No abstract available.
Blood Coagulation* ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the basophil histamine releasability in response to IgE- and non- IgE-mediated stimuli in children with atopic asthma. Met: Basophil histamine releasability was measured in Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae)-sensitive atopic asthmatics, D.farinae-sensitive healthy atopics, non-atopic asthmatics, and healthy non-atopics. Basophils were stimulated with D.farinae, goat antihuman IgE antibody, formyl-Met-Leu-Phe(fMLP), and Calcium ionophore A23187. Histamine was measured by automated fluorometric technique. RESULTS: Sponianeous histamine release was higher in atopic asthmatics compared to healthy non-atopics. Histamine release by D.farinae and by anti-IgE antibody was higher in atopic asthmatics compared to the other groups. There was no difference in histamine release by fMLP among all groups. Histamine release by Calcium ionophore was higher in healthy atopics and non-atopic asthmatics compared to healthy non-atopics. The atopics showed correlation between histamine release by D.farinae, by anti-IgE antibody and total serum IgE levels. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous and IgE-mediated histamine release were related to the presence of both atopy and asthma, whereas non-IgE mediated histamine release was different depending on the stimuli.
Asthma* ; Basophils* ; Calcimycin ; Calcium ; Child* ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Goats ; Histamine Release ; Histamine* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E

Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Butterflies ; Drug Therapy ; Endothelium ; Female ; Humans ; Immune System ; Liver ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Maxilla ; Middle Aged ; Oncogenic Viruses ; Sjogren's Syndrome

No abstract available.
Dilatation* ; Urethra*

No abstract available.
Estradiol* ; Female ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Progesterone*

We reported a case of atypical thymic carcinoid tumor with ectopic ACTH syndrome which was proved by the presence of intracytoplasmic ACTH in the tumor cells using PAP method and electron microscopy. The patient was a 43-year-old housewife who was referred with Cushing's syndrome of unknown origin, and subsequantly followed by many disabling symptoms including, diabetes mellitus and electrolyte imbalance for which bilateral adrenalectomy was carried out. Thereafter, rapid rise in serum ACTH level and hyperpigmentation were followed. Pituitary irradiation was done under the impression of Nelson's syndrome despite of lacking evidence of pituitary tumor, but high serum ACTH persisted. Seven months after pituitary irradiation, two anterior mediastinal masses were first noticed and removed. Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies confirmed this neoplasm as a ACTH producing spindle cell variant of atypical thymic carcinoid tumor. When dealing with a patient who developed Nelson's syndrome-like phenomenon without apparent pituitary tumor, the possibility of ectopic ACTH syndrome caused by thymic carcinoid should be considered.

Epidemiological evidence suggests that human papillomavirus(HPV) infection is a high risk factor for the development of oral cancers. Many oncogenes, especially p53 suppressor gene, have a critical role of carcinogenesis in several human cancers including oral cancers. To investigate the prevalence of HPV infection and subtyping of high risk group(HPV-16, -18 and -33) HPV in oral cancers, the author studied 31 cases of squamous cell carcinomas arising from the oral cavity using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The author also demonstrated the overexpression of p53 oncoprotein in the oral cancers using immunohistochemical methods. The correlation between HPVs infection and p53 overexpression in tumorigenesis of the oral cancers was evaluated. 1. Twenty-one cases(66.7%) among 31 cases of oral squamous cell carcinomas were positive for HPV-DNA. Among them, 16 cases were positive for HPV-16, 4 cases for HPV-18, and 2 cases for HPV-33. Two cases were coinfected with HPV-16 and HPV-18, and HPV-18 and HPV-33. 2. The prevalence of HPV infection appeared not correlated with tumor differentiation and clinical stages of oral squamous cell carcinomas. 3. The overexpression of p53 oncoprotein was present in 24 of 31 cases(77% ). In 21 HPV positive tumors 18 cases were positive for overexpression of p53 oncoprotein. Six cases were positive for p53 in ten HPV negative tumors. There was no correlation between HPV DNA detection rate and p53 overexpression. The above results suggest that HPV infection and p53 oncogene mutation play different roles in tumorigenesis of oral squamous cell carcinomas. No coexpression of p53 oncoprotein with HPV-DNA detection suggests that another etiologic mechanism other than HPV infection may be operative.
Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; DNA ; Genes, Suppressor ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; Human papillomavirus 18 ; Humans* ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Mouth* ; Oncogenes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

Black ginseng (BG) has been widely used as herbal treatment for improving physiological function. In order to investigate the neuroprotective action of this herbal medicine, we examined the influence of BG on the learning and memory of rats using the Morris water maze, and we studied the effects of BG on the central cholinergic system and neural nitric oxide synthesis in the hippocampus of rats with neuronal and cognitive impairment. After middle cerebral artery occlusion was applied for 2h, the rats were administered BG (100 or 400 mgkg(-1), p.o.) daily for 2 weeks, followed by training and performance of the Morris water maze test. The rats with ischemic insults showed impaired learning and memory on the tasks. Treatment with BG produced improvement in the escape latency to find the platform. Further, the BG groups showed a reduced loss of cholinergic immunoreactivity and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d)-positive neurons in the hippocampus compared to that of the ISC group. These results demonstrated that BG has a protective effect against ischemia-induced neuronal and cognitive impairment. Our results suggest that BG might be useful for the treatment of vascular dementia.
Animals ; Dementia, Vascular ; Herbal Medicine ; Hippocampus ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Learning ; Memory ; NAD ; Neurons ; Nitric Oxide ; Panax ; Rats ; United Nations

PURPOSE: We investigated the mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-alpha, PPAR-gamma, adipokines, and cytokines in the lung tissue of lean and obese mice with and without ovalbumin (OVA) challenge, and the effect of rosiglitazone, a PPAR-gamma agonist. METHODS: We developed 6 mice models: OVA-challenged lean mice with and without rosiglitazone; obese mice with and without rosiglitazone; and OVA-challenged obese mice with and without rosiglitazone. We performed real-time polymerase chain reaction for leptin, leptin receptor, adiponectin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, PPAR-alpha and PPAR-gamma from the lung tissue and determined the cell counts and cytokine levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. RESULTS: Mice with OVA challenge showed airway hyperresponsiveness. The lung mRNA levels of PPARalpha and PPAR-gamma increased significantly in obese mice with OVA challenge compared to that in other types of mice and decreased after rosiglitazone administeration. Leptin and leptin receptor expression increased in obese mice with and without OVA challenge and decreased following rosiglitazone treatment. Adiponectin mRNA level increased in lean mice with OVA challenge. Lung VEGF, TNF-alpha, and TGF-beta mRNA levels increased in obese mice with and without OVA challenge compared to that in the control mice. However, rosiglitazone reduced only TGF-beta expression in obese mice, and even augmented VEGF expression in all types of mice. Rosiglitazone treatment did not reduce airway responsiveness, but increased neutrophils and macrophages in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. CONCLUSION: PPAR-alpha and PPAR-gamma expressions were upregulated in the lung tissue of OVA-challenged obese mice however, rosiglitazone treatment did not downregulate airway inflammation in these mice.
Adipokines ; Adiponectin ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Cell Count ; Cytokines ; Inflammation ; Leptin ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Mice, Obese ; Neutrophils ; Obesity ; Ovalbumin ; Ovum ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors ; Peroxisomes ; PPAR alpha ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Leptin ; RNA, Messenger ; Thiazolidinediones ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factors ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

PURPOSE: Environmental factors may increase risk for childhood asthma. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and home environment with the development of wheeze and asthma. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 969 elementary school students. Data included questions about asthma and wheeze symptoms, exposure to tobacco smoke, and home environment including history of moving into a new house within 1 year of age after birth, use of fragrance at home, recent purchase of new furniture. Logistic regression and Pearson chi statistics were used to estimate these associations. RESULTS: ETS exposure was associated with current wheeze and nocturnal sleep disturbance. Paternal smoking over 20 cigarettes per day was associated with 4 or more episodes of wheeze during the past 1 year. However, there were no significant differences in pulmonary function, serum total IgE levels, blood eosinophil counts, and atopy between children with ETS exposure and non-exposure. Moving into a new house within 1 year of birth was associated with current asthma or wheeze. Use of fragrance at home and purchase of new furniture during the past 1 year were associated with current wheeze, current physician-diagnosed asthma, and nocturnal cough. CONCLUSION: Exposure to ETS, moving into a new house after birth, and indoor fragrance are risk factors for wheeze and asthma in schoolchildren.
Asthma ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Interior Design and Furnishings ; Logistic Models ; Parturition ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco ; Tobacco Products