No Abstract Available.
Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium*

Intracranial lipomas are rare tumor which are usually found at or near the mid saggital plane, especially in the corpus callosum. 3 cases of intracranial lipomas, diagnosed by CT scanning, are presented. The first case was a lipoma involving the midline of occiput to the bilateral occipital lobes through the skull defect. There was a calcified area in this tumor. The second case presented a generalized convulsive seizure as clinical manifestation, and the lipoma was found to be located in the corpus callosum. In the third case, the lipoma was located near the third ventricle and the tumor was found incidentally after head trauma. The first case was operated and the tumor was completely removed, the others were managed with symptomatic treatment. The literature on this rare tumor is reviewed and discussed.
Corpus Callosum ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Lipoma* ; Occipital Lobe ; Seizures ; Skull ; Third Ventricle ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate the alterations in renal function for patients with ileal conduit and ileal orthotopic neobladder MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1999 to June 2004, 48 patients who had undergone radical cystectomy with urinary diversion were included in our study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the types of urinary diversion. One group consisted of 29 patients with ileal conduit and the other group consisted of 19 patients with ileal W neobladder. The mean age of the ileal conduit group and the ileal W neobladder group were 65.6+/-9.9 years and 60.8+/-8.3 years, respectively. The preoperative and postoperative blood urea nitrogen/creatinine (BUN/Cr) levels, postoperative complications and postoperative GFR, as measured by (99m)Tc-DTPA scans, were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: For the postoperative complications, stricture at the ureterovesical anastomosis site occurred in 1.7% (1/58 renal units) of the ileal conduit group and in 10.5% (4/38 renal units) of the ileal W neobladder group. Acute pyelonephritis occurred in 5.2% (3/58 renal units) of the ileal conduit group and in 5.3% (2/38 renal units) of the ileal W neobladder group. The pre- and postoperative serum BUN/Cr levels were 20.8/1.3 and 24.8/1.6, respectively, in the ileal conduit group, and 17.2/1.1 and 18.8/1.2, respectively, in the ileal W neobladder group. There were no statistical significant differences between the pre- and postoperative changes of the serum BUN/Cr levels for both groups. The GFR, as measured by (99m)Tc-DTPA scans, were 77.6 and 78.7ml/ min/1.73m2 in the ileal conduit group and the ileal W neobladder group, respectively. There were no statistical significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in renal function between the ileal conduit and ileal W neobladder.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Cystectomy ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; Pyelonephritis ; Urea ; Urinary Diversion*

No Abstract Available.
Humans ; Interleukin-12* ; Interleukin-18* ; Tuberculosis, Pleural*

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Interleukin-12* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infected macrophages can become ineffective at activating CD4+ T cells through presentation of peptide antigens by MHC class II, possibly contributing to the ability of M tuberculosis to persist despite the presence of an intact immune system. Presentation of lipid antigens may help to overcome this problem. CD1 represents the key component of an MHC independent pathway for presentation nonpeptide lipid antigens to T cells. The 38 kDa glycolipoprotein antigen of M. tuberculosis is actively secreted. The antigen induces strong antibody and T-cell responses and provided partial protection against M. tuberculosis infection in mice when it is administered either entrapped in biodegradable microparticles or in the form of a DNA vaccine. But an selective anergy to stimulation with peptide of the 38 kDa was observed in the majority of tuberculosis patients. An 38 kDa antigen has been isolated by affinity chromatography using a monoclonal antibody. This antigen contains some immunosuppressive cell wall associated antigens such as lipoarabinomannan. Therefore, we purified the 38 kDa glycolipoprotein from the culture filtrate of M tuberculosis H37Rv by ammonium sulfate precipitation (55~80%), hydroxylapatite and DEAE-Sephacel column. The purified antigen showed three major bands on isoelectric focusing gel, and two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis of this antigen revealed five distinct spots of the 38 kDa molecular mass. One of five spots had a N-terminal sequence identical to that of the 38 kDa glycolipoprotein (pstS-1). Other protein spots could not determine sequences. An antiserum against the recombinant 38 kDa antigen of M tuberculosis reacted strongly with the purified the 38 kDa antigen.
Ammonium Sulfate ; Animals ; Cell Wall ; Chromatography, Affinity ; DNA ; Durapatite ; Electrophoresis ; Humans ; Immune System ; Isoelectric Focusing ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tuberculosis

To investigate changes of glycoconjugates (GC) on the duodenal mucosa of Korean chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus) after cold-treatment, chipmunks were maintained in cold conditions (6 C) for 3, 5 or 9 months in an attempt to mimic conditions occurring during seasonal hibernation. Most chipmunks were active as before until 3 months in the cold room and since then were hibernated. Although there was significant decrease in neutral GC in cold-treated chipmunks compared with warm chipmunks, acid GC changed little. As for histochemical properties of acid GC in the duodenum, the cold-treated chipmunk showed some differences, such as appearance of villus goblet cells which contained the mixture of sulfated and nonsulfated GC. The affinities for all lectins used in this study were shown in the columnar cells of the duodenal villus and crypt, more intensive DBA, SBA, PNA, BSL-1, RCA-1 and sWGA affinities were demonstrated in the Golgi zone of columnar cells. These affinities decreased in the cold-treated groups, especially in the Golgi zone of columnar cells. The affinities with DBA, RCA-1, sWGA and BSL-1 was demonstrated in the goblet cells of the duodenum, but these affinities except DBA decreased in the cold-treated chipmunks. All lectin affinities except UEA-1 detected in duodenal gland, but cold-treatment induced a decrease of these affinities. The changes in amount and properties of GC in the present experimental model for hibernation may be due to the different intestinal environment associated with food intake. However, the present experimental model for hibernation, especially 9 months cold-treated chipmunks, stills need to be demonstrated during seasonal hibernation in the wild.
Duodenum ; Eating ; Glycoconjugates* ; Goblet Cells ; Hibernation ; Lectins ; Models, Theoretical ; Mucous Membrane* ; Sciuridae* ; Seasons

Assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of oxygen therapy is a matter of clinical evaluation and blood gas measurement as long as the administration of oxygen is consistent and predictable. Normal variances in the distribution of ventilation and pulmonary blood flow make the measurement of alveolar oxygen concentrations impratical and complex. To certify the relationship between the fractional inspired oxygen concentration (F1O2) and arterial oxygen tension(PaO2), we performed the blood gas analysis of the anesthetized surgical patients whose inspired oxygen concentrations were 20 to 100% (compressed medical-O2). This paper reports our findings and a discussion of their possible significance. Results were as follows ; 1) There were no differences in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure in the range of 0.2 to 1.0 of F1O2. 2) There was no clinically significant difference in heart rate from 0.2 to 1.0 of F. 3) In the arterial blood gas analysis, PaCO2 and pHa revealed normal value from F1O2 0.2 to 1.0 but PaO2 progressively increased significantly. Patients didn,t reveal arterial hypoxemia and acid-base imbalance from 0.2 to 1.0 of F1O2.
Acid-Base Imbalance ; Anoxia ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Gases* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Oxygen ; Reference Values ; Ventilation

In this study, we investigated interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-12 following in vitro stimulation with either the 30-kDa or purified protein derivative (PPD) antigens (Ag) of pleural mononuclear cells from 12 cases of tubercular pleurisy (TB-PMC) and 8 cases of malignant pleurisy (MG-PMC). Ag-stimulated TB-PMC produced significantly more IL-12 than did MG-PMC and the levels correlated with those of IFN - gamma. Although elevated IL-18 levels were found in freshly isolated pleural fluids, in vitro IL-18 production in response to either Ag was dramatically decreased in TB-PMC. Pro-IL-18 mRNA was detected before and after Ag stimulation in TB patients. Supernatants from the Ag-stimulated TB-PMC significantly suppressed IL-18 production in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and primary malignant cells over an 18 h incubation period. In addition, this suppressive activity was not inactivated by either heat or trypsin. Our findings imply that modulation of IL-12 and IL-18 levels may contribute to the Th1 elevation induced in human TB-P VIC by the 30-kDa and PPD antigens.
Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Interleukin-12* ; Interleukin-18* ; Interleukins ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Pleurisy ; RNA, Messenger ; Trypsin ; Tuberculosis, Pleural

Hemangiomas result from proliferation of immature capillary vessels. This disorder in the genitourinary tract is a rare lesion. We experienced one case of a 31 years old man suffered from cavernous hemangioma of the penis shaft with painful erection. He was treated successfully with surgical excision. Herein, we report our experience and a critical review of the literature.
Capillaries ; Caves ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Male ; Penis