No abstract available.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Pregnancy*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Defensin, an antimicrobial peptide, is an important component of the innate immune response, particulary at mucosal surface. The present study was undertaken to investigate the expression of defensin in inferior turbinate mucosa and nasal polyp. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of beta-defensin 1, 2 and alpha-defensin 5, 6 mRNA was investigated by RT-PCR and dot blot hybridization. Immunohistochemistry was utilized for detection of alpha-defensin 1, 2, 3 in tissue section. RESULTS: beta-defensin 1 mRNA was expressed in all tissue samples, with not so significantly different levels of expression. beta- defensin 2 mRNA was detected in patients with chronic sinusitis, but not in patients with normal mucosa. Its expression level was significantly higher in nasal polyp than in turbinate mucosa. alpha-defensin 5, and 6 mRNA were not expressed in any tissue but alpha-defensin 1, 2 and 3 were detected in all tissue samples obtained from patients with chronic sinusitis. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that beta-defensin 1 may play a constitutive role in the nasal defense while alpha-defensin 1, 2, 3 and beta-defensin 2 may be induced in response to local infection or inflammation.
Humans* ; Immunity, Innate ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Mucosa* ; Nasal Polyps ; Peptides* ; RNA, Messenger ; Sinusitis ; Turbinates

When a ribosome complex is stalled during the translation elongation process in eukaryotes, the mono-ubiquitination of Rps3 has recently been shown to be critical to ribosome quality control. We have discovered that the regulatory role of Rps3 mono-ubiquitination is controlled by a deubiquitinase. We also showed that an autophagic signal appears to be coupled to the mono-ubiquitination of Rps3p through the entrance of Ubp3p into the autophagosome in yeasts. The mono-ubiquitination of the Rps3 protein is tightly modulated by reciprocal action between the Hel2p E3 ligase and the Ubp3p deubiquitinase in yeasts and the reciprocal action between the RNF123 E3 ligase and the USP10 deubiquitinase in mammalian cells. We also found that the Ubp3p/USP10 deubiquitinases critically modulate Hel2p/RNF123-mediated Rps3p mono-ubiquitination. In addition, we found that Hel2p/RNF123 and Ubp3p/USP10 appeared to be differently localized in the ribosome complex after ultraviolet irradiation. Together, our results support a model in which coordinated ubiquitination and deubiquitination activities can finely balance the level of regulatory Rps3p mono-ubiquitination in ribosome-associated quality control and autophagy processes.
Autophagy ; Eukaryota ; Quality Control* ; Ribosomes ; Ubiquitin ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases* ; Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases ; Ubiquitination ; Yeasts

OBJECT: The nonstress test(NST) and complete biophysical profile(BPP) were compared with the rapid biophysical profile(BPP) in order to evaluate the efficacy of the rapid BPP, namely, the combination of amniotic fluid index(AFI) and sound-provoked fetal movement(SPFM) detected by ultrasound, in predicting intrapartum fetal distress in high-risk pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: From JAN 9th 2000, through JAN 5th 2001, the prospective study of diagnostic tests was conducted on a total of 91 high-risk singleton pregnancies, undergoing antepartum assessment both the standard NST and the new rapid BPP(including other indices of complete BPP). The diagnostic indices of the NST, rapid BPP and complete BPP were calculated in term of predicting intrapartum fetal distress. RESULT: The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of NST were 50.00, 94.81, 96.05, and 42.86% respectively, and those of rapid BPP were 75.00, 98.53, 98.53, and 75.00%, and those of complete BPP were 83.33, 98.72, 98.72, and 83.33%, as well. In addition, the efficiency of NST, rapid BPP, and complete BPP were 91.57%, 97.22% and 97.62% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The rapid BPP is an effective and reliable predictor of intrapartum fetal distress with high-risk pregnancies. Moreover, it may be inexpensive and less time-consuming method.
Amniotic Fluid ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, High-Risk ; Prospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography

In this study, high frequency oscillatory ventilator was designed and constructed. Using designed by phase-lock loop system, in order to accurately and easily treat both the outlet volume and rpm. A system has been designed and is being evaluated using CD4046A PLL IC. We use this PLL IC for the purpose of motor controls. The device consists of PLL system, pumping mechanism, piston, cylinder, and special crank shaft are required. This system characteristics were as follows: 1) Frequency: 20-1800 rpm 2) Outlet air volume: 1-50 cc
Ventilators, Mechanical*

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the upper airway is a rare lesion, clinically mimicking a neoplastic process. It has no identifiable cause or associated systemic disease. It is thought to be a form of idiopathic pseudotumor and has been reported to occur most often in the lungs, conductive airways, and orbit. Its occurrence in the maxillary sinus is rare. Diagnosis of inflammatory pseudotumor of the maxillary sinus is a difficult pre-operatively. We present a case of 64 year-old female with an unusual inflammatory pseudotumor of the maxillary sinus that simulated an aggressive neoplasm on PNS CT. The difficulties in establishing this clinico-pathologic diagnosis are discussed.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell* ; Humans ; Lung ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Middle Aged ; Orbit

A 67-year-old male visited Pusan Veterans Hospital due to general weakness and weight loss for 6 months. Physical examination showed non-tender 4 finger breaths sized splenomegaly and both inguinal and cervical lymphadenopathy. The white blood cell count was 25,300/uL with 91% morphologically mature lymphocytes. Bone marrow aspirate revealed hypercellularity with 74.5% lymphocytes morphologically similar to peripheral lymphocytes. The immunophenotpying study of lymphocytes displayed the phenotype of CD19(+), CD20(+), HLA-DR(+), sIg(+) but CD5(-). We concluded that this patients's diagnosis is CD 5 negative B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Aged ; B-Lymphocytes* ; Bone Marrow ; Busan ; Diagnosis ; Fingers ; Hospitals, Veterans ; Humans ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell* ; Leukocyte Count ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Phenotype ; Physical Examination ; Splenomegaly ; Weight Loss

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Antimicrobial peptides are cationic proteins that are found in a wide range of organisms. Recent reports suggest that human beta-defensin-1 (hBD-1), a prominent group of antimicrobial peptides, is an important component of the innate immune response, particularly at mucosal surfaces that are vulnerable to colonization by potential pathogens. Therefore, hBD-1 may participate in providing intrinsic nasal mucosal defense against microbial infections. The present study aimed to look for hBD-1 mRNA in apparently normal human nasal mucosa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of hBD-1 mRNA was investigated in the inferior turbinate tissues using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization. RESULTS: The expression of hBD-1 mRNA was detected in these tissues. By in situ hybridization, hBD-1 mRNA was predominantly localized in superficial epithelial cells and submucosal glandular epithelium. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that nasal epithelia and submucosal glands may secrete hBD-1 and thus contribute to the mucosal defense of the nose.
Colon ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Humans* ; Immunity, Innate ; In Situ Hybridization ; Nasal Mucosa* ; Nose ; Peptides ; RNA, Messenger* ; Turbinates

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated changes of voice and hearing in premenopausal and postmenopausal woman METHODS: We studied forty postmenopausal and forty premenopausal women. Each women was asked to describe their subjective vocal symptoms and phonate a vowel /a/ sound for 3 seconds. The phonated sound in each case was recorded and analysed by the computerized speech lab (LSL 4300B, KAY Elemetrics Corp. USA). we also conducted audiometric pure-tone threshold testing on the same group. Statistical analysis of voice and hearing parameters was done by paired T test RESULTS: Jitter in menopausal group was significantly increased compared with premenopausal group, but other voice parameters showed no significant differences. There were no significant changes of vocal parameters between menopausal patients with or without vocal symptoms. And there were no significant changes of hearing parameters, either CONCLUSION: The change of voice parameters was objectively identified in menopausal women, and so therapist of menopausal symptoms must take the voice changes into consideration.
Female ; Hearing* ; Humans ; Menopause ; Voice*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A heparin-binding polypeptide called midkine is a family of secreted growth/differentiation cytokines and has a role in tumor growth by enhancing endothelial proliferation, vascular density and angiogenesis. In this respect, midkine may be involved in the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the expression of midkine mRNA in the human nasal mucosa and polyps. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The total RNA was isolated from freshly disected inferior turbinate of patients who underwent rhinoplasty and from nasal polyps of chronic rhinosinusitis patients. The expression and distribution of midkine mRNA was investigated by reverse transcriptse- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization. The midkine mRNA expression in nasal mucosa and polyps were semi-quantitatively evaluated by Southern blot hybridization. RESULTS: The expression of midkine mRNA was identified in both normal inferior turbinate and nasal polyp. Histochemistry of in situ hybridization revealed that midkine mRNA in normal inferior turbinate was intensely expressed in the surface epithelium, submucosal glands, vascular endothelium, and inflammatory cells scattered in submucosal tissues. Midkine mRNA was expressed in the nasal polyps, many inflammatory cells and newly formed vascular endothelium, but not in the newly formed glandular epithelium. In semi-quantitative southern blot hybridization, midkine mRNAs did not have different expression levels between inferior turbinate and nasal polyps. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that midkine mRNA is innately expressed in human nasal mucosa, playing a role in nasal physiology. Also, the results show that midkine may be involved in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps via angiogenesis, tissue growth, and inflammatory process.
Blotting, Southern ; Cytokines ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Epithelium ; Humans* ; In Situ Hybridization ; Nasal Mucosa* ; Nasal Polyps ; Physiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polyps ; Rhinoplasty ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger* ; Turbinates