No abstract available.

OBJECTIVE: Several water channels (aquapoins; AQP) that belong to the MIP (major intrinsic protein) family have identified. In the selected tissues including red blood cells or renal tubules, water movements are abundant and/or physiologically important. Unexpectedly, a high water permeability of human and ram sperm has been reported. Recent studies showed that AQP7 and AQP8 are present in testes so that the high water permeability of human sperm suggested to be mediated by AQPs. METHOD: To identify the identity of aquaporins expressed in testes, RT-PCR was performed using degenerative primers, which were designed to correspond to highly conserved sequences surrounding the Asn-Pro-Ala (NPA) motifs in the aquaporins. New expressed AQP series were reconfirmed by immunohistochemical study using rabbit polyclonal antibodies. RESULTS: DNA sequencing of PCR products revealed that AQP2 and AQP3 mRNA as well as AQP7 and AQP8 are expressed in human and rat testes, AQP2 are expressed in spermatozoa, interstitial cells and myofibroblasts and AQP3 are expressed in myofibroblasts of semineferous tubules on immunocytochemical stain. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that multiple aquaporins are expressed in testes, and that they may have important roles in the spermatogenesis and the germ cell function of testis.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Aquaporins* ; Conserved Sequence ; Erythrocytes ; Germ Cells ; Humans* ; Myofibroblasts ; Permeability ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; Testis* ; Water Movements

PURPOSE: We evaluated the usefulness of quantitative spiral CT to predict postoperative lung function in patients undergoing pulmonary resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients in whom pneumonectomy or segmentectomy were performed underwent preoperative chest spiral CT and pulmonary function test(PFT). Six patients underwent postoperative follow-up PFT. Ten patients underwent preoperative radioisotope(RI) lung perfusion scan. Preoperative CT data were postprocessed with contiguous pixel method ranged from -9107HU to -500HU to quantify total functional lung volume(TFLV) and regional volume to be resected(RFLV). Postoperative lung function was predicted by following formula;Predicted postoperative PFT value=preoperative PFT x 1-RFLV/TFLV). CT predicted value was compared with postoperative measured PFT value and those value of RI perfusion scan. RESULTS: CT predicted values were very close to postoperative measured value and RI predicted value, and were correlated well with postoperative measured values (FVC: r=0.988, P<0.001 ;FEV1: r=0.994, P<0.001) and RI predicted values (FVC :r=0.976, P<0.001 ;FEVl: r=0.974, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Quantitative spiral CT was useful to predict postoperative lung function and could be an effective alternative to RI perfusion scan.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung* ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Perfusion ; Pneumonectomy ; Thorax ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Hemodynamics*

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandin system is known to participate in manifestation of the renin-angiotensin system. However, role of prostaglandins on the renin-angiotensin system in development of hypertension is not well established. This study was to examine whether the role of prostaglandins is altered in experimental hypertension. METHODS: Two-kidney, one-clip(2KIC) renal hypertension was made by clipping the left renal artery with a silver clip(internal gap of 0.2mm) and deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension by subcutaneous implantation of DOCA(200mg/kg) strip plus saline(1%) drinking. They were used 3 weeks later. Age-matched normal rats served as a control. Femoral artery was cannulated and arterial blood pressure and heart rate were monitored continuously. RESULTS: 1) In normotensive rats, saralasin infusion(20 microg/kg/min, IV) caused a decrease in mean arterial pressure without significant alterations in heart rate. Indomethacin-pretreatment(10mg/kg, IP) abolished the depressor response to saralasin. 2) The depressor response to saralasin was more marked in renal hypertensive rats than in normotensive rats. The magnitude of maximum decrease in blood pressure, however, was comparable between the hypertensive and normotensive rats. Indomethacin-pretreatment did not affect the depressor response to saralasin in renal hypertensive rats. 3) In DOCA-salt hypertensive rats, saralasin infusion rather caused an increase in mean arterial pressure without significant alterations in heart rate. The pressor response to saralasin was not affected by indomethacin-pretreatment. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that prostaglandin system may modify renin-angiotensin system in normotensive rats. It is suggested that mechanisms other than prostaglandin system participate in the full-blown manifestation of renin-angiotensin system in 2KIC renal hypertensive rats.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Desoxycorticosterone ; Drinking ; Femoral Artery ; Heart Rate ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Renal ; Prostaglandins I ; Prostaglandins* ; Rats* ; Renal Artery ; Renin-Angiotensin System* ; Saralasin ; Silver

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate the changes of total leukocytes and leukocyte types in CSF and peripheral blood (PB) in the early course of aseptic meningitis. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-nine children with aseptic meningitis, who were admitted to the Pediatric Department of Dong-A University Hospital during the period from June 1996 to October 1997 were included. Patients were divided into 4 groups by 12-hour intervals according to the time between the onset of illness and initial diagnostic lumbar puncture. We analyzed clinical pictures, total leukocytes and leukocyte types in CSF and peripheral blood (PB) in each group. RESULTS: 1) There was no significant difference in average total leukocyte counts in CSF between each group, and all groups were considered to be acute stage of illness. 2) The PMNL proportion of CSF leukocytes was 57.0+/-31.6% in group I, 44.1+/-32.3% in group II, 39.4+/-33.1% in group III and 26.9+/-27.9% in group IV. The PMNL percentage was significantly higher in group I than group III and IV and the proportion of patients with a predominance of PMNL was higher in group I than group III and IV (p<0.05) 3) The proportion of neutrophils in PB was highest in group I (76.5+/-15.7%) and significantly higher in group I and II than group III and IV (p<0.05). 4) Significant correlations were found between the proportion of PMNL in CSF and PB of patients (r=0.62, p<0.001) CONCLUSION: The change from a predominance of PMNL to a predominance of mononucler leukocytes was occurred 12-24 hours after onset, and there was a strong correlation between the proportion of neutrophils in CSF and PB.
Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Child ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes* ; Meningitis, Aseptic* ; Neutrophils ; Spinal Puncture

No abstract available.
Hand Injuries* ; Hand*

A 4-year-old girl developed acute motor, sensory impairment, lower abdominal pain and urinary dysfunction after URI. In acute stage of disease, MRI showed diffuse spinal cord swelling and high signal intensity on T2WI below T2 body level. The patient did not improved and one month later, follow-up MRI showed diffuse spinal cord atrophy and syrinx formation as sequelae of ATM on T1WI below T9 level. To our knowledge, this is the first case showing the sequelae of acute transverse myelitis seen in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Atrophy* ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelitis, Transverse* ; Spinal Cord*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Edema* ; Gallbladder* ; Humans