The present study was undertaken to investigate the morphological characteristics of trigeminal ganglion in Korean native goat (Capra hircus) by immunohistochemical methods. The calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), galanin (GAL) and calretinin (CR) immunoreactivities by immunohistochemical method were observed in the neurons of trigeminal ganglion with populations of 43.75%, 26.01%, 4.98%, and 14.33%, respectively. In double immunohistochemical study, CGRP immunoreactivity was proven to be present in SP (93.93%) and GAL (100%) immunoreactive neurons. SP immunoreactivity was observed in CGRP (36.12%) and GAL (100%) immunore-active neurons. GAL immunoreactivity was colocalized with 8.14% of CGRP and 15.47% of SP immunoreactive neurons. However, CR immunoreactivity was not observed in CGRP, SP and GAL immunoreactive neurons. These findings exhibit that Korean native goat differs from other mammalian species in the distribution and localization of neurochemical substances in trigeminal ganglion, and suggest that these differences may be related with neuroanatomical characteristics.
Calbindin 2* ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Galanin ; Goats* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neurons ; Neurotransmitter Agents* ; Substance P ; Trigeminal Ganglion*

Ovary is one of the organs in which angiogenesis occurs during ovarian cycle. Angiogenesis is associated with angiogenic factor like acidic fibroblast growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor and transformation growth factor. Therefore, we performed this study to identify the distribution and mRNA expression of angiogenin, new potential angiogenic factor, in ovary of Korean native cattle by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Angiogenin immunoreactivity and mRNA expression were observed in endothelial cells, fibroblast and vascular smooth muscle cells. However, we could not observed angiogenin immunoreactivity and mRNA expression in primordial ovarian follicle. In follicular epithelial cells of primary ovarian follicle, weak angiogenin immunoreactivity and mRNA expression were observed. Follicular epithelial cells, theca interna and externa in secondary ovarian follicles, showed angiogenin immunoreactivity, while follicular epithelial cells did the weak mRNA expression. Angiogenin immunoreactivity and mRNA expression were observed in follicular epithlial cells, theca interna and oocyte in tertiary ovarian follicle. The corpus luteum showed strong immunoreactivity and mRNA expression but atretic follicle weak. However, these angiogenin immunoreactivity and mRNA expression became to be weaker during regression. These results suggest that angiogenin may play a role as not only an angiogenic factor but a growth factor in ovary.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Animals ; Cattle ; Corpus Luteum ; Endothelial Cells ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; Fibroblasts ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Menstrual Cycle ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Oocytes ; Ovarian Follicle ; Ovary* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Theca Cells

BACKGROUND: We compared two automated Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) assay kits with a manual RPR assay kit to evaluate the possibility of using the two automated RPR assays as an alternative to the manual RPR assay for a quantitative monitoring. METHODS: One hundred eighty-five samples were analyzed, including 16 sera from patients with primary, secondary, and latent syphilis. Measured RPR unit (R.U.) values of two automated RPR assay kits, Mediace RPR (Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd, Japan) and HBi Auto RPR (HBI Co., Ltd, Korea), were compared with the RPR titers of Macro-Vue RPR card test (Becton Dickinson BD Microbiology systems, USA). As a confirmatory test, Anti-Treponema pallidum EUROLINE WB (IgG) and Anti-Treponema pallidum EUROLINE WB (IgM) (Euroimmun, Germany) were used. RESULTS: There was a prozone effect with Mediace RPR at RPR titer (card test) of 1:16, but not with HBi Auto RPR. The R.U. values of the two automated RPR assays did not show proportional increase to the RPR titer. Agreement between manual RPR and two automated RPR assay kits, Mediace RPR assay and HBi Auto RPR assay, were 83.8% and 83.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The two automated RPR assay kits could not be used as an alternative to manual RPR test for quantitative analysis of RPR titer. As Mediace RPR shows a prozone effect at relatively low RPR titer, caution is needed in the interpretation of the measured values.
Automation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Reagins/*blood ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Syphilis/*diagnosis ; Syphilis Serodiagnosis/*methods ; Treponema pallidum

Disturbance of consciousness in patients with multiple myeloma is usually related with uremia, hypercalcemia or hyperviscosity syndrome. Currently, hyperammonemic encephalopathy which accompanies characteristic change of amino acid levels in pheripheral blood has been reported as a rare cause of mental change in multiple myeloma. We experienced a case of hyperammonemic encephalopathy in a 60-year-old man with multiple myeloma who had shown transient response to the combination chemotherapy with melphalan and prednisolone. Measurement of amino acid concentrations in peripheral blood revealed high glycine/tyrosine ratio and low Fisher ratio. In spite of conventional treatment on hyperammonemic encephalopathy, he died of disease progression without improvement of consciousness level.
Male ; Humans