No abstract available.
Animals ; Capsaicin* ; Macrophages, Peritoneal* ; Mice*

This experiment was performed to elucidate the cytologic origin of chemically induced MFH in Wistar rats. The tumor was produced by injections of DMBA(9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene). With the produced MFH, cell culture and cloning were performed, followed by establishment of a cell strain, which was investigated by immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies. The results were as follows. A) By immunohistochemistry of the tumor tissue, fibroblastic cells were positive for MEP-1(specific antibody for fibroblastlike cell of MFH, Takeya, 1993) and Anti-hPH(beta)(Anti-prolyl 4-hydroxylase beta), but negative for TRPM-3 and F4/80. Histiocytelike cells were positive for TRPM-3 and F4/80, but negative for MEP-1 and Anti-hPH(beta). In immunoelectron microscopy, normal spleen macrophage showed linear reactivity in cell membrane for TRPM-3, whereas histiocytelike cells of the tumor disclosed negative reaction. B) At 5 weeks of the primary tumor cell culture, the cells exhibited typical storiform pattern of MFH. C) The established cell strain revealed immunoreactivity for MEP-1 and Anti-hPH(beta), but negative for TRPM-3. The cloned tumor cells showed morphologic characteristics of undifferentiated fibroblastic cell. Latex particle (0.80 micrometer size) phagocytosis was negative in the cloned cell strain. The results of the current study support the concept that principal component cells of MFH is of fibroblastic cell origin.
9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene* ; Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques* ; Cell Membrane ; Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; Fibroblasts ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Macrophages ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Microspheres ; Phagocytosis ; Rats* ; Rats, Wistar ; Spleen

Capsaicin, the pungent principle of hot peppers, is a neurotoxin that depletes unmyelinated primary sensory neurons (polymodal nociceptors) of neuropeptides like tachykinins. However, the role of capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerve in the production of cytokines, penicillin V (PEV)-induced active fatal anaphylaxis and other immune responses is not yet fully established. Neonatal mice were pretreated s.c. with a single injection of 10 ug of capsaicin per mouse in volume of 20 ul within 5 days of age. Using 5-8 week old mice pretreated as neonates with capsaicin, the capsaicin- pretreated and vehicle-treated control mice were examined for various parameters of immune responses described above. For the induction of active fatal anaphylaxis with PEV, 8 week old mice pretreated as neonates and age-matched capsaicin- untreated control mice were sensitized i.p. with 500 ug of PEV-ovalbumin conjugate plus 2*10(9) B. pertussis and 1.0 mg alum and challenged i.v. with PEV-bovine serum albumin conjugate 14 days later. It was found that neonatal capsaicin-pretreatment significantly enhanced contact hypersensitivity to TNCB and hemagglutination response to SRBC, but significantly inhibited the proliferation response of rnurine splenocyte to Con A and LPS. Interestingly, neonatal capsaicin pretreatment significantly inhibited the intensity of PEV-induced active fatal anaphylaxis and decreased the mortality due to anaphylactic shock. It also significantly inhibited LPS- induced production of cytokines such as TNF-a, IL-1B, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-12. The capsaicin-pretreatment also resulted in an inhibition of the activation of NF-kB. Taken together, these data showed for the first time that neonatal capsaicin-pretreatment significantly inhibited an antibiotic (PEV)-induced anaphylaxis and production of various cytokines, and suggest that capsaicin-sensitive primary sensory nerve may play an important regulatory role in active fatal anaphylaxis and cytokine production, thus potentially presenting tools for immune intervention. In particular, the data presented also indicated the possibility to selectively down-modulate cytokine production and NF-kB activation may offer a broad application for therapeutic intervention in neuroimmunological diseases and other pathological situations.
Anaphylaxis ; Animals ; Capsaicin* ; Cytokines ; Denervation* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Hemagglutination ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-6 ; Mice ; Mortality ; Neuropeptides ; NF-kappa B ; Penicillin V ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; Serum Albumin ; Tachykinins ; Whooping Cough

No abstract available.
Osteomyelitis* ; Radionuclide Imaging*

Although joint infection with severe destruction remains a serious problem and severe bone loss is relative contraindication of arthrodesis, knee arthrodesis is most commonly a salvage procedure. Its goals are to relieve pain and restore the patient to functional level of activity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the results and complications of Ilizarov method for knee arthrodesis in the presence of infection. We retrospectively reviewed the records of twelve patients who had managed with knee arthrodesis with Ilizarov method. Indications for the operation included a infected skeletal defect secondary severe open trauma in four patients, an infection at the site of an arthroplasty in three (with failure of previous arthrodesis with monofixator in one), an infected charcot joint in four and one pyogenic arthritis spreading from osteomyelitis of proximal tibia. The average age of the patients at the time of operation was fifty-three years (range twenty-two to eighty years). Follow-up averaged 17 months. The minimum follow up periods was 9 months. Average duration of Ilizarov fixator application was 7.2 months. In 3 cases we performed corticotomy and internal bone transport to treat large bone defect (17cm, 8cm, 6.5cm). Autoiliac bone graft was done in fusion site in two cases, and in three cases we performed bone graft at the docking site. Solid osseous union occured in each patient. There was no reinfection and nonunion. Average shortening was 3.4 cm. Complications were related to pin tract. When last seen, all patients were free of pain and could walk without cruthes or cane. Despite its pin tract problems, bulky cumbersome and expensive apparatus, the Ilizarov method is one of effective method for knee arthrodesis in the presence of infection and large bone loss especially.
Arthritis ; Arthrodesis* ; Arthropathy, Neurogenic ; Arthroplasty ; Canes ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ilizarov Technique* ; Joints ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Osteomyelitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibia ; Transplants

PURPOSE: It is not clear that the development of glomerular injury and aggravation by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is related to intrarenal or serum concentration of TNF-alpha. So, we studied the relationship between the concentration of TNF-alpha and aggravation of glomerular damage in the Henoch-Schonlein nephritis(HSN) and idiopathic nephrotic syndrome(INS). METHODS: We collected the sera and urines of 21 patients with Henoch-Schonlein purpura(HSP) and 22 patients with INS visited Chungbuk National University hospital from March 1998 to March 2001. The concentration of TNF-alpha in the sera and urines were measured by sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha levels in the HSP patients with renal involvement were significantly higher than those without renal involvement(P=0.009). But urine TNF-alpha levels have no correlation with renal involvement(P=0.088). In the HSN patients, proteinuria have a significant correlation with serum TNF-alpha levels(P=0.004) but less correlation with urine TNF-alpha levels(P=0.053). Otherwise, proteinuria have no correlation with serum TNF-alpha levels(P=0.763) but have a significant correlation with urine TNF-alpha levels(P=0.007) in INS. CONCLUSION: These result suggest that the serum concentration of TNF-alpha would be important to glomerular involvement in HSP. And, it is interesting that proteinuria shows a significant relation with serum TNF-alpha levels in the HSN, but with urine TNF-alpha levels in the INS. This means the major production of TNF-alpha may be originated by extrarenal inflammation in the HSN and by intrarenal tubulo-interstitial damage due to proteinuria in the INS.
Chungcheongbuk-do ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Nephritis* ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Proteinuria* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

BACKGROUND: Purinergic and cholinergic agonists elicit negative-inotropic and chronotropic effects, anticip-ating their protective action from the damage of overloaded myocardium. However, the actions of the agents during the ischemic insults are not yet clearly informed. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the purinergic and cholinergic agonists on the simulated ischemic myocardium of the rat atrial fiber preparations. METHOD: Various action potential parameters (maximum diastolic potential MDP;action potential amplitude APA;velocity of phase 0 depolarization dV/dtmax;action potential duration APD90) were measured and compared in electrically paced, normal (NPSS) and modified physiological salt solution (MPSS) superfused rat atrial fibers in vitro, using conventional 3M-KCl microelectrode technique. Ischemia-simulated modified physiologic solutions were prepared by changing the solution's composition. RESULTS: Hypoxic-and/or hyperkalemic-MPSS decreased all the action potential (AP) variables. However, no significant changes of the AP variables were developed by the acidic-or glucose-free MPSS. Adenosine (Ado) and cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) only decreased the APD90 in a dose-dependent manner. Acetylcholine (Ach) and carbachol (Cch) hyperpolarized the MDP, increased the dV/dtmax with certain doses, and decreased the APD90 dose-depen-dently. The potency for APD90-decrease was greater in order, CPA>Cch>Ach>Ado. Ado and CPA did not affect the hypoxic, hypokalemic MPSS-induced dV/dtmax-decrease. On the other hand, Ach and Cch sig-nificantly inhibited the dV/dtmax-decrease by the hypoxic hypokalemic-MPSS. Ado, CPA, Ach and Cch sig-nificantly augmented the hypoxic, hypokalemic MPSS-induced APD90-decrease. The inhibition by the Ach and Cch on the MPSS-induced dV/dtmax-decrease was not affected by DPCPX, but atropine significantly attenuated the inhibition by the cholinergic agonists. DPCPX inhibited the augmentation by the Ado and CPA on the MPSS induced APD90-decrease, and atropine inhibited the effect of the cholinergic agonists. CONCLUSION: Both purinergic and cholinergic agonists not only shorten the AP duration by themselves but also enhance the AP-shortening effect elicited by the ischemia, and therefore, it is inferred that both agonists prevent further tissue damage from the ischemic insults.
Acetylcholine ; Action Potentials ; Adenosine ; Animals ; Atropine ; Carbachol ; Cholinergic Agonists* ; Hand ; Ischemia ; Microelectrodes ; Myocardium* ; Rats*

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the role of free fatty acids on the ischemic myocardium, influences of various free fatty acids upon transmembrane action potential and ATP-sensitive K+(KATP) channel activity were examined in the ventricular myocardium and single cardiac myocytes. METHODS: KATP channel activities were measured in the enzymatically (collagenase) isolated single rat ventricular cardiac myocytes by the method of the excised inside-out and the cell-attached patch clamp, and transmembrane action potentials were recorded using the conventional 3M-KCl microelectode techniques in the rat ventricular myocardium. RESULTS: Free fatty acids [FFAs; arachidonic acid (AA), linoleic acid (LA) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)] reduced the KATP channel activity in a dose-dependent manner in the inside-out patch, and 50%-inhibition concentrations (IC50) were 88 +/- 11.2, 49 +/- 12.5, and 188 +/- 17.4 M respectively. Both frequency of channel opening and the mean open-burst duration were markedly decreased, but the amplitude of single channel currents were not changed by the FFAs. AA (50 micrometer) and LPC (50 micrometer) did not affect the dinitrophenol (DNP, 50 micrometer)-induced KATP channel activity, whereas LA (50 micrometer) had a tendency to reduce the activity. The channel inhibition effects by 10 micrometer AA in the inside-out patch were significantly augmented by diclofenac (10 micrometer), but was not changed by nordihydroguaiaretic acid. FFAs never stimulated KATP channel activity, even in the inside-out patch where KATP channel activity reduced in the presence of internal ATP (100 micrometer). Time for 90% repolarization (APD90) significantly increased during superfusion of the FFAs, to 22 (50 micrometer AA), 24 (50 micrometer LA), and 18 (50 micrometer LPC) % from those of the contol at the time of 10 min superfusion, but the other action potential characteristics were not changed by the FFAs. AA (10 micrometer) attenuated cromakalim (10 micrometer)-induced APD90 shortening effects. CONCLUSION: It was inferred that FFAs inhibit the KATP channel activity directly by themselves and/or indirectly by their metabolites in the rat ventricular cardiomyocytes, and therefore, duration of action potential lengthens to be a burden over the ischemic myocardium accounting for the injury of myocardium at the late stage of ischemia.
Action Potentials* ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Arachidonic Acid ; Cromakalim ; Diclofenac ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified* ; Ischemia ; Linoleic Acid ; Lysophosphatidylcholines ; Masoprocol ; Myocardium* ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Potassium Channels* ; Potassium* ; Rats*

PURPOSE: To determine the usefulness of MR urography technique for the evaluation of urinary systems in patients with obstructed urinary tract and normal volunteers with non-obstructed urinary tract after intravenous normal saline and diuretic injection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three normal volunteers and 12 patients with urinary tract obstruction [ureteral calculi(n=8), extraurinary mass(n=1), ureteral tumor invasion(n=3)] underwent MR urography using a 1.0T scanner and a 2D non-breath-hold heavily T2-weighted fast spin-echo sequence. These acquisition were postprocessed with a maximum intensity projection (MIP) algorithm. Two acquisitions were performed, the first prior to saline solution infusion following standard MR urography procedures, and the second, within 2-3 minutes of the infusion of 250 ml saline solution followed by 20 mg of Lasix administered intravenously. For this latter, drug-induced MR urography procedures were followed. RESULTS: In healthy volunteers (n=3) and those experiencing partial obstruction (n=4) by a urinary stone, drug-induced MR urography provided better images of the urinary tract than did standard MR urography. In those in whom a urinary stone or tumor had caused complete obstruction (n=8), standard MR urography provided good images, as did drug-induced MR urography. CONCLUSION: In patients with a partially or non-obstructed urinary tract, drug-induced MR urography provided better anatomic and functional details of the kidney and urinary tract than did standard MR urography. In those experiencing complete obstruction of the urinary tract, however, standard or drug-induced MR urography permitted very adequate evaluation of the tract, and drug-induced MR urography was unnecessary.
Furosemide* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney ; Sodium Chloride ; Ureter ; Urinary Calculi ; Urinary Tract* ; Urography*

Epithelioid smooth muscle tumor is relatively rare and potentially malignant, especially in retroperitoneum. Distinct criteria for malignancy still have not been clarified in this epithelioid variant arising in retroperitoneum. We report a deceptively benign-appearing epithelioid leiomyosarcoma in a 50-year-old female. She was admitted with abdominal discomfort and dysuria. Abdominal CT showed a well-demarcated, 10 10 cm sized, solid mass in retroperitoneum. Concomitant metastatic lesions were noted in right lung field. Surgical excision of retroperitoneal mass and right lung lobectomy were performed. The retroperitoneal mass showed yellowish-tan, well-delineated and lobulated appearance. Histologically, this tumor was composed of predominantly epithelioid, round to oval cells with distinct clear cytoplasm and slightly atypical nuclei. Mitosis was rare (0~1/50 HPF). Lung lesions were morphologically similar to that of retroperitoneum.
Cytoplasm ; Dysuria ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma* ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Mitosis ; Smooth Muscle Tumor ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed