Drash syndrome, which was first reported by Denys et al. in 1967 is a complex disorder which associates a nephropathy, Wilms' tumor, and male pseudohermaphroditism. The common denominator is a nephropathy. The nephropathy may be associated with either genital abnormalities or Wilms' tumor, and these associations are called incomplete form of Drash syndrome. This syndrome appears early in life and the first sign usually is genital ambiguity. The nephropathy presents with proteinuria, hematuria and hypertension, and eventually progresses to end stage renal failure. Renal biopsy may reveal a variety of glomerular and interstitial changes. Wilms' tumor may appear as s mass on ultrasound or it may not be recognized until nephrectomy or even autopsy. We report on a boy with nephropathy and genital abnormalities. A nephrotic syndrome with hypertension was present when first seen at 15 days of age. The karyotype was 46, XY and external genitalia was ambiguous. The nephrotic syndrome and signs of renal insufficiency persisted and he died at the age of 40 days. Histopathologic findings of kidney at autopsy revealed those of diffuse mesangial sclerosis. The case was presented with brief review of literatures.
46, XY Disorders of Sex Development ; Autopsy ; Biopsy ; Denys-Drash Syndrome* ; Disorders of Sex Development ; Genitalia ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Karyotype ; Kidney ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Proteinuria ; Renal Insufficiency ; Sclerosis ; Ultrasonography ; Wilms Tumor

No abstract available.
Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Urease*

"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

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence rate of low back pain (LBP) in the high school students and to analyze the differences and correlations with the spinal-pelvic structural variations and disability index with LBP. The subjects are 499 high school students (236 males, 263 females: mean age, 16.38 years). They were assessed for LBP with the numerical rating scale (NRS) and for disability with the Korean version Oswestry disability index (KODI). All subjects were to take the plain radiographic examination for spinal-pelvic structural variations including thoracic, lumbar, thoracolumbar Cobb's angle, lumbar lordotic curve, sacral slope, pelvic tilt and pelvic incidence. All subjects were divided into two groups by NRS scores (0, 1=no/minimum pain group [NMP group], 2-10=low back pain group [LBP group]). The prevalence rate of LBP of all subjects was 56.7% (n=283). NRS and total KODI scores were higher in the LBP group (3.38 cm/11.83%) than NMP group (0.07 cm/2.74%) (p<0.001). In the spinal-pelvic structural variations analysis, the thoracic Cobb's angle was significantly high in LBP group (p<0.05), but others were shown no differences between the both groups (p>0.05). NRS had significantly positive correlation with KODI (p<0.001). NRS and KODI did not demonstrate any correlations with spinal-pelvic structural variations (p>0.05). In conclusion, this study showed high prevalence rate of LBP in the high school students, but did not show significant correlations with the spinal-pelvic structural variations and disability index.
Back Pain ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Low Back Pain* ; Male ; Prevalence

Satisfactory surgical reconstruction of the external ear and nose is still a major challenge for the plastic surgeon. Therefore, the use of prosthesis in selected cases should be considered as viable alternative. During the period from December, 1995 to January, 1998, 10 patients, including 9 patients of ear defect and 1 patient of nose defect resulting from the resection of recurrent tumor ablation, were reconstructed by using osseointegration and prosthesis. The surgery was performed in two stages. All procedures were performed under local anesthesia and on an outpatient. At the first stage, the fixtures of titanium implant were placed in the mastoid process and maxilla. These implants were then left for 3 months before the second stage takes place, in which the skin penetrating abutments were attached. After 3-4 weeks, the impression of the defect area were taken and the silicone prosthesis was made by Anaplastologist. Two patients had focal infection but healed without problem. One patient had soft tissue infection, then flap was excised and skin graft performed. There was one loss from 20 fixtures, that was 3 years after implantation. We have concluded that osseointegration for reconstruction of the ear and nose defect is simple, soft, reliable method, which is more than autologous reconstruction and provides excellent aesthetic results.
Anesthesia, Local ; Ear ; Ear, External ; Focal Infection ; Humans ; Mastoid ; Maxilla ; Nose* ; Osseointegration* ; Outpatients ; Prostheses and Implants ; Silicones ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Titanium ; Transplants

PURPOSE:We performed this study to evaluate the clinical significance and temporal changes of pleural effusion developed after the resection of hepatoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively follow-up chest radiographs of 97 patients who had undergone operation for hepatoma and had no radiologically demonstrable postoperative complications. The duration of pleural effusion was classified into five groups and the amount of pleural effusion at one week after operation was graded into four groups. Statistical significance of the relationship between the duration, amount of pleural effusion and five factors, which are location and size of tumor, age of the patients, methods of operation, and preoperative liver function, was studied respectively. RESULTS:Pleural effusion was developed in 63.9% (62/97) and the mean duration was 2.5 weeks. In 92% (52/56), pleural effusion disappeared spontaneously within four weeks. Patients who had hepatoma in upper portion of the right lobe developed more frequent pleural effusion which persisted longer, and was larger in amount at one week after operation(p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between pleural effusion and the other four factors. CONCLUSION:Pleural effusion following hepatoma surgery should not be regarded as a sign of post-operative complication, as it invariably disappears spontaneously within four weeks. Development of pleural effusion is considered to be caused by local irritation and disturbance of lymphatic flow at the diaphragm.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Diaphragm ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Liver ; Pleural Effusion* ; Postoperative Complications ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Axons ; Hand ; Humans

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

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) are major regulators of insulin-like growth factor bioavailability and activity in metabolic signaling. Seven IGFBP family isoforms have been identified. Recent studies have shown that IGFBPs play a pivotal role in metabolic signaling and disease, including the pathogenesis of obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Although many studies have documented the various roles played by IGFBPs, transcriptional regulation of IGFBPs is not well understood. In this review, we focus on the regulatory mechanisms of IGFBP gene expression, and we summarize the findings of transcription factor activity in the IGFBP promoter region.
Biological Availability ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2* ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins ; Liver ; Metabolic Diseases ; Obesity ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Protein Isoforms ; Transcription Factors