No abstract available.
Gallstones* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

In this study the authors observed the status of water contamination by crayfish, Cambaroides similis, either alive or dead infected with Paragonimus westermani. The crayfish used as materials were infected heavily with metacercariae of Paragonimus westermani. The live crayfish were kept in water for a long time, and then the sediments of the water were examined to find out whether or not the liberation of the metacercariae from the body of the crayfish had caused contamination of the water with metacercariae. Killed crayfish were also preserved in water for some time. Physical stimuli in terms of mederate degree of shaking were added to the preserved water once a day and half amount of the water was replaced with tapped water of same temperature everyday. Status of the decay of the crayfish, liberation of the metacercariae from the body of the crayfish or contamination of the preserved water by the metacercariae, and numbers of metacercariae harboured in the body of the crayfish were examined everyday. The fate of the metacercariae liberated from the crayfish into water was also observed. Status of the decay of the crayfish, liberation of the metacercariae from the body of the crayfish or contamination of the preserved water by the metacercariae, and numbers of metacercariae harboured in the body of the crayfish were examined everyday. The fate of the metacercariae liberated from the crayfish into water was also observed. The results of this study can be outlined as follows: No metacercaria was detected in the water which contained live crayfish infected with Paragonimus westermani. The preserved water with dead or killed crayfish was found to be contaminated by the metacercariae of Paragonimus westemani, which had been caused by the decay and dispersion of the flesh of the crayfish The liberated metacercariae survived for 10 days in the water at 21-27 C. The liberated metacercariae were found to be sinking into water of s.g. 1.000 with average velocity of 35.8 cm per minute.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Paragonimus westermani ; epidemiology ; crayfish ; Cambaroides similis

BACKGROUND: A majority of patients undergoing chemical peeling complain of pain severe enough to disturb the process of the peeling. However, there has been few controlled studies on pain control during chemical peeling. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of pretreatment with intramuscular ketorolac (Tarasyn, 30 mg) and oral diazepam(Valium, 5 mg) in comparison with control and diazepam groups, and compared the sensitivity of pain between two sexes. METHODS: The patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups; control, diazepam, and ketorolac plus diazepam groups. Pain intensity was assessed 5 times at every ten minutes from the beginning of the peeling using visual analog scale(VAS). RESULTS: At every 10 minutes of pain assessment, ketorolac plus diazepam group recorded the lowest VAS among the three groups. Except at the first 10 minutes, nificant. There was no significant difference in the pain intensity between the sexes at all five times. After application of Jessner`s solution, there was significant increase of VAS in all groups. CONCLUSION: The ketorolac pretreatment is a safe and effective modality of pain relief prior to chemical peeling without the adverse reactions.
Diazepam ; Humans ; Ketorolac* ; Pain Measurement ; Premedication*

No abstract available.
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli*

Present study aimed to investigate the immunological activities of cell wall associated protein antigen solubilized with Triton X-100 (TSP) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and conducted on 43 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (newly diagnosed, medicated within 12 months and chronic refractory patients) and 17 normal healthy controls. These immunological responses were compared with those induced by the PPD or 30 kDa antigen from M, tuberculosis H37Rv culture filtrates, identified as biologically important secreted proteins. Proliferative responses to mycobacterial antigens were compared in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy subjects and pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Signiticant blastogenic responses to the TSP were observed in healthy tuberculin reactors, newly diagnosed and some of antituberculosis drug-medicated patients by H-thymidine incorporation assay. IL-12 p40 and IFN-r mRNA expressions to the TSP were markedly increased, whereas IL-10 and TNF-a mRNA expressions were decreased at a 5 day-stimulation by PBMC in healthy tuberculin reactors, newly diagnosed and medicated patients. However, patients with chronic refractory tuberculosis exhibited more depressed IL-12 p40 and IFN-r mRNA expressions to all of the antigens than another groups. Interestingly, very low IL-10 and TNF-a mRNA expressions cultured with the TSP were also shown. These data suggest that the TSP may be involved in the macrophage activation by induction of Th1 stimulatory signals, such as IL-12, and suppression of Th1 inhibitory cytokine, IL-10.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The endoscopic mucosal resection has now been adopted for a useful modality in both curative therapy and accurate diagnosis of early gastric cancer. A retrospective study was done to evaluate the indication and the limitation of endoscopic mucosal resection of early gastric cancer. METHODS: We studied 20 cases of early gastric cancer treated by endoscopic mucosal resection in Chungnam National University Hospital from November, 1995 to July, 1997. RESULTS: 1) The size affected the curability: 83. 3% of lesions less than 2 cm and 50. 0% of those larger than 2 cm were resected completely. 2) The depth of cancer invasion affected the curability: 87. 5% of lesion confined to mucosa were resected completely, while all of submucosal cancers were resected incompletely. 3) Among fourteen cases resected completely, three cases of lesions larger than 2 cm were residual cancer and two of those less than 2 cm were recurred locally. CONCLUSIONS: To be a curative therapy by endoscopic mucosal resection of early gastric cancer, we think that careful selection of the lesion, that is lesion less than 2cm and confined to mucosa, is necessary
Chungcheongnam-do ; Diagnosis ; Mucous Membrane ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: Scleroderma is a connective tissue disorder characterized by excessive collagen production by activated fibroblasts. TGF-beta plays key roles in fibrosis of dermsis. Although numerous studies have elucidated the pathogenesis of scleroderma, effective therapeutic strategies for improving the sclerosis of the skin have been underinvestigated. Recently several studies indicated that an animal model of sclerotic skin induced by bleomycin is useful for providing clues and therapeutic interventions for scleroderma. We previously reported that AP (Activator protein)-1 decoy ODN (oligodeoxynucleotides) suppresses the TGF-beta1-induced type I collagen gene expression in cultured scleroderma fibroblast in vitro studies. Therefore, it is necessary to confirm the anti-fibrotic effect of AP-1 decoy ODN in sclerotic animal model. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is the establishment of a mouse model for scleroderma and confirmation of the anti-fibrotic effect of AP-l decoy ODN in vivo study. METHODS: Dermal sclerosis was induced by intradermal injection of bleomycin at a dose of 0.3, 1.5, 3 (mg/ml) into the back skin of BALB/C mice twice a week for 4 weeks. To confirm anti-fibrotic effect of AP1-decoy ODN, the AP-1 decoy ODN was transfected into subcutaneous tissue of mice with or without bleomycin. Dermal sclerosis was examined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and Masson's trichrome staining. TGF-beta1 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry and type I collagen gene expression was also analyzed by dot blotting and western blot method. RESULTS: Histopathological examination revealed that the dermal sclerosis with the deposition of thickened and homogenous collagen bundles increased according to the concentration of bleomycin. The expressions of type I collagen and TGF-beta1 were markedly increased in bleomyin-injected mice. Furthermore transfection of AP-1 decoy ODN with bleomycin suppressed the dermal sclerosis and type I collagen gene expression as well as TGF-beta1 in mice. CONCLUSION: AP-1 decoy ODN inhibits the bleomycin-induced dermal sclerosis through down-regulation of type I collagen and TGF-beta1 expression in BALB/C mice. Thus the anti-fibrotic effect of AP-1 decoy ODN in bleomycin-induced sclerotic mouse model suggests the fundamental data for gene therapy of scleroderma.
Animals ; Bleomycin ; Blotting, Western ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I ; Connective Tissue ; Down-Regulation ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Fibroblasts ; Fibrosis ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Therapy ; Hematoxylin ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections, Intradermal ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Sclerosis ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Transcription Factor AP-1 ; Transfection ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

No Abstract Available.

No Abstract Available.
Humans ; Renal Dialysis*

Tumor-draining lymph node (TDLN) lymphocytes contain immunologically sensitized to tumor but functionally deficient T cells. The 30 kDa protein antigen, a major secreted protein antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, exhibits strong T cell stimulatory effect. In this study, it examined that the feasibility of using M tuberculosis 30 kDa antigen to stimulate tumor-draining lymph node cells for the generation of specific immune effector cells. Freshly isolated TDLN lymphocytes could directly respond to the 30 kDa antigen alone and their proliferative responses were markedly augmented by stimulation with rIL-2. TDLN cells were stimulated with the 30 kDa antigen for various time intervals and examined for the induction of IFN-r and IL-4 mRNA using RT-PCR. The expression of IFN-r mRNA was greatly augmented after 1 wk, whereas IL-4 mRNA is markedly decreased after 1 wk. Cytotoxic T cell activities induced by the 30 kDa antigen was also evaluated. TDLN cells stimulated with the 30 kDa antigen alone were able to generate remarkable cytotoxic response to K562 or Daudi cell lines after 6 days of culture. And their cytotoxic effects were highly augmented by stirnulation with rIL-2. These results suggest that the 30 kDa antigen of M. tuberculosis may selectively activate Thl cells of TDLN lymhocytes and induce the cytotoxic T cell activities. In conclusion, the 30 kDa antigen can be used as a biologic response modifier in tumor immunology.
Allergy and Immunology ; Cell Line ; Interleukin-4 ; Lymph Nodes* ; Lymphocytes* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; RNA, Messenger ; T-Lymphocytes ; Th1 Cells* ; Tuberculosis