Although there are many reports on the splenic (systemic) T cell response after Toxoplasma gondii infection, little information is available regarding the local T cell responses of peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) and gut intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) following peroral infection with bradyzoites. Mice were infected with 40 cysts of the 76K strain of T. gondii, and then sacrificed at days 0, 1, 4, 7 and 10 postinfection (PI). The cellular composition and T cell responses of PEC and IEL were analyzed. The total number of PEC and IEL per mouse increased after infection, but the ratio of increase was higher in IEL. Lymphocytes were the major component of both PEC and IEL. The relative percentages of PEC macrophages and neutrophils/eosinophils increased significantly at day 1 and 4 PI, whereas those of IEL did not change significantly. The percentage of PEC NK1.1 and gamma delta T cells peaked at day 4 PI (p < 0.0001), and CD4 and CD8 alpha T cells increased continuously after infection. The percentages of IEL CD8 alpha and gamma delta T cells decreased slightly at first, and then increased. CD4 and NK1.1 T cells of IEL did not change significantly after infection. IFN-gamma-producing PEC NK1.1 T cells increased significantly from day 1 PI, but the other T cell subsets produced IFN-gamma abundantly thereafter. The proportion of IEL IFN-gamma-producing CD8 alpha and gamma delta T cells increased significantly after infection, while IEL NK1.1 T cells had similar IFN-gamma production patterns. Taken together, CD4 T cells were the major phenotype and the important IFN-gamma-producing T cell subsets in PEC after oral infection with T. gondii, whereas CD8 alpha T cells had these roles in IEL. These results suggest that PEC and IEL comprise different cell differentials and T cell responses, and according to infection route these factors may contribute to the different cellular immune responses.
Acute Disease ; Animals ; Ascitic Fluid/cytology/*metabolism ; Female ; Interferon Type II/*biosynthesis ; Intestinal Mucosa/cytology ; Lymphocytes/*metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets/*immunology ; Toxoplasmosis/*immunology

This study was performed to observe the therapeutic effects of interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma) and gamma-globulin(gamma-globulin) in experimental Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia of immune suppressed mice. After 9 weeks, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole(TMP-SMZ; 10-50 mg/mouse/day), mouse IFN-gamma(5 x 10(4) units/mouse/day) and mouse gamma-globulin(20 mg/mouse/day) were administered to the mice for 3 weeks by the experimental group. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by body weights, histopathologic and electron microscopic findings of the lungs, and number of P. carinii cysts by Gomori's methenamine silver stain. Body weights of the mice were significantly increased in the group of combination therapy of TMP-SMZ with IFN-gamma or gamma-globulin, and in the group of TMP-SMZ treatment (p < 0.05), however, little effect was found in the group of gamma-globulin alone. Histopathologic findings of P. carinii pneumonia were much improved in the group of combination therapy of TMP-SMZ with IFN-gamma. Treatment with either TMP-SMZ or IFN-gamma significantly reduced the number of cysts in the P. carinii pneumonia, but gamma-globulin alone was ineffective. In electron microscopic findings of P. carinii pneumonia, the number of trophozoites and cysts were reduced by treatment with either TMP-SMZ or IFN-gamma, and most of the cysts were empty or containing one or two intracystic bodies. The present results suggested, that combination therapy of TMP-SMZ with IFN-gamma had synergistic effects in treatment of P. carinii pneumonia in experimental mice.
Drug-Synergism ; Drug-Therapy,-Combination ; English-Abstract ; Gamma-Globulins-administration-and-dosage ; Interferon-Type-II-administration-and-dosage ; Mice- ; Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole-Combination-administration-and-dosage ; *Gamma-Globulins-therapeutic-use ; *Interferon-Type-II-therapeutic-use ; *Pneumonia,-Pneumocystis-carinii-therapy ; Gamma-Globulins ; Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole-Combination ; Interferon-Type-II

No abstract available.
Subcutaneous Tissue*

No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Intermittent Urethral Catheterization*

PURPOSE: It is reported that 65% of diabetic male patients over 60 of their age are impotent. However, there is no report concerning the effect of serum glucose control on erectile dysfunction in diabetic patient. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of serum glucose control on erectile dysfunction. MATERIALS AMD METHODS: The development of Diabetes mellitus was defined that the serum glucose level was above 200mg/dL in random test at 25 weeks. We designed the experimental specimen into 3 groups; group I: diabetic OLETF (Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty) rats without blood sugar control (n=10), group II: diabetic OLETF rats with blood sugar control with 4U insulin subcutaneous injection daily from 26 to 46 weeks (n=10), group III: diabetic OLETF rats with blood sugar control with 10U insulin subcutaneous injection daily from 26 to 46 weeks (n=10). We estimated the collagen content of penile tunica albuginea with the scanning electron microscopy and observed the endothelial layers of corpus cavernosum with the transmission electron microscopy in each group. RESULTS: The serum glucose level was 249 +/- 4.1mg/dL, 234 +/- 2.7mg/dL, 215 +/- 3.0mg/dL respectively in group I, II, III, and decreased in order of group II, III. The differences among groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). The thickness of collagen bundles of penile tunica albuginea was 0.98 +/- 0.1 micrometer, 0.94 +/- 0.3 micrometer, 0.92 +/- 0.1 micrometer respectively in group I, II, III, and decreased in order of group II, III. The differences among groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). The endothelial layers of corpus cavernosum were decreased in II, III. CONCLUSIONS: The serum glucose control in diabetic rats decreases the collagen con tents in penile tunica albuginea and the endothelial layers of corpus cavernosum.
Animals ; Blood Glucose* ; Collagen* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Endothelium ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Insulin ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Rats* ; Rats, Inbred OLETF

Echocardiography was done with Ekoline 20 model of Smith Kline Instrument in 91 patients of mitral valvular heart disease, 46 with mitral stenosis, 10 with mitral insufficiency, 38 with mitral stenoinsufficinency and 115 normal controls. The results obtained are as follows. 1. Right ventricular dimension was 13.61+/-5.61 mm/sq m. in normal controls, 16.50+/-5.06mm/sq m. in mitral stenosis, 20.17+/-3.28mm/sq m. in mitral insufficiency, 18.61+/-8.48mm/sq m. in mitral stenoinsufficiency revealing significant increment in all mitral valvular disease groups but there was no significant difference btw. each disease groups. 2. Left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions was 29.83+/-7.06mm/sq m. in normal controls, 41.57+/-7.77mm/sq m. in mitral insufficinency, 38.48+/-10.22mm/sq m. in mitral stenoinsufficiency revealing significant increment but there was no significant difference btw. mitral stenosis and normal controls. 3. Left atrial dimension was 17.57+/-4.96mm/sq m. in normal controls, 33.22+/-5.32mm/sq m. in mitral stenosis, 35.96+/-7.35mm/sq m. in mitral insufficiency, 35.00+/-8.22 in mitral stenoinsufficiency revealing significnat increment in whole mitral valvular disease. 4. E-F slope was 90.76+/-30.20mm/sec in normal controls 18.08+/-10.3mm/sec in mitral stenosis, 29.52+/-19.3mm/sec in mitral stenoinsufficiency revealing marked decrement. In mitral insufficiency, it was 65.3+/-45.4mm/sec revealing significant decrement but not so severe as previous. 5. There was no significant difference between normal controls and mitral valvular disease in valve excursion. 6. Left atrial dimension to aortic root size was 1.13+/-0.31 in normal controls, 1.77+/-0.63 in mitral stenosis, 1.56+/-0.60 in mitral regurgitation and 1.82+/-0.56 in mitral stenoinsufficinecy revealing significant increment in whole mitral valvular heart disease.
Echocardiography* ; Heart Valve Diseases* ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Stenosis

The accepted radiographic method to determine cervical spinal stenosis is the direct measurement of the sagittal diameter of the spinal canal on the routine lateral view of the cervical spine. The reported normal and abnormal values for this measurement are inconsistent because of various methods of obtaining the roentgenograms and different body types which affect the size of the X-ray image. According to Pavlow, the ratio method of determining crevical spinal stenosis, in which the sagittal diameter of the spinal canal is divided by the sagittal diameter of the corresponding vertebral body, is independent of technical factor variables and is a reliable method for determining cervical spinal stenosis. In order to determine the Pavlov's ratio of normal Koreans, and compare it with that of radiculopathic group, we measured the diameter of cervicl canal in 47 normal persons(28 male, 19 female), and 32 patients( 9 male, 23 female) who had transient tingling sensation and radiculopathic symtom from the second to fifth decades. The results were as follows :1) The average Pavlov's ratio from C3 to C7 in normal Korean men are 0.906(0.70–1.13), 0.899 (0.070–1.13),0.948(0.70–1.67) and 0.948(0.67–1.17), respectively, and those of normal Korean women are 0.977(0.83–1.15), 1.021(0.83–1.13), 1.014(0.84–1.33) and 1.055(0.88–1.18), respectively. 2) The average Pavlov's ratio from C3 to C7 in radiculopathic Korean men are 0.88(0.65–1.12), 0.90(0.68–1.12), 0.95(0.79–1.12) and 0.95(0.78–1.06), respectively, and those of radiculopathic Korean women are 0.902(0.70–1.27), 0.905(0.69–1.27), 0.939(0.70–1.33) and 0.931(0.70–1. 18), respectively. 3) There are not statistically differences of the Pavlov's ratio between the control group and the radiculopathic group. 4) We believe that the Pavlov's ratio is an effective method in detection of cervical stenosis and is able to eliminate technical factor such as body position, target and object-to-film distanc.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Sensation ; Somatotypes ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine

No abstract available.

Accelerated atherosclerosis is not only a frequent complication but also the most common cause of death in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Although mechanisms are unclear, disorder of lipid metabolism may be a major factor. Since apolipo-protein (apo) E is known to play a major regulatory role in lipid metabolism, we evaluated apo E genotype in 72 male patients with CRF and compared with that in 194 rnale normal controls. In addition, we measured plasma lipid and apolipoprotein concentrations and evaluated them according to apo E genotype in patients and controls. Apo E genotype was determined with the INNO-LiPA Apo E kit (Innogenetics, Belgium), which is based on reverse hybridization. The results are as follows ; 1) The distribution of the three major apo E alleles in patients with CRF ( e 2: 6.2%, e 3: 80.6%, e 4: 13.2%) was not different from that in controls ( e 2: 4.1%, e 3: 87.6%, e 4: 8.3%). 2) In patients with CRF, total cholesterol, lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were significantly lower and the triglyceride and lipoprotein (a) levels were significantly higher than those in controls. 3) In controls, E 4/3 group had significantly lower levels of HDL than E 3/3 and E 3/2 groups. In patients with CRF, E 4/3 group had significantly higher levels of total cholesterol and apo B lipoprotein than E3/2 group. In conclusion, although there was no significant difference in the apo E genotype frequencies between male patients with CRF and controls, apo E polymorphism may play an important role in the determination of individual differences in plasma lipids in male patients with CRF.
Alleles ; Apolipoproteins B ; Apolipoproteins E ; Apolipoproteins* ; Atherosclerosis ; Cause of Death ; Cholesterol ; Genotype ; Humans ; Individuality ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Lipid Metabolism ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Lipoproteins ; Male* ; Plasma* ; Triglycerides

No abstract available.
Acceleration* ; Lasers, Semiconductor* ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*