This study was designed to investigate the mole- cular mechanism of chemokine induction by lipopoly-saccharide(LPS) of E. coli. Chemokine gene expression was evaluated by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) assay using RNAs isolated either from kidneys of LPS-injected inice or from the mesangial cells stimulated with LPS, IFN-r or TNF-a. LPS was shown to induce interferon gamma(IFN- 7 ) inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and monokine induced by interferon gamma (MIG) in kidney. IP-10 gene expression was induced by LPS and IFN-r, but MIG gene expression was induced by IFN-r in mesangial cell. Chemokines induced by LPS increased splenocyte migration. Sodium salicylate, wortmanin and piperazine blocked LPS mediated chemokine induction suggesting the activation of nuclear factor-a B pathway. It is concluded from this study that mesangial cells are the target of LPS in the renal failure resulting from the systemic infections. LPS induces chemokines directly and/or indirectly in the mesan- gial cells, and these chemokines may associated with renal inflammation.
Chemokines ; Gene Expression* ; Inflammation ; Interferons ; Kidney ; Mesangial Cells* ; Renal Insufficiency ; RNA ; Sodium Salicylate

Dendritic cell (DC)s are protessional antigen presenting cells and they have been used for antitumor immunotherapy or cell vaccines. However therapy using DC is restricted because the number of DC available from tissue is very low. Flt3 ligand (FL) has been known as a hematopoietic growth factor that increases proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells, and recently it showed inducibility of dendritic cell (DC)s and signiticant antitumor effects in vivo. Thus FL will be frequently used for DC induction and antitumor immunotherapy in future. Here we constructed FL plasmid and studied its in vivo effect. FL plasmids were made by cloning of partial FL cDNA into pcDNA3 plasmid, and gene expression and protein producibility of FL plasmid were confirmed in Renca cells transfected with FL plasmid. Mice were injected with FL plasmid (100ug/mouse) three times and 20 days later mouse spleens were harvested for staining and RT-PCR. There were lots of blastogenic cells in the spleen of mice treated with FL plasmid. FL plasmid also induced DEC205, IL-12 and GM-CSF gene expression in mouse splenocyte. All these data suggest FL plasmid may be used for induction of DC and antitumor therapy as DNA adjuvant.
Mice ; Animals

No Abstract Available.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction* ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament*

The compartment syndrome was described by von Volkmann in 1872 and numerous reports have since been published. The anterior tibial syndrome is well known, but the peroneal compartment syndrome is very rare and have some differences in it's etiology, diagnosis and treatment. We experienced a case of the peroneal compartment syndrome developed after playing foot-ball, and treated by fasciotomy with some delay, but obtained a satisfactory functional result.
Anterior Compartment Syndrome ; Compartment Syndromes ; Diagnosis

No Abstract Available.
Arthroplasty* ; Knee*

PURPOSE: To study whether preoperative fasting would influence postoperative prognosis and to measure the variation of the ketone body amount and ketone body ratio, kidney function during the postoperative period in the model of 90% hepatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total of 180, seven weeks old, male, specific pathogen free Sprague-Dawley rats, divided into two groups of the fasted and the fed. First, 80 rats were divided into two groups of 40 each; 40 of that were denied food for 48 hours before the operation, other 40 were fed. Following 90% hepatectomy they were investigated by Kaplan-Meier method, drawing a survival curve. Secondly, 100 rats were divided into two groups of 50 each, 50 of that were denied food for 48 hours before the operation, and the other 50 were fed. Following 90% hepatectomy, they were investigated by the method of Student's T-test and Mann-Whitney test on the following: the amount of arterial ketone body in the blood in the blood sampled from abdominal aorta, reading at preoperative 48 hours, at the time of operation, postoperative 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours periods. RESULTS: The mean survival time after operation: the fasted group was 53.0+/-3.7 hours and the fed group was 34+/-1.7 hours and it had the statistical significance(p=0.0008). Rats which had long term survival over 72 hours were 14(35%) in fasted group, but only 2(5%) in fed group. In preoperative fasted group arterial ketone body ratio was recovered earlier than fed group and ketone body amount elevated, but in preoperative fed group, there was no significant change in ketone body amount. Blood glucose level lowered in both groups. Blood ammonia was severely increased in preoperative fed group, suggested bad liver function and destruction of muscle. BUN and blood creatinine was elevated in preoperative fed group, suggested lowered kidney function. CONCLUSION: Preoperative fasting has a positive influence on survival of the rats which has acute liver failure induced by 90% hepatectomy, because it could be caused by increased ketone body amount by preoperative fasting.
Ammonia ; Animals ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Blood Glucose ; Creatinine ; Fasting* ; Hepatectomy* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Liver Failure ; Liver Failure, Acute ; Male ; Postoperative Period ; Prognosis ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms ; Survival Rate

A clinical trial was done to evaluate the antihypertensive efficacy and side effects of manidipine, a new calcium antagonist, in 30 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. 1) The study patients consisted of 19 men and 11 women, and the mean age was 51.8 years. 2) Blood pressure dropped significantly in 2 weeks and in 4 weeks, and well maintained throughout the study period. The mean-pressure drop was 26.2/14.9mmHg after 10 weeks. 3) Heart rate did not change significantly with manidipine therpy. 4) Optimal dose for effective pressure-drop was between 10 and 20 mg in 86% of patients. Overall good antihypertensive effect was achieved in 83% of patients. 5) All of the laboratory parameters including blood chemistry, glucose, lipid and electrolytes did not change, but serum calcium increased from 9.2% mg/dl (p=0.001) in 10 weeks. 6) Side effects were mild in nature(palpitation in 3, dry mouth in 1, weakness in 1 and impotence in 1 patient). In conclusion, manidipine monotherapy with 10 to 20 mg once a day regimen is effective and well tolerated in the patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.
Blood Pressure ; Calcium ; Chemistry ; Electrolytes ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Female ; Glucose ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Male ; Mouth

The Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) is known to play a causal role in oncogenesis and to be associated with endemic Burkitt's lymphomas, B cell lymphomas in immunocompromised patients, and nasopharyngeal carcinomas. More recently, EBV has also associated with Hodgkin's disease, B cell lymphomas in non-immunocompromised patients, and T-cell lymphomas. Twenty eight cases of a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of gastrointestinal tract were investigated to determine both the immunophenotype by using immunohistochemical staining and the incidence of the EBV nuclear antigen by using the polymerase chain reaction. Twenty-four of the 28 cases(85.7%) were B-cell type, and 4 of the 28 cases(14.3%) are of T-cell type. The EBV nuclear antigen was detected in three of the 28 cases(10.7%), including two cases of B-cell lymphoma of the stomach and one case of T-cell lymphoma of the small bowel. The EBV nuclear antigen was more frequently found in malignant lymphomas arising in the intestine(1/4) than in stomach(2/16). EBV positivity (25%) in T-cell NHLs was rather higher than EBV positivity (8.3%) in B-cell NHLs. Further expanded evaluations on the role of EBV in the tumorigenesis of a gastrointestinal malignant lymphomas are necessary because the cases of gastrointestinal lymphomas examined were very limited.
B-Lymphocytes ; Burkitt Lymphoma ; Carcinogenesis ; Gastrointestinal Tract* ; Herpesvirus 4, Human* ; Hodgkin Disease ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Incidence* ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin* ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stomach ; T-Lymphocytes

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate fracture strength of collarless metal-ceramic FPDs according to their metal coping designs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four different facial margin design groups were investigated. Group A was a coping with a thin facial metal collar, group B was a collarless coping with its facial metal to the shoulder, group C was a collarless coping with its facial metal 1 mm short of the shoulder, and group D was a collarless coping with its facial metal 2 mm short of the shoulder. Fifteen 3-unit collarless metal-ceramic FPDs were fabricated in each group. Finished FPDs were cemented to PBT (Polybutylene terephthalate) dies with resin cement. The fracture strength test was carried out using universal testing machine (Instron 4465, Instron Co., Norwood MA, USA) at a cross head speed of 0.5 mm/min. Aluminum foil folded to about 1 mm of thickness was inserted between the plunger tip and the incisal edge of the pontic. Vertical load was applied until catastrophic porcelain fracture occurred. RESULTS: The greater the bulk of unsupported facial shoulder porcelain was, the lower the fracture strength became. However, there were no significant differences between experimental groups (P > .05). CONCLUSION: All groups of collarless metal-ceramic FPDs had higher fracture strength than maximum incisive biting force. Modified collarless metal-ceramic FPD can be an alternative to all-ceramic FPDs in clinical situations.
Aluminum ; Bites and Stings ; Collodion ; Dental Porcelain ; Denture, Partial, Fixed ; Head ; Resin Cements ; Shoulder