To delineate the individual role of follicular dendritic cells (FDC) and T cells at each stage of GC B cell differentiation at the clonal level and to analyze the signals required for the differentiation, we developed an experimental model using an FDC line, HK and a lymphoma cell line, L3055 for centroblasts. Phenotypic analysis of L 3055 revealed its origin of GC and the homogeneity. L3055 cells undergo spontaneous apoptosis when cultured in the absence of HK cells. L3055 cells proliferate continuously in the presence of HK cells, while they differentiate into a population with the phenotype of centrocytes after stimulation with CD40 ligand (CD 40L) plus IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10. L3055 undergo anti-Ig-mediated apoptosis, which is not protected by HK but by CD40L and the cytokines. These experimental results suggest that FDC provide signals for the survival and rapid proliferation of centroblasts and T cells trigger the differentiation of centroblasts into centrocytes.
Apoptosis ; CD40 Ligand ; Cell Differentiation* ; Cell Line ; Cytokines ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular ; Germinal Center* ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Lymphoma ; Models, Theoretical ; Phenotype ; T-Lymphocytes

No abstract available.

Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inherited disease characterized by prolonged QT intervals and polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. The clinical manifestations vary from sudden cardiac death by ventricular arrhythmia to asymptom throughout life. In 1957, Jervell and Lange-Nielsen reported a syndrome of congen-ital sensory deafness associated with a prolonged QT interval in four children. The affected children had multiple syncopal episodes, and three died suddenly. The mode of inheritance is autosomal recessive. Affected persons are susceptible to recurrent syncope, and they have a high incidence of sudden death and short life expectancy. We report a case and review the literature on long QT syndrome diagnosed in a 30-year-old female with a history of convulsion and loss of consciousness during delivery.
Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Child ; Deafness* ; Death, Sudden ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jervell-Lange Nielsen Syndrome ; Life Expectancy ; Long QT Syndrome* ; Seizures ; Syncope* ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Unconsciousness ; Wills

BACKGROUND: Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) play key roles during T cell-dependent humoral immune responses by allowing antigen-specific B cells to survive, proliferate, and differentiate within the FDC networks of secondary follicles, i.e., germinal centers (GC). METHODS: A novel monoclonal antibody, 3C8, was generated by immunizing with an FDC line HK, in order to understand the molecular signals involved in the FDC-B cell interactions in the microenvironment of the GC. RESULTS: The 3C8 antibody did not bind to mononuclear cells, including T cells, B cells, and monocytes. Murine L929 and human skin fibroblasts exhibited no or little reactivity to 3C8. However, 3C8 specifically recognized HK cells by flowcytometry. Furthermore, the antigen recognized by 3C8 was restricted to the GC of the human tonsil. Dendritic networks of the GC were intensely stained by 3C8, but cells out side the GC were not. CONCLUSION: Our result s suggest that the antigen 3C8 may play some unique role on FDCs during the GC reactions.
B-Lymphocytes ; Cell Communication ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular* ; Fibroblasts ; Germinal Center ; Humans ; Immunity, Humoral ; Monocytes ; Palatine Tonsil ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes

OBJECTIVE: Appropriate evaluation of hypertension is important in the patients with a stroke because hypertension is a major cause of a stroke. Blood pressure may be falsely elevated or depressed immediately after a stroke, depending on the severity of neurological deficit, mobility, and physical activity, and the level of consciousness. To overcome this problem, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has been proposed as a method of obtaining a more accurate clinical assessment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The present study was performed in an acute stage of stroke patients to assess the manifestation of 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure, to observe the nocturnal blood pressure fall and to evaluate the relationship of blood pressure degree on admission and nocturnal blood pressure dip. Thirty four patients admitted within 24 hours after onset of acute stroke were involved in this study. 24 Hour blood pressure monitoring device was installed on an independent arm by oscillometric method as soon as brain imaging study was performed. ABPM readings were obtained each 30 minutes during daytime and each 1 hour during nighttime with electrocardiography. Each patients were classified as the presence or absence of hypertension. We examined nocturnal blood pressure dip and mean pressure of 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure. RESULTS: 1)This study demonstrated that comparing daytime with nighttime 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure, 20 of 24 patients (83%) with acute stroke with hypertension, did not show nocturnal blood pressure dip, and there was sustained high nocturnal blood pressure in patients with acute stroke with hypertension. 2)There were significant differences between 24 hour ambulatory mean daytime blood pressure and mean nighttime blood pressure in patients with acute stroke without hypertension, so was lower in nighttime (p<0.05). 3)It is likely that in acute stroke patients with hypertension, patients with higher blood pressure on admission had more abnormality of nocturnal blood pressure dip. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that in patients with acute stroke, 24 hour ABPM is useful method to assess diurnal variation and evaluate hypertension in acute stage of stroke patients, and suggest that patients with acute stroke with hypertension trend to loss of nocturnal blood pressure dip.
Arm ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory* ; Blood Pressure Monitors ; Consciousness ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Motor Activity ; Neuroimaging ; Reading ; Stroke*

BACKGROUND: The yeasts of the genus Malassezia are members of the normal flora on human skin and they are found in 75~80% of healthy adults. Since its association with various skin disorders have been known, there have been a growing number of reports that have implicated Malassezia yeast in atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to isolate the various Malassezia species from AD patients by using 26S rDNA (ribosomal Deoxyribonucleic acid) PCR-RFLP and to investigate the relationship between a positive Malassezia culture and the severity of AD. METHODS: Cultures for Malassezia yeasts were taken from the scalp, cheek, chest, arm and thigh of 60 patients with atopic dermatitis. We used a rapid and accurate molecular biological method 26S rDNA PCR-RFLP, and this method can overcome the limits of the morphological and biochemical methods. RESULTS: Positive Malassezia growth was noted on 51.7% of the patients with atopic dermatitis by 26S rDNA PCR-RFLP analysis. The overall dominant species was M. sympodialis (16.3%). M. restricta was the most common species on the scalp (30.0%) and cheek (16.7%). M. sympodialis (28.3%) was the most common species on the chest. The positive culture rate was the highest for the 11~20 age group (59.0%) and the scalp showed the highest rate at 66.7%. There was no significant relationship between the Malassezia species and SCORing for Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD). CONCLUSION: The fact that the cultured species was different for the atopic dermatitis lesion skin from that of the normal skin may be due to the disrupted skin barrier function and sensitization of the organism induced by scratching in the AD lesion-skin. But there was no relationship between the Malassezia type and the severity score. The severity score is thought to depend not on the type, but also on the quantity of the yeast.
Adult ; Arm ; Cheek ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Humans ; Malassezia ; Scalp ; Skin ; Thigh ; Thorax ; Yeasts

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Several specific foods are known to precipitate gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and GERD patients are usually advised to avoid such foods. However, foods consumed daily are quite variable according to regions, cultures, etc. This study was done to elucidate the food items which induce typical GERD symptoms in Korean patients. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-six Korean patients with weekly typical GERD symptoms were asked to mark all food items that induced typical GERD symptoms from a list containing 152 typical foods consumed daily in Korea. All patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy followed by 24-hour ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring. The definition of “GERD” was if either of the 2 studies revealed evidence of GERD, and “possible GERD” if both studies were negative. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-six cases (51 GERD and 75 possible GERD) were enrolled. In 19 (37.3%) of 51 GERD cases and in 17 (22.7%) of 75 possible GERD cases, foods inducing typical GERD symptoms were identified. In the GERD group (n = 19), frequent symptom-inducers were hot spicy stews, rice cakes, ramen noodles, fried foods, and topokki. In the possible GERD group (n = 17), frequent symptom-inducers were hot spicy stews, fried foods, doughnuts, breads, ramen noodles, coffee, pizza, topokki, rice cakes, champon noodles, and hotdogs. CONCLUSIONS: In one-third of GERD patients, foods inducing typical symptoms were identified. Hot spicy stews, rice cakes, ramen noodles, fried foods, and topokki were the foods frequently inducing typical symptoms in Korea. The list of foods frequently inducing typical GERD symptoms needs to be modified based on their own local experiences.
Bread ; Coffee ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Esophageal pH Monitoring ; Gastroesophageal Reflux* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Symptom Assessment

BACKGROUND: Malassezia yeasts are normal flora of the skin that are discovered in 75~98% of health subjects, but since its association with various skin disorders have been known, many studies have been conducted in the distribution of the yeasts. OBJECTIVE: To isolate, identify, and classify Malassezia yeasts from the normal human skin of Koreans by using the rapid and accurate molecular biology method (26S rDNA PCR-RFLP) which overcome the limits of morphological and biochemical methods, and to gather a basic database that will show its relation to various skin diseases. METHODS: Malassezia yeasts were cultured from clinically healthy human skin using scrub-wash technique at five sites (forehead, cheek, chest, upper arm, and thigh) and swabbing technique at scalp in 160 participants comprised of 80 males and 80 females aged from 0 to 80. Identification of obtained strains were placed into the one of the 11 species by 26S rDNA PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: An overall positive culture rate was 62.4% (599/960). As shown in the experiment groups by their age, the positive culture rate was the highest (74.2%) in the age 21~30 and 31~40 (89/120). In the experiment groups by different body areas, the scalp showed the highest positive culture rate of 90% (144/160). On analysis of 26S rDNA PCR-RFLP, M. globosa was the most predominant species in the age 0~10 (32.8%), 11~20 (28.9%), 21~30 (32.3%). M. restricta was identified as predominant species in the age 41~50 (27.9%), 61~70 (31.5%) and 71~80 (24.0%). In the age 31~40 years, M. sympodialis was found to be the most common species (24.6%). According to body site, M. restricta was more frequently recovered in the scalp (56.8%), forehead (39.8%) and cheek (24.0%) and while M. globosa was more frequently recovered in the chest (36.8%). Higher positive culture rates of Malassezia yeasts were shown in male subjects than female counterparts in all body areas except scalp (p<0.05). Especially in this study, M. dermatis, newly isolated Malassezia species from atopic dermatitis patient in Japan, was isolated and identified in 19 cases (1.9%) in healthy subjects. CONCLUSION: The key is to recognize the existence of a difference in the type of Malassezia species in different ages as well as body areas, which reflects differing skin lipid levels in various ages and different body areas. Moreover, 26S rDNA PCR-RFLP analysis which was opted in this study could provide a sensitive and rapid identification system for Malassezia species, which may be applied to epidemiological surveys and clinical practice.
Aged ; Arm ; Cheek ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Japan ; Malassezia ; Male ; Molecular Biology ; Scalp ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Thorax ; Yeasts

Gastric volvulus is torsion of the stomach axis accompanied by obstruction and/or strangulation. It is a very rare condition, but it is considered a clinical emergency when it occurs acutely. Acute gastric volvulus requires an early diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment because a delayed diagnosis may lead to gastric obstruction, ischemia and necrosis. We experienced two cases of acute gastric volvulus due to diaphragmatic hernia and the patients were successfully treated with surgery. Here, we report on these two cases with the review of the reported literature on 26 adult cases of gastric volvulus in South Korea.
Adult ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Hernia, Diaphragmatic ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Necrosis ; Republic of Korea ; Stomach ; Stomach Volvulus

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of multidetector-row computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation of reperfused myocardial infarction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven rabbits were subjected to 90-min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery followed by reperfusion. Multidetector-row CT was performed 31 hours+/-21 after the procedure and preand post-contrast multiphase helical CT images were obtained up to 10 min after contrast injection. The animals were sacrificed after 30 days and histochemical staining of the resected specimens was perfomed with 2'3'5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC). RESULTS: In all 11 cases, the areas of myocardial infarction demonstrated with TTC-staining were identified on the CT images and the lesions showed hypoenhancement on the early phases up to 62 sec and hyperenhancement on the delayed phases of 5 min and 10 min compared with normal myocardial enhancement. The percentage area of the lesion with respect to the left ventricle wall on CT was significantly correlated with that of the TTC-staining results (p < 0.001 for both early and delayed phase CT) according to the generalized linear model analysis. The areas showing hypoenhancement on early CT were significantly smaller than those with hyperenhancement on delayed CT (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Multidetector-row CT may be useful in the detection and sizing of reperfused myocardial infarction.
Animals ; Feasibility Studies ; Models, Animal ; Myocardial Infarction/*radiography ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/*radiography ; Rabbits ; Reproducibility of Results ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods