BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: N-cadherin is known to be expressed in neuroectodermal tissue such as central nervous system and various mesodermal origin tissues such as kidney and heart. We investigated N-cadherin expression in the endocardial cushion in developing rat heart by immunohistochemical method. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Fetal rat hearts at the 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th day of gestation and the 1st day neonatal rat heart were used. Hematoxylin and eosin stain was performed for normal cardiogenesis, and immunohistochemistry was performed for the expression of N-cadherin in interventricular septum(IVS) during cardiogenesis in rat. RESULTS: Ventricular wall and membranous part of the IVS showed positive reaction with anti-N-cadherin at the 11th day of gestation. Membranous part of IVS was begun to show tracely positive reaction at the 15th day of gestation, and thereafter the immunoreactivity was increased with maturation. At the 17th day of gestation mesenchymal cells in membranous muscular part of the IVS showed positive reaction. The similar immunoreactivity of membranous and muscular parts of IVS were shown at the 19th day of gestation. CONCLUSION: As the immunoreaction of mesenchymal cells in the membraneous part of IVS to anti-N-cadherin was increased with time, it is suggested that mesenchymal cells in membranous part of IVS were differentiated into the cardiomyocytes.
Animals ; Cadherins* ; Central Nervous System ; Endocardial Cushions ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Heart* ; Hematoxylin ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney ; Mesoderm ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Neural Plate ; Pregnancy ; Rats*

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2) is expressed and released predominantly activated T lymphocyte. Increased serum levels of soluble IL-2R have been noted in a variety of autoimmune diseases and in conditions associated with T lymphocyte activation. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine whether the T lymphocyte activation has any association with the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease. METHOD: We have measured the serum level of soluble IL-2R in serum samples obtained from 67 patients with Behçet's disease and 30 healthy people as a control group, using a double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. RESULTS: Serum soluble IL-2R levels were found to be significantly elevated in the group of Behçet's disease as compared with the control group. No significant differences were found within clinical subtypes of Behçet's disease. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the presence of an ongoing T lymphocyte activation in this disease process.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-2* ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Lymphocytes ; Methods ; Receptors, Interleukin-2*

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2) is expressed and released predominantly activated T lymphocyte. Increased serum levels of soluble IL-2R have been noted in a variety of autoimmune diseases and in conditions associated with T lymphocyte activation. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine whether the T lymphocyte activation has any association with the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease. METHOD: We have measured the serum level of soluble IL-2R in serum samples obtained from 67 patients with Behçet's disease and 30 healthy people as a control group, using a double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. RESULTS: Serum soluble IL-2R levels were found to be significantly elevated in the group of Behçet's disease as compared with the control group. No significant differences were found within clinical subtypes of Behçet's disease. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the presence of an ongoing T lymphocyte activation in this disease process.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-2* ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Lymphocytes ; Methods ; Receptors, Interleukin-2*

Acquired perforating disease(APD) is characterized by hyperkeratotic papules with transepidermal elimination of degenerated material and is associated with renal disease and/or diabetes. Particular attention has been directed to transepidermal elimination because the articles on perforating diseases among patients with chronic renal failure and/or diabetes have been increasingly reported. We describe four patients with chronic renal failure and/or diabetes whose skin biopsy specimens showed transepidermal elimination.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Preservation of antigen determinants while retaining morphological detail is prerequisite for high quality immunohistochemistry. Conventional formalin fixation and paraffin embedding procedures are useful in preserving tissue architecture and cytologic detail. However, they destroy the antigenicity of many proteins is tissue samples. On the other hand, fresh frozen section preserve the antigenicity of most proteins, but vield poor morphological preservation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the AMeX method as to the ability to preserve both antigenicity and morphologic details of the skin basement membrane zone so that precise localization of antigens can be attained in immunohistochemistry. METHODS: Tissues were fixed in acetone at -20degrees C over night, then cleared in methyl benzoate and xylene, consecutively, and embedded in ordinary paraffin at 58-60degrees C. Sections made from this paraffinembedded tissue were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for a morphologic study and immunolabelled with antibodies against major basement membrane antigens to evaluate antigenic preservation. The staining intensity and preservation of the morphology by the AMeX method were compared with conventional formalin processed tissues and frozen tissues. RESULTS: Morphological preservation of the AMeX method-processed sections was good throughout the epidermis, basement membrane, and dermis, and as good as that of routinely formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections. Frozen sections usually revealed revealed various degrees of damage by ice crystal formation throughout the epidermis to the dermis. The AMeX method-processed sections showed better or same antigenic preservation comparing the frozen sections when the sections were immunolabelled with specific monoclonal antibodies. But, when the sections were immunolabelled with patient's sera, the AMex method showed less antigenic preservation than the frozed sections. The anti-type IV collagen monoclonal antibody exhibited immunoreactivity only conventional formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded skin sections, but the intensity of the staining was weaker than the AMeX processed sections and the frozen sections. CONCLUSION: The AMeX method can be utilized for the demonstration of skin basement membrane antigens and is superior to the fresh-frozen method in that the histologic figures are more distinct and antigencity can be preserved for a long time.
Acetone* ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Basement Membrane* ; Benzoates* ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Epidermis ; Formaldehyde ; Frozen Sections ; Hand ; Hematoxylin ; Ice ; Immunohistochemistry ; Paraffin ; Paraffin Embedding ; Skin* ; Xylenes*

It seems best to view ADHD as a developmental disability that comprises impairments in persistence of effort(sustained attention), the ability to delay responding and inhibit behavior(impusivity), and the regulation of excessive activity level or responding in situations(hyperactivity). These problems tend to arise early in childhood, often during the preschool years, and persist in over half the cases into adulthood as adult ADHD. ADHD in adolescents and adults responds to treatment with stimulants, tricyclic antidepressants, etc. Nonpharmacologic modalities such as behavior modification, individual and family therapy and cognitive therapy are useful adjuncts to psychopharmacologic management. Without effective treatment, ADHD often results in increased risk of trauma, substance abuse, conduct disorder, marital dishamony, family dysfunction, divorce, and incarceration in adolesence and adulthood. Lifelong treatment with proper medication and counselling are important to ADHD.
Adolescent* ; Adult* ; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic ; Behavior Therapy ; Cognitive Therapy ; Conduct Disorder ; Developmental Disabilities ; Divorce ; Drug Therapy ; Family Therapy ; Humans ; Substance-Related Disorders

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cisplatin* ; Drug Therapy* ; Head* ; Neck*

During a 9-year period 43 children and adolescents 2 to 18 years old underwent 140 extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) treatments for 48 calculi. The second generation piezoelectric lithotriptor (LT01) was used in 28 cases (65%) while the remaining cases were treated with the third generation piezoelectric lithotriptor (LT02). LT02 lithotriptor differs from an earlier model LT01 in 2 important respects; a stone localization system consisting of ultrasound and fluoroscopy, and more energy per shock wave. The LT01 necessitated caudal anesthesia in 14 cases (50%) while the LT02 necessitated caudal anesthesia in 2 cases (13%) and intravenous anesthesia in 2 cases (13%). Two upper ureteral stones without ureteral dilatation and 1 mid ureteral stone, which were difficult to detect with ultrasound, could be localized by combined ultrasound and fluoroscopy on LT02. The success rate by LT01 and LT02 ESWL was 92.9% and 100%, respectively. The mean session of LT01 and LT02 ESWL was 3.6+/-.4.09 and 2.6+/-2.47, respectively, and the total storage of LT02 ESWL (93+/-97.8) was much less(p<0.05) than that of LT01 ESWL (363+/-380.3). There were no statistical differences in regard to success and the use of stents, stone size or location between the 2 lithotriptors. Six patients required adjuvant procedures, and ESWL complications were not required admission or surgical management. Therefore, LT02 piezoelectric lithotripsy, in comparison with LT01, is more efficient to localize stones and can lessen total storage by reducing treatment sessions in children and adolescents.
Adolescent* ; Anesthesia, Caudal ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Calculi ; Child* ; Dilatation ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Lithotripsy* ; Shock ; Stents ; Ultrasonography ; Ureter ; Urinary Calculi

No abstract available.
Plasma* ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Stomach Neoplasms*

To investigate the process of angiogenesis in the cardiac tissue of neonatal rats, the levels of von Willebrand factor (vWf) produced by endothelial cells were observed. At days 1 to 7 after birth, whole heart obtained from neonatal rats was frozen sectioned, stained with anti-vWf and biotinylated rabbit anti-goat IgG antibodies, followed by immunohistochemical examinations. The results were as follows: 1. At day 1 after birth, extracellular matrix of endocardium and epicardium was stained with anti-vWf at the intermediate level, but that of myocardium was at the low level. 2. At day 2 after birth, a few blood islands were detected. At day 4 after birth, blood island was formed in most parts of heart and extracellular matrix was stained with ant-vWf at the intermediate level. 3. At day 7 after birth, a few blood vessels were formed, and endothelial cells and extracellular matrix was stained with ant-vWf at the intermediate level. These results suggest that mesenchymal cells were differentiated to blood islands and myocardiac cells, which are responsible for the distribution of vWf in extracellular matirx and for angiogenesis.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Blood Vessels ; Endocardium ; Endothelial Cells ; Extracellular Matrix ; Heart* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Islands ; Myocardium ; Parturition ; Pericardium ; Rats* ; von Willebrand Factor*