Recently, we found that the Korean traditional medicine could enhance the expression of some cytokine in murine bone marrow cell culture. To understand the mode of actions of the traditional medicine, we examined the pattern of protein phosphorylation in bone marrow cells treated with Korean traditional medicine. When bone marrow cells were treated with Korean traditional medicine, the phosphorylation of p45, p50, p84/p91 kinase was observed, and gene expression of TPO and SCF was related to p45 and p91. It had been reported that TPO, SCF, IL-3 and GM-CSF gene expression transmits signal through the JAK-STAT pathway. Molecular involvement of JAK-STAT in signal induced by Korean traditional medicine was analyzed by anti-JAK and anti-STAT-1 Ab. To analyze the transcriptional factor that promotes the cytokine gene expression by the stirnulation of Korean traditional medicine, GAS and NF-B binding activity was analyzed by EMSA. We found the increase in NF-B at SMT and BHT. Therefore, we conclude that the cytokine gene expression induced by Korean traditional medicine was mediated by the JAK-STAT pathway and by the combination of GAS and NF-kB.
Bone Marrow Cells ; Butylated Hydroxytoluene ; Gene Expression ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Hematopoiesis* ; Interleukin-3 ; Medicine, Korean Traditional* ; Medicine, Traditional ; NF-kappa B ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Signal Transduction

The Korean traditional medicinal (KTM) herbs such as Angelicae gigantis, Rehmannia glutinosa, Paeoniae lactiflora, Cnidii officinale, Salviae miltiorrhizae, and Millettia reticulata, and prescribed formula Samultang, and Bohyultang improve the function of the hematopoietic system and nourishing the body to promote health. However, there are limited scientific background on the mode of action of these medicine. To understand the diverse actions following traditional medicine stimulation, we determined the production of hematopoietic cytokine, thrombopoietin, stem cell factor, and interleukin-3 (IL-3) in KlM treated bone marrow cells. When bone marrow cells were treated with KTM, the expression of hematopoietic cytokine were increased in RT-PCR and ELISA analysis. Furthermore, when the bone marrow cells were separated into adherent celis and suspension cells and were treated with KTM, we found the increase of TPO gene expressions in suspension cells. Meanwhile, other hematopoietic cytokine gene expression in bone marrow cells was higher as whole than when adherent cells and suspension cells was separated. Therefore, we could know the interaction of two cells that increases the cytokine expression. These results suggest that KTM has hematopoietic effects through increasing the production of cytokine.
Angelica ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression ; Hematopoiesis* ; Hematopoietic System ; Interleukin-3 ; Medicine, Korean Traditional* ; Medicine, Traditional ; Millettia ; Paeonia ; Rehmannia ; Salvia ; Stem Cell Factor ; Thrombopoietin

No abstract available.
Audiometry, Evoked Response* ; Brain Stem* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Mycobacterial culture is a confirmatory test to detect M.tuberculosis, but it takes at least 6 weeks to diagnose. PCR is a rapid and sensitive method, but it is known that PCR has a high false positive rate due to contamination, and a high false negative rate due to inhibitors. It is also known that LCR and PCR-Hybridization, recently developed methods, are more specific methods than PCR in terms of detection M.tuberculosis. In this study, we estimated the clinical utility of in house PCR, LCR and PCR-Hybridization for the detection of M.tuberculosis. METHODS: We evaluated 75 specimens, upon which M.tuberculosis culture based testing was requested, by PCR LCR, and PCR-Hybridization and compared results. Mycobacterial culture was performed on 3% Ogawa media for 8 weeks, and an in house PCR, LCx Mycobacterium tuberculosis assay kit(Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, III) and the AMPLICOR M.tuberculosis test kit(Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. Branchburg, NJ, USA). RESULTS: In the view of the culture results, the sensitivities of the three tests were 40%, 80%, and 100% and their specificities were 98.6%, 94.3%, and 94.3%. CONCLUSION: LCR and PCR-Hybridization and rapid and sensitive methods for detecting M.tuberculosis in clinical laboratories.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Tuberculosis*

The term "pineal anlage tumor" has been recently proposed and few cases have been reported. We report the first Korean case of pineal anlage tumor in a 6-year-old girl who complained of headache and vomiting for 2 months. Brain MRI revealed a well defined, lobulated, calcifying mass in the pineal region. Tumor was totally removed. Pathological examination revealed a primitive pineal parenchymal tumor with melanotic epithelial component that was similar to histologic findings of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy, so-called retinal anlage tumor and of the developing pineal gland. The tumor was composed mostly of small, undifferentiated cells, Flexner-Wintersteiner rosettes, and ganglionic differentiation. The tumor also contained the cartilage and skeletal muscle cells.
Brain ; Cartilage ; Child ; Female ; Ganglion Cysts ; Headache ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Neuroectodermal Tumor, Melanotic ; Pineal Gland ; Pinealoma ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Reference Values* ; Vestibular Function Tests*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Scrub Typhus*

This retrospective clinical study consists of 27 patients with lacrimal canalicular injury caused by various accidents and which were reconstructed with various materials in the department of plastic surgery at Catholic University Medical College from December 1987 to July 1996. These 27 patients were followed up at least 6 months after the canalicular reconstruction and their medical records were reviewed and analysed retrospectively in order to obtain the clinical pattern and understand the therapeutic results. The statistical items were the age and sex distribution, the causes of injury, the prevalent site of injury, the reconstruction materials, the duration of intubation and the results of treatment. The following results are obtained: 1. Males were more dominant than females by 4.4 : 1. 2. The patient age was from 6 to 73 years old and the prevalent age groups were the third and fourth decades(55.5%). 3. The most common cause of canalicular injury was the violence(29.6%) and was followed by traffic accident. 4. The left canaliculi, especially inferior canaliculi, was the prevalent injury site. 5. Regardless of the materials(P.V.C. tube, nylon and silicone tube) used in canalicular reconstruction, the longer duration of intubation was obtained the better result of treatment. 6. So the silicone tube with stainless steel(C-line canaliculus intubation set) was relatively inert and less complicating, it could be maintained more longer and had better results than other materials such as P.V.C. tube and nylon.
Accidents, Traffic ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intubation ; Male ; Medical Records ; Nylons ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Distribution ; Silicones ; Surgery, Plastic

Mutation in the p53 suppressor gene is the most common genetic alteration found in human cancers including primary brain tumors. Ki-67 labeling index(LI) is known to be a marker of proliferating activity. The purpose of this study was to verify whether an immunohistochemical expression of p53 antibody and Ki-67 LI could be related to different clinicopathologic parameters including histologic grade, size, invasiveness and recurrence of the brain tumors. Materials were based on the 147 surgically resected brain tumors during the last two years. Of the 147 brain tumors, there were 35 astrocytic tumors, 35 meningiomas, 10 oligodendrogliomas, 7 craniopharyngiomas, 5 dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors, 4 medulloblastomas, 5 ependymomas, 23 pituitary adenomas, 9 schwannomas, and 14 other brain tumors. The p53 expression and Ki-67 LI were higher in malignant brain tumors including astrocytic tumors, medulloblastoma, PNET and gliosarcoma. The p53 positivity was correlated with histologic grades and tumor recurrence. The brain tumors with a high Ki-67 LI(>6%) also showed a close relationship to a higher histologic grading, radiological invasiveness and recurrence. There was no evident correlation with the age and tumor size with p53 expression and Ki-67 LI. These results suggest that p53 overexpression and high proliferation potential of the tumor cells are associated with the higher histologic grade and aggressive clinical course in the central nervous system tumors.
Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms ; Craniopharyngioma ; Ependymoma ; Genes, Suppressor ; Gliosarcoma ; Humans ; Medulloblastoma ; Meningioma ; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial ; Neurilemmoma ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; Oligodendroglioma ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Recurrence

No abstract available.
Drug Therapy*