This study aimed to investigate the existence of GABA receptor and the mechanisms of action of GABA and diazepam of the trachealis muscle isolated from dog. Horizontal muscle strips of 2mm×15mm were prepared from canine trachea, and isometric myography in isolated muscle chamber bubbled with 95/5%-O₂/CO₂ at 36℃, at the pH of 7.4 was performed. Muscle strips contracted responding to the electrical field stimulation (ESP) by 2~20 Hz, 20 msec, monophasic square wave of 60 VDC. GABA and diazepam suppressed the EFS-induced contractions to the similar extent, significantly. (p<0.05). Bicuculline, a GABA(A) receptor antagonist blocked both GABA- and diazepam-inhibitions; but DAVA, a GABA(B) receptor antagoinst did not affect either of them. These results suggest than in the canine trachealis muscle, there may be only GABA(A) receptor, and GABA and diazepam inhibit the contractility via GABA(A) receptor.
Animals ; Bicuculline ; Diazepam ; Dogs ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid* ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Myography ; Receptors, GABA ; Receptors, GABA-A ; Trachea

ANCA-associated vasculitis is one of the immunologic cause of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH). We experienced a rare case of recurrent DAH in a 67-year-old man with ANCA-associated vasculitis who had been on maintenance hemodialysis. Two years ago, he presented with renal failure and hemoptysis. Hemoptysis caused by DAH was resolved immediately and hemodialysis was applied because of persistent uremic symptom. On maintenance hemodialysis, three recurrences have happened so far. At present, oral prednisolone and oral cyclophosphamide are being maintained during outpatient follow-up. Our report suggests that the nephrologist must be concerned about the possibility of recurrent aleveolar hemorrhage in ANCA associated renal disease patients and consider immunosuppressive treatment, even though the patient has been on maintenance hemodialysis.
Aged ; Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis ; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; Cyclophosphamide ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemoptysis ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Prednisolone ; Recurrence ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Vasculitis*

The purpose of this study provides measurements of radiation dose from MDCT of head, chest, abdomen and pelvic examinations. A series of dose quantities that are measured of patient weight to compare the dose received during MDCT examinations. Data collected included: weight together with CT dose descriptors, volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP). The effective dose was also estimated and served as collective dose estimation data. Data from 1,774 adult patients attending for a CT examination of the head (n=520) or chest (n=531) or abdomen (n=724) was obtained from spiral CT units using a same CT protocol. Mean values of CTDIvol was a range of 48.6 mGy for head and 6.9, 10.5 mGy for chest, abdomen examinations, respectively. And mean values of DLP was range of 1,604 mGy.cm for head, 250 mGy.cm for chest, 575 mGy.cm for abdomen examinations, respectively. Mean effective dose values for head, chest, abdominal CT were 3.6, 4.2, and 8.6 mSv, respectively. The degree of CTDIvol and DLP was a positive correlation with weight. And there was a positive correlation for weight versus CTDIvol (r2=0.62), DLP (r2=0.694) in chest. And head was also positive correlation with weight versus CTDIvol (r2=0.691), DLP (r2=0.741). We conclude that CTDIvol and DLP is an important determinant of weight within the CT examinations. The results for this study suggest that CT protocol should be tailored according to patient weight.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Cytarabine ; Gynecological Examination ; Head ; Humans ; Subject Headings ; Thioguanine ; Thorax ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

We investigated the co-stimulatory role of a cell-surface protein, CD99. Co-ligation of CD99 and suboptimal CD3 induced T-cell activation to a level comparable to that obtained with optimal CD3 or CD3+CD28. We also noted concomitant enhancement of the earliest T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling events. In addition, co-ligation of CD99 and CD3 led to translocation of TCR complexes into the lipid raft, without concomitant migration of CD99 to the raft, and consequent enhancement of TCR zeta-mediated signal 1. These data demonstrate the unique properties of CD99 co-stimulation that distinguish this molecule from CD28 and other raft-resident co-stimulatory factors.
Antigens, CD/*immunology ; Antigens, CD3/immunology ; Cell Adhesion Molecules/*immunology ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Jurkat Cells ; Lymphocyte Activation/*immunology ; Membrane Microdomains/*immunology ; Membrane Proteins/*immunology ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotyrosine/*metabolism ; Protein Transport ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/*immunology ; T-Lymphocytes/*immunology

BACKGROUND: Acute pyelonephritis (APN) is an unusual cause of acute renal failure (ARF) in patients without urinary obstruction and other predisposing conditions. Therefore, in the differential diagnosis of ARF, APN is rarely considered. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data from the patients with ARF secondary to APN (ARF group, n=8) with normal renal anatomy and no known predisposing conditions which lead to ARF during the course of acute bacterial pyelonephritis, and investigated the differences of clinical parameters to the patients with uncomplicated APN (control group, n=20). RESULTS: Female were predominant in both groups. The mean age was 49.2+/-14.4 years in control group and 56.3+/-16.4 years in ARF group. On admission, the body temperature was 37.5+/-1.14degrees C in control group and 36.62+/-0.32degrees C in ARF group (p= 0.003). The days of pyuria, duration days of costovertebral angel (CVA) tenderness and hospitalization days were significantly prolonged in ARF group. CVA tenderness was unilateral in 65% of control group and bilateral in 65% of ARF group. Amounts of daily urine protein excretion were 0.15+/-0.48 gm/ day in control group and 2.99+/-2.89 gm/day in ARF group (p=0.001). Creatinine clearance and FeNa were 24.04+/-15.98 mL/min and 2.80+/-2.68 in patients group, respectively. Development of ARF had positive correlation with the duration of pyuria (r=0.579, p< 0.01), amounts of daily urine protein excretion (r=0.854, p< 0.01), duration of CVA tenderness (r=0.461, p< 0.05) and had a negative correlation with body temperature (r=-0.402, p< 0.05). CONCLUSION: APN is a rare but important cause of acute renal failure. Patients with ARF secondary to APN seems to have more prolonged period of pyuria and CVA tenderness, apyrexia and excrete more protein in urine than patients with uncomplicated APN. Adequate treatment of the bacterial infection by prompt antibiotic treatment may lead to full recovery of renal function.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Bacterial Infections ; Body Temperature ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Pyelonephritis* ; Pyuria ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: In patients with chronic renal failure, infection is caused by altered host defense mechanism, and contributes significantly to their morbidities and mortalities. Especially, urinary tract infection often occurs in patients with chronic renal failure and is due to azotemia, infrequent voiding, low urinary flow rate and urinary concentration defects. This study was designed to compare the incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria with chronic renal failure with that of normal control group. We also investigated whether risk factors for urinary tract infections in patients with chronic renal failure are similar to those in normal control groups. METHODS: 34 patients (M : F=13 : 21) with chronic renal failure and 30 normal control groups (M : F= 11 : 19) were evaluated in the Pusan National University Hospital from January 2001 through December 2001. Etiology of chronic renal failure included diabetes mellitus (n=16, 47.1%), hypertension (n=14, 41.2%) and glomerular diseases (n=4, 11.7%). 25 patients were treated with hemodialysis and 5 patients were treated with peritoneal dialysis. Others (n=4) were not treated with dialysis. Clean-catch, first voided urine was collected in the morning and examined by routine urinalysis and urine culture. RESULTS: 7 of 34 (20.6%) patients with chronic renal failure were positive in urine cultures and only one of 30 (3.3%) from the normal control group were positive. E. coli (n=2), Acinetobacter baumanii (n=2), Enterococcus spp. (n=2), S. aureus (n=1), P. aeruginosa (n=1), S. epidermidis (n=1) and Str. viridans (n=1) are cultured from urine specimens. There was a significant difference between the incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in patients with chronic renal failure and that of normal control group. But there was no significant difference in the presence of bacteriuria according to sex, age, etiology of renal failure, dialysis modality and pyuria. CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic renal failure have higher frequency of asymptomatic bacteriuria and pyuria than healthy subjects and tend to lead to symptomatic urinary tract infections.
Acinetobacter ; Azotemia ; Bacteriuria* ; Busan ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dialysis ; Enterococcus ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Mortality ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Pyuria ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Risk Factors ; Urinalysis ; Urinary Tract Infections

Genetic alterations have been recognized as an important event in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer (GC). We conducted high resolution bacterial artificial chromosome array-comparative genomic hybridization, to elucidate in more detail the genomic alterations, and to establish a pattern of DNA copy number changes with distinct clinical variables in GC. Our results showed some correlations between novel amplified or deleted regions and clinical status. Copy-number gains were frequently detected at 1p, 5p, 7q, 8q, 11p, 16p, 20p and 20q, and losses at 1p, 2q, 4q, 5q, 7q, 9p, 14q, and 18q. Losses at 4q23, 9p23, 14q31.1, or 18q21.1 as well as a gain at 20q12 were correlated with tumor-node-metastasis tumor stage. Losses at 9p23 or 14q31.1 were associated with lymph node status. Metastasis was determined to be related to losses at 4q23 or 4q28.2, as well as losses at 4q15.2, 4q21.21, 4q 28.2, or 14q31.1, with differentiation. One of the notable aspects of this study was that the losses at 4q or 14q could be employed in the evaluation of the metastatic status of GC. Our results should provide a potential resource for the molecular cytogenetic events in GC, and should also provide clues in the hunt for genes associated with GC.
Stomach Neoplasms/genetics/*pathology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods ; Receptors, Thyrotropin/genetics ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization/*methods ; Neoplasm Staging ; Middle Aged ; Male ; MafB Transcription Factor/genetics ; Lymphatic Metastasis/genetics ; Humans ; Genome, Human/genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Female ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 20/genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14/genetics ; *Chromosome Aberrations ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aged ; Adult

BACKGROUND: Henoch-Shnlein purpura is a systemic disease and has characteristic features of purpuric skin rash, abdominal pain, arthralgia and abnormal urinary findings and characterized by immunoglobulin A deposits in the involved organ. Renal involvement is the most important prognostic factor in Henoch-Shnlein purpura. METHODS: I retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 48 patients with Henoch-Shoenlein purpura and 10 biopsy-proven Henoch-Schoenlein nephritis examined at Pusan National University Hospital. RESULTS: 23 cases were males and 25 cases females. Male to female ratio was 1:1.08. The peak of seasonal incidence was seen in spring (41.7%) and winter (27.1%) At presentation, skin purpura was present in 100% of patients, arthralgia was reported in 52.1% and gastrointestinal involvement in 70.8%. 75% of the patients showed renal involvement and pulmonary hemorrhage observed in 2 cases. Common types of skin rash were petechiae, purpura and erythematous maculopapular lesion on the lower extremities. The most common gastrointestinal symptom was abdominal pain (82.3%). Frequently involved joints were knee and ankle (48.0%). Renal involvement were microscopic hematuria (50.0%), proteinuria (50.0%), gross hematuria (29.2%). 25% of patients reached renal insufficiency (GFR<70 mL/min) and 4 cases (8.3%) reached acute renal failure (GFR<30 mL/min and anuria) and 3 patients of them experienced hemodialysis. All renal biopsies showed predominant IgA mesangial deposition. There were 2 cases of grade II, 6 cases of grade III and 2 cases of grade IV by classification of Meadow. Steroids were given in 16 patients (33.3%). Methylprednisolone pulse treatements were given in 4 patients for severe nephritis. 10 patients received angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. Clinical remission of extrarenal symptoms was achieved in 83.3% but relapses of purpura were observed in 27.1%. Clinical remissions of nephritis defined as the absence of proteinuria, hematuria and normal renal function was achieved in only 8.3%, Abnormal urinary finding continued in 37.8%. 8.3% of patients expired. CONCLUSION: Although it has been well known that Henoch-Shnlein purpura has benign courses, we experienced 4 case of deaths and The cause of death was acute renal faliure, pulmonary hemorrhage, adult respiratory distress syndrome, massive gastrointestinal bleeding, peritonitis due to bowel perforation.
Abdominal Pain ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult* ; Ankle ; Arthralgia ; Biopsy ; Busan ; Cause of Death ; Classification ; Exanthema ; Female ; Hematuria ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Incidence ; Joints ; Knee ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Methylprednisolone ; Nephritis ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; Peritonitis ; Proteinuria ; Purpura ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch* ; Recurrence ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Skin ; Steroids

BACKGROUND: Acute renal infarction is an uncommon disease which is often delyed or missed due to its rarity and unspecific clinical presentation. METHODS: In order to evaluate the clinical features and to elucidate diagnostic or therapeutic options, we analyzed the medical records of 23 patients who were admitted to Pusan National University Hospital from January, 1995 to July, 2004 and diagnosed as renal infarction. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 57.3 18.4 years and male to female ratio was 0.91:1. Underlying diseases were cardiovascular disease (n=18), tumor embolism (n=1), vasculitis (n=1), post kidney transplantation thrombosis (n=1), and trauma(n=1). One patient did not have any underlying disease. Initial symptoms were abdominal or flank pain (61%), fever (35%), anorexia (35%), nausea (26%), vomiting (17%), gross hematuria (9%), and oliguria (4%). On physical examination, costovertebral angle tenderness (43%), abdominal tenderness (9%), and hypertension (35%) were noted. Initial abnormal laboratory findings were elevated serum level of LDH (100%), AST (87%), ALT (83%), CK (22%), and creatinine (>1.4 mg/dL, 17%). Imaging diagnosis of renal infarction included renal angiography, isotope renal scan, computed tomography or ultrasonography. CT was done in 17/23 cases and useful in diagnosis of renal infarction. Nine patients were treated with heparin or warfarin. Thrombolysis was done in 3 patients. Others were treated conservatively. CONCLUSIONS: In a patients with an increased risk of thromboembolism, flank or abdominal pain, microscopic hematuria, and an elevated serum LDH are strongly supportive of diagnosis of renal infarction. Under such circumstances, enhanced CT is essential for the early diagnosis of renal infarction.
Abdominal Pain ; Angiography ; Anorexia ; Busan ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Flank Pain ; Hematuria ; Heparin ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infarction* ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Medical Records ; Nausea ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; Oliguria ; Physical Examination ; Renal Insufficiency ; Thromboembolism ; Thrombosis ; Ultrasonography ; Vasculitis ; Vomiting ; Warfarin