No abstract available.
Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Rickettsia* ; Ulsan*

Present study aimed to investigate the immunological activities of cell wall associated protein antigen solubilized with Triton X-100 (TSP) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and conducted on 43 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (newly diagnosed, medicated within 12 months and chronic refractory patients) and 17 normal healthy controls. These immunological responses were compared with those induced by the PPD or 30 kDa antigen from M, tuberculosis H37Rv culture filtrates, identified as biologically important secreted proteins. Proliferative responses to mycobacterial antigens were compared in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy subjects and pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Signiticant blastogenic responses to the TSP were observed in healthy tuberculin reactors, newly diagnosed and some of antituberculosis drug-medicated patients by H-thymidine incorporation assay. IL-12 p40 and IFN-r mRNA expressions to the TSP were markedly increased, whereas IL-10 and TNF-a mRNA expressions were decreased at a 5 day-stimulation by PBMC in healthy tuberculin reactors, newly diagnosed and medicated patients. However, patients with chronic refractory tuberculosis exhibited more depressed IL-12 p40 and IFN-r mRNA expressions to all of the antigens than another groups. Interestingly, very low IL-10 and TNF-a mRNA expressions cultured with the TSP were also shown. These data suggest that the TSP may be involved in the macrophage activation by induction of Th1 stimulatory signals, such as IL-12, and suppression of Th1 inhibitory cytokine, IL-10.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

It has been known that the immunological functions against cancer cells were diminished, and these phenomena result from the inhibition of cell-mediated immunity by substance(s) secreted from cancer cells. It was also reported that the immunological functions decreased in patients with stomach cancer, which is the most frequent cnacer in Korean. However, the nature and function of the inhibitory factor(s) orignated from stomach cancer have not been identified. To elucidate effects of immuological inhibitory factor(s) secreted from cancer cells, SNU-1 (stomach cancer) and SW480 P109/R3P2 (colon cancer) were used in this study. Jurkat T cell line, an acute T cell leukemia, was pre-incubated with fractionated cancer cell culture supernatant for 3 days, then was stimulated with PMA, PWVanti-CD28 mAb or PMA/ionomycin for 8 hrs respectively. Fraction of SNU-1 (3 - 10 kDa) and above 10 kDa of SW480 P109/R3P2 inhibited the expression of IFN-r mRNA when Jurkat T cell was stimulated with PMA. However, there were no difference in IL-2 and IL-4 gene expression response to either PMA/anti-CD28 mAb or PMA/ionomycin. These results show that cancer cells secret some inhibitory factor(s) acting on the immune response, especially IFN-r gene expression of the Jurkat T cells response to PMA. Therefore, it suggests that the inhibitory factor(s) secreted from cancer cells influences on. the PKC-dependent pathway related to the signal transduction by PMA.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Line ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Leukemia, T-Cell ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction ; Stomach Neoplasms ; T-Lymphocytes

We isolated Triton X-100 solubilized protein (TSP) antigen which may be preferentially associated with the cell wall of M. tuberculosis. In this study, the proliferative activities and cytokine mRNA expression patterns of the TSP antigen were investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and lymph node mononuclear cells (LNMCs) from 4 patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis. The results of the TSP antigen were compared with those of the PPD antigen, known as a major seretory protein antigen of M. tuberculosis. The peak proliferative response to the TSP by PBMCs was observed at 0.1 ug/ml, whereas that of LNMCs was at 1.0 ug/ml. All of the patients showed greater blastogenic responses for the PPD than those for the TSP. IFN-r, IL-2, and IL-2Ru mRNA production from PBMCs after stimulation with the TSP were greatly augmented after 48 hrs, whereas IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA were gradually suppressed. In addition, high levels of IL-12 p40 mRNA were detected by PBMCs to the TSP antigen at 3 hrs. Elevated IFN-r and IL-2 mRNA production were observed in freshly isolated LNMCs, whereas IL-4 mRNA production was undetectable in either freshly isolated or mycobacterial antigen-stimulated LNMCs. Furthermore, IL-10 mRNA expression from LNMCs was markedly increased by the PPD antigen, but it was considerably reduced by the TSP antigen after 18 hrs. These data suggest that the TSP antigen may be a strong inducer of cytokine mRNA such as IFN-r, IL-2, and IL-12 which are involved in Thl cell and macrophage activation, and inhibit IL-10 mRNA production in LNMCs. In conclusion, the TSP antigen can be used as a preferential Thl cell immunogen in tuberculous lymphadenitis.
Cell Wall ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Lymph Nodes* ; Macrophage Activation ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Octoxynol ; RNA, Messenger* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node*

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

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of ventral interbody grafting and anterior or posterior spinal instrumentation for the treatment of advanced spondylodiscitis in patients who had failed medical management. METHODS: A total of 28 patients were evaluated for associated medical illness, detected pathogen, level of involved spine, and perioperative complications. Radiological evaluation including the rate of bony union, segmental Cobb angle, graft- and instrumentation-related complications, and clinical outcomes by mean Frankel scale and VAS score were performed. RESULTS: There are 14 pyogenic spondylodiscitis, 6 postoperative spondylodiscitis, and 8 tuberculous spondylodiscitis. There were 21 males and 7 females. Mean age was 51 years, with a range from 18 to 77. Mean follow-up period was 10.9 months. Associated medical illnesses were 6 diabetes, 3 pulmonary tuberculosis, and 4 chronic liver diseases. Staphylococcus was the most common pathogen isolated (25%), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was found in 18% of the patients. Operative approaches, either anterior or posterior spinal instrumentation, were done simultaneously or delayed after anterior aggressive debridement, neural decompression, and structural interbody bone grafting. All patients with neurological deficits improved after operation, except only one who died from aggravation as military tuberculosis. Mean Frankel scale was changed from 3.78+/-0.78 preoperatively to 4.78+/-0.35 at final follow up and mean VAS score was improved from 7.43+/-0.54 to 2.07+/-1.12. Solid bone fusion was obtained in all patients except only one patient who died. There was no need for prolongation of duration of antibiotics and no evidence of secondary infection owing to spinal instrumentations. CONCLUSION: According to these results, debridement and anterior column reconstruction with ventral interbody grafting and instrumentation is effective and safe in patients who had failed medical management and neurological deficits in advanced spondylodiscitis.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bone Transplantation ; Coinfection ; Debridement ; Decompression ; Discitis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Spine ; Staphylococcus ; Transplants ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of malaria has been usually made using microscopic examination of Wright stained thin blood films in Korean army. This method is labor-intensive, time consuming and requires the microscopic expertise. Therefore, the alternative techniques, rapid diagnostic test, have been sought for use in Korean army. We performed a comparison of the OptiMAL test with GENEDIA Malaria (P. vivax) Ab Rapid I, II to assess its sensitivity and specificity of Plasmodium vivax malaria. METHODS: Blood specimen were collected from 51 patients who were presented and initially diagnosed for P. vivax by the microscopy of blood smears and from 30 control patients without malaria infection at the Capital Armed Forces General Hospital (CAFGH) between October 2000 and February 2001. Among the 51 patients, we also collected 24 samples from 24 patients at 2 or 3 days after therapy. The OptiMAL test and GENEDIA Malaria (P. vivax) Ab Rapid I, II were performed according to the manufacturer's instructions on all samples respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the blood film, sensitivities and specificities of the OptiMAL test, GENEDIA Malaria (P. vivax) Ab Rapid I and GENEDIA Malaria (P. vivax) Ab Rapid II were 94.1~100% (29/29), 80.4~83.3%, 96.1~96.7% respectively. One case was interpreted as 'undetermined' by OptiMAL test. In 24 patients during therapy, the sensitivities of the OptiMAL test, GENEDIA Malaria (P. vivax) Ab Rapid I and GENEDIA Malaria (P. vivax) Ab Rapid II on 8 specimens with mean 120/microliter parasitemia and 16 specimens with negative parasitemia were 75~43.8%, 87.5~81.3%, 100~100% respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrated that the sensitivity and specificity of the GENEDIA Malaria (P. vivax) Ab Rapid I were not satisfactory, but the sensitivity and specificity of the OptiMAL test and GENEDIA Malaria (P. vivax) Ab Rapid II were relatively high and useful diagnostic tests for diagnosis of P. vivax in areas like the militaries where laboratory facilities are poor or non-existent.
Arm ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Malaria* ; Malaria, Vivax ; Microscopy ; Military Personnel* ; Parasitemia ; Plasmodium vivax* ; Plasmodium* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: This study was performed for investigation of epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and serial value of cardiac troponin level of patients who had myocardial injury due to Carbon monoxide poisoning. METHODS: This study reviewed 98 cases of Carbon monoxide poisoning patients who visited Emergency Department from January 1, 2008 to October 31, 2013. We categorized them by two groups, one with elevation of cardiac troponin level and the other with normal level. We had comparison between two groups data using statistical analysis. RESULTS: Among 98 patients of Carbon monoxide poisoning who were admitted to hospital, 10 patients were excluded. 88 patients who were included to our study, 70 patients with normal value of Troponin, and 18 patients with elevated troponin level. Of all patients, Carbon monoxide inhalation due to suicided trial patients has more higher proportion in elevated troponin level group compared with normal group (40 (57.1%) vs 15 (83.3%), P=0.041). Furthermore, corrected QT interval, length of hospital stay, number of ICU admission, also were showed higher value in elevated troponin level group. CONCLUSION: Carbon monoxide induced myocardial injury is associated with subside trial, prolongation of correted QT interval, length of hospital stay, and number of ICU admission.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ; Carbon Monoxide* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Length of Stay ; Reference Values ; Troponin ; Troponin I

Phase-partitioning with Triton X-114 (TX114) was applied to the TSP antigen, which may be preferentially associated with the cell wall of M. tuberculosis. The hydrophilic protein components of the TSP antigen were successfully separated from integral hydrophobic macromolecules. To further characterize and examine the cellular immune response of the aqueous fraction of the TSP antigen (TSPa), the in vitro properties of the antigen were measured by lymphoproliferation; surface expression of IL-2 Ra on T lymphocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry; and the cytokine mRNA expression pattern was determined by RT-PCR. Significant lymphoproliferative responses to the TSPa antigen were observed in healthy tuberculin reactive donors after a 5 day in vitro stimulation. TSPa treatment of PBMCs from healthy tuberculin positive subjects for 5 days resulted in progressive augmentation of IFN-r, II 2, and IL-2Ra mRNA expression, as measured by RT-PCR, but considerably reduced IL-4 mRNA expression. In addition, the TSPa antigen stimulated more IL-12 p40 mRNA production than did the PPD antigen, and graduaBy suppressed IL- 10 mRNA expression. Moreover, the CD3' T cells of tuberculin positive subjects displayed a profound increase in their expression of the II 2Ru protein (39.0%) in response to the TSPa antigen. Proliferation was correlated with IL-2 and IL-2Ra mRNAs, but not correlated with distinct IFN-r or IL-12 p40 mRNA production. These findings strongly suggest that the TSPa antigen preferentially evokes the generation of a Thl-like immune response in healthy tuberculin reactors.
Cell Wall ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans* ; Immunity, Cellular* ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Neptune ; RNA, Messenger ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tissue Donors ; Tuberculin ; Tuberculosis

Traumatic dislocation of the peroneal tendon is an infrequent injury. This injury is caused by forceful dorsiflexion of the foot accompanied by a powerful contraction of the peroneal muscles. This mechanism of injury tears the superior peroneal retinaculum and allows the tendons to snap anteriorly. We experienced a case of chronic recurrent dislocation of the peroneal tendon, which was treated by bone block surgery using autograft of lateral fibula and reattachment of the superior peroneal retinaculum. The clinical result was satisfactory.
Autografts ; Dislocations* ; Fibula ; Foot ; Muscles ; Tendons*