n=6) SE technique, and Gd-DTPA enhanced T1WI was obtained in 10 examinations. Anatomic location of lesions were femur (8/14), tibia (5/14),m and fibula (1/14). The marrow cavity and soft tissue were involved in 13/14, 12/14 respectively. The signals of both intraosseous and extraosseous infected area were iso to low signal intensity to muscles on T1WI and high signal intensity on PDWI & T2WI. Rim or diffuse enhancement of the marrow cavity and soft tissue were seen in all (10/10) cases. Sequestra, periosteal reaction. And cortical defect were found in 12/14, 10/14, 9/14. MR provided more accurate and detailed anatomic information including extent of disease and possible activity than bone scintigraphy, CT, or conventional radiography. We conclude that MR might be the choice of modality in the diagnosis of osteomyelitis of the long bone.
Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis ; Femur ; Fibula ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscles ; Osteomyelitis* ; Radiography ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Tibia

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity-induced steatohepatitis accompanied by activated hepatic macrophages/Kupffer cells facilitates the progression of hepatic fibrinogenesis and exacerbates metabolic derangements such as insulin resistance. Heme oxyganase-1 (HO-1) modulates tissue macrophage phenotypes and thus is implicated in protection against inflammatory diseases. Here, we show that the flavonoid quercetin reduces obesity-induced hepatic inflammation by inducing HO-1, which promotes hepatic macrophage polarization in favor of the M2 phenotype. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a regular diet (RD), high-fat diet (HFD), or HFD supplemented with quercetin (HF+Que, 0.5g/kg diet) for nine weeks. Inflammatory cytokines and macrophage markers were measured by ELISA and RT-PCR, respectively. HO-1 protein was measured by Western blotting. RESULTS: Quercetin supplementation decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6) and increased that of the anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) in the livers of HFD-fed mice. This was accompanied by upregulation of M2 macrophage marker genes (Arg-1, Mrc1) and downregulation of M1 macrophage marker genes (TNFα, NOS2). In co-cultures of lipid-laden hepatocytes and macrophages, treatment with quercetin induced HO-1 in the macrophages, markedly suppressed expression of M1 macrophage marker genes, and reduced release of MCP-1. Moreover, these effects of quercetin were blunted by an HO-1 inhibitor and deficiency of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: Quercetin reduces obesity-induced hepatic inflammation by promoting macrophage phenotype switching. The beneficial effect of quercetin is associated with Nrf2-mediated HO-1 induction. Quercetin may be a useful dietary factor for protecting against obesity-induced steatohepatitis.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Coculture Techniques ; Cytokines ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat ; Down-Regulation ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fatty Liver ; Heme Oxygenase-1* ; Heme* ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Insulin Resistance ; Liver ; Macrophages* ; Male ; Mice ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; Obesity ; Phenotype* ; Quercetin* ; Up-Regulation

PURPOSE: Interleukin (IL)-33, a member of the IL-1 cytokine family, is considered to be important for innate-type mucosal immunity of the lung and also has been suggested to induce Th2-type immune responses. We aimed to investigate if IL-33 is involved in airway inflammation due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in young children. METHODS: Thirty-eight infants (< or =24 months of age) admitted with their first episode of RSV bronchiolitis were enrolled in the study. Atopy was defined by having at least 1 allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), positive result to skin prick test, or high serum IgE levels. The patients were assessed to have severe symptoms when they had > or =2 of the following clinical findings: hypoxemia (<92% oxygen saturation), rapid breathing (and/or lower chest wall indrawing), and >7 days of hospital stay. The levels of IL-33 and the IL-33 receptor (sST2) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in nasal secretion samples collected from the patients on admission and compared with 20 age-matched controls. We also investigated the levels of IL-33 and sST2 in relation to the atopic status and symptom severity of the patients. RESULTS: Nasal IL-33 levels in the patients with acute RSV bronchiolitis were significantly increased (P<0.05), but sST2 showed no difference compared to the controls. Neither IL-33 nor sST2 showed significant difference in relation to the atopic status or severity of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our study showed significantly increased IL-33 in the nasal secretions of the young infants admitted with acute RSV bronchiolitis and suggests that IL-33 is involved in the pathogenesis of RSV-induced airway inflammation.
Anoxia ; Bronchiolitis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Infant ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukins ; Length of Stay ; Lung ; Oxygen ; Respiration ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Skin ; Thoracic Wall

Alcohol is oxidized to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and cytochrome P-4502E1 (CYP2E1), and then to acetate by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Polymorphisms of these ethanol-metabolizing enzymes may be associated with inter-individual difference in alcohol metabolism and susceptibility to alcoholic liver disease. We determined genotype and allele frequencies of ALDH2, CYP2E1, ADH2, and ADH3 in male Korean patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (n=56), alcoholics without evidence of liver disease (n=52), and nondrinkers (n=64) by using PCR or PCR-directed mutagenesis followed by restriction enzyme digestion. The prevalences of heterozygous ALDH2*1/*2 plus homozygous ALDH2*2/*2 in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (7.1%) and alcoholics without evidence of liver disease (3.8%) were significantly lower than that in nondrinkers (45.3%). The c2 allele frequencies of the CYP2E1 in alcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholics without evidence of liver disease, and nondrinkers were 0.21, 0.20, and 0.20, respectively. Allele frequencies of ADH2*2 in the three groups were 0.78, 0.74, and 0.77 and those of ADH3*1 were 0.94, 0.98, and 0.95. Therefore, we confirmed the observation that the ALDH2*2 gene protects against the development of alcoholism. However, the development of cirrhosis in Korean alcoholic patients was not associated with polymorphisms of ethanol-metabolizing enzymes.
Adult ; Alcohol Dehydrogenase/*genetics ; Alcoholism/enzymology/genetics ; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase/*genetics ; Central Nervous System Depressants/pharmacokinetics ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1/*genetics ; Ethanol/pharmacokinetics ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Human ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic/enzymology/*genetics ; Male ; Middle Age ; *Polymorphism (Genetics)

PURPOSE: Soluble ST2 (sST2) has been reported to regulate Th2 response. In this study, serum levels of sST2 and other cytokines were measured in recurrent early wheezers and asthmatic children. We aimed to investigate if there are any differences or similarities in Th1 or Th2 response between those two patient groups. METHODS: Fifty-nine patients admitted with exacerbation of wheezing or asthma were enrolled. Two patient groups were defined: children with atopic asthma (> or =6 years, n=21) and recurrent early wheezers (< or =2 years, n=38). Recurrent early wheezers were divided based on their atopic status: 19 were atopic and 19 were nonatopic. sST2, interleukin (IL) 33, IL-5, and interferon (IFN)-gamma were measured in serum samples collected on admission. Cytokine levels in both patient groups were compared with their age-matched controls and evaluated the relationship with blood eosinophils, serum IgE levels, and also with the severity of symptom. RESULTS: sST2 and IL-5 were significantly increased both in asthmatic children (P=0.02, P=0.004) and recurrent early wheezers (P=0.01, P=0.001) compared to their age-matched controls. IL-5 was significantly higher in atopic wheezers compared with non-atopic wheezers (P=0.04). Severity score showed a positive correlation with sST2 and IFN-gamma in asthmatic children, but only with IFN-gamma in early wheezers. There was an inverse correlation between sST2 and blood eosinophil counts both in asthmatic children and atopic recurrent wheezers. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that sST2 might regulate allergic inflammation by suppressing eosinophilia and play an important role in pathophysiology of acute exacerbation of wheezing or asthma both in asthmatic children and early wheezers.
Asthma ; Child* ; Cytokines ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inflammation ; Interferons ; Interleukin-5 ; Interleukins ; Respiratory Sounds