Normal human B cells produce autocrine growth factor in response to Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I strain (SAC). However, the functional role and molecular nature of the B cell derived-B cell growth factor (B-BCGF) are largely unknown. We have tried to investigate the nature of B-BCGF using mAb for several years. We report here that B- BCGF is capable of binding to hemoglobin (Hb). The concentrated culture supernatant from tonsillar B cells stimulated with SAC for 24 h was loaded into the fast protein liquid chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography. The peak with BCGF activity was shown to have a M.W. of 16-18 Kda in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by silver stain. Amino acid sequence of the fraction was found to identical to human hemoglobin (Hb) by more than 85%. However, Hb itself had no BCGF activity. The presence of Hb in culture supernatant was due to the contamination of SRBC during B cell purification. SRSC were completely removed from B cells by percoll-gradient centrifugation and B cells were stimulated with SAC and exogenous Hb was added to the cultures. The Hb fraction from FPLC again showed a BCGF activity. These data strongly suggested that BCGF binds to Hb. We confirmed this in dot blot as well as Western blot. The M.W of Hb-binding BCGF was 20 Kda. This information may provide a rapid progress in research of BCGF.
Amino Acid Sequence ; B-Lymphocytes ; Blotting, Western ; Centrifugation ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans ; Silver ; Staphylococcus aureus

Background: Univent(R) tube was designed to overcome the disadvantages of double lumen endotracheal tube for one lung anesthesia. But overinflation of the blocker cuff of an endobronchial tube can cause pressure damage to the bronchus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the blocker cuff pressure and the duration of ballooning using the Univent(R) tube is correlated with the degree of bronchial mucosal damage (BMD). Methods: A total of 13 men and 7 women intubated with the Univent(R) tube were enrolled for the study. The BMD were evaluated by direct visualization using fiberoptic bronchoscopy prior to intubation and following extubation and the degree of the BMD were scored from 0 to 4 as follows; 0: normal, 1: erythema, 2: swelling, 3: hemorrhage, 4: mucosal wall tearing. Results: No change in bronchial mucosa (score 0) were observed in 11 patients (55%), erythema (score 1) in 5 patients (25%), swelling (score 2) in 3 patients (15%), hemorrhage (score 3) in 1 patient (5%) and mucosal wall tearing (score 4) is none in 20 patients. The bronchial blocker cuff pressure required to "just sealing" the bronchus was 178.1+/-37.4 mmHg with corresponding cuff volume of 6.7+/-1.0 cc. The duration of ballooning was 115.5+/-26.4 min. The correlation coefficient between the blocker cuff pressure and duration of ballooning to the degree of bronchial mucosal damage were 0.125 and 0.137, respectively, which was not statistically significant. Conclusions: The bronchial blocker of Univent(R) tube doesn't cause any severe BMD and the degree of BMD are correlated with neither the bronchial blocker cuff pressure nor duration of ballooning of Univent(R) tube.
Anesthesia ; Bronchi ; Bronchoscopy ; Erythema ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intubation ; Lung ; Male ; Mucous Membrane

No abstract available.
Child* ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative* ; Humans

No abstract available.

Osteochondroma is the most common benign tumor of bone, of which the typical form is a cartilagecapped bony projection, far often found at the metaphysis of the long tubular bones, and may arise from any bone performed in cartilage. To our knowledge, however, osteochondroma of lumbar spine has been reported 11 cases, but We experienced a case of osteochondroma located in the position normally occupied by right side lamina of 5th lumbar vertebra. The mass was excised and disclosed typical microscopic findings of osteochondroma.
Cartilage ; Osteochondroma ; Spine

The clinical data of 27 patiets with hypophosphatemic rickets treated with phosphate and 1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D were analysed retrospectively. The median age at diagnosis was 4 years, and the main clinical manifestations were bowleg and short stature. Among total 24 families, 5 families (21%) had X-linked dominant mode of inheritance, 1 family (4%) had autosomal dominant mode and 17 families (71%) had no family history, The serum phosphorus concentration rose from initial value of 2.7+/-0.13mg/dl to 3.5+/-0.19mg/dl. The serum alkaline phosphatase was reduced from 871+/-63IU/L to 393+/-41IU/L. Healing of rickets was demonstrated by radiography. Patients treated for at least two years before the onset of puberty had an increase in the mean height SD score from -1.58 to -0.79. Orthopedic surgeries for severe lower extremity deformity were performed in 11 patients, of whom 8(73%) were dignosed over 5 years of age. Complications of therapy were as follows; 12 patients (44%) developed more than one episode of hypercalciuria, 5 patients (19%) developed more than one episode of hypercalcemia, and nephrocalcinosis was noted in 5(33%) out of 15 patients by renal ultrasound. The group with nephrocalcinosis had a higher incidence of hypercalemic episodes than the group without nephrocalcinosis. In conclusion, treatment of hypophosphatemic rickets results in healing of rickets and acceleration of growth, and we must evaluate complications of therapy such as hypercalcemia and nephrocalcinosis.
Acceleration ; Adolescent ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Hypercalciuria ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; Nephrocalcinosis ; Orthopedics ; Phosphorus ; Puberty ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Rickets ; Rickets, Hypophosphatemic* ; Ultrasonography ; Wills

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

Aortopulmonary fistula is an exceedingly rare vascular malformation. It is commonly derived after chest injuly or from complication of chest operation and aortic dissection and congenital aortopulmonary fistula is only several cases combined with Tetralogy of Fallot or aortic stenosis. But a congenital aortopulmonary fistula without any hemodynamic abnormalities was not reported. A 56-year old man with exertional dyspnea was admitted. In an examination on admission, there were no abnomalities. Aortography showed an aortopulmonary fistula that branches from the ascending aorta adjacent to the right coronary artery, running to the main pulmonary artery. Transcatheter coil embolization was performed and he was discharged 7 day after embolization without complication. Exertional dyspnea disappeared and careful follow up has be performed periodically.
Aorta ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; Aortography ; Coronary Vessels ; Dyspnea* ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Fistula* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Artery ; Running ; Tetralogy of Fallot ; Thorax ; Vascular Malformations

The advent of the global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) necessitates a thorough study of the stability and transmissibility in the environment. We characterized the stability of SARS-CoV-2 in three water matrices: fresh, tap, and seawater. The minimum infective dose of SARS-CoV-2 in Vero cells was confirmed to be 10 3 PFU/mL. The stability of SARS-CoV-2 varied according to the water matrix: infective SARSCoV-2 was undetectable after treatment with fresh water and seawater, but remained detectable for 2 days in tap water, when starting with an initial concentration of 10 4 PFU/mL. When the starting concentration was increased to 10 5 PFU/mL, a similar trend was observed. In addition, viral RNA persisted longer than infectious virus in all water matrices. This study was conducted in stagnant water containing a significantly high titer of virus, thus, human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the actual aquatic environment is expected to be rare.

We reviewed the clinical features, histrologic patterns and clinical courses of 30 children with lupus nephritis retrospectively, and the results were summerized as follows; 1) The male to female ratio was 1:2.8, and the mean age at the onset was 10 8/12 years. 2) The clinical symptoms were diverse, and malaise, weight loss, anorexia, fever and malar rash were the most frequent findings. 3) Among the immunologic tests, FANA and anti-ds-DNA test revealed the highest sensitivity with positive rates of 97% and 87%, respectively. 4) Clinically, 57% of patients had active nephrotic syndrome at the onset, and 33% showed (?) was the most common findings (70%). 5) During the follow-up period, one children with Class IV lupus nephritis expired. And 8 out of 9 cases with renal insufficiency at the onset showed improvement of renal function after treatment with corticosteroid and cytotoxic agents. In conclusion, the clinical features and histologic findings of lupus nephritis in children were diverse. Early diagnosis and proper treatment can prevent rapid deterioration of renal function and improve long-term survival rate.
Anorexia ; Child* ; Cytotoxins ; Early Diagnosis ; Exanthema ; Female ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunologic Tests ; Lupus Nephritis* ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Weight Loss