No abstract available.
Diatomaceous Earth* ; Pneumoconiosis*

"Capsaicin, the pungent principle of hot peppers, is a neurotoxin that depletes primary sensory neurons of neuropeptides like tachykinin. The objectives of these experiment was to examine the effects of capsaicin on Salmonel/a typhimurium-induced production of cytokines such as TNF-a, IL-1B, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12 and on production of nitric oxide in peritoneal macrophages. In addition, the effects of capsaicin on survival rates of S. typhimurium-infected mice and on nuclear transcription factor (NF-kB) activation were also investigated. Mice were pretreated with a single s.c. injection of 100 ug of capsaicin and were infected i.v. with S. typhimurium (5xO5/mouse) in 0.2 ml volume after capsaicin pretreatment. The serum cytokine levels were measured 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240 min after Salmonella infection, using ELISA kits. The activation of NF-B was also examined by gel shift assay in spleens, thymuses and brains of mice that had been pretreated with a single s.c. injection of 100 ug of capsaicin. It was found that Sa/mone/la infection induced the production of TNF-a, IL-1B, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12, but capsaicin pretreatment inhibited the production of TNF-a, IL-1B, IL-10 and IL-12, but enhanced IL-6 production 120 min after Salmonella infection. Interestingly, the capsaicin pretreatment inhibited the activation of NF-kB in spleens and thymuses. There were no differences in the numbers of bacteria in livers, brains, spleens, kidneys and lungs between capsaicin- pretreated mice and the control animals in applied experimental conditions. Suprisingly, however, capsaicin pretreatment increased both the survival rates of Sa/mone//a-infected mice and production of nitric oxide by peritoneal macrophages compared with capsaicin-untreated control mice. Taken together, these results indicate that the capsaicin-sensitive primary sensory neurons may play an important modulatory role in the production of cytokine, nitric oxide and NF-B activation and the pathogenesis of salmonellosis."
Animals ; Bacteria ; Brain ; Capsaicin* ; Cytokines* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-6 ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; Mice ; Neuropeptides ; NF-kappa B* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Salmonella Infections* ; Salmonella typhimurium ; Salmonella* ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; Spleen ; Survival Rate ; Tachykinins ; Thymus Gland ; Transcription Factors

No abstract available.
Asthma* ; Theophylline*

No abstract available.
Diatomaceous Earth* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Pneumoconiosis*

Cardiovascular syphilis is one of the most important complications of tertiary syphilis, although its incidence is decreasing in recent years. Aortitis is the primary manifestation of cardiovascular syphilis, resulting most commonly in aortic aneurysm, aortic regurgitation and coronary artery ostial obstruction. The authors experienced 46-year-ole male with a history of chancre 20 years ago, and several bouts of right chest pain since last year. Serologic tests revealed reactive in VDRL (1:64) and in TPHA test. Chest x-ray, chest CT, echocardiogram and aortogram showed aneurysm of ascending aorta with no evidence of aortic regrugitation of coronary obstruction. Histologic findings of involved aorta revealed "tree bark" appearance in gross, and microscopically adventitial thickening with endarteritis of the vasa vasorum and destruction of elastic tissue of media, showing moth-eaten appearance. The patient was underwent excision of the aneurysm and dacron aortic prosthetic graft was replaced with success.
Aneurysm* ; Aorta* ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Aortitis ; Chancre ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Vessels ; Elastic Tissue ; Endarteritis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Polyethylene Terephthalates ; Serologic Tests ; Syphilis ; Syphilis, Cardiovascular ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Transplants ; Vasa Vasorum

PURPOSE: The corneal change induced by refractive procedures influence both the postoperative refractive status and the ocular spherical aberration (SA). We evaluated changes in corneal SA after three types of surface ablation: phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK), myopic photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and myopic wavefront-guided laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK). METHODS: Twenty-six eyes (25 patients) were subjected to PTK 26 eyes (14 patients) to PRK, and 34 eyes (17 patients) to wavefront-guided LASEK. Corneal SA was measured with the iTrace in all patients both preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Six months after surgery, mean corneal SA was -0.173 +/- 0.171 micrometer in the PTK group, 0.672 +/- 0.200 micrometer in the PRK group, and 0.143 +/- 0.136 micrometer in the wavefront-guided LASEK group. The mean difference between the preoperative and postoperative corneal SA (DeltaSA) was -0.475 micrometer in the PTK group, 0.402 micrometer in the PRK group, and -0.143 micrometer in the wavefront-guided LASEK group. CONCLUSIONS: Surgically induced changes in corneal SA vary with procedure. The prediction of the pattern of SA change induced by various surface ablation procedures may be helpful for developing future surgical procedures.
Adult ; Aged ; Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary/*surgery ; Corneal Wavefront Aberration/*surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myopia/*surgery ; Photorefractive Keratectomy/*methods ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: The corneal change induced by refractive procedures influence both the postoperative refractive status and the ocular spherical aberration (SA). We evaluated changes in corneal SA after three types of surface ablation: phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK), myopic photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and myopic wavefront-guided laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK). METHODS: Twenty-six eyes (25 patients) were subjected to PTK 26 eyes (14 patients) to PRK, and 34 eyes (17 patients) to wavefront-guided LASEK. Corneal SA was measured with the iTrace in all patients both preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Six months after surgery, mean corneal SA was -0.173 +/- 0.171 micrometer in the PTK group, 0.672 +/- 0.200 micrometer in the PRK group, and 0.143 +/- 0.136 micrometer in the wavefront-guided LASEK group. The mean difference between the preoperative and postoperative corneal SA (DeltaSA) was -0.475 micrometer in the PTK group, 0.402 micrometer in the PRK group, and -0.143 micrometer in the wavefront-guided LASEK group. CONCLUSIONS: Surgically induced changes in corneal SA vary with procedure. The prediction of the pattern of SA change induced by various surface ablation procedures may be helpful for developing future surgical procedures.
Adult ; Aged ; Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary/*surgery ; Corneal Wavefront Aberration/*surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myopia/*surgery ; Photorefractive Keratectomy/*methods ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: Recent studies demonstrated disruption of the circadian clock gene is associated with the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Obesity is often caused by the high calorie intake, In addition, the chronic stress tends to contribute to the increased risk for obesity. To evaluate the molecular mechanisms, we examined the expression of circadian clock genes in high fat diet-induced mice models with the chronic stress. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were fed with a 45% or 60% high fat diet for 8 weeks. Daily immobilization stress was applied to mice fed with a 45% high fat for 16 weeks. We compared body weight, food consumption, hormone levels and metabolic variables in blood. mRNA expression levels of metabolic and circadian clock genes in both fat and liver were determined by quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: The higher fat content induced more severe hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and hyperinsulinemia, and these results correlated with their relevant gene expressions in fat and liver tissues. Chronic stress had only minimal effects on metabolic variables, but it altered the expression patterns of metabolic and circadian clock genes. These results suggest that the fat metabolism regulates the function of the circadian clock genes in peripheral tissues, and stress hormones may contribute to its regulation.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Circadian Clocks* ; Diet, High-Fat ; Gene Expression* ; Hyperglycemia ; Hyperinsulinism ; Hyperlipidemias ; Immobilization ; Liver ; Metabolism ; Mice ; Obesity ; RNA, Messenger

No abstract available.
Methotrexate*