Orientia tsutsugamushi, a causative pathogen of Scrub typhus, is a gram-negative intracellular bacterium. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are produced from the membrane of bacteria and play many roles related to the survival of the pathogen. However, there have been no reports confirming whether O. tsutsugamushi indeed produce OMVs. O. tsutsugamushi boryong was cultured in ECV-304 cells for the purification of OMVs. Western blot analysis and immunoenrichment using anti-O. tsutsugamushi monoclonal antibody and electron microscopy were employed for identification and characterization of OMVs. We confirm the presence of OMVs derived from O. tsutsugamushi, and also found that those OMVs contain a major surface antigen of 56-kDa protein and variant immunogenic antigens.
Antibodies, Monoclonal/*immunology ; Antigens, Bacterial/*immunology ; Antigens, Surface/*immunology ; Cell Line ; Cell Membrane/immunology ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron ; Orientia tsutsugamushi/*immunology/metabolism ; Scrub Typhus/diagnosis/microbiology ; Secretory Vesicles/*immunology

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord ischemic injury occurring after surgical repair of thoracoabdominal aortic disease leaves a devastating complication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of anesthetic preconditioning on neurologic outcome and Bcl-2 family protein gene expression in transient spinal ischemia. METHODS: In first experiment rats were divided by 4 groups and anesthetized with intraperitoneal propofol, enflurane, sevoflurane, or isoflurane. In second experiment, all rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal propofol and enflurane, sevoflurane, isoflurane were given during 30 minutes and 14 minutes of spinal ischemia was induced 30 minutes later. Spinal ischemia was produced by both induced hypotension and thoracic aortic cross clamping. Neurologic scores were assessed 1, 3, 24, 48 hours after transient spinal ischemia. After 48 hours, rats were killed under anesthesia and spinal cords were removed for the assay of Bcl-2 family protein mRNA expression. RESULTS: The neurologic injury of S and I group were significantly lesser than P group. 30 minutes of anesthetic preconditioning with enflurane, sevoflurane, and isoflurane showed significantly better neurologic outcome compared to propofol, enflurane, sevoflurane, or isoflurane anesthetized rats. Bcl-2 family protein mRNA expression of I group and IP group were lesser than the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Anesthetic preconditioning with volatile anesthetics for 30 minutes could reduce ischemic injury during transient spinal ischemia. The degree of neurologic injury may not be related to the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax. Isoflurane may have different influence on apoptosis after spinal ischemia compared to enflurane or sevoflurane.
Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Anesthetics, Inhalation ; Animals ; Aortic Diseases ; Apoptosis ; Constriction ; Enflurane ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Ischemia* ; Isoflurane ; Propofol ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Ischemia

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord ischemic injury occurring after surgical repair of thoracoabdominal aortic disease leaves a devastating complication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of anesthetic preconditioning on neurologic outcome and Bcl-2 family protein gene expression in transient spinal ischemia. METHODS: In first experiment rats were divided by 4 groups and anesthetized with intraperitoneal propofol, enflurane, sevoflurane, or isoflurane. In second experiment, all rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal propofol and enflurane, sevoflurane, isoflurane were given during 30 minutes and 14 minutes of spinal ischemia was induced 30 minutes later. Spinal ischemia was produced by both induced hypotension and thoracic aortic cross clamping. Neurologic scores were assessed 1, 3, 24, 48 hours after transient spinal ischemia. After 48 hours, rats were killed under anesthesia and spinal cords were removed for the assay of Bcl-2 family protein mRNA expression. RESULTS: The neurologic injury of S and I group were significantly lesser than P group. 30 minutes of anesthetic preconditioning with enflurane, sevoflurane, and isoflurane showed significantly better neurologic outcome compared to propofol, enflurane, sevoflurane, or isoflurane anesthetized rats. Bcl-2 family protein mRNA expression of I group and IP group were lesser than the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Anesthetic preconditioning with volatile anesthetics for 30 minutes could reduce ischemic injury during transient spinal ischemia. The degree of neurologic injury may not be related to the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax. Isoflurane may have different influence on apoptosis after spinal ischemia compared to enflurane or sevoflurane.
Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Anesthetics, Inhalation ; Animals ; Aortic Diseases ; Apoptosis ; Constriction ; Enflurane ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Ischemia* ; Isoflurane ; Propofol ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Ischemia

It can be difficult for clinicians to distinguish a paradoxical response to antituberculous therapy, worsening of an existing lesion despite adequate treatment, treatment failure, and drug resistance. We report a case of a 69-year-old woman who experienced bilateral lower extremity paralysis secondary to a paradoxical response. She had been suffering for 1 month from low back pain, due to tuberculous spondylitis. Her low back pain improved after antituberculous therapy. The low back pain, however, reappeared 2 months after treatment, accompanied by newly developed lower extremity weakness. Imaging studies showed an increased extent of her previous lesions. Consequently, the patient underwent a vertebral corpectomy with interbody fusion of the thoracolumbar spine. Histopathological examination showed chronic inflamed granulation tissue with no microorganisms. Although the antituberculous medication was not changed, the patient's symptoms and signs, including the paralysis, resolved after surgery.
Aged ; Drug Resistance ; Female ; Granulation Tissue ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Paralysis* ; Spine ; Spondylitis* ; Treatment Failure ; Tuberculosis, Spinal

BACKGROUND: The antitumor effects of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase(HSV-tk) and ganciclovir(GCV) strategies for cancer gene therapy have a the following advantages:1) a direct cytotoxicity to HSV-tk modified cancer cells by GCV 2) a cell death by the local transfer of toxic metabolites from the HSV-tk modified cells to nearby unmodified tumor cells(bystander effect), and 3) in vivo bystander effect such as antitumor-immunity. Retroviral and adenoviral sequences can silence transgene expression in cells and mice. In this study, we investigated the above described advantages of HXV-tk/GCV strategy in Lewis lung cell and mouse lung cancer model using retroviral vector and adenoviral vector. Also, we observed whether the expression of a silenced gene can be reactivated by treating cell with butyrate. METHODS: Retrovirus-HSV-tk and adenovirus-HSV-tk vectors were used for the transduction of Lewis lung carcinoma(LLC) cells. The change of HSV-tk expression by butyrate was measured by Western blot.The antitumor activities containing bystander effect were observed in vivo(by MTT assay) and in vivo tumor models of various combinations of LLC and LLC-tk. RESULTS: 1. Butyrate induced the enhancement of HSV-tk expression from adenovirally transduced cells but not from retrovirally transduced cells. 2. Both retrovirus-HSV-tk and adenovirus-HSV-tk vectors with GCV treatment were effective for killing of tumor cell in vitro and suppression of LLC tumorigenicity. Bystander effect was responsible for killing of mixture of LLC-tk and LLC in vitro and in vivo-tumorigenicity model. CONCLUSION: Butyrate could augment adenoviral vector seems to be an effective approach for lung cancer therapy.
Adenoviridae ; Animals ; Butyrates ; Bystander Effect ; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung* ; Cell Death ; Genes, Neoplasm ; Genetic Therapy* ; Herpes Simplex* ; Homicide ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mice* ; Phosphotransferases* ; Retroviridae ; Simplexvirus* ; Thymidine ; Transgenes ; Zidovudine*

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether there are any different results in the overall sagittal alignment, neutral functional spine unit (FSU) angle and segmental FSU ROM (range of motion) angle from the patients undergone by cervical arthroplasty with two kinds of artificial cervical disc prostheses, Bryan and Mobi-C cervical disc. METHODS: Twenty eight patients underwent anterior cervical discectomy and implantation of artificial cervical disc prosthesis; Eighteen of them underwent operation with Bryan and the rest of them with Mobi-C cervical disc prosthesis. These patients consist of fourteen females and fourteen males with mean age 46.9 years old and 9.4 months mean follow-up period. There were 4 cases of C 4-5, 18 cases of C 5-6 and 6 cases of C 6-7 level. We measured overall sagittal alignment, neutral FSU angle and segmental FSU ROM angle using lateral radiographs preoperatively and postoperatively. The clinical outcome was evaluated by neck disability index(NDI). RESULT: The average angle of overall sagittal alignments was changed from -17.45degrees preoperatively to -14.21degrees postoperatively in Bryan cervical disc group. It decreased 3.24degrees in cervical lordosis. However, in Mobi-C cervical disc group, the average angle of overall sagittal alignments was changed from -10.33degrees preoperatively to -16.89degrees postoperatively. It increased 6.56degrees in cervical lordosis. The averages of neutral FSU angles were -1.14degrees preoperatively and -3.26degrees postoperatively in Bryan cervical disc group, and were -0.93degrees preoperatively and -9.7degrees postoperatively in Mobi-C cervical disc group. The averages of segmental FSU ROM angles were 11.18degrees preoperatively and 10.61degrees postoperatively in Bryan cervical disc group, and was 8.31degrees preoperatively and 13.6degrees postoperatively in Mobi-C cervical disc group. NDIs were 24.0 preoperatively and 5.9 postoperatively in Bryan cervical disc group, and 24.7 preoperatively and 8.7 postoperatively in Mobi-C cervical disc group. CONCLUSION: Postoperative cervical lordosis and segmental FSU ROM angle were increased in Mobi-C cervical disc group (p<0.05). To preserve segmental motion and avoid adjacent segment degeneration is to the focus in cervical arthroplasty. To preserve cervical lordosis after operation is physiologic than postoperative cervical kyphosis. It remains controversial whether cervical kyphosis influences clinical outcome after anterior cervical operation. The results of this study show that the technical and mechanical improvement of Bryan cervical disc prosthesis may be considered.
Animals ; Arthroplasty ; Diskectomy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Lordosis ; Male ; Neck ; Prostheses and Implants ; Spine

No abstract available.

In patient with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, it is difficult to localize gastrinoma because the tumor is frequently small and multiple. However, accurate localization of the tumor is important for the treatment. Among various imaging modalities, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) has been recognized to be the most sensitive tool for the detection of neuroendocrine tumors such as gastrinomas based on the presence of high-affinity binding sites for somatostatin. Recently, we experienced a case of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome caused by gastrinomas which was localized by SRS. This is the first case report of gastrinoma detected by SRS in Korea. SRS can facilitate tumor detection in patient with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and should be considered as the first-line diagnostic method in the early course of the disease.
Binding Sites ; Gastrinoma* ; Humans ; Korea ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Receptors, Somatostatin ; Somatostatin ; Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome*

Transradial access is a widely accepted method for percutaneous coronary diagnostic and interventional procedures, and it has dramatically reduced access site vascular complications compared to transfemoral access. Arteriovenous fistula formation at the access site is an especially rare complication in transradial access. We report an extremely rare case of delayed radial arteriovenous fistula that developed one year after transradial coronary angiography, which was successfully treated by surgical repair.
Angiography ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Coronary Angiography ; Vascular Diseases

BACKGROUND: In this study we estimated the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors according to waist-to- height ratio (W/Ht ratio) in adult obese women to ensure the importance of abdominal obesity and determined the usefulness of W/Ht ratio as a index of abdominal obesity in adult obese women. METHODS: The study subjects were 190 adult obese women who visited an obesity clinic from August, 2001 to January, 2003. They were divided into 4 groups: Group 1; BMI<30, W/Ht<0.6, Group 2; BMI<30, W/Ht> or =0.6, Group 3; BMI> or =30, W/Ht<0.6, and Group 4; BMI> or =30, W/Ht> or =0.6. In each group, we compared the prevalence and odds ratio for CV risk factors. RESULTS: In obese group, the prevalence of high blood glucose (P<0.01), hypertriglyceridemia (P<0.01) were significantly higher in group 2 than group 1. In high obese group, the prevalence of systolic hypertension (P<0.01), high blood glucose (P<0.01), hypercholesterolemia (P<0.01), hypertriglyceridemia (P<0.05), and high LDL-cholesterol were significantly higher in group 4 than group 3. When odds ratio for each group with reference to group 1 were compared after adjusting for age, high blood glucose (4.48), and hypertriglyceridemia (6.10) in group 2, and systolic hypertension (2.69), high blood glucose (3.02), and hypertriglyceridemia (4.00) in group 4 were significantly higher. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CV risk factors were likely to be increased in higher W/Ht group independently to BMI. W/Ht ratio can be a simple, useful index for abdominal obesity and its related risk factors not only in adult males but also in adult obese women.
Adult ; Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; Male ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors*