No abstract available.
Funnel Chest*

No abstract available.
Pneumonia*

BACKGROUND: Eotaxin, a CC chemokine specific for eosinophils, is implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma recruiting eosinophils into the airways. Theophylline has been used for the treatment of asthma and rece was proposed to have an anti-inflammatory action. The aim of this study is to examine whether theophylline may inhibit the eosinophilic airway inflammation by reducing the expression of eotaxin. METHODS: The expression of eotaxin mRNA was assessed by Northern analysis in A549 cells 4 h after stimulation with TNF-α or IL-1β And then, theophylline was added to A549 cells stimulated with 0.1 ng/ml IL-1β. RESULTS: Eotaxin mRNA expression rates induced by 0.1, 1, 10 ng/mL TNF-α as compared with β-action were 7%, 22%, 28%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates induced by 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 ng/ml IL-1β as compared with β-action, were 10%, 42%, 63%, 72%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates after addition of 0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 µM dexamethasone induced by 10 ng/mL TNF-α, as compared with β-action were 27%, 18%, 8%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates after the addition of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 mM dexamethasone induced by 0.1 ng/mL IL-1β, as compared with β -action, were 43%, 47%, 12%, 8%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates after the addition of 0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 mM theophylline induced by 0.1 ng/mL IL-1β, as compared with β-action, were 48%, 40%, 33%, 22%, 16%, 14%, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that theophylline may reduce eosinophil infiltration of the airway at least in part by reducing the expression of eotaxin under the conditions of these experiments.
Asthma ; Dexamethasone ; Eosinophils ; Epithelial Cells* ; Inflammation ; RNA, Messenger* ; Theophylline*

The purpose of this study was to investigate food habits, nutrients intakes and nutritional quality of the preschool children living in Seoul. The study was performed by analyzing a questionnaire answered by the mothers of 233 subjects aged 2 to 6 years old. A three-day dietary intakes survey, using a 24 hour recall method was used by both the mothers and teachers of the children in day care centers. Twenty eight, 65.9 and 21.8% of preschool children were underweight, normal and overweight or obese, respectively. It was found that 19.8% of preschool children replied that they skipped breakfast sometimes. The major reasons for skipping breakfast were 'snacks'(38.3%) and 'no appetite' (32.6%). The proportion of subjects having unbalanced meals was 61.6%. From the 24-recall survey, it was found that all nutrients intakes were higher than those of the Korean RDA except zinc. The proportions of carbohydrate, protein and fat from total calories were 56,1, 17.2 and 30.7%. The P/M/S ratio was 0.62 : 0.86 : 1. Nutrient adquacy (NAR), mean of nutrient adequacy ratio (MAR) and index of nutritional quality (INQ) were considered adequate. In conclusion, the dietary intakes of children aged 2 to 6 were assumed adequate judging from nutrient intakes, although some attention should be paid to fat intake in this age group.
Breakfast ; Child ; Child, Preschool* ; Day Care, Medical ; Food Habits* ; Humans ; Meals ; Mothers ; Nutritive Value* ; Overweight ; Seoul* ; Thinness ; Zinc

No abstract available.
Animals ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Horns* ; Kidney*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Horns* ; Kidney*

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by hyperproliferation and incomplete differentiation of keratinocytes. Mounting scientific evidence suggests that this epidermal alteration occurs as a response to an immunologic injury, giving rise to the concept that psoriasis is a skin-specific autoimmune disease. Indeed, many effective therapeutic agents for psoriasis are immunosuppressive in nature, lending further support to this view. The well known ability of calcipotriene and 1,25(OH)2D3 to inhibit keratinocyte proliferation and to induce its differentiation is certainly compatible with their antipsoriatic actions. In addition, topical calcipotriene has been shown to correct, at least in part, the local cytokine imbalance observed in psoriatic lesions. Interleukin (IL)-8 is a proinflammatory cytokine that is chemotactic for polymorphonuclear cells and T lymphocytes. It also promotes proliferation of keratinocytes and endothelial cells. In lesional psoriatic skin, IL-8 and its receptor levels are markedly elevated. IL-10 is an immunosuppressive cytokine, which as a type2 (T2) cytokine antagonizes cell-mediated immunity. Indeed, IL-10 administration has been shown to improve psoriasis. Topical calcipotriene markedly reduces elevated levels of IL-8 while simultaneously increasing IL-10 levels in lesional skin of psoriasis. These changes occur very early, within the first three days of therapy, prior to significant clinical improvement of psoriasis, indicating that the cytokine alterations are not simply secondary to resolution of psoriatic plaques. Therefore, elaboration of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10 and a concomitant reduction in the proinflammatory cytokine IL-8 may mediate the immunopharmacological improvementin psoriasis by calcipotriene.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Cholecalciferol ; Cytokines ; Endothelial Cells ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunosuppression ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-8 ; Interleukins ; Keratinocytes ; Psoriasis ; Skin Diseases ; Skin* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Vitamin D* ; Vitamins*

No abstract available.
Nephrotic Syndrome*

OBJECTIVES: Some emotional components, such as self-esteem, depression and anxiety, have been reported to be associated with paranoia in non-clinical population and schizophrenia patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between self-esteem and paranoia in healthy controls, in ultra-high risk for psychosis and schizophrenia patients. METHODS: 34 subjects with recent onset schizophrenia, 36 subjects with ultra-high risk for psychosis, and 44 healthy volunteers participated in this study. A detailed assessment was made of the paranoia, self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. RESULTS: In all three groups, there were a negative correlation between paranoia and self-esteem, and positive correlations between paranoia and depression and anxiety. In healthy control, lower self-esteem showed a trend to predict higher paranoia, and in ultra-high risk for psychosis, this trend tern on statistically significant level, and in recent onset schizophrenia group, this correlation was disappeared. CONCLUSION: The individual who have lower self-esteem showed higher paranoia tendency under delusional level, but after formation of persecutory delusion, the tendency was disappeared. This result supports the hypothesis that persecutory delusions are a defense against negative affective process.
Animals ; Anxiety ; Charadriiformes ; Delusions ; Depression ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Paranoid Disorders* ; Psychotic Disorders* ; Schizophrenia*

The lymphoepithelial cyst (LEC) rarely occurs in the thyroid gland. The LEC has been thought to be related to developmental rest, namely solid cell nest, which is derived from ultimobranchial body. We report a case of lymphoepithial cyst in a 34- year-old woman clinically diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The cyst was located in mid to lower portion of the left lobe. It was a single unilocular cyst, which for the most part was lined with squamous epithelium, and at certain foci with ciliated columnar epithelium. The cyst wall showed a dense lymphocytic infiltration, numerous lymphoid follicles with germinal centers and admixed thyroid follicles. This morphology is similar to the branchial cleft cyst, with the exception of the thyroid follicles in the cyst wall. Near the cyst were several solid epidermoid cell nests. Immunohistochemical stain of this cyst-lining epithelium and solid cell nests showed CEA positivity. In view of the similarity in histomorphology and CEA positivity to branchial cleft cyst of the lateral neck, the LEC of the thyroid could also have been of branchial origin. However, the admixed thyroid follicles in the cyst wall suggests that the LEC of the thyroid gland might have derived from another branchial cleft as a ultimobranchial body, because it has the potential for thyroid follicular differentiation.
Branchial Region* ; Branchioma ; Epithelium ; Female ; Germinal Center ; Humans ; Neck ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis ; Ultimobranchial Body