BACKGROUND: Murine IL-2-induced lymphokine-activated killers can be divided into two mutually exclusive subset:NK1.1'CD8 and NK1.1 CD8+. However, there is a strong evidence that NK cell may belong to T cell lineage. Recently novel lymphocyte subsets, present in the adult murine thymus, CD3+NK1.1'TCRap(TNK) cell is readily identifiable in fresh obtained murine adult CD4 CD8 thymocytes. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We sorted out CD4 and CD8 (double negative.' DN) cells and CD8+ cells from murine spleen and cultivated these cells with IL-2. And the surface B220, CD8, NK1. 1 and cytopasmic NK1.1 was analysed simultaneously to see whether these cells can be switched to the other subtype of cells. RESULT: Purified DN cells were switched to several subtype of cells'. CD8'B220+(LAK cells), NK1.1'B220+(LAK cells), CD8 B220, cytoplasmic NK1.1+B220 cells. Purified CD8 cells were switched to CD8+B220' LAK cells and cytoplasmic NK1.1+ CD8+ B220+ and cytoplasmic NK1.1' CD8 B220 cells. In addition, the CD8' cells originated from DN cells do not express the cytoplasmic NK1.1 in contrary to the sorted CD8 cells. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that these will be useful models to investigating CD8 precursor potentials in populations of CD4 CD8 (doble negative) cells and relationship of NK1.1 These results also supports the hypothesis that T cells and NK cells have same ontogeny and CD8 effector functions are potentially diverse and could be exploited by various conditions that switch off host protected cytolytic response. These model offer a way to study the molecular regulation of CD8 gene expression.
Adult ; Cell Lineage ; Cytoplasm ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Interleukin-2* ; Interleukins* ; Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Spleen ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thymocytes ; Thymus Gland

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-beta) has multiple regulatory effects on cells of the immune system, and it has been suggested that differentiation of lymphoid cells is influenced by low concentra tions of this cytokine. OBJECTIVES: The aim or this study was to investigate the role of TGF-beta in regulation of T cell growth and differentiation, and to compare this effect with that of other cell signals known to be important in T cell ontogeny. METHODS: We used the CTLL-2 cell line in the presence of IL-2. Surface phenotype expression was analysed to see whether these cells could be switched to the other subtype of cells. RESULT: Treatment of CTLL-2 cells with TGF-beta resulted in dose dependent growth inhibition and morphological changes. Curing routine passage, less than 5% of cells were CD8alpha positive, whereas 38% of cells expressed CD8alpha when treated with IL-2 plus TGF-beta. However, TPA plus calcium ionophore, IFN-gamma, or TNF-alpha caused no significant changes in the proportion of CD8 cells. CONCLUSION: Our results show that this experiment can be a useful model for investigating CD8 precursor potentials in populations of CD4-CD8-(double negative) cells, and such a model may offer a way to study the molecular regulation of CD8 gene expression.
Calcium ; Cell Line* ; Gene Expression ; Immune System ; Interleukin-2 ; Lymphocytes ; Phenotype ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

The toxicity and adrenostatic effect of o,p'-DDD, a derivative of the insecticidal DDT, on the adrenal cortex were well known. It known that the toxicity was based on the blocking of steroid biopsynthesis when cholesterol was converted to pregnenolone. Lysodren(R) was also known to be capable of producing a regression of adrenocortical carcinoma and its metastases, and this drug became one of useful choice for the treatment of unoperable adrenocortical carcinomas. Recently, fine structural effect of o,p'-DDD on the adrenocortical carcinoma show that the mitochondria is the primary target organelle. o,p'-DDD was dissolved in corn oil and it was orally administered for 28 days to investigate the ultrastructural effects of zona fasciculata of rat adrenal cortex. The results obtained were as follow: 1) The body weight was decreased after feeding o,p'-DDD. 2) Light microscopic examination showed no remarkable change except increased fine lipid droplets of zona fasciculata in group I (o,p'-DDD 75 mg/kg feeding). Moderately increased intracytoplasmic lipid droplets and pyknotic nuclei bearing membrane indentations were seen in group II (o,p'-DDD 150 mg/kg feeding). Large sized lipid droplet aggregates, pyknotic nuclei with severe nuclear membrane indentations and karyorrhexis in focal area were evident in group III. 3) Immunohistochemical staining for ACTH in pituitary gland showed increasing number of ACTH secretory cell and increasing intensity of staining property according to the dosage of o,p'-DDD. 4) Ultrastructural examination showed increased intracytoplasmic lipid droplets and mild increased peroxisome. There was no remarkable ultrastructural changes in mitochondria in group I. Moderately increased lipid droplets and clusters formation, compressed mitochondria, partial disappearance of mitochondrial cristae, increased peroxisome and nuclear membrane indentations were seen in group II. In group III, nuclear membrane showed prominent indentation. Numberous cytoplasmic vacuolation, double membrane ring in mitochondria, disappearance of mitochondrial cristae, myelin figure formation in mitochondrial matrix, and fatty changes in mitochondrial matrix were seen. These findings showed that the primary target organelle of attack by o,p'-DDD on zona fasciculata of adrenal gland in rat is mitochondria and it was developed from double ring formation in mitochondrial matrix.
Rats ; Animals

No abstract available.
Hantaan virus* ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome* ; Prevalence*

PURPOSE: The circular stapled hemorrhoidopexy (SH) reduces mucosal prolapse and interrupts the end branches of the upper hemorrhoidal artery through a suitable instrument, Procedure for Prolapse and Hemorrhoids (PPH). However, there are some technical difficulties in routine use of the circular anal dilator (CAD). The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of a CSH without use of a CAD. METHODS: Between April 2005 and November 2006, 250 patients with Grade III and IV prolapsed hemorrhoids who had undergone CSH with PPH without using a CAD were retrospectively analyzed. The sex and age, the operation time, the type of anesthesia, the number of excised hemorrhoid piles, the degree of hemorrhoids and postoperative pain (consumed analgesics), the hospital stay, the postoperative complications, and the number of follow-up examinations at the outpatient clinic were analyzed. RESULTS: The operation time was 17.76 minutes (10~35 minutes). Most patients (89%) experienced spinal anesthesia. The degrees of hemorrhoids were Grade III (45%) and Grade IV (55%). The numbers of excised piles were 3 (44%), 4 (43%), and more than 5 (13%). The number of consumed postoperative analgesics was 0.97 times (mean). The mean hospital stay was 2.83 days. The postoperative complications were pain, bleeding, and urinary retention. CONCLUSIONS: A CSH without use of a CAD was an effective and safe surgical modality compared with other procedures for treating hemorrhoids. This procedure is feasible and convenient. The procedure is a new alternative in the treatment of severe hemorrhoids.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Analgesics ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Arteries ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Complications ; Prolapse ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Retention

The effects of direct hemoperfusion with polymyxin B immobilized fiber (PMX) treatment for septic shock have been recently reported. However, little evidence of a true benefit on clinical outcomes, including mortality, is available. Herein, we report three cases of intra-abdominal infection associated with refractory septic shock Case 1 was Escherichia coli peritonitis after a colectomy. PMX treatment improved the hemodynamic parameters and lactic acid levels of the patient. In case 2, secondary peritonitis was associated with septic or cardiogenic shock. Septic cardiomyopathy was assumed to be the cause of shock. 24 hours after the use of PMX, cardiac contractility assessed by echocardiography returned to baseline. In case 3, a patient with Burkitt's lymphoma and neutropenia was found to be gastroenteritis and Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia. Intravenous meropenem was administered for 3 days. Hemodynamic parameters improve after the twice use of PMXOverall, the change of serial sequential organ failure assessment score (SOFA) was more significant in surgical cases as compared to the medical case at 72 hours after PMX administration. All patients were discharged from the hospital. In addition to early resuscitation efforts and infection source control, PMX treatment may be beneficial to patients with refractory intra-abdominal infection associated with septic shock.
Bacteremia ; Burkitt Lymphoma ; Cardiomyopathies ; Colectomy ; Echocardiography ; Escherichia coli ; Gastroenteritis ; Hemodynamics ; Hemoperfusion* ; Humans ; Intraabdominal Infections ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Lactic Acid ; Mortality ; Neutropenia ; Peritonitis ; Polymyxin B* ; Resuscitation ; Shock ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Shock, Septic*

A umbilical omphalomesenteric duct polyp is the result of incomplete closure of the omphalomesenteric duct, which connects the midgut with the yolk sac of the embryo. It may be associated with underlying embryologic anomalies such as Meckels diverticulum and umbilical enteric fistula, the complications of which may at times be fatal. This rare malformation should be clinically discerned from persistent granulation tissue or pyogenic granuloma. Histologically, it shows a polypoid lesion consisting of ectopic gastrointestinal epithelium with the appearance of gastric, intestinal, or colonic mucosa. We report a case of an umbilical omphalomesenteric duct polyp in an 8-year-old male patient, who had had a bright-red polyp on the umbilicus from the age of 1 month and had not had any other types of underlying abnormalities.
Child ; Colon ; Diverticulum ; Embryonic Structures ; Epithelium ; Fistula ; Granulation Tissue ; Granuloma, Pyogenic ; Humans ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Polyps* ; Umbilicus ; Vitelline Duct* ; Yolk Sac

Hypersensitivity myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium usually related to drug allergy. The clinical manifestation may be nonspecific, and the diagnosis is seldom suspected or established during the life. So in most of the reported patients, the diagnosis was made at autopsy. Although, retrospectively, more than 90% of the patients described have had clinically recognizable cardiac involvement before death, tole clinical suspicion of hypersensitivity myocarditis is rare. The presence of nonspecific cardiac finding in a patient receiving any drug associated with hypersensitivity should alert the clinician to the possibility of drug related myocarditis. We experienced a case of hypersensitivity myocarditis accompanying allergic skin lesion in a 58 years old man with a history of taking cefadroxil. Fortunately, the outcome was favorable, therefore we do not have histologic confirmation of the diagnosis.
Autopsy ; Cefadroxil ; Diagnosis ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Middle Aged ; Myocarditis ; Myocardium ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin

PURPOSE: Compared with other types of hernia, femoral hernias in adults are less common and we have had little literature about femoral hernia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of femoral hernias in adults and to analyze the characteristics of femoral hernias. METHODS: This retrospective study was based on the medical records of 60 patients who underwent herniorrhaphies for treating femoral hernia in adults from January 2001 to December 2007. We analyzed the incidence of femora hernias, the symptoms, the operative techniques, the complications, the mortality and the postoperative recurrence rates. RESULTS: The incidence of femoral hernia was 4.6% in all cases of inguinal hernias. The incidence in females was about 4 times higher than in males (P<0.001). The most common symptom was bulging. The operative technique was changed from plug technique to bilayer technique. Seroma including swelling and pain were prominent complications. We experienced one case of mortality. CONCLUSION: Femoral hernia is a rare type of inguinal hernia in adult. Femoral hernia is more frequent in females and in the aged; it is an important surgical pathology with high rate of incarceration or strangulation. In consideration of the pathology of hernia and difficulty of the peri-operative diagnosis, the Prolene Hernia System herniorrhaphy is a superior method to other methods in femoral hernia.
Adult ; Female ; Hernia ; Hernia, Femoral ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Herniorrhaphy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Medical Records ; Pathology, Surgical ; Polypropylenes ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seroma

Neurofibromatosis(NF) is a disorder characterized by its relative commonness, variability, and heterogeneity. It is usually expressed as a generalized form, but is rarely localized in a limited part of the body as a segmental form. In 1981, Riccardi classified NF into 8 types and a segmental form (type V) was defined by limitation of cafe-au-lait spots and/or neurofibroma on a given unilateral segment of the body. Recently we came across two cases of typical segmental neurofibromatosis. The First case was a 53-year-old woman with localized neurofibromatosis on the right T8,9 dermatome. The Second case was a 34-year-old man with localized neurofibromatosis on the right T5,6 dermatome. There were no cafe-au-lait spots, axillary frecklings, Lisch nodules or a family history in both cases. We report these rare cases with a literature review.
Adult ; Cafe-au-Lait Spots ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Population Characteristics